Episode Summary

In this episode, Steve and Vince break down the opening scenes of the 2024 Oscar-winning film, “Anora”, and explore topics such as Sean Baker's unique approach to character development, visual storytelling techniques, and the importance of maintaining an integrity of vision in filmmaking.

As a reminder, if you're enjoying this podcast, feel free to follow us on Apple Podcasts and Instagram @filmmakerandfanspodcast.

Series Overview

The Filmmaker and Fan’s Podcast is a podcast for film lovers and creatives, where film school meets fandom. 

Episodes are designed around core conversations with Steven Bernstein, award-winning filmmaker (Monster, Kicking and Screaming, Waterboy, The Wood), and Vince Grimes, executive producer and former head of creative media at Google...and mega film fan.

Episodes include deep-dive conversations between Steve and Vince into the heart of cinema and creativity, special guest interviews with creatives from every level of the independent and studio filmmaking world, and live workshops with independent and aspiring filmmakers. 

New episodes are published every Friday. 

www.filmmakerandfans.com

IG: @filmmakerandfanspodcast

Episode Summary

[Re-release: originally published March 28th, 2025 as episode 55]

In this episode, Steve and Vince explore the 2025 Apple series, “The Studio”, starring Seth Rogen, Catherine O'Hara, Ike Barinholtz, and Kathryn Hahn.

Using The Studio as their foundation, they explore topics such as the intersection of art and commerce in Hollywood, how cinematic techniques, such as lens choices, can significantly impact storytelling, and the challenges of maintaining authenticity in a commercial environment.

As a reminder, if you're enjoying this podcast, feel free to follow us on Apple Podcasts and Instagram @filmmakerandfanspodcast.

Series Overview

The Filmmaker and Fan’s Podcast is a podcast for film lovers and creatives, where film school meets fandom. 

Episodes are designed around core conversations with Steven Bernstein, award-winning filmmaker (Monster, Kicking and Screaming, Waterboy, The Wood), and Vince Grimes, executive producer and former head of creative media at Google...and mega film fan.

Episodes include deep-dive conversations between Steve and Vince into the heart of cinema and creativity, special guest interviews with creatives from every level of the independent and studio filmmaking world, and live workshops with independent and aspiring filmmakers. 

New episodes are published every Friday. 

www.filmmakerandfans.com

IG: @filmmakerandfanspodcast

Episode Summary

In this episode, Steve and Vince talk with first-time indie filmmaker Alexandra Robinson.

Using Alex’s recent short film (“Meatball”) as their foundation, they explore topics such as her transition from YouTube to professional filmmaking, the challenges of directing and acting simultaneously, and the significance of staying creative and open-minded in artistic endeavors.

As a reminder, if you're enjoying this podcast, feel free to follow us on Apple Podcasts and Instagram @filmmakerandfanspodcast.

Series Overview

The Filmmaker and Fan’s Podcast is a podcast for film lovers and creatives, where film school meets fandom. 

Episodes are designed around core conversations with Steven Bernstein, award-winning filmmaker (Monster, Kicking and Screaming, Waterboy, The Wood), and Vince Grimes, executive producer and former head of creative media at Google...and mega film fan.

Episodes include deep-dive conversations between Steve and Vince into the heart of cinema and creativity, special guest interviews with creatives from every level of the independent and studio filmmaking world, and live workshops with independent and aspiring filmmakers. 

New episodes are published every Friday. 

www.filmmakerandfans.com

IG: @filmmakerandfanspodcast

Episode Summary

In this episode, Steve and Vince talk with industry-leading entertainment marketing executive Denise Parkinson.

Denise is an industry expert in all aspects of entertainment marketing and is currently the Vice President of Business Development at Allied Global Marketing, a full-service marketing agency working with the world's largest entertainment and filmmaking brands.

Using Denise’s latest summer blockbuster campaigns as their foundation (like Superman!), they explore topics such as how marketing has evolved from grassroots to digital-first strategies, what indie filmmakers can learn from blockbuster campaigns like Barbie and F1, and actionable takeaways for independent filmmakers, including early-stage marketing, B2B assets, and festival strategies.

