Morten Forland
@mortenforland.bsky.social
Film and TV Director | I help indie directors level up their craft with my weekly newsletter where I share actionable ideas and systems | 15+ years industry experience | DM me for ghostwriting questions 👻
🎬 Directors: How do you practice leadership before you’re given the chance to lead at scale?
October 3, 2025 at 2:57 PM
🎬 Directors: How do you practice leadership before you’re given the chance to lead at scale?
As an indie filmmaker, you’re used to flying a paper airplane.
The skills don’t transfer 1:1.
You need to evolve from hands-on maker to high-level leader.
From doing the thing to directing the people who do the thing.
The skills don’t transfer 1:1.
You need to evolve from hands-on maker to high-level leader.
From doing the thing to directing the people who do the thing.
October 3, 2025 at 2:57 PM
As an indie filmmaker, you’re used to flying a paper airplane.
The skills don’t transfer 1:1.
You need to evolve from hands-on maker to high-level leader.
From doing the thing to directing the people who do the thing.
The skills don’t transfer 1:1.
You need to evolve from hands-on maker to high-level leader.
From doing the thing to directing the people who do the thing.
We weren’t even doing the effects—just managing them.
There were meetings, spreadsheets, status updates, QC checks, delivery schedules. It felt like I was in a startup, not on a creative project.
It made me think: directing a studio film must feel like piloting a 747.
There were meetings, spreadsheets, status updates, QC checks, delivery schedules. It felt like I was in a startup, not on a creative project.
It made me think: directing a studio film must feel like piloting a 747.
October 3, 2025 at 2:57 PM
We weren’t even doing the effects—just managing them.
There were meetings, spreadsheets, status updates, QC checks, delivery schedules. It felt like I was in a startup, not on a creative project.
It made me think: directing a studio film must feel like piloting a 747.
There were meetings, spreadsheets, status updates, QC checks, delivery schedules. It felt like I was in a startup, not on a creative project.
It made me think: directing a studio film must feel like piloting a 747.
Step 3 - Combine Character POV with Your Own:
• Your unique experiences as a director shape the film’s POV.
• This creates a richer, more compelling story.
It took me a decade, but now I know: mastering POV is the secret to confident, precise directing.
• Your unique experiences as a director shape the film’s POV.
• This creates a richer, more compelling story.
It took me a decade, but now I know: mastering POV is the secret to confident, precise directing.
October 2, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Step 3 - Combine Character POV with Your Own:
• Your unique experiences as a director shape the film’s POV.
• This creates a richer, more compelling story.
It took me a decade, but now I know: mastering POV is the secret to confident, precise directing.
• Your unique experiences as a director shape the film’s POV.
• This creates a richer, more compelling story.
It took me a decade, but now I know: mastering POV is the secret to confident, precise directing.
Step 2 - POV Guides Your Directing:
• POV helps you decide on shots, blocking, and pacing.
• When you’re directing with a specific POV in mind, you save time and effort, and can focus on the pieces you actually need.
• POV helps you decide on shots, blocking, and pacing.
• When you’re directing with a specific POV in mind, you save time and effort, and can focus on the pieces you actually need.
October 2, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Step 2 - POV Guides Your Directing:
• POV helps you decide on shots, blocking, and pacing.
• When you’re directing with a specific POV in mind, you save time and effort, and can focus on the pieces you actually need.
• POV helps you decide on shots, blocking, and pacing.
• When you’re directing with a specific POV in mind, you save time and effort, and can focus on the pieces you actually need.
Step 1 - Focus on Specificity:
• Know your protagonist like you know your best friends.
• Specificity makes your characters more relatable to the audience.
• Know your protagonist like you know your best friends.
• Specificity makes your characters more relatable to the audience.
October 2, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Step 1 - Focus on Specificity:
• Know your protagonist like you know your best friends.
• Specificity makes your characters more relatable to the audience.
• Know your protagonist like you know your best friends.
• Specificity makes your characters more relatable to the audience.
YouTube gives you access, but you need a strategy.
Would you trade creative freedom for reach—or would you rather keep control, even if fewer people watch?
