On Production

We explore the evolving landscape of interactive storytelling with Elliot Wolf, executive producer of Prime Video’s On Call and co-founder of Wolf Games. With a strong background in television and a deep appreciation for narrative craft, Elliot shares how he’s bringing storytelling into new territory with Public Eye , an upcoming AI-assisted daily murder mystery game. Designed to offer players a f...

We explore how technology is transforming filmmaking workflows with John Trefry, CEO of 4WT Media. John shares how his early experiences building content teams at tech startups like Mahalo and DocStock shaped his unique approach to production—one that merges creative storytelling with the operational efficiencies of the tech world. The conversation dives deep into how modern tools are being used t...

We sit down with Emmy-winning TV producer Clara Plestis, whose work as an executive at Smart Dog Media, helped redefine what family-friendly television can be. Clara has been instrumental in shaping formats that blend high-concept experimentation with broad appeal, from AI-powered dating shows to variety competitions. Her work demonstrates that entertainment aimed at mass audiences doesn't have to...

W sit down with Hugh Calveley, founder of Flow Capture (formerly Moxion), to discuss how a personal frustration on set evolved into a powerful cloud-based collaboration platform. From his early days as part of a film crew in New Zealand to building a production tool trusted by industry giants like Amazon Studios, Hugh shares the hard lessons of introducing new technology to an industry known for i...

We dive into the evolving world of content distribution and indie streaming with Bonnie Bruderer, founder and CEO of Binge Networks. A leader in the OTT space, Bonnie shares her unconventional path from corporate marketing and motivational coaching to launching a global streaming platform that champions independent filmmakers. She discusses how her early experiences producing her own talk show led...

We explore the world of script collaboration with Emmy-winning technologist and CEO of Scripto, Josh Kline. He shares how his early work with Digital Dailies revolutionized how directors review footage, and how those lessons now inform his work modernizing script collaboration. He explains the deep limitations of traditional formats like PDFs and highlights how platforms like Scripto bring real-ti...

We explore how artificial intelligence is transforming post-production workflows with Lucas Igel, CEO and founder of Kino AI. A former MIT student and indie documentarian, Lucas shares how his early experiences editing his documentary exposed him to the inefficiencies of traditional editing and inspired the creation of Kino. In our conversation, Lucas explains how Kino’s search mirrors the creativ...

In this special episode of On Production, we welcome back film finance expert Will French to unpack a headline-grabbing development in the film world. Following a recent social media post from President Trump proposing a 100% tariff on foreign-made films, Will offers an in-depth look at the potential impact and consequences for the domestic and global film industries. With decades of experience pi...

We sit down with Jijo Reed, Emmy Award-winning producer and founder of Sugar Studios, a full-service post-production house. With a career spanning over 60 feature films, Jijo talks about how his background as a drummer informs his approach to editing, and how Sugar’s in-house team fosters trust, speed, and synergy. We also explore how emerging technologies like AI are streamlining workflows—while...

Emily Best, founder and CEO of Seed&Spark, shares how her journey from theater to filmmaking led to launching one of the most successful crowdfunding platforms for independent creators. We dive into what makes Seed&Spark stand out, why audience-building is essential, and how creators can build sustainable careers outside the Hollywood system. Emily also gives us a glimpse into the future o...

We sit down with Cary Woodworth, an actor-turned-producer and the founder of Legacy Pictures and Maverick, who has built a career navigating the complexities of global content creation and international co-productions. In this conversation, Cary shares his experiences managing productions across continents. He discusses the leadership skills required to balance creative passion with the logistical...

We sit down with executive producer Kristen V. Carter as she shares how she balances creativity, leadership, and social impact in the media. From producing music specials on PBS and docuseries on HBO Max to working with Kevin Hart and Ava DuVernay, Kristen has built a career rooted in authenticity and purpose. Kristen discusses how she navigates high-stakes productions, makes tough calls on projec...

