How a $30K Animated Indie Scored a Theatrical Run — Then Landed on HBO

In this episode, GG Hawkins speaks with animator and director Julian Glander about making his microbudget animated feature Boys Go to Jupiter for just $30,000, premiering it at Tribeca, building momentum through a 50-festival run, and eventually landing theatrical distribution and a streaming home on HBO Max. Glander breaks down the realities of producing an animated feature outside the studio system, from teaching himself new tools in Blender to embracing the scrappy story behind the film, negotiating festival fees, navigating distribution conversations, and figuring out what comes next after a breakout first feature. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Julian Glander discuss... How Glander and producer Payson made Boys Go to Jupiter with a tiny team and a $30,000 budget Why Blender and open-source communities made an indie animated feature possible What surprised Glander most about audience reactions to the film’s scrappy origins The reality check of premiering at Tribeca without an instant splashy acquisition How a long festival run helped the film build momentum and recoup its budget through screening fees and prizes Why showing up in person for festival screenings and Q&As can make a lasting impact How Cartuna helped shape the film’s theatrical rollout The role of PR, timing, and critical response in helping the film break out theatrically What it means to let go of control during distribution while still protecting the work How Glander is thinking about a second feature and resisting the pressure of “heat” Memorable Quotes: “You really do have to be delusional and not know what’s going to happen.” “I was embarrassed by how scrappy it was but it turned out to be like the thing that brings people in and the thing that makes them love it.” “If you don’t ask for it, you don’t get it.” “Most things are Googleable.” Guests: Julian Glander on IMDb Julian Glander on Instagram Resources: Boys Go to Jupiter on IMDb I Really Love My Husband Screening and QA 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

In this episode, No Film School host GG Hawkins speaks with director Charlie Tyrell and editors Davis Coombe and Daysha Broadway about The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist. The conversation explores how the team shaped an essay-driven documentary around AI, parenting, authorship, and uncertainty, while also breaking down the collaborative editorial process, the ethics of making a film in real time about a rapidly changing subject, and the analog craft choices that gave the project its tactile visual identity. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests discuss... How The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist uses a filmmaker’s journey into impending parenthood as a narrative device for exploring AI anxiety and optimism Why the team chose an essay-documentary structure while still grounding the film in Daniel Roher’s on-camera perspective The challenges of shaping a documentary whose subject kept changing during production as AI news evolved in real time How Charlie Tyrell, Davis Coombe, and Daysha Broadway each found their way into filmmaking and documentary storytelling The creative and ethical complications of having a co-director also function as a subject within the film How the filmmakers balanced accessibility, complexity, and emotional honesty while making a movie about a massive technological shift The editorial collaboration behind the film, including remote workflows, shared creative decision-making, and leaving ego at the door Why the team intentionally avoided using AI in the film’s creative workflow How Premiere Pro Productions, transcription tools, Blender, After Effects, Dragonframe, stop-motion builds, and practical effects supported the film’s handmade aesthetic Where the guests currently land on the spectrum between AI optimism and AI anxiety as working filmmakers and editors Why the guests believe the biggest question is not just what AI can do, but how people choose to use it Memorable Quotes: “It actively wrestles with it in real time, both thematically and in the way that it was made.” “Everyone kind of just left their ego at the door and showed up to do the work.” “Filmmaking only brings suffering.” “I don't feel like AI is the big bad. To me, the people are the big bad.” Guests: Charlie Tyrell Davis Coombe Daysha Broadway Resources: The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist Synopsis: From the Academy Award-winning filmmakers behind Everything Everywhere All at Once and Navalny, a father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with all this AI insanity. The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist is a hand-made, eye-opening documentary about the most powerful technology humanity has ever created and what’s at stake if we get it wrong. For resources and ways to join the apocaloptimist community, visit theaidocgetinvolved.com 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

