Lessons For Indie Filmmakers - Following Up With Christopher DiNunzio

They don't write too many books on the business of indie film... at least none that I can find. I mean, there's a million books on film, lots on the film industry, and more than enough on screenwriting, filmmaking and producing. I'm talking about the gritty in's and out's of the business of indie film. Not "independent film", but true, micro-cinema. Dead Harvey stuff. I'm knee deep in a couple projects right now, but I'm seriously considering writing a book on the micro-cinema world. I've got some ideas on how it should work and I have PLENTY of content, so if you're in the book world and think you can help me out, let me know. Anyhow...

Somewhere in this lack of information is where we try to fit in. We talk to the festival directors, the filmmakers and the distributors and we try to let you in on how this all works. Quite frankly, we've got a long way to go until our heads are around it, so we keep talking to people and asking questions, then posting them for you to read. Today, like I hinted at a few weeks ago, we follow up with Christopher DiNunzio, the writer/director of "Livestock".

We originally spoke with Chris over a year ago, right as he was looking for distribution. You can read the original interview here. So, how did it go? Was he accepted to the festivals? Did he get distribution? Did he make some money? Let's find out...

Let's remind our readers about both you and "Livestock". First off, tell us about the film. What's it about, where did the idea come from, when did you start shooting and when was it released?

The short synopsis is "A mysterious cult and two best friends take a new direction in life and soon dark secrets are revealed when their worlds collide. " The idea started as a film based around online dating but it ended up morphing into this gangster horror film. We shot it in Fall of 2007 and it was released in November 2009.

Now, tell us a bit about yourself. What are your influences and what got you in to indie film?

My influences are Michelangelo Antonioni , Dario Argento, Sergio Leon, Kiyohsi Kurosowa, John Carpenter, Roman Polanski and many more. I've always loved film and I got into filmmaking after seeing Argento's films. That's the first time I saw film as an art and I knew this is they way I wanted to express myself.

Last we checked in with you, you had just submitted the film to the film festivals and didn't have distribution. First off, how did it go with the film festivals? Any lessons learned there?

"Livestock" was accepted into 3 festivals, so I'm pretty happy about that. We didn't apply for too many. Unfortunately the funds weren't there. I'm more aware now of which festivals actually support indie films, rather than catering to studio films. I've learned to make sure that the festival I'm submitting to is going to be a good fit for my film. With all that being said, it can still be a big crap shoot.

Now, let's talk about distribution. If I remember correctly, the film was picked up by R-Squared Films. Talk about the process of finding them and getting a deal.

They actually contacted me through my website, so I sent them a screener and they liked it and picked it up! The process was pretty easy, but you need to be patient. Also, you want to do as much research on them as possible to make sure that you are the right fit. We actually had a few people contact us and I even learned so much from them just from hearing what they had to say.

Looking back at the time from when the film was finished to now. What things did you do right and what things would have done differently?

I wouldn't do anything differently. The whole process was a learning experience and now I feel battled tested. Going through it a second time I feel even more comfortable. I believe that with each film I will improve more and more, becoming more proficient. You just can't be afraid to fail. That's the worst part about filmmaking. You have to overcome your fear of failing.

Let's talk about monetization. You don't have to disclose actual figures, but, generally, has the film been a financial success for you? Is there anything you can pass on to other filmmakers, as far as what they can expect to get back after they finish their film?

It's doing good, but it could be doing better. I would love to see more promotion for the film. But, I can't complain too much because it is widely available. You can purchase it on Amazon, Best Buy and soon on Netflix. My goal for "Livestock" was to just get it out there and prove that I could do it. You can't only expect money in return. You have to look at it as an opportunity to become a visible filmmaker.

Let's talk about the last year... overall, talk about the work that you've continued to do for "Livestock". Have any unexpected things come up?
Anything you could pass on to other filmmakers?

I've had to push the promotion here and there, but not too much.
Mostly I've been trying to move on to new projects. There's not too much you can do once you get picked up other than hope that the distributor does a lot to promote the film. Once you're done with the film you gotta just take a nice look back then move forward.

Have you been working on any other projects over the last year? What's next for you?

Absolutely. I just completed a feature length documentary "Viva!
Saint Agrippina". It takes place in Boston's historical North End and it's about the Saint Agrippina Benefit Society, who have been hosting an annual feast in honor of the martyred Saint since 1914. I loved working on it because its way out of the box for me. Most people who know me know that I'm not religious, but I've had family members involved in this for years. I thought it would be a perfect opportunity for me to try a different style of filmmaking. Overall I really loved the pacing and freedom of working on a documentary and would love to do more in the future. But, for right now I'm itching to do another horror film or a gangster film, but this time I don't want to blend the two. It has to be one or the other this time.

