Our Short Film Made $441 Opening Night — Here’s Why That’s a Win
Filmmaker in the Trenches
Make Your Damn Film.
The Premiere
On December 7th, 2025, we premiered I Got a Dead Chick in My Trunk in Atlanta.
We booked a 150-seat movie theater. Red carpet. Full-size posters. Rope stanchions. Free snacks. We promoted on our website and social media for weeks.
The lobby of our screening with our three custom movie posters
And after spending thousands of dollars making the short film and hundreds more on the venue…
a wild idea between two friends FINALLY hit the big screen.
And we walked out with:
$441 in ticket sales.
Some people might see that number and laugh.
Talk about a kick in the balls.
But here’s why $441 is a win — a real one — and why it marks the beginning of the run, not the end.
This blog isn’t about ego.
It’s about documenting the process — the wins, the losses, the money, the mistakes — so other filmmakers can learn.
Why $441 Matters More Than It Looks
1. The premiere wasn’t the finish line — it was proof of concept.
People showed up.
They paid.
They reacted.
They laughed at the right places.
They got quiet at the right moments.
They leaned in.
The film works.
The audience told us that before festival programmers ever will.
This is HUGE.
2. Every TICKET represents a person we moved.
Forget the money.
A 30-minute action dark comedy shot for $30K doesn’t get “paid back” on opening night.
That’s not the point.
The point is: this is step one.
We had 30+ people spend their money to watch an indie film.
That’s our core audience.
And now 30+ people will tell others how GOOD the movie is.
That’s how momentum starts.
Our job now is simple:
Turn 30 → 60.
60 → 120.
120 → a movement.
Where We’re Headed Next: Film Festivals
We aren’t blindly submitting.
We’re being intentional — focusing on festivals that help us make connections, build credibility, and move us closer to our feature film.
Actor / Industry Heavy (highest value)
HollyShorts
Urbanworld
ABFF
Palm Springs ShortFest
PAFF
Fantastic Fest
Fantasia
Slamdance
Home Base & Regional Power
Atlanta Film Festival
BronzeLens
Sidewalk
Rome International Film Festival (GA)
Macon Film Festival
Action on Film (Las Vegas)
Genre Power
FilmQuest
Austin After Dark
Brooklyn Horror Film Festival
Cucalorus
These festivals put us in rooms with actors, managers, distributors, and filmmakers who can change our trajectory.
We’re targeting January–August 2026 for submissions.
What We Still Need to Raise
$441 was a win, but not a financial one.
To run the festival circuit the right way — and build toward our feature — here’s where we stand:
Festival Submission Budget
Goal: $1,200
Travel to 4–5 Key Festivals
Goal: $1,500–$2,200
(Flights + 2–3 nights each trip)
Marketing Assets
Posters, postcards, new trailer cut
Goal: $500–$750
Finishing Funds
Color tweaks, final VFX shots
Goal: $1,500
Total Needed
👉 $4,700–$5,600 to run the festival circuit correctly.
We’ll update these numbers publicly as they change.
Why I’m Sharing All This
Maybe it’s me… but am I the only one in the trenches?
No giant following.
No crowdfunding army.
No brand partners.
I have a day job.
I’m not an influencer.
I’m not even a full-time videographer.
I do this when I can, how I can.
Is it just me?
I don’t think so.
So I’m not going to hide budgets.
I’m not going to hide failures.
I’m not going to just post the wins.
That doesn’t help anybody.
If you’ve ever wondered:
How do I make my film?
How do I premiere it?
What does it cost?
How do I get into festivals?
How do I build toward a feature?
I want this blog to be the answer.
Dead Chick is the example.
But the mission is bigger:
