Talent Freaks Podcast

Talent Freaks Podcast | Episode 20

What happens when a vampire doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but still needs to eat?

Writer/director Andrew Sullivan and producer/editor Geoffrey Orthwein join Andy Coon to talk about I Don't Want to Drink Your Blood Anymore, a different kind of vampire film about loneliness, friendship, shame, and finding a way forward when you feel stuck.

Andrew and Geoffrey share how their 30-plus-year friendship grew into a creative partnership, from watching independent movies and writing their first scripts to making their science fiction film Bokeh. They reflect on how their backgrounds in film marketing and post-production shaped their approach to storytelling and the responsibility of getting a finished film into the world.

We also go behind the scenes of I Don't Want to Drink Your Blood Anymore: creating a single-fanged vampire, finding a Massachusetts house that could carry a story across decades, building a supportive crew, and shaping quiet scenes through editing and sound design. They share how artist Josh Hernandez, known as Mad Charcoal, created the film’s striking poster artwork and why finding the right creative collaborators matters.

In this conversation:

• Building a filmmaking partnership through 30-plus years of friendship
• Creating a different kind of vampire story
• Collaborating with Mad Charcoal on the film’s poster
• Editing in Final Cut Pro and shaping scenes through sound design

This is a conversation about creative friendship, telling human stories through unexpected characters, and taking responsibility for the work long after filming wraps.

CONNECT WITH THE FILM AND FILMMAKERS

I Don't Want to Drink Your Blood Anymore

Website: https://idontwantblood.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idontwantblood/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@idontwantblood

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IDontWantBlood/

X: https://x.com/IDontWantBlood

Official links and updates: https://linktr.ee/idontwantblood

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18765720/

POSTER ART BY JOSH HERNANDEZ / MAD CHARCOAL

Website: https://madcharcoal.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mad.charcoal/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mad.charcoal

YouTube, Mad Charcoal: https://youtube.com/@MadCharcoal

Connect with Host Andy and Talent Freaks:

🌐 Website: https://www.talentfreaks.com/

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent.freaks

▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@talentfreaks

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talent.freaks

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talent-freaks-podcast/id1796292842

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=c89a8c13991041a4

ABOUT TALENT FREAKS

Hosted by filmmaker and photographer Andy Coon, Talent Freaks explores the lives, creative journeys, and turning points of people making their own path.

Subscribe for more conversations with filmmakers, artists, and creative thinkers. If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, a rating or review helps support the show.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of pandemic isolation, grief, shame, recovery, and vampire-related violence.

#IDontWantToDrinkYourBloodAnymore #IndependentFilmmaking #TalentFreaks

Talent Freaks Podcast | Episode 19

What does it take to walk away from the life you fought to build and start again?

Film producer and Mulberry Films founder Rashaana Shah joins Andy Coon to share her journey from growing up in India and pursuing engineering to working in Bollywood, walking the Camino de Santiago, and rebuilding her career in the United States.

Rashaana opens up about challenging family expectations, fighting for independence, and surviving a devastating train accident on her 19th birthday. She reflects on how that experience changed her relationship with appearance, identity, and the way she sees other people.

We also get into the business behind independent filmmaking: adapting books into movies, raising financing, stretching a production budget, and making sure a finished film actually reaches its audience. Rashaana shares her perspective on streaming platforms, film festivals, creative gatekeepers, and why a producer’s responsibility does not end when filming wraps.

In this conversation:

• Growing up in India and choosing education and independence• Breaking into Bollywood and learning across production departments
• Surviving a train accident and finding strength beyond appearance
• Standing up against mistreatment on film sets• Walking the Camino de Santiago and choosing a fresh start
• Moving to New York and building Mulberry Films• Book-to-film adaptations, film financing, and distribution• Finding investors and community through Women in Cloud
• Why “clarity and conviction” matter for independent filmmakersThis is a conversation about creative independence, the cost of standing by your values, and the courage to decide what comes next.

CONNECT WITH RASHAANA SHAH

Mulberry Films:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rash_shah/

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2298027/

Connect with Host Andy and Talent Freaks:

🌐 Website: https://www.talentfreaks.com/

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent.freaks

▶️ YouTube: @talentfreaks

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talent.freaks

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talent-freaks-podcast/id1796292842

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=c89a8c13991041a4

ABOUT TALENT FREAKS

Hosted by filmmaker and photographer Andy Coon, Talent Freaks explores the lives, creative journeys, and turning points of people making their own path.

