Burbank, California - Anyone can make a
movie. With no money. And be a well-known filmmaker.
Moviemaking is entering a new era with
digital film. With technology rapidly changing, it's getting easier
than ever for aspiring filmmakers to make movies on their own.
Learn how to make a movie with No
Budget and become known around the world as a successful filmmaker.
Jack Truman shares valuable tips, tools, secrets and valuable
information on how to get your movie made by yourself outside the
Hollywood circles – from starting with an idea for a movie to
selling your award-winning hit film around the world after a
successful film festival run.
NO BUDGET FILMMAKING OR HOW TO BE
A WELL-KNOWN FILMMAKER AND BE BROKE AT THE SAME TIME
includes:
How to make your movie from concept,
through production and distribution with just a camera and a computer
Ways to make your movie with no
money
The best way to make your movie
outside of Hollywood
How to get cameras, equipment, cast
and crew at no cost
How to avoid paying entry fees at
film festivals
How to create a buzz for your film
when it starts playing festivals
The best ways to share your film
around the world
Ways to make money with your movie
And more!
An informative, alternative,
out-of-the-box reference book for the film industry, NO BUDGET
FILMMAKING covers a wide range of tips and tools: from proven
filmmaking techniques, valuable industry resources, and more, this
book guides the aspiring filmmaker from concept to distribution on
the film festival circuit, and beyond. A must-have resource for
anyone who needs help with making a low budget film on their own, NO
BUDGET FILMMAKING is a breakthrough book for the next
generation of filmmakers.
Author Jack Truman is an award-winning
filmmaker and 25 year veteran of stage and film. A former professor
at Texas A&M University, Truman has also appeared in several
television series and major motion pictures. His film directorial
debut, the award-winning hit cult short film PHONE SEX GRANDMA
premiered at the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival. Combined,
Truman's films have screened at over 300 film festivals worldwide to
date. Jack was on the Short Film Jury at the 2012 Slamdance Film
Festival in Park City, Utah.
Title: NO BUDGET FILMMAKING or How
to be a Well-Known Filmmaker & Be Broke at the Same Time
Well, after a busy month of January, a lot's got done. Wrote my NO BUDGET FILMMAKING book. Went to Park City for Sundance and Slamdance. Promoted & launched the new No Budget Film book in Park City. Editing Opal's directorial debut this week. Lining up next month's film festival screenings of our hit short films PEANUT MAN, WOODY THE REDNECK and PHONE SEX GRANDMA coast to coast.
It's been one hell of a January. I've done more as an underground filmmaker in one month than most people do their entire life.
Being in Park City with Sundance and Slamdance this year once again got the creative juices flowing good and strong. Being there again this year really opened my eyes to some things I really need to get done this year. I've got my work cut out for me as a No Budget underground independent filmmaker. It was great and eye opening to see how easy it's going to be to get some of these things done. Maybe easy's not the right word. Realistic is more like it. I can really see how things are going to get done. Making Mother's directorial debut film and getting it out on the festival circuit, along with women's rights, feminists and gay/lesbian groups. Releasing my new No Budget Filmmaking book strong on the festival circuit, to schools, filmmakers, actors and anyone who wants to make a movie. And shooting my first narrative feature film.
The feature film version of PHONE SEX GRANDMA will get shot this year.
I think it took returning to Park City with Opal to make me realize how we can really get this feature film made. Seven years after the hit short film version of PHONE SEX GRANDMA premiered in Park City at Slamdance, the buzz still rocks in that town, and at that festival. Everyone recognizes Opal. PSG still plays the festival circuit. People still talk about it all these years later in Park City. The buzz that happened in town during Sundance and Slamdance this year, the things I learned from the feature films that were at Slamdance and Sundance this year....made me realize. It's not going to be that difficult to make this feature film this year. It'll take a little time and work. But I'll be able to make it. And with little to no money.
One thing I learned from the films I saw in Park City this year was that I need to take my most successful short film from over the years and make it into a feature film. Out of all the shorts I've made that's been playing around the world on the film festival circuit, one film stands out alone from the pack. The short film PHONE SEX GRANDMA. That little 9 minute film still plays. Since it premiered at Slamdance in 2006, it's played over 100 film festivals. In 2 weeks, it plays a festival in Phoenix. In a month, a festival in the UK. I mean, hell....this short film keeps on kickin'. The proof is in the pudding. It just won't stop. If I make the feature film, if nothing else, I already have a global audience waiting to see it.
