Raindance Success Stories
Tips for Filming Underwater
As Dave chappele said it almost 17 years ago in his famous comedy series the “Chappele’s show”: Everything looks better in slow motion. As a content creator, shooting slow motion has always been a fantasy of mine. As I'm sure it has been for many of you. Growing up...
Imperial Blue: The future is in Uganda
Imperial Blue: The future is in Uganda How it started When we were teaching together at Kampala Film School in 2011, British director Dan Moss and I had little idea that, in a few years’ time, we would be working together on a psychedelic African fantasy thriller that...
Making a Zoom Short Film during a Pandemic
In a previous article about making a short film in 2019 I said that one of the most difficult things in indie filmmaking is budget restraints. Little did I know then that a pandemic would come along and increase the difficulty level even more! I didn’t want that to...
In a Foreign Town – Raindance Director Q&A
Michael Shlain is an agent turned writer-director working in Los Angeles. Shlain is a co-founder of Butcher Bird Studios, a premiere creative production studio. The filmmaker has directed a wide range of narrative, branded and commercial content for clients including...
Scales Season Three Debuts After Shooting During Pandemic
SCALES' season 3 comes with much excitement and feels different. The shooting of this season will always be a memorable one. The series began filming on May 30th, which was the night after the civil unrest dealing with George Floyd's murder that sparked outrage...
Becoming A No-Budget Film Director
For as long as I can remember, movies have always been the greatest love of my life. Since I was kid, I’ve been able to watch something like 2 to even 10 movies or tv shows a day! I've always dreamed of becoming a no-budget film director. And I’ve never missed...
Hold My Hand – Finding A Funding Partner During Lockdown
I’ve always been an observer, fascinated more by non-verbal communication than the spoken word. My memory relies heavily on the 5 senses being stimulated, not just one or two. After all, I initially trained as an actor with a focus on theatre and have relied on the...
Thirst For Justice: A First-time Filmmaker’s Tale
Somehow I’d ended up on a plastic mattress in a tiny prison cell in Wisconsin wearing the infamous orange jumpsuit, after a humiliating strip search and orders to wash with anti-lice shampoo. I never dreamed my filmmaking would land me here, especially in the...
How A General Anesthetic Led To Success | That’s Gas, by Denise Deegan
I’m like a lot of writers, happiest when lost in worlds of my own creation, most uncomfortable when asked about those worlds. I want to be the person who, when questioned, raises her chin and says, “Yes, this is my project. And this is why people need it.” I applied...
The Ingredients For Filmmaking Success
For as long as I can remember, film and television have been a central figure in my life. Leaving school with no qualifications, and little choice but to work on a building site, they remained a vital source of solace and escape. Unexpectedly, a few years later, my...