Making Movies is HARD!!!: The Struggles of Indie Filmmaking

Making Movies is HARD!!!: The Struggles of Indie Filmmaking

Liz Manashil and Alrik Bursell discuss independent filmmaking, everything from writing, producing and directing to working as crew. But this is not just a podcast about "making it," it's also about struggling with rejection, self-doubt and everything else that comes with pursuing a career in film. Follow along as we forge our own way through the industry and talk to guests who are also making it happen. Episodes 238-299 are available at our patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast

Episodes

Emily Abt - BONUS Throwback Interview!

June 26, 2025 • 50 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 424 from May 2023 with writer and director Emily Abt who talks about getting into Sundance with her first feature and making her second feature Thirsty, which is not streaming on all platforms! I thought this was a great time to re-release the episode now that the movie is out and ready to be shared with the world! After that we play another round of You...
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Sarah Jefferson Carter and Justin Carter - Making a Completely Independent TV Show!

June 23, 2025 • 73 mins
This week we welcome Sarah Jefferson Carter and Justin Carter on the show to talk about creating their indie fantasy sci-fi show Queendom Come, how they financed the show and how they made it the way they did. After that we play another round of THE GAME, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-movies-is-hard-...
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Kestrin Pantera - BONUS Throwback Interview!

June 20, 2025 • 55 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 267 from June 2020 featuring writer director Kestrin Pantera! Alrik thought this was a good match for our episode with Hala Matar from Monday because Kestrin also talks about making her first feature. After that we play another round of You’re the expert, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review ...
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Hala Matar - From a Trip to Italy to Making a First Feature Film!

June 16, 2025 • 67 mins
This week we welcome writer director Hala (Hella) Matar on the show to talk about making her first feature film Electra in Italy. After that we play another round of THE GAME, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-movies-is-hard-the-struggles-of-indie-filmmaking/id1006416952
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Abby Horton and Ryan Dickie - BONUS Throwback Interview!

June 12, 2025 • 57 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 443 from September 2023 featuring writer and director husband and wife team Abby Horton and Ryan Dickie talking about making their first feature together as a team. I thought it would be fun to pair it with Brian and David’s episode from Monday because they are also a married couple who came together to write and direct a feature as a team. After that we...
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David Joseph Craig and Brain Crano - Directing a Dream Feature with Your Life Partner!

June 9, 2025 • 73 mins
This week we welcome Writer and director power couple Brian Crano and David Joseph Craig on the show to talk about writing I Don’t Understand You, how they came up with the story, how they got it made and what it was like to write and direct the movie together . After that we play another round of THE GAME, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! https:/...
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Natalie Erika James - BONUS Throwback Interview!

June 5, 2025 • 40 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 273 from July 2020 featuring writer and director Natalie Erika James. Alrik thought this was a good match for our episode with Julia Max from Monday because they both made supernatural horror films as their first features, both with substantial budgets. After that we play another round of You’re the expert, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patre...
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Julia Max - Orchestrating Your Dream First Feature Film!

June 2, 2025 • 70 mins
This week we welcome Writer/Director Julia Max on the show to talk about how she made her first feature The Surrender on a high budget, how she found the money and her process for pulling the film together once she found the budget. After that we play another round of THE GAME and talk about what we are both up to, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! ...
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J.J. Perry - BONUS Throwback Interview!

May 30, 2025 • 54 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 493 from September 2024 featuring director and stuntman JJ Perry! I thought this was a good match for our episode with Kirsten Foe from Monday because JJ also started in stunts before moving onto directing, so I thought it would be fun to pair it with Kirsten's episode. After that we play another round of You’re the expert, enjoy! Don’t forget to su...
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Kirsten Foe - Navigating the World of Stunts, Directing an Indie Film and Finding the Right Collaborators!

