Discover Indie Film

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Kathy Meng wrote and directed the short film “Willow and Wu,” a fantastic drama that had its Los Angeles Premiere at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025. “Willow and Wu” earned Kathy and her co-writer Harry Bacon the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Screenplay -Drama, as well as the Grand Jury Award for Best Cinematography – Short Film. Kathy lives in Berlin and was not able to attend SOFF 2025, so I extra excited to chat with her and find out what types of films inspire her with the 4 Questions. Follow the film on Instagram at @willowandwu_film Follow Kathy on Instagram at @kathy_meng _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Friday (and Oscars weekend to all who celebrate!) Kathy Meng wrote and directed the short film “Willow and Wu,” a fantastic drama that had its Los Angeles Premiere at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025. “Willow and Wu” earned Kathy and her co-writer Harry Bacon the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Screenplay -Drama, as well as the Grand Jury Award for Best Cinematography – Short Film. Kathy lives in Berlin and was not able to attend SOFF 2025, which made getting to know her through this interview very welcome. Follow the film on Instagram at @willowandwu_film Follow Kathy on Instagram at @kathy_meng And now for a fun tidbit! Guess what? Part of my job is pulling names out of the credits of a film when an individual who worked on it wins an award. When I looked up the cinematographer for “Willow and Wu” I was delighted to discover that SOFF alumni Sancheev Ravichandran was Kathy's cinematographer! Sancheev's comedic short film “Well-Rounded” took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Creativity in Comedy at SOFF 2024! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Kristina Sullivan wrote, produced, and starred inthe short film “What If … You Had The Perfect Person,” a SciFi short that was an official selection at Sherman Oaks FIlm Festival in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Awards for Outstanding Cast Performance – Short Film – SciFi and Outstanding Screenplay – Short Film – SciFi for screenwriter Kristina Sullivan! I already knew Kristina was an avid film lover before we chatted because she the way she attended and supported so many screenings at the festival, so I was extra excited to follow up with her 4 Questions! You can follow Kristina on Instagram at @misskristina617 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Monday, Listerners! Kristina Sullivan wrote, produced, and starred inthe short film “What If … You Had The Perfect Person,” a SciFi short that was an official selection at Sherman Oaks FIlm Festival in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Awards for Outstanding Cast Performance – Short Film – SciFi and Outstanding Screenplay – Short Film – SciFi for screenwriter Kristina Sullivan! Not only did Kristina bring this excellent film to SOFF 2025, but she and her team were a wonderful presence at the festival.                                                                                                                                                  You know I love filmmakers who come to the festival, meet their peers and then hit screenings to see as many films as possible.                                                                                                                                        Kristina was there throughout the festival, as was her co-stars Clifton J. Williams, Don Daniels Jr., Ivonnah Erskine, and director Brandon Fobbs. You can follow Kristina on Instagram at @misskristina617 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Time for another first on the Discover Indie Film podcast! We have a SECOND episode for you today and instead of having a filmmaker whose work was at Sherman Oaks FIlm Festival or Film Invasion Los Angeles on, the guest for this podcast is Halfdan “H” Hussey.             H, as he prefers to be called, is the CEO and CO-Founder of Cinequest (http://www.cinequest.org/). Set in the Silicon Valley, Cinequest is one of the highest regarded film festivals in the USA. Conquest fuses innovation with the filmed arts to empower great creations and to engage audiences, youth, artists, and innovators with these creations and with each other. People should attend Cinequest! The festival launches on March 10 and runs through March 22 in two locations across Silicon Valley. When I was asked to interview H for this podcast I had no doubt that two film festival founders would have lots to talk about, and we did!                                                                                                                                  H is a fantastic guest and someone whom any indie filmmaker, or fan of independent film, should know about. IG- @cinequestorg _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Charlie Paulin wrote and directed the short film “Outed” that came to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Originality, Short Film – Comedy. I loved chatting with Charlie and was equally impressed with his 4 Questions answers! You can watch “Outed” right now on Shortframe at this link: https://youtu.be/aNmlDXc2cAE Follow Charlie on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@CharliePaulin96 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Wednesday, Folks! Charlie Paulin wrote and directed the short film “Outed” that came to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Originality, Short Film – Comedy.                          “Outed” is one of those comedies that is hilarious the first time you watch it, but then each time you see it again it becomes even funnier.                                                                                                                           