Marty Lang on Crafting a Sustainable Filmmaking Career

Hey, it’s Jerrica.

Get ready for some real talk. This week, I’m bringing you an interview with Marty Lang that’s as honest and raw as it gets.

Marty doesn’t hold back. His vulnerability, combined with his insights, will leave you thinking about your own career and the steps you need to take to level up. He’s doing the work, and you can see it in everything he shares.

If there’s one thing I recommend after listening to Marty, it’s this: Take his advice seriously, and grab a copy of his book, The Self-Sustaining Filmmaker. Trust me, it’ll change the way you approach your career.

Here’s what you’ll find in this issue:
1️⃣ The Power of Shifting Your Mindset: Marty shares how filmmakers can view their projects as entrepreneurial ventures.
2️⃣ Building Community from the Ground Up: Unconventional strategies for crowdfunding and cultivating a loyal following.
3️⃣ Marty’s Top Career Tips: What he’s learned in his journey and how it can guide your path forward.

Let’s dive in—this one’s packed with gold.

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THE MAIN ATTRACTION

Building a Sustainable Career with Marty Lang

Building a career isn’t always pretty—it’s messy, it’s real, but it’s always worth it. These are Marty’s words, straight from the source, unfiltered and uncut. No sugarcoating, just the raw truth you need to hear to build something that last.

What's a common mistake filmmakers make when planning their career path?
Marty: “I think the biggest mistake folks make is tied into making that shift from an artistic filmmaker to an entrepreneur - and that's not taking the long view. If a filmmaker wants to crowdfund, that's amazing - they'll be able to build their audience that way, and find a group of people that will want to help them make their film.

What folks often don't realize, though, is that their audience can be ported from one film to the next, and you can grow it with each new film you make. A lot of times, people try crowdfunding, and whether they're successful or not, they think of it as a one-time activity that will help them make one film. If you keep that connection with your audience after that first film - through emails, podcasts, videos, whatever - they'll come back to you if you try to make a second film. With my second feature film, STAY WITH ME, I had over 25 backers who were backers on my first film, RISING STAR, that I had made ten years earlier. So even if time passes, people will still want to help you.”

2. Crowdfunding and Crowdsourcing

What's an overlooked strategy for building a loyal community before launching a crowdfunding campaign?
Marty: “I think the most overlooked way to grow a community is through direct, personal contact. That often means having events in real life, as opposed to relying exclusively on social media contact. I helped on the crowdfunding campaign for a feature called OUT OF MY HAND, and they actually had a dance party in Brooklyn during the campaign. It was a public event, it got lots of people to come out, and the filmmakers were able to reach out in person to people who could potentially help them. (And they got a cool party out of it.)

That event was wildly successful, and it showed me that in person events need to be a part of any crowdfunding campaign. I also did some in person community building in the RISING STAR campaign, too - I walked door to door in my neighborhood, asking for donations in person, and when people gave me cash, I came home and donated that money to the campaign under that person's name. Sometimes, people don't have the time or inclination to give money online. So if you show up in person, you make it way easier for them.”

Why is it critical to figure out distribution first?
Marty: "It is so important for someone who's crowdfunding to know who will eventually see the movie that they're trying to make. That will help them strategize for the campaign, and that work can lead seamlessly into planning for the film's distribution. If you find that your audience loves to see movies in the theater, maybe your distribution plan should skew that way. (This tends to hold for stories that feature older characters, for example.)

Or maybe you're making a horror film, and you learn through your crowdsourcing that the majority of your backers are younger. Maybe they might like an unconventional release - like playing the movie in the woods at night for an audience, with actors breaking branches and making scary noises in the dark while they're watching.

Your distribution plan ties in very closely with who your audience is, and how they love to watch their movies and/or TV, so as you build it, you can focus your efforts on distribution avenues that tie in with what they like. "

3. Long-Term Sustainability

What's the key to creating a financially sustainable filmmaking career?
Marty: “Through my own experience, and in my talking with other filmmakers, the number one thing I see over and over again is constant communication with your audience. If you want to be financially sustainable, you need people to spend money on the things you make, so that means connecting with them. I still keep in touch with the backers of my RISING STAR Kickstarter campaign from 2010 - I stayed in touch with them for five years making the film, and then for years afterwards, up through the STAY WITH ME campaign, and I know I can count on a large number of them to be there with me when I crowdfund my third film.

Keeping people in the loop with you and your career makes them feel like they're a part of it (and they are!), which keeps them engaged. It can be via direct email, social media, a creator-focused company like Patreon or Substack, or however. The more time you spend with your audience, the more you all become friends. That's a powerful motivator for crowdfunding campaigns, and for following filmmakers throughout their careers.”

How can filmmakers stay motivated when facing rejection or limited resources?
Marty: “It can be really hard if you're a sensitive person to get into crowdfunding - it's not for the faint of heart. Rejection, unfortunately, is part of the game here - I have family members who I love dearly, but who haven't ever donated to any of my campaigns, because they'll only see the movie when it's finished. And that's okay. Crowdfunding can be an unusual thing for some people. But if you struggle with rejection or have limited resources, there's one thing all filmmakers share - an incredible amount of enthusiasm for the story they're trying to tell.

And if you can focus on that, and make sure that shines through in the communications you have with people, you're going to find your audience. Even more than the subject or genre of a movie, people want to support other people. And if you can show yourself as being passionate about your story, and reasonably capable of making it happen, folks will come along on the ride with you. And it's that passion that will carry you through the ups and downs of a campaign. (And believe me, there will be both ups and downs.)”

4. The Lifecycle of a Film

In your book, you discuss filmmaking as a start-up model. What are some business principles filmmakers can apply during development, production, or post-production?
Marty: "When it comes to treating film like a startup, I think the most important thing to remember is that you control the entire life cycle of your film. When a company in just about any other field is created, that company controls the entire lifecycle of their product - they make it, they distribute it, and they monetize it. Yet, for some reason, filmmakers have given up the distribution and monetization parts of the process to distributors, many of whom may not have your film top of mind. This film is yours. You're putting your blood, sweat and tears into making it. I believe that if you're putting that much time into making one, you should oversee the distribution of the film, and reap all the possible financial benefits from it.”

What's one lesson from your work on Chompy & The Girls or The Ride that aspiring filmmakers can apply?
Marty: "I was so lucky to be able to work on both Chompy and The Ride. I learned so much working on both projects, and they've both been wildly successful - Chompy got an international distribution deal and a US theatrical release, and The Ride actually world premiered at Sundance in 2020. And in both cases, I think the big lesson I learned was that successful filmmakers know who their audiences are. In the case of The Ride, the director is Linas Phillips (who I'm working with on a new feature, actually), and he's had two other films play at Sundance in the past.

Both those films were very sweet comedies, with some drama in them, led by characters Linas played (he acts and directs) that are sweet, idealistic people. He stuck with his brand, and he was able to get his web series into Sundance as a result. In the case of Chompy, our director, Skye Braband, was a first-time director, so he didn't have a brand yet. But more than anything, he wanted to communicate a positive message about mental health in the film - and there is a very specific audience who is passionate about mental health. Skye was able to tap into those folks, along with those who love horror and horror/comedy films, so he had two large audiences he could activate. And he activated both really effectively.

Your Takeaways for Today:

• Build Relationships, Not Just Projects: Keep connections with your backers and audience alive between projects through emails, podcasts, or social media. Cultivate a community that will grow with you.

• Crowdfunding Strategy: Don’t limit your crowdfunding efforts to online campaigns. In-person events, dance parties, or even knocking on doors can make a significant difference. Personal contact creates a lasting bond.

• Plan Distribution First: Understand where and how your audience prefers to watch films. This will inform both your crowdfunding campaign and distribution strategy.

• Treat Your Film as a Startup: Retain control over the life cycle of your film, including distribution and monetization. Don’t hand off the rights to someone who may not prioritize your film.

• Know Your Audience: Understanding who your film speaks to allows for smarter distribution strategies and better audience engagement.

Keep betting on yourself and telling your story your way.

CUE THE OPPORTUNITIES

• YouTube is hiring Head of Top Creator and Public Figure Partnerships | Apply here 

• TikTok is hiring a creator manager | Apply here

• HubSpot Media is hiring a producer/host for their YT Channel | Apply here 

• Dentsu Creative is hiring for several roles in social | Apply here 

• Join Key & Peele writer Rich Talarico’s Comedy Class | Find out more here

• The Shawn Regruto Cinematic Foundation’s $10,000 Grant for New Yorkers (or NYC Stories) is accepting submissions | Apply here 

• Studio Rodrigo is hiring a cinematographer | Apply here

• Verizon is hiring a creator marketing senior manager | Apply here

• HOORAE is casting for couples | Apply here

• SkinnyDipped is hiring a social content producer | Apply here

• Meta is hiring a producer | Apply here

• Conde Nast is hiring a global director for Glamour Video | Apply here

• Betches Media is hiring a GenZ Video Producer | Apply here

PREVIOUSLY ON

We kicked things off together a few weeks ago, but if you missed it, no worries! You can catch up right here.

THAT’S A WRAP

Thank you for being part of this movement. I’m pouring my 10+ years of entertainment industry experience—building audiences, developing platforms, and fueling career growth for top creators—into this newsletter because gatekeepers don’t define our paths. We greenlight ourselves.

—Jerrica

P.S. This newsletter is my way of helping storytellers and content creators like you bet on their dreams. What type of roles are you looking for? I curate this weekly and would love to help you land your next gig! Hit reply and let me know.