Subscribe for more conversations with filmmakers, artists, and creative thinkers. If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, a rating or review helps support the show.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of harassment, abuse, and a serious accident.

#RashaanaShah #IndependentFilmmaking #TalentFreaks

You may recognize him from Breaking Bad, The Office, Argo, Straight Outta Compton, Curb Your Enthusiasm, or Bosch, but you might not know his name. His name is Rob Brownstein. And behind that familiar face is a career built on doing the work, raising a family, and staying open to whatever comes next. In this episode of the Talent Freaks Podcast, Rob joins host Andy Coon to talk about building a lasting acting career, navigating auditions, and life as a working actor, director, and acting coach.

What happens when you audition, give it your best, and still don’t get the role? Rob offers a perspective that reaches well beyond acting: not being chosen isn’t the same as being personally rejected. Together, Rob and Andy explore how to navigate setbacks, keep growing in your craft, and find a community that helps you move forward without losing your love for the work.

Rob traces his career journey from studying music and discovering theater to acting and directing in New York, moving to Los Angeles, and working across film, television, commercials, and voiceover. His definition of success isn’t built around celebrity. It’s about making a living, supporting a family, doing interesting work, and continuing to grow as the roles and opportunities change.

Along the way, he shares stories from The Office and Breaking Bad that reveal what makes collaboration memorable: generous scene partners, strong writing, room to experiment, and people who take the work seriously. He also talks about adapting your acting craft over time, bringing yourself truthfully to a character, and embracing projects that push you beyond familiar habits.

As the teacher behind An Actor’s Space in Los Angeles, Rob sees acting coaching and mentorship as more than audition preparation. He talks about helping actors navigate career uncertainty, question one-size-fits-all advice, stretch into unfamiliar roles, and reconnect with their creative energy. For him, one of the greatest rewards is watching a student become a colleague.

If you are interested in acting, auditions, acting coaching, filmmaking, directing, storytelling, or building sustainable creative careers, this conversation offers a grounded look at staying in the work. Whether you’re an emerging actor, an experienced creative professional, or a storyteller navigating a difficult stretch, Rob’s perspective is an invitation to rethink success, keep learning, and find people you can create alongside.

Community is a thread running through the entire episode. Rob talks about building connection in his classes and taking the initiative when the community you need doesn’t exist yet. This is an honest conversation about the realities of working in the entertainment industry, including the uncertainty, the everyday effort, and the relationships that help make a meaningful career possible.

Subscribe to the Talent Freaks Podcast for more honest conversations with creative people about craft, collaboration, setbacks, and career longevity. Share this episode with someone navigating their own creative path, and tell us in the comments: How has your definition of success changed?

Learn more about Rob Brownstein:

🌐 Website: https://www.anactorsspace.com/

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robbdir/

Connect with Host Andy and Talent Freaks:

🌐 Website: https://www.talentfreaks.com/

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent.freaks

▶️ YouTube: @talentfreaks

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talent.freaks

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talent-freaks-podcast/id1796292842

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=c89a8c13991041a4

What happens after you live through war, help create one of the internet’s most controversial documentaries, and spend years trying to rebuild your life? Korey Rowe joins Andy Coon for a candid conversation about the experiences that shaped him—and the life he is building now.

In Episode 17 of the Talent Freaks Podcast, Andy Coon talks with Korey Rowe, an Army veteran, filmmaker, producer, and co-owner of Otsego Media, about his journey from a difficult adolescence and military service after September 11 to the cultural impact of Loose Change, recovery, creative work, photography, and choosing a more intentional life.

Watch the full conversation for Korey’s perspective on military-to-civilian transition, the early internet era that made Loose Change a global phenomenon, the personal cost of public controversy, and the work of moving forward.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Korey Rowe is widely known for helping produce Loose Change with his longtime friend and creative partner, Dylan Avery. But this conversation looks beyond the film to the person behind it: a husband, father, filmmaker, business owner, veteran, and photographer whose life has moved through profound change.

