We Make Movies

What We Make Movies does

We Make Movies (legal entity: We Make Movies, Inc., incorporated in California) is a private film production company and creator community founded in 2009 and headquartered in Los Angeles. It operates a hybrid model combining a membership-based community with a la carte professional production services. The company runs weekly workshops (Writers Lab, Performance Lab, Rough Cut Lab), monthly Lab Mixtape events, and the annual WMM International Film Festival in Hollywood, which screens 250+ films and draws roughly 1,800 attendees. It supports more than 300 projects annually through production management covering insurance, permitting, payroll, rentals, and contract coordination, and has produced over 25 feature films and 300+ short films since inception.

The company monetizes through tiered subscriptions (Free, Silver $100/year, Gold $200/year) that confer progressive discounts on its service catalog, which spans more than 25 offerings including script coverage, pitch consulting, storyboarding, crowdfunding coaching, EPKs, demo reels, audition coaching, color correction, sound design, DCP creation, music supervision, post-production coordination, and SAG-AFTRA contract navigation. A separate WMM Creative Services division supplies branded content, micro-documentaries, and social media assets to enterprise clients. Education is delivered through an on-demand library of courses on mobile filmmaking, editing (FCPX, Lumafusion), audio, and screenwriting, plus the Smartphone Studio workshop sub-brand. The technology stack is non-proprietary, built on a Kajabi commerce layer and Zoom for virtual events.

Primary customer segments are independent filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, and directors seeking affordable production support outside the traditional Hollywood infrastructure; secondary segments include content creators/YouTubers and brands/organizations. Geographic presence spans Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Orlando, and London, with virtual access globally. The company is founder-led by Sam Mestman (Founder & CEO), with Eric Michael Kochmer serving as VP of Content.

Name

We Make Movies

Legal name

We Make Movies, Inc.

Website

https://wemakemovies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

We Make Movies is a Los Angeles-based film production company and creator community that provides membership-subsidized production services, weekly workshops, and an annual film festival to independent filmmakers, actors, writers, and directors globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Production Companies (Live-Action) (MPAAAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scripted Feature Film Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAA), Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio) (BPAFAAAF), Video/Film Creative Agencies (Concept-to-Creative) (MPAAAAAG), Performance Creative & Ad Content Production (for Paid Media) (MPAAACAG), Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams) (BPAFAIAJ)

Keywords

• Independent film production
• Film community workshops
• Film festival services
• Post-production services
• Production management

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Recurring membership revenue from Silver ($100/year) and Gold ($200/year) tiers offering discounts on production services, free event access, film festival submissions, and educational content library access.
2. Production Services: A la carte production services including production management, insurance, permitting, payroll coordination, color correction, sound design, DCP creation, marketing materials (EPKs, one-sheets), demo reel creation, voice over coaching, audition coaching, script services, storyboarding, crowdfunding coaching, and contract coordination. Revenue is per-project or per-service.
3. Educational Content and Courses: Free access to basic courses and events, with premium educational content available to Silver and Gold members through an on-demand library of filmmaking classes.
4. Film Festival: WMM International Film Festival generates revenue through submissions and ticket sales, with Silver members receiving 1 free submission and Gold members receiving 2 free submissions annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

We Make Movies is a membership-based film production company and creative community founded in 2009 that provides end-to-end production, post-production, and creative services to independent filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, and content creators. The platform offers tiered memberships (Free, Silver at $10/month, Gold at $20/month), weekly workshops, professional labs (Writers Lab, Performance Lab, Rough Cut Lab, LA Lab Mixtape), coaching services, and an annual international film festival. It also operates WMM Creative Services, a subsidiary producing branded video content for corporate clients such as Apple, OWC, LumaTouch, Saramonic, and Apogee.

Product overview

We Make Movies is a filmmaking community and full-service production studio that offers a comprehensive suite of filmmaking services organized around three core pillars: community education (labs, workshops, film festival), production services (from pre-production through distribution), and membership programs. The platform combines free community access with tiered Silver and Gold memberships offering discounts on services and educational content. Key services include Production Management, Post-Production (color, sound, DCP), Marketing & Distribution, Script Services, and the flagship Smartphone Studio workshops. The organization hosts weekly events including Writers Lab, Performance Lab, and Rough Cut Lab, culminating in the annual WMM International Film Festival.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Smartphone Studio: Mobile film workshops teaching smartphone videography, editing, and audio recording techniques
• WMM International Film Festival
• WMM Creative Services

