Making Movies is HARD!!!: The Struggles of Indie Filmmaking

This week Alrik and Liz chat with filmmakers and real life besties, Stacey Maltin and Margarita Zhitnikova, who talk about their company Besties Make Movies, and their latest feature, TRIPLE THREAT. A & L follow up the conversation with some thoughts on film festival promotion. Enjoy!Check out the ISA at: https://www.networkisa.org/Grab your tickets for the world premiere of The Alternate in LA: https://danceswithfilms.ticketspice.com/dwf24-the-alternate--zero-one-zero Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, Liz and Alrik have a completely open chat about major personal milestones that are impacting their careers including a new baby on the way for Alrik! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alrik and Liz start the show but Liz takes the interview with Nicholas Bruckman solo as they talk about Nicholas' new documentary on activist Ady Barkan. After that, A+L come back together to talk about Constellation Incubator, and answer a listener email. We hope you enjoy! Buy Your Tickets to The Alternate Premiere Now!: https://danceswithfilms.ticketspice.com/dwf24-the-alternate--zero-one-zero Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Alrik and Liz connect with Widmyer and Kolsch on their journey from indie Starry Eyes to the remake of Steven King's Pet Sematary, to directing tv. This episode is a celebration of the indie spirit and pulls back the curtain on the processes of studio development. We also highlight Luke Zwanziger's short film "Gwen." Enjoy! Get Shorty link: https://vimeo.com/532406451/71aa9fff7e Buy Your Tickets to The Alternate Premiere Now!: https://danceswithfilms.ticketspice.com/dwf24-the-alternate--zero-one-zero Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik chat with storyteller Joslyn Rose Lyons about her career thus far. Joslyn inspired us to no end about the importance of process, her philosophy of filmmaking, and the value of representation. Our GET SHORTY this week is Sid Penrose, by Drew Dull, and our listener email comes to us from Brendan Thatcher. Enjoy! Get Shorty Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXpMqXZmEho Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week we welcome back filmmakers Brett and Drew Pierce to talk about the pandemic release of their film, The Wretched. The movie thrived and was number one in the country week after week, grossing over a million dollars in drive-ins alone. Fast forward one year later, we catch up with Brett and Drew to see how their careers have changed since this massive success, what they have learned and what takeaways they have once you find yourself in a position where projects are being brought to you to pitch on. This is a very interesting conversation filled with lots of great nuggets and tough realizations about how films get made and it’s a must listen for anyone who’s making a feature in hopes of it launching their career. We also have another Get Shorty featuring The Parable of Amos Moses by filmmakers Dylan Varella and Mason Beals and we read another listener email, plus Alrik drops a big update on The Alternate! Get Shorty Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf5jggDNbkI Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik welcome writer/director T. Arthur Cottam on the show to talk about the re-release of his feature film Carbuncle which is now out on Amazon Prime, Plex and Vimeo on Demand. T. talks to us about finding success with short films and how that lead to making Carbuncle for four thousand dollars which was completely funded from film festival prize money. We also talk about his latest feature film One Hour Outcall, how that project came together and how T. balances making his art and paying the bills. This is really great conversation about how you can make a life for yourself as an artist and how there is no one way to make that happen. We also have filmmaker and listener Earl Martin on Get Shorty to talk about his short film LISTEN and Liz and Alrik read a listener letter from a friend of the show! Get Shorty Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjuU12sUqZY Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alrik and Liz have a wonderful, substantive and vulnerable conversation with filmmaker Tom Putnam about the trajectory of his career (from massively popular shorts to a razzie nominated feature, to his most recent award-winning film, THE DARK DIVIDE). We also feature Nicole De Meneses' latest short, BLOOD BOND. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik chat with writer/director Craig Moss about his latest feature, LET US IN. This film was a bit of a departure from his previous films, and Craig goes into taking on producerial duties as well as how he made a career by NOT going to film school. Also, Liz is in the hot seat for GET SHORTY while Alrik and Ritesh Mehta discuss her short, THIS IS SHORT WE'RE SUBMITTING TO FILM FESTIVALS. Finally, we read a brand new iTunes review. Enjoy! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, Liz and Alrik chat with screenwriter and comedian Mishna Wolff. Mishna talks a lot about process, how enjoyable this specific project was, and goes into her love of genre films. We also have a special GET SHORTY where Liz and Ritesh Mehta review Host Alrik Bursell's short film, CONFLICT. Finally, we read a letter from editor of the show, Cameron Caves! Enjoy! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik invite editor of the musical, In The Heights, Myron Kerstein on the show to talk about his two years editing the film, re-opening the edit during the pandemic to make some key changes to the film and how making this film with a 50 million dollar budget felt like a big studio crew making a movie on an indie budget. Myron gets into a lot of details with us, including the amount of VFX shots that are in the film, the challenges of editing a musical that was shot on location and what he and director Jon M. Chu changed when they reopened the edit. Don’t go away after the interview, because we have another Australian filmmaker on the show to talk about their short film, I’m Your Fool, and Liz and Alrik talk about the Get Shorty segment and what purpose they hope it’s serving! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik welcome star and co-director Kate Forsatz and editor Meredith Veach to come on the show to talk about their first feature, Threebound which they shot in NYC in eleven days with a large amount of locations and a pretty sizable crew. Kate and Meredith talk about how they originally spent $14k on a teaser trailer that they were hoping to raise a million dollar budget with and when that didn’t work out, they pivoted to making the whole film for around $70k. This is a great conversation about perseverance and really making sure you bring the right group of people together to make a film. We also have filmmaker Roy Ellis IV on the show to talk about his short film POME (Product of My Environment) and Liz and Alrik read an Itunes review and some youtube comments! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week we have documentary filmmaker and director Michelle Boyaner on the show to talk about making her latest: It’s Not a Burden, about adult children taking care of their elderly parents. Michelle talks about why she decided to make this film, how they raised the funds and her process of getting this story onto the screen. This is Michelle’s third feature doc and she talks about why she keeps returning to documentaries, the struggle to raise funds and how she is able to live off of storytelling. We also have another Australian filmmaker Ambrosia Miller on the show to talk about his first short film, Banana Peel Man which is really a lot of fun. Liz and Alrik read a listener email, Alrik gives an update on The Alternate and Liz and Alrik discuss pitch decks for features, if you need them and how to present them at and/or after meetings! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik welcome Writer/Producer Hudson Phillips and Director/Editor Jordan Noel on the show to talk about their feature film This World Alone which they made out in Atlanta on a budget of $30k. They talk about how they came up with the idea for the film, how production was prepped in a very short amount of time and how they were able to make the film happen with such a small budget. This is a great conversation if you want to hear about a team who decided to stop asking for permission and just went out and made their film. We also have Australian filmmaker Jennifer Gareski on the show to talk about her short film ‘The Non-Love Story’, we read another listener's letter and Liz and Alrik continue their deep conversation about being filmmakers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik welcome writer and director Anna Elizabeth James on the show to talk about the making of her smash hit Netflix film, Deadly Illusions starring Kristen Davis, Greer Grammer and Dermot Mulroney. Anna talks about how the film was conceived, how they secured the funding and the amazing story of how it was sold, skipping festivals altogether. This conversation really shows that if you put intention behind your career you can make your dreams a reality, along with a ton of hard work of course! We also have filmmaker Cassandra Warner on the show to talk about her short film Night Light which she made as a student four years ago and we read a letter from a listener! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik sit down with filmmaker and commercial director Chelsea Christer to talk about her first feature film, Bleeding Audio, which she made over the course of six years and which played at the 2021 Slamdance Film Festival, winning the George Starks Spirit of Slamdance Award. Chelsea talks about the evolution of the documentary and how the story changed over the years. She also talks about how she always thought she would make a fiction film as her first feature and that Bleeding Audio just was the right film for her to make first. This is a great conversation about the grit and grind that goes into making a film and how things don’t always end up the way you planned. We also welcome filmmaker Leena Pendharkar onto the show to talk about her latest film Awaken and we have another edition of You’ve Got Mail! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Liz and Alrik chat with Actor, writer, producer and director Nitzan Mager to talk about her web series Quarantine I Love You which she wrote/produced/directed three seasons of since the start of the pandemic. Nitzan talks about her process for the show and how she really honed her directing skills through making the show and really gained her confidence as a director. This is a really great conversation to highlight how you can make the jump from being in front of the camera to behind the camera and what that transition can look like. We also have our very first ever repeat filmmaker for Get Shorty with friend of the show Charnstar Anderson returning to talk about his short film, Pizza Deliverance. Lastly, Liz and Alrik chat about movies and talk a bit about their goals, why they matter and what their future careers might look like! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In our second episode in our double episode week we welcome Director Jen McGowan on the show to talk about her second feature Rust Creek and making the leap from indie features to directing episodic television. Jen drops all kinds of knowledge bombs on us throughout this episode, including how she handles pitches/meetings, her approach to her career and what it takes to make the leap to directing television. This was a really fantastic conversation about setting specific goals and what it really means to be a director so if you are heading down that path, this is a must listen! We also have filmmaker Karl Richter on the show to talk about his latest film Mirror Site and we do another installment of You’ve Got Mail, as always! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sorry for the delay but this week Liz and Alrik chat with Producer Andrew Carlberg, who talks about his process for getting a film made, how he chooses his projects and why he continues to work on short films after producing over a dozen feature films. We have never had a producer break down their process of getting a film from script to screen so clearly! We also have another installment of Get Shorty with filmmaker Dave DeVos’ film ‘A Senseless Act’ and we have five filmmaking tips from filmmaker Jeff Ryan who’s first feature ‘YouthMin’ is out now! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik welcome writer, director, producer and actor, Larry Fessenden on the show to talk about his latest role in the new film Jakob’s Wife. Larry talks about how he got the role in the film, how he treats his acting work differently than when he is behind the camera and we dive into how he has produced over 80 projects and directed over 20, including ten feature films. This is a really great conversation to illustrate the struggles of an indie filmmaker and to see how a sustainable career can be achieved with a ton of hard work. We also have filmmaker AJ Starzak on the show to talk about his new short film, My Monster and I, which is currently raising money on indiegogo and we read a slew of new youtube comments! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik welcome horror legend Barbara Crampton to the show to talk about her recent jump from acting to producing/acting and to hear about how she got her latest film made Jakob’s Wife, which is in select theaters, on demand and digital April 16th. Barbara talks about how she was inspired to become a multi-hyphenate and take the leap behind the camera, how she found the script for Jakob’s Wife and what she looks for in her collaborators. Barbara really opens up about her process and how she approaches her films as a producer and an actor, so if you are an actor or a fan of horror, this is a must listen episode! We also have a listener and new filmmaker Nigel Gould Davies on the show to talk about his film Coronalone, which was made at the height of the pandemic and we have a special segment with filmmaker Casey de Fremerywho talks about how to get action on a budget for his new film War Path, out on demand and digital now! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik sit down with writer, director, producer, author, Slamdance film festival co-founder and all around indie film expert, Dan Mirvish, to talk about how he has managed to direct six features over his career. Dan also talks about his process of raising funds, how he reverse engineers his films to attract the best actors possible and what he thinks are the most important aspects of indie filmmaking. Dan drops a ton of knowledge in this hour plus interview so if you want to learn more about indie film, hit play! We also have another "Get Shorty" with filmmaker Shane Anderson featuring his short, His Guy Thursday and Liz gives us an update on her next feature film! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Alrik and Liz sit down with 1091 Senior Sales Manager Sana Soni who talks to us about the task of selling movies to Advertising-Based Video on Demand or AVOD companies and how the changing market has been effecting distributors as well as filmmakers. Sana also talks about the opportunity she saw after the pandemic and her own filmmaking work on her web series, The Myth of Control! We also have writer, actor and producer Julia Manis on the show to talk about her film Mel and Ruby which was just released on film shortage! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik chat with writer/director Anthony Scott Burns to talk about making his second feature, Come True, which was released by IFC Midnight on March 12th! Anthony talks about how/why he fought to shoot the film in sixty days, what inspired him to make the film and how he had to quit his first feature in the editing room! There are a lot of great bits in this shorter interview but stick around because we also have returning guest Naomi McDougall Jones on our Soap Dish segment to talk about Constellation Incubator that she and Liz launched this week. Do you want to help create a new way of funding/making/selling and distributing films? Then you should apply to be part of the incubator now and Naomi tells us all about how the incubator works. Lastly, we have listener and filmmaker John Beckham on our Get Shorty segment to talk about Pizza People and Liz and Alrik talk about what worked and didn’t work for them in the short! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week we have filmmakers and actors Stephen Colletti and James Lafferty from the Hulu Series Everyone is Doing Great to talk about from meeting together as actors on One Tree Hill and how they raised over $250k through crowdfunding to make the show. We get to hear about how they made the transition from actors to filmmakers and what it is like to go back to a show as an actor after working behind the camera. We also have filmmaker and listener of the show Derek Viveiros on Get Shorty to talk about his short film Pimples and Nipples, which is a wild ride of a short, be sure to check it out! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What does an indie film finance agent actually do? This week Liz and Alrik sit down with Ross Putman, Fiance and Sales Executive at Verve Talent and Literary Agency to talk about his switch from producing indie films to being an agent, what he does day to day and how he helps bring a project from script to the screen. We also talk about a lot of misconceptions regarding agents and how filmmakers can best work with agents to get their films made. On top of that we have filmmaker Aimee Morgan on the show to talk about her short film Shelter and how she went and made the film on a low budget with a truly indie crew. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On our big 300th episode, Liz and Alrik are very excited to welcome Sev Ohanian to the show - producer of films such as Fruitvale Station, Searching, Run, Judas and the Black Messiah and the upcoming Space Jam: A New Legacy! Sev talks to us about how he got started as a producer and what he learned producing a dozen features that lead to him writing/producing Searching which premiered at Sundance. This was a very deep and enlightening conversation that really goes to show what you can pull off with dedication and a lot of hard work! We also have filmmakers Larry Lavarety and Isaac Pingree on the show to talk about their latest film, Where Buffalo Roam, a short documentary about the endangered Yellowstone Buffalo. Lastly, Alrik and Liz finally answer the final five questions for themselves and talk about why they are filmmakers! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week on the show Liz and Alrik talk to writer/producer/director Camille Brown about how she did just about everything you could do to go from being an assistant, to a producer and to directing her first feature film, which indirectly lead to the opportunity of directing her second feature for Lifetime. Camille talks about how she thought there would be a clear path to directing and when she got into the industry, she saw you have to just do it yourself. We also have old editor and long time listener of the show Cameron Caves on to talk about his film Hyperthermia which Liz and Alrik thoroughly dissect! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik invite director Kevin Lewis on the show to talk about directing his latest feature Willy’s Wonderland, starring the legendary Nicolas Cage fighting a fun house filled of demonic animatronic creatures! Kevin talks about how the movie came about, how they got Nic Cage on board and his road of directing seven features which lead to his eighth feature with an over 12 year gap in between features. It’s a very engaging conversation about the highs and lows of filmmaking plus we get to hear what it’s like to work with Nicolas Cage, which is awesome. We also have another installment of You’ve Got Mail and we have filmmaker Nicole de Meneses on the show to talk about the first episode of her web series, Dating in the Zombie Apocalypse! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik have an EPIC conversation with writer/directing duo Ian and Eshom Nelms about their rise from shooting their first feature for $1500 all the way to writing and directing Fatman, a high concept action/christmas movie starring Mel Gibson and Walton Goggins. This conversation is one of our longests but Ian and Eshom drop a ton of amazing knowledge and teachable experiences into the episode. We hear about working with reps, securing feature jobs and the intense grind it takes to write and direct six feature films across a span of over fifteen years. After the main interview is done stick around for a wonderful Get Shorty with writer/Director Kyle Kenyon about his short film Dad Pals and another installment of You’ve Got Mail! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik welcome Writer/Director Anna Biller on the show to talk about making and releasing her feature The Love Witch and what her life has been like since the release of the film. Anna talks about the struggles of raising money for her next film, the crazy amount of time and energy that went into The Love Witch and how she brought the very vintage look and feeling to the film. We also read two new listener emails and Alrik gives an update on his film The Alternate! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik welcome producer/director Avril Speaks on the show to talk about her road from filmmaker to educator and back to filmmaking again! Avril talks about how she landed the job producing the feature film Jinn and how she fell in love with producing and how that three features later it's her main focus in filmmaking. Avril also talks about her directing work and opens up about how directing will be something she turns back to in the future. This is a fantastic conversation about how the path of a filmmaker is rarely a straight line and how saying yes to an opportunity you aren't sure about can sometimes lead to a full career. We also have Australian filmmaker Adrian Powers on the show to talk about his latest short Brolga which sparks a great conversation between Alrik and Liz! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik welcome producer, director, writer, programmer for Provincetown International Film Festival and Executive Director of FilmNorth, Andrew Peterson to the show! Andrew talks to us about getting started in the locations department in the 90s, working his way up to producing feature films and then pivoting over to be the executive director of FilmNorth. There are simply too many amazing things that Andrew says in this episode to try and jam it all into this blurb, but we cover topics ranging from trying to finance your feature, how to re-write your film for the budget you have and what not to do when you get into a film festival! We also have filmmakers and fans of the show Travis White and Madison Phillips on the show to talk about making their dark thriller 'Why Haven't They Fixed The Cameras Yet'! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik connect with Writer/Director SJ Chiro to talk about her filmmaking career and how after turning down her acceptance in USC in the early 90s, came back to film 20 years later and has forged a successful indie film career for herself. SJ talks about what it took to get her first feature made, Lane 1974 and how it led to her second feature, East of the Mountains, which she just wrapped up during the pandemic. SJ is very open and honest about her filmmaking journey and this conversation is a good reminder that if things don’t work out as you planned, that doesn’t have to stop you from making your films. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Happy New Year! This week Liz and Alrik welcome back previous guests Sean Lynch and Gavin Murray to talk about their new film Red Snow which they shot along with Alrik as producer back in February of 2020 right before the pandemic hit. We recorded this conversation back in April of 2020 so some of our comments on COVID19 are pretty dated but this is a really fun conversation about shooting a horror film in the show, roughly over a month after we wrapped production. Liz and Alrik also have filmmaker Debi Bradshaw on the show to talk about her excellent short film Hotcake, which is a coming of age, 80s period piece short film, which is I think the first of its kind that we’ve had on the show, so check it out! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week on MMIH Liz and Alrik sit down with writer/director Amber Sealey to talk about her life as a director, how she's been surviving through the pandemic and directing her latest film, No Man of God, starring Elijah Wood! We also have filmmaker Courtney Therond on to talk about her exceptional short film, Rehearsal, which is a must watch for all aspiring filmmakers and filmmakers alike! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Alrik and Liz talk with writer director Derek Presley and producer Jason Starne about the making of their latest feature film Red Stone, starring Neal McDonough during the global pandemic back in June 2020. They tell us how they were the first SAG film to get greenlit during the pandemic and how they managed their set to keep everyone safe. They also talk about how Red Stone laid to their third feature which they went to shoot in Washington in the fall. Alrik and Liz also answer a listener question about when it’s the right time to send a script to a mentor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik welcome long time listener and documentary filmmaker Taylor Morden on the show to talk about his latest film The Last Blockbuster which is dropping on VOD and digital on Tuesday December 15th! We also talk to Taylor about his amazingly crazy and endearing film project, Project 88: Back to the Future Too in which he wrangled filmmakers and fans from all over the world to recreate Back to the Future 2 during the early days of the pandemic! We also have filmmaker Brittany Synman on the show to talk about her short film Goodbye which spurs a very constructive conversation! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this week's episode Liz and Alrik chat with Director April Mullen about directing her latest film Wander starring Tommy Lee Jones and Aaron Eckhart! April talks about how she pulled the project together from nothing, how long it took her and her team to get the film made and after eight features and dozens of episodes of TV this was her hardest project yet! We also have filmmaker Paul Notice on the show to talk about his first feature film Willow, which he is currently raising funds for on Seed and Spark! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik welcome writer/director and filmmaking Wunderkin, Emily Hagins on the show to talk about directing the segment ‘Cold Open’ for the new horror anthology Scare Package which is out now on Shudder! Emily, Liz and Alrik have a classic filmmakers conversation, covering how Emily got started, what it was like to have your third feature film accepted into SXSW at age 17 and how Emily is still dealing with ageism and sexism ten years later. This conversation is on the longer side so pull up a chair and join in on this open and honest filmmaking discussion! Filmmaker, writer, actor and director Rakefet Abergel also joins the show to talk about her short film, Boo!, another must see short film, which Alrik and Liz both loved discussing! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik talk with indie filmmaker Aleem Hossain about the process of making his first feature film, After We Leave, which he shot across over eight years and made it on a budget under $50k. Aleem talks about his decision to make his film over a long period of time, not rush the process and make sure he got each frame just the way he wanted. This is a great episode just to show that there are more options to tackling your first feature than trying to get it shot in as little time as possible. They also have short filmmaker Kate McCoid on the show to talk about her film ‘It’s Not Custard’ which Liz is a big fan of. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week we have a very exciting episode featuring development executive and Senior Vice President of Film/TV at EA. Our special guest joins Liz and Alrik to talk about what her job entails, what she looks for in a project and how she likes to work with up and coming writers and directors. She also talks about her day to day and how that has all changed with the pandemic! If you want to learn more about how filmmaking works on a studio level, this is the episode for you! Also, Liz and Alrik answer a listener question and read a new itunes review! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oh do we have a special episode for you! This week Liz and Alrik invite legendary film critic, film aficionado and Drive-In movie specialist Joe Bob Briggs to talk about all things genre filmmaking! Joe Bob talks about the rants on his show ‘The Last Drive In’, the mistakes young filmmakers make and what kind of movies he would love to see more of in the world of low budget genre filmmaking! Alrik and Liz loved talking to Joe Bob so much that they had an extra post show wrap up talk so once Joe Bob logs off stick around for more fun! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Alrik and Liz welcome writers and directors Jeff Kerr and Ray Spivey to talk about the making of their brand new feature film, Writers Block which comes out on VOD, Itunes and Amazon on November 3rd! Jeff and Ray talk about reconnecting after thirty years since they knew each other in high school, starting to collaborating together and what it was like to write, direct and produce their first feature later in life. This episode truly proves that it's never too late to follow your dreams! We also have filmmaker Michael Groves on the show to share his short film Left Behind!Where to Find Michael Groves, Jeff Kerr and Ray Spivey!Watch Writer's Block Now!Jeff Kerr's WebsiteRay Spivey on IMDBMichael Grove's On YoutubeContact Liz & Alrik Send us an emailYou can find Liz Manashil @ www.lizmanashil.comYou can find Alrik @ www.alrikbursell.comMMIH is now in video and on Youtube @ www.youtube.com/c/MakingMoviesisHARDPodcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Alrik and Liz welcome writer and director Oz Rodriguez on the show to talk about the making of his latest film Vampires vs. The Bronx which is now streaming on Netflix! Oz also talks about how he came up in the world of comedy, how he made it as a director on SNL and taking the leap from directing television to telling a story that is very important to him and that captures his vision start to finish. We also have a new get shorty segment featuring friend of the show Dave Bundtzen's horror short 'The Devil's Passenger' and we have a Soapdish segment from filmmaker and author Sarah Moshman! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Alrik and Liz welcome San Francisco Bay Area Filmmaker and Writer Jonathan Kiefer onto the show to talk about his process in collaborating on making and writing his first feature film, Around The Sun. Jonathan talks about how he and the director collaborated on the film, where the concept came from and the steps he took in writing the project. We also talk about being a filmmaker in these crazy times and the artistic motivations to decide if you should write or direct a certain project! Liz and Alrik also answer a listener question and talk about their all time favorite episodes of the podcast!Where to Find Jonathan Kiefer!Watch Around The Sun Now!Jonathan Kiefer's Website!Jonathan Kiefer on IMDB!Contact Liz & Alrik Send us an emailYou can find Liz Manashil @ www.lizmanashil.comYou can find Alrik @ www.alrikbursell.comMMIH is now in video and on Youtube @ www.youtube.com/c/MakingMoviesisHARDPodcastYou can now find MMIH @ mmihpodcast on instagram!Find us on our Facebook Community PageContact us on Twitter and Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Alrik and Liz welcome back previous 'Get Shorty' Filmmaker Felicia Pride on the show to talk about how she moved to LA at 35 and forged her filmmaking career through her own sheer will and hustle. Felicia talks about the steps she took in crucial points in her career, how she hit career milestones for herself and how she managed to sell a feature, land management and get staffed in a writers room all in the same year. This episode is a must listen if you feel like you missed your chance to have the career that you wanted because it really just shows that putting in the work and staying focused on your goals really pays off. We also have short filmmaker Parrish Stikeleather on the show to talk about his short film 'Long Drive to Yadkin' which we have deemed as a serious ode to the Cohen Brothers! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alrik and Liz welcome writer, director and social media queen Jessica Ellis on the show to talk about making her first feature film, What Lies West! Jessica also talks about her life as a working writer, how she is staying motivated during the pandemic and the reality of what 50k twitter followers actually means when you are running a crowdfunding campaign. We also have producer and filmmaking sales consultant Alec Trachtenberg on the show to give us some tips on advertising your film and finally we've got a the short film 'We Are Having Sex' from writer/director Michael Callahan! Where to Find Jessica, Alec and Michael! Jessica Ellis' Website Jessica Ellis on Twitter Alec Trachtenberg's New Book! Alec Trachtenberg on Instagram! Michael Callahan's Website! Contact Liz & Alrik Send us an email You can find Liz Manashil @ www.lizmanashil.com You can find Alrik @ www.alrikbursell.com You can now find MMIH @ mmihpodcast on instagram! Leave a comment on our website Find us on our Facebook Community Page Contact us on Twitter and Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On episode 278 of the show, Alrik and Liz welcome iconic horror director Darren Lynn Bousman (Spiral, Saw II-IV, Repo! The Genetic Opera) to talk about his latest film, Death of Me starring Maggie Q and Luke Hemsworth, which was shot on a remote island off the coast of Thailand. Darren talks about the struggles of shooting a film on a remote island, working with actors who don’t speak english (and who have little experience) and how they pulled off some of the amazing practical effects in the film. We also have listener and filmmaker Oscar Sanudo on the show to talk about his short film Modus Vivendi which he shot on an Iphone 11! Where to Find Darren and Oscar! DEATH OF ME is available in select theaters, on demand and digital October 2nd! Darren's One Day Die Halloween Event! Darren's Website Oscar Sañudo on IMDB Contact Liz & Alrik Send us an email You can find Liz Manashil @ www.lizmanashil.com You can find Alrik @ www.alrikbursell.com You can now find MMIH @ mmihpodcast on instagram! Leave a comment on our website Find us on our Facebook Community Page Contact us on Twitter and Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Liz and Alrik welcome return guests Hannah Black and Megan Petersen to talk about their first feature film Drought, which won Seed and Spark’s Hometown Heroes competition back in 2017. Megan and Hannah talk to us about what they have learned from working with Mark and Jay Duplass on their film and the long road they took to getting their film finished once they got their greenlight! We also have international filmmakers (names) to talk about their latest 1980’s inspired sci-fi short film ‘Slice of Life’ which they made using all the old techniques used on films like Blade Runner and no CGI whatsoever! Where to Find Megan, Hannah, Dino and Luka! Megan and Hannah's Website! Drought on Facebook! Slice of Life's Website Dino Julius' Website Contact Liz & Alrik Send us an email You can find Liz Manashil @ www.lizmanashil.com You can find Alrik @ www.alrikbursell.com You can now find MMIH @ mmihpodcast on instagram! Leave a comment on our website Find us on our Facebook Community Page Contact us on Twitter and Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.