July 15, 2025 • 7 mins
KFI's Heather Brooker talks with Jean Evans, COO of BLEACH, a bold and community-driven force in the world of independent film. Jean shares how BLEACH is helping emerging creatives, from actors and screenwriters to directors and DPs, bridge the gap between ambition and opportunity. Jean says Bleach focuses on mentorship, networking, and real-world experience. But how will this business model work in the ever-changing film industry? Tune in to hear how they’re rewriting the script on what it means to break into the film industry.
Don't forget to subscribe to Entertain Me on your podcast app. And follow Heather Brooker on Instagram @theheatherbrooker and TikTok @heatherbrooker.
Don't forget to subscribe to Entertain Me on your podcast app. And follow Heather Brooker on Instagram @theheatherbrooker and TikTok @heatherbrooker.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to entertain me. I'm Heather Brooker. Right now, we're
going to dive into the heart of independent film with
someone who's not just shaping stories on screen, but transforming
the way they get made. Gene Evans is the chief
operating officer of Bleach, a production company that's rewriting the
rule book on how filmmakers connect, collaborate, and create. From
(00:22):
freacting classes to shadowing on set, Bleach is building community
and providing real opportunities for creatives at every stage of
their career. Jeane's here to talk about what sets Bleach apart,
how they're helping new voices break through, and why friendship
might just be the secret sauce. The first thing that
comes to mind when I saw your videos, I thought,
this is so cool. What a unique idea for a
(00:45):
take on a production company, because you do in person
events as part of your business plan and business model.
Tell me a little bit.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Well, first of all, tell me a little bit about
your company, and then how we started doing these walks,
these community events.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah, so we began because we took a look at
the film community as a whole, and we saw some
gaps in how it kind of operates and mostly we
saw a just a lot of red tape surrounding filmmaking,
which is, you know, the connection part of it, the
location part of it, the money part of it, all
(01:21):
of that, as well as the consistency and community because
if you know anything about the LA film community, it's
very rich. There are so many people here, but it
lacks consistency. It's really hard for people to do things
and show up consistently besides just being on set. So
we wanted to create something that was outside of being
(01:43):
on set, that still built good chemistry, that still built connections,
that still built friendships, but didn't feel vapid, didn't feel
like it was just too.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Like what can you do for me?
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Like networking event, Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So we founded Bleach me and my producing partner, Zach Pulam.
We founded Bleach to operate in two different camps. The
first camp is the community. We do everything that we
can do to just grow the community and create that
chemistry and create those friendships, which is free walking clubs
and karaoke and beach days and anything that we can
(02:21):
get filmmakers together to do that isn't filmmaking, and see
what happens from there as well.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
As free workshops.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
We host a free acting class, we have other free
workshops and stuff that we do because again, we feel
very much at our core that we just want to
break down this.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Red tape for filmmakers.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
I love this idea so much.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
You know, I'm also an actor and I'm a comedian
as well as like covering the entertainment industry for my job.
So there is a passion and an understanding from my
perspective on what you're talking about and what you're going through.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
And I am old. You're very young.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
You know, I won't put you on the spot to
find to tell me how old you are. But I'm
an old and I have been in the industry for
a very long time, and I remember there was nothing
related to networking that wasn't just going out to the bars,
going up to the clubs. And I'm an old, married
lady and that was never really my thing, and I
would have loved to have had something that was like
a karaoke night, a walking club or something like that.
(03:25):
So I think that's really cool and really innovative. I
want to ask what the response has been like from
the community. Are you It looks like you're getting a
lot of people showing up. What's a response been like
from your perspective.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Sure, and that is, of course, you know, thank you
to social media. It's very easy to be able to
get the word out. But kind of tying into what
you were asking me earlier, I'm about to.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Turn twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
I've been in LA five years now, and it has
been I've done my fair share of community events and
trying to get things together and everybody wants it.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
And I think that that's what the response has.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Been from people is Wow, I've always wanted something like this.
I wanted something where I can show up and I
can see the same people. And the other camp that
we operate in is our production company, and everything that
we produce is from the community. The scripts are from
the community, the crew is from the community, the.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Cast is from the community. Everything is sourced from the community.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
So then you have people who are creating these friendships,
creating these relationships offset and then we put them on
set together and see what happens. So the response has
been very, very overwhelmingly positive, and I cannot believe how
many people have been creating because of.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
This and have benefited from this.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
I've seen within the community, new friendships, new creative collaborations
being made, films being made, people just talking, people going
to coffee, people saying, oh my gosh, I've met this
person out walking club and now we're doing this, And
that's what it is.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
We just want artists to be talking to each other.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Must be nice to to not have to feel the
pressure to, you know, dress up, look a certain way,
have cocktails, you know, do that kind of a networking
event as well. It seems a lot more laid back
and relaxed and more of a organic way to have
a conversation and really get to know someone.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Yeah, is getting my app leisure is getting used there.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
There you go.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
You mentioned that you came here five years ago, and
that would have put you right in the middle of
COVID in LA, which is very bold of you to
move out here during COVID. I wanted to ask, you know,
there's been a lot of things happening in the industry,
especially over the past like five or six years, with
the pandemic, with the strikes, with the wildfires recently, and
(05:46):
the industry has really been struggling, and I wanted to
know why you felt like now was a good time
to start a small production company like this when it
seems like there's it's sort of an uphill bat in
a way.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Right, That's a really wonderful question, and I think it's
something that we ask ourselves a lot. But we you know,
there was this slang it was survive until twenty five,
and now twenty five is here. Every year has been like, okay,
just wait until next year, and then something happens to make.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
The industry harder to break into or more volatile.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
And I think we really try to remain positive about
the future of the industry, and we understand that the
future of the industry isn't this amorphous thing that somebody
else is going to do.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
It's us. It is the people who.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Are here, who are writing, who are creating, who are
getting together and making changes. And we live in Hollywood.
We are the film industry and there's no reason why
we can't be the people who are the future of it.
So that's what we really want to capitalize on here
and let everybody in the community know. And we have
brought in quite a few other small production companies that
(06:58):
are about our size as well, because it's not a competition.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
It is we all rise together. Rising tide carries all ships.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
And it's very easy to be doom and gloom about
where we're at and what we're doing, But I think
this really is what we believe to be the future
of the industry.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
So really, for you, it's collaboration over competition, and I
think that message is really coming through and I cannot
wait to see you guys continue to grow and flourish.
And I'm even going to try and make it out
to one of these walks myself. For everybody who wants
more information on the events you're doing and on your
production company, where can they go to find out more?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Filmspike Bleach dot com and filmspipe Leach on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Wonderful. Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
I appreciate your time.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Thank you, Heather
Welcome to entertain me. I'm Heather Brooker. Right now, we're
going to dive into the heart of independent film with
someone who's not just shaping stories on screen, but transforming
the way they get made. Gene Evans is the chief
operating officer of Bleach, a production company that's rewriting the
rule book on how filmmakers connect, collaborate, and create. From
(00:22):
freacting classes to shadowing on set, Bleach is building community
and providing real opportunities for creatives at every stage of
their career. Jeane's here to talk about what sets Bleach apart,
how they're helping new voices break through, and why friendship
might just be the secret sauce. The first thing that
comes to mind when I saw your videos, I thought,
this is so cool. What a unique idea for a
(00:45):
take on a production company, because you do in person
events as part of your business plan and business model.
Tell me a little bit.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Well, first of all, tell me a little bit about
your company, and then how we started doing these walks,
these community events.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah, so we began because we took a look at
the film community as a whole, and we saw some
gaps in how it kind of operates and mostly we
saw a just a lot of red tape surrounding filmmaking,
which is, you know, the connection part of it, the
location part of it, the money part of it, all
(01:21):
of that, as well as the consistency and community because
if you know anything about the LA film community, it's
very rich. There are so many people here, but it
lacks consistency. It's really hard for people to do things
and show up consistently besides just being on set. So
we wanted to create something that was outside of being
(01:43):
on set, that still built good chemistry, that still built connections,
that still built friendships, but didn't feel vapid, didn't feel
like it was just too.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Like what can you do for me?
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Like networking event, Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So we founded Bleach me and my producing partner, Zach Pulam.
