WMM BLOG

POV: In The Business of Elevating Filmmakers - WMM CEO Sam Mestman

Filmmaker. Workflow Architect. Founder. Entrepreneur. And now, investor. The nomenclature is less important. The bottom line is that Sam Mestman, CEO of We Make Movies, has made it his mission to make an impression on the filmmaking world by bolstering storytellers, instituting an affordable and quality driven process around content creation, and ultimately shattering the myth of the false dichotomy between business and creativity. He has worn many hats throughout his career, but no matter the hat, Mestman is in the business of helping people.
 
His personal journey begins with a colossal heartbreak over his first feature film out of NYU film school, in which the issues had nothing to do with the film itself, but a system that was set up for failure. WMM was born out of this deep frustration, while he continued to work in the industry at large as an editor and colorist. In the process, the first iteration of his former company LumaForge (which has subsequently been...
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POV: Film Financing Silicon Valley Style - Rob Ness

We Make Movies has been disrupting traditional filmmaking since its inception almost a decade ago. Our latest endeavor, the MAKE YOUR FEATURE COMPETITION, is keeping with that tradition as we set out to create a sustainable ecosystem for independent film financing and production. If you've been wondering how we're managing to award at least two filmmakers with 25K each (alongside our full assortment of pre through post production and marketing services) to make their films, perhaps our lead investor, Rob Ness (General Partner of Asymmetry Ventures) can shed some light. 
 
Ness' academic trajectory alone pronounces his versatility, from a BA in Economics, Math, and Interdisciplinary Child Health from UC Berkeley to an MPS in Development & Finance from Georgetown University to an MPA in Development Economics from Harvard University. A few of his diverse career highlights include a senior consultancy at Booze Allen...
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Writing Film Treatments: Why & How To Write Your Treatment

 

You have a story to tell, but before you embark on the process of writing the script, consider writing a treatment. A film treatment is a sexy outline of your story, a roadmap, a detailed synopsis of your film or visual project (music videos, commercials, etc.). It contains all the essential elements of your film, such as the core concept behind your story, significant scenes, main character arcs, and crucial plot points. It's purpose is to sell your story to a potential producer or investor but it's a valuable tool as part of the development process as well. It helps you explore the world in which your story lives, aids in nailing down the tone and genre of your project, and allows you to work out other kinks in plot points.

A treatment is the written pitch that can convince the reader, or in the case of our MAKE YOUR FEATURE COMPETITION, our investors (multiple) and producers (that's us - WMM) to want to read the full script. The basics...

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WMM's Make Your Feature Competition Breaks the Industry Mold

competition events industry May 19, 2021

In a sea of film competitions that award starter funds, offer packages towards gear, and sometimes even promise gateways of access to the elusive industry at large, We Make Movies is breaking the mold. We are helming a micro-budget feature film competition - THE MAKE YOUR FEATURE COMPETITION - that will see your project through completion by actually making your movie for $25,000

WMM has joined forces with investors from Silicon Valley, in search of multiple projects from inventive and resourceful filmmakers. Filmmakers will submit their feature film treatments (stellar concept or completed script) and pitch to investors and the WMM community for the opportunity to develop their story, from inception to completion. At least two winning filmmakers will land cash  investments of $25,000 each, in addition to tens of thousands of dollars worth of resources in the form of services, equipment, and more. WMM and the investors will partner with winning filmmakers,...

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