The Filmmaking Stuff Podcast

The Filmmaking Stuff Podcast

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Why Box Office Gross Does NOT Equal Profit

Why doesn't a $20 million movie that grosses $30 million at the box office automatically make a $10 million profit? Because that's not how theatrical movie economics work. In this episode, I break down the real numbers behind a theatrical release, including production budgets, P& ...  Show more

The Ant Theory: How to Keep Moving When Things Fall Apart

In filmmaking, things fall through all the time—financing disappears, actors drop out, deals change, and rejection comes with the territory. In this episode, I explain my Ant Theory and how I’ve used it throughout my filmmaking career: instead of sitting around thinking about wha ...  Show more

Your Movie Rents for $5.99 — Here’s What You Actually Get

What does a $5.99 indie film rental actually earn the filmmaker? In this episode, I break down the economics of TVOD and show where the money goes after the streaming platform and distributor take their percentages. We also look at investor recoupment, how a small indie film migh ...  Show more

What Film Investors Actually Look For

What makes a film investor say yes to an indie movie? In this episode, I break down the things investors look at when evaluating a film investment, including the screenplay, budget, genre, cast and attachments, artwork, and film business plan. I also explain the “invisible factor ...  Show more

Before Day One: The Business of Making a Movie

What business decisions should an indie film producer make before day one on set? In this episode, we break down the big-picture decisions that can determine whether your movie has a real shot in the marketplace—from the script and budget to genre, audience, cast, tax incentives, ...  Show more