Update on the YouTube video that popped off!
Viral? Kinda!
Just wanted to update you on something funny that happened to the YouTube channel while I was away on my writing sabbatical (still underway).
One of my videos took off. And it's still doing well.
The video is a snappy how-to guide, called "How To Film an Interview with ONE Camera". You can watch it here if you haven't seen it yet:
I went through 7 versions of the thumbnail after it tanked when I first launched it, and it took 6 more months to gain any traction at all. I was literally not posting a single video in 2025, and this one video went from about 125 views at launch, to 6,579 views as of my typing this. It has 405 watch hours, an AVR of 32.5% (which is GOOD), and it gained the channel 168 new subscribers.
Holy. Moly.
The overwhelming majority of views came from YouTube search, which tells me I picked a pretty good title if people are actually typing it into the search bar to solve their problem.
What a fun puzzle YouTube is. I can't believe this success, and I'm happy to see where it goes. I have more videos planned for 2026 and 2027 that will hopefully also help people. But I thought I'd update you on this interesting development.
🚨 SCAM ALERT 🚨
We've been seeing (and ignoring) a LOT of recent posts on social media (especially FaceBook groups) that look like this:
Hey film people! I'm new to town from Famousville (or not) and am building a roster of local professionals to hire for this huge gig that I'm not telling you anything about, except maybe the title, which is, uh, "Horror Super Feature"... yes, that'll do. Or maybe multiple gigs! Yeah! Anyway, I am looking to connect with super awesome actors to fill amazing lead roles that pay craptons of money, but I won't specify how much, you have to DM me! Oh! And crew! I also need camera people and sound people, and what else? Uhm, lights? Is that a thing? Sure, lights, too. Anyway please DM me all your information! All our dates and locations are TBD, so you know we're super serious, so definitely DM me for more information about this very real opportunity.
And, to my horror, the comments are flooded with real people IMMEDIATELY posting their photos and IMDb pages and portfolios and recommendations for others... and not a single soul is asking for more information.
I know, grain of salt, sometimes film people just starting out post flimsy details like this to start conversations. Fair. But the ubiquitous uptick in these types of posts from seeming professionals, using fonts that are not native to the platforms btw, is a huge red flag đźš©
So I would encourage EVERYONE to keep their guard up.
Scammers are getting savvy. Translations and bots are getting more sophisticated. There are programs you can buy that autorespond to comments and DMs - so scammers can AUTOMATE now.
My personal rule of thumb is if you don't personally know the original poster, never lead with your information. Ask questions first. Vet the source. Ask THEM for a portfolio first. Ask them for a contact email. Google their names. Verify that their profiles aren't fake. And only THEN, trust your gut.
Be so careful.
Food for thought as we look for new opportunities and grow our networks.
APRIL 9-12
NEW BEDFORD FILM FESTIVAL
NEW BEDFORD, MA
I've been to this one before! It's truly amazing. Featuring films from New Bedford and well beyond, this festival has a polished touch and treats films and filmmakers with love and excitement. Definitely make time to go!
https://www.newbedfordfilmfestival.com
APRIL 15-19
RHODE ISLAND BLACK FILM FESTIVAL
PROVIDENCE & NEWPORT, RI
Celebrate Black creativity and storytelling with amazing films at this year's can't-miss festival!
The Rhode Island Black Film Festival (RIBFF), founded in 2017, is the preeminent event of Black Film event of its kind, empowering Black artists and celebrating storytelling by and about people of African descent. There is a vibrant showcase of films panel discussions, workshops, and youth program - spanning sports, fine art, music, business & entrepreneurship, health & wellness, technology, and more.
In 2026, Rhode Island Black Film Festival, under the theme Black Excellence in Film will be a tribute to the festival’s rich legacy and the global community it has united over three decades.
Join us on College Hill in Providence the city by the Sea - Newport and South County, April 16-19, 2026 for for five unforgettable days of screenings, star-studded events, engaging conversations, and unparalleled networking.
All screenings are free. Please make a donation so that we can continue offering quality programming thoughout the year.
APRIL 17
FL1X FILM SHOWCASE
BRIGHTON, MA
Calling all filmmakers and film friends!
FL1X, a local film collective, is hosting a FREE screening on Friday, April 17th, in a Brighton basement venue.
The theme is "Intimacy & Indifference" ❤️‍🩹
Documentary? Short film? Comedy sketch? Music video? Recording of a live performance? We screen it all!
Visit IG for more and follow instructions to register:
APRIL 19-21
KT PICTURES FEATURE SCREENING EVENT
SOMERVILLE THEATER, MA
Local filmmaker Brian Reilly and his team finished their latest feature film, "Watching Mr. Pearson," and it is playing at the Somerville Theatre April 19, 20, and 21 at 7pm all three nights!
