Explore every episode of the podcast No Set Path: Entertainment Break-In Stories

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Guest host Michael Ritter joins for a discussion 10 years after graduating USC SCA:

- What percentage of graduates have left the film industry, or directed a feature film?

- How did expectations upon graduation meet reality a decade later?

- How can one figure out what opportunities are worth pursuing?

- Are there noticeable differences between the trajectories of USC film grads vs. non-traditional film schools?

- What advice would be useful for the Class of 2026?

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So you've been rejected from USC SCA (or USC altogether) - what have people done in the past to overcome this and either eventually land a spot as a Trojan, or carve a path toward a film career without it?

BREAKDOWN:

0:00 - Intro/Context

3:00 - Episode Outline

3:56 - A note about the appeal process!! (FAQ)

6:24 - For parents!!!

8:13 - My journey getting rejected from USC SCA: admission to USC but denied from SCA, adding a major in Annenberg, transferring into Cinema-Media Studies and eventually transferring into Film & Television Production

44:52 - Stories of successful people who were initially rejected from USC

Evan Iwata is a TV drama writer who recently sold his original high-concept crime procedural ON THE CLOCK to ABC with Lionsgate Television and Alexi Hawley’s Perfectman Pictures. He was previously a staff writer on the HBO Max sci-fi thriller SUBJECT TO CHANGE from J.J. Abrams and Bad Robot, and has also developed a YA action-adventure series for DreamWorks Animation. He began his career in the writers room, working in support staff roles on series including Starz's OUTLANDER, CBS's CSI:CYBER and PURE GENIUS, and ABC's THE FIX and EMERGENCE. An alum of the Warner Bros. TV Writers’ Workshop and the USC School of Cinematic Arts. 

Today we are getting into how Evan went from being rejected from USC film school to a WGA writer selling his own show, what it was like working directly with JJ Abrams ona series for HBO and the three typical expectations most writers have that are completely incorrect.

BREAKDOWN:

13:46 – Evan’s work on a potential Dreamworks show
18:26 – Pitch vs. pilot vs. series bible
23:18 – How to get paid before you start writing the pilot
28:41 – From Oshkosh to USC / underGRAD
31:41 – Megan Niquette
33:21 – Namrata
34:11 – Evan McGahey, Monisha Dadlani, Ethan Welling
41:41 – Signing with reps
42:24 – Writers’ Assistant Program, Conrad Sun
46:41 – Knowing when to add an agent to the team
46:41 – Kat Reilly
50:41 – Warner Bros. TV Writer Workshop + Covid
51:26 – Jennifer Yale
52:01 – Getting in the writers room on JJ Abrams show
59:21 – Starting as support staff (CSI: Cyber, Outlander)
1:06:11 – Wrong expectations as writers
1:17:41 – Getting a WGA card
1:18:11 – Adapting a true story from an article
1:24:36 – TIME CAPSULE

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WATCH ANDREA'S GAMBIT: https://thempi.org/film/andreas-gambit/

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We're talking talent rep tantrums, slapping "elevated" before genres, and the infamous "mayonnaise commercial."

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Faith Liu is a writer/director who has written feature films for Blumhouse, FilmNation, Sony Pictures Animation, and Disney. Her directorial debut short “Sundowning” is available online at CryptTV’s YouTube channel after a successful festival run. She was a member of the CAPE New Writers Fellowship and Christina Hodson and Margot Robbie’s Lucky Exports Pitch Program.

Today we are getting into how Faith landed paid distribution for her short film, how she got connected with opportunities to write features for major studios in traditional Hollywood and what she thinks there is to gain from the film festival circuit. 

EPISODE BREAKDOWN:

1:31 START

2:00 - Sundowning, Faith’s horror-with-a-heart proof of concept short now out on CryptTV

4:10 - Getting paid distribution for a short: CryptTV

6:07 - What to gain from film festivals (especially genre festivals)

13:20 - Winning the Wes Craven Award

16:44 - Going from screenwriter to writer-director

19:10 - Crowdfunding $40k for Sundowning

23:20 - Signing with Faith’s longtime manager Max Goldfarb

26:33 - First jobs in support staff on writers rooms of “Warrior” and “Better Call Saul”

29:59 - Caren Dulles? 

33:50 - CAPE (Coalition for Asian Pacific in Entertainment) New Writers Program & how to pitch yourself in 3 minutes

42:15 - Getting connected with writing for multiple Hollywood studios & landing Open Writing Assignment pitches

48:10 - Getting into Margot Robbie’s Lucky Chap Pitch Program & women who write action

51:40 - Faith’s advice for screenwriters

54:14 - How living situation has impacted creativity 

56:00 - What helped Faith persevere 

59:04 - TIME CAPSULE

Veronica Powers is a SAG actress, singer, and USC Summa Cum Laude graduate who has transitioned from a child performer on Conan to a viral comedy star for creators like Content Machine and Adam W. A versatile multi-hyphenate, she also lends her voice to global Netflix hits and works as a professional coach for aspiring talent. In this episode, we discuss the profound life lessons she learned after losing her home in the Palisades fire and the specific DM strategies she used to land major roles in the digital space.

BREAKDOWN:

11:28 - Veronica’s origins, from Old Hollywood grandmother to acting as a child

18:11 - What Veronica DM’d to get cast in Instagram comedy sketches

19:23 - IG as the modern day business card

20:38 - opportunities & negotiations over Instagram DMs

25:38 - creating your own social content

26:38 - leaning into being a multi-hyphenate

29:28 - pursuing music through voiceover/dubbing contacts & training

32:38 - should new actors go SAG?

39:07 - TIME CAPSULE

KEEP UP WITH VERONICA: IG: @officalvpowers | @confidencecoach101 

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Austin Kolodney is the screenwriter of “Dead Man’s Wire,” based on a true story and directed by Gus Van Sant, in theaters January 2026. He was named one of Variety’s 2025 Screenwriters to Watch.

A director as well as writer, Austin’s work has been featured across major platforms including Funny Or Die, Syfy, Audible, Almost Friday TV, and Comedy Central. His narrative shorts, Two Chairs, Not One and Kiwi, earned prestigious Vimeo Staff Pick honors.

Today we get into why Austin walked twenty miles round trip across LA to meet with Werner Herzog; working at the LA Zoo after the industry was ravaged by strikes and the pandemic; how he put himself through USC film school after two years at a community college; and the things he had in place to make reps pursue him for professional relationships that have lasted. 

