First Time Go

Watch the film FLATHEAD, currently streaming on IndiePix Unlimited, and let me know what you think. It took home awards from the International Film Festival Rotterdam, among others, because it's like nothing you've seen before. It tells the intimate tale of Cass and Andrew making their way in working class Australia.In my discussion with director Jaydon Martin, we delve into what is truly fiction in a documentary; his work at moving furniture to support his vision; and his advice for indie filmmakers embarking on their first feature.It's astonishing filmmaking from the Australian, and I cannot wait to watch what's next.In this episode, Jaydon and I discuss:the North American premiere for FLATHEAD and why he decided to make such an intimate film about his characters;how an award for the film at the Melbourne International Film Festival allowed him to stop moving furniture at night;finding his filmmaking system that works for him;how his career prepared him for FLATHEAD and his views on the concept of fictionalization in documentary;the unique docufiction nature of the film -- it's like nothing you've seen before;the dilemma about truth and how the film would be different if he had gone to film school;film v. digital;whether he'd use AI or not;the importance to him of the International Film Festival Rotterdam and how he views Australia's place in the world;whether the Australian government can do more;how indie filmmakers should view their careers;what's next for him and his advice from the festival run of FLATHEAD.Jaydon's Indie Film Highlight: SONG OF ALL ENDS (2024) dir. by Giovanni C. LorussoMemorable Quotes:"A lot of working class cinema or just media in general, it's always from a distance." "That was all just, talking through and establishing trust and establishing a relationship where, you go, all right, we want to do an intimate scene. And Cass was like, yeah, just, come in boys in the morning, I'll be stark naked.""That award has set me up. I'm working on two features right now.""I think sometimes you get into a trap if you try to work for industry jobs, you get burnt out. If you sat in an edit room four days a week, it's hard to jump into your own edit." "Mindless work is great because it's you can think about anything. You can dream away while you're moving a desk, moving furniture.""That's how you capture intimacy because if there's three people, two people there, the camera just fades away eventually after a while." "I've got a version of myself which is different to my partner's version of me or my friend's version of me or someone I work with. I've got different versions of myself in this world. Which is the most truthful version of yourself?""I'm a big believer in trying to create an aesthetic of now rather than an aesthetic of nostalgia.""People get wrapped up about...this nostalgia about the tools.""And realistically, I can't pitch an idea, go, all right, can you gimme money? And two years later I'll have something to show you.""For any young filmmakers, I think EPs (executive producers) help a lot as well. Getting good eps that can get your film in front of programmers."Links:Watch FLATHEAD On IndiePix UnlimitedFollow Jaydon On InstagramSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

