Richard Holmes is a British film producing legend, with ten features under his belt, all budgeted at around £1m or more. And I am running his workshop in less than two weeks, and I wanted to share ONE thing that is worth coming for alone. Just one. Yes there is a ton of good stuff […]
Archive | Courses
Negotiation Skills For Producers
What’s the secret to negotiation? Relationships. This was one of the key messages delivered by negotiation guru Linda Potgieter at her event on Friday night, and part of our Producers Masterclass. Nearly 200 filmmakers and producers took part in her interactive workshop, and engaged in deal making exercises, the results of which were quite eye […]
Your film is unique – no single solution fits all, the fundamental rule of nu-distribution
The fundamental principle of how every film is different and needs a unique marketing and distribution plan is the first step to successfully marketing and releasing your film today. To create this plan, you need to consider… 1. Your Goals 2. Your Film 3. Your Audience 4. Your Resources. You may think you know the […]
Releasing Your Film… You Need to Know Your Goals in Order to Attain Them
Guest post from Jon Reiss I can’t say how excited I am to be coming back to London and doing the TOTBO workshop with Chris Jones. It was Chris who actually encouraged me to create a workshop and then hosted the first one in London back in 2010. Since then I have done them throughout […]
The secret illustrated directory of cheap big name stars for your movie
Do you want to know how to get big name stars in your movie? Producer Stephen Follows will share with you his cheeky sneaky tactic to get named actors to consider your project… And that’s just one of eight tips, tricks, tactics and strategies in this short Practical Producer video seminar. If you want to […]
Why you should always leave feedback and blog comments
It’s a regular occurrence on the internet, ‘can we have your feedback / comments please?’ If you are like me, the temptation is to skip this and leave nothing. I ask ‘what’s in it for me?’ In reality, leaving feedback has a number of agendas / payoffs. Here’s the obvious stuff. 1. You get to […]
I just have to share this extraordinary feedback about one film makers decision to go for it…
Note – this is the introduction video to the workshop (clip from the actual course below) REDUCED FROM £69.99 to £37.99 – SIGN UP HERE! The ‘Gone Fishing’ online Workshop is still on sale, reduced from £69.99 to just £37.99. Loads of film makers signed up after Christmas, to grab this bargain and to energize […]
Is your film this year going to be a world class, award winning, door opening masterpiece?
Note – this is the introduction video to the workshop (clip from the actual course below) I am running a special offer to help get your film made now… and not just made, but made to world class, career launching heights. You may know that a few years back my short film ‘Gone Fishing’ was […]
Writing For The Digital Film Makers Age, with Phil Parker, free 1 hour Seminar
JOIN LIST BELOW FOR YOUR PASSWORD As you may know, we filmed many of the seminars, workshops and panels at the London Screenwriters Festival, which was no small task I can tell you! Four teams, 9 HD cameras, four sound kits and four sessions a day… And that’s just the shooting! Then there was the […]
A Masterclass In Microbudget Film Making – Interview with ‘Paranormal Activity’ writer and director Oren Peli
Looking back at Paranormal Activity, the poster boy for microbudget filmmaking, what can we learn without just saying ‘it’s like Paranormal Activity’ and will be as successful (which I hear all too often)? First off, I have to say just how impressed I am with the film. Oren Peli managed to keep up pace, tension […]
Lighting Like A Master, a script to screen workshop with Craig McCall on Jack Cardiff
We are prepping the next Script to Screen workshop (Monday 4th October) with documentary film maker Craig McCall. His film on legendary cameraman Jack Cardiff was in official selection in Cannes this year and has become required viewing for all lovers of cinema – both fans of cinema and creators of cinema like you. We […]
Free HD Masterlcass with Eddie Hamilton
So a few days ago we shared a superb video interview with Chris Vogler of ‘The Hero’s Journey’ – if you missed it, you can catch it here. This was a way to entice all our current blog readers and email newsgroup to migrate from our old and clunky newsgroup service to our all new […]
Meet Wilbur The Wallaby, one of the new characters in 'Rocketboy'