SEE “DEAD MAN’S WIRE:” Limited Release 1/07/26 | Out Nationwide 1/16/26

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ANDREA’S GAMBIT PREMIERE TICKETS: https://mpi.swoogo.com/andreasgambit-la-premiere/10598619

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Last Year's Episode with Becca: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/47-new-years-resolutions-for-filmmakers-w-becca-mann/id1676370871?i=1000682375575

With the Oscars broadcast headed to YouTube, studios including Fox hiring Head of Creator Studio, and YouTube surpassing Netflix to become the most watched streamer on TVs - where are the jobs headed in an industry that seems to be scaling back? The good news: there is one accessible sector that's growing, and may be replacing the bottom of the pyramid of traditional media.

Mentioned articles/books:

THR "Hollywood Is Dying—42000 Jobs Gone in Just 2 Years": https://nofilmschool.com/entertainment-industry-crisis

Wall Street Journal: "L.A.’s Entertainment Economy Is Looking Like a Disaster Movie" https://www.wsj.com/business/media/los-angeles-entertainment-economy-downturn-7879105c

Deloitte digital media trends data: https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/technology/digital-media-trends-consumption-habits-survey/2025.html

The Women Who Built Hollywood by Susan Goldman Rubin: https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/recommended-books/?bookId=24944

Scott Galloway on Colin & Samir: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7vNHGUPEVtJanMq6lXaxUr

Dhar Mann: https://www.dharmann.com/about/

Kinigra Deon: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9HvSOvNpFpjydzDkAQJCNw

Try Guys on Colin & Samir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsvyA7O9hiY

Michelle Khare on Colin & Samir 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TlPHtxsBIA

Zach Justice on the Karat Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2t2vq1kqfphXVXTew72ZA9

THR - Taylor Lorenz: "How Hollywood Learned to Love Influencers" https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/hollywood-influencers-new-era-fame-1236400405/

The Town with Matt Belloni - Did Hollywood Ever Have a Chance Against YouTube? https://www.theringer.com/podcasts/the-town-with-matthew-belloni/2025/11/20/did-hollywood-ever-have-a-chance-against-youtube

TV Upfronts Data: https://videoamp.com/press/tv-networks-embrace-their-aging-audience-with-a-new-mantra-age-doesnt-matter/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Tina Fey on Smartless: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Jc5ThwTxSM

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Today we get into how a film can land theatrical distribution without festival circuit buzz; how to leverage existing relationships into building a crew, cast, and distributors on your team; and how a cold email landed a distributor for two of his feature films.

TICKETS FOR “THE WILDERNESS”: https://www.fandango.com/the-wilderness-2025-242791/movie-overview

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Today we are getting into how to avoid stagnance when waiting for feature films to go, how to find representation that aligns with who you are as an artist and the most surprising things from directing three horror thriller features.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN:

1:35 - Getting brought on to Bone Lake from an open directing assignment 

3:00 - LD Entertainment

4:20 - Shooting in LA vs. Georgia vs. Canada

6:35 - Viral chess board shot 

7:30 - Projects Mercedes’ agents sent her when they first signed her vs. now - elevated, surrealist, erotic horrors 

9:10 - Upcoming features & how to play the movie stock market during the long process of getting projects off the ground 

11:15 - Working on commercials

12:30 - Making previous features Fixation and Spoonful of Sugar with covid impact 

15:15 - the unexpected positive outcomes of a storm preventing shooting the final scene of Bone Lake

17:00 - Art department chopping shrubbery down from the hotel as set dec 

20:20 - Meeting long-term collaborators at USC (and cutting class to work on projects)

21:45 - Should you go to film school? 

25:46 - Signing with a manager & an agent (UTA)

31:45 - How to finance a feature

35:30 - Advice for younger filmmakers + background in producing 

37:30 - Working director vs. “selling out”

39:40 - Mercedes’ interest in filmmaking as a kid 

42:49 - How living situations impact creativity 

43:44 - How to persevere when you want to give up

48:59 - Thoughts on social media 

51:55 - TIME CAPSULE

KEEP UP WITH MERCEDES:

Buy tickets for "Bone Lake": www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com/bone-lake

Follow Mercedes on IG: @mercedesbrycemorgan

Follow Bone Lake on IG: @bonelakefilm

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TikTok: @beccawmann

IG: @becca__mann

Becca's Books: https://www.becca-mann.com/books

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Evan B. Matthews is an LA-based director whose feature directorial debut “Motherland” comes out this month, we’re recording in September 2025, in both theaters and VOD.

Evan got his start under Mark Burnett, working on shows including Survivor, The Apprentice, An Inconvenient Truth, and The Hollow, among others; going on to produce the MTV Movie Awards. 

Today we get into how Evan went from meeting with an executive to landing his first feature film directing job in just one week, what he focused on during his pitch for this open directing assignment, and how to pivot out of reality-focused projects when pigeonholed and be taken seriously as a narrative director.

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Michael Orion Downing is an LA-based, Alaskan-raised producer and Director of Development at A/Vantage Pictures, with credits spanning Netflix, Mandalay, A24, and Apple projects alongside independent films on Tubi. His work includes Ben Affleck’s AIR, Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, and Sundance award-winning Under Darkness, as well as producing Maika Monroe’s directorial debut short at TIFF.

Today we dive into how he went from a Paramount lot clerk to producing and developing major films, while constantly creating independent projects and seeking out new filmmaking collaborators.

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Karl Stelter is a filmmaker whose commercial director / producer work has been recognized by  the Clio’s, Tribeca, Tribeca X, the ADDY’s, Telly’s, Webby’s, 1.4, ADCC, DUST, and over 15 Oscar Qualifying film festivals.  His recent Jury Award win at Sebastopol qualified him for the 2025 Oscars. His clients include Invisalign, Amazon, NFL, Telus, Western University of Health Sciences, and GHA Autism Supports among others.

Today we get into how Karl convinced brands like Telus and Invisalign to buy documentary projects he was already making as passion projects and turn them into commercials and branded entertainment, how to make the most of a festival experience like Tribeca and how to pivot into a new type of work that’s different from what you’ve already built a portfolio in.

BREAKDOWN:

2:43 – two(!) projects at Tribeca, both scripted and branded doc spot

3:03 – Swimming with Butterflies feat. Brand partner, Invisalign and TribecaX

3:53 – Balancing authentic story x branded, paying the bills x passionate

5:23 – Karl’s journey with the subject of the doc, Paralympic swimmer

9:03 – Gaining trust with documentary subjects

11:43 – Shooting underwater feat. DP Joe Simon

12:33 – Pitching a short doc to a brand (Invisalign)

16:33 – How much would a brand give as a budget?

19:13 – did Invisalign care about where the spot would live?

