The MAKE IT Podcast

Chris Barkley & Nicholas Buggs
  • 5.0 (100)
  • Film Interviews
  • Biweekly

MAKE IT is the film podcast that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the filmmaking process. We dive into indie gems, massive blockbusters, cinema history, and everything in between. If you love movies and want more than polite chit-chat, this is your spot. Stay Inspired, Chris + Nick

  1. 5d ago

    449 - Why Streamers Won’t Look at Your $100K Movie, New Federal Film Tax Credit Explained: How Indie Films Get 30% Back, and Does SAG-AFTRA’s New Contract Allow AI Actors? | Indie Talk

    This episode is brought to you by Anthropic. Claude is the AI for minds that don’t stop at good enough—it's the collaborator that actually understands your entire workflow and thinks WITH you, not for you. Ready to tackle bigger problems? Sign up for Claude Pro when you use our link – www.claude.ai/makeit This episode is brought to you by MAKE IT Academy. Get access to 200+ courses today at https://themakeitpodcast.com/pages/academy and use code: ACADEMY50 for 50% off the Academy for a year!  Hello, Hello!  In this episode. the fellas are back to chop it up about a wide variety of topics! We explore how a proposed federal film incentive could affect independent production budgets and U.S. filmmaking. We debate AI contract provisions, the shrinking of acting opportunities, and the creative impact of studio consolidation. We also discuss mental health, television storytelling, and what to watch for Halloween. Enjoy! We also talk about: Why introverts may find meaningful conversations energizing, even after a busy week.Nick's critique of Vision Quest and its rapid, comic-book-style storytelling.Why the new A Different World feels different from the original to Nick, and why he still welcomes the cast’s opportunity.The importance of asking friends directly whether they are okay, especially during a period of social and technological change.Halloween picks ranging from Whalefall and The Sixth Sense to Gremlins, plus the our thoughts on horror built through story rather than gore. People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned: People Adam Schiff  Mark Maxey Chris Greene Nichole Marie Lim  Sean Astin RJ Mitte Sacha Baron Cohen / Ali G Sydney Sweeney Aaron Sorkin Kadeem Hardison Dominic Hoffman Tom Cruise Arnold Schwarzenegger Eddie Murphy Organizations & Companies Anthropic SAG-AFTRA WGA The New York Times IFC Skydance GEICO Progressive Liberty Mutual Films & Television E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial The Hunger Games Pulp Fiction Digger  John Carter Howard the Duck Norbit The Only Living Pickpocket in New York Tilly Norwood WandaVision Vision Quest A Different World / Hillman College  Whalefall The Sixth Sense Sin City Gremlins The Amityville Horror Friday the 13th A Nightmare on Elm Street Hellraiser Halloween The Terminator Predator Alien Requiem for a Dream Bad Boys: Ride or Die  mother! Products & Platforms Claude Pro  Riverside Storyblocks Places Georgia Kentucky Louisiana New Mexico New Hampshire New Jersey Legislation & Industry H.R. 10582 — Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act Film production incentives in the US SAG-AFTRA contracts  WGA contracts Paramount Skydance / Warner Bros. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    449 - Why Streamers Won’t Look at Your $100K Movie, New Federal Film Tax Credit Explained: How Indie Films Get 30% Back, and Does SAG-AFTRA’s New Contract Allow AI Actors? | Indie Talk

  2. Oct 27

    SUMMARIES - Lee Abrams - Why Fans Reject Safe Media And Human Taste Beats the Algorithm

