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

Liz Manashil & Alrik Bursell

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

  • 1 hour 20 minutes
    John Gaspard - Writing and Learning the Lessons from the Greatest Low-Budget Movies of All Time!
    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! 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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    30 March 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 58 minutes 59 seconds
    Hudson Phillips and Jordan Noel - BONUS Throwback Interview!
    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 feature, they both pulled their films together in a short amount of time on low budgets. 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 on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-movies-is-hard-the-struggles-of-indie-filmmaking/id1006416952 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    26 March 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 57 minutes 6 seconds
    Stephen Sanow - Transforming Real Life into Feature #1!
    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/id1006416952 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    23 March 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 53 minutes 30 seconds
    Oz Krakowski - BONUS Throwback Interview!
    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 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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    19 March 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 1 hour 3 minutes
    Heather Brittain - From Filmmaker to Programmer to Festival Fixr!
    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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    16 March 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 53 minutes 52 seconds
    Jenn Page - BONUS Throwback Interview!
    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 things on how to keep their own movies going in between the corporate work. After that i chat a little bit of my thoughts while I’m on my vacation, 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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    12 March 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 1 hour 15 minutes
    Ben Hall - Crewing Up on Big Budget Features and Directing Feature #3!
    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 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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    9 March 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 1 hour 49 seconds
    Dana Kippel - BONUS Throwback Interview!
    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 another round of You’re the expert, 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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    5 March 2026, 3:00 pm
  • 50 minutes 17 seconds
    Tamika Miller - Attaching Wanda Sykes to Undercard and Making the Film 10 years later!
    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! 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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    2 March 2026, 3:00 pm
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    Anna Elizabeth James - BONUS Throwback Interview!
    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! 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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    26 February 2026, 3:00 pm
  • 1 hour 17 minutes
    Natasha Kermani - Sustainably Directing Budgeted Feature Films!
    This week we welcome director/writer Natasha Kermani on the show to talk about her latest feature The Dreadful, how she’s managed to consistently make features and why it’s not always about the size of the budget that matters when making a feature. 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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    23 February 2026, 3:00 pm
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