What does an agent do, and how do they help their client reach that dream of their first sale? In our latest episode, Ryan talks with David Boxerbaum (Hollywood Agent and Partner at Verve) to illuminate that process. We also discuss David’s hig

From Short Story to Studio Bidding War

Feb 21st, 2023 49m 41s

How do you take an idea from concept, to short story, to a 9 studio bidding war? In our latest episode Ryan talks with Scott Glassgold (a Manager and Producer with well over a decade of experience) about how he did exactly that! After getting

A Brand New Way to Get a Film Made

Mar 2nd, 2022 51m 46s

Chris and Zeek are the writer/director team behind PROSPECT, an indie sci-fi film that broke through the ceiling of its budget and has since gone on to find its audience on streaming. Even though Chris and Zeek were happy with their film, they

Independent Filmmaking: Pitching, Budgeting, & Casting

Nov 30th, 2021 42m 25s

Via Twitter Spaces, Ryan interviews Scott Glassgold, who answers an array of questions in regards to pitching, budgeting, casting your lead, look books, studio vs. independent filmmaking, and funding feature and TV projects. Scott Glassgold is

Sound Mixing Amazon’s The Boys

Sep 14th, 2021 46m 11s

Alexandra Fehrman is the Emmy nominated Sound mixer of Amazon's 'THE BOYS'. Her work spans series and features with projects like Killer Joe and Wu-Tang: An American Saga. But what is a sound mixer, and what do all of the other departments insi

Getting Ambitious with an Indie Budget

Aug 31st, 2021 1h 6m

How do you make a small budget seem large or few resources seem plentiful? That is what Ryan and Colin Levy discuss in this latest episode. Colin is no stranger to making an indie budget look like a Hollywood blockbuster. His short film, Skywat

Editing HBO's Mare of Easttown

Aug 17th, 2021 59m 14s

Amy Duddleston is the Emmy nominated editor of HBO's MARE OF EASTTOWN. Amy's work span decades and genres, culminating in a wellspring of wisdom and talent. From the shot-for-shot PSYCHO remake to the Tarantinoesque Amazon series HUNTERS, Amy c

Developing, Pitching, and Selling Feature Films

May 11th, 2021 1h 25m

Scott Glassgold is a Manager and Producer with well over a decade of experience. After getting his start at New Line Cinema and Disney, Scott Founded Ground Control, an innovative Management, and Production company. From there, he’s gone on to

The Importance of a 1st AD

Apr 27th, 2021 53m 55s

The importance of the First Assistant Director can't be understated. They set the tone for the crew, keep the production on schedule, and are one of the closest allies of the director. And this is the role Hristo Dimitrov fills with ease. With

Directing Extraction with Sam Hargrave

Mar 30th, 2021 49m 15s

Sam Hargrave is the director behind the new Netflix original, Extraction, starring Chris Hemsworth. While Extraction is Sam's first feature as a director, it's far from his first experience with action. With credits in Atomic Blonde, Winter Sol

Writing/Directing 'I Care a Lot'

Mar 3rd, 2021 1h 1m

J Blakeson is the writer/director behind the new Netflix original, I Care a Lot, starring Rosamund Pike. J started his career like many of us did, making films with his friends and just trying to figure it out. By 21, he had his first agent and

Telling Stories that Matter

Oct 27th, 2020 43m 15s

The journey toward making the feature film “CLOUDS”—now available on Disney+—was a long one for director Justin Baldoni. In 2013 Justin released a short doc on Zach Sobiech, a remarkable 17-year-old diagnosed with osteosarcoma. The story of Zac

Making a Creature Feature

Oct 20th, 2020 1h 9m

Brett and Drew Pierce are the writer/director team behind the new horror film THE WRETCHED, an old school creature feature with more going on under the hood than just scares. While having a background in Hollywood productions, the brothers stil

Don't wait for Hollywood to Make Your Film

Oct 7th, 2020 1h 13m

Make your film! That is what drives the team behind the new comedy FAITH BASED. From shooting with iPhones in their living rooms, to what it ultimately became—a full-blown feature film with an impressive cast (Jason Alexander, Lance Riddick, an

Finding Success in Filmmaking

Sep 15th, 2020 1h 20m

“Proceed as if” is some of the best advice a young filmmaker can hear, it perfectly encompasses so many important ideas. But that isn’t the only gem Quincy Ledbetter drops in this latest episode. From the beginning of his infatuation with film

Making and Distributing Your Film Independently

Sep 1st, 2020 1h 3m

"Just make your film" is a rallying cry for many, but very few back up those words with action. Today's guest, the multifaceted Jim Cummings, is absolutely one of those few. Through crowdfunding and self-distribution, Jim has found a lot of su

How a Hollywood Legend Directs Actors

Aug 18th, 2020 38m 56s

With films like Saturday Night Fever, Short Circuit, WarGames, and Dracula in his filmography, the term “legendary director” flows out of your mouth when talking about John Badham. But film isn’t the only medium where he left his mark. Badham a

Directing a Blockbuster with an Indie Budget

Aug 4th, 2020 51m 31s

‘GREYHOUND’ is the latest original film to hit Apple+ TV. Oscar winning writer/director Aaron Schneider chats with Ryan about his process for constructing the intricate battle sequences, pulling story out of the technical, and what it’s like to

Writing & Directing Story Driven Horror

Jul 21st, 2020 53m 18s

Relic is the directorial debut of Japanese-Australian writer/director filmmaker, Natalie Erika James. It’s a horror film anchored by its deeply emotional and honest themes, and masterfully co-written and directed by James. Rel

Emotionally Impactful Cinematography w/ Jody Lee Lipes

Jul 7th, 2020 58m 58s

As the cinematographer for such beautiful work as A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Manchester by the Sea, and I Know This Much is True, Jody Lee Lipes brings an emotional honesty to all his work. Of course, every element within the filmmaki

MAKING "STAR WARS: ORIGINS" - A FAN FILM

Jun 16th, 2020 56m 39s

If you are wondering how to start making the films you love… To steal from Nike’s slogan… JUST DO IT! That thought process seems to be behind everything Phil Hawkins does. Like most of us, he’s a student of Spielberg, Lucas, and the other great

Writing for Film and Television with Dayna Lynne North

May 5th, 2020 59m 46s

What is "your voice"? Should you start with theme, character, a concept? So many questions flood your brain when you sit down to write, especially when first starting out. Today Ryan chats with the incredible Dayna Lynne North (Writer, Showrunn

Writing & Directing your First Feature

Apr 28th, 2020 1h 19m

How do you get your first feature made? It’s the question every aspiring filmmaker wants answered. Today Ryan speaks with Ricky Staub — writer, director, and entrepreneur. After coming off the success of his first narrative project, The Cage (d

Editing for Quibi & What Makes a Story Work

Apr 7th, 2020 48m 59s

Yesterday marked the launch of Quibi, a 2-billion dollar bet by Hollywood and tech giants Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman to change the face of content consumption on the go. There have been lots of opinions about Quibi’s viability, potentia

Producing for Film and Television with Yolanda T. Cochran, P.G.A.

Mar 31st, 2020 59m 40s

What the hell does a producer do? When every production can have five different versions of them, it's no wonder this is a recurring question. Well, today we have the definitive answer as Ryan "sits down" with Yolanda T. Cochran, VP Production,