A Filmmaker's New Year's Resolution

Well, here it is.

The last day of 2013.

Tomorrow starts a new year.

This is always my favorite time of the year. And my favorite holiday. New Year's Day always symbolizes to me an end to what you've done, and a fresh start of things to get done.

This holiday is no exception.

I'm kind of sad to see 2013 end. This year has been one for the books. It started last January with me finally writing my filmmaking book. A book I've been wanting to write for over 5 years. Then returning to Park City. Then going to Vegas and making Opal's directorial debut film, the documentary short film TITS. The film premiered in April in London, and in 6 months this year, played over 20 film festivals worldwide, won Opal best Director honors in Australia, and won Best Film in Hollywood. In April, I also returned back to Missouri for 6 months. And over a 6 month period, shot 4 new films, read 4 books I've been wanting to read for over 10 years, and wrote 2 more books that have been waiting to be written for over 15 years.

Last month, I returned back out West. And in a month's time, have 13 book signings set up in Nevada, Utah and California over the next 2 months. And the new year is getting ready to start out with a bang:

I'll be returning to Park City next month. This time, with a book event at Dolly's Bookstore in Park City for the new No Budget filmmaking book. Plus a couple of other projects there as well.

PHONE SEX GRANDMA, our most successful short film, is still kicking. It screens festivals in Canada and London next month. And Opal's film TITS screens the UK next month, along with screening in Texas in March. And this is just the start of the 2014 film festival circuit screenings.

4 new web series are shot and ready to be released in 2014.

A new short film has been shot and will be released to the festival circuit next month.

And that's just a taste of how the New Year will start for this underground filmmaking in 2014.

My new year's resolution each year anymore is about getting things done. I make a list of things to get done in the year. And at the end of the year, I look at the list to see what I've got done.

This year, in 2013, I look at my new year's resolution filmmaking list, and everything is marked off. That's a damn good feeling.

My 2014 New Year's resolution as a filmmaker?

There's a lot on the list:

Book signings
Shoot a new movie
Distributing web series
Making money with the films and books already made
The Sundance and Slamdance project in Park City next month

And that's just a start.

Happy New Year. From an underground, truly independent, no budget filmmaker.

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING

By Jack Truman

Copyright 2013 by Dixie Publishing:

WOODY THE REDNECK

The Web Series

Starring Jack Truman as Woody

A Dixie Production

No Budget Filmmaking in Las Vegas - Wrapping Up 2013

Well, there's about a week left here in 2013. And I don't know where it's gone.

This year has just whizzed by. Started out in January with releasing my No Budget filmmaking book, going to Park City as a programmer for Slamdance, and releasing a new short film. Since January, so much has happened this year:

I went from Park City, to L.A., to being in Vegas until April, then back Missouri for 6 months, then back here in Vegas to wrap up the year;

Wrote 3 books
Shot 5 new short films
Am in post production with another film
And my films have screened over 40 film festivals worldwide this year alone.

And next week, I have a major event here in Las Vegas for the No Budget filmmaking book.

This year 2013 has been one for the books.

Here I am, in Sin City, wrapping up some underground no budget filmmaking, with a lot to do these last 10 days of December. Hopefully, by the beginning of January 2014, I'll have this new film edited. It'll be another shocker. It makes me laugh my ass off when I'm watching the footage in post.

2014 will start out as another killer year for me with independent filmmaking. With no money. No budget. Underground filmmaking. Truly independent. This is how the year is lined up to begin on my end for 2014:

The new comedy will be edited and released for its film festival debut
I'll be at Sundance and Slamdance in January for a major event with my new filmmaking book
A new web series will be released
Shooting a new film in Nevada and California
Screenings of PHONE SEX GRANDMA at film festivals in London and Canada
Festival screenings of our films lining up already worldwide through April
Starting a national book tour with the No Budget filmmaking book in Utah, Nevada and California

It never ends.

Wow. 2014 is going to start right out with a bang. I can't wait.

The other day, I looked at a list I made in January of everything I wanted to get done this year. And everything is checked off.

That's a damn good feeling.

To spend a year of my life writing books, making movies and getting everything done that I want to get done. Living life my own way. Being independent. Life doesn't get much better than that.

It's amazing. No matter where I go, whether it's around the artificial fakes in Hollywood, the hustlers in Las Vegas, or the rednecks and deadbeats back home in Missouri, I can make a movie anywhere. With no money. And screen it around the world.

It's been a year for the books.

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING

By Jack Truman:

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING - BOOK TRAILER!!!

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING BOOK AT SUNDANCE 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NO-BUDGET FILMMAKING BOOK EVENT AT SUNDANCE

Award-Winning Filmmaker to Have Book Signing at Dolly's Bookstore

Burbank, California – Anyone can make a movie. With no money. And be a well known filmmaker.

That's the premise of the new filmmaking book NO BUDGET FILMMAKING: Or How to be a Well Known Filmmaker and Be Broke at the Same Time, written by Jack Truman. Truman, an award-winning independent filmmaker, shares valuable tools, tips, and secrets of the industry trade in a book designed to help any aspiring moviemaker make their movie.

Dolly's Bookstore in Park City will be hosting a special book signing event of Truman's new book on January 19^th, 2014. The event will be on Main Street in conjunction with the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

“It's not hard to make a movie. You just have to make your movie”, Truman stated in press materials. “Everyone has a story to tell. And there is an audience out there for your film. You just have to make it and get it out there. I wrote this book with the objective to help anyone make a movie with no money and become successful in the independent film world. I'm living proof it can be done. If I can do it, anyone can”.

