Liz Manashil & Alrik Bursell

Making Movies is HARD!!!: The Struggles of Indie Filmmaking

Tv EN ↓ 600 episodes

Liz Manashil and Alrik Bursell discuss independent filmmaking, everything from writing, producing and directing to working as crew. But this is not just a podcast about "making it," it's also about struggling with rejection, self-doubt and everything else that comes with pursuing a career in film. Follow along as we forge our own way through the industry and talk to guests who are also making it happen. Episodes 238-299 are available at our patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast

Author

Liz Manashil & Alrik Bursell

Category

Tv

Podcast website

bleav.com

Latest episode

Jul 9, 2026

Where to listen?

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Episodes

Jhennifer Webberley - BONUS Throwback Interview! 15.01.2026

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 433 from July 2023 featuring producer, editor and filmmaker Jhennifer Webberley. Alrik thought Jhennifer was a good match for our episode with Robert from Monday because they both wear so many hats and continue to make movies and provide for themselves through their filmmaking. After that we play another round of You’re...

Robert Enriquez - Acting, Producing, Managing Talent and Directing Features! 12.01.2026

This week we welcome producer/director/actor Robert Enriquez on the show to talk about his career making movies including his latest feature, Stone Creek Killer. After that Liz and I talk about what it means to be an independent artist, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-movies-...

Andrew Chesworth - BONUS Throwback Interview! 08.01.2026

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 191 from January 2019 featuring animator and animated filmmaker Andrew Chesworth, who talked about working at Disney and making his latest short film. I thought this was a good match for our episode with Miguel Rodrick from Monday because they are both animated filmmakers, working on very different spectrums of filmmaki...

Caleb Walker and Miguel Rodrick - Making Movies in High School and Pushing to be Shortlisted! 05.01.2026

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Janeen Damian - BONUS Throwback Interview! 01.01.2026

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 403 from December 2022 featuring producer/director Janeen Damian who talks about making her first feature Falling for Christmas after producing multiple features! ALrik thought Janeen was a good match for our episode with Frank from Monday because they are both producers turned directors and plus it’s holiday season, an...

Frank Merle - Sustainably Producing and Directing Indie Features! 29.12.2025

This week we welcome writer/director/producer Frank Merle on the show to talk about his latest film Namaka and how he juggles producing movies and directing his own. After that we play another round of THE GAME and Alrik reads a listener email on the show, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/po...

Jennifer Sorenson - BONUS Throwback Interview! 26.12.2025

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 503 from November 2024 featuring producer, writer, actor and director Jennifer Sorenson who talked about making her first feature For When You're Lost. I thought this was a good match for our episode with Kerry Carlock from Monday because they both talk about pulling their features together and Jennifer was involved wit...

Kerry Carlock - Embracing a Lower Budget for Feature #2! 22.12.2025

This week we welcome writer/director Kerry Carlock to the show to talk about her second feature Suffer which she co-wrote and directed with her husband. Kerry talks about going from a $200k budget to a sub 50k budget and how that changed her process as a filmmaker. After that we play another round of THE GAME, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Rev...

Garo Setian - BONUS Throwback Interview! 20.12.2025

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 425 from January 2022 featuring producer, director, writer, editor, Garo Setian who talked about making his feature Space Wars: The Quest for the Deepstar. Alrik thought this was a good match for our episode with MAR because they both wore multiple hats in making their sci-fi features. After that we play another round o...

MAR - Writing, Producing and Directing an Indie Sci-Fi Feature! 15.12.2025

This week we welcome writer/director/producer MAR on the show to talk about how he got his next feature Dresden Sun made starring Chrisitina Ricci, MAR also talks about why he likes taking on multiple roles as a filmmaker. After that we read a apple podcast review and talk about the current statuses of our projects, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us...

Jade Halley Bartlett - BONUS Throwback Interview! 11.12.2025

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 462 from Feburary 2024 featuring writer and director Jade Halley Bartlett who talks about making her feature Millers Girl starring Martin Freeman and Jeana Ortega. I thought this was a good match for Hikari since they are both successful directors with movies starring movie stars! After that we play another round of You...

HIkari - Making High End TV to Indie Festival Darlings! 08.12.2025

This week we welcome writer/director Hikari on the show to talk her latest film Rental Family, starring Branden Fraser, how she came up with the story for the film and the process to get it made. We also talked about her earlier career, making her first feature and directing episodes of Tokyo Vice and BEEF. After that we play another round of THE GAME, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon!...

