Actor-Turned-Director Lee Kirk on Directing Actors and the Making of 'Nimrods'

Saturday Night Live’s prerecorded sketches can go from first footage to national broadcast in roughly 36 hours. Host GG Hawkins talks with SNL editors Christopher Salerno and Mak Makower about the post-production workflow behind that turnaround, including their work on the Emmy-nominated “Ma Hospital” sketch starring Harry Styles. They break down how footage moves from set to the edit, why line-by-line stringouts are essential, how they use Adobe Premiere Pro tools like transcription, Essential Sound, multicam sequences, and reverse match frame, and how sound design helps build tension before a joke lands. They also discuss the differences between editing SNL, commercials, and longer narrative projects, the importance of collaboration in the edit room, and the technical habits aspiring editors can develop to work faster without sacrificing storytelling. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests Christopher Salerno and Mak Makower discuss... How SNL goes from Wednesday night table read to a finished prerecorded sketch airing Saturday What happens when footage begins arriving from set on Friday morning Why Mak creates “line-by-lines” containing every take of every scripted line How organizing footage early allows editors, writers, and directors to make decisions quickly Finding the visual language of “Ma Hospital” while parodying HBO’s The Pitt Using the structure and pacing of a trailer to increase the energy of a parody Why Mak watched The Pitt during the edit to understand its characters and visual style How Premiere Pro’s transcription and search tools make it easier to locate specific dialogue Using the Essential Sound panel, EQ, reverb, panning, and the audio track mixer during picture editing Why sound design can be essential to making comedy work Building tension with heart monitors, ventilators, overlapping dialogue, and strategic silence Keyboard shortcuts that speed up multicam editing and navigation through massive stringouts How a longer commercial schedule can actually create new challenges by allowing editors to second-guess decisions Editing Kate McKinnon’s Zoom commercial and balancing comedy with the need to sell a product Why editors can function as storytellers, collaborators, and sometimes even therapists during long-form projects Mak’s “puzzle-solving” approach to rearranging footage until a scene or story unlocks Why trust, openness to feedback, and leaving ego outside the edit room matter on collaborative projects How SNL’s dress audience functions as a real-time test screening Why editors should continually learn new software, techniques, graphics, sound, and VFX tools How YouTube tutorials and experimentation can help editors expand their skills and become more valuable Memorable Quotes: “There’s a real intuition you have to have and there’s a real understanding of rhythm and of, you know, how the shoot’s going to make this happen.” “I feel like sometimes when you have too much time, it becomes almost more difficult.” “And so, like, it really is about, like, finding each little bit that, like, will match with this little bit that, like, will actually tell a story.” “As the tools change and as younger generations find newer ways to edit, it’s really important to just stay up to date and not get locked into your old ways.” Guests: Christopher Salerno Mak Makower Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer-director Lee Kirk joins No Film School’s GG Hawkins to break down the making of Nimrods, his Green Day-inspired coming-of-age road movie. Kirk traces his path from studying acting at DePaul University to learning screenwriting and eventually directing, and explains how his acting background continues to shape the way he works with performers. He also discusses developing Nimrods with Billie Joe Armstrong, weaving real stories from Green Day into the screenplay, casting and rehearsing a young ensemble, building a collaborative crew, creating a timeless visual texture, embracing improvisation, and shooting a live Green Day concert with thousands of actual fans. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Lee Kirk discuss... How Kirk’s acting training at DePaul University led him toward screenwriting and directing Learning story structure through John Truby’s 22-step approach and The Anatomy of Story How Chris Messina encouraged Kirk to direct his first feature, The Giant Mechanical Man Why an acting background can help directors understand how to communicate with performers How Billie Joe Armstrong approached Kirk with the initial premise for Nimrods Reverse engineering a feature screenplay from a predetermined Green Day concert ending Using real stories from Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool as inspiration for the screenplay Drawing from movies like The Goonies, Vacation, Footloose, and Risky Business to establish the film’s tone Making a contemporary movie feel nostalgic through vinyl, cassettes, camcorders, old cars, and other analog textures What Kirk looks for when hiring