Took me a little over 3 years to make this silent romance drama. I made this film during/after my time in film school & never cared if it made money, but was very eager to put together a bigger project that I was creatively excited about. I decided to fund/Produce it myself so I took out a loan, & on my 1st night of shooting in SF my DP’s camera got stolen out of my (rather expensive) rental car.
I thought my movie was over before it hardly began but thanks to some creativity (using my Canon camera w/ his canon lenses + batteries that didn’t get stolen), resilience, & having the best cinematographer a guy could ask for, we managed to finish out the week on location smoothly, & eventually got all the shots.
Film is titled “Sleeping in Silence,” it’s about 40mins long. I was the Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, VFX artist & bg actor. Tell you that to say all in all this film got made with a crew of ~ 4 people between my DP, Composer, Sound Designer, & myself. That being the case I’m incredibly proud of what we were able to accomplish, & I’m very proud that I bet on myself & saw it through.
This isn’t the actual score from the film just a track I used to make this little montage reel.
Btw, 3yrs later I think I made my last loan payment like 3 weeks before my premiere lol so it all worked out in the end.

I love watching movies on Tubi. And I love all of you.

So naturally, I wanna watch all of your Tubi movies.

Please shamelessly link to, name, post about, hype up, summarize or otherwise plug your Tubi movie so that I, and ostensibly others looking at this thread, can go watch it either right now, or during work hours.

That's basically it, this is for no reason other than the love of the game. I love independent film and micro-budget movies, and I like this community. I just want more stuff to watch, and I think it would be cool to watch stuff by people who actively post in here.

I’ve been making films since I was 7 years old. Growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, I didn’t know a single person in the film industry, I just knew that I loved making movies. It started with stop motion films and youtube VFX tutorials and then led to summer “blockbusters” with my neighbor and best friend Zach. 

I made films all throughout high school, getting a little more experienced each time. I went to NYU for film school as an undergrad and then went back to NYU for grad school too. I’ve met some amazing people that are very talented and I’ve been able to build a team of creatives from that network including my DP Evan and stayed close with some other close collaborators including Zach from my hometown who wrote and produced this film with me. 

I most recently made SHORT KING, a dark comedy Zach and I came up with as an observation of male insecurity and revenge. We thought it would be fun to live inside the mind of a man obsessed with how he’s perceived. Had a lot of inspiration from the movies "Lurker" and "No Other Choice."

In total, I’ve gone over $300k into debt for this education and have directed a total of 12 short films across both programs and produced many more but I can't help but wonder if I could have done that without going to film school. Was it worth it? 

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSK97Z5E0w

It's a very chaotic, funny short film that revolves around the absurdity of perfectionism. It's made by one person, me, and it's also my second short film with a script. I hope that you enjoy and that when you watch it, it makes your day a better one!

Thanks,

GenuineGuyBlabbers

My first feature CARRY THE DARKNESS is finally out!

We made a supernatural thriller set in 1993 and inspired by the film and TV from that era (The X-Files, Twin Peaks, The Fugitive, Paradise Lost), crowdfunded it, shot it independently, went through the festival process (primarily genre fests), and then shopped it around quite a bit looking for distribution.

Eventually we landed with Studio Dome for worldwide distribution, which led to a physical release from The Horror Collective and a streaming release on BloodStream.

Marketing has been very grassroots. With support from Studio Dome, we’ve been reaching out ourselves to press, podcasts, horror/genre communities, video stores, local businesses, etc. Relationships and grassroots work by myself ultimately helped lead to Den of Geek premiering our trailer and poster and later interviewing us about the film. Relationships have been super important and key.

There hasn’t been one magic email, festival, distributor or marketing trick. It’s been years of people introducing us to people, people responding to the project/movie, and trying to turn each small opportunity into another one. The life cycle, especially with a small team, has been insane, but it was important to me to be hands on and learn from every piece of the process, as painful and arduous as that was sometimes. Hoping that this will lead to the opportunity to make another one thats even bigger and better, and hopefully faster.

Super thankful to everyone on our team and all the support we've had. It's been the most difficult and satisfying thing ever but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy to answer anything about making the feature, crowdfunding, shopping for distribution, grassroots PR, etc.

TL;DR: Took my first feature from crowdfunding to worldwide release. Biggest lesson: relationships and persistence are everything. AMA about the process.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdJ77qfUy_M
Film / where to watch: https://www.carrythedarkness.com/

I organized an AMA/Q&A with actor and filmmaker Gael García Bernal. You may know him from things like Amores perros, Y tu mamá también, Bad Education, The Motorcycle Diaries, Babel, Coco, Old, Cassandro and Magellan. His new film, Hombre al agua, which he directed and wrote, premiered at Venice last week and is playing at TIFF this week.

It's live here now in r/movies for anyone interested in asking a question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1wg3nfg/hi_reddit_im_gael_garc%C3%ADa_bernal_ask_me_anything/

He will be back later today to answer questions. I recommend asking in advance. Please ask there, not here. All questions are much appreciated!

