Episode 93: Characters Using Sign Language, Actually?

It is highly likely that every single person listening to this podcast either is chasing a wild dream or they know someone who is. And if they don't or they're not, they probably know someone who is either in a position of leadership in some capacity, or they themselves are in a position of leadership.This episode is a little different because it comes from a post that was made talking about what it means to be supporting someone who is chasing a dream.We wanted to share Koura's breakdown of the post because it speaks to both the dreamers, and the supporters of those who dream.We hope the supporters can gain some insight into the minds of those carrying a goal on their shoulders, and we hope the goal-carriers can be seen for all they carry!Check it out and let us know your thoughts! If you have any questions or comments for Koura or any of team, please reach out to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you're passionate about creating meaningful films and want to connect with like-minded filmmakers, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/space_dream_productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.For as little as $1.99 a month, you can join our community and stay updated on the latest projects from Koura and the Space Dream team.Make sure to tune in for this and every episode, and we're excited to share more of what we have in store for you on Filmmaking (Actually).Don't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications for future episodes!

What do you need to know if you're going to have a character using a form of sign language in your movie?As someone who uses ASL to communicate at times due to her disabilities, and when collaborating with Deaf writers and actors, Koura has directed, produced, and edited several films that have characters communicating with ASL.How does that change things like pacing, framing, camera angles, cutting, and general editing?Does it matter if you frame and film a movie with ASL or other form of sign language the same way that you film actors who are verbally speaking?Or is there something to not just framing and cutting your films the same old same old because "that's how it's done"?Koura breaks down her experience in this quick episode!Have Questions or Comments? Reach out to Koura and the team at filmmakingactually (at) gmail (dot) com.Join Our Patreon Community: If you're passionate about creating meaningful films and want to connect with like-minded filmmakers, check out our Patreon: patreon.com/space_dream_productions.For as little as $1.99/month, you can join our community and stay updated on the latest projects from Koura and the Space Dream team.Make sure to tune in for this and every episode! We're excited to share more of what we have in store for you on Filmmaking (Actually).Don't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!

Where do you draw the line between confidence and cockiness? How do you stand on your certainty without resting on your laurels and prohibiting further learning and growth?And what does a dinner plate have to do with any of this?Join Koura in this episode where she a little philosophical, and shares how she balances perspectives while gaining decades of experience, but always staying curious, and continuing to learn. Stay humble, friends!If you have any questions or comments for Koura or any of team, please reach out to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you're passionate about creating meaningful films and want to connect with like-minded filmmakers, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/space_dream_productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.For as little as $1.99 a month, you can join our community and stay updated on the latest projects from Koura and the Space Dream team.Make sure to tune in for this and every episode, and we're excited to share more of what we have in store for you on Filmmaking (Actually).Don't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications for future episodes!

How Much Do You Really Need to Know as a Leader?How much do you actually need to know about the work you're doing? Isn't there a point where you can just mentally clock out and let other people worry about it? Should you even care?When you're in a position of leadership or authority, understanding your craft matters deeply. Join Koura as she breaks down:Exactly how much you need to knowWhy deep domain knowledge mattersWho you should surround yourself withHow to stay connected to the actual work being done.Have Questions or Comments? Reach out to Koura and the team at [email protected] Our Patreon Community: If you're passionate about creating meaningful films and want to connect with like-minded filmmakers, check out patreon.com/space_dream_productions. For as little as $1.99/month, you can join our community and stay updated on the latest projects from Koura and the Space Dream team.Make sure to tune in for this and every episode! We're excited to share more of what we have in store for you on Filmmaking (Actually).Don't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!

Are festivals worth it?Well, how do you define "worth it"? What are you looking for or hoping to get from going to a festival?The answer isn't the same for everyone, and not everyone needs to be screened at every festival in order to find success. What do you need?Join Koura in this episode where she breaks down the questions to ask to know which festivals are right for you, and if you should be submitting at all!If you have any questions or comments for Koura or any of team, please reach out to us at ⁠[email protected] you're passionate about creating meaningful films and want to connect with like-minded filmmakers, check out patreon.com/space_dream_productions.For as little as $1.99 a month, you can join our community and stay updated on the latest projects from Koura and the Space Dream team.Make sure to tune in for this and every episode, and we're excited to share more of what we have in store for you on Filmmaking (Actually).Don't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications for future episodes!