Orsi Nagypal - BONUS Throwback Interview! 04.12.2025

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 399 from November 2022 with director Orsi Nagypal who talks about leveling up her directing career, getting hired to direct The Outpost then getting the opportunity to pitch Dean Devlin to direct her first feature The Deal with a very healthy budget. I thought Orsi was a good match for our episode with Simon Cellan Jone...

Olivia Nash - Not Taking No for an Answer on Your First Feature! 01.12.2025

This week we welcome actor, writer and director Olivia Nash on the show to talk about writing and directing and starring in her first feature film, Hi! Olivia talks about how she got the film made, the proof of concept films she made beforehand and how she got the funds together for the feature! After that we play another round of The Game, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon...

Simon Cellan Jones - From Directing Low Budget TV to The Family Plan 2! 24.11.2025

This week we welcome director Simon Cellan Jones on the show to talk about the making of his mega sequel The Family Plan 2, how he landed the directing job on the original The Family Plan and how he has managed to level up as a director throughout his career. After that we play another round of The Game, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on...

Dan Mirvish - BONUS Throwback Interview! 20.11.2025

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 313 from April 2021 featuring producer, writer and director Dan Mirvish. I thought this was a good match for our episode with Ted Geoghegan from Monday because they are both prolific indie filmmakers with deep roots in the festival scene. After that we play another round of You’re the expert, enjoy! Don’t forget to supp...

Ted Geoghegan - Consistently Making Truly Indie Films! 17.11.2025

This week we welcome writer/director/producer Ted Geoghegan for our big five hundred and fifty fifth episode of the show to talk about how he leveled up his films, how his projects have come about and what makes him thrive as a successful indie filmmaker. After that we play another round of THE GAME and talk about the current statuses of our projects. Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.pat...

Jenny Lester and Juliana Jurenas - BONUS Throwback Interview! 13.11.2025

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 340 from October 2021 with writer and star Jenny Lester and producer editor Juliana Jurenas. Alrik thought this was a good match for our talk with Katie Prentiss and Cara Mitsuko from Monday because they also had to figure out how to will their film into existence and over come a number obstacles. After that we play ano...

Katie Prentiss and Cara Mitsuko - Finding a Producer for Your First Feature! 10.11.2025

This week we welcome writer Director and Actor Katie Prentiss and Producer Cara Mitsuko to the show to talk about their feature Wake Up Maggie which Katie wrote based on her experiences taking care of her mother. Katie and Cara talk about the challenges they faced making the movie and how they pulled it off together! After that we play another round of the Game, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us o...

Ian and Eshom Nelms - BONUS Throwback Interview! 06.11.2025

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 465 from Februry 2024 featuring writer/director brothers Ian and Eshom Nelms. I thought this was a good match for our episode with John Michael Powell from Monday because they both talk about getting top talent attached to their movies, but in very different contexts.. After that we play another round of You’re the expe...

John-Michael Powell - Getting Funded and Casting Top Talent in Your Feature! 03.11.2025

This week we welcome writer/director John-Michael Powell on the show to talk about how he got his 2nd feature Violent Ends made starring Billy Magnussen and how he got Billy attached. After that we play another round of THE GAME and talk about the current statuses of our projects, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! https:/...

Jessica Ellis - BONUS Throwback Interview! 30.10.2025

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 287 from October 2020 featuring writer director Jessica Ellis. Alrik thought this was a good match for our episode with Nicola Rose from Monday because they are both female feature filmmakers, although Nicola talks to us about her 2nd feature, rather than her first.. After that we play another round of You’re the expert...

Nicola Rose - Getting Distribution on Feature #2! 28.10.2025

This week we welcome writer/director Nicola Rose on the show to talk about the making of her second feature Magneto Sphere which came out this summer. After that we play another round of THE GAME, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-movies-is-hard-the-struggles-of-indie-filmmakin...

Jeff Kerr and Ray Spivey - BONUS Throwback Interview! 23.10.2025

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 315 from April 2021 with writers and directors Jeff Kerr and Ray Spivey to talk about the making of their brand new feature film, Writers Block and reconnecting after thirty years since they knew each other in high school to write, direct and produce their first feature later in life. Alrik thought this was a good match...

Laurie Criego - Making Filmmaking Dreams Real in Retirement! 20.10.2025

This week we welcome writer and executive producer Lauire Criego on the show to talk about making her first feature Mother Nature and the Doomsday Prepper which she made 100% independently after she started writing films in her retirement. After that we play another round of The Game, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! htt...

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