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 10 minutes
    Julia Coulter - Live at the Phoenix Film Festival!
    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, 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.
    27 April 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 58 minutes 3 seconds
    Alicia J. Rose and Alicia Jo Rabins - BONUS Throwback Interview!
    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 ground.. 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.
    23 April 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 1 hour 7 minutes
    Travis Wood and Alex Mallis - Collaborating to Shoot a Personal Indie Feature in NYC!
    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-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.
    20 April 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 52 minutes
    Mishna Wolff - BONUS Throwback Interview!
    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 conversations. 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.
    16 April 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 58 minutes 52 seconds
    Arwen Elys Dayton - Forming a Team and Writing Features!
    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 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.
    13 April 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 57 minutes 13 seconds
    Anthony DiBlasi - BONUS Throwback Interview!
    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 making movies their careers could look like Anthony’s in a decade or so. 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.
    10 April 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 55 minutes 10 seconds
    Daniel Goldhaber and Isa Mazzei - From High School Friends to Full Time Filmmakers!
    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 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.
    6 April 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 50 minutes 44 seconds
    Mark Pellington - BONUS Throwback Interview!
    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 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.
    2 April 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 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
  • More Episodes? Get the App