The Origin Story At 21, Cooper Raiff wasn’t waiting for permission. During spring break at Occidental College, he grabbed a borrowed camera, two friends, and made a scrappy 50-minute film called Madeline & Cooper. He had no lighting kit, no crew, and no plan beyond making something real. Instead of hiding it, he uploaded the rough cut to YouTube and dared Jay Duplass (yes, that Jay Duplass) on Twitter: “Bet you won’t click this link.” Jay clicked. Jay watched. Jay responded. That moment wasn’t luck—it was proof of concept. Raiff had something tangible that a seasoned filmmaker could recognize. Leveling Up: Shithouse (2020) With Duplass’s mentorship, Raiff turned the short into a feature. He dropped out of college, raised about $15,000 through friends, family, and a Duplass-boosted Kickstarter, and shot guerrilla-style in LA. He did everything—writing, directing, acting, even editing. The result? Shithouse won SXSW’s Grand Jury Prize. IFC Films picked it up. A dorm-room project became an indie film that proved he could finish a feature. Going Big: Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022) The festival win gave him credibility. His next film, Cha Cha Real Smooth, had Dakota Johnson attached as producer and co-star, plus backing from Picturestart and Endeavor Content. Budget: multi-million dollar indie (huge jump from $15k). Festival: Sundance Audience Award. Deal: Apple TV+ bought it for $15 million. That leap wasn’t just about talent—it was the power of proof. Because he had already made a feature, bigger players felt safe betting on him. Today: Beyond Features Raiff’s TV series Hal & Harper premiered at Sundance 2025 with Mark Ruffalo and Lili Reinhart. MUBI picked it up. He also launched his own production company, Small Ideas, to keep creative control. Even after a shelved project (The Trashers, too expensive to finance), he keeps momentum alive because he has proof of execution behind him. Tactical Strategy: How You Can Apply This 1. Start Small, But Start NowRaiff didn’t wait for money, agents, or a studio. He made something scrappy and honest. Your first project doesn’t need a budget—it needs completion.

The Investorless Feature Film Course is Live Inside the Community Alright, filmmakers — this is the big one. The full Investorless Feature Film course (aka The Indie Film Flywheel) is now live in the Classroom tab. If you’ve been serious about making your first feature — without waiting for permission, investors, or “someday” — this is the step-by-step roadmap you’ve been looking for. Why you should take it (right now): 🎯 Clarity: Learn the only replicable career strategy that works for actors, writers, and directors — making a small, personal feature with the resources you already have. 🔥 Speed: Cut years of trial-and-error and get from idea → finished film faster than you thought possible. 📈 Momentum: Build a career flywheel where every film fuels the next — bigger audience, better collaborators, and more opportunities each time. 🚫 No Fundraising Required: Avoid the endless investor hunt. This approach is designed to keep you creating now, not waiting. 🤝 Collaboration: Learn how to attract the right collaborators without begging or chasing — and why the right people will want to work with you. 💡 Proven Examples: See how filmmakers like Greta Gerwig, Christopher Nolan, Robert Rodriguez, and Sean Baker used this exact principle to break into the industry. Plus, there’s a $500 reward if you finish in 5 days. This isn’t just a gimmick. I want to keep this community lean and full of action-takers. If you finish on time, you’ll unlock a filmmaking tool I’ve only shared with my private clients. This course is $1, but will be sold online for $47. Just to find filmmakers that are serious. 👉 Go to the Classroom tab now and click “Investorless Feature Film” to begin. Let’s get that first film in the can. – AJ Rome

1. Stop Relying on the “Lottery System” - Screenplay competitions, agents, and cold submissions are almost never a reliable path in. - Even major comp winners often don’t get produced or staffed. - Many competitions are shutting down (Coverfly/Screencraft consolidations, Stage 32 issues) because there’s no consistent pipeline from “script” to “produced.” - Most successful writers produce their own work first, build proof of execution, and ladder up. 2. Make Your First Film Small – and Actually Finish It - Avoid paying everyone on your first project just to “look professional.” - First-timers often blow $50K–$200K on films that never launch careers. - Learn the process end-to-end before raising serious money. - The only four essentials: Picture (camera), Sound (dialogue recording), Story, Performance. - Everything else is “fluff” you can earn later. - A finished, compelling feature – even ultra-low budget – is your proof for the next raise. 3. Leverage What You Already Have - Build projects around available locations, collaborators, and gear. - Examples from the call: $1,000 SAG feature in 4 locations; $1,600–$2,000 feature in progress; Sean Baker shot Tangerine on iPhones with selfie sticks. 4. Building Traction with Existing IP (Books, Stories, Novels) - Skip AI “movie” versions if your goal is live-action. - Build a fan base for the book through targeted podcast appearances. - Use a “podcast lead list scraper” to find relevant shows and pitch yourself. - Direct all listeners to your book (Amazon link). - Drive downloads, purchases, and reviews to create leverage for film conversations. - Producers buy fan bases and proof more than raw ideas. 5. Vetting People Before You Work with Them - Use IMDb Pro: check StarMeter, review credits, see who reps them. - Red flag: direct contact info with no gatekeeper can mean low demand. - Cross-reference reputations before committing.

Glad to be here! Thanks for this community @Aj Rome ! I’d like to create a one-hour TV Series. I have a film background and I did watch all of the Proof Project videos. While I’ve created shorts before, I do understand the need for a feature as the proof project. I’m curious, however… If my goal is to primarily do TV Series and not film, is it feasible to do a one hour pilot for a series? Or is a feature still recommended? T.I.A.!