As a reminder, if you're enjoying this podcast, feel free to follow us on Apple Podcasts and Instagram @filmmakerandfanspodcast.

Series Overview

The Filmmaker and Fan’s Podcast is a podcast for film lovers and creatives, where film school meets fandom. 

Episodes are designed around core conversations with Steven Bernstein, award-winning filmmaker (Monster, Kicking and Screaming, Waterboy, The Wood), and Vince Grimes, executive producer and former head of creative media at Google...and mega film fan.

Episodes include deep-dive conversations between Steve and Vince into the heart of cinema and creativity, special guest interviews with creatives from every level of the independent and studio filmmaking world, and live workshops with independent and aspiring filmmakers. 

New episodes are published every Friday. 

www.filmmakerandfans.com

IG: @filmmakerandfanspodcast

Episode Summary

In this episode, Steve and Vince talk with award-winning indie filmmaking duo, Carl Fry & Maxwell Nalevansky.

Using Carl and Maxwell’s latest indie feature film as their foundation (Rats!), they explore topics such as their journey in independent filmmaking as a creative team, the growing need for originality in filmmaking, and the significance of local communities in supporting independent cinema.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please follow us on Apple Podcasts and Instagram @filmmakerandfanspodcast.

Series Overview

The Filmmaker and Fan’s Podcast is a podcast for film lovers and creatives, where film school meets fandom. 

Episodes are designed around core conversations with Steven Bernstein, award-winning filmmaker (Monster, Kicking and Screaming, Waterboy, The Wood), and Vince Grimes, executive producer and former head of creative media at Google...and mega film fan.

Episodes include deep-dive conversations between Steve and Vince into the heart of cinema and creativity, special guest interviews with creatives from every level of the independent and studio filmmaking world, and live workshops with independent and aspiring filmmakers. 

New episodes are published every Friday. 

www.filmmakerandfans.com

IG: @filmmakerandfanspodcast

Episode Summary

In this episode, Steve and Vince talk with award-winning indie filmmaker Luca Pizzoleo.

Using Luca’s latest short film as their foundation (“O.C.D.” starring Steven Ogg), they explore topics such as his latest challenges as an indie filmmaker, his digital-first strategy that earned O.C.D. over 1 million views on YouTube in just two weeks, and the rapidly evolving landscape of independent filmmaking today.

As a reminder, if you're enjoying this podcast, feel free to follow us on Apple Podcasts and Instagram @filmmakerandfanspodcast.

Series Overview

The Filmmaker and Fan’s Podcast is a podcast for film lovers and creatives, where film school meets fandom. 

Episodes are designed around core conversations with Steven Bernstein, award-winning filmmaker (Monster, Kicking and Screaming, Waterboy, The Wood), and Vince Grimes, executive producer and former head of creative media at Google...and mega film fan.

Episodes include deep-dive conversations between Steve and Vince into the heart of cinema and creativity, special guest interviews with creatives from every level of the independent and studio filmmaking world, and live workshops with independent and aspiring filmmakers. 

New episodes are published every Friday. 

www.filmmakerandfans.com

IG: @filmmakerandfanspodcast

Episode Summary

In this episode, Steve and Vince talk with Australian actress and indie filmmaker, Ella Cannon.

Using Ella’s latest series pilot project as their foundation (“The Yacht Club”), they explore topics such as her experiences transitioning from acting to directing, the community impact of AI on the filmmaking industry, and her journey from a small town in Australia to becoming a working filmmaker in North America.

As a reminder, if you're enjoying this podcast, feel free to follow us on Apple Podcasts and Instagram @filmmakerandfanspodcast.

Series Overview

The Filmmaker and Fan’s Podcast is a podcast for film lovers and creatives, where film school meets fandom. 

Episodes are designed around core conversations with Steven Bernstein, award-winning filmmaker (Monster, Kicking and Screaming, Waterboy, The Wood), and Vince Grimes, former executive producer and head of creative media at Google...and mega film fan.

Episodes include deep-dive conversations between Steve and Vince into the heart of cinema and creativity, special guest interviews with creatives from every level of the independent and studio filmmaking world, and live workshops with independent and aspiring filmmakers. 

