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| | Don't Miss Ep 4 of My Free Webinar Show... We Discuss The $7,000 Wonder Cosmos! August 13th • 1pm PDT (4pm EDT)
After working to put this together for several weeks, I'm thrilled to finally announce my next No Budget Confidential--an interview with Elliot and Zander Weaver, the filmmaking brothers behind the buzzy no-budget sci-fi wonder Cosmos.
The story behind the making of this film is almost as incredible as the film itself, which when you know the behind-the-scenes story, is utterly impressive. Made for only $7,000 over a five year period, the young brothers did just about everything themselves. In fact, it's easier to list off the things they didn't do, rather than the things they did do. They didn'tact in the film, write the music, and...that's it. They did everything else! When you see it, it's almost impossible to believe. Here, give the trailer a look... |
| | See! See what I mean?!? Let's break it down a bit. These two guys wrote, produced, directed, shot and edited the film--their first feature. They were the whole crew, in fact, along with support from their mother. They designed all the props (which are impressive), built the sets (much of the film was shot in a garage, meant to be the woods), built homemade camera rigs and dollies (oh, and they shot in HD on the first generation Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, which will cost you about $600 right now), did all the visual effects and all the post sound work.
They got a day-and-date theatrical release here in the States (in Nov 2019) and received worldwide distribution through Gravitas. It's currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
There's enough no-budget lessons here to fill three shows, and we'll talk about all of it, showing clips and stills along the way, and answering all your questions. These guys live and work in the UK, and they're really busy right now, so this is an incredible opportunity to discuss their work before they move on to the next (likely much bigger) thing.
I hope you'll join me and the Weaver Brothers, and remember, these are FREE, but space is limited, so sign up sooner than later. And while this is confidential, please feel free to spread the word. There are no better secrets than the ones you share...
No Budget Film School presents NO BUDGET CONFIDENTIAL - EPISODE 4 The Weaver Brothers Discuss Cosmos Thursday, August 13, 2020 • 1pm PT (4pm ET) Free - Live Via Zoom
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| | | | | Documentary Filmmakers... Many of you have probably heard of my mentor Peter Broderick. Peter founded Next Wave Films and I worked with him there from 1997 until 2002. He's been a guest speaker at every one of my Los Angeles-taught No Budget Film School classes, going back to 2005. He's one of the smartest people I know and is legendary in the Independent Film space--the first to quantify the micro-budget filmmaking model, the first to recognize the significance of digital filmmaking, and the first to coin the term Hybrid Distribution. Since starting his distribution consulting company Paradigm Consulting, he has consulted on over 1,700 films.
He's now teaming up with his business partner Keith Ochwat, a filmmaker who has devised several innovative distribution strategies himself, and they're teaching their first online class. In 10 sessions taught over 5 days, Peter and Keith will provide cutting-edge, nuts-and-bolts information for documentary filmmakers seeking distribution for new films, previous films, and future films.
Visit their new website to learn more about what they'll cover, and remember to use the promo code he's given me to pass along to all of you--NBFS--good for 20% Off! The button below takes you to the Eventbrite page and has the discount already embedded in it.
SUPERCHARGE YOUR DISTRIBUTION A Virtual Crash Course 10 Sessions Taught Over 5 Weeks • Aug 19 - Sep 16 Live Via Zoom
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| | | | Second Weekend of Interviews With Successful Writers This Saturday and Sunday
Weekend Two of Horns Up Hollywood is this Saturday and Sunday, and if you're interested in learning about how to break into Television Writing, you won't want to miss either of these live Zoom sessions.
First up on Saturday at 2pm is veteran writer/producer Ted Zizik. Ted has been working in Family television for years, working on shows like Bunk'd, Jessie, Team Kaylie, and more. He'll share what it takes to work on shows like this, and we'll do a little case study of a scene he wrote, giving you the script pages and then showing the final filmed result.
On Sunday at 2pm, I'll be interviewing recent UT and AFI grad Raymond Arturo Perez. Raymond was a double major at the University of Texas, getting a Business Degree and a degree in Radio/Television/Film. He then got his MFA in Screenwriting at AFI, graduating last summer. He recently finished his first staff writing job on the new Netflix series Selena, coming soon. He'll discuss what it took to get this all-important first writing gig, what the writer's room is like for a newbie, and how he plans to get the even-harder second gig. We'll also look at a scene from the spec script he wrote that got him the job, and discuss the hustle you still have to do until you reach the level of a Ted Zizik.
These sessions are great opportunities to learn more about a side of the business you maybe never considered (I personally know nothing about TV writing). Like my No Budget Confidential sessions, we'll show clips and stills and you'll get to ask these guys anything. And while they're not free, they are cheap--only $5 using your promo code NBFS. All proceeds got to our university scholarship fund. Click the button to register, and your discount is already embedded in the link.
HORNS UP HOLLYWOOD SPEAKER SERIES Saturday & Sunday at 2pm • August 8th & 9th Live Via Zoom
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| | | | | 2-Time Oscar Winner's Micro-Budget Period Piece Opens Today! |
| | Filmmaker Terry Sanders was a No Budget Film School student of mine, but he didn't need me to teach him filmmaking. Terry's been making films for over 65 years and has won two Academy Awards for documentary filmmaking. He came to No Budget Film School to pick up some tips on narrative filmmaking on a small budget, something he hadn't done in decades. Ever since the 1960's, he'd been wanting to shoot a feature idea that just wouldn't go away. And so proving the adage "it's never too late" (and disproving the other adage "you can't teach an old dog new tricks"), Terry damn well went out there and made it!
I wrote about his experience a couple of years ago, and now Terry's film about first love set in 1966 California, Liza, Liza Skies Are Grey is finally coming out everywhere on VOD today. The film stars Better Things actress Mikey Madison--Liza, Liza was her first feature film, which she shot when she was only 15 years old, two years before getting her big break on TV. Terry impressively captures the period, which he vividly lived through, debunking the idea that a period piece can't be made on a micro-budget.
The producers are doing a little DVD Giveaway--mention the film in a Facebook or Instagram post saying why you're excited to watch it for your next movie night, for a chance to win the DVD. You must tag @LizaLizaMovie in the post and include the hashtag #LizaLizaMovie to be eligible. The Giveaway ends Friday, August 7th at 11:59pm PDT; the winner will be randomly selected. The DVD includes a Behind-The-Scenes featurette, so you'll get to see just how they pulled off this wonderful movie on a tiny budget.
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