An informative, alternative, out-of-the-box reference book for the film industry, NO BUDGET FILMMAKING covers a wide range of tips and tools: from proven filmmaking techniques, valuable industry resources, and more, this book guides the aspiring filmmaker from concept to distribution on the film festival circuit, and beyond. A must-have resource for anyone who needs help with making a low budget film on their own, NO BUDGET FILMMAKING is a breakthrough book for the next generation of filmmakers.

Author Jack Truman is an award-winning filmmaker and 25 year veteran of stage and film. A former professor at Texas A&M University, Truman has also appeared in several television series and major motion pictures. His film directorial debut, the award-winning hit cult short film PHONE SEX GRANDMA premiered at the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival. Combined, Truman's films have screened at over 300 film festivals worldwide to date. Jack was recently on the Short Film Jury at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Title: NO BUDGET FILMMAKING or How to be a Well-Known Filmmaker & Be Broke at the Same Time

By Jack Truman

ISBN: 978 – 1 – 300 – 61518 – 7 :

 

BOOK TRAILER: NO BUDGET FILMMAKING!!!!

Thanksgiving Weekend in Vegas

Well, it's Thanksgiving weekend.

And I'm back in Vegas.

Just got back here from farm country in the boonies about a week ago. And it feels great.

I was out in the middle of nowhere in farm country at my shack for about 7 months. And it felt great. Couldn't believe everything I got done in 7 months. It's great to go from a ghost town of rednecks with less than 30 people to the entertainment capital of the world. Talk about a culture shock.

I wouldn't want it any other way.

Being truly independent. Living a free life. You can't beat that with a stick.

Back in April, I took the Greyhound bus from Las Vegas to be back home in my shack in Southwest Missouri for the summer. Sometimes, you just have to get away from everything to get things done. I can't tell you how grateful I am to own that shack back home. To be able to live on nothing, and be cooped up in the country. It's amazing what all I got done in 7 months:

- Shot and made 4 short films
- Wrote 2 books
- Read the Bible, the Upanishads, Aristotle, Plato and Ayurveda books
- Shot material for 4 different web series to edit and distribute over the next year
- And had our films screen over 20 film festivals over those 7 months

Truly underground, independent, no budget filmmaking and living. In the middle of nowhere.

Now that I'm back out west, I've got a lot to do over this next year before returning back to my shack in the middle of nowhere:

- Need to wrap up, edit and release my new book The Vegan Cookbook
- Edit this brand new shocking short film
- Start back to releasing weekly web series episodes
- Release the new No Budget Filmmaking book trailer online

Plus, there's some major things coming up this next week:

- Will find out if our award winning short film TITS makes Sundance or Slamdance in January
- REDNECK ROADTRIP premieres in Vegas at the Nevada Film Festival
- Opal's new film TITS screens in Santa Domingo at the Pride Film Festival
- The news release comes out about our book event at Sundance for the No Budget Filmmaking book

Tomorrow starts December. Tomorrow is the last month of 2013. Wow. I looked at my New Year's resolution list from the beginning of the year, and everything I had written down, I got done this year. This year has been one for the books. And there's still another month to go.

What am I thankful for on this holiday weekend here in Sin City? Being free, independent, healthy, liberal, vegan, living my life my own way, making movies with no money, and opening people's eyes.

I love my life.

Underground Filmmaking: Wrapping Up 2013



What a year.

That's the simplest way to wrap up 2013.

I love being an underground independent filmmaker. And I'm living proof that any one can make a movie. Anywhere. With no money.

This year is no exception:

In 2013, 4 films have been made. And by the end of the year, at least 5 will be done. The films:

TITS
THE DEADBEATS
REDNECK ROADTRIP
LIVING GRAVES
THE HERMIT

In 2013, 2 books have been written. By the end of the year, I'll have 3 written:

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING
POEMS FROM A LIFE LESS TRAVELED
THE VEGAN COOKBOOK

Over the last 6 months, I've read 5 major books: The Bible, The Upanishads, Ayurvedic Medicine, Aristotle's Complete Writings and the Great Dialogues of Plato.

Our films have screened at over 50 film festivals worldwide this year alone: over 15 festivals in just the last 10 weeks.

November will also be a month for the books.

Can't wait to see what December holds.

Then it all starts over with returning to Park City again in January 2014 for Sundance and Slamdance with some major stuff.

Life is good.

Should I Run Again for Congress?

The question is looming again to myself:

Should I run again for Congress next year?

I ran for U.S. Congress in 2006 back home here in SW Missouri on the Democratic ticket. With no money. Just a little known filmmaker with a liberal background. And that year, with no money and unknown, I won the Democratic nomination with over 70 percent of the vote. Unknown. With no money. A liberal vegan filmmaker in Bible thumpin' conservative cattle country. After winning the nomination, what help did I get from the Democratic party? None. Zero. Nothing. They told me they couldn't even work with me if I didn't have at least a quarter million dollars in my campaign. Roy Blunt was the incoming Republican Congressman I ran up against. With no money, no contributions, no help at all with my party, you know what happened? I lost the election in November. But I got over 30 percent of the vote in the General Election: a record for a Democratic candidate for Congress in this District.

I swore after that experience, after finding out so many things about our government and election process I never would have believed, that I would never run again for office.

Here it is, 8 years later.

Our country is doing worse than ever. We're going to hell in a handbasket. Government's getting worse and more corrupt. We're getting more and more idiots running Washington that don't give a shit about the people. The times are getting worse. People and kids are getting fatter and unhealthier. We're killing our environment. People are getting fed up with America. We're becoming the laughing stock of the world.

