- 1 hour 34 minutes446 - Isabel Hagen on Making 'On a String', Winning Tribeca, Cancel Culture, and Surviving Stand‑Up
This episode is brought to you by Anthropic. Claude is the AI for minds that don’t stop at good enough—it's the collaborator that actually understands your entire workflow and thinks WITH you, not for you. Ready to tackle bigger problems? Sign up for Claude Pro when you use our link – www.claude.ai/makeit
This episode is brought to you by our e-book Mastering Film Marketing. Get your copy today at https://themakeitpodcast.com/products/mastering-film-marketing. Use the Discount code: NASHFILM20 for 20% off EVERYTHING at themakeitpodcast.com
Hello, Hello!
In this episode, Isabel Hagen joins us to discuss her work as a comedian, filmmaker, and classically trained violist. She explains how her freelance music career inspired the feature film On a String, which premiered at Tribeca and won Best Screenplay in the U.S. Narrative Competition. The conversation also explores comedy in the age of clips, creative persistence, protecting real people in fiction, film criticism, artistic identity, and what it means to make it.
We also talk about:
- Turning experiences from weddings, funerals, and private music gigs into heightened comedic characters and situations.
- Why live comedy benefits from audiences putting their phones away while performers test unfinished material.
- Isabel’s process for becoming a stronger comedian through open mics, recordings, repeated performance, and daily review.
- The creative lessons she draws from Paul Thomas Anderson, including the scale of One Battle After Another and the score of Phantom Thread.
- How nostalgia, streaming overload, and the paradox of choice influence how audiences rewatch their favorite movies.
People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned:
People
Isabel Hagen (isabelhagen.com)
Films & TV
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Companies & Organizations
Music
Food & Places
MAKE IT
Mastering Film Marketing (e-book)
We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.
So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy18 September 2026, 9:30 am - 11 minutes 58 secondsFilm Brief - Who Is Stan Smith? - The Man Behind the Three Stripes
WHAT IS FILM BRIEF?
Blending journalism with artistry, Film Brief transforms film analysis into an engaging and informative listening experience. The goal is to reveal what makes each movie or series resonate—on screen and behind the scenes. For listeners, it’s not just a review; it’s an exploration of the art of filmmaking.
BRIEF:
In this episode, Nick reviews Who Is Stan Smith?, Danny Lee’s documentary about the tennis champion whose name became attached to one of the world’s most recognizable sneakers. The film moves from athletic achievement and fashion history to Stan Smith’s friendship with Arthur Ashe, humanitarian work, and commitment to players’ rights. The conversation ultimately asks what kind of signature each person leaves behind when fame and branding are stripped away.
TAKEAWAYS:
- Smith’s rise from Southern California and USC tennis to former world number one.
- His 1971 U.S. Open victory, 1972 Wimbledon victory, five U.S. Open titles across singles and doubles, and eight championship Davis Cup teams.
- The open era of professional tennis and the movement for greater player control.
- Smith’s 1973 Wimbledon boycott after Nikola Pilic was suspended.
- The sneaker’s adoption by musicians, artists, designers, and fashion communities.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
The Film
People
Products & Brands
Institutions & Events
University of Southern California
Ebook: "Mastering Film Marketing"
We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters. So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating us, or leaving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy16 September 2026, 9:30 am - 20 minutes 26 secondsSUMMARIES - Alexis Gambis - CRISPR, Cinema, and Identity—The Human Story of Science
We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.
So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT
Subscribe: https://themakeitpodcast.store/shop/support
Hello, Hello!
In this episode, AI Hosts Alex Ivey and Allison Inverness dive deep into the world of filmmaker and Scientist, Alexis Gambis. He explains how a background in molecular biology can serve as a foundation for filmmaking rather than be an abandoned career. The conversation explores the Science New Wave, a movement that combines rigorous science with emotional storytelling, culture, and personal identity. It also examines CRISPR, de-extinction, creative practice, and the infrastructure needed to bring hybrid science films to audiences.