    We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.  So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT https://themakeitpodcast.store/newsletter Hello, Hello! In this episode, AI Hosts Alex Ivey and Allison Inverness explore Lee Abrams’ path from a teenage radio enthusiast to a media innovator who challenged conventional formats. The conversation explains how audience observation, creative judgment, and careful programming helped build passionate fans. It also considers whether his approach can reshape television news and remain distinctive in an age of AI-generated media. We also talk about: How a WQAM summer job exposed Abrams to radio operations and the frustrations of AM Top 40.His callback-card research and the principle that data should verify creative choices rather than originate them.The difference between users and fans, and why sequencing turns content into programming.XM’s 89 studios, 2.5 million-song library, and the story of blues programmer Bill Wax meeting B.B. King.Abrams’ Tribune Company experience, AFDI, the creative batting average, and the challenge of making News Fix credible and compelling. People, Places, Products, and References Mentioned: People Lee Abrams Buzz Bennett Henry Ford Chris Squire Jon Anderson  Bill Wax B.B. King Ted Nugent Barbra Streisand Stanley Kubrick Projects & Organizations Original MAKE IT episode with Lee Abrams (2021)  CelebrityAccess NewsFix  XM Satellite Radio Tribune Company WQAM WLS Yes The Onion Concepts & Technology Album-oriented rock (AOR) AM radio / FM radio IBM servers Spotify AI-generated content Places & Cultural References The Midwest Metallica Chicago Symphony Orchestra 2001: A Space Odyssey Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    SUMMARIES - Lee Abrams - Why Fans Reject Safe Media And Human Taste Beats the Algorithm

  3. Oct 16

    448 - 25 Years After 9/11: The Doc Narrated by Gary Sinise | Michael Gier on Losing Everything and Starting Over at 40

    This episode is brought to you by Storyblocks! Storyblocks is a 100% human-made stock media library that’s essential for creators with millions of professionally curated assets — footage, music, sound effects, templates, and images. Everything is pre-licensed and ready to use under one subscription. Head to storyblocks.com/makeit to access the human-made stock media library that’s essential to our workflow. For a limited time, get 15% OFF any annual plan! This episode is brought to you by MAKE IT Academy. Get access to 200+ courses today at https://themakeitpodcast.com/pages/academy and use code: ACADEMY50 for 50% off the Academy for a year!  Hello, Hello!  In this episode, filmmaker and former performer Michael Gier explains how he made his documentary The Heroism and Resiliency of 9/11: From Tragedy to Triumph. He shares stories of first responders, civilians, Flight 93, the boat lift, and rare footage from the Pentagon. The conversation also explores creative careers, rejection, film school, entrepreneurship, and what it means to MAKE IT. We also talk about: The personal stories behind the documentary, including Will Jimeno’s rescue, the “Man in the Red Bandana,” and Lauren Grankolus’s voicemail.Michael’s journey from theater and television to building Geier Productions after losing his real-estate business in the 2008 crash.Lessons from Wounded Heroes, including Michael’s search for treatments that help people living with post-traumatic stress.The “Praise You” video, the Torrance Community Dancers, Spike Jonze’s Richard Koufey persona, and the group’s three MTV Video Music Awards.Michael’s advice on versatility, business skills, collaboration, learning by doing, and staying grounded through career setbacks. People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned: People — Show & Family Michael Gier Terri Gier People — 9/11 Will Jimeno Scott Strauss (NYPD ESU) Sgt. John McLoughlin Lauren Grandcolas & Jack Grandcolas Welles Crowther  Jules and Gédéon Naudet Pavel Hlava Wolfgang Staehle Jude Koch People — Performers & Filmmakers Gregory Hines Spike Jonze  Sofia Coppola Francis Ford Coppola Wayne Newton Elton John Deidre Hall Louie Anderson Zach Galifianakis Gary Sinise  Sean Penn Christopher Nolan Paul Thomas Anderson Matt Damon Nicolas Cage Martin Short John Madden People — Other Public Figures Burt Reynolds Clint Eastwood Brad Pitt Tom Cruise Jennifer Aniston Jean-Claude Van Damme Vin Diesel Paris Hilton Jake Paul Daejon Love Orson Welles Alfred Hitchcock Stevie Ray Vaughan Eddie Van Halen Eric Clapton Peter Frampton Chris Rock Eminem Ricky Martin Will Smith Groups & Characters Torrance Community Dancers Guns N’ Roses Korn The Kardashians Prince Akeem Jiminy Glick  Projects The Heroism and Resiliency of 9/11: From Tragedy to Triumph Wounded Heroes Healing the Heroes of 9-11  Gier Productions Torrance Rises Fatboy Slim — “Praise You” Make It Academy TV & Film Sunset Beach Days of Our Lives Baskets The Princess Bride Tombstone The Matrix The Bourne Identity The Odyssey Avatar The Brutalist One Battle After Another Mystic River Wild Wild West Coming to America Places San Diego Balboa Park  Hollywood  Torrance Coronado Beverly Hills Malibu New York City Manhattan  World Trade Center The Pentagon US Capitol Hudson River Las Vegas Nashville San Francisco Japan Australia Scotland Ireland Paris Brno Stuttgart Lamb’s Players Theatre Aladdin Hotel Metropolitan Opera House TCL Chinese Theatre Vanderbilt University Harvard Zamunda (fictional) We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.  So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT https://themakeitpodcast.store/newsletter Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    448 - 25 Years After 9/11: The Doc Narrated by Gary Sinise | Michael Gier on Losing Everything and Starting Over at 40

