FEATURED POST
WRITE LIKE A PRO: How Our Screenwriting Experts Overcome Common Hangups
There are times when writing can be exciting, effortless, and fun. And then there are all the other times: when you don’t know where to start, or can’t remember why you started, or when you’re buried so deep you don’t even know which way to dig to get yourself...
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RECENT POSTS
WRITE AND WRONG: 5 Screenwriting Mistakes to Avoid
Everything's under control... Hey, gang! Here at Lunacy Productions, we're always on the lookout for new, undiscovered talent. Part of that process is reading tons of unproduced screenplays. Sometimes they're great, other times they still need some work, and...
SATURDAY MORNING FILM SCHOOL: 5 Film Lessons From Your Favorite Cartoons
We filmmakers often look to other cinematic works to get inspiration: the acting of Lily James, the directing of James Cameron and the writing of Cameron Crowe. We look at successful projects like Black Mirror and Black-ish and Orange is the New Black. And we study...
BOO! 5 Lessons In Fear From Great Horror Movies
Happy Halloween from your friends at BOO-nacy Productions! In the spirit of the holiday, today we’ll be talking about the filmmaking techniques that make your favorite horror films so scary. For more Halloween fun, check out our LunaTips video series on ghost...
WE, OURSELVES, AND US: Sometimes It’s Not All About You
Welcome to the first edition of Lunacy Algebra, a series of metaphorical formulas and existential equations designed to help you achieve your goals in filmmaking while also providing a little insight into life in general. (Apologies to anyone presently...
YOU NEVER STOP LEARNING: SFX Coordinator Everett Byrom III On Breaking In, Set Safety, And RUST CREEK
About Everett Byrom III Everett Byrom III has 20 years experience in the entertainment industry as a propmaker and special effects artist. He and his brother Craig own and operate EB3 Effects Fab, a full-service prop fabrication and special effects...
LUNATIPS: Ghost Stories
It's almost Halloween, and to celebrate this spooky season your friends at Lunacy are bringing you a new video series: LunaTips for your Ghost Stories! In this series, Lunatic and film scholar Allison Ross deconstructs the ghost story genre, focusing on the...
CHEAP SHOTS: 5 Things That Make Your Indie Film Feel Cheap
Have you ever been watching a movie that felt cheap but you couldn’t figure out why? It had all the trappings of a “real” movie: the dialogue was good, the story made sense, maybe it even had some recognizable actors in it. But something was off. Something you...
WHEN YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW
The film business has an interesting relationship with morality. I’m not talking about the latest scandals. I’m going back to the beginning. From the start, filmmakers have been widely regarded as entertainment's most hyperbolic storytellers. Movies based...
WE SHOULD BE GREENLIGHTING OURSELVES: Sev Ohanian Shares His Story And Some Advice
About Sev Ohanian Sev Ohanian is a writer, producer, and recipient of the 2018 Sundance Institute / Amazon Studios Producers Award. His credits include Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station and Clea DuVall’s The Intervention. Last month he spoke to us about his latest...
THE THREE DAY RULE
This post is based on material from producer Stu Pollard's popular Film Independent seminars. Visit our new online education portal, lunacyu.com, for more comprehensive film production and financing resources! If you’ve ever taken one of my classes, you’ve probably...
SEARCHING Writer / Producer Sev Ohanian Talks About His Latest Film
About Sev Ohanian Sev Ohanian is a writer, producer, and recipient of the 2018 Sundance Institute / Amazon Studios Producers Award. His credits include Ryan Coogler's Fruitvale Station and Clea DuVall's The Intervention. His latest film, Searching, opens in...
CREWING UP: The 5 Qualities To Look For When Hiring Your Crew
Hiring your crew can be the most important decision you make as a producer. A dynamite team that is talented and motivated can elevate your material and make your job easy and fun. But bad attitudes are contagious. Taking on the wrong person, even in a minor role,...
NOTES ON NOTES: Framing Feedback For A Better Collaborative Process
The notes process can be difficult. And while much has been written about receiving notes, it’s also important to learn the skill of giving feedback. After all, it’s a two-way street.The first step in givings notes is to put yourself in the shoes of the writer...
HITTING THE BOOKS: Lunacy’s Favorite Books On Filmmaking
Life’s too short to finish a book you don’t like. Here at Lunacy we always like keep this bit of wisdom in mind when starting a new book. As filmmakers we are always trying to expand our knowledge base, so we reached out to our industry colleagues for summer...
CLEAN LIVING: 5 Guidelines For Staying Healthy On Set
Shooting Day #10: You wake up and instantly realize something's not right.Your head feels heavier than it did yesterday.Only one of your nostrils is operational.Your throat is sore.Crap. You’re sick. In a normal job, you’d take a sick day. But here’s the problem --...
GREATEST HITS
LOW-BUDGET FILMMAKING: How Much Does It Really Cost To Make Your First Feature?
Fellow indie filmmakers continue making micro-budget feature films. Glen Schultz (Red Trail 90) says he did it with $10,000. Mark Duplass (The Puffy Chair) suggests you only need $1,000. Those figures notwithstanding, keeping costs low can set you up to turn a...
RENAISSANCE DISNEY: 5 Filmmaking Lessons from Disney’s Mulan
The term “Renaissance” has been used by fans to describe the awakening and reinvention that brought public and critical interest to Disney Feature Animation in the 1990’s, starting with 1989’s The Little Mermaid and ending with 1999’s Tarzan. No matter...
Z-AXIS MOVEMENT: 5 camera techniques to help you raise stakes, create unease, and more
There are three directions you can move your camera: along the horizontal x-axis (pans and dollies), the vertical y-axis (tilts and booms), and the z-axis (moving forward or back). Used separately or in conjunction, these movements can serve utilitarian purposes,...
BETTER SLATE THAN NEVER: The Importance Of The Slate To An Assistant Editor
“Rushing Ramona” is a 2nd AC (camera assistant) working on a feature in Kentucky. Before each take she updates the slate (also called clapboard, clapperboard, or sound marker) with the appropriate scene and take. She announces the take, claps the “sticks,” and gets...
WOMEN ON THE CUTTING EDGE: 5 Female Film Editors Behind Your Favorite Films
In honor of Women’s History Month your friends at Lunacy will be posting content celebrating the contribution of women to the film industry. We continue this week with a look at female filmmakers who aren't household names but have nonetheless shaped the history of...
