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Celebrities and established directors always drive the attention in the film industry. However, the 2021 Forbes Next 1000 list shines a light on the lesser-known names, the up-and-coming entrepreneurs like Chase Crawford. Founding independent film studio Four by Three at the age of 20, Crawford talked about the recognition and his plans for 2022 in an exclusive interview with Showbiz Cheatsheet.

Chase Crawford, a filmmaker in the 2021 Forbes Next 1000 list
Chase Crawford | Robbie Larson

Chase Crawford attributes his inclusion in 2021 Forbes Next 1000 to his success in indie film distribution

The 2021 Forbes next 1000 has a few guidelines for nominees. Forbes notes that nominees must operate with “under $10 million in revenue or funding and infinite drive and hustle.”

“I am very humbled by the recognition and hope it is a sign of good things to come in the future,” Crawford said.

However, America has thousands of startups and small businesses. Crawford then commented on what he thinks earned him a spot on the 2021 Forbes Next 1000.

“I think the overall size of our catalog, track record of successful indie distribution, and ability to produce in many genres at various budgets is what Forbes noticed in Four by Three,” he said.

He founded Four by Three in 2017 using money he took from a severance package after a layoff.

“The studio has since produced or distributed more than a dozen projects including documentaries, dramas and television episodes that are streamed by about 2 million people per year on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, ABC, and Comcast, according to Crawford,” Forbes notes.

Chase Crawford has big plans for 2022

Whether dealing with indie movies or indie games, it only takes one unexpected hit to propel people into the mainstream. Chase Crawford then talked about his plans beyond what earned his recognition in the 2021 Forbes next 1000. And he has high hopes for each of them.

“In 2022, we have a lot of exciting projects coming out,” Crawford said. “River Road starring Cody Kearsley, The Cran starring Joe Chrest, and The Rest of Your Life featuring Francis Ellis.”

He also noted that Four by Three had comedy specials planned for comedians Lee Kimbrell, Ryan Goldsher, and Blake Hammond.

“We just picked up the rights to a docuseries about the blues featuring Buddy Guy,” Crawford said. “We will probably be handling [more than] 20 releases in 2022 on top of raising money for our biggest project yet and handling a full production schedule!”

The 2021 Forbes Next 1000 filmmaker has already won several awards for his films

Awards always help boost the reputation of a show or movie, whether it’s an indie movie or a massive streaming miniseries like WandaVision. And Chase Crawford has already secured several awards for his projects. It certainly helped him land on the 2021 Forbes Next 1000 list.

River Road won two Leo Awards at the British Columbia Academy Awards. The awards included Best Supporting Performance Male for Steve Roberts’ role as Fresno and Best Musical Score.

It earned nominations for “multiple other Leo Awards, including Best Motion Picture, Best Direction for Rob Willey, Best Screenwriting, and Best Editing,” Bizjournals reported.

The Clearing won awards at the London Independent Film Festival and LA Femme International Film Festival.

With so many accomplishments in his pocket and so many plans ahead,

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