Maybe it's time for another shock. Maybe it's time again for an underdog to run.

Maybe I should run again for Congress.

It's been 8 years. Things have done nothing but got worse in this country since I ran last time. I've got a bunch of independent films made that have screened all over the world, written many books, and have continued to live a truly independent, alternative, liberal and underground life. Maybe a shock again might work this time. Who knows?

I wonder if I should run again for Congress....

11 Film Festival Screenings in the Next 7 Weeks

I love being an underground truly independent filmmaker.

There's nothing like it in the world. Opening people's eyes. Making statements. Speaking your voice. Being independent. And changing the world.

This fall is starting out with no exception.

Our award winning hit short films continue to rock the film festival circuit worldwide. Over 300 film festivals worldwide to date, and we've got word that our films will screen at least 11 film festivals globally over the next 7 weeks.

Last week, our new award winning documentary short film TITS, directed by 67 year old first-time filmmaker Opal Dockery, won top honors in Australia at the Sydney Underground Film Festival!

This upcoming weekend, our award winning documentary short film THE ACCEPTABLE SIN screens Canada, in Calgary at the Christian Life Film Festival! That's over 30 film festivals worldwide to date for that film.

And coming up, screenings for Opal's new award winning short film TITS in Budapest, Hungary, Canada, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Malibu, New York City, Minneapolis and more!

True underground filmmaking in the middle of nowhere.

It'll be interesting to see where our new 3 short films this year have their premieres....

Beginning Fall in the Boonies with Underground Filmmaking

I love being an independent filmmaker.

Truly independent. Alternative. Underground. Independent filmmaking.

This fall is starting out as no exception.

Case in point: We've just received word that over the next 6 weeks, our films will screen at over 7 film festivals worldwide, in places like Sydney Australia, Minneapolis, Budapest, Ontario, Las Vegas, NYC and more. And the fall's not officially starting yet!

True underground independent filmmaking.

I love it.

Wrapping Up a Summer of Filmmaking in the Middle of Nowhere

I love being a truly independent filmmaker.

No fear. No limits. Telling your stories. Opening people's eyes. Sharing your voice with the world.

This summer is no exception.

As the summer's wrapping up here in the middle of nowhere in the boonies, it's been quite constructive. Here's a taste of my summer in the middle of nowhere:

Written a new book.
Made 2 new short films.
Read 3 books: the Bible, the Upanishads and Ayurveda.
Starting to write another book, and shooting another short film.

Life is good.

It's easy to make your movie. When you focus on making your movie. You just have to make your movie.

Feature Film Comedy to Shoot in the Ozarks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HOLLYWOOD COMES TO THE FOUR STATES

SW Missouri Native Returns Home to Shoot Feature Film Comedy

Burbank, California – Hollywood is coming to the four states.

JUNK STORE, a new independent feature film will be shot in Southwest Missouri. The low-budget comedy film about a Mother and Son's junk store in a small Southern town will be directed by hometown native Jack Truman. Truman, a native of Lamar and Joplin, is returning back home to shoot his first comedy feature film. According to Writer/Director Truman, the film is a modern day version of SANFORD AND SON meets CLERKS.

“I wanted to come back home and share with the film world a part of life that I come from”, Truman stated in press materials. “Most people don't know about this part of the country. I want to give something back to the area where I grew up, and at the same time, make an original film that will entertain people and show them how real people are. It's not hard to make a film that you're passionate about. Especially when that film is about a life that you know”.

Truman is an award – winning independent filmmaker, and 30 year veteran of television, film and stage. A veteran director, writer and actor, Truman's films have screened at over 300 film festivals around the world.

Shooting begins late summer in Southwest Missouri. The film will be casting local people for speaking roles and extras. Also needed are people in the four states to help with crew.

For more information, email the production team at junkstoremovie@gmail.com .

On the web:

The home page for JUNK STORE: http://www.gofundme.com/3k8d9k

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/junkthemovie

JUNK STORE

Written and Directed by Jack Truman

A Dixie Film

Dockery Wins Top Film Honors in Hollywood & Australia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

67 YEAR OLD FIRST-TIME FILMMAKER WINS TOP HONORS

Dockery Wins Top Film Honors in Hollywood and Australia

Burbank, California – Should a women have the right to go topless in public?

The world is finding out. And responding in a big way.

TITS, a 7 minute documentary film about a woman's right to go topless in public, won top film honors last month in California and Australia.

The new eye opening short documentary film won Best Film last month at Hollywood's Sunset Film Festival. Not to be outdone by Hollywood, TITS won Best Director honors at Australia's Colortape International Film Festival.

Since the film's premiere in April in London, TITS has screened at over 10 film festivals worldwide in just 2 months.

Directed by Opal Dockery, TITS is a fascinating film about a woman's right to be topless in public, while bringing in the larger debates concerning women's rights and gender equality, the shocking, alternative short film is a story about Dockery's fight against what she perceives as discrimination against women in a very particular and conscientious way.

The film is the directorial debut of 67 year old first-time filmmaker Opal Dockery.

Dockery collaborates with her film producer son Jack Truman to share her thoughts about not being able to go topless in public, in conjunction with the annual Women's Equality Day topless protest in Venice Beach, California.

TITS is an eye-opening film from the team behind the cult mockumentary hit film PHONE SEX GRANDMA.

TITS

A Dixie Film

Running Time: 7 minutes

Director: Opal Dockery

Summer in the Boonies for the Underground Filmmaker

Well, it's July.