Shopping the feature film version of PHONE SEX GRANDMA at Sundance this year generated a lot of interest and buzz. I found people interested in helping me make the feature film. Over this next month, I have to find a good handful of people I've met over the years that I really like, to work with me on this film. I think over the next 6 months, we can shoot all of the footage in California, Nevada and the Midwest. It'll be hard. But I think it can be done.
These next few weeks, I've got my work cut out for me. First things first. I've got to finish editing Opal's new film that she's directed. Then start submitting it to the film festival circuit. That little documentary film is going to explode. Then I've got a little work to do on my new No Budget Film book. After those 2 projects, it looks like I can focus hard on getting this feature film version of PHONE SEX GRANDMA shot this year.
Day 5 – Going Home – An Overview /
Summary of Sundance / Slamdance 2013
All right. Here we go.
It's Wednesday morning. I'm back at the
Vegas apartment. After 4 days of the meat and potatoes at Sundance
and Slamdance 2013. What they call the Park City madness. Back to
modern day civilization.
And I'll be honest. I'm glad to be back
home.
I'll try to talk a little here about an
overview / summary of this year's experience at Sundance 2013, how my
final day went, and some final thoughts about this year's experience
at Sundance and Slamdance in Park City.
I'll start with saying this. It's
nothing like it used to be.
To be honest, this experience was
overall, if I had to put it in one word, a real dud. That's the best
way to put it. I'm glad I've experienced being there at Sundance and
Slamdance previous years with a film and as a filmmaker. Or I would
have thought it was always like this if it had been my first time
there.
Opal and I were there for 4 days this
time around: the busy meat and potatoes of the festival over the
opening weekend: Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. That's the
heart of Sundance, Slamdance and the Main Street madness during the
festival. Everything that's anything really goes on during that time
before it starts winding down the last few days. So I'm glad we were
there during the heart of everything. Usually, I stay for the entire
festival. I'm so glad I got out and came home after the first 4 days.
If the meat and potatoes of the heart of the festival experience was
a dud, I can just imagine what the final days would be like with just
screenings going on. Really disappointing compared to previous years.
That being said, let's get to the
parties and events during Sundance and Slamdance. Overall....not very
good. Overall....what parties? Now, I do have to say this. The
parties that Slamdance put on at the Public House (opening night and
Sunday night) were the best of the bunch. But other than that, none
were good. I'll repeat that. None were good. At least the ones that I
was able to get into. Many Sundance and industry parties I had been
invited to and RSVP'd, they didn't even have me on the list. Really
pissed me off. The ones I actually got into, overall, were no good.
Some you had to pay for your drinks. What kind of a party is that?
There were only 1 or 2 events that even had some kind of food. And
then some events were so mobbed with lines to get in, it was over an
hour wait in line just to get in to the mob of all those rats in that
party. That's a good way of explaining how it felt at about 95 % of
those events. You felt like a rat in a room of over rats. Nothing
like it used to be. For example, my last night in Park City, after
the screening of the cool Slamdance film MUSGO, I was chatting with
the actresses from the film, and they were asking me if there were
any parties going on that night. I felt really bad when I had to
honestly say I knew of none. Hell, I remember previous years, there
were parties and events day and night to choose from. It was hard
choosing which to go to. You didn't have to be invited. Everyone
around town, on the street, and at the screenings were telling you
about events and parties to go to. And they were good ones. Plenty of
food, drink, cool people, fun networking. And you know what? Even the
big industry parties that were hard to get into weren't that hard to
crash. It's a completely different ball game now. At least it was
this year. I didn't like it. That's about all I have to say about the
parties, private events and mixers.
Let's talk about the films. The ones I
got to see....overall...were pretty bad. I never remember a festival
year at Sundance and Slamdance where most of the films I saw were not
very good or not good at all. And the ones I thought were the best of
the bunch, didn't have to be that good to stand out. The films are
nothing like the used to be. I would be watching these films and
thinking to myself, how the hell did these films get in? How did they
make the cut? You've got to be kidding me. Out of 6,000 to 9,000
films to choose from, and these were the best of the bunch? Shit.
