Filmmaking

As I wind down the Kickstarter campaign for my new film The House That Jack Built, the second successful campaign I've run, I'd like to share with you some insights gained from doing this a second time. Having also consulted on several campaigns, donating to over 70 Kickstarter/IndieGoGo campaigns, and visiting countless more, I can confidently stand behind these tips. Completing the Kickstarter cycle once (for our successful campaign for Pig, which appeared in festivals all over the world, wi...

Nobody in his or her right mind would ever make a low-budget independent film. It's a little like going over Niagara Falls in a barrel; you might bob to the surface to thunderous applause, but you're just as likely to end up mangled on the rocks. The things you're risking-financial ruin, stomach problems, the wandering away of badly-neglected lovers and friends-are grimly certain. The odds of getting what you crave-professional recognition, a fanatically loyal fan base, a modest return on your i...

When I find myself in between gigs, I end up reflecting like Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now. While I haven't punched out any mirrors--on or off the set--recently, being a Grip is a lot like being a Marine. We're action-oriented, and tend to get antsy when we aren't in the thick of it. There tends to be a lot of questions surrounding the profession of being a Grip. Most are from the general public that our industry serves -- questions like, "What is a Key Grip? (or a "Best Boy," or a "Gaffer"...

My name is George Pappy, and my "industry outsider" Hollywood story began while I was still employed fulltime as an Electrical Engineer in the Aerospace industry, where I worked on satellites (I hung out with a bad crowd in college: everyone was good at math and science, it seemed like the thing to do, I caved in to peer pressure and did things I'm not proud of...). I'm not trying to break into the film industry for fame, fortune or power, and you probably aren't either. I'm here because I h...

Stage 32 member, Forris Day Jr. asked me to be a guest on his terrific podcast, Scared Straight Reviews. We discussed the origins and future of Stage 32, recent success stories, and how members of the community can get the most out of the site. My thanks to Forris for the opportunity... I enjoyed every minute. Here's a link to the streaming audio: http://chirb.it/255t6E Also, it came to our attention that my HeadshotCafé interview with Ajay from Argentum Photo Labs had been knocked o...

BEIJING Living in Beijing for over five years now has opened my eyes to the possibilities available for foreigners like me who are trying to make their mark in the Chinese film and television industry, and believe me, it's big and boiling hot. When I first arrived here I was approached by a leading film and TV production company, Taihu Media, about becoming involved in making a movie from a creative aspect that would suit a foreign audience. Unfortunately, I was a rookie in the way of do...

You can't do that! That won't work! You must do it this way! No doubt you've been told "no" a time or two if you've ever done anything in the moviemaking business. I sure have. Way too many times for my liking. I'm not sure it ever gets any easier to hear. Luckily for myself, no matter how painful or demoralizing it may be at the time of a particular rejection, I've been able to brush it off and eventually forget about it or sometimes, even turn it into extra motivation. Typically when someone...

During production, we decided that going to Sundance would be our target. With a timeline to follow, at the very least, we would have to have a locked picture by early September. We finished shooting in late May and scheduled 6-8 weeks for the edit. Working from the garage at the back of our house, we just managed to finish in time to submit the film to Sundance in early September. Then we waited for the announcements in late November. There was a great sense of relief and excitement when we...

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Ajay Jhaveri, founder of Headshot Café, for a wide ranging interview regarding Stage 32's origins, what the site has to offer creatives from around the world, and the present and future plans for the community. Before we get to the video, my thanks to the multi-talented actor, writer, producer, Christian Meoli, for his comprehensive coverage of Stage 32 - and yours truly - for Yahoo Entertainment and Yahoo Tech. You can read Christian's article...

After almost four years of writing and raising finance, we were finally able to start casting. Everyone knows how hard it is to get people to read screenplays, especially if the finance is not in place. The first two questions our casting director asked were: "Are you fully financed?" and "When are you scheduled to start shooting?" Yes, we had the finance (or so we thought) and shooting would start in a couple of months depending on casting and actor availability. Yay!! First hurdle overcome!!...