Can't believe half of the summer is over. And half of the year is over. Seems like just yesterday I wrote the No Budget Filmmaking book, was a programmer at Slamdance in Park City during the festival, and produced Opal's award winning directing debut. But all of that was back in January.

Now, this summer's kickin' along in the boonies with a lot going on in the middle of nowhere.

Made 2 new short films that are being sent out on the film festival circuit; writing a new book; in production on a feature film; and just finished reading the Upanishads.

And July's just starting.

Underground Filmmaking in the Boonies This Summer



It's one hell of a busy summer for underground filmmaking. For no budget filmmaking. For making truly independent film.

Opal's new award winning documentary short film TITS is taking the film festival world by storm. The new hit short film won top honors in Hollywood last month, winning Best Film at the Sunset Film Festival. And this month, in June alone, screens 4 film festivals worldwide in NYC, Texas, Australia and South Africa.

I just finished shooting 2 brand new short film comedies that are a riot. And can't wait to get them started on the film festival circuit.

Also, writing the poem book. After taking 5 years to get the No Budget Filmmaking book written, this compilation of poems over the last 20 years is taking some time to put together.

All this, and getting ready to start shooting a feature film comedy in Missouri. With no money. True No Budget underground filmmaking.

I love it.

What a underground filmmaking month of June here in the boonies.

One Crazy Month For an Underground Filmmaker

There's nothing like being truly independent.

I love it. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Take how life's going right now:

Mother's new documentary short film TITS is taking the festival world by storm. Since it premiered one month ago in London, it's screened in the UK, Ethiopia, Wisconsin, and Hollywood. And last week, won BEST FILM in Hollwood at the Sunset Film Festival.

Opal's directing debut screens over 10 film festivals over the next 2 months, including places like NYC, Texas, Australia and more....

It's great to get Mother's messages out to the world that's important to her.

Got a lot of work to do on the properties out in the country. Been mowing, house work, construction, and more. Physical activity is feeling pretty good. And damn glad to be away from Hollywood for awhile.

Over the next month, a new narrative short film is going to be made based on actual events. It's fun to combine my acting talents with directing. Last year, when I made WOODY THE REDNECK, that was my first acting work in about 10 years. It feels good occasionally getting my acting juices back.

And this summer, the crazy CLERKS/SANFORD AND SON style feature film is gonna be made. This is gonna be a lot of fun. Just got to find some other people I like to work with that want to come to the Midwest to work on a film for no money.

A truly independent, underground filmmaker's life: you can't beat that with a stick.



Film Festival Screenings and 2 New Movies to Shoot This Summer



Nothing beats the life of a truly underground independent filmmaker.

Take this life:

We've got a brand new documentary short film taking the world by storm. Just premiered in London earlier this month, and over the next 2 months, has screenings lined up at over 7 film festivals worldwide, from Hollywood to Australia.

Getting ready to shoot a new comedy short film next month.

And shooting a feature film comedy this summer.

Life doesn't get much better for an underground filmmaker.



Women's Rights Documentary Film To Premiere In London

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WOMEN'S RIGHTS DOCUMENTARY FILM TO PREMIERE IN LONDON

Film Festival To Honor 67 Year Old First-Time Filmmaker

Burbank, California – Should a women have the right to go topless in public?

The world is about to find out.

TITS, a 7 minute documentary film about a woman's right to go topless in public, will have its World Premiere at this week's Let's All Be Free Film Festival in London.

Directed by Opal Dockery, TITS is a fascinating film about a woman's right to be topless in public, while bringing in the larger debates concerning women's rights and gender equality, the shocking, alternative short film is a story about Dockery's fight against what she perceives as discrimination against women in a very particular and conscientious way.

The film is the directorial debut of 67 year old first-time filmmaker Opal Dockery.

Dockery collaborates with her film producer son Jack Truman to share her thoughts about not being able to go topless in public, in conjunction with the annual Women's Equality Day topless protest in Venice Beach, California.

TITS is an eye-opening film from the team behind the cult mockumentary hit film PHONE SEX GRANDMA.

TITS

A Dixie Film

Running Time: 7 minutes

Director: Opal Dockery

WORLD PREMIERE

Let's All Be Free Film Festival

April 5 – 7, 2013

http://www.letsallbefree.com/documentary.html

Filmmaking Projects

I love being a truly independent filmmaker.

Underground filmmaking. There's nothing like it.

If you're a real filmmaker, you have projects. You have film projects you want to get done, you need to get done, and that only you get done.

Only you can get your projects done. Sure, you can get other people to help you. But they won't get done if you don't do them.

Over the last 7 years, I've made 14 films, about 30 commercials, and 6 web series.

And they're all independent. All underground. All low to no budget filmmaking.

Here, 7 years later, a global audience watches these films worldwide. A cult following. Waiting for the next one.

There's nothing like it.

What filmmaking projects do you have? One? Ten? Fifty?

John Steinbeck said it right: "Ideas are like rabbits. You get one or two, and learn how to handle them. Then pretty soon, you have a dozen".

It was so much easier when I was making my first film. That was all I had to think about. Making that one film and sharing it with the world. Now, 50 films later, 300 film festivals later, a global cult film following, it's much harder. Now, the projects to make are much harder on my end. Because now, I've got a lot to make on my plate.

