We absolutely understand that choosing to work with micro-budgets you have to be mad on some level - hence we named our educational YouTube channel Micro-Budget Madness! Don't get us wrong, being a micro-budget filmmaker is not a bad thing, it just means that you have to approach filmmaking with a DIY mentality.
Though this channel we break down how to produce, shoot and distribute micro-budget films with examples from our own micro-budget films, as well as mainstream films with a micro-budget element. We share all our experiences, from festival tips, career advice, distribution, smart business practices and everything else in between!
Want to know how we shoot our improvised micro budget feature and short films with limited crew, budget and resources?
Then you must check out the channel, subscribe and don’t forget to hit the notification bell to get a heads up when we post a new video.
After being released through Vimeo on Demand, followed by Blu-ray and DVD though Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart, MACHINATION is now available to stream free on TUBI.
Currently available in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Australia, Tubi can be accessed on a wide range of devices. Tubi gives fans of films and television programs an easy way to discover new content that is available completely free.
To watch MACHINATION now click here. If you enjoy it, tell your friends and share the link!
It was a welcomed surprise to receive an email from our Machination poster photographer Fran Stivala last week. Fran was writing an article for WHAM Malta detailing how she photographed and created our attention-grabbing poster, and it’s now live. The poster image, starring Maltese talent Steffi Thake is perfect, it oozes the tension we needed and pops with the coloured lights. You can read the article here and look at the poster.
The link to the article can also be found in our PRESS section.
If week one of filming Machination was a whirlwind, then week two was a hurricane with over 2kgs of worms, blood, moody neon lights, night shoots, early mornings finales and some wicked acting. But damn straight we had the best sleep deprived time of our lives in the process and came out the other end with a treasured film experience to add to our already unforgettable 2020.
Machination took four months of our lives to get from the outline writing to the wrap and we did it all with a minimal crew of no more than six on larger days and just a key cast of four people and had Maltese actor Steffi Thake featuring in 99% of the full-length feature. For those interested in our filmmaking process read how Ivan’s article From Writing to Wrap: Making a Feature in Four Months here.
After 10 days of filming Machination, we wrapped at Selmun Bay around 7am! Picture: Creative Creep Brand
Steffi may have had most of the screen time since the film is about her character Maria and her downward spiral as she deals with mental illness and her past demons during a global pandemic, but Steffi handled it like a champion. The lead actors performance was moving and sad to watch, at times her situation and reaction to what was happening around her was relatable, other times the absurdity of the situation bordered on dark humour.
So now Machination is now in the ‘to edit’ bucket, a task that Ivan Malekin will start taking on in the coming week, while also editing our documentary Cats of Malta simultaneously.
If you want to know more about Machination go to the films official page here and join our Creatively Connected Newsletter for news about the film exclusively here.