Low Budgets, High Stakes: Producing Films for Under $1 Million

Speakers

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  Clay Epstein President, Film Mode Entertainment
  

  Clay Epstein

  President, Film Mode Entertainment

  Clay Epstein has over twenty years of experience as an Entertainment Executive. Since launching his own company in 2016, he is the President and Owner of Film Mode Entertainment, a worldwide sales and distribution entity with a producer friendly initiative. In addition to bringing films to audiences around the globe, Clay executive produces many of the company’s titles. As an Executive Producer, Clay is instrumental in working with filmmakers in the early stages of pre-production to help build the financing, and creative elements to achieve these successes worldwide. To better help producers and directors who may be less experienced, Film Mode has an active consultancy division, offering producers expertise and guidance on financial models, marketing, and distribution strategies. Film Mode represents over 70 independent feature films worldwide, with a client base that spans the globe. Recent successes include BREACH starring Bruce Willis, AS THEY MADE US starring Dustin Hoffman, and Candice Bergan, CRYPTO starring Kurt Russel, LITTLE PINK HOUSE starring Catherine Keener, and MONSTROUS starring Christina Ricci. Prior to launching Film Mode, Clay was SVP Sales & Acquisitions at Arclight Films. He was instrumental in representing high profile films such as Paul Schrader ’s DOG EAT DOG starring Nicolas Cage, and the Spirig brother’s PREDESTINATION starring Ethan Hawke. Earlier in his career, Clay represented prestigious titles such as TSOTSI (2006, Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language,) and THE LAST STATION (2010, Academy Award Nominee for Best Performance by an Actress.) Clay earned a BA in Fine Arts, from California State University, Northridge majoring in Film Production and minoring in Italian Language. Clay holds the elected position of Chairman of Independent Film and Television Alliance, lectures at UCLA Extension and film festivals worldwide. He’s a member of PGA, FIND, BAFTA LA, and the Australian Academy Cinema Television Arts.

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  Daren Smith Producer and Founder, Craftsman Films
  

  Daren Smith

  Producer and Founder, Craftsman Films

  Daren Smith is a producer and the founder of Craftsman Films (craftsmanfilms.co), an independent studio building a new model for financing and releasing values-driven films. He has produced five feature films, four of which have been released in theaters, and self-distributed the last three. His latest, Brotherhood: A Cinematic Musical, opened in theaters in October 2026 after a 16-city screening tour and premieres in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and New York. Daren writes “A Producer’s Path,” a column on independent producing for IndieWire, and is a member of the Producers Guild of America.