SHARING EXPERIENCE
‘Rebel Without a Crew’ competitor to discuss making film on $7,000 budget
Alejandro Montoya Marín got the experience of a lifetime when he was chosen to participate in Robert Rodriguez’s TV competition series “Rebel Without a Crew.”
The Albuquerque filmmaker is giving back by leading a panel discussion at the Borderlands Film Festival in Las Cruces. The panel will take place at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6.
“The panel is going to be the experience under the constraints that we were given,” Montoya Marín says.
During the show, Montoya Marín and five other filmmakers all had to create a feature-length film with a $7,000 budget. Montoya Marín made the film, “Monday,” which was finished in 14 days.
Not to mention that they had no crew, making each filmmaker responsible for all aspects of the film.
Each filmmaker was then documented daily for the show.
“What I wanted to do is help independent filmmakers pinpoint what needs to be done in order to make a film,” he says. “Be it an independent film or a short film, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done.”
Montoya Marín has completed five short films and a feature-length film. He’s beginning to set his sights on making his second feature film.
“I promised I would do it in Albuquerque, because I know there’s a lot of talent there,” he says. “I want to include as many people as possible. I have Albuquerque to work as my inspiration for the film.”
Montoya Marín says the panel will focus on the two main obstacles in making a film — financing and getting the movie seen.
“Financing is especially difficult in New Mexico,” he says. “But after that comes getting an audience to see the film.”
With Netflix and Hulu putting out projects at a high rate, filmmakers have to rethink their projects.
“It’s going to get harder to be a filmmaker, because you have to put out content and ideas that people haven’t seen,” he says.
Montoya Marín is drawn to independent filmmaking and has found his niche.
“I highly recommend the film industry,” he says. “If you want to do film, go do it. It’s not going to be easy. There’s nothing that compares to seeing your finished film.”