Making A Micro-Budget Feature In 15 Days, Directing Rachel Dratch & Building A 20-Year Creative Brand With Jason Laurits
Show Don't Tell: Micro-Budget FilmmakingShow Notes
In this episode, I'm joined by filmmaker and graphic artist Jason Laurits to talk about his debut feature Love's Company (starring Rachel Dratch), and the unique two-decade creative journey that led him to directing his first feature in his 40s.
Jason breaks down how the film started with a single absurd thought ("what would happen if you actually kidnapped a celebrity?") and grew out of his love for Misery, Sunset Boulevard, and Ruthless People.
He shares how he taught himself to edit in order to cut a proof-of-concept teaser that he used to raise money, attract a team, and ultimately land his cast.We also get into the realities of shooting a 95-page feature in just 15 days on a micro-budget in Louisiana, how his line producer helped him build a crew from scratch in New Orleans, landing Rachel Dratch through a single well-placed connection, and the constant on-set math of combining and cutting shots to never once go over schedule.
Topics covered include: Using a teaser, poster & pitch deck to raise money for a feature film How to shoot a 95-page feature in just 15 days Combining and cutting shots on the fly to never go over schedule What 20+ years running his brand Paste taught him about filmmaking Why getting into directing in your 40s can be an advantage The "step-by-step vs. chasing the clouds" philosophy Trusting your voice and letting go of fleeting external goals Much More! Links from the show:
Love's Company - Trailer
Love's Company - Instagram
Jason's Brand - Paste
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