Indie Film Hustle® - A Filmmaking Podcast

Latest Episodes:

IFH 879: The Onion Co-Founder Reveals Why Most Comedy Scripts FAIL with Scott Dikkers Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

What if the biggest mistake you're making as a screenwriter happens BEFORE you write a single page? In this episode of Indie Film Hustle, Scott Dikkers, co-founder and former editor-in-chief of The Onion, reveals the techniques behind successful comedy writing, stronger screenplays, and storytelling that genuinely connects with audiences. From building The Onion into a comedy institution to developing his acclaimed book How to Write Funny, Scott explains his 11 approaches to humor, why comedy isn't entirely subjective, and how professional writers can make their jokes more effective. He also shares why your protagonist doesn't need to be likable, how to make deeply flawed characters emotionally compelling, and why testing your movie concept with real audiences can save months of wasted writing.
Scott also takes us behind the scenes of his filmmaking journey, including the lessons he learned directing two independent feature films, Space Man and Bad Meat. We explore the screenwriting books he recommends, why a three-to-five-page treatment is one of the most valuable tools a writer can create, and how great comedy depends on a strong creative vision rather than endless committee revisions. Whether you're writing your first screenplay, developing an independent comedy, or struggling to turn your ideas into finished projects, this conversation delivers practical lessons from someone who spent decades studying what makes people laugh. Most importantly, Scott explains why aspiring filmmakers should stop waiting for opportunities and start writing, shooting, and learning through experience.
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IFH 878: Why Most Screenwriters NEVER Finish Their Scripts with John Paxton Jr. Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

Are you spending more time talking about your screenplay than actually writing it? In this episode of Indie Film Hustle, writer-director John Paxton Jr. shares why creative focus, character development, and the discipline to finish your work are essential to becoming a better filmmaker. Known for Rebecca's Window, Mary's Laughter, 800-Pound Gorilla, and the web series Atlantic City Chronicles, John takes us inside his screenwriting process, from carrying notebooks everywhere and observing real people to using music to unlock character emotions and overcome writer's block. He explains why social media can drain a writer's creative energy, why most movie ideas need far more development before becoming screenplays, and how understanding a character's psychology can transform an ordinary script into a compelling story.
John also reveals how he developed Atlantic City Chronicles from an original feature-film concept into a multi-season independent web series that attracted millions of views. Drawing on his childhood in Atlantic City, he discusses building authentic characters from personal experience, exploring the lives of returning military veterans, and creating stories that entertain while addressing difficult social issues. We also explore the realities of independent film production, choosing the right actors, building an audience through your own website, navigating online distribution, and protecting creative ownership in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Whether you're struggling to finish your first screenplay, developing a web series, or looking for ways to grow as an independent filmmaker, this conversation offers practical lessons on storytelling, persistence, and building a creative career on your own terms.
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IFH 877: Why This Oscar-Nominated Animator REFUSED to Play Hollywood's Game with Bill Plympton Oct 20, 2026

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What happens when Hollywood refuses to finance your movies—but you refuse to stop making them? In this episode of Indie Film Hustle, legendary independent animator and two-time Academy Award nominee Bill Plympton reveals how he built an extraordinary career by following his artistic vision instead of the traditional Hollywood system. From his early days as a New York illustrator to his breakthrough animated short Your Face, his work on The Simpsons, and his independently produced feature films, Bill shares the realities of creating original animation without relying on major studios. He also explains why Hollywood repeatedly passed on his projects, why he continues to hand-draw his films, and how maintaining creative control became one of the most important decisions of his career.
Bill takes us behind the scenes of Revengeance, his collaboration with animator and writer Jim Lujan, and the crowdfunding campaigns that helped keep his independent films alive. He discusses investing $50,000–$100,000 of his own money, the unexpected costs of hand-drawn animation, building Kickstarter campaigns with creative rewards, and how a dedicated fanbase can become a filmmaker's greatest financial resource. We also explore his experiences working with The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, restoring classic animation, distributing films directly to audiences, and finding alternative ways to make independent filmmaking financially sustainable. Whether you're an animator, filmmaker, artist, or storyteller looking for a way to create without asking Hollywood for permission, Bill's journey offers a powerful lesson in persistence, independence, and the value of protecting your creative voice.
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IFH 876: The Screenwriting Secret Behind ALIEN & TOTAL RECALL with Matt R. Lohr Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

What made Alien, Total Recall, and The Return of the Living Dead unforgettable? In this episode of Indie Film Hustle, award-winning screenwriter and author Matt R. Lohr shares the screenwriting lessons he learned while working directly with legendary filmmaker Dan O'Bannon, the creative mind behind some of science fiction and horror cinema's most influential stories. As co-author of The Dan O'Bannon Guide to Screenplay Structure, Matt reveals how O'Bannon approached storytelling, why structure matters more than blindly following formulas, and how the greatest genre films create unforgettable characters, escalating tension, and emotional investment. From the genre-changing midpoint of Alien to the dark humor of Total Recall, this conversation explores what makes a screenplay truly work.
Matt also takes us behind the scenes of his extraordinary collaboration with O'Bannon, including watching The Return of the Living Dead with its director, studying classic films together, and helping complete O'Bannon's screenwriting book after his passing. We explore Hollywood's obsession with established intellectual property, why horror remains attractive to independent filmmakers, how to write dialogue actors can actually deliver, and why great storytelling should never be limited by genre. Whether you're writing your first screenplay, rewriting a struggling script, or trying to understand what makes a movie connect with audiences, this conversation offers practical lessons from one of cinema's most original storytellers.
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IFH 875: The Screenwriting Advice Hollywood Writers Actually Use with Ron Peters Oct 06, 2026

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Screenwriter, story analyst, and editor Ron Peters takes us inside the craft of professional screenwriting through his experiences working on projects including Defiance, The Wolf of Wall Street, Fury, and Twin Peaks. Ron breaks down how he approaches a screenplay—first experiencing it as an audience member, then analyzing structure and character—and explains why compelling characters can matter even more than perfect structure. He also explores the importance of understanding your antagonist, internal conflict, and why The Wolf of Wall Street could use Jordan Belfort's own greed and self-obsession as powerful sources of antagonism.
Ron also shares practical advice for writers trying to break into Hollywood. He discusses when screenwriting formulas can be useful, why emerging writers should build a portfolio before becoming overly experimental, how gatekeepers evaluate scripts, and why writers need to trust their own unique experiences rather than becoming dependent on consultants. Most importantly, Ron argues that professional writing requires discipline: read every day, write every day, accept bad pages, rewrite relentlessly, and approach the work with the consistency of a nine-to-five job.
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IFH 874: Do You Really Need Film School to Become a Filmmaker? with Miranda Sajdak Sep 29, 2026

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Writer, producer, and director Miranda Sajdak takes us inside the realities of building a filmmaking career from the ground up. After studying film at Columbia, Miranda worked on graduate student productions before landing PA opportunities on major movies including The Bourne Ultimatum and Cloverfield. She explains what film school actually gave her, why it isn't necessary for everyone, how networking opens doors in Hollywood, and what filmmakers can learn by moving between massive union productions and scrappy independent sets where everyone has to become more resourceful.
Miranda also shares lessons from working as a writers’ and showrunner’s assistant, including why screenwriters need to lose their ego, accept notes, and understand that rewriting is part of the job. She recounts one of her wildest producing disasters—having to locate a pregnant horse about to give birth in the middle of a New York winter—and explains why independent filmmakers often need side businesses and multiple income streams while pursuing passion projects. From screenwriting and development to crowdfunding and directing, this conversation offers a practical look at what building a sustainable filmmaking career actually requires.
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IFH 873: Film School Won’t Teach You This About Making Movies with Jason Kartalian Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Filmmaker Jason Kartalian grew up around movie sets through his father, character actor Buck Kartalian, whose credits included Planet of the Apes, Cool Hand Luke, and The Outlaw Josey Wales. That early exposure eventually led Jason behind the camera, where he developed his own approach to writing, directing, cinematography, and independent production. In this conversation, Jason explains why the most valuable filmmaking lessons often happen outside the classroom, how directors can preserve an actor's energy by avoiding unnecessary coverage, why he likes getting an entire scene in a master before chasing additional shots, and why indie directors benefit enormously from understanding the technical jobs around them.
Jason also breaks down his screenwriting process, from outlining and character development to writing a rough first draft and rewriting with fresh eyes. He explains how Seahorses evolved through collaboration with its actors, why production design and cinematography should reinforce a movie's central theme, and how he personally financed the film as a passion project before taking it through the festival circuit. Perhaps most importantly for independent filmmakers, Jason discusses why getting a movie onto digital platforms doesn't automatically create an audience. Distribution may make your film available, but getting people to actually watch it remains the filmmaker's challenge.
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IFH 872: How One of the WORST Movies Ever Made Became a Cult Classic with Jackey Neyman Sep 15, 2026

