The No Film School Podcast

In this episode, GG Hawkins speaks with Madison Jones and Lindsay Grossman, co-founders of The Love List, along with filmmaker Shelby Blake Bartelstein, about what makes a romance script stand out in today’s marketplace. They discuss the origins of The Love List, the evolving appetite for romance across film and television, how to craft undeniable chemistry on the page, and why specificity, vulnerability, and the grand gesture are essential tools for writers hoping to sell in the genre.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests discuss...


The “meet cute” origin story behind The Love List and how a shared love of YA romance sparked a professional movement


How The Love List curates the best unproduced romance pilots and screenplays each year


Why romance remains commercially viable—and why the industry is rediscovering its power


The importance of writing what you love instead of chasing market trends


How to balance high-concept hooks with emotional authenticity


Crafting chemistry on the page through small, specific moments


Why vulnerability is the core engine of all great storytelling


The art of the grand gesture in romantic storytelling


Why television romance (including slow burns and enemies-to-lovers arcs) can be just as powerful as film


How executives identify “soul” in a script—and why that’s what ultimately sells

Memorable Quotes:


“Write what you want to watch. To me, that is the most crucial piece of advice.”


“What part of you is this healing?”


“You can tell when there’s not a soul in it.”


“It’s not about knowing whether or not they’re going to end up together. It’s about how they get there.”

Guests:


Madison Jones


Lindsay Grossman


Shelby Blake Bartelstein

Resources:


The Love List on Instagram - @TheLoveList26


“Change the Prophecy” Short Film

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Recorded live at Sundance, this episode features a wide-ranging roundtable on the current state of independent film exhibition. Host GG Hawkins speaks with festival programmers, exhibitors, and platform founders about what’s broken in the exhibition ecosystem, what’s actually working better than people realize, and how community-driven models—from art houses to new distribution tools—are reshaping how films are discovered, shown, and sustained beyond the festival circuit.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests discuss…


Why art house cinemas and film festivals remain vital community hubs


The realities of audience-building beyond “market festivals” and multiplexes


How filmmakers can rethink distribution, touring, and self-exhibition


New tools and platforms helping filmmakers navigate submissions and discovery


The rise of alternative distribution models, including physical media reimagined


Why shorts, community producers, and collaboration matter more than ever


How filmmakers and exhibitors can work together more effectively


What a sustainable film community could look like in 2026

Memorable Quotes:


“Art house cinemas and independent exhibitors and film festivals are thriving because they build community.”


“Making movies is like having a baby… then you’ve got to raise it.”


“There is such an opportunity on both sides for filmmakers and exhibitors to learn how to work together.”


“Independent film is rooted in community and curation.”

Guests:


Ash Cook – Programmer, Sundance Film Festival; Festival Director, San Francisco Jewish Film Festival; Founder & CEO, Video.Storage


Tony Gapastone – Founder & Executive Director, Bravemaker


Lela Meadow-Conner – Interim Executive Director, Art House Convergence; Co-founder, The Popcorn List


Tyler Knohl – Co-founder, Hiike; Assistant Director, Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival


Brynne Norquist – Co-founder & CEO, Hiike


Aidan Dick – COO, Video.Storage; Programmer, Frameline Film Festival

Resources:


Bravemaker – https://bravemaker.org


Art House Convergence – https://arthouseconvergence.org


The Popcorn List – https://thepopcornlist.com


Hiike – https://hiike.com/


Video.Storage – https://www.videostoreage.com


Frameline Film Festival – https://www.frameline.org

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In this episode, we dive into the logistics, strategy, and evolving experience of getting into and attending SXSW. GG Hawkins is joined by No Film School Founder Ryan Koo and a panel of SXSW insiders: Claudette Godfrey, Peter Hall, and Francis Román, who share their personal journeys into programming and illuminate the processes behind one of the most significant festivals in the world. Whether you’re hoping to submit, attend, or just understand the inner workings, this conversation offers clarity on what to expect from the 2026 edition and beyond.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins, Ryan Koo, and guests discuss...