20:13 – Submitting to Tribeca documentary vs. TribecaX (branded counterpart)

21:38 – The Tribeca experience

22:53 – The Lord of All Future Space and Time: a maximalist cheesecake short film (rich & dense)

24:38 – repeat collaborators

27:23 – running his own production company, Journeyman Studios, since 2012

29:48 – Pivoting from weddings to corporate videos; how to pivot to new types of work

32:23 – don’t lose sight of your artistic side

34:08 – success in the industry is a game of time

37:05 – getting into a top tier festival while simultaneously being rejected from much less prestigious festivals

38:23 – realistic acceptance rate for festivals

39:08 – Pitching: collaborators and clients

42:53 – don’t lose your collaborators to be right

44:28 – how to enjoy Tribeca

47:28 – different financing models: Karl’s other shorts!

57:38 – how to have a family as a filmmaker

1:07:13 – TIME CAPSULE

Today independent producer and union production coordinator Sofia Snyder gets into the specific resources she utilized to help land her short films at festivals, including Tribeca; what a psychic told her that prevented her from quitting her job on Rebel Moon; and how she took what she learned from working on movies like Licorice Pizza and Barb and Star Go to Vista del Mar and applied it to the films she’s produced.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN:

2:00 - Playing at Tribeca without a premiere

4:00 - How to strategize with film festivals to optimize odds of getting in - Festival Formula (HollyShorts, Poppy Jasper, Kino Presents the People’ Film Festival London, Montclair Film Festival)

12:30 - Getting into Tribeca after rejections from SXSW (and other random festivals)

14:08 - How runtime impacts your festival odds

17:30 - Making a short for $10,000

19:30 - Funding models for shorts - self-funding vs. crowd funding

20:30 - 6 years is an overnight success

22:30 - Sofia’s early journey as a producer: a doc about the ghost of a dead cat

25:20 - Developing projects on nights & weekends after 60-80 hours a week in a production office

28:15 - Why she didn’t quit her job on Rebel Moon to focus on producing

33:20 - Why Sofia wouldn’t recommend production office gigs for aspiring writers

35:55 - Sofia’s other shorts (In Old Ranchos directed by Matt Lucas, We Meet Again directed by Matt Lucas, One of These Days concept directed by Joe Blank, Don’t Leave Me Now directed by Monisha Dadlani)

37:20 - Shooting with UNREAL technology

35:50 - Shooting in phases before raising the entire budget

42:20 - Cranberry Heaven in 1997

44:30 - Things take time!

45:40 - Being a union production coordinator on $30million+ projects (Licorice Pizza, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar)

51:50 - Attending American University + moving to LA post-college with $10,000

1:02:30 - Development assistant vs. freelance/production office pipeline

1:05:30 - Pay for union coordinators + insider information about how coordinators discuss rates with each other

1:10:05 - TIME CAPSULE

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Today's topic is "Conclave" - what the movie got right, what the movie got wrong, and the broader impact of a film misrepresenting a community, particularly without involvement from its members.

2:30 - AMERICAN POPE!

3:58 - “Conclave”

4:56 - The timing of the making of the movie

7:00 - The consequences of capitalizing on a community without involving members of that community

19:10 - Misunderstanding of Conclave as a version of American politics / presidential election

23:50 - Applying this to the movie “Conclave”

25:26 - What “Conclave” got right

27:17 - What “Conclave” meant was “Protestantism”

28:39 - What “Conclave” got wrong

36:17 -“Conclave” scenes and lies that are pure fantasy

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Today Rebecca is joined by Kristen Brancaccio to react to some anonymously submitted production horror stories - the good, the bad, and the downright hilarious.

BREAKDOWN:

0:30 - Updates with Kristen! Full-time directing largely in vertical soap operas

3:55 - Anonymously submitted production horror stories!

4:20 - UPM asked LAPD to ID homeless defecation, cop reverse unos and asks production to read screenplay

6:23 - Cops respond to film shooting but not gun shooting

7:05 - Chandler Berg the PA putting out a Malibu fire with the production fire extinguisher

8:30 - Producers digging into an actual cemetery

10:06 - Director beat up PD on set, Kristen stands up for art department

11:14 - 300 extras were told to actually fight each other, actor gets stabbed

12:28 - Rap video with dog fights, stabbing, and computers stolen out of motor home

13:09 - Kristen is up to direct a music video, artist goes to jail before they can shoot

14:22 - Script supervisor stole the lined script for ransom

14:45 - “The Terminator” goes off on PA for chewing too loudly

15:40 - Department head commits fraud, blames assistant

16:18 - Kristen declines to deposit production budget into department head’s personal account

17:30 - Woman shocked by amount of cash taken out by Hollywood productions

18:17 - Person asked to only be paid in gold bars

18:40 - Camera van without handbrake runs through video village on car commercial

28:55 - Portable toilet driven for 45 minutes on bumpy road with person inadvertently inside

19:50 - Talent rage quit his own pilot

20:40 - mayor allowed filming in exchange for photos with celebrities

21:06 - Extra wardrobe malfunction

21:58 - Background actor backstories

22:58 - Bribing the neighbor with Magic Castle tickets

24:25 - Director freaks out that set design isn’t bougie enough

25:22 - Client decided day of the shoot that pre-approved wooden paneling needed to be VFX’d out

26:52 - Wet garbage falling

30:27 - Unusable footage from holding camera on top of a moving camera

29:50 - Petty cash disappeared x2

31:35 - Who can decode these acronyms? DM us @nosetpathshow

KEEP UP WITH KRISTEN:

IG: @kristensreality

Kristen's first episode on No Set Path: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/02-pitching-matt-damon-producing-for-finneas-w-kristen/id1676370871?i=1000605417778

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Becca Mann is an author, screenwriter, and former Team USA swimmer. A two-time national champion, she was the youngest to place Top 10 in four events at a single Olympic Trials and competed in four World Championships. She later worked in writers rooms on shows like Cruel Summer, The Wilds, and The Morning Show. Her memoir Outside the Lanes and novel Unruly drop the first week of April.

Today, we dive into how Becca landed her first writers' room job with 500+ cold emails; how she turned a spontaneous book pitch into a deal; and why embracing boldness, loving the process, and facing failure head-on leads to success.

BREAKDOWN:

3:00 - “Outside the Lanes” - memoir from an alumnae swimmer of Team USA

15:00 - First job in Hollywood by guessing showrunners’ emails and cold emailing

17:18 - First writers’ room job as a writers’ PA on “Cruel Summer”

22:00 - Being show runner’s assistant on “The Wilds”

23:50 - Becoming script coordinator on “The Morning Show”

25:40 - Back to sending emails for the next job!

28:00 - How Becca got her book deal + failure isn’t real

33:00 - Huge week for Becca in April! Books, races, shows!

34:00 - Becca announces her YA book premise, coming out this April!