I'm so happy to return to the roots of the podcast by talking REQUIEM FOR A SOLDIER with filmmaker Jeremy Musher, currently crowdfunding on Seed & Spark. It is the story of a "Vietnam veteran who in his last weeks of service, found a Vietnamese soldier's diary, and 56 years later returned it to the soldier's family." We talk war films, fatherhood and filmmaking, and his sweeping vision for a topic that doesn't get as much love as it should: Vietnam veterans. And this film has the added pleasure of showing the Vietnamese perspective.Let's get REQUIEM over the line. Happy holidays.In this episode, Jeremy and I discuss:the crowdfunding video and how he describes REQUIEM FOR A SOLDIER;what defines a good war film;why REQUIEM is a documentary rather than a narrative project;why they decided to crowdfund the film and use Seed & Spark specifically;the landscape for grants right now;the 60 day length of their campaign versus shorter options;the visual style he brings to documentary filmmaking and why they are weaving animation into the story;what he wishes existed for parents and fathers on film sets;the next few months for the film.Jeremy's Indie Film Highlights: THE ZONE OF INTEREST (2023) dir. by Jonathan Glazer; LITTLE DEATH (2024) dir. by Jack BegertMemorable Quotes:"The interview we did with him to shoot this kind of teaser was a seven hour interview, and Peter just has story after story.""It is the story of a Vietnam veteran who in his last weeks of service, found a Vietnamese soldier's diary, and 56 years later returned it to the soldier's family.""I feel like financing a film is harder than actually making the film."About one of the subjects of the documentary: "He struggled with a lot. He struggled with PTSD. He was an alcoholic, he was homeless, divorced arrested, and never lost the diary.""I've never done a crowdfunding campaign before and I've always pushed it off until I found a project that I really cared about.""[Animation] works so well for war...because I think that war is probably one of those things that you can't really understand unless you've lived through it and as somebody who hasn't lived through it, it's hard to ever fully understand it. I think love is honestly on that same spectrum.""It is a really hard industry...to have kids in, be a filmmaker and to have kids in our industry. You get locked in to staying local. And I think there's a reason, Terrence Malick took 20 years off of being a filmmaker so he could watch his, so he could actually raise his children."Links:Donate To REQUIEM FOR A SOLDIERFollow REQUIEM On InstagramFollow Jeremy On InstagramSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: THE BROTHERS MCMULLEN (1995)Director: Edward BurnsWriter: Edward BurnsCast: Jack Mulcahy; Michael McGlone; Edward BurnsSYNOPSISThree Irish Catholic brothers from Long Island struggle to deal with love, marriage, and infidelity.Subscribe to our YouTube channelFollow us on LetterboxdFollow us on InstagramFollow us on XFollow us on FacebookFollow us on TikTokFollow us on LinkedInSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

Surely he didn't know it then, but his work in media in China made my guest, filmmaker David Borenstein, the perfect person to direct MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN (2025). It's a fantastic film following a Russian teacher "secretly documenting his school becoming a war recruitment center during the Ukraine invasion."What David and especially his co-director, Pasha Talankin did was make a film at great personal risk because it's so cutting towards the Russian authoritarian regime. And astonishingly, as David shares in the podcast, he wants to do more of these stories in repressed societies.Thank God there are people like David and Pasha. Denmark's nominee for best international film at the 2026 Oscars is an absolute gem.In this episode, David and I discuss:the simplicity of the documentary and whether the overwhelmingly positive reaction surprised him;how he got started in filmmaking and his familiarity with heavily propagandistic societies;the difference between journalism and documentary filmmaking (he has an incredible answer here);the debates with his co-director about the concept of propaganda;how cool it would be to see a documentary or podcast on the making of MR NOBODY;logistically, how did the film happen?;how his co-director became knowledgeable behind the camera;advice for anybody interested in doing a project like this, especially when you aren't in the same place as your co-director!;how he edited the project and who got the line credit for it;how we can better support filmmakers in places like China and Russia;when the film will be available for streaming and the challenges of finding distribution in the United States;the clash between US and Europe distributors for documentary films;what's next for him.David's Indie Filmmaker Highlight: Nathan FielderMemorable Quotes:"The co-director, he actually responded to a casting call in the beginning. So in the beginning, we were filming him as a character.""The very first time that I was involved with cameras of any sort was actually as a Chinese speaking host on Chinese TV.""if you are a quite fluent foreign speaker of Chinese living in China, they'll find you after a while. You are a curiosity to Chinese audiences.""[John Grierson] defined documentary in a very special way. He didn't define it as journalism per se. He actually called it the propaganda of democracy.""There were so many points where I thought about quitting or walking away 'cause it was so hard. But don't give up." "The way I work with editors is I make a rough cut myself and then I deliver it to editors to work for a little bit of time to challenge me." "I think it's really important as director to be generous.""[The film] is resonating with people in Russia and not necessarily people who are already part of the Russian opposition.""I'm still really interested in getting into the big kind of countries that we don't understand enough, Russia and China."Links:Follow David On InstagramFollow MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTINSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