Would you trade creative freedom for reach—or would you rather keep control, even if fewer people watch?
September 26, 2025 at 4:17 PM
YouTube gives you access, but you need a strategy.
Would you trade creative freedom for reach—or would you rather keep control, even if fewer people watch?
Would you trade creative freedom for reach—or would you rather keep control, even if fewer people watch?
• Market your film yourself
• Build the audience
• Maintain engagement
• Understand how the algorithm works
We released 'Wild Boys' through Indie Rights' YouTube channel. While we benefitted from their subscriber base, we still had to do our own promotion.
Lesson:
• Build the audience
• Maintain engagement
• Understand how the algorithm works
We released 'Wild Boys' through Indie Rights' YouTube channel. While we benefitted from their subscriber base, we still had to do our own promotion.
Lesson:
September 26, 2025 at 4:17 PM
• Market your film yourself
• Build the audience
• Maintain engagement
• Understand how the algorithm works
We released 'Wild Boys' through Indie Rights' YouTube channel. While we benefitted from their subscriber base, we still had to do our own promotion.
Lesson:
• Build the audience
• Maintain engagement
• Understand how the algorithm works
We released 'Wild Boys' through Indie Rights' YouTube channel. While we benefitted from their subscriber base, we still had to do our own promotion.
Lesson:
If you don’t know where to start, ask fellow filmmakers for referrals. A great entertainment lawyer is an investment in your film’s future.
What’s the best legal advice you’ve ever received in filmmaking? Let’s talk.
What’s the best legal advice you’ve ever received in filmmaking? Let’s talk.
September 15, 2025 at 3:01 PM
If you don’t know where to start, ask fellow filmmakers for referrals. A great entertainment lawyer is an investment in your film’s future.
What’s the best legal advice you’ve ever received in filmmaking? Let’s talk.
What’s the best legal advice you’ve ever received in filmmaking? Let’s talk.
Distributors have their lawyers. Do you have yours?
Even if you’re making a micro-budget film, getting legal guidance early will save you money later.
Even if you’re making a micro-budget film, getting legal guidance early will save you money later.
September 15, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Distributors have their lawyers. Do you have yours?
Even if you’re making a micro-budget film, getting legal guidance early will save you money later.
Even if you’re making a micro-budget film, getting legal guidance early will save you money later.
A good lawyer can:
✔️ Make sure your contracts hold up legally.
✔️ Help you draft fair agreements for cast and crew.
✔️ Ensure you own the rights to your own film.
✔️ Prevent distribution nightmares before they happen.
Here’s a reality check:
✔️ Make sure your contracts hold up legally.
✔️ Help you draft fair agreements for cast and crew.
✔️ Ensure you own the rights to your own film.
✔️ Prevent distribution nightmares before they happen.
Here’s a reality check:
September 15, 2025 at 3:01 PM
A good lawyer can:
✔️ Make sure your contracts hold up legally.
✔️ Help you draft fair agreements for cast and crew.
✔️ Ensure you own the rights to your own film.
✔️ Prevent distribution nightmares before they happen.
Here’s a reality check:
✔️ Make sure your contracts hold up legally.
✔️ Help you draft fair agreements for cast and crew.
✔️ Ensure you own the rights to your own film.
✔️ Prevent distribution nightmares before they happen.
Here’s a reality check:
Filmmaking isn’t just about making movies.
It’s about understanding movies.
The more you study, the sharper your instincts will become.
It’s about understanding movies.
The more you study, the sharper your instincts will become.
September 12, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Filmmaking isn’t just about making movies.
It’s about understanding movies.
The more you study, the sharper your instincts will become.
It’s about understanding movies.
The more you study, the sharper your instincts will become.
• Rewatch key scenes. Break down the choices the director made. How did they use composition? Pacing? Lighting? Performance?
• Mimic and analyze. Try recreating shots with your phone. See how the choices feel when you shoot them yourself.
• Mimic and analyze. Try recreating shots with your phone. See how the choices feel when you shoot them yourself.
