The MAKE IT Podcast

Hello, Hello!In this segment, enjoy a double dose of wisdom from previous guest Michael Mendelsohn on what it means to "MAKE IT" as a creator, followed by filmmaker Zair Montes sharing hard-learned lessons from producing her film "Rumba Love." Michael emphasizes that making it means enjoying what you do across multiple jobs, while Zair details the costly mistakes and resilience required during her multi-year production journey. The episode offers valuable insights for indie filmmakers about both the mindset needed for success and the practical pitfalls to avoid.We also talk about: • The importance of securing full funding before beginning production • Why contracts with cast and crew are essential before shooting • How to handle scheduling conflicts and venue cancellations during production • Managing international shoots and the complexities of filming in Cuba • Strategies for dealing with missing footage and actor departures mid-productionMentioned: • Rumba Love (film)• Golden Ceiba Productions • Cuba/Havana 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. #MAKEITAll Links: https://themakeitpodcast.storeSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-make-it-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hello, Hello!In this segment, Michael Mendelsohn takes on our "Clear the Set" segment where he shares his top three films of all time, including The Godfather, The Matrix, and a French film by Luc Besson. The conversation explores Michael's film preferences, from movies he loves to ones he's embarrassed not to have seen, including his connection to Battlefield Earth through John Travolta. The discussion also covers his musical background with tenor saxophone and his favorite cheat day meal at a Los Angeles restaurant.We also talk about:The arms dealing themes in Lord of War and its impact on audiences [0:01:35]Christopher Nolan's Tenet and the need for DVD extras to understand the film [0:04:24]The Wizard of Oz paired with Pink Floyd's "The Wall" album synchronization [0:06:55]Musical instruments and dating prospects with viola versus saxophone [0:11:15]Personal anecdotes about learning trumpet and self-consciousness in childhood [0:10:36]Mentioned:The Godfather The Matrix Little MermaidNikita The Professional/Leon Red Sparrow Lord of War When Harry Met Sally Battlefield Earth Tenet The Wizard of Oz Luc Besson John Travolta Christopher Nolan Miles Davis Alfred Hitchcock Honeys Kettle in Culver City Pink Floyd's "The Wall" album Tenor saxophone Alto saxophone Viola clarinet Trumpet MGMWe 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. #MAKEITAll Links: https://themakeitpodcast.storeSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-make-it-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hello, Hello!In this episode, we explore the career wisdom of indie film producer Chris Conner, who has over 20 years of experience in film, political campaigns, and advertising. The discussion focuses on Connor's unique approach to maintaining anonymity in an industry built on self-promotion and his philosophy of letting work speak for itself. We examine his journey from Florida to Nashville, his decision to avoid Los Angeles, and the key lessons that have shaped his successful career.We also talk about:The SWAT team incident during a student film that taught crucial safety lessons [0:04:33]Connor's mentorship philosophy of making yourself valuable rather than seeking mentors [0:05:20]Financial discipline strategies for surviving the feast-or-famine nature of film work [0:07:22]The self-funded pilot strategy used for "Still the King" starring Billy Ray Cyrus [0:08:22]Three essential rules for pitching projects successfully in the industry [0:09:06]People, Places, Products, and References Mentioned:Chris Conner (indie film producer) [0:00:23]Raiders of the Lost Ark [0:01:38]Cocoon (filmed near Indian Rocks Beach) [0:03:20]Watkins College of Art in Nashville [0:03:36]Witt's Barbecue on Nolensville Road [0:04:24]Nashville SWAT team [0:04:33]YMCA commercial [0:05:35]Olympia Dukakis and Diane Ladd [0:06:28]Hideout Pictures [0:08:16]Billy Ray Cyrus [0:08:22]"Still the King" (TV show) [0:08:22]Blumhouse Productions [0:09:23]"The Clever Leagues" project [0:09:36]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. #MAKEITAll Links: https://themakeitpodcast.storeSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-make-it-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hello, Hello!Make It friends and family, Chris here to announce that starting today, with the episode you are about to hear, we’ll be publishing our segments and bonus content on this feed daily. Why are we doing this? Because there’s a good chance you’re already listening to our episodes over the span of the week, we decided to publish our segments from each long-form episode to make it easier for you to enjoy the entire thing. Also, Nick and I are always looking for new ways to spice things up, meet our audience in the middle, and improve the show for you. There you have it, daily goodness in segments and bonus content from Make It. Of course, we’ll still be releasing longform episodes every two weeks on Friday—that hasn’t changed. Thanks as always for your support, and be sure to let us know what you think on any of our platforms at Beacons.