Make Your Sh*t Kyle F. Andrews

This week Kyle talks with author, producer, and fellow podcaster Jessica Hobbs, whose new book of short stories entitled THE WITCH: AND OTHER TALES OF THE AMERICAN GOTHIC is currently being released as a fully-cast and narrated audio drama. They discuss Jessica’s experience transitioning from filmmaking into book and podcast writing, the secret weapon of podcast production, how creativity works as a response to the world around you, and why horror is such a great vehicle for saying exactly what you want.
THE WITCH: AND OTHER TALES OF THE AMERICAN GOTHIC: Spotify
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Jessica Hobbs is a writer with a BA in Film Studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder, a background in theater, opera, Vaudeville, television production, and film festivals, and a passion for all things strange and unusual. If she’s not writing, she’s likely on a movie set, traveling around the world, practicing witchcraft, or blasting rock and roll records in her living room. She lives in the magical Laurel Canyon neighborhood in Los Angeles with her composer husband, Robinton, and their cat, Freyja. 
Jessica’s book and podcast The Witch: And Other Tales of the American Gothic is a collection of strange occurrences in 19th century America, written in the literary tradition of gothic horror. These seven stories provide a reflection of the country’s growing pains during a time of transition and an exploration of the secrets that lurk in the shadows of the world we think we know.

On this week’s show, Kyle speaks with Michael Musante and Leo Matchett from famed independent production company American Zoetrope about their non-profit organization Decentralized Pictures. They discuss their alternative approach to film financing, what the cinematic landscape looks like outside of the studio system, and how today’s independent scene compares to the risk-taking auteurs of the 70s and 90s.
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DECENTRALIZED PICTURES - Link
 
MICHAEL MUSANTE is vice president of film production and acquisitions at American Zoetrope, a co-founder of The Decentralized Pictures Foundation, Inc, as well as the Secretary of its Board of Directors. He is an attorney, admitted to practice in New York and North Carolina, and received his BA from Duke University and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2001. He practiced law for 10 years before becoming a full-time creative film producer. He collaborated closely with such accomplished filmmakers as Ted Kotcheff, Martha Coolidge, Fred Roos and Richard Chew before joining the team at American Zoetrope. As executive in charge of production at American Zoetrope, he is overseeing development and production of several feature films, including Fairyland starring Emilia Jones and Scoot McNairy, as well as the Broadway Production of The Outsiders Musical. Most recently he is an Executive Producer of Gia Coppola’s Mainstream starring Andrew Garfield, Maya Hawke, Nat Wolfe and Jason Schwartzman.
LEO MATCHETT is a Technical Emmy Award winner who grew up in Toronto and has lived in Los Angeles for 12 years working in film production. He brings a balance of knowledge in film, technology, and crypto assets. Leo has been involved in smartphone application development since 2008, developing Artemis Director’s Viewfinder (2018 Engineering Emmy Award Winner), and Techscout Touch for Android and IOS. As an early adopter of Bitcoin, Leo began conceiving ways to bring blockchain technology, its auditability, and efficiencies to the filmmaking lifecycle. His primary goal is talent discovery and helping those creative thinkers concentrate on what’s important - the creative. Twitter
 

On this week’s episode, Kyle talks with Joseph Mwamba, Writers Assistant on The Afterparty, currently streaming on AppleTV+, and the co-chair of the WGA Virtual Mix, a pre-Writer’s Guild-focused social empowerment organization for writers. We discuss a lot of topics of interest to both up-and-coming writers and those spending every day on the picket line, from the ongoing strike and how pre-WGA writers can (and should) get involved, to fostering a community that can lift you up in times of doubt, how the quickest way to be a successful producer is to become good at peopling, thoughts on overcoming the gap between your level of taste and your level of skill, and…what love’s got to do with it.
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TINSELTOWN GHOST STORIES SEED & SPARKhttps://seedandspark.com/fund/tinseltown-ghost-stories#story
 