Yep that's Wilbur. More on him at the end of the post. Big news for us though. It’s time for us to make a change. For years now our email user group has been growing and it's time to move to a new home, to a shiny email system which delivers a much better service […]
The Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass in the Midlands this weekend
For the first time in ages, I didn’t switch the PC on to do any work this weekend. It was a choice borne out of my own physical and mental exhaustion from the last six months or relentless work. Actually, I did switch on my PC (doh!) to do some backing up and moving around […]
Jon Reiss’ Tip of the Day 5 – Budget for Distribution and Marketing
Continuing Jon’s tips of the day as we run up to the Distribution on 2010 Workshop on May 8th / 9th. Over to Jon. Jon Reiss’ Tip of the Day 5 – Budget for Distribution and Marketing In order to successfully execute a marketing plan for your film, a budget must be developed in tandem […]
Jon Reiss’ Tip of the Day 4 – Setting A Marketing Strategy
Continuing Jon’s tips of the day as we run up to the Distribution on 2010 Workshop on May 8th / 9th. Over to Jon. Jon Reiss’ Tip of the Day 4 – Setting A Marketing Strategy Depending on the type of filmmaker that you are, marketing does not need to be thought of as catering […]
Screenwriting and what we learn from the script reader, a workshop with Lucy Hay
Today I hosted a brand new workshop with the very charismatic Lucy Hay – called ‘How To Be A Great Screenwriter’. And for once it was nice to sit back during the workshop and not be center stage! Thankfully, Lucy tackled the day with passion, gusto and disarming honesty. And you will see from the […]
Know your audience… Part 2
Following on from yesterdays blog about writing a screenplay, but writing with a deep and intimate understating of ‘who the audience is…’ Let’s go one step further. Seth Godins excellent Ted presentation here really nails it. If you haven’t watched it, you should do so now as he speaks about building ‘tribes’ with great insight. […]
Script to Screen Workshop Videoblog, 'Dead Wood' and 'Shifty'
NEW – Watch this video on iPhone or other mobile device by clicking here Over the last few weeks we have held two separate ‘Script To Screen’ events, one for zero budget horror ‘Dead Wood’ and one for the hundred grand Microwave feature ‘Shifty’. Both events were very different, were very well attended/received, and ended […]
Film Distribution In 2010, a Guerilla Film Workshop
Your film CAN succeed or fail based on YOUR HARD WORK, TALENT, THE STORY YOU CHOOSE TO TELL AND THE BUSINESS MODEL YOU BUILD. Finally, we are in full control of the flow of money back to us… the entrepreneurs and creatives! It’s never been more exciting to be a film maker. […]
BAFTA nominated ‘Shifty’, a Guerilla Film Makers Script To Screen presentation with writer and director Eran Creevy
Date: Sunday March 28th. Time: 12.00pm Place: Odeon Panton Street, London. (Seating is limited) Tickets £19 (plus booking fee and inc VAT) Meet Eran Creevy, one of this years BAFTA nominated film makers, for ‘Shifty’ (in the category of best first feature). We interviewed him for the new ‘Guerilla Film Makers Pocketbook’, and were […]
Watch 'Dead Wood' the short film, with short interview with the film makers
WARNING – This short is 18 Certificate and NOT FOR THE FEINT HEARTED (So mum, don't watch it!) Tonight at Ealing Studios, we are hosting a SOLD OUT event with the makers of the zero budget horror film ‘Dead Wood’. You can read about the event on the blog here. I interviewed them for the […]
One Big Reason Why First Films Fail in Cannes
Plan to go to the next Cannes Film Festival or Market, especially if you don’t have a film yet. The number one mistake I see in Cannes year after year is film makers who have NEVER been to Cannes who rock up with their completed movie – they then spend the whole experience just trying […]
CANNES 2010 – Come with us on your first trip to the Cannes Film Festival and Market!
Every serious film maker, writer, investor, actor, agent and distributor will be in one square mile of the French Riviera this May. YOU NEED TO BE THERE TOO! Welcome to a unique two part workshop, the first in London (or online), the second IN CANNES on the day of your arrival! Yes, we will meet […]
How To Make And Sell a Micro Budget Horror Film – A Case Study In Success.
SOLD OUT – Meet Sebastian, Richard and David of Menan Films. We just interviewed them for the new Guerilla Film Makers Pocketbook, but we thought thier journey was so extraordinary, we wanted to share it with the wider film making community now. Together, theses three guys made a no budget (literally, just sandwich money) horror […]