
Making A $4000 Feature In 12 Days And Releasing Through Tubi
From Show Don't Tell: Micro-Budget Filmmaking by Noam Kroll
March 12, 2026 · 1h 2m
About this episode
Filmmaker Wade Patterson discusses his experience making the micro-budget feature 'Death Cipher' in just 12 days for $4,000.
In this episode, I sit down with filmmaker Wade Patterson to discuss his micro-budget feature Death Cipher - a contained thriller shot in just 12 days for only $4,000. Throughout the interview, Wade shares how multiple failed feature attempts led him to radically simplify his process, why he embraced a single-location concept shot in his own apartment, and how limitations ultimately became the film’s greatest creative advantage. We also dive into the realities of making a feature with almost no money, wearing multiple hats as writer/director/cinematographer/editor, navigating festival rejection, finding distribution through Filmhub and Tubi, and much more: Why several failed feature attempts led to Death Cipher The mindset shift that led Wade to design a film around his resources Shooting the film over weekends and treating each room like a company move Creating props, puzzle elements, websites, and pre-shot video material How prioritizing actor comfort and a relaxed set environment improved the work What changed in post, including reshoots after early test screenings How Death Cipher landed on Tubi through Filmhub Links from the show: Death Cipher - Tubi Death Cipher - Instagram…
People in this episode
Host: Noam Kroll
Guest: Wade Patterson
Topics covered
- micro-budget filmmaking
- feature film production
- film distribution
- creative limitations
- independent cinema
Keywords
- micro-budget
- feature film
- thriller
- film production
- Tubi
- Filmhub
- independent film
- filmmaking process
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Tubi, Filmhub
Books & works: Death Cipher
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