Today’s episode is a special one. I’m joined by John Kinnane, writer, and Brendan Kinnane, executive producer—two members of the Kinnane Brothers, an eight-sibling filmmaking family who are redefining what an independent film operation can look like.
Their new feature, Solo Mio, is in theaters right now. Released by Angel Studios on 3,000 screens, the film opened in second place at the box office—an enormous achievement for a true micro-budget production. It’s the kind of story exhibitors and indie filmmakers dream about: a scrappy, family-run production going toe-to-toe with studio titles and winning over audiences.
If the Kinnane name sounds familiar, it might be from their viral “sound guy” shorts with Kevin James during the pandemic—videos that exploded online and put them on the industry’s radar. From there, brothers Chuck and Dan directed Home Team for Adam Sandler, starring Kevin James, which debuted at number one on Netflix.
Now with Solo Mio, all eight brothers are officially credited on a single feature for the first time—each one leading a different discipline, from writing and directing to editing, VFX, and music. They operate as a fully self-contained creative unit out of a charming old farmhouse in Little Compton—main floor as production headquarters, basement transformed into an Irish pub. It’s part think tank, part film studio, part family legend in the making.
Directed by Charles and Daniel Kinnane and co-written with Kevin James, Solo Mio follows a man who heads to Rome on his honeymoon alone after being left at the altar. It’s romantic, funny, and set against a stunning Italian backdrop—but behind it is a uniquely American filmmaking story about family, hustle, and building something from the ground up.
Today we’re talking about how eight brothers divide creative roles without dividing each other, how you scale from viral shorts to a 3,000-screen theatrical release, and what it really takes to turn a micro-budget film into a box office hit.
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