Episodes

  • Clark Gregg: How to Write and Direct a Sundance Hit

    Clark Gregg: How to Write and Direct a Sundance Hit
    May 15 2025
    Today's guest is writer/director Clark Gregg talking about his debut feature film CHOKE (based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk) starring Sam Rockwell and Anjelica Huston, which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Clark Gregg got his start as an actor, joining the Atlantic Theater Company with David Mamet and William H. Macy. His acting credits include THE AVENGERS, 500 DAYS OF SUMMER and STATE AND MAIN. In addition to acting, Clark began writing screenplays and was hired to write WHAT LIES BENEATH for Robert Zemeckis. Listen to Clark as he provides tremendous insight in how to navigate the world of independent film financing, working with A-list actors, and how betting on yourself is the key to getting any film made. Link: Choke (Amazon Prime) Slamdance First Film Podcast is created & hosted by Michael Gallagher and Jana Gallagher. Produced by Peter Baxter. Edited by Daniel Angarita. QC by Max Brown and Tara Blossom. Music by Kevin MacLeod. Special Thanks to Paul Rachman and the entire Slamdance Team. Follow the Slamdance First Film Podcast: Instagram (@SlamdanceFirstFilm) X (formerly known as Twitter) (@FirstFilmPod) YouTube (/Slamdance) Please share, rate, and review! For sponsorship, booking, and business inquiries, email us at: TheSlamdanceFirstFilmPodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    50 mins
  • Seth Gordon: From 'The King of Kong' to Directing Vince Vaughn

    Seth Gordon: From 'The King of Kong' to Directing Vince Vaughn
    May 8 2025
    Today's guest is director Seth Gordon, whose career is filled with Hollywood hits such as Four Christmases, Horrible Bosses and Identity Thief. He got his start making the hilarious indie documentary THE KING OF KONG: FISTFUL OF QUARTERS which premiered at the 2007 Slamdance Film Festival. Hear how Seth found the hilarious story, worked with his larger than life subjects, how his film festival screener went viral (pre-YouTube) and how he parlayed his documentary into a huge career in Hollywood. Seth's most recent film, BACK IN ACTION with Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz, is now streaming on Netflix. Link: The King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters (Rent/Buy) Slamdance First Film Podcast is created & hosted by Michael Gallagher and Jana Gallagher. Produced by Peter Baxter. Edited by Daniel Angarita. QC by Max Brown and Tara Blossom. Music by Kevin MacLeod. Special Thanks to Paul Rachman and the entire Slamdance Team. Follow the Slamdance First Film Podcast: Instagram (@SlamdanceFirstFilm) X (formerly known as Twitter) (@FirstFilmPod) YouTube (/Slamdance) Please share, rate, and review! For sponsorship, booking, and business inquiries, email us at: TheSlamdanceFirstFilmPodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • The Peanut Butter Falcon: How to Make an Indie Hit (with Directors Michael Schwartz & Tyler Nilson)

    The Peanut Butter Falcon: How to Make an Indie Hit (with Directors Michael Schwartz & Tyler Nilson)
    May 1 2025
    Today's guests are the directors behind the indie hit THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON-- Michael Schwartz and Tyler Nilson. Hear their inspiring story of making a scrappy proof of concept, the art of the cold email, how Shia LaBeouf signed on without even reading the script, becoming experts in your film, and the secrets to creating genuine word of mouth. Their most recent film, LOS FRIKIS, is now available to rent or buy.Links:The Peanut Butter Falcon (Rent/Buy)Los Frikis (Rent/Buy) Slamdance First Film Podcast is created and hosted by Michael Gallagher and Jana Gallagher. Produced by Peter Baxter. Edited by Daniel Angarita. Music by Kevin MacLeod. Special Thanks to Evan Silverberg, Paul Rachman, and the entire Slamdance Team. Follow the Slamdance First Film Podcast: Instagram (@SlamdanceFirstFilm) X (formerly known as Twitter) (@FirstFilmPod) YouTube (/Slamdance) Please share, rate, and review! For sponsorship, booking, and business inquiries, email us at: TheSlamdanceFirstFilmPodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    38 mins
  • Lynne Sachs: How to Capture a Historical Documentary

    Lynne Sachs: How to Capture a Historical Documentary
    Apr 24 2025
    Today's guest is acclaimed filmmaker Lynne Sachs. Her debut documentary feature film, INVESTIGATION OF A FLAME, is about the nine Vietnam War protesters, who in 1968, walked into a Catonsville, Maryland draft board office, grabbed hundreds of selective service records and burned them with homemade napalm. Learn how she tracked down the subjects and won their trust, why it can be important to capture visuals and audio separately, how Final Cut Pro allowed her to edit while raising a family, and helpful tips to secure a film grant. This is a must-listen episode for documentary filmmakers and fans. Lynne Sachs' recent film, Film About A Father Who, was an official selection at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2020. Links: Investigation of a Flame (Rent/Buy) Film About a Father Who (Rent/Buy) Slamdance First Film Podcast is created and hosted by Michael Gallagher and Jana Gallagher. Produced by Peter Baxter. Edited by Daniel Angarita. Music by Kevin MacLeod. Special Thanks to Paul Rachman, and the entire Slamdance Team. Follow the Slamdance First Film Podcast: Instagram (@SlamdanceFirstFilm) X (formerly known as Twitter) (@FirstFilmPod) YouTube (/Slamdance) Please share, rate, and review! For sponsorship, booking, and business inquiries, email us at: TheSlamdanceFirstFilmPodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    47 mins
  • Jimmy Tatro: Make Movies with your Real Bros

