The No Film School Podcast

Filmmaker Joe Burke and actor-writer-producer Oliver Cooper join No Film School to discuss the making and release of Burt, a black-and-white micro-budget feature inspired by real-life musician Burt Berger. The conversation covers how Burke and Cooper built a narrative film around a non-actor, shot the movie in seven days for $7,000, used a tiny crew to preserve authenticity, and pursued a self-distribution strategy through Filmhub after the film gained momentum on the festival circuit.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins, Joe Burke, and Oliver Cooper discuss...


How Joe Burke and Oliver Cooper first met Burt Berger and realized he could be the center of a feature film


Why Burt became a narrative film instead of a documentary


Working with non-actors and blending fiction with real-life details


Shooting a black-and-white feature in seven days with a three-person crew


Why the team avoided a traditional production model


How they kept the production legal and professional while still working with almost no money


The role of cinematographer Daniel Kenji Levin and the stripped-down camera package


Raising finishing funds after the film was already cut


Winning festival awards, including Best Comedy at Cinequest


Getting press coverage through persistent DIY outreach


Why the filmmakers chose self-distribution with Filmhub


Building a release strategy around digital ads, TikTok reviewers, podcasts, local press, and community organizations


Setting an “off-ramp” date to avoid burnout during the release process


Advice for filmmakers deciding whether to make a short film or a micro-budget feature

Memorable Quotes:


“It’s a father-son grounded comedy with a bit of a thrilling twist inspired by a real-life friend of ours, Burt Berger, who’s not an actor.”


“I love his spirit and the world needs to know who he is.”


“I’m so tired of waiting for permission.”


“We knew the smaller footprint we had, the more authentic we could do that.”

Guests:


Joe Burke


Oliver Cooper

Resources:


Burt The Movie

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GG Hawkins speaks with production designer Vivian Gray about building the visual world of Obsession, from Southern Gothic references and texture-heavy interiors to practical blood gags and micro-budget problem-solving. They discuss what a production designer actually does, how Gray collaborated with the director, cinematographer, costume designer, and art team, and why color, texture, aging, and window treatments can make a major difference on an indie horror film.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Vivian Gray discuss...


What a production designer does and how the role shapes the visual world of a film


How Vivian Gray landed the job on Obsession through a recommendation and visual pitch deck


Building the film’s Southern Gothic and Midwestern Gothic-inspired visual language


Why production designers should come onto a project as early as possible


Collaborating with cinematography, costumes, props, set decoration, lighting, and graphic design


How a small indie crew used hands-on collaboration to make the film’s world feel cohesive


Designing horror environments through texture, color, maximalism, and unease


Practical lessons from blood gags, aging props, window treatments, and set dressing


The highest-impact production design choices for micro-budget filmmakers


Vivian’s advice for aspiring production designers

Memorable Quotes:


“My job basically is I'm in charge of the visual design of the film and the visual world.”


“Because they have nothing to shoot until there's something to shoot, right?”


“Everything has to have a texture.”


“I think it is color and texture. It's going to make the biggest impacts in your film, from my experience.”

Guests:


Vivian Gray

Resources:


Obsession on IMDb


Universal Studios Prop House & Drapery


The Hand Prop Room

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No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with Kanopy’s Aaron Spears and Matt Lewis about curation, film discovery, and how independent films find audiences in a streaming landscape shaped by algorithms. The conversation covers Kanopy’s library- and university-based model, the importance of human-led programming, how poster art and social media influence discovery, and why theatrical and festival experiences still matter for the long-term life of a film.

In this episode, No Film School'se GG Hawkins and guests Aaron Spears and Matt Lewis discuss...


What Kanopy is and how it differs from subscription-based streamers like Netflix


Why Kanopy’s free, ad-free model through libraries and universities matters for film access


Aaron’s path from film programming and art house theaters to Kanopy’s content programming team


Matt’s background in entertainment marketing and how he brings that experience to Kanopy


How Kanopy’s programming team curates new titles each week


Why human taste, context, and browsing still matter in an algorithm-driven media landscape


How poster art, title design, and trailers shape audience expectations


What filmmakers should consider when creating key art for their films


How Kanopy uses social media clips and themed collections to help audiences discover films


Why niche programming, rock docs, horror, and repertory-style collections can build loyal audiences


How universities use Kanopy for coursework and casual film discovery


The continued importance of festivals, theatrical screenings, and communal moviegoing


Why libraries may be one of the most important access points for independent cinema


Upcoming Kanopy titles and programming, including I Really Love My Husband, Fright Fest, and The Napa Boys


Advice for emerging filmmakers interested in curation, marketing, and film culture

Memorable Quotes:


“The big headline is, it's free. And also no ads.”


