Take Action: Make an Indie Film Lookbook, Mood Reel, or Pitch Deck

If you’ve got an idea and a few committed collaborators, it’s time to start building your visual language by making an indie film pitch deck. Even before you shoot a frame, you can put together materials that communicate your film’s tone, mood, and world.

I’m currently developing these for my first feature, and I can say with confidence: they’re not just about presentation—they’re about clarity.

Pick One of These and Get Started:

• Lookbook – Collect images, stills from other films, or photography that reflect your vision. Group by tone, location, costume, or lighting. A great resource for this is frameset.app

• Mood Reel – Cut together scenes, music, and visual references to show your film’s energy. No editing skills? Even a playlist + shot list works.

• Pitch Deck – Create a simple PDF that outlines your story, themes, characters, and style. Include your vision, goals, and background. Need some inspiration? Check out these samples by Vicious & Co that I found through a Google search:

These tools will help you:

• Refine your concept

• Communicate with collaborators

• Pitch to grants, festivals, or microfunding platforms

Even with no budget, you can create something professional and persuasive.

Take that next step—it doesn’t cost anything but your time, and it moves you forward.

-Jason