Why? It is mostly Charlie's dialog, as he wrote rapid-fire yet subtle jokes within every single line that were delivered perfectly by his cast Jason Grobstich & Jaymes Mansfield. You can watch “Outed” right now on Shortframe at this link: https://youtu.be/aNmlDXc2cAE Follow Charlie on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@CharliePaulin96 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. We had a fun double interview that was posted Friday with filmmakers Andrew Klaus-Vineyard and Daniel Talbott. In 2025,  Andrew's screenplay “Parking” was a Finalist for Grand Jury Award for Best Screenplay at Film Invasion Los Angeles, and Daniel's short film “My Age Now” took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Cast Performance, Short Film, Arthouse- Experimental in Sherman Oaks Film Festival. I love that these sometimes collaborators wanted to do their chat with me together which made for an extra interesting 4 Questions follow up! Follow Andrew on Instagram at @andrewklausvineyard Follow Daniel on Instagram at @danielcamerontalbott _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

You made it Friday and we have a great chat for you to start you weekend out right with! Andrew Klaus-Vineyard and Daniel Talbott stopped by to record a podcast together. Introducing these two is not simple for me because they both do so much that, really, I want to say this; Andrew and Daniel create. They often collaborate, defintely not always, but the unifying thread is that both are always creating. At Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025, Andrew's screenplay “Parking” was a Finalist for Grand Jury Award for Best Screenplay.                                                                                                                                      Meanwhile, at Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025, Daniel's short film “My Age Now” took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Cast Performance, Short Film, Arthouse- Experimental. Follow Andrew on Instagram at @andrewklausvineyard Follow Daniel on Instagram at @danielcamerontalbott _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Agnès Shinozaki directed and produced, as well as co-wrote, the short film “Lollie,” a beautifully touching film that she made in Brazil that premiered at FIlm Invasion Los Angeles in June 2025 and took home both the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Short Film – Drama and for Outstanding Director – Drama for Agnès! Agnès was not able to travel to the festival, so I was very grateful for our chat and this follow up 4 Questions to get the chance to know more about her and her work. Follow Agnès on Instagram at @mov.agnes _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

I hope everyone is having a great start to their week! Agnès Shinozaki directed and produced, as well as co-wrote, the short film “Lollie,” a beautifully touching film that she made in Brazil.                                                                                                                                   The FIlm Invasion Los Angeles Team was proud to host its Los Angeles premiere in June 2025.                                                                                                                                                                                                  In fact, “Lollie” took home both the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Short Film – Drama and for Outstanding Director – Drama for Agnès! Agnès was not able to travel to the festival, understandable considering the distance. That's one of the things that makes this podcast special to me; when a filmmaker cannot make it to the festival the podcast gives me a chance to get to know more about them and their work. I don't believe that you can catch “Lollie” online yet, but when it happens we will throw the link right here! Follow Agnès on Instagram at @mov.agnes _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Emma Steiger brought her short film “Wait To Tell Mother” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Screenplay – Short Film, as well as the Filmmakers Awards for Outstanding Short Film – Drama and Outstanding Director- Short Film – Drama. I hope you enjoyed listening to the interview as much as I did participating in it. Now for the follow up 4 Questions! Visit Emma's website at https://www.emmasteiger.com Follow Emma on Instagram at @emma.steiger _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Wednesday! Emma Steiger brought her short film “Wait To Tell Mother” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Screenplay – Short Film, as well as the Filmmakers Awards for Outstanding Short Film – Drama and Outstanding Director- Short Film – Drama. Considering Emma was the director, writer, co-lead actor and one of the producers on the film, and it is no surprise that their name appears on two of those awards! Emma was a delightful presence at the festival and even tolerated my overly paternal response to the film. If you cannot guess, “Wait To Tell Mother,” deals with family dynamics and someone like myself had to personally thank Emma at the festival for making such a wonderful film about a father's role. I do love all the mother-daughter stories at the festivals, but give me a lovingly portrayed father- daughter story and I melt. I hope you enjoy the interview! Visit Emma's website at https://www.emmasteiger.com Follow Emma on Instagram at @emma.steiger _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. MK wrote, directed and co-produced the short film “The Re- Education of Jane Brown” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film- Horror!                                            