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PODCAST

The Honest Filmmaker

REAL TALK FOR ASPIRING FILMMAKERSAre you wrapping up your film degree or contemplating a career shift into the creative industry? The Honest Filmmaker is your go-to resource for navigating the real-world challenges of micro-budget and indie filmmaking.Hosted by award-winning filmmaker Jim Eaves, the podcast delves into the nitty-gritty of independent film production. From securing funding and managing tight budgets to distribution strategies and building a sustainable career, this is unfiltered

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All Episodes

43:05

Steve Barton: The Story Behind TERRIFIER, Dread...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/10/06

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Honest Filmmaker, I'm joined by filmmaker, producer and horror industry veteran Steve Barton. Steve has spent around 30 years in the film business, from working in journalism and founding Dread Central to making films and working alongside some of the biggest names in horror, including George A. Romero and Sid Haig. We talk about the long, messy reality of building a career in independent film, learning on the job, dealing with rejection, working with friends...

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26:33

How to Make, Distribute & Release a £33K Feature Film...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/09/29

Send us Fan Mail How do you make a feature film for around £33,000 and get it into cinemas without a traditional distributor? In this episode of The Honest Filmmaker, Jim talks to filmmaker Kevin Walls about his feature film Premature , from writing the first draft in just two weeks and bootstrapping the production, through to crowdfunding, a 23-day shoot and the challenge of distributing the finished film. Kevin explains why the film cost around £16,000 to produce, how crowdfunding helped ta...

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30:03

How Ole Hartmann Made a $25K Feature Film After...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/09/22

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you decide you're going to make a feature film, despite having almost no connections in the film industry? For Ole Hartmann, it started while watching Desperado. Inspired by Robert Rodriguez's story of making El Mariachi, Ole realised that perhaps he didn't need to wait for someone else to give him permission to make a movie. He could finance one himself. Six days later, he started writing. Eight days after that, he had a feature script. The result was...

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30:09

We Thought Making Our First Feature Would Be Easier…...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/09/15

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to make your first feature film? This week on The Honest Filmmaker Podcast, I'm joined by Devin Smock and Sam David, who are currently making Hollar, their debut feature. They're about 60% through the film, having already completed a 16-day shooting block and spent around $15,000. Now they're working towards the next stage and figuring out how to get the remaining footage in the can. Along the way, they've learned some valuable lessons about writing f...

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33:14

From $100 to HELLMARE: Victor Gabriel on Making...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/09/08

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you want to make a feature film but don't have much money? Filmmaker Victor Gabriel joins The Honest Filmmaker to talk about the making of HELLMARE, his horror feature that cost roughly $10,000 and was shot in just 13 days. Victor started out by making a tiny $100 found-footage film, using friends' houses, borrowed locations and the equipment he already owned. That first experiment wasn't something he was particularly proud of, but it got distributed, made i...

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25:50

From a £6K Feature to an £80K Film with Peter Stylianou

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/09/01

Send us Fan Mail How do you finance an independent feature film when you don't have a studio behind you? Filmmaker Peter Stylianou joins Jim to talk about his journey from making his first feature, Who Needs Enemies, for around £6,000 to his latest film, The Nice Ones, made with a budget of around £80,000. Peter explains how he self-financed his first feature with help from his family, what he learned from getting the film into distribution and why it took seven years before he made his next ...

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16:23

He Got 4 MILLION Views on a £500 Short… Then Made the...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/08/25

Send us Fan Mail Can you really make a feature film for £9,000? Filmmaker Cathal Fitzpatrick joins Jim to talk about the extraordinary journey behind Hollow Trees. The project began as a £500 proof-of-concept short film made while Cathal was at university. The short went on to attract around 4 million views online, giving Cathal the motivation to turn the idea into a feature. But the millions of views didn't suddenly bring a huge production budget. Instead, Cathal spent years saving, rewritin...

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38:36

From a £20 Short Film to a Feature: Aaron Truss on...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/08/18

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to move from making short films to making a feature? This week, Jim talks to filmmaker Aaron Truss about his unconventional route into filmmaking, from being obsessed with films as a kid and discovering Batman '89, to making a £20 zombie short film at university and eventually turning that short into the feature film Employee of the Dead. Aaron talks honestly about why filmmakers often struggle to make the jump from shorts to features, the huge commit...

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36:59

Charlie Steeds: Making 20 Feature Films on Micro Budgets

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/08/11

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to make 20 feature films and turn micro-budget filmmaking into a full-time career? In this episode of The Honest Filmmaker Podcast, Jim talks to filmmaker Charlie Steeds about his extraordinary journey from making short films as a teenager to building a career making horror features. Charlie shares how he financed his first film for around $2,000, how he moved from self-financing into working with sales companies and producers and how his budgets have evolve...

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27:11

From First Feature to Lasting Career: Rob Hollocks on...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/08/04

Send us Fan Mail Making one film is an achievement. Making a career out of filmmaking is something else entirely. In this episode, Jim sits down with writer, director and producer Rob Hollocks to explore what happens after the excitement of making your first feature. Why do so many talented filmmakers struggle to make another film? How do you recover from rejection, navigate festivals, understand distribution and keep moving forward when projects don't go to plan? Rob reflects on his early ca...

