Rise of the Filmtrepreneur: How to Turn Your Indie Film into a Profitable Business

I read this book after producing two short films and learned A LOT. Thanks to this book, I know what my next steps will be in marketing and distributing these films and how to better plan and prepare for my next one.

I've been putting together plans for my first low budget movie and the Rise of the Filmtrepreneur has solidified my thinking and shown me innovative ways to extract all the profit I can from the completed product.

Alex has some good ideas on how to draw revenue from your filmmaking projects and become a "filmtrepreneur". But he makes one big assumption: He assumes most filmmakers want to spend 90% of their time as marketers, not creators. Although he's simply facing the reality of the indie film scene these days (as he sees it), I find it hard to believe most "filmmakers" will want to take his advice. I still believe that a great idea molded into and a great script and a well done production is what you should be concentrating on as a "filmmaker". The fact is: most movies suck, whether they're indie productions or big studio productions. But in I do recommend this book and his "Indie Film Hustle" podcast - there are good ideas to be found in both.

Alex Ferrari is proving time and time again that he is the best friend that Indie filmmakers could ever ask for. His latest book, Rise of the Filmtrepreneur, gives it straight to filmmakers just what they’re in for when they create any type of work. It builds a steady case throughout the book that you really have to think like business people.If you wanna create a sustainable income, Ferrari gives you the blueprint to make that work.This book comes from Alex’s own rising falling and rising again. He’s more than willing to admit his mistakes, and to share his experience and so the filmmakers don’t make the same mistakes.Keep in mind that this is not a one size fits all approach, because each project is different. The basic concepts remain the same, and if you’re looking for a cookie cutter, take a look at the kitchen section.Every filmmaker’s journey is different, and the case studies serves as a celebration of the Filmtrepreneurial spirit.This is an absolute must read for any film student, and for any aspiring filmmaker. Alex wants you to be successful, and it abundantly clear as you read this book.Warning: there are many many knowledge bombs that are dropped in this book, and you will need to read this again, and refer back to it again as you go on your journey.Bravo, Alex, and thank you.

I have been producing and directing in the independent film space for almost ten years now. Through that time, you see a lot of the disturbing scams, cons and myths that pop up in the industry. One of the biggest is what Alex spends 90% of this book teaching you: how to make money in our current industry making the films YOU want to make.I cannot emphasize how great of a read and how important this handbook guide will be for the future of filmmakers moving forward. Alex is completely correct when he says in this book that the Filmtrepeneur Method is, in fact, one of the only successful ways to make money in the current independent space (outside of the Lottery Ticket winners).I will continue to champion this book among my circles for those wishing to get a taste of how to think like a successful producer in this digital age we've all become over encumbered with. Pick up the softcover of this book and recommend it to five friends: this book and ideology could very much change the groundwork and foundation of a system that's been almost untested for the majority of its existence.Thanks Alex! Keep cranking these out!

In the past six years, I have had the amazing opportunity to have been apart of 50 movies and 5 tv shows.The world of independent micro budget film making has shifted and this book is by far one the most important and amazing resources that any independent film maker could ever read.This book is a MUST READ for the independent filmmakers! It is pure gold!Alex Ferrari’s ‘Rise of the Filmtrepreneur’ has helped sharpen my focus and shifted the way I approach making movies.Filmmakers have to treat filmmaking as a business. And this book covers everything from crowdsourcing, the ripoffs of some distributors and how to find your niche audience, getting into festivals and most importantly how you can succeed and thrive in the film making industry today!I think this book should be required reading for any new comers trying to break into the industry.It is a fast paced, easy to read Arsenal of information and will help get you the tools to make your filmmaking a successful business!

This is an excellent book about film marketing! Alex gives many both successful and non-successful tips on how to be the best you can be regarding marketing your indie film. This book is a must have.

I’m at chapter 27 currently, and the amount of actionable information in this book is mind-blowing. It’s a must-have for anyone claiming to be an indie filmmaker, especially if you know very little about the business aspect of things.However, I’m only giving it 4 stars because it feels pretty unpolished at times. It could’ve really used someone picking through it and correcting some basic grammar issues, (yes, I’m a grammar nerd, sue me), as well as phrases that are hard to understand. The author also uses some of the same phrases over and over again, and it can get pretty tiring. For example: The author LOVES to use the phrase “...not only...,” such as: “Not only does this do A, it will also help with B.” There’s pages where that phrase is on the same page numerous times.But, it’s WELL worth the read, and the money.

Inspiring book and essential reading for the indie filmmaker.

This was great! As an avid listener to the IFH Podcast, there was still new information to be found. For what information had previously been mentioned in the IFH Podcast, it would take someone hours and hours to listen to the multiple Podcasts episodes to get all that information. SO convenient to have it all in one place!What surprised me was how densely packed the information was. Usually I’ll read a chapter of another book (or a whole book) and be able to extract only one or two significant nuggets. RotF is packed with them - and there’s enough story to give a good amount of context without waffling on.I would consider it essential reading to those trying to make it as Indie filmmakers. The industry is changing so dramatically and we need to be aware of the realities of the business and have some strategies in place to weather the storms. RotF is a damn good resource to help us with that.

Start to finish this book was an amazing read, also picked up the Audio book for good measure. Very happy to see that Alex Ferrari narrated it himself which makes total sense considering he hosts the podcast. Aside from what's in the book itself there's a few moments in the Audio book where Alex throws in a bit more info, so bonus! Speaking of bonus, there's links to outside bonus material through out the book to get a fuller experience while going through the book. I'm assuming this is due to the overwhelming amount of information that couldn't be included because who wants to read a bible length book lol. Well done Alex!Do yourself a favour and get this book.

I was one of many who thought that to be considered a successful filmmaker you needed permission from the great gatekeepers in Hollywood. This book shows how turning your film into a business asset and hustling can be profitable. Enjoyed it and am sure to go back and pick nuggets of info for future reference.

This book is mostly advertising for his other books, websites, blogs, podcasts, etc. Also the names of his films are mentioned repeatedly on every page. If you're into that I highly recommend this book for sure!