A 5-star review from your mom won’t sell your film. A clear business plan, audience insights, and smart marketing will.

#IndieFilmBusiness #FilmmakerTruths #MovieMarketing #FilmFinance #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

Want your crowdfunding campaign to succeed? Don’t launch to an empty room.

#FilmCrowdfunding #IndieFilmHustle #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

I built Garvescope because indie filmmakers are tired of guessing how to fund and distribute their films. We need data, not just luck. Who’s with me?

#FilmTech #IndieFilmStartup #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

Filmmaking isn’t about talent. It’s about persistence. Plenty of talented filmmakers quit. The persistent ones keep making movies.

#FilmmakerMindset #IndieFilmHustle #PersistenceOverTalent #KeepMakingMovies #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

Fun fact: The average Hollywood film marketing budget is 2X the production budget. That means if a movie costs $100M to make, studios spend $200M to sell it. Could you do more with less?

#Filmmaking #IndieFilm #FilmBudget #FilmmakerLife #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

Major studios make most of their money from merchandising, not ticket sales. That’s why Disney keeps making Star Wars.

#MovieMarketing #FilmMerchandising #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

This week at Garvescope: We’re testing new funding tools for filmmakers. What’s the biggest funding challenge we should solve?

#StartupLife #IndieFilmBusiness #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

Me: I just need $50K to make my movie.
Also me: Spends $7K on a new camera.

#FilmmakingLife #IndieFilmHustle #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

Biggest indie film gamble? Kevin Smith put his entire $27K life savings into making Clerks. It grossed over $3 million. Not bad for a film shot in a convenience store after hours. Would you bet your life savings on a film?

#FilmmakingHustle #IndieFilmCommunity #NoBudgetFilm #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity

The biggest lie filmmakers believe about funding.

#FilmFinance #IndieFilmBusiness #MovieMoney #FilmmakingTruths #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

Your script isn’t too ‘ambitious.’ You just haven’t figured out how to make it work with the resources you have.

#ScreenwritingTips #FilmmakingHustle #NoExcuses #IndieFilmBusiness #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

If you’re waiting for permission to be a filmmaker, you’ll never be one. No one will invite you in. Just start.

#IndieFilmmaking #FilmmakerLife #NoExcuses #DIYFilmmaking #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

First drafts aren’t meant to be perfect. They’re meant to exist.

#ScreenwritingTips #FilmmakingHustle #JustWriteIt #NoExcuses #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

What’s your filmmaking superpower? 🎬

#FilmmakerPersonality #IndieFilmCommunity #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

The #1 thing indie filmmakers ignore? Email lists. Instagram will throttle your reach, YouTube will demonetize, but your email list is forever. Who’s building theirs? #FilmMarketing #IndieFilmBusiness #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

5 Must-Read Books for Indie Filmmakers.

#FilmmakingTips #IndieFilmBooks #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

Be honest. Would you rather have 1,000 festival viewers or 1,000 paying fans? Comment FESTIVAL or FANS.

#MovieMoney #FilmFestivals #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

Most indie filmmakers I meet are insanely talented—but they fail because they don’t know how to sell their film. Distribution is a business, not an art. Who’s learning how to market their movie?

#MovieMarketing #IndieFilmHustle #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

Film grants = free money, but they’re hard to get. 3 ways to increase your chances.

#FilmGrants #IndieFilmFinance #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm

Five things indie film investors actually care about (they're not the same things for filmmakers...)

#FilmFunding #FilmInvestment #Filmmaking #Filmmaker #Cinematography #IndieFilm #ShortFilm #Director #FilmmakersLife #SetLife #IndieFilmmaker #FilmmakingLife #FilmProduction #FilmFestival #IndieFilmmaking #DirectorOfPhotography #FilmmakerCommunity #SupportIndieFilm #NoBudgetFilm