department heads and why collaborative problem-solving matters Turning an Oklahoma City junkyard into a convincing punk venue Casting Mason Thames, Mckenna Grace, and the rest of the young ensemble Using actors’ existing talents to add specificity and production value to a movie Conducting chemistry reads over Zoom when the budget made in-person auditions impractical Why rehearsal is less about locking down performances and more about making actors comfortable enough to play on set Helping actors get out of their heads by giving them time, space, and permission to experiment Using long pauses as a directing tool to help actors access emotion Why Kirk deliberately maintains a calm demeanor on set, even when production is stressful Finding unexpected moments through ad-libs and improvisation, including a spontaneous Fred Armisen scene Shooting 28 days in Oklahoma City before moving to Los Angeles for four additional days Capturing the Green Day concert with four cameras and roughly 2,000 real Green Day fans Why Kirk specifically budgeted for large numbers of extras after lessons learned on previous productions Kirk’s advice for emerging filmmakers on studying story structure, watching films analytically, writing frequently, and taking advantage of accessible filmmaking tools Memorable Quotes: “I listen to these tapes and everything changed for me then.” “I feel like that's kinda like when the best stuff happens because now everyone's out of their comfort zone, but everyone's prepared so everyone can do, make that pivot.” “Even if I'm not calm, even if I'm feeling so stressed out on the inside, I just put forward this feeling like I'm good. I know what I'm doing. Everything's fine.” “Story is everything.” Guests: Lee Kirk Resources: Nimrods on IMDb Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Koo and Jourdan Aldredge report from Fantastic Fest 2026 in Austin, Texas, where they explore how the festival is expanding beyond exhibiting genre films to helping filmmakers actually get movies made. They break down the first completed feature from Fantastic Pitches, Nicholas Curcio’s Playhouse, what filmmakers can learn from its $100,000 production, and this year’s ambitious winning pitch, Father Figure. They also discuss the value of pitching even when you don’t win, the advantages of designing films around microbudget constraints, and some of the movies and filmmaking communities they’ve encountered at the festival. In this episode, No Film School's Ryan Koo and Jourdan Aldredge discuss... How Playhouse went from winning Fantastic Pitches to premiering at Fantastic Fest in just one year Designing a $100,000 movie around limitations like one location, a small cast, and practical aesthetics Why microbudget filmmakers need a creative “hack” that makes their limitations work for the movie How filmmakers can make a live pitch memorable with props, costumes, trailers, and a strong presentation Why being selected for Fantastic Pitches can create opportunities even if you don't win The ambitious Technocrane strategy behind this year’s winning pitch, Father Figure What Ryan and Jordan noticed about the DIY films, filmmaking collectives, and genre community at Fantastic Fest Why festivals can have a bigger impact by supporting filmmakers before their movies are made Memorable Quotes: “With filmmaking it's always good, fast, cheap. Pick two. And with Fantastic Pitches, they're trying to do all three.” “You've gotta have a hack to make your pitch audience-friendly.” “The best route is the one that's available to you probably.” “It's easy to select things that turned out well. It's much harder to bet on them at the beginning and to actually help them bring something to fruition.” Resources: Fantastic Fest Fantastic Pitches Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recorded at Fantastic Fest 2026 in Austin, No Film School founder Ryan Koo talks with Into the Sky writer-directors Drew Mylrea and Evan Buxbaum about the decade-long path to making their sci-fi comedy. They trace the project from an early script that Evan initially rejected through Black List evaluations, financing, casting Sam Richardson, and an ambitious 25-day production with dozens of locations and hundreds of VFX shots. Drew and Evan also explain how they divided responsibilities as co-directors, used LiDAR scans and Lego figures to pre-visualize scenes, navigated production setbacks, tested unfinished cuts with audiences, and learned to trust their instincts while making an independent film designed to feel like a blockbuster. In this episode, No Film School's Ryan Koo and guests Drew Mylrea and Evan Buxbaum discuss... How Drew and Evan became filmmaking collaborators after spending hours together shooting a Method soap commercial in a tiny shower Evan’s experience making Sun Belt Express and the long gap between his first and second features Why Drew kept returning to the alien-abduction concept that eventually became Into the Sky Revisiting old material after years of becoming better writers and filmmakers How strong Black List evaluations gave the filmmakers psychological