P.I. Filmmaker Podcast

In this episode, I launch ‘THE ANTI-CONTENT CINEMA MANIFESTO’, a rejection of the increasingly commercialised culture surrounding independent, micro-budget filmmaking and an attempt to reclaim what attracted me to making films in the first place. Reflecting on the experiences that led me here, I outline a selection of ideas [this is a work-in-progress manifesto] that reject the endless pursuit of...

In this episode, I reflect on the first screening of ‘Notion’ at HOME cinema in Manchester, the emotional comedown after years of production and the audience’s response to the film - including comparisons with Richard Linklater, Éric Rohmer and Stanley Kubrick. I also discuss the importance of allowing audiences time to sit with characters - something that we’re seeing less and less of in mainstre...

In this episode, I begin with an update on ‘Notion’ and the technical check at HOME cinema in Manchester ahead of its first screening on October 24th. From there, I reflect on ‘Blurred Lines’, creating art from your bedroom and self-financing your own work. Following that detour, I turn my attention to Danny Boyle’s BFI Screen Talk, held in the same cinema where I tested my latest feature. The tal...

In this episode, recorded outside HOME cinema in Manchester, I begin with an update on ‘Notion’, having just delivered the Digital Cinema Package (DCP) ahead of its upcoming screening. I then reflect on Benedict Andrews’ theatrical production of ‘Electra/Persona’, starring Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss, which brings together Sophocles’ ‘Electra’ and Ingmar Bergman’s ‘Persona’ (1966). This leads int...

In this episode, I use a LinkedIn post as a starting point to discuss the assumption that filmmakers should always be concerned with finding an audience and marketing their work. I explore the distinction between caring about an audience and pursuing one, the relationship between creativity and commerce, and why the act of creating can be rewarding in itself. Drawing on my experiences making ‘NOTI...

In this episode I’m joined by filmmaker Kenny Riches to talk about his fourth feature film, MOUSE. We discuss: letting personal experience inform fiction; themes and voice-overs; directing his cast, his mother and himself; cinematography, editing and sound design; and working within the limitations of a low-budget production. We also get into what happens after a film is finished: festivals, award...

In this shorter episode, I share an update on ‘Notion’ now that the cast and crew screening is booked, and reflect on the nerves that come with sharing such a personal film. I also respond to an online filmmaker post about needing $100,000 to make a feature, which raises a bigger question/questions about independent filmmaking: how long do you wait for the ideal budget/circumstances/ideal version...

In this episode, I respond to listener feedback on distribution, scarcity, and the difficulty of making money from independent film, before arriving at a bigger question: would I still create if nobody was watching? Along the way I talk about Werner Herzog’s views on AI and repetition, David Fincher, Robert Bresson, technical mastery, the human face, online criticism, and the pressure to constantl...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr David Crighton (Wrexham University) to discuss the state of UK higher education, his research into academic capitalism, and the pressures shaping modern universities. We discuss academic standards, student expectations, grade inflation, the student-as-consumer model, workloads, senior management, and the growing influence of performance metrics. The conversation a...

This week, I reflect on what happens after you finish an independent feature film…and whether making it available everywhere is actually the best way to find an audience. As ‘Notion’ moves towards release, I reconsider Amazon, online distribution and the idea of chasing maximum reach, before discussing ‘Blurred Lines’, the problem of reaching the wrong audience, and what filmmakers such as Werner...

This week, I'm joined by my brother, Andy Duggan, a marketing and commercial growth leader whose career has included roles at Al Nassr FC, BP and The Co-operative Bank. We discuss digital marketing, audience growth, social media, brand loyalty and what independent filmmakers can learn from the way major organisations find, understand and retain audiences. Contact Andy: https://www.hitsuzendo.com

This week, I start with the viral behind-the-scenes photograph of four actors dressed up as The Beatles for Sam Mendes’ upcoming biopics and ask what purpose these films serve when so much of the real story is already available to us. From there, I look at biopics more broadly, including ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, ‘Better Man’ and ‘The Apprentice’, before revisiting Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Aviator’ and i...

