S3 E19 | Making a Feature Documentary With Almost No Budget (And Taking It to Theaters) - Tanner Christensen
What does it take to turn a real-life story into a feature film—without a studio, without a big budget, and without any guarantees?
In this episode of Truly Independent, hosts Garrett Batty and Darren Smith sit down with filmmaker Tanner Christensen to unpack the three-and-a-half-year journey behind Standout: The Ben Kjar Story. From saying no to multiple Netflix projects, to living off savings, to editing for years with no release date locked, Tanner walks through the real cost of independent filmmaking.
The film tells the true story of Ben Kjar, a wrestler born with a rare craniofacial condition who was told he’d never live a normal life—then went on to become a world champion. But this conversation goes deeper than the film itself. It’s about faith in the process, creative risk, sacrifice, and what it actually takes to get an independent documentary into theaters.
If you’re an indie filmmaker, storyteller, or anyone chasing a meaningful project with no safety net, this episode is for you.
