Indie Film Tribe: Filmmakers/screenwriters/directors/actors Creating Socially Conscious Content

I know most folks are still on Hoiday mode so this is a super quick check in episode and an update from fellow tribe member Michelle Muldoon: Please support Last Stand To Nowhere: Last Stand to Nowhere does something no Spaghetti Western has ever done; put women at the forefront of an iconic gunfight, the Gunfight at the OK Corral. Women rule action films these days but there's one genre missing; the Western. We aim to solve the dearth of female Western roles with a stellar cast and crew of women including our award-winning Cast, Director of Photography and the best Stunt Coordinator in Vancouver. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/last-stand-to-nowhere-film    

Free Training from The Kickstarter Guy! Before you launch your fundraising campaign, listen to this because Justin Giddings is not only an award-winning actor, writer and filmmaker, but he's also known as "The Kickstarter Guy" for his work in helping independent filmmakers fund their dreams through crowdfunding. In the last 24 months, Justin has help over 75 campaigns raise $3 million dollars and currently boasts an unequaled 97% success rate. Focusing on an approach that relies on attractive outreach that doesn't alienate friends and family, Justin travels the world to teach and coach on crowdfunding. He teaches at Film Independent and Seed&Spark and is listed as one of Kickstarter's Experts, an elite group of coaches and agencies that have been personally vetted by the Kickstarter Staff. He is based in Los Angeles where he lives with his super-awesome wife, rambunctious son, cranky dog, and a daughter on the way. You can find him through his website: www.TheKickstarterGuy.com

Keena Ferguson a Multi-artist whose love for all things creative (dancer/choreographer, actress, VO artist, writer, producer, director) has led her to fully accept all of her many talents and Keena now calls herself a multi artist. Keena’s latest projects are; starring as Crystal on the hot Golden Globe winning show Atlanta, S.W.A.T on CBS opposite Shemar Moore, and recurring on Amazon’s Gortimer Gibbons Life of on Normal Street. She also is the voice of many popular video games and can be heard at Disneyworld for the brand new Pandora World of Avatar and in the video game Star Wars playing the new character Jedi Master Ranos.   She has danced for many notable artists such as Kelly Rowland, Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony and so many more, she has been seen in commercials for Coca-Cola, Direct TV and Bud light to name a few. Keena is also the writer, producer and star of the short film Kai that went on to screen in more than 35 film festivals internationally and was picked up for television distribution. She exp

In Lawrence's words:  From October of 1992 through August of 2002, I was incarcerated inside the Federal Bureau of Prisons for the crime of armed robbery. For a decade of my life, I was lost to my friends, my family and even myself because of a horrible and irresponsible decision I had made. My inmate number was 22855-086 and I was only one of many 100’s of angry, disconsolate and wholly uncertain souls I would encounter in the tombs of federal prison system.   I share this not to elicit sympathy or comfort from any quarter. I did the crime and it was justly and fairly my lot to serve the time handed to me under the federal laws and by the federal courts of these United States.   I share this solely for one reason: So others who have made horrible, seemingly insurmountable and unbearable mistakes will know that there is a path forward, that if we are willing to do the work and commit to inside out and top to bottom transformation, there isn’t a single thing circumstance that the truly determined individual ca

Producer Alexandra Boylan has taken three independent films from conception to completion and has gone on to sell all of them to major distribution companies, including Universal Home Entertainment and Image Entertainment. All three films have been on the shelves of Walmart, released world wide, and continue to sell in Red Box, Amazon, iTunes and pretty much everywhere else DVD's and Vod is sold.   To learn more about Alexandra, her classes and films: www.soyoumadeamovie.com http://mustardseedent.com www.wishforchristmasmovie.com www.catchingfaith.com

Jason Brubaker is a Los Angeles based film distribution executive specializing in direct to consumer distribution strategies. He consults with media companies, rights holders and content creators to develop strategies to source content, maximize distribution, grow audiences, build buzz and create community around each title. Previously Brubaker served as the Manager of Content Acquisitions for Chill, a direct-to-consumer video on demand platform funded by Kleiner Perkins and William Morris Endeavor (WME). While at Chill, Brubaker was responsible for sourcing and acquiring content. Brubaker also serves as the Vice President at Distribber, a film distribution company that delivers content to Netflix, iTunes, Hulu, Amazon Prime, while allowing the filmmaker to keep 100% of the revenue. Additionally, Brubaker is a contributing author of The Independent's Guide to Film Distributors, he is the founder of Filmmaking Stuff, a professional resource for independent filmmakers, and his articles on independent movie m

The top 2 takeaways from our screenwriting episodes w Pilar Alessandra, Michelle Muldoon, Hilliard Guess and Lee Jessup! In this solo episode we discuss: #1 The work ethic of a screenwriter #2 To submit to screenwriting competitions or not to submit? Also a few updates from: Emmy nominated producer John Halbach Singer songwriter Goapele Award winning actor Brianna Brown Casting director Jeannine Fisher!    

PILAR ALESSANDRA started her career as Senior Story Analyst at DreamWorks SKG. In 2001, she opened the Los Angeles-based On the Page Writers’ Studio, dedicated to teaching and consulting with screenwriters and TV writers at all levels.   She’s the author of the popular scriptwriting book, “The Coffee Break Screenwriter,” and host of the “On the Page Podcast.”   An in-demand speaker, she’s taught seminars at Disney Animation, ABC, CBS and MTV and traveled the world teaching in the UK, China, Poland, Vietnam, Colombia, Portugal and South Africa.   Pilar’s greatest accomplishment is the success of her students, many of whom have won top competitions like the Nicholl Fellowship, are working on TV shows such as “The 100,” “Silicon Valley” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” and have sold scripts and pitches to studios including DreamWorks, Warner Bros. and Disney.  For more information about Pilar, her classes, consultations, book and podcast, go to www.onthepage.tv

This man is the incredible Host of Hilliard Guess' Screenwriter's Rant Room Podcast, he serves as the Vice-Chair on both the Black and LGBT Committee and is a member of the Education, Latino and Genre Committeeas the WGA.He is also an award winning working screenwriter in Hollywood. This screenwriter is a fun, ex-80s MOD/Punk with a knack for writing underdog/redemption stories in the bio, horror, gritty, or murder-death-kill world. His knowledge of the craft and instinct for unique, flawed characters have won him attention or awards at Sundance, Nicholls Fellowship, Scriptapalooza, Screenplay Festival, The PAGE Awards and AOF, to list a few.  He currently works as an in demand “assignment writer” in both TV & Film and is in the new book on iTunes, “THE TOP 100 INDIE WRITERS IN THE WORLD.” Through his company Hilldog Productions, he produces TV Pilots, Film POC’s, Shorts, Web Series and Documentaries. His office is located on The LOT Studios in the heart of West Hollywood.  Ladies and Gentlemen the amazin

Her screenplays have won awards at seven different film festivals as well as received the Women of Film Award at the AOF Film Festival. She placed in the second round at the Austin Film Festival three years in a row with three unique genre screenplays, as well as created the Vancouver International Women in Film Festival’s International Screenplay Competition and the Writers Room Invitational for the AOF Film Festival. Twice a year she teaches the Introduction to Screenwriting Workshop for Raindance Vancouver. This talented and super smart screenwriter is also an award winning director and producer. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Michelle Muldoon!   To learn more about Michelle, please visit: https://michellemuldoon.wordpress.com/      

Lee Jessup is a two time author and Master Screenwriting Career Coach for Emerging and Professional Screenwriters. Author of Getting It Write: An Insider’s Guide To A Screenwriting Career and Breaking In: Tales From The Screenwriting Trenches. In this episode Lee shares tips on what it takes to become a professional screenwriter. She is extremly knowledgable and her passion and wisdom are palpable. If you are a screenwriter trying to "break in" you do not want to miss this episode!   Check out her latest book here: http://leejessup.com/shop/books/breaking-in-tales-from-the-screenwriting-trenches/ or visit her website: http://leejessup.com/

It’s funny because I did not originally intend to do an update episode, but seeing that some of my guests continue to kill it, I just had to share their success and progress. Not only to support them but also to hopefully inspire you! Please check out the following new links from some of our guests: 1.Ya'Ke's new series, check out the trailer and please support the the Facebook Page! https://www.facebook.com/beginningandendingofeverything/ 2. Don Wallace's Film BLUE is now available on Amazon, check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XY4LX5N/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_I6M5yb6HMBF23 3. DaJuan's Season Three Premiere of BOSCH is Available April 21st on Amazon, check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/BoschSeason3 4. Brianna Brown booked a role on the DYNASTY pilot, here is the announcement: http://tvline.com/2017/03/21/dynasty-pilot-brianna-brown-cast-claudia/ 5. Goapele has completed her most recent record and is now on tour, for tour dates click here: https://goapele.com/ 6. Angela www.elevatefilm.com  

This is Part #2 of Episode #4. Here Linda talks more about her current projects and why she made the shift to producing projects that have social impact and meaning. In this episode she also shares some great tips for writers, tips on marketing and dives deeper into the importance and the passion she has for her latest projects.   For more info about Linda, please visit: http://www.runawayproductions.tv/     Intro Music CRIMPSHRINE: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/duct-tape-soup/id1094929191

Filmmaker, author, actor and podcaster Scott McMahon has spent the past 20 years working professionally in the areas of interactive gaming, film, TV, video production, and web media creation. For nearly 12 years he supervised the Cinematic Department for Sony PlayStation and was fortunate enough to get a chance to play in that huge sandbox, working with some of the world's best animators, technicians, and visual effects artists. Upon leaving PlayStation ...The economy was tanking, people were losing their jobs, and he did what any genius would do...Go to Hollywood and make an independent film! His film, called DO-OVER, came close to getting made, but there are tons films that "almost" get made in Hollywood. Scott's film was just another one of those sad tales that was not meant to be ... But from that experience he began searching for a way to make films without the permission of so many gate keepers  and build a sustainable living from this notion. This is how Scott's podcast was born and what he shares with

Spotlight PR Founder and Head Publicist, Tammy Lynn, benefits from more than 15 years public relations experience, providing her the opportunity to build long-standing relationships with a variety of media outlets. Having worked in Los Angeles and New York City for some of the largest PR companies in the business, Tammy was responsible for overseeing PR strategy and cultivating media relationships. She quickly gained the knowledge and tools to take her skills out on her own, and as a freelance publicist since 1998, Tammy has worked on a variety of projects spanning entertainment, lifestyle, technology, health/medical, public affairs/non-profit, consumer product, and publishing. www.spotlightprcomany.com    

John Halbach is the Executive Producer (and plays Ian) on the Emmy-nominated LGBT series EastSiders.  He is a also a Social Media Specialist whose clients have included Broadway shows such as “Fun Home,” “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time,” "Fully Committed," "This is Our Youth," and "Fish in the Dark," as well as Disney on Ice, Marvel Universe Live, Chef Chris Santos, Fusion TV, The History Channel, Discover the Dinosaurs UNLEASHED, The Empire Hotel, and Rituals Cosmetics. He and his husband, Kit Williamson, also produce and star in a series of ongoing travel videos for OUT Magazine with partners such as the MGM Hotel Group and the Key West Tourism Board. John is a natural teacher and in this episode shares tips on crowdfunding, social media and PR. He is a true gem!  

In this episode, talented singer/songwriter Goapele shares how she independently produced her first record. She also talks about her writing process, working with other writers, expanding her artistry and stepping into the world of acting.   www.Goapele.com Goapele's Music  

Episode # 11 is a solo re-cap episode where our host Angela Matemotja gathers the top three takeaways from the first ten episodes. Our award winning filmmaker and actor guests all seemed to have a common theme and shared a similar work ethic, attitude and point of view about their work. In this episode we discuss the importance of budget on your filmmaking journey, what it takes to have a robust acting and filmmaking career, and how mindset is the #1 trait that all of our guests seem to have mastered in one way or another. TOP THREE TAKEAWAYS: Budget Mindset Work Ethic Intro Music CRIMPSHRINE: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/duct-tape-soup/id1094929191

Episode #10 Producer Jenna Edwards says that you should make the movie that you actually want to make and PAY YOURSELF!   In this episode, Jenna shares her knowledge on indie film producing, how mindset is incredibly important to your success and why you should not wait to make your passion project. http://indiemoviemastery.com/

 Ya'Ke's first feature film WOLF: click here to purchase: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/movie/wolf/id781174196 ONE HITTA QUITTA: https://youtu.be/TEGDp-bXJFY KTRINA'S SON on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/119786358 Ya'Ke's TedTalk: https://youtu.be/MfzP4Obnh5E  Recommendations: Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film & Television by Judith Weston The Film Director's Intuition: Script Analysis and Rehearsal Techniques by Judith Weston     Intro Music CRIMPSHRINE: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/duct-tape-soup/id1094929191