Barely Living The Dream

Houston filmmaker and actor Joe Grisaffi joins the podcast to talk about 30+ years of independent filmmaking, from shooting his first feature on 16mm film and maxing out credit cards, to making cult horror films for under $5,000, creating Atari video games based on his movies, and launching his newest feature, *Slugger*.

We dive into:

⚾ The genesis of *SLUGGER* — a murderous baseball player horror film

🎬 How Joe made features like *LAUGHING BOY*, *DEAD OF KNIGHT*, *LARS THE EMO KID*, and *CONJOINED* on almost no budget

📼 DIY VHS and DVD distribution in the video store era

🕹 Turning indie horror films into Atari games

🎭 Acting, casting, and surviving in indie film for decades

💀 Why “bad” low-budget filmmaking sometimes becomes cult magic

If you love indie horror, DIY filmmaking, cult cinema, and behind-the-scenes stories about making movies against all odds, this episode is for you.

Support Joe’s *Slugger* campaign:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joegrisaffi/slugger-a-baseball-themed-horror-feature-film

Let us know in the comments: What’s your favorite no-budget cult film of all time?

#IndieFilm #JoeGrisaffi #FilmmakingPodcast #CultHorror #DIYFilmmaking #Slugger #IndependentFilm #LowBudgetHorror #Atari2600 #HoustonFilm

After a long break, the podcast is back—and there’s a LOT to catch up on.

In this episode, I dive into everything that’s happened since the premiere of *INBETWEENING*—from an incredible film festival debut and award win… to the harsh realities of indie distribution, missed opportunities, and a life-threatening health scare that stopped everything.

This is the real story behind indie filmmaking:

🎬 The highs of a packed premiere and audience connection

🏆 Winning “Amazing Fantasy Feature” right out of the gate

📉 The brutal silence and rejection that followed

🎥 Self-distributing across platforms like Amazon Prime & Tubi

⚠️ And the unexpected health crisis that nearly took me out

If you're a filmmaker, creative, or just someone chasing something big—this is a raw, unfiltered look at what it actually takes.

👉 *INBETWEENING* is now streaming:

* Amazon Prime (US): https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F3TCB4H2/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

* Amazon Prime (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B0F3TCR8H3/?autoplay=0&t=0

* Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/100036097/inbetweening

* IndiePix: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F3TCB4H2/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

* Relay: https://pickrelay.com/app/t/dhfa-wxat

* Fawesome: https://fawesome.tv/movies/10695161/inbetweening?utm_source=justwatch&utm_medium=feed

* Coming soon to YouTube Movies (ad-supported)

More episodes coming soon with guests, collaborators, and real stories from the indie film world.

Check out my interview regarding FADE TO BLACK with Derrick on Worst Movies Ever Podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/worst-movies-25-148571196?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan&utm_content=web_share

Stream my first movie FADE TO BLACK at Anhedenia Films Unlimited!

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/fadetoblack3

While you're here, don't forget to like, comment, subscribe...you know the drill!

Making this grant presentation from last year public now (with some minor edits) in anticipation of our world premiere next month at Amazing Fantasy Fest! Details are here: https://www.amazingfantasyfest.com and new trailer is here: https://youtu.be/pRheZpXsBpQ

For the video version of this podcast episode, go HERE: https://youtu.be/w3m6ZF-TOpM

On 12.27.23 (my birthday) I did a livestream update on the film via Zoom (while I was still in the clutches of the 'Rona - 1/10 do not recommend). I showed a couple completed clips from the film, and even the first trailer! All this stuff will be exclusive and for your eyes only until probably Spring 2024 (at least), so you're definitely getting an advance look behind the curtain!

EDITS: I trimmed off the beginning part of the stream where we were waiting for folks to join the Zoom, as well as the last 2/3 of the musical number so that it's still a surprise at the upcoming screenings! Left the first verse until the big guitars come in though. Also the clips aren't fully foley-ed or mixed, etc. and the score is all temp stuff. Basically...the movie is pretty much done now, this was when it was still a work in progress.

