Film Investing for Dummies

Like most working independent film producers, I’ve pitched my projects to more potential financiers than I can remember.  I’m always relieved when they’re seasoned film investors because then I can focus on the creative aspects of the project, the production and distribution plan, and the recoupment structure.  When I pitch …

A Call to Producers: Innovate or Die

Summit of independent creative producers hosted by MoMA, Indiewire, and Zipline Entertainment in December 2009.

I’m very fortunate to be friends with many accomplished independent film producers–people whose films have screened at the best festivals, won significant awards, gotten picked up by major distributors, earned healthy gross receipts, and …

12 Key Traits of the “Indie-Friendly” Director

Video Village, Indie-Style

Not every director is suited for low-budget indie filmmaking, and that’s OK if you’re Terrence Malick or David Fincher. But chances are, you’re not…or not yet, anyway. I get a fair number of calls from biggish directors and producers who are having trouble raising money for their …

Film Project Markets, Dissected

Film Independent's Fast Track project market

Sometimes I feel like a traveling salesman, going from festival to festival selling my finished films, and from market to market pitching my new projects.  I recently participated in my ninth project market on the “filmmaker” side, and I’ve done four of them on …

The Privilege of Representation

There’s been a lot of chatter about race and representation lately — “Linsanity,” the Pete Hoekstra campaign debacle, the overwhelmingly white makeup of Oscar voters and nominees alike, Billy Crystal in blackface at the Oscars, the lack of Asian American actors on the New York stage, the controversy over the …