Products and services

• Production Management & Coordination End-to-end coordination of film productions for independent filmmakers, including scheduling, paperwork, and on-set management.
• Pitch Deck Consultation & Creation Consulting and creation services for filmmaker pitch decks used to secure financing, distribution, or festival selection.
• Color Correction & Grading Post-production color correction and grading services for independent film and video projects.
• Sound Design & Mix Audio post-production services including sound design and final mix for film and video projects.
• DCP Creation Digital Cinema Package (DCP) creation for theatrical and festival screening delivery.
• Demo Reel Creation Professional demo reel creation services for actors and on-camera talent.
• Electronic Press Kit (EPK) Creation Production of electronic press kits to support film marketing, distribution, and publicity efforts.
• Marketing Strategy & Campaigns Marketing strategy and campaign development services for independent film releases.
• Music Supervision Music supervision services including song selection, licensing support, and score coordination for film projects.
• Voice Over Coaching & Demo Creation Voice-over coaching and voice demo reel creation services for voice actors.
• Audition & Self Tape Coaching Coaching services to help actors prepare for auditions and self-tape submissions.
• Production Scheduling Production scheduling services to plan shoots, call times, and crew logistics for independent film productions.
• Script Coverage & Consulting Professional script coverage and consulting on loglines, treatments, and pitches for screenwriters.
• Custom Script Creation Custom script writing and development services for clients needing original screenplay content.
• Crowdfunding Coaching Coaching for filmmakers running crowdfunding campaigns to finance independent film projects.
• Line Budgeting Line budgeting services to build and manage production budgets for independent film projects.
• Storyboarding Storyboarding services using FrameForge Storyboard Studio to pre-visualize scenes for film productions.
• Contract & Paperwork Coordination Coordination of contracts, releases, and production paperwork for independent film projects.
• COVID Compliance Officers Provision of COVID-19 compliance officers for on-set health and safety management during film productions.
• Writers Lab Structured workshop program for screenwriters to develop scripts, get feedback, and improve craft.
• Performance Lab Workshop program for actors and performers focused on audition technique, self-tape, and on-camera performance.
• Rough Cut Lab Workshop program in which filmmakers screen rough cuts and receive feedback to refine their edits.
• LA Lab Mixtape Los Angeles-based workshop series combining performance, writing, and filmmaking activities for the community.
• WMM International Film Festival Annual international film festival run by We Make Movies, providing filmmakers with a paid submission and screening showcase opportunity.
• Smartphone Studio Production program leveraging smartphone filmmaking tools (e.g., LumaFusion) to enable low-budget independent production.
• Make Your Feature Competition Feature film competition program through which filmmakers compete to develop and produce independent features.
• WMM Creative Services B2B subsidiary offering branded video and creative content production for corporate clients, including Apple, OWC, LumaTouch, Saramonic, and Apogee.

Quantifiable outcome

• WMM helps produce over 300 projects each year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ISAConnectminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021WMM partnered with ISAConnect (International Screenwriters Association) for the Make Your Feature Competition. Winners received 12-month ISAConnect memberships and 9 finalists each received 6-month memberships. ISAConnect provides networking with industry professionals and project submission opportunities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• StudioBinder: Production management software for scheduling, call sheets, and breakdowns—an adjacent, enabling tool that overlaps with WMM's production coordination services.

Emerging players

• Coverfly: Screenwriting coverage, competitions, and industry discovery platform—comparable to WMM's script coverage, Writers Lab, and Make Your Feature Competition offerings.
• No Film School: Leading online education publication for indie filmmakers offering tutorials, reviews, and courses that compete with WMM's educational library and workshops.
• Indie Film Hustle: Filmmaker education platform with paid courses and masterclasses from working professionals, directly comparable to WMM's paid educational content and workshop offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Backstage: Established marketplace for casting calls, acting resources, and audition coaching—comparable to WMM's audition coaching, self-tape, and demo reel services for actors.
• Sundance Institute: Premier independent film organization running labs, workshops, and the Sundance Film Festival—a larger, established analogue of WMM's community-plus-festival strategy with deeper resources.

Direct peers

• Film Independent: Non-profit supporting independent filmmakers through education, labs, and the Spirit Awards, closely mirroring WMM's community, education, and festival model for indie creators.
• Stage 32: Online community and education platform connecting screenwriters, filmmakers, and actors with industry opportunities, overlapping WMM's lab/community/education focus with a digital-first model.
• Seed&Spark: Indie film crowdfunding and community platform offering education, festival partnerships, and production support—comparable to WMM's crowdfunding coaching and indie filmmaker support services.
• International Screenwriters Association (ISA): Screenwriter membership organization offering development support, competitions, and industry networking—WMM is an actual ISA partner via the Make Your Feature Competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnAsr5WI6r5JvY1r8ZrD-jQ
• Xx.com/wemakemovies
• Facebookfacebook.com/wemakemovies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/we-make-movies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about We Make Movies