Nebraska filmmakers Jesse Eastman and Chance Guida join us on this episode of Cinematic Heartland. We discuss how they started working together, their filmmaking journeys, and their latest projects like Nervous Records: The Series. How do they handle continuity when shooting primarily on weekends and what advice do they have for other Heartland filmmakers? We also touch upon Jesse’s podcast Double Feature Creatures. If you’d like to contribute to their project Nervous Records: The Series,...

His son Landon was a previous guest on the show, and now Nebraska filmmaker Brandon Fiscus sits down with us on Cinematic Heartland: A Filmmaking Podcast. We discuss how watching special effects in films ignited his love of filmmaking, the influence Edgar Allen Poe has had on his family, and a little bit about his aptly named companies Nevermore Special Effects and Crow Show Productions. We talk about the Filmmakers Hangout which is a great networking opportunity in the Omaha area. We also...

Casey Kelderman joins us from Sioux Falls, SD on this episode of Cinematic Heartland: A Filmmaking Podcast to discuss not only what he has been up to since Backlot 605 left the internet airwaves, but also SiouxperCon which sounds like an absolutely amazing event. Celebrities, cosplay, and great films. What more could you ask for? SiouxperCon starts Sept 30 so listen to this episode right away to hear how you can still get tickets and attend. As mentioned in this episode here is the link to...

Matty Weiland, a filmmaker from Dubuque, Iowa, joins us on this episode of Cinematic Heartland: A Filmmaking Podcast. They talk about their acting journey from a role they reluctantly auditioned for and got in a stage production of Bugsy Malone Jr to their latest film role in Michael James Minard’s The Dead Man Walking. We also talk about Matty’s directorial debut on the film Torch which is currently out on the festival circuit. As mentioned in this episode here is the link to the Until the...

On today's show, we talk about imposter syndrome. Is it a real thing? Have we experienced it? How do we combat it? We are not health care professionals by any means. We are just a couple of filmmakers who are going through the same struggles that many of you are and we talk about them here. As mentioned in this episode here is the link to the Until the Music Fades IndieGoGo campaign. https://igg.me/at/utmf/x/27030702#/

Mary Rohne from Mason City, Iowa joins us on Cinematic Heartland today. We talk about her journey as an actor from children’s theater to early films where she played a Dorito Ghost to her latest role as Virginia in the I Like Ike Films production Pre-Existing. We also touch upon her incredible performance in the two-hander play by Nick Payne called Constellations at the Mason City Community Theater. Mary is a very close friend of the show and it will be quickly apparent when you tune in that...

John Gaspard who is a Minneapolis, MN filmmaker joins us on the show today. Once we get past discussing Kubrick, Carpenter, and the movie Dark Star, we talk about his filmmaking journey, some of his feature films including Beyond Bob and Ghost Light, the Minneapolis film scene, and the book on filmmaking that he wrote called Fast, Cheap and Under Control as well as the follow up book called Fast, Cheap and Written That Way. We also touch upon his own podcast, The Occasional Film Podcast. As...

Iowa filmmaker, Michael James Minard joins Cinematic Heartland to update us on his latest feature film project, The Dead Man Walking. We got to see some preview clips and all we can say is simply amazing. Michael is claiming his corner of the film world with his unique voice and extraordinary vision. Michael tells us about some of the cast and crew and how the project came together. The film is a who's who of the amazingly talented Iowa film scene. He also fills us in on his new venture, Red...

Filmmaker Jake Ryan Baker from Fort Wayne, Indiana joins Cinematic Heartland today. Jake’s passion for films and filmmaking shines brightly throughout this entire episode. We talk about the film and theater scene in Fort Wayne, tax incentives or the lack thereof, the short films that he has worked on, the casting process, the writing process, the idea of shooting a feature film, and his tips for screenwriters. And there is so much more.

The Twin Cities are a hot spot in the Midwest for filmmaking and the home of many talented filmmakers. Our guest this week on Cinematic Heartland, Josh Scott Sibley, is another prime example of that. His journey started, as it does for many of us, with the original Star Wars. He tells us about his new short film to be released soon, The Wraith, which he wrote, directed, and produced and his feature film Not Bad for a Punk Band which is currently in pre-production. He co-wrote and was the...

Michael Hemenway, a Twin Cities filmmaker, joins us today to discuss how Facebook helped bring his first film crew together to shoot his debut short film, Miracle of Science, in the fall of 2019. That film went on to premiere at the Z-Fest Film Festival. His second film, Mind Breaking, took home Best Thriller at the Tokyo Film Awards. His first documentary, Just Breathe Normally, was released earlier this year and is currently on the festival circuit. He explains how he shot the underwater...

Omaha, Nebraska native Tom Knoblauch sits down with us on this edition of Cinematic Heartland: A Filmmaking Podcast to discuss his newly released feature film Moving Parts which is available on Amazon Video. He tells us about his company Aksarben Creative as well as his projects with Yankee Deer Media and what he covers on his Riverside Chats. On top of everything else he does, he is also an author of two novels. And we probably mention the film Ishtar more in this episode than any other...

