Get Real Indie Filmmakers

Miles Marti is a a filmmaker in Los Angeles, and a student at Loyola-Marymount University’s School of Film & Television. We talk with Miles about filmmaking from a Gen Z perspective, whether students are still watching movies, what influences them, and their future outlook.

GET REAL INDIE FILMMAKERS is hosted by filmmaker and author Jeffrey Michael Bays (www.borgus.com), and filmmaker Forris Day, Jr.

Show Notes:

1. Article from The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/01/college-students-movies-attention-span/685812/
2. Miles' website: https://milesmarti.com/

--

Email us: [email protected]

Hosts: Jeffrey Michael Bays & Forris Day, Jr.

Jeffrey's book Creatives Working Together: https://www.amazon.com/Creatives-Working-Together-Communication-Professionals/dp/1041091893

MICHELLE DANNER has worked with Hollywood stars including Penélope Cruz, Salma Hayek, Henry Cavill, Gerard Butler, Seth MacFarlane, Chris Rock, Michael Peña, Zooey Deschanel, and many others.

GET REAL INDIE FILMMAKERS is hosted by filmmaker and author Jeffrey Michael Bays (www.borgus.com), and filmmaker Forris Day, Jr.

Show Notes:

1. Michelle's website: https://www.michelledanner.com/

--

Email us: [email protected]

Hosts: Jeffrey Michael Bays & Forris Day, Jr.

Jeffrey's book Creatives Working Together: https://www.amazon.com/Creatives-Working-Together-Communication-Professionals/dp/1041091893

Michael Tove: A story-teller at heart, Michael entered the film industry in 1989 in the feature film “The Handmaid’s Tale.” That led to four years of acting in film, television, commercials and industrials before economic realities of the industry forced a career shift.

Fifteen years later, he befriended Thom Mount, past president of Universal Pictures. With Thom’s encouragement, he trained in screenwriting and production. He was a 2013 quarterfinalist in the PAGE International Screenwriting competition and a 2014 quarterfinalist in the Creative Writing Awards competition. In 2015, he was invited to attend the Nicholl Fellowship Awards presentation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

His film: Yard Saleing, a short-form thriller that drew on the unpredictable narrative twists of O. Henry and Alfred Hitchcock. After an exhibit of the Dubai Crown Gems are stolen and never recovered, suburbanites Jim and Sally Marsh stumble onto clues to their whereabouts. Despite Jim's initial resistance, they embark on a quest to recover the diamonds and collect the One Million Dollar reward. However, as soon as they do, things go from bad to worse, resulting in consequences that are completely unexpected.

GET REAL INDIE FILMMAKERS is hosted by filmmaker and author Jeffrey Michael Bays (www.borgus.com), and filmmaker Forris Day, Jr.

Show Notes:

1. Michael's website: https://www.emeraldoakproductions.com/

--

Email us: [email protected]

Hosts: Jeffrey Michael Bays & Forris Day, Jr.

Jeffrey's book Creatives Working Together: https://www.amazon.com/Creatives-Working-Together-Communication-Professionals/dp/1041091893

Rob Hollocks is a British-born filmmaker, writer, director and producer, based in Los Angeles for over two decades and working across live-action features, animation, and international film marketing at the highest levels of the industry. He is also a partner in Beyond Casual media in Georgia, and a co-founder of Pickering Animation Studios in the UK. 

His film: The Observance (his third film as writer-director and fourth as producer) enjoyed a highly successful festival run, garnering over 10 awards in the USA, Europe and Japan, (including a 'best director' win at the Hollywood Independent film festival) and was released theatrically at AMC cinemas across the United States.

GET REAL INDIE FILMMAKERS is hosted by filmmaker and author Jeffrey Michael Bays (www.borgus.com), and filmmaker Forris Day, Jr.

Show Notes:

1. Rob's website: https://robhollocks.com/
2. Movie website: https://theobservancemovie.com/
3. In-world fictional website: https://theobservance.com/

--

Email us: [email protected]

Hosts: Jeffrey Michael Bays & Forris Day, Jr.

Jeffrey's book Creatives Working Together: https://www.amazon.com/Creatives-Working-Together-Communication-Professionals/dp/1041091893

Keith Gerchak is the great-grandson of Russian vaudevillians with 50 theater credits, from Motel opposite Paul Sorvino in Fiddler on the Roof, Disney's Finding Nemo the Musical. He also did TV, film and commercials, including The Derby Stallion, starring Zac Efron.

Marisa Guterman is an actress/singer/songwriter and writer/producer best known for her role as the “Girl with Braces” in a memorable flashback in The 40 Year Old Virgin.

Their film: Lost and Found in Cleveland: (drama/comedy) is a slice of life depiction over a 24-hour period that follows the personal odysseys of five very different people, whose lives intertwine when Antiques Road Show comes to Cleveland.

GET REAL INDIE FILMMAKERS is hosted by filmmaker and author Jeffrey Michael Bays (www.borgus.com), and filmmaker Forris Day, Jr.

Show Notes:

1. Distribution to nationwide markets
2. Where the idea came from
3. Marketing campaign strategy
4. Raising funds
5. The directing duo
6. A 50-piece orchestra
7. Their website: https://www.lostandfoundincleveland.com/

--

Email us: [email protected]

Hosts: Jeffrey Michael Bays & Forris Day, Jr.

Jeffrey's book Creatives Working Together: https://www.amazon.com/Creatives-Working-Together-Communication-Professionals/dp/1041091893

William Dickerson is a filmmaker, author, and adjunct professor at Hofstra University. He directed the films "Detour" and "No Alternative" and wrote the books Detour: Hollywood and the Tao of Twin Peaks.