Every correspondence with MK has been so lovely and positive that it was no surprise to me that we had a had fantastic Four Questions follow up! Follow MK on Instagram at @mk.mcg Follow The Re-Education of Jane Brown on Instagram at @treojbfilm _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Friday. I hope everyone is celebrating love this Valentine's weekend, whether that be romantic love, love for a pet, or love for your favorite independent film podcast! MK McGee brought the short film “The Re- Education of Jane Brown” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film- Horror!                                                                  MK wrote, directed and co-produced this engaging, genre twisting film that subtly makes a brilliant statement about bodily autonomy. MK hopped onto Zoom for our chat and we had a wonderful conversation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                This was no surprise to me, as MK was once of my favorite people to exchange emails with leading up to the festival. Enjoy! Follow MK on Instagram at @mk.mcg Follow The Re-Education of Jane Brown on Instagram at @treojbfilm _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Benjamin Deutscher and Lauren Taggart premiered their incredible film animated “The Storm”  at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and  took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film - Animation and the Audience Award for Best Featurette,  the Grand Jury Award for Best Sound Design (Richard Larimore ) AND the Grand Jury Award for Best Score (Sylvain Kauffman). I truly hope you already enjoyed the interview with these lovely and amazing folks and are back for more with these 4 Questions! Follow The Storm at: Instagram: @the_storm_movie Website: https://www.thestormmovie.com/ Follow Lauren on Instagram at @thetaggartshow _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

I have a great new chat to start your week off right! Benjamin Deutscher and Lauren Taggart jumped onto Zoom to record this podcast just one month after their film “The Storm” had its World Premiere at Sherman Oaks Film Festival!                                                                 I could go on and on and on about how amazing The Storm is, but instead I will just share this.                                                                                                                                                                                               This animated film took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film - Animation and the Audience Award for Best Featurette. But we do't stop there. Individually The Storm also won Richard Larimore the Grand Jury Award for Best Sound Design and Sylvain Kauffman the Grand Jury Award for Best Score. In other words, this 60 minute animated film is amazing in every way; visually, sonically, and narratively.                                                                                                                                                                                   You cannot watch it yet, but when it becomes available we will do our best to give you a link here. In the meantime, I should also mention that Ben and Lauren were delightful attendees at Sherman Oaks Film Festival. I enjoyed every opportunity to talk with either of them at the festival. Please enjoy the interview and... Follow The Storm at: Instagram: @the_storm_movie Website: https://www.thestormmovie.com/ Follow Lauren on Instagram at @thetaggartshow _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Michael May brought his feature horror film “Where Darkness Dwells” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in December 2025 and took home two Grand Jury Awards! Michael and his co-writer Alexandra Grunberg took home the award for Best Screenplay - Feature Film while Jordan Wayne Long took home the award for Best Production Design - Feature Film. I was extremely inspired by our chat (posted Wednesday) and couldn't wait to see what inspired Michael when we moved on to the 4 Questions. You can learn more about Michael at @Michael_May_official And, finally... check out Michael's Podcasts! A Study of Strange Fuel for the Future - Americas Automotive Trust _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Welcome Back, Indie Film Friends! Michael May brought his feature film “Where Darkness Dwells” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in December 2025 and took home two Grand Jury Awards! Michael and his co-writer Alexandra Grunberg took home the award for Best Screenplay - Feature Film while Jordan Wayne Long took home the award for Best Production Design - Feature Film. “Where Darkness Dwells” is an innovative and entertaining horror feature, made with attention to detail and care for story.                                                                                                                                                          It also features a superb cast!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        This interview will be very eye opening for many, as Michael and his team prove that a dedicated group of collaborators, and it doesn't hurt if they're all friends, can outperform far more expensive productions with creativity and grit! You can learn more about Michael at @Michael_May_official And, finally... check out Michael's Podcasts! A Study of Strange Fuel for the Future - Americas Automotive Trust _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Renée Veronica Freeman is the actor, writer and producer behind the film “Chromatography” that held its World Premiere at Film Invasion Los Angeles in June, 2025! We had a fantastic chat and I knew her 4 Questions would be a good one. RENÉE'S IG: @reneevfreeman _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

HAPPY FILM FRIDAY! Renée Veronica Freeman is the actor, writer and producer behind the film “Chromatography” that held its World Premiere at Film Invasion Los Angeles in June, 2025!                                                                                     I was fortunate to moderate the in-theater Q&A for Renée's film and was delighted to see her appear on the podcast schedule. “Chromatography” is still on the festival circuit and you will have to wait for a link to check it out online. In the meantime, use these helpful links to learn even more about Renée! RENÉE'S IG: @reneevfreeman RENÉE VERONICA FREEMAN IMDB See Renée in Disney+ & Hulu's #1 crime drama "Murdaugh: Death in the Family", starring Patricia Arquette + Jason Clarke, now streaming. @murdaughonhulu Hear Renée narrate the upcoming "Rise, Girl, Rise: Our Sister-Friend Journey. Together for All" (Scholastic Audio Books). A children's picture book by American Activist icon Gloria Steinem and Liberian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee, releasing everywhere on Feb 3, 2026. ~UPCOMING: Official Selection in the 51st Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival - Shorts Program - Feb 12, 2026 - "America's Longest Running Genre Fest" ~Official Selection in the Brooklyn Sci-Fi Film Festival 2025 - People's Choice Voted Top 5 Film of 180! ~Semi-Finalist from the Academy Award qualifying 2025 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival - Vortex. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Hao Yan & Mandy Chen collaborated to make the short film “Winter Psalm,” a wonderfully touching film that they brought to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Writing, Drama. They make a great team and I was so delighted to have them on together for a chat (posted Monday) and this follow up 4 Questions! When the film releases online we will add a link here, but in the meantime you can follow both of these filmmakers at: @hao_yan3  and @mmandy.cc _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

A case of the Mondays? This chat will surely shake that off. Hao Yan & Mandy Chen collaborated to make the short film “Winter Psalm,” a wonderfully touching film that they brought to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Writing, Drama. Hao wrote and directed the film while Mandy produced, collaborating from beginning to end.                                                                                                                                                                          This wonderful film always strikes at my heart with its very original story and wonderful filmmaking. When the film releases online we will add a link here, but in the meantime you can follow both of these filmmakers at: @hao_yan3  and @mmandy.cc _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

A wonderful Wednesday to Everybody tuning in! Filmmaker Cate Fogarty brought her short comedy “Baby Husband” to Film Invasion Los Angeles 2025 and went home with the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Originality - Comedy.                                                       I am personally a huge fan of Cate's inventive, hilariously truthful short film and it was a joy to see her on the podcast schedule. The truth is that “Baby Husband” is not just a smart comedy, it is a courageous filmmaking leap.                                                                                                                                                                                              This film required things that many a filmmaker would look at on the page and think, "that is going to be tough to pull off. I think I'll try something easier.”                                                                                                    Cate stepped up to the challenge! You cannot watch “Baby Husband” online yet, but when you can we will update the show notes with a link.                                                                                                                                                                                 In the meantime, you can follow Cate on Instagram at @catefogarty to see if you can catch it at a festival sometime! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Aaron Bennett brought his film “Jokers Wild” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in December, 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Director of a Horror Short as well as the Grand Jury Award for Best Sound Design, Short Film for his sound designer Matt Broadfoot. Aaron and I had a fantastic chat and I had a strong feeling I was going to really enjoy the follow up 4 Questions. Follow Aaron on Instagram at @aaronwritesstuff Follow Jokers Wild on Instagram at @jokerswildmovie Follow Jokers Wild on TikTok at @jokerswildmovie _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Friday, Friends! Aaron Bennett brought his film “Jokers Wild” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in December, 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Director of a Horror Short as well as the Grand Jury Award for Best Sound Design, Short Film for his sound designer Matt Broadfoot. I'm happy to say that this is Aaron's second appearance on the Discover Indie Film podcast, though this time he flew solo. Back in 2023 Aaron was part of the podcast for “Good Counsel,” a short film that he wrote for producer & actor Chandra Bond that was directed by David J. Levine and starred Chandra along with Janelle Jones and Matthew Keefe.                                                                                                                        Amusingly I had no idea that Aaron had been on before!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               I'm going to guess that my poor memory is not just due to my advancing age but also that it was a five person Zoom.                                                                                                                                                                 If Aaron had been on the mic in person back in 2023 as he did for this podcast, I swear that I would have remembered. Follow Aaron on Instagram at @aaronwritesstuff Follow Jokers Wild on Instagram at @jokerswildmovie Follow Jokers Wild on TikTok at @jokerswildmovie _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. John Schlag brought his film “Panes Taking” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film - Dance. If you listened to our chat on Monday you learned John has had a long, distinguished career in visual effects that began with Terminator 2: Judgment Day and continued through films like Forrest Gump, The Matrix Reloaded and Watchmen AND has a deep love and study of dance under his belt.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          I had even more respect and admiration for the unique perspective John has cultivated after our conversation and couldn't wait to hear what types of film he was going to mention in the 4 Questions. Infinovation Film Instagram @infinovationFilm Infinovation Film Website John Schlag on IMDB John Schlag on Instagram @johnschlag Panes Taking on IMDB Panes Taking Trailer _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

A Marvelous Monday to all you Listeners! John Schlag brought his film “Panes Taking” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film - Dance.                                                                                                      Little did I know that this beautifully artistic piece brings together the diverse interests of a throughly creative and technically proficient person.                                                                                                                    John has a long, distinguished career in visual effect that began with Terminator 2: Judgment Day and continued through films like Forrest Gump, The Matrix Reloaded and Watchmen.                                                  John also learned a love for dance while studying at Carnegie Mellon University that continues to this day, and that love inspires him to sit on the board of the Smuin Contemporary Ballet in San Francisco (https://www.smuinballet.org/) and to combine his artistic pursuits by making dance films. I do not have words for how much I respect a person such as John, who has accomplished much in his careers and yet never stops seeking to create new and original works.                                                                  Even the name of his production company, Infinovation Film, clearly states his personal desire to be infinitely innovative. Many do not know this, but I adore dance and dance films and even sit on the jury of a EDIFF, the Exeter Dance International Film Festival in the UK.                                                                                                    Between us, I am always envious of the beautiful dance films that EDIFF receives and John Schlag's “Panes Taking” is the rare Official Selection at SOFF or FI-LA that eases my jealousy of EDIFF. There are many ways to follow John and his work and I highly recommend that you do so! Infinovation Film Instagram @infinovationFilm Infinovation Film Website John Schlag on IMDB John Schlag on Instagram @johnschlag Panes Taking on IMDB Panes Taking Trailer _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. UK based filmmaker Derry Shillitto wrote and directed the indie feature “The Correction Unit,” a sci-fi thriller that you can watch right now on most streaming services!                                                                                (Visit https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the- correction-unit to see where.) This is almost never the case, but Derry's film did not play at either Sherman Oaks Film Festival or Film Invasion Los Angeles which means there was never a Q & A which means I was extra excited to fast track my discovery of his cinematic taste with the 4 Questions! Follow Derry on Instagram - @DerryShillitto Follow his production company Instagram - @FoyleRiverFilms _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Welcome back, Listeners! I'm finally accepting the holidays are over and slowly crawling back to "the real world." Luckily, my real world is largely talking about movies. UK based filmmaker Derry Shillitto wrote and directed the indie feature “The Correction Unit,” a sci-fi thriller that you can watch right now on most streaming services!                                                                                (Visit https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the- correction-unit to see where.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Derry is the rare filmmaker on this podcast whose film did not play at either Sherman Oaks Film Festival or Film Invasion Los Angeles.                                                                                                                                 The film looks great and we had a tiny gap in the schedule, and rules were meant to be broken, no? Derry rewarded us with a fantastic interview. He's a super nice person and it was a great conversation! Follow Derry on Instagram - @DerryShillitto Follow his production company Instagram - @FoyleRiverFilms _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Filmmaker Kevin O'Brien brought his outstandingly creative short film “Hey HeLP-O! Let's Go!” to both Sherman Oaks Film Festival  and FIlm Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Originality, SciFi at each festival! Follow the film on Instagram and make sure to catch a screening if you can! @heyhelpoletsgo _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy New Year, Listeners! Filmmaker Kevin O'Brien brought his outstandingly creative short film “Hey HeLP-O! Let's Go!” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in December 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Originality, SciFi. But there's more... in June the film was an Official Selection at FIlm Invasion Los Angeles.                                                                                                                                                                 We were unable to screen it due to scheduling conflicts, but it took home the same award! “Hey HeLP-O! Let's Go!” is a two-time winner of the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Originality, SciFi! Follow the film on Instagram and make sure to catch a screening if you can! @heyhelpoletsgo _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Ryan McCoy wrote and produced the feature film The Party that releases next year which happens to be in just a few days (January 2, 2026.) Sorry, had to go for the NYE joke.                                                                                                                                                                     Ryan and I had a terrific chat (which I hope you already listened to) and that always gets me excited for the follow up 4 Questions. Ryan is a super productive filmmaker and you can follow him at his production company's website https://rynoryder.com/                                                                                                                                            or on Instagram at @rynoryder                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          or on his YouTube where Ryan been posting videos about his journey as an indie filmmaker in LA for the past 6-7 years. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Wow, our last Filmmaker Interview of 2025! Ryan McCoy wrote and produced the feature film The Party that releases later this week on January 2, 2026.                                                                                                                                                                    Ryan reached out to us about appearing on the podcast and I did a wee bit of research, discovering that The Party had been submitted to Film Invasion Los Angeles (FI-LA) and, as a juror, I had given it a good rating. Honestly, I see films all the time that I like but that do not become official selections as FI-LA and Sherman Oaks Film Festival.                                                                                                                                  Ryan gave me the chance to finally have one of them represented on the podcast. Ryan is a super productive filmmaker and you can follow him at his production company's website https://rynoryder.com/                                                                                                                                            or on Instagram at @rynoryder                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          or on his YouTube where Ryan been posting videos about his journey as an indie filmmaker in LA for the past 6-7 years. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Filmmaker Power Couple Elizabeth Schneider and Michael Covello brought the animated short film “Becoming an Oyster” to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and won the Programmer's Prize for Exceptional Filmmaking. It's an incredible accomplish when a couple can work together but can they survive THE FOUR QUESTIONS? Check out their website at https://candleflyfilms.com/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Merry Xmas Eve to all who celebrate! Speaking of things to celebrate, the animated short film “Becoming an Oyster” was an official selection at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and from the first time I saw this remarkable work of art I was hooked. Made by the team of Elizabeth Schneider and Michael Covello, every detail of this film blows my mind. Coincidentally, it deserves the same description that I gave to the film that came before this in the podcast, Kai Brown's “The Anatomy of Jane Doesn't Exist,” as both strike me as “moving paintings.”                 Not all animation is a moving painting, but those two films fit the description. No wonder “Becoming an Oyster” won the Programmer's Prize for Exceptional Filmmaking. Liz and Mike happen to be delightful people, married and raising children together while teaching and making films.                                                                                                                                                 Talk about a cool couple! Check out their website at https://candleflyfilms.com/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Kai Brown wrote and directed the wonderful animated short, “The Anatomy of Jane Doesn't Exist,” that screened at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Writing in Animation. I was not at all surprised to find how thoughtful and smart Kai was in our interview (posted Friday) due to the intelligence of her film. I couldn't wait to see what other films she was going to bring to the table in the follow up 4 Questions. Learn more about Kai at kaimedia24.com and you should also probably follow the Instagram @kaimedia24 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Friday, Everyone! Kai Brown wrote and directed the wonderful animated short, “The Anatomy of Jane Doesn't Exist,” a film that screened at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Writing in Animation. Every aspect of the film is made with intelligence, both emotional and intellectual intelligence, and it was nearly overwhelming to see this painting in motion on the big screen.                                                            It is a powerful, beautiful film.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  In fact, you should follow Kai's website and social media for opportunities to see it! Learn more about Kai at kaimedia24.com and you should also probably follow the Instagram @kaimedia24 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Xander Copp brought his short film “Carter” to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Short Film, Horror. If you listened to Monday's episode, you can hear I'm obviously impressed with Xander as an artist and person and I couldn't wait to get to his 4 Questions to see what types of films inspired him. You can learn more about Xander and his film by following @carter_shortfilm on Instagram. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Monday, Listeners! Xander Copp brought his short film “Carter” to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Short Film, Horror.                                                                                        It was only through this podcast that I learned all that I wanted to know about this faithfully creative Lovecraft adaptation.                                                                                                                                          The more I learned the more impressed I am with the work that Xander put into it. You can learn more about Xander and his film by following @carter_shortfilm on Instagram. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Brett Willis wrote and directed the film “When The Clocks Stop” that came to Film Invasion Los Angeles in June 2025 and took home The Poppy for Best In Fest - Featurette! Brett and I had a truly fantastic talk. In fact, we talked so long that Brett had to rush off for work and then return a week later to record his four questions answers! Follow Brett on Instagram at @sirbrettt and make sure that you see his incredible film someday! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Welcome Back, Everybody! Today's podcast guest is Brett Willis, who wrote and directed the film “When The Clocks Stop” that came to Film Invasion Los Angeles in June 2025 and took home The Poppy for Best In Fest - Featurette! The Poppy is the custom trophy that we created for the 10th Anniversary of FI-LA and Brett was actually the first filmmaker whom I had the privilege to hand a Poppy to.                                                                In other words, Brett reaction to this little trophy our team lured their hearts into is locked in my heart for life. I should tell you one more thing. You know how we all watch films and think to ourselves, “If I met the person behind this film I bet they're awesome.”                                                                                                  I had that thought the first time I saw “When The Clocks Stop,” and the second time as well, and when I finally met him Brett was awesome. There you go.                                                                                     Try to meet the people who make great films, because they seem to be great people. Brett hopped onto the DIF mics and we had a fantastic talk. As I always say, if you enjoy listening half us much as we enjoyed talking, then you're about to love this marathon podcast.                                       We talked so long that Brett had to rush off for work and then return a week later to record his four questions answers! Follow Brett on Instagram at @sirbrettt and make sure that you see his incredible film someday! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Bob Lindenmayer made the feature documentary, “Making Megaforce,” which had a SOLD OUT screening at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2025 and earned the trophy that we introduced for the Best In Fest award. The first documentary to win the Best In Fest - Feature award! You will have to wait a while to see it because “Making Megaforce” is still on the festival circuit.                                                                                                                                                                                   But when it does get its release, make sure to catch it. In the meantime, you can listen to sone of the films that inspired Bob to get to this point with the 4Qs! Follow the film on Instagram at @makingmegaforce Making Megaforce on IMDB Making Megaforce on Letterboxd _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Friday, Film Lovers! It's an extra special day today because it's the first night of programming for our 10TH YEAR of the SHERMAN OAKS FILM FESTIVAL! Hopefully you're all listening to this podcast on the way to Look Cinemas to catch some of our incredible films. Something else amazing happened in 2025 and it is because Bob Lindenmayer made the feature documentary, “Making Megaforce,” and submitted it to Film Invasion Los Angeles.                                                     What was so amazing?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    My life partner and best friend, an introvert who refuses to come to any of the film festivals that I run, came to the sold out world premiere of “Making Megaforce” to see it a second time and meet Bob.             We had to sit in camping chairs at the front corner of the theater for that sold out show. Even better, she got to see me grab the one moment during the Q&A that Barry Bostwick took a break from enchanting the entire room to present Bob with The Poppy, the trophy that we introduced for the Best In Fest award at Film Invasion L.A.'s Tenth Anniversary.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    It should also be noted that “Making Megaforce” is the first documentary to win the Best In Fest - Feature award! You will have to wait a while to see it because “Making Megaforce” is still on the festival circuit.                                                                                                                                                                                   But when it does get its release, make sure to catch it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Then you'll know why watching this film is not just entertaining; it is the most genuine love letter to the movies that I've ever seen.                                                                                                                              