There's no hyperbole in this statement: my guest, native New Yorker and founder and managing principal at East End Capital, Jonathon Yormak, influences independent filmmaking more than any other guest I've had on the podcast. East End will have over 2.5 million square feet of studio space under management at the opening of his fifth studio in Los Angeles.So not only does that space support a number of studio-level productions, the talent that works there is your next audio engineer, gaffer, cinematographer, or director...if New York and California remain friendly to U.S.-based production.A big if...and a big topic in this extraordinarily special -- and important -- episode of the podcast.In this episode, Jonathon and I talk about:what drew him to developing five different studios across Los Angeles and New York;the recent history of real estate/TV + film production, including the opportunities available in New York City;the role of COVID in building out the new studios;the expectations vs. reality of building in the entertainment world;the economics of building studio space after the strikes;competing for business, in the United States and abroad;the kinds of business his studios attract and why a production might choose one stage over another;the future of AR/VR and AI in studio space;how he stays current on news in this space;what he advises the New York City mayor and California regarding the film business;how he'd love Quentin Tarantino or Steven Spielberg to use one of his facilities.Memorable Quotes:"if you really look back the intersection...between real estate and film and TV production, it really began with Netflix and their explosion into digital content distribution and then spending an enormous amount of money directly on content creation.""And so by 2018, 2019, you also had Apple and Amazon that had both started to get into the game. And in a couple of instances, Amazon in particular had leased some space for ten year terms. And so what you started to see was that occupancy was well north of 90% in almost every sound stage in the United States. And on top of that, there really had been no new development, with the exception of Atlanta, of new best in class film and television sound stages in the US for 25 years.""To build anything in California takes forever." "What happened is, the strikes hit and at the same time, Wall Street was putting pressure on all of the streamers to figure out how they were making money.""So they started to go to places...that had very favorable tax incentive regimes. So those would be...the UK, Ireland, Canada in particular.""Our view of [AR/VR/AI], it actually is supportive of higher stage occupancy.""So if you wanted to film in Times Square, you had to actually go to Times Square. You wanted to film in front of the Eiffel Tower, you had to go in front of the Eiffel Tower. In facilities like ours, where you can get the height and the distance away from them, you can film that in a sound stage.""From AI...being able to make a movie. I still think that, the human element...it's not from everything I'm seeing, it's just not able to capture that well."Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

When I went back and edited this episode with my guest, filmmaker Tom Koch, I realized: he's doing a color series of films! To put that much thought into his work as well as have the creative control to name his films is the perfect way to describe Tom: extraordinarily thoughtful, humble, and a guy capable of doing anything in his films: acting, writing, directing, accents, ballet even!His latest film, OLIVE (2025) is an absolute treat -- the logline "while caring for grandma, Sam, the character played by Tom -- begins to question the nature of their relationship" -- and it shows his mastery of the craft. He even knows war films, which is my unique quality. If he ever gets into indie film podcasting, I can't say I wasn't warned about how great he'd be.In this episode, Tom and I talk about:save some talent for the rest of us, Tom -- acting, writing, producing, directing, ballet?!;how he got started in acting;how his approach evolved from ORANGE (2024) to OLIVE (2025);writing a script and playing a character you weren't expecting to play;when writing, directing, and acting becomes a bit too much in indie films;the challenges of casting in a world that cares more about celebrity and follower count than actual talent;how much being a stage actor matters;what does he look for in actors when he's casting his own projects;the best way to think about OLIVE before watching;what excites him about "telling stories with a twist", the motto of his production company;the festival circuit for his films and what advice he has for film festivals;what he's working on now and when people can expect to see OLIVE;whether we'll see him behind a camera and his great eye for war films.Tom's Indie Film Highlight: AMOUR (2012) dir. by Michael Haneke; THE PIANO TEACHER (2001) dir. by Michael Haneke; THE WHITE RIBBON (2009) dir. by Michael Haneke; WARFARE (2025) dir. by Ray Mendoza; Alex GarlandMemorable Quotes:"Nobody saw a stage play or school play of mine...when I was seven and said, oh, that kid.""The big thing that I changed for OLIVE was that ORANGE was really a proof of concept." About acting in OLIVE: "And there was a part of me that thought it would make things easier because I didn't have to find an actor and I didn't have to tell them what Sam was, in a way.""Sadly we're in a world now where we're competing with so many different productions and so many different artists, and funding for film is getting a bit harder because I don't know if people trust the medium as much as before."More about acting: "It's one of the only jobs where people get placed in it out of nowhere when it requires so much training and people go to school for four years to...get better at acting and do like classical work. You would never do that with an athlete.""I don't think it's necessary to do stage to be a great screen actor.""You can take a little bit more liberties with a short...people are not really behind your butt saying oh, you can't write this, you can't write that. Oh, you have to change the ending because you're you're doing your own thing. So it's perfect for that.""It's a very hard and tedious process where the cards are not in your hands and you work for a year on something that you create with a group of people. You put it on a Vimeo link and you pray.""They've watched thousands of films and they picked a few, and they're like, go watch those.""I feel like the more I act, the better director I can become."Links:Follow Tom On InstagramFollow OLIVE On InstagramWatch ORANGE NowSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