Damn. I couldn't believe it. And you talk about the Sundance films.
In previous years, whereever I was at on Main Street, whether it was
someplace with Sundance or Slamdance, I could always make
conversation with someone to ask them what Sundance films they've
seen that stood out to them, and everyone would ramble off a handful
of standouts. And generally, they would be the same films everyone
was talking about. This time around, no one was talking or buzzing
about specific films at Sundance. And the films at Sundance? A big
majority of them were studio made films. Take, for example, the
Sundance film LOVELACE this week. That is not an independent film. 6
months ago, I saw an advanced test screening of the film in Burbank.
Those test screenings in Los Angeles? The studios pay millions of
dollars just to test the films with audiences. Those type of
films...Not independent films. From what I was hearing, the films
getting deals had got deals well before the festival started. And the
few that were getting deals during the festival were generally the
truly independent films. So that was nice to see. It used to be that
when you had a film that made Park City, when my first films were
there, the festival advice was to not let anyone see the film until
the screening in Park City. You would get the calls from the big
studios. Wanting to see your film and make a deal before the
festival. But you were advised to hold off and make them see the film
in Park City, let the buzz build, and the bidding wars and fights
take place there. Not anymore. At least this year, you see the bulk
of the deals made well before the festival started. So Hollywood.
Nothing like it used to be. But overall, the films this year
around....not good. A few good ones. But I'll leave it at that.
This is the first year I've gone to
Sundance and Slamdance, and when I left town, haven't had a bag full
of business cards from contacts I made during the festival. This time
around, it wasn't the same with the networking. Didn't meet a whole
lot of new people. But it was nice seeing old friends at Slamdance,
and on Main Street. That made up for that.
This time, the whole Sundance /
Slamdance / Park City madness / Main Street experience felt more like
a short getaway; a little mini-vacation; a family reunion with old
film making friends rather than the business of filmmaking and making
movies through networking and working the festival. It was just a
different experience this year. Not at all like previous years. Not
many new contacts. Weird. Different. Even as early as last year, even
though I was really seeing changes in Sundance and Slamdance becoming
more commercial and Hollywood industry driven, a lot of things were
the same. Not this year. This year was just really weird.
That's enough of the bad experiences,
of the ones that were bad. If you want to call them bad. Not to sound
negative. But I really want to let people know how the Sundance Film
Festival experience really is. And how it's changed over just the
last 7 years. So people have an idea of what they're getting into.
Now, let's get into the good things /
best things from the festival:
I saw and connected with some people I
hadn't seen in quite some time. That was great. Even people I had met
last year here at Slamdance. It was great reconnecting with a lot of
them.
With Opal, we were able to get some
great creative ideas for our projects we're working on.
One thing that opened up my brain and
reinforced the independent spirit was with Dan's film BETWEEN US. His
film story reminded me that you don't have to have your film premiere
in Park City. You can make a feature film, it can play other
festivals on the festival circuit, and then screen at Park City. That
film really reinforced me to get made the feature film version of
PHONE SEX GRANDMA. And some of these films made me realize how easy
it's going to be to get the feature film made.
I was able to get the buzz started on
my NO BUDGET FILMMAKING book. Got fliers out to some people around
town, got Dolly's Bookstore on Main interested in carrying the book,
and next year, at Sundance 2014, will have a book signing for the
book at Dolly's during the festival there on Main Street. It's gonna
be great having the new book on the film festival circuit this year
at different festivals where my films will be playing. Then bringing
the book back to Park City next January.
The weather was the best yet. No snow,
ice and terrible freezing weather. It was clear and sunny during the
days, and then clear late at night during the drive back each night
to Salt Lake City. I never remember weather being this good during
the festival. That really helped.
The best thing about the festival: was
the free Vegan Veggie burgers every day at the Morningstar Farms
building. Opal and I really enjoyed those. We found out about them
the second day we were there, and had them every day. That was a lot
of fun. I really enjoyed that. That time made for really relaxing
enjoyable eating time. To me, that was the most fun time at Sundance.