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21:35

The Reality of Making Your First Feature Film with...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/07/28

Send us Fan Mail For many filmmakers, making a feature film feels like an impossible leap after years of producing short films. This week, Jim sits down with filmmaker Asif Pervez to explore how he made that transition with his debut feature, "Mommy, I Don't Want To." Asif discusses the creative and logistical challenges of producing a period film on a micro budget, from transforming an Airbnb into convincing locations and completing post-production in Dubai, to developing a festival strategy...

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26:11

Building an Animation Career, AI, and the Future of...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/07/21

Send us Fan Mail Tom Box is the founder of Blue Zoo Animation, one of the UK's most celebrated animation studios and the creative force behind hit children's shows including Numberblocks, Alphablocks, Colourblocks, The Adventures of Paddington, Love Monster and more. In this episode of The Honest Filmmaker Podcast, Tom shares the journey from studying animation at Bournemouth University to building an award-winning studio, while offering an honest assessment of where the animation industry st...

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30:30

From Commercial Director to Feature Filmmaker |...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/07/14

Send us Fan Mail Writer and director Tim David joins The Honest Filmmaker Podcast to discuss the transition from directing premium commercial campaigns to making his feature film Kangaroo Island. Tim shares what years in advertising taught him about storytelling, pitching, preparation and leadership on set, before revealing the challenges of making an independent feature. We also discuss collaborating with his wife as screenwriter, working with legendary cinematographer Dean Cundey, directing...

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39:16

10 Filmmaking Truths That Will Save You Years with...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/07/07

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to survive as a micro budget filmmaker? In this episode of The Honest Filmmaker, I sit down with filmmaker Pat Higgins for an honest conversation about the realities of independent filmmaking. Together we unpack ten hard truths that every filmmaker eventually learns—usually the hard way. From discovering that making a great film doesn't automatically bring an audience, to accepting terrible first cuts, navigating networking, surviving as a producer, a...

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30:49

Don't Wait for Permission. Make the Feature Film with...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/06/30

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to make a feature film? In this episode, filmmaker Alex Alessi joins me to discuss the journey behind Homebody, from deciding to self-finance the project to working with Richard Kind, navigating the film festival circuit, and finding distribution. We also explore the blurred line between acting and directing, profit-sharing with cast and crew, approaching agents, and the creative and financial realities of independent filmmaking. Whether you're prepar...

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24:31

Building The Lonely Crowd: A First Feature Film Journey

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/06/23

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to make a first feature film? In this episode, writer-director David St. Clair joins The Honest Filmmaker to share the journey behind his debut feature, The Lonely Crowd. David discusses moving from short films to feature filmmaking, raising finance, working with investors, designing a film around a realistic budget, surviving challenging night shoots, navigating festivals, and ultimately securing distribution on Amazon Prime. Along the way, he shares...

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40:55

AI, Copyright and the Future of Filmmaking with...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/06/16

Send us Fan Mail AI is rapidly changing filmmaking — but what are the real implications for artists, copyright and the future of creative work? This week, Jim sits down with Jonathan Yunger, Co-President of Millennium Media and Co-Founder & CEO of Arcana Labs. Jonathan has spent years producing major Hollywood films including titles in The Expendables and Has Fallen franchises, before stepping into the world of AI-powered filmmaking tools. In a conversation designed to ask the hard questi...

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23:23

From No Film School to a 5 Day Feature Film | Evan...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/06/09

Send us Fan Mail What does it actually take to make a feature film on a micro budget? Filmmaker Evan Marcewicz joins the podcast to share how he went from skipping film school to shooting a feature film in just five days. We discuss financing an indie film, choosing the Sony FX6, the realities of filming in difficult locations like cars and the financial risks involved — including loans and maxed-out credit cards. Evan also breaks down one of the toughest stages of independent filmmaking: sal...

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32:47

Why AI Faces a Filmmaker Backlash - Micro Budget...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/06/02

Send us Fan Mail Filmmaker Daniel J. Pico joins the podcast to unpack the realities of making independent horror films on a micro budget. We discuss the pitch behind The Withering, why horror remains one of the strongest genres for indie creators, how film financing actually works behind the scenes and what is involved in getting projects funded. The conversation then turns to the growing role of AI in filmmaking, where Daniel shares why he believes many companies have misunderstood the creat...

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25:02

Making a Micro Budget Horror Film: Black & White,...

The Honest Filmmaker ·

2026/05/26

Send us Fan Mail Director Daya Dodds and actor/writer/producer Zoe Carroll join the podcast to discuss the making of Witches of God — a micro budget black and white horror feature created with extremely limited resources. In this conversation, we explore the realities of making independent films on low budgets, including production compromises, camera choices, film festival strategy, marketing through Meta advertising and distribution through Filmhub. Zoe also shares insights into balancing w...

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154 results

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