Mark Stolaroff (DriverX, The House That Jack Built, Pig) discusses the ins and outs of independent feature filmmaking, his No Budget Film School workshops, and more…
We talk about:
- Mark’s popular No Budget Film School workshops at Raleigh Studios
- The producer-director collaboration in filmmaking
- The real world inspiration for “DriverX” and working with Patrick Fabian
- Funding and executing a DIY production
- Major film festivals and the hybrid distribution approach
- Connecting with viewers through social media campaigns
- Marketing strategies and finding a niche audience
- Casting actors to maximize foreign market value
- Navigating the Sci-Fi and Fantasy genres in the festival circuit
Quotes from the show:
“I think it’s all about performance and story, and if you can get something that looks okay, you’re golden.”
“What happens in the Prius, stays in the Prius.”
“Your first festival makes a big difference on the festivals after that. If you get into a Sundance, your festival strategy completely changes.”
“I think every film has some kind of constituency… you have to find it.”
“We are always hopeful that our films will make their money back, especially if we’ve put our own money in them, but that’s not the reason we’re making them.”