In Motion Storytellers – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Hey everyone, we are taking a break from recording new episodes in April to think through what Season 2 will look like, work on finding new guests, improving our Youtube recording experience as well as focusing on improving the overall experience and marketing of the podcast. 

Not to mention that all of us are super busy with our various other film projects:) Keep an eye out for the next episode to come out sometime in May!

Thanks to everyone for the support for Season 1 and we are excited to launch Season 2 here soon!

This podcast is sponsored by the MO Film Office (https://mofilm.org) and Shock City Studios (www.shockcitystudios.com) and is brought to you by Speak Up Productions (www.speakupproductions.com) and the In Motion team (www.inmotionconference.com)

Music by Courtney Orlando Peebles of So Hot Productions (https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-jr-peebles-05a2a19/)

This episode is full of the business info you need if you want to raise money for films and make money from your films. Jessica, Michael and Dan sit down with Cole Payne at Shock City Studios to learn about his journey from dropping out of college in MO, to learning the ropes of producing in LA and then his journey back home to start to produce a different kind of film. Cole get super transparent sharing actual numbers and the truth about financing and making money from your films.

Hailing from Russellville, MO, Cole Payne has been involved with financing and producing over 20 feature films with more on the way. 3 films he produced premiered at Sundance Film Festival.  His company is called Traverse Media and in 2020 Payne launched genre label Traverse Terror to develop, produce and sell clever low budget horror films, currently released are the films YOU DIE, MONSTROUS, THE RETREAT and DAWN OF THE BEAST with more coming soon.

A few links to things mentioned in this episode:

Traverse Media's Website

Cole's IMDB

Shock City Studios 

Hollywood Reporter & Variety 

Film in MO 

Cannes Film Fest

Berlinale 

AFM

Film Hub - self-distribution platform 

Indie film hustle podcast/Alex Ferrari

Filmtreprenuer book

This podcast is sponsored by the MO Film Office (https://mofilm.org) and Shock City Studios (www.shockcitystudios.com) and is brought to you by Speak Up Productions (www.speakupproductions.com) and the In Motion team (www.inmotionconference.com)

Music by Courtney Orlando Peebles of So Hot Productions (https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-jr-peebles-05a2a19/)

In this episode, we hear from Dan Steadman of Circa 87 films (www.circa87.com.) Dan talks about how he got started in the industry at a young age, his adventures in Hollywood with folks like Melissa McCarthy, Jennifer Coolidge, Tony Hale, Octavia Spencer and so many more, and his transition from repped screenwriter at Endeavor to moving to the Midwest where he lives now. Now he focuses on teaching aspiring filmmakers and actors while working on his own micro-budget features. To date, he has written and directed 12 of them.  

Dan Steadman has a ton of great stories and advice for filmmakers based in the Midwest. We talk a lot about the allure of hitting big, but also the benefits of doing work on your own terms. 

This podcast is sponsored by the MO Film Office (https://mofilm.org) and Shock City Studios (www.shockcitystudios.com) and is brought to you by Speak Up Productions (www.speakupproductions.com) and the In Motion team (www.inmotionconference.com)

Music by Courtney Orlando Peebles of So Hot Productions (https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-jr-peebles-05a2a19/)

In this episode, Dan interviews Joey Puleo,  the director of the feature length documentaries  America's Last Little Italy: The Hill and A New Home. They discuss the perils of being an independent documentary filmmaker and how Joey managed to make money with his documentary in creative ways even during a pandemic. They also discuss his short film that kicked off his career, screening at Hollyshorts and meeting Kevin Hart. This episode gets into the real details of what it takes to market a film yourself, find your audience and creative ways to sell your film in this current world of distribution.

His newest film, A New Home, tells the story of the Bosnian refugees who fled to St. Louis in the early '90s and made St. Louis the 2nd largest home for Bosnians outside of Bosnia. It is screening as part of the St. Louis Intl. Film Fest. Get tickets here: https://www.cinemastlouis.org/sliff/new-home.

