Just a quick check-in/update this week.
First off, I released my new short film Why You Don’t Buy Couches From Facebook Marketplace last week, check it out!
Made for under $100 with just me and Toni, my iPhone, and our old couch. Projects like this remind me that there can be very little time or friction between having an idea and shooting it if you want.
The film didn’t do well on YouTube – actually it bombed! Unfortunately that’s a bit expected since my audience mostly follows for filmmaking content these days instead of actual films.
I guess that’s the downside of releasing work on my channel – it’s mainly being seen by other filmmakers, editors, creators, etc. Because of that, it’s usually the making-of videos that give the films their biggest views boost.
But whether or not the films find an audience, it’s satisfying to ship new work and have new things to talk about in the videos.
What next?
Lately I’m feeling in limbo – both creatively and with the business.
I’ve finished up the final live cohort of WRAPPED in 30 Days, and it was an excellent group with some of the best scripts and energy since I launched the course – many shot their first short films last month and it’s been a thrill watching the edits come in!
However, I don’t have the bandwidth to run that program live anymore, so doors are closed indefinitely.
In fact, bandwidth is real tight! My YT editor of 4 years resigned a few weeks ago, so editing videos for the channel is taking up a lot of my time. Trying to get that sorted so I can aim for weekly-ish YT videos, weekly newsletters, and monthly small films.
And amidst all that I’d love to carve out time to write some no-budget features, but one thing at a time I reckon.
Biggest Win Lately
I spent way too much time restoring this 1950s Smith-Corona Silent Super manual typewriter (in lovely Alpine Blue) that I bought for $12.
When I picked it up, none of the keys would move at all from all the rust and gunk inside. But after taking it apart, cleaning, and fiddling with a LOT of little pieces… it works beautifully!
The only downside? It reeks so strongly of PB Blaster that I got nauseous taking this photo lol. Will be letting this guy air outside for a few days…
Favorites this week:
🍿 Movie: Obsession
I covered Curry Barker’s $800 feature Milk & Serial in an old issue. It’s great to see his glow up! What stood out to me was its simplicity – a good script, anchored with a great performance, and a clear vision that could be executed on a shoestring budget without needing anything fancy.
Let’s make some movies.
-Kent
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