Bravo for the B-side Podcast

Camp Blood: Clown Shark has so much going for it in the name.  It was a wild concept but the writing choked out the wild and gave us instead bleh.  The ridiculous special effects are the key factor in keeping up the fun of watching.  The plot holes and deviations help to exercise your brain as you try to figure out what in the hell is going on.  Unfortunately at the end of the ride all you get is some befuddlement over the plot and unanswered questions.  Lessons are mixed in this one, but probably a little more leaning on the what not to do of it all. Support the Podcast Visit our website

Strap in B-siders.  Christmas Bloodbath is a frustratingly wild ride.  It does take place during Christmas, and there is a bath, but there is not a lot of blood. We dive into this earnest effort Indie film that gives us puppets, obscure plot devices, endless narration, and a whole lot of stuff that just does not make sense. There are some positive points to be made, but overall seeing this more than once is a labor. We clocked in two and a half views, which is more than enough for a lifetime. Lessons, laughs, and more lessons. Support the Podcast Visit our website

Interview with Eric Miller – Episode 177 Continuing the train of interviews, we talk with Eric Miller, author of the book Whatever Happened to Uncle Ed, screenwriter for Ice Spiders, Night Skies, Swamp Shark, Mask Maker, and so much more.  Join us for a very fun, very informative talk about his work, experiences, some funny stories, and just a full-on nerd fest for writing and movies. Also be sure to check him out on IMDB, his website, and his new book on Amazon. https://www.ericmillerwrites.com https://www.amazon.com/Whatever-Happened-Uncle-Eric-Miller/dp/B0DTF5LVHW/ Support the Podcast Visit our website

Once again we have friend Hilton Ariel Ruiz on the show to do some catching up on things. We talk about how the pandemic changed filmmaking for him, indie film, and possible futures. There is a lot of great advice in here. We also talk with Hilton on changes to FilmHub and how these kinds of changes will make it more difficult for new Indie filmmakers in an already complicated business. Come and dive in for the fun and follow along as Hilton has to move from room to room in his house while we chat. Support the Podcast Visit our website

We have the pleasure of speaking with Michael Dahan, writer and director of Yes Repeat No. Please join us as we discuss a number of things ranging from filmmaking, identity, and the politics of wanting to help a people but staying out of it. It is a very heartfelt and frank conversation. Michael’s journey from concept to completion of the movie is a fantastic listen. We thoroughly enjoyed this talk and we think you will as well. Support the Podcast Visit our website

Yes Repeat No is an amazing film to start off 2026. Written and directed by Michael Dahan, this experimental film is about three actors auditioning for the role of Palestinian-Jewish actor and activist Juliano Mer-Khamis. The film is amazing, but we could not cover it using our regular beat-by-beat formula. Instead, we give some bits and pieces of the film’s progression but we talk more about the technical aspects of the film. And politics. You will not be able to watch this movie without delving into politics, and that’s good. The lessons are abundant, but more importantly we talk about how art can deliver a message that reaches you through the deep recesses of emotion and thought. Amazing film, amazing lessons. 2026 should yield more movies like this. Amazon Apple TV VUDU Google Play YouTube Support the Podcast Visit our website #bravoforthebside #bmovie #bmovies #indie #independentfilm #indiefilm #screenwriting #filmmaking #movies #independentfilmmaker #directing #producing #acting #yesrepeatno #michaeldahan #julianomerkhamis #experimental #drama #amazingfilm  @ApplePodcasts

For our End of the Year Retrospective, we decided this year to cover the history of the Horror genre. You all know what ridiculously huge horror fans we are, so it was about time to discuss this magical genre. We cover the first horror film, first Christmas horror film, changes by decade, and a lot more. At the end, Jim gives everyone a piece of advice. You should listen to it. This will be the last episode for 2025 as Jim takes the rest of the month for his recovery. We will be back in 2026, just a few weeks away. CREATE! Support the Podcast Visit our website

While the name is simple, Thanksgiving is a solid bit of holiday horror. In the pantheon of holiday horror films the turkey eating holiday is the most overlooked. The gore is satisfying and the killings come at a fairly decent rate. The chief downside provides important lessons for writers. The primary is backstory. Often unnecessary for redshirts we get a lot of it being thrust in our faces that wastes time and is frustrating in its poor timing and irrelevant information. Other than a couple of missteps like that it was a fun watch and just as fun to discuss. Support the Podcast Visit our website

Far too long has passed since we’ve talked with Kyle Hester. Join us for a magnificent conversation about the upcoming release of his latest film Preacher 6, his documentaries, the evolution of Indie filmmaking, and more. Kyle talks about the ups and downs of the journey of making Preacher 6, battling the pandemic, and how Just Keep Going is the key phrase we should all practice. We also talk about his wife Tracy’s new book release and Kickstarter for her next novel.  Look below for links to Kyle and Tracy’s sites, socials, and so on. Sit back and listen to one of the most upbeat and genuine people in the business. We loved this conversation, and think you will as well. Support the Podcast Visit our website Kyle’s Links https://bsky.app/profile/kylehester.bsky.social https://pickrelay.com/t/8gkr-id6r/haunted-lake-lanier Tracys kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/msdshollywood/magic-spells-delivery-service-book-one-hollywood 13 short Horror Stories for Bedtime. https://a.co/d/ijcqBy7