GET REAL INDIE FILMMAKERS is hosted by filmmaker and author Jeffrey Michael Bays (www.borgus.com), and filmmaker Forris Day, Jr.

Show Notes:

1. Seeing Lynch direct
2. Lynch's style
3. Weird casting process
4. Twin Peaks
5. The new Twin Peaks
6. William's new book
7. Lynch's typewriter
8. William's webiste: https://williamdickersonfilmmaker.com/

--

Email us: [email protected]

Hosts: Jeffrey Michael Bays & Forris Day, Jr.

Jeffrey's book Creatives Working Together: https://www.amazon.com/Creatives-Working-Together-Communication-Professionals/dp/1041091893

Kyle Henry is a filmmaker and associate professor from Northwestern University, Chicago, where he teaches editing, producing, writing, and directing. His latest documentary, Time Passages, is about Kyle's struggle to care for his mother during her final months with late-stage dementia.

GET REAL INDIE FILMMAKERS is hosted by filmmaker and author Jeffrey Michael Bays (www.borgus.com), and filmmaker Forris Day, Jr.

Show Notes:

1. The power of self-distribution
2. The film festival lottery
3. His database of theater contacts
4. Theaters aren't dead
5. Splits, 4-Walling, and Multi-nights
6. Preparation time
7. His film: https://www.timepassagesfilm.com/

--

Email us: [email protected]

Hosts: Jeffrey Michael Bays & Forris Day, Jr.

Jeffrey's book Creatives Working Together: https://www.amazon.com/Creatives-Working-Together-Communication-Professionals/dp/1041091893

Marc Weinberg and Victoria Fraser are screenwriting partners who have sold scripts to Paramount, USA, and Dick Clark Productions. They've also written for the Discovery Channel and A&E. Before they teamed up, Victoria worked as Director of Development for the Disney Channel. Marc has taught screenwriting at Boston University, Emerson College, and Brandeis University. He also developed a story structure course for Pixar animators.

Film: Outrage: (political thriller) A podcaster is held hostage for saying something offensive.

GET REAL INDIE FILMMAKERS is hosted by filmmaker and author Jeffrey Michael Bays (www.borgus.com), and filmmaker Forris Day, Jr.

Show Notes:

1. Producing the film "Outrage"
2. Making art in a politically charged time
3. Self-funding the film
4. Knowing your niche on a production
5. Writing together as a married couple
6. Never give up

--

Email us: [email protected]

Hosts: Jeffrey Michael Bays & Forris Day, Jr.

Jeffrey's book Creatives Working Together: https://www.amazon.com/Creatives-Working-Together-Communication-Professionals/dp/1041091893

Ashley Elaine is a producer and actor starring in 'Mayberry Man' and 'Mayberry Man: The Series,' as well as the soon to be released feature films, 'Empty Nets' and 'Disciples in the Moonlight.' After earning a marketing degree from the Fashion Institute of Design, Ashley launched her career as an event coordinator in Beverly Hills, California. Her exceptional work on weddings and events earned features in renowned publications such as People Magazine, Brides Magazine, The Knot, and InStyle Weddings.

John Schimke is an award-winning director, producer, writer, and editor with over 20 years in the entertainment industry. Has collaborated with leading companies like Disney, HBO, Meta, MTV, HISTORY, and Food Network. He served as lead editor and producer on Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch).

Film: Where the Wind Blows: (drama, western, period) select theaters and Apple TV and Prime. Adapted from Caroline Fyffe’s Prairie Hearts series.

GET REAL INDIE FILMMAKERS is hosted by filmmaker and author Jeffrey Michael Bays (www.borgus.com), and filmmaker Forris Day, Jr.

Show Notes:

1. Optioning the script
2. Producer's neighbor makes the connection
3. Raising the money
4. Producing and acting simultaneously
5. Acting process for 1800s
6. Production foibles and horses
7. Motivating when things get bad
8. Watch the movie: https://www.amazon.com/Where-Wind-Blows-John-Schimke/dp/B0FKC2XVVB

--

Email us: [email protected]

Hosts: Jeffrey Michael Bays & Forris Day, Jr.

Jeffrey's book Creatives Working Together: https://www.amazon.com/Creatives-Working-Together-Communication-Professionals/dp/1041091893

Paul Chitlik has written for all the major networks and studios. He was story editor for MGM/UA’s The New Twilight Zone, staff writer for Showtime’s sitcom Brothers, wrote features for Rysher Entertainment, Nulmage, Promark, Mainline Releasing, and others. He directed episodes of Real Stories of the Highway Patrol and wrote and produced Alien Abduction: The McPherson Tape for UPN. Recently he wrote, produced, and directed The Wedding Dress for Amazon Prime.

Paul taught screenwriting at UCLA, TV and film writing at Loyola Marymount, and founded their study abroad program in Budapest, Hungary. He has written two screenwriting books: Rewrite, and Screenwriting Sensei.

GET REAL INDIE FILM[CAST] is hosted by filmmaker and author Jeffrey Michael Bays (www.borgus.com), and filmmaker Forris Day, Jr.

Show Notes:

1. Producing
2. Producer-director relationship
3. Development process is getting harder
4. Audience expectations are universal
5. Story structure in series vs. features
6. Paul's 7 points of story within the acts
7. Alternate structures
8. Rewriting and responding to feedback
9. What he's watching now
10. Paul's book: https://www.amazon.com/Screenwriting-Sensei-Complete-Writing-Script/dp/1615933638

--

Email us: [email protected]

Hosts: Jeffrey Michael Bays & Forris Day, Jr.

Jeffrey's book Creatives Working Together: https://www.amazon.com/Creatives-Working-Together-Communication-Professionals/dp/1041091893