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Building A 160K+ YouTube Channel & Making A 1980s Period Feature On A Micro-Budget
Published 11 hours ago
Description
In this episode, I’m joined by filmmaker and YouTuber Blake Calhoun to talk about his new feature film Casey Makes A Mixtape, his long-running channel iPhoneographers, and his highly entrepreneurial approach to building a sustainable filmmaking career.
Throughout the interview Blake shares how he got his start selling work to Warner Bros. after finding an audience on YouTube, and why he believes every filmmaker should consider having a YouTube channel - even if they don’t want to become a “YouTuber.”We also dig into the making of Casey Makes A Mixtape, a 1981-set coming-of-age feature that Blake made on a micro-budget.
He breaks down how he wrote the script around resources he already had access to, directed and DP’d the film himself, used a small crew, incorporated iPhone footage alongside RED Komodo, and even licensed well-known songs on a tight indie budget.
Topics covered include:
Casey Makes A Mixtape - Film
Casey Makes A Mixtape - Trailer
iPhoneographers - YouTube
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Throughout the interview Blake shares how he got his start selling work to Warner Bros. after finding an audience on YouTube, and why he believes every filmmaker should consider having a YouTube channel - even if they don’t want to become a “YouTuber.”We also dig into the making of Casey Makes A Mixtape, a 1981-set coming-of-age feature that Blake made on a micro-budget.
He breaks down how he wrote the script around resources he already had access to, directed and DP’d the film himself, used a small crew, incorporated iPhone footage alongside RED Komodo, and even licensed well-known songs on a tight indie budget.
Topics covered include:
- Why indie filmmakers are inherently entrepreneurs
- Blake’s early success in web series and selling a show to Warner Bros.
- How YouTube has changed since the early days of online video
- How Casey Makes A Mixtape evolved from an iPhone-shot short film
- Making a period piece on a low budget
- Directing and DP’ing your own feature
- Working with a small crew of roughly 10 people
- Licensing famous songs for an indie film
- Much More!
Casey Makes A Mixtape - Film
Casey Makes A Mixtape - Trailer
iPhoneographers - YouTube
Sign up for my newsletter for exclusive filmmaking insight each Sunday