Turn Reel Dreams into Real Success: Master Indie Filmmaking with "Lessons from the Set"
Writing & Pre-Production
Practical tips on writing, rewriting, scheduling, location scouting, fundraising, and casting. Furthermore, the guide covers the entire pre-production process, ensuring that readers are well-prepared to transition smoothly into production, equipped with the knowledge to handle challenges and optimize resources effectively.
Production and Direction
Explore a comprehensive roadmap for managing film production, from budgeting to shot-listing. This book provides detailed strategies on planning shoots, with a focus on efficient resource allocation and time management. Aspiring directors will gain insights into the nuances of directing, including how to communicate vision, handle crew dynamics, and direct actors with sensitivity and precision. Drawing from the author's firsthand experiences on the set of his debut feature film, the book shares critical, often life-saving advice on navigating both common and unusual challenges that arise during production, ensuring filmmakers are well-equipped to tackle obstacles and lead their projects to success.
Marketing and Distribution
Readers will learn how to effectively plan and execute a marketing strategy tailored to their film's unique appeal. The book guides filmmakers through the creation of compelling pitch decks, strategic planning for film releases, and the production of eye-catching social media content. The guide offers comprehensive advice on distributing films across various platforms, including theatrical releases, DVD/Blu-Ray, and various digital formats such as VOD and AVOD. Equipped with these tools, filmmakers will be fully prepared to maximize their film’s reach and impact, ensuring it finds its audience and succeeds in a competitive market.
Entrepreneurial Filmmaking
This book challenges the common misconception that filmmakers can ignore the business aspects of their craft, emphasizing that a successful career in filmmaking requires both artistic passion and entrepreneurial acumen. By embracing this dual approach, filmmakers learn to produce profitable films on a low budget without sacrificing artistic integrity. The guide provides essential tools and strategies for budget management, revenue generation, and self-distribution, ensuring filmmakers can maintain control over their projects from inception to release. This book is a crucial read for anyone aspiring to make movies for living.
Make Movies for A Living
Write, Direct, Produce, Distribute
Step onto the set and into the director's chair with Usher Morgan's electrifying guide, "Lessons from the Set"! This book is your essential toolkit for turning indie dreams into cinematic reality, no matter your budget. From your first script to the theatrical release, Morgan's vibrant guidance—backed by his firsthand experiences—demystifies the entire filmmaking process. Discover a treasure trove of easy-to-implement tips, from screenwriting to distribution. The perfect gift for aspiring filmmakers eager to embrace both the art and the business of making movies, this book is not just a read; it's an action plan designed to help you transition from dreamer to independent filmmaker!
"One of the most pleasant aspects to read in Morgan's book is his unfailing energy and the sheer amount of helpful tips, tricks, ideas and valuable learnings, which he shares willingly and freely with his readers. These are also compiled and curated in short and concise segments, crafted for immediate execution."
CineD
"Eventually everything connects - people, ideas, objects. The quality of the connections is the key to quality per se."
Charles Eames
You can find inspiration in everything. If you can't, then you're not looking properly.
Paul Smith
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication
Leonardo da Vinci