We explore West Virginia’s emerging film industry with David and Megan from the West Virginia Development Office and Film Office. These industry leaders discuss how the state is positioning itself as an attractive destination for filmmakers through comprehensive support programs and competitive incentives. The conversation dives into the state’s tax incentive program and their extensive location d...

We sit down with Marc Iserlis, Head of Film at Republic, who shares how their platform is transforming entertainment financing by enabling everyday fans to become legitimate investors in film projects. With his background in traditional film financing and current role pioneering crowd investing, Marc offers valuable insights into this new approach to funding creative projects. The discussion explo...

We sit down with Tony Gapastione, founder of Bravemaker, a nonprofit film arts organization dedicated to fostering community dialogue through film. A former actor turned filmmaker, Tony shares how a personal loss led him to create an organization focused on mentoring diverse voices and supporting meaningful storytelling. Tony discusses Bravemaker’s impact on local communities through monthly film...

On this Halloween special of On Production, we sit down with Stephen Follows, a film industry data researcher, to discuss his latest project, HorrorMovieReport.com. Stephen dives into the current surge in horror film production, exploring the factors driving this unprecedented boom and the evolving landscape of the genre. The episode covers a wide range of topics, including the dominance of Americ...

We speak with Herman Phillips, an innovative film producer and the creator of Cinapse, a groundbreaking production management software. Herman shares insights from his journey in the film industry and explains how his experiences on major sets like The Mandalorian inspired him to develop technology that revolutionizes production workflows. Herman discusses the challenges faced by production teams...

We speak with Shari Marshik, founding partner and executive director of the Upper Midwest Film Office. Shari shares insights on the evolving landscape of regional film production and the impact of community-based projects in northern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. Shari also takes us through the region’s competitive incentives, its diverse locations, and the film office’s role in facilitati...

We chat with Luke DeBoer, filmmaker and founder of SetHero, an innovative software transforming communication in film and TV production. From directing his first feature film at 17 to creating tools that streamline workflows for producers, Luke shares his journey from indie filmmaking to leading a tech startup. Luke discusses the unique challenges in running an efficient set leading him to create...

We sit down with Jens Jacob, a film producer and tech entrepreneur behind the innovative budgeting platform Saturation. Jens talks about the common struggles faced by producers today in the ever-changing landscape of film production and how Saturation addresses pain points in budgeting by offering enhanced collaboration, access control, and integration capabilities. This is an episode you wouldn’t...

We’re joined by Jon Stahl, a creative who made a leap from writing for acclaimed shows such as Veep, to founding Prolog—a platform designed to enhance the workflow involved in staffing and managing writers’ rooms. Discover how Prolog tackles the challenges faced by showrunners through aggregation of various aspects of the staffing process into a single platform, simplifying the process to source a...

We sit down with Max Hermans, Founder and CEO of TheGreenShot, a platform revolutionizing sustainability efforts in film production. Max dives into how TheGreenShot seamlessly integrates real-time cost tracking with comprehensive sustainability metrics, empowering productions to make decisions that drive eco-conscious practices and reduce environmental footprint. Max discusses the platform’s abili...

We speak with Steve Vitolo, Emmy-winning founder and CEO of Scriptation. Steve shares his journey from TV writing to developing innovative script management technology, offering insights into the evolution of digital tools in entertainment production. Steve talks to us about the challenges of traditional script revision processes and how Scriptation addresses them. He explains its key features lik...

We sit down with Rob Weidner, co-founder of Showcal and an accomplished cinematographer with credits including Black Panther and American Horror Story. Rob shares his journey from behind the camera to tech entrepreneurship, discussing the development of Showcal, a tool designed to revolutionize how crew members can reduce their administrative burdens by easily managing their bookings, schedules, a...

We dive into the world of screenwriting technology with Guy Goldstein, founder and CEO of WriterDuet. Guy shares his journey from programmer to screenwriter, and how this unique background led him to create a tool that revolutionizes the writing process. Guy discusses how WriterDuet addresses the unique needs of screenwriters, from real-time editing to version tracking. He highlights the importanc...