This week, I discuss the final stages of exporting ‘Notion’ and the challenges of making sure a feature film looks and sounds as intended across different platforms and screens. From there, I discuss ‘The Invite’ (Dir. Olivia Wilde) and the increasingly rare sight of films like it in mainstream cinemas, before turning to the Arrow Films 4K release of ‘Wake in Fright’ (Dir. Ted Kotcheff). That lead...

Earlier this week, I headed to London for a 35mm screening of Ingmar Bergman’s ‘Persona’ (1966) at the BFI, which included a Q&A with Cate Blanchett, Nina Hoss and writer-director Benedict Andrews, whose new stage production, ‘Electra/Persona’, brings together Bergman’s film and Sophocles’ tragedy. Recorded on the Southbank, the episode begins with another journey into ancient Greece as I discuss...

This week, I respond to your comments on the Film Graduate episodes before discussing whether grades, paid work and viewing figures are meaningful measures of success. From there, I explore whether platforms like Letterboxd have changed the way we think and talk about cinema. Along the way, I reflect on Christopher Nolan's recent comments about Lost Highway , Emily Wilson's review of The Odyssey ,...

Life After Film School: In Part 2 of my conversation with James Littlewood, we discuss what happens when film school ends and reality begins. James reflects on the mental health struggles of life after graduation, searching for work in an increasingly competitive job market, and whether film school still offers value for money. We also discuss the expectation - shared by many students and their pa...

In this episode I’m joined by James Littlewood, who graduated from a film production course in 2025. In Part 1 of our conversation, we discuss why he chose to study film, the university application process, course culture, academic feedback, group work, student group chats and the review bombing of my feature film, ‘Blurred Lines’. Part 2 (out 24th July) continues the discussion with an extended c...

Following last week’s episode on guerrilla filmmaking, I catch up on the responses it generated, including a remarkable story from the making of Around the World in 80 Days (1956) and the provocative Lone Gun Manifesto - a filmmaking philosophy that argues the best way to make films is to strip the process back to its absolute essentials. The episode then turns to recent developments surrounding t...

In this episode, I explore approaches to guerrilla filmmaking after spotting a group of filmmakers shooting a short film in a town square. Drawing on experiences from my features films X, Blurred Lines and Notion, I discuss filming in public spaces, working with limited resources, and how adapting to real-world locations can shape both the creative process and the finished film. Along the way, I r...

After recently attending a special 70mm screening of Return to Oz (1985), this episode explores the career and work of legendary editor, sound designer and filmmaker Walter Murch. I discuss Murch’s collaborations with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, including The Godfather, American Graffiti, The Conversation and Apocalypse Now, before looking at his influential approach to editing and his...

Independent filmmakers spend years creating work, pay to submit to festivals and hope someone decides their film deserves a platform. But what happens when the people controlling those opportunities become the filmmakers seeking financial support? After seeing that a festival director was crowdfunding their first short film, I explore the uncomfortable questions this raises about power, access and...

As my third feature ‘Notion’ moves closer to completion, I reflect on the often unseen final stages of independent filmmaking - the long process that continues after the cameras stop rolling. I discuss the reality of finishing a micro-budget feature: refining the edit, solving technical issues, stabilising shots, visual effects, colour grading, sound work and the difficult decisions around what ne...

For this episode, I caught up with actor, writer and director Heather Elise Nelson. Heather talks about her journey into acting, her experiences working across short films and features, and the opportunities and challenges that come with building a career in the film industry. We also chat about working together on ‘Blurred Lines’, where Heather played Olivia, an unprepared and argumentative actor...

Part two of a two-part conversation with actor and producer Miranda Benjamin. The episode begins with a newly recorded segment about a promotional video shoot that left Miranda with whiplash after she was asked to undertake multiple takes of a dangerous stunt - one that should have been carried out by a professional stunt performer - prompting a wider discussion about on-set safety and standing up...

This is part one of a two-part conversation with actor and producer Miranda Benjamin. In Part One, Miranda talks about her introduction to acting, studying at the University of Salford, joining a touring theatre company and transitioning into screen acting via independent filmmaking. Miranda discusses a variety of on-set experiences - including student shorts, a disastrous production in Worsley Wo...