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
May 4, 2026 • 65 mins
This week we welcome writer/director Gille Klabin on the show to talk about his latest feature Weekend at the End of the World, how he got the movie made and we touch on his first feature The Wave as well (which I love). After that we play another round of the GAME, enjoy!
Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast
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April 30, 2026 • 84 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 378 from July 2022 featuring producer Marc Smolowitz! I thought this was a good match for our live show from Monday because this is the last time we did a live podcast recording in front of an audience, so I thought it would be fun to put these shows together. After that we play another round of You’re the expert, enjoy!
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April 27, 2026 • 70 mins
This week we have a very special episode of the show, it’s our live show from the Phoenix Film Festival! Producer Eric and Host Liz went there over the weekend and did a show in front of a live audience and interviewed Writer/Director and actor Julia Coulter who talks about making her first feature that she wrote, directed and starred in. We didn't play The Game since we played it at the live show but we talked a lot about the show...
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April 23, 2026 • 58 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 420 from April 2023 featuring filmmakers Alicia J. Rose and Alicia JO Rabins who talk about collaborating on their first feature together. While the Alicia’s collaboration is very different from Alex and Travis who we talked to on Monday, I thought they were a good compliment to hear how different filmmakers collaborate and get their projects off the gro...
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April 20, 2026 • 67 mins
This week we welcome writer/directors Alex Mallis and Travis Wood on the show to talk about their first feature Travel Companion, how they raised the money and how they found each other as collaborators. 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-st...
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April 16, 2026 • 52 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 325 from June 2021 featuring writer Mishna Wolff! Alrik thought this was a good match for our episode with Arwen Elys Dayton from Monday because while they are very different writers, they both talk about locking in deals to write their first features and while Mishna was on the other side of her project, there’s still a lot of parallels between the conv...
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April 13, 2026 • 58 mins
This week we welcome writer and Producer Arwen Elys Dayton on the show to talk about writing her latest feature Tilt which is currently in production. Arwen also talks about moving from being an author to a screenwriter and starting her production company and making her first movies with her two partner. After that we play another round of the GAME, enjoy!
Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast
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April 10, 2026 • 57 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 445 from October 2023 featuring writer/director Anthony DiBlasi on the show to talk about directing his latest feature Malum, which is his 9th feature as a director! Anthony talks about how the movie came together and how he finds his projects, I thought Anthony was a good match for Daniel and Isa from Monday because I feel like if Daniel and Isa keep ma...
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April 6, 2026 • 55 mins
This week we welcome writer/director Daniel Goldhaber and Writer/Producer Isa Mazzei on the show to talk about their latest feature Faces of Death, how they got the project and we talk a bit about how they got started in the industry with their first feature Cam. After that we play another round of the GAME, enjoy!
Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast
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April 2, 2026 • 50 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 401 from December 2022 featuring writer/director Mark Pellington! Alrik thought this was a good match for our episode with John Gaspard from Monday because while they are very different filmmakers, they both talk about re-releasing an earlier project, Mark with his first feature and John with one of his earlier books. After that we play another round of ...
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March 30, 2026 • 80 mins
This week we welcome writer and filmmaker John Gaspard on the show to talk about the 20th anniversary re-release of his book Fast, Cheap & Under Control: Lessons Learned from the Greatest Low-Budget Movies of All Time and his approach to indie filmmaking and how he changed his approach based on the lessons he learned writing his book. After that we play another round of the GAME, enjoy!
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March 26, 2026 • 58 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 321 from June 2021 featuring director Jordan Noel and writer/Producer Hudson Phillips talking about making their first feature This World Alone for $30k. I thought this was a good match for our interview with Stephen Sanow from Monday because while Hudson and Jordan made a traditional narrative feature and Stephen’s is more of a mockumentary/improved fea...
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March 23, 2026 • 57 mins
This week we welcome filmmaker, actor and director Stephen Sanow on the show to talk about his latest feature Stripper Boyz, which he wrote, directed and starred in! 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/id100641695...
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March 19, 2026 • 53 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 447 October 2023, featuring Oz Krakowski, CFO of DeepDub.ai on the show to talk about starting an AI based company in the film business, what DeepDub does and why AI isn’t going to be the job stealer everyone thinks it is. 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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March 16, 2026 • 63 mins
This week we welcome filmmaker, film festival programmer and founder of Festival Fixer, the new AI driven Festival Consultant, Heather Brittain. 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 Hosted by Simpleca...
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March 12, 2026 • 53 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 347 from November 2021 featuring writer/director/Producer Jenn Page who talks about making her latest film at the time Playing Beethoven. I thought Jenn was a good match for our talk with Ben Hall on Monday because although Jenn didn’t work as a PA she was doing producing work while making her features and shorts, so I think they talk about similar thing...
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March 9, 2026 • 75 mins
This week we welcome director/writer Ben Hall on the show to talk about how they have made their films, their process for getting them funded and how they do it all while working as crew on some of the biggest budget movies and shows like Stranger Things, Free Guy and Lion King. After that we play another round of THE GAME, enjoy!
Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast
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March 5, 2026 • 60 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 458 from January 2024 featuring writer and director Dana Kippel who talks about making her first feature without making another project beforehand. Alrik thought this was a good match for our episode with Tamika on Monday because they both talk about directing their first projects, although it took Tamika 10 years to make Undercard. After that we play an...
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March 2, 2026 • 50 mins
This week we welcome director/writer Tamika Miller on the show to talk about partnering with Wanda Sykes on Undercard and directing the legendary comedian in her first dramatic role. We also answer another listener VM question and after the interview, we play another round of the game, enjoy!
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February 26, 2026 • 61 mins
On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 320 from May 2021 featuring writer/director Anna Elizabeth James! Alrik thought this was a good match for our episode with Natasha from Monday because they are both multiple time genre feature filmmakers working at similar budget levels. After that we play another round of You’re the expert, enjoy!
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