Recent content by Michael
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Discussion Question Becoming a Film Director in the USA in 2025 – The Honest Reality
A lot of people still ask whether becoming a director in the United States is realistic in 2025. The short answer is yes, but the long answer is that the rules have completely changed. The traditional path of film school → assistant → studio feature is no longer the norm. It still exists, but... -
Open Is the Festival Circuit Dead? The Rise of "Direct-to-Community" Distribution
Finally, someone said it! I’ve been calling the festival circuit a "vanity tax" for years. Last year, our short film got into 12 festivals, and we didn't meet a single useful contact. This year, we skipped the festivals, spent that $5k on a targeted Meta/TikTok ad campaign for our own streaming...- Michael
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- Forum: Blog, Articles & Interviews
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Open North America Beyond the Netflix Dream: How to Monetize Your Indie Film in 2026
Everyone dreams of a major streaming deal, but the truth is, algorithms often bury indie projects alive. From my experience, hybrid distribution is the only way to stay afloat in 2026. Don't wait for a "big fish" to save you. Build your own tribe, leverage niche platforms, and master...- Michael
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- Forum: Blog, Articles & Interviews
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Open North America Why AI Won’t Kill Filmmaking (If You’re Smart) – A 2026 Survival Guide
Hey everyone! Let’s be real: a year ago, I thought AI was just a toy for lazy creators. But I’ve realized that as an indie filmmaker, if you don’t embrace automation in 2026, you’re just going to get left behind. I’m not talking about letting a bot write your heart out-keep the storytelling...- Michael
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- Forum: Blog, Articles & Interviews
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Europe Market Berlinale 2026: Is the EFM Badge actually worth the crazy money?
Let’s be real for a second: do we actually need to be in Berlin from Feb 12-18? I’m looking at the hotel prices and I’m about to cry. Do the big deals really happen inside Gropius Bau, or is it just expensive coffee in the cold? For those who’ve been: did it ever lead to a real sale or...- Michael
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- berlinale efm european film market film markets markets
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- Forum: Film Markets
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The City is Ours - Toronto Short Film
There is a documentary film uploaded to the forum, and I really enjoyed watching it. I genuinely love documentary films, especially when they tell real stories in an honest and engaging way. This one was very interesting and well put together. You can feel the passion and authenticity behind it.- Michael
- Post #2
- Forum: Member Screenings & Original Works