Korey shares how he joined the U.S. Army shortly before September 11, 2001, deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, and later faced difficult decisions about his military future. He reflects on the origins and evolution of Loose Change during the early days of online video, the pressure and attention that came with its reach, and the personal challenges that followed.

IN THIS CONVERSATION

Andy and Korey discuss growing up in upstate New York, entering the Army as a young adult, and the emotional impact of returning from deployments. Korey talks about working with Dylan Avery to make and distribute Loose Change, building an audience through early internet communities, and navigating the project’s visibility and controversy.

They also explore Korey’s experiences with PTSD, addiction and recovery, his bipolar diagnosis and treatment, the role of therapy, and the importance of building a life around family, creative work, photography, and healthier boundaries. Korey also shares why landscape photography has become such a meaningful part of his life and what he hopes to create next.

If you are interested in documentary filmmaking, independent media, creative reinvention, personal recovery, military-to-civilian transition, or the human story behind a major internet-era cultural moment, this episode offers a candid perspective.

What part of Korey’s journey or outlook stayed with you most? Let us know in the comments.

GET KOREY ROWE’S BOOK

📘 The Soldier That Left: The Untold Story of Loose Change is available now: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2K8B8QL

LEARN MORE ABOUT KOREY’S WORK

🎬 Otsego Media: https://www.otsegomedia.com/

WATCH ASTEROID

🎥 Asteroid — Korey and Dylan’s first film:

https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0O444X8BXSX8P0Q3ZO6RKK6SZ1?ref_=atv_sr_fle_c_sr52cdbe_pvsearchresults_1_1

CONNECT WITH HOST ANDY COON AND TALENT FREAKS

🌐 Website: https://www.talentfreaks.com/

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent.freaks

▶️ YouTube: @talentfreaks

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talent.freaks

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talent-freaks-podcast/id1796292842

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=c89a8c13991041a4

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

03:10 Growing Up in Upstate New York

05:25 Before September 11

07:11 September 11 at Basic Training

13:10 An 18-Year-Old in Afghanistan

17:00 Preparing to Invade Iraq

18:05 Questioning the Iraq War

23:03 Loss, Trauma, and a Breaking Point

24:24 How Loose Change Began

30:04 The Decision to Leave the Military

33:25 Living on the Run and Surrendering

37:19 Building Loose Change Online

52:04 The Rise and Legacy of Loose Change

1:04:52 PTSD, Addiction, and Recovery

1:13:50 Understanding Bipolar Disorder

1:20:46 Photography, Family, and a New Life

1:27:30 Closing Thoughts

What happens when musicians who have never met are brought into a room and asked to create one original song from scratch? That’s what Episode 16 of the Talent Freaks podcast is about.

Grégoire Gensollen, Chief Operating Officer of Tucker Tooley Entertainment and the driving force behind @BandOfStrangersOfficial , joins Talent Freaks to talk about a music series built on real collaboration rather than competition. Each episode brings together artists from different backgrounds, lets their stories and instincts lead the session, and captures the human moments that turn strangers into creative partners.

Band of Strangers is about more than making a song. It is about trust, community, culture, vulnerability, and the magic that happens when people put ego aside long enough to create something together.

In this episode, Grégoire shares how Band of Strangers grew out of The Unknown Tour, a documentary project that traveled across America with a recording studio on a bus, discovering musicians in cities including Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans. We talk about why the team chose YouTube over traditional television, why authentic collaboration matters more than competition, and what it takes to build premium entertainment independently in today’s changing media landscape.

We also get into the Band of Strangers episode that puts human-made music up against AI, the challenge of creating a real audience for original programming, working with musicians who bring different backgrounds and sounds into the room, music rights, distribution, artist ownership, and how the songs created in each episode can continue to live on Spotify and beyond.

If you love music documentaries, songwriting, creative collaboration, independent production, YouTube strategy, the future of entertainment, or the conversation around AI versus human creativity, this episode is for you. Grégoire offers a thoughtful behind-the-scenes look at how Tucker Tooley Entertainment is helping build a music series that makes the creative process itself the story.

