The BraveMaker Podcast

The BraveMaker Team is heading to the Sundance Film Festival 2025! 🎉 Join Tony Gapastione and Priscilla Lam as they share insights on how to make the most of the festival and maximize your experience. Don’t miss this conversation and stay tuned for updates from our Sundance adventure! #BraveMaker #Sundance2025 #FilmFestival

This episode will explore how creatives can set professional goals and stay on track to achieve them. Join to get ideas, tips, and inspiration for a successful and fulfilling year. Watch the weekly LIVE stream on ⁠⁠BraveMaker ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . Follow BraveMaker on social media: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook #BraveMaker #BraveMakerPodcast #Podcast

BraveMaker Podcast with special guests Juliana Folk and Fearon DeWeese! Join our FIRST conversation in 2025 hosted by Tony Gapastione! Meet our special guests, Juliana Folk and Fearon DeWeese, the powerhouse team behind Ashella Productions! Juliana is an actress, producer, and writer with a knack for creating opportunities for diverse voices. Between acting, developing her script Namasté B*tches,...

Join us for a conversation hosted by Tony Gapastione and Priscilla Lam as they welcome filmmaker, producer, and podcast host Alrik Bursell! Alrik is an award-winning filmmaker behind feature films RED SNOW and THE ALTERNATE, boasting fresh ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. With over a decade of experience in commercial film, working with brands like Comcast, HBO, and the NFL, Alrik brings a wealth of kn...

We’re pumped to have Christopher Cobbs as our guest! Christopher’s story is one for the books. From singing church hymns as a kid to studying vocal music at the Oakland School for the Arts, he’s been chasing his creative spark from the start. After earning his degree in Broadcasting at San Francisco State, he launched ItsCobbsProductions and brought some amazing projects to life—like the stage sho...

BraveMaker Podcast with special guest Shia Smith! Welcome our special guest, Shia Shabazz Smith, a filmmaker, screenwriter, poet, and educator whose work celebrates and authentically represents diverse communities. Shia is a powerhouse storyteller with accolades from the Moondance and Tribeca All-Access competitions and is a three-time Sundance Screenwriters’ Lab Stage Two finalist. Her short film...

Would you like a closer look at how some of your favorite TV shows and films are made? Join us for a conversation with two editors Jon Higgins and Daysha Broadway! 🎬 Jon Higgins, ACE With over 20 years in the industry, Jon has worked on shows like Emily in Paris, Broad City, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. His films include Your Monster, a Sundance Audience Award Winner, and Griffin In Su...

With 100+ film and TV credits, 50M+ online views, and a career spanning Hollywood and beyond, Brendan Bradley is a master of reinvention and creativity. He’s not just an actor—he’s a trailblazer in virtual reality theater, starring in award-winning VR productions like Jettison, Welcome to Respite, Gumball Dreams, and Non-Player Character. Brendan’s innovation doesn’t stop there. He’s the co-founde...

What do creative people dream about? BraveMaker's founder, Tony Gapastione, and actress Belgica Rodriguez share gift ideas for creative people in your life. Join our weekly LIVE Stream and be prepared for the upcoming holiday season! #BraveMaker #Podcast #LIVE #Stream #Holiday Watch the weekly LIVE stream on ⁠⁠BraveMaker ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . Follow BraveMaker on social media: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ti...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with three incredible creatives shaping the entertainment world! Meet our special guests: Miatta Vincent Ronca Screenwriter and Executive Producer Miatta Vincent Ronca has optioned several films, including Once Upon a Wedding to Foxboro Productions and Butterflyto Sidney Kimmel Productions. In 2019, she won the Writers Lab Screenwriting Competition, and in 202...

Is it possible to succeed in filmmaking outside of Los Angeles? Let's talk about it with our special guest, Andy Compton! Join us for a conversation with Andy Compton, an Asian American writer and director from St. Louis, Missouri. Once a hard-partying high school dropout, Andy found sobriety in his late 20s, graduated Cum Laude from Webster University, and sharpened his storytelling skills at The...

Join us for a fun and insightful conversation with Aadip Desai, an LA-based Indian American screenwriter, comedian, and musician whose career journey is as multifaceted as his talent. Aadip has worn many hats, combining his love for music and filmmaking into an incredible career that spans writing for shows like ABC’s The Goldbergs to performing standup comedy and working as a music supervisor and...