37:30 - USC swim career + early swim career

44:50 - Advice!

54:07 - TIME CAPSULE

KEEP UP WITH BECCA:

IG: @becca__mann

TikTok: @beccawmann

Buy Becca's Memoir:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/774496/outside-the-lanes-by-becca-mann/

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Revealing the top episodes, wins for the year, and upcoming opportunities!

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Maggie Admire is an LA-based writer and producer, nominated for a 2025 WGA Award and a CrimeCon Clue Award, with features in The New York Times. Over nine years, she’s created 40+ podcast series, many for Spotify, including Serial Killers and Coinspiracy Theories, reaching millions. She helped build Parcast as its first hire before its Spotify acquisition.

Beyond podcasts, she’s been a Pack Theater sketch writer, crafted tweets for Funny or Die, and even ghostwrote Tinder replies—before being replaced by a younger, hotter AI. She’s currently writing a romantasy-comedy novel and fostering a dog.

Today we’re getting into how putting yourself and your ideas out there can land you a prestigious nomination like one at the WGA Awards, how to balance long term strategy with short term opportunity when deciding what career decisions to make next, and how to take calculated risks when pitching new ideas.

BREAKDOWN:

2:15 - Maggie’s favorite “Serial Killers” episode, which was nominated for a 2025 GA Award

12:00 - how to find balance when working with very dark material

13:30 - the decision to do audio-only for a podcast episode vs. video podcast

16:00 - proactively submitting for a WGA award nomination

19:49 - First Deadline mention by name

20:07 - WGA Awards experience!

31:43 - How to stand out in a comptitive industry

34:30 - Other Spotify shows: “Dog Tales,” “Tales,” “Mind’s Eye”

39:00 - advice for screenwriters considering podcasts

43:50 - Balancing writing podcasts with other writing passions including sketch comedy and novels

49:40 - Early jobs: ghostwriting people’s responses on Tinder

51:20 - Getting paid to write individual jokes on the now-defunct “Pitch” app

54:50 - Thoughts on TikTok & comedy

57:30 - Advice for persevering in this career + not wanting to be a manager

1:06:12 - TIME CAPSULE

KEEP UP WITH MAGGIE:

TikTok: @MaggieAdmire

IG: @secret___admire

Listen to Maggie’s work: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3MH80XPwH4UdpQxXon2obn

EPISODE BREAKDOWN

0:00 - Intro

6:00 - Why Baldoni & Lively probably won’t go to trial

6:40 - Publicity vs. PR vs. Marketing

7:59 - Looking at things with a critical eye & documentary subjects saying “no”

10:10 - North West, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West & “The Lion King” at the Hollywood Bowl

12:58 - Amazon Prime’s publicist dramatization in “Flack”

15:00 - the advent of the “influencer”

16:25 - Real stories of publicist shenanigans from my time at the Hollywood Reporter

22:45 - more Hollywood stories

23:26 - studios/companies telling actors things to say to promote a film, including fake stories. Case study: Suicide Squad & Jared Leto’s crazy “gifts”

38:33 - Failed publicity stunts - Balloon boy (2009), Jussie Smollett (2019), Morton Downey Jr. (1989)

54:18 - how you’re being tricked by social media creators

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EPISODE BREAKDOWN:

4:10 - Wildfire impact on production insurance, bonding, & building materials

11:30 - Stay in LA Campaign

20:17- Practical implications: a game of attraction, not demands

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Evan McGahey, staff writer on Season 8 of Outlander, breaks down how he worked his way up in TV from support staff to staff writer; how he recently sold his original TV pitch to a major studio; and what he predicts with future writers given Hollywood's contraction and battle over A.I.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN:

1:30 - Writing a first episode of Outlander

3:00 - Lessons from writing an episode after working as writers room support staff

4:20 - Experience co-writing an episode with another writer

5:00 - How Evan landed a support staff role on Outlander

7:26 - How Evan made the connections who ended up referring him for the interview

10:00 - How to sell an original show to a major network

15:45 - Choosing a production companies

17:06 - Landing a manager

18:30 - Co-writing a pilot

20:10 - Getting started in TV writing: first jobs—

26:20 - Writer’s PA vs. Writer’s Assistant: how to maximize each job

28:20 - Why Evan chose Outlander over staying at NBC’s The Black List

35:00 - We Survived ’til ’25, now what?: How to navigate the current contraction as a writer

39:50 - Writers vs. A.I.

43:40 - From going to USC to become a doctor to switching to pursuing screenwriting with a biology degree

44:00 - underGRAD

47:46 - Having a dedicated creative space for working

50:50 - TIME CAPSULE

KEEP UP WITH THE SHOW:

All Platforms: @NoSetPathShow

www.NoSetPathShow.com

bio.site/nosetpathshow

In this episode, guest Becca Mann joins to discuss New Year's Resolutions - what makes them actionable, when to share them, and thoughts on submitted resolutions from people on both coasts!

BREAKDOWN:

1:30 - Becca’s professional swimmer update!

3:30 - Resolutions vs. goals: family, work, hobbies, emotional/spiritual, bucket list items

4:42 - Discernment: what excited me, what drained me, what did I learn?

5:45 - Navigating social media

8:20 - Rebecca’s update

12:20 - Save money & spend time with loved ones

13:30 - Goals you can control vs. ones you can’t

16:50 - Quit a bad job

19:25 - Find a full-time job

20:00 - Not sure what to resolve

21:32 - Direct another feature or more shorts for anthology feature

23:50 - Vote for “The Last Ranger” from Darwin Shaw!

24:38 - Find a home for comedic scripts

25:33 - Is a “resolution” actionable?

26:23 - Get more direct-to-client work

32:45 - Bartend in order to work on writing

36:40 - Write another feature and pilot

38:00 - Should you tell people about your goals?

KEEP UP WITH GUEST BECCA MANN:

IG: @becca__mann

TikTok: @beccawmann

KEEP UP WITH THE SHOW:

All Platforms: @NoSetPathShow

www.NoSetPathShow.com

bio.site/NoSetPath

Juan Luis Bravo has worked as a storyboard artist in animation for shows like Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures and LEGO Dreamzzz.

Today het gets into the steps from a digital media specialist making corporate videos to storyboard artist for a Star Wars based show; how to actually yield results from networking events; and how to tap into your power as a member of a marginalized community.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN (updated - 2:36 is actually 1:43)

1:43 - Young Jedi Adventures: years in the making!

2:13 - Starting off as a Digital Media Specialist internally at Disney

4:52 - Getting aggressively poached from a show

1:27 - What’s the best way to follow up/advocate for yourself with a new connection?

