Welcome back to the Talk About It with Franjez Podcast! Today, we're joined by a multi award winning writer, actor, and filmmaker, and the cofounder of Brimstone Pictures, Neil Chase! We're also thrilled to have our returning guest cohost, Michael Mitage. Neil, the creator of the acclaimed film Spin the Wheel, shares his incredible journey from being born in Croatia and moving to Canada at age seven, to his initial career as an electrical engineer, and finally making the leap to follow his passion for storytelling and filmmaking.
In this inspiring conversation, Neil discusses:
• 🇨🇦 His experience as an immigrant and the cultural shock (especially the Canadian weather!).
• ✍️ The early spark of his writing career winning a short story contest at age 13.
• ⚡️ Transitioning from a stable electrical engineering job (University of Calgary graduate) to the volatile, yet fulfilling, world of indie film.
• 💰 The financial realities of indie filmmaking and how Brimstone Pictures navigates budgets (like Spin the Wheel for the price of a used car!).
• Contamination: Going big with his new action-thriller, which is a throwback to 80s classics like Predator and Aliens, and how they shot it in Alberta, Canada for around $300k CAD by leveraging tax incentives and great local talent.
• 🎥 The best and worst parts of the filmmaking process (spoiler: it all comes down to people).
• 🤖 His nuanced views on AI in film, seeing it as a powerful tool for editing and brainstorming, but not a replacement for human creativity.
• 💡 The joy of mentoring and helping other storytellers achieve their "aha moments." Watch Contamination: Theatrical run starts November 14th in select Canadian cities! Keep an eye out for streaming and US theatrical release updates.
Find Neil Chase & Brimstone Pictures:
• Neil Chase: Neilchasfilm.com
• Brimstone Pictures: Brimstonepictures.com
• Watch Spin the Wheel on Tubi! #IndieFilmmaking #NeilChase #ContaminationMovie #Screenwriting #FilmmakingJourney #BrimstonePictures #ActionThriller
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