CK Café: Conversations with Indie Creatives

<p>CK Café is a filmed podcast and live conversation series spotlighting creators —especially those from underrepresented communities — who are building their careers in film, music, theatre and beyond. Each episode explores the artist’s personal journey, the challenges they’ve faced, and the love behind their work. Whether through deep-dive interviews, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, or live panels, CK Café offers inspiration and real talk for artists and audiences alike.</p><p><br /></p><p>The podcast was created by CK Productions, an independent film and multimedia company, dedicated to bold storytelling, championing underrepresented voices, and producing innovative projects that bridges art and impact.</p><p><br /></p><p>Follow CK's journey at <a href="https://instagram.com/ckproductionsny">https://instagram.com/ckproductionsny</a> and on Substack <a href="https://ckproductions.substack.com/">https://ckproductions.substack.com/</a></p><p>Visit our website to learn more about CK at <a href="https://ckproductionsnewyork.com%20/">https://ckproductionsnewyork.com </a></p><p>CK Café is Hosted by Rosie Dean (<a href="https://instagram.com/rosiedean21">@RosieDean21</a>) and Ethan Felizzari-Castillo (<a href="https://instagram.com/ethanfelizzari">@ethanfelizzari</a>).</p>

Art With Purpose: Peter-William Jamieson on Borderless, Sea Wall & Imagination

In this episode of CK Café, we sit down with actor and writer Peter-William Jamieson to explore the new CK/Street Kid collaboration, "Sea Wall" by Simon Stephens and the artistic fire behind 'Borderless' - his award-winning one-man play about a soldier confronting the emotional and spiritual aftershocks of war - that CK co-produced and is now turning into a feature film! Dive into the meaning of the piece, its impact on veterans, and how storytelling can create real pathways toward healing. ...

11-13
41:57

From Content Creator to a Marilyn Monroe Biopic with Jessica Vill (@JBunzie)

In this episode of CK Café, we sit down with viral creator and writer Jessica Vill (@JBunzie) to talk about her bold new project - a Marilyn Monroe biopic (Becoming Her) produced by our team at CK! Jessica opens up about the pressures of life as a social media creator, finding her artistic voice beyond the algorithm, and what it means to bring new life to an icon To learn more about BECOMING HER visit https://instagram.com/marilynfilm & follow Jessica @jbunzie on all platforms! What ...

10-24
36:08

Defying Limitations with Nory & Eduardo Machado

In this episode of CK Café, we sit down with Nory and his creative director, filmmaker, Eduardo Machado, to talk about resilience, creativity, and pushing past the limitations that so often hold artists back. From navigating obstacles to finding joy in the process, this conversation is all about creating your own rhythm and refusing to be stopped! Nory’s new album F**K THAT THIS THE RHYTHM is out now on all platforms! Stream ▶️ https://unitedmasters.com/m/fuck-that-this-the-rhythm Follow No...

09-25
40:03

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Producer, Paul Zaentz, Talks Legacy & Power of Storytelling

This week’s CK Café episode is a special one. We sat down with Paul Zaentz — yes, from The Talented Mr. Ripley and Amadeus — who's now serving as an Executive Producer on Backyard/Desert through his company Teatro Della Pace Films. We talk legacy, the importance of subversive films in today’s political climate, the evolution of independent film, and his family’s iconic film One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest - including some breaking news about a new adaptation of the classic film! Paul has help...

07-03
39:51

Fundraising Sucks... but Filmmakers Gotta Do It (with the 'Backyard/Desert' Producers)

In this candid episode, we sit down with fellow producers of our first large-scale feature film, Backyard/Desert, to unpack the emotional rollercoaster of indie film fundraising. Backyard/Desert follows a young border patrol agent who discovers a dying migrant in the Yuma desert - forcing her to confront the harsh realities of her job and her identity. We open up about the grind of raising funds as first-time-feature filmmakers, share lessons learned, and offer real tips for those just s...

06-26
38:14

The Importance of Local Film Festivals with Mridul Sharma of Queens Film Festival

In today's CK Café, we dive into The Importance of Local Film Festivals with a special spotlight on the Queens Film Festival, happening July 7–13th at Court Square Theater in Long Island City, Queens. We sit down with festival founder Mridul Sharma to talk about the power of community-driven cinema, why festivals like Queens FF matter for emerging filmmakers, and how they're shaping the future of indie film. Grab your tickets to the festival and learn more at www.queensfilmfest.com! What is C...

06-19
26:48

Her Voice: A Screening for Women-Identifying Composers

In this special episode of CK Café, we sit down with the co-founders of the new screening series Her Voice (on June 10, 2025 in NYC) - Miu Sato, Carlotta Romano, and Katherine Beggs - to talk about the realities of composing for film and TV, and the challenges of navigating a male-dominated industry as women creators. This honest and inspiring conversation dives into how Her Voice is building community and changing the landscape for the next generation of women in media. Don’t mis...

06-05
37:36

Making Music Videos w/ Rob Eberle

Welcome to CK Café: the show about film & independent artistry created by acclaimed indie production company, ⁠CK Films . Join a variety of hosts every Monday as we welcome indie creatives to talk about their work, the film world and independent filmmaking. More of a visual person? Watch our show here. This week, host Rosie Dean (⁠⁠@rosiedean21) is joined by musician Rob Eberle (@RobEberle ). Listen as they discuss Rob's process with music videos, working on short films & their crea...

05-13
19:02

Overcoming Failures with Mateo Marquez

Welcome to CK Café: the show about film & independent artistry created by acclaimed indie production company, ⁠CK Films ⁠(⁠@CKFilmsNY⁠). Join a variety of hosts every Monday as we welcome indie creatives to talk about their work, the film world and independent filmmaking. More of a visual person? Watch our podcast on our YouTube channel ⁠here⁠. This week, host Ethan Felizzari-Castillo (⁠⁠@ethanfelizzari) is joined by our first official guest on the show, long time collaborator, Mate...

04-01
31:00

Multi-hyphenate Artists & Women in Film

Welcome to CK Café: the show about film & independent artistry created by acclaimed indie production company, ⁠CK Films ⁠(⁠@CKFilmsNY⁠). Join a variety of hosts every Monday as we welcome indie creatives to talk about their work, the film world and independent filmmaking. More of a visual person? Watch our podcast on our YouTube channel ⁠here⁠. This week, hosts Stefanie Colón (@stefanieccolon) and Rosie Dean (@rosiedean21) discuss their experience being women in the independent fi...

03-12
13:32

Welcome to CK Café!

Welcome to CK Café: the show about film & independent artistry created by acclaimed indie production company, CK Films (@CKFilmsNY). Join a variety of hosts every Monday as we welcome indie creatives to talk about their work, the film world and independent filmmaking. More of a visual person? Watch our podcast on our YouTube channel here. This week, hosts Ethan Felizzari-Castillo (@ethanfelizzari) & Stefanie Colón (@stefanieccolon) introduce the show and talk about their careers as...

03-04
27:43

Recommend Channels