Long on our list, the Asylum version of Sherlock from 2010 was finally pushed to the top. Way back before the podcast started we found this hidden deep down the rabbit hole. Dani loves Sherlock Holmes, and when you pair him with a T-rex, I mean come on. Unfortunately the T-rex went from awesome to burdensome. There are plenty of issues here, but as always meaningful lessons can be found within. We do love Asylum films, as ridiculous as they are, because at the end of it all they are fun to watch. We have said before, having people say your film was fun to watch is the goal. Support the Podcast Visit our website

Another find during bedrest, I. Madman is a late eighties mild horror that fits the period and genre perfectly. A woman finds herself terrorized by a character from a strange book. Sounds pretty simple, and it is. The film overall is a fun watch. Inundated with late eighties filmmaking techniques and a fast-paced storyline, for the most part, there are some good lessons here. The writing could have used a go-over, the editing is not tight, but we do have some good lessons that can elevate your work. Not the least of which is; having a caped villain running through traffic is timeless and magical. Support the Podcast Visit our website

An excellent surprise, Forgive Us All was a delight to watch and dissect. We have so many good lessons from this film that we go over. Forgive Us All is another take on the zombie genre, one that is near and dear to our hearts. Going more to the route of Infected rather than zombies, this movie tells the story in precise, crisp, efficient writing, of a survivor named Rory who is looking for meaning in her life. Having suffered tragedy on the onset of the apocalypse, she wonders why surviving even matters. There is no fat to trim away from this film. With a brilliant combination of writing, direction, cinematography, and post work, we are given a very intimate feeling ride through tragedy within tragedy, and hope. Support the Podcast Visit our website

You can only go so long before your curiosity gets the best of you. With no less than three Popeye films that hit in 2025 we had to take a dive. We settled on Popeye’s Revenge based on trailers, of which none were truly gripping. We dive into this dumpster fire attempt to capitalize on the expiration of copyright on old, beloved cartoon characters. We posit the script was done by AI, and the director may as well have been AI too. There are a couple of good lessons here, a couple, but the rest is a sorely disappointing run of missed opportunities, poor writing, nonsensical story, and actors who just did not have a chance to show their chops with this awful material. Spoiler, we watched another Popeye film after this one, Shiver Me Timbers, and it was not any better. Support the Podcast Visit our website

This week we’ve taken on Wrath of Dracula, starring the fantastic Hannaj Bang-Benz. There was certainly some money behind this independent film, but Wrath of Dracula was lacking on some areas. The actors were great, and there are a lot of fantastic lessons that all Indie filmmakers should tap into. There are, unfortunately, some lessons on what not to do. Among them – writing pitfalls. If you’re going to have a story about Dracula, you should probably invite him to the story. More on that inside.

We have discussed documentaries here and there over the years, but we have never done an episode on them. The wait is over. Documentaries are a fantastic way to break into Indie filmmaking. There are some basics in planning a documentary that we discuss, but you are relieved of having to write a feature script, casting actors, and your equipment needs are minimal. Compared to a feature production, a documentary is far less expensive to get your feet wet in the sea of filmmaking. We discuss some documentaries that we have seen recently, and we have seen a lot of them, as examples of what and what not to do when creating your own. The bottom line is follow your passion or interest, share it with everyone. Support the Podcast Visit our website

It was a cult classic that started in 1987, and in 2024 it was redone by director/writer Ryan Kruger. Street Trash kept a lot of the 80s vibe, music, and practical effects. While the cinematic lessons are all positive, the more important lesson is how to analyze an older film for its ability to be remade in modern times. Not all films or their message will translate to modern sensibilities. Street Trash, however, holds a statement that unfortunately still fits today. Ryan’s take on the older film gives us a fun, gross, splat-filled practical effect bonanza. Before all of that, Jim goes on a pretty heartfelt rant starting with a failed actor and the sad, tragic trajectory of Superman in films. Because, why not. Street Trash can be found on Tubi

For the fourth time in the run of our show, we talk with our friend David Ryan Keith. Writer/director of Primal Games, I Am Rage, Redwood Massacre, Redwood Massacre 2: Annihilation, Ghosts of Darkness, and Attack of the Herbals, David once again talks candidly with us about his latest film Primal Games, making films, marketing, distribution, all of the fun stuff. A key lesson we discuss is that no matter how much passion and heart you have, at the end of the day this is a business and has to be treated as such. Join us for another delightful conversation with David and enjoy quite a bit of laughter. Check David’s work at Clear Focus Movies