So, has your opinion on the indie film world changed at all and has this process encouraged you or discouraged you to continue making films?

I think my opinion has changed as far as what people expect from an indie film. It's just interesting that sometimes people assume just because you make a low budget horror film it has to be all tits and gore. Don't get me wrong I love all that but I wish people would give horror films more credit that that. It can be a very artistic subject if you want it to be. Horror has many faces. However I'm happy to know that there are a lot of people out there that are very supportive and more than happy to back an independent film. But I'm not discouraged at all. I'm hard-headed, so I won't quit!

Interwebs Stuffs, including: Bloody Cannes, Livestock and other stuff...

I have to take back something that I said earlier this week... I mentioned that "Drag Me To Hell" did alright at the box office on its opening weekend and that it was pretty good. Well, I'm not taking back that it was pretty good, but I'm going to have to take back the comment that it did alright at the box office. The actuals came in and it was substantially lower than the projections. Not only that, after tabulations, it slipped from third to fourth, as "Terminator Salvation" did slightly better in the actuals. Oh well, you can't take away the fact that it was actually pretty good and I still suggest you check it out. Do note that this isn't to say that the world wants less violent films, either. I've come across a few links that I want to share, but check out the first one... it may answer this very question.

The Cannes Film Festival, which was founded in 1946, is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious film festivals. Although it actually IS a festival, where films compete for the Palme d'Or, the festival has become much, much more. They have screenings, non-competitive programs, workshops, networking events, dinners, Swedish massage parties, etc... Long and short, it's one of the biggest festivals of the year... if not THE biggest. Which is why I found the article, "Cannes' red carpet is blood-soaked" from THR.com pretty interesting. By definition, indie horror has always been violent. However, it seems that violence may be 'in' these days. If you think that the festivals are leading indicators as to what kinds of films we're going to be getting in the next few years, it could be safe to say, after seeing the lineup at Cannes, that things are going to get violent.... and things getting violent usually means good things for indie horror.

Now, when it comes to the actual production phase of filmmaking and choosing which camera to shoot on, most of our readers don't really get to 'choose', per se. It's more like, what can I afford? That one? Okay... Having said that, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't be on top of what's going on in the industry. So, check out this article that I found on Indieflix.com called "The Tortoise and the Hare: Being a Filmmaker in an Ever Changing World". I don't know who wrote it, but they made a film called "April Showers", I think... and they start the article out talking about the decision to shoot in 4K, then they segue into blu-ray, DVD and online distribution. If you don't know what 4K is, it's the highest res format for shooting on digital. Not much displays 4K right now, but, to demonstrate the scale of resolution... HD TV programming broadcasts at 720P, gaming consoles and blu-ray is displayed in 1080P. Digital theaters project in 2K and, lastly, there's 4K, which you can shoot on, but no one is really projecting in or displaying currently...

Okay, now it's time to help out a friend... so, do you remember "Livestock" from Christopher DiNunzio? We interviewed him not too long ago, here's a link to the interview. In any case, his film's been accepted into the Independent Features online fest, which is pretty cool. So, click HERE to be taken to the Independent Features site. Next, click on VIEW FILMS. Then, go on the left there and click on HORROR. There, you'll find three films, "Blood River", "Blood Trail" and "Livestock". Click on "Livestock". Log in, watch it and rate it. You may have to go back to the beginning at this point, then actually register. It only takes a minute, though. Anyhow, I think if "Livestock" gets enough good ratings, he can get a screening. Something like that. It's a cool site, regardless, and you can check out a few indie films. So, go rummage around there.

We always talk about the future of distribution and how we, as indie filmmakers, can benefit from what's around the corner. Most of the problem exists in the fact that the people with money and power are making their money and power in the old system of distribution, so why would the mix it up? I mean, you or I would love to have a pile of disposable income that we could dump into a new distribution system, where we'd steal audiences from the rich and give them to the poor, right? Well, there actually are a few guys with money and power out there who believe in changing things up. Take Ted Leonsis, for example. He's a former AOL executive, who stepped down from day-to-day management and started SnagFilms, a company that aims to distribute documentary films via the internet in, what I think, is a very unique way. Check out the article on him, called "Every Blog Becomes a Cinema". I really like the idea, but I wish it wasn't just for documentaries. I think that format could work really well for indie horror, as well.

