Over the course of NanoWave: The Microbudget Film (r)evolution, we’ll dive into ultra-microbudget filmmaking and the filmmakers who are producing independent films with budgets under $100,000. The six-part series will explore this revolutionary model of storytelling and the artists who get the job done with minimal resources. Through case studies and panel discussions, we will hear directly from filmmakers, key crew members and microbudget champions who are carving their own path within independent film…

To make a film in Los Angeles is no easy feat. To do so for only $7,000? Nearly impossible. In 2025, filmmakers Joe Burke and Oliver Cooper set out to do just that, and the result is Burt, their second feature together. The film, about an aging street musician with Parkinson’s who welcomes a young stranger claiming to be his son, was shot over just seven days, with a backstory just as remarkable and engaging as the characters put to screen.

Join us as Joe and Oliver discuss the making of Burt, and how, while working within the constraints of a microbudget, they successfully completed a film by utilizing a DIY mentality and their own resourcefulness, while staying true to their vision.

A reception will follow the conversation.
 
Moderated by Felix Werner (HieronyVision)
 
About the Moderator
Felix Werner works as an independent media financier, producer, distributor and director. He designed Modern Media Company to have the ability to produce content in a wide variety of styles, formats and budgets, with the goal of shepherding them from development through the distribution and marketing process. His latest venture, HieronyVision, is a new creative ecosystem for independent movies, music and art. It also features a microbudget incubator program to help launch young filmmakers.

Felix’s interest in film goes back to early childhood. He grew up surrounded and inspired by noted European and Hollywood artists. His career began in the Education and Film Departments of the L.A. County Museum of Art. He then gained firsthand knowledge of production through a variety of jobs on studio and independent film sets.
 
 
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Accessibility

Film Independent is committed to hosting events that are accessible. For inquiries regarding accessibility, or to request an accommodation, please contact us at accessibility@filmindependent.org or 323 556 9305.

 
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