September 12, 2025 at 2:59 PM
• Rewatch key scenes. Break down the choices the director made. How did they use composition? Pacing? Lighting? Performance?
• Mimic and analyze. Try recreating shots with your phone. See how the choices feel when you shoot them yourself.
• Mimic and analyze. Try recreating shots with your phone. See how the choices feel when you shoot them yourself.
• Watch with intention. Pick a specific thing to focus on; blocking, editing, sound design, whatever tickles your fancy.
• Take notes. Write down what works, what doesn’t, and why.
• Take notes. Write down what works, what doesn’t, and why.
September 12, 2025 at 2:59 PM
• Watch with intention. Pick a specific thing to focus on; blocking, editing, sound design, whatever tickles your fancy.
• Take notes. Write down what works, what doesn’t, and why.
• Take notes. Write down what works, what doesn’t, and why.
• Create content during production that speaks to them.
• Build a community before the premiere.
The work is the same: it’s storytelling.
But now the story is about why your film matters and who should see it.
Filmmakers: How early do you think about your audience?
• Build a community before the premiere.
The work is the same: it’s storytelling.
But now the story is about why your film matters and who should see it.
Filmmakers: How early do you think about your audience?
September 11, 2025 at 2:58 PM
• Create content during production that speaks to them.
• Build a community before the premiere.
The work is the same: it’s storytelling.
But now the story is about why your film matters and who should see it.
Filmmakers: How early do you think about your audience?
• Build a community before the premiere.
The work is the same: it’s storytelling.
But now the story is about why your film matters and who should see it.
Filmmakers: How early do you think about your audience?
Marketing starts long before the film is done.
It starts with a question:
Who am I making this for?
If your answer is “everyone,” you’ve already lost.
Here’s what I do now:
• Define the audience while writing the script.
It starts with a question:
Who am I making this for?
If your answer is “everyone,” you’ve already lost.
Here’s what I do now:
• Define the audience while writing the script.
September 11, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Marketing starts long before the film is done.
It starts with a question:
Who am I making this for?
If your answer is “everyone,” you’ve already lost.
Here’s what I do now:
• Define the audience while writing the script.
It starts with a question:
Who am I making this for?
If your answer is “everyone,” you’ve already lost.
Here’s what I do now:
• Define the audience while writing the script.
We finished the film and realized… no one was waiting for it.
Not buyers.
Not streamers.
Not an audience.
We had spent everything to get it in the can, and forgot to ask the most important question:
Who is this film actually for?
Not buyers.
Not streamers.
Not an audience.
We had spent everything to get it in the can, and forgot to ask the most important question:
Who is this film actually for?
September 11, 2025 at 2:58 PM
We finished the film and realized… no one was waiting for it.
Not buyers.
Not streamers.
Not an audience.
We had spent everything to get it in the can, and forgot to ask the most important question:
Who is this film actually for?
Not buyers.
Not streamers.
Not an audience.
We had spent everything to get it in the can, and forgot to ask the most important question:
Who is this film actually for?
What’s ONE tiny action you could take this week to practice your craft — even if it scares you?
Tell me below.
Let’s keep each other accountable.
Tell me below.
Let’s keep each other accountable.
September 10, 2025 at 2:57 PM
What’s ONE tiny action you could take this week to practice your craft — even if it scares you?
Tell me below.
Let’s keep each other accountable.
Tell me below.
Let’s keep each other accountable.
And if you’re worried about judgment?
Remember: the people doing bigger things than you are too busy working on their dreams to laugh at you.
The only critics you’ll hear are the ones stuck on the sidelines.
Remember: the people doing bigger things than you are too busy working on their dreams to laugh at you.
The only critics you’ll hear are the ones stuck on the sidelines.
September 10, 2025 at 2:57 PM
And if you’re worried about judgment?
Remember: the people doing bigger things than you are too busy working on their dreams to laugh at you.
The only critics you’ll hear are the ones stuck on the sidelines.
Remember: the people doing bigger things than you are too busy working on their dreams to laugh at you.
The only critics you’ll hear are the ones stuck on the sidelines.