13:27 - How to get someone to want to help you

18:07 - Landing & leveraging a first job toward your long-term goals 

23:52 - Identifying opportunities for further education past college

26:57 - How to decide to leave your “steady” job to pursue your dreams - and convince the next hiring manager you can do it (leaving helping to cut Marvel animatics to pursue storyboarding)

33:07 - Cultivating relationships from college into long-term professional relationships 

34:47 - How to balance being direct about what you want without being an egomaniac 

39:17 - Friends from college making the Black List

40:27 - How to say what you want 

44:37 - The right questions to ask in a cold email or mentor outreach

46:33 - Living situation impact on creativity 

49:22 - If you hate LA…

50:17 - Were there moments of wanting to quit? 

57:52 - How to tap into your power as a member of a marginalized community 

1:00:55 - TIME CAPSULE

Instgram and X: @juanluisbravo_

Devin Berko is a producer at the Walt Disney Company, entrepreneur and matzo ball enthusiast. He moved to Los Angeles in 2018 after running a successful production company and has since focused on creating diverse content, whether through his work as a food photographer, commercial producer, or director.

Today Devin gets into how to get hired by Disney and what Disney corporate producers look for in a director and production company to work on commercials for the Disney parks, faking a documentary to propose to the love of your life, and the philosophy he adopted from his fianceé that will give you the best shot at getting what you want.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN:

1:15 - start

1:35 - Devin’s job at Disney producing commercials for the Disney Parks

3:35 - Tiana’s Bayou Adventure!

4:55 - From making TikToks for a company to working with Disney IP   

7:05 - Being a part of something bigger

10:33 -working inside a bureaucracy / large company 

23:15 - set your own path; short-term opportunity vs. long-term strategy 

29:45 - wedding company gets ghosted

34:05 - Producing for TikTok

35:25 - When is too late to start? (Age)

38:45 - The “get-out-of-bed” rate

41:55 - Don’t Ask, Don’t Get

44:45 - How to get hired by Disney

51:15 - Matzoball Documentary

56:25 - Faking a documentary to propose 

1:01:03 - TIME CAPSULE

KEEP UP WITH DEVIN:

IG: @devinberko

KEEP UP WITH THE SHOW:

All Platforms: @NoSetPathShow

www.NoSetPathShow.com

bio.site/nosetpath

Rebecca Doyle and Michael Ritter react to submitted career regrets and how to avoid them yourself!

EPISODE BREAKDOWN:

1:30 - Not coming to LA earlier

6:10 - Not avoiding drama

9:35 - Not taking digital seriously + creative PR for indie films and digital vs. traditional 

23:00 - Not begging for your job back? 

27:38 - Not saving more money 

29:30 - Not pursuing acting as a child 

31:44 - Leaving a TV assistant job to go write samples alone

34:12 - Picking the wrong gig 

 36:20 - Focusing too much on a day/high-paying job and not making time for personal creative projects with friends 

38:44 - Being convinced by an agent to turn down a conscripted writing job 

40:48 - Don’t burn bridges, even if the people suck 

41:35 - Accusation of interview questions

42:03 - Leaving an office job to pursue personal stuff + not seeking mental health support earlier 

43:18 - Focusing too much on personal projects and not taking more union high-level work early

44:25 - Getting an entertainment-related education

45:26 - Getting sidetracked in reality TV

46:20 - Allowing senior employees to create insecurity 

48:20 - Not making your own content 

48:30 - Not stealing Michael Eisner’s rolodex

50:55 - Worked with (bad) influencers

52:24 - Not doing corporate or agency time early on

54:14 - Not asking for help 

55:26 - Snippy comments / picking this industry at all

56:05 - Sign with ICM instead of CAA

57:05 - Choosing VFX as a career

57:55 - Hollywood is the hardest thing, so we got this! - But start your S-corp early 

KEEP U

EPISODE BREAKDOWN:

1:00 - The question: if you’re making six figures, how did you do it? 

1:40 - Have a good attitude 

4:38 - To diversify or not diversify?

14:08 - Freelancer —> tech / marketing / entrepreneur 

16:55 - $100k+ as a DP - with rates ##

19:16 - Have multiple projects in various phases + be careful of talker$

22:30 - Does having multiple projects help burnout? 

23:17 - Work on long-running shows

23:38 - Apply for government funding (Canada, Europe etc.)

26:08 - Pay bills with branded + build portfolio  

32:50 - A dissenting opinion!

33:30 - Meeting 2 of 3 criteria for taking a project

35:40 - Getting hired through DPs + good attitude ($500k+)

37:50 - Work insane hours + go out and get what you want

38:27 - Get referrals, the jobs find you 

39:20 - Cold email

39:58 - Music videos —> self-funded features?

41:10 - Union DIT

42:29 - Corporate videos

43:20 - Building a portfolio, following up on connections years later

KEEP UP WITH THE SHOW:

All Platforms: @NoSetPathShow

bio.site/nosetpath

www.NoSetPathShow.com

Tiffany Kim Stevens's feature directorial debut, Trigger Happy, is currently finishing its festival circuit and will have its Southern California premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival on 10/18/24 and 10/24/24. Tiffany is a USC alum and currently managed by Gavin Lurie and Najeeb Khuda at Zero Gravity Management. 

Today we are getting into how Tiffany ended up finding financing for her feature in Silicon Valley, the key things to have in place for a fruitful relationship between director and writer and how a business proposal ended up landing Tiffany representation as a director at Zero Gravity. 

BREAKDOWN:

2:00 - Tiffany’s feature directorial debut, Trigger Happy 

3:45 - Landing funding and distribution

10:30 - The key element to a good working relationship with a writer

15:40 - Signing with Zero Gravity Management after pitching a movie business plan 

19:00 - Steps of working with managers on the next big project 

21:10 - Tiffany’s early directing endeavors + short film

30:12 - How living in LA impacts creativity / social capital culture

33:33 - What to do if you’re just starting out

35:00 - Are film fes=tivals worth it? 

39:35 - TIME CAPSULE

CONNECT WITH TIFFANY:

Instagram: @TiffanyKimStevens

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:

All platforms: @NoSetPathShow

www.NoSetPathShow.com

bio.site/nosetpath

Gorby Shih is a director and producer whose work includes "Killer Maid" for Tencent Pictures, which is being adapted into a TV series for Legendary Entertainment; and two drama series for app ReelShort. Gorby has his BA in Film & Television Production from USC (2014) and his MFA in Creative Producing from Columbia University (2024).

Today we’re getting into different ways to land attention on your work and directing jobs, how the market in China has changed over the years and what pieces you should have in your portfolio to be a sought-after director. Let’s jump into the interview. 

