Not a paid position initially. This is a pitch to find a creative partner. And to get it out of the way, much of below was written by Chat Geppetto. HOWEVER, I did many revisions and everything below I approve except for the lame and exhausting ai speech patterns.
About the Role:
Are you a passionate screenwriter dreaming of breaking into Hollywood but finding it challenging to secure consistent work? If you're looking for a fresh way to make an impact, gain exposure, or simply tell stories you care about, I’m interested in partnering to create no-budget short films or a series here in Los Angeles. I’m a production company looking for someone who shares my vision and wants to focus on creating work that actually gets made.
I bring 20 years of experience from New York, where I made sketch videos for various comedy theaters and competed in 15 film races, winning "best film" at the "48 Hour Film Festival" five times. I've had films in film festivals I’m a one-man band as a filmmaker—capable of shooting, directing, editing, and recording audio. I'm passionate and have been trapped in commercial editing for far too long. With a strong background in post-production, I can manage all finishing myself, and when needed, I work with reliable contacts to help. I also have my own studio office in Venice, which is available as part of this collaboration.
What We’ll Create:
This collaboration could take many forms:
- No-Budget Short Films or Series – Work that serves as a portfolio piece, can be submitted to festivals, or even builds toward a larger pitch.
- YouTube Series – A platform for experimentation and reaching an audience directly.
- Commercial Projects – While our focus is on shorts and series, I’m open to creating spec commercials or promotional content for small businesses. (I may post separately for writers interested in commercial work.)
Who I’m Looking For:
- Dream-Driven Screenwriters – If you’re serious about writing, honing your craft, and building a body of work, this is a chance to collaborate with someone with extensive production experience.
- Realistic & Ambitious – I’m looking for a writer who understands the challenges of a no-budget setup and is ready to get hands-on to develop and showcase what we can create together.
- Open to Experimentation – Interested in exploring new formats, trying unconventional storytelling approaches, or innovating within the medium.
- Fueled by No-Budget Filmmaking – Inspirations include Dogma95, Richard Linklater’s Tape, Mumblecore films, and work like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s pitch video, High Maintenance (Vimeo version), The Office (BBC version), and really most theater where people accept a lack of production cost as long as the acting and story is strong. We're looking for high output, so stories that can be filmed in accessible locations with little to no production expense and rely on strong storytelling and improvisation.
Who I’m Not Looking For:
- Someone who thinks I have a budget or that I’ll be a “boss” – This is a partnership.
- Someone too rigid with their scripts – Flexibility is key; dialogue and ideas should be adaptable to our production needs.
About Me:
I’m a commercial editor and filmmaker who moved to LA to transition into directing. I'm in my early 40s and have dedicated my life to filmmaking yet have had to spend far to much time making money to get by. I spent much of this day job gigs on in production, but thankfully most of my work life has been in post production where I can say confidently that I know how to finish work, something I wouldn't say so confidently if I had spend 20 years on set. This project is a chance to take that step with someone who shares a love for storytelling and is ready to create something from the ground up.
If this sounds like a fit, please reach out! I have a website that breaks down my work but feel weird sharing it right here, but if you reach out to me I'm very happy to share. Whether this idea comes to fruition or not, I would love to mee writers looking to get work made, even if you're not willing to work without payment which is totally understandable. The best case scenario aside, the best thing that could happen is I meet some like minded filmmakers. Looking forward to seeing where this could take us!