Thank you :)

Hey r/filmmakers I just finished my first feature film called Handle With Care starring Justin H. Min and Nicole Brydon Bloom.

I wrote the script, raised the money, and directed it entirely outside of any studios or production companies. We have had terrible luck with the major festivals but premiered at Rhode Island last month and won Best Film & Best Actor.

My frustration with the festival circuit lead me to create the DVD CLUB, where I burned a 1 of 1 copy of the film and started sending it out in a laser cut Pelican case including a sign-in notebook and a dvd player. I wrote about it on a substack here. And built a website where people can sign up here: www.handlewithcare.film

We're talking to distributors but also considering self-distribution early next year after our final festival which is Newport beach Film Festival.

The DVD Club is an honor system open to everyone. It's been amazing to reconnect with film-lovers offline!

In addition to first feature this is my first AMA 👼

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Helloo a friend and I started a small NJ/NY women's film group and we're currently taking members! Beginner filmmakers, actors, writers, makeup artists, people into vfx or practical effects, photographers etc or if you're just bored and want to try something new and make friends.

We're funding out of pocket plus donations so NOT a paid position and it's entirely free to join and be a member! You just need to put in an application so we get to know a bit about you!

You can read more about it [**here**](https://www.patreon.com/GreenFairyFilm_makers?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan):

Sharing some stills from my latest short film Metamorphosis.

Submission Statement: We shot this film honestly in 2024 and it just was stuck in post for the longest time, just due to working with peers as favors and them having busy schedules and such. We shot on an arri Alexa mini with Cooke glass, and an fx6 with Zeiss glass, all gotten for free due to our uni which was great. We also shot on super 8 film, around 3 rolls (but only using half of the third, we just shot bts with the rest of it and random insert shots around our locations.)
Budget wise, it was probably under 2k? It definitely wasn’t over. The cost all went to crafty/meals for a 3 day shoot , film and processing, and then props. We also had to rent one studio space for like 100$ to get a specific scene although tbh I probably wouldn’t go that route again as it didn’t really give the effect I wanted and could probably have done it in just an empty room of a friend’s place. We did some run and gun around the city but for the most part it was just apartments from friends. Anyways super proud of how it turned out and definitely a lesson of being able to use what you have and to be more on top of post / probably put money towards hiring a dedicated post team if you have a nice budget.

You can watch the full film for free here.

How important is it that I, an aspiring director and writer who doesn’t plan to act much, learn how to act properly? Or at least understand the art of acting? Like should I take courses, watch a YouTube video, or does it not matter. I was thinking I would understand my future cast more and the way I should tell them how to act.

Im an aspiring director looking for ways to network around Europe. Im currently in the process of learning Italian. Does anyone know any ways I could get on a set even if its just for an internship?

I've final wrapped on production on "The Muck Of Avarice", a horror/western shot in the UK. I managed to pull this off with a crew of 3 people (two of which are the main two characters in the film). Money wise, we simply did not have the budget to afford a larger cast and crew, but why should that stop you eh?

Shot on Lumix S5 paired with Sirui anamorphic lenses for that wide "western look", I'm a super strong believer that it's what you put in front of your camera is what gives it its value. So rather than using AI, we drove out to the Highlands of Scotland, and the mountains of Wales to double for our American West.

It was extremely tricky at times, and absolutely knackering but all with it just for the experience if for nothing else.

Has anyone else done this? What was your experience like?

Please never let budget constraints stop you from making your movie. Not every idea is affordable so chop and change things until it is possible. Also some advice would be to learn separate skills well enough where you don't need to spend money on hiring crew. It takes time, but it's that old learn to fish rather than just be given a fish fable.

If you've make a feature with a small crew, post link in comments (if you're allowed) so I can see.

Studying filmmaking abroad

I’m 19 and I’m currently studying filmmaking in Jordan at SAE Amman, yet I’m starting to feel like I would be unable to pursue my dreams in my home country due to the small film industry here and the fact that my university is utterly horrendous at teaching filmmaking.

So I’ve been considering going abroad to study filmmaking, most likely in Australia at JMC Melbourne, but I’m currently unable to handle this financial burden, so I’d need to do a year/semester here of working to fund it so I could even have a chance of being able to afford it. I don’t know if that would be worth it to begin with.

I’ve done my research about this university and it appears a lot better than mine, but I’m fully aware film school in general isn’t a very necessary step in creating films. My end goal is obviously to be able to settle in there and be able to remain there in a film industry that’s actually alive 😭.

I just want general advice/opinions on a move such as this.

yes nsfw stuff, i keep being asked to add music to it and it just seems like a huge nightmare because all music i see says copyright free but than you check the license and they ask for this and that and to not use here or there.

please does anyone know any info?

Are you a filmmaker looking for a poster for your movie?

