Doc Walks – Details, episodes & analysis

It’s Ben’s first time in Park City, and despite the freezing temps, he and Keith take to Main Street to kickoff the indie film calendar-year, exploring the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Man-on-the-street interviews capture the vibrant atmosphere as Ben & Keith seek intel and advice from filmmakers, volunteers, and festival-goers alike. Listen for candid encounters with Frank Mosley, Russell Wayne Groves, Su Kim and more — including a sneeze and you might miss it cameo from Conan O’Brien, who warns us all — ”Look out for the ice!”

00:00 Starting the Day: Leaving the Condo

00:08 Walking Directions and Weather Update

00:59 Discussing the Film Festival Experience

02:45 Exploring Main Street and Festival Atmosphere

04:28 Bird Watching and Film Festival Analogies

05:48 The Role of Sales Agents in Film Distribution

08:54 Navigating the Festival: Tips and Insights

09:23 Tunnel Walk and Festival Reflections

11:05 Interviews with Filmmakers and Attendees

20:01 Worlds Colliding at Sundance

20:25 The Impact of Social Media on Documentary Filmmaking

21:40 Excitement for the Future of Social Media

22:24 Meeting Industry Professionals at Sundance

23:00 Challenges in Indie Film Distribution and Financing

23:41 First Impressions of Sundance

24:27 The Importance of Optimism in Filmmaking

30:44 A Conversation with Su Kim

36:28 Wrapping Up Day One at Sundance

In this episode of Doc Walks, Ben & Keith duck out of the freezing temperatures of Park City for a warm and cozy indoor sit-down with Academy Award-nominated producer Diane Quon. A personal story of determination, Diane shares her inspiring journey from marketing executive to Academy Award-nominated documentary producer. From acclaimed films like 'Minding the Gap,' and 'Breaking the News,' to her Sundance premiering 'Third Act,' Diane shares insights and experiences as a late-entrant into the documentary world, relying on real-world experience and some well-timed words of encouragement too. 00:00 Braving the Cold: A Frosty Start 00:45 Seeking Warmth: A Change of Plans 01:48 Introducing Diane Quan: A Special Guest 05:55 Diane's Journey: From Marketing to Filmmaking 08:37 The Impact of Documentaries: Personal Stories and Social Issues 13:12 Advice for Aspiring Filmmakers 16:39 Wrapping Up: Reflections and Gratitude

Step into 'Doc Walks' with indie filmmakers Keith Maitland and Ben Steinbauer as they kick off this walk & talk podcast with a pilot episode focused on their documentary origins, storytelling motivations, personal frailties, and a few bird sightings. Tune in for candid conversations, industry insights, and the ambient sounds of Austin's hike and bike trail.

From The Bear and Go Valley comes the show you didn’t know you wanted (or needed, probably). Hosted, produced, and edited by Ben Steinbauer and Keith Maitland, with help from Tanner Bass. Theme song by Sam Billen and Primary Color Music.

00:00 Introduction and Sound Check

00:40 Launching the Podcast: Doc Walks

02:03 The Concept Behind Doc Walks

02:56 Insights on Documentary Filmmaking

06:22 Personal Journeys into Filmmaking

12:06 Challenges and Realities of Filmmaking

13:53 The Collaborative Nature of Filmmaking

17:19 Synchronicity and Creative Inspiration

25:34 Conclusion and Future Plans

Back from Sundance and inspired by Diane Quon’s email to Morgan Neville, Ben & Keith discuss the impact of seeking career guidance in their early days as doc-makers. Join us for a walk around Austin’s Ladybird Lake and a lively conversation about outreach and insights for aspiring and established documentary filmmakers alike. 

00:00 Starting the Journey: Back to Where It All Began

00:14 Post-Sundance Reflections and Illness

01:18 Networking at Sundance: Strategies and Insights

02:36 The Power of Reaching Out: Diane Quon's Story

04:46 Personal Experiences: Seeking Advice from Filmmakers

07:26 Wise Words from Albert Maysles: Love Your Subject

10:38 Exploring Austin: The Bat Bridge and New Projects

17:44 Advice for Aspiring Filmmakers: Practical Tips

19:41 The Power of Encouragement

21:07 Seeking Advice and Building Relationships

23:36 The Importance of Community

30:35 Practical Tips for Aspiring Filmmakers

33:44 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

With SXSW in full swing, Ben & Keith walk downtown Austin with director Adam Bhala Lough (Telemarketers) the day before the premiere of Deep Faking Sam Altman. A prolific filmmaker, Adam shares stories behind the scenes of his new doc, gives tips on pitching, and after spending a year chasing AI pioneer Sam Altman, offers a surprisingly rosy view of the AI landscape.

00:00 Welcome to South by Southwest 2025

00:30 Meet Adam Bhala Lough: Prolific Director

01:23 Deep Faking Sam Altman: The New Film

01:49 The Journey of Making the Film

04:33 Challenges and Triumphs in Filmmaking

08:12 Pitching and Networking Secrets

12:59 The Train Keeps Moving

13:41 The Pivot: Embracing New Opportunities

14:29 Creating the Sambot

16:02 Journey to India

17:30 The Future of Documentaries

21:05 AI: A New Tool in Filmmaking

22:53 Closing Thoughts and Reflections

New York City — Ben takes on the Big Apple and a long walk with filmmaker Matt Wolf, all by himself. This episode features a deep dive into Matt Wolf’s career and approach — from his days as a gay teen activist to his new two part series, Pee-wee As Himself, premiering on HBO Max. Matt leads Ben through the streets of the Lower East Side while sharing insights into his unique approach to doc filmmaking, the power of archival footage, and the importance of finishing what you start.

