The 50/50 Podcast

50/50 Film Festival

5.0 (5)
FILM INTERVIEWS

50% Business, 50% Creative. Hosted by 50/50 founder Luke Steinfeld, and 50/50 Head of Talent Wyatt Sarkisian, the podcast builds on the mission of the platform: to nurture and empower the next generation of industry talent. Join us every tuesday as we sit down with voices from all corners of the entertainment industry, offering educational insight into process, production, and execution.

2D AGO

HOW TO: Self-Start as an Actor (w/ Natalie Ortega)

This week, we sit down with actor/comedian Natalie Ortega to talk about carving out your own lane in an industry that rarely hands you one. Natalie shares how she found her niche in musical comedy (and why it’s not just because the bar is low), her complicated relationship with stand-up, and why she believes actors shouldn’t sit around waiting for the next audition. We get into her time performing in Wicked on Broadway — including the unspoken rules of the Broadway social scene — and what she learned on set alongside Brett Goldstein and J.Lo, where stand-up unexpectedly became her greatest asset. Natalie also opens up about her evolving relationship with agents and managers, and how taking initiative in your own career changes everything: do more for yourself, and your reps will too. Plus, we dive into her creative partnership with Cam Gavinski on PARTNERS, what’s next for the project, and some exciting TV development news on the horizon. NATALIE'S INSTA (Watch PARTNERS HERE TOO!) Submit Your Comedy Short

1h 12m
MAR 10

HOW TO: Establish Your “Why” as a Comedy Filmmaker (with Ali Rosenthal)

This week, 50/50 Festival WINNER Ali Rosenthal traces her path towards comedic purpose; after cutting her teeth in New York City, she forged her voice as a comedy filmmaker at Stanford, where she made ICE QUEENS a self-described “fiercely feminist fantasy.” We then dive into her breakout short TEEN MARY - making the film at AFI while managing the creative risk of approaching religion from a fresh, comedic perspective—and why that very risk pushed her to make the film in the first place. From there, we move to bigger questions: why pitching yourself can sometimes be harder than pitching a project, what truly separates a comedic short film from a sketch, and why a strong director’s statement can be essential to articulating your artistic purpose, especially in comedy. We wrap by discussing the project Ali is currently taking out to town and the process of refining drafts with her manager—plus the perennial question: how do you know when a script is actually ready to pitch? TEEN MARY - Instagram ICE QUEENS (Stanford Short) Submit Your Comedy Short

1h 13m
MAR 3

HOW TO: Swing Big With a First Feature, and Win (w/ Elijah Davis)

This week, filmmaker Elijah Davis breaks down how he swung big on his debut feature, Three Colors: Pan African — and what it actually took to get it made. We talk about the influence of French cinema on the film’s visual language, and Elijah’s larger mission: creating real authorship opportunities for Black creatives across every department. He shares how funding the first portion of the project as a proof of concept unlocked momentum — and why fundraising proved to be one of the most difficult stretches of the process. We also discuss representation theory and Elijah’s perspective on the relationship between Blackness and media — who gets to tell stories and who controls the frame. Finally, he opens up about balancing all of this while working full-time as an assistant at WME — and what it means to build a filmmaking career from inside the industry machine. THREE COLORS INSTAGRAM/TRAILER THREE COLORS IMDB THREE COLORS LETTERBOXD SUBMIT TO 50/50 FESTIVAL

1h 5m
FEB 24

HOW TO: Develop and Refine Your Animation Skillset (w/ Chris Rutledge)

This week, we sit down with Chris Rutledge, whose knowledge of animation extends far beyond his own work and into the underground, deeply influential network of visual artists shaping the medium from the edges. What stands out immediately is Chris’s ability to recognize artistic movements before they even have names, mapping out how ideas circulate through communities long before they surface in the mainstream. His perspective reframes animation not as isolated projects, but as a living conversation between artists pushing each other forward. We also break down the fundamentals of various animation software tools and why teaching them has helped Chris re-familiarize himself with the art form, keeping his creative instincts sharp and reinvigorated. The episode traces how he’s organically emerged as a producer, leaning into his natural role as a connector—bringing trusted collaborators into his own projects and opening doors that have led to work on Adult Swim Shorts and even an A$AP Rocky music video. It’s a conversation about community, curiosity, and how collaboration often becomes the most powerful creative tool of all. HELICOPTER (A$AP ROCKY) BABY BRECK (w/ Tim Robinson) STREET RACE (Adult Swim's 'Off The Air') Chris's Other Work / Insta Submit Your Comedy Short

1h 12m
FEB 17

HOW TO: Low-Intervention Filmmaking (w/ Posy Dixon)

