Shows / Indie Film Podcast
Indie Film Podcast
Our Goal with Indie Film Podcast is to share all of the mistakes we’ve made in our film making journey, so you can avoid them! We are owners of over 75 rejection letters from film festivals. In spite of producing several well-received films, neither of us has managed to turn our passion into a career. Our continued efforts to follow the advice doled out by the gurus has given us a plethora of experience in nearly every filmmaking role, but also, a negative balance in our bank accounts. Follow…
Episodes
Indie Film PodcastThe Strange Art of Horror Movie Sound Design (with Jacob Kinch)
Ever wonder how horror movies create those terrifying, stomach-turning sounds? Spoiler alert: Sometimes it's just a pumpkin. This week, we're joined by sound…
Indie Film PodcastCan You Make a Feature Film for $7,000 in 7 Days?
Could you make a feature film with just $7,000 and seven shooting days? That's the challenge Jerry White of Bronson Creative has thrown our way, and we're…
Indie Film PodcastThe Ugly Truth About Indie Film Distribution
You finally got your indie film picked up for distribution. Congratulations! But...where's your money? Getting your movie onto streaming platforms like Amazon…
Indie Film PodcastHow to Find the Audience for Your Indie Film
You made the movie. Now how do you get people to actually watch it? In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we break down how filmmakers can find the right…
Indie Film PodcastHow to Break Into the Film Industry Without “Knowing Someone”
Trying to break into the film industry without the right connections can feel impossible. But is gatekeeping really the problem, or is there more going on? In…
Indie Film PodcastWhen Your Film Crew Gets Too Small: The Hidden Cost of a Skeleton Crew
How small can your film crew get before saving money starts costing you more? In this episode, we break down what happens when a skeleton crew gets stretched…
Indie Film PodcastThis Indie Horror Film Does Possession RIGHT | IFP Reviews: The Resonance (2026)
Can a low-budget indie horror film deliver genuinely effective possession horror without relying on expensive VFX? The Resonance makes a very strong case. In…
Indie Film PodcastHow to Build a Skeleton Crew Without Wrecking Your Film
How small can your indie film crew actually be before “lean” turns into “understaffed”? In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we’re talking about skeleton…
Indie Film PodcastWhen Your Film Isn’t Working: Should You Start Over?
How do you know when it’s time to stop pushing through and start over on a film? In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we talk with filmmaker Jordan Gore…
Indie Film PodcastThis Twisted Barney Horror Movie Is WILD | IFP Reviews: Buddy (2026)
Is Buddy (2026) worth watching now or later? We review Casper Kelly’s bizarre new horror comedy from the perspective of indie filmmakers, breaking down what…
Indie Film PodcastShort Film vs. Feature Film: Is Your Story the Right Length?
How do you know if your story should be a short film or a feature? In the final installment of our Conceptual Mistakes in Indie Filmmaking series, we break…
Indie Film PodcastHow to Write a Great Low-Budget Script Without Sacrificing Story
If you’re writing an indie film on a limited budget, the smartest creative decision you can make may be figuring out what you can actually afford to shoot. In…
Indie Film PodcastWhy You Can’t Explain Your Movie Idea (and How to Fix It)
What makes a strong film premise? And…how do you know if your movie idea actually has enough story to carry a screenplay? In this episode of Indie Film…
Indie Film PodcastGreat Gore Can’t Save a Terrible Script | IFP Reviews: Ice Cream Man (2026)
Eli Roth’s Ice Cream Man delivers plenty of blood, practical gore, and wildly campy horror imagery, but can great effects save a weak script? In this IFP…
Indie Film PodcastWhere Does $31K Go on an Indie Feature Film? A Real Budget Breakdown
What does it actually cost to shoot a low-budget indie feature film? Writer/director Jack Judson joins us after wrapping Pineapple Promise to break down our…
Indie Film PodcastOne Teenager Took On an Entire Horror Feature | IFP Reviews: Pretty (2026)
Has the internet finally found a zero-budget horror film capable of replacing The Room? In this Indie Film Podcast Review, Victoria and Chuck discuss Pretty…
Indie Film PodcastIs Film Crowdfunding Dead? What Really Worked for Our $40K Feature
Is film crowdfunding dead, or can it still work if you approach it the right way? In this episode, writer-director Jack Judson joins us to break down how we…
Indie Film PodcastOnline Dating Gets Deadly | IFP Reviews: The Lonely Crowd (2026)
What happens when online dating gets deadly? In this Indie Film Podcast Review, Victoria and Chuck take on The Lonely Crowd (2026), a romantic thriller…
Indie Film PodcastIFP Reviews: Spark of Madness Film Festival | A Weird Little Festival With Huge Potential
In this IFP Review, we’re talking about the first annual Spark of Madness Film Festival in Pocatello, Idaho. This festival is built around three themes…
Indie Film PodcastIFP Reviews: Filmfort | A Film Festival Hidden Inside a Giant Music Fest
In this IFP Review, we’re talking about Filmfort, the film festival that takes place in Boise, Idaho as part of Treefort Music Fest. Filmfort is a little…
Indie Film PodcastIFP Reviews: Dam Short Film Festival | 150 Shorts, Six Days, and One Damn Good Festival
In this IFP Review, we’re talking about our experience attending the 22nd annual Dam Short Film Festival in Boulder City, Nevada. We reviewed the festival from…
Indie Film PodcastIFP Reviews: Sun Valley Film Festival | Big Industry Energy in a Small Idaho Town
In this IFP Review, we’re talking about our experience attending the 13th annual Sun Valley Film Festival in Sun Valley and Ketchum, Idaho. We reviewed the…
Indie Film PodcastFilmmaker Burnout: Is the Indie Film Grind Worth It?
Is filmmaker burnout just part of the indie film grind, or is hustle culture quietly making us worse at the thing we love? In this episode of Indie Film…
Indie Film PodcastAI Filmmaking: Should Indie Filmmakers Be Worried?
Can AI filmmaking actually make a good short film? We tested it. In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we’re talking about AI in filmmaking after making our…
Indie Film PodcastQuitting Your Job to Make Films: The Money, Fear, and Freedom
Can you actually make money as a filmmaker after quitting your job? In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we’re talking about what really happens when you…
Indie Film PodcastBad Films, Big Lessons: How Filmmakers Learn From Failure
Filmmaker mistakes, bad films, and learning from failure are part of becoming a better indie filmmaker. Every filmmaker has an old project that makes them…
Indie Film PodcastFilm Festival Myths Indie Filmmakers Need to Stop Believing
Film festival myths, submission strategy, and what indie filmmakers should actually know before sending their work out into the world. In this live episode of…
Indie Film PodcastFinding Your Audience: The Marketing Mistake Keeping Your Indie Film Invisible
You avoided the other six deadly sins, locked picture, and finally made your movie. But did you actually remember to tell anyone? In our final installment of…
Indie Film PodcastEditing an Indie Film: Pacing, Proxies, & Truth Bombs
It’s the ultimate post-production reality check: Editing reveals everything that production lied to you about. Welcome back to Indie Film Podcast, where we’re…
Indie Film PodcastHow to Mix Indie Film Sound: The 6-Step Workflow
Chuck calls bad audio the "deadliest of all the deadly sins" of low-budget filmmaking for a reason. If your actors sound like they’re talking underwater, or if…
Indie Film PodcastStop Filming Like a Beginner: Better Lighting & Shot Design
Are your indie film shots looking a little more like security camera footage than cinema magic? You don't need a $10,000 lighting kit to fix it; you just need…
Indie Film PodcastMake Your Micro-Budget Film Look Expensive: Production Design Secrets
You can rent the most expensive camera in the world, but if you point it at a blank wall, your movie is still going to look like a student film. In Part 3 of…
Indie Film PodcastHow to Ruin a Great Performance: The Real Cost of Skipping Rehearsals
If your actors look like amateurs who are actively searching their brains for their lines, you didn't save time by skipping rehearsals, you just ruined a great…
Indie Film PodcastStop Writing Forgettable Movies: The Science of Storytelling
The absolute worst reaction an audience can have to your indie film isn't hatred; it's pure indifference. If you want to stop writing "mid-tier," forgettable…
Indie Film PodcastWhat a "$0" Indie Film Actually Costs ($421 vs $45,000)
How much does a “zero budget” film actually cost? We made a short film for $421, but the real cost was over $45,000. Out-of-pocket, we spent just $421. But…
Indie Film PodcastHow We Finished a Zero-Budget Indie Film in 12 Days
What does it actually take to finish a zero-budget indie film in just 12 days? In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we break down the reality of indie film…
Indie Film PodcastZero Budget Filmmaking: 3 Massive Fails and 1 Weird Win on Set
We made a zero budget short film in one weekend…and yes, we made some mistakes. In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we break down what actually happens on…
Indie Film PodcastWill Actors Work for Pizza? Casting a $0 Budget Indie Film
Will actors really show up to an indie film set for pizza? In this episode of the Indie Film Podcast, we talk about the very real challenge of casting actors…
Indie Film PodcastMaking a $0 Indie Film in 4 Weeks (What Could Go Wrong?)
We challenged ourselves to make a $0 musical short film in just 28 days, for a real film festival competition. This is Part 1 of our 28-Day Musical Challenge…
Indie Film PodcastHow to Talk to a Composer (And Get the Film Score You Actually Want)
If you’ve ever struggled to explain what you want musically on your indie film, you’re not alone. In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we break down how to…
Indie Film PodcastBuilding a Film Career Outside Hollywood: Budgets, Burnout & Day Jobs
You don’t have to move to Los Angeles to build a real film career. In this special live episode of Indie Film Podcast, Chuck and Victoria host a panel of…
Indie Film PodcastWhy Romance in Movies Feels Fake: Tropes, Intimacy, and Set Safety
Why does romance in movies so often feel fake — even when everything looks right on screen? In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, Chuck and Victoria unpack…
Indie Film PodcastEgo vs Confidence: Promoting Your Film Without Burning Bridges
How do you promote your film with confidence, without letting ego get in the way? In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we explore the fine line between ego…
Indie Film PodcastPost-Production: Why "Fixing It In Post" Makes Your Film Look Cheap
“We’ll fix it in post.” It’s one of the most common phrases in indie filmmaking, and one of the most dangerous. In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we break…
Indie Film PodcastHow to Make Low Budget Films Look Expensive (Without Spending More in Production)
How do low budget films end up looking expensive, without spending more money? This episode breaks down the production decisions and on-set habits that…
Indie Film PodcastWhy Your Film Looks Cheap (And It’s Probably Pre-Production) | Indie Film Podcast
Cheap filmmaking vs inexpensive filmmaking is one of the biggest (and most misunderstood) differences in indie film production. In this episode of Indie Film…
Indie Film PodcastBurnout Nearly Broke Us | Indie Film Podcast
Burnout in indie filmmaking doesn’t always hit all at once. Sometimes it builds quietly, through overcommitment, creative exhaustion, and the pressure to…
Indie Film Podcast‘Become a Better Filmmaker’ Is a Terrible Goal (And What to Do Instead)
"Become a better filmmaker” sounds like a great resolution, until it leads to burnout and unfinished projects. In this episode, we break down why vague…
Indie Film Podcast250 Films. One Epic Horror Weekend. | IFP Reviews: Chicago Horror Film Festival
The Chicago Horror Film Festival packs 250 films into one epic weekend of indie horror, filmmaking energy, and nonstop screenings. In this episode, we break…
Indie Film PodcastA Packed, Electric Night for Indie Filmmakers | IFP Reviews: Portland Under the Stars
The Portland Under the Stars Film Festival delivered one of the most packed, electric nights we’ve ever had as indie filmmakers. In this episode, we break down…
Indie Film PodcastA Festival for the Relentless & the Revolutionary | IFP Reviews: She/Her Fest
In this episode, we review the first annual She/Her Fest in Seattle, a women-focused indie film festival celebrating bold voices, tiny budgets, and…
Indie Film PodcastThis Indie Body-Horror Got Under Our Skin | IFP Reviews: Wormtown (2025)
Indie horror, body-horror, and practical FX collide in our review of Wormtown (2025). Victoria and Chuck break down the parasites, cult vibes, brutal gore…
Indie Film PodcastMicro-Budget Filmmaking Gear: The Tools We’re Most Thankful For
Micro-budget filmmaking doesn’t mean working with junk gear. In this season finale, we break down the affordable filmmaking tools, budget gear, and DIY hacks…
Indie Film PodcastThe Hallmark Movie Formula: Indie Filmmaking Tips We’re Weirdly Thankful For
The Hallmark movie formula meets indie filmmaking tips in this holiday episode packed with low-budget filmmaking lessons. Hallmark releases 52 movies a year…
Indie Film PodcastIndie Film Budgeting Tips: From Dream Numbers to DIY Reality
Dream budgets vs. DIY reality, Victoria and Chuck share real-world indie film budgeting tips for filmmakers trying to stretch every dollar. From rewriting…
Indie Film PodcastDumpster Diving for Dinner: Craft Services Stories from Indie Film Sets
How do you feed your film crew on a budget, without losing your sanity? In this week’s Indie Film Podcast, Victoria and Chuck swap the best (and worst) craft…
Indie Film PodcastFilm Festivals Are Terrifying: How to Craft a Strategy That Actually Works
Film festival strategy for indie filmmakers: How we turned a $250 short film into an Academy Award-qualifying success. No connections, no nepotism, just smart…
Indie Film PodcastSet Design on a Budget: What We Learned the Hard Way
Set design on a budget doesn’t have to look cheap, it just takes creativity, caffeine, and a few questionable choices. In this episode, Chuck and Victoria…
Indie Film PodcastThe Real Horror of Indie Filmmaking: Set Safety Mistakes
Indie film set safety isn’t just a formality, it’s survival. In this episode, Victoria and Chuck unpack real filmmaking accidents, near-misses, and the hard…
Indie Film PodcastCrafting Fear with Sound: Indie Film Sound Design Secrets
Indie film sound design meets horror filmmaking in this spine-tingling episode of Indie Film Podcast. Chuck and Victoria break down how horror movies use sound…