00:00 Introduction and First Impressions

00:44 Technical Difficulties and First Steps

01:18 Exploring the Neighborhood

03:11 Meeting Matt Wolf

05:14 Matt Wolf's Early Career

08:16 The Journey to Filmmaking

14:35 Reflecting on Success and Challenges

16:19 Finding New Stories

17:51 Navigating Construction Noise

18:26 The Art of Documentary Filmmaking

18:59 The Importance of Archival Material

20:56 Pitching and Funding Projects

23:20 Current Inspirations and New Projects

28:15 Challenges in the Documentary Industry

33:06 Passion for Filmmaking

35:29 Advice for Aspiring Filmmakers

36:50 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

Walk and talk with ZODIAC KILLER PROJECT director Charlie Shackleton as he recounts the challenges (& opportunities) of bringing a film to new life after losing access to the subject. Ben & Keith explore Charlie’s love-hate relationship with true crime and the way his film twists up familiar tropes. Never one to accept creative defeat, Charlie extolls the virtues of having a close collaboration with your entertainment lawyer and takes us back to the inspiration of Nick Broomfield as a basis for overcoming rejection on screen.  The three filmmakers have a lot of laughs and together decide to start a cult! Join them… for this episode of Doc Walks.

00:00 Welcome to Doc Walks: South by Southwest Day

00:49 Meeting Charlie Shackleton: A Unique Filmmaker

02:42 The Zodiac Killer Project: A Film About Failure

04:13 Overcoming Obstacles: The Making of Zodiac Killer Project

07:41 Archival Films and Legal Battles

11:17 Influences and Inspirations: The Filmmakers Who Shaped Charlie

15:28 Pitching and Funding: The Journey to Create Zodiac Killer Project

17:48 A Twist on True Crime: Charlie's Unique Approach

19:56 Starting a New Cult: A Filmmaker's Perspective

20:23 Intentional Critique in Documentary Filmmaking

22:08 Navigating Personal Involvement in Documentaries

25:32 The Reality of Developing Multiple Projects

29:13 Advice for Aspiring Filmmakers

34:24 Concluding Thoughts and Future Episodes

Taking it back to the indie film boom of the 90s with super-sales-agent John Sloss of Cinetic Media. Walking through the tree-filled Zilker neighborhood in an escape from SXSW, John shares his career journey from a life-changing pickup basketball game with John Sayles to  longtime associations with film legends like Richard Linklater, John Pierson and Errol Morris. Ben & Keith eat up the stories of John’s early days, but it's his unique perspective on the current state of the doc marketplace that makes John Sloss a real ‘get’ for Doc Walks. 

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene

00:32 Meeting John Sloss

01:12 A Walk Through Zilker 

02:15 Career Highlights and Insights

13:54 The State of the Documentary Market

17:25 Wrapping Up and Future Episodes

Drink up the scene like a local as Keith & Ben chat up their fellow Austinites (and a few out of town visitors) at the annual Austin Film Society Parking Lot Party at SXSW. This episode is a veritable smorgasbord of festival conversation including appearances by local filmmakers Cassie Hay, Tracy Frazier & Karen Skloss; festival programmers like Bart Weiss and James Faust; SXSW-premiering CREEDE, USA editor Andrew Saunderson;  producer Mike Blizzard; and an AFS-appreciation conversation with CEO Rebecca Campbell. All that and a literal Rolls Royce car crash makes this bonus episode a unique peek into Austin’s film community. 

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene

00:59 Meeting Cassie Hay: A Filmmaking Journey

03:38 Tracy Frazier: From Documentaries to Gaming

06:39 Bart Weiss: The Evolution of Video Fest

11:56 Andrew Saunderson: Editing Creed USA

15:54 James Faust: Festival Highlights

16:16 Introduction to South by Southwest

16:53 Interview with James Faust

17:12 The State of Documentary Films

19:54 Challenges in the Film Industry

24:16 Rebecca Campbell on Austin Film Society

29:45 Mike Blizzard on Austin's Film Community

31:37 Karen Skloss on the Austin Film Society Party

34:22 Conclusion and Future Episodes

The flowers are blooming, Ben’s chasing squirrels while Keith eyes the skies over Hyde Park for hawks… oh, and we’re talkin’ docs. Spring brings up new thoughts about New Media and the docmakers role vs the “influencer’s paradise” of Youtube and social media.  This episode steps into Ben & Keith’s perspectives on storytelling approaches and the future of media consumption — and we even stop to smell the flowers. Plenty to consider here, and next week look forward to a conversation with Academy Award nominee Kahane Corn Cooperman, feeling good after the SXSW premiere of her new doc, CREEDE, USA.

***Note that Ben got the numbers wrong for YouTube's net worth. They are projected to make $22 billion in 2025. The $8 billion he quoted was for the 1st quarter of 2025.