Stealing Shots and Breaking In: Kevin Huey on AD Life, DGA, and Producing Angelino On the Get Reelisms podcast (episode 198), hosts Adam Chase Rani and Christine Chen talk with assistant director and producer Kevin Huie about breaking into filmmaking, moving from non-union work into the DGA, and transitioning into producing. Kevin shares starting in theater at UC Riverside, interning on sets, working early jobs in art department, runs, boom operating, grip/electric, and learning AD work through observation before AD-ing consistently around 2010 and joining the DGA in summer 2016. He describes confusion around qualification lists, accumulating days (including a Hallmark job in Baton Rouge), and how producing grew through collaboration with director Quentin Lee, influencing script and found-footage choices. Kevin discusses producing Angelino, organizing communication and scheduling for a first-time feature team, and making the film on an initial $11,000 budget that grew to nearly $20,000 using favors and stolen exterior LA shots, with highlights like filming a kid’s birthday party sequence in one day. About Christine W Chen: Christine W. Chen is a Taiwanese American filmmaker, Academy member (Short Films Branch), and versatile producer, director, and writer known for bold, character-driven storytelling. Through her production company, Moth to Flame, she has created award-winning short films, features, and branded content—including Erzulie, a feminist swamp thriller that had a limited theatrical run and now streams on major platforms. In addition to her directorial work, Christine is a seasoned DGA 1st Assistant Director and co-author of Get Reelisms and ABCs of Filmmaking, as well as the co-host of the Get Reelisms Podcast. For more information about Christine Chen: christinewchen.com About Adam Rani: Adam Chase Rani is a production designer and set dresser working in the Austin film market, bringing a sharp eye for visual storytelling and practical creativity to every project. During the pandemic, he co-founded the Get Reelisms Podcast with Christine Chen to foster community within the film industry. Together, they’ve built a platform that blends education, candid conversations, and industry insights to help filmmakers connect, learn, and grow. About Guest Kevin Huie: Kevin Huie is a Los Angeles-based producer and filmmaker with over 200 credits in film and television. He came up through every layer of a set-working as a grip, boom operator, and production assistant-before building an extensive career as an assistant director and stepping into producing. His television experience includes work on series such as Good Trouble, Never Have I Ever, Love, Victor, 9-1-1: Lone Star, and Paradise City. That deep set fluency directly informs Kevin’s producing work, where he focuses on championing AAPI, Native American, and LGBTQ+ voices across film and television. He has built a distinct slate including the stand-up specials Brash Boys Club, Laugh Proud, and Rez Comedy, as well as the stand up comedy series Comedy InvAsian. In the narrative space, his feature film The Last Summer of Nathan Lee premiered at CAAMFest 2023 and screened at the 2023 Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. Kevin produces because he believes the stories a community tells about itself matter. WEBISODE version of the Podcast 00:00 Stealing Shots Talk 00:28 Podcast Intro 00:55 Meet Kevin Huey 02:58 Breaking Into Film 05:41 Theater Roots 06:41 Becoming an AD 08:16 Boom Op and Craigslist 11:10 Joining the DGA 14:12 Hallmark and QL Hustle 15:40 Shift to Producing 19:55 Angelino Origins 21:40 Microbudget Tactics 24:59 Best and Worst Days 26:23 Office Shoot Chaos 27:25 Wrap Up Thoughts Official Get Reelisms Page Get Reelisms Amazon Store Instagram
