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Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: FOUR LETTER WORDS (2000)

Director: Sean Baker

Writer: Sean Baker

Stars: Henry Beylin; David Ari; Darcy Bledsoe; Fred Berman

SYNOPSIS

A study of the post-adolescent male psyche looks at their views, attitudes, and language.

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The kind of filmmaking that my guest, Vanessa Esteves, does is all encompassing -- job, hobby, passion. And that shows through in her latest work, CHRISTOPHER & THE BUG (2025), a "heartwarming short film about a reclusive owl whose peaceful solitude is disrupted when a tiny bug unknowingly moves into his home."

We talk about why we don't see the bug, what college roommate inspired her to write this story -- not in a good way!; animated films and screentime for kids, and more.

If all of our films were given the thought and love Vanessa gives her directorial debut, we would be in such a better place.

In this episode, Vanessa and I discuss:

• do we see the bug in CHRISTOPHER & THE BUG?
• how she got started in filmmaking and why she decided this would be her directorial debut;
• what is it like producing animated films and if it is an easy jump back to live action;
• the lessons she's learned from producing films that she brought to CHRISTOPHER;
• how to tell the story on a run time of 11 minutes!;
• the challenges of specifically an animated film;
• why sound design and score were so huge for this film;
• the idea that animation is just for kids and how it is different in the short film world;
• how we can improve families and filmmaking;
• her day job at Boatrocker Studios as a senior director for creative affairs, kids & family, and how she feels about screentime for kids;
• what it's like being a filmmaker in Toronto and what's next for her.

Vanessa's Indie Film Highlight: GYMNASTICS (2025) dir. by Nikki Buziak and Leo Fafard

Memorable Quotes:

" We call it a bedtime story for adults."

" The reason that you never see the bug is because I don't want it to necessarily just be a bug, right? If we showed the bug, then it's a film about an owl and a bug, and then it definitely feels like it's for kids."

"I was living inside childrens' entertainment."

" Honestly, storytelling is storytelling, so whether it's going to be animated or if it's going to be live action...it really is you're working with the scripts and you're focusing on the story, so the two are very interchangeable."

"I learned how to tell stories on a small scale."

"The sound design was huge for us and score was huge. We called score our other main character because we needed the score to be so powerful that it would draw you through, right?"

" When you look at more mainstream animation, you're going to see more often, I think, blockbusters that are animated are usually for kids or family viewing. But in the short film world, it can really span everything, all the ages, all the genres."

" I often say that it's not just my job, it's also my hobby, which is so true because filmmaking has been a part of my life since I was a kid."

Links:

Follow CHRISTOPHER & THE BUG On Instagram

Follow Vanessa On Instagram

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If you're looking to understand the business of film, let me suggest listening to Ben Fritz, who covers entertainment for the Wall Street Journal and is my guest for the podcast.

Why? Well, for me, it's two things. First of all, if you listen to his astonishing documentary podcast called "With Great Power: The Rise of Superhero Cinema", you get to hear why he's such a successful journalist. An executive will offer a throwaway line, and Ben simply asks: why? You get something much closer to the truth from a one syllable question than one might expect.

It happens throughout this podcast series from 2023, and it is a true masterclass on how interviews should be conducted.

And two -- he's just straight with people. In this episode, we talk about an article he recently co-wrote on MUBI, the streaming service, and the money they've lost over the past year. In almost any other situation, the company doesn't participate, the article is branded a hit piece, and the audience is left wondering about the veracity of the story.

Instead, MUBI's CEO is quoted in the article, which tells me the respect he gives the co-authors.

Or maybe it's three: just listen to the insight Ben provides in this episode. If you go by the notion that the business offers an explanation of the films that show up on our screens, there's no better person than Ben Fritz.