We founded Bleach to operate in two different camps. The
first camp is the community. We do everything that we
can do to just grow the community and create that
chemistry and create those friendships, which is free walking clubs
and karaoke and beach days and anything that we can
(02:21):
get filmmakers together to do that isn't filmmaking, and see
what happens from there as well.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
As free workshops.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
We host a free acting class, we have other free
workshops and stuff that we do because again, we feel
very much at our core that we just want to
break down this.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Red tape for filmmakers.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
I love this idea so much.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
You know, I'm also an actor and I'm a comedian
as well as like covering the entertainment industry for my job.
So there is a passion and an understanding from my
perspective on what you're talking about and what you're going through.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
And I am old. You're very young.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
You know, I won't put you on the spot to
find to tell me how old you are. But I'm
an old and I have been in the industry for
a very long time, and I remember there was nothing
related to networking that wasn't just going out to the bars,
going up to the clubs. And I'm an old, married
lady and that was never really my thing, and I
would have loved to have had something that was like
a karaoke night, a walking club or something like that.
(03:25):
So I think that's really cool and really innovative. I
want to ask what the response has been like from
the community. Are you It looks like you're getting a
lot of people showing up. What's a response been like
from your perspective.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Sure, and that is, of course, you know, thank you
to social media. It's very easy to be able to
get the word out. But kind of tying into what
you were asking me earlier, I'm about to.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Turn twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
I've been in LA five years now, and it has
been I've done my fair share of community events and
trying to get things together and everybody wants it.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
And I think that that's what the response has.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Been from people is Wow, I've always wanted something like this.
I wanted something where I can show up and I
can see the same people. And the other camp that
we operate in is our production company, and everything that
we produce is from the community. The scripts are from
the community, the crew is from the community, the.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Cast is from the community. Everything is sourced from the community.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
So then you have people who are creating these friendships,
creating these relationships offset and then we put them on
set together and see what happens. So the response has
been very, very overwhelmingly positive, and I cannot believe how
many people have been creating because of.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
This and have benefited from this.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
I've seen within the community, new friendships, new creative collaborations
being made, films being made, people just talking, people going
to coffee, people saying, oh my gosh, I've met this
person out walking club and now we're doing this, And
that's what it is.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
We just want artists to be talking to each other.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Must be nice to to not have to feel the
pressure to, you know, dress up, look a certain way,
have cocktails, you know, do that kind of a networking
event as well. It seems a lot more laid back
and relaxed and more of a organic way to have
a conversation and really get to know someone.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Yeah, is getting my app leisure is getting used there.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
There you go.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
You mentioned that you came here five years ago, and
that would have put you right in the middle of
COVID in LA, which is very bold of you to
move out here during COVID. I wanted to ask, you know,
there's been a lot of things happening in the industry,
especially over the past like five or six years, with
the pandemic, with the strikes, with the wildfires recently, and
(05:46):
the industry has really been struggling, and I wanted to
know why you felt like now was a good time
to start a small production company like this when it
seems like there's it's sort of an uphill bat in
a way.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Right, That's a really wonderful question, and I think it's
something that we ask ourselves a lot. But we you know,
there was this slang it was survive until twenty five,
and now twenty five is here. Every year has been like, okay,
just wait until next year, and then something happens to make.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
The industry harder to break into or more volatile.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
And I think we really try to remain positive about
the future of the industry, and we understand that the
future of the industry isn't this amorphous thing that somebody
else is going to do.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
It's us. It is the people who.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Are here, who are writing, who are creating, who are
getting together and making changes. And we live in Hollywood.
We are the film industry and there's no reason why
we can't be the people who are the future of it.
So that's what we really want to capitalize on here
and let everybody in the community know. And we have
brought in quite a few other small production companies that
(06:58):
are about our size as well, because it's not a competition.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
It is we all rise together. Rising tide carries all ships.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
And it's very easy to be doom and gloom about
where we're at and what we're doing, But I think
this really is what we believe to be the future
of the industry.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
So really, for you, it's collaboration over competition, and I
think that message is really coming through and I cannot
wait to see you guys continue to grow and flourish.
And I'm even going to try and make it out
to one of these walks myself. For everybody who wants
more information on the events you're doing and on your
production company, where can they go to find out more?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Filmspike Bleach dot com and filmspipe Leach on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Wonderful. Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
I appreciate your time.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Thank you, Heather
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