Interview with Christopher DiNunzio, writer/director of "Livestock"

Holy hell, have I had computer issues this morning... unbelievable. I was really considering not posting this, but I did get to it. Anyhow...

So, we recently checked out Christopher DiNunzio's film, "Livestock", and did an interview with him, but before we get to it... the film got me thinking about a particular sub-genre in horror which I like to call the gangster-horror. Now, I could be making up a new sub-genre here, but it does exist, whether you know it or not.

Gangster films are fairly closely tied to horror films, most likely due to the fact that they're both violent in nature and, therefore, they tend to get similar audiences. I mean, I'm sure there's gangster film fans that don't like horror films and horror film fans that don't like gangster films, but the two bubbles certainly overlap a lot more than, say... slapstick comedy fans and historical drama fans. We can look at this logically, really. Gangster films are about, well... gangs. Gangs, by definition, are groups of people who band together for mutual benefit, usually through illegal activity. Knowing that, there are certain archetypes or characters in the horror world that emulate those characteristics, as well. Werewolves, for example, are dogs... who roam in packs and are, therefore, technically, a gang. This has been exploited in a few gangster-horror films, such as "Wolves of Wall Street" or even the "Underworld" series. The other horror character that shows gang-like characteristics is the vampire and this has also been exploited in a few gangster-horror films, such as the "Blade" films, "Nightwatch", "From Dusk Till Dawn" and, now, DiNunzio's "Livestock".

I'll admit that I'm a huge gangster film fan, films such as "Scarface", "Meanstreets", "The Godfather" and "State of Grace" (mostly the ending of "State of Grace", what an ending...) were major influences and are personal favorites. But, obviously, horror's my thing. So, when watching DiNunzio's "Livestock", I came to the realization that I'm a fan of gangster-horror films and I hope to see more of them...

As for "Livestock", it's a really well put together film, rich with a variety of characters and a weaving plot. From the beginning, you're drawn into the gangster side of the film and the film slowly divulges it's more occult-like roots. Whereas some gangster-horror films would lean more on the horror side, DiNunzio does a great job of leaning on that gangster side, which creates a well balanced film that holds you till the end. It's a great indie-horror, done on a low budget, and it's definitely worth checking out. He did so much with so little and I'm very anxious to see what he comes up with next... So, do yourself a favor and check "Livestock" out.

First off, tell us a bit about yourself. What are your influences and what got you into indie horror?

I've always been a huge fan of movies but became interested specifically in horror when I was a little kid when my dad showed me Creature of the Black Lagoon on his projector. Also my mom was always showing me movies that I should not have been watching at such a young age, like Alien and Friday the 13th. I think what attracted me to Indie films was the fact that I think they allow more freedom of creativity that is lacking in most mainstream Hollywood films. I look at Indie and foreign films as more of an art form.

I am influenced by Dario Argento. I love his use of colors and all of surprising twists and turns that are usually in his films. I'm also very influenced by Italian cinema in general from Fellini to Bava. I'm really into old Christopher Lee and Vincent Price films They are two of my favorite actors.

Film school: Yes or No?

Yes and no. I've taken some classes in film school and have read tons of books on filmmaking. I still consider myself a student of filmmaking because I'm constantly learning new things and try and keep and open mind about things. I think film school is a great way to learn the fundamentals of filmmaking, but four years to me is unnecessary. I don't think that a person needs to go to school to learn a craft like filmmaking. I just say get out there and start making a film, even if you fail. Failing is a hard thing to deal with but you learn so much from it.

Tell us a bit about “Livestock” and where the idea came from.

It started out as a story about online dating where something bad ends up happening. But after writing a few ideas down I realized that it was too cliched and not going to work. Me and my brother Ralph talked a lot about old horror films. He also brought my attention to different films I like in different genres. I thought I could blend my story with a couple of new ideas that came from this so I started doing research. I found these interesting characters and the story started transforming into what it is now.

What was the approximate budget and how did you secure the financing?

The budget was $3,500 I believe. I saved up for almost all of it and also had some help from friends and relatives. I was lucky to get a lot of free locations and borrow a beautiful camera from one of our producers Jason Miller.

What did you shoot on and how long was the shoot?

We shot HDV on a Cannon XLH1. The shoot took 16 days. We shot on weekends and a few weekdays.

I was probably most impressed by the acting. Fiore Leo was particularly good in the lead role. How did you go about casting the film?

