We just got into our 53rd international film festival and picked up a 2018 American Movie Award! AMA

What is your favourite movie?

For Dan it's THE CROW.

For Bramwell it's a list. A long list.

Schindler’s list?

Goes without saying. You know what John Williams said to Spielberg after he saw the rough cut. Words to the effect that a movie that good needs a good composer all right. But the only ones good enough for Schindler’s List are all dead....

Considering his resume, that's a bold statement.

Extraordinarily humbling.

For Dan it's THE CROW.

I could never get what all the fuss was about.

Also, is there a reason the title of every movie posted in every AMA seems to be capitalized. Is this some kind of film thing? Us normal folk just italicize or surround a film's title in quotation marks.

The Crow did superhero as mythmaking. That means the story and characters sat above the budget. The original Superman movies too.

As for the capitalization thing. We're afraid to answer that one. Bigger forces are at play.

I’m a film student graduating in December, I have dreams of being a DP and/or cam op.

I work my ass off, how can I work my ass off on one of your films?

Drop us a line at our offcial site

Whats your guilty pleasure movie?

For Dan it's the Highlander series

For Bramwell it's the original Planet of the Apes series.

For both the first one in the series is relatively guilt free. After that, the guilt levels do strange things at different times.

With Planet of the Apes I feel like if you skip the second one and suspend your disbelief for them going back in time, then 3 and 4 were brilliant sequels. 5 was meh. Ignore Burton's. Then all three of the recent series are amazing.

Almost agree. Two is great if you turn the sound down. Three is like a side quest. But then four and five bring the whole thing full circle on a budget of $8.20. Give 5 another go. Claude Akins rises to the level of Shakespearean tragic hero as a general who does something very stupid.

How does one get into professional film making, I just graduated college last year and want to follow my dream of making indie movies (behind the camera, I’m much better at writing than I am at acting)?

Meet people and do it. There's a universe of forums out there and projects happening all the time. You'll soon learn to pick the good from the bad. One rule of thumb it pays to adopt early though; ask whoever's behind it what there plans are to do with it. That way you get more of a sense of whether it'll ever see the light of day. If they have a plan, they're less in need of a miracle. and your time and opportunity is better invested.

Thank you. Ever since getting out of school I’ve had an entire universe of concepts and projects gestating in my brain space (mostly horror and b movie sci fi ideas because that’s what got me interested in film) waiting to leap out but I’ve been lost as to how to bring them to the real world. I spent the last four years of college in the Boston area and all the like minded people I know and connections I made stayed there while I had to move to tennesse for family reasons so I’ve spent the past six months wondering what to do while I figure things out and make new friends and I haven’t had an outlet for all these ideas aside from a notebook to brainstorm in.

We have zero knowledge of the Tennesse movie scene except to say it exists. And it's waiting for you. And your stories. Someone right now is digging around for a story to tell. Make it yours.

This is important and hard. As one half of a two person digital laboratory and consulting team we often see too many directors and producers whose drive's end is only making it to the end of shooting, editing and grading, with no thought about distribution and what to do once the film is done.

Amen to that.

How do you go about picking songs for the soundtrack?

Music is a huge part of our life. So no golden rules to the music we include except to say we include everything from Baroque organ music to Japanese heavy metal to Italian violin fireworks.

Can you talk about the music licensing process a bit?

Sure....it's pretty stock standard and most publishers have proforma contracts etc. In our case, we've done a mix of work with independent artists (where we just reach out directly - but ALWAYS ensure we have a contract in place). Or where we've been in touch with a label. Again, pretty easy once they know the work is decent and you're serious about what you're doing. The only bumps along the road we've experienced is one case where a label was asking stupendous licensing costs. and in other case, they wanted to see the completed movie first. Their prerogative i'm sure, but a hassle we could do without.

Just saying thanks to you and indie filmmakers in general for taking chances on us composers to help fulfill your vision! Glad to hear you outreach and contract as well; by not paying with “exposure” you’re truly doing a great solid!

It all aspires to the condition of music right? That reads to me like we need you guys more than you need us in the end....thanks for the thanks and hope to cross paths one day

It doesn't get better than this. Thank you reddit.....we're checking out for a few hours, but will get to any questions we missed soonest. As in tonight.

The real question though is why neither Ron Perlman or Keanu got a mention in this AMA. We shall hang our heads in shame until next we speak.

Pitch me a movie starring Keeanu Reeves and Ron Perlman?

The AMA is over. But the pitch has begun. I'll make this quick.

Keanu Reeves is John Innocent; a man who spent 22 years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. Ron Perlman is Jack Guilty; the killer who got away with murder.

When John’s car breaks down on a deserted stretch of highway, the driver of the tow truck that arrives is none other than Jack. He’s also a priest now, because that’s his way of dealing with the guilt. But only one of the men recognises the other.

To find out which, you have to watch until at least the 42 second mark of the trailer. The same trailer that’ll end (right after the credit block and the music dies) with the woman that was supposedly murdered 22 years ago saying “are you looking for me?”.