Follow Band of Strangers:

🌐 Website: https://www.bandofstrangers.com/

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BandOfStrangersOfficial

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bandofstrangersofficial/

🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@bandofstrangersofficial

Learn more about Grégoire Gensollen:

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoire-gensollen/

Learn more about Tucker Tooley Entertainment:

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tucker-tooley-entertainment

Website: https://www.tooleyentertainment.com/the-team

Connect with Host Andy and Talent Freaks:

🌐 Website: https://www.talentfreaks.com/

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent.freaks

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talentfreaks

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talent.freaks

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talent-freaks-podcast/id1796292842

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=c89a8c13991041a4

#BandOfStrangers #GregoireGensollen #TuckerTooleyEntertainment #MusicDocumentary #MusicCollaboration #Songwriting #IndependentFilm #YouTubeSeries #AIMusic #HumanCreativity #TalentFreaks

Former WBO World Heavyweight Champion Michael Bentt joins Talent Freaks for a deeply personal conversation about identity, pressure, loss, reinvention, and the long road from boxing to the arts. Michael opens up about being pushed into boxing, surviving the brutal realities of the sport, and eventually finding a second life in acting, writing, and directing.

We also get into the moments that shaped him most: the weight of expectations, the mental toll of fighting, what it meant to play Sonny Liston in Ali, and how storytelling became part of his healing. This episode is honest, reflective, and full of hard-earned perspective — the kind of conversation that stays with you after it ends.

If you’re drawn to stories about reinvention, mental health, resilience, boxing, acting, or the hidden inner life of athletes, this episode is for you. Michael brings the kind of depth that only comes from living through something and coming out the other side changed.

Follow Michael Bentt:

🌐 Website: https://michaelbentt.com/

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themichaelbentt/

🎭 IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0072715/

Connect with Host Andy and Talent Freaks:

🌐 Website: https://www.talentfreaks.com/

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent.freaks

▶️ YouTube: @talentfreaks

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talent.freaks

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talent-freaks-podcast/id1796292842

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=c89a8c13991041a4

00:00 Talent Freaks Opening

00:21 Meet Michael Bent

01:30 Reconnecting After Years

02:41 How Andy Met Michael

04:31 Anatomy Of A Knockout

06:38 Back To School

08:17 Acting Breakthroughs

10:46 Depression And Mentors

11:47 Budd Schulberg Moment

16:08 Ali Role And Connections

23:21 Michael Mann Lessons

25:51 Sitcoms And Stage Fright

28:19 Facing Mike Tyson Era

30:28 Self Doubt And Loss

34:18 Darkest Moments And Judgment

37:00 Becoming Sonny Liston

40:20 Ali Scene And Direction

42:38 Stepping Away From Boxing Charity

44:04 Tommy Morrison And The White Hope Label

48:09 Finding Peace After Trauma

50:22 Mentors Who Changed Everything

55:03 Directing Kid Shamrock

57:59 Champion And Emile Griffith Story

01:02:32 Making Actors Look Like Fighters

01:07:46 Jazz Talk And Miles Davis Story

01:13:16 Regrets Leaving LA And Anna Deavere Smith

01:17:56 Hard Work And College Recognition

01:19:40 Dad's Childhood Wounds

01:21:16 Letting Go Through Recovery

01:22:08 Making Peace at the End

01:25:28 Dark Humor Memories

01:29:34 Forgiveness and Growth

01:30:53 Lessons From Film Legends

01:34:45 Documentary Craft and Distribution

01:36:43 AI Tools Versus Soul

01:39:09 Photography Meetups and Community

01:40:54 Career Hustle and Encouragement

01:44:14 Closing Thanks and Wrap

Photographer, creator, and professional chaos merchant Chad Sanders joins Talent Freaks for a wildly funny conversation about calling out bad photography in movies and TV, why Hollywood keeps getting the details wrong, and how a Canon shooter with comedian energy turned frustration into a viral creative voice. Chad breaks down fake cameras, impossible lens choices, lens caps on set, and all the little mistakes that make photographers scream at the screen — but what makes this episode so much fun is how genuinely entertaining he is while doing it.

We also get into his path from DJ to photographer, learning by doing, shooting for free, building confidence over time, and why personality matters just as much as technical skill. This one is equal parts smart, specific, and hilarious — the kind of conversation that makes you laugh, nod along, and immediately want to text another photographer.

If you love photography, filmmaking, comedy, creative process, or just watching someone lovingly roast the industry from the inside, this episode is for you. Chad keeps it honest, sharp, and way more fun than anyone has a right to be.