  4. Oct 13

    SUMMARIES - Julius Ritter - The Permissionless Revolution & When Zero Dollars Isn’t Zero Vision

    We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.  So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT https://themakeitpodcast.store/newsletter Hello, Hello! In this episode, AI Hosts Alex Ivey and Allison Inverness explore Julius Ritter’s evolution from biracial child and working actor to independent writer-director. The conversation examines permissionless work, zero-budget filmmaking, creative solitude, and the search for timeless artistic themes. It is essential listening for filmmakers who want to build original work without waiting for industry approval. We also talk about: How being labeled can lead an artist to invent new worlds and identities.Why Ritter paused Sock and Buskin to pursue a $100,000 GoFundMe.The relationship between casting debates, colorism, representation, and working artists’ livelihoods.Why internet slang can date a screenplay while universal themes remain accessible.How solitude prepares a creative blueprint before collaboration brings it to life. People, Places, Products, and References Mentioned: People Julius Charles Ritter (also on TMDB) Terry Jingles Rob Reiner Quentin Tarantino William Shakespeare Soulja Boy Acting Credits Gap (Gap Kids) CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Like Mike  Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life  The Master of Disguise  His Own Films Sock & Buskin  Sock and Buskin Film Fund (GoFundMe) Mr. Misery Americana, White Sheets What Did Deborah Do?  Organizations & Platforms Ford Models GoFundMe Mammoth Film Festival References & Places Looney Tunes Sock and buskin  Hollywood Los Angeles Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    SUMMARIES - Julius Ritter - The Permissionless Revolution & When Zero Dollars Isn’t Zero Vision

  5. Oct 9 ·  Bonus

    Bonus Episode: 48 Hour Film Project Winner Allison Alonzo on How to Make a Film in 48 Hours

    This episode is brought to you by MAKE IT Academy. Get access to 200+ courses today at https://themakeitpodcast.com/pages/academy and use code: ACADEMY50 for 50% off the Academy for a year!  Hello, Hello!  In this episode, Allison Alonso explains how she led her first 48 Hour Film Project as a director and won with Falling Short. She breaks down the competition’s strict rules, the creative decisions behind the film, and the practical realities of making a short film in 48 hours. The conversation also explores filmmaking careers, crew leadership, food on set, film influences, and what it means to make it. We also talk about: How the 48 Hour Film Project assigns the same prop, required phrase, and character details to every team.Why Allison chose fantasy over dystopia/utopia and how the team made a tomato work at a gas station location.The importance of feeding a crew, from Mexican bowls at lunch to Hunts Brothers pizza at 2 a.m.How a production team can protect a story’s twist by listening to actors and department heads during shooting.Why Allison sees the project as a return to film after taking a job at Vanderbilt University for stability, health insurance, paid time off, and a break from the industry. People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned: Falling Short  Raiders of the Lost Ark E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Jaws Short Circuit Napoleon Dynamite Barbie Tenet The Green Knight Black Knight Coming to America Food & Brands Hunt Brothers Pizza Domino’s Gabby’s Burgers & Fries Emmy Squared Big Mac Superica Pizookie  People Allison Alonzo EmElise Knapp Martin Lawrence Steven Spielberg Jordan Chateau Connor Bacon Seth Shepard Jones Kolbinski Jake Gilbert Mariah Kramer Alfonso Ribeiro Tia A. Smith Schools Vanderbilt University Belmont University Carnegie Mellon University Film Events & Organizations Nashville Film Festival 48 Hour Film Project — Nashville Filmapalooza Point of VU Film Festival (POVU) — Vanderbilt’s student festival Places & Venues Dallas, Texas Burbank, California Mexico City Zanies Nashville The Gulch Green Hills Flamingo Cocktail Club Cledis We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.  So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT https://themakeitpodcast.store/newsletter Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Bonus Episode: 48 Hour Film Project Winner Allison Alonzo on How to Make a Film in 48 Hours

