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Film & TV · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Independent Media Production

This course is for the “One-Person Army.” Unlike studio production, independent media requires agility, resourcefulness, and low-budget problem-solving. Students will learn to develop, fund, shoot, and distribute content outside the traditional system. The curriculum covers crowdfunding, guerilla filmmaking techniques, festival strategies, and the legalities of shooting on location without a massive permit budget.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Develop viable low-budget concepts (Single location, limited cast)
  2. Master "Guerilla Filmmaking" logistics: Permits, Insurance, and Releases
  3. Execute Crowdfunding campaigns (Kickstarter/Indiegogo) effectively
  4. Build a lean production crew and negotiate deferred payment deals
  5. Navigate the Film Festival circuit and self-distribution platforms
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01The Indie Landscape: Sundance to YouTube
  2. 02Development: Writing to Your Budget
  3. 03Financing I: Grants & Investors
  4. 04Financing II: Crowdfunding Strategy
  5. 05Pre-Production: Casting & Location Scouting
  6. 06Legal: Contracts, Permits, & Safety
  7. 07Equipment: Owning vs. Renting
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Production: The Lean Crew Structure
  10. 10Guerilla Sound & Lighting
  11. 11Post-Production on a Shoestring
  12. 12Marketing: Building a Hype Train
  13. 13The Festival Strategy: Tier A, B, & C
  14. 14Distribution: Aggregators & VOD
  15. 15Taxes & LLCs for Indies
  16. 16Final Project: The Indie Pilot/Short Production

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Indie Pilot/Short Production

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Rebel without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez
  2. Producer to Producer by Maureen A. Ryan
  3. The Cheerful Subversive's Guide to Independent Filmmaking by Dan Mirvish
  4. Crowdfunding for Filmmakers by John T. Trigonis
  5. Thinking in Pictures by John Sayles
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