S3 E16 | Momentum vs. Distraction: How To Choose Projects

15/12/2025 39 min Temporada 3 Episodio 15
S3 E16 | Momentum vs. Distraction: How To Choose Projects

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Episode Synopsis


This week on Truly Independent, Garrett Batty and Daren Smith get real about one of the most important (and messy) parts of an independent film career: knowing when to say yes—and when to say no.Garrett shares how a surprise opportunity pulled him out of the country to Antigua for a location + logistics scout, and what it revealed about infrastructure, budget reality, and whether a “beautiful location” is actually worth the production pain.Then the conversation shifts to Daren’s current decisions on Brotherhood—how to structure production to stay high-level, protect investor priorities, and evaluate partnerships (including distribution relationships) without losing momentum.If you’re juggling multiple projects, dealing with sudden opportunities, or trying to build a sustainable career (not just gig-to-gig work), this episode is for you.In this episode:How the Antigua scout came together (and what was learned on the ground)Momentum vs. distraction: how to tell the differenceDirector vs. producer “bandwidth” (and why it changes everything)Budget “sweet spots” and why some movies stallBrotherhood producing strategy + distribution conversationsThe reality of making movies truly independentSupported by the Help Them See FoundationHelp Them See is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting feature films that inspire faith, hope, and connection—partnering with filmmakers to bring meaningful stories to life and share them worldwide.Learn more and get involved: HelpThemSeeFoundation.org—If you’re enjoying Truly Independent, please subscribe and share so you don’t miss the rest of the journey.Edited by Michael BradfordProduced by Three Coin Productions#IndependentFilm #Filmmaking #Producing #Screenwriting #FilmFinance #LocationScouting #IndieFilmmaker

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