Joseph Mwamba is a first-generation African-American Y.A. writer from Indiana. He's been named a Screenwriter to Watch in 2023, and as a Writers' Assistant wrote an episode for Season 2 of Netflix’s upcoming action anime TOM CLANCY’S SPLINTER CELL. He was the Writers’ PA for Season 4 of Netflix's psychological thriller YOU and Season 2 of Apple TV's mystery-comedy THE AFTERPARTY; before that he spent time as a double-desk assistant at UTA. Joe co-runs WGA Virtual Mix, a PreWGA group that holds Q&A panels with WGA writers, the monthly Miracle Mile Mixer, and the #PreWGA Day pickets. In combination with their partnership with Green Envelope Grocery Aid in June, WGA Virtual Mix helped provide over $15,000 in grocery funds to PreWGA writers, support staffers, and lower-level WGA writers.

On this week’s episode, host Kyle F. Andrews talks with writer/director Zack Morrison about his independently produced TV pilot CANUSA STREET – yes, an indie TV pilot. We hit a lot of topics, from the highs and lows of writing comedy, where trust fits into the process, the differences between New York and LA when it comes to making shit, and the best jokes in the pilot happening at...lunch?
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Instagram: @MYSPodcast
Twitter: @MYSPodcast
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Patreon: MYSPodcast
 
TINSELTOWN GHOST STORIES SEED & SPARKhttps://seedandspark.com/fund/tinseltown-ghost-stories#story
Zack Morrison is a comedy writer and filmmaker from New Jersey who currently lives in Los Angeles. He is the Writer and Director of the Pilot Canusa Street, which will make its World Premiere at the TCL Chinese Theater right here in Hollywood this Saturday July 1st as part of the Dances with Films film festival. He also wrote and directed Everything's Fine: A Panic Attack in D Major, which was a 2019 Television Academy student Emmy winner. Zack is the host and director of the travel series, Space Tourists, for Space Channel, and the host, producer, and co-creator of the YouTube variety series, We Have A Show. He’s worked as a writer’s assistant at the Toinght Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and script coordinator on The Kids Tonight Show on Peacock.

On today’s show I talk with writer/director Jennifer Cooney, whose independently produced film WILD FIRE recently made its world premiere at the Red Dirt film festival, and whose next feature Woman of God is currently in development. We’ll discuss her rather poetic approach to the industry, what working with legendary actor Ed Asner taught her about making your limitations work for you, where community fits into an artists’ vision, and how clipping the mother leaf can help you get where you’re going.
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Jennifer Cooney is an east coast writer + director + producer, and the CEO of her Production Company, HalfJack Generation. As a creative, she is deeply passionate about character-driven stories of inner demons and the courage it takes to transcend them. Her fascination & inspiration are driven by divinity & sexuality, love & truth, freedom & humanity, and how all those worlds intertwine. Her directorial debut, Wild Fire, premiered in 2023 at Red Dirt Film Festival, claiming nine Jury Award Nominations including Best Director and Best Feature Film, and winning two. She lives between the countryside of Pennsylvania and the shoreline of Florida with her artist wife and their two furry sons. She is currently in development on her next feature, Woman of God.

Writer/Director Michael Schwartz talks to Kyle about his many projects, including his award-winning short Snatched starring Tatiana Maslany, now on Hulu. We’ll dive deep into his thoughts on the industry’s attention span, the joys of mentorship, the importance of rest in the creative process, and making your sh*t without waiting for permission – yes, even if that means it’s on a smartphone (looking at you, Film Twitter).
THAT'S A GAY ASS LIVE SHOW Tickets, June 29th in Brooklyn NY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/thats-a-gay-ass-live-show-tickets-640670842737
FOLLOW THE SHOW - Find Make Your Sh*t on social media
Instagram: @MYSPodcast
Twitter: @MYSPodcast
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Instagram: @kylefandrews
SUPPORT THE SHOW - Find us on Patreon
Patreon: MYSPodcast