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Actress, artist, and producer Jackey Neyman takes us behind the scenes of one of the strangest cult movies in filmmaking history: Manos: The Hands of Fate. Jackey was only six years old when her father joined the production and brought far more than his performance to the movie—he also provided sets, props, costumes, furniture, a car, a Doberman, and his daughter for the cast. Jackey remembers what it was actually like making the ultra-low-budget production, watching the disastrous original premiere, and seeing a movie everyone involved tried to forget suddenly find an enormous new audience decades later through Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Jackey also discusses bringing the franchise back with Manos Returns, including crowdfunding the production, assembling an experienced low-budget filmmaking team, bringing surviving members of the original production back, and working toward making the best movie possible with limited resources. She explains why they didn't want to imitate the accidental qualities that made the original Manos infamous and instead wanted to create a genuine continuation made specifically for its fans. It's a fascinating look at how an independent film can fail, disappear, become a cult phenomenon decades later, and ultimately create opportunities its original filmmakers could never have predicted.
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IFH 871: The Screenwriting Advice Hollywood Writers Actually Use with Andrew Bloomenthal Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Entertainment writer, screenwriter, and independent filmmaker Andrew Bloomenthal joins the show to discuss what years of interviewing working screenwriters and directors taught him about storytelling, preparation, and the filmmaking business. Andrew explains how his background in financial journalism unexpectedly opened the door to entertainment writing, eventually giving him opportunities to interview filmmakers including Oliver Stone and Michael Moore and contribute to publications such as Creative Screenwriting and Script Magazine. He also shares why every assignment should be treated as a calling card, how detailed research produces better conversations with filmmakers, and why writers need to develop an economy of words regardless of what they're writing.
The conversation also gets into deadlines, developing your own screenplays, transitioning from writing to production, and Andrew's experience preparing to shoot a musical short film. He discusses casting actors, recording musical tracks before production, scouting locations, planning shots, and the excitement that comes when something that existed only on the page begins becoming a real film. For aspiring screenwriters and filmmakers, Andrew's experience reinforces a practical lesson: preparation matters, but eventually you have to move beyond thinking about making a film and actually start producing it.
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IFH 870: He Waited 11 YEARS to Make His Movie—Then Jimmy Kimmel Changed Everything with Don Barris Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

What happens when Hollywood never comes knocking?
Comedian, filmmaker, podcaster, and longtime Jimmy Kimmel collaborator Don Barris shares the unconventional journey that eventually led to the cult comedy Windy City Heat. After leaving Michigan for California, Don struggled through stand-up, lived in his car for extended periods, and spent years developing his own comedy projects rather than waiting for Hollywood to discover him. That persistence eventually connected him with Jimmy Kimmel and helped transform an unusual Comedy Store concept into one of the strangest cult comedies ever produced. Don also takes us behind the scenes of Windy City Heat, revealing how its elaborate real-life prank was constructed and why unpredictable reactions created filmmaking challenges unlike those of a traditional feature.
Beyond the insanity of Windy City Heat, this conversation offers practical lessons for filmmakers and creators trying to build careers outside the traditional Hollywood system. Don discusses the importance of creating your own opportunities, developing long-term industry relationships, using podcasts and digital platforms to build an audience, and turning that audience into leverage for larger creative projects. From Jimmy Kimmel championing the movie to Quentin Tarantino, Eli Roth, and Jack Black discovering the film, Don’s journey demonstrates how unconventional work can develop a life far beyond its original release—and why filmmakers shouldn't depend entirely on gatekeepers to determine whether their projects get made.
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