The Filmmaker's Notebook

David Lynch has left the building. For a generation of filmmakers—mine included—he wasn’t just an inspiration; he was a permission slip. A reminder that films didn’t have to be neat, tidy, or even fully comprehensible to leave a mark. In a world obsessed with formulas, Lynch was our patron saint of the strange. His work was a mosaic of contradictions: beautiful yet grotesque, tranquil yet unnerving, nonsensical yet profound. Watching a Lynch film was like being handed a map and realizing...

Hey Reader, Let’s talk about a skill that can elevate your film, save you thousands of dollars, and keep your sanity intact. No, it’s not cinematography or editing—it’s location scouting. January has been a blur of site visits, calls to property owners, and virtual deep dives on Google Earth. It’s not glamorous, but it’s essential. Other than casting, location scouting might just be the most important "pre" pre-production activity you’ll ever do. We’ve touched on this before in Filmmaker’s...

January 2025 Newsletter From the Producers’ Chair Hello Reader, Toward the New Year As we step into a new year, we’re reminded of George Eliot’s three phrases: “The world is awful. The world is much better. The world can be much better.” It might seem paradoxical to hold these truths together, but it’s essential. To believe in progress, we have to embrace the complexity of the world as it is—acknowledging its flaws, celebrating its strides, and committing to what’s possible. This perspective...

Make Something, Anything: Your 2025 Creative Challenge It’s December 27th. The last few days of 2024. This is the week where time feels elastic. We look back on what we’ve accomplished and, often, what we haven’t. But this time isn’t just for reflection—it’s for decision. You don’t need a perfect plan. You don’t need a grand resolution. You don’t need to wait for January 1st to act. You just need to take a step. And if you’re a filmmaker—or someone feeling the pull to create—there’s only one...

Limited Copies of the Novels That Inspired The Quiet Canadians Dear Reader, As 2024 draws to a close, we want to take a moment to thank you for being part of this thrilling journey. Your support and enthusiasm for The Quiet Canadians are what make this all possible. To celebrate the season and the incredible stories we’re building, we’re excited to offer limited signed copies of both The Quiet Canadians and its sequel, Disguising the Lie. These gripping novels set the stage for the film...

Hey Reader, Have you seen Moneyball? There’s a moment in the film when Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) sits in a meeting with his scouts. The team is failing, and the scouts keep suggesting the same players with the same criteria: guys who look the part, play the game the way it’s always been played, and fit the mold of a “real” baseball star. Beane stops them cold with this line: “If we try to play like the Yankees in here, we will lose to the Yankees out there.” Sound familiar? That’s...

Engage Niche Communities: The Not-So-Secret Weapon for Indie Filmmakers One of the biggest mistakes indie filmmakers make is trying to build an audience from scratch. You pour time and energy into creating a masterpiece, only to release it into the void and wonder why it didn’t take off. Here’s the truth: your audience is already out there. They’re online, right now, gathering in niche communities to discuss films, genres, themes, and creators like you. The challenge isn’t finding them—it’s...

Hi there, The year’s winding down, and while the days are getting shorter, my gratitude list keeps getting longer. It’s funny how life works, isn’t it? Sometimes, the best things sneak up on you — like a crowdfunding contribution, or a new movie project out of the blue, or even the perfect setup/shot you weren’t sure would work out, or a quiet moment that reminds you why you started this wild filmmaking journey in the first place. So, here I am, reflecting on 2024, and I wanted to share what...

When people think of fraternities, they often picture social events and lifelong friendships—and while that’s true, my time in a fraternity gave me something even more valuable: soft skills and an entrepreneurial mindset that directly shape my work as an independent movie producer. Leading and collaborating with a diverse group of people taught me conflict resolution, team-building, and the ability to rally others around a shared vision. Whether it was planning events or navigating challenges...