Indie film pre-production tips for shot listing and storyboarding that actually work! And some horror stories from personal experience. In this episode, Chuck and Victoria break down how to plan your shoot day, organize your camera team, and avoid costly production mistakes. Whether you're flying solo or working with a micro-budget crew, you'll learn how to prep efficiently without sacrificing creativity. From scheduling strategy to DIY visual planning tools, this is the place to start for smarter filming days.

Think sound design doesn’t matter on a micro-budget? Think again. In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, Chuck and Victoria break down how to make your indie film sound professional—without spending a fortune. From cleaning up dialogue with tools like Adobe Audition and iZotope, to layering room tone, ambient effects, and foley that cover even the worst on-set audio mistakes, this is your DIY sound design masterclass.

You’ll learn:

• How to clean up bad location sound on a tight budget

• Where to find free sound effects libraries that actually sound good

• Why ambient layering is the secret weapon of indie audio

• Affordable tools that beat Pro Tools for micro-budget productions

• Mixing and masking tricks to fix janky dialogue cuts

• Creative ways to collaborate with local musicians for your film score

Whether you're editing in Premiere, DaVinci, or Audacity, you’ll walk away with sound design tips that make your film feel like it had a real budget—even if it didn’t.

What does post-production look like for a $250 indie film? In this Deep Dive episode, Victoria, Chuck, and Daniel walk through the real-life challenges and solutions behind editing, color grading, and sound mixing their short film Dive, all while working with limited time, budget, and space (hello, bar refrigerators).

From DaVinci tips to text animation breakdowns, you’ll hear how they shaped raw footage into a festival-winning final cut. If you're an indie filmmaker facing your own edit timeline and sound issues, this one’s for you.

Topics include:

• DIY post-production workflows

• Sound cleanup using iZotope RX

• Editing pacing vs. perfectionism

• Split tone color grading strategies

• Planning festival submissions with strategy

Listen in and learn how three filmmakers got it all done, and what they’d do differently next time.

How do you shoot a short film on a $250 budget? In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, Victoria (writer/director of Dive) and Chuck (location sound mixer/sound designer) are joined by cinematographer and colorist Daniel Klamerus to break down the production process of their micro-budget short film.

From scheduling nightmares to surprise gas station construction, this honest (and occasionally chaotic) conversation covers:

• Shooting 25 shots in 10 hours across two nights

• Using anamorphic lenses on a budget

• Capturing on-set foley and navigating loud restaurant fridges

• Split toning in post-production (we’ll touch back on that next week!)

• A near-injury while filming in the back of a moving truck

• Lessons learned from minimal crew, zero margin for error, and max creativity

Plus, they talk about what went wrong, what they’d do differently, and the tiny details that make a short film truly cinematic—even on a virtually non-existent budget.

Dive was made for a festival with a 4-month deadline and won awards for Best Screenplay and Best Actress!

Subscribe for more behind-the-scenes looks at making indie films with real budgets, real problems, and real lessons.

#IndieFilmPodcast #shortfilmmakers #microbudgetfilmmaking #filmproduction #cinematography #sounddesign #directing #indiefilm

In our 20th episode, we're walking through the full pre-production process of Dive, a $250 short film we actually made (yep, this one’s not just theory). We talk about writing the script, securing the perfect location, casting local talent, and assembling a dream crew on a tiny budget — including a literal Emmy winner.

This episode kicks off a three-part series documenting the making of Dive, and it all starts here: with script changes, festival constraints, and one very talkative man in a quiet, roadside bar.

Thinking about forming an LLC for your film work? Wondering what filmmaking expenses you can actually deduct? In this episode, Chuck and Victoria dive into the indie film business structure they've (mostly) figured out through trial, error, and a whole lot of receipts.

We’ll unpack:

– What we wish we knew before filing as filmmakers

– LLC tips for indie creatives

– Freelance filmmaking write-offs (yes, including camera gear and film festival travel)

– Why you should probably talk to a tax pro before writing off your Coachella trip

– And the difference between a tax return and a refund (ask Chuck)

If you’re a filmmaker, freelancer, or multi-hyphenate creative figuring out how to make your art slightly less financially ruinous, this one’s for you.

Listen now for some very unofficial filmmaker tax tips—and a few "learn from our mistakes" moments.

Think you can make a movie on a shoestring budget? So did we. In this episode, we break down what it really costs to budget an indie film, sharing real numbers (and real mistakes) from our own micro budget productions.

We’ll cover:

• How we stretched $10K across locations, gear, and craft services

• What “zero budget filmmaking” actually means (hint: it’s not zero)

• Where most of your budget actually goes (and where we blew it)

• SAG-AFTRA’s low and ultra-low budget agreements, explained (mostly)

If you’ve ever wondered how to make an indie film without maxing out a dozen credit cards, this episode’s for you.

Follow us for more indie film content:

Instagram: @indiefilmpodcast

TikTok: @indiefilmpodcast

YouTube: @IndieFilmPodcast

Website: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com

Welcome to another brutally honest episode of the Indie Film Podcast — where your favorite micro-budget filmmakers, Chuck and Victoria, dive into the messy realities of online film streaming.

This week we ask the big questions:

• Should you post your indie film on YouTube for free?

• Does streaming help you build an audience — or just bury your movie in the algorithm?

• Can you actually make money doing this? (Spoiler: 0.3% of YouTubers do.)

• What’s the best way to share your indie film and get it seen without selling your soul?

We break down the pros, cons, stats, strategies, and cautionary tales—from visibility and branding to why nobody watched Chuck’s web series (oops). If you’ve ever Googled "how to share your indie film" or wondered if YouTube is actually a good idea for filmmakers, this episode’s for you.

Warning: We also get slightly (endearingly?) off-topic with wedding videography horror stories, the Taco Bell trifecta, and whether or not your uncle’s seventh marriage should count.

Learn how to:

• Use YouTube for filmmakers to build an audience

• Create a content strategy that doesn’t fizzle out after one upload

• Avoid the "just post it and hope" trap

• Actually get eyes on your work — even with zero budget

Subscribe for more filmmaking failures, indie wisdom, and real talk. Because if we make the mistakes, you don’t have to.

📩 Got a question for the show? Drop it in the comments or DM us on Instagram!

#IndieFilm #OnlineFilmStreaming #YouTubeForFilmmakers #filmdiscussion #indiefilmmakers

Follow Us:

Instagram: @indiefilmpodcast

TikTok: @indiefilmpodcast

YouTube: @IndieFilmPodcast

Website: https://www.indiefilmpodcast.com