Hello, Hello!

Welcome to SUMMARIES, Episode #3

Summaries take some of our best long-form interviews (and even some unpublished ones) and condense them to down to 10 (or so) minutes of pure listening pleasure.

Summaries are hosted by our digital interns, Alex Ivey and Allison Inverness, and are designed to give you, our valued listeners, just the information you need from each guest. It's a new short-form concept for a fast-paced world. It's the answer to the two-hour podcast you want to listen to but never have the time for.

Each new episode of Summaries will be published right here, on the MAKE IT feed. We think you'll love it as much as we do—now, on to the show.

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Alex and Allison summarize our previously released episode with Scilla Andreen, the CEO and Founder of IndieFlix. So, who is Scilla Andreen?

Scilla Andreen is an award-winning Producer, Director, Emmy-nominated Costume Designer, Author, CEO, and co-founder of IndieFlix Group Inc., a B2C global streaming and B2B virtual community screening service that delivers content for a purpose to schools and corporations.

Driven by her passion to help filmmakers and do good in the world with film; Scilla is growing the library currently at 4000+ titles to represent diverse voices, marginalized communities and women, Scilla also created the RPM (revenue per minute) royalty payment model to compensate filmmakers for every minute watched. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Good Morning America, Today, and South China Morning Post. She’s executive produced and/or directed and distributed social impact films, Nevertheless, Screenagers, Angst, LIKE, The Upstanders, Empowerment Project, and Finding Kind. Scilla is currently in production on her latest film, RACE. She is Included in Screen International’s Multichannel Women to Watch, Variety’s Women’s Impact Report, and Puget Sound Business Journal Woman of Influence. She has been a popular speaker at Sundance, Cannes, CES, SXSW, BeBold, and Women in Film. Scilla is also the Founder of IndieFlix Foundation.

Scilla is on a mission to change the world with film.

In this episode, Alex and Allison summarize a conversation with Scilla Andreen, CEO and co-founder of Indie Flicks, a film distribution platform. Andreen discusses her career trajectory, transitioning from costume design on shows like The Wonder Years to producing social-impact documentaries. She details her experiences with bullying and its influence on her work, emphasizing the power of film for racial healing and mental health awareness. Furthermore, she describes Indie Flicks' unique approach to film distribution, focusing on community engagement and providing filmmakers with marketing support. Finally, Andreen shares advice for aspiring filmmakers, stressing the importance of networking, embracing opportunities, and understanding the evolving landscape of film distribution and streaming.

Enjoy, and follow Scilla on Instagram here and watch all her work here.

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

All Links: https://beacons.ai/themakeitpodcast

Subscribe to our newsletter at www.bonsai.film/subscribe

Hello, Hello!

In this edition of Mistake in the Making, Zair Montes discusses the production challenges faced during the making of the film Rumba Love. Initially, the project was planned to be shot in New York and Havana, Cuba, with funding secured for the Cuban portion. However, difficulties arose in securing additional funds for New York, leading to a two-week production halt in Cuba. Actors' schedules changed, and funding issues persisted for over a year. A key actor refused to continue, necessitating script rewrites and reshoots. A last-minute venue cancellation in New York further delayed production, requiring rescheduling and additional funding. Despite these setbacks, the film was completed and released on Showtime in 2021. Montes emphasizes the importance of having full funding and signed contracts before starting a project and reflects on the resilience required to overcome such challenges.

Lessons Learned and Final Thoughts from this Mistake In the Making:

• Zair Montes reflects on the lessons learned from the production, emphasizing the importance of having full funding and signed contracts before starting.
• She advises against spreading production across multiple locations to avoid rescheduling complications.
• Despite the challenges, the film was a rewarding experience, both spiritually, financially, and professionally.
• Zair Montes promotes her company, Golden Ceiba Productions, and invites viewers to check out their projects on various platforms.

Products, software, websites, people or places mentioned:

Rumba Love (film)

New York Film Office

Cuba Film Office

Havana Film Production

Golden Ceiba Productions (Zair Montes' company)

Zair Montes (filmmaker, producer, actress)

Zair Montes - Instagram (@zairmontes, @goldenceibaproductions)

Rumba Love on Amazon

Rumba Love on Apple

Check out our full conversation with Zair Here

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

All Links: https://beacons.ai/themakeitpodcast

Subscribe to our newsletter at www.bonsai.film/subscribe

Hello, Hello!