  6. Oct 2

    447 - What Money Can’t Fix on a Film Set, Why People Need People, and Creative Sets, AI, and Staying Weird - Nichole Marie Lim

    This episode is brought to you by MAKE IT Academy. Get access to 200+ courses today at https://themakeitpodcast.com/pages/academy and use code: ACADEMY50 for 50% off the Academy for a year!  Hello, Hello!  In this episode, we speak with Nashville filmmaker Nicole Marie Lim about building a career across makeup, writing, producing, and directing. Nicole explains how supportive relationships, practical set skills, and respectful leadership shape better creative work. The conversation also examines AI, vertical video, mid-budget filmmaking, actor chemistry, and what it means to make it without losing the joy of creating. We also talk about: How makeup artists can prepare for their first professional set.Why continuity, schedules, and department-specific language matter.The limits of glamour, fame, and money in filmmaking.Why directors should trust department heads and communicate according to individual needs.How chemistry reads can reveal unexpected casting choices. People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned: People Nichole Marie Lim (also IMDb)  Joy Todd David Lim Michelle Lim John August Craig Mazin Jim Henson J.K. Simmons Brad Pitt David Ayer Stephen Norrington Tim Burton Christopher Nolan Zendaya Robert Pattinson Milla Jovovich Viola Davis Brands & Products My Kit Co RCMA Makeup Senna Cosmetics Listerine Altoids Her Projects Checkmate, The Way Back Down, Mom Cult, American Quilt Contest Films Holland (2025) Blade The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen The Migrant Marie Antoinette Amélie Romeo + Juliet  The Sound of Music The Expendables 2 Sinners The 'Burbs Poor Things The Odyssey Oppenheimer Grizzly Man Jaws Alien A Week Away Places & Institutions Nashville Ohio New York Amsterdam Mumbai Nashville Film Festival Frist Art Museum MAKE IT Make It Academy Mastering Film Marketing (e-book) The MAKE IT Podcast We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.  So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT www.themakeitpodcast.store/shop/support Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    447 - What Money Can’t Fix on a Film Set, Why People Need People, and Creative Sets, AI, and Staying Weird - Nichole Marie Lim

  7. Sep 29

    SUMMARIES - Keith McDaniel - How he made "The Clinton 12," Cast James Earl Jones, and Why Local Beats Bigger

