Low-Budget Rebels: An Indie Filmmaking Conversation with Josh Stifter Josh Stifter

On this episode of the podcast, Josh Stifter sits down for a conversation with returning guest Taylor Morden. They discuss what has happened since they recorded the last episode, The Last Blockbuster and it's run on Netflix, the challenges of getting projects off the ground, being hired to direct a movie about Build-a-Bear Workshops, and Taylor's newest adventure in crowdfunding with his horror/comedy Bampire! 

Make sure to go over to bampiremovie.com and help support this fun and unique take on indie monster movies. 

Follow the film on social media @bampiremovie

Cheers!

On this episode of the podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Michael J Epstein. In his second appearance on the show, he discussed the movies he's directed since the pandemic. Experimenting with mocumentary mixed media projects that included short scenes from other filmmakers during the pandemic and mocumentaries, Michael and his partner Sophia Cacciola have made three incredibly experimental films including The Transformations of the Tranformations of The Drs. Jenkins, The Once and Future Smash, and End Zone 2. We discuss the making of these films, how the pandemic effected them, and the process of distibution for these truly independent features.

Make sure to check out the kickstarter for the release of The Once and Future Smash here: https://launchover.com/launch/film/the-once-and-future-smash/

And follow Michael J Epstein on social media by going to launchover.com

Cheers,
Josh

This Is Your Song is a beautiful, sad, and completely unique film about relationships gained and lost.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with independent filmmaker Hassan Said to talk about the process of making such an ambitious film. Filmed as one long take, the movie tells a story that many of us can relate to - but also will impress the hell out of all you indie filmmakers.

We discussed the casting process, the massive endeavor that is filming large takes, things that can go wrong on a film like this, and why his director of photography had to build her core before production. Six weeks of rehearsal and preproduction, screenings of the film, getting permits for the shoot, color correcting a movie for mood, distribution of a film like this, and finding the right locations are just some of the topics we discuss! Make sure to follow Hassan Said by checking out his website at https://hassansaid.com/ and look for THIS IS YOUR SONG through Indie Rights available now!

Have a great week, everybody!

Cheers,
Josh Stifter

On this weeks episode of Low-Budget Rebels, I had the pleasure of talking with first time feature filmmaker of the new sci-fi comedy Love Virtually L.E. Staiman and his co-writer Cheston Mizel.

We discussed how they got into making movies and why a comedy about the Metaverse seemed enticing. They tell me about the writing process and how it came together during the Covid quarantine, what the biggest challenges were, and how the process of editing this movie challenged them. They also discuss the benefits and shortcomings of relying on visual effects and animation and how Cheston learned animation based on the needs of the film.

This and much more!

Love Virtually is releasing November 7th on digital and on demand.

Cheers,
Josh

I am so excited for you all to hear this weeks episode of Low-Budget Rebels!

My friend Anthony Cousins hopped on the show to talk about his new film FROGMAN and the shorts that helped him get to where he is. We discussed the movies and t.v. shows that introduced us to the world of filmmaking, his decision to pursue filmmaking, and the sacrifices that you have to make to do what you love. We also discuss the challenges of moving from short films to features and the inspiration behind the stories we tell, working with collaborators, and the challenges that come with making a found footage film. This and so much more!

Make sure to follow Anthony on instagram at @cousins_anthony, check out his short films and segments from the SCARE PACKAGE films, and keep an eye out for where you can see FROGMAN!

Have a great week, everybody.

Cheers,
Josh

Happy Monday!

And we're rollin' into it with a brand new podcast episode. Liz Manashil is a wonderfully different type of director than the folks I usually get on the show. Her two features, Bread & Butter and Speed of Life, are fascinating character studies that are not only low-budget inspiring but a type of movie that makes me want to work outside of the box. She also was the kind of candid chatter that I LOVE to have on the show. She discussed growing up as a precocious and quiet child, the anxiety that comes with filmmaking, and balancing being a parent with creating art. She also discussed going to film school at USC, working with actors, and the benefits of doing shorts as well as features.

All of this and so much more.

Make sure to follow her on twitter @LizManashil and check out her films Bread and Butter and Speed of Life, available now on Amazon and other streaming sites.

Also, head over to speakpipe.com/lowbudgetrebels and leave me an audio message! Ask questions, leave indie film reviews, and have your voice heard!

Cheers,
Josh