May 26, 2025 • 67 mins
This week we welcome Writer, Director and Stunt Woman Kirsten Foe on the show to talk about how she got into stunts and how she was able to get her first feature financed by the late great Jim Irsay. This was recorded before his death so our condolences to his friends and family. After that we play another round of THE GAME and talk about what we are both up to, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmih...
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Melissa Rundle - BONUS Throwback Interview!

May 22, 2025 • 54 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 441 from September 2023 with writer Melissa Rundle who talks about making a career as a writer in Hollywood. Alrik thought this was a great match for Leon’s episode on Monday because they are both full time writers working in Hollywood. After that we play another round of You’re the expert, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.co...
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Leon Chills - Writing and Selling Your First Feature Script in Hollywood!

May 19, 2025 • 63 mins
This week we welcome writer Leon Chills on the show to talk about writing the new feature Shadow Force, how he got the script sold and how he has been making a living as a Hollywood Writer. After that we play another round of THE GAME and talk about what we are both up to, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/makin...
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Braden Duemmler - BONUS Throwback Interview!

May 15, 2025 • 49 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 391 from October 2022 featuring wrtier/director Braden Duemmler! Alrik thought this was a good match for our episode with Felipe Vargas from Monday because Braden also went to USC and his first feature was funded at a pretty high budget, just as Felipe’s was. After that we play another round of You’re the expert, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on ...
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Felipe Vargas - Short Films to USC to a First Feature!

May 12, 2025 • 66 mins
This week we welcome writer director Felipe Vargas on the show to talk about making his first feature film Rosario, how he got attached to the project and the short films he made that led him to get his first feature made at this level. Friend of the show and previous guest Clinton Cornwall came on to do the interview with Alrik due to a scheduling thing on Eric's end, so if you don’t recognize the voice, that’s who it is, and chec...
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Carter Smith - BONUS Throwback Interview!

May 8, 2025 • 50 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 412 from February 2023 featuring director Carter Smith! Alrik thought this was a good match for our episode with Timothy Scott Bogart from Monday because Carter also is making his films at different budget levels, going well over 10 million and way under, depending on the project, just like Tim. After that we play another round of You’re the expert, enjo...
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Timothy Scott Bogart - Writing and Directing Indie Musical Juliet and Romeo!

May 5, 2025 • 67 mins
This week we welcome writer director Timothy Scott Bogart on the show to talk about making his latest feature film Juliet & Romeo, a pop-musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, shot on location in Italy, starring Rebel Wilson, Jason Issacs, Rupert Everett and Derek Jacobi among others, with all the songs being recorded in camera. After that we play another round of THE GAME, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! ww...
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Mick Davis - BONUS Throwback Interview!

May 1, 2025 • 52 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 449 from November 2023 with director Mick Davis who talks about directing his latest feature Walden, starring Emile Hirsch. I thought this was a great match for Dito’s episode on Monday because they are both full time directors how have directed eight features. After that we play another round of You’re the expert, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on...
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Dito Montiel - Casting Jennifer Coolidge to Breath Life into Feature #8!

April 28, 2025 • 62 mins
This week we welcome writer/director Dito Montiel on the show to talk about directing his latest feature Riff Raff, starring Jennifer Coolidge, Pete Davidson and Bill Murray, among others and Dito tells us about how he got such an incredible cast in this film. After that we play another round of THE GAME, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://p...
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Marco Aguilar - BONUS Throwback Interview!

April 24, 2025 • 77 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 149 from March 2018 with filmmaker Marco Aguilar who talks about taking his short film concept and building it out to raise money for his Zombie Parkour feature. Alrik thought this was a great match for Grant Rosado’s episode from Monday because they both talk about running crowdfunding campaigns for martial arts based features. After that we play anothe...
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Meera Menon - BONUS Throwback Interview!

April 22, 2025 • 54 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 385 from August 2022 featuring director Meera Menon! Alrik thought this was a good match for our episode with Ami Canaan Mann from Monday because Meera also started making indie features before going into TV directing. After that we play another round of You’re the expert, enjoy! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast ...
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