In the past, I had been a little familiar with the burgeoning Indiana independent film scene, which includes the director of the Starship movies, Mark Racop, who I featured in an earlier interview on this blogsite. I had first met him when we were on panels together at DragonCon a few years back. But it was not until I attended the Fantasy and Sci-Fi convention InConJunction in Indianapolis that I had the honor of being acquainted with Chuck Budreau, and Indy Film News. What I learned then and since is impressive, and Indy Film News serves as a good model for other aspiring film communities to follow.
Chuck is one of those pro-active types who understands the value of a quality organization within an independent film community, and how it helps support the entire indie community through networking and resource functions. Chuck is a proficient individual to have on the set himself, with a range of talents that most notably include his work in production sound and scoring/soundtracks.
I really enjoyed spending time with Chuck at InConJunction, and have since kept appraised of the group that he founded, Indy Film News. I hope that this interview introduces alot of people to what Chuck is doing, and what is happening in Indiana. It would be a real boon to independent filmmakers if there were such quality groups in all states. Indy Film News is, without a doubt, a real credit to the state of Indiana and Independent Film.
-Stephen Zimmer, for Indie Movie Masters Blog/Podcast interview series, December 9, 2009
SZ: Before getting into Indy Film News, I wanted to give people a little idea about yourself. Give us a brief description of your own background and film activities.
CB - It started when I fell in with a bad crowd during my high school years...filmmakers.A friend of a friend was making a Batman fan film and they needed someone to play Alfred, the butler. So they grayed my hair and I did a really bad job of acting. From that time on I decided that while filmmaking was fun... I would do it from the other side of the camera. I helped by being a PA, Grip, or whatever else was needed. Then one day I got a call. The sound guy had backed out at the last minute and they were ready to start shooting a feature. I had a small amateur music studio in my apartment, so that made me the guy who knew how to run sound equipment. It helped that I had some equipment too. From that day on I was a sound guy. I've done sound on many features films, shorts, and misc. video shoots. It's been about 20 years and I still find it the most enjoyable work in the world. I recently joined as a voluntary board member of the Indiana Filmmakers Network.
SZ: First of all, regarding IFN, what is Indy Film News, and what are its main areas of focus?
CB - It's a place for filmmakers and actors to find out what's happening in the Indie film scene in and around Indiana. It also is a place for them to promote their projects. Whether that means Cast & Crew calls, film festivals, Premiers, I try to cover it all.
SZ: What roles a group like IFN play for a regional independent film community?
CB - I like to think that IndyFilmNews helps bring the community together and give them the support group they need to make their films. I have seen some great collaborations among the local filmmakers. Together they have really brought their games to a higher level.
SZ: How long has Indy Film News been around and who founded it?
CB - I started IndyFilmNews.com a little over two years ago.
SZ:What has the growth of IFN been like since it was founded?
CB - It started as a place to meet other filmmakers on the site's forum. But over time it has really grown into a one stop source for filmmakers. The main page is devoted to News. We have Professional profiles for Actors and Crew members. There's a long list of film festivals, production companies, and other industry related groups. We even host Trailers and Short Films in a YouTube type format. Many Producers are using these resources to find their casts and crews and to promote their films.
SZ: In your view, how are things with indie filmmaking in Indiana? Are there a lot of ongoing projects, and what kind of projects tend to be the most common in your region? (i.e. short films, indie features, music video, documentaries, webisodes, etc.)
CB - There have been a steady stream of really well produced short films over the past few years. I just attended the first annual "Wet Your Pants Comedy Film Festival" all of those films were great and had a local tie in. The Indie Feature scene is also taking shape. There were several large scale productions over the summer and I'm hearing of several gearing up for spring shoots. There's a healthy environment, where filmmakers are supporting each other and the industry.
SZ: In your opinion, what are some developments that you've seen over the past few years that have been of significant help to indie filmmakers? (in terms of technologies, trends, or formats)
CB - Technology has made it possible for anyone to give filmmaking a try. In the past our low budget films were shot on super 8 film and cost a fortune to cut and process. Today the HD cameras and computer editing suites are very affordable. You can make an amazing film that stands up to broadcast standards on very little money. As a sound guy the advances in digital recorders has been a god send. I used to lug around an ADAT 8 track digital tape machine and edit by bouncing tracks. Now I have a hand held recorder that does a better job and records directly to flash SD Cards. Though I'm still of the opinion that "talkies" are a fad... just like that whole wheel thing.
SZ: What are some areas where you see increasing opportunities for indie filmmakers in the near future? Any favorable trends or developments?
CB - The viral marketing of films has made it so that you can get attention without getting picked up by the large film distributors. While it would be better to have them do all that leg work for you... you no longer are at their mercy. You can self distribute and actually sell your film. I don't know anyone who has gotten rich doing it but I think it's only a matter of time. The other great thing I have seen is that many theaters are equipped with video projectors and are working with indie films to get screenings on the big screen. There's nothing like seeing your work in a real theater.
SZ: Is the state seeing any increases in larger independent films or Hollywood productions coming into the state? Has IFN been able to provide some resources/services for these larger types of projects?
CB - "Public Enemies" was shot in a few locations in the northern part of the state. I posted the casting call for extras on IndyFilmNews. I doubt they noticed it... but I'm sure some of our site's visitors went to that casting call. There were several smaller productions that submitted their cast and crew calls.
SZ: Like IFN, there are some good proactive indie film organizations cropping up in many states, such as Indy Film Wisconsin. Do you network or work with similar organizations in other states?
CB - I've been in contact with a few of the other sites. We kind of keep an eye on what each other are doing. There's no reason to reinvent the wheel. If they find something useful on IndyFilmNews I hope they borrow it. I don't think of other states as competition to our film industry. If a small Indie film from some other state makes it big it will only help our films.
SZ: What are some independent film projects that we can look forward to in the near future out of your region?
CB - There are projects of all sizes in the works. One group is working on a feature film about the first Indianapolis 500 mile race. They are working on building a replica of the speedway as it was in 1911. They are also talking to some CG artists. Another project that's in the works is a Fantasy film the combines Victorian Steam punk science fiction and water spirits. It a really ambitious script. There's also a fairly large scale Batman fan film planning on shooting in the spring. They are using fan films to showcase their talents. There's plenty more films at varying stages of production... always something happening.
SZ: For those wanting to learn more about IFN, or perhaps become active with it, give us some online links on where to find you and Indy Film News.
CB - The main URL is www.indyfilmnews.com please stop by and check it out!
I have worked with several production companies
Magichouse Productions www.magich.com
Karmic Courage productions www.karmiccourage.com
Racso Films www.racsofilms.com
Other sites about the film industry in Indiana I would recommend...
www.filmindiana.com that's the Indiana Film Office's site... lots of usefully stuff there.
www.indianafilmmakers.org the site for the Indiana Filmmakers Network
IndyFilmNews.com
Source: IndyFilmNews.com
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