Neil Kopp
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Making The Mastermind: A Conversation with Kelly Reichardt Producers Neil Kopp and Anish Savjani
I’ve been working on film sets in New York, and recently Los Angeles, over the past decade, but my personal goal, shared with many friends and colleagues, is to write, direct and produce independent films that are impactful and culturally relevant—and to find financially sustainable ways to do so. Working multiple production jobs (2nd AC, carpenter, truck driver, key PA, line producer) on shorts, TV shows, commercials as well as features—the latter including Michel Franco’s Memory, Olmo Schnabel’s Pet Shop Days, Julian Schnabel’s In the Hand of Dante and Sean Baker’s Anora—I’ve tried to soak up as much knowledge as […]
by Angelo Chammah on Oct 17, 2025 -
Cash Back: How Film Tax Incentives Work
Let’s assume you got into filmmaking because you wanted nothing to do with business school. Well, tough. Movies are the most expensive art form; even ones they call “no-budget” aren’t. You need to learn about business eventually, and in today’s world, even independent filmmakers need to understand terms like “transferable rebates,” “soft money” and “100 percent deductibility.” In fact, there’s one financing term both Hollywood and independent producers must know: “tax credits.” The studio world is continually on the lookout for states offering production rebates that will reduce the cost of their movies and TV shows, while independent producers scout […]
by Matt Prigge on Mar 8, 2018 -
ROTTERDAM PHOTOS AND NOTES
For almost two decades I’ve been traveling to the International Film Festival Rotterdam immediately following Sundance, struggling to keep my jet lag at bay while I attend a few Cinemart meetings, hit the informal but productive Cinemart cocktail hours, and delve into the fest’s always excellent and eclectic program. This year several fellower Sundancers made the trip as well, including sales agent Ryan Kampe, producer Adele Romanski, the IFP’s Amy Dotson, the Sundance Institute’s Anne Lai, and director Terrence Nance, whose An Oversimplification of Her Beauty was programmed here and was one of the Park City’s true discoveries. Above is […]
by Scott Macaulay on Feb 3, 2012
