Filmmaking Conversations Podcast with Damien Swaby

Filmmaker Katie Cokinos joins Damien Swaby to reflect on a career shaped by independent cinema, personal vision and the determination required to get unconventional films made. Katie recounts beginning her career at the Southwest Alternate Media Project—better known as SWAMP—in Houston.

It was there that she first encountered Richard Linklater and helped his groundbreaking film Slacker secure completion funding, reach international festivals and ultimately find distribution.
She discusses the film’s initially difficult reception, including a sparsely attended screening at the Berlin International Film Festival market, and the small but decisive encounters that helped it connect with the right audience.

The conversation also explores Katie’s transition from supporting other filmmakers to finding her own voice as a writer and director.

She reflects on the influence of the French New Wave, the difficulties historically faced by women filmmakers and the experience of being overlooked on the festival circuit while pregnant.

Katie takes us behind the making of Portrait of a Girl as a Young Cat and I Dream Too Much, her coming-of-age feature starring Eden Brolin, Danielle Brooks and Diane Ladd, with Richard Linklater serving as executive producer. She reveals how motherhood changed her writing practice, how the film emerged after a 15-year gap between features and how an extremely low-budget production created convincing performances without conventional rehearsal time.

Damien and Katie also discuss:
• Why a filmmaker’s personal vision matters
• Helping Slacker find its audience after an early Sundance rejection
• Learning the language of cinema outside film school
• The influence of Agnès Varda and the French New Wave
• Writing in the margins while raising children
• The Jane Austen inspiration behind I Dream Too Much
• Creating chemistry between actors on a limited schedule
• Shooting through three weeks of heavy snow
• Using slow motion to expand emotional time
• Filming on an iPhone in New York without attracting attention
• Richard Linklater’s support across more than three decades
• The challenge of bringing audiences back to cinemas after COVID
• Why Katie prefers the economy of feature films to television series
• Programming films for Upstate Films
• Developing The Do Right, a period mystery set in 1973 Beaumont, TexasThis is a warm and candid conversation about artistic survival, creative identity and the unpredictable journey between imagining a film and finally bringing it to the screen.

LINKS

Learn more about Katie Cokinos:
https://www.idreamtoomuch.com/katie-cokinos Follow Katie Cokinos on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/katiecokinos/Connect with Katie on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-cokinos-99180a9/I Dream Too Much — official website:
https://www.idreamtoomuch.com/ Watch I Dream Too Much on Amazon Prime Video:
https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Too-Much-Katie-Cokinos/dp/B0CGQJ3ZQB Katie Cokinos on FilmFreeway:
https://filmfreeway.com/KatieCokinosUpstate Films:
https://www.upstatefilms.org/Slacker with Katie Cokinos — Upstate Films:
https://www.upstatefilms.org/slackerAustin Film Society:
https://www.austinfilm.org/Southwest Alternate Media Project (SWAMP):
https://www.swamp.org/

Richard Linklater / Detour Filmproduction:
https://www.detourfilm.com/

Former Filmmaking Conversations guest and entertainment attorney Reena Sehgal is the founder of Thoolie, a platform offering independent filmmakers accessible, professionally drafted contracts and practical legal resources: https://thoolie.com/?fbclid=PAdGRleAUMIhRwZG9mAmZkaWQWUN_VLZ5O00wAG5VJwcYKLJR7IDzX22V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzEyNDAyNDU3NDI4NzQxNAABp8YqORNw4HfUrakr47-VQNHxfRIZjdKym2B6azcV1UcQ8_XZ-K3QtetIdYci_aem_tFWU2agJYHfjePj36n5zqA

Rob Hollocks has spent more than two decades on both sides of the film business — helping major studios sell some of the biggest films in the world, while ultimately pursuing his ambition to write, direct and produce films of his own.

In this episode of Filmmaking Conversations, Damien Swaby sits down with the British-born, Los Angeles-based filmmaker, writer, producer and former studio executive for a wide-ranging conversation about the realities of building a sustainable career in film.Rob takes us inside his years at Paramount Pictures, where his work in international marketing brought him into campaigns connected with films and franchises including Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, Indiana Jones, Mission: Impossible and Star Trek.

He explains how studios adapt campaigns for different territories, why an actor who dominates a poster in one country might be secondary in another, how contractual billing affects key art, and who ultimately decides what audiences are being sold. But Rob argues that understanding marketing shouldn't be something filmmakers leave until their film is finished.

For independent filmmakers, he believes thinking seriously about audience, positioning and distribution should begin while a project is still being developed — without allowing those commercial considerations to dictate the story itself.

The conversation also explores Rob's work in animation and production finance, including his involvement with Riot Games and Netflix's acclaimed series Arcane. Rob explains what managing production finance on a project of that scale actually involves and how huge creative ambitions can coexist with financial discipline.That philosophy carries into his own filmmaking.

Through his independent work, Rob has developed an approach he describes as making films that are low-budget, high-quality and commercially responsible — putting as much of the available money as possible onto the screen while paying crews, treating people properly and avoiding unnecessary expenditure.Damien and Rob then examine the journey of Rob's psychological horror thriller The Observance, starring Kate Dailey, Ted Raimi and Alec James.

