Breaking Indie — Ep. 28: “Content” with Coke Daniels & Ryan Thompson What does it take to build a career as an independent filmmaker—and how do you make a compelling film when time, money, and resources are limited? In Episode 28 of Breaking Indie, host Brenden Roberts sits down with director Coke Daniels and cinematographer Ryan Thompson to go behind the scenes of their new horror thriller, Content. Coke Daniels shares his unconventional journey from being a hip-hop artist to becoming a writer, producer, and director of more than a dozen films. He talks about breaking into Hollywood with Baby’s Daddy, learning the filmmaking business through trial and error, finding his voice as a director, and why continuing to make the next film is often more important than dwelling on the last one. Coke also discusses how Content came together, from developing the story around an elevated-horror concept to completely rewriting the script when the production shifted from an Unreal Engine stage to a practical location. The conversation explores the film’s themes of missing Black women, true-crime content creators, oversharing, suspense, and the importance of building characters and tension before the horror begins. Then Brenden talks with cinematographer Ryan Thompson about his path from making movies with friends and working as a grip to becoming a full-time DP. Ryan discusses his work in documentary, music, narrative, and art filmmaking, including his time with Meow Wolf and the decision to focus entirely on cinematography—even when that meant taking a financial step backward. Ryan also breaks down the cinematography of Content, including working within a ten-day schedule, lighting a large location with a small package, using practical windows and pool light to shape the image, creating nighttime interiors during the day, and finding ways to make limited resources feel much bigger on screen. Most importantly, Coke and Ryan talk about the collaborative process behind Content—and how trusting your creative team can allow filmmakers to do their best work. Breaking Indie is a podcast for filmmakers, by filmmakers, exploring the journeys, lessons, struggles, and experiences behind independent filmmaking. 🎬 Featuring: Brenden Roberts — Host Coke Daniels — Director Ryan Thompson — Cinematographer 🎥 Film: Content If you’re a filmmaker, actor, cinematographer, writer, or just someone interested in how movies get made, this episode is for you. Subscribe to Breaking Indie for more conversations with filmmakers working to create, survive, and thrive in the film industry. Support the show Please like and subscribe. The Breaking Indie Podcast can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, and Youtube.
