Indie Film Hustle® - A Filmmaking Podcast

What made Alien, Total Recall, and The Return of the Living Dead unforgettable? In this episode of Indie Film Hustle, award-winning screenwriter and author Matt R. Lohr shares the screenwriting lessons he learned while working directly with legendary filmmaker Dan O'Bannon, the creative mind behind some of science fiction and horror cinema's most influential stories. As co-author of The Dan O'Bann...

Screenwriter, story analyst, and editor Ron Peters takes us inside the craft of professional screenwriting through his experiences working on projects including Defiance, The Wolf of Wall Street, Fury, and Twin Peaks. Ron breaks down how he approaches a screenplay—first experiencing it as an audience member, then analyzing structure and character—and explains why compelling characters can matter e...

Writer, producer, and director Miranda Sajdak takes us inside the realities of building a filmmaking career from the ground up. After studying film at Columbia, Miranda worked on graduate student productions before landing PA opportunities on major movies including The Bourne Ultimatum and Cloverfield. She explains what film school actually gave her, why it isn't necessary for everyone, how networ...

Filmmaker Jason Kartalian grew up around movie sets through his father, character actor Buck Kartalian, whose credits included Planet of the Apes, Cool Hand Luke, and The Outlaw Josey Wales. That early exposure eventually led Jason behind the camera, where he developed his own approach to writing, directing, cinematography, and independent production. In this conversation, Jason explains why the m...

Actress, artist, and producer Jackey Neyman takes us behind the scenes of one of the strangest cult movies in filmmaking history: Manos: The Hands of Fate. Jackey was only six years old when her father joined the production and brought far more than his performance to the movie—he also provided sets, props, costumes, furniture, a car, a Doberman, and his daughter for the cast. Jackey remembers wha...

Entertainment writer, screenwriter, and independent filmmaker Andrew Bloomenthal joins the show to discuss what years of interviewing working screenwriters and directors taught him about storytelling, preparation, and the filmmaking business. Andrew explains how his background in financial journalism unexpectedly opened the door to entertainment writing, eventually giving him opportunities to inte...

What happens when Hollywood never comes knocking? Comedian, filmmaker, podcaster, and longtime Jimmy Kimmel collaborator Don Barris shares the unconventional journey that eventually led to the cult comedy Windy City Heat. After leaving Michigan for California, Don struggled through stand-up, lived in his car for extended periods, and spent years developing his own comedy projects rather than waiti...

What happens when Hollywood keeps saying no, but you refuse to stop making movies? Filmmaker and screenwriter Michael Rousselet shares the unconventional path that took him from USC film school to creating more than 1,500 Five Second Films and eventually co-writing and directing the cult comedy Dude Bro Party Massacre III. Michael breaks down what film school actually taught him, why failure is es...

How do you build an independent film studio that produces movies constantly without betting the entire company on every release? In this episode, David M. Latt, co-founder of The Asylum, breaks down the unconventional business model behind one of the most prolific independent production companies in Hollywood. From working out of an apartment to releasing dozens of films, creating Sharknado, and e...

What does it really take to become a professional screenwriter? In this fascinating conversation, Glenn Benest—screenwriter of two Wes Craven films, producer, novelist, and longtime Hollywood mentor—shares the lessons that transformed his career. From adapting A Stranger in Our House to collaborating with Wes Craven on Deadly Blessing, Glenn reveals why most aspiring writers focus on the wrong thi...

Success in filmmaking rarely comes from waiting for permission. In this episode, horror filmmaker Harrison Smith shares the lessons he learned from building a career through writing, producing, and directing independent films like The Fields, Six Degrees of Hell, Camp Dread, and Zombie Killers: Elephant's Graveyard. From working at Universal Studios to producing feature films on modest budgets, Ha...

Writing a screenplay is easy. Writing one that Hollywood actually wants to read is something entirely different. In this episode, veteran screenplay consultant David Hohl shares decades of experience helping writers transform rough ideas into professional screenplays. From outlining and story structure to networking, screenplay contests, and script consultants, David explains why most first-time w...