In this episode, Ben and I talk about:

• his preference for hosting a podcast or being a guest on one;
• his ability to tell a story evenly without looking for gotcha moments, which distinguishes his journalism;
• how he got started in filmmaking;
• what he expects out of the summer festival market;
• what he's learned between covering filmmaking to AI and back to filmmaking;
• the future of AI in filmmaking;
• the "$50 Movie Ticket Has Arrived" article and what it means for theaters;
• what that means for indie filmmakers;
• the behind the scenes story of his article, "How VC Money and Israel Outrage Derailed a Hot Hollywood Startup" about MUBI;
• what MUBI's business model portends for the industry;
• how production companies make money in such a competitive environment -- branding;
• why Silicon Valley doesn't invest more in Hollywood;
• what's next for him and how things have changed since 2019;

Ben's Indie Film Highlights: PINK WALL (2019) dir. by Tom Cullen; COW (2021) dir. by Andrea Arnold

Memorable Quotes:

"I try to make clear to people I'm not gonna pull any punches, but I'm also not here to try to get a gotcha moment."

"I feel like it's becoming a lot like everything in the American economy, which is, it's a have and have-nots world."

" What I realized quickly is if you understand the business, then you understand why you get the movies and TV shows that you get, right?"

" So you could see more movies getting made, more original movies getting made, more people who don't have access to Disney and Netflix being able to raise a little bit of money and make an interesting movie on their own. So we could see this blossoming of creativity that maybe would rival what we saw in the 1970s."

" The danger, which some people in Hollywood think, is the more movies become a premium experience where you spend a lot of money, the more it becomes something people think of as I only do this two or three times a year," 

" I think the I'm gonna get a specialty label or specialty company to buy it and put it in theaters is...that's like winning the lottery at this point."

" The one promising thing in this world of indie film theatrical I've seen recently is you've seen some YouTubers put movies into theaters and find a niche audience."

" I was able to connect to a source who was just close to Mubi, who was able to give me a lot of inside information on really what happened."

" Mubi is a solid business. That's why Sequoia invested in them. It is a healthy business. They just made this huge mistake last year."

"My teenage son knows what A24 is, and that name means something to him."

"Sequoia's investment in Mubi was shocking to a lot of people. This is so outside the box for what they normally do. And the only other prominent example of VC investment in entertainment is A24, which definitely has some VC investment in it."

Links:

Ben Fritz's WSJ Page

Ben Fritz's Website

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Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: LAST SUMMER (2023)

Director: Catherine Breillat

Writers: Catherine Breillat; Pascal Bonitzer; Maren Louise Käehne

Stars: Léa Drucker; Samuel Kircher; Olivier Rabourdin

SYNOPSIS

Successful lawyer Anne leads a happy life with her husband Pierre and their two daughters. But when she begins an affair with Theo, Pierre's son from a previous marriage, her career and family life are in jeopardy.

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The film SEAWEED SNACKS (2026), which screened at Slamdance this year, was so moving for me as a father that I wanted to talk with the person that directed it -- Sylvia Ray, a great episode, you can find it linked in the show notes -- and my guest today, the writer, Brandyn Johnson.

What does it feel like when someone else directs your words? Why the focus on fatherhood? What is it like mentoring young up and coming filmmakers at Ghetto Film School? Is a USC grad education worth it? We get into all this and more with Brandyn, a brilliant filmmaker and writer currently based in Los Angeles.

Finally, we talk about suicide in this episode. If you're struggling, there are resources, starting with 988 if you need someone to talk with about your journey. Kindness truly is currency, as Brandyn says on the show; we want you sitting next to us at the birthday party.

n this episode, Brandyn and I talk about:

• why the topic of fatherhood is so important to him;
• how much he believes in "write what you know";
• his start in filmmaking and the incredible work he does for Ghetto Film School;
• whether teenagers are benefiting from a filmmaking perspective from constant access to video-making devices;
• his recommendations on an MFA from USC;
• the experience of watching someone else direct your work as he did in SEAWEED SNACKS;
• the honesty he tried to imbue in the film;
• as a writer, what kind of story would he not be comfortable giving away?
• is it an ego thing connected with just being "writer/director"?
• the humility associated with giving up your story as a writer in order to get it made;
• his personal new film, COPARENTING STOREY;
• what's next for him and why he's so passionate about storytelling.

Memorable Quotes:

On fatherhood: "Just generally speaking, it's right in front of my face."

" Hats off to filmmakers who can write things and build worlds that might not necessarily directly reflect where they come from."

"Access in that way is really great for the folks who are aware of that access."

On Ghetto Film School's art: "as long as they are making things that prioritize story."

" I've been doing this work for almost 20 years, right? So...the reason why I keep doing it is because...it's definitely great to see young people find power."

" As a storyteller, our best stories come from our experiences."

"It's hard to be creative when you have broke goggles on."

" I pitched projects that I knew I would be okay giving away."

" If there's one thing that USC is really great at is, it helps you, it forces you to be a great collaborator."

" And I think that's also what SEAWEED SNACKS was about. I just want it to be honest."

"The soul is in my words."

On COPARENTING STOREY: "It's all built around, like the ability that we have to design the kind of life that we want to see."

"If I'm going to be here, I'm going to make a net positive impact."

Links:

Follow Brandyn On Instagram

Follow Ghetto Film School

COPARENTING STOREY On Film Independent

Watch Sylvia Ray, director of SEAWEED SNACKS

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The words "artist, writer, and director" that my guest, filmmaker Suki Chan, uses to describe herself, do not come close to encompassing the artistic brilliance of her feature directorial debut, CONSCIOUS (2026), which she premiered at CPH:DOX this year in Denmark.

The film delves into the stories of three people who "navigate dementia in transformative ways", and even that gives short shrift to what we see on screen. I don't think I've seen a documentary get closer to explaining the frailty of the human mind in visual form.

It's no surprise to people who've seen Suki's art, though -- they say this gorgeously shot film is in line with her signature style. I cannot wait for you to see this film and for what's next for Suki.

In this episode, Suki and I talk about:

• how she decided to approach making CONSCIOUS and what that tells us about documentary filmmaking;
• how she went from a fine art degree to expanding into moving image;
• her signature style, whether it's sculpture or a film;
• the medium of documentary and where she thinks it's going in the future;
• incorporating dramatizations into the film and what she learned about that process -- and people who wanted to play themself!;
• how she assembled a team that does not normally work on documentaries;
• what's next for her and when can viewers get an opportunity to see this brilliant film.

Memorable Quotes:

" I didn't set out to make a film that was at such a high level for documentary. I made the film in the way that feels the most natural to me as an artist."

" It then made me realize that dementia wasn't just gonna be one chapter. It was actually quite integral to understanding consciousness."

" I decided to create moving image, because for me, it's something that can unfold over time. And I think people always describe my sculptures, my installations as being cinematic and working with lights and shadows."

" How come we don't see the brain? How come you're talking about consciousness? And we don't see the brain?"

Links:

Follow Suki On Instagram

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Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: YEAST (2008)

Director: Mary Bronstein

Screenplay: Mary Bronstein; Greta Gerwig

Stars: Mary Bronstein; Greta Gerwig; Benny Safdie

SYNOPSIS

A maddeningly oblivious, tyrannical and emotionally stunted young woman tries her best to negotiate two toxic friendships

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Only a Marine could get away with writing a novella entitled -- let me make I'm sure I got this right -- "Let's Murder the Fuck out of Baby Hitler." And even then, maybe only a Marine who is a filmmaker and screenwriter.

Fellow redleg Eric Leja (servicemember assigned to the artillery branch) returns to the podcast to talk about his new novella which is he is hoping to turn into a feature or a series; the reaction to such a provocative title in an industry that claims to support free speech; the lumping of veterans immediately into the red hat crowd, and more.

He asked me, are you sure you're okay with the title? Fuck yeah, I'm okay. I'm supporting fellow veterans till I die. We do touch on politics in this episode, which I'm usually loathe to do because you hear enough of this stuff on everything other than a film podcast. But if you do hear something you disagree with, certainly as it relates to the film industry, I'd love to hear why.

And that brings us right back to where we started: Eric's novella. Spoiler alert, no babies are actually harmed. The whole point of it is to think about our current situation in a new and hopefully funny way. And to let Eric turn this into a feature film. Fire for effect, I'm cheering him on.

In this episode, Eric and I discuss:

• how the catchy name came about;
• what he's been up to since the strike;
• why he decided to self-publish on Amazon and the amount of money he makes per sale;
• the chilling of speech and how that's different than Hollywood at any point in Eric's lifetime;
• how far he decided to go politically in the novella;
• the assumptions made about veterans in film and politics;
• what the future of the novella is;
• the challenges facing the business right now and the power of dentists in filmmaking!

