The Great Smartphone Film Opportunity In Your Pocket
In July 2018, I got on a plane and flew to Indianapolis to present a lecture and workshop on smartphone filmmaking and video during the inaugural Indy Shorts International Film Festival.
From the moment I arrived, I was treated like a celebrity by the staff. Jack Lugar was presenting a lecture on screenwriting in the room I would follow with my lecture. When he walked out of the room, he already knew who I was and introduced himself. Little could I have known Jack would become a great colleague over the years.
This year, I invited Jack to be on the panel of judges for the short film competition at the 13th Edition of the International Mobile Film Festival, which took place last April. I’m thankful to Jack because he’s just accepted the invitation to be back for our 14th edition in April 2025. Jack has also been a panelist and jury member for the Heartland International Film Festival and Indy Shorts.
In episode 188 of the SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking, I asked Jack to come as a guest to share his experience as a judge and more about himself and his expertise tips and advice for filmmakers and film students.
Jack is from Indiana but he moved to Los Angeles, California to follow his dream of working for TV and film. He got his first break working for a television studio.
Soon, he was writing and producing for some of the most popular sitcoms of the time. Bumping into celebrities at the studio lot, and earning credits for his work in sitcoms like sitcom Wanda at Large from Warner Bros./FOX. to the Warner Bros. Comedy Workshop and has been recognized by the Disney/ABC Writer’s Program, Slamdance, Scriptapalooza, and the PAGE Awards.
He later decided to go back to his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana with his wife and young children.
Jack Lugar authored the humor book The Starving Artist’s Diet and co-authored Hollywood Break-In: Launch Your Entertainment Career.
He joined the full-time faculty at Anderson in the fall of 2016 and teaches screenwriting, storytelling, cinema studies, directing, and producing for film and television. He’s now working full-time as the cinema and arts professor and runs the film program at Anderson University.
When he’s not teaching and running the film program at the university, Jack is helping film students make their films as an executive producer. He’s also written and directed a feature film, This Train (previously titled Hellcat). Starring Ed Paul Fry, Julia Barnett, Thomas Reger.
Listen to the SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking’s Episode 188 to listen to the entire in-depth discussion with Jack Lugar and host Susy Botello.
In this episode of our podcast, Jack and I discuss our mutual passion for storytelling. We also talk about Steven Soderbergh’s feature film High Flying Bird (2019) shot entirely with iPhone 8.
We also talk about $100k cameras, smartphone cameras, the importance of storytelling in the filmmaking process, apps, AI, screenwriting and more!
Follow Jack Lugar:
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SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking: The Voice of Mobile Film™ is for everyone who ever wanted to or is curious about making movies and videos using smartphones.
Our podcast website: SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking
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International Mobile Film Festival Official Website: http://internationalmobilefilmfestival.com
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