People have been asking me what film3 is for years. At festivals, in DMs, after panels, at events with filmmakers who sense something shifting. What is film3? How does it work? How do I get involved? I've answered the question more times than I can count — in conversations, in twitter spaces, on stages, over coffee, over beer, in articles, the list goes on. Every time, I gave the best answer I had. But a passing conversation was never going to be enough. So I wrote the book. This is my story....

People have been asking me what film3 is for years. At festivals, in DMs, after panels, at events with filmmakers who sense something shifting. What is film3? How does it work? How do I get involved? I've answered the question more times than I can count — in conversations, in twitter spaces, on stages, over coffee, over beer, in articles, the list goes on. Every time, I gave the best answer I had. But a passing conversation was never going to be enough. So I wrote the book. This is my story....

IndieWire published a piece recently that stopped me mid-scroll. The headline was "Don't Call It a Comeback: How Independent Film Will Be Rewired in 2026." It's a sharp analysis of where indie film actually stands right now — not the hopeful spin, not the doom spiral, just a clear-eyed look at the new operating reality. And one line in particular landed like it was written directly at me:"Producers are asked to think like founders. Directors are expected to articulate not just vision but valu...

IndieWire published a piece recently that stopped me mid-scroll. The headline was "Don't Call It a Comeback: How Independent Film Will Be Rewired in 2026." It's a sharp analysis of where indie film actually stands right now — not the hopeful spin, not the doom spiral, just a clear-eyed look at the new operating reality. And one line in particular landed like it was written directly at me:"Producers are asked to think like founders. Directors are expected to articulate not just vision but valu...

Two weeks ago, a YouTuber did something Hollywood said was impossible. Mark Fischbach — better known as Markiplier to his 38 million subscribers — self-financed a science fiction horror film called Iron Lung for $3 million. He wrote it. He directed it. He starred in it. And when he shopped it to studios and distributors looking for a theatrical release partner, he was turned down across the board. One executive openly mocked the idea that the film would find an audience. So he distributed it ...

Two weeks ago, a YouTuber did something Hollywood said was impossible. Mark Fischbach — better known as Markiplier to his 38 million subscribers — self-financed a science fiction horror film called Iron Lung for $3 million. He wrote it. He directed it. He starred in it. And when he shopped it to studios and distributors looking for a theatrical release partner, he was turned down across the board. One executive openly mocked the idea that the film would find an audience. So he distributed it ...

Last week, I wrote about how Markiplier's Iron Lung — a $3 million community/self-financed horror film — debuted at number two domestically, expanded from 60 theaters to over 4,161 through a grassroots fan campaign, and has now crossed $48 million worldwide without a studio, a distributor, or a single institutional gatekeeper saying yes. That story was about proof of concept: A creator who owned his work, activated his community, and kept the economics. It's the film3 playbook less the blockc...

Last week, I wrote about how Markiplier's Iron Lung — a $3 million community/self-financed horror film — debuted at number two domestically, expanded from 60 theaters to over 4,161 through a grassroots fan campaign, and has now crossed $48 million worldwide without a studio, a distributor, or a single institutional gatekeeper saying yes. That story was about proof of concept: A creator who owned his work, activated his community, and kept the economics. It's the film3 playbook less the blockc...

On August 24th, the Film3 Festival takes center stage with a variety of short films, documentaries, animation, and music videos that embody the next wave of independent cinema. More than just a screening event, Film3 represents a shift in how films are created and shared — a decentralized, community-driven model where audiences are not only spectators but collaborators in the storytelling process. This year’s program spans horror, science fiction, surrealism, comedy, and experimental worlds. ...

On August 24th, the Film3 Festival takes center stage with a variety of short films, documentaries, animation, and music videos that embody the next wave of independent cinema. More than just a screening event, Film3 represents a shift in how films are created and shared — a decentralized, community-driven model where audiences are not only spectators but collaborators in the storytelling process. This year’s program spans horror, science fiction, surrealism, comedy, and experimental worlds. ...

By this point, I hope you've seen Marty Supreme. If you haven't, please stop everything and go see it. In theaters. Where it counts. Because this movie will change you. The film operates less like a traditional sports film and more like a character study of ambition under stress. At its core is a figure (Timothée Chalamet) driven by relentless self-belief—someone who understands that talent alone is never enough. Throughout the film, we ride sidecar to Marty, surviving through hustle, perform...

By this point, I hope you've seen Marty Supreme. If you haven't, please stop everything and go see it. In theaters. Where it counts. Because this movie will change you. The film operates less like a traditional sports film and more like a character study of ambition under stress. At its core is a figure (Timothée Chalamet) driven by relentless self-belief—someone who understands that talent alone is never enough. Throughout the film, we ride sidecar to Marty, surviving through hustle, perform...

📍Stowe, Vermont. Three days. Five hundred creators, builders, and developers. The Basecamp experience didn’t just inspire me—it changed me. It reshaped what I believe film3 can be, and the possibilities of the creator economy. So profoundly, I edited a short documentary as a love letter to the entire experience. Basecamp was ⚡completely ️electric⚡ from the first moment.“Hundreds of builders and founders, developers and creatives who are all building on Base…we’re touching all the grass while...

📍Stowe, Vermont. Three days. Five hundred creators, builders, and developers. The Basecamp experience didn’t just inspire me—it changed me. It reshaped what I believe film3 can be, and the possibilities of the creator economy. So profoundly, I edited a short documentary as a love letter to the entire experience. Basecamp was ⚡completely ️electric⚡ from the first moment.“Hundreds of builders and founders, developers and creatives who are all building on Base…we’re touching all the grass while...

For over a century, Hollywood has been the global epicenter of entertainment. But today, headlines question whether it’s a sinking ship. Film production in Los Angeles has slowed, major studios are restructuring, and audiences are consuming content in radically different ways. The industry is in the midst of a profound transformation. And at the heart of that transformation lies a powerful return to independent roots.Cinema isn’t crumbling. It’s decentralizing.It’s true that traditional indic...

For over a century, Hollywood has been the global epicenter of entertainment. But today, headlines question whether it’s a sinking ship. Film production in Los Angeles has slowed, major studios are restructuring, and audiences are consuming content in radically different ways. The industry is in the midst of a profound transformation. And at the heart of that transformation lies a powerful return to independent roots.Cinema isn’t crumbling. It’s decentralizing.It’s true that traditional indic...

Last week I had one of those phone calls that reminded me there are genuine people out in the world building film3 tools that actually want to put power into the hands of the makers. Meet Cyon. The women behind the company, CTO Tracie Mitchell and CEO Lotta Stenroos, understand that the film industry has long been defined by gatekeepers — from studio executives and festival programmers to the invisible hand of streaming algorithms. For independent filmmakers, that system often means limited c...

Last week I had one of those phone calls that reminded me there are genuine people out in the world building film3 tools that actually want to put power into the hands of the makers. Meet Cyon. The women behind the company, CTO Tracie Mitchell and CEO Lotta Stenroos, understand that the film industry has long been defined by gatekeepers — from studio executives and festival programmers to the invisible hand of streaming algorithms. For independent filmmakers, that system often means limited c...