Follow Chad Sanders / GamePhoguns:

🎥 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearshutter/

📸 GamePhoguns: https://www.instagram.com/gamephoguns/

Connect with Host Andy and Talent Freaks:

🌐 Website: https://www.talentfreaks.com/

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent.freaks

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talentfreaks

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talent.freaks

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talent-freaks-podcast/id1796292842

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=c89a8c13991041a4

00:00 Opening

00:21 Meet Chad Sanders

02:01 Lens Detective Work

06:01 Fast Furious Origin

11:55 Fans Feed The Clips

13:22 From DJ To Pro

16:57 Canon Vs Sony Talk

18:44 Personality Sells Portraits

24:52 Comedy Roots Unleashed

28:39 Rants As Education

31:43 Industry Secrets Pushback

32:53 Office Horror Comedy Pitch

33:57 Editing Software Talk

35:56 Hollywood Photo Commandments

38:50 Lens Cap Rage

40:09 Behind the Scenes Rush

42:23 Where He Films the Rants

44:54 Going Full Blast On Camera

47:30 Other Nerd Rants GTA Marvel

51:06 Photographer Community Love

53:41 Trolls and Petty Payback

55:50 Monetizing Without Selling Out

57:05 Sponsors and Brand Reactions

58:28 Wrap Up and Where to Follow

TV executive and creative innovator Elizabeth Kealoha joins Talent Freaks to discuss leading the Altura Festival — a generative AI film festival and summit in Atlanta — and how she's building an ecosystem where filmmakers, technologists, and entrepreneurs can tell stories using emerging tools. Elizabeth shares how two decades in television, from set PA to Executive VP of Original Programming, led her to a pivotal bet on generative AI after watching ChatGPT's earliest days. She breaks down how AI is collapsing the traditional production pipeline, why narrative spine still separates great storytelling from AI slop, and how independent creators can build sustainable careers with tools once reserved for studios. She also opens up about burning out before the pandemic, going back to school for her executive MBA, and why she believes this is the most important moment in history to be a creator.

If you're interested in AI filmmaking, creative entrepreneurship, television, media strategy, or the future of storytelling, this conversation is for you.

Follow Elizabeth Kealoha's work:

🎬 Altera Festival: https://www.alterafestival.com/

🏢 Myelin Pictures: https://www.myelinpictures.com/

Connect with Host Andy and Talent Freaks:

🌐 Website: https://www.talentfreaks.com/

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent.freaks

▶️ YouTube: / @talentfreaks

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talent.freaks

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talent-freaks-podcast/id1796292842

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=c89a8c13991041a4

Chapters

00:22 Meet Elizabeth Kaloha

02:47 Alterra Festival Origins

04:16 Summit Tracks and Audience

06:42 Story First Not Slop

10:00 Sponsors and Tool Platforms

12:16 Film Length and Distribution

14:53 Empowering Writers Visions

21:47 Models Over Tools

27:47 Deadlines and Real Clients

29:57 From TV Exec to AI

36:30 ChatGPT Spark and Immersion

39:37 Independent Era Building Fast

41:52 Altera Meetup Origins

43:03 Why ATDC Matters

46:39 Meetup Format Speakers

48:22 Hands On Creation

49:31 Community Impact Wins

51:08 Founders Backgrounds

53:52 Scaling Beyond Atlanta

56:04 Trust Real Life Community

01:00:05 Hardest Part Bottleneck

01:03:44 Favorite Part Empowerment

01:06:54 Whats Next AR Festival

01:09:42 Where To Follow Advice

01:12:27 Closing Thanks Outro

British documentary filmmaker and award-winning cinematographer Daniel Everitt-Lock joins Talent Freaks to discuss directing the 2026 feature Our Planet, The People, My Blood, centered on nuclear veterans advocate Alan Owen’s fight against the UK Ministry of Defence for justice and compensation while connecting impacted communities across four continents. Daniel shares how a short film about nuclear weapons tests sparked the project, why he expanded the story beyond test veterans to include downwinders, uranium miners, Marshallese communities, and Hiroshima/Nagasaki survivors, and how governments place the burden of proof on victims. He breaks down the realities of making a global, shoestring documentary—traveling 150,000 km, interviewing 50 people, self-editing after losing an editor, and managing 100+ TB of footage—plus the film’s May 14 UK theatrical release, social strategy, educational use, and plans to give footage to Lab Rats.