After an international festival run and multiple awards, Rob and his team took an unusually hands-on approach to distribution, retaining control of the film's marketing and securing a limited theatrical release through AMC cinemas in the United States.Rob explains what he discovered about getting an independent film into cinemas, why theatrical distribution may be more accessible than many filmmakers assume, and why filmmakers need to remain the strongest advocates for their work throughout its entire life cycle.

That experience also led him to write The Indie Theatrical Playbook, a practical guide containing the templates, checklists and planning tools he developed while navigating his own theatrical campaign.The conversation becomes more personal as Rob reflects on leaving the security and salary of the executive world to become an independent filmmaker. He talks candidly about earning less money, the constant hustle of financing the next project, and wishing he'd had the confidence to pursue directing much earlier.

Rob also shares the childhood experiences behind his love of cinema: his mother vividly retelling the Hammer horror films he wasn't allowed to watch, Sunday afternoon Westerns with his father, discovering the 1933 King Kong at school, and sitting through Raiders of the Lost Ark three times in the cinema — years before he would find himself working with the Indiana Jones franchise at Paramount.It's a conversation about something filmmakers sometimes prefer not to discuss: making the film is only part of the job. 

Original theatrical trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nov3gaDj_Mg

Streaming trailer: https://youtu.be/xRDBESIZcYA

This is the viral website (in -world) and  has the viral video ’sermons’  we did for the  US theatrical:  https://theobservance.com/

The UK Apple link:  https://tv.apple.com/gb/movie/the-observance/umc.cmc.1pmsko668w97s5b772dmdj7ij

Rob's website: https://robhollocks.com/#c1ccd530-40b9-4821-aba3-8248c23f2049

Book:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Indie-Theatrical-Playbook-releasing-independent-ebook/dp/B0GQRJ4C2J/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25C24Q57M9UE6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1Tis5f4DOTPOVCHdppik7g.p3EEm_EZ-Sed8C30Tb88EBs-sMKuZSOTCBeg7_CADYo&dib_tag=se&keywords=indie+theatrical+playbook&qid=1788279505&sprefix=indie+theatrical+playboo%2Caps%2C288&sr=8-1

Show Notes

Producer, director and Ignite Studios founder Erin Mae Miller joins Damien Swaby for a wide-ranging conversation about the realities of independent filmmaking and her new feature If I Tell You.

Erin began her career in unscripted television, working across productions for Discovery, TLC, History and VH1. She describes documentary filmmaking as being like sculpting from a block of marble — discovering and shaping a story from the material reality gives you — while scripted filmmaking is more like painting something that first existed in your imagination.

She discusses working on Love & Hip Hop, the importance of extensive pre-interviews when dealing with vulnerable documentary participants, and why filmmakers have a responsibility to ensure contributors retain agency over deeply personal stories.

The conversation then turns to If I Tell You, Ignite Studios' debut feature. Erin first encountered the screenplay while working at Big Indie Pictures and couldn't forget it. After leaving the company, she contacted the writer and began what ultimately became an eight-year journey to get the film made.

Erin discusses adapting Lisa O'Donnell's Closed Doors from its original Scottish setting to northern Minnesota, finding the isolated Boundary Waters community of Ely, casting young lead Etienne Kellici from approximately 3,000 submissions, working with director Tessa Blake and creating the film's carefully controlled visual palette.

She also opens up about the changing economics of independent film, the impact of streaming on traditional international financing, and why producers today need to think about the film they write, shoot, edit, distribute and market.

The conversation also tackles AI and filmmaking. Erin sees possibilities for technologies that could make historically expensive recreations achievable for independent productions, while arguing that documentary filmmakers must be extremely careful not to destroy the audience's trust in the reality they're watching.

Finally, Erin reflects on beginning her career as a stand-in and photo double for Kristen Bell and Isla Fisher, why she ultimately chose producing over acting, and her belief that films can influence our collective cultural narrative.

If I Tell You opens in select AMC cinemas across the United States on August 27.

In this episode
Erin discusses unscripted TV and Love & Hip Hop; ethical documentary interviewing; working at Big Indie Pictures; the eight-year development of If I Tell You; casting a child lead from thousands of submissions; shooting for 25 days in Minnesota; colour as an affordable filmmaking tool; the changing economics of independent film; AI, authenticity and documentary ethics; and why “stories unite us.”

https://www.ignitestudios.tv

https://www.ifitellyoufilm.com

Episode Show Notes

What happens when the dream of becoming an actor collides with the reality of earning a living? In this episode of Filmmaking Conversations, Damien Swaby sits down with actor Chantelle Levene for an open conversation about ambition, rejection, resilience and what it really takes to keep pursuing a creative career when opportunities become harder to find.

Chantelle reflects on the EastEnders performances that first inspired her to act, how the audition landscape has changed, and why she misses the days when aspiring actors had greater access to open auditions. She also discusses her frustrations with self-tapes and the difficult experience of going four years without booking an acting role.The conversation goes beyond auditions.

