The MAKE IT Podcast

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

Hello, Hello! 
In this episode, Nick flies solo — without co-host Chris Barkley or Producer Papa Bear, who are both traveling in Italy — to discuss acclaimed independent filmmaker and producer Oscar Boyson and his feature directorial debut, Our Hero Balthazar, a darkly comedic psychological drama that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Nick shares his visceral, gut-punch reaction to watching the film, unpacking how its unflinching portrayal of online culture, performative activism, masculinity, and gun violence caught him completely off guard and forced him to confront uncomfortable realities facing young people in modern America. The episode weaves together Nick's personal reflections on the film, audience poll results about social media, Gen Z viewing habit data, filmmaker quotes from Oscar Boyson, and a closing definition of success borrowed from Matt Damon.

We also talk about:
How Our Hero Balthazar uses dark comedy and social satire to hold a mirror up to the uncomfortable realities of young people navigating social media, identity, and belonging
Nick's personal Instagram algorithm experiment — and what it revealed about how social media can trap users in a cycle of consuming the same content repeatedly, potentially shaping their identity
Gen Z viewing habits data from Deloitte's Digital Media Trends Study (2025–2026), including how much more time Gen Z spends on social platforms versus traditional TV and movies
Why going to the theater is increasingly becoming an event-driven, culturally shared experience — and what independent filmmakers must do to get young audiences off their couches and into seats
Matt Damon's definition of success — "all we have as the people making it is the love of the doing it" — and how that philosophy connects directly to the spirit of the MAKE IT Podcast

People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned:
People
Oscar Boyson
Noah Baumbach
The Safdie Brothers
Ricky Camilleri 
Jaeden Martell 
Noah Centineo
Asa Butterfield 
Chris Bauer 
Matt Damon
Claire Huxtable
Films & TV
Our Hero Balthazar
Frances Ha
Uncut Gems
Street Fighter
Festivals & Events
Tribeca Film Festival
Platforms & Social Media
Letterboxd
Postly.ai
Canva
Riverside.fm
Research & Studies
Deloitte Digital Media Trends
Fandango Moviegoing Study 
Organizations
Water.org (Matt Damon's charity)

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/privacy

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 dives deep on Toy Story 5, the highly anticipated return of Pixar's beloved franchise directed by Andrew Stanton and co-directed by Kenna Harris, exploring how the film tackles the timely and thought-provoking theme of childhood imagination in a screen-saturated world. The episode examines how Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the gang face their most contemporary challenge yet — competing with a tablet named Lily Pad that promises endless digital entertainment — while unpacking the film's deeper philosophical questions about identity, connection, and what it means to truly grow up. Nicholas reflects on the emotional resonance of experiencing the film in a theater alongside family and community, ultimately framing Toy Story 5 as a love letter to imagination, collaboration, and the irreplaceable power of human connection.

TAKEAWAYS:
The directorial pairing of Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris, and how their distinct backgrounds shape the film's artistic and emotional vision
The symbolic role of the Lily Pad tablet as a representation of digital culture's competition with imaginative play, rather than a traditional villain
The identity crisis sparked by an army of Buzz Lightyear action figures, and how the film uses their existence to explore what truly makes a person — or a toy — special
Jessie's expanded emotional arc as she steps into the center of the story, discovering that leadership is about becoming who others need you to be
The film's connection to Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey framework, and how Toy Story 5 quietly argues that no hero — and no healing — happens in isolation

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Films / Projects
Toy Story 5
Toy Story (original)
Toy Story 4
Finding Nemo
WALL-E
Ciao Alberto 
People
Andrew Stanton 
Kenna Harris 
Randy Newman 
Joseph Campbell 
Characters
Woody
Buzz Lightyear
Jessie
Bonnie
Technology / Products (Fictional)
Lilypad (the tablet, voiced by Greta Lee)
Organizations / Brands
Pixar
Ebook: "Mastering Film Marketing"
The MAKE IT Podcast

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

All Links: https://themakeitpodcast.store

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hello, Hello!
In this episode, AI Hosts Alex Ivey and Allison Inverness dive deep into the archives of the MAKE IT Podcast (Episode 174) to extract the raw, unfiltered reality of indie filmmaker Josh Bishop's journey — from his punk rock-influenced teenage years in Europe to premiering his debut documentary at South by Southwest after an extraordinary 11-year production process. They explore how Josh's philosophy of film as "a window in a tunnel" shapes not only his creative vision but also the production company he co-founded with his wife, Keturah, and how advice from his idol Jim Jarmusch permanently redirected his career. The episode serves as a masterclass for any creative — filmmaker, writer, or entrepreneur — wrestling with the timeless tension between authentic artistic expression and the brutal financial realities of independent creation.