GG Hawkins speaks with filmmaker Pete Ohs for the first installment in a quarterly 2026 series tracking how he releases four films over the course of the year. Using OBEX as the case study, Ohs breaks down the film’s microbudget production, Sundance 2025 premiere, U.S. acquisition by Oscilloscope, and the realities of theatrical rollout for independent films. Their conversation explores how booking works, what filmmaker participation in Q&As can actually do for a release, and where creative energy, audience-building, and sustainability meet during distribution. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Pete Ohs discuss... How OBEX was made with Albert Birney in and around his Baltimore home Why the film’s Sundance 2025 premiere led to a U.S. deal with Oscilloscope What sales agents, distributors, and theater bookers each do in an indie release Why January became the strategic release window for OBEX How theatrical runs expand based on performance, per-screen averages, and momentum Which Q&A appearances felt worthwhile in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Baltimore What the marketing campaign looked like, including social assets created with Continue Agency How Ohs thinks about audience response, Letterboxd reviews, and the digital release Why preserving energy during release may matter as much as inventing new promotional ideas What Ohs is testing next as Erupcja begins its release Memorable Quotes: “The walk from here to the bathroom is also recovering time.” “They said he couldn't do period pieces on a budget.” “I just love that it's proof that somebody watched it.” “There are limits to the time and the energy, and that you can have all these ideas, but they're just ideas until you kind of do them.” Guests: Pete Ohs Resources: Pete Ohs’ quarterly 2026 distribution experiment series Previous Pete Ohs interviews on No Film School 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 Austin during the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival, reflecting on how the event felt different after the convention center overhaul and how the festival’s film and tech worlds collided more directly than ever. They discuss the growing tension between filmmakers and artificial intelligence, the value of human intuition in directing and storytelling, standout panels and screenings, and what Ryan learned while serving on the narrative shorts jury. The episode also highlights how SXSW continues to champion bold filmmaking, practical craft insights, and the importance of in-person creative community at a moment when AI is reshaping the industry. In this episode, No Film School's Ryan Koo and Jourdan Aldredge discuss... How SXSW 2026 felt different on the ground after the festival’s reorganization across downtown Austin Why AI became one of the defining themes of this year’s SXSW conversations, panels, and screenings Ryan’s takeaway from Steven Spielberg’s SXSW appearance and his emphasis on intuition in filmmaking The documentary The AI Doc and how it framed AI through both filmmaking and fears about the future The tension between slick AI-generated imagery and the value of human-made, lived-in artistic choices Ryan’s experience serving as a narrative shorts juror and what he learned from watching all 19 shorts in competition Why short films need to stand on their own instead of only functioning as proof-of-concept features How filmmakers today are reaching an incredibly high level of craft across directing, cinematography, and performance The narrative shorts that stood out to Ryan, including Supper and Souvenir, which won the jury honors Jourdan’s spotlight on Mantis Stream (Like and Subscribe) and why inventive midnight filmmaking still feels vital Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters as a bold opening-night film and a perfect example of SXSW’s creative identity What they learned from SXSW panels on documentary storytelling, virtual production, immersive audio, and emerging filmmaking tools Why film festivals and in-person artistic gatherings feel even more essential in an increasingly virtual world Memorable Quotes: “The human hand of it is the point of art.” “I’d as soon eat nails, then use AI in my films.” “Go to festivals, make friends, make art, mess up.” Resources: No Film School SXSW coverage 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

In this episode, No Film School host GG Hawkins speaks with editor Sonny Atkins about shaping fear through sound, rhythm, and restraint in the horror feature Undertone. Atkins breaks down how the film’s audio-first concept influenced everything from the script to the cut, why long pauses and musical timing can heighten dread, and how a deeply personal story about grief and caregiving evolved through the editorial process. He also shares practical insights into working scrappy on a low-budget feature, using Premiere Pro’s Productions workflow, speech-to-text, temp sound design, and test screenings to refine both story and suspense. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Sonny Atkins discuss... How Undertone began as an audio-driven concept and why that immediately stood out in the script Why sound design became central to the edit, not just an atmospheric layer The challenge of building horror around what the audience hears instead of what they see How Ian Tuason’s personal experience with caregiving and grief shaped the emotional core of the film Discovering story solutions in post, including the addition of a saved voicemail from the protagonist’s mother Creating distinct sonic and visual worlds between the downstairs living space and the mother’s upstairs room What it took to make a low-budget Canadian horror feature feel polished and cinematic Why Atkins cut his first assembly extremely short, then built the film back up from its essential skeleton How rhythm, blank space, and even drum rudiments became part of the team’s language for suspense Using Premiere Pro’s Productions workflow to keep a feature edit organized and responsive How speech-to-text helped manage ADR, offscreen dialogue, and hundreds of audio files Why editors should mock up sound ideas early for test screenings instead of waiting for the final sound team How Frame.io helped organize notes with timecode-based feedback Why humor can be an important release valve inside horror Career advice on longevity, mentorship, process, and closing the gap between taste and ability Memorable Quotes: “Because in this film, sound isn't just part of the atmosphere, it's the engine of the story.” “A lot of it's about rhythm and where to leave blank space, and that kind of stuff.” “The people who make it in this business are the people who don't quit. It's a longevity game.” “If your focus is really just not about making the work really good and working a lot, you can sort of inoculate yourself against having your heart broken over and over again.” Guests: Sonny Atkins (IMDb) Resources: Undertone on IMDb The Gap by Ira Glass Taylor Mason on editing Him for No Film School 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 Amy Wang joins the No Film School podcast to discuss her debut feature, Slanted, and the long road from film school to theatrical release. In conversation with GG Hawkins, Wang reflects on leaving Australia for AFI, building a creative community in Los Angeles, learning to write as a practical path to survival in the industry, and what happened after Slanted premiered at SXSW 2025, won the Grand Jury Prize, and eventually landed distribution ahead of its 2026 theatrical release. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Amy Wang discuss... How Fight Club inspired Wang to pursue filmmaking as a teenager in Sydney Why she left Australia for AFI and what it was like arriving in Los Angeles as an international student The real value of film school, especially for community-building and dedicated creative time Why learning to write became the key to sustaining a filmmaking career after graduation How a Black List script helped open doors in Hollywood The emotional and personal origins of Slanted Why body horror and comedy became the right form for exploring race, identity, and belonging How Slanted went from a logline to a financed feature What production and post looked like on a tight timeline before SXSW What it felt like to premiere at SXSW, hear audience reactions, and unexpectedly win the Grand Jury Prize The reality of selling an indie film in today’s market, even after major festival recognition What Wang learned from working with Bleecker Street on the theatrical release Details about her next feature, Crescendo, set in the world of competitive piano Memorable Quotes: “If you don't come from money, if you don't have a famous uncle and you don't want to work at Starbucks for the next three to four years after you graduate, you need to learn how to write.” (12:48) “You can't let the highs be too high and you can't let the lows be too low.” (16:31) “It doesn't matter what I do, it doesn't matter who I am, how I speak, my personality is like, what my thoughts or how intelligent I am, people will always see my face first.” (19:08) “As long as you keep going, as long as you keep learning and changing and growing, I think you don't need to be the best throughout your life to be able to have a career in this industry.” (40:56) Guests: Amy Wang Resources: Slanted official film page Applying for Your O-1 Visa to Work in Film and TV 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

In this episode, GG Hawkins speaks with editor Harrison Atkins about shaping A24’s How to Make a Killing with director John Patton Ford. Atkins breaks down his path into editing, his holistic “total filmmaker” approach to storytelling, and the editorial challenges of balancing dark comedy, violence, voiceover, and audience empathy around a morally compromised protagonist. The conversation also explores the realities of studio post-production, from long edit timelines and test screenings to cutting in Adobe Premiere’s Productions workflow while collaborating with a London-based post team more accustomed to Avid. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Harrison Atkins discuss... How Harrison Atkins found his way into editing through directing and making his own films Why he thinks of editing as a holistic, dramaturgical part of filmmaking rather than a purely technical role Reuniting with director John Patton Ford after Emily the Criminal What drew him to the multi-tonal mix of crime, satire, dark comedy, and violence in How to Make a Killing How voiceover created both opportunity and endless editorial possibilities in the cut The difference between an indie sprint like Emily the Criminal and the extended timeline of a studio feature How test screenings and audience response helped refine comedy, pacing, and emotional momentum Why the first reel was crucial to getting audiences aligned with a charismatic but morally gray lead The editorial challenge of shaping an underdog around Glenn Powell’s natural confidence and charm How Premiere’s Productions workflow supported a collaborative feature edit with multiple people working simultaneously What it was like cutting the film in London with assistant editors adapting from an Avid-heavy post environment How temporary VFX comps in After Effects and Photoshop helped solve story and joke-building problems inside the edit Harrison’s philosophy of leadership, collaboration, intuition, and staying present as both an editor and director His advice to emerging filmmakers: fail boldly, work small if necessary, and keep making things instead of waiting for permission Memorable Quotes: “I never really considered myself an editor. I still kind of weirdly don't.” (01:19) “The calendar is really a myth.” (06:59) “The difference between a joke that lands and one that doesn't is often microscopic.” (13:30) “Perfection is the enemy of good.” (33:50) Guests: Harrison Atkins Resources: How to Make a Killing Emily the Criminal Total Filmmaker by Jerry Lewis 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 live at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, this annual Director of Photography Roundtable features No Film School’s GG Hawkins in conversation with cinematographers Lidia Nikonova, Sam Levy, and Maria Herrera. The group discusses their unconventional paths into cinematography—from orchestras and photojournalism to weddings and radio DJing—how they landed their Sundance projects, and why connection, rhythm, and trust matter more than flashy lookbooks. They also break down the tools they used to communicate vision, navigate long dialogue scenes, and adapt to technical and emotional challenges on set. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests discuss… Shooting at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and hosting at the BraveMaker house Maria Herrera’s transition from music to cinematography and operating handheld for emotionally intense performances Sam Levy’s mentorship under Harris Savides and how that shaped his approach to narrative filmmaking Lidia Nikonova’s journey from photojournalism and the Canon EOS 5D Mark II to AFI and shooting narrative features How each DP landed their Sundance projects through relationships, cold emails, and creative chemistry When to bring visual references to a director meeting—and when to just listen Using tools like Figma to build collaborative lookbooks and visual worlds Why dialogue rhythm and musicality influence cinematography choices Shooting on 35mm with an Arricam ST versus digital on the ARRI Alexa 35 Working with vintage Super Baltar lenses (famously used on The Godfather) for a modern crime thriller Referencing L'Argent by Robert Bresson for insert shots and cinematic economy How to approach 10+ page dialogue scenes without losing visual intention The value of shooting weddings and low-budget projects to build craft and confidence Advice for emerging cinematographers: show up early, trust your vision, and get your reps in Memorable Quotes: “This child will never play a musical instrument ever in her life.” “If you have good dialogues, it's like, okay, here's something.” “Just connect with her.” “Show up at least one hour early… and do not use your phone on set.” Guests: Lidia Nikonova Sam Levy Maria Herrera 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

Producer Zainab Azizi joins GG Hawkins to break down her journey from agency mailroom to President of Raimi Productions and producing studio features like Send Help. Azizi shares how she develops original ideas, packages talent, protects projects through shifting studio mandates, and leads with a collaborative producing style. She also discusses mentoring female producers, balancing creative and financial realities in modern filmmaking, and why theatrical success for original films still matters. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Zainab Azizi discuss... How Send Help evolved from a logline in 2019 to a theatrical release Moving the project from Columbia Pictures to 20th and navigating studio mandate shifts Why Sam Raimi was essential to directing the film—and how storyboards helped secure studio confidence Packaging as a producer: attaching directors and actors through agency relationships Casting Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien and building chemistry into the film’s core dynamic The tension between “social media value” and creative talent in casting decisions What Azizi learned in the WME mailroom and how agencies really function behind the scenes Different types of producers (creative, line, financing, studio producers) and protecting the “PGA” credit Her collaborative leadership style and the “three solutions for every problem” rule Mentorship, promoting female producers, and fostering more women-led sets Why theatrical releases for original films still matter in 2026 Developing a Seshu Hayakawa biopic and why his story feels urgent today The importance of sacrifice, networking, and embracing rejection early in your career Memorable Quotes: “My job is to find three solutions for every problem.” “Rejection is just redirection. We celebrate rejections.” “If it scares you, it means you’re headed the right direction.” “You have to put yourself out there.” Guests: Zainab Azizi – President of Raimi Productions and producer of Send Help Resources: LaBelle Foundation (for adopting Cactus the foster puppy) Producers Guild of America (PGA) Producers United 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 live from the Sundance Film Festival, GG Hawkins hosts a roundtable conversation with four short film directors premiering work at the festival: Kelly McCormack (How Brief), Anna Baumgarten (Balloon Animals), Ana Alpízar (Norheimsund), and Anooya Swamy (Pankaja). The filmmakers discuss the origins of their films, navigating production across Cuba, India, Canada, and the U.S., working within (and outside of) film school structures, and the deeply personal themes of grief, mother-daughter relationships, disappearance, and survival that unexpectedly connect their work. In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and guests discuss… Shooting narrative shorts on location in Havana, Bangalore, Vancouver, and Los Angeles Returning to Cuba to film Norheimsund after seeking asylum in the United States How Pankaja draws from growing up in the slums of Bangalore and confronting personal memory Making a $6,500 microbudget short inside a real grocery store overnight Building a short film over eight years and resisting the “proof of concept” mindset Working within NYU’s film school structure versus creating outside institutional systems Casting mother-daughter dynamics rooted in real-life relationships Designing color theory, texture, cement, and dirt as emotional language Shooting inside real police stations and navigating bureaucracy while telling stories about it Grief as a “big soup of emotions” and balancing melancholy with comedy Collaborating with ride-or-die creative partners Advice for emerging filmmakers about not compromising and trusting instinct Memorable Quotes: “Dreaming doesn’t cost a thing.” “Choosing oblivion.” “We often live really simple lives in complicated worlds.” “You are allowed not to compromise.” Guests: Kelly McCormack – Director, How Brief Anna Baumgarten – Writer/Director, Balloon Animals Ana Alpízar – Director, Norheimsund Anooya Swamy – Writer/Director, Pankaja 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