The Reel Truth: Everything You Didn't Know You Need to Know About Making an Independent Film

by Reed Martin

Did you know that most of the biggest indie filmmakers, screenwriters, and producers working today each made the same avoidable mistakes early on in their careers?

The Reel Truth details the pitfalls, snares, and roadblocks that aspiring filmmakers encounter. Reed Martin interviewed more than one hundred luminaries from the independent film world to discuss the near misses that almost derailed their first and second films and identify the close shaves that could have cut their careers short. Other books may tell you the best way to make your independent film or online short, but no other book describes so candidly how to spot and avoid such issues and obstacles as equipment problems, shooting-day snafus, postproduction myths, theatrical distribution deal breakers, and dozens of other commonly made missteps, including the top fifty mistakes every filmmaker makes.

From personal experience and his years as a freelance reporter covering independent film for USA Today and Filmmaker magazine, Martin uncovers the truth about the risks and potential rewards that go with chasing celluloid glory. Whether you're writing a screenplay, looking for financing, about to start shooting, or thinking about investing time and money (or someone else's money) in an independent film, The Reel Truth is a must-read.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

544 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2009

About the author

Reed Martin co-created and performed in the original productions of The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged), The Complete History of America (abridged), Western Civilization: The Complete Musical (abridged), All The Great Books (abridged), and Completely Hollywood (abridged). He contributed additional material to The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged).

Martin is a managing partner of The Reduced Shakespeare Company and has performed at Lincoln Center Theater, London's West End, Kennedy Center, Seattle Repertory Theatre, American Repertory Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theater, California Shakespeare Festival, McCarter Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Old Globe Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The White House and Madison Square Garden, as well as in 11 foreign countries. He toured for two years as a clown/assistant ringmaster with Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey Circus. His voice was heard in the animated feature film Balto and just about every other part of him was seen in the British film Carry On Columbus.

Martin has written for the BBC, NPR, Britain's Channel Four, RTE Ireland, Public Radio International, The Washington Post and Vogue magazine. With Austin Tichenor he co-authored the book The Greatest Story Ever Sold, published by John Knox/Westminster Press. His work has been nominated for an Olivier Award in London and a Helen Hayes Award in Washington, D.C. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild and has a BA in Political Science/Theatre from UC Berkeley, an MFA in Acting from UC San Diego and is a graduate of Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey Clown College. He is a former professional minor league baseball umpire. Martin lives in Northern California with his wife and sons.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Jenn

Reviews

[Michael Finocchiaro]

Caveat emptor: I went to high school with Reed Martin and so I am shamelessly promoting his book. The Reel Truth is a great summary of the independent film industry from someone that has worked closely with the industry for the past decades. He has worked at 20th Century Fox Film in Los Angeles and was Director of Marketing at Cary Woods' production company Independent Pictures.
He also taught at NYU for six years and covered Sundance for USA Today in 2003. He has been to Cannes three times with producer credentials, one of which was as a guest of the French Embassy Trade Office.

The book itself is a great companion to Roberto Rodriguez' Guerrilla Filmmaking, it talks about the challenges that independent filmmakers face but also offers practical advice for those who wish to attempt to finance their own films. I am not one of those concerned but still found it entertaining and informative.

Here is an even more recent article from the author: http://bit.ly/2gSMH5o.

[Frederic Germay]

I originally wrote a review (listed below) that was unfair. Due to bitterness on my own part about my specific failures in the field, I found Martin's cautionary tone to be discouraging to me.

With some much needed prodding, I realized that this sort of a book is required reading. Otherwise the wishful dreamers who naively traipse down this particular path will find themselves embittered into the most dreadful sort of pessimist. Perhaps what I was originally looking for in this book was some affirmation that I, the lowly I, could make a film too and succeed in that cutthroat world. This is not that book, which understandably solicited a knee-jerk reaction from me.

However, this book is written by man with extensive knowledge of the industry. The aim is to enlighten and arm the dreamers before they embark on their journeys. Brimming with interviews with the very best in the business(ranging from Christopher Nolan to Alexander Payne), The Reel Truth details the pitfalls and challenges an aspiring auteur might face. It is essential.

***************

What a dreary read! Brimming with unnecessary fluff, this showcases the work of a credible author that doesn't exactly know how to make his vast repertoire of knowledge on the subject the least bit interesting.

Granted, the interviews he conducted with various producers, writers, and directors were quite informative. Honestly, this 'textbook' would be better served as an anthology of interviews.

Also, it's rather discouraging to anyone who wants-to/thought-they-could make a movie. Perhaps that's needed to some extent, but this is plain and unabashed fury directed towards the wishful dreamers. Tsk, tsk, Reed Martin. I think this is his revenge for being named Reed.

[Shelina S Z]

"The Reel Truth" is a very comprehensive, fact filled book about how to make an independent film. The author seems to know the film making world inside out and gives many good examples.
He also has a chapter that is very useful to would be authors and script-writers on how easily and how often book and script ideas and even much of the content are outright stolen and how to protect yourself against these thefts.
As a non-fiction, fact filled book the work is not always easy reading but worth consuming slowly to get all the facts. Martin also has an exhaustive index.
What he doesn't know about Indie film-making isn't worth knowing.

Full disclosure: Martin edited my recent novel "Shaza's Diaspora" for me.

[G.T. Burns]

A must

This is a very comprehensive and no hood's barred account for the plexus that is filmmaking, which walks that fine line between business and art. But the artist must understand it in order to preserve himself.

[donovan]

you can tell this book is kind of dated bc it mentions bittorrent and myspace Multiple times

[C.J. Seneca]

The film industry and market have changed however this is still a great base to understand the landscape, the do’s and don’ts. Now that I have produced 2 indie films, I can relate.

[Reed Martin]

Hoping you'll help me get the word out to people about it by sending them this link: www.tinyURL.com/TheReelTruth

[Chris]

Cut the fluff and this book would be great and half as thick.