"Why does it matter where I work?? Just worry about if I'm doing my job."That totally makes sense, and you'd think that is how it goes, but sadly, it is not.While this might be something more affecting business owners, it can affect filmmakers too if you're hiring people across state or country lines. What difference does it make where you live and work? Join Koura in this episode where she shares her experience (not legal advice), and goes over why your manager might care, or why you should care when you're hiring someone who doesn't live in the same state as you, or who might be moving, or living and working somewhere that doesn't match their address.If you have any questions or comments for Koura or any of team, please reach out to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you're passionate about creating meaningful films and want to connect with like-minded filmmakers, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/space_dream_productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.For as little as $1.99 a month, you can join our community and stay updated on the latest projects from Koura and the Space Dream team.Make sure to tune in for this and every episode, and we're excited to share more of what we have in store for you on Filmmaking (Actually).Don't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications for future episodes!

There are a LOT of piles of information about budgets and breakdowns and looking at genre and page count and potential minimum guarantees and bank-ability of stars and so many check box systems when it comes to putting the budget for a film together.But what does your budget actually need to cover? And can you make a film that is actually "$0"? Why or why not?How can the different departments creative and organizational choices affect the final budget (beyond just the wanting a big money shot or not having one)?Join Koura as she goes over things to keep in mind when budgeting, how to budget, how to value the work and the things done to help make the film happen, and gave some creative perspectives for different story elements.You can follow along with the slides on our Patreon (accessible to everyone on a "free" membership tier, or if you'd like to join at a paid tier the support helps us do things like our podcast which is not monetized and is available for free as well!): https://www.patreon.com/space_dream_productions/posts/how-to-actually-163748037?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link)If you have any questions or comments for Koura or any of team, please reach out to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.And as we noted above, if you're passionate about creating meaningful films and want to connect with like-minded filmmakers, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/space_dream_productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.For as little as $1.99 a month, you can join our community and stay updated on the latest projects from Koura and the Space Dream team.Make sure to tune in for this and every episode, and we're excited to share more of what we have in store for you on Filmmaking (Actually). And don't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications for future episodes!

Working in film, it is always a rush when someone says they want to give you funding for a project.But when can that first money in actually hurt the rest of your fundraising efforts?Depending on your project set up, and your business plan for your film, it isn't always good news that someone is running to write you a check, especially if they've barely talked to you about the project.What are some immediate red flags to look out for when someone is coming to you ready to write a check with very little other context? Join Koura in this episode where she dives into some things to watch out for when talking to investors who are jumping to invest in your film - because the goal is to fund the whole film, not get stuck at the starting line! If you have any questions or comments for Koura or any of team, please reach out to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you're passionate about creating meaningful films and want to connect with like-minded filmmakers, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/space_dream_productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.For as little as $1.99 a month, you can join our community and stay updated on the latest projects from Koura and the Space Dream team.Make sure to tune in for this and every episode, and we're excited to share more of what we have in store for you on Filmmaking (Actually).Don't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications for future episodes!

One of the biggest differences between an awesome set that is fun to be on, and one that is an episode of high school drama, is the way people deal with issues and with gossip.This goes for most places of work, but the real question is, what do you do about it, and what is the best way to deal with actual problematic situations that you see happening on set (or on any type of project)?Join Koura in this episode "from the vault" (originally written in July 2025 - we're catching up!) where she dives into the really hard conversation around the all-to-typical tea spillage of an overly-drama-filled film set. If you have any questions or comments for Koura or any of team, please reach out to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you're passionate about creating meaningful films and want to connect with like-minded filmmakers, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/space_dream_productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.For as little as $1.99 a month, you can join our community and stay updated on the latest projects from Koura and the Space Dream team.Make sure to tune in for this and every episode, and we're excited to share more of what we have in store for you on Filmmaking (Actually).Don't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications for future episodes!

What happens when Koura and Spacey go in to cast a play out of talent they've never met before?What can actors keep in mind from what they found?And what can Casting Directors keep in mind from what they found...??Join Koura in this episode where she shares what happened when auditions were done with no concept of local popularity, and it wasn't just what you'd expect! If you have any questions or comments for Koura or any of team, please reach out to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you're passionate about creating meaningful films and want to connect with like-minded filmmakers, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/space_dream_productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.For as little as $1.99 a month, you can join our community and stay updated on the latest projects from Koura and the Space Dream team.Make sure to tune in for this and every episode, and we're excited to share more of what we have in store for you on Filmmaking (Actually).Don't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications for future episodes!