I don't know if I've met a more accomplished yet depreciatively humble filmmaker than my guest, Conor McCormick. Here are the facts, though: he was admitted as one of the few to the Square Peg Social, a program set up by Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen "break down the walls and barriers that too often exist within the film industry." (There's a bunch of Reddit threads that speak to how hard this was). His films, most recently BUNKER BABY (2024) and FOR THE CURE (2025), speak to the current state of masculinity in a way that is sorely needed in today's film world.Another way of saying all this, much more succinctly, is that I have an Irish filmmaker on the podcast. And not just any -- one of the country's brightest new stars.In this episode, Conor and I discuss:what drew him to the topic of male existential crises in his filmmaking;the "write what you know" argument;how he got started in filmmaking;what it's like going to film school in Ireland;getting his career started after film school;his selection into Square Peg Social, a new initiative by Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen;the collaborative nature of Square Peg;shout out to filmmaker Shelly Yo, another participant in Square Peg and an all-time favorite guest of the pod, who connected us (if you haven't watched SMOKING TIGERS...now is the time!);what it means to be an Irish filmmaker;where audiences can watch Irish films;what he noticed about the filmmakers selected for Square Peg;if film festivals can foster more of a collaborative environment like Square Peg;his special affinity for Austin, Texas;what's next for him;the amazing market for short films on airlines, including Aer Lingus, and the future for the medium (I didn't know Vimeo Staff Picks were not available in Europe).Conor's Indie Film Highlight: JUNIPER (2021) dir. by Matthew J. Saville; HUNTER GATHERER (2016) dir. by Joshua Locy; SMOKING TIGERS (2023) dir. by So Young Shelly YoMemorable Quotes:"it was just trying to tap into people in their late thirties who are...trying to figure that out. And I feel like...it's quite a universal experience right now is that we're all moving further on in life than our maybe our parents' generation before us and not as well set up and the sort of anxiety that comes around that.""When you go international like that, I think you just realize the bar in terms of how good some of these films are.""I think another thing that really helped is we all got to watch a sample of each other's work before we all met."About the films selected at Square Peg: "It was...a varied mix of people. And if anything, it felt like it was more story first.""You certainly have gone to some festivals where you go, you show up, screening ends, everyone disperses, and then you're like, all right...we're in a new city somewhere, we've traveled and now we're just gonna go to the pub by ourselves or something."Links:Follow Conor On InstagramConor McCormick's WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

Watch This Episode On YouTubeEvery Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: THE FEATHERWEIGHT (2023)Director: Robert KolodnyWriters: Tyler Taormina; Eric BergerCast: James Madio; Ruby Wolf; Keir GilchristSYNOPSISIn 1964, a camera crew follows retired featherweight boxing champion Willie Pep. Down and out in Hartford, Conn., married to a woman half his age and facing mounting debts, Pep decides to return to the ring.Subscribe to our YouTube channelFollow us on LetterboxdFollow us on InstagramFollow us on XFollow us on FacebookFollow us on TikTokFollow us on LinkedInSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

The pod's annual thank you edition episode.Thank you to the guests. There wouldn't be a show without you. I am grateful you are willing to take the time to talk about your career. I hope through my preparation I show my appreciation for you.Thank you to the listeners. The podcast started as a way to get a documentary made and has grown almost every month. I spend a lot of time editing so every second is hopefully something worthwhile for you. Let me know how I can improve.Thank you to my wife, son, and family. I appreciate your patience with me while watching another weird film or "hold on, I'm editing." I absolutely cannot wait to talk indie kids' films.This is such a blessing to do this and I'm grateful for all of you. Thank you.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

I am very much aware of the fact that I make the occasional podcast about films that listeners can't just stream, even though I wish so badly you could. The short film, MERCY, by my guest, director Hedda Mjøen, is a film like that -- it shows the moral dilemma of a woman who has to choose whether she stands by a friend accused of rape. I endeavor that the essence of the film comes through on the podcast, so if I can't show it to you, I can paint a picture about what you're seeing.But when it's available in January or February 2026, you have to see it. And you can talk to me about it because I'll still be thinking about such a beautiful film.In this episode, Hedda and I discuss:why her film MERCY will stay with you long after watching;the story behind the film and how much was drawn from real life;what drew her to filmmaking and how MERCY turned into a short filmher focus on "ethical dilemmas", "controversial topics", and whether we'll see one of those in a romcom;how she casted the film in a way that let the audience identify with the characters;what lessons she took from this film;the importance of female directors and the low percentage in studio films;the reaction to the film on the festival circuit;independent filmmaking in Norway;what she's working on next -- including what it's like in a trial in Norway and their very different judicial system;if she's happy with the translation of the title (and no dubs!) for her films.Hedda's Indie Film Highlight: LOVABLE (2024) dir. by Lilja Ingolfsdottir; THE INNOCENTS (2021) dir. by Eskil VogtMemorable Quotes:"I love to make something that's thought provoking and that sticks with you and maybe makes you think about your morals or your friendship, or your loyalty, or the choices that you make.""You just have to make sure that you have a really good translator to make the subtitles.""Usually when you have stories, the more specific they get, the more they hit home for the audience."Links:Follow MERCY On InstagramFollow Hedda On InstagramSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

Watch This Episode On YouTubeEvery Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: HAM ON RYE (2019)Director: Tyler TaorminaWriters: Tyler Taormina; Eric BergerCast: Haley Bodell; Audrey Boos; Gabriella HerreraSYNOPSISA bizarre rite of passage at the local deli determines the fate of a generation of teenagers, leading some to escape their suburban town and dooming others to remain.Subscribe to our YouTube channelFollow us on LetterboxdFollow us on InstagramFollow us on XFollow us on FacebookFollow us on TikTokFollow us on LinkedInSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

If I told you just five words, it is a spy film, your mind would go to either action packed or maybe campy. Would you really think about a psychological thriller? And if I told you the film won a prestigious French award for best first film, how does it sound when the director says he made a foreign film? Contradictions abound with my guest Jonathan Millet's film, GHOST TRAIL (2024). One thing it is in any description is a cinematic gem. Currently streaming on Mubi, it expands the genre in ways you won't see coming. And the absolute best part? The director is even more interesting than the film.In this episode, Jonathan and I talk about:what it was like winning the Louis Delluc Prize for Best First Film in 2024;his traveling to 50 countries and how he learned he was good at filmmaking;what he noticed about cinema in each country and French cinema-going;how GHOST TRAIL came about and why it was originally envisioned as a documentary;what he wants people to know before watching the film;why he never showed torture in the film and how he created a film with such depth;how he created a playable video game to be incorporated into the film (!);the crazy distribution process and whether it came up whether he needed to add action to the film;how he found such a capable actor in Adam Bessa, who had to plausibly be a spy, English professor, and torture victim in the film;his research process for making a spy film;France's reaction to the film;is France a great place for filmmaking?how important it was for him that GHOST TRAIL is viewed as a foreign film;what's next for him;how he feels about the pace of making new films.Memorable Quotes:"All the masters, the big directors I loved at this time as a classical, for example, they all arrived in cinema with another background. They all study something else and they bring it to cinemas.""And they were looking for remote countries in war countries with trouble. And I was looking for it as well. So it was my screwup cinema actually.""What I really love is to consider a film as an experience.""The best co-writer for the film was reality.""My producer said it would be cheaper to do that than buy Call of Duty rights.""The editor of GHOST TRAIL is also the editor of ANATOMY OF A FALL (2023). And he's a great editor and he say I need time. It's not about being slow, it's just that if I have 10 weeks to edit a movie, I could do it, but if I have 20 weeks, I could try things and maybe some incredible outstanding idea will appear. Jonathan's Indie Film Highlights: LA LIBERTAD (2001) dir. by Lisandro AlonsoLinks:Watch GHOST TRAIL (2024) on MUBISupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

By the standards of twenty years ago, it is easy to have a film look "gorgeous." So indie filmmakers can't rely on equipment alone to set their films apart. It takes the work of true craftspeople, one of which is my guest, filmmaker Taylor Lee. In October, Taylor was the recipient of the NYU 2025 Grad Film Volker Bahnemann Award for Outstanding Cinematography.His story is an extraordinary one -- majoring in computer science at UCLA in 2020 to some of the most prestigious student awards and fellowships in filmmaking. How did he get there? Let's find out.Also, watch LAYOVER before listening. A Vimeo Staff Pick, it will be with you for awhile.In this episode, Taylor and I talk about:what surprises him in short films now;his reaction to winning the 2025 Grad Film Volker Bahnemann Award for Outstanding Cinematography;his amazing story of pivoting from software engineering to filmmaking;his film viewing background before beginning graduate school and did it help or hinder his start;his contentment with film school (versus YouTube) and what he would tell a software engineer thinking of making the same leap he did;what drew him to cinematography;how he chooses which directors to work with;how he describes his own visual style;why he didn't shoot his directorial debut;what it was like as a writer/director vs. cinematographer or director;do cinematographers become harder to work with as they become more established?his directorial debut, LAYOVER, and what to expect when watching it;how he feels about editing his films;his relationship with receiving feedback;a geeky military uniform question (he used outdated uniforms in service of the script -- really genius);how is LAYOVER different than what he expected?what's next for him with PARKSIDE EAST and how it'll be released;the Spike Lee production grants and how they work for NYU students;how much gear matters to him.Taylor's Indie Film Highlight: THE LOVE THAT REMAINS (2025) dir. by Hlynur PálmasonMemorable Quotes:"Recently I've been pretty drawn to filmmakers who...are very aware that an audience is watching the film and that the audience wants to be surprised.""In terms of a fresh perspective....I think I still need to watch more movies, honestly. I think it helps.""Sometimes it's my prep with directors. I'll ask them to give me like 10 of their favorite films.""I learned pretty much everything I know from film school, and from YouTube, and really just doing it. I think that film school offers you an opportunity to just keep doing it.""In an ideal world, you would look at several of my films and not see the same cinematographer.""if you look at my reel, my cinematography reel, you'll see the same cinematographer. But that's just because I choose the best wide shots for the reel.""The role of the director is really to have the vision and to communicate that vision to your crew and to your actors. And if I were to shoot it at the same time...I would need two of myself.""Directors should treat each film like it's the last film that they're going to direct and cinematographers should treat each film like it's the first film that they shot.""One of my professors always said, your relationship to feedback will define your graduate school experience.""PARKSIDE EAST, it was all my classmates. There was no paid crew."Links:Follow Taylor On InstagramCheck Out Taylor's ReelSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

Watch This Episode On YouTubeEvery Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: GHOST TRAILDirector: Jonathan MilletWriters: Jonathan Millet; Florence Rochat; Sara WiklerCast: Adam Bessa; Tawfeek Barhom; Julia Franz RichterSYNOPSISHamid is a member of a secret organisation pursuing Syrian regime's fugitive leaders in Europe. He ends up in Strasbourg while searching for his former torturer. What happens when they finally meet?Subscribe to our YouTube channelFollow us on LetterboxdFollow us on InstagramFollow us on XFollow us on FacebookFollow us on TikTokFollow us on LinkedInSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

If your documentary films were entered into the Criterion Collection, you barely need an introduction, but let me give one to my guest, filmmaker Brett Story, by saying this: her films expand what's possible through visual styling and extensive preparation work. What I mean by that is if you take a look at her work, the story that she is telling can only be said through film. So Brett gives us both something to appreciate and something to strive for. What a thrill it was to talk with her for the podcast.In this episode, Brett and I discuss:the future documentary on the 2025 NYC Mayoral race (not by her, unfortunately);how she came upon her unique style of documentary filmmaking;does she watch a lot of documentaries?her feelings towards her films entering the Criterion Collection and what that means about her art;whether the honors has made pitching projects easier;what about her work is particularly Canadian?how does she start her documentaries and her process for making her films;the visual attractiveness of her documentaries;the festival and release strategy for her films;how can someone with no name recognition make it into a big festival;her film, UNION, and the tradeoffs doc filmmakers have to make to get their films made;what’s next for her (such an incredible next project, combining art + film, called PRODUCTION OF THE WORLD;Brett's Indie Film Highlights: THE IMAGE YOU MISSED (2018) dir. by Dónal Foreman; Deborah Stratman; Jem CohenLinks:The Criterion Channel - Brett StorySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

Happy Veterans Day! For this special episode, I talk with filmmaker Geoff Ryan about his 2012 film, FRAY. For me, FRAY is one of the more authentic "return from war" stories in a usually bad genre of overwrought films. I wanted to find out more about the making of the film, how the lead actor was cast, and what made Geoff the best person -- a non-veteran -- to tell this story.I'm looking to support more veteran actors, producers, directors...filmmakers. And we need more filmmakers like Geoff telling these kinds of deeply researched stories.In this episode, Geoff and I talk about:how he got started in filmmaking;what led him to make FRAY;the intense research from friends and veterans before he made his first feature;how he would describe the film, FRAY;the amazing subtlety in the film -- he doesn't show the characters as completely broken, as so many other veterans' films do;what the lead actor, Bryan Kaplan, brought to the role;whether his film is more sensitive and accurate to the veteran experience because he hasn't served and will concentrate more on getting the details right;has he watched the film lately and what would he change about it now;what's he working on now -- how he's getting back into short films;his advice for students graduating film school;the importance (or not) of having social media in indie filmmaking.Geoff's Indie Film Highlight: OVATION (2025) dir. by Noam Kroll; Al ProfitMemorable Quotes:"A few of them really let me just follow them. I stayed overnight under a bridge with one guy, walking through the woods where one of them would sleep at night.""Another big motivator of it was so many of the vets that I did know and got to meet during that time would just trash talk the way that movies portrayed them." "I jokingly refer to it as a 94 minute montage of misery.""One of the worst pieces of advice...and it's so ubiquitous, it's annoying, is write what you know, which isn't wrong, but it's mistaken all the time." "There's no music throughout the entire film other than location music.""I honestly don't know how a lot of these things get funded other than like venture capital and money laundering. And unfortunately, I don't know any money launderers or VC investors.""I'm fortunate FRAY still gets at least 10,000 views a month. Unfortunately, I get literally 2 cents every time somebody watches it.""Can you cut out the the cursing,the drugs, the sex, and the violence? I'm like, that's the whole movie.""If you're in USC, you're gonna have the connections. They're gonna place you in the industry.""Trust your voice. Don't try to do what someone else is doing. Don't try to do what you think is popular."Links:Follow Geoff On InstagramWatch FRAY NowSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: THE HOTTEST AUGUST (2019)Director: Brett StorySYNOPSISA complex portrait of a city and its inhabitants dealing with climate change, disguised as a portrait of collective anxiety.Subscribe to our YouTube channelFollow us on LetterboxdFollow us on InstagramFollow us on XFollow us on FacebookFollow us on TikTokFollow us on LinkedInSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

