In this episode, I’m joined by filmmaker and YouTuber Blake Calhoun to talk about his new feature film Casey Makes A Mixtape, his long-running channel iPhoneographers, and his highly entrepreneurial approach to building a sustainable filmmaking career.

Throughout the interview Blake shares how he got his start selling work to Warner Bros. after finding an audience on YouTube, and why he believes every filmmaker should consider having a YouTube channel - even if they don’t want to become a “YouTuber.”We also dig into the making of Casey Makes A Mixtape, a 1981-set coming-of-age feature that Blake made on a micro-budget.

He breaks down how he wrote the script around resources he already had access to, directed and DP’d the film himself, used a small crew, incorporated iPhone footage alongside RED Komodo, and even licensed well-known songs on a tight indie budget.

Topics covered include:

• Why indie filmmakers are inherently entrepreneurs
• Blake’s early success in web series and selling a show to Warner Bros.
• How YouTube has changed since the early days of online video
• How Casey Makes A Mixtape evolved from an iPhone-shot short film
• Making a period piece on a low budget
• Directing and DP’ing your own feature
• Working with a small crew of roughly 10 people
• Licensing famous songs for an indie film
• Much More!

Links from the show:

Casey Makes A Mixtape - Film

Casey Makes A Mixtape - Trailer

iPhoneographers - YouTube

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In this episode, I sit down with filmmaker Wade Patterson to discuss his micro-budget feature Death Cipher - a contained thriller shot in just 12 days for only $4,000.

Throughout the interview, Wade shares how multiple failed feature attempts led him to radically simplify his process, why he embraced a single-location concept shot in his own apartment, and how limitations ultimately became the film’s greatest creative advantage.

We also dive into the realities of making a feature with almost no money, wearing multiple hats as writer/director/cinematographer/editor, navigating festival rejection, finding distribution through Filmhub and Tubi, and much more:

• Why several failed feature attempts led to Death Cipher 
• The mindset shift that led Wade to design a film around his resources
• Shooting the film over weekends and treating each room like a company move
• Creating props, puzzle elements, websites, and pre-shot video material
• How prioritizing actor comfort and a relaxed set environment improved the work
• What changed in post, including reshoots after early test screenings
• How Death Cipher landed on Tubi through Filmhub

Links from the show:

Death Cipher - Tubi

Death Cipher - Instagram

Wade Patterson - Instagram 

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In this episode I'm joined by filmmaker and entrepreneur Stefan van de Graaff, whose $75,000 micro-budget feature Simmer landed on HBO after going viral on Facebook. Stefan also co-founded a video agency that grew from a two-person team into a 100-employee business before selling for $17 million, which we discuss at length.

Throughout the episode we talk about Stefan’s unconventional path - from Midwest filmmaker to running a digial advertising business. We also cover how his commercial production work became the foundation for financing and producing indie features, and what it took to scale from a scrappy first feature to a $1M international production.

Topics covered include:

• How uploading Simmer to Facebook led to 1M views and sales agent interest
• How indie films without stars can land on major platforms like HBO
• Financing a micro-budget feature with personal funds, partners, and partial fundraising
• The jump from a $75K film to a $1M feature using tax incentives, grants, and talent deals
• Why having the right producer dramatically increases credibility with agents and financiers
• Lessons from building and selling an ad agency - and why strategy beats fulfillment
• How reducing friction (locations, permits, crew, logistics) makes indie filmmaking possible
• Why building an audience can be a more reliable path than the traditional Hollywood ladder

Links from the show:

Stefan - Instagram

One of Us - Instagram

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In this episode, I sit down with Academy Award nominee and ASC Award-winner Curren Sheldon to discuss his gritty new narrative feature Beatdown - a boxing drama made for just $60,000.

Throughout the interview, Curren shares how his background in vérité documentary shaped the film’s style, why he cast real fighters and non-actors, and how they filmed key fight scenes inside a live event with 4,000 spectators.

We also dive into the practical realities of transitioning from documentary to narrative, self-financing a feature for under $60K, navigating today’s distribution landscape, and tons more:

• Why The Wrestler was a key stylistic reference for Beatdown
• The doc-to-narrative transition: what gets easier, what gets harder
• Using non-actors (real boxing personalities) without losing story control
• Shooting inside a real “Toughman” event with 4,000 extras and a tiny window to film
• How he sold two prior films to Netflix, and what it took to break through
• A practical cinematography mindset shift that instantly elevates visuals

Links from the show:

Beatdown - Full Film on YouTube

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In this special episode, we celebrate today’s release of our new feature film Teacher’s Pet - Now available where you rent or buy movies!

Two days ago, we hosted a special advanced screening for members of my filmmaking community, and they took part in a virtual Q & A afterward. This episode includes the full live session with myself and lead actor / producer Luke Barnett.