This week, we sit down with director Posy Dixon — currently deep in production on a documentary about cult musician Planningtorock — a project that’s evolved into something far more collaborative than traditional nonfiction. In a rare creative dynamic, Posy's subject is actively writing the film alongside her, shaping a kind of career-long retrospective that blurs the line between observer and participant. We talk about what happens when a documentary becomes co-authored, and how identity sits at the center of Posy’s creative practice. We also rewind to her early days at VICE — a time she describes as chaotic, formative, and creatively liberating — and unpack what it means to be thrown into the deep end with freedom to experiment. Plus, Posy shares stories from her collaboration with former 50/50 guest Luke Keeling on an Instagram campaign featuring Tyler, the Creator. The shoot was unscripted, high-pressure, and built around A-level talent — requiring a different kind of preparation that Posy navigated with clarity and grace. POSY'S WEBSITE LUCA (her prod co) CREATE ANYWAY - Tyler The Creator Instagram Campaign Planningtorock (Musician) BEULAH LOVES DANCING (Planningtorock) Submit to the 50/50 Comedy Fest

1h 3m
FEB 10

HOW TO: Channel Relentless Passion Into Your Work (w/ David Jacobson)

This week, we sit down with David Jacobson, marketing director at Cherry Lane Theatre — freshly reopened under A24 — to talk shepherding one of downtown New York’s most historic stages into its next era. David cut his teeth in sports marketing with the New York Knicks and New York Rangers (not to mention a brief, glorious stint working the second floor of the old times square NikeTown — RIP). Along the way, he adopted a simple philosophy passed down from his dad: the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Ask questions. Meet everyone. Be the “dumbest” person in the room. Remain a fan at heart. David stepped into Cherry Lane just months before its reopening, balancing the theater’s deep, rebellious history with A24’s modern indie sensibility. He says that running marketing there feels more like a startup than an institution. It’s a candid conversation about hustle, taste, and parlaying every job into meaningful relationships. In classic 50/50 fashion, it's another theatre/film mashup. Buckle your seatbelts! YOU GOT OLDER at the Cherry Lane Theatre The Cherry Lane Theatre Instagram HENRY WINKLER'S INSTAGRAM (random but relevant) - COMEDY FEST SUBMISSIONS -

59 min
FEB 3

HOW TO: Ideate as a Writer/Director Duo (w/ Aimee Hoffman & Elinor Howells)

This week, we sit down with 50/50 writer-director duo Aimee Hoffman and Elinor Howells about building a creative partnership that’s as honest as it is motivating. From their first days meeting at AFI to developing a shorthand that allows them to pitch wild swings and terrible ideas without judgment, they break down how trust — and taste — sharpen each other’s work. We talk about walking into every room with reps, producers, and execs armed with ideas, not just ambition, and why they’re unapologetic about aiming big: studio movies, spectacle, scale. They share the origin and on-set evolution of their acclaimed short DADDA (50/50 Horror Official Selection), including how Elinor’s presence as a writer during production fundamentally shaped the film in real time. Plus, they dive into their upcoming Florida-set feature, and why physically traveling, researching, and living inside a world is essential to writing something that feels active and alive. DADDA TRAILER Elinor's Website Aimee's Website Comedy Fest Submissions

1h 3m
JAN 27

HOW TO: Digest the Industry from a Rep's Perspective (w/ Arman Yaghmai)

This week, we’re joined by Arman Yaghmai, a coordinator at Verve, for a candid, nuts-and-bolts look at how the literary side of the industry actually works. We begin with discussing why coverage is such a crucial entry point for assistants—and how to know when you’re ready to graduate out of it. We then pull back the curtain on the inner mechanics of a lit-forward talent agency, from weekly Open Writing Assignment meetings to how information travels internally and jobs get chased. We also dive into what a signing pursuit really looks like, and why many writers land a manager long before they sign with an agent. Additionally, Arman shares what he looks for in emerging talent, what kind of pitching is most effective, and why the industry’s favorite question—“Why now?”—might be better reframed. We wrap up by defining what makes a great agent (reading, relationships, and genuine passion) and exploring how a shifting industry—and the rise of vertical content—could create new pipelines into traditional entertainment. VARIETY'S 10 ASSISTANTS TO WATCH 50/50 COMEDY FEST SUBMISSIONS

1h 7m

5

out of 5

5 Ratings

50% Business, 50% Creative. Hosted by 50/50 founder Luke Steinfeld, and 50/50 Head of Talent Wyatt Sarkisian, the podcast builds on the mission of the platform: to nurture and empower the next generation of industry talent. Join us every tuesday as we sit down with voices from all corners of the entertainment industry, offering educational insight into process, production, and execution.

Creator

50/50 Film Festival
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

47
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© 2025
Show Website

The 50/50 Podcast

Comedy

Comedy

Updated Weekly