On today's episode, filmmaker Greg Francis shares the incredible journey behind making his first feature film, Poker Night, after spending more than a decade fighting to bring it to the screen. From growing up in Taiwan as the son of missionaries to discovering filmmaking through public access television and documentary work, Greg explains how persistence—not overnight success—became the defining...

Breaking into Hollywood has never followed a single formula, and Jeanne Veillette Bowerman proves that some of the most successful careers begin far outside Los Angeles. After owning a motel and restaurant for fifteen years, Jeanne reinvented herself as a screenwriter, eventually becoming the editor of Script Magazine, co-founder of the influential #ScriptChat community, and a respected voice in t...

What starts as a spontaneous idea during a cold morning outside a locked office eventually becomes a life-changing adventure stretching across an entire continent. In this episode, filmmaker Mark Phillips shares the incredible story behind The Walking Fool, a documentary chronicling his attempt to walk from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. What began as a personal challenge quickly evolved...

What does it take to spend more than two decades creating creatures, monsters, and makeup effects for Hollywood before finally stepping behind the camera to direct your own feature film? In this episode, legendary special effects artist Hiroshi Katagiri shares his remarkable journey from moving to Los Angeles as a teenager from Japan to working on films like Pacific Rim, Cabin in the Woods, Green...

What if the reason your screenplay isn't getting attention has nothing to do with your writing ability? In this eye-opening conversation, Lane Shefter Bishop—known throughout Hollywood as "The Book Whisperer"—breaks down the single most important tool every writer needs: the logline. Having built a career discovering books before publication and developing them into film and television projects, L...

What does a career look like when it spans cult films, Bollywood productions, Hollywood boardrooms, and ultimately a complete reinvention of purpose? In this episode, Will Keenan shares one of the most unconventional journeys in entertainment. From landing the lead role in Tromeo and Juliet alongside a young James Gunn to producing independent films, working in Bollywood, and eventually becoming a...

What separates a good cinematographer from one that directors, producers, and talent repeatedly trust with high-pressure productions? In this episode, cinematographer Jared Hess shares hard-earned lessons from over a decade shooting for ESPN, WWE, Bellator, and major fight promotions. From filming in dangerous neighborhoods and chaotic gyms to working directly with elite athletes and unpredictable...

What happens when a lifelong wrestling fan decides to document one of the most chaotic and misunderstood subcultures in entertainment history? In this episode, filmmaker John Philapavage breaks down the 13-year journey of creating Barbed Wire City, the unauthorized documentary about ECW and the culture surrounding extreme wrestling. From tracking down elusive wrestlers and dealing with conflicting...

What does it really take to make an independent film with almost no money, no studio backing, and no guarantees? In this episode, filmmakers Bob Woolsey and Darren Borrowman break down the entire chaotic journey of making their indie feature film Do Something with Your Life—from crowdfunding disasters and broken cameras to film festivals, self-distribution, and the harsh realities of today’s indie...

Christopher Downie’s filmmaking journey began the same way many indie filmmakers start—with VHS tapes, cheap cameras, and a deep obsession with movies. But after discovering Kevin Smith’s Clerks and the View Askewniverse films, filmmaking transformed from a hobby into an identity. In this episode, Christopher shares the unbelievable story behind Shooting Clerks, the ambitious biopic about the maki...

What really stops independent filmmakers from succeeding? According to producer and actress Jenna Edwards, it’s not talent, money, or even connections—it’s the complete lack of a real plan. In this powerful conversation, Jenna shares the hard truths she learned moving from acting on shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Malcolm in the Middle into producing independent films. From networking mist...

What if the biggest threat to your film isn’t your budget… your script… or even your distribution—but something legal you never even thought about? In this episode, Nellie Akalp, CEO of CorpNet, breaks down the essential legal foundations every filmmaker must understand before stepping onto set. From LLCs to liability protection, she reveals why treating your film like a real business isn’t option...

In this episode, Will Ball—talent agent and founder of a new agency—breaks down the harsh realities of the film and acting industry that most aspiring filmmakers never hear. From the oversaturated market in Los Angeles to the misconception that talent alone leads to success, Will explains why many creatives struggle after chasing the Hollywood dream. He shares firsthand experiences from working in...