How I Made a Microbudget Feature Film, Part 3: Pre-Production

The purpose of this series is to share my experience of making my microbudget feature film, Wait, while being as transparent as possible. This series is specific to my experience only. Please do not take these posts as universal How-Tos. Also know, this series is intended to shed light on the process of making a film, not on the quality of the film itself. 

In Part 2, we followed the money. And while that entire post was dedicated to the patience-testing, somewhat soul-crushing, curiously enlightening process of how you can acquire money for a microbudget feature film, the money talk is far from over. Though, from here on, I’ll discuss how I used the money I had, as opposed to how I got the money in the first place.

How I Made a Microbudget Feature Film, Part 2: The Money

The purpose of this series is to share my experience of making my microbudget feature film, Wait, while being as transparent as possible. This series is specific to my experience only. Please do not take these posts as universal How-Tos. Also know, this series is intended to shed light on the process of making a film, not on the quality of the film itself. 

In Part 1 of this series, I detailed how I narrowed in on the idea to form Wait, and the years-long process it took me to finally sit down and write the damn thing. Part 2 of this series was intended to focus on the overall pre-production of Wait. The first chapter of that post was going to detail how I gathered the money to make my film. But as I started writing, I realized the post needed to stand on its own. So, while I do touch on pre-production below, my full pre-production post will come in a few days. This post is dedicated to following the money. 

How I Made a Microbudget Feature Film, Part 1: Writing

The purpose of this series is to share my experience of making my microbudget feature film, Wait, while being as transparent as possible. This series is specific to my experience only. Please do not take these posts as universal How-Tos. Also know, this series is intended to shed light on the process of making a film, not on the quality of the film itself. 

I have received a lot of questions about my film Wait since releasing it online in August. Two of the most common questions are: How did you make it?, and What took you so long to release it?

How I Made a Microbudget Feature Film

In January 2013, I wrote a feature length script called Wait. Upon completing the script, I set out to make the movie, which would be my first feature film. Four and half years later, I released Wait to the public via iTunes, Amazon and Vimeo OnDemand.

This 9-part series is an exhaustive chronicle of how I made Wait. From writing to location scouting, directing to editing, film festivals to distribution, “How I Made a Microbudget Feature Film” is a deep dive into the heartaches and joys of making a microbudget feature film.

WAIT: Now Available on Vimeo OnDemand

At some point during the making of a movie, the movie takes on a life of its own. It’s born, it lives and it demands constant attention. Last month, when I released my feature film, WAIT, on iTunes and Amazon, I assumed my years-long relationship with the movie was officially out of my hands. After all, when you hand a movie over to audiences, it is no longer yours, it’s theirs.

WAIT: Now on iTunes and Amazon

What a long road this has been. I wrote the script for my first feature film, WAIT, in January 2013. We filmed it in Los Angeles and Washington D.C. from November 2013 through January 2014. Reshoots and additional scene shooting took place in June 2014. WAIT hit the festival circuit from December 2014 through June 2015. I submitted it for distribution on iTunes and Amazon in August 2016. And now here we are, August 2017, and WAIT is finally ready to be viewed. 

Top 15 Movies About America (made by foreign directors)

Sometimes it takes a foreign eye to truly capture America at its darkest hours. Other times, an outsider’s perspective can shed sardonic light on American stereotypes like suburbia, middle America, white trash, and so on. There’s an interesting theme to this list, that foreign directors are less afraid to show America at its worst. Below are a handful of great films about America that were directed by foreigners. There were many to include here, so do feel free to list your favorites as well!

Dunkirk

Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk is a $150 million experimental film. The film is new, it’s alive, and it is bound for infamy. To discuss art in any sort of measurable way is to relate that art to your own experience. Our tastes are informed, in part, by what we’ve been through and what we’ve seen. I’m noting that because I have seen thousands upon thousands of movies, and I have never seen a film like Dunkirk. And that sort of fresh vibrancy is enough to make me love a film. Of course, more factors are needed to achieve cinematic greatness, but seeing something I’ve never scene before is inspiring in a way that is all too rare. 

Top 56 Things I Love About Memento (that no one talks about)

Memento is a modern classic of cinema; not only my favorite Christopher Nolan film, but one of my favorite films period. It’s a unique, groundbreaking thriller that I have seen dozens of times, and studied endlessly. Nolan’s latest film, Dunkirk, opens today, and before we take a look at the new, I thought it’d be prudent to jump back and examine one of Nolan’s first.

Top 26 Things I Love About The Prestige (that no one talks about)

The Prestige is one of Christopher Nolan’s most polarizing films. True, detractors love to hate on Interstellar and The Dark Knight Rises, but there’s something about The Prestige that sparks divide. I’ve always loved the film, and was happy when dedicated readers of this blog encouraged me to add The Prestige to my “No One Talks About” blog series. With Nolan’s Dunkirk on the brink of release, I thought it’d be fun to highlight a few things I love about one of Nolan’s most divided films. (Note: All major plot points concerning The Prestige will be revealed in this post.)

In Character: Christopher Walken

Christopher Walken is one of cinema’s best, most iconic actors, and his appearance in this series has been a long time coming. There were a lot of essential roles to choose from here. I hope you enjoy my picks, and do feel free to share yours as well.

The Beguiled

I never knew where The Beguiled was going. The conventions of film made me speculate, but my predictions were consistently wrong. Even if I came close to calling the movie early, writer/director Sofia Coppola deviated from the norm in a way that was immensely compelling. This isn’t to suggest that The Beguiled is full of shocking twists; it’s more abstract than that. What’s captivating about the film is how it flirts with convention, but choses to introduce more human, complex variables.   

the Directors: Ingmar Bergman

Every word I have ever written on this blog has been in preparation for this post. It’s all been leading up to this – my expansive Director’s post on my favorite filmmaker, Ingmar Bergman. I saw my first Bergman film in the summer of 2008 and my life was forever altered. Seeing The Seventh Seal that warm, isolated evening in July redefined how I viewed cinema. The way I watch movies has never been the same, and it is with great joy that I’m finally able to present my exhaustive post explaining why.

I rewatched every film Bergman directed specifically for this post, so my thoughts on his films are as current as they can be. This post is a bit long (Bergman made a lot of movies), but I hope you find value in it.  

In Character: Billy Crudup

Billy Crudup (pro tip: it’s pronounced “crude-up” not “crud-up”) is an actor I can’t believe I haven’t covered in my In Character series. When I began to immerse myself in his filmography, I realized why: this guy is good in everything. He’s choosy with his film roles, as he dedicates much of his career to the theater, but his film performances are contained, real, and great. Choosing his six best roles was not easy, but here’s a look at one of my all-time favorite character actors.

Alien: Franchise Breakdown

You have to give it to Ridley Scott. The man has been fighting tirelessly to revive the franchise that gave him a career. Alien was an instant classic; it made the words “A Ridley Scott Film” wholly important. Like Scott’s Prometheus, his latest inclusion to the franchise, Alien: Covenant, is being met with mixed reviews. And truly, if there was ever a franchise whose films are all over the map, it is this one. Note: this post contains spoilers for all Alien films, including Alien: Covenant.