Each screening will be followed by a Q&A with the director, and the other producers alongside Brian.
The film was shot in Connecticut and made with a Boston-based crew. It stars Hugo Armstrong, who was recently in the Oscar-nominated short film Jane Austen's Period Drama, and Sam Bullington, who appeared in the latest seasons of Fallout and Will Trent.
This is very exciting. I love seeing our indie film family making projects this big.
Tickets are available now at https://www.somervilletheatre.com/production/watching-mr-pearson/
The film is also playing in multiple theaters across the country. More info on that here: https://www.watchingmrpearson.com/screenings
SAVE THE DATES
MAY 2
STRANGE MAYNARD FILM FESTIVAL
MAYNARD, MA
Filmmaker Erica Stockwell-Alpert is hosting 5 Hours of fun films! Come out and see some unique horror and comedy shorts made by the community!
MAY 6
GRRL HAUS CINEMA BEST OF SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
CAMBRIDGE, MA
GRRL HAUS CINEMA presents the Best of Shorts program for a special one-night event at The Brattle on May 6, 2026, featuring two programs at 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM.
GRRL HAUS CINEMA is an international screening program dedicated to showcasing independent films by women, trans, and non-binary filmmakers, with a focus on experimental, underground, and DIY cinema. GRRL HAUS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit screening series based in Massachusetts and Berlin, Germany.
The program brings together an international and local lineup spanning experimental animation, tender drama, playful absurdity, intimate suspense, surreal comedy, and documentaries reclaiming marginalized stories. The films explore themes including political censorship, global political violence, and the dangers of AI, while also centering queer joy, intimacy, self-acceptance, bodily autonomy, and collective care. At a time when community and solidarity are essential, these films offer space for reflection, resistance, and connection.
Tickets: brattlefilm.org
More info: grrlhauscinema.com | [email protected]
MAY 7
LINCOLN SUDBURY STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL
SUDBURY, MA
Filmmakers Karin Trachtenberg, Julia Trueblood, and Liz Bishop are hosting a premiere for their latest short screened alongside local student shorts!
Emerging Voices: An Evening of Short Films
Celebrate the next generation of filmmakers at this screening featuring 10 short films by high school students from across Central MA & MetroWest. The program also includes award-winning films Three A.M. and Pumpkin Pie, plus a sneak peek of Director Karin Trachtenberg's newest film, EXIT starring Julia Trueblood and Liz Bishop. The evening concludes with the Emerging Voices Awards presented by Hannah Chun Welsh of CoHo Studios, Shrewsbury.
May 7, 2026, 6:00 PM
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School Lecture Hall,
390 Lincoln Street, Sudbury, MA
Free (donations welcome) but Reservations required.
Tickets: https://EmergingVoicesMetrowest.eventbrite.com
ACTUALIZATION
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LOGLINE: When Billie, a woman tormented by a lifelong phobia of vomiting, discovers she’s pregnant, she’s thrust into surreal confrontations with her mother, brother, and childhood teddy bear, where grotesque family rituals force her to face the horror she’s avoided all her life. Let's support her as best we can! https://stowestorylabs.org/fiscal-agency-campaigns/jaina-cipriano
***If you have any filmmaking fundraisers you know about, let us know!*** |
CASTING
Casting call by Jimmy Jackson
Project name: Valerie
Type: short film
Compensation: $100/day
Production Company: Fish Cafe Productions and Dreaming Giant Media
Date: 4/25
Duration: 1 day
Location: Tewksbury, MA
Status: Union, under the SAG micro budget agreement (can accept non-union talent
Logline: A woman escapes from a mental health facility to get a cup of coffee from the diner.
Role details: Cindy (mother of the lead character). Female, 60s—70s, caucasian, brown or white hair.
Please submit headshots, reel, and résumé to [email protected]
CASTING
Jodi Purdy Casting is seeking two roles:
- MOM (40s) of Middle Eastern or Latina background
- Comforting and supporting presence
- Ability to convey concern, empathy, and warmth w/her eyes and expressions
- Subtle, natural acting style
- PAID
- HEAVY-SET ITALIAN, GREEK, LATINA, OR MIDDLE EASTERN MAN (40s)
- Short Black Hair, Cropped Beard, Brown Eyes
- Union or Non-Union, Acting Experience REQUIRED (no Background Extras)
- This part has many lines.
- $750 for 1 Day
- Boston Area
Email [email protected] with:
Name, cell, email, location
Photos, resume, reel [if available]
Subject line should be either “Man 40s” or “Mom 40s”.
