GateCrashers Pod

On today's SEASON FINALE episode, Cat and Makayla talk the Tribeca Storyteller Summit and fill you in on what they have going on this summer. A sincere thank you to all of you for coming along with us as we embarked on this first season. See you all in August! (Or September) 🌐 Connect 🎬 Production:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠@foxandsiren.productions⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 Makayla:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠@iammakaylamcintosh⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 Cat:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠@catyu...

What happens when you're the AD on a vertical series and the director gets fired mid-production? For Rachel Rose, it became the opportunity that changed everything. In this episode, Rachel Rose and cinematographer Belen Garcia share the unexpected journey that began when Rachel was forced to step into the director's chair for the first time on a vertical series. What could have been a prod...

Raise the flag for today’s episode of GateCrashers! Today we sit down with Actor, Writer, Producer and absolute rockstar, Julie Bruns. She shares her experience getting into the world of indie filmmaking through her role as an associate producer for Crazy Eights, (a film competition in Vancouver to put it lightly), and takes us through the journey of writing, producing, and starring in the first i...

In today’s THIRTIETH (!!!) episode, Cat and Makayla hit some hot topics and current events, including Makayla’s takeaways from the LA Vertical Drama Market, the proposed SAG/AMPTP agreement, some discourse from Reddit, and as always, an anecdote or two. 🌐 Connect 🎬 Production:  ⁠@foxandsiren.productions⁠ 📸 Makayla:  ⁠@iammakaylamcintosh⁠ 📸 Cat:  ⁠@catyudaintea⁠ 📰 Makayla’s Substack: ⁠Siren Ma...

What does it really take to break into Hollywood when the odds (and the gatekeepers) are stacked against you? This week, we sit down with actor, writer, and creative force Philip AJ Smithey to talk about the reality behind building a career in entertainment. From navigating your early career (and a new market) to building a community that creates its own opportunities, Philip shares the mindset sh...

In today’s episode, we sit down with  sound designer and composer, Dave Chick! Dave shares his journey from music school to film sound, the art of sound design in filmmaking, and how sound transforms a film. We’ll hear about his approach to collaboration, managing creative differences, and balancing versatility with specialization- his being in the horror comedy space . Discover the nuances of fil...

Should you just write the damn thing? This week on GateCrashers, we are reunited in LA for a meeting about our project, The Mercy Cage. We are finally back together in person since last year's SeriesFest (!!). We sit down to rehash where we started and where we are going. In today’s episode, we reflect on the wild ride of collaboration versus solo writing. How bouncing ideas off of each other...

In this episode of  Gatecrashers , we sit down with Krista Gano to break down what it really takes to pitch smarter, develop stronger scripts, and survive (and thrive) in today’s rapidly shifting entertainment industry. With a deep-rooted background in Hollywood—working alongside top-tier talent and shaping projects from the ground up—Krista brings invaluable insight into how creators can cut thro...

What does it mean to truly champion your community—and tell stories that matter? In this episode of  Gatecrashers , we sit down with filmmaker Pat Longstreth, founder of the Hindsight Film Festival, to explore the power of storytelling that starts at home and ripples outward. From building a film festival backed by legendary documentarian Ken Burns to creating his deeply moving documentary  Iron F...

Ever sent an email you wish you could take back? We’ve all been there- hitting send before the edit is done, sharing BTS too early, communication mishaps happen. That doesn't make it less embarassing. Today, Cat and Makayla yap about lessons learned the hard way, with some spicy industry hot takes along for the ride. 🌐  Connect 🎬 Production:  https://instagram.com/foxandsiren.productions 📸...

What if the fastest way into the film industry right now… isn’t through the traditional system at all? This week on  Gatecrashers , we sit down with Isabel Dréan - screenwriter, director, producer, and digital visionary — whose career is a masterclass in reinvention. From her early days acting and directing in Montreal, to writing horror and psychological thrillers, to becoming a go-to writer for...

How do you go from law school to casting hundreds of projects for Netflix, Disney, and beyond? Emmy-winning casting director Paul Ruddy joins  Gatecrashers  to share his unconventional journey into Hollywood—and the real factors that determine who gets cast. From building a career rooted in relationships to leading casting on 250+ projects as Head of Casting at FlareFlow, Paul breaks down how the...

 In this episode of the GateCrashers Podcast, Cat and Makayla sit down with filmmakers  Aris Federman  and  Zoe Dunay , the creative duo behind  Blue Oak Productions  and  Echo Grove Media , to talk about their unconventional journey from acting and entrepreneurship within the world of filmmaking. Aris and Zoe share how they learned filmmaking through real-world experience, the school of hard knoc...

What happens when you take action storytelling vertical? In this episode of  Gatecrashers , we sit down with vertical star and producer Kasey Esser just days after wrapping  Love Under Fire  — one of the first independent action microdramas built specifically for the vertical screen. We dive into what it really takes to produce large-scale action in a format originally dominated by romance — inclu...

This week on  Gatecrashers , we sit down with Canadian entrepreneur and film producer Therese “Tag” Goulet — the powerhouse known as “The Sugar Mama.” Instead of waiting for gatekeepers to greenlight bold ideas, Tag built her own wealth and began backing creatives with her own money — funding music, films, books, and entire creative movements. Now, as the visionary behind  The Gift  (formerly  The...

When your series lands on Amazon, the world sees the result. But what about the years — and oceans — it took to get there? This week on  GateCrashers , we sit down with Australian-born, Canadian-based actor, writer, and director Megan Peta Hill to talk about her journey to the Amazon series  56 Days  — and everything that shaped her along the way. From relocating from Australia to Canada, to navig...

Sometimes the long way around is the only way back to yourself. This week on  Gatecrashers , we sit down with writer and director Jerry Decker — whose career has spanned from writing for  A&E Biography  to producing major series for Discovery, SyFy, Animal Planet, and serving as Executive Producer at National Geographic Television. On paper, it’s the kind of résumé most filmmakers dream of. Bu...

This week on GateCrashers, Makayla and Cat spill the tea on all things Heated Rivalry, skin care, bake some takes and dive into self-care on set. 🎧 Listen now to  Gatecrashers: Hot Takes  — where honesty meets rebellion. 🌐  Connect 🎬 Production:  @foxandsiren.productions 📸 Makayla:  @iammakaylamcintosh 📸 Cat:  @catyudain 📰 Makayla’s Substack:  Rebel Waves 📰 Cat’s Substack:  catyudain.substa...

Gatecrashers  sits down with filmmaker  Adam Michael  to unpack what it really means to build a creative life without waiting for permission. After leaving the corporate world, Adam taught himself filmmaking through short films, made the leap to his first feature ( Shredded ), and chose community over industry validation. In this episode, we talk about making features outside traditional systems,...

Gatecrashers  is back with an episode at the cutting edge of storytelling. In this episode, we sit down with  Monika Dalman  and  Alicia Read  — co-founders of the  Vertical Film & Series Safety Association (VFSSA)  and leaders behind  Type Eh Media  — to break down how vertical storytelling went from "the Wild West” to a rapidly evolving industry with real jobs, real standards, and real...

Cat and Makayla sit down to reflect on an incredible 2025—everything we created, produced, and launched across film, music, and live experiences. From behind-the-scenes wins to lessons learned, we unpack what it really takes to make things happen in a world where gatekeepers aren’t the gatekeepers anymore. Then, we dive into practical strategies for setting bold goals, staying accountable, and bui...

Podcast Episode Description What does it  actually  take to build a sustainable, impact-driven career as a filmmaker today? In this episode, we’re joined by  Lisa Cordileone , creator of  How-To-Multi-Hyphenate , an interactive workshop designed to help artists rethink above-the-line strategy through an authentic entrepreneurial lens. Fresh off a successful screening at  NEWFEST — the largest LGBT...

In this inspiring kickoff episode of  Gatecrashers , we sit down with filmmakers, authors, and creative rule-breakers  Helenna Santos  and  Alexandra Boylan  — the women behind the micro-budget feature  At Your Own Risk . We dive into  Alexandra’s journey into producing her very first feature film , a micro-budget horror that proved you don’t need permission, massive resources, or a studio greenli...

The cavalry isn’t coming — so what do you do when you decide to make the feature anyway? In this episode, we dive deep into the nitty gritty of becoming a  first-time feature filmmaker  after cutting your teeth on multiple shorts, and what it really looks like to build momentum when no one is swooping in to save the day. Teresa Catherine (she/her) joins us to talk about navigating life as a  multi...

Actress, writer, and director  Roxanne Fernandes  joins  Gatecrashers  to share her journey from Australia to Canada, navigating new industries, building community, and grounding her creative work in empathy and advocacy. In this episode, Roxanne opens up about her early projects, what inspired her to volunteer with Look Glass, and how that experience continues to shape the stories she tells and t...