In so many films like WALUD (2025), which depicts the life of an ISIS fighter and his relationship with his two wives, the women are given very little agency. They have things happen to them and deal with the consequences rather than decide their own story. WALUD isn't that type of film.It's the work of co-directors Louise Zenker and Daood Alabdulaa, film students who made a visually stunning and culturally relevant film about unexplored lives. If there's justice in the world, we'll see it nominated for an Academy Award. Streaming soon in Germany, the rest of us will have to wait to watch, but trust me, it's worth it. I'm looking forward to what Louise and Daood work on next.In this episode, we discuss:what filmmaking is like in Syria now (WALUD was set there but filmed in Tunisia);how they got started in filmmaking;the challenges and benefits from co-directing;how they developed the story of WALUD;how they want the audience to feel while watching the film;the dilemma that the women depicted in the film wouldn't be able to watch the film in Syria;what stories are out there that need to be told from a Syrian perspective -- more comedy!;the role of new film festivals in the Middle East;documentary v. narrative filmmaking and how they choose what to do;what they would have differently for the film;when you could expect to watch WALUD (Germany -- you're in luck!);its chances at the Oscars and the unique qualities of the film;what's next for them and when you can expect to watch WALUD.Louise's Indie Film Highlight: SHAHID (2024) dir. by Narges KalhorDaood's Indie Film Highlight: WHO DO I BELONG TO (2024) dir. by Meryam JoobeurMemorable Quotes:"There was this whole topic about fertility and having kids and what does it mean to be a woman in a patriarchal society?""These women have agency and they are strong characters that stand tall.""A lot of the dramatic stories are more of a cry for visibility as well to just try and get the world to look at what is happening because the world needs to look at what is happening."Links:Follow WALUD On InstagramSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

What's it like being accepted into Mexican film school and later direct a film that the country chooses to represent its filmmaking at the Academy Awards? My guest, Pierre Saint-Martin, can speak to that as well as a love for sound design and film noir cinematography.The podcast begins its highlighting of international films nominated for the 98th Academy Awards with WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED (2024), Mexico's selection. The film was directed by an artist who is by turns thoughtful and proud of his work.It can be seen in November at the Portland Latin American Film Festival, among other venues. Follow Pierre on Instagram to keep up with where the film will be screening.The synopsis: "Socorro is a headstrong lawyer obsessed with finding the soldier who killed her brother during the 1968 student massacre in Tlatelolco, Mexico City. This need for justice masks an old guilt that has alienated her sister Esperanza and her son Jorge."In this episode, Pierre and I discuss:the story behind WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED;the stunning story of how he got started in filmmaking;what film school is like in Mexico and what he had to do to get in;his work between film school and WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED;why the film should be seen in theaters, especially because of the sound;what the film's theatrical run was like in Mexico City;Mexico's choice of his film to represent the country for the 2026 Oscars and what he feels about the marketing campaign;what's next for him.Pierre's Indie Film Highlight: SUJO (2024) dir. by Astrid Rondero; Fernanda Valadez; A BRIGHT FUTURE (2025) dir. by Lucía GaribaldiLinks:Follow Pierre On InstagramSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

Watch This Episode On YouTubeEvery Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: JIMMY AND CAROLYN (2022)Director: James Andrew WalshWriter: James Andrew WalshCast: Alberto Bonilla; Mark H Dold; Gregory HarrisonSYNOPSISAn emotional crisis threatens to destroy James and William's 20-year relationship.Subscribe to our YouTube channelFollow us on LetterboxdFollow us on InstagramFollow us on XFollow us on FacebookFollow us on TikTokFollow us on LinkedInSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content