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The MAKE IT Podcast

Chris Barkley & Nicholas Buggs
The MAKE IT Podcast
Neueste Episode

535 Episoden

  • The MAKE IT Podcast

    444 - Oscar Boyson on Directing Our Hero, Balthazar, Working with The Neistat Brothers, Empathy Machines vs. Validation Machines, and Failing in Public

    21.08.2026 | 1 Std. 23 Min.
    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
    Oscar Boyson
    Casey Neistat
    Van Neistat
    Ricky Camilleri
    Nate DeYoung
    Josh & Benny Safdie
    Greta Gerwig
    Noah Baumbach
    Tom Sachs
    Frank Gehry
    Asa Butterfield
    Jaeden Martell
    Stephen Phelps
    Christopher Messina
    Lena Dunham
    Sam Lisenco
    Harmony Korine
    Rosario Dawson
    Chloë Sevigny
    Roger Ebert
    Gene Siskel
    Oscar Hammerstein II
    Oscar Micheaux
    Oscar Isaac
    Oscar Levant
    Dick Gregory
    MrBeast
    Jordan Gallant (composer)
    Spike Lee
    Spike Jonze
    David Fincher
    Gaspar Noé
    Andrew Tate
    Big Mike (Oscar’s father)
    Elise (Oscar’s sister)
    Films
    Our Hero, Balthazar
    Kids (1995)
    Frances Ha
    Good Time
    Heaven Knows What
    Adolescence
    The Odyssey
    Boogie Nights
    Trainspotting
    Taxi Driver
    Straw Dogs (1971)
    Jour de fête
    The Last Temptation of Christ
    Irréversible
    Ex Machina
    A Most Violent Year
    Lady Be Good (1941)
    State Fair (1945)

    TV Shows
    The Neistat Brothers

    Platforms, Websites & Tools
    ChatGPT / OpenAI
    Craigslist
    Vimeo
    The Wayback Machine
    Digital Cinema Package (DCP)
    Art House Convergence

    Places
    Williams Center
    Nashville, Tennessee
    Maryland
    Lower Antioch / Woodbine — Nashville neighborhoods
    Maine
    New York City
    North Texas
    Hawaii
    Tribeca Festival
    Nashville Film Festival
    Belcourt Theatre
    Regal Opry Mills

    Products & Brands
    Tesla Supercharger
    Tesla app
    Canon EOS 5D Mark II
    Chick-fil-A

    Concepts & References
    Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect
    Parasocial relationships
    The Covenant School shooting
    Nineteen Eighty-Four
    Stoneman Douglas / Parkland
    Four-walling
    “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
    www.themakeitpodcast.store/shop/support

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  • The MAKE IT Podcast

    Mistakes In The Making - The Creative Pivot That Made Barbie a Billion-Dollar Film

    19.08.2026 | 14 Min.
    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
    Kevin Goetz
    Robbie Brenner 
    Margot Robbie
    Tom Ackerley 
    Greta Gerwig
    Noah Baumbach
    Ryan Gosling
    America Ferrera
    Issa Rae
    Anne Hathaway
    Amy Schumer
    Companies & Organizations
    Screen Engine/ASI
    Mattel
    Simon & Schuster 
    Films & Franchises
    Barbie (2023)
    Dallas Buyers Club
    Fast & Furious franchise
    List of Barbie films 
    Books
    Audienceology
    How to Score in Hollywood
    Podcasts
    Don't Kill the Messenger
    Mattel IP Referenced
    Barbie 
    Hot Wheels
    Websites & Social Media
    KevinGoetz360.com

    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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  • The MAKE IT Podcast

    SUMMARIES - Nathaniel Nuon's Unconventional Philosophy on Filmmaking Tech (The Uber Analogy and the Viagra Principle)

    18.08.2026 | 20 Min.
    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
    Nathaniel Nuon
    Jordan Ladd 
    Valerie Jane Parker 
    Films & Projects
    Residue 
    The Voices 
    Shows Referenced
    Mister Ed
    John Wick
    Marvel Cinematic Universe
    Organizations & Companies
    Nuon Films
    3rd Realm Creations
    Full Sail University
    Technology & Products
    HTC Vive Tracker
    LED walls / virtual production
    RED
    ARRI Alexa
    DSLR cameras
    Viagra (sildenafil)
    Uber
    Historical Events & Concepts
    *Operation Menu
    Khmer Rouge
    Audio description
    Parallax

    *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

    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
  • The MAKE IT Podcast

    443 - X-Men ’97 Cast - Rogue, Morph & Nightcrawler Walk Into a Podcast: The Voice Acting Craft Behind X-Men '97