BREAKDOWN: 

2:37 - Directing vertical content: business model, story structure differences, company players in the game

11:40 - Is digital media just a stepping stone?  

20:20 - What should a director have on his or her reel to land these jobs? 

22:00 - Going back to film school + becoming a director vs. creative exec vs. producer

25:46 - Making a short that led to signing with UTA and moving to Beijing to direct

31:27 - Directing his first feature for Tencent in 14 days (“Killer Maid”). 

37:20 - Gorby’s origin story + how represents

40:00 - What are people doing who have left the industry? 

43:00 - Script “Sinuous” 

48:12 - How accolades affect receptivity to your script or new project

50:05 - The best way to “network”

1:01:35 - TIME CAPSULE

KEEP UP WITH GORBY: 

IG: @gorbacevmofoshih

REEL:

https://vimeo.com/951351677/c15853b64a?share=copy

WEBSITE: www.gorbyshih.com

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:

All Platforms: @NoSetPathShow

www.NoSetPathShow.com

Today’s guest is Parissa Koo, an actress, singer, and model who has appeared on the Disney Channel, USA Network, Funny or Die, For the Record Live Onstage, Pixel Playhouse, and the Norwegian Cruise Line Escape. You can catch her in commercials for Capital One, Freeform, and Chevron but more imminently - this weekend in HBOhNo…It’s a Musical!

Today we get into the often overlooked place to find jobs in entertainment, how to make a first impression that leads to lasting collaboration, and the one question you should ask while trying to network.

BREAKDOWN: 

2:30 - HbOhNo…It’s a Musical!

5:30 - Meeting a longterm collaborator on a cruise ship 

8:00 - The key to creating a lasting relationship

10:00 - Creating your own work, taking control of your art 

14:00 - Liking genres that aren’t see as “high art” (shoutout Glenn Powell)

19:25 - Say yes, stay in touch - people come back around

21:00 - be genuine in networking 

23:00 - rejection: push harder or walk away? 

24:30 - What to ask for when networking!

27:00 - Auditioning for American Idol

31:50 - Auditioning for the Glee Project & getting noticed by Robert Ulrich

33:10 - Deferring & then skipping college + signing to Osbrink 

35:00 - Auditioning for Mulan (vs. Jamie Chung)

35:50 - Auditioning for Deadpool without knowing

39:50 - Gaining perspective through geographic distance from the industry 

41:04 - YouTube surpassing Netflix for TV watch time and: Pixel Playhouse! 

46:00 - Balancing short-term opportunity with long-term strategy for a career

50:10 - TIME CAPSULE

CONNECT WITH PARISSA: 

IG: @ParissaKoo

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW: 

All Platforms: @NoSetPathShow   

bio.site/nosetpath

www.NoSetPathShow.com

Reviewing stories of people who created their own opportunities when there were none to give you some hope & inspiration during this slow time in the industry!

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:

All Platforms: @NoSetPathShow

bio.site/nosetpath

www.NoSetPathShow.com

From PAs running to crafty for a honey crisp when asked for a "half apple" to interrupting Martin Sheen mid-take - today we dive into true stories of the funniest newbie mistakes on film sets.

CONNECT WITH SPECIAL GUEST CO-HOST MICHAEL RITTER:

Instagram: @mkritter / @29goingonbreakdown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-ritter-filmmaker IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5778236/

Watch "Those About to Die" now on Peacock!

KEEP UP WITH THE SHOW:

All Platforms; @NoSetPathShow

www.NoSetPathShow.com

bio.site/NoSetPath

Jonathan is a Berlin-based Creative Technologist and entrepreneur who stands at the forefront of digital innovation in the media sector. He is the founder of Berlin-based AI software startup Wavery, which specializes in advanced AI-supported transcription technologies designed for the needs of filmmakers and audio professionals. Previously, he developed innovative VR narratives at WITHIN in Los Angeles. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and Berlin’s Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF.

Today we get into moving to Europe from the United States as a film creative, how to build a network when you know no one in your new country, and how to take advantage of funding, grants and incentives Europe has to offer.

BREAKDOWN:

2:00 - Moving to Germany with a remote job in VR for quality of life 

5:20 - Getting European government funding and grants for projects (both narrative + startups)

9:00 - Working as a creative technologist - from VR to AI and volume walls

12:00 - German x American workflows + expertise

14:00 - Startup Wavery - AI-powered transcription service for filmmakers

17:09 - Process of getting government funding for Wavery

18:20 - Getting his business partner a visa to live in Europe alongside a government-funded project

21::15 - the rental market conundrum in Berlin

26:54 - working on feature film “Interior” in Berlin

28:50 - documentary project in development “Not Coming Out” + winning development money in France

29:30 - Finding money in various government funds in Europe: tax credits, fixed grants, awards system 

32:30 - Where does an American who wants to move to Europe to work in film start? 

39:22 - Working in VR from the ground floor

46:30 - Emerson film vs. USC non-film

49:55 - Quality of life affects your creativity 

52:25 - Persevering through hard times

57:56 - TIME CAPSULE

KEEP UP WITH JONATHAN: 

www.GetWavery.com

IG: @jonathaan12

KEEP UP WITH THE SHOW: 

All Platforms: @NoSetPathShow 

www.NoSetPathShow.com

bio.site/nosetpath

Rebecca Doyle and Becca Mann break down some of the worst career advice they've received and that was anonymously submitted by TV writers, assistants, directors, 1st ADs, and crew members in Hollywood.

BREAKDOWN:

1:31 - “Know your place” 

3:13 - “You should be anxious all the time”

8:06 - “Work your way up from the bottom”

11:05 - “Do the DGA Apprentice Program to become a director”

12:54 - “Hide who you are”

15:39 - “Keep your head down”

18:36 - “You need good gear to make a good movie”

21:11 - “Don’t gain experience in more than one field”

24:37 - “Play it safe and stick with a stable job”

28:35 - “Just wait for the right opportunity to come”

29:35 - “You gotta burn 15-20 bridges in this town”

31:38 - “Listen to others”

33:27 - “Collect those days and become an AD”

34:35 - “Do the programs or volunteer PA”

36:42 - “Stay in the Navy”

KEEP UP WITH BECCA:

Instagram: @becca__mann

TikTok: @beccawmann

Website: www.becca-mann.com

KEEP UP WITH THE SHOW:

All platforms: @NoSetPathShow

www.NoSetPathShow.com

bio.site/nosetpath

In this episode we interview four current artists in residence at St. Joseph's Home for Artisans, the only operating Catholic artist residency in the United States, in Boston, MA.

