Indie Film Podcast

Think you can make a movie on a shoestring budget? So did we. In this episode, we break down what it really costs to budget an indie film, sharing real numbers (and real mistakes) from our own micro budget productions.

We’ll cover:

• How we stretched $10K across locations, gear, and craft services

• What “zero budget filmmaking” actually means (hint: it’s not zero)

• Where most of your budget actually goes (and where we blew it)

• SAG-AFTRA’s low and ultra-low budget agreements, explained (mostly)

If you’ve ever wondered how to make an indie film without maxing out a dozen credit cards, this episode’s for you.

Follow us for more indie film content:

Instagram: @indiefilmpodcast

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YouTube: @IndieFilmPodcast

Website: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com

Welcome to another brutally honest episode of the Indie Film Podcast — where your favorite micro-budget filmmakers, Chuck and Victoria, dive into the messy realities of online film streaming.

This week we ask the big questions:

• Should you post your indie film on YouTube for free?

• Does streaming help you build an audience — or just bury your movie in the algorithm?

• Can you actually make money doing this? (Spoiler: 0.3% of YouTubers do.)

• What’s the best way to share your indie film and get it seen without selling your soul?

We break down the pros, cons, stats, strategies, and cautionary tales—from visibility and branding to why nobody watched Chuck’s web series (oops). If you’ve ever Googled "how to share your indie film" or wondered if YouTube is actually a good idea for filmmakers, this episode’s for you.

Warning: We also get slightly (endearingly?) off-topic with wedding videography horror stories, the Taco Bell trifecta, and whether or not your uncle’s seventh marriage should count.

Learn how to:

• Use YouTube for filmmakers to build an audience

• Create a content strategy that doesn’t fizzle out after one upload

• Avoid the "just post it and hope" trap

• Actually get eyes on your work — even with zero budget

Subscribe for more filmmaking failures, indie wisdom, and real talk. Because if we make the mistakes, you don’t have to.

📩 Got a question for the show? Drop it in the comments or DM us on Instagram!

#IndieFilm #OnlineFilmStreaming #YouTubeForFilmmakers #filmdiscussion #indiefilmmakers

Follow Us:

Instagram: @indiefilmpodcast

TikTok: @indiefilmpodcast

YouTube: @IndieFilmPodcast

Website: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com

You finished your indie film. Now what? If you're staring down the terrifying abyss known as film distribution wondering if you'll ever make your money back (or even get people to watch the damn thing), you're not alone.

In this episode, Chuck and Victoria dive headfirst into the harsh realities of distributing an independent film—from self-distribution woes and shady contracts to theatrical runs, $25 streaming payouts, and the mysterious world of space rights (yes, really). We break down the difference between using a DIY aggregator versus signing with a full-service distributor, and share the many, many missteps we’ve made along the way.

If you're an indie filmmaker trying to figure out how to get your movie out into the world without signing away your soul (or your space rights), this episode is for you.

Topics include:

- What film distribution actually looks like for indie filmmakers

- Why Amazon Prime dumped our movie

- Marketing mistakes that killed our view count

- When a $5K "distribution fee" isn’t what it seems

- The surprising value of reviews and mailing lists

- How to (maybe) keep your rights in this universe

Have your own indie film distribution horror stories or tips?

Drop a comment or email us—we’d love to share more perspectives on future episodes!

Follow Us:

Instagram: @indiefilmpodcast

TikTok: @indiefilmpodcast

YouTube: @IndieFilmPodcast

Website: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com

#IndieFilm #filmdistribution #filmmakingjourney #filmdiscussion #FilmmakersLife

Welcome to Indie Film Podcast, where micro-budget dreams go to die, rise again, and maybe get rejected by Sundance in the process. In Episode 15, hosts Chuck and Victoria dive face-first into the glittering, gatekept world of film festivals — with all the bruises to show for it. 

Thinking of submitting your indie film to a major festival? Wondering if film festivals are worth it? Hoping one screening will catapult you to fame and fortune? Well… buckle up. This episode is packed with hard-earned lessons, rejection letters, and just enough survivor’s guilt to keep it entertaining.

The Details:

• Are film festivals worth the cost and effort?

• What are the odds of getting into a major festival?

• Does a festival screening guarantee success?

• The real costs of submitting to film festivals

• Personal experiences & lessons from the circuit

If you've ever wondered what your odds really are (spoiler: it’s like 2%), or just need to feel better about your own rejection letters, this episode is for you, dear scrappy filmmaker.  And if you’ve ever been ghosted by Tribeca, drop us a comment. Misery loves company.

Follow Us:

Instagram: @indiefilmpodcast

TikTok: @indiefilmpodcast

YouTube: @IndieFilmPodcast

Website: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com

#IndieFilm #FilmFestivals #FilmFestivalSeason #MicrobudgetFilm #FilmmakersLife

Marketing your indie film? Don’t worry we’ve all been there, but don’t let the chaos of analytics, web traffic, owned media, and a small social following get you down—there’s a lot more to it than that!

In this episode, Chuck and Victoria (two micro-budget filmmakers with more heart than marketing sense) take you on a cringe-filled tour of their biggest indie film marketing fails. From launching too late to targeting all the wrong keywords (hello, hiking vlog seekers), we’ve done it all—so you don’t have to.

We talk:

✅ When you should actually start marketing your film ✅ Why movie marketing is NOT like product marketing ✅ Our biggest YouTube ad fails (yes, we paid people to ignore us)

✅ Why nobody watched our web series past episode one

✅ The difference between owning your content vs. being owned by algorithms

✅ Plus: Fonts, colors, and other branding headaches we totally ignored

Whether you're marketing a short film, a web series, or a feature, this episode is packed with hilariously painful lessons on indie film marketing and what not to do, along with a few helpful things we found along the way. Learn from our mistakes so your movie doesn’t suffer a lonely or unwatched life.

🔥 Subscribe for more indie film tips, behind-the-scenes chaos, and brutally honest takes on DIY filmmaking. 👍 Like this video if you’ve ever made a marketing plan after the premiere. 💬 Comment below with your biggest film marketing flub—or even the movie you’re currently pitching!

📲 Follow Us:

Instagram: @indiefilmpodcast

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Website: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com

#IndieFilm #FilmMarketing #MovieMarketing #FilmmakingFails #IndieFilmmakers

If you’ve ever heard “we’ll fix it in post” and immediately felt a chill down your spine… welcome to the club. In this episode, Chuck and Victoria dive headfirst into the chaos of visual effects gone sideways—and yes, they have receipts.

From masking mishaps and chroma key nightmares to trying (and failing) to replace street signs in moving shots, these indie filmmakers aren’t afraid to admit that sometimes the biggest VFX emergency… is themselves.

What you’ll learn (the hard way, through us):

• Why color grading is a VFX technique (surprise!)

• How masking can go hilariously wrong

• Tips for lighting your green screen without ruining your footage

• When not to show the monster (hint: always?)

• Why practical effects might just save your indie film soul

Whether you're trying to specialize in VFX or just trying to survive post-production with your sanity intact, this episode is for you.

Subscribe for more filmmaking flubs, tips, and tales from the indie trenches! And be sure to drop your VFX horror stories in the comments.

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Website: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com

#indiefilmmakers #FixItInPost #VFX #VFXEditor #VisualEffectsArtist

Can a brilliant #filmcolorist save your #indiefilm? Probably—if you could afford one! Chuck and Victoria return for another episode of Indie Film Podcast where they reflect (a little too honestly) on all the mistakes they’ve made in color grading and how you can avoid them! Hear all about the biggest color grading questions, like:

🔴 Why does your footage look like it was filmed on Mars?🟢 Why is everyone’s skin either Smurf blue or Oompa Loompa orange?

🔵 Can LUTs save you? (Spoiler: Not if you don’t know what you’re doing.)

From struggling to color-match five different cameras in a live music shoot (Sony, Panasonic, and Blackmagic, oh my!) to discovering their first two indie films were black-and-white only because they were scared of color grading, Chuck and Victoria share the lessons they’ve learned the hard way.

💡 Key Takeaways: ✔ What actually is color grading? (We promise we Googled it.) ✔ How to avoid common indie film color disasters. ✔ The secret weapon in DaVinci Resolve that Chuck swears by. ✔ Why Twilight’s baseball scene is an insult to eyeballs (and baseball fans) everywhere.

💬 Are colorists afraid of oversaturation? Is modern film looking too flat? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

🎬 Subscribe for more indie filmmaking chaos!

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Instagram: @indiefilmpodcast

TikTok: @indiefilmpodcast

Website: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com

#indiefilmmakers #ColorGrading #FixItInPost #Filmmaking #DaVinciResolve #PremierePro #LUTs #FilmColor

So you wanna be a director? Well, buckle up, buttercup, because Chuck and Victoria are here to share the many, many, many mistakes they’ve made on set—so you don’t have to. (Or, at the very least, so you’ll have some company when you inevitably make them yourself.)

In this episode, we dive into the chaotic, coffee-fueled world of indie film directing:🎥 Do demand your family sit through your indie film.🚫 Don't demand your friends act in it (unless they owe you).🎬 Do let your cinematographer handle the camera.⚠️ Don't hand them a boom mic instead (seriously, why would you do that?)🎭 Do work with talented actors.💀 Don't tell them they’re trash (seriously, again, why?)

Victoria also spills about that time she was an extra on Lethal Weapon 4, and we unpack the horror that is M. Night Shyamalan’s Old—because nothing screams "riveting cinema" like people explaining the plot to each other in real time.

So grab a coffee, avoid directing your significant other (unless you’ve got a strong relationship), and join us for a hilariously painful breakdown of Directing Don’ts.

🎬 If you're an aspiring filmmaker, director, or indie film enthusiast, this episode is packed with valuable insights that will help you navigate the challenges of directing. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more filmmaking tips!

📢 Join the Conversation!Have you ever messed up on set? Share your favorite directing fail in the comments below! 👇

🚀 New episodes every week!Subscribe for more insights into the indie film world!

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Instagram: @indiefilmpodcast TikTok: @indiefilmpodcast Twitter: @IndieF1lmPod Website: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com

#IndieFilmmaking #FilmmakingFails #DirectingTips #IndieFilm #FilmmakerLife #LowBudgetFilms #Directing #IndieFilmPodcast

🎙️Perils of Production: Location Sound Screw Ups 🎬

Ah, location sound—the final boss of indie filmmaking. In this episode ofPerils of Production Month, Victoria and Chuck dive into the chaos that is location sound (and the inevitable screw ups behind them) and share their hard-earned lessons so you don’t have to learn the hard way.

🔊Key takeaways from this episode:✅ Whybad audio ruins good films (and why audiences will forgive bad visuals before bad sound).✅ Chuck’s most embarrassing indie filmaudio mistakes—so you can avoid them.✅ The eternal battle oflav mics vs. boom mics (spoiler: it depends).✅ The secret to never forgetting to turn a fridge back on after a shoot (seriously, RIP to two full refrigerators).✅ WhyADR can be your worst enemy (and how to minimize it).✅ The one trick that could save your entireindie film art department from post-production nightmares.

🎧 Whether you’re an indie filmmaker, an aspiring sound mixer, or just love some behind-the-scenes production chaos, this episode is packed with tips, tricks, and cautionary tales from real-world indie film sets.

👇Got your own sound horror stories? Drop them in the comments!

🔔Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more indie filmmaking insights, mistakes, andmaybe a few wins.

#IndieFilm #FilmmakingFails #LocationSound #FilmProduction #SoundMixing #ADR #BoomMic 

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Ah, the art department—one of the most crucial yet overlooked aspects of indie filmmaking. This episode, Victoria and Chuck dive into their biggest art department blunders so YOU don’t have to make the same mistakes. From last-minute coffee table hunts to mysterious maintenance workers who don’t look the part, they’ve seen it all.

💡In this episode, we cover:✔️ What exactly the art department does (Hint: It’s way more than just set design!)✔️ Hilariously bad production design fails—from our own sets AND Hollywood’s biggest missteps✔️ Why indie filmmakersalways end up hauling set pieces in their personal trucks 🚚✔️ The importance of planning, scouting, andnot assuming that school will still look like a school when summer break hits✔️ Tips on finding amazing (and affordable) set designers, props masters, and costume wizards

🎥Real talk: We’re not here to claim we’re the ultimate filmmaking gurus, but wehave made the mistakes—so you don’t have to. Whether you're a scrappy indie director or just love behind-the-scenes chaos, this episode is packed with valuable insights (and maybe a few shameless plugs).

🛠Resources & Shoutouts:🎭 Want pro-level set design? Befriend your local theater folks! They work magic on a budget.🎞 Looking for indie film inspiration? Search for fan films on YouTube—you’ll spot the art department difference FAST.🚨 Film festival judgeswill notice if your maintenance guy doesn’t have a tool belt. Don’t ask how we know.

📌Subscribe for more filmmaking fails, fixes, and fun!Got a favorite (or least favorite) movie set design? Drop it in the comments! 👇

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#IndieFilmmaking #ArtDepartmentFails #SetDesign #FilmmakingTips #IndieFilm #FilmProduction #MovieSetFails

🎬 The Perils of Production: Camera Crew Confessions 🎥 | Indie Film Podcast

From forgotten record buttons to white balance disasters, every filmmaker has a story (or ten) of on-set mistakes. In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we’re diving deep into the biggest camera crew fails, sharing our most embarrassing production blunders, and discussing what we learned from them.

🔹 Topics We Cover:

✅ Hilarious and painful filmmaking mistakes 🎞️

✅ Our first cameras & how we learned cinematography 📸✅ The worst and best-shot movies (spoiler: Alien vs. Predator 2 did not impress 👀)

✅ Why The Shining nails cinematography & Phantom of the Opera falls flat

✅ Some things Victoria and Chuck learned the hard way on set 🎬

Click here to watch the intro to Krampus referenced by Victoria! https://youtu.be/31Xaz9eOQrk?si=YNYZaFmB2WeOAEe2

🔥 Whether you’re an aspiring cinematographer, director, or indie filmmaker, this episode will give you insights, laughs, and maybe even some cautionary tales so you can avoid those same mistakes.

📢 Join the Conversation!Have you ever messed up on set? Share your biggest filmmaking fail in the comments below! 👇

🚀 New episodes every week! Subscribe for more insights into the indie film world!

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Instagram: @indiefilmpodcast TikTok: @indiefilmpodcast Twitter: @IndieF1lmPod Website: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com

#IndieFilm #FilmmakingFails #Cinematography #IndieFilmPodcast #FilmmakerTips #BehindTheScenes #FilmProduction

🎬 Join Chuck Norton and Victoria Horn as they stumble their way through another chaotic episode of Indie Film Podcast! This time, the duo dives into the age-old filmmaking dilemma: too many cooks or too few? (Spoiler alert: It's usually too few... #IndieFilmLife, right?) ✅ Expect plenty of good-natured bickering, film set horror stories, and surprising wisdom on staying in your lane—or not—when working with a skeleton crew. Plus, Victoria shares a ridiculous tale about almost becoming famous in the Netherlands, and Chuck keeps her grounded with some classic eye-roll moments. 💡 Learn why a boom pole definitely doesn't double as a lighting stand and why you shouldn’t say your Producer “just makes lunches”. Perfect for indie filmmakers who want both laughs and lessons. 👍 Don't forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more behind-the-scenes chaos and filmmaking tips that may or may not actually help you make a movie. For people able to help support those affected by the California Wildfires, here’s an organization we support: https://www.projecthope.com For anyone affected by the fires, FEMA is providing initial support to help in the interim, and you can apply for those funds here: https://www.fema.gov/ 📢 #FilmmakingFails #TooManyCooks #filmsetlife #FilmSetStories #IndieFilmPodcast #IndieFilmPod #LowerGentryStudios #VictrixFinalisFilms See more Indie Film Podcast info at: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com

Welcome to another episode of Indie Film Podcast, where chaos meets creativity! In this episode, we tackle a topic we know all too well—running behind on set. Just know, if you’re in this boat…you’re definitely not alone. From filming 20 pages in a single day (bad idea!) to wrangling extras, battling mirrored hotel rooms, and rewriting scripts on the fly, we share our funniest, most cringe-worthy tales of indie filmmaking madness. Plus, learn how we rallied with duct-tape solutions (figuratively, of course) and the help of an amazing team. 💡 What you'll learn (or laugh at): - Why pre-production planning can make or break your schedule. - The secret sauce to shooting 8-10 pages a day (and why 20 is a terrible idea). - Lessons from big productions like The Island of Dr. Moreau—because at least we didn’t dress as a dog-man to sneak onto set. - Practical tips to communicate, adapt, and survive indie film chaos. 🎬 Whether you're a seasoned filmmaker or just curious about the behind-the-scenes mayhem of production, this episode has something for everyone! 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes filled with hilarious mishaps and hard-earned advice from the indie filmmaking trenches! #IndieFilm #FilmmakingTips #BehindTheScenes #PreProduction #TimeManagement #Podcast

🎥 Welcome to the Indie Film Podcast with Victoria and Chuck! In this episode, we dive into one of the most overlooked aspects of filmmaking: shot lists. Learn why underwhelming shot lists can hurt your indie film and how to avoid these common mistakes.

We share real-world experiences, and provide actionable tips to level up your filmmaking. Whether you're a budding director, cinematographer, or just curious about indie filmmaking, this episode is packed with advice and insights to inspire your journey.

🚀 What You'll Learn:

The importance of creating detailed shot lists

How to avoid the pitfalls of generic planning

Lessons from 75+ rejection letters (yes, we're proud of them!)

🔥 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more indie filmmaking tips and stories.

Subscribe for more indie film insights, or at least entertaining stories of indie film fails, or check out the full story at https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/ 

Connect with Us:

Instagram: @indiefilmpodcast

Twitter: @indiefilmpodcast

Website: www.indiefilmpodcast.com

#IndieFilm #FilmmakingTips #FilmProduction #PreProduction #FilmmakingPodcast #IndieFilmMaking #shotlist #ShotListMistakes

Rehearsals are important for a successful and smooth-running shoot! NOT having pre-production rehearsals leads to headaches! This week, Victoria and Chuck share some experiences hopping on sets with Inadequate Rehearsals.

Welcome to Indie Film Podcast! January's theme is Pre-Production Pitfalls! In this episode, Victoria and Chuck share anecdotes about times that they've attempted to film, or actually filmed, scripts with Incoherent or Impossible Stories!