    Jimmy Tatro: Make Movies with your Real Bros
    Apr 17 2025
    Today's guest is filmmaker Jimmy Tatro, the co-writer and director of the hilarious feature film THE REAL BROS OF SIMI VALLEY: HIGH SCHOOL REUNION which is streaming for free on Roku. Learn how Jimmy went from making internet videos, to adapting his popular original series "The Real Bros of Simi Valley" into his debut feature film. Learn the secrets of making comedy and the value of multi-camera cross-coverage to capture brilliant moments Jimmy's inspiring story of working with your friends and staying true to your instincts is a recipe for lasting success. Links: The Real Bros of Simi Valley: High School Reunion (Feature, Free on Roku) The Real Bros of Simi Valley (Series) Slamdance First Film Podcast is created and hosted by Michael Gallagher and Jana Gallagher. Produced by Peter Baxter. Music by Kevin MacLeod. Special Thanks to Paul Rachman, and the entire Slamdance Team. Follow the Slamdance First Film Podcast: Instagram (@SlamdanceFirstFilm) X (formerly known as Twitter) (@FirstFilmPod) YouTube (/Slamdance) Please share, rate, and review! For sponsorship, booking, and business inquiries, email us at: TheSlamdanceFirstFilmPodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    44 mins
  • Numa Perrier: Create Your Own Opportunities

    Numa Perrier: Create Your Own Opportunities
    Apr 10 2025
    Today's guest is filmmaker Numa Perrier, the writer, director, and producer of JEZEBEL which premiered at the 2019 South by Southwest Film Festival. Learn how Numa created her own work in short form content that presented an opportunity to make a feature film during a two week hiatus. Mining her own life story, JEZEBEL captures a raw authenticity and vulnerability about two sisters grappling with grief while living as sex workers. After the world premiere at SXSW, JEZEBEL was acquired by Ava DuVernay's company ARRAY. Slamdance First Film Podcast is created and hosted by Michael Gallagher and Jana Gallagher. Produced by Peter Baxter. Music by Kevin MacLeod. Special Thanks to Paul Rachman, and the entire Slamdance Team. Follow the Slamdance First Film Podcast: Instagram (@SlamdanceFirstFilm) X (formerly known as Twitter) (@FirstFilmPod) YouTube (/Slamdance) Please share, rate, and review! For sponsorship, booking, and business inquiries, email us at: TheSlamdanceFirstFilmPodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    52 mins
  • Ronan Corrigan: Hacking the Screenlife Genre

    Ronan Corrigan: Hacking the Screenlife Genre
    Apr 3 2025
    Today's guest is filmmaker Ronan Corrigan, the co-writer, director, and co-editor of the new Screenlife film LIFEHACK which premiered at the 2025 South by Southwest Film Festival. Learn how he went from feeling stuck during lockdown to winning the chance to pitch Timur Bekmambetov and get his debut feature film greenlit in the middle of a global pandemic. LIFEHACK was shot in just 10 days but the edit took over 9 months of tireless work. Luckily, it resulted in one of the buzziest titles at SXSW. Ronan is definitely a filmmaker to watch. Be sure to check out LIFEHACK, currently playing the festival circuit. Slamdance First Film Podcast is created and hosted by Michael Gallagher and Jana Gallagher. Produced by Peter Baxter. Music by Kevin MacLeod. Special Thanks to Paul Rachman, and the entire Slamdance Team. Follow the Slamdance First Film Podcast: Instagram (@SlamdanceFirstFilm) X (formerly known as Twitter) (@FirstFilmPod) YouTube (/Slamdance) Please share, rate, and review! For sponsorship, booking, and business inquiries, email us at: TheSlamdanceFirstFilmPodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    38 mins
  • Andrew Patterson: Keep Believing In It

    Andrew Patterson: Keep Believing In It
    Mar 27 2025
    Today's guest is award-winning filmmaker Andrew Patterson, the co-writer and director of the indie hit THE VAST OF NIGHT which won the audience award at the 2019 Slamdance Film Festival. Learn how the film was rejected by 18 film festivals in a row before Andrew submitted to Slamdance and launched his career. At the festival, THE VAST OF NIGHT was bought by Amazon and received a nomination for Best First Screenplay at the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards. Made entirely outside of the Hollywood system, THE VAST OF NIGHT is a true indie success story. Links: THE VAST OF NIGHT (Amazon) Slamdance First Film Podcast is created and hosted by Michael Gallagher and Jana Gallagher. Produced by Peter Baxter. Edited by Daniel Angarita. QC by Max Brown & Tara Blossom. Music by Kevin MacLeod. Special Thanks to Paul Rachman, and the entire Slamdance Team. Follow the Slamdance First Film Podcast: Instagram (@SlamdanceFirstFilm) X (formerly known as Twitter) (@FirstFilmPod) YouTube (/Slamdance) Please share, rate, and review!! For sponsorship, booking, and business inquiries, email us at: TheSlamdanceFirstFilmPodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    52 mins