We also talk about:
- The patience and observation skills Gambis developed while studying fruit flies.
- His father’s shift from engineering to painting and the role of family history in his films.
- The resistance Gambis encountered from both biology and film communities.
- Spike Lee’s mentorship and the fruit-fly drawing displayed beside a photo of Patrick Ewing.
- The Symbiosis initiative’s one-week collaborations between scientists and filmmakers.
People, Places, Products, and References Mentioned:
Films & Projects
The Fly Room (2014)
Son of Monarchs (2020/21)
The Next Jaguar
Disposable
Institutions & Platforms
Science New Wave — Labocine
Science & Concepts
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy15 September 2026, 9:30 am - 1 hour 23 minutes445 - Indie Talk - The Death of Physical Media, Infoist Religion, Fall Film Festivals, AI in Education, and Reaching 300K Subscribers
This episode is brought to you by our e-book Mastering Film Marketing. Get your copy today at https://themakeitpodcast.com/products/mastering-film-marketing. Use the Discount code: NASHFILM20 for 20% off EVERYTHING at themakeitpodcast.com
Hello, Hello!
In this episode, we dive deep into the cultural and philosophical battle between physical ownership and the digital future, using Sony's elimination of physical game discs and Xbox's pro-physical media stance as a launching point for a wide-ranging conversation about what we lose when we lose the tangible things we love. We pay heartfelt tribute to recently lost icons — including Dolly Parton, Tim Curry, Peter Cullen, Hayden Panettiere, and Michael Wright — reflecting on how physical artifacts, authentic storytelling, and genuine human connection define lasting legacies. We also cover upcoming film releases, fall film festival Oscar buzz, the Nashville Film Festival, and celebrate our milestone of 300K YouTube subscribers.
We also talk about:
- The generational nostalgia crisis — what happens when the next generation's cultural touchstones are memes instead of physical media, Saturday morning cartoons, or vinyl records, and why that loss of human connection to art matters
- The University of Michigan's decision to eliminate grades in response to students using AI to complete coursework for them, and what that means for the future of education and creativity
- The Tennessee Titans' underwhelming $10,000 charity gesture for former star Chris Johnson (CJ2K), who was diagnosed with ALS, contrasted with Dolly Parton's 330-million-book donation legacy and what "real" philanthropy looks like
- The upcoming Netflix reboot of A Different World, why Kadeem Hardison's involvement gives fans hope, and what the show must get right to honor the original's legacy of hope, pride, and HBCU culture
- The "infoist" philosophy described in Yuval Noah Harari's 21 Lessons for the 21st Century and how it explains why tech companies are relentlessly pushing toward a fully digital, ownership-free world
People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned:
Products / Software / Technology
Films / Shows / Music
Mastering Film Marketing (ebook)
Black Zombie
Digger (Tom Cruise)
Boys Don't Cry (Frank Ocean magazine) — Blonde page
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
People
Places / Events / Organizations
We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.
So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT
www.themakeitpodcast.store/shop/support
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy4 September 2026, 9:30 am - 23 minutes 55 secondsSUMMARIES - Jeffrey Pittle - Why Art Is Never Finished, The Secret Lost Chaka Khan Video, and How Serving the Work Builds a Lasting Creative Legacy
We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.
So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT
Subscribe: https://themakeitpodcast.store/shop/support
Hello, Hello!
In this episode, AI Hosts Alex Ivey and Allison Inverness dive deep into the remarkable career of Jeffrey Pittle, a senior creative director, animator, and self-described "agent of transformation" who has spent over two decades working with industry giants like Disney, Universal, Warner Bros., and Nickelodeon. Drawing from the original MAKE IT interview, they unpack the audacious, humble, and often painful journey of a creative professional who built a unicorn skill set by refusing to stay in any single lane. From knocking on a comic legend's front door as a teenager to producing an Oscar-nominated Holocaust animated short, Jeff's story is a masterclass in surviving — and thriving — in the unpredictable business of creativity.
