Trying to break into film but everything feels pay-to-play?

Kevan Ali explains how to win with strategy (even without the “in”).

In this episode of the 1% Podcast, we sit down with Kevan Ali — filmmaker + creative ambassador for the New Jersey Film Readiness Program — to talk about what actually gets projects made: relationships, leverage, and building an ecosystem that attracts real productions.

You’ll get a clear playbook for:

1. Building industry momentum when you’re not in LA

2. Networking like a pro (without feeling fake or “needy”)

3. Treating film like a business so your creativity actually travels further

4. Using incentives (like NJ’s 40% tax rebate) to pull productions in

5. Making a project that looks like $250K… for under $10K

6. Creating your “Billie Jean moment” — the project that changes how people see you

This is for you if:

1. You’re a filmmaker who’s tired of being “almost there”

2. You’re building with limited money but big vision

3.You want the real behind-the-scenes strategy—not just motivation

Hit play and steal the blueprint for your next move 👇

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Intro

01:23 Welcome to the 1% Podcast

02:39 Meet Kevan Ali + what he’s building in NJ

03:31 Why Kevan’s edge is his network

05:07 Leveraging relationships to level up fast

10:19 Why productions are leaving big cities

12:29 Sussex County advantage: space + privacy

12:55 What the NJ Film Readiness Program is

13:22 The 40% tax rebate and why it changes everything

14:02 Studios, Fort Modest, and NJ’s “golden age”

18:24 How he pulls real talent/crew into local projects

20:36 The project that “should’ve cost $250K” — made under $10K

21:18 Your “Billie Jean moment” (career-defining project)

24:55 Creating momentum with “no budget”

31:40 Using incentives + strategy to attract productions

39:01 The networking lesson most people miss

45:33 Outr

#filmmaking #podcast #indiefilm #networking #entrepreneurship

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Vin:

Email: Vincentinfante.life

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