We talk through how to balance filmmaking with other aspects of vocation, how faith can help in the pursuit of a creative career, and overcoming our individual obstacles (from healing from Guillain Barré syndrome, to navigating being a first-generation Mexican American storyteller).

BREAKDOWN:

2:47 - FERNANDO J. LIMBO III - Residency Co-Founder from Boston, MA 

5:44 - Finding peace to cultivate creative freedom

6:35 - Co-creating with your Creator

9:18 - Co-founding an artist residency: the origins of St. Joseph’s Home for Artisans

15:35 - Fernando’s ongoing recovery from Guillain-Barré syndrome

19:20 - CLARE MCCALLAN - Residency Founder, author, TV writer & host from Boston, MA

19:53 - Work-life balance? 

20:35 - Consideration of family goals vs/and career goals, especially for women 

22:48 - Advantages of having faith in artistic careers

29:04 - PATRICK LEHE - Screenwriter & producer from Los Angeles

30:28 - Not staking your entire identity on your career / successes and failures

39:11 - BENJAMIN SUAREZ - Filmmaker from Atlanta, GA

40:13 - Surrounding yourself with people who inspire you 

30:50 - Atlanta vs. LA or NYC

44:37 - One question to ask yourself to discern filmmaking as part of your vocation 

45:48 - Overcoming barriers to pursuing filmmaking as a first-generation Mexican American

 

CONNECT WITH THE RESIDENCE: 

www.StJosephsHomeforArtistans.com

IG: @stjosephsartisans

CONNECT WITH FERNANDO: 

IG: @fernandojlimbo

CONNECT WITH CLARE: 

www.ClareMcCallen.com

IG: @clare_mccallen

CONNECT WITH PATRICK: 

www.patrickjlehe.com

IG: @pjlehe

CONNECT WITH BENJI: 

IG: @benjisuarezfilms

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW: 

All platforms: @NoSetPathShow

www.NoSetPathShow.com

bio.site/nosetpath

In this episode we dive into how you can be using A.I. today as a filmmaker, current WGA and SAG guidelines post-strike, right of publicity a la the Scarlet Johansson / OpenAI dispute, and the context around copyright (how do you protect your own and not violate anyone else's!). BREAKDOWN:

2:13 - Ways you can start using A.I. to help you as a filmmaker

22:10 - WGA & SAG guidelines for A.I.

29:42 - Right to Publicity (ScarJo x OpenAI)

35:51 - Copyright - who owns what you “made”?

MENTIONED MATERIALS: WGA on AI: https://www.wga.org/contracts/know-your-rights/artificial-intelligence SAG on AI: https://www.sagaftra.org/files/sa_documents/AI%20TVTH.pdf "The Town" Episode on Scarlet Johansson vs. OpenAI: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6s1j9JYviMUrRb8mcYeR3C?si=e160db88cf4c4537 When Photography Wasn’t Art by Jordan G. Teicher https://daily.jstor.org/when-photography-was-not-art/ How Photography Pioneered a New Understanding of Art by Eva Silva https://www.thecollector.com/how-photography-transformed-art/ Read with me: Intellectual Property in the New Technological Age 2023 Vol. II Copyrights, Trademarks and State IP Protections: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1945555254?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details CONNECT WITH THE SHOW: All platforms: @NoSetPathShow bio.site/nosetpath www.NoSetPathShow.com

Monisha Dadlani is a multi-hyphenate actress, writer, and director. As a writer, she's developed projects with Sony Pictures Television, Netflix Features Animation, Amazon Studios, and MRC. She was also a freelance writer for an animated show on Apple TV+ and voices a series regular on a Nickelodeon International animated series. =She's a member of the WGA and The Animation Guild, an alumni of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's content acceleration program, Imagine Impact, and had one of her scripts featured on the 2020 Black List. 

Today we dive into developing original material versus adapting IP, pitching on open writing assignments, and finding your voice as a storyteller. 

3:06 - Original scripts vs. open writing assignments (OWAs)

5:20 - IP is king (or queen!)

10:35 - Studio being on board vs. not yet

14:50 - One producer vs. two producers - navigating conflicting notes

17:00 - faithfulness to IP with strong fandoms

21:45 - Monisha’s first OWA for MRC + the process

27:05-  When to turn down an OWA

28:22 - Being part of the Netflix Braintrust

30:28 - Blind script deal at Sony + “if-come” deals 

33:10 - Pitching a PG-13 vs. R-rated version of an idea depending on the distributor 

35:50 - How Monisha started pitching on OWAs + Imagine Impact

43:11 - How the first script Monisha ever wrote was “not great” but landed her in the fellowship that launched her writing career

48:46 - Meeting with managers + choosing one of the 10+ that was interested (David Baggelaar at Goodyear)

52:27 - Why your agent might be hiding in the mailroom 

54:20 - What you should have in your writing sample to attract reps + jobs

59:10 - Monisha’s Black List script “The Boy Who Died” + a pitch to Daniel Radcliffe

1:04:25 - What the Black List can do for a career

1:08:15 - How to make one sample work for both YA, sci-fi, romance AND four-quadrant projects

1:09:39 - Joining the Writers Guild of America

1:10:00 - Growing up in NYC, attending the “Fame” high school, choosing USC School of Dramatic Arts

1:17:00 - Shooting a feature film with $5,000

1:18:55 - Storytelling side hustles + shooting a passion project web series

1:20:43 - TIME CAPSULE

Andrew Nallathambi is a manager in Film & TV at Range Media Partners. Andrew began his career in the early days of Range as one of their first Associate Trainees in November 2020, fresh out of USC. He went on to work as an Associate for two years on the literary side, and then held the Coordinator of Film & TV position before being promoted to Manager in the Film & TV group in March of this year. Today Andrew and gets into how to navigate an uncertain time in the industry and advance into a career you love, what managers currently look for when signing new talent, and how to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.  EPISODE BREAKDOWN: 2:09 - Andrew’s journey to being a manager at Range 4:11 - Landing a first job in the mailroom at CAA, losing it to the pandemic  7:20 - Being accepted into Teach for America as an English teacher when covid shut the entertainment industry down before pivoting back to an entry-level job in management 8:50 - Landing a job through lateral connections and being intentional with your time  12:28 - Balancing planning ahead with being adaptable: being comfortable with the uncomfortable! 15:30 - The joy of letting go of control: no one is 100% self-made 18:18 - Pursuing a career as an agent vs. manager 19:20 - Why not liking something is a good thing 22:55 - Pursuing things that are true to you, not things that everyone else says you should do  24:50 - Can you be a rep if you’re not extroverted? 29:10 - What if you don’t see people like yourself in the position you want?** 31:00 - How to make rejection useful  34:28 - What managers look for in clients to sign 41:10 - What sample should a writer have? Are we entering an era of a tonal shift?  47:20 - What is Andrew’s Range connect up to now?! 48:38 - Questions in a Hollywood assistant interview 52:37 - Being true to yourself will put you in the right place  53:10 - Andrew’s journey from childhood: drums, immigrant parents, inclinations toward art over academics, Blockbuster Video —> studying Cinema-Media Studies USC School of Cinematic Arts 59:28 - Advice for aspiring managers and aspiring clients  1:02:30 - How to do outreach effectively! 1:04:06 - How people got jobs through sending Andrew a cold email 1:05:00 - How to keep going when things get discouraging  1:09:45 - TIME CAPSULE KEEP UP WITH THE SHOW: All Platforms: @NoSetPathShow bio.site/nosetpath www.NoSetPathShow.com