This podcast is sponsored by the MO Film Office (https://mofilm.org) and Shock City Studios (www.shockcitystudios.com) and is brought to you by Speak Up Productions (www.speakupproductions.com) and the In Motion team (www.inmotionconference.com)

Music by Courtney Orlando Peebles of So Hot Productions (https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-jr-peebles-05a2a19/)

In this episode, Dan, Jessica and Michael sit down with Mary Kay Sheets and Shad Schoenke, co-founders of St. Louis Filmworks (https://www.stlouisfilmworks.org). We learn about their lofty mission to make  St. Louis the 'go-to' epicenter for the world's best, emerging storytellers. 

This podcast is sponsored by the MO Film Office (https://mofilm.org) and Shock City Studios (www.shockcitystudios.com) and is brought to you by Speak Up Productions (www.speakupproductions.com) and the In Motion team (www.inmotionconference.com)

Music by Courtney Orlando Peebles of So Hot Productions (https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-jr-peebles-05a2a19/)

In this first episode, you will meet our host Dan Parris and his co-hosts, Jessica Ambuehl & Michael Francis, and learn more what their goal for this podcast is. We talk a lot about the opportunity there is to succeed as a filmmaker in the Midwest, where we are all based.

This podcast is sponsored by the MO Film Office (https://mofilm.org) and Shock City Studios (www.shockcitystudios.com) and is brought to you by Speak Up Productions (www.speakupproductions.com) and the In Motion team (www.inmotionconference.com)

Music by Courtney Orlando Peebles of So Hot Productions (https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-jr-peebles-05a2a19/)

Today's interview is with Marlana Hope, a TV writer and producer who has worked on shows like Grey's Anatomy, Friday Night Lights, Army Wives and more. Michael & Dan sit down to learn about her journey as a TV writer, what it's like to be in a writers room, the importance of relationships and the difference between an agent and manager. This is a great episode for those that want to write for TV but also just for anyone trying to navigate their next steps in the industry. 

Marlana was born in Illinois, survived five years as a little girl in a log cabin in rural Pennsylvania and spent her tween and teen years on a horse ranch in Missouri. For St. Louisans, she went to Eureka High School. After obtaining a BFA in Theatre from the University of Illinois, she swore off inclement weather for good and headed west. 

 Early in her career, Marlana worked on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and SOUTHLAND. Her writing and producing credits include GREY’S ANATOMY, ARMY WIVES, THE KICKS, REAPER, and SKAM AUSTIN. Marlana has two pilots currently in development. She was a part of the MO Stories program as both a writer and mentor. 

 In her free time, Marlana mentors military veterans as part of the Writers Guild Foundation’s workshop series, and has traveled to Abu Dhabi, UAE to teach episodic writing workshops for emerging filmmakers in the Arab World. She also serves on the Writers Education Committee where she organized the WGA Writers Salon for three years bringing together hundreds of Guild members with top showrunners for a series of break-out sessions.

A few things mentioned in this episode:

Marlana Hope (IMDB)
IG: @marlanahope
MO Stories Scripwriting Fellowship
Save the Cat - Screenwriting book
The Screenwriters Bible - Screenwriting book

This podcast is sponsored by the MO Film Office (https://mofilm.org) and Shock City Studios (www.shockcitystudios.com) and is brought to you by Speak Up Productions (www.speakupproductions.com) and the In Motion team (www.inmotionconference.com)

Music by Courtney Orlando Peebles of So Hot Productions (https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-jr-peebles-05a2a19/)

This episode was a lot of fun. Dan & Michael sit down with Nathan Karimi and David Christopher Pitt, the two 'tell like it is' filmmakers behind the upcoming feature length film, Oscar.Tango. Hellwater.

Oscar. Tango. Hellwater.  is a horror re-imagining of William Shakespeare's Othello. This film was shot almost entirely in Blackwater, MO.  Nathan Karimi (Writer/Director) and  David Christopher Pitt (DP/Editor/Colorist) give us all the behind the scenes details from Nathan getting fired from his job as a teacher for writing scripts on the job to some horrors stories of development hell from other projects. We learn about their decision to take matters in their own hands with Oscar.Tango. Hellwater.