Chantelle talks about agents, independent filmmaking and the importance of creating your own opportunities rather than waiting for permission from an industry that may not always make space for you. She and Damien also explore a reality familiar to many working creatives: how do you balance a 9-to-5 job, financial responsibilities and everyday life with a creative purpose that refuses to disappear? It’s a conversation about the less glamorous side of pursuing a career in film and television — and about finding ways to keep moving forward when the phone stops ringing.In this episodeThe EastEnders performances that made Chantelle want to become an actor
Why open auditions seem to have disappeared
The realities and frustrations of self-tape culture
Going four years without booking an acting role
What actors should expect from their agents
Balancing acting with a 9-to-5 career
Independent filmmaking and creating your own work
Staying visible in an increasingly competitive industry
Resilience, reinvention and maintaining a sense of creative purpose
As Chantelle's story demonstrates, the route may change and the industry may change, but the desire to tell meaningful stories can remain.

Follow Filmmaking Conversations for more candid conversations with actors, filmmakers and other creatives about the craft, careers and realities behind working in the film industry.

Show Notes

What does it really mean to film something that can't be seen?
In this episode of Filmmaking Conversations, I sit down with award-winning documentary cinematographer Liz Moughon to explore the emotional and technical craft of visual storytelling.
Liz has worked with ProPublica, Blue Chalk Media and some of the world's leading documentary filmmakers, creating films that explore grief, illness, identity, hope and resilience. From documenting families affected by stillbirth to investigating one of the largest medical device recalls in history, her work demonstrates how cinematography can reveal emotional truth through observation rather than spectacle.

We discuss why perspective matters just as much as composition, how documentary filmmakers earn trust during intimate moments, and the importance of knowing when to keep filming—and when to simply listen.

Liz also opens up about living with Type 1 diabetes, explaining how she transformed a deeply personal experience into an artistic project by photographing an entire year's worth of the medical supplies that kept her alive. Rather than seeing them as waste, she began seeing them as evidence of resilience, creativity and survival.

This is a thoughtful conversation about empathy, collaboration, vulnerability, emotional landscapes, and why the most powerful stories are often found in the quiet moments people overlook.
In this episode we discuss:

• How Liz discovered filmmaking through photojournalism
• Why documentary cinematography is about perspective rather than simply beautiful images
• Capturing grief, hope and emotional truth on camera
• Filming intimate moments ethically
• The visual language of documentary filmmaking
• Working with ProPublica and investigative documentaries
• Turning Type 1 diabetes into an artistic project
• Why details and visual metaphors create emotional impact
• The importance of collaboration in filmmaking
• Why curiosity is a filmmaker's greatest strength

Mentioned in this episode
• Liz Moughon's website https://lizmoughon.com/about
• Before a Breath
• With Every Breath
• Blue Chalk Media
• ProPublica

From Liz Moughon

A to Z music video https://tennmore.com/atoz/
Inspired by movement, identity, Baltimore street culture, discipline, and emotional transformation, the film blends intimate visuals with a reimagined performance of Ludovico Einaudi’s “Experience.”
Filmed across Baltimore with a focus on texture, motion, stillness, and human connection, A to Z represents the beginning of a larger body of work from TennMore Studios – combining documentary sensibilities, cinematic filmmaking, and emotionally grounded storytelling. 

Team Type 1 https://lizmoughon.com/teamtype1
Type 1 Diabetes is full of routines no one sees, especially the supplies that pile up quietly in the background. Most of the time, those supplies get thrown away. What if we turned them into something cool?

For one year I saved every pod, sensor, alcohol wipe, etc. that helped keep me alive, and I made a self-portrait surrounded by all of it. I'm inviting you to do the same thing – your way. Save your supplies for a few months, a year or whatever feels right. Then create something: a photo, video, sculpture, collage, anything. This is your invitation. 

Support Independent Filmmaking
Please check out the links below to support two previous Filmmaking Conversations guests.

🎬 A Life Together https://seedandspark.com/fund/a-life-together-short-film#story — Michael Ferrell and Devin Sanchez's heartfelt comedy-drama about family, ambition and unexpected relationships. The film is currently raising funds as both a festival short and proof-of-concept feature.

🎬 The Deer https://www.shelterfilm.com/thedeerfilmcampaign— Julia Campanelli's powerful short film exploring PTSD through the eyes of a first responder following the aftermath of a school shooting, helping shine a light on the often unseen emotional cost carried by emergency workers.

If you're able to pledge, share either campaign or simply follow their journeys, you'll be helping independent filmmaking continue to thrive.

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X (Twitter): @DamienSwaby https://x.com/DamienSwaby/status/1864468655582437405
Instagram: @filmmaker__damien_swaby. https://www.instagram.com/filmmaker__damien_swaby/?hl=en 
Also, you can check out my documentary The People of Brixton, on Kwelitv here: https://www.kweli.tv/creator/damien-swaby