Topics covered include:

• Achieving high production value on a budget
• Luke’s approach to bringing levity to a dark character
• The casting process & landing great actors
• Moving from a $0 production into a larger project
• Our hardest days on set and how we problem solved
• Directing & DP’ing the film simultaneously 
• Much more

Watch the film on Apple now: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/teachers-pet/id1868537677
Full list of platforms where you can watch:

• Amazon Prime Video (US, CA)
• Apple TV (US, CA)
• Google Play / YouTube (US, CA)
• Fandango at Home (US)
• Comcast / Xfinity (US)
• Cox (US)
• Spectrum (US)
• DirecTV (US)
• Dish (US)
• Altice (US)
• Verizon / Fios (US)
• Telus (CA)

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In this episode filmmaker Alec Goldberg joins the show to break down how his micro-budget comedy pilot Soft Boil went from a bootstrapped production to a blind submission acceptance at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

We talk about Alec’s path from documentary and commercial work into scripted narrative, how a key creative partnership with lead actor / co-writer Camille Wormser shaped the project, and what it took to pull off a festival-ready pilot on $30,000 across a handful of shoot days.

Topics covered include:

• Why Alec believes casting + voice was the “X factor” (and how to recognize it)
• The tactical micro-budget choices that mattered most (locations, rehearsals, scheduling)
• How to direct comedy with improv-friendly actors without losing the spine of the scene
• The producer “role-splitting” approach that let Alec focus on directing
• How Alec thinks about finding your “voice” as a filmmaker, and why it's so critical
• The films and filmmakers shaping his taste (Kaufman, PTA, Von Trier, Aronofsky, Kubrick)

Links from the show:

Alec D. Goldberg - Instagram

Camille Wormser - Instagram

Madison Shamoun - Instagram

Vivian Kerr - Instagram

Patrick Tabari - Instagram

John Gemberling - Instagram

Alec Goldberg - Website

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In this episode, I’m joined by filmmaker West Eldredge to break down how he made his debut feature Take From Me on a budget of $80,000 - and turned it into a real-world release on major platforms.

We talk candidly about what actually moves the needle on an ultra-low budget feature: prioritizing casting, building a crew that can adapt under pressure, using festivals as a testing ground, and leveraging a strong trailer to start distribution conversations early.Topics covered include:

• Why West chose micro-budget filmmaking as a solution to finally making a feature
• How crowdfunding, personal investment, and favors helped build an $80K budget
• Why he prioritized casting above almost everything - and what 4,000+ submissions taught him
• Chemistry reads, ensemble casting, and avoiding the “name actor trap” on low budgets
• Skeleton crew realities and what happens when a key crew member is suddenly gone
• Festival strategy lessons and how audience feedback helped define the film’s genre
• Pitching distributors andwhy a great trailer matters more than you think
• Post-production burnout, bringing in new collaborators, and staying motivated

Links from the show:

West Eldredge - Instagram

West Eldredge - Website

Take From Me - Watch on Prime Video

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In this episode I’m joined by filmmaker Anna Elizabeth James, whose psychological thrillers Deadly Illusions and Held Hostage in My House both found major success on Netflix, including top-chart placement on the platform.

Throughout the interview we break down Anna’s unconventional approach to building a sustainable filmmaking career outside the traditional studio system. We dive deep into intellectual property ownership, licensing vs selling films outright, and how filmmakers can retain long-term leverage while still working with major distributors and streamers.

We also explore how shifting industry economics are creating new opportunities for independent storytellers who understand how to position themselves strategically. 

Topics covered include:

• How Deadly Illusions and Held Hostage in My House reached Netflix
• Licensing vs selling films, and why IP ownership matters more than ever
• What filmmakers should know about distributors, streamers, and rights reversion
• Navigating the post-streaming-boom slowdown and emerging opportunities
• Why film festivals aren’t the only viable path anymore
• Thinking entrepreneurially without sacrificing creative integrity
• The future of branded storytelling and creator-led business models

Links from the show:

Anna Elizabeth James – IMDb

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In this episode, I’m joined by filmmaker Mark Hensley, whose new feature Clown and Out in Valley Village was shot entirely guerrilla-style over the course of a year, for just $4,000.

Mark shares how he wrote, shot, lit, and edited the film with no crew, no permits, and no safety net, all while working full-time as a re-recording mixer for major network shows.We dive deep into micro-budget filmmaking, practical sound strategies, on-the-fly rewrites, and why taking your time on a no-budget feature can actually elevate the final product far beyond what traditional indie shoots allow

Topics covered include:

• Shooting a feature over a full year with no crew
• Rewriting and reshaping a 200-page script for micro-budget practicality
• Why slow, flexible production schedules often lead to better movies
• Reshooting scenes strategically - and why even big studio films build this in
• Making “bad” production audio usable with smart technique
• How pros mix dialogue on network shows (and why lavs can beat booms)
• Picking the right camera for the film - not the “best” camera

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In this episode, I’m joined by Steven Bernstein, ASC - the legendary cinematographer behind films like Monster, Bulletproof, and The Waterboy - to explore his extraordinary journey from BBC-trained writer/director to one of Hollywood’s most insightful visual storytellers.

We discuss Steven’s unconventional path into cinematography, how he developed his philosophy of the “20 languages of cinema,” and why he believes most screenwriting rules hold filmmakers back rather than push them forward.

Topics covered include:

• How Steven transitioned from the BBC to shooting studio features
• The craft lessons he learned working on Monster and major studio comedies
• Why he rejects rigid screenwriting formulas in favor of cinematic “grammar”
• Understanding the 20 languages of cinema: composition, editing, sound, and more
• How filmmakers can avoid being pigeonholed creatively or professionally
• Building a sustainable career by mastering both story and image

Links from the show:

Steven Bernstein – Instagram

Steven Bernstein – IMDb

Filmmaker and Fan’s Podcast

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