And you get to see Barry Bostwick and Bob bond in a way that you will never forget! Follow the film on Instagram at @makingmegaforce Making Megaforce on IMDB Making Megaforce on Letterboxd _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Dancer/Choreographer/Performer/director/writer Anna Long had two official selections at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2025; the short film “Death in The Desert” that took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Writing - Drama and the feature length screenplay “The Experience.” I could wait to interview this incredibly nice and talented person (I hope you already listened to that chat!) and pick her brain with the always revealing 4 Questions. You should follow Anna's work at the website https://www.thisisannalong.com/ And on Instagram at @thisisannalong _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Anyone else not know how we're already in December?! Dancer/Choreographer/Performer/director/writer Anna Long was developed by scientists in a lab to create a person who would literally engage my every artistic interest at once.                                                  That is almost not hyberbole! Anna had two official selections at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2025; the short film “Death in The Desert” that took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Writing - Drama and the feature length screenplay “The Experience.” This incredibly talented person also happens to be one of the nicest people to interact with.                                                                                                                                                                                                 In fact, while putting together the FI-LA lineup I tend to email with folks, and I could already tell that Anna is an awesome person. You should follow Anna's work at the website https://www.thisisannalong.com/ And on Instagram at @thisisannalong _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Michael D. Cohen held his WORLD PREMIERE of his short comedy film “Roughing It” at Film Invasion Los Angeles in June, 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Writing, Comedy. When I'm forced to wrap up a great conversation, I'm always grateful for the follow up 4 Questions for an excuse to chat a little longer! Here are the best ways to check in on Michael and his work: Roughing It - official website - https://roughingitfilm.com/ Michael D. Cohen Studio - official website - https://michaeldcohenstudio.com/ IG- @michaeldcohen _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

It's the week of Gratitude and one thing I'm certainly thankful for is all of you curious listeners and our amazing guests. Speaking of amazing guests: Michael D. Cohen has enjoyed a wonderful career as a TV actor, but I got to meet him at Film Invasion Los Angeles in June, 2025 when we held the World Premiere of a short comedy film that Michael wrote and directed called “Roughing It.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 As a fan of the film, I was particularly pleased to see our jury give Michael the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Writing, Comedy. The screening was standing room only and I am proud to say that you have another chance to see it at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival on Sunday, December 7 at 6:15 PM!                                                            That's one week after this podcast releases... and we didn't plan that out. Kismet! Here are the best ways to check in on Michael and his work: Roughing It - official website - https://roughingitfilm.com/ Michael D. Cohen Studio - official website - https://michaeldcohenstudio.com/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Caleb Garrett brought his film “Lonesome Town” to FIlm Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film, Experimental/Arthouse. Caleb and I got swept away in our chat (posted Friday) but you know I had to squeeze in our 4 Questions follow up before I could let him run off to a production meeting! Follow Caleb on Instagram at @cmgcine _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Thank Goodness It's (DIF) Friday! Caleb Garrett brought his film “Lonesome Town” to FIlm Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film, Experimental/Arthouse.                                                                     I have yet to meet someone, audience or jury member, who did not love this film.                                                                                                                                                                                                        Caleb also took home awards from our Filmmakers Board, a jury of alumni filmmakers, including Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Writing, and Outstanding Cinematography.                                               Quite literally... WooHoo! I hope you enjoy listening to this podcast as much as we did recording.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 In fact, we went long and Caleb literally had to run out the door to a production meeting! Follow Caleb on Instagram at @cmgcine _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Maxwell Hamilton produced and starred in “The Mannequin,” a feature length horror film that came to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film, Horror,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Best Screenplay - Feature Film for John Berardo, Best Cinematography - Feature Film for Jonathan Pope, and Best Production Design - Feature Film for Emily Peters! I hope you already enjoyed our conversation from Monday and here because you are as excited as I was to hear Maxwell's answers to the 4 Questions. I also urge you to watch, review and support The Mannequin! How? Letterboxd - https://letterboxd.com/film/the-mannequin-2025/ JustWatch - https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-mannequin-2025 Watch it. Review it. Support it! Social Media Handles Instagram @maxwellhamilton Facebook @MaxwellHamilton X @maxxhamm _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles