Meet Mig Windows Oregon Filmmaker forges ahead one Short at a time

Mig Windows is a writer, director, actress, and producer based in Ashland, Oregon. Although a favorite thing for Mig to do is “rally friends together to shoot a no-budget short on weekends”, she has also worked on much larger projects, such as directing and producing music videos for Alice DiMicele and Saint Sebastian.

“I have also acted in several projects in the area and serve on the board of directors for Film Southern Oregon, a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating independent films and visual projects in our region.”, says Mig Windows.

The Official Acting Reel for Mig Windows

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indieactivity: Why did you get into filmmaking and screenwriting?
Mig Windows (MW): My background was originally mostly in Theatre. Growing up, I usually had issues with the plays being done at the school because there was a lack of roles (especially for girls), so I’d write a lot of my own plays and put them on with my friends. Eventually, I majored in Theatre while attending Southern Oregon University. It was there that I made friends with some student filmmakers who needed actors, and I found that I really enjoyed being on set. The first short I made, “Not A Bench,” was an adaptation of a short play I’d written with a good friend of mine, Jimmy.

When he told me that he was terminally ill and that he’d always wanted to make a movie of the short play we’d written, I knew we had to get it done, so I set up a crowdfunding campaign. That campaign raised a little over $2,000, and we made it happen—even though I barely knew what I was doing at the time. I dedicated the film to Jimmy, who passed away in 2015. Our short film won the Audience Choice Award at the student film festival, and the festival—to this day—offers an acting award that’s named after him, every year, because they liked him so much in that movie. After that, I knew I had to keep making movies. It just felt right.

How does an indie filmmaker distribute his/her film’
Mig Windows (MW): Because I had mostly focused on experimental shorts up until this point, up until now I’ve simply put all of my content up on YouTube or Vimeo to be enjoyed for free by any curious soul. (Be sure to check it out below!) That said, as I’ve started to work on bigger projects, distribution is something I’ve been looking into more and more. I’ve had the privilege of acting in and crewing on a few projects in Oregon that have gone on to find distribution, such as “Redwood Highway” and “Besetment.”

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My colleagues on those movies definitely knew what they were doing when it came to marketing those films. They knew who their audience was, they had strong stories, and they did serious networking. I’ve seen people get their projects picked up by dedicated but very small distribution companies, and I’ve also seen people get picked up by Netflix, so anything is possible if you have the right project, the right people, and you just keep trying. (Also, making a socially relevant film, having a recognizable actor or two, and getting a few laurels on your poster probably doesn’t hurt!)

When does an indie filmmaker need to start planning for distribution?
Mig Windows (MW): This might be a controversial answer, and I know not everyone will agree with me, but I would say to just focus on making the film it’s very best, and then once you know what you have, you’ll find the right method to market what you’ve made.

How do I get my film in theatres with such a budget?
Mig Windows (MW): If your budget is zero, the best place you can go is to your local theatre where you can hold a public screening for your community. Alternatively, finding a bar, coffee house, or another location will do, and some people really respond to the more “underground” aspect of screening a local film in an unusual place. You can really get creative with this kind of thing. But that’s probably not the answer you’re looking for. To branch out beyond your community, start looking into some film festivals you can enter. Be really careful here, and don’t just blindly submit to everything. You want to make sure you’re choosing festivals that are aligned with what your movie is.

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How can filmmakers finance their projects?
Mig Windows (MW): Crowdfunding, baby! Especially if you are just starting out, creating a crowdfunding campaign is an excellent way to show people what you’re making and give them an easy way to support it. A few years ago, I helped raise $24,200 on the then-relatively unknown platform Seed & Spark for a feature film I’m a producer and actor on, called “Emma Was Here”. Crowdfunding is a lot of work, and not everybody tells you that. It’s not just about setting up a campaign and then making a few social media posts. Print out some fliers, hold some events, and be prepared to be taking on what is basically a full-time job of shameless self-promotion.