Here's in a nutshell, what's going on with my end:

A new documentary short film premiering next week in London
A film screening in 2 weeks in Arizona
Invites of my films to over 30 film festivals this month
3 web series weekly on the internet
Shooting a commercial in April
Production/shooting a new short film
Pre-production of a feature film that begins shooting in 2 months

Filmmaking projects. There's nothing like it.

The world of insanity in a filmmaker's mind is heaven. The creative juices flow nonstop.

Learn by example.

Make your filmmaking projects.

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING

By Jack Truman

The Film Festival Acceptance/Getting the World Premiere for Your Film

Director/Filmmaker Jack Truman and Actress Opal Dockery

World Premiere of THE OUTHOUSE

Slamdance Film Festival

One day, when you least expect it, you will be checking the inbox of your email account, and you'll have an email with a subject heading similar to 'X Film Festival Official Acceptance - Your Film Title'. You open that email.

Congratulations! You've just been accepted to your first film festival! You're about to have your World Premiere! An audience is set to see your film on the big screen!

Now the work REALLY begins.

This is the time you really have to kick into overdrive as a Self-Marketing machine.

Self promote. You have to Self promote.

Your World Premiere will be here before you know it. And you've got a lot of work to do.

The Film Festival Rejection Letter

Director Jack Truman and Writer/Actress Opal Dockery

2013 Sundance Film Festival

Let's talk about when your film gets rejected by a film festival.

You've worked your ass off to make your no budget movie. Sent it off to 20 film festivals to start out with. You finally start hearing from the festivals. And you start getting nothing but rejection letters.

It happens. Get used to it. I'll be honest. As an independent filmmaker, you will get rejected from a lot more film festivals than accepted. That's just the nature of the beast. Even if you have a great film that plays a ton of festivals on the film festival circuit. There's a lot more festivals your film will get rejected from before it has the ton of fest screenings under your belt.

That being said, as a filmmaker, you have to have this mentality of being thick skinned, positive, arrogant and sure of yourself. You have to have the attitude and mentality that it's their loss. If they're not going to screen your film, it's that film festival's loss. Their audiences are going to suffer from that festival not giving them the chance to see your film.

That's the attitude I had when I was an actor and didn't get cast. But I got the lead in a lot more shows than ones I didn't get cast in.

The same goes true for moviemaking. Take my films, for example. They've screened at over 300 film festivals. But they've also been rejected from over 300 film festivals. That's just the way it goes.

You can't take it personally. If you do, don't submit your film to festivals. Because that's a part you have to accept.

I look at it as a reflection of the sales jobs I've had in the past. When you're in sales, more people you're trying to sell to are going to say no verses the people that say yes. If you're a good salesperson, you have the mentality and drive that each no is that much closer to the person that's going to say yes.

The same goes true with a filmmaker getting his or her film accepted to a film festival. Each festival rejection is that much closer to the one that's going to say yes.

The positive outweighs the negative. The festival acceptances, screenings and buzz of your film where it does screen far outweighs the many film festivals your movie gets rejected from.

Just accept it.

Make your movie. Submit it to festivals. When a festival rejects your film, look at it as their loss, and you're that much closer to a festival acceptance.

This Month's Film Screenings - From Austin to England

Director Jack Truman and Writer/Actress Opal Dockery

2012 Nevada Film Festival

I love being a filmmaker.

Not just any filmmaker. An underground filmmaker. A no budget filmmaker. A truly independent filmmaker.

Filmmaking doesn't get much more independent than that.

Independent film rocks. And when you have the balls to make your own movie and tell your own story your way. it's very rewarding and satisfying.

And there's an audience out there waiting to see your movie.

Case in point, look at this next month coming up for my underground no budget movies:

This last weekend, our films rocked the film festival circuit from Texas to England:

PHONE SEX GRANDMA played last Saturday night in the U.K. at the St. Albans Film Festival, and won the Special Mention Jury Award for Best Film

6 of our award winning shorts played Sunday night in Austin at the RXSM Film Festival:

PHONE SEX GRANDMA
THE OUTHOUSE
THE ACCEPTABLE SIN
THE 60 YEAR OLD STRIPPER
PAYDAY LOAN
WOODY THE REDNECK

It was the Texas premiere for WOODY, 60 YEAR OLD, and PAYDAY LOAN.

In April, our award winning mockumentary short film WOODY THE REDNECK will be having its Arizona debut at a major film festival in Tucson.

Also, that month, the World Premiere of our brand new documentary short about Women's Rights, TITS, will screen in London at the Let's All Be Free Film Festival.

And this weekend, we'll know the news for 11 more film festival screenings for our films.

There's an audience out there around the world waiting to see your movie.

You just have to make your movie.

March Madness for a Filmmaker

It's March. And if you're into sports of any kind, you know what that means.

It's March Madness.

I love this time of year for the NCAA tournament. But you know what? It's funny how some of the things you like reflect your life.

Take March Madness.

This month of March is madness for me too. As an underground filmmaker.

Here's just an example of how this month is going. This last weekend, on Saturday, we had our hit short film PHONE SEX GRANDMA play at the St. Albans Film Festival in England. Sunday night, 6 of our award winning short films played as a collection in Austin at the RXSM Film Festival. We have a brand new documentary short film about Women's Rights that is premiering next month in London, and last week, we started a fundraising campaign on Go Fund Me to help with the Film Festival and 2014 Academy Award qualifying for the film. What else? My new No Budget Filmmaking book is lining up book signings nationwide. A signing in California in April, one in Nevada in May, one in California in June, one in Nevada in July, and more lining up as well. Our award winning short film WOODY THE REDNECK got accepted last week to a major film festival in Arizona to screen in April. 2 web series are working for us on the internet. And these are just some of the current projects. I could write a book just on what's going on for the month of March.

March Madness for an underground, independent no-budget filmmaker.

The Morning Paper

I love the routine of reading the morning paper.

And I'm not talking about reading it on the computer. I'm talking about actually physically reading a newspaper. In your hand. Old school.

There's not much better to get your creative juices flowing and exercising your brain first thing in the morning when reading the morning newspaper while drinking the morning coffee.

I love it. It's a great way to start the day, no matter what you've got planned. It really helps jump start the creativity right off the bat.

The morning paper has a world of stories waiting to be told.

For example, this morning, when I was reading the morning paper, just in the first section alone, there were endless headlines and cool stories to tell. The count got up to 7 when I stopped counting. Any of these standout stories just in the first section of the morning paper would make for a great film story idea.

Anyone, any filmmaker, can get inspiration for a great film story idea just from reading the morning paper.

By reading the morning paper, your eyes and mind are exposed to stories you would otherwise never know about. And when you're reading these stories, especially first thing in the morning, if you've got a creative mind, it's a great tool to work and exercise your mind. A great morning workout for exercising the brain.

All these stories to tell....

There's just not enough time in the day to tell all these stories.

There's not enough time in the day to make all these stories.

There's not enough time in the day to share all these stories.

You can be anywhere. Live anywhere. Wake up anywhere in the morning. Even live in the middle of nowhere. Everyplace has a local newspaper in the morning at the local gas station, store of coffee shop. Just pick up a newspaper; start reading; and get a great idea for a story.

That's a pretty creative tool.

The morning paper.

CROWDFUNDING

Today, I'll talk a little bit about crowdfunding.

To this date, it's never worked for me. But it does work for a lot of people out there.

A lot of filmmakers get their movies and film projects made with crowdfunding. It's a great resource for raising money to make your project.

If you good the words Crowdfunding, there's a ton of crowdfunding websites out there around the world to help you raise money to make your project.

The biggest and most well known websites for crowdfunding are Kickstarter and Indiegogo. But there's a lot more out there than that.

In fact, when I did some research, I was suprised to find out that Kickstarter and Indiegogo do not get the best online reviews for crowdfunding sites. Smaller, lesser known crowdfunding sites get the best reviews.

Here's a short list, in order, of the most successful ones:

Gofundme.com
Equitynet.com
Rupee.us
Crowdrise.com
Rockethub.com
Peerbackers.com
Profounder.com
Ipovillage.com
Ifundy.com
Towema.com
Kickstarter.com
Indiegogo.com

I'll be honest. I've tried crowdfunding for projects on Kickstarter and Indiegogo over the years. And have never been able to raise money.

This time around, for our new film project, I'll try the top rated one, Go Fund Me, and see what happens. We've made a new documentary film, and next month it premieres on the film festival circuit. So let's see if we can raise some money for a short festival run and a 7 day Academy Award qualifying run in Los Angeles.

Worse case, you don't raise your money, and you're back where you started.

Doesn't hurt to give it a shot. All it takes is your time.

And I've got more time than money.

Distributing Your Movie

Have you made your movie?

If you have, now it's time to share your film with the world. So you have to get an audience.

In my opinion, this is the hardest job of a filmmaker.

A lot of people think that after they make their movie, their job is done. That couldn't be further from the truth. I can see why people would think this. You've got through the concept phase. You shot a movie. You edited it. You made a movie that you're holding in your hands. That's a lot of work! You should be proud of what you've done.

But if you don't distribute your movie, no one will eve see your film.

You've done all of this hard work. Do you want to stop now and risk the chance of no one ever seeing your movie?

You have to distribute your No Budget movie. You have to get an audience. You have to get a buzz starting about your film.

There's a lot of ways to do this.

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING

or

How to be a Well-Known Filmmaker & Be Broke at the Same Time

Written by Jack Truman

Copyright @ 2013 Dixie Publishing

ISBN: 978 – 1 – 300– 61518 – 7

 

Mother/Son Underground Short Film Collection To Screen In Austin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MOTHER/SON UNDERGROUND FILM TEAM TO SCREEN IN TEXAS

Award-Winning Short Film Collection Heads South to Austin

Burbank, California – Nothing is closer than family. A boy's best friend is his Mother. What happens when a 25 year film and stage veteran teams with his 60-something creative writing Mother who was a burlesque dancer for over 20 years?

They make an award-winning hit cult collection of films that explode and screen around the world.

6 SHORT FILMS BY JACK TRUMAN AND OPAL DOCKERY, a collection of award-winning short films, is heading to Austin for it's Texas premiere at the RXSM Film Festival.

A collection of shocking, experimental, alternative underground independent films, short films from this collection have screened at over 300 film festivals around the world, winning rave reviews, and earning top awards honors at film festivals globally. Ranging from comedy, mockumentary and documentaries, from adult humor, to global warming, reality, women's rights and much more, these 6 short films are shocking, jaw-dropping and eye-opening. Over a 6 year period, Truman and Dockery filmed many short films that have had a huge following on the film festival circuit. This screening is a collection of their most successful films over the years.

“You have to make films that are important to you”, Truman stated in press materials. “My Mother is my best friend. When I went back home to Missouri years ago to shoot my first film as a filmmaker, she gave me a short film script she had written to read. Once reading it, I knew I had to make that movie. That first film exploded, and here we are years later, a successful filmmaking team, with a following around the world. It doesn't get much better than that”.

