Don't ask, won't tell

Filmmaker Marius Markevicius is at Sundance for the third time. He directed "The Other Dream Team," which is in this year's U.S. Documentary competition. He produced "Douchebag," which was at the 2009 festival. And he co-produced 2011's Grand Jury Prize winner, "Like Crazy."

"It's just so exciting," he said. "The film audiences there are the best in the world. I mean, they just really understand movies and they appreciate independent film. The Q and A's are awesome. They show their knowledge and ask good questions."

But they also ask a question he's not going to answer.

"People always want to know the budget. And you're trying to sell the movie out there, so the budget is sort of a secret until it's sold," he said with a laugh. "It's always funny to see how producers dance around that question."

His partner's standard response is always that their films' cost "a little less than 'Titanic.'"

"People would laugh and we'd move on," Markevicius said. "It's a question you try to avoid, basically.

"I actually hate not answering that question just because you want to let people know you can do movies for a price and you can make it happen."

"Douchebag," for example, "was made for under $50,000."

"You just have to scrape and fight and beg and plead and do filmmaking by any means necessary," Markevicius said.

— Scott D. Pierce