20 Questions Film » 20 Questions Video Interview

WATCH: Don’t Underestimate The Importance of Good Acting

Mads Black — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 19:52:11 +0000

It sounds pretty obvious, right? Don’t underestimate the importance of good acting. And why would you? If you have spent months – perhaps even years – developing a project, why would you put it all in the hands of an amateur when you’re right at the finish line?

When we asked Jesse Harris (filmmaker and founder of the NFFTY film festival) what he’s learned about filmmaking, both from creating his own projects and from helming a large, international film festival, he remarked how often a fine film turns sour because of bad acting.

Case in point. Wonder how these would have turned out with different casting decisions?

Maybe this one could have even been saved with a different lead?

WATCH: Finding Your Movie’s ‘White Whale’ Investor

Mads Black — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 19:57:55 +0000

The rich uncle, the dentist from your hometown, the used car salesman from Detroit – all mentioned by producer Buz Wallick as examples of possible ‘White Whale’ investors for your film.

But it’s not enough to know where the money is. You have to know – and show – how to recoup the investment.

Buz Wallick has produced several low-to-medium budget movies in Los Angeles and knows a thing or two about reading the current VOD sales stats and turning them into sales pitches. Find more videos with Buz here or on our YouTube channel.

WATCH: You’ve Won An Award At A Film Festival – Now What?

Mads Black — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 19:25:27 +0000

Hollywood A-listers and a handful of Oscar newbies are still recovering from their hangovers, marking the end of the prestigious awards season. But for the rest of us, not yet on any Oscar shortlists, awards season continues year round with hundreds and hundreds of film festivals around the globe. But what happens if you actually win an award?

Jesse Harris, the found of the NFFTY film festival in Seattle, shares some insight on what filmmakers should – and shouldn’t – expect from taking home awards at a film festival.

Much more from Jesse is available here or on our YouTube channel.

WATCH: Capturing Better Sound On Set

Mads Black — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 19:36:27 +0000

Heika Burnison, producer and co-owner of White Light Audio, wants you to capture higher quality sound on set. Obviously, if you are in a position to hire a professional – like White Light Audio – please do so. If not, at least take some of her advice to heart.

More videos with Heika – and many other exciting young filmmakers and entrepreneurs – are posted all the time, so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel.

WATCH: The Difference Between Commercial And Narrative Directing

Mads Black — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 19:27:12 +0000

Jessie Harris, Director and Founder of the NFFTY Film Festival in Seattle, discusses the differences between commercial and narrative directing. He’s done both and he’s bringing up some good points to keep in mind, if you are currently doing one and want to try your hand at the other.

Jesse Harris is a Los Angeles-based commercial director with numerous projects under his belt, working with some of the biggest companies in the world. He is also the founder of NFFTY – a Seattle film festival for talented, young filmmakers. The biggest of its kind, actually.

WATCH: Things To Know If You Want To Become A Film Producer

Mads Black — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 23:48:03 +0000

There is no straight path to your dream career in film, but there are certainly certain things to keep in mind. Here Buz Wallick, a freelance film producer, shares some advice for anyone who wish to pursue a career as a film producer.

Buz Wallick is an independent producer in Los Angeles, California. Born and raised in Northern California, he cultivated a love and fascination with cinema. Buz has the unique background of being self taught and working on the crew of over 100 projects, including Cinematographer of the award winning documentary Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy . In 2012 Buz began to produce and with his extensive knowledge of film production Buz does what he loves to do; tell stories through the art of cinema.

We have many more interviews in the archives and new ones are constantly being posted, so be sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel and/or our newsletter to keep yourself up-to-date.

WATCH: How To Get Professional Representation as a Director

Mads Black — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 20:27:05 +0000

What comes first; the chicken or the egg? The representation or the jobs? While it might not be feasible to put yourself in the running for directing national commercials right out of the gates and without representation, that doesn’t mean you can’t (or shouldn’t) do the same work under the radar.

Commercial director, Jesse Harris, talks about how he first got professional representation as a director and how he got to a point where he felt he was ready for it.

And while on the subject, let’s have him elaborate a bit, shall we?

WATCH: Common Traits In Films By Young Filmmakers – And How To Fix The Problems

Mads Black — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 02:44:17 +0000

Filmmakers of any age are wise to speak from their heart and to draw on their personal experiences. Which is probably why NFFTY-founder, Jesse Harris, sees a lot of coming-of-age stories from younger filmmakers. No surprises there.

But if you wish to stand out from the crowd, listen to what Jesse also sees a lot of – and how to fix some of the common problems.

Much more from Jesse and a great many other exciting filmmakers on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to both our channel and our newsletter.

WATCH: Quick Primer On Tax Incentives For Filmmakers

Mads Black — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 22:13:26 +0000

Tax incentives is often what keeps the lights on during production. At the very least they play an important part in securing shooting locations within your budget. So if you can’t live without ‘em, you better embrace ‘em. Here’s a quick primer from producer Heika Burnison.

There is much more to learn about tax incentives than we could possibly begin to present here, so let this instead be a word of encouragement that it’s not an impossible process to go through and that there are lots of people and resources that can help you navigate the world of numbers and codes and deadlines.

One such resource is, as mentioned in the video above, Entertainment Partners. Go explore.

WATCH: What To Know If You Want To Monetize Your Film

Mads Black — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 18:08:01 +0000

Producer Buz Wallick has some choice words of advice for any producers or filmmakers who would like to eventually monetize their hard work.

And let’s be honest: As much fun as it is to make movies, it’s all the more gratifying if you recoup your expenses in the process. Here’s one thing you need to know before you get started…