INBETWEENING stars Brandon Cole, Tye Blue, Debbie Rochon, Chelsea McCurdy, Jill Brumer, Dillon DeWitt, Seán Patrick Judge, and Angelo Moore (the frontman/singer/saxophonist of Black Rock pioneers Fishbone).

Eric Linson is a struggling multiracial filmmaker with a few credits to his name and absolutely nothing to show for it. Inbetweening follows his journey trying to remain afloat and healthy in the liminal space between projects...while the voices in his head steadily become louder. Some are helpful, but most aren't...especially the Zombie Guy. Fortunately, the lead singer of Eric's favorite band (Angelo Moore, from the legendary Fishbone, playing himself) is on Eric's side. Inbetweening melds live action, animation, puppets, and even a musical number to reveal Eric's increasingly fractured journey.

This particular work is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance.

A Very Special Homecoming Episode! Brittany (re) joins Mel and Chris to discuss all the stuff she's been working on/doing over the last couple years, ranging from FEAR THE WALKING DEAD to PANIC to WALKER and beyond! She'll also talk about becoming a licensed special effects technician/pyrotechnician and leaving an impression by (fake) burning down a church!

For pyro/spfx/script supervision inquiries, email

IN THE BLOOD commentary

https://youtu.be/WRtIMSVR490

INBETWEENING teaser

https://youtube.com/shorts/WJ_ku90NGTc

👉 This is episode 49 - meaning that the next episode is a milestone one! I figured it would be fun to do a Q&A/reflection type show for our 50th, so if you have any questions for Brittany, Chris or myself, feel free to leave them in the comments here, on IG, on Soundcloud, or email to [email protected]. They can range from the general (“Who is your favorite director?”) to the granular (“What camera did you shoot Mystery Spot with and why was it 5 different cameras?”). Consider it our version of an AMA. Also, be sure to like and subscribe to help the channel grow!

Chris Warren on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3479843/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr

Watch DARK RITUAL: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B099P69816/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Watch MYSTERY SPOT: https://www.terrorfilms.net/film/mystery-spot

On this episode of BLTD, writer/director Stephen Wolfe joins Mel and Chris to discuss his projects, his love for Universal Monsters, and that time he let Mel use his car while in Los Angeles.

Stephen has written/directed the features DOLL FACTORY (currently on Amazon Prime, Crackle, Plex, and Tubi), MIDNIGHT ABYSS, and the shorts DRACULA'S COFFIN and DEAD LIFT (featured in 10/31 PART 2 - currently on ScramBox, Prime, and Tubi). You can check his stuff out at these links:

DOLL FACTORY TRAILER

https://youtu.be/Yd_gXM2bl18?si=3TIFMG_P-SR_NjYF

CURSE (short film)

https://youtu.be/T0h8uQ-Wtd0?si=BzgWrVYYiV4XxubT

JASON MEETS THE WOLFMAN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONXyZJIHip0

10/31 PART 2 Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QslBnwJbsCE

Be sure to like and subscribe to help the channel grow!

Chris Warren on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3479843/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr

Watch DARK RITUAL: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B099P69816/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Watch MYSTERY SPOT: https://www.terrorfilms.net/film/mystery-spot

We're back with a new episode with Chris Warren, who brings us up to date on all the sets he's been working on for the past 3+ years! Chris has been making movie magic across varied states and genres with folks like Ron Perlman, Danny Trejo, Esai Morales, Eden Brolin, and the late Tom Sizemore.

He also reunited with a few MYSTERY SPOT MVP’s (Graham Skipper, Ken Whiting, and Cyrus Rodas ) to shoot Graham’s new feature, THE LONELY MAN WITH THE GHOST MACHINE which is premiering soon. We talk about all that and more on this one.