If you’re interested in documentary filmmaking, cinematography, activism, or powerful human stories, this conversation is for you.

Episode 12 of Talent Freaks.

Follow Daniel Everitt-Lock's work:

Website: https://everlockproductions.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everittlock/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everlockproductions/

Connect with Host Andy and Talent Freaks:

🌐 Website: https://www.talentfreaks.com/

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent.freaks

▶️ YouTube: / @talentfreaks

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talent.freaks

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talent-freaks-podcast/id1796292842

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=c89a8c13991041a4

00:00 Trailer | Our Planet, The People, My Blood

01:45 Meet The Filmmaker

03:18 Origin Of The Story

06:40 Shoestring Global Production

09:08 Research And Interview Style

13:39 From Veterans To Global Chain

16:25 Cut Threads And Credibility

19:51 Activism And Extra Footage

26:26 Distribution And Social Push

28:37 Government Side And Hanford

37:31 Editing The Feature Alone

39:49 Editing Marathon Lessons

40:29 Finding the Narrative Thread

42:17 Next Projects and Creative Balance

43:44 Parliament Screening Impact

44:30 Festival Rejections Reality

45:23 DIY Theatrical Release

49:10 Why Nuclear Stories Sell

50:49 Desert Screening Ideas

52:36 Origin Story as Filmmaker

57:15 Cinematography Joy and Craft

01:02:26 Hardest Parts and Setbacks

01:05:10 Release Plans and Call to Action

01:09:04 Final Thanks and Wrap Up

Troy Booker (Intsagram @troybflying_photography) has charted a rare path: childhood dreams of flight realized as a Navy aviator and Dreamliner captain, intertwined with a mastery of portraiture that has earned him acclaim on Instagram and among models worldwide. In the rugged expanse of California's Eastern Sierras, amid @davidherring 's photo meetup, he opens up on Talent Freaks about orchestrating his pilot schedule for expansive creative blocks, forging deep bonds with models who intuit light and mood, and capturing fellow aviators' stories—like the retiring Marine general coaxed into his captain's hat for a portrait of quiet command.

His work spans studios and streets to Burning Man's radical wilds, where caution yields to inspiration; aviation's unyielding structure fuels photography's deliberate deviations—black-and-white visions prioritizing negative space, shadow play, and the poetry of "distractions." Genuine, generous, and intellectually alive, Troy embodies the down-to-earth pursuit of intertwined passions, amassing skill through global travels and unfiltered human connection.

For admirers of disciplined artistry and lived dreams, this is an intimate portrait of a life in balance.

Connect with Troy:

Website: https://troybflying.com

Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/troybflying/

Instagram (Photography): https://www.instagram.com/troybflying_photography/

Connect with Host Andy and Talent Freaks:

🌐 Website: https://www.talentfreaks.com/

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent.freaks

▶️ YouTube: / @talentfreaks

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talent.freaks

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talent-freaks-podcast/id1796292842

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=c89a8c13991041a4

If you're a filmmaker or organization interested in donating gear or supporting this cause, reach out to me to coordinate.

Please Like, Subscribe, and Share to help these vital stories reach the world!

00:00 Creative Freedom Intro

00:44 Meetup Setup Pivot

02:03 Meet Troy Booker

02:46 Pilot Life Meets Art

05:10 From Top Gun to Portraits

06:39 First Model and Mentors

09:14 Beauty in Abandoned Places

12:15 Learning Vision and Style

14:27 Finding Style vs Experimenting

17:27 Why Black and White

20:23 Editing and Imperfections

27:22 Choosing the Right Models

31:02 Photographing Real People Stories

35:19 Trust Behind the Lens

36:12 Camper Van Meetup Setup

37:26 Burning Man Origins

41:11 Surviving the Dust Gear

42:04 Ethics of Burning Photos

43:19 Military Meets Creativity

45:37 Instagram Without Strategy

46:56 Printing and Photo Books

48:29 Why New York Works

49:11 Top Travel Photo Spots

51:09 Ukraine and Human Connection

53:15 Balancing Pilot and Artist

56:38 Gadgets and Favorite Moments

01:00:03 Where to Find Troy

01:01:46 Closing Thanks and Outro