Indie Film Producer Consulting for Filmmakers Who Want Funding, Distribution & A Sustainable Career
Building a producing career is not just difficult - it’s often incredibly lonely. You’re responsible for raising the money, making the film, and ultimately being accountable for everything else.
On the indie side, it gets harder: there’s a huge amount of contradictory, outdated and flat-out incorrect information floating around. Knowing how to make a film is one challenge - knowing how to make a film that actually builds your career is another.
That’s where I can help.
If you feel lost, you’re not alone. When I started, I didn’t know how to fund, produce or distribute films either. Over the last 15 years, through trial, error, mistakes and learning, I figured out how the indie producing business really works and I can help you avoid the dead ends and focus on the moves that actually matter.
My coaching gives you clear, actionable next steps tailored to you, without fluff, vague theory or confusion.
About ZB Siwek
Everything I teach comes from 15 years of real film industry work, including:
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Producing films across genres and budgets
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Running a film fund and evaluating hundreds of applications
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Distributing films through non-traditional channels
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Interviewing 100+ industry experts on funding, producing, and distribution
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Leading marketing and PR at a company generating millions in revenue
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Running film industry conferences, markets, pitch events, and job fairs
How I Work
I don’t lock clients into long-term contracts. Instead, I offer flexible hourly sessions so you can get the support you need without commitments.
If you’re unsure whether coaching is a good fit, you can book a short introductory call. We’ll talk through your goals, challenges, and what you’re working on, and you’ll get a sense of how I can help.
Or, if you already know what you’d like to tackle, you can book a full one-hour session where we dive directly into strategy, funding, distribution, or whatever you need help with.
You can learn more about me and my past work below:
Short Film Producing
I’ve produced short films with known actors, VFX and challenging locations including: The Verge and award winning dramas like The Power of One Coin.
I’ve also executive produced and helped fund 50+ short films including: Scope, Sacrifice, Contraception Fair, To Catch a Siren. I can therefore help you navigate all the challenges from development and casting all the way through to your film festival and distribution journey.
Short Film Distribution
I’ve successfully run my own films through the festival circuit, coached other filmmakers through theirs, and interviewed experts including The Film Festival Doctor and multiple festival programmers to understand how to navigate festivals strategically rather than blindly.
I have also distributed numerous shorts in various ways, most recently by packaging them into feature-length anthologies released online, including Shattered, Merge, Afterlight, PostHuman and Cursed Encounters.
This gives me a unique understanding of how shorts can create exposure, revenue, and long-term leverage - not just laurels.
Short Film Funding
Funding shorts is all about positioning your project correctly and choosing the paths that actually make sense for your film.
For many filmmakers crowdfunding is still the go to options. I have personally run my own crowdfunding campaigns including The Power of One Coin (raised 30k) The Verge (raised 10k) and coached filmmakers to do the same such as The Nightriders (raised 16k).
I can help you:
✔ Position your campaign
✔ Build early momentum
✔ Package rewards & story properly
✔ Avoid the mistakes that kill campaigns
For two years, I ran the Cine Circle Film Fund, reviewed hundreds of submissions, and heard dozens of pitches. As a result, I understand:
✔ What fund managers are really looking for
✔ Which projects are worth applying with
✔ How to structure applications that stand out
✔ When application fees are worth it (and when they’re not)
I’m also well connected with fund managers, not for favours, but for understanding exactly what they expect.
Aside from that I have successfully raised donations, found product placements sponsors and explored many other short film funding routes.
Feature Films Funding
Last year, as a judge at the London Film Funding Summit, I reviewed over 100 pitch decks and came on board multiple projects as an Executive Producer.
I can help you develop a credible financing plan, pitch your project to investors, and connect with the right potential backers.
Just as crucially, I’ll help you build a sales and distribution strategy that gives investors a path to recoupment, the part most filmmakers overlook.
Feature Film Distribution and Marketing
My background includes serving as Head of Marketing at StoryTerrace, where I ran PR, paid performance ads, organic social campaigns and revenue strategy, contributing to millions in generated sales.
I’ve since translated those corporate-level marketing systems into practical frameworks for indie film distribution. Today, I help filmmakers structure traditional distribution deals, self-distribute in a way that actually generates revenue, and run marketing campaigns built on ROI rather than superficial metrics. I am also an Executive Producer and marketing coach on film projects such as Shaken and Stirred and Whisper Breach, applying these strategies directly to a range of feature projects.
I also distribute films myself on a monthly basis so nothing that I teach is theory. It's all specifics that actually work right now.
Industry Connections
Connections in this industry are everything - knowing who to talk to, how to approach them, and when to ask for introductions can accelerate your career in a way nothing else can. I help my clients navigate this by connecting them to the right people at the right time.
Over the last 8 years, I’ve run a range of fairs, expos and industry events, building personal relationships with hundreds of agencies, production companies and distributors. I’ve also recruited and interviewed more than 100 executive producers, distributors, sales agents, marketing experts and filmmakers as event speakers. These relationships give me a broad network across multiple parts of the industry, which I leverage to support my clients’ projects and careers.
Building Your Personal Brand
Finally, part of building a producing career is building a credible personal brand.
I can help you:
✔ Position yourself as a producer people trust
✔ Become visible to investors & collaborators
✔ Build authority without gimmicks
✔ Develop a recognisable indie film brand
This is how I built Cine Circle into a brand known across the UK/US indie film space.
Ready to take your producing career to the next level?
Schedule a Free Call Below:
Or dive straight into an in-depth strategy call:
Or email me on: zb@cinecircle.co.uk