Off The Lot: An Indie Film Podcast

Movie theaters aren’t dying. In fact, more people are buying tickets—and the films succeeding are challenging several assumptions Hollywood has made over the last decade.
In this episode of Off The Lot, we examine why theatrical admissions are rising, how longer release windows and a stronger supply of original movies are rebuilding the moviegoing habit, and why audiences no longer simply “go to the movies”—they choose one specific film worth leaving home to see.
We also break down one of the most difficult decisions facing independent producers: does casting a recognizable actor actually help sell an indie film? Ken shares what changed after Kim Coates joined Remnant, including the credibility a known actor can bring—and the hidden production costs that come with hiring one.
Then we discuss Vancouver producer Chris Ferguson and Oddfellows’ new first-look deal with Warner Bros., what their success proves about building a repeatable genre-film company, and why their rise creates opportunities for the next generation of Canadian producers.
In this episode:
•⁠ ⁠Why theatrical admissions matter more than box-office headlines
•⁠ ⁠How longer theatrical windows create urgency and audience demand
•⁠ ⁠Why original horror films are bringing younger viewers back
•⁠ ⁠Recognizable actors versus genuinely bankable actors
•⁠ ⁠The true cost of adding a name actor to an indie production
•⁠ ⁠How Oddfellows built toward its Warner Bros. partnership
•⁠ ⁠Why production companies need a repeatable pipeline
•⁠ ⁠The real value of genre festivals such as Fantasia

Mayumi Yoshida spent nine years turning a deeply personal idea into her first feature film, Akashi—writing, directing, producing, and starring in a story that crosses generations, countries, and languages.
In this episode, Mayumi reveals how a conversation with her grandmother evolved from a stage play into an award-winning short and, eventually, a critically acclaimed feature. She also breaks down the fight to finance an 80% Japanese-language Canadian film—and how she and a coalition of filmmakers helped push Telefilm Canada to remove a policy that prevented many multilingual stories from qualifying for funding.
We also discuss:
* Directing herself while leading an international cast
* Shooting in Vancouver and Japan on an extremely compressed schedule
* How losing six production days shaped the film’s visual language
* Rehearsing film scenes like theatre to survive two- and three-take days
* Cutting a completed two-hour version down to 100 minutes
* Using black and white, colour, production design, and sound to explore memory
* Why filmmakers should choose stories they can remain committed to for a lifetime
* The importance of knowing when you are—and are not—the right person to tell a story
Akashi premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Choice Award, and went on to receive major recognition at the Whistler Film Festival, Reel Asian, and the Leo Awards.
Follow Ken's Indie Horror Feature Remnant here:
www.remnantmovie.com
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@epptri

Most filmmakers build pitch decks around the movie they want to make. But an investor is looking at your project through a completely different lens:
How do I get my money back—and what protects my downside?
In Episode 57 of Off The Lot, Ken Kabatoff and Anthony Furey break down what an effective indie film investor deck actually needs to accomplish.
We discuss:
• The difference between a creative pitch deck and an investor deck
• What private film investors actually need to understand
• How to explain your budget, finance plan, tax credits, and recoupment waterfall
• Why cinematography and concept art should not dominate the presentation
• How cast, comparable films, timing, and market positioning help reduce perceived risk
• Whether filmmakers need their own marketing plan
• Why your deck should inspire a conversation—not replace one
• The legal risks of publicly soliciting film investment
• How to make financial information clear without making the deck feel dry
A good investor deck does more than make your film look exciting. It demonstrates that you understand how the project will be financed, completed, sold, and positioned to return capital.
If you are trying to privately finance an independent feature, this episode provides a practical framework for building the document that may open the door.
Subscribe for candid conversations about financing, producing, directing, selling, and building independent films outside the studio system.
Follow Ken's Indie Horror Feature Remnant here:
www.remnantmovie.com
Follow Ken Kabatoff's newsletter here:
The Film Founder
Follow Anthony Epp's newsletter here:
The Greenlight Report
Follow Ken & Anthony on Instagram here:
@ken_kabatoff
@epptri

Corey Payette did not wait for a studio to give him permission.
He built his stories on stage, proved them in front of live audiences, and then turned them into award-nominated films — including Star Walker, which earned 10 Leo Award nominations.
In this episode of Off The Lot, Corey breaks down how he went from theatre, music, and original Indigenous storytelling into feature filmmaking, how Star Walker evolved from a stage musical and TV series development process into a feature film, and what it actually takes to make a drag musical outside the traditional studio system.

We talk about:
How Corey adapted Star Walker from stage to screen
Why the film was made without traditional Telefilm or studio financing
The challenge of shooting a feature musical in drag on a tight schedule
How community, chosen family, and queer joy shaped the film
Why one story can become a stage show, feature film, album, tour, and published script
What Corey learned moving from theatre into filmmaking
This is a conversation about building durable creative work, making films outside the system, and finding a way forward when the industry says no.
Subscribe to Off The Lot for conversations with filmmakers building careers on their own terms.

Follow Ken's Indie Horror Feature Remnant here:
www.remnantmovie.com
Follow Ken Kabatoff's newsletter here:
The Film Founder
Follow Anthony Epp's newsletter here:
The Greenlight Report
Follow Ken & Anthony on Instagram here:
@ken_kabatoff
@epptri

Anthony Epp sits down with Ken Kabatoff for a candid conversation about the recent changes to Telefilm Canada's development funding, the challenges facing emerging Canadian filmmakers, and the growing need to balance creative ambition with financial sustainability.
They reflect on networking, content creation, building an audience, and why long-term careers are built through persistence rather than overnight success.
Listen now for an honest discussion about filmmaking, funding, creative resilience, and what it really takes to keep making movies.
Vulture: The Unglamorous Financial Realities of 5 Indie Filmmakers
https://web.archive.org/web/20260623153204/https://www.vulture.com/article/indie-filmmakers-money.html
Follow Ken's Indie Horror Feature Remnant here:
www.remnantmovie.com
Follow Ken Kabatoff's newsletter The Film Founder here:
https://kenkabatoff.substack.com/about
Follow Anthony Epp's newsletter The Greenlight Report here:
https://greenlightreport.substack.com/?utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3
Follow Ken & Anthony on Instagram here:
@ken_kabatoff
@epptri