The Filmmaker's Notebook

So you want to make a movie? Great! But here's the million-dollar question that most of us filmmakers skip right over in our excitement to get behind the camera: What exactly do you want to accomplish with your film? Trust me, I've been there. When we made "13 Miles," our triathlon-focused first feature, we were so focused on telling a great story that we hadn't fully clarified what success would actually look like beyond "finish the darn thing." It wasn't until later that we realized how...

“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” — Marcus Aurelius Admittedly I had a different article in mind for this week... I was writing it on Sunday until a news piece changed what I wanted to talk about this week... So you're getting this Monday morning instead of on Friday or the weekend, as usual. But hey... Life happens. By now you’ve likely heard the news that sent tremors through our industry: President Trump has announced plans to impose a 100%...

Why Volume Beats Perfection—And How Indie Filmmakers Can Build a Sustainable Career One Movie at a Time I've been on a bit of a soap box the past couple of weeks, admittedly. It's because I’ve got a confession: for years I chased the “perfect” film. You know, the One: waiting for the right pieces, circumstances, people, etc. for the perfect movie that would launch my career like a rocket. I polished scripts until they fell apart, waited for ideal conditions (spoiler: they never came), and...

April, 16 2025 From the Producers’ Chair Hello Reader, Today is National Canadian Film Day—a moment to pause and recognize the incredible stories born here, told here, and shared with the world. And it’s a perfect day to send this update because The Quiet Canadians—our next film—is more than just a movie. It’s a declaration of how we believe films should be made: • With clarity of purpose. • With a committed audience from day one. • And with a whole lot of Canadian grit and ambition and some...

I'll admit it. It feels a little awkward to write about Taylor Swift. I’m an independent filmmaker. I make movies with names like The Quiet Canadians—not Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). Like I should be drafting a gritty script about espionage instead of analyzing pastel albums and glitter-filled fandoms. But stay with me—because if you’re serious about being an indie filmmaker, you need to study the moves of the greatest self-marketer alive. And that person? Isn’t Scorsese. Isn’t Nolan. It’s...

Hey Filmmakers, Before we dive into this week’s article, I’ve got two quick updates for you: 🎙️ 1. Got a burning question about indie filmmaking? We’re hosting a Q&A episode of Off the Lot and we want to hear from you! Whether you’re stuck in development, confused about financing, or wondering how to build your team—hit reply to this email and send us your question. We’re recording next weekend and the episode drops early May. 🎬 2. Need help with your film project or career game plan? All...

🎬 filmmaker’s notebook | making movies that matter (without millions) Hi Reader, Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get said enough in this industry: Great films aren’t made by money. They’re made by clarity. Clarity of story. Clarity of vision. Clarity of scope. And clarity about what you can actually pull off without maxing your credit cards and losing your mind in the edit bay. That’s what this week’s been about for me—thinking a lot about how to build The Quiet Canadians not with...

Hey Reader, I don’t know if you need to hear this, but if you’re staring at your project folder, wondering if this next film idea is worth it—if anyone will care, if anyone will give you money, if anyone will say yes—I need you to read this slowly. You don’t need permission. You just need to start. And not in some vague motivational poster way. I mean practically, tactically, step-by-step. Because the new game isn’t about being discovered. It’s about designing your own path. When I made 13...

Hey Reader, You don’t need to know everything before you start. You just need a project that forces you to learn. For me, that project was 13 Miles. And the lesson? You learn fastest when you have no other choice. The Panic-Induced VFX Bootcamp We had wrapped shooting 13 Miles, our indie triathlon movie. Everything was coming together. Then, we hit a problem. There were shots that needed visual effects. Small things—removing unwanted elements, compositing, subtle fixes. But we didn’t have the...