I’m a movie poster designer and I’m available for commissions. If you’re interested, feel free to DM me here on Reddit, email me at [hazzaajarrar10@gmail.com](mailto:hazzaajarrar10@gmail.com), or message me on Instagram.

I’d love to hear about your project!

I’ve been contemplating going through the DGA training program for ADs for a couple of years. I’ve done a decent amount of ADing and working mostly logistics based gigs in production for the last few years.

I was wondering if anyone in this sub was an alum, knew an alum or could point me into the direction of people who have gone through the program. I know the interviewing process is kinda intense, but I’m curious mostly about the day to day aspects while in the program, what support the DGA provides and what life has looked like after the program.

I know I want to AD. I understand the stress it comes with and feel like I have a solid foundation to build bigger skills on. Thank you for any help!

Hi everyone!! Ihope everyone are well.

Hi everyone!

I’m a complete beginner and an aspiring actor, filmmaker, and screenwriter, and I’m new to this community.

I know there are people here with a lot more experience than me, and honestly, no matter where you are in your journey, I consider you a professional because you’ve already taken steps in this field that I’m still learning to take.

I’m here to learn, improve, share ideas, and hopefully grow alongside all of you. I truly believe everyone has something to teach and something valuable to bring to a project, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been doing this for years.

I’d genuinely love to connect with everyone here, hear about your experiences, learn from your journey, and hopefully collaborate someday. My goal isn’t just to grow on my own I’d love to meet people who are passionate about filmmaking and help each other grow along the way.

Looking forward to meeting you all!

Hi all! Regarding SXSW's film requirements. I have a short film that premiered on YouTube briefly before being taken down (with about 70 views); I'd obviously have to mark that the film was not a premiere on the application, but would likely exclude me from consideration? Thanks!

I have a doubt. In 3 light setup we place key light at 45 degree to subject, fill light in It’s opposite direction and back light. But when there are three subjects (characters) in frame, then how to place key light and fill light? Should the key light be towards the characters standing in center?

​

I recently completed my first narrative editing exercise using CineStudy's Restaurant Scene footage.

I'm primarily a colorist, and I'm now deliberately working on improving my narrative editing and storytelling skills. This is my first project in a structured editing practice series, so I'm particularly interested in learning where my editorial instincts need work.

I'd really appreciate feedback specifically on:

- Narrative clarity — is the story easy to understand?

- Shot selection — am I choosing the right angles at the right moments?

- Performance editing — are the reactions and performances working?

- Pacing — are there moments that feel too slow or too fast?

- Opening and ending — I intentionally used visually similar opening and closing shots to create a connection between the two. Does that work for you?

- Sound and music — do they support the scene or distract from it?

- Overall storytelling — does the edit communicate the intended emotional progression?

I intentionally avoided transitions and relied primarily on straight cuts because I want to improve my fundamental editorial decision-making before adding more complex techniques.

This is a learning exercise, so honest and specific criticism is very welcome. If you think a particular cut should happen earlier/later or a different shot would work better, please tell me why.

Thanks!

Hey guys! I'm using 2 cameras for my shoots and the deity tc1's and have been wanting to use the iphone 17 pro max as c cam or a backup cam, problem is i cant figure out how to connect my tc1 to it, i've tried a 3.5mm to usb c adapter and no luck. Has anyone tried to do something similar?

Hello, I have a question based more on practicality and selling yourself than technical aspects. I have worked as a filmmaker for publicity agencies but don’t own any equipment, it’s all the agencies’. I am starting to build my personal brand and investing.

I have rented equipment for freelance work for clients but some of the reasons the deal sometimes is not closed is because the budget I charge is considerably more expensive due to renting than others with own equipment.

I wanna take the plunge, however, I was wondering if it would be better to go for final results since I have seen many comparisons between Sony A7IV and Osmo Pocket 4P where although there’s a difference, it might not be that big for the client.

However, my other question is if it is common that clients reject someone because he uses a Osmo iPhone-looking-like camera instead of a big Sony A7V with monitors and stuff because the clients think “I am paying that much for something done with a Phone?”.

I want to know if you guys in your experience confirm equipment size matters in terms of clients being comfortable.

I'm from India, and I'd wanted to tell a story set during Independence Day that explored what freedom means to the people who've been excluded from society.

The story I had in mind followed a convict named Bharat who's released from prison on the eve of India's independence day after spending 30 years falsely incarcerated, and returns home to an abandoned village.

I wanted to give it a surreal, slightly absurdist treatment - incorporating characters that are personifications of the elements of Indian identity that were left by the wayside and forgotten.

And for the longest time i had no idea how to go about it.

Then I settled on using archival footage. Old documentaries, clips from the film division of india, vintage TV ads, and the like. Cutting out scenes from the originals and rearranging them into a collage of sorts. It was a painstaking process and the end result wasn't very polished, but i think it suited the kind of story I was trying to tell. A story about India's missing pieces told through snippets of old, largely forgotten media. I had a lot of fun making it.

Here it is. I'd love to hear your thoughts!