The Filmmaker's Notebook

Festivals will reject you. Grants will say “thank you” and mention how many qualified applicants there were this year… while still rejecting your application. Distributors will pass, saying “your story’s not what we are looking for”. But the independent filmmaker stays focused on their vision, undeterred by external setbacks. It takes courage to keep moving forward when the industry says no. New Filmmaker’s Notebook every Wednesday: Https://newsletter.habethyfilms.com

Hey Reader, This past year, I got back into cooking. In the beginnning, I was playing it safe—sticking to recipes and measuring out ingredients like I was taking a high school chemistry test. After a while, I started getting comfortable. I’d swap out spices, tweak the process, and before I knew it, I wasn’t just following instructions—I was cooking meals that felt like mine. Directing a film? It’s a lot like that. You start with the fundamentals, learn the basics, and eventually, you get...

Being a great Director, Writer, or Producer is like being a great coach. You can’t lead without first playing a few key positions yourself. From my experience producing and directing my first feature film, 13 Miles, and producing several other features and shorts, I’ve learned that understanding how different roles on set work is crucial to being effective in any leadership position. It’s the difference between a smooth day on set and chaos. Learning Through Experience Before I directed my...

Hello Reader, We’ve been in production mode recently, and we wanted to give you an inside look at what our day really looks like when we’re working on set—or "a day at the office" (with a lot more gear). Plus, we’ve got two major updates to share: Our pre-title sequence fundraising campaign for The Quiet Canadians is officially live! We have updates on our work with the Kelty Foundation for their upcoming High Stakes Casino Night—and yes, we are still looking for sponsors! But first, here’s a...

Going through the distribution process with 13 Miles has taught us a lot of lessons. The questions we kept asking ourselves was: "Should we try to land a traditional distribution deal? Or, should we go all-in on self-distribution?" The Realities of Self-Distribution Here’s the thing: when you self-distribute, the game changes. You keep your rights, control the release, and avoid slicing off a piece of the pie to a distributor. But there’s a flip side. You’re also responsible for making sure...

Filmmaking is broken. Distribution models are crumbling. Studios are slashing budgets like they’re cutting coupons. Streaming platforms are more obsessed with metrics than storytelling. Sound familiar? It should. We’ve been here before. The 1970s Playbook If you’re feeling the squeeze of today’s filmmaking landscape, take comfort in this: we’re standing on the edge of a transition, not an apocalypse. In the 1970s, the system really broke. Studios were bleeding money. Audiences were restless....

If you’re in the middle of writing your script, or even thinking about getting started, this is the moment to consider how every creative decision you make will impact your budget and schedule. Trust me, when you’re on set, these decisions start to add up fast. Pages Equal Time, Time Equals Money We’ve all heard it: 1 page of script equals 1 minute of screen time. But how long will it take to actually MAKE that 1 minute of the movie? On an indie film, you’re looking at 2 hours to film 1 page....

September 2024 Newsletter Hello Reader, You’ve been with us for every late night, early morning, and caffeine injection, and this month, we’re thrilled to bring you the latest on what Habethy Films has been cooking up. We’ve got spies, post-production madness, a short supernatural horror film ready to hit festivals, and a whole lot of movie updates to share. From The Quiet Canadians and our quest for the perfect brand partnerships to Pickled Rabbit beginning the festival run, plus 13 Miles...

Ever notice how we don’t need a reason to feel like garbage? Wake up on the wrong side of the bed, spill coffee on your only clean shirt, and suddenly the world’s ending. No one questions it; no one asks for proof. But flip the script. Try feeling fantastic for no apparent reason, and people look at you like you’ve grown a second head. In the film business, we’re conditioned to hustle, grind, and wait for that elusive green light before cracking a smile. We tell ourselves we’ll celebrate when...