The title? Wait for it……it’s called “The Innocent, The Guilty and the Nun”.

Congrats! What's your story - how'd you both get into filmaking?

We decided we weren't losing enough money in theatre and there just had to be a way to tear through money even faster. A light bulb moment saw us hit on filmmaking!......kidding..... we started in theatre and it's a powerful place for honing skills. But our ambition and love of the movies needed a bigger canvas.

Why do you think this ama has so much more interest than your first two attempts? Whatd you do differently?

More to work with. We've created a bit since then.

If you guys were forced to have sex with each other or die.

who's pitching who's catching?

edit: also I love that there is nothing after proof in the op.

There in the thread. Apologies we hit post too quickly....

Hey! I have a very selfish question.

I love movies, from the artistic to the technical. I'd love to work with cameras for a living, even looked into commercial film here and there.

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to work with film? How did you get your start and when in your point in life did it happen?

Hey Raptor (we love dinosaurs too), we answered that question elsewhere in the thread but would add one more thing, buy a camera! Again there's a zillion out there and the more you play the more you pick up.

Hey there! What are your thoughts on theatrical distribution models like the ones that Gathr and Tugg provide? Or are you guys hiring solo bookers for trad runs? Maybe even co-distro deals that take care of theatrical for you... very curious!

Edit: Have you guys ever had a run theatrically or are you straight to digital?

Nothing theatrical yet. Almost there with the next one. I think ;-)

All the models you've raised point to where the industry is at - and brave new world notwithstanding - it's about making the right decision for your work.

If you had a son, would you name him Noah?

May I borrow your username to answer that one ;-)

Where can we view "According to Ben Adams"?

Hi there.....available on most platforms....

Try accordingtobenadams.com for starters

[deleted]

Odd...I just got through on it. Not to worry...here's the direct link too

https://www.bramwellnoah.com/movie-4

PROOF: https://imgur.com/gallery/XWMjALM

Calling it a day or a night now good people. We'll end where we started. We make movies and we hope you'll help them on their way. And thank you only goes part of the way of how we feel about this chat. Until next we speak.

How does one go about getting into film festivals? Do you just fill out a form, pay a fee, and send your movie? Or do you need an agent/agency to get into them? Or is it a mix of both?

Have you tried getting a movie into the Academy Awards? If so, what’s the process and you’re experience been like? Or are the Oscars something reserved for big studios?

Mainly through a handful of nifty platforms that let you do it all by joining and paying your way. Filmfreeway and Withoutabox are the two big ones. Some festivals still prefer you to go direct.

Oscars yet to note our existence, but we've entered our latest short (Cheng En's Gift) in Oscar qualifying ones this year for the first time. Think competitive. Double it. And then get an out of work mathematician to show you what odds look like when they're a rounding error.

What's the song on the trailer?

Reminds me of early Atreyu, sort of sounds like Brandon Saller when he's scream/singing. or when he's doing the "Hell or High-water" gig.

It's called DRIFT. It's written especially for the movie by Steven John Batky. He had a run as a hard rock god in a band called I, Napoleon. Check them out. Catchy and some smarts too.

any song recommendations?

I just hit up the full self-titled album on youtube, so far I like.

Edited to include link for anyone else wondering.

Not a filler in sight my friend.

This reminds me of early Crue or twisted sister.

Thank's for taking me back to childhood, I needed this today.

\m/

53 film festivals? Wow! Congrats! How long has it been on the film festival circuit?

Around 12 months solid and intermittently after that.

Was the American Movie Award next to AMA in the title intentional? :)

No but is your criminal sharpness?

What project are you most excited about for the future?

Obvious answer is "the next one" right ;-)

We have another Shakespeare one we're itching to do, but first one about a street performer with a robot act thats suspiciously good (hint, hint)

Is it going to be called: Mech Ado About Busking?

No it isn't. You own the copyright on that one damn it.

I'm willing to cut a deal

It'd never work. People would see your fingerprints all over it.

Are you sure that you’re not Dan and Noah Bramwell?

That's a good question.

Do you play video games? If so whats your favorite at the minute?

The Last Guardian.

Had to deal with the purist in me to accept the PS4 Shadow of Colossus, but accept I have and relived it too....

Never actually heard of it, i shall check it out :)

Three words: I envy you.

What's for dinner?

Depends who's paying.

Not provided?

You're not going to take no for an answer are you?

Congrats!!

What do you look for most when casting your films?

People with their sh*t together and their talent peaking.

I'm studying audio production and hope to make a career in post production. Any tips for someone trying to make their way in the industry?

Repeat after me; every movie is at least 50% sound. Make that your calling card and the cred should happen in no time.

Yes. What is the best way to get funding for indie film IN TEXAS?

Rich Texan?

Any advice for an amateur filmmaker?

Start small but don't stay small.

After getting into so many festivals, do you guys feel like the industry is formulaic? At least for your success with it all?