In this episode, we talk budgets, scriptwriting, directors fighting for their ideas, visual style, and so much more. Just a word of warning, there is some cursing in this episode. A few links to things mentioned in the episode:

Oscar. Tango. Hellwater - Teaser
Oscar. Tango. Hellwater - IMDB Page
Script to Screen & Everything in Between - Youtube Channel
Gung Ho Jungle - their production company
David Christopher Pitt -  Vimeo page
David Christopher Pitt - IG Page
Wildlife Command Center - Movie Animals
Start Up Podcast - mentioned in episode

This podcast is sponsored by the MO Film Office (https://mofilm.org) and Shock City Studios (www.shockcitystudios.com) and is brought to you by Speak Up Productions (www.speakupproductions.com) and the In Motion team (www.inmotionconference.com)

Music by Courtney Orlando Peebles of So Hot Productions (https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-jr-peebles-05a2a19/)

In today's episode, we interview Tim Breitbach, the director of the Final 19 which was just released on Amazon on Feb 5th by Buffalo 8. The Final 19 is the true story of Sgt. Daniel Hefel (and the director's cousin) who was one of the final 19 prisoners of war to come home from Vietnam. A small-town kid that enlisted, he was an infantry grunt in the 101st Airborne unit. They veered into the A Shau Valley without alerting the base camp, crashed into the mountainside, and the NVA captured Hefel and his co-pilot. He spent a total of 1,143 days in captivity.

We talk to Tim about how his career started with a Sundance award winning script and film, what it was like to attend the Sundance lab and the festival and then his journey from being represented in LA to moving back to the Midwest to be near family. Back in the Midwest, he helped launch Coolfire Originals known for a number of breakout reality TV hits including Sweetie Pies and Fast N'Loud. From there, we talk about going out on his own to start Optimal Entertainment and the journey he went on the create the documentary the Final 19. Tim has a lot of experience and knowledge to share. Enjoy!

A few things mentioned in the podcast:

Final 19 on Amazon
Sundance Writer Lab
Sundance Film Festival
Dopamine (Tim's film that premiered at Sundance and was in the Lab)
Coolfire Studios  ()Where Tim produced a number of reality TV shows)
Kansas City named top cities for filmmakers
KC Film Office
Optimal Entertainment FB page (Tim's new business)
Julien-Dubuque Film Fest (Where Tim's film received standing ovation and sold out screenings)
Buffalo 8 (Tim's distribution company)

This podcast is sponsored by the MO Film Office (https://mofilm.org) and Shock City Studios (www.shockcitystudios.com) and is brought to you by Speak Up Productions (www.speakupproductions.com) and the In Motion team (www.inmotionconference.com)

Music by Courtney Orlando Peebles of So Hot Productions (https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-jr-peebles-05a2a19/)

This is part 2 of our interview with filmmaker Josh Guffey. Go back and listen to episode 8 if you missed it.

Josh is the director of the new film All Gone Wrong starring Tony Todd who is famous for being the Candyman. The film releases on all platforms on January 27th and is being distributed by Buffalo 8.

In part 2, we talk more about the behind the scenes element of the film, budget and the distribution process. We talk about the camera he used, the size of his team, the festival premiere and what conversations with distributors looked like.

A few links mentioned in the podcast (chronological):

All Gone Wrong - Josh's films website
Josh Guffey's Director website
Cinema St. Louis
St. Louis Intl. Film Fest (SLIFF)
Buffalo 8

This podcast is sponsored by the MO Film Office (https://mofilm.org) and Shock City Studios (www.shockcitystudios.com) and is brought to you by Speak Up Productions (www.speakupproductions.com) and the In Motion team (www.inmotionconference.com)

Music by Courtney Orlando Peebles of So Hot Productions (https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-jr-peebles-05a2a19/)