The Martini

3 days ago
4 min

Adapting a novel into a movie? Here are 4 useful tips

I’ve had nine of my books adapted to film, and almost all were enjoyable. I’ve been fortunate with Hollywood and look forward to more mov...

3 tips to keep your independent film under budget

Viknesh Silvalingam

Feb 23
4 min

3 tips to keep your independent film under budget

"Money's only something you need in case you don't die tomorrow." - Carl Fox, Wall Street In my last blog, the 7 stages of the filmmaking...

Making a movie? The 7 stages of the filmmaking process

Viknesh Silvalingam

Feb 9
4 min

Making a movie? The 7 stages of the filmmaking process

“TO MAKE A FILM IS EASY; TO MAKE A GOOD FILM IS WAR. TO MAKE A VERY GOOD FILM IS A MIRACLE.” - Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (1*) Film prod...

Getting a Film Distribution Deal in place

Viknesh Silvalingam

Jan 26
4 min

Getting a Film Distribution Deal in place

If a tree falls in a forest, and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound? The same can be said for your film if no one saw...

Treatment: The blueprint of your entire project

Viknesh Silvalingam

Jan 12
4 min

Treatment: The blueprint of your entire project

With the growth of streaming platforms, there are a lot of opportunities for independent filmmakers to get their movies or TV shows made.

Viknesh Silvalingam

Jan 5
4 min

The New Year: Looking ahead

Happy New Year! Last year's unexpected challenges created the spark for the creation of The Martini, a collaborative platform for filmmak...

4 tips for the First Assistant Director in the Post Covid-19 world

Viknesh Silvalingam

Dec 21, 2020
5 min

4 tips for the First Assistant Director in the Post Covid-19 world

There is recent audio about legendary actor Tom Cruise going off on a film crew for not following on-set COVID protocols(1*). Yes, at a t...

5 mistakes to avoid in a Business plan for 2021

Viknesh Silvalingam

Dec 14, 2020
4 min

5 mistakes to avoid in a Business plan for 2021

How many mistakes can you avoid in a solid business plan? The answer... As many as you can think of. In my blog last week, I wrote about w...

Building an Executive Pitch Deck for 2021

Viknesh Silvalingam

Dec 7, 2020
4 min

Building an Executive Pitch Deck for 2021

With 2021 approaching, one of the goals for a young startup like ours is to get some investors on board. It's often been taught that you w...

Recommended books to read when building a startup

Viknesh Silvalingam

Nov 30, 2020
4 min

Reasons to be rebranding a start up

Steve Forbes, the editor in chief of Forbes Media, famously said "Your brand is the single most important investment you can make in your...

Filmmaking essentials for independent filmmakers

Viknesh Silvalingam

Nov 16, 2020
6 min

Filmmaking essentials for independent filmmakers

The basics of what is required to make a film have not changed for the last 8 to 9 decades

Viknesh Silvalingam

Nov 9, 2020
4 min

What is a Line Producer?

A Line Producer is responsible for the logistics of achieving that vision.

Transformation in the meaning of Collaboration

Viknesh Silvalingam

Nov 2, 2020
3 min

Transformation in the meaning of Collaboration

In one of my earlier blog posts, I mentioned why filmmaking is considered a collaborative art form. By paying attention to the rolling c...

Features in a screenwriting software that can help you beat Writer's block

Viknesh Silvalingam

Oct 26, 2020
4 min

Features in a screenwriting software that can help you beat Writer's block

Prevention is always is better than cure. A screenwriting software that allows you to share your work and get prompt feedback helps prevent

Freelancers: What you need to know about the future of this workforce.

Viknesh Silvalingam

Oct 19, 2020
3 min

Freelancers: What you need to know about the future of this workforce.

One thing that COVID has increased, is the demand for freelancer workers.

COVID has impacted Ultra Low Budget filmmaking

Viknesh Silvalingam

Oct 12, 2020
4 min

COVID has impacted Ultra Low Budget filmmaking

To ensure that a production comes within budget, it is common for crew members to work 12 to 14 hours days

Diversity in film - Disability doesn't mean inability

Viknesh Silvalingam

Oct 5, 2020
3 min

Diversity in film - Disability doesn't mean inability

The disabled filmmakers. Are they being failed by an industry that is unwilling and unable to include them?Disability doesn't mean inability

Viknesh Silvalingam

Sep 22, 2020
2 min

Using data to drive your film's success

Producers and studios are using data to drive your film's success. But there are pros and cons to relying on Big Data for a film's success.

Reduce the need to purchase multiple filmmaking software licenses

Viknesh Silvalingam

Sep 8, 2020
2 min

Reduce the need to purchase multiple filmmaking software licenses

There is a desire within the film community to reduce the need to purchase multiple filmmaking software licenses.

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