Joe Penna is a writer/director that got his start on YouTube. You may know him as Mystery Guitar Man, but today he is directing feature films starring massive talents like Mads Mikkelsen, Anna Kendrick, and Toni Collette.  Ryan chats with Joe about directing his first film with a major star attached and his overall path to feature films.

From YouTube to Hollywood with Director Joe Penna

The Film Riot Podcast is a conversation with talented and innovative filmmakers. From directors, editors, stunt coordinators, DPs, Actors, VFX artists, and so on... We will be diving into the process, art, and lifestyle of filmmaking from every aspect.

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TV & Film

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 high-profile deals, including recent bidding wars for “Occupant” which ended in a high 6 figure sale to New Line, and “I Am Not Alone” which sold to Netflix in another high-six-figure deal.

How a Hollywood Agent helps their Client "Break in"

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 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 nurture several short films and initial ideas to final feature films – such as Prospect, The Beyond, and his latest Horrorscope. Scott is no stranger to high-profile deals like his 7 figure sale of "My Wife and I Bought a Ranch" to Netflix, or his most recent bidding war for "Occupant" that ended in a  high 6 figure sale to New Line.

From Short Story to Studio Bidding War

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 couldn't help but think that there must be a better way to get a budget for their film while retaining creative control and including the wider community around the project. With the birth of NFTs, they think they have found that answer. Today, Ryan chats with the filmmakers about their new venture with The Fringe and how it might change how films are made forever.

A Brand New Way to Get a Film Made

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 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 nurture several short films and initial ideas to final feature films – such as Prospect and The Beyond. Recently Scott has driven several high-profile deals like his recent 7 figure sale of "My Wife and I Bought a Ranch" to Netflix

Independent Filmmaking: Pitching, Budgeting, & Casting

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 inside the sound team do? Alexandra sheds light on that, plus some of her tricks for landing the sound for some common and not-so-common scenarios.

From YouTube to Hollywood with Director Joe Penna

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