---In this Things We Should Know Segment, we host a trivia challenge on films with the longest production gaps due to financial struggles. Guest Michael Mendelsohn demonstrates his film industry knowledge by correctly identifying that an Orson Welles film took 48 years to complete. The conversation reveals the critical importance of film financing in both starting and finishing movie projects.We also talk about:Various films that experienced extended production delays, including Megalopolis, Black Barbie documentary, Out of Africa, and Platoon [0:01:15]The challenges of defining criteria for measuring longest production times across different types of films [0:01:51]Michael Mendelsohn's personal experience financing Robin Hood: Men in Tights [0:05:00]The revelation that Michael may have used external help to answer the trivia question [0:06:55]Playful banter about collaboration and rhyming between the hosts [0:08:02]Products, software, websites, people, or places mentioned:Netflix [0:06:17]Francis Ford Coppola [0:01:15]Orson Welles [0:03:28]Frank Marshall [0:05:58]Soho House [0:09:24]The Other Side of the Wind (film) [0:05:40]Megalopolis (film) [0:01:15]Black Barbie (documentary) [0:01:52]Apocalypse Now [0:03:30]Out of Africa [0:03:30]Platoon [0:03:38]Lord of War [0:03:42]Air Force One [0:03:50]The Fugitive [0:04:35]Robin Hood: Men in Tights [0:05:00]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. #MAKEITAll Links: https://themakeitpodcast.storeSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-make-it-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hello, Hello!Make It friends and family, Chris here to announce that starting today, with the episode you are about to hear, we’ll be publishing our segments and bonus content on this feed daily. Why are we doing this? Because there’s a good chance you’re already listening to our episodes over the span of the week, we decided to publish our segments from each long-form episode to make it easier for you to enjoy the entire thing. Also, Nick and I are always looking for new ways to spice things up, meet our audience in the middle, and improve the show for you. There you have it: daily goodness in segments and bonus content from MAKE IT. Of course, we’ll still be releasing longform episodes every two weeks on Friday—that hasn’t changed. Thanks as always for your support, and be sure to let us know what you think on any of our platforms at Beacons.---In this Filmmaker Q&A segment,  film financier Michael Mendelsohn shares his decades of experience backing auteur-driven films like The Matrix, Reservoir Dogs, and True Romance, discussing his philosophy on risk management and creative investment. He breaks down the essential elements of successful filmmaker partnerships, emphasizing the importance of clear vision, genre clarity, and the balance between creative passion and financial responsibility. Mendelsohn also explores the challenges facing independent cinema in the streaming era and reveals his company's upcoming projects in horror, family films, and supernatural thrillers.We also talk about:The trust and verify approach to managing financial risk in film investmentsHow the Netflix model has changed audience expectations for free versus paid contentThe difference between studio franchise filmmaking and independent auteur cinemaWhy collaboration without ego is essential for successful film productionThe importance of hiring talent from diverse geographic locations beyond Los AngelesMentioned in this episode:•The Matrix•True Romance•Reservoir Dogs•Light Sleeper•Magic Mike•Chocolate City•Ronin•Palm Springs•Quentin Tarantino•Paul Schrader•Willem Dafoe•Susan Sarandon•Tom Cruise•De Niro•Frankenheimer•Bill Murray•Keanu Reeves•Wachowski Brothers•Joel Silver•Mark Rowan•Elon Musk•Live Entertainment•BET•Paramount•Netflix•Disney•BBC•Canal Plus•Apollo Capital•Patriot Pictures•Ocala Florida•Boston•Santa Clarita•Baltic Sea•Malibu•Vatican•Wild Pitch•Mermaid project at Malibu High•Exorcist-type horror filmWe 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. #MAKEITAll Links: https://themakeitpodcast.storeSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-make-it-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy