The No Film School Podcast

January is often perceived as a slow month in Hollywood, but in reality it’s one of the most strategic windows of the year for filmmakers. On this episode, GG Hawkins and guests Ana Liza Muravina and John Lamm unpack how the industry “wakes up” in early 2026, what that means for creative careers, and how artists can structure their time, their projects, and their expectations to thrive amid shifting economic and ecosystem forces. From understanding industry seasonality, permission structures, and macro trends in distribution to practical strategies for developing and releasing work, this conversation offers both mindset shifts and concrete guidance for filmmakers navigating careers in the current landscape.

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and guests Ana Liza Muravina and John Lamm discuss:


Breaking down the idea of a “Hollywood shutdown” and why January becomes a key moment of restart, planning, and opportunity.


How to contextually plan your writing year and align creative output with industry cycles (inspired by ideas from Final Draft’s annual planning guide).


Why building structure as an independent artist (even without external deadlines) empowers your career and creative focus.


“Permission structures” in the industry — what they are, how they shape opportunity, and how filmmakers can navigate or build them.


The importance of community, cohorts, and trusted feedback systems for career sustainability and perspective.


How macroeconomic forces, consolidation in the streaming market, and attention economy shifts are reshaping how films get financed, distributed, and found.


Practical project strategies — from refining scripts based on audience/readers to building a tailored outreach atlas for producers and executives.


The value of aligning ambition with realistic pathways — creating work you can make now while aiming for larger goals down the line.


Inspiring perspectives on why now may be an era of opportunity for scrappy independent filmmaking.

Memorable Quotes:


“Most filmmakers think January is slow, but quietly it’s one of the most strategic months of the year.”


“It’s one of those weird things … every now and then when I zoom like 10,000 feet back … it’s not necessarily indictment on your art.”


“You see it … LA is the concentration of us. It’s artists who are so good at what they do just waiting for someone to give them permission to do what they do well… And the answer generally is unless you decide to stride and do it yourself, no one gives you permission.”


“Don’t get too bogged down in the how, the strategy … let’s make movies, y’all. Let’s just do it.”

Guests:


Ana Liza Muravina


John Lamm

Resources Mentioned:


The Current: Less Chaos, More Momentum (On the Circuit)


How to Plan Your Entire Screenwriting Year: A Month-by-Month Guide (Final Draft)


Video: Preparing for the Creator Economy Apocalypse (with Chris Gethard)

Find No Film School everywhere:


On the Web: No Film School


Facebook: No Film School on Facebook


Twitter: No Film School on Twitter


YouTube: No Film School on YouTube


Instagram: No Film School on Instagram

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Charles Haine sits down with documentary co-directors Geneva Peschka and Anna Andersen to discuss their latest project The Solace of Sisterhood, which recently premiered at Tribeca. The conversation dives deep into the ethics of documentary filmmaking, how they found and built trust with their subjects—the Caramel Curves, a New Orleans-based all-female motorcycle club—and how they navigated a successful festival run. From storytelling intention to set culture, the team shares their collaborative journey in bringing vulnerability, softness, and strength to the screen.

In this episode, No Film School's Charles Haine and guests discuss...


How Geneva and Anna met and began their creative partnership


Their journey developing The Solace of Sisterhood and pitching it to Fujifilm


Building trust and a safe space for documentary subjects


How bringing in co-founder True’s daughter, Skye, as a camera operator deepened the film


The evolving importance of ethical statements in festival submissions


Shifting set culture to prioritize respect, connection, and vulnerability


Working with the Fujifilm GFX100 and achieving a cinematic, soft visual tone


The emotional highs and logistical challenges of their festival journey, including premiering at Tribeca

Memorable Quotes:


"It starts for us on set—how people come together and how we approach one another and hold space for each other."


"Documentary inherently asks so much out of our participants... it’s a job you have to do with integrity and with ethics."


"You’re changing who’s telling the story... you’re letting them know they are a part of their narrative, as they should be."


"Filmmaking can be very lonely... but we are each other's strengths."

Guests:


Geneva Peschka


Anna Andersen

Resources:


The Solace of Sisterhood – Tribeca 2024

Find No Film School everywhere:


On the Web: No Film School


Facebook: No Film School on Facebook


Twitter: No Film School on Twitter


YouTube: No Film School on YouTube


Instagram: No Film School on Instagram


📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the No Film School Podcast dives deep into the power and necessity of physical spaces in modern film culture. Host GG Hawkins sits down with Maggie Mackay, Executive Director and board member of Vidiots—a beloved LA video store-turned-nonprofit cultural institution. They explore the origins and revival of Vidiots, what it takes to build a sustainable, audience-centered film space in a digital world, and why community, curation, and accessibility matter more than ever. It’s a moving, behind-the-scenes look at how passion, resilience, and radical thinking can reshape the future of cinema spaces.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Maggie Mackay discuss...


The emotional and communal value of physical film spaces


How Maggie revived Vidiots through radical reimagining and persistence


The challenges of creating a nonprofit, sustainable film hub


Why the video store experience is still relevant to new generations


How partnerships and collaboration helped save and relaunch Vidiots


Building an audience-first, equitable business model


Creating spaces where younger and older generations can discover film together

Memorable Quotes:


"Holy shit, what are we letting disappear on us?"


"You can deep dive in ways in a video store that you can't in any other way."


"Seeing kids grow up in the video store… it's the highlight of my career."


"Think about doing the risky, crazy thing… and call us if you want to figure out how to make it happen."

Guests:


Maggie Mackay (IMDb)

Resources:


Indie Empire


Use code GG25 for 25% off the Micro Budget Mindset course with GG Hawkins

Find No Film School everywhere:


On the Web: No Film School


Facebook: No Film School on Facebook


Twitter: No Film School on Twitter


YouTube: No Film School on YouTube


Instagram: No Film School on Instagram


📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the No Film School Podcast features two conversations. First, host GG Hawkins reunites with filmmaker Pete Ohs, who returns to share the unique distribution experiment he’s launching with four films releasing throughout 2026. He reflects on his “table of bubbles” filmmaking philosophy and his desire to find joy instead of stress in the release process. Later, GG is joined by composer Hollie Buhagiar, whose original score for GG’s debut feature I Really Love My Husband is now out. They break down their collaborative process in detail, from early cue drafts to the film’s final emotional moments, revealing how bird calls, pitch-shifted vocals, and “surf rock” found their way into the film’s DNA.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests discuss...


Pete Ohs’ philosophy of “table of bubbles” and how it’s guiding his 2026 film distribution approach


Why Pete is using a different distribution strategy for each of his four new films


What feels broken about indie film distribution today — and how to approach it differently


Hollie Buhagiar’s journey into composing and her intuitive, emotion-driven scoring method


The evolution of the score for I Really Love My Husband, including early drafts and final cues


How creative freedom, happy accidents, and imperfect instruments brought the film to life


The importance of developing a shared language between director and composer

Memorable Quotes:


"The films are a table made of bubbles. They cannot support anything."


"The biggest result is just — is this fun?"


"What's a convincing note?”


"With great power comes great responsibility — even for the piano."

Guests:


Pete Ohs


Hollie Buhagiar

Resources:


Pete's original pod interview


Score for I Really Love My Husband on Spotify

Find No Film School everywhere:


On the Web: No Film School


Facebook: No Film School on Facebook


Twitter: No Film School on Twitter


YouTube: No Film School on YouTube


Instagram: No Film School on Instagram


📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, the tables are turned as No Film School host GG Hawkins becomes the interviewee, speaking with No Film School founder Ryan Koo about the journey of releasing her micro-budget feature I Really Love My Husband. The episode dives into the emotional, logistical, and marketing challenges of putting an independent film into the world after festival premieres and securing distribution. GG shares the lessons she’s learned, the unexpected hurdles she’s faced, and the importance of personal PR, audience-building, and staying true to your creative voice—especially when your movie doesn’t follow traditional paths or genres.

In this episode, No Film School’s Ryan Koo and GG Hawkins discuss...


The overwhelming and technical process of delivering a film to distributors and platforms


How to strategically approach festival and release PR, including budgeting and outreach


The importance of having a “community producer” to build your audience from day one


Lessons learned from critical feedback, press rejections, and audience reactions


How to navigate marketing when your film doesn’t fit neatly into genre boxes


The value of making work that represents your voice—even if it’s not a commercial hit


What filmmakers should always be working on while waiting for the "yes" from the industry

Memorable Quotes:


"I would rather make something that makes people feel things one way or the other versus sort of like a lukewarm back."


"The only way to know how to make a movie is to make a movie... and then make another."


"Greenlight yourself. That is the most important thing any of us can be doing."


"It is not the time to pinch pennies... this is the time to spend it.”

Resources:


How to Write a Movie that Shoots in Three Months


You’re Picture Locked. Now What? (Plus Dir. Ruben Fleischer!)


Filmmaker’s Guide to SXSW: Tips, Takeaways, Tough Lessons


Watch I Really Love My Husband:


Apple


Amazon


Google Play


and more

Find No Film School everywhere:


On the Web: No Film School


Facebook: No Film School on Facebook


Twitter: No Film School on Twitter


YouTube: No Film School on YouTube


Instagram: No Film School on Instagram


📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices