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 us on our journey as we attempt to break into the national film scene, or just incur more debt.

  1. 2d ago ·  Bonus

    IFP 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 different from a standard film festival because it exists inside a much larger citywide arts festival. While films are screening, downtown Boise is also full of bands, comedians, podcasters, drag performers, artists, tech events, beer events, yoga events, and festivalgoers moving between venues. That changes the whole experience. Instead of only screening for other filmmakers, Filmfort gives indie films a chance to play for a wider arts-focused audience. That means stronger audience energy, more varied feedback, and a networking environment that extends beyond the usual film festival crowd. In this review, we talk about the filmmaker experience at Filmfort, including communication, screenings, audience turnout, venues, tech, networking, travel, downtown Boise, and who we think should submit. We also get into one important caveat: Filmfort does not give out awards, so it may not be the right fit if your main goal is building laurels. But if you have something weird, experimental, offbeat, or a little hard to categorize (and you want it in front of a lively arts audience) Filmfort may be a very strong festival to consider. _____________________________________ Get More Indie Film Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiefilmpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@indiefilmpodcast Web: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com Newsletter: https://indie-film-podcast.kit.com/68f74bc072  Get Featured on the Pod: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/submit

    IFP Reviews: Filmfort | A Film Festival Hidden Inside a Giant Music Fest

  2. Jul 14 ·  Bonus

    IFP 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 the perspective of indie filmmakers who submitted a short film, attended in person, and screened alongside filmmakers from around the world. In 2026, Dam Short Film Festival featured more than 150 short films across 32 blocks over six days, making it a packed and energetic festival experience. Dam Short Film Festival stood out for its strong films, full audiences, excellent networking opportunities, and a genuinely celebratory atmosphere for filmmakers. The awards ceremony especially went above and beyond, with classic cars, red carpet energy, cheering crowds, and a clear effort to make filmmakers feel seen and appreciated. We gave the festival a 9/10 overall, with especially high marks for the films, audience, networking and events, awards, and overall value. The only major caveat was theater and tech, since the festival was in a different venue the year we attended, which led to a few sound and playback issues. In this review, we break down what worked, what indie filmmakers should know before submitting, and why Dam Short Film Festival may be especially worth considering if you have a short film (especially those tricky longer shorts that can be hard to program elsewhere!) _____________________________________ Get More Indie Film Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiefilmpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@indiefilmpodcast Web: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com Newsletter: https://indie-film-podcast.kit.com/68f74bc072  Get Featured on the Pod: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/submit

    IFP Reviews: Dam Short Film Festival | 150 Shorts, Six Days, and One Damn Good Festival

  3. Jul 7 ·  Bonus

    IFP 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 festival from the perspective of indie filmmakers who submitted a film and attended in person, looking at everything from communication and organization to the films, audiences, networking events, theater and tech, awards, location, and overall value. And yes, the Sun Valley Film Festival delivered. With excellent communication, polished films, strong audience turnout, great venues, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere, this festival stood out as one of the most filmmaker-friendly experiences we’ve had. It also offered something unique: a small-town Idaho setting with surprisingly serious industry access, including conversations with seasoned producers, directors, filmmakers, and entertainment professionals. In this review, we break down what worked, what indie filmmakers should know before submitting, and why Sun Valley Film Festival may be worth the trip. _____________________________________ Get More Indie Film Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiefilmpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@indiefilmpodcast Web: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com Newsletter: https://indie-film-podcast.kit.com/68f74bc072  Get Featured on the Pod: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/submit

    IFP Reviews: Sun Valley Film Festival | Big Industry Energy in a Small Idaho Town

  4. Jun 25

    Filmmaker 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 Podcast, Victoria and Chuck talk about filmmaker hustle culture, creative burnout, and whether the pressure to constantly work, post, volunteer, network, and “keep grinding” is actually worth the cost. Using Curry Barker’s breakout success with Obsession as a jumping-off point, we look at what years of audience-building and creative output can do for an indie filmmaker’s career. But we also dig into the other side of the hustle: Working for free, setting boundaries on indie film sets, the business and marketing realities behind film success, and why creativity is not the same thing as productivity. If you’re an indie filmmaker, film student, creative freelancer, or recovering workaholic trying to build a sustainable career without losing your love of filmmaking, this one’s for you. Show Links:  Featured Filmmaker of the Week, Christian Schoeman: https://youtube.com/@frequentcollaborators?si=VxyyTYx5AOfhcTj3  Be Our Next Featured Filmmaker: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/submit Are you a workaholic? - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/tests/career/workaholic-test  Misleading article - https://leaders.com/articles/company-culture/hustle-culture/ Long Working Hours and Cognitive Function: The Whitehall II Study - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2727184/  Working less doesn’t affect productivity? - https://interwork.sdsu.edu/sites/default/files/2025-02/nrli-2024-Group2.pdf  _____________________________________ Follow Indie Film Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiefilmpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@indiefilmpodcast Web: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com Newsletter: https://indie-film-podcast.kit.com/68f74bc072  Get Featured on the Pod: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/submit

    Filmmaker Burnout: Is the Indie Film Grind Worth It?

  5. Jun 18

    AI 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 own AI-generated short film using AI tools for: The script, character design, voices, and video generation. Yup. All of it. And the end result? Is a little mixed…. We break down what worked, what failed spectacularly, and what indie filmmakers should actually be paying attention to when it comes to AI video generation. Is AI a useful filmmaking tool? A creative threat? A shortcut? A mess? Yes. Just…yes to all of that. This conversation gets into the practical side of AI tools for filmmakers, the ethical concerns around AI-generated images and voices, the rise of AI slop, the environmental cost of AI video, and whether indie filmmakers should be worried about the future of the film industry. (To save you any panic or heartache, probably not. Especially if you’re a creative individual, then you really don’t need to worry. If you’re a filmmaker, writer, editor, actor, video creator, or creative human trying to figure out where AI belongs in indie film, this episode is for you. _____________________________________ Show Links:  Featured Filmmaker of the Week, Parsa Ghaffari: https://parsaghaffari.com/  Be Our Next Featured Filmmaker: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/submit Forbes Top 50 AI companies: https://www.forbes.com/lists/ai50/ Study about idle time and creatives: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10400419.2023.2227477 The Guardian Articles: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/nov/13/ai-music-spotify-billboard-charts https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/dec/27/more-than-20-of-videos-shown-to-new-youtube-users-are-ai-slop-study-finds _____________________________________ Follow Indie Film Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiefilmpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@indiefilmpodcast Web: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com Newsletter: https://indie-film-podcast.kit.com/68f74bc072  Get Featured on the Pod: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/submit

    AI Filmmaking: Should Indie Filmmakers Be Worried?

  6. Jun 11

    Quitting 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 leave a steady corporate job for freelance filmmaking, creative work, and the unpredictable world of self-employment in the arts. Chuck and Victoria share their very different experiences quitting their jobs, building financial runways, surviving surprise expenses, finding freelance film work, tracking tax deductions, and figuring out how indie filmmakers can build multiple revenue streams without assuming their passion project will pay the bills. If you’ve ever dreamed about leaving your 9-to-5 to make films, this episode is a reality check on the money, fear, freedom, and chaos that come with taking the leap. _____________________________________ Show Links:  Featured Filmmaker of the Week, David C. Nelson: https://dcnfilm.com/  Be Our Next Featured Filmmaker: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/submit Check Out Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/IndieFilmPodcast  _____________________________________ Follow Indie Film Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiefilmpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@indiefilmpodcast Web: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com Newsletter: https://indie-film-podcast.kit.com/68f74bc072  Get Featured on the Pod: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/submit

    Quitting Your Job to Make Films: The Money, Fear, and Freedom

  7. Jun 4

    Bad 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 cringe: A first film, student film, rushed short, failed competition project, or creative experiment that just didn’t land quite the way they’d hoped. In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we talk about why embarrassing old work can be a sign of growth, what bad films can teach you, and whether filmmakers should delete, hide, or keep their old projects online. We also dig into famous filmmakers who were embarrassed by their own work, including Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, and the Duplass brothers. Plus, we talk about constructive criticism, creative ego, failed projects, demo reels, and why self-reflection matters if you want to keep improving as an indie filmmaker. If you’ve ever made a bad film, cringed at your first movie, or wondered what to do with old work you’re not proud of, this one is for you. Indie Film Podcast shares our filmmaking mistakes so you can avoid them. _____________________________________ Show Links:  Featured Filmmaker of the Week, Lilia A’Hearn: https://liliacreativityproductions.myportfolio.com/  Be Our Next Featured Filmmaker: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/submit _____________________________________ Follow Indie Film Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiefilmpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@indiefilmpodcast Web: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com Newsletter: https://indie-film-podcast.kit.com/68f74bc072  Get Featured on the Pod: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/submit

    Bad Films, Big Lessons: How Filmmakers Learn From Failure

  8. May 28

    Film 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 Podcast, we sit down with Filmfort director Thomas Phillipson during Podfort at Treefort Music Fest to talk about what really happens behind the scenes at a film festival. We dig into the myths filmmakers love to panic over: Whether programmers only watch the first five minutes, if a famous actor helps, how much your director’s statement matters, does Sundance rejection means your festival run is doomed, and if your short film is probably too long. Spoiler: Probably, yes. Sorry. Thomas shares practical advice on FilmFreeway submissions, researching the right festivals, building film community, making the most of your festival experience, and why festival programmers really do want to find great films. If you’re an indie filmmaker trying to get into film festivals without wasting all your submission fee money and emotional stability, this one’s for you. _____________________________________ Show Links:  Learn more about Filmfort: https://treefortmusicfest.com/fort/filmfort/  _____________________________________ Follow Indie Film Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiefilmpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@indiefilmpodcast Web: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com Newsletter: https://indie-film-podcast.kit.com/68f74bc072  Get Featured on the Pod: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com/submit

    Film Festival Myths Indie Filmmakers Need to Stop Believing
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

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 us on our journey as we attempt to break into the national film scene, or just incur more debt.

Information

  • Creator
    Indie Film Podcast
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    78
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Indie Film Podcast
  • Show Website
    Indie Film Podcast

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