    We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.  So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT Subscribe: https://themakeitpodcast.store/shop/support Hello, Hello! In this episode, AI Hosts Alex Ivey and Allison Inverness examine Keith McDaniel’s path from singer, designer, and scriptwriter to documentary filmmaker and community leader. They explore how he learned filmmaking without formal training, documented complex Tennessee history, and built a sustainable local film festival. The conversation also connects creative independence with health, discipline, and the possibility that starting late can mean starting prepared. We also talk about: How a poor first documentary can still reveal the right creative medium.Why interviewing original Oakridgers preserved primary historical testimony.How James Earl Jones added credibility and distribution power to The Clinton 12.Why Keith treated 40 film festivals as research laboratories rather than applause tours.How the seven-day shootout created audience ownership through participation. People, Places, Products, and References Mentioned: Keith McDaniel (also IMDb) James Earl Jones  Ken Burns Films & Projects The Clinton 12  Secret City: The Oak Ridge Story  The Belmont Reasons Companies & Organizations Secret City Films Secret City Film Festival  Knoxville Film Festival Dogwood Arts Discovery Jupiter Entertainment eBay Motel 6 Places Oak Ridge, Tennessee Roane County, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Regal Downtown West Cinema 8 History & Concepts Brown v. Board of Education Manhattan Project VHS Slow-carb diet Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    SUMMARIES - Keith McDaniel - How he made "The Clinton 12," Cast James Earl Jones, and Why Local Beats Bigger

  8. Sep 18

    446 - Isabel Hagen on Making 'On a String', Winning Tribeca, Cancel Culture, and Surviving Stand‑Up

    This episode is brought to you by Anthropic. Claude is the AI for minds that don’t stop at good enough—it's the collaborator that actually understands your entire workflow and thinks WITH you, not for you. Ready to tackle bigger problems? Sign up for Claude Pro when you use our link – www.claude.ai/makeit This episode is brought to you by our e-book Mastering Film Marketing. Get your copy today at https://themakeitpodcast.com/products/mastering-film-marketing. Use the Discount code: NASHFILM20 for 20% off EVERYTHING at themakeitpodcast.com Hello, Hello!  In this episode, Isabel Hagen joins us to discuss her work as a comedian, filmmaker, and classically trained violist. She explains how her freelance music career inspired the feature film On a String, which premiered at Tribeca and won Best Screenplay in the U.S. Narrative Competition. The conversation also explores comedy in the age of clips, creative persistence, protecting real people in fiction, film criticism, artistic identity, and what it means to make it. We also talk about: Turning experiences from weddings, funerals, and private music gigs into heightened comedic characters and situations.Why live comedy benefits from audiences putting their phones away while performers test unfinished material.Isabel’s process for becoming a stronger comedian through open mics, recordings, repeated performance, and daily review.The creative lessons she draws from Paul Thomas Anderson, including the scale of One Battle After Another and the score of Phantom Thread.How nostalgia, streaming overload, and the paradox of choice influence how audiences rewatch their favorite movies. People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned: People Isabel Hagen (isabelhagen.com) Brandon Tamburri  William Primrose Paul Thomas Anderson Maria Bamford Marina Abramović Lana Del Rey Films & TV On a String The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon One Battle After Another Phantom Thread Happiness The Omen The Parent Trap  Goodfellas Challengers Saltburn It's a Wonderful Life The Princess Bride Ferris Bueller's Day Off The NeverEnding Story The Dukes of Hazzard Companies & Organizations Joke Zero Tribeca Film Festival The Juilliard School NBC Symphony Orchestra Hollywood Walk of Fame Nashville Film Festival Substack Soho House Music Guns N' Roses "Welcome to the Jungle" Food & Places LaGuardia Airport Seattle 7th Street Burger Shake Shack Beecher's Handmade Cheese  The Capital Grille MAKE IT Make It Academy Mastering Film Marketing (e-book) We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters.  So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. #MAKEIT www.themakeitpodcast.store/shop/support Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    446 - Isabel Hagen on Making 'On a String', Winning Tribeca, Cancel Culture, and Surviving Stand‑Up
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5
out of 5
100 Ratings

About

MAKE IT is the film podcast that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the filmmaking process. We dive into indie gems, massive blockbusters, cinema history, and everything in between. If you love movies and want more than polite chit-chat, this is your spot. Stay Inspired, Chris + Nick

Information

  • Creator
    Chris Barkley & Nicholas Buggs
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    546
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Bonsai Creative Enterprises, LLC 2026
  • Show Website
    The MAKE IT Podcast

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