Creative Principles

Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have cemented themselves as subversive filmmakers with broad audience appeal. The duo garnered positive attention after directing segments of 2012’s V/H/S, but it was the Searchlight horror film READY OR NOT that took them to the next level. The film became a cult classic and earned nearly $58 million at the global box office.

In this interview, we talk about the organizational challenges of a co-directing partnership, the benefits of budget limitations, their new film, and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Liz Sarnoff is a nine-time Emmy-nominated television writer and producer, recognized for her work on some of the most influential television dramas and comedies of the past two decades. Currently, Sarnoff is the showrunner, executive producer, and creator of the TV series SCARPETTA, based on Patricia Cornwell's bestselling book series.

Liz got her start with David Milch on the CBS series BIG APPLE and rose through the ranks on HBO’s DEADWOOD and five seasons on ABC’s LOST, becoming an Executive Producer in the final season.

In this interview, we talk about her work with David Milch, the transition into showrunning, her new show SCARPETTA, the series LOST, and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Miriam Schulman is a luxury-market messaging and pricing strategist for creative entrepreneurs and the author of ARTPRENEUR: THE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO MAKING A SUSTAINABLE LIVING FROM YOUR CREATIVITY.

In this interview, we talk about the publication of her book ARTPRENEUR, why social media platforms are not a reliable way to build a business, why you should focus on becoming a "micro-celebrity,” the concept of "loving your buyer,” and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Kate Hudson is a Golden Globe Award winner and Academy Award-nominated actress, singer/songwriter, producer, entrepreneur, and New York Times bestselling author. You know her from ALMOST FAMOUS, HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS, and Netflix’s new series, RUNNING POINT.

Recently, she starred opposite Hugh Jackman in Craig Brewer’s critically-acclaimed musical drama, SONG SUNG BLUE, for which she has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award and SAG’s Actor Award.

SONG SUNG BLUE follows Lightning and Thunder, a Milwaukee husband and wife Neil Diamond tribute act, who experience soaring success and devastating heartbreak in their musical journey together.

In this interview, we talk about the technical preparation for musical scenes, acting techniques for close-up shots, Kate Hudson’s personal acting philosophy, professional advice for aspiring actors, and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Brandon Violette is a Screenwriter, podcaster, and speaker. He was most recently the Head Writer for ROBOGOBO and PUPSTRUCTION at Disney Television Animation and the Co-Creator/Head Writer of COCOMELON LANE, one of Netflix's top-performing preschool series.

In addition to his screenwriting work, Brandon is the host of THE STORY SERIES PODCAST, where he interviews writers, showrunners, filmmakers, authors, and creators about the rules they broke to build lasting careers.

You can listen to his podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-story-series-podcast-with-brandon-violette-for/id1799336043

In this interview, we talk about overcoming personal prejudices regarding preschool content, the development of COCOMELON LANE, storybook testing in local preschools, prioritizing character dynamics over world-building, networking, and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Susanna Fogel is a director, screenwriter, and novelist best known for her work in BOOKSMART and THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME. David Iserson is a filmmaker, writer, and producer best known for his work on MR. ROBOT, MAD MEN, and NEW GIRL.

Iserson, alongside Fogel, served as co-creators, writers, and executive producers for the television series PONIES, a 70s-set spy thriller starring Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson.

The series follows two PONIES ("persons of no interest") working anonymously as secretaries in the American Embassy until their husbands are killed under mysterious circumstances in the USSR, and the pair become CIA operatives. Together, they work to uncover a vast Cold War conspiracy and solve the mystery that made them widows in the first place.

In this interview, we talk about the professional marriage between Susanna Fogel and David Iserson, the development history and production origins of their series PONIES, research and working with consultants, plus much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Alex Russell is a writer and director best known for his work on DAVE and THE BEAR. He also won an Emmy award for his work as a writer and Supervising Producer on Netflix/A24’s BEEF.

His directorial debut, LURKER, is a psychological thriller that follows a retail employee who infiltrates the inner circle of an artist on the verge of stardom. As he gets closer to the budding music star, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.

In this interview, we talk about the distinction between having a unique voice and mastering the technical craft and structure of a script, the collaborative nature of writers' rooms and the role of serving a showrunner's vision, how working on DAVE led to opportunities on other shows like BEEF and THE BEAR, the development of his film LURKERS, and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Jamie Heinrich is an independent filmmaker, director, and producer who gained recognition in the independent film circuit for his micro-budget feature film, I LIKE YOU. Recently, he has also become a prominent voice in the AI filmmaking space, teaching creators how to leverage AI tools for viral content and professional production.

Join here: https://www.skool.com/filmmaking/about?ref=04b08a2d713a4d44b83081a3f4e6b01a

In this interview, we talk about his career in independent filmmaking, the integration of filmmaking, technology, and community through AI digital education, the fear of being replaced by technology, and the future potential of producing a full-length feature film using AI tools.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Mike Makowsky is an Emmy Award-winning American screenwriter and producer best known for writing and producing the 2019 HBO film BAD EDUCATION, starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney.

In late 2025, Makowsky released the Netflix limited series DEATH BY LIGHTNING, which he created and wrote. The series chronicles the rise and assassination of U.S. President James A. Garfield, starring Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen. The project was adapted from Candice Millard’s book Destiny of the Republic. We also spoke with actor Michael Shannon, who plays Garfield, in Episode 680 of the podcast.

In this interview, we talk about the inspiration for the series DEATH BY LIGHTNING, the immense difficulty of mounting and finishing a period piece in the current industry landscape, advice on pitching historical fiction, and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Caleb Walker is a 16-year-old high school student and filmmaker. Over a year ago, he wrote, directed, and produced his first short film, ATTRIBUTE OF THE STRONG, which went on to screen at the All-American High School Film Festival.

He recently finished his first feature-length script, which is a horror movie oriented around Mexican culture and urban legends. He is also currently working on and completing a script oriented around 9/11.

You can view his short film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN3GQDvMy78

In this interview, we talk about his thoughts on breaking into the film industry, role models, inspiration and writing process for his first short film ATTRIBUTE OF THE STRONG, the indie production process and creative constraints, and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!