“I really feel like browsing itself, this is probably the librarian in my head too, like browsing itself should be a pleasure.”


“I think if you can represent that with a poster, that really helps too.”


“Do your best to watch one movie a day.”

Guests:


Aaron Spears


Matt Lewis

Resources:


Kanopy

Find No Film School everywhere:


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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: podcast@nofilmschool.com

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GG Hawkins speaks with BAFTA-winning director Marc Munden about directing the new Netflix adaptation of Lord of the Flies, written by Jack Thorne. Munden discusses revisiting William Golding’s novel, shaping the series’ visual language, filming on a remote island in Malaysia, working with 36 young actors, and how limitations around child actors’ schedules helped inspire the show’s hallucinatory nighttime look.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Marc Munden discuss...


Why Munden was initially conflicted about adapting Lord of the Flies again


How Jack Thorne structured the four-part series around Piggy, Jack, Simon, and Ralph


Using the rainforest as an alien, living ecosystem that mirrors the boys’ collapsing society


How production restrictions led Munden to develop an infrared-inspired visual approach for nighttime scenes


Rehearsing for five weeks with 36 child actors before shooting


Directing young performers toward natural behavior instead of “performing”


How Munden uses analog production books filled with references, sketches, script pages, and notes


Why post-production became a continuation of discovery, including iPhone footage and evolving portrait sequences


Munden’s advice for emerging filmmakers: make films, learn to write, be kind, and keep learning from others

Memorable Quotes:


“I thought, well, who needs another Lord of the Flies?”


“I wanted to just characterize the rainforest as something which is alien, that has a strange beauty to it.”


“I think filmmaking is the mixture of extreme joy and small defeats.”


“I would say, shoot your own film.”

Guests:


Marc Munden

Find No Film School everywhere:


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Twitter: No Film School on Twitter


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Instagram: No Film School on Instagram


📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com

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GG Hawkins continues No Film School’s 2026 distribution experiment with filmmaker Pete Ohs, focusing on the release of Erupcja, his Warsaw-shot microbudget feature starring Charli XCX, Lena Góra, Will Madden, and Jeremy O. Harris. Pete breaks down how the movie was made, how its TIFF premiere led to a deal with One Two Special, and what he learned from theatrical touring, Q&As, VOD timing, marketing assets, fan edits, and the emotional sustainability of releasing independent films.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Pete Ohs discuss...


Making Erupcja in Warsaw, Poland, with Charli XCX and a small, experimental production model


How SAG’s Global Rule One affected the budget of an international indie production


Premiering at TIFF and navigating sales conversations with CAA and multiple distributors


Why Pete chose One Two Special based on alignment, communication, and “vibes”


Building a release around Q&As, theatrical events, and in-person audience engagement


Creating playful marketing assets, including a zine, a voicemail phone line, and fan-edit materials


Releasing trailer stems and encouraging remix culture around the film


How theatrical box office expectations were framed for a movie made under $100,000


The limits of relying on actors or stars to carry indie film promotion


Why filmmakers should treat Q&As as another form of storytelling


The idea of “regional filmmaking” and creating meaningful local releases


Finishing and releasing projects as part of sustaining a long-term filmmaking practice

Memorable Quotes:


“We went to Poland in August of 2024 for two weeks with half of an outline and shot the movie in order.”


“If the numbers were better or the percentages were better, but the vibe was worse. I would have been suffering.”


“The work doesn't end.”


“Treat it as practice for storytelling.”

Guests:


Pete Ohs

Resources:


Erupcja on IMDb


No Film School: How a Film Score Actually Gets Made (Step by Step) & Pete Ohs’ Distribution Experiment of 2026


No Film School: Pete Ohs' 2026 Distribution Experiment #1: 'OBEX'


No Film School: Pete Ohs Rethinks How We Make Movies

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: podcast@nofilmschool.com

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