Slamdance First Film Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

This week award-winning filmmakers Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou join the podcast to discuss the making of their acclaimed feature film TAKE OUT, which premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2004. The film was shot in New York City on a DV camera for a budget of $3,000 with only a two-person crew. TAKE OUT has been restored and re-released through the Criterion Collection and is now available on Blu-Ray. Sean and Shih-Ching dive into their process of finding the story, casting actors off of craigslist, funding the film with their rent money, and having to let go of their only PA because there were too many people on set. Sean's latest film, ANORA, won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and is nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing. Links:  TAKEOUT (2004) on Criterion Collection ANORA (2024) on Neon Slamdance First Film Podcast is produced and hosted by Michael Gallagher and Jana Gallagher. Edited by Daniel Angarita. Music by Kevin MacLeod. Special Thanks to Peter Baxter, Paul Rachman, and the entire Slamdance Team. To learn more about Slamdance, please visit Slamdance.com.  Email us at TheSlamdanceFirstFilmPodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Slamdance now offers a weekly podcast exploring how to make, premiere and distribute your first feature film. Each week, hear the origin stories of today's great filmmakers as they share their tips and tricks in these intimate interviews. With an aim to give back and support independent filmmakers, Slamdance's First Film Podcast demystifies process and the first feature film. Featuring Slamdance alumni Sean Baker & Shih-Ching Tsou ("Take Out"), The Russo Brothers ("Pieces"), Azazel Jacobs ("Nobody Needs to Know"), Dana Nachman ("Witch Hunt") and many more. Created and hosted by fellow Slamdance alumni filmmakers and festival programmers Michael Gallagher & Jana Gallagher ("Funny Story").” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anthony Russo and Joe Russo join the podcast this week to discuss the making of their feature film debut Pieces, which premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in 1997. The film was shot in the brothers hometown of Cleveland, Ohio for a production budget of $30,000. During their press screening at Slamdance, a majority of the audience walked out of the divisive film except for one person who loved it: Steven Soderbergh. While Pieces never was released due to issues involving music rights, the brothers have gone on to direct four of the highest grossing Marvel films of all time, including Avengers: Endgame. Outside of James Cameron, Joe and Anthony are the only other filmmakers to have made two films that have earned over $2 billion dollars each. Their company AGBO is a great supporter of independent cinema, producing Everything, Everywhere, All At Once. Since 2018, The Russo Brothers have set up an annual fellowship at Slamdance offering a $25,000 prize and mentorship to a filmmaker at the festival. Season 3 of the Russo Brothers "Pizza Film School" is out now on YouTube. Their latest feature film, The Electric State, will be streaming on Netflix starting on March 14th. Links: The Electric State | Netflix Pizza Film School | YouTube The Mastermind Principle Follow @Agbofilms on Instagram! 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

Today's guest is award-winning writer/director Mo Perkins. Her debut feature film, A QUIET LITTLE MARRIAGE, won the grand jury prize at Slamdance in 2009 and was released by IFC Films. Mo first met her two leads, Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Cy Carter, on her UCLA thesis short film "Piss Hat" which was nominated for a Student Academy Award. The trio got together and collaborated on the script in a process reminiscent of Mike Leigh. Using limited budget and resources, the film was designed to film in an apartment— Mo's apartment. The team asked friends to come play supporting roles in the film (including Charlie Day, Melanie Lynskey, and Jimmi Simpson) and the feature was completely shot in 10 days. A QUIET LITTLE MARRIAGE world premiered at the AFI Film Festival. Mo has gone on to direct the indie hit THE LAST TIME YOU HAD FUN and episodes of television series such as NBC's MANIFEST and CW's I SHIP IT.  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

Today's guest is award-winning writer/director Azazel Jacobs. His short film, KIRK AND KERRY, won the best dramatic short award at the 1997 Slamdance Film Festival. Then his debut feature film, NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW, was rejected from Slamdance. Azazel talks candidly about making his first feature in New York City over two summers, handling bad reviews, the freedom of "no expectations" that led to his acclaimed second feature, THE GOODTIMESKID and his subsequent films such as TERRI, THE LOVERS, and FRENCH EXIT. His most recent feature, HIS THREE DAUGHTERS, won the Robert Altman award at the 2025 Indie Spirit Awards and is now streaming on Netflix. Links: 'Kirk and Kerry' (1996) Short Film 'Nobody Needs to Know' (1997) Debut Feature 'The GoodTimesKid (2005) Second Feature 'His Three Daughters' (2024) Feature 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

Live from the Egyptian! Today's filmmaker guests include Pulitzer Prize finalist environmentalist journalist Rosanna Xia & co-director Daniel Straub discussing their documentary feature OUT OF PLAIN SIGHT, which was the Opening Night Film at the 2025 Slamdance Film Festival. Learn how the filmmakers turned an LA Times article into an Award-Winning documentary feature by partnering with the journalist. This podcast was recorded LIVE after screening at the Slamdance film Festival. Our panel includes cinematographer/editor/producer Austin Straub, and Composer James Ellington. OUT OF PLAIN SIGHT is currently playing the festival circuit and seeking distribution.  Links: OUT OF PLAIN SIGHT 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

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

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

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

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