In this week's episode, we take the key quotes from each of our guests from the 2019's interviews and provide our opinions on them. We go a bit deeper on the meaning of each, whether we agree or not, and offer some valuable advice along the way. Thank you to all of our guests in 2019, and thank you, the audience, and supporters of this podcast. We have a killer 2020 in store for you. Questions: Reach us at contact@bonsai.film #MAKEIT Links: Joshua Bermudez (actor) IMDb Pro Masterclass Variety Ma...
Jan 14, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 67
In this episode, we talk about the five deadly myths of Independent Filmmaking and how to prepare yourself to avoid or counter each of them. If you're a Director, Producer, or Executive Producer, you'll want to listen to this one! Enjoy! Questions? Reach out to us @ contact@bonsai.film www.bonsai.film #MAKEIT Links: Scarface (film) The Blair Witch Project (film) Napoleon Dynamite (film) Dirty Dancing (film) Dick Gregory (entertainer & activist) LaKeith Stanfield (actor) Selma (film) Short Te...
Jan 12, 2020•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 66
In this episode, we have a conversation with writer/director Motke Dapp. We talk about his magical childhood, how Indie Film can help itself, and his new latest feature film, Another Version of You. Enjoy! Questions: Reach out to us @ questions@bonsai.film Learn more about Bonsai Creative and the MAKE IT Podcast @ www.bonsai.film #MAKEIT Links: Website IMDb Another Version of You (film) Sara Antonio (actress) Brittany Belland (actress) Ryan Hartsock (producer) Micah Simms (cinematographer) Steve...
Dec 04, 2019•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 65
Hello! In this week's episode, we continue our Indie Talk conversation from last week to discuss a topic near and dear to an Indie filmmaker's heart: the path to profitability. Enjoy! Questions? Reach out to us @ contact@bonsai.film Learn more about Bonsai Creative @ www.bonsai.film #MAKEIT Links: Lulu Wang (director) The Farewell (film) Yesterday (film) The Big Sick (film) Love Actually (film) Danny Boyle (director) Leonardo DiCaprio (actor) Ted Welch (actor) Timothée Chalamet (actor) Call Me B...
Nov 21, 2019•57 min•Ep. 64
Hello! In this week's episode, we talk about the slow-moving theatrical trend toward only making IP (Intellectual Property) and franchise films for big-box theater. We ask the question, Does it make sense to write an original screenplay with the intent on theatrical wide-release? What do you think? Let us know on Twitter or Insta @_bonsaicreative Questions? Reach out to us @ contact@bonsai.film Learn more about Bonsai Creative @ www.bonsai.film #MAKEIT Links: The Avengers (film) Once Upon a Time...
Nov 12, 2019•47 min•Ep. 63
In this episode, we have a conversation with Director and Writer, Kd Amond, and Producer and Actress Tiffany Montgomery. We did this one live in the VIP tent at the Nashville Film Festival, where Kd and Tiffany's dramedy, Five Women In the End, premiered. We talked about the inspiration behind the film, the upsides, and downsides of shooting a feature film on an iPhone, and how a creative knows when they're good at their craft. Enjoy! Questions? Reach us at contact@bonsai.film www.bonsai.film #M...
Nov 01, 2019•43 min•Ep. 62
In this week's episode, we have a conversation with Writer and Director Joey von Haeger. We talk about the biggest pitfalls new filmmakers should avoid, the reason he hasn't moved to Los Angeles, and why Star Trek is better than Star Wars. Enjoy! Questions? Reach out to us @ contact@bonsai.film Visit www.bonsai.film to learn about how Bonsai Creative can help you make your best film. #MAKEIT Links: Website IMDb Instagram YouTube Dean Shortland (actor) Ted Welch (actor) Watkins College of Art Wes...
Oct 23, 2019•45 min•Ep. 61
Hello! On this Indie Talk week, we get tactical about how to get the most out of your festival run. We dive into how to ensure a sellout at your feature film premiere, how to break the ice when networking, and some of the ways you can brand and market yourself or your services during a festival. Enjoy! Questions? Reach us at contact@bonsai.film To learn more about Chris & Nick, visit www.bonsai.film #MAKEIT Links: Nashville Film Festival Another Version of You (film) The 7 Habits of Highly E...
Oct 15, 2019•50 min•Ep. 60
"If you can figuratively get naked in front of your audience as an artist...that's what creates the best art." - Matt Williams In this episode, we have a conversation with Actor and Writer Matt Williams. We chat about why creative work dries-up and what to do about it, what makes for the rawest art, and why Method acting doesn't work for him. Enjoy! To learn more about Matt and Chris visit www.bonsai.film Please send questions to contact@bonsai.film . #MAKEIT Links: Website IMDb Instagram Twitte...
Oct 01, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 59
Hello all, on this week's episode of Indie Talk, we discuss the nature of great art versus highly derivative art (and how to avoid the latter), a new way to view the EMMY Awards as a casting research tool, and the possibility of living forever. Enjoy! www.bonsai.film #MAKEIT Links: The Farewell (film) Awkwafina (actress) Malcom Gladwell podcasts The Joe Rogan Experience podcast WTF with Marc Marron podcast The Tim Ferris Show podcast This American Life podcast Serial podcast Martin Shkreli Heari...