LOCATION
Location call by Rock Fight Films:
ISO a garage or industrial space with drive-in access in southern NH / northern MA to shoot Poor Man's Process.
Project: Sweet Nothings
Type: Neo Noir Horror Short
Writer/Director: Joseph Bouvier / Rock Fight Films
Date: April 17–19
Duration: 3 days
Location: Southern NH / Northern MA
Status: Non-union
Logline: When an older man, craving a submissive conquest, answers a personal ad, he quickly discovers his hunger for control has attracted an appetite far greater than his own.
What we need: A space 40x40 or larger that we can drive a car into.
We'll be shooting in Poor Man's Process — a low-budget technique to simulate driving, the practical predecessor to green screen. Think fake driving in Mad Men or 60s TV. Small crew, car won't be running, fully insured, no modifications to the space.
Compensation: Paid
If you have a lead on a space or know someone who might, please email [email protected]
LOCATION
Hi fellow filmmakers — my name is Joan Cassin, I'm a filmmaker and director who lives in Newburyport, and I'm reaching out because I'm in a real bind and hoping our community might be able to help.
I'm directing a short film called WHY WE LEFT. It's a story about the grief a couple carries after the loss of a pregnancy — quiet, intimate, and deeply personal to me. I first encountered the short story it's based on nearly twenty years ago, and returned to it after experiencing a pregnancy loss of my own. Making this film feels both necessary and urgent. It's the kind of story that doesn't get told enough.
We're a professional crew — Emmy-nominated production, fully insured, with talented collaborators who've worked on films that have premiered at Sundance, Cannes, and SXSW. We recently completed a successful crowdfunding campaign on Seed & Spark and are ready to shoot.
Our shoot dates are April 12-13, and my location just fell through last week.
What I'm looking for is an older, lived-in New England apartment. The kind that hasn't been renovated — original cabinets, older appliances, maybe film on the windows in winter. A living room and kitchen that connect or flow into each other, a window near the sink or stove, and room for a small café table. Not staged. Not polished. A home that feels like people actually live there and have for a long time.
We'd need access for a couple of lighter prep days (April 10-11) ahead of the shoot weekend. We will treat your home with complete care and respect, and leave it exactly as we found it. There is a meaningful location fee — please reach out and we can talk details.
If your apartment fits this description, or you know someone nearby whose does, I would be so grateful to hear from you. Even sharing this post makes a difference.
Email [email protected]. Thank you so much for reading. 🙏
CASTING
Jodi Purdy Casting is seeking multiple roles
One set of casting for a PSA project!
Principal roles: $500
Background roles: $300
Filming in greater Boston, needed for 1 day between April 3-7
Principal:
Elderly man [75-85]
Pharmacist [Male, 25-26]
Background:
Doctor [Black, any gender]
Customer [Asian, any gender, 40s]
Worker [female, 30s]
Acting experience required for Principals, non-union, all ethnicities open except where specified
One set of casting for a senior citizen PSA!
Seeking male and female actors 70-80.
Pay: $500 for 1 day of filming [date TBD] in Boston area
Non-union, acting experience required. Open to all ethnicities. Actors will be portraying a married couple.
FOR EITHER NOTICE
Send email to [email protected] with:
Name and contact info
Location
Photos
Resume
Reel if available
CREW CALL
Yirssi Elizabeth is building an all women and GNC crew for an indie short filming in Cape Cod 4.25 to 4.27.
Seeking:
- Audio Mixer
- Gaffer
- Grip
All above paid.
Also seeking volunteer PAs who want to get some experience!
If you’re available/interested, please email your resume/experience to [email protected].
P.A. NEEDED
Production Assistant Needed – Paid
Plaid Jacket Media is looking for 1 additional PA for a film shoot.
Location: Melrose / Medford / Wakefield / Malden area
Date: Saturday, April 11
Rain Date: Sunday, April 12
Pay: $250 (full day)
Looking for someone creative, reliable, and friendly to help with general production tasks on set.
Email: [email protected]
Subject: PA – April Shoot
Plaid Jacket Media/ plaidjacketmedia.com
CASTING
Casting gig by Marcus A Stricklin for a short thriller film on the weekend of March 27-29.
Actor will receive film, the footage for their reel, and any invites to local film festivals. This is a non union paid role.
- a tall, intimidating White Male 25-40.
- a Black teen (16-18).
Each actor is needed for 1 day only, but not on the same day based on the dynamics of the short film.
This is a paid ($300) speaking role in a short thriller that will be edited and submitted to film festivals. It films in Northwood, NH. Send Headshot/reel if available, or link to work to [email protected].
CASTING
Boston Casting is seeking improv actors!
Comedic & Improv actors ages 18-23 for a feature film
Pay: $1246/day
Shoots: April in Rhode Island
All genders
CONTACT: [email protected] with SUBJECT “SCIENCE PSA // YOUR NAME” and the following information:
- Name + Contact email/phone
- If you are 18+
- Headshot/resume
- Where you are based
CASTING
Boston Casting is seeking REAL PEOPLE for an upcoming Science PSA
WHO:
- Kids 3-15 years old
- Adults 30-80 years old
- Real Families
- Everyday Hardworking People (Scientists, Nurses, Teachers, etc.)
PAY: $300 Session / $350 USE per person.
APPLY: ASAP, with VIRTUAL CALLBACKS on March 25th
SHOOT: March 30th or April 1st
CONTACT: [email protected] with SUBJECT “SCIENCE PSA // YOUR NAME” and the following information:
- Name + Contact email/phone
- DOB / AGE
- Occupation (adults)
- Hobbies
- Where you are based
• Current Photos
SOUND
Looking for someone who can run sound for a mobile church on Sundays from 8:30am–1:00pm.
This would involve some setting up, running, and breaking down sound each week. If you know someone (or are someone!) with sound experience who’s reliable and available on Sundays, we’d love to connect.
Email: [email protected]
CASTING
Boston Casting seeking male actors who can play football players:
Union and non-Union
Shoots in April and May in Rhode Island
Ages 18-25
Email [email protected] with name and phone, email, headshot and resume, if you are 18+ and where you are based. Use subject: Young actor football//[your name]
CASTING
Project: The Final Letters
SAG short film - docudrama
Seeking SAG and non union talent
Filming in Boston, must work as a local.
$249/day
Filming April 19-25
Reed, male 20s black [willing to shave) films 3 days
Gerdh, male 20s white (willing to shave, blond hair and Danish accent) films 3 days
Nana, female 70s black, films 1 day
Little boy, male 8-10 years old, white, can speak Hebrew, films 1 day
Vincent, male 14-17 years old, black,, films 1 day
Email [email protected] with Subject "The Final Letters"
CASTING
CASTING CALL by Giro Studio – PAID | EDUCATIONAL VIDEO SHOOT | CAMBRIDGE, MA
Looking for 3 actors for a series of short educational training videos being filmed at a professional studio in Cambridge, MA. These videos are designed for clinician training and will involve scripted dialogue. There are 2 videos, scripted to be ~10-15 minutes each. Each actor would only be responsible for one of the 2 videos. One video needs 2 actors.
Acting experience is helpful but NOT required — we welcome amateur and non-union actors who are comfortable on camera and able to follow a script.
Project Details
- Shoot Dates: April 13th or 14th, 2026
- Time Commitment: Approximately ~4 hours (half day)
- Compensation: PAID, pay will be shared upon inquiry. Meals and travel expenses not included. Non-union.
Roles Needed
1. Mrs. Morris
- African American woman
- Appears age 70–75
- Portrays a participant with mild cognitive impairment
- Warm, thoughtful, expressive
2. Mr. Khan
- South Asian man
- Appears age 75–80
- Portrays a research participant
- Calm, reflective presence
3. Mrs. Malik (Caregiver / Daughter)
- South Asian woman
- Appears age 40–45
- Portrays daughter and legal authorized representative
- Supportive, engaged, communicative
How to Submit
Please email [email protected] with:
- Your name
- Which role(s) you are interested in
- A recent photo (phone photos are totally fine)
- A brief note about any on-camera or acting experience (optional)
**As always, if you know of any paid local gigs, reply to this email and I’ll share with the rest of community!**
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THANK YOU!
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Friendly Filmmaker CommunityI am VERY excited to bring this community to you. You've heard the spiel, here are the full deets ICYMI: https://ko-fi.com/post/A-Shadow-Launch-and-News-about-Growth-G2G41JPF6M Reminder: The member cap for initial launch is 100 people! It's $2/mo - just enough to cover the cost of running the platform. For newsletter friends, the first month is free. If you want a code, reply to this email. Friendly Filmmaker CHECKLISTReminder! “The Friendly Filmmaker Checklist” is still in the Preorder phase! The preorder window is being extended due to a delay with the printer, but we will be shipping soon. If you haven’t ordered your copy yet, pick one up today! Thank you so much to everyone who has preordered already! Coaching CallsWanna pick my filmmaker brain? https://www.friendlyfilmmaker.com/coachingcalls Plus, even if this might not help you specifically, if you happen to know someone who's just starting their filmmaking journey and wants to save hours of pain and frustration, share this bounty!
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