In this episode, I am joined by filmmaker Vivian Kerr to discuss her journey from acting to directing and how she successfully brought her first two feature films to life without traditional industry connections. Vivian’s debut feature, Scrap – a family dramedy starring herself alongside Anthony Rapp (Rent, Star Trek Discovery) – completed a two-year festival run spanning 43 festivals before its recent VOD release. She followed this quickly with her second feature, Seance, a psychological thriller that recently premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival. Throughout our conversation, we explo ..read more

In this episode, I am joined by filmmaker Ethan Hegel, who recently made his feature directorial debut with Purgatory Station after years of honing his craft behind the camera.  Throughout the interview, Ethan shares his unique path to serving as director, DP, editor, and colorist on multiple feature films. Topics covered include: Title: This is Episode 245: How To Shoot A 7 Day Feature Film With Filmmaker Ethan Hegel Links from the show:  Ethan Hegel – Instagram  Moving On – Short Film  Purgatory Station – Prime Video  Sign up for my newsletter for exclusive ..read more

Here’s a quick tip we wanted to share to help you avoid one of the most common mistakes made by amateur colorists – Stop working “against the grain” of your footage. Most indie productions, documentaries, and lower-budget projects have big ambitions for the grade, but often also have unrealistic expectations. They want to emulate a specific look, style, or color palette but don’t have the footage to match it. For instance, they really want a teal-and-orange blockbuster look, but none of those colors exist in their source footage. 9 times out of 10, they will try to force the footage into that ..read more

We talk so much about how hard it is to make films, but not enough about how hard it is to be a filmmaker. One massive difference between successful filmmakers and those who quit is their ability to maintain momentum in the face of constant adversity. While filmmaking can be incredibly fun and joyful at its best, much of the work it takes to get to that point is anything but. At every stage in your life and career, on every project, and even in your downtime – there are constant struggles and setbacks that can stop you in your tracks. And it starts before you’ve even made your first film… It’s ..read more

After 2 years of writing, production, and editing, our latest feature film Teacher’s Pet is officially picture-locked! While it’s fresh in my mind, I thought I would share a glimpse into the editorial process. Specifically, the picture lock – which relied on a slightly different workflow than I’ve used in the past. Let’s take a brief look, starting at the very beginning: The Assembly Cut Much like other films I’ve cut in the past, the first assembly came together very quickly. At least once I had finished reviewing all the footage and had marked my favorite takes. In the past, I would make my ..read more

In this episode, I am joined by actor/director Matt Cohen (Supernatural, General Hospital, Entertainment Tonight) and producer Sean Flanagan to discuss their innovative approach to making films in today’s changing landscape. Throughout our conversation, we explore their upcoming feature Exes and animated series Public Domain, while unpacking their unique production model built on relationships, creative problem-solving, and maximizing resources. Topics covered include: This is Episode 244: Building A New Production Model With Matt Cohen & Sean Thomas Flanagan Links from the show ..read more

In this episode, I am joined by filmmaker Ernie Gilbert to discuss his work on A24’s upcoming horror-thriller-comedy OPUS, which recently premiered at Sundance. Throughout our discussion, we explore Ernie’s creative process, his work in commercials & music videos, career building, and more. Topics covered include: This is episode #243: Cutting The A24 Sundance Feature OPUS & Finding Career Success With Editor Ernie Gilbert Links from the show: Ernie Gilbert – Website Ernie Gilbert – Instagram Sign up for my newsletter for exclusive filmmaking insight each Sunday The post PODCAST ..read more

In this episode, I am joined by filmmaker Rob Smat who shares his experience transitioning from the $100,000 feature film The Last Whistle to a $10,000 documentary Walkout, and the valuable lessons learned along the way. Throughout our discussion, we explore the realities of micro-budget filmmaking and distribution through the lens of both projects. Topics covered include: • How scaling down production increases creative control• Working with traditional distributors vs. self-distribution platforms• Marketing & AVOD strategies for micro-budget films• The importance of buildi ..read more

In this episode, I am joined by film editor Stefania Dulowski to discuss her work on the Sundance dramatic competition feature film Bunny Lover. We dive deep into her editorial process and explore the tactics she used to pull off an amazing edit in record time.Topics covered include: This is Episode 241: Stefania Dulowski on Editing BUNNY LOVER & Premiering At Sundance 2025 Links from the show: Stefania Dulowski’s Website Stefania Dulowski’s Instagram Sign up for my newsletter for exclusive filmmaking insight each Sunday The post PODCAST: Stefania Dulowski on Editing BUNNY LOVER & ..read more

The mainstream film industry is as bleak as it has ever been – at least from a business standpoint. Productions are shutting down left, right, and center. The few projects that are getting made are having their budgets slashed. And filmmakers trying to break in are faced with extreme competition. There are far more capable filmmakers than ever before, but the opportunities are shrinking by the day. From a supply/demand standpoint, it’s not looking good. In many respects, as DIY filmmakers we are less affected than average. When you produce your own material (and can do it for very little money ..read more