Dewey Allen: Why Indie Film Marketing Matters as Much as Making the Movie

Send us Fan Mail Making an independent film is only half the battle. Finding an audience, marketing your movie and making your money back are challenges every indie filmmaker needs to plan for. In this episode of The Honest Filmmaker, Jim speaks with prolific independent filmmaker Dewey Allen about his journey from buying a camera at a pawn shop to producing multiple feature films on tight budgets. Dewey shares practical lessons from shooting features in as little as six to eight days, writing scripts around the resources available and allowing for unexpected production costs. But his biggest message is about marketing: it shouldn't be an afterthought once the film is finished. We discuss why Dewey starts marketing a project at the idea stage, how he budgets for promotion, why behind-the-scenes footage is valuable and how filmmakers can create a library of promotional material while they're on set. The conversation also covers distribution contracts, working with entertainment attorneys, managing expectations around distributors, casting professional actors and the mistakes that helped shape Dewey's approach to filmmaking. Whether you're making your first micro-budget feature or looking to improve the way you produce and release independent films, this is an honest conversation full of hard-earned lessons from someone who has learned by doing. Check out Dewey's films on Tubi https://tubitv.com/person/450eb5/dewey-allen Watch the trailer for Side Piece - Full Body Massage: https://youtu.be/63naya3GHSw?si=lWG68CDn-NSpah1j #TheHonestFilmmaker #IndieFilm #MicroBudgetFilmmaking #FilmMarketing #FilmDistribution #IndependentFilmmaking #FilmmakingTips #LowBudgetFilm #FilmProducer #DeweyAllen Check out the re-release of Jim's first solo directing feature The Witches Hammer - out now on amazon  https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B0F235F4T8/ref=atv\_dp\_share\_cu\_r Support the show For regular updates and exclusive content - sign up for The Honest Filmmaker newsletter https://thehonestfilmmaker.co.uk/index.php/e-newsletter/ Join The Honest Filmmaker community on our Facebook Group or Discord https://thehonestfilmmaker.co.uk/index.php/join-the-community/ HONEST, OPEN ADVICE ABOUT YOUR FILMMAKING CAREER Are you about to leave Uni with a filmmaking degree? Or want to change careers and work in a creative industry? We want to give you the tools you need to enter the real world of production or freelancing. Honest and open career advice from people in the business. We also talk to those in other creative industries to discuss their careers, the potential cross over with film production and practical tips for a successful and fulfilling career. Join the community: http://www.thehonestfilmmaker.co.uk