New episodes are published every Friday. 

www.filmmakerandfans.com

IG: @filmmakerandfanspodcast

Episode Summary

In this episode, Steve and Vince welcome back the one, the only, the award-winning director and cinematographer, and friend of the podcast, Ernest Dickerson.

Ernest is an American film director and cinematographer. As a cinematographer, he's known for his frequent collaborations with Spike Lee in films such as Do The Right Thing and Malcolm X. As a director, he's known for films such as Juice, Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight, and Never Die Alone. He's also directed acclaimed television series such as The Wire, Dexter, and The Walking Dead.

Using Ernest’s latest trip to the 2025 Cannes Film Festival as their foundation, they explore topics such as the importance of maintaining relationships within the industry, the emotional complexities filmmakers face after completing a project, and the necessity of taking risks in art. 

As a reminder, if you're enjoying this podcast, feel free to follow us on Instagram and YouTube @filmmakerandfanspodcast.

Series Overview

The Filmmaker and Fan’s Podcast is a podcast for film lovers and creatives, where film school meets fandom. 

Episodes are designed around core conversations with Steven Bernstein, award-winning filmmaker (Monster, Kicking and Screaming, Waterboy, The Wood), and Vince Grimes, former executive producer and head of creative media at Google...and mega film fan.

Episodes include deep-dive conversations between Steve and Vince into the heart of cinema and creativity, special guest interviews with creatives from every level of the independent and studio filmmaking world, and live workshops with independent and aspiring filmmakers. 

New episodes are published every Friday. 

www.filmmakerandfans.com

IG: @filmmakerandfanspodcast

Episode Summary

We’ve got Mooch! In this episode, Steve and Vince talk with Lego mega-fan and indie filmmaker, Tony Mucci - aka Mooch.

Using Tony’s latest project as their foundation, “Money Talks” (which recently premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival), they explore topics such as lessons he learned with his debut short film, the importance of collaboration and community in filmmaking, and Tony’s creative transition from making Lego stop motion animations and directing massive music videos, to narrative filmmaking and debuting at Tribeca.

As a reminder, if you're enjoying this podcast, feel free to follow us on Apple Podcasts and Instagram @filmmakerandfanspodcast.

Series Overview

The Filmmaker and Fan’s Podcast is a podcast for film lovers and creatives, where film school meets fandom. 

Episodes are designed around core conversations with Steven Bernstein, award-winning filmmaker (Monster, Kicking and Screaming, Waterboy, The Wood), and Vince Grimes, former executive producer and head of creative media at Google...and mega film fan.

Episodes include deep-dive conversations between Steve and Vince into the heart of cinema and creativity, special guest interviews with creatives from every level of the independent and studio filmmaking world, and live workshops with independent and aspiring filmmakers. 

New episodes are published every Friday. 

www.filmmakerandfans.com

IG: @filmmakerandfanspodcast

Episode Summary

We’re back from our pre-summer break with an all-new episode this week!

In this episode, Steve catches up with friend of the podcast Peter Debruge, Chief Film Critic at Variety, while Peter was at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

Using the festival as their foundation, they explore topics such as the celebration of films and the significance of standing ovations at Cannes, the intricate relationship between American and French cinema, and Peter’s favorite (and not-so-favorite) screenings from this year’s official selections. 

As a reminder, if you're enjoying this podcast, feel free to follow us on Apple Podcasts and Instagram @filmmakerandfanspodcast.

Series Overview

The Filmmaker and Fan’s Podcast is a podcast for film lovers and creatives, where film school meets fandom. 

Episodes are designed around core conversations with Steven Bernstein, award-winning filmmaker (Monster, Kicking and Screaming, Waterboy, The Wood), and Vince Grimes, former executive producer and head of creative media at Google...and mega film fan.

Episodes include deep-dive conversations between Steve and Vince into the heart of cinema and creativity, special guest interviews with creatives from every level of the independent and studio filmmaking world, and live workshops with independent and aspiring filmmakers. 

New episodes are published every Friday. 

www.filmmakerandfans.com

IG: @filmmakerandfanspodcast