NO BUDGET FILM SCHOOL
The Art & Science of No-Budget Filmmaking
Saturday & Sunday
June 8-9, 2013
9:00am – 4:00pm
SWAMP House
1519 West Main
Houston 7006
No Budget Film School presents its famed two-day micro-budget filmmaking class in Houston June 8 & 9, 2013. Specifically designed for no-budget filmmakers who are ready to finance their own projects, the lessons, tools, and techniques gained will maximize limited resources and minimize critical errors that can doom otherwise worthy projects. Producer Mark Stolaroff – former principal of IFC’s Next Wave Films – and guest experts teach the specific methods, models and priorities unique to micro-budget filmmaking, whether the budget is $200,000 or $200, in this in-depth, one-of-a-kind class. Attendees will walk away with powerful ideas that they can use immediately, saving them time and money. These cutting edge techniques can NOT be found in a book, at film school, or in other film classes.
FREE PRODUCTION SOFTWARE INCLUDED!
No Budget Film School has partnered with Write Brothers and Showbiz Software to bring you an incredible offer. All attendees will receive Movie Magic Screenwriter software and Showbiz Producer software absolutely FREE! (a $340 Value!). Attendees will also receive special discounts on Budgeting and Scheduling software by Showbiz Software, on Quick Film Budget’s innovative budget-making tool, and on LightSPEED eps’ new cloud-based production management system.
With Brian Poyser and Geoff Marslett, Guest Speakers!
SPACE IS LIMITED! REGISTER TODAY!
$200 SWAMP Members
$225 General Public
Want to become a member and reserve your spot WITH a discount? Sign up HERE
If you’re through talking about being a filmmaker and ready to become one, this will be the most practical filmmaking course you will ever take!
No-Budget first-features launched the careers of filmmakers like Christopher Nolan (“Inception,” “The Dark Knight,” “Batman Begins”), Joe Carnahan (“The A-Team,” “Narc”), Darren Aronofsky (“Black Swan,” “The Wrestler”), Marc Forster (“Quantum of Solace,” “Monsters Ball”), Tim Story (“Rise of the Silver Surfer,” “Fantastic Four,” “Barbershop”), David Gordon Green (“Your Highness,” “Pineapple Express”), Justin Lin (“Fast Five,” “Fast & Furious”), and Craig Brewer (“Footloose,” “Hustle & Flow”).
These first films all went through the offices of Next Wave Films, the former low budget financing arm of The Independent Film Channel. Now Mark Stolaroff, a principal of Next Wave, is sharing what he’s learned from years in the trenches in this in-depth, one-of-a-kind class.
Micro-budget (under $200,000) filmmaking is unique. The rules of production and post are radically different from those of studio projects or even “low” budget $1 million films. Stolaroff and guest experts teach the specific methods, models and priorities of micro-budget filmmaking in this unique class specifically designed for the no-budget filmmaker. These cutting edge techniques can NOT be found in a book, at film school, or in other film classes. For filmmakers who are preparing to shoot their micro-budget features, this class is indispensable. The approaches taught will enable filmmakers to maximize very limited resources and minimize critical errors that can doom otherwise worthy projects.
In this two-day intensive class:
* LEARN cutting edge techniques and how to choose the latest digital cameras and software
* HEAR no-budget professionals offer first-hand knowledge of production, post production, marketing, and distribution
* EXAMINE a budget line-by-line and discover where and how to spend money (and, more importantly, not spend money)–whether your budget is $200,000 or $200
* SEE clips from micro-budget films illustrating the tricks-of-the-trade used by resourceful filmmakers
If you’re through talking about being a filmmaker and ready to become one, this will be the most practical filmmaking class you will ever take.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: 
Mark Stolaroff has produced and financed numerous award-winning micro-budget and low-budget feature films. As a principal at IFC’s Next Wave Films, he evaluated over 2,000 feature films for investment and provided finishing funds to several exceptional low budget films, including Christopher Nolan’s “Following” and Joe Carnahan’s “Blood Guts Bullets & Octane”. He has worked closely with several talented directors at the beginning of their careers, including Nolan, Carnahan, David Gordon Green, Dan Myrick, Craig Brewer, Darren Aronofsky, and Amir Bar-Lev. While at Next Wave, he created festival strategy and secured distribution for an Academy Award nominated documentary (“Sound & Fury”), a Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner (“Southern Comfort”), and a $3,000 feature that was the first in Sundance Dramatic Competition to be both shot and projected digitally (“Some Body”). He was a producer on several indie hits, including “Manic,” starring Don Cheadle, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. Next Wave Films took seven films to Sundance and five to Toronto; nine were released theatrically in the U.S. and two premiered on HBO; nine were shot digitally and six of those were transferred to film.
Stolaroff has lectured around the world and at many major film festivals. He has taught film classes at UCLA Extension and participated in numerous filmmaking panels. He has written articles on micro-budget digital filmmaking for Scientific American, Filmmaker and many others. He has served on numerous festival juries, and is on the Advisory Board of the Filmmakers Alliance and was formerly on the board of HBO’s US Comedy Arts Film Festival. He has diverse low- and no-budget production experience–including production managing an Academy Award winning short film–and is currently in post on two features: “Farah Goes Bang,” which is premiering in this month’s Tribeca Film Festival; and “The House That Jack Built,” which will be premiering in June. His previous micro-budget feature, “Pig,” was an official selection at over 35 film festivals worldwide and won 10 awards, including 7 Best Feature awards. A native Houstonian, he holds a Business Honors degree and a film degree from the University of Texas in Austin and previously worked in investment banking for Merrill Lynch Capital Markets.
ABOUT GUEST SPEAKERS:
Brian Poyser (Writer/Director). Bryan hit the scene in 2004 with his $3,800 gem “Dear Pillow,” playing in numerous festivals and receiving a Cassevetes Award nomination. His follow-up feature, “Lovers Of Hate,” was made on a similarly low budget and premiered in Dramatic Competition at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, where it was picked up by IFC Films. His new feature, “The Bounceback,” premiered at this year’s SXSW to high critical praise.
Other Speakers To Be Announced.
* * *
Due to a family emergency, THE ART OF THE INTERVIEW WORKSHOP has to be postponed. We apologize for the inconvenience and we will let you know ASAP when it is rescheduled. Please email swamp@swamp.org if you need to change your registration.
The Art of the Interview Workshop!
TBD
Location: SWAMP House, 1519 West Main
SWAMP is pleased to bring Bruce Bryant and Jim Barham (For the Sake of the Song: The Story of Anderson Fair) to share their time-tested knowledge on the art of interviewing. Conducting an on-camera interview for documentaries, commercials, and other projects can be nerve-wracking for both the filmmaker and the subject! Techniques for drawing out stories or a “performance” from an interview take years of practice and also require adaptability depending on the person being interviewed. Whether you are new to interviewing or a veteran, come brush up on the dos and don’ts and discover the best practices for making your subjects comfortable in front of a camera so that their stories, and your projects, capture the heart of your audience!
INSTRUCTOR BIOS:
Bruce Bryant began his professional journey in 1963 working for KTBC TV in Austin. In 1965, he was hired by KPRC TV in Houston. While working as technical director for the CBS/World Television pool in a makeshift control room in building 30 at NASA, he punched the button that showed the world the first pictures from the moon.In addition to directing numerous specials for ESPN and Eurosport, Bryant has directed over 50 different opera productions for television and/or live simulcasts for The Houston Grand Opera, Philadelphia Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Washington National Opera, San Francisco Opera, and The Chicago Opera Theater. He has had the honor of working with Placido Domingo at The Kennedy Center several times and of directing the television simulcast of Rene Fleming’s first performance of La Traviata. In addition to opera, Bruce recently directed a live simulcast of Giselle with the Paris Opera Ballet in Chicago. He is currently working under contract with the Philadelphia Orchestra for the 2012/2013 season. He has directed several documentaries, television specials, and segments with Jimmy Reed, Big Mama Thornton, Lyle Lovett, Taj Mahal, Nanci Griffith, Sonny Terry & BrownieMcGee, Lucinda Williams, The Houston Symphony, Bob Hope, Guy Clark, Barbara Jordan,and Sir Elton John.
Jim Barham has been a prominent member of the Texas film and television production community for over three decades. Working variously as producer, director and/or cinematographer, his work comprises a wide variety of disciplines including independent features, documentaries, commercials, music videos and non-broadcast communications. Most recently, Barham produced, photographed and co-edited the Emmy-winning Texas music documentary, For The Sake of the Song: The Story of Anderson Fair directed by Bruce Bryant. He has also worked as contributing cinematographer on many documentaries for network and public television including the acclaimed The Strange Demise of Jim Crow, Life Stories, and the PBS series Art 21. Other recent efforts include directing and photographing commercials for Arista Records, Time-Warner Cable, The Houston Astros, GTE Wireless, Verizon Wireles, Shell Energy and Sterling Bank.
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