We also talk about:
The stark philosophical and structural differences between the European taxpayer-funded film system and the commercially driven American Hollywood machine, and what those differences mean for artistic freedom
The profound influence of old-school New York stop-motion animator and punk rock musician Jim Starace on Josh's creative DNA and his lifelong rejection of "selling out"
The psychological and professional whiplash filmmakers experience when they transition from the creative grind of making an independent film to the cutthroat business reality of festival circuit sales and distribution pitching
The radical democratization of filmmaking technology, including a local filmmaker named Kd Amond who shot an entire feature-length horror film called Faye using only an iPhone 8, and what that means for the "I don't have the right equipment" excuse
Josh's deeply humble personal philosophy of holding up a mirror to society rather than preaching — including his decision to spend four straight days shooting raw documentary footage in the aftermath of a Nashville tornado without any commercial agenda

People, Places, Products, and References Mentioned:
People
Josh Bishop 
Jim Starace 
Jim Jarmusch 
Keturah Bishop
Tomi Fujiyama 
Morgan Spurlock 
Elijah Wood
Stefan Pokorny 
Anthony Bourdain
Kd Amond
Martin Scorsese 
Bands & Music
Puny Human 
Norman Bates & The Showerheads — limited web presence; best found via Discogs
The Ramones 
Films & Projects
Down by Law 
Coffee and Cigarettes 
Made in Japan
The Dwarvenaut
Destination Fantastic 
Faye 
Companies, Organizations & Platforms
A Window in a Tunnel 
Grand Ole Opry
South by Southwest (SXSW)
Dwarven Forge
Kickstarter
Dungeons & Dragons
Legion M 
iPhone 8 
Cotton Bureau
Places
Iceland 
Netherlands (Holland) 
Belgium
New York City 

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

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

Hello, Hello! 
In this episode, we welcome back Daril Fannin, founder and CEO of Kino Studios, to celebrate the major milestone of his horror film Undertone being acquired by A24 and its theatrical run, which generated over $9 million in opening weekend box office on a $500,000 budget. Daril shares the journey of bringing Undertone from the Fantasia International Film Festival to Sundance and ultimately to wide release, while discussing A24's unique and authentic marketing approach that helped the film connect with audiences in a meaningful way. The conversation also dives deep into the independent film ecosystem, the economics of filmmaking, the role of social media and AI tools in modern content creation, and what it truly means to "make it" in Hollywood.

We also talk about:
The debate around Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic and how much critical scores actually influence moviegoers' choices, including an audience poll revealing that 56% of viewers say critics don't influence their decisions at all
The viral social media post by an art director on the film Obsession, who expressed frustration about her low pay despite the film's massive financial success, and what that reveals about systemic economic inequity in the independent film industry
The rise of Neuralink and the broader philosophical conversation about AI integration into human life, including comparisons to Brave New World, social media data harvesting, and the future of human creativity and autonomy
Why horror is the new comedy in 2026, and how films like Undertone, Obsession, Iron Lung, and Backrooms are proving that audience-first, word-of-mouth driven indie horror is the most viable path for independent filmmakers today
The power of resilience in the creative journey, with Daril sharing personal reflections on bouncing back from failure, surrounding yourself with the right people, and the importance of not sharing your biggest ambitions with those who can't understand the artist's path