Minneapolis based Max Eric Lemberger sits down with us on Cinematic Heartland: A Filmmaking Podcast to discuss his acting / filmmaking journey. Acting first caught his eye in 1959 when he saw Steve Reeves as Hercules, but that idea got put on the shelf until he was in his 60’s. He has now appeared in close to a dozen short films, did some modeling, and wrote several screenplays. He tells us about the challenges he has faced coming into acting later in life and offers advice for others who...

Ben Richards, an Indiana based filmmaker who is making a big splash right out of college, joins us to talk about his feature film Angels of Perdition which is the third film in a trilogy that he started working on in high school. He tells about Intravision Entertainment where he is a multimedia producer and what services they offer. We also discuss the importance of self-creating opportunities and a lot more.

On today’s episode, we welcome Sharonville, Ohio based, Emmy Award winning filmmaker, Scott Wegener. Scott explains his process of getting films made all around the world on a zero budget. From the Czech Republic to Norway and back home again, Scott has been able to pull together films that would normally be made on huge budgets. This is a must listen to episode if you are looking to get that big budget idea of yours made but don't have the deep pockets or rich relatives.

Jeff Winkelman returns to the Cinematic Heartland podcast to tell us about this year’s Frightfilm Competition. If you are a filmmaker interested in the horror genre, this is right up your dark, foggy, and creepy alley. Jeff fills us in on the Frightfilm origins, rules, timelines, screenings , and how to register. Frightfilm is based in Ohio but is open to filmmakers anywhere. Don’t miss out on this opportunity. https://frightfilmcompetition.com/

This is the 100th episode of Cinematic Heartland: A Filmmaking Podcast. Mike and Kevin reflect on the past conversations that they've had with filmmakers and what advice they can offer from everything they've learned. What has surprised them in talking to these guests and what lies ahead for Cinematic Heartland?

** Trigger Warning - Please note, in this episode we discuss the sensitive topic of school shootings. ** Oconomowoc, WI native and current resident of San Diego, CA, Calvin Zimmerman, joins us on this episode of Cinematic Heartland. He tells us what the indie film scene is like in San Diego and why he flies back to Wisconsin to film his projects. We discuss the film “Wild Life” which is not only Calvin’s first feature film but is also his first film and we delve into the challenges he...

Today’s episode of Cinematic Heartland: A Filmmaking Podcast features Minneapolis based filmmaker Nicolas Jaramillo. On top of filmmaking, we discuss photography and his YouTube series called The Artist Stool. We delve into the problem of self-doubt that many artists in all mediums go through as well as the work that he has done with some major brands. Hear his tips on what he looks for in the frame whether it is photography or cinematography. And as Nicolas points out... in this...

Landon Fiscus, a 15-year-old filmmaker from Benson, NE sits in with us on Cinematic Heartland: A Filmmaking Podcast. This episode went off the rails several times but was so much fun to record... from technical difficulties to the three of us discussing strange high school mascots. We do talk filmmaking as well. Landon was an absolute pleasure to chat with and is a shining example of how bright the future of filmmaking is in the Heartland. He explains how he went from playing his high school...

Clinton J Phillips, a Chicagoland filmmaker, joins us on this episode of Cinematic Heartland: A Filmmaking Podcast. We discuss his latest project, a full-length feature called Weekend Deadaway, which happens to be his first feature film. We talk about how less is more when it comes to the horror film genre. Do you need tips on getting funding for your film? Clinton offers up advice on what to have in hand when approaching potential investors as well as how to approach them. Self-doubt is...

On this episode of Cinematic Heartland: A Filmmaking Podcast, Actor Katie Otten joins us from Omaha, NE to talk about what got her involved in filmmaking, the filmmaking scene in the Omaha area, her web series called Inner Worlds, Dungeons & Dragons, and how she ended up on the cover of a VC Andrews novel. She also shares her experience as an adjunct professor at University of Nebraska – Omaha and what prompted her to pursue that opportunity.

Ben Roney, a Fort Wayne, IN based filmmaker / set designer joins us on this episode of Cinematic Heartland to talk about his journey from community theater to building sets for commercials to independent films. He tells us a little bit about his project Angels of Perdition, what the film scene is like in the Fort Wayne area, location management, and what are the Summit City Cinephiles. He also stresses how important collaboration is in building and sustaining a film community.

Tristan Bennett, a Cedar Falls, IA based marketer, photographer, digital artist, and filmmaker, sits in with us on this episode of Cinematic Heartland. We chat about his latest short film Life’s Work, 48-hour film challenges, tips on marketing your film, as well as things you should keep in mind when editing your film’s trailer.

Charlie Gandez, Forest City, IA based filmmaker, assistant professor at Waldorf University, President of the Iowa Independent Film Festival, and mastermind and creative driving force behind his latest film The Hatman Vol II, joins us on Cinematic Heartland: A Filmmaking Podcast. We talk about The Hatman Vol II, Waldorf University, diversity in film, and we get his thoughts on attending film school. We also discuss Kubrick, Fincher, and why you should only watch the last 15 minutes of...