Sam Boyer is an Indonesian-American writer who won the Nicholl Fellowship in 2022, was featured on the 2023 Black List, was a 2020 CAPE New Writers Fellow, and has twice been featured on the Black List's CAPE List. He earned his MFA from UT Austin’s Michener Center for Writers and his BA from USC's film school. In this episode, Sam dives into his process in landing a spot in each of these programs, how to face and overcome rejection, tips for making time and space to write, and why his hypothetical presidential platform would include free chips & salsa at every restaurant.  BREAKDOWN: 3:35 - Getting on the Black List 7:24 - Black List 2023 script - “Foragers” 14:00 - Getting the NIcholl Fellowship 25:25 - CAPE Writers Program 31:17 - Getting into Michener  at UT Austin 36:09 - Becoming an Academy Gold member 40:05 - Balancing work when you start out with a day job, making time to write, getting past writers’ block 50:57 - Tips for general meetings 55:43 - Getting initially rejected from SCA 1:00:26 - Rejection is normal 1:09:55 - Personal connection to stories 1:12:33 - Navigating management / reps 1:19:25 - Advice for people starting out / pivoting 1:26:39 - How he persevered through hard times 1:32:27 - The myth of the Overnight Success 1:34:19 - TIME CAPSULE CONNECT WITH SAM:  IG @samboyer  CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:  All platforms @NoSetPathShow  bio.site/nosetpath www.nosetpathshow.com

Rebecca Doyle and special guest Michael Ritter read and react to some anonymously submitted horror stories from Hollywood Assistants - complete with ranking the circle of hell each story's villain belongs to.

CONNECT WITH SPECIAL GUEST CO-HOST MICHAEL RITTER:

Instagram: @mkritter / @29goingonbreakdown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-ritter-filmmaker IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5778236/

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:

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Ryan is a story editor on CSI: Vegas (check out his next episode coming out 4/21/24!) In 2018, he participated in the CAPE New Writers Fellowship, and in 2021 he part of the Paramount Writers Mentoring Program. Today we’re getting into how Ryan turned his day job into the final thing that made the showrunner of CSI Vegas want to hire him, Ryan’s final application strategy on the time he was accepted into the Paramount Writers Program, how to be prepared for an interview with a showrunner for a TV writer position, how to deal with burnout, and so much more. BREAKDOWN: 1:41 How Ryan got a job on CSI: Vegas 7:21 What makes a good director for a writer to work with 8:41 How to communicate with other departments as a staff writer 10:11 Are Zoom (Writers) Rooms the future of TV? 11:41 Getting hired on a show you’ve never watched 12:53 Should you work on procedurals? 15:31 Writing features vs. TV 18:40 Rejected from the Paramount Writers Program seven times before getting accepted 20:54  Cape New Writers Fellowship 25:20 Interview questions for a TV writer (CSI: Vegas) 27:10 How day jobs in writing contributed to landing a job in TV writing  30:20 Working through burnout  34:00 Write a procedural, not a Succession spec  37:10 - Don’t get precious, you need many scripts 40:20 Day jobs for writers 52:53 - Getting your first rep while still in college 55:15 - Decision to not have a manager 59:40 - Ryan’s “A story”! Example of how to pitch yourself in a TV writer interview  1:02:40 - Deciding: USC vs. NYU 1:05:20 - Advice 1:09:57 TIME CAPSULE

BREAKDOWN:

3:29 - Overview Recap: Ideating, buying gear, launch, frequency/release cadence, top 5 episodes

6:05 - Finding guests - do guests’ audiences matter?

8:56 - Analytics: Gender split!

9:10 - How to get on the charts worldwide as a small podcast

11:30 - Spotify Labs

12:29 - Getting monetized through Spotify for Podcasters’ Ad Ambassador program

14:13 - Going viral on TikTok with a podcast clip

16:35 - Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid in First Year of Podcasting - #1: Not having clear goals

18:10 - #2 Not seeing out advice from people actually executing at your level 

25:54 - #3 Not finding the balance of researching/preparing and starting/executing

28:17 - Avoiding tech issues + what gear I use

30:50 - Picking a hosting platform

31:35 - Total gear cost

35:19 - #4 Having unrealistic expectations about growing listenership 

38:00 - how to optimize other platforms to get listens on your podcast

39:20 - hot take: maybe don’t start a podcast

42:47 - #5 Not having realistic expectations for podcasting as a networking tool 

45:50 - Episode recap

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David Gutel’s theatrical directorial debut “Forty-Seven Days with Jesus” hits over 900 theaters this March! In this episode, we get into how David set his feature up for success through casting from similar popular series “The Chosen”, distribution resources and tips for independent films, how he used real estate tech to pre-viz musical numbers, why he decided to do a faith-based film after initially being hesitant and how he transitioned to directing after 8 years as a 1st Assistant Director.

BREAKDOWN:

6:00 - Pre-viz for a musical: Lidar mapping (real estate tools?!)

13:34 - Challenges: strikes, Texas heat, mechanical failures of picture vehicles (sinking boat!)

18:08 - Getting theatrical distribution partly through casting actors from “The Chosen” 

24:10 - Distribution resources - Fathom Events & Pinnacle Peak as a resource for independent films, getting distribution abroad through hitting minimums at home

26:30 - Getting distribution tips recap + David’s initial connection to distributors 

29:10 - Market festivals vs. competition film festivals

30:25 - From 1st AD to director

41:03 - First job as second unit director

45:19 - Challenging shoots: When to rise to a challenge vs. abandon impending disaster

55:30 - Recap of David’s path in the industry

58:30 - Is film school worth it? David’s experience paying $24k for CSULB

1:04:00 - TIME CAPSULE

CONNECT WITH DAVID: Instagram @davidmgutel / @fortysevendaysfilm 

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DeadMediaStore

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW

All platforms: @NoSetPathShow 

www.NoSetPathShow.com / bio.site/nosetpath