Dockery was a burlesque dancer for over 20 years in the 1970's and 1980's. Author of many books, she has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Criminal Justice. Truman is a 25 year veteran of stage and film. An award-winning actor, writer and director, he is also a former college professor at Texas A&M University. Truman has a Master's degree in Communications and a Bachelor's degree in business.

Truman states, “You just have to make your movie. Don't listen to what anyone else says. There is an audience for your film. Everyone has a story to tell. If you have the courage to make your film your own way, and it's an original, creative idea that only you can tell, people will want to see your movie”.

The RXSM Film Festival is scheduled for March 8-14 in Austin, Texas.

I'm Just An Old Gypsy

I'm just an old gypsy.

It's doesn't get much simpler than that.

Sometimes I feel like I've lived too long. The way things are now...the culture we live in. The times have really changed. Some for the better. But in my my opinion, much more for the worse. Sometimes, I just don't know what country I'm living in.

I'm just an old gypsy.

The way things are now....I'll tell you. Everything I've done. Everyplace I've been. Living all around the country going on 50 years now, experiencing life in different cities, towns, states, cultures, working different jobs, acting, writing, directing, making movies, writing books....it's been something else. Wow.

I'm just an old gypsy.

People I graduated high school with are grandparents and their grandkids are in high school. I can't even imagine having lived a life like that. Being in one town for the last 30 years, working one job and having a family. Damn.

I'm just an old gypsy.

It's been said to take the road less traveled. My life is living proof of that. And I love it.

I'm just an old gypsy.

Use Your Experiences To Make Your Movie

You never can get too much experience.

You won't find me knocking education. But I will say this. It amazes me all these young educated people with their advanced degrees who think they know everything about life. But have had no experience in life.

What makes a great artist is using their experiences to tell their story.

A great actor uses his or her experiences to create a great character for performance. That's what method acting is known for. The greats like Brando, DeNiro and Pacino use method acting to bring their experiences to their character's performance to an extreme.

A writer uses his experiences to tell a story that only he can tell.

A good teacher shares his experiences in life to teach his students and have th subject relate to the times.

If you look throughout history, all of the great historical figures have used their experiences to help change the world. Ghandi. Thoreau. Aristotle. Plato. Sophocles. Abraham Lincoln. Martin Luther King. Shakespeare. Nelson Mandela. Malcolm X. The list goes on. If you search the most famous figures in history, the great ones have taken their experiences in life and used them for the better good.

Use your experiences to make your movie.

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING

 or

 How to be a Well-Known Filmmaker & Be Broke at the Same Time

Written by Jack Truman

Copyright 2013 @ Dixie Publishing

ISBN: 978 – 1 – 300 – 61518 –7 

What's Going On in Independent Film

Alfre Woodard and Jack Truman

2002 Screen Actor's Guild Protest

I can't stand Hollywood.

Now, when I say I can't stand Hollywood, I don't mean the actual town. When you're in Hollywood, it's pretty cool. And the liberal life is great. And when I say Hollywood, I don't mean the people. There's some neat and alternative people in that town.

When I say I can't stand Hollywood, I mean I can't stand the big Hollywood studios and the big budget movies.

It's easy to flip on your TV and pick a channel that has shows any dummy can think up. I mean, how hard is it to make a show about spoiled rich people and follow them around in their lives? These reality shows are a joke. And most of the TV shows have no originality. It's a reflection of what's playing in your local movie theater. If you go to the movies on a Friday night at your local movie multiplex cinema, out of the 20 movies playing there, you might be lucky to find one movie that has an original story. It's either a big budget sequel, a cartoon movie, a shoot em up action film, or a movie for kids, teens and college kids. The dummies that run the big studios in Hollywood and make the big bucks nowadays are these dumb rich kids that have an MBA, no life experience, and think they know what people want to see. Nothing is further than the truth.

Which is why I love independent film. You want to see a good movie, a good story on film, something original, you have to watch an independent film.

That's all there is to it.

If you're like me, and like to watch the types of films that most people don't, or the types of films that are hard to watch, then you're into independent film too.

Truly independent film, and even underground film, is very cool to watch. And there's a whole world of underground, independent, low budget, micro budget, even no budget movies to watch that put these 100 million dollar movies to shame.

It's easy to find out what's going on in independent film. The news is right at your fingertips.

Every day, I go to Google News and look for the current news stories in independent film. If you go to Google News and type in a search for 'independent film', or even 'underground film', you can find out everything current that's up to the minute on the independent film world. And you don't even have to leave your home. How cool is that?

In fact, I just checked Google News for the news stories for 'underground film' a few minutes ago, and the top story was for the RXSM Film Festival in March, where we'll be screening a block of 6 of our hit short films. So there you go.

It doesn't get more independent and underground than that.

Where Do I Go From Here

WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE
By Jack Truman

I've roamed around this world from town to city life;

I've pretty much done everything I've wanted all my life;

I've got no challenge facing me, no goals I care to clear;

I want to know right now, where do I go from here.

Where do I go from here; I really want to know;

What do you do when you get to a point

When your life is complete, and you don't really care;

I want to know right now, where do I go from here.

Yesterday, I was in the house I've owned for years,

Looking through the memories and pages that I've turned;

I've lived a life one dreams about; been on the stage for years;

And now, this roaming rambler wonders where he goes from here.

Where do I go from here; I really want to know;

What do you do when you get to a point

When your life is complete, and you don't really care;

I want to know right now, where do I go from here.

Today, I've got no plans; nowhere I need to go,

So I hopped in my car and headed down the road;

With no planned destination; unsure about today;

Not knowing where this road went as miles passed away.

Tomorrow's a new day; a time to start anew;

Who knows what it might bring; I don't know what I'll do;

I'll just see where the day takes me as I'm here,

As I drive down this road, I'll see where I go from here.

Where do I go from here; I really want to know;

What do you do when you get to a point

When your life is complete, and you don't really care;

I want to know right now, where do I go from here.

Underground Filmmaking

Anyone can make a movie.

If you're a truly independent filmmaker, you'll find a way to shoot your film and get your movie made.

Underground filmmaking is the way to go. If you use this alternative way to make a film, you'll make your movie and share it with the world.

What's underground filmmaking? How do you do it? Where do I start? There's a world of information out there to help you with this. It's right at your fingertips.

You don't have to go to film school and spend thousands of bucks to make an independent film. Just start by going to Google. Go to Google and type the words 'underground filmmaking'. There's a world of resources and tools waiting for you on the internet. Want to know what's going on in the world with underground filmmaking? Just go to Google News and type in the words 'underground filmmaking'. Shit, I just typed a Google search with the words Underground Filmmaking and over 2 million search results came up. The first one was the encyclopedia definition for Underground Film:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_film

Hell, I just went to Google News and typed in the words Underground Filmmaking, and hundreds of news stories just came up for today.

There's a world of information out there for the taking. You just have to take it, go with it, grab your balls, and jump right in.

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING

or 

How to be a Well-Known Filmmaker & Be Broke at the Same Time

Written by Jack Truman

Copyright @ 2013 Dixie Publishing

ISBN: 978 – 1 – 300 – 61518 –7 

THE AUCTION: A Poem

THE AUCTION
Written by Jack Truman

I was driving down the road on a Thursday night

Saw a sign along the way, said 'Auction tonight';

Didn't have a thing to do; had a minute to kill or tow;

So I figured I'd see what they had inside.

When I pulled around the corner to the auction house;

Saw a lot of people sittin' in the front yard;

Saw a hippie on a bench; a lady again a fence;

I reckon an auction brings all types around.

The auction always has a thing or two around;

They say one man's trash is another's treasure found;

It's entertainment for a few; something to do;

The auction tends to make you come around.

Saw a dirty old fella sortin' through some trash;

A little old lady looking through knick knacks;

A guy plugged something in; then he rubbed his chin;

That's about the time the auctioneer stepped in.

He yelled, 'Come on, boys, let's get this thing started;

We got a lot of things to get on through';

The people gathered 'round; a fella picked something off the ground;

That's when the auctioneer said 'give me two'.

The auction always has a thing or two around;

The say one man's trash is another's treasure found;

It's entertainment for a few; something to do;

The auction tends to make you come around.

I heard the bidding go for an hour, then two;

We all made our way inside; and sat there for a few;

The junk, it came and went; money got bid and spent;

That auctioneer, he he knew just what to do.

I couldn't believe the time that passed before my eyes;

A lot of time and pleasure, sitting, hypnotized;

You wouldn't believe the way people carried on;

Laughin' or cussin' about a thing they bid on.

I left the auction late that night; it was dark outside and cold;

I hopped into my truck; and headed down the road.

I thought about the auction, and all the treasures there;

What first seemed like trash had value in each chair.

The auction always has a thing or two around;

The say one man's trash is another's treasure found;

It's entertainment for a few; something to do;

The auction tends to make you come around.

THE AUCTION

Written by Jack Truman

Copyright Dixie Publishing

Starting This Week Out With A Bang

I love making movies.

When you're an independent filmmaking, when you're a No Budget Moviemaker, it's not that hard to make movies. You just have to take the time to make your movie. And put regular life on hold.

I've got more time than money.

That being said, 2013 is starting out with a bang. And this week is no exception. It's just the first day of the week, and the insanity is kicking in.

PEANUT MAN releasing on DVD. Book signings working for the Spring on the No Budget Film book. Opal's directorial debut film set to explode on the film festival circuit. Pre-production for a new feature film. The web series for WOODY THE REDNECK working. Screenings of PHONE SEX GRANDMA, PEANUT MAN, WOODY THE REDNECK, THE OUTHOUSE, THE 60 YEAR OLD STRIPPER, THE ACCEPTABLE SIN, Opal's new Directing debut film, and more over the next month around the world. And that's just a taste of what's going on this week.

This week is starting out with a bang.

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING or How to be a Well-Known Filmmaker & Be Broke at the Same Time

Written by Jack Truman

Copyright 2013 @ Dixie Publishing

ISBN: 978 – 1 – 300 – 61518 – 7

http://nobudgetfilmmaking.webs.com/

There's 3 Parts to Making a Movie

Jack Truman, Dan Mirvish and Opal Dockery

Slamdance Film Festival

In my opinion, there's 3 parts to making a movie:

Concept, production, and distribution.

Let's list these 3 parts to making a movie so you have a short list:

Concept
Production
Distribution

These 3 things: Concept, Production and Distribution make up the entire filmmaking process. Plain and simple. Whether a big money studio in Hollywood is making a 100 million dollar movie, or you're making a No Budget movie with a camera and computer. It all comes down tot he same thing. The process is teh same. The only major difference is how much money and how many people are working with you on this process.

That's a lot to do!

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING or How to be a Well-Known Filmmaker & Be Broke at the Same Time

Written by Jack Truman

Copyright 2013 @ Dixie Publishing

ISBN: 978 – 1 – 300 – 61518 –7

Website: http://nobudgetfilmmaking.webs.com/