Willie Macc, a breakout from the hit BET show 'College Hill: Virgin Island,' has transitioned seamlessly from reality TV stardom to an accomplished Hollywood actor and comedian. With over 100 million views on his stand-up and comedy videos across various social media platforms, Willie's humor resonates globally. He's graced screens in over 50 national commercials for brands like Kia, Verizon, Cred...

Welcome our special guests making waves in the film and music industry! 🎬 Michaela P. Shelton - A passionate filmmaker based in the Bay Area, Michaela has produced three seasons of Reckless Behavior: The Series, which explores bold and authentic stories. With experience as a producer on Food Run and assistant director of Amelia Runs Through a Meadow, she is committed to amplifying underrepresente...

Be sure that you’re ready for this action-packed episode! BraveMaker founder Tony Gapastione and director Shaun Piccinino will discuss directing feature films and working with big names like Netflix, HBO, Spike, and others.  Shaun Paul Piccinino, an acclaimed film and television director, has an impressive portfolio, including six Netflix features and over 250 million hours viewed. With his career...

Welcome our special guest, director, writer, and editor, R.J. Daniel Hanna. As an Irish/Canadian/Arkansan, Daniel never quite knew where he belonged—until he found his way to Hollywood. He’s a proud Academy Nicholl Fellow for Screenwriting. Danie’s acclaimed indie feature, HARD MILES (starring Matthew Modine and Sean Astin), has been screened in over 600 theaters across the U.S. and U.K. and garne...

Join us for a conversation with Chelsea Bo, an award-winning writer/director with a background in theater and improv. Chelsea graduated from Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film & Television and was selected for Film Independent’s Incubator Lab and Village Roadshow’s Emerging Talent Program. She co-founded the production company Paxeros with her husband, and together, they’ve produced...

Niema Jordan is a writer, speaker, and award-winning filmmaker from Oakland, CA, who is passionate about character-driven stories. Niema’s harnessing the power of media for positive community impact.  Early in her career, Niema navigated the New York media landscape and got her start at Essence magazine. She later returned home to pursue graduate degrees in journalism and public health. Her work h...

Michelle has written and produced a variety of projects, from indie films to major productions. She has crafted over 250 pieces of content, taking indie films to new heights and getting recognized at prestigious film festivals like ABFF and BronzeLens. In this episode, Michelle will share everything you need to know to make it in the world of indie filmmaking—from her storytelling passion to the i...

Conrad, a proud dog dad to Frenchie Martin, brings humor and wisdom to the screen with his ongoing sketch series featuring the hilarious, unwavering Sergeant and the clever Father Time. His unique content has attracted big brands like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, McDonald’s, and Dove, who have partnered with him on social media campaigns. Watch the weekly LIVE stream on ⁠⁠BraveMaker ⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ . Fol...

Nidhi is a passionate advocate for ethical and equitable technology. She’s been working in AI policy, fighting against cyber-surveillance, and advocating for privacy rights nationally and internationally. As a Bay Area native, Nidhi protects the vibrant culture she loves. Plus, she’s stepping into filmmaking with her first documentary 'Watch the Watchers'. Watch the weekly LIVE stream on ⁠⁠BraveMa...

Watch the weekly LIVE stream on ⁠BraveMaker YouTube⁠ . Description Tony Gapastione, Belgica Rodriguez and special guest Kimberly Jentzen talks on Acting WITH Impcat. Acclaimed acting coach, filmmaker, and author Kimberly Jentzen has won multiple Backstage Reader’s Choice Awards and is the author of ‘Acting with Impact’ and ‘Life Emotions Cards.’ Coaching actors to build characters and book roles f...

Watch the weekly LIVE stream on ⁠⁠BraveMaker YouTube⁠⁠ . Description Our special guest, the co-founder of SIMPLE DCP Garrett Sergeant, talks about what a DCP is and why you need one as a filmmaker, especially in our BraveMaker Film Fest. Do your research. Get good quality sound. Export a PRO RES version of your film and upload it to the Simple DCP portal. They will do a quality check. Once approve...

Creatives need to make stuff...and stop talking about it. Get it done! Put it on your schedule. But you can't do it alone. Creatives need support, accountability, and professional development to learn HOW to achieve their creative goals. The BraveMaker MasterMind does just that!

Director Tony Gapastione talks about auditioning and the importance of 1-following casting directions, 2-preparation, 3-making interesting choices and 4-staying in touch with decision makers (without being a shady stalker)