Eric's Indie Film Highlight: GODMOTHER dir. by John Veron

Memorable Quotes:

" I don't think it's ethical to Hitler-ize my children."

" if things keep going like this unchecked, this is what it's gonna look like and it's gonna be, dystopic far right version of America. That was what the screenplay was about. And it came from a place of anti extremism."

" Everyone's horrified to do anything right now."

" I've never seen in my lifetime out here, like these corporations also having to fight for attention from the government and a constant approval as well."

On the expectations of being red-pilled as a veteran: " I've noticed a lot of sighs of relief when I like reveal that I'm not like that."

" People have literally said to me like, I think it's so cool that you're a veteran, but you're not like one of those veterans."

" Nobody at like Warner wants to be the guy holding the TV show with three showrunners that's struggling to get off the ground when Paramount buys 'em."

Links:

Buy LET'S MURDER THE FUCK OUT OF BABY HITLER Now

Follow Eric On Instagram

Elected at 26 to the New York State Assembly, my guest today, filmmaker Rafael Espinal says it was easier to become a politician than chase his dreams into indie film. Think about that for a moment!

Now he's helping you achieve your dreams by serving as commissioner of New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, or MOME. And what I mean by that is I didn't expect him to be so in tune with the plights of independent filmmaking, in New York City and elsewhere. We talk about the challenges of indie filmmaking in NYC, including improving permitting; how it can be competitive globally; childcare in the city and how that affects filmmakers; the hopeful rise of more diverse voices, and more.

All that said, the main takeaway if you're out there wanting to make a film career in NYC, he's on your side. And if you want to move your production studio or career to the best city in the world, he's the man for that as well.

I don't think you can listen to this episode and not be bullish on the prospects of making a film in New York City over the next few years.

In this episode, Rafael and I talk about:

• why he is the best person to lead the NYC MOME right now -- he's an indie filmmaker as well (he made his first film recently);
• what he's going to do with his film -- festival route? YouTube? -- and how that affects how he runs MOME;
• what does the commission do for me?;
• his sympathies (but honest advice) for the filmmakers not applying for permits in the city;
• his comments when taking the job that " the systems are extremely archaic in a way that creates a burden on production companies" -- have things improved?;
• production space in NYC and the role of AI in the built environment;
• how the Mayor's goal of free childcare throughout the city will influence filmmakers in the city and what MOME can do to help;
• diversifying the industry in New York City and how making it "look like our subway cars" actually happens;
• whatever happened to the Alliance for Downtown New York's Filmmaker in Chief initiative and how we get MOME's name out there in terms of outreach?
• how does NYC plan to stay competitive in attracting global productions?
• his goals for the next few years.

Memorable Quotes:

" Just recently, I made my first professional short film that I've been working on."

" Like every filmmaker, we sit at home thinking about, how do we get exposure, who's gonna help us produce and make our first film?"

" What I'm most proud of about the team here at the film office is that the folks running the permit system are actually independent filmmakers themselves."

" If you want to ensure that you don't have the NYPD or any other agency come down and shut down your production, the best thing you can do is come to us."

"[I] remember what it is to be someone who's just trying to make their film, who is looking for their way into the industry. And that's what I bring to the table."

" Our dream here is to see a film industry and a film landscape where the workers and the directors and the folks on sets look like our subway cars, right?"

" Going to the DMV is not the most pleasant experience, and I don't want filmmakers to feel like going to MOME feels like going to the DMV, right?"

" There are folks out there, investors doubling down on building stages in the city of New York."

" It was easier for me to become a politician than it was to be a film director."

" We haven't fully baked it yet, but I'm thinking about how do we replicate that idea and create filmmakers in each borough."

" At the end of the day, top line, I would love to say that New York has become the easiest and most affordable place to make a movie."

Links:

Follow Rafael On Instagram

Follow MOME On Instagram

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Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: HAPPYEND (2024)

Director: Neo Sora

Writer: Neo Sora

Stars: Kurihara Hayato; Hidaka Yukito; Ayumu Nakajima

SYNOPSIS

Friends Yuta and Kou, about to graduate, sneak into school. They pull off a terrible prank and face unforeseen consequences as graduation approaches.

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