The Indie Playbook

Everyone says the film industry is dying — so why are the people who’ve already made it choosing to start over and make movies? This week, Daniel sits down with two guests who left proven careers to bet on independent film. Salma Qarnain — a rocket scientist by training, HBS MBA, Stanford and MIT grad, and Broadway performer in Life of Pi — is the co-founder of Black Man Films and producer of Sile...

Why the SF Bay Area is primed to be the next BIG film hub... The Bay Area has long been overshadowed by Hollywood, yet its rich history in filmmaking and innovation is beginning to resurface. In this issue, we dive into the conversation around Oakland's significance in American film history and the exciting future ahead for independent filmmakers. Chapters 00:00 The Bay Area's Role in Film History...

What exactly are  vertical microdramas—and why is everyone suddenly talking about them?  📱🎬 In this episode of  The Indie Playbook , the Flashback Pictures team dives into the rapidly growing world of serialized, phone-first storytelling: short episodes, constant cliffhangers, and an evolving business model that’s already generating serious revenue. Drawing from our experience making  Pizza Guys...

How do independent films actually get financed—and where does the money come from? In this episode of  The Indie Playbook , Daniel Cotroneo, Grace Porras, and Dominic Russo break down the realities of independent film financing. From tax credits and private investors to pre-sales, gap financing, brand partnerships, and building a financeable package, they unpack the strategies filmmakers use to ge...

AI is transforming filmmaking faster than ever—but is it replacing creativity or unlocking new possibilities? In this episode of The Indie Playbook , Daniel Cotroneo and Dominic Russo are joined by filmmaker Blane Dydasco to unpack one of the biggest debates in Hollywood today: the rise of artificial intelligence. Inspired by George Lucas' recent comments on AI, they explore how these new tools ar...

Everybody's talking about Hollywood's future—but history shows we've been here before. In episode 3 of The Indie Playbook , Daniel Cotroneo, Grace Porras, and Dominic Russo explore how filmmakers like George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorsese built new paths outside the traditional studio system—and what independent filmmakers can learn from them today. They discuss...

Everybody's talking about Hollywood's future—but history shows we've been here before. In episode 3 of The Indie Playbook , Daniel Cotroneo, Grace Porras, and Dominic Russo explore how filmmakers like George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorsese built new paths outside the traditional studio system—and what independent filmmakers can learn from them today. They discuss...

Hollywood is looking for its next great filmmaker—and increasingly, they're finding them on YouTube. In Episode 2 of The Indie Playbook , Daniel Cotroneo, Grace Porras, and Dominic Russo explore the surprising rise of YouTube creators becoming Hollywood's newest directors. The conversation dives into why studios are scouting creators instead of film school graduates, the skills YouTube teaches tha...

Hollywood is changing fast. Traditional production models are shrinking, jobs are disappearing, and creators everywhere are asking the same question: What comes next? In this premiere episode of The Indie Playbook , Daniel Cotroneo, Grace Porras and Dominic Russo from Flashback Pictures pull back the curtain on how they're building an independent film studio in the middle of one of the film indust...