momentum to commit to the project Spending roughly two years rewriting the script and assembling financing Why casting director Kate Geller became an important part of building the movie’s cast How attaching Sam Richardson helped the project gain momentum The pressures created when an in-demand actor gives an independent production a narrow shooting window Walking away from a “turnkey” production-services solution that would have forced most of the movie onto a single estate Finding the town of Catskill, New York, and rebuilding their location strategy around what the movie actually needed Why filmmakers sometimes have to reject the easiest logistical solution when it threatens the film creatively Shooting the movie in 25 days while managing frequent company moves How Drew and Evan divided directing responsibilities according to their complementary strengths Drew’s focus on visual storytelling, camera placement, and spectacle versus Evan’s focus on performance, character, and dialogue Using iPhone LiDAR scans and Polycam to create digital models of locations Printing location blueprints and using custom Lego figures and a Lego camera to block scenes with the AD and cinematographer Building detailed storyboards and turning them into rough animatics for complicated sequences Trying to create an “indie blockbuster” without a blockbuster budget The challenge of completing approximately 500 visual-effects shots with an extremely small VFX team Why extensive preparation became a starting point for improvisation once production problems appeared Delaying a cornfield sequence until the final day of photography so the corn would be tall enough for the scene How rain, heat, scheduling problems, and other uncontrollable factors reshaped the production Watching dailies and determining whether scenes needed to be reshot Why a scene they believed needed a reshoot ultimately used mostly material from the original shoot Working 12-hour shooting days followed by another four or five hours of preparation each night Splitting up the first stages of post-production so Drew could eventually watch the assembly with fresh eyes Why comedy becomes difficult to judge after watching the same material dozens of times Screening cuts for friends and family to measure real laughter and audience energy Using QR codes and Google Forms to collect individual reactions before a group discussion could influence everyone’s opinions Measuring character likability and other audience responses between different test screenings Asking test audiences to respond to major VFX sequences while those sequences were still extremely unfinished The moment completed visual effects and music finally made the filmmakers feel that the movie was working Their goal of making large, entertaining movies with heart on an independent scale Why Drew and Evan believe their filmmaking education ultimately came from making things, making mistakes, and “touching the stove” Memorable Quotes: “If I have any takeaway from that, it's that, like, in those moments of extreme pressure when you have a lot of competing interests that have started rolling down on you, you've just gotta trust your gut.” “We always called this movie an indie blockbuster. You know, we were trying to make an indie film that felt like a blockbuster.” “We went in with a great plan, and then you get hit in the fucking face. And your plan becomes the launching point for an improvisational new plan.” “We learned by making mistakes and doing things out in the world. We learned by touching the stove.” Guests: Drew Mylrea Evan Buxbaum Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer-director-actor Leah McKendrick joins GG Hawkins to break down the long road to getting Voicemails for Isabelle made after years in development. McKendrick traces her unconventional path from aspiring pop singer to independent filmmaker, studio screenwriter, and director, explaining how the frustration of watching projects stall pushed her to bet on herself and make Scrambled. She shares how directing that indie feature changed the way studios saw her, helped her reclaim Voicemails for Isabelle, and ultimately led to Netflix and Sony backing her as its director. The conversation also covers navigating Hollywood development, creating opportunities without permission, collaborating with cinematographer Julia Swain, protecting your creative voice, and applying an indie filmmaking mindset at the studio level. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Leah McKendrick discuss... How McKendrick went from pursuing a career as a pop singer to discovering filmmaking and directing at Chapman University Why writing and directing her own projects became a way to create opportunities instead of waiting for permission How Destroy the Alpha Gammas and M.F.A. helped establish her as a writer, producer, actor, and filmmaker The reality of working as a studio screenwriter and spending years writing projects that may never reach production The original inspiration for Voicemails for Isabelle and why McKendrick wrote the first draft in only a few weeks How the screenplay quickly sold, landed on the Black List, and attracted major talent before spending years in development Why repeated studio regime changes and canceled projects ultimately pushed McKendrick toward directing The breaking point that inspired her to write, finance, and direct Scrambled rather than wait for another studio green light Why filmmakers need to understand their own taste rather than believing a director must personally master every technical department How McKendrick's collaboration with cinematographer Julia Swain helped her translate emotion and instinct into a visual language Why directors need to communicate and reiterate their vision differently for every department head How Scrambled allowed McKendrick to demonstrate through her actions that she was no longer interested in being only a writer-for-hire Why McKendrick avoids reading reviews and instead focuses on whether she made the film she intended to make How the success of Scrambled changed the industry's perception of McKendrick as a director How Netflix approached Sony about Voicemails for Isabelle and Sony agreed to move forward with McKendrick directing Why years of studio relationships that once seemed fruitless ultimately became valuable when McKendrick was ready to direct The importance of betting on yourself, embracing the unusual parts of your voice, and refusing to assume that following the traditional path will eventually lead to the work you want to make Memorable Quotes: “The most beautiful thing that it gave me was this realization that I could create my own work and that I didn't have to ask for permission.” “All you need to know is what you like, and be a student of film, and be a student of your own taste.” “Every time that I have gotten rebellious and that I have put my foot down, that is when something fruits.” “If anybody could walk away from my interviews with one piece of wisdom or advice, it would always be to bet on yourself and to not wait for permission, and to believe in your weirdest stories and the weirdest parts of yourself.” Guests: Leah McKendrick Resources: Having Indie Discipline at Studio Scale: How Julia Swain Shot 'Voicemails for Isabelle' How to Build a Pitch Deck Indie Filmmakers: You Don't Need Julia Roberts to Make Your Indie Comedy How To Cut Like an Anthropologist from 'Scrambled’ & ‘Alpha’ Editor Sandra Granovsky Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [[email protected]]mailto:[email protected]) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer-director Sabrina Greco joins No Film School to discuss the making of her feature debut, Lockjaw, a dark comedy centered on a woman whose jaw is wired shut after a car accident. Greco explains how the project grew from a short into a feature, why she committed to an 11-day all-night shoot in Los Angeles, and how a tight-knit filmmaking community helped make the production possible. She also breaks down directing Blu Hunt’s physically constrained but highly expressive lead performance, adapting scenes when they stopped working on set, using two cameras to move quickly, and drawing on her editing background to reshape the film in post-production. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Sabrina Greco discuss... How Greco went from studying film at Boston University to editing for digital media, Nickelodeon, and feature films Why filmmakers like John Cassavetes and the mumblecore movement changed the way she thought about feature filmmaking How Lockjaw evolved organically from a 25–30 page short into Greco’s first feature Planning the production a year in advance so winter’s early sunsets would make an entirely nighttime shoot more manageable Building the film around an existing Los Angeles creative community of actors and crew members How producer Abbie Jones helped secure a house where the production could shoot for eight of its 11 days Deciding to move forward with the movie after Greco lost her job during the Hollywood strikes Developing Rayna as an active, magnetic, self-destructive protagonist rather than a passive victim How Blu Hunt approached Rayna without judging the character’s choices Using Rayna’s wired jaw as both a physical filmmaking constraint and a source of conflict, comedy, and miscommunication Why Greco wanted Rayna’s accident to complicate her behavior rather than simply justify it Shooting an 80-page feature in 11 days using two Canon XF605 cameras, small crews, autofocus, and minimal lens changes Rehearsing and blocking scenes before sunset so the production could begin shooting immediately once it was dark How Greco, Blu Hunt, and Colin Burgess reworked a breakup scene on set when its original tone stopped working Learning when a director needs to stop rushing, reconsider a scene, and ask collaborators for help How Greco’s editing background helped her know which shots were essential and which material could be sacrificed Cutting entire storylines that were not serving Rayna’s central story Bringing in co-editor Neal Wynne when Greco needed fresh ideas, then returning to the film for the fine cut The process of getting Lockjaw into Slamdance and finally watching audiences respond to the film What Greco learned about LLCs, paperwork, and production infrastructure that she applied to her next project Why making a feature reinforced the importance of trusting collaborators instead of believing the director has to solve everything alone Memorable Quotes: “I’m going to make this happen no matter what.” “But it would be so much more fun if it was the opposite.” “Take a step back. You need to figure this out. Like, it’s okay if it takes 10 minutes away from shooting.” “Anything’s on the chopping block. I don’t care what it is. Like, if it’s, it’s not working, it’s not working.” Guest: Sabrina Greco Resources: Lockjaw on IMDb Lockjaw on Instagram Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer-director Alex Ullom and producers Carrie Carusone and Evan Barber break down the unconventional path behind It Ends, their micro-budget indie horror feature about four friends trapped on an endless road. They explain how they raised their initial financing, leaned on their filmmaking community, turned production limitations into creative advantages, and used multiple rounds of strategic reshoots to transform an early cut that wasn’t working. The team also shares how they cut a Jeep in half to shoot on an LED volume stage, navigated an expensive and complicated post-production process, premiered at SXSW, and generated enough grassroots momentum through the online horror community and Letterboxd to ultimately land a theatrical release with Neon. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests Alex Ullom, Carrie Carusone, and Evan Barber discuss… How graduating from film school during the pandemic pushed the team toward making an independent feature Raising the initial micro-budget through unconventional investors, personal connections, and community support How Florida State University’s alumni equipment package made a $30,000 feature possible Why paying crew something—even on an extremely limited budget—was important to the producers Discovering in the edit that the first version of It Ends wasn’t working Why indie filmmakers should stop thinking of reshoots as a sign of failure Using test screenings to identify pacing problems, missing emotional beats, and scenes that needed additional coverage Designing a contained film that could be affordably reconstructed for multiple rounds of pickups Balancing the film’s horror and hangout-movie elements through pacing and visual language Cutting a Jeep Cherokee in half to get it onto an LED volume stage Rebuilding the Jeep interior and using the removable vehicle to create otherwise impossible camera angles Why the filmmakers pulled out of Fantasia to continue improving the movie Maintaining continuity when returning to the same actors and characters two years after principal photography The editing workflow Alex developed to compare multiple performances of the same line Using low-pass filtering, bass, sound design, and close-ups to create production value on an indie budget What Alex learned from an extremely disorganized Premiere timeline Premiering at SXSW during an especially difficult independent film distribution market Why strong festival reviews and sold-out screenings didn’t automatically lead to a distribution deal The changing economics of minimum guarantees for independent films How online horror creators helped generate new momentum for It Ends The film’s path from Letterboxd’s video store program to a theatrical release with Neon Why filmmakers should focus on making the strongest movie possible rather than designing a project specifically for a major festival How the lessons from It Ends changed the team’s approach to their next features Previsualizing an entire movie before production to eliminate setups and solve story problems Using executive producer credits strategically when raising additional financing Practical advice for protecting hard drives, feeding a small crew, and building a trusted filmmaking community Memorable Quotes: “I'm a huge advocate for reshoots.” “And on that Saturday we got it onto the stage and it, and it fit through that hallway with a literal quarter of an inch clearance on either side, and that's like, that's not an exaggeration.” “I hope that this film can live kinda like when I first saw Slacker for the first time, and it was just like, oh, all you really need is a camera and two faces talking to each other.” “At the end of the day, surround yourself, your entire crew with people you trust creatively.” Guests: Alex Ullom Carrie Carusone Evan Barber Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer-director Sam Hayes and actor-filmmaker Michael Vlamis break down the making and unconventional release of Pools, a coming-of-age film built around an overnight pool-hopping adventure. They discuss the logistical challenges of shooting underwater on an indie schedule, building an ensemble cast around specific actors, and why traditional distribution offers pushed the team toward a hands-on grassroots strategy. Sam explains how pool-party premieres, years of networking, and a wine-fueled cold email helped Pools find a new audience through the Letterboxd Video Store, while Michael compares the scrappy production of Pools with working on Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. They also share lessons on preserving release momentum, budgeting for marketing, navigating film festivals, and finding an audience when streamers are not an option. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins, Sam Hayes, and Michael Vlamis discuss... How the image of a glowing pool at night became the foundation for Pools Writing characters with specific actors like Michael Vlamis, Odessa A'zion, and Tyler Alvarez in mind Building chemistry within an ensemble cast on a limited indie prep schedule The complications of filming overnight pool scenes and shooting underwater How a breath coach helped Odessa A'zion increase her underwater breath hold from roughly 15 seconds to a minute and a half Why Sam turned down disappointing traditional distribution offers and pursued a more hands-on service deal Creating pool-party premieres that made screenings feel like events rather than another movie release How Sam became a top 0.01% Partiful user while organizing approximately 25 promotional events Why filmmakers need to actively build relationships with festival programmers, distributors, critics, and other members of the indie film community The mistake of delaying Pools' TVOD release in hopes of benefiting from the attention around Odessa A'zion's other projects Why maintaining momentum and giving audiences an immediate way to watch a film matters after theatrical release How the crowded TVOD marketplace makes discoverability especially difficult for independent movies The wine-fueled cold email Sam wrote to Letterboxd after feeling like the film was running out of distribution options Why Letterboxd's curated Video Store offered Pools a way to stand apart from algorithm-driven platforms How the film's Letterboxd rating improved as more viewers discovered it Michael's experience moving between Pools, his indie feature Crossword, and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey Why a giant production can still feel surprisingly scrappy and responsive on set The difference between a film's production budget and the marketing budget needed to actually break through Why indie filmmakers cannot build their entire distribution strategy around getting acquired by a major streamer How real-world relationships can turn previous distribution passes into new opportunities Why Sam recommends budgeting for marketing before production begins The danger of submitting a rough cut to major film festivals before the movie is truly ready Michael's approach to finding grounded comedy without forcing jokes or overthinking a performance Memorable Quotes: “You need something fun, especially for an indie movie, to, like, build community around the film and with each other and make it about more than just the movie itself.” “As soon as the people start watching the movie, you want people to be able to see the movie.” “You can't rely on it. You have to find ways to, like, find your own audience with an indie film.” “Build in a marketing budget before you shoot. Like, have that be a part of the money that you raise.” Guests: Sam Hayes Michael Vlamis Resources: Pools on Letterboxd Rent Pools on the Letterboxd Video Store Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tribeca Festival Director and SVP of Programming Cara Cusumano joins No Film School’s GG Hawkins to reflect on 25 years of Tribeca and explain what independent filmmakers should understand about today’s festival landscape. Cusumano discusses Tribeca’s evolution from its post-9/11 roots into a multidisciplinary storytelling festival, how programmers evaluate nearly 14,000 submissions, why filmmakers should build relationships with their peers instead of chasing gatekeepers, and how festivals are responding to shifts in film distribution and audience behavior. She also shares how emerging filmmakers can participate in festival communities even without a film in the lineup and why creating distinctive work matters more than waiting for the perfect opportunity. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Cara Cusumano discuss... How Tribeca’s founding mission of community, connection, and celebrating movies has endured across 25 years Cara’s path from attending the first Tribeca Festival as a film student to becoming Festival Director and SVP of Programming Why networking is really about building relationships with your contemporaries and growing together throughout your careers How programmers view filmmakers and why they are actively looking for work to champion rather than trying to keep filmmakers out What makes a project feel distinctly right for Tribeca, from independent storytelling to memorable audience experiences How Tribeca manages and evaluates nearly 14,000 film and project submissions Why passionate advocacy inside the programming room can matter even when programmers disagree about a film Why festival feedback is complicated and how programming