We also talk about:
- How Jeffrey's childhood obsession with '70s Disney films, Jim Henson's Muppets, and the original Star Wars at a drive-in theater planted the seeds of his creative identity and gave him the cognitive leap to realize that making art was an actual, payable profession
- The critical balance between audacity and humility in a creative career — why having the ego to knock on a legend's door means nothing without the willingness to sit in a freezing car all night just to hold a parking spot for a film crane
- The dangers of tying your creative work to a proprietary tech platform, illustrated by the heartbreaking story of a technically stunning Chaka Khan music video that was locked away forever when the startup behind it went bankrupt
- Jeffrey's sharp critique of modern art schools, which excel at teaching technical craft but consistently fail to equip young creatives with the business skills — invoicing, taxes, pricing their time — needed to survive as professionals
- The philosophical paradox that closes the episode: if a masterpiece is created but legally sealed away from the public forever, does it still have value — or does the true worth of creativity lie entirely in how the process of making it transforms the artist?
People, Places, Products, and References Mentioned:
Jim Krupa (NY puppet company)
Films & Shows
Scrooged (1988)
Companies & Organizations
QB (vertical video startup)
Fish Eggs (Venice, CA)
Platforms & Tools
Places
Concepts & Awards
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
Jack of all trades, master of none
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy1 September 2026, 9:30 am - 1 hour 23 minutes444 - Oscar Boyson on Directing Our Hero, Balthazar, Working with The Neistat Brothers, Empathy Machines vs. Validation Machines, and Failing in Public
This episode is brought to you by Anthropic. Claude is the AI for minds that don’t stop at good enough—it's the collaborator that actually understands your entire workflow and thinks WITH you, not for you. Ready to tackle bigger problems? Sign up for Claude Pro when you use our link – www.claude.ai/makeit
This episode is brought to you by our e-book Mastering Film Marketing. Get your copy today at https://themakeitpodcast.com/products/mastering-film-marketing. Use the Discount code: NASHFILM20 for 20% off EVERYTHING at themakeitpodcast.com
Hello, Hello!
In this episode, Chris & Papa Bear sit down with filmmaker Oscar Boyson to discuss his directorial debut, Our Hero, Balthazar, a provocative and critically talked-about indie film that has been called the most controversial movie of the year. Oscar shares how his unconventional path — from competitive freestyle skier in Maine to Craigslist hire at the Neistat Brothers' studio — shaped him into the filmmaker he is today. The conversation spans filmmaking craft, the dangers of AI dependency, the power of perseverance over ideas, and what it truly means to get an independent film in front of audiences.
We also talk about:
- The thematic parallels between Our Hero, Balthazar, and the 1995 indie classic Kids, including how both films straddle the line between being cautionary tales for parents and romanticized adventures for younger viewers
- The growing role of AI tools like ChatGPT in everyday decision-making, and whether over-reliance on AI is creating a generation that can no longer think or fail independently — including the concept of "Gellman Amnesia" as a lens for understanding AI's credibility problem
- The social media "validation machine" phenomenon, how algorithms reinforce existing beliefs and behaviors, and what that means for youth culture, mental health, and even real-world violence
- The importance of perseverance over ideas in the creative process, drawing on Casey Neistat's famous motto — "Ideas are common, perseverance is rare" — and how Oscar applied that philosophy to his own career and filmmaking journey
- The practical and ethical considerations of using firearms and blank-firing weapons on an indie film set in the post-Rust era, including the critical role of a professional armorer and the creative reasoning behind using blanks for actor authenticity
People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned:
People
Stephen Phelps
Jordan Gallant (composer)
Big Mike (Oscar’s father)
Elise (Oscar’s sister)
Films
Straw Dogs (1971)
TV Shows
Platforms, Websites & Tools
Places
Lower Antioch / Woodbine — Nashville neighborhoods
Products & Brands
Concepts & References
“Ideas are common, perseverance is rare” — Casey Neistat motto
“Movies are empathy machines” — Roger Ebert
We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.
So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy21 August 2026, 9:30 am - 14 minutes 1 secondMistakes In The Making - The Creative Pivot That Made Barbie a Billion-Dollar Film
Hello, Hello!
In this episode, Kevin Goetz, Hollywood's leading audience research expert and founder of Screen Engine, shares one of his most humbling professional mistakes — advising Mattel's entertainment team to walk away from the Barbie movie project before it became a global cultural phenomenon. Kevin reflects on how he misread early research data that showed limited audience interest in a Barbie film, and how a visionary filmmaker, a bold creative pivot, and a brilliant marketing strategy transformed a seemingly doomed IP into one of the highest-grossing films in history. This conversation is a masterclass in intellectual humility, the limits of data, and the power of creative conviction.
We also talk about:
- How Kevin's proprietary "capability testing technique" works — measuring awareness, interest, intensity, and format preference — and why even well-executed research has its limits when creative transformation hasn't yet occurred
- The behind-the-scenes story of how Greta Gerwig pitched her vision for Barbie in a New York brownstone, describing the film as existing "somewhere between a stiletto and a Birkenstock," and how that single creative framing changed everything
- Why two previous Barbie film attempts — one with Anne Hathaway and one with Amy Schumer — never made it to production, and what pattern Kevin saw that made him skeptical a third attempt would succeed
- How Barbie's marketing team turned the color pink into a full visual language and cultural movement, driving audiences to theaters dressed in Pepto-Bismol pink and making the film a genuine zeitgeist moment
- How this pivotal mistake reshaped Kevin's approach to advising clients, leading him to offer a new kind of hope to filmmakers and studios working with IP or projects that appear to have limited audience potential on paper
People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned:
People
Companies & Organizations
Films & Franchises
Books
Podcasts
Mattel IP Referenced
Websites & Social Media
We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.
So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT
All Links: https://themakeitpodcast.store
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy19 August 2026, 9:30 am - 20 minutes 3 secondsSUMMARIES - Nathaniel Nuon's Unconventional Philosophy on Filmmaking Tech (The Uber Analogy and the Viagra Principle)
Hello, Hello!
In this episode, AI Hosts Alex Ivey and Allison Inverness dive deep into the extraordinary life and career of Nathaniel Nuon, a Cambodian refugee-turned Emmy-winning filmmaker who transformed personal and financial limitations into groundbreaking creative work. They explore how a childhood spent watching a broken, silent television set trained Nathaniel's brain to become a master storyteller, and how that same constraint-driven mindset led him to make an Emmy-winning short film about one of history's most overlooked genocides. From designing a feature film specifically for visually impaired audiences to using a cheap VR gaming puck to replicate Hollywood-grade camera tracking, Nathaniel's story is a masterclass in turning obstacles into innovation.
We also talk about:
- How Nathaniel's Cambodian refugee background and his family's adoption of American names shaped his identity and creative drive
- The psychological science behind why cognitive constraints — like missing audio — can actually hardwire the brain to become a more powerful problem-solving storyteller
- The concept of inclusive design in filmmaking and how designing for marginalized audiences (such as the visually impaired) can unintentionally produce a richer, more atmospheric experience for all audiences
- The culture and output of Full Sail University as a 24/7 creative incubator, and how its high-pressure environment produced 140 graduates who worked on Oscar-nominated films in a single year
- A forward-looking philosophical question about the future of filmmaking: as AI, LED walls, and game engines make visual perfection cheap and ubiquitous, will audiences eventually crave the imperfection of practical, physical effects just to feel something authentically human?
People, Places, Products, and References Mentioned:
People
Films & Projects
Shows Referenced
Organizations & Companies
Nuon Films
3rd Realm Creations
Technology & Products
LED walls / virtual production
Historical Events & Concepts
*This was actually a US Air Force operation, not a CIA operation — Strategic Air Command B-52 strikes authorized by Nixon and Kissinger (1969–70), kept secret from Congress. The CIA did run separate covert programs in Cambodia, including training Cambodian irregulars, which is the premise Residue actually dramatizes.
We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.
So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT
Subscribe: https://themakeitpodcast.store/shop/support
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy18 August 2026, 6:00 pm - 1 hour 12 minutes443 - X-Men ’97 Cast - Rogue, Morph & Nightcrawler Walk Into a Podcast: The Voice Acting Craft Behind X-Men '97
This episode is brought to you by Anthropic. Claude is the AI for minds that don’t stop at good enough—it's the collaborator that actually understands your entire workflow and thinks WITH you, not for you. Ready to tackle bigger problems? Sign up for Claude Pro when you use our link – www.claude.ai/makeit
This episode is brought to you by our e-book Mastering Film Marketing. Get your copy today at https://themakeitpodcast.com/products/mastering-film-marketing. Use the Discount code: NASHFILM20 for 20% off EVERYTHING at themakeitpodcast.com
Hello, Hello!
In this episode, we sit down with three legendary voice actors from the animated series X-Men '97 — Lenore Zann (Rogue), JP Karliak (Morph), and Adrian Hough (Nightcrawler) — to discuss Season 2 of the hit Disney+ show, the craft of voice acting, and the personal journeys that have shaped each of their careers. The trio shares candid reflections on preserving character continuity across decades, the challenges facing working voice actors in an AI-driven industry, and how their art intersects with social justice, environmental advocacy, and political engagement. From cheat day meals to what it truly means to "MAKE IT," this conversation is as heartfelt as it is illuminating.
We also talk about:
- The origins of Rogue's iconic catchphrase "sugar" and how it became part of Lenore Zann's everyday speech, blurring the line between character and performer
- The nostalgia for the 1990s circulating on social media, and why JP Karliak believes humans were never biologically designed to process the volume of information we consume today via the internet
- The very real threat of AI voice cloning in the animation industry, including Adrian Hough's discovery of unauthorized voice copies of his characters Nightcrawler and Haytham Kenway, and what that means for workhorse voice actors
- The role the COVID-19 pandemic played in reviving interest in X-Men: The Animated Series on Disney+, and how that surge in viewership likely led directly to the creation of X-Men '97
- Each guest's deep personal commitment to causes beyond entertainment, including environmental advocacy for old-growth forests (Adrian), LGBTQIA+ voice actor support and nonpartisan voter engagement (JP), and social/political justice work rooted in Lenore's 12-year career as a Canadian politician
People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned:
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith
The Aussie Six
People
Anthony Hopkins / Hannibal Lecter
Neil Gaiman / The Graveyard Book
David Letterman / Jennifer Aniston
Characters
Organizations, Tools & Books
Places
Social Media
@LenoreZann (Instagram) / @ZannLenore (X)
We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.
So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT
www.themakeitpodcast.store/shop/support
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy12 August 2026, 5:14 pm - 1 hour 46 minutes442 - Illuminai Studios Founder Jesse Weglein on Being Laid Off at Pixar, Why AI Is the Brush, Not the Artist, and Animation's Next Frontier
This episode is brought to you by our e-book Mastering Film Marketing. Get your copy today at https://themakeitpodcast.com/products/mastering-film-marketing. Use the Discount code: NASHFILM20 for 20% off EVERYTHING at themakeitpodcast.com
Hello, Hello!
In this episode, Chris, Nick, and Producer Papa Bear sit down with Jesse Weglein — 15 years at Pixar, now founder of Illuminai Studios — joining live from the foot of Mount Fuji. Jesse worked on Up, Toy Story 3, and Toy Story 4 before a mass layoff ended that run and pushed him into building his own studio. He's using AI as a tool, not a replacement, to make original animated films for audiences the industry keeps overlooking — including his short film Roar, which Whoopi Goldberg picked for the Tribeca Film Festival.
We also talk about:
- The creative culture at Pixar and what makes it impossible to replicate — including how directors would skip watching their own films in theaters to study the audience's reactions instead
- The global divide on AI in animation, from China's breakneck adoption of the technology to Japan's philosophical hesitation around whether AI can carry the "soul" of an artist's vision
- The economic fragility of the animation business model, including the trend of outsourcing animation overseas and how AI might offer a path to reclaiming domestic production jobs
- The importance of traditional art training as the essential foundation before any aspiring animator or filmmaker touches AI tools — and why skipping that foundation produces hollow, soulless content
- The passionate debate around AI's role in filmmaking, including the social policing happening on different platforms, copyright and trademark risks when using AI-generated imagery, and the distinction between using AI to accelerate creativity versus allowing it to replace it entirely
People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned:
People
Films & Shows
Shine (Illuminai Studios)
Metropolis (1927)
Companies & Organizations
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
Software & Technology
Presto (Pixar's proprietary tool)
Websites & Social Media
Books & Products
Mastering Film Marketing (ebook)
Places
Lucas Building/Steve Jobs Building
Dartmouth College / Dartmouth workshop, 1956
Other References
WHALE 52 — Suite For Man, Boy, And Whale
We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.
So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT
www.themakeitpodcast.store/shop/support
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy7 August 2026, 9:30 am - 21 minutesSUMMARIES - Actress Christine Woods - How to Walk Into Any Audition Room and Completely Flip the Power Dynamic in Your Favor
Hello, Hello!
In this episode, AI Hosts Alex Ivey and Allison Inverness take a deep dive into the life, craft, and career philosophy of actress Christine Woods — known for her roles in HBO's Hello Ladies, ABC's Flash Forward, and The Walking Dead — exploring how a profoundly shy girl from Lake Forest, California built a sustainable, authentic acting career by rejecting Hollywood's arbitrary rules. Drawing from a wide-ranging interview hosted by Chris, he unpacks how Christine transformed her fear of failure into a powerful, service-driven approach to storytelling that flips the traditional power dynamic of the audition room on its head. From her early tap dancing days and her grandfather Sterling's love of classic movie musicals to her unconventional college path, her manager's game-changing advice, and her expanding work as a producer and director, this episode offers a masterclass in building a creative career on your own terms.
We also talk about:
- How Christine's grandfather Sterling — a hulking, ex-military man who secretly loved classic movie musicals — introduced her to films like Meet Me in St. Louis and Gene Kelly and Judy Garland, fundamentally shaping her belief that performance is communal storytelling, not ego-driven spectacle
- Why Christine chose to attend the University of Arizona on a singing and vocal jazz scholarship rather than audition for prestigious conservatories like Juilliard or Carnegie Mellon, and how she made a calculated pivot to a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theater to fill a critical gap in her training
- How severe creative constraints on low-budget indie sets — such as having only one hour left at a location to capture a crucial, emotionally exhausting scene — can actually serve as a psychological gift by forcing actors entirely into the present moment and bypassing the internal critic
- The fascinating physiological mechanics behind Christine's on-set habit of performing classical vocal warm-ups right before the director calls action — including how stretching the jaw and engaging the vocal cords stimulates the vagus nerve to calm the parasympathetic nervous system
- Christine's expanding work behind the camera, including producing and directing experimental comedy shorts with friends, such as one brilliantly titled Finding the Asshole, as a way to tell stories on her own terms without waiting for permission from industry gatekeepers
People, Places, Products, and References Mentioned:
People
Christine Woods (actress)
Sterling Woods (Christine's grandfather)
Eric Emery (Christine's first LA manager)
Shows, Films & Projects
Finding the Asshole — experimental comedy short
Schools & Programs
Social Media
@TrickyBear (Christine Woods' Instagram)
Bands / Artists
Places
We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.
So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT
Subscribe: https://themakeitpodcast.store/shop/support
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy4 August 2026, 9:30 am - More Episodes? Get the App