    12.08.2026 | 1 Std. 12 Min.
    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:
    X-Men '97 
    X-Men: The Animated Series 
    Disney+
    Revival 
    Peacock
    Audible / Amazon 
    Star Wars: Visions 
    My Life with the Walter Boys 
    Marvel Mash-Up 
    Bob Trevino Likes It
    Our Hero Balthazar
    Holy Days
    Breaker Morant 
    Mephisto 
    The Ruling Class
    The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith 
    Picnic at Hanging Rock
    My Brilliant Career
    Storm Hawks 
    The Boss Baby
    CoComelon
    Yo Gabba Gabba!
    Bluey
    The Joy Luck Club
    The Aussie Six

    People
    Lenore Zann
    JP Karliak
    Adrian Hough
    Tracie Laymon 
    Ted Welch
    Oscar Boyson 
    Nat Boltt 
    Miriam Margolyes 
    Jacki Weaver 
    Judy Davis
    Sam Neill 
    Edward Woodward
    Jack Thompson
    Bryan Brown
    Peter O'Toole
    Anthony Hopkins / Hannibal Lecter
    Ian McKellen
    Patrick Stewart
    Tom Kenny / SpongeBob
    Chris Rock
    Ella Fitzgerald
    Marilyn Monroe
    Neil Gaiman / The Graveyard Book
    David Letterman / Jennifer Aniston

    Characters
    X-Force
    X-Factor
    Polaris
    Jubilee / Sunspot
    Graydon Creed
    Carol Danvers / Ms. Marvel
    Mystique / Destiny
    Bishop
    Gambit / Remy LeBeau
    Poison Ivy
    Haytham Kenway

    Organizations, Tools & Books
    Queer Box
    Nerds Vote
    Nashville Film Festival
    Postly
    Canva
    Riverside
    A Rogue's Tale 
    Lilith Fair
    MTV Video Music Awards
    Cocoanut Grove 

    Places
    Vancouver Island
    Calgary
    London, UK
    Montreal
    Paris
    New York / Off-Broadway
    Wisconsin
    Hollywood

    Social Media
    Adrian Hough
    JP Karliak
    @queerboxacademy
    nerdsvote.com / @nerdsvote
    @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

    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
  • The MAKE IT Podcast

    442 - Illuminai Studios Founder Jesse Weglein on Being Laid Off at Pixar, Why AI Is the Brush, Not the Artist, and Animation's Next Frontier

    07.08.2026 | 1 Std. 46 Min.
    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
    Jesse Weglein 
    John Lasseter
    Steve Jobs
    Ed Catmull
    Pete Docter
    Frank Oz
    Andrew Stanton
    Whoopi Goldberg
    Phil Tippett
    Tim McLaughlin 
    John McCarthy
    Akira Kurosawa
    Hayao Miyazaki
    Fritz Lang
    Toshiro Mifune
    Lionel Messi
    Ray Kurzweil
    Isaac Asimov
    Dario Amodei 
    Sam Altman 
    Brian Adler
    Barbara Lowenstein 

    Films & Shows
    Up
    Toy Story 3
    Toy Story 4
    Toy Story 5
    The Incredibles
    ROAR 
    Shine (Illuminai Studios)
    The Color Purple 
    Metropolis (1927)
    Seven Samurai 
    High and Low 
    The Wind Rises 
    Spirited Away 
    Rashomon 
    Red Beard 
    Starship Troopers 
    Jumpin' Jack Flash 
    Sister Act 
    A.I. Artificial Intelligence 
    Disclosure Day 
    The Boy and the Heron 
    The Odyssey 

    Companies & Organizations
    Pixar Animation Studios
    ILLUMINAI Studios
    Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
    Google DeepMind
    Tribeca Film Festival
    Texas A&M Visualization
    Anthropic
    OpenAI / ChatGPT
    Apple
    Technicolor
    Nashville Film Festival
    WGA

    Software & Technology
    Maya
    Presto (Pixar's proprietary tool)
    Photoshop
    Suno
    Ray tracing / render farm

    Websites & Social Media
    illuminaistudios.com
    nashvillefilmfestival.org

    Books & Products
    Mastering Film Marketing (ebook)
    Make It Academy
    Up Lego Set
    Luxo Jr.

    Places
    Emeryville, California 
    Lake Kawaguchi / Mount Fuji
    Tokyo, Japan
    San Francisco, California
    Lucas Building/Steve Jobs Building
    Dartmouth College / Dartmouth workshop, 1956

    Other References
    The Dan Patrick Show
    The View
    2026 FIFA World Cup
    NBA Playoffs
    WHALE 52 — Suite For Man, Boy, And Whale 
    Dear Upstairs Neighbors 
    Joseph McCarthy / McCarthyism

    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

    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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Über The MAKE IT Podcast
MAKE IT is the film podcast that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the filmmaking process. We dive into indie gems, massive blockbusters, cinema history, and everything in between. If you love movies and want more than polite chit-chat, this is your spot.Stay Inspired, Chris + Nick
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