That's pretty bad to say, when you're on Main Street during the
Sundance Film Festival, and the best thing you have to say about the
festival is some free sandwiches you're getting. I think that says a
lot about how the festival is right there. Coming from a veteran
independent filmmaker whose been here for several years with films.
I don't want to come across as a
pessimist with this writing. But I want people to really know what
they're getting in for if they want to make their movie and have it
in Park City during Sundance. I don't look at myself as a pessimist.
I look at myself as a realist. That's what I trying to write. Realism
during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
Now, I'll wrap up with a quick overview
of my final day in Utah:
Got up yesterday morning about 8:00 in
the Motel 6 room in Salt Lake City. Was really tired from the last 4
days, but had to get up. Drank coffee to wake up while I wrote
yesterday morning's blog. Woke up some more with a little more
coffee, then packed up to head back West. Left the Motel 6 room about
11:00 heading back to Burbank.
We made really good time. Got to Las
Vegas around 5:00 p.m.; only about a 6 hour drive. Stopped by the
mail box to check the mail, then had to go around town to get some
things done and run some errands while I had the time. We got to the
Vegas apartment around 7:00 p.m.
It felt really good walking into the
Vegas apartment. And being in a home environment. Very cozy and
relaxing. Worked on the computer for a couple of hours, which felt
refreshing. Started feeling like I was getting back to civilization.
Unloaded the car. Ordered a vegan pizza. And then started fading
until I conked out around 1:30 in the morning.
For me, the 2013 Sundance experience is
over. Put to bed. Another chapter of my Park City experiences with
Sundance and Slamdance. Every year is a little different there. I'll
close with saying this: with each year at the Sundance Film Festival,
there's changes going on. In my opinion, not for the better. Sundance
is really drifting away from the true independent film experience.
Which is really sad to see. Slamdance is trying really hard to stay
to true independent filmmaking. And that I do like to see. But the
overall experience from the festival on Main Street in January is
rapidly changing each year. Not for the better. I will say this
though. Every year, it is great to return to the Park City madness.
Whether a better experience from the previous year or not. It's still
the Park City madness.
Okay. Officially, my third day here in
Park City. Second full day.
It was a hell of a lot better day than
yesterday. Things are starting to really look up.
Overall, a lot got done today. Talked
with some film friends, made some really good new contacts, started
getting the new NO BUDGET FILMMAKING book out, found some good people
interested in working on the feature film version of PHONE SEX
GRANDMA, saw a good film at Slamdance, good networking, good parties,
and more. It made for a good Sunday here in Park City at Sundance and
Slamdance 2013.
Here's a brief rundown of my Sunday:
Got up around 8:30 a.m in the Motel 6
room. It was really hard to get up Sunday morning and get started. I
can feel myself getting old. In the room, I lined up my Sunday for
Sundance, wrote yesterday's blog and drank coffee while getting
ready. Then Opal and I had a time in the motel room. We couldn't find
the car keys. Spending about an hour looking for them, we thought we
lost them and were going to be stuck. Suddenly they appeared on the
floor underneath my Boston Red Sox ball cap. So we headed out around
10 o'clock from Salt Lake City. Got parked in Park City around 11:00
a.m.; we were able to park again by the Sundance Headquarters. There
was a Queer brunch we were reserved for about a block down the road.
I figured that would be a great place to promote our film PHONE SEX
GRANDMA. The short film version is a huge hit on the queer / LBGT
culture. They eat it up. But when we got there to the restaurant,
there was a waiting line of almost 2 blocks long. So that petered
out. We decided to head on up to Main Street. When getting on Main,
we started walking towards Slamdance at TMI, and I stopped by Dolly's
bookstore to talk to them about carrying my new NO BUDGET FILMMAKING
book. It was a great meeting. They want to carry the new book. And
next year, during Sundance 2014, They want to arrange a book signing
there at the store for the book during Sundance. So I know now for
sure already that I will be returning again next year. This book will
be able to be on the festival circuit this year where my films
screen, then make Sundance next year. That was a great way to start
the day. After that, we headed over to the Morningstar Farms building
and had some great Vegan Veggie burgers to start the day with some
iced tea. Then crossed the street to the Sundance Channel
headquarters to get some coffee. It was really good. Opal and I drank
coffee there for about an hour and chatted with our film friends
Anthony Pedone from RXSM in Austin and Chris Roberts with his wife
and newborn son Joshua. After an hour, we went over to Slamdance to
check on what was going on and met Forrest Whitaker. Opal had a great
chat with him. It was time to run down on Main to the Riverhorse for
the Deluxe Sundance party. They had some good food and coffee. I
really liked there veggie rolls. I was feeling like an old man there,
wore out and not wanting to do the networking thing, and Opal nagged
me to get going on it; that it was why we were here. So I went up and
started networking. Met the boys behind the new Sundance film MAGIC
MAGIC. Then met a few other people, and was starting to get into my
mode / groove of networking when it was time to head back to
Slamdance. I didn't want to leave the Deluxe party with the way
things were going, but I had to get back to TMI for Dan's film. So
Opal and I got up to TMI right around 5:15 p.m., and went into the
Slamdance happy hour for about 15 minutes to do some brief networking
before the film. That flew by. It was time for Dan's film BETWEEN US.