Be sure to like and subscribe to help the channel grow!

Chris Warren on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3479843/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr

Watch DARK RITUAL: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B099P69816/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Watch MYSTERY SPOT: https://www.terrorfilms.net/film/mystery-spot

THE LONELY MAN WITH THE GHOST MACHINE Premiere Info: https://makebelieveseattle.eventive.org/films/65b3de4af14e9500ce515486

Here's an interview that Chris Warren (Director/Co-Writer/Etc.) and I did with Derrick Fury (director of LION KILLER and head instructor at Axiom Jiu-Jitsu) just after we signed our distribution deal for IMAGO - which by then we had recut and retitled IN THE BLOOD...which then got retitled into DARK RITUAL upon release.

We tried to include lots of extras regarding the (over a decade) long and arduous journey of making, posting, and selling the film, including BOTH the IMAGO version and the IN THE BLOOD version, as well as related added value material, but of course none of that has seen the light of day. Until now!

Check out the release as DARK RITUAL in the following places:

Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/660365/dark-ritual

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B099P69816/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHfpJReqDnQ

Check out a couple reviews of the movie here:

The Final Cut: https://youtu.be/-yiony6uAyE?si=DlnMuxfeYGCQcqR0

Zisi's Movie Emporium: https://zisiemporium.blogspot.com/2022/04/dark-ritual-hp-lovecraft-meets.html?m=1

Check out Derrick's film LION KILLER here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07ZQJ3P82/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/504154/lion-killer

Subscribe to the Upstart Filmworks Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkZ1BNnxHjcFLxl9z01iQMg

Earlier this week, I did this "sneak peek" of the movie via Zoom - it was part of the grant finalization process. I recorded it, so here's the audio! I play rough cuts from a few scenes I've edited thus far, plus a early sneak peek (listen) to "S**tshow", the song from the musical number in the film.

INBETWEENING stars Brandon Cole, Tye Blue, Debbie Rochon, Chelsea McCurdy, Jill Brumer, Dillon DeWitt, Seán Patrick Judge, and Angelo Moore (the frontman/singer/saxophonist of Black Rock pioneers Fishbone).

We completed principal photography in March 2022, and are in post production right now! Join me for a WORK IN PROGRESS sneak peek at some of the footage and animation as well as discussion of some of the underlying themes/origins of the stories within!

What's up everyone? Yep, been a while. Lots of stuff has happened...and we do mean LOTS. MYSTERY SPOT premiered, DARK RITUAL gained traction, the Burn video finally came out, AND we shot another feature (INBETWEENING). Mel catches you up on ALL of it.

INBETWEENING post production crowdfunding campaign: http://igg.me/at/inbetweening

Upstart Filmworks Linktree: https://linktr.ee/upstartfilmworks

Back from extended hibernation, to the delight of a couple people and the chagrin of many more! You'd think we'd have spent the lockdown cranking out content...alas, that was not to be. But that doesn't mean we weren't busy! To wit:

- First off, MYSTERY SPOT is having it's World Premiere at Arrow Video's London FrightFest in August! Huge deal! Info here: https://www.scifinow.co.uk/events/frightfest-second-wave-of-films-announced/ and here: https://www.frightfest.co.uk/holdingfolder2/MysterySpot.html

- IN THE BLOOD (formerly IMAGO) is now DARK RITUAL. Coming soon from Summer Hill Entertainment! More info here: http://summerhillfilms.com/dark-ritual/

- Brittany has been working on FEAR THE WALKING DEAD (zombies)

- Chris worked on a bunch of stuff, with a bunch of people, including who he claims to be the "best Baldwin brother".

- Mel worked on a Happy Madison film, officially as the 2nd Assistant to Taylor Lautner (werewolves)

...and more! Give it a listen as we catch up on the last year and change of insanity. As always, you can find more info at upstartfilmworks.net or at @upstartfilm on all the social media