Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden's Half Nelson is one of the most critically-acclaimed films of the year; it just tied Little Miss Sunshine for the most 2007 Independent Spirit Award nominations and looks well positioned to earn an Oscar nom or two.

Like many indie filmmakers, Fleck and Boden first earned attention with an award-winning short, Gowanus, Brooklyn, which won the Best Short Film prize at Sundance 2004. A Sundance win is undoubtedly a crowning achievement for any film -- short or otherwise -- but the experiences leading up to this victory are what the filmmakers still find priceless. "The most valuable thing about making a short film is the ability to experiment and make mistakes and not have to worry about someone else's $1 million," says Boden...

...want to hear more words of wisdom from the Half Nelson filmmakers? Ask them yourself! Submit your questions for Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden to [email protected] .