What films have you written?
Mig Windows (MW): Not A Bench (2015), I Never Can (2015), Exposed, (2016), I Never Will (2017), The List (2017), You Were So Good (2017), How To Marry a Vampire (2016)

What films have you made?
Mig Windows (MW): All of the above! I also have several films in post-production or not yet released, including short films “The Diminished,” “I Never Did,” “Two Young Men,” and “Haunted Hauntings,” and the feature film “Emma Was Here” (which I produced). I’m also happy to say that the long-awaited series finale of How to Marry a Vampire (which had to be salvaged from a corrupted hard drive) will also be coming out soon!

Talk to us about your concept of collaboration?
Mig Windows (MW): Collaboration is one of my favorite aspects of filmmaking! Also, it’s a must. Unless you’re recording yourself doing a monologue, you’re going to have to work with at least one other person. What I’ve found really helpful is to try to find people who have the skills I don’t, so that I can learn from them and so that they can help bring something to the project that I couldn’t bring myself.

Mig Windows Directing Reel 2019

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How do you find the process of filmmaking as an indie filmmaker?
Mig Windows (MW): Filmmaking on a totally nonexistent budget can be pretty insane. It includes things like staying up till 4 in the morning, getting very familiar with the taste of stale pizza, sharing lav mics, holding for cars, having actors get together in your editor’s closet full of mattresses to record ADR six months after you shoot, being weirdly familiar with the acoustics and mirror locations of every local business, snapping your fingers to signify new takes because the slate broke, and having to duct tape blankets over the windows of your friend’s aunt’s house (where you’re shooting your nighttime scene at 2 in the afternoon). The bigger your budget is, the fewer of these problems you’ll have, but everything I just recounted has a great story behind it, and if you make enough films, you’ll get really great at all that stuff!

Describe your recent work, or film, take us through pre-production production and post-production. Marketing too.
Mig Windows (MW): I was very, very lucky to have wrapped filming on a short film just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. It’s called “Two Young Men,” and it’s a comedy about a couple of guys who get kidnapped after responding to a sketchy ad on Craigslist. I wrote the script years ago, and it was always one of those projects I was meaning to get around to filming but hadn’t yet. I had spent most of the previous year agonizing over big, complicated projects where there was too much stress and not enough fun, and I really just wanted to get back into the spirit of making a movie.

I collaborated with some creative friends who had the perfect location, we used actors we knew who had a lot of history working together, and we shot it in two weekends! The actors were very funny, and I let them improvise a lot, which helped keep the mood light and fun throughout the shoot. I’ve worked with my producer and DP/editor for the last several months via Zoom calls getting the edit just right. It hasn’t yet been released, but check out my website and follow me on social to stay up-to-speed on its development!

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What are your future goals?
Mig Windows (MW): At some point, I would love to release every film I’ve shot. (Post-production can take years on no-budget films—even short ones—but I sincerely hope it’s worth the wait for those who’ve been anticipating them.) I’m also writing scripts for TV, audio dramas, and the occasional short story. And of course, I would love to make even more films with bigger budgets and fewer set-pieces made out of cardboard. Beyond that, I don’t have set long term plans, other than to keep telling stories as they come along.

What do you think indie filmmakers need in today’s world of filmmaking?
Mig Windows (MW): Patience. A good attitude. A drive for telling stories. A willingness to learn and to take risks. And, of course, friends who have gear and who are willing to take those risks with you! (And if you’re reading this during the pandemic, a mask!)

Briefly write about your career?
Mig Windows (MW): Oh gosh, I feel so underwhelming! My projects so far have all been subterranean levels of “under-the-radar,” but I’m happy with them, and they’ve gone to some fun film festivals. I have not discovered any famous actors yet, but hopefully, some of the actors I’ve worked with will make it big because they definitely deserve some recognition! I have a lot of faith in particular in Aleah Zimmer, who starred in my silly web series “How to Marry A Vampire” and went on to attend grad school in the theatre program of NYU. So many actors I’ve worked with have been so immensely talented. Perhaps they’ll let me ride their coattails, we’ll see!

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Tell us what you think of the interview with Mig Windows What do you think of it? What ideas did you get? Do you have any suggestions? Or did it help you? Let’s have your comments below and/or on Facebook or Instagram! Or join me on Twitter.

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