Sep 24, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 58
"Live your life for a short period of time the way most people won't, to live the rest of your life the way most people can't." - Rasheed Stephens On this episode, we have a conversation with comedian, writer, actor, and producer Rasheed Stephens. We chat about his creative mindset, how to know when you're going bomb a comedic set, and how to make a feature film for less than $20K. Enjoy! To learn more about Rasheed, follow him @stephens_rasheed To learn more about Chris, Nick, and Bonsai Creati...
Sep 17, 2019•54 min•Ep. 57
On this episode, Chris and guest host Sandrene Mathews talk about the requirements to get into the Writers and Producers guilds, how to spot a snake in the grass in the movie business, and how Deep Fakes might change the film industry in the future. Enjoy! To learn more about Chris visit www.bonsai.film To learn more about Sandrene, you can find and follower her on all platforms @iamsandrene #MAKEIT Links: Website IMDb John Belushi (actor) Animal House (film) Writer’s Guild of America Producer’s...
Sep 07, 2019•57 min•Ep. 56
"If we're rehearsing something, writing something, do not waste my time, let's get to work. Come over, let's work on what we're going to work on, and then if you want to go get a beer, we'll go get a beer." - Ted Welch On this episode, we have a conversation with actor and writer, Ted Welch. We talk about his new film Adult Interference, how his approach to acting has changed since his roles in The Help and True Blood, and what his biggest pet-peeves are on-set and off. This is Ted's second appe...
Aug 30, 2019•56 min•Ep. 55
On this weeks episode, Chris & Nick discuss four choices all Indie Filmmakers need to make and four systematic walls that the Indie Film community needs to topple. Enjoy! To learn more about Chris & Nick, please visit www.bonsai.film Follow the Bonsai journey on social media @_bonsaicreative #MAKEIT Links: Sarena Khan (producer) Belcourt Theatre – Nashville Blockbuster didn’t buy Netflix (article) Adult Interference (film) Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-make-it-podca...
Aug 16, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 54
On this weeks episode, we talk with Producer and Writer, Sarena Khan. We explore what it takes to be a great producer, going all-in on acting parts, and making art that's culturally significant. Enjoy! To learn more about Sarena and Chris, visit www.bonsai.film Send us your questions at contact@bonsai.film #MAKEIT Links: IMDb LinkedIn Adult Interference (film) University of Southern California Nashville Film Festival Stefanie Black (producer) The House of Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca (...
Aug 10, 2019•56 min•Ep. 53
On this episode, Chris & Nick talk about The Farewell and Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, how your goals for your film should influence your approach to distribution, and why excellent filmmaking relies on a series of great choices. Enjoy! Questions? Reach out to us at contact@bonsai.film To learn more about Chris and Nick, visit www.bonsai.film #MAKEIT Links: The Farewell (film) Awkwafina (actress) Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood (film) Bruce Lee (actor) Another Version of You (film) Motke Da...
Aug 04, 2019•41 min•Ep. 52
In this episode, we have a conversation with the writer, director, producer, Jennifer Bonior. We talk about why horror is such an influential social genre, the 48 Hour Film Project as a proving ground, and why attempting to improv an entire feature is a horrible idea. Enjoy! To learn more about Jennifer and Bonsai Creative visit www.bonsai.film or www.daisydukesfilm.com #MAKEIT Links: Instagram IMDb LinkedIn Daisy Dukes Film The 48 Hour Film Project Dycee Wildman (writer/director) Stephanie Adam...
Jul 26, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 51
On this week's episode, we turn the tables on ourselves and answer the questions we usually ask of our guests. We answer questions on favorite resources, teaching someone to be a capable Executive Producer, and what business and creative mistakes we see filmmakers backing into without realizing it. Enjoy! To learn more about Bonsai visit, https://bonsai.film Questions or Suggestions? Email us at contact@bonsai.film #MAKEIT Links: Nick’s Recommendations: One Note Excel Evernote Scrivener Chris’s ...
Jul 19, 2019•53 min•Ep. 50
On this episode, we have a conversation with the dynamic film Producing duo, Brian and Jake Jalbert, known affectionately as the Jalbert Brothers. We talk about making a feature film for $5K and under, the pros and cons of self-distribution, and the nature of spirits and ghosts. Enjoy! To learn more about The Jalbert Brothers and Bonsai Creative, visit https://bonsai.film/makeit . #MAKEIT Links: Website Hacking Hollywood Pitch Festival Film Com Jean-Claude Van Damme (actor) Rocky (film) Jackass ...
Jul 12, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 49
On this week's episode, we take some of the best pieces of advice, tips, tricks, tactics, and teaching from our previous conversations to arm you with the tools to do your best work now and in the future. This episode includes clips from: Ryan Hartsock, Award-Winning Producer Dean Shortland, Actor (Dynasty, Nashville) Chris Greene, Actor (Atlanta, Queen of the South, Birth of a Nation) Shannan E. Johnson, Screenwriter Drew Maynard, Filmmaker (The Saurus, Used To Could, Backfire) Ciciley Hoffman,...
Jul 12, 2019•57 min•Ep. 48
On this week's episode, Chris Barkley and Nick Buggs share their experiences from the feature film pitch room at this year's Film-Com conference and breakdown the keys to a successful pitch. Enjoy! To learn more about Chris & Nick visit https://bonsai.film Have questions? Email us at contact@bonsai.film #MAKEIT Links: Film-Com KD Amond (filmmaker) Ex Machina (filmmaker) Her (film) Darren Aronofsky (director) Breaking Bad (tv series) Mad Men (tv series) Black Mirror (tv series) Sandrene Mathe...
Jun 28, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 47
“The best thing you can do for yourself is not to be limited by what you have, but to just go and make it.” - Jacquie Phillips On this week's episode, we have a conversation with Director, Jacquie Phillips. We talk about the importance of networking, making the jump from tech to film, FOMO, and lessons learned from William H. Macy. Enjoy! Jacquie is a Director and Producer based in Los Angeles. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Jacquie’s debut feature, Wild Man, now titled Adult Inte...
Jun 21, 2019•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 46
“Even when you feel like you did a bad audition, make them tell you why (it was bad).” - Christine Woods On this week’s episode of The MAKE IT Podcast, we have a conversation with actress and singer Christine Woods (@trickybear). We chat about what to do after an audition, the right way to get a nickname, the importance of forgetting all the rules to find your exact process, and what made Johnny Cash and Billy Corgan successful vocalists. Enjoy! To learn more about Christine and Bonsai visit htt...
Jun 07, 2019•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 45
"Your character needs to have a reason for being in the story and interacting with other people." - Sandrene Mathews On this week's episode, we have a conversation with Assistant Director Sandrene Mathews. We talk about why she created a web-series, what she looks for as a script reader and screener, and the difference between seasoned creatives and beginners. Listen+Subscribe+Rate = Love Enjoy! Questions or Comments? Reach out to us at contact@bonsai.film or on social and the web at https://lin...
May 31, 2019•58 min•Ep. 44
Hello! This week on the podcast co-hosts and Bonsai Creative co-founders Chris Barkley and Nicholas Buggs talk about Korber Lenker's web series Morse Code and how he leverages his brand to expand the show audience, and we expose the "business within a business" that exists within Independent Film distribution and purchasing. To learn more about Bonsai Creative, go to https://bonsai.film #MAKEIT Links: Korby Lenker (musician) Morse Code (web series) Nashville Story Garden (theater company) Drew M...
May 26, 2019•51 min•Ep. 43
"Don't hate the audition process. Do the work, create the character. [The part] was either yours or it wasn't yours." - Sara Antonio Hello! This week we have a conversation with actress Sara Antonio. Sara talks about not hating on the audition process, how to create multiple characters, and how she and late actress Brittany Belland met. Enjoy! Listen+Subscribe+Rate = Love Enjoy! Questions or Comments? Reach out to us at contact@bonsai.film or on social and the web at https://linktr.ee/BonsaiCrea...
May 17, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 42
Hello! In this conversation, Chris & Nick talk about the 19-year-old filmmaking phenom Phillip Youmans and how his success relates to minding his brand and the brand of his cast. Enjoy! Find out more about Chris and Nick at www.bonsai.film . #MAKEIT Links: Burning Cane (film) Phillip Youmans (director) Tribeca Film Festival (film) Wendell Pierce (actor) Sara Antonio (actress) Motke Dapp (director) Ted Welch (actor) Long Shot (film) The Dark Knight (film) Mad Men (tv series) Breaking Bad (tv ...
May 10, 2019•44 min•Ep. 41
"The number one thing, way more important than talent, is persistence." - Korby Lenker This week we talk with musician, writer, actor, and producer Korby Lenker. Korby is a heavy-touring, award-winning singer-songwriter, a published author, and creator and star of a new scripted web-series named Morse Code that can be viewed on Vimeo. Episode 4 premieres on May 23rd, 2019. Listen+Subscribe+Rate = Love Enjoy! Questions or Comments? Reach out to us at contact@bonsai.film or on social and the web a...
May 03, 2019•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 40
This week I bring in Nick Buggs, co-founder of Bonsai Creative as my Podcast co-host to expound upon the topic of creating a winning pitch deck and prospectus for your film. For those that hope to gain the attention of investors and top collaborators, we provide actionable advice on how to build your investor talk tracks and pitch decks. Also, full disclosure this episode has some audio modulations that we tried to fix in post, but you may notice that when I talk my levels, at times, get a littl...
Apr 26, 2019•45 min•Ep. 39
“If all you see is the frame and the light, you’re not a Director. You can’t be a Director if you don’t know how actors work.” - Nathan Edwards⠀⠀⠀ On this episode, we have a conversation with Producer and Director Nathan Edwards (@MrNathanEdwards on social). We talk about understanding actors and improv as a means to better direct and produce, the keys to shooting political ads versus commercial ads, and the legend of Knox Hargrove. Enjoy! Listen+Subscribe+Rate = Love Enjoy! Questions or Comment...
Apr 20, 2019•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 38
