YOURtake action and make

movie now!My name is Jason Brubaker. I live in Los Angeles, make movies and help other filmmakers do the same. This filmmaking guide will provide you with useful filmmaking tips, tools and tactics.

icture this! By some miracle to end all miracles, born of equal parts luck and

blind determination, you’ve gone against the odds. You’ve put together a cast and crew, refined your script, found some financing and in the process, you’ve somehow managed to make the impossible possible. You have made your first feature!

Can you imagine the excitement, emotion and applause of a packed audience during the premiere your first movie? Can you imagine yourself walking down the isle to claim your award? Can you imagine yourself in the Q&A session? Can you smell the popcorn?

Then my question is, what are you waiting for?

My name is Jason Brubaker. I live and work in Los Angeles. I have worked in the movie industry for over a decade. And if YOU have the desire to make your own movies and get paid for your work, then I encourage you to read every word in this guide!

Note: This guide contains recommendations for products and services. If you decide these are a good fit for your moviemaking business, I may receive compensation. This will not affect your purchase price. And if referrals aren’t cool, feel free to ignore my links!

If you like this report, feel free to GIVE it to your filmmaking friends!

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Welcome Filmmakersthis filmmaking guide provides tips, tools and strategies

PFilmmaking Stuff To Know

1. Stop asking permission to make movies. YOU are responsible.

2. Given the resources that you have right now, what is the movie you will make this year?

3. Do you have a website, a YouTube channel, a Facebook page and Twitter handle? No? Get busy.

4. Boldness is rewarded. Be bold.

5. If you don’t ask for it, you’ll never get it. Seek and you shall find. What you focus on expands. Take action. Have a well defined log-line. Be able to explain your story in one sentence

his seems obvious. But without a screenplay, it is very difficult to make a

movie. I know some filmmakers are interested in making an “experimental” movie. If that describes you, then ignore the following screenwriting tips.

But if you would like to write a screenplay, here are some professional tools that I recommend.

For screenwriting, Final Draft software is the industry standard. Additionally, you can also use Movie Magic Screenwriter. But I never used it. And if money is tight, there is FREE screenwriting software called Celtix.

Once you have the tools, it is important to remember that nothing happens until YOU take the time to write. Set aside time to write at least one page each day. And give yourself permission to write a crappy first draft.

If you need extra help, research the writing course at www.WriteYourMovieNow.com - In the system, you receive writing tips, an action guide and a fill in the blank writing workbook, so you can finish your screenplay this year.

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Screenwriting copyyour screenplay is the blueprint for your movie

Screenwriting Tips

1. Have a well defined log-line. Be able to explain your story in one sentence.

2. Everything in your screenplay costs money. Consider the movie’s budget.

3. Ice, Snow, Rain, Sun, dogs, lighting bolts and children are worth avoiding.

4. If you decide to produce your movie, hire a seasoned Production Manager.

5. Hire a GREAT First Assistant Director. Not some film school kid either.

“There is a saying that everybody in Hollywood has a screenplay. This is not true. Most people in Hollywood only have 20 pages.”

— Jason Brubaker, Filmmaking Stuff

T

fter you finish your screenplay, the next steps is to break it down. A script

breakdown allows you to schedule and budget your movie. To complete this process, you take everything in your script (wardrobe, stunts, locations, characters, props, et al.) And you put these elements into a schedule. And because this is your “initial breakdown,” you

will use this information to estimate your budget. If this is script breakdown process is new to you, I recommend you take a look at Peter Marshall’s Script Breakdown and Film Scheduling Course. His course shows you the fundamentals of a breakdown. For more info go here: www.MovieScriptBreakDown.com

Once you understand the fundamentals of script breakdown and film scheduling, you might want to sign up for a FREE account at LightSpeed EPS. In addition to helping you break down your screenplay, this tool helps you manage your productions. For more information: www.IndieProductionTool.com

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Script Breakdownbreak down your script and schedule your movie

Three Types of Filmmakers

1. Employee Filmmaker (indie producer works at a production company): An employee filmmaker is someone who gets a job at a production company.

2. Freelance Filmmaker (indie producers hired on a per-project basis): As a freelancer, you get hired on a per-project basis. Then when the production wraps, you go back to your network, seeking your next job.

3. Entrepreneurial Filmmaker (indie producer creates his or her own projects and hires other people): In this scenario, your goal is to find a good screenplay, raise money and make your movie now! You don’t wait for anybody to give you permission. But if your project does not get made, you do not get paid!

“Your script, your budget and your schedule are all linked. Change

one and change them all .”— Forrest Murray, Producer

A

ike most filmmakers, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how I would

find an investor for my projects. One of my friends said I should contact a local auto dealer who owned a dozen dealerships.

One day I picked up the telephone and called his dealership. To my surprise, he agreed to meet. That was the beginning of a business relationship. For the record, this small town auto dealer is worth sixty-seven million dollars.

Since then, I have met countless rich people. These people get calls from entrepreneurs seeking funding every week. And while establishing a relationship is essential, it is important to have a business plan.

A business plan outlines how your movie will be produced, marketed and sold. It outlines how much money will you need and how the money will be spent. Your business plan will outline how much risk your investors will need to take in order to gain the possible rewards.

To create a business plan, you may benefit from some free online templates. Or you may benefit from www.MoviePlanPro.com - There you will find a movie business plan kit, which provides you with a step-by-step approach.

As a word of caution, always contact a lawyer before you pitch your project to anybody. Your lawyer will have suggestions on how to legally approach prospective movie investors.

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Get Movie Moneymake a plan to make, market and sell your movie

Contacting Investor Skills

1. Very few investors are out there waiting to throw money at unproven filmmakers. Stop dreaming.

2. What is an asset? What is a liability? What is cashflow? What is capital gains? Figure this out first.

3. Write a business plan. Contact an attorney. Get your paperwork finalized before you contact anybody.

4. Find the biggest business in your hometown. Pick up the phone and call the owner and request a meeting.

5. It takes seven meetings on average before you build a business relationship. Seven meetings!

L

s a filmmaker, the moment you start putting your project together, you’re in

business. At this point that many filmmakers get a business card and set up a website, touting the wonders of their projects.

This is also a time when many costly mistakes are made. How you establish your filmmaking business can have legal and tax ramifications.

As such, the moment you decide to start putting a project together, you should also seek out the legal and tax advice of qualified professionals. After meeting with these folks, you might find that operating your production company under the protection of a corporate

entity (such as a corporation or LLC) may provide you with basic safeguards.

The steps of setting up a business entity are pretty simple, but they could be a little costly depending on your state (or country) laws and tax liabilities. Also, as a general disclaimer, I am not qualified to offer legal or tax advice. So I can only talk about my own experience – which may not be right for you.

When it comes to entertainment attorneys, you might consider researching Gordon Firemark. He runs www.Firemark.com and has very informative podcasts, full of valuable legal tips for independent filmmakers.

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Legal Stuffprotect yourself from your filmmaking business

AProtect Your Movie Business

1. Talk with an attorney about how to protect your assets in the event things go south. Do this before you do anything else!

2. As a second line of defense, talk with a qualified insurance broker about your goals. Common insurance packages include production insurance, liability insurance, workers compensation insurance and E&O.

3. Make sure you get releases singed by everybody. This includes the obvious stuff like your cast and your crew and the less obvious stuff like locations.

aising movie money becomes much easier when you have a network of rich

and successful friends. If you have not already done so, check out www.GetMovieMoney.com - different from all the other BS out there, you will discover some little-known strategies on how to find and make friends with rich people.

But sometimes knowing rich people is not enough. Many prospective investors will want to see some proof of concept. This is where crowdfunding can be helpful. Aside from raising money, the more important aspects of crowdfunding include testing, proving and pre-selling a concept. Additionally, a crowdfunding campaign allows you to test the footprint of your social influence.

When crowdfunding attempts fail, it could mean the concept is not interesting to the marketplace, the filmmaker’s social media reach is limited or a bit of both. It is better to correct these hiccups prior to production.

To get started with a crowdfunding campaign, visit my friends at Indiegogo. This platform allows you to set up a profile, promote your movie project, set a financial goal and find supporters who will sponsor various aspects of your movie. www.indieGoGo.com

You must never forget that you are creating a product. So before you approach any prospective investor, you need to first figure out how your project will make money.

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CrowdFundingtap into your social networks and presell your movie

Three CrowdFunding Tips

1. Study the pitch videos of successful campaigns and create (then test) a pitch video for your project.

2. Always include a one dollar perk. While transactionally small, you may benefit from the social reach of your contributor. Some of their friends may decide to fund you.

3. Update your funders frequently. Many initial funders will actually contribute a second time when they see your project is gaining progress.

R

inalize your script. Get it to a point where you aren’t going to keep

changing things. Once you get to this point, consider it a locked script. Number your scenes. Then break down your script again, and create your final shooting (production) schedule and budget.

You probably know how much money you have to work with. If you find you don’t have enough you have two choices. You can get more money. Or you can modify the script and schedule to fit your budget.

Everything in your movie, no matter how small, will cost you money. Sometimes these elements are negotiable. I know a guy who got

both food and locations for free in exchange for product placement.

If you have the money, I suggest working with a seasoned physical producer, line producer or production manager to help you get organized. These professionals work to make sure your movie stays on budget. They then tweak your initial schedule as needed to stay within both your budget and time parameters.

Additionally, if you’re going to direct and produce, having these professionals on your team will open the door to relationships with a great 1st AD. The First Assistant Director keeps your movie on schedule.

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Final Budgetlock your script and create your final budget

FThe Final Budget

1. Everything in your movie costs money. But some things are negotiable. Always negotiate for a better offer.

2. The Line Producer and 1st Assistant Director should be your first hires. They will help you with the day to day minutiae so you can focus on getting your movie made.

3. If your budget is greater than your money - you have two choices. You can lower your budget or modify your script and schedule.

nce you get the money, pick a date for production. You are now entering the

phase of pre-production. The quality of your production depends on quality of your prep.

I emphasize the planning aspects of pre-production, because many filmmakers crash and burn during production because they didn’t have a solid plan.

Go back to your lawyer and get help with your contracts and releases. If you’re short on cash, do a web search for lawyers for the arts in your state. Since many of these folks will be working for free, expect a lot of “no’s” before you find the right fit for your show. You can

make your jobs easier if you find someone with film production experience.

And if you are using a Line Producer and 1st AD, both of these professionals will help you hire the cast and crew. They may also know a thing or two about tax credits in your state. Tax credits can be used to help further incentivize prospective investors. This is invaluable!

To make sure your production goals are executed in such a way that you get the most movie for your hard earned money, you will need to check and re-check with your department heads to make sure everything is AOK. Assuming you have a plan A, plan B and a plan C, you’re ready to shoot your movie!

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Prepping For Productionthe quality of your production depends on your preparation

OPrep For Production

1. Take time to visualize each day in advance. Picture every camera set up and every shot. This will help you outline an efficient day.

2. Make sure you get plenty of sleep. This sounds silly. But you will need every ounce of energy you can muster to make your movie happen!

3. Remember that you are making a movie because doing so is fun. Your goal is to enjoy every minute on set, as you’re doing what you want in life.

reate a website specific to your movie. Then make sure you have a way to get

site visitors onto your mailing list. Additionally, have a place on your site for press, so that they can grab your press kit and materials.

To get started, you will need a domain name and website hosting. To do this, set up an ac- count with a filmmaker friendly company. more ideas for movie hosing and domain selection can be found at www.MovieSiteHost.com for all of my movie websites.

When you set up the site, make sure you use your movie’s title in your link. For example, in our environmental movie, we reserved: www.ToxicSoupMovie.com

Once you have your website hosting, hire a web designer to create a website for you. If you already spent all your money making the movie, then check out a service called www.fiverr.com – On this site, you’ll probably find a dozen people who will create an awesome website for a whopping $5 dollars!

As you get into production, you will later want to add a movie trailer. This will help drive traffic to your website, which will increase the size of your mailing list. To build your mailing list, check out www.AudienceList.com. This service allows filmmakers to capture leads from their movie web- site, build a mailing list and set up email newsletters. (They pay me, but I use them for everything.)

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Movie Websiteyour movie website is essential for filmmaking success

CWebsite Tips You Need

1. Keep it simple. Your website should tell a visitor where they are and what you want them to do.

2. Your movie website should have info about you, your movie and provide a trailer that fans can watch.

3. Stream your trailer from YouTube. Aside from being the second largest search engine on earth, the service is free and has a social networking component built in.

nce you have all the above stuff checked off the list, you’ll want to meet

with your department heads and make sure everyone’s needs are being met. Assuming you’ve maintained limited locations, with a limited cast and crew, you will probably still be baffled by the amount of questions that come flying at you.

Seriously, you would think you’re making a gazillion dollar movie. But questions are simply indicators that people care about their work and the movie. And they want to make it a success. Trust your team and be rewarded.

This goes without saying, but don’t be a jerk. Seriously, you’re making a movie. It’s a real

accomplishment and it’s one of those great things you can do in life. In fact, it’s quite awesome. So push forward. ENJOY! Did I mention you need plenty of sleep?

During production, try to constantly get press to come out and pro- file your movie in the news. The goal is to leverage the media, cre- ate buzz and hopefully get people to your website and get them to opt into your newsletter mailing list. www.AudienceList.com

After the WRAP, have a wrap party. And trust me when I tell you this—try not to sleep with anybody in your cast or your crew. Also, if possible, monitor your alcohol intake. You are a professional. Act accordingly.

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Make Your Moviebegin your production

OLast Minute Filmmaking Tips

1. Walk before you can run. If the only movie you can make this year is a three minute movie for YouTube, grab your cheap camera and make that.

2. Make sure you have adequate food on set. If you do not have much money, food is your currency. Don’t skimp for the cheap stuff either. Get good stuff.

3. If you have to cry on set, just make sure you go somewhere nobody can see you. When you cry on set, everybody looks at you like a weirdo and you erode credibility with your cast and your crew.

fter you recover from your hangover, you’ll probably start editing the movie.

This is the phase they call post production. And it really is the final rewrite of your movie.

In the past, all the talk and buzz in the world revolved around Avid. Now you’re like Avid who? Seriously. If you have a Mac, get yourself a copy of Final Cut Pro. It’s industry standard. It’s powerful and affordable. Enough said.

If you don’t have a Mac, find a friend who does. And if you don’t know how to edit, you should find a friend for that too.

Your first edit will be rough. Screen it with a group of people who have never seen the movie. Get feedback. Then take the feedback

and refine your edit. After that, take a week off – don’t look at the movie or play around with it. In this way, you’ll come back to the edit suite with new perspective. Refine and refine again.

Have another small screening with people who have never seen the movie. Take notes. Then take those notes back to your edit suite. Add some sound FX to your movie. Clean up actor dialogue and rough areas. Remember, audio is often more important than visual.

Screen the movie again with a new, small set of people. Take notes. Go back and refine. You will probably repeat this process many times until the final cut of your movie meets your standards. Just remember, less is more.

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Post Productionthe edit suite is your final rewrite

AEdit Your Movie

1. Don’t be an idiot. You will need to cut at least five minutes out of your movie, if not more. Many directors keep the long scenes. Snooze fest.