The different paths each SXSW programmer took to join the festival team


Why SXSW values first-time filmmakers and how they approach the programming process


Practical ways to attend SXSW (volunteering, student discounts, single tickets)


Major changes to SXSW 2026, including venue shifts, badge updates, and a new festival layout


How to best prepare your submission, including rough cut etiquette and the importance of strong film stills


Common myths about festival programming—debunked


Why meaningful networking and personal connection at SXSW can shape careers


What types of films SXSW is most excited about—and what they’re seeing too much of

Memorable Quotes:


"If a film can make you laugh in your home alone at 2 a.m. and you've worked a 20-hour day, then it's hilarious."


"If you're submitting unfinished, you should have a title card at the very beginning that says exactly where you're at."


"We're looking for that director's vision, the fingerprint on it."


"You should come to South By, and if you can’t, go to whatever local film festival is going on in your area."

Guests:


Claudette Godfrey


Peter Hall


Francis Román

Resources:


SXSW Volunteer Info

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In this episode recorded live at the Sundance Film Festival, No Film School founder Ryan Koo sits down with Julien and Justen Turner—real-life brothers and co-creators of FreeLance, an indie TV pilot that debuted in the festival’s Episodic Pilot Showcase. The Turner Brothers walk through their journey of building a creative career outside of New York or LA, self-funding their show in Columbus, Ohio, and pulling off a high-production-value pilot in just four days. They talk about their process, influences, and how their authentic, relatable characters came to life through personal experience and community-driven production.

In this episode, No Film School’s Ryan Koo and guests discuss…


The origin of the episodic pilot category at Sundance and its importance for indie creators


How the Turner Brothers’ musical upbringing led to an early love of filmmaking


Their decision to self-fund FreeLance instead of attending Sundance in 2023


Turning real-life freelance filmmaking experiences (like wedding videography chaos) into episodic comedy


Casting comedians, athletes, and non-actors from social media and commercial work


Building a 150-page show bible and planning a multi-season vision


The four-day shoot that captured 41 minutes of content, including an improvised scene in a thrifted basement


How making content in Ohio allowed the show to break traditional industry molds


Advice for filmmakers: choose a date, build your team, and just shoot


The surreal moment of getting the Sundance acceptance call (via their mom!)

Memorable Quotes:


“We kind of realized that the only people we were waiting on was ourselves.”


“The more specific we were, the more universal it was.”


“We shot a 41-minute pilot in four days.”


“This is getting done, and it’s going to be done like this.”

Guests:


Julien Turner


Justen Turner

Resources:


Dreadhead Films on Instagram


dreadheadfilms.com

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This episode of the No Film School Podcast is recorded live from the final Sundance Film Festival in Park City, 2026. GG Hawkins and Ryan Koo are joined by No Film School writer Jo Light and special guest Teddy Kim to share insights and lessons from Sundance. Together, they reflect on what it takes to find true creative collaborators at festivals, how the indie landscape continues to shift, and why human connection still matters more than ever in a rapidly changing industry. The episode includes a game of "Red Flag, Green Flag" and wraps with an interview between Ryan Koo and writer-director Stephanie Ahn, whose feature Bedford Park won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Debut Feature at Sundance 2026.

In this episode you'll hear...


How to make the most of Sundance even if you're not actively pitching a project


Why networking at film festivals is more about vibe than résumé


The evolving role of indie production companies balancing studio and independent films


Which films are getting buzz at Sundance 2026 and what the acquisition market looks like


How filmmakers are using episodic pilots and private screenings to get attention


The pros and cons of “networking dinners” and late-night parties like Tao


A playful, practical game of "Red Flag, Green Flag" to decode festival behavior


GG’s and Jo’s favorite short and episodic pilots—and what makes them feel fresh


A deep-dive interview with Bedford Park director Stephanie Ahn about perseverance, editing your own movie, and telling emotionally resonant stories

Memorable Quotes:


“In filmmaking, they often say you better give 10 years of your life… I exceeded that, and Stephanie exceeded that.”


“You have to be very clear about what your intentions are and what the story is going to be. If you maintain an integrity with that, people come.”


“It’s not a matter of whether there is a big headline acquisition… but can a bunch of other movies get acquired for $3 million and have a healthy minimum guarantee?”


“I wanted to make a film that hopefully an audience would actually feel something—genuinely feel something.”

Resources:


Sundance 2026 Award Winners

Guests:


Jo Light


Teddy Kim


Stephanie Ahn

Resources Mentioned:

Find No Film School everywhere:


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Twitter: No Film School on Twitter


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