Making A Micro-Budget Feature In 15 Days, Directing Rachel Dratch & Building A 20-Year Creative Brand With Jason Laurits

In this episode, I'm joined by filmmaker and graphic artist Jason Laurits to talk about his debut feature Love's Company (starring Rachel Dratch), and the unique two-decade creative journey that led him to directing his first feature in his 40s.

Jason breaks down how the film started with a single absurd thought ("what would happen if you actually kidnapped a celebrity?") and grew out of his love for Misery, Sunset Boulevard, and Ruthless People.

He shares how he taught himself to edit in order to cut a proof-of-concept teaser that he used to raise money, attract a team, and ultimately land his cast.We also get into the realities of shooting a 95-page feature in just 15 days on a micro-budget in Louisiana, how his line producer helped him build a crew from scratch in New Orleans, landing Rachel Dratch through a single well-placed connection, and the constant on-set math of combining and cutting shots to never once go over schedule.

Topics covered include:

• Using a teaser, poster & pitch deck to raise money for a feature film
• How to shoot a 95-page feature in just 15 days
• Combining and cutting shots on the fly to never go over schedule
• What 20+ years running his brand Paste taught him about filmmaking
• Why getting into directing in your 40s can be an advantage
• The "step-by-step vs. chasing the clouds" philosophy
• Trusting your voice and letting go of fleeting external goals
• Much More!

Links from the show:

Love's Company - Trailer

Love's Company - Instagram

Jason's Brand - Paste

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