2. You’re in a dark room for hours on end. Please make sure you shower and maintain your hygiene. I don’t know why, but edit suites smell funky.

3. Quit asking people on your payroll for an opinion. Many want you to hire them again, so they will be included in sugarcoat their opinions. Get outside opinions from people.

hen you have a cut you’re happy with, then you can implement your

sales strategy. For example, will you go to film festivals? Sales agents? Film Markets?

Because finding traditional distribution deals are rare, you must always plan your own marketing, sales and distribution strategy. To get started, you will need to create a trailer, refine your website, set up a Facebook page, YouTube channel, and a newsletter will allow you to build a relationship with your visitors.

Refine your trailer so that it helps you sell your movie, without giving the entire story away. Make sure your trailer includes a backlink to your website. Once you complete the trailer,

upload it to YouTube and all the other video streaming sites you can think of.

Most filmmakers make a website with all sorts of bells and whistles. Your website should be simple. You should have a trailer, an “about” page, a “buy now” button, links to your social networks and your opt-in audience list.

Out of everything I mention, getting people onto your list is most important. An audience list will allow you to collect a name and email address of your visitor. www.AudienceList.com

Additionally you may want to research my friends at www.MovieSalesTool.com about getting your movie on iTunes. This company pays me to promote, so conduct diligence.

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Sell Your Movieyou are now responsible for the success of your movie

WHow To Sell Your Movie

1. Remember video stores? Neither does my kid cousin. Video On Demand is the future. Get it?

2. If most sales agents are attempting to “pick up” your movie for iTunes, and you can get your own movie onto iTunes, why do you still need the validation of a middle-man?

3. If you want more information on how to market and sell your movie, check out: www.HowToSellYourMovie.com

4. Did you create your movie website yet? If so, you may want to write a press release and broadcast it.

5. Just because your movie is in iTunes, Amazon and VOD marketplaces does not guarantee sales. You still need to market to sell your movie.

Jason Brubaker is a Hollywood based Independent Motion Picture Producer and an expert in internet movie distribution. He is focused on helping YOU make, market and sell movies more easily by growing your fan base, building buzz and creating community around your title.

Jason 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 marketing and distribution have been featured in Film Slate, The Independent and Movie Maker Magazine.

Brubaker currently serves at the Interim Director of Operations for Distribber, a modern movie aggregator where he helps indie filmmakers get their movies seen and selling on popular VOD platforms like iTunes, Hulu, Amazon.

Find out more here: http://www.filmmakingstuff.com/my-filmmaking-story-part-1-of-4/

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About Jason Brubakertake action, make your movie now!

If you are seeking Filmmaking Tools, the following resources are my personal picks. In full disclosure, many of these sites pay me to promote. So make sure that you conduct due-diligence prior to making purchases both here and everywhere on earth.

www.FreeFilmmakingBook.com provides you with the official filmmaking stuff newsletter and FREE filmmaking tools.

www.WriteScreenPlayNow.com is for writers and screenwriters who want to write movies for the new low budget cinema wave.

www.IndieProductionTool.com is an online production management tool that allows you to break down your script.

www.GetMovieMoney.com helps filmmakers discover strategies for building relationships with prospective investors.

www.MovieSiteHost.com resource for filmmakers to get movie site hosting, a domain name and easily set up a website.

www.MovieScriptBreakDown.com provides an online training course for filmmakers who need a breakdown and schedule.

www.AudienceList.com allows filmmakers to capture leads from their movie website, build a mailing list, set up email newsletters and a sequential email auto responder.

www.SellYourMovieNow.com provides tips on getting your finished feature seen and sold. This site contains resources on how to leverage digital distribution and internet marketing.

www.MovieSalesTool.com allows you to get your finished feature onto iTunes, Netflix and Amazon.

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Filmmaking Toolsprofessional filmmaking tools so you can make your movieFilmmaking Tools