This episode features London-based filmmaker Shigeto Sayama, whose career spans more than 20 years directing commercials, music videos, and brand films for global clients including: Sony, Samsung, Tiffany & Co., Coca-Cola, Coach, New Balance, and more.

What happens when a filmmaker steps away from a successful commercial career to pursue more personal, meaningful stories?

Having worked across both Western and Asian markets, Shigeto has collaborated with internationally recognized talent including: Nicole Kidman, Eddie Redmayne, Jackie Chan, Avril Lavigne, Karlie Kloss, and Manny Pacquiao, while filming in cities around the world including Tokyo, Shanghai, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, and Bangkok.

After decades in commercial filmmaking, Shigeto made the bold decision to shift his focus toward narrative storytelling. Since then, he has written, produced, and directed an award-winning trilogy of short films and is currently developing a feature film, a television pilot in collaboration with Japan, and several new projects.

In this conversation, you'll discover:

🎬 How Shigeto built an international directing career

🎬 The realities of working with global brands and celebrity talent

🎬 The transition from commercial work to independent filmmaking

🎬 Lessons learned from over two decades in the industry

🎬 What drives him to tell more personal stories todayWhether you're a filmmaker, director, producer, or creative entrepreneur, this episode offers valuable insights into career evolution, creative reinvention, and the art of visual storytelling.

Recorded: 05/14/2026

🔗Join our next The Filmmaker's Life Podcast LIVE. Sign up for the Zoom link at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-home

🎬 Shigeto Sayama IMDb:https://www.imdb.com/name/nm16546140/

Check out Shigeto's website:https://sayamafilms.co.uk/

#filmmaking #filmdirector #independentfilm #commercialdirector #storytelling #filmindustry #filmpodcast #filminterview #joannefilm #filmbusinesscoach #filmproducer #filmcareer #filmbusiness

This episode features Carl "Pony" Vigil, a Navajo lighting technician, filmmaker, producer, musician, and advocate whose career spans more than 30 years in Hollywood and Indigenous media.

What if the greatest impact you make in film isn't on a blockbuster set - but through the stories you choose to tell?Pony has worked on major productions including "The Avengers", "Thor", "Cowboys & Aliens", and "Breaking Bad", serving in key roles within the Camera and Electrical Department as a lighting technician, electrician, gaffer, and best boy electric.But beyond Hollywood, Pony has dedicated his career to elevating Indigenous voices, preserving Native culture through media, and creating opportunities for authentic representation.

As Executive Producer of NativeFlix and creator of NTV Native Music Television, he has helped spotlight hundreds of Indigenous musicians, filmmakers, and storytellers. He is also currently directing the feature documentary "Last Dance", chronicling the historic final Gathering of Nations Powwow in 2026.In this inspiring conversation, you'll discover:

🎬 How Pony built a career working on major Hollywood productions

🎬 The role of lighting and technical crafts in filmmaking

🎬 Why Indigenous storytelling matters now more than ever

🎬 Building platforms for Native creators and communities

🎬 The making of "Last Dance" and preserving cultural history through film

🎬 Using media as a tool for visibility, empowerment, and change

Whether you're a filmmaker, producer, technician, or storyteller, Pony's journey offers powerful lessons about purpose, representation, and the impact film can have beyond entertainment.

🔗Join our next The Filmmaker's Life Podcast LIVE. Sign up for the Zoom link at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-home

🎬 Carl "Pony" Vigil IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3559085/

#joannefilm #filmmaking #documentaryfilm #filmpodcast #filminterview #filmbusinesscoach #filmindustry #filmproducer #indigenousvoices #documentaryfilmmaking #representationmatters

This episode features filmmaker Peter Bailey - award-winning author, journalist, and director of the hit documentary series "Miami Kingpins", which debuted on Amazon Prime in 2025 and quickly reached the Top 10 as a documentary series.

Peter shares insights from his dynamic career, including: how he created "Miami Kingpins" and built an audience, starting the interview series "NiteCap, as well as the inspiration a success of his two "Paradise Discovered" documentaries. He also reveals what it's like to work with major outlets like Newsweek, TIME Magazine, NBC, and The Miami Herald and his advocacy for Caribbean storytelling and cultural ownership.

His work has earned multiple awards, including Best Feature Documentary at the Caribbean Tales Film Festival and the 1261 Grenada Film Festival, as well as recognition by being named one of Miami’s most powerful and influential Black Business Leaders by Legacy Miami and recipient of the Virgin Islands Living Legend of Culture Award.

▶️ Watch the *Miami Kingpins* trailer: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2oAoYaMBZw]📌 **Join upcoming LIVE filmmaker interviews (free):**Register here: [https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-home]If you're a filmmaker looking to understand film funding, documentary filmmaking, and how to build a career in the industry, this series is for you.#FilmmakersLife #FilmPodcast #DocumentaryFilm #IndieFilm #Filmmaking #FilmBusiness #FilmFunding #DocumentaryFilmmaker #CaribbeanStories #joannefilm #filmbusinesscoach

The guest this week was Tom Phillips. Tom's directorial debut "Between Wars" stars Michael Imperioli and is slated for release in March 2026.

Watch the trailer for "Between Wars"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mhWJ9nhAbc

Writer/Producer/Director Tom Phillips began his career as a playwright and actor. For 2 seasons, he worked as an actor and director on Alec Baldwin's Master Class. He's collaborated with Academy Award nominee Jim Sheridan as a screenwriter on a story based on the events of the Hell's Kitchen Mafia. Tom's and original member of Michael Imperioli's theater and acting studio "Studio Dante". He went on to assist Imperioli on his directorial debut "The Hungry Ghosts" and Imperioli stars in Phillips' directorial debut "Between Wars".

Imperioli said the following, "Working with Tom is exactly what independent filmmaking should be. Hit the ground running, roaming the streets, stealing shots, running and gunning. It's as far away from Hollywood as you can get and that's the way we like it. All passion, inspiration, and fearlessness. Tom is as indomitable and tenacious as they come and that's what it takes to make a truly independent movie... without a studio, on a shoestring budget, and defying the odds."

#joannefilm #filmpodcast #indiefilm #filmbusinesscoach #filmbusiness

The guest this week was Christina Morales Hemenway. Christina has multiple feature films under her belt in the genres of comedy and fantasy. She's currently working on her fifth feature film.

To watch our podcasts live, register to receive a Zoom link at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-home

Watch the trailer for "Bride+1" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCkBftGia2g&t=5sChristina Morales Hemenway founded Dancingstar in 1992, upon graduating from the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), with the mission of creating enlightening and uplifting films. Since then, she has produced several feature films, including "Dreammaker", "Angel Moon" (aka "Naked Angel" and "Bride+1". She's currently in pre-production ofher 7th feature film "Universal Chord".#joannefilm #filmpodcast #indiefilm #filmbusinesscoach #filmbusiness

The guest this week was Chris Hines. Chris is a film producer, marketing specialist, and master in storytelling. He has spent the past 20 years in Athens learning the business of filmmaking, learning how to raise capital and how to take your story to market. Chris’ first feature film “Small Group” won Best Picture at the 2019 International Christian Film Festival. His second feature “American Deadbolt” will have a theatrical and streaming release in 2026.Get Screening Updates for “American Deadbolt”https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33336378/https://americandeadbolt.com/Watch the Trailer for “American Deadbolt”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wLfpvHK-uQ

Join our podcast LIVE. Register to obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/Filmmaker-Success-Home

Our guest this week was the Writer/Producer/Director/Filmmaker Success Client JC Wilde. JC's first feature film "Wild Fire" can currently be seen on TUBI, Amazon Prime, Plex and Roku. She's currently in development of the narrative film "Windows of Avalon" and the documentary "SEX | GOD". Both projects explore divinity & sexuality, love & truth, freedom & humanity, and finding the field in which they harmoniously co-exist._____________________________________________________JC's IMDB https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm6935707/Watch the trailer for "Wild Fire" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm-QUUc4gZM_____________________________________________________To watch the podcast live, register to receive a Zoom link at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-homeJC Wilde is not only a published poet, but also a writer/producer/director. Her directorial debut feature film "Wild Fire" won over two dozen awards in a 10-month festival run before securing global streaming distribution. She launched her production company HalfJack Generation as an outlet for stories of her personal expression of Love, Light, and Truth.She's currently in development of the narrative film "Windows of Avalon" and the documentary "SEX | GOD". Both projects explore divinity & sexuality, love & truth, freedom & humanity, and finding the field in which they harmoniously co-exist.#femalefilmmaker #womeninfilm #queerfilmmaker #joannefilm #filmbusinesscoach #featurefilmmaker #filmpodcast

Our guest this week was the Writer/Producer/Director/Filmmaker Success Client Maria Petschnig. Maria's latest feature film "Beautiful and Neat Room" just had its world premiere at the 30th Split Film Festival in Croatia, where it received the Grand Prix award. This film was funded using strategies from Joanne Butcher's "Filmmaker Success" program.To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-home_____________________________________________________Maria's IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3401562/Watch the trailer for "Uncomfortably Comfortable" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkM_YUKTZKM_____________________________________________________Maria Petschnig is an award-winning Austrian born filmmaker, producer, writer and artist based in Brooklyn, NY. Maria was originally trained as a painter and gradually transitioned towards the moving image, having worked across media including live performance, photography and immersive installation, exhibiting at renowned museums and galleries. Her work has been screened and exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally including venues such as: Anthology Film Archives, New York; MoMA PS1; Mumok, Vienna; Documentary Film Week, Hamburg; IFFR Film Festival Rotterdam, Netherlands; and Schinkel Pavilion, Berlin.She has made twenty-plus experimental films and a feature documentary, “Uncomfortably Comfortable”, which earned acclaim at the 2021 Duisburger Film Woche, where it won the ARTE documentary award. It is a film (portrait) of Marc, a houseless person living in his car in Brooklyn. The film deals with the difficulties of trying to exist on the fringes of society, of trauma, and is an attempt to understand the racial realities of people of color. “Beautiful and Neat Room”, (118 min, 2025) her latest feature narrative film is inspired by her own experiences of cohabitating with other people, having shared her living space with more than 60 roommates over the course of 22 years. She has told The New York Times that sharing her apartment was “a way to survive as an artist in New York City”. The film screened in the international feature competition at the 30th Split Film Festival in Croatia and received the Grand Prix award.#femalefilmmaker #womeninfilm #artistfilmmaker #joannefilm #filmbusinesscoach #featurefilmmaker #filmpodcast

Our guest this week was the Writer/Producer/Director Filmmaker Success Client Michelle Malley Campos. Michelle's latest film, the Taiwan/Puerto Rico co-production "Foreigner," had its world premiere at the 2025 Ourense Film Festival in Spain. The film is on the verge of distribution.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-homeCheck out Michelle's IMDB page https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2993400/Michelle Malley Campos is a Puerto Rican filmmaker and NYU Tisch graduate with over a decade of experience as a director and DGA assistant director. Her award-winning short films, including "Ráfaga", "En Pedazos" (Cannes), and "Yours", have screened internationally. She co-founded Cinema Paradiso en la Loíza, a community cinema in San Juan, and leads Vientos, her IP development company. Her debut feature "Extranjera" premiered in October 2025 Ourense Film Festival in Spain. She is currently in development with her second feature film "Valle Escondido".#filmbusinesscoach #filmpodcasts #joannefilm #filmproducer #filmmaking #latinafilmmaker #femalefilmmaker #womeninfilm

Our guest this week was Filmmaker Success Client and Documentary Filmmaker Michael Wayne. Michael's latest documentary feature film "How to Save Democracy" was funded using strategies from Joanne Butcher's Filmmaker Success Box Office S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Program. "How to Save Democracy" is an incisive and provocative film that explores the roots of democracy and its ebbs and flows over its history in the U.S., and why it is currently struggling to continue.

_______________________________________________

Watch the Trailer and get screening updates for "How to Save Democray"https://savingdemocracyfilm.com/____________________________

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-home

Michael Wayne is a filmmaker, writer, and licensed acupuncturist, as well as the author of five books. His work is rooted in a deep commitment to social justice and economic democracy, and he uses storytelling across multiple mediums to inspire critical thought and drive change. His media portfolio includes a narrative feature film, two feature documentaries, a web series, an interview series, and a podcast—all aimed at challenging conventional narratives and envisioning a more just society.Michael’s most recent book, "Toward a More Perfect Union: From Scarcity to Abundance For All" (2022), explores transformative ideas for building a fairer world and served as the foundation for his latest documentary, "How to Save Democracy". He also shares ongoing essays and commentary through his Substack series, "Toward a More Perfect Union", at mwayne.substack.com

#filmbusinesscoach #filmpodcasts #joannefilm #filmproducer #filmmaking #documentaryfilmmaker #savedemocracy