Filmmaker Freedom

An in-depth conversation with Liz Manashil about the financial side of making micro-budget features, and her work managing Sundance’s Creative Distribution Initiative.

Show Notes

Liz Manashil is pretty prolific when it comes to writing and directing micro-budget features.

I actually found out about Liz a few years ago after her first feature, Bread and Butter, recouped its budget, and she wrote a great article for MovieMaker transparently sharing those numbers and revenue streams.

These days, Liz just finished her second feature, Speed of Life, and is taking it around the festival circuit, hammering out a unique distribution deal for it, and planning a DIY theatrical run that includes a David Bowie cover band, all of which we talk about in our conversation.

And finally, she's in the early stages on a new feature called Lady Parts, that's honestly got one of the funnier crowdfunding pitch videos I've ever seen.

Anyhow, here's a rundown of what we talk about in this interview.

  • The totally awesome name of Liz's dog (and the not-quite-as-awesome name of our cat)
  • What Liz learned from conducting the largest ever survey of distributors to find out what they look for in a film.
  • How Liz makes sure she doesn't get screwed when negotiating a distribution deal.
  • Why and how Liz is booking her own short theatrical run for her latest feature, and why she's hiring a David Bowie cover band to play those shows.
  • How Liz attracts and attaches big name talent to her micro-budget features.
  • Liz's history with crowdfunding, and how she consistently manages to raise money for her films through that channel.

Full Transcripts & Archive

Each solo episode of Filmmaker Freedom (not the interviews) has a complete written transcript so that you can revisit the ideas quickly and easily.

You can find those transcripts, as well as the full archive of shows, right here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com

A Weekly Newsletter for Ambitious Filmmakers

Every Sunday morning, I send out a handful of stories, carefully picked to help you make films you care about, build a business, and master your psychology. Plus I share a short film I love, and various other bits of inspiration. Get it here:

www.filmfreedomshow.com/newsletter

A Community Just for Entrepreneurial Filmmakers

Want to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurial filmmakers who will push you to grow and succeed? Then Freedom Fighters is the place for you.

Here's where you can learn more about this one-of-a-kind community and apply to join our ranks. (Don't worry, it's totally free, but there's an application process to make sure this community is full of the right people.)

www.filmfreedomshow.com/community

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time!

-Rob Hardy

What is Filmmaker Freedom?

Filmmaker Freedom is a new kind of filmmaking podcast. It's handcrafted it for those of us who like to think outside the box, to experiment, to walk our own path instead of doing things the way they've always been done. If you want to make make films you're proud of and make a living from it, this is the show for you. It's full of clear, focused, and actionable advice to help you succeed as an indie filmmaker in a constantly changing world.