Welcome to SUMMARIES, Episode #2

Summaries takes some of our best long-form interviews (and even some unpublished ones) and condenses them to down to 10 (or so) minutes of pure listening pleasure.

Summaries are hosted by our digital interns, Alex Ivey and Allison Inverness, and are designed to give you, our valued listeners, just the information you need from each guest. It's a new short-form concept for a fast-paced world. It's the answer to the two-hour podcast you want to listen to but never have the time for.

Each new episode of Summaries will be published right here, on the MAKE IT feed. We think you'll love it as much as we do—now, on to the show.

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Alex and Allison summarize our previously released conversation with Filmmaker Jennifer Cooney. So, who is Jennifer Cooney?

Jennifer Cooney was raised in a small Pennsylvania town, where her earliest and closest influence was her family: a close-knit group of hardworking, leading edge, business owners with hearts of gold. From a very early age, she was an astute observer of her surroundings; no detail, grand or minute, of character or circumstance escaped her attention. She nursed her innate curiosity of the human condition with poetry, photography, psychology, and film, constantly building the mental and emotional library of understanding within her. In college, she followed her passions, studying English, Communication & Rhetorical Studies, Psychology, and Philosophy, graduating with two majors and a double minor, all with Honors. Yet, her hunger to communicate human connection, her yearning to understand the human condition, and her quest to find answers to life's perennial questions remained unsatiated. Then, in a flash of what she can only describe as a Higher Calling, she knew her most authentic truth could only be expressed through the art of film. From that day forward, she has been on a disciplined and heart-driven path of expansion and expression, all ways leading to the Divine Expression of Love, Light, and her Truest Self through her creations. HalfJack Generation is both the platform and the launching pad for her stories. Jennifer is also a four-time published poet, a still photographer, and a painter, residing in the countryside of Pennsylvania with her wife, artist JFo, and three dogs.

In this episode, Alex and Allison summarize a conversation with independent filmmaker Jennifer Cooney. They explore Cooney's concepts of "inner darkness" versus "outer darkness," and discuss her belief in the power of radical honesty and vulnerability as an antidote to the inner darkness we all carry within us. The conversation delves into the role of emotions in the creative process, Cooney's filmmaking approach, and the importance of embracing authenticity and imperfections.

Enjoy, and follow Jennifer on Instagram here and watch her film Wild Fire, here.

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

All Links: https://beacons.ai/themakeitpodcast

Subscribe to our newsletter at www.bonsai.film/subscribe

Hello, Hello!

In this edition of Mistakes In the Making, filmmaker Natalie Ruffino Wilson shares her experience navigating the challenges of a volunteer film project that went awry. Joined by her husband and filmmaking partner, Kyler Wilson, Natalie recounts the lessons she learned about the importance of clear communication, setting boundaries, and protecting one's creative vision, even in the face of unexpected obstacles.

The conversation delves into Natalie's initial excitement about being invited to direct the volunteer project, where filmmakers were paired with artists, and her subsequent decision to co-direct with a close friend, despite her gut instinct that it was a bad idea. As the project progressed, Natalie found herself doing the majority of the work, only to face a negative response from the artist, who felt that Natalie had taken their work and done something with it without proper acknowledgment.

Natalie and Kyler discuss the importance of having contracts in place, even for volunteer projects, to ensure that everyone's roles and expectations are clearly defined. They also share how this experience taught Natalie to focus her energy on people and projects that align with her values and goals, and the importance of setting boundaries to protect her time and creative vision.

Key takeaways from this Mistake In the Making:

- The importance of trusting your instincts and asking questions or saying no if something feels off from the start.

- The value of surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who share your passion and values.

- The necessity of having clear contracts and communication to protect your work and expectations, even in volunteer projects.

- The lessons learned about setting boundaries, protecting your time, and being explicit about expectations.

Products, software, websites, people or places mentioned:

Kyler Wilson - Filmmaker and co-founder of Outsider Means

Natalie Rufino Wilson - Filmmaker and co-founder of Outsider Means

Outside Our Means - Kyler and Natalie's production company

Kyler and Natalie's short films

Best Laid Plans - Kyler and Natalie's feature film made during COVID-19

Natalie@outsideourmeans.com - Natalie's email for filmmaking questions

Kyler@outsideourmeans.com - Kyler's email for filmmaking questions

Check out our full conversation with Kyler and Natalie Ruffino Wilson Here

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

All Links: https://beacons.ai/themakeitpodcast

Subscribe to our newsletter at www.bonsai.film/subscribe