{"podcast":{"title":"Show Don't Tell: Micro-Budget Filmmaking","slug":"show-don-t-tell-micro-budget-filmmaking-809490","podcast_index_feed_id":809490,"rss_url":"https://www.spreaker.com/show/5470278/episodes/feed","website_url":"https://www.spreaker.com/show/show-dont-tell-micro-budget-filmmaking","image_url":"https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/d13f89e884537189f8742264eab84f72.jpg","author":"Noam Kroll","episode_count":279,"summary":"Each week, filmmaker Noam Kroll shares valuable insight into the world of micro-budget filmmaking, geared towards true DIY filmmakers looking to get out there and create their own films.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-25T18:20:15.435777+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/show-don-t-tell-micro-budget-filmmaking-809490"},"episode":{"title":"West Eldredge On Making An $80,000 Debut Feature Film","slug":"west-eldredge-on-making-an-80-000-debut-feature-film","published_at":"2026-01-14T23:14:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/show-don-t-tell-micro-budget-filmmaking-809490/west-eldredge-on-making-an-80-000-debut-feature-film","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/show-don-t-tell-micro-budget-filmmaking-809490","url":"https://www.spreaker.com/episode/west-eldredge-on-making-an-80-000-debut-feature-film--69446835","audio_url":"https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69446835/show_dont_tell_ep265.mp3","summary":"In this episode, I’m joined by filmmaker West Eldredge to break down how he made his debut feature Take From Me on a budget of $80,000 - and turned it into a real-world release on major platforms. We talk candidly about what actually moves the needle on an ultra-low budget feature: prioritizing casting, building a crew that can adapt under pressure, using festivals as a testing ground, and leveraging a strong trailer to start distribution conversations early.Topics covered include: Why West chose micro-budget filmmaking as a solution to finally making a feature How crowdfunding, personal investment, and favors helped build an $80K budget Why he prioritized casting above almost everything - and what 4,000+ submissions taught him Chemistry reads, ensemble casting, and avoiding the “name actor trap” on low budgets Skeleton crew realities and what happens when a key crew member is suddenly gone Festival strategy lessons and how audience feedback helped define the film’s genre Pitching distributors andwhy a great trailer matters more than you think Post-production burnout, bringing in new collaborators, and staying motivated Links from the show: West Eldredge - Instagram West Eldredge - Website Take From Me - Watch on Prime Video Sign up for my newsletter for exclusive filmmaking insight each Sunday","meta_description":"In this episode, I’m joined by filmmaker West Eldredge to break down how he made his debut feature Take From Me on a budget of $80,000 - and turned it int…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3417,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/show-don-t-tell-micro-budget-filmmaking-809490/episodes/west-eldredge-on-making-an-80-000-debut-feature-film/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/show-don-t-tell-micro-budget-filmmaking-809490/west-eldredge-on-making-an-80-000-debut-feature-film.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}