The Indie Playbook

Flashback Pictures

How indie film production actually works. How do films get developed and financed? Why is vertical filmmaking exploding? Are studios everywhere secretly using AI? The Indie Playbook is a monthly podcast a hosted by Emmy-winning producer Grace Porras featuring Flashback Pictures founder and CEO Daniel Cotroneo (Mad Men, This Is Us) and creative executive Dominic Russo (co-creator of Workaholics). With more than 60 combined years in the business, they're building an independent film studio during one of the industry's biggest disruptions, and they're pulling back the curtain on how. Their core belief is that the old studio gatekeepers are gone, old budgets are dead, and that's the best thing to happen to filmmakers in decades. They have the receipts. A vertical series that went from concept to launch in three months and has been licensed across multiple platforms internationally. A 2D animated feature built with a human-first, AI-assisted workflow for $350K instead of $75 million. And a slate of nine feature films coming over the next three years. So if you make films, write them, or just want in, pull up a chair. This is how movies get made when you stop waiting for permission. Flashback Pictures. Old School. New Screen.

Episodes

  1. 3 days ago ·  Video

    Ep 2: Is the next big director a YouTuber?

    Hollywood is looking for its next great filmmaker—and increasingly, they're finding them on YouTube. In Episode 2 of The Indie Playbook, Daniel Cotroneo, Grace Porras, and Dominic Russo explore the surprising rise of YouTube creators becoming Hollywood's newest directors. The conversation dives into why studios are scouting creators instead of film school graduates, the skills YouTube teaches that traditional education often doesn't, the realities behind low-budget productions, and whether independent filmmakers should focus less on waiting for opportunities—and more on creating their own. Whether you're a filmmaker, content creator, writer, or simply curious about where the entertainment industry is headed, this episode offers an honest look at how the path into Hollywood is changing—and why building an audience may be just as valuable as building a résumé.

    39 min

  2. 20 Jun

    Ep 1: Why we're betting on indie filmmaking NOW

    Hollywood is changing fast. Traditional production models are shrinking, jobs are disappearing, and creators everywhere are asking the same question: What comes next? In this premiere episode of The Indie Playbook, Daniel Cotroneo, Grace Porras and Dominic Russo from Flashback Pictures pull back the curtain on how they're building an independent film studio in the middle of one of the film industry's biggest disruptions. They discuss developing films, the rise of vertical filmmaking, and AI-assisted animation. Whether you're a filmmaker, writer, content creator, or someone just trying to break into the entertainment industry, this episode offers a candid look at what it takes to build a creative career when the rules are being rewritten.

    48 min
  • 2 Episodes

About

How indie film production actually works. How do films get developed and financed? Why is vertical filmmaking exploding? Are studios everywhere secretly using AI? The Indie Playbook is a monthly podcast a hosted by Emmy-winning producer Grace Porras featuring Flashback Pictures founder and CEO Daniel Cotroneo (Mad Men, This Is Us) and creative executive Dominic Russo (co-creator of Workaholics). With more than 60 combined years in the business, they're building an independent film studio during one of the industry's biggest disruptions, and they're pulling back the curtain on how. Their core belief is that the old studio gatekeepers are gone, old budgets are dead, and that's the best thing to happen to filmmakers in decades. They have the receipts. A vertical series that went from concept to launch in three months and has been licensed across multiple platforms internationally. A 2D animated feature built with a human-first, AI-assisted workflow for $350K instead of $75 million. And a slate of nine feature films coming over the next three years. So if you make films, write them, or just want in, pull up a chair. This is how movies get made when you stop waiting for permission. Flashback Pictures. Old School. New Screen.

Information

  • Creator
    Flashback Pictures
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Flashback Pictures