Life is busy – you’re saying goodbye to tech CEOs and other tech CEOs and studio honchos who wanted to be tech CEOs. It can be tough to stay up-to-date on all film industry news, profiles, analysis, and advice. That’s why we’ve curated some essential reads you may have missed over the past month. So take some time to catch up with this month’s good reads!
This Month’s Good Reads (April 2026)
To Access Stranded Capital, Filmmakers Need to Learn Demand-Side Thinking (via Daren Smith for IndieWire)
How to ask for money to make your movie.
We Tried Quilty, the AI Tool That Analyzes Scripts. The Results Were Shocking (via Roger Cheng for The Wrap)
What does a robot script-reader think of the Sinners, Barbie, and Die Hard screenplays?
Nine Lessons from Almost 100 Film Distribution Case Studies (via Stephen Follows)
Using stats to improve your film’s release.
How VC Money and Israel Outrage Derailed a Hot Hollywood Startup (via Ben Fritz and Kate Clark for The Wall Street Journal)
Mubi’s rocky year, from a $1 billion valuation to layoffs and subscription dropoff.
Tax Incentive Showdown: Where the Money Is State-by-State (via Ashley Cullins for The Ankler)
How tax incentives compare in California, New York, Georgia, New Jersey, and other production-friendly states.
How Do You Make a Medieval Film on a Shoestring Budget? (via Paul McAdory for The New York Times)
Caroline Golum brought the 14th Century to a Queens warehouse for Revelations of Divine Love.
This Public High School Built a Film Program from Scratch. Now It’s a Global Force (via Alex Rollins Berg for Underexposed)
Meet the Professional Performing Arts School.
The Blacklist is Back, Baby: Paramount’s Retributions Should Worry the Industry (via Monica Castillo for The A.V. Club)
As #BlockTheMerger gains steam (and 1,400 signatures), are press outlets being punished?
As Production Dwindles, L.A. to Offer Cheaper Film Permits for ‘Low-Impact’ Shoots (via Samantha Masunaga for Los Angeles Times)
FilmLA’s new “Low Impact Permit Pilot Program” allows certain low-budget films to skip fees and inspections.
This Bay Area Film Publicist Isn’t a Household Name — By Design. Now She’s Stepping Back After 40 Years (via G. Allen Johnson for San Francisco Chronicle)
Reflections on the career of Karen Larsen, PR rep for early Steven Soderbergh, Glenn Close, and more.
What I Learned From Dean Tavoularis, the Legendary Production Designer of New Hollywood (via Jordan Mintzer for The Hollywood Reporter)
Lessons from the late production designer of Bonnie and Clyde, The Godfather, and Apocalypse Now.
In case you were ignoring us (aka blatant self-promotion)
Stowe Story Labs’ SAGindie Fellowship
Congrats to our 2026 fellows Christine Hoang (Narrative Lab) and Aaron C. Wong (Producers’ Lab)!
Filmmaker Interview: Cole Webley, director of Omaha
We talked with the director of the award-winning road trip drama.
Videos worth watching
Lessons on four-walling a movie theater (via Standard Story Company)
How ’bout you? Read anything good this month?
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If you’re an independent filmmaker or know of an independent film-related topic we should write about, email blogadmin@sagindie.org for consideration.
