PODCAST: How a $7K Film Beat 28 Festival Rejections and Landed the LA Times, Palm Springs, and a Nationwide Theatrical Run - With Joe Burke

In this episode, I'm joined by filmmaker Joe Burke, back on the show to talk about his micro-budget feature Burt.Over the past year, Burt won Best Comedy Feature at Cinequest, Best Picture and Best Ensemble at Phoenix, was the opening night film at Anchorage, and landed a slot at Palm Springs International.

It also got a full feature in the LA Times, was taken on a year-long theatrical tour, and is now being self distributed.

Burt was shot in seven days for $7,000 with a three person crew, in black and white, no stars, built around a real street musician with Parkinson's. It was finished at the end of 2023 and then rejected by 28 festivals over roughly 14 months, including places where David Gordon Green, the film's executive producer, personally emailed on its behalf and got nothing back.

Throughout the episode, Joe is candid about how close he came to leaving LA, and about the moment he stopped waiting on gatekeepers and went around them - ultimately finding success on his own terms.

Topics covered include:

Making a black and white feature in seven days for $7,000 with a three person crew28 rejections in 14 months, and what that does to youWhy an executive producer like David Gordon Green still guarantees nothingRenting a 400-seat theater instead of taking a festival slotHow the LA Times story came together, and what it unlockedCold emailing theaters for 50/50 rev share with zero upfront costCustom trailers, posters, and flyers cut for each individual venue50 waiver emails, 25 yeses, and why follow-up is the whole gameWhat the run actually returned: audience and credibility, not repsGetting into the DGA, then leaving his agent and manager at 30Owning the film forever instead of selling itMuch More!Links from the show:

Burt - Official Site

Joe Burke on Instagram

Joe Burke - Official Site

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