I should clarify, I’m not saying your work are formulaic, more so... is your approach that way or is everything a different experience?

I know what you mean ;-) ....no success is the least formulaic thing i've bumped into. Some things you can work to. Some things work on you.

Is Bramwell named after Bramwell Brontë?

Wow.....Yes and no. Yes named after him, but a name misread. He was actually Branwell.

Are you located in los Angeles and can I buy you a coffee?

No and yes.

Who's Keanu?

That's Keanu raised. Someone still has to raise Ron Perlman.

How the hell do you get funding for independent films? I'm a writer/actor/filmmaker and it just boggles my mind the money that it takes to make a good short film.

We do without the basics; food, water etc.

Back for the home stretch...will try reply in right order and short order....

do crabs look at humans and think that we walk sideways?

Do you know that whole Ph.D. theses have been written on identifying Shakespeare's authorship of anonymous plays based on a certain crab metaphor?

Man I wish I was joking.

How do you deal with feelings of inadequacy and discouraging thoughts? Especially in the film industry

Discouragement comes with the territory. The best armour is a project that won't give your imagination rest. If it keeps you up at night, it'll keep you going.

Inadequacy is different. If it's real and we know we're missing something, then we learn, ask, trial and keep moving to where we need to get too. Definitely often easier said than done. But beats standing still or being held back.

What's with people in Europe using Noah as a last name?

It's a first name, and a damn fine one at that.

You have a point. And we'll rethink our position on this damn fine point of yours.

When making movies, what would you say is the best and worst part about making them that someone who doesn't make movies wouldn't get or would need to be explained why it is the best or worst part ?

The best is when you add the music at the end. Thats' when the angels come out to play.

The worst is the loose cannon on every set. You know the office psycho you hear about? Every movie has one.

Never seen or heard of your movies but what's your favorite comedy movie?

Coming To America.

Favorite album? or what did you have for breakfast(i'm hungry and looking for idea's).

You don't eat breakfast in this house. You make it. You make the mistake of looking away and your pets do the rest.

What's the most frustrating part of making a movie?

I run a small software company hoping to help film students and indie filmmakers, and we're always looking to build new (free!) products to help people in your position.

Anything that makes syncing sound easier. Much easier.

What are the main attributes that has helped you guys maintain this level of consistency in creating films?

We keep moving. We plan. We work with people we trust. We love the movies.

What is your most recommended screenwriting book?

Other screenplays.

How do you choose the music/composer for your films? Do you go to people you know or look online for freelancers? Guess I’m a bit late but if you have time - I’m curious about the process!

Always on the look out for great music. It turns up anywhere and everywhere. For our first movie we searched out an ex-rockstar from the late eighties. For the next one we melded together a Japanese heavy metal band with Baroque Organ music from Germany. And for the latest one we came across an insane violinist from Italy. The point is we keep an open mind and figure if it moves us, it'll move the audience.

OMG I went to University with Dan. He was always destine for this and more. In 2011 we went on a film study tour and we had to pitch a treatment to a Warner Bros. executive, let me tell you, they loved him! Where can I see the film?

Hi there, can you flick us a note with your name so Dan can reconnect...either here or at bramwellnoah.com

How do you fund your films? What’s your typical budget? And how do you promote your films?

We pay our own way is the simple answer. That means being resourceful. The wonderful reality is that filmmaking tools have never been so accessible. But the hardest part is still promotion and distribution....our main platforms are festivals for a buzz and a million conversations after that for roads to getting the work out there. Some roads are an open highway. Some just aren't in the end.

So networking pretty much?

Networking and next steps. Need to keep moving. You'd be surprised how many indie movies live on hard drives and go nowhere.

Is distribution really an issue these days? You can upload to Youtube or Vimeo and be instantly distributed to the whole world. I'm guessing you mean picked up by someone who will pay you to licence it? IMO theres better ways today to get your work out there than that. Louis CK's website lets you just buy his new stuff for $5 super easy and he makes millions on that. And this way you dont have to split a major % with someone else.

You're not wrong. Getting your stuff out there is often only the proverbial few clicks away. But it's standing out that presents the real challenge.

YES but Louie already had an audience and a massive email list to blast after his content was created... cutting out the middle man after his stand up/handful of movies to distribute his own content was a no-brainer.

Yep, he had a brand. That definitely helps. We're working on building on that. Like a band that gigs heaps.

[deleted]

Each did what it needed to do when we made it. Be it Indie and intimate, Shakespearean and cinematic or our latest (Something to do with Death) which hits a more commercial note. That one's Dan's favourite. Bramwell swears by I, Timon. And our first (Ben Adams) is special of course because it came first. First born and all that jazz....

What's the point of dedicating your time to making movies (and getting lost in fantasy) when the free world around us is being destroyed and we're like 2 (or fewer) generations away from environmental collapse?

Serious question.

Yes very serious question. Movies are a cultural statement. Cultural is about what we value. More than that, what we hold sacred. When you lose the sacred, the rest writes itself.