We were very lucky to find Fiore Leo and cast him in our film. I believe that I'm gonna walk into a movie theater one day and see his face up on the big screen. We found him and the rest of the cast using various online casting resources and we kept auditioning people until we could find the best actors for the role. We were lucky enough to find a cast that not only could act but fit into my biggest philosophy of filmmaking which is having good chemistry. Everyone was willing to work hard and work together and have fun while doing it.

There were lots of characters and various story lines. Talk about your directing style and how you managed the shoot.

We did a lot of rehearsing, which allowed me to do most of my directing then. When we were set to shoot everyone was already prepared, which allowed us to knock down takes and keep moving according to schedule. I think rehearsing is great. It allowed me to spend more time communicating with our DP (Nolan Yee) who did a great job. It also kept me from over directing the actors since they came in to the set well prepared. Filmmaking is such a collaborative effort. I expect everyone to give the best they can to their ability. I always tell them that I'm going to give them all the info I have then let them do their thing. But, I make sure they know that I'm there for them at all times.

The film is part gangster film, part occult/vampire film. Talk about blending those two genres together.

For one they're two of my favorite genres. When I decided to make a film with vampires I wanted to make sure that it was very done very subtly. Coming up with the idea of how we would represent "the pack" in a modern setting in Boston the vision was clear that they should operate more like a present day mafia would rather than what you're used to seeing in older horror films dealing with the occult.

I want to ask about the artwork that was created for the film. The opening sequence pulled you into the whole world and it was all really well done. Who did that and was this something that was an afterthought or did you know you wanted all that from the beginning?

My brother Ralph Di Nunzio did the artwork. I asked him specifically to do it not because he is my brother but because he is a talented artist. I knew from writing the script I wanted to open up the film with these types of images. However I wanted to avoid dealing with copyright issues and didn't want to risk being unoriginal by using stock images. I had this talent right in front of me, so months before we even started shooting I had him start working on the artwork. Also I like sharing this experience with my friends and family so I like to get them involved.

Talk about some of the hurdles you overcame to get the film made. Any advice that you could pass on to other indie filmmakers who might be just setting out to make a film?

The biggest hurdle for me personally is financing the film. Having shot some short films before I knew what I would be able to accomplish with little money. It's very easy to make a low budget film these days with the availability of inexpensive cameras and editing equipment. That doesn't mean that anyone can or should just pick up a camera and make a film. You should study film as much as you can and shoot as many short films as possible that way you can get a feel for the hard work that goes into it, and a feel for how much things will cost and what your limitations are. One thing I will say is don't let anyone tell you how to make your film. That doesn't mean you shouldn't take advice, but try to keep true to your vision and make the film that you set out to make. And don't be afraid to ask for help. No one gets anywhere by themselves.

Did you enter “Livestock” into any festivals? If so, how did it do? What are your thoughts on the festival circuit?

I just started submitting to festivals. Hopefully we will get into some. It's hard to get into festivals these days with a feature film since anyone can make a film and submit it. But if you can get in it is a great sense of accomplishment.

Tell us about the process of finding distribution. How did that go and what insight could you pass on to other filmmakers who are looking for distribution?

As of right now we don't have a distribution deal. However our Executive Producer R. Harvey Bravman runs a great company Advanced Digital Replication and they helped us make a bunch of professional DVDs that we will try and sell on on our own while we figure out what is the best route to getting a distributing deal. Harvey has been great by helping us with this since we don't want to sit on our butts waiting for a deal. This allows us to keep spreading the word on "Livestock" in the meantime.

Where can people find out more about “Livestock”, check it out and/or get their hands on a copy?

They can visit creepykidproductions.com to pick up a copy. To check out info on our cast and crew they can visit our IMDB page.

Talk about the indie horror scene. Where do you feel it is now and where do you see it going?

I have always felt that the horror scene is what punk rock was supposed to be. It is a community with a lot of people that are very creative and supportive. They are willing to help out and spread the word of indie horror films to one another. It's a beautiful thing. As of right now I think people are getting very tired or remakes. I definitely think that Indie horror can play a big role in the future of the horror genre. I think what you see now and will continue to see is the rise of more foreign films. They seem to be very creative and original. Even people that were once unwilling to sit through a film with subtitles is now willing and eager to do so.

What’s next for you? Do you have any projects in the works?

I'm in the process of finishing up a few scripts. Also, me and two of the crew members from "Livestock" are looking to make a feature film by telling the tale of 3 short horror stories. Hopefully a company or someone likes what they see with "Livestock and realize that we're worth investing in, which would allow us to grow and continue making well made films. .