I was really happy for my good friend Dan Mirvish to get his film
done. He had been trying to get BETWEEN US made for quite some time.
It was a pretty good film. Started out slow, but got much better. The
acting was really good. Julia Stiles was great. And with the film
being based on a stage play, it was great to see a film that you
couldn't really tell that it looked like it came from a play. I liked
that. After the film, some great networking happened. A lot of people
that worked on Dan's film started talking with me, and got really
interested in working on the feature film version of PHONE SEX
GRANDMA. So I might have found some good Los Angeles people to work
with me on the upcoming film. That networking went on for about an
hour. After that, it was time to walk done to Dan's after-party for
BETWEEN US on Main Street at Cisero's. Saw some good friends I hadn't
seen since last year here; people like Mark Bell from Film Threat,
Josh Mitchell, Anthony from RXSM, my friend Don that I roomed with
here last year, my other fellow condo roomie from last year Ed
Stencel from Detroit, and more. Plus made some new contacts. After
being there for about an hour, it was time to head over to the
Slamdance weekend party on Heber. But on the way we stopped again at
the Morningstar Farms building and had a couple of free Vegan Veggie
burgers. Then after that, it was down to the Slamdance party. It made
for a good time. Damn, those filmmaker kids this year are young. I
never remember them looking so young. They look like high school
kids. They could be my kids. It's so funny. Being at these things
makes me realize how far I've got. I saw some good friends at the
party. My great friend, Slamdance founder Peter Baxter, David Pierce,
Kelly Calligan, Ed Stencel, and more...damn. I can't remember
everyone. I could tell I could have got laid from some of these hot
girls who are actresses. But that's okay. That part's entertainment.
Opal started really fading at the party. She started getting sick
before we got here, and I've felt bad her working the festival with
me while she's sick. But she wants to do it rather than resting. She
sat and rested while I made some rounds at the party. It was great
chatting with my friend Peter Baxter. I really like that guy. He and
I are on the same level. After an hour or so, it was time to get Opal
back to the room. I could tell she was really fading. So we left the
party a little after midnight, went to the car and drove back to Salt
Lake City. Got back to the Motel 6 room about 1:30 in the morning,
ate a little, worked a little, then called it a night.
Not a bad Sunday day 3 in Park City. I
can't believe we've been here just 2 full days. It seems a hell of a
lot longer.
Today is lined up for a much busier
day. We'll see what gets done here on Day 4.
Friday Nite Blog – Park City –
Sundance/Slamdance 2013 – 1/18/2013
Opening Night at Slamdance and Sundance
2013
From award-winning filmmaker Jack Truman of Dixie Films
Well, I'm here in Park City. It's
Saturday morning. Sitting here at the Sundance Channel Headquarters
on Main Street across the street from Slamdance. Just got in town
last night. And the routine of the madness is starting out with a
bang.
Here's a quick breakdown of what
happened yesterday:
Woke up at 5 am in the apartment in
Vegas. Got myself woke up with strong coffee on the couch in my
underwear. Washed clothes and packed. Drove from Vegas to Salt Lake
City. Got our room at the Motel 6. Then drove to Park City. Spent a
lot of time finding a parking space. Took the shuttle to Main Street.
Walked up to Slamdance at the Treasure Mountain Inn with Opal and got
our alumni / programmer passes. Saw a bunch of old film friends right
off the bat. Networked for a couple hours. Got some tickets for films
over the weekend. Then walked down Main Street last night to check
out the scope of the land for the weekend. Hit a couple of spots like
the Sundance House and the Sundance Music Cafe before walking over to
the big opening night Slamdance party on Heber. Was there for a
couple of hours before taking the shuttle to the car at the Snow Park
Lodge, then drove back to the Motel 6 in Salt Lake City, getting to
the room around 1:30 a.m.
Took it a little easy yesterday. What
we did yesterday was light for us during the Park City madness.
I've got Opal with me this time around.
The other half of my creative team. Writer and Star of our biggest
Slamdance film PHONE SEX GRANDMA. 67 years old, and my Mother is more
fired up than ever. The star of Main Street. Opal Dockery has owned
this town with her films over the years. She's a little under the
weather as we start things off. Need to make sure she doesn't get run
down.
A lot of things lined up today during
Sundance and Slamdance 2013. Look out, Park City. We're here for our
first full day on Main Street.
Our award-winning hit cult short film PHONE SEX GRANDMA, starring Opal Dockery, will screen on Hulu during the 2013 Sundance and Slamdance Film Festival!
PHONE SEX GRANDMA premiered at the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival to standing room only audiences. To date, PSG has screened at over 100 film festivals worldwide, earning rave reviews.
PSG continues to play the film festival circuit, screening in February 2013 in Phoenix at the Bloody Hero Film Festival and in March 2013 in the UK at the St. Albans Film Festival.
To coincide with the 2013 Sundance and Slamdance Film Festivals, PHONE SEX GRANDMA will screen for free on Hulu, presented by Indieflix.
The real-life Mother/Son filmmaking team of Opal Dockery and Jack Truman will be in attendance in Park City during Sundance and Slamdance to represent the Sundance/Slamdance re-screening event of PHONE SEX GRANDMA. Truman will also be releasing his new filmmaking book NO BUDGET FILMMAKING or How to Be a Well-Known Filmmaker & Be Broke at the Same Time.
PHONE SEX GRANDMA
The Award-Winning Cult Short Film
Starring Opal Dockery
Directed by Jack Truman
Presented by Indieflix
A Dixie Film
Audience Award, Best Film - Miami Underground Film Festival
Anyone can make a movie. With no money.
And be a well-known filmmaker.
Moviemaking is entering a new era with
digital film. With technology rapidly changing, it's getting easier
than ever for aspiring filmmakers to make movies on their own.
Learn how to make a movie with No
Budget and become known around the world as a successful filmmaker.
Jack Truman shares valuable tips, tools, secrets and valuable
information on how to get your movie made by yourself outside the
Hollywood circles – from starting with an idea for a movie to
selling your award-winning hit film around the world after a
successful film festival run.
NO BUDGET FILMMAKING OR HOW TO BE
A WELL-KNOWN FILMMAKER AND BE BROKE AT THE SAME TIME
includes:
How to make your movie from concept,
through production and distribution with just a camera and a computer
Ways to make your movie with no
money
The best way to make your movie
outside of Hollywood
How to get cameras, equipment, cast
and crew at no cost
How to avoid paying entry fees at
film festivals
How to create a buzz for your film
when it starts playing festivals
The best ways to share your film
around the world
Ways to make money with your movie
And more!
An informative, alternative,
out-of-the-box reference book for the film industry, NO BUDGET
FILMMAKING covers a wide range of tips and tools: from proven
filmmaking techniques, valuable industry resources, and more, this
book guides the aspiring filmmaker from concept to distribution on
the film festival circuit, and beyond. A must-have resource for
anyone who needs help with making a low budget film on their own, NO
BUDGET FILMMAKING is a breakthrough book for the next
generation of filmmakers.
Author Jack Truman is an award-winning
filmmaker and 25 year veteran of stage and film. A former professor
at Texas A&M University, Truman has also appeared in several
television series and major motion pictures. His film directorial
debut, the award-winning hit cult short film PHONE SEX GRANDMA
premiered at the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival. Combined,
Truman's films have screened at over 300 film festivals worldwide to
date. Jack was on the Short Film Jury at the 2012 Slamdance Film
Festival in Park City, Utah.