People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned:
Platforms, Tools & Services
Claude / Claude Pro (Anthropic)
Cowork (Claude's agentic desktop app)
Rotten Tomatoes
Metacritic
IMDb
Letterboxd
Neuralink
Gemini
Collection Account Management Agreement (CAMA) 
FilmChain 
Films
 Undertone (Kino Studios / A24)
 Obsession (Curry Barker)
 Iron Lung
 Backrooms (Kane Parsons / A24)
 The Matrix
 Raiders of the Lost Ark
 Gladiator
 Dumb and Dumber
 The Mask
 Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
 Malcolm & Marie
 High School Musical
 Sinners
 Oppenheimer
 Hamnet
 The Deer Hunter
 Nuremberg (Russell Crowe)
Wedding Crashers
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (Episodes I–III)
Creed III
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
How to Train Your Dragon (2025)
Black Phone 2
Regretting You
Avengers: Endgame
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Project Hail Mary
The Terminator
Weapons (Zach Cregger)
The Drama (Zendaya / Robert Pattinson)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Meet Joe Black
People — Industry & Public Figures
Daril Fannin (Kino CEO)
Ian Tuason (director of Undertone) (see note)
Nina Kiri (lead, Undertone)
Rick Rubin
Rainer Maria Rilke
Jordan Peele
Markiplier
Curry Barker (Obsession)
Kane Parsons (Backrooms)
Sally Choi (art director, Obsession)
Kevin Goetz
Jim Carrey
Mason Thames
Zendaya
Robert Pattinson
Hayden Christensen
Russell Crowe
Harrison Ford
Brad Pitt
Tom Cruise
Jonathan Majors
Forest Whitaker
Tyler Perry
Ben Stiller
Will Ferrell
Adam Sandler
Steve Martin
Siskel and Ebert
Peter Travers
Lon Harris
Cinema Joe
Christopher Nolan
Elon Musk
Mark Zuckerberg
Dick Gregory
Kevin Hart
Show Team (internal — no public links)
Joey "Bags" von Haeger
Books
The Creative Act: A Way of Being (Rick Rubin)
Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
Nineteen Eighty-Four (George Orwell)
The Crossroads of Should and Must (Elle Luna) 
Companies & Organizations
Kino Studios
A24
Neon
Blumhouse
Village Roadshow
Orion Pictures
Artists Equity (see note)
Anthropic
DGA
SAG-AFTRA
IATSE
Rolling Stone
Fantasia International Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
SXSW
Alamo Drafthouse
Cannes Film Festival

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

Hello, Hello!
In this episode, AI Hosts Alex Ivey and Allison Inverness dive deep into the remarkable career of London-based filmmaker and visual effects artist Magali Barbe, whose passion project short film Strange Beasts went viral overnight and landed her offers from 20th Century Fox and top Hollywood talent agencies. They explore how her 13 years as a pre-visualization artist on blockbuster films like Wonder Woman, Avengers: Endgame, and Fantastic Beasts gave her the technical foundation to create an independently produced short film so polished that Hollywood executives assumed it was a multi-million dollar studio production. The conversation broadens into a sweeping philosophical examination of how digital technology — from augmented reality and deepfakes to social media algorithms and genetic manipulation — is fundamentally reshaping human connection, perception, and society itself.
We also talk about:
The psychological toll of spending over a decade executing someone else's creative vision as a pre-visualization artist, and how that frustration became the fuel for Magali's creative pivot into independent filmmaking
The deliberate design philosophy behind the robot Max in This Time Away — specifically, why giving a futuristic robot the texture and finish of a 1970s kitchen appliance was a calculated psychological choice rooted in the uncanny valley theory
The structural and cultural differences between the French and British film industries, including how France's government-subsidized CNC system creates institutional bureaucracy, while the UK's scarcity of funding forces a passionate, grassroots DIY filmmaking culture
The concept of a "water bottle tour" in Hollywood — the grueling marathon of studio meetings that newly signed talent must endure, which functions less as a pitch session and more as a high-stakes personality and temperament audit
The piano chord metaphor shared by Chris Barkley in the original interview, which equates the musical necessity of space between notes to the human need for distance and breathing room in relationships, and how modern technology's relentless drive to eliminate friction may be destroying the beautiful music of genuine human connection

People, Places, Products, and References Mentioned:
People
Magali Barbe (filmmaker/VFX artist)
David Heyman (producer)
Timothy Spall (stars in This Time Away)
Tom Cruise (deepfake example)
Films & Projects
Strange Beasts (her viral short)
This Time Away (her second short)
Wonder Woman (previs)
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (previs)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (previs)
Avengers: Endgame (previs)
WALL-E (robot design reference)
Companies, Organizations & Platforms
Vimeo
20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox)
United Talent Agency (UTA)
CNC (Centre National du Cinéma)
Silicon Valley
Concepts & Technologies
Pre-visualization (Previz)
Augmented Reality (AR)
The Uncanny Valley
Deepfakes
CRISPR
Bully Whippets (myostatin / double-muscling)
The Marketplace of Ideas
"Move Fast and Break Things"
Water Bottle Tour — industry-ritual slang for a series of back-to-back Studio meetings
The Piano / F♯ and F♮ Metaphor — Chris Barkley's original analogy about conflict when one note (or person) smothers another

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