Jeffrey Ikahn Film Industry Blog

There’s a version of directing that lives in the popular imagination. The director in the chair, watching the monitor, calling action and… Read more: What Directing Actually Looks Like on an Indie Set

Here’s something film school doesn’t always say out loud: location is a casting decision. Not metaphorically. Literally. The place where a scene… Read more: How to Use Location as a Character — Why Place Is Never Just a Backdrop

Casting is the decision that everything else is built on. Before a frame is shot, before a location is scouted, before a… Read more: The Art of Casting an Independent Film — Why Chemistry Matters More Than Credits

Every finished film is a sequence of scenes that either work or don’t. Audiences feel the difference immediately — even if they… Read more: How to Build a Scene That Actually Works — A Director’s Perspective

There’s a version of screenwriting that lives inside a formula. Three acts, a likable protagonist, a clear antagonist, a resolution that leaves… Read more: What Makes a Great Indie Film Script, And Why Indie Stories Go Where Studios Won’t

The 2026 festival season has been one of the most active in recent memory. Sundance sparked distribution bidding wars in January. SXSW… Read more: How the Film Festival Circuit Works

On April 15, 2026, Elevate Production Finance (EPF) and Privata Capital announced a new joint media finance fund — one built specifically… Read more: New Indie Film Fund Launches: Elevate Production Finance & Privata Capital

Charli XCX’s acting debut, Erupcja, hits select theaters April 17, 2026, and it’s already earned an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes after premiering… Read more: Why Pop Culture Figures Are Taking Over Indie Film

By traditional measures, an indie film can do everything right. Hitting budget targets, premiering at a festival, and landing a distribution deal.… Read more: The Indie Film Industry is Designed to Fail

The Spirit Awards just had their biggest shake-up in 40 years. For the first time since 1994, the Film Independent Spirit Awards… Read more: The 2026 Spirit Awards Proved Indie Film Isn’t Going Anywhere

The start of 2026 has marked a historic “international festival run” for the Scottish film industry. Screen Scotland is currently celebrating a… Read more: Scotland’s International Film Takeover: From Sundance to the Berlinale

Independent filmmaking has never been a solo pursuit. In 2026, that reality is even clearer as online communities play a growing role… Read more: Top Online Communities Helping Indie Filmmakers Connect and Create

A new film festival is taking shape in Adelaide, South Australia, and it’s built from the ground up. The Semaphore Summer Film… Read more: Adelaide Launches a New Community-Driven Indie Film Festival

A new pathway into independent filmmaking is opening for teens in the Washington, D.C. area. The DC Independent Film Festival has launched… Read more: DC Independent Film Festival Launches Online Hub for Young Filmmakers

The Sundance Institute has revealed the 54 short films selected for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, and the numbers alone tell a… Read more: Sundance 2026 Short Films Lineup Sets a New Bar for Indie Storytelling