decisions can depend on the composition of the entire lineup, not simply the quality of an individual film How Tribeca expanded beyond features and shorts into television, podcasts, games, VR, immersive work, and creator-driven storytelling The value of human curation as an alternative to algorithmic discovery Why Tribeca is interested in projects that blur the boundaries between film, games, immersive media, podcasts, and other formats How the role of film festivals is changing as selling an independent film directly out of a festival becomes more difficult Why festivals increasingly function as places for talent discovery, career building, networking, and demonstrating audience demand How the in-person festival experience can create moments that cannot be replicated through individual at-home viewing How emerging filmmakers can participate in Tribeca through programs like the Storytelling Summit even if their work is not selected Why Cara hopes Tribeca remains flexible enough to respond to new forms of storytelling that do not yet have an established industry category Her advice to stop waiting for the perfect moment, keep collaborating, and make work because of the story rather than its potential festival or distribution outcome Memorable Quotes: “It's building a relationship with your contemporaries, and then you all grow. Like anyone who I know who has a position of power is only 'cause we were in the trenches as assistants 20 years ago.” “Programmers want to discover films. They live in fear of missing something amazing. They want to build those relationships.” “The industry player's coming less to buy completed projects than they are to scout future talent.” “There's never a perfect moment and, and it- the more that you can be creating and collaborating, and don't think about, like, what festival is this going to get into or what's the distribution going to be?” Guest: Cara Cusumano on IMDb Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fiscal sponsorship can give independent filmmakers access to tax-deductible donations, in-kind contributions, corporate partnerships, and other fundraising opportunities without changing how they monetize their films after completion. Host GG Hawkins talks with filmmaker Lindsay St. Laurent and New Hollywood's Ian Mark about how fiscal sponsorship works, how to approach donors, and why building sustainable working conditions into an indie production matters. They also discuss tax incentives, pre-production strategies that can prevent burnout, protecting cast and crew on low-budget sets, and creating long-term relationships with supporters. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests Lindsay St. Laurent and Ian Mark discuss... How fiscal sponsorship allows filmmakers to fundraise through a nonprofit while maintaining the ability to operate commercially once the film is completed Why tax-deductible donations can give filmmakers a different fundraising pitch than traditional equity investment How in-kind donations can help cover production needs such as equipment, food, catering, and crafty How fiscal sponsorship can add legitimacy when approaching companies and potential partners New Hollywood's requirements for sponsored productions, including reasonable workdays, adequate turnaround times, and real meal breaks Why sustainable set culture and crew wellbeing can improve both the production experience and the finished film How table reads, storyboards, and strong pre-production planning can help filmmakers avoid long shoot days and burnout Why directors should communicate with department heads early and build schedules that make their jobs easier The importance of considering the emotional demands placed on actors when scheduling difficult scenes Why cast and crew members should understand their rights, establish boundaries, and read their contracts even on non-union productions How a more competitive grant landscape and changing corporate priorities are affecting independent film financing Why filmmakers raising larger budgets should research production tax credits and rebates as part of their financing strategy How to approach potential donors by focusing on genuine relationships rather than treating every conversation as a one-time ask Why filmmakers should present their projects as already having momentum rather than appearing dependent on a single donor How getting the first company, donor, or organization to say yes can make additional partnerships easier to secure Memorable Quotes: “So you get to fundraise as a nonprofit when you're starting, and then still operate as a for-profit entity once you have a film that you're ready to take to market.” “Just for our listeners, like if somebody is pushing you in a way that is not okay, you can say no, even if it's non-union.” “But like nobody is going to advocate for you on those sets except yourself, so it is good to know your rights.” “The first yes is the hardest one to get. Once you get that yes, the other yeses just start coming.” Guests: Lindsay St. Laurent Ian Mark Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices