Filmmaker Spotlight

About Filmmaker Spotlight

Filmmaker Spotlight is where filmmakers talk honestly about the work behind the work. Host Warren Workman sits down with directors, producers, writers, actors, and other independent filmmakers to discuss how their projects came together, what they learned along the way, and what it really takes to keep creating. These are practical, down-to-earth conversations about filmmaking, film festivals, collaboration, and building a sustainable career—without pretending the process is always clean or easy. Presented by the Utah International Film Festival.

Publisher

Warren Workman

Category

business · tv & film

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

13 Sept 2026

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   8 Oct 2026

   What Does It Take to Build a Film Career From Scratch?

   Daylen Pollard, founder of Pollard Pictures, joins Warren Workman on Filmmaker Spotlight to talk about what it really takes to build a filmmaking career from scratch.Daylen left the corporate world, sold his house, and committed to making movies full time. His path went from the ultra-low-budget Day Hero to the award-winning punk rock musical comedy Frugal Man, then into theatrical documentary releases including Women in Christ and Brother Joseph Again. In this conversation, Daylen talks about learning filmmaking without film school, finding the story in the edit, building a creative partnership with his wife, getting theatrical distribution, the value of film festivals, and why new filmmakers need to stop waiting and start making their first film. Filmmaker Spotlight is presented by the Utah International Film Festival and focuses on practical lessons from filmmakers who are actively building sustainable careers.Learn more about the Utah International Film Festival at theutahfilmfestival.com. Thank you so much for watching. Sign up for the Newsletter at: https://tinyurl.com/UFFnewsletter (https://tinyurl.com/UFFnewsletter) Check out our website at https://theutahfilmfestival.com (https://theutahfilmfestival.com) Submit your project to the Utah International Film Festival at: https://filmfreeway.com/UtahFilmFestival (https://filmfreeway.com/UtahFilmFestival) About Daylen Daylen Pollard is the founder of Pollard Pictures and a filmmaker who took one of the biggest swings you can take on a creative career. He left the corporate world, sold his house, and decided to go all-in on making movies. That journey started with ultra-low-budget projects like DayHero and eventually led to Frugalman, a punk-rock musical comedy that won at the Utah International Film Festival. Since then, Daylen has moved into theatrical documentary filmmaking with Women in Christ, and he’s now preparing for the release of Brother Joseph Again. Links Brother Joseph Again — Official Website / Tickets https://brotherjosephagain.com/ (https://brotherjosephagain.com/)Instagram — @daylenpollard https://www.instagram.com/daylenpollard/ (https://www.instagram.com/daylenpollard/) YouTube — Pollard Pictures https://www.youtube.com/@PollardPictures (https://www.youtube.com/@PollardPictures) LinkedIn — Daylen Pollard https://www.linkedin.com/in/daylen-pollard/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daylen-pollard/) FilmFreeway — Daylen Pollard https://filmfreeway.com/DaylenPollard (https://filmfreeway.com/DaylenPollard)

2. 

   1 Oct 2026

   How to Break Into the Film Industry Without Connections with Evan Morton

   How do you break into the film industry without connections? Filmmaker Evan Morton shares how persistence, networking, and making work without waiting for permission helped him move from door-to-door sales into professional film and television work, including field and post-production roles on National Geographic's Life Below Zero. In this Filmmaker Spotlight, Evan talks with Warren Workman about following up for six months to land an opportunity, building real relationships at film festivals, directing his award-winning short documentary Folsom Run, and spending seven years developing his feature documentary War on Wolves. He also explains why filmmakers should stop waiting for the perfect budget, perfect connection, or perfect moment and start creating with the resources they already have. If you're trying to break into filmmaking, build a sustainable film career, network at film festivals, make a documentary, or figure out what to do after film school, this conversation offers practical lessons from Evan's own path. Filmmaker Spotlight is presented by the Utah International Film Festival and focuses on the real experiences, decisions, setbacks, and relationships that help independent filmmakers keep moving forward.

3. 

   24 Sept 2026

   How to Fund, Make & Festival Your Short Film with Bartley Taylor

   Filmmaker Bartley Taylor joins the Utah International Film Festival’s Filmmaker Spotlight to break down what it really takes to make an independent short film, survive the film festival circuit, and build a sustainable filmmaking career. Bartley takes us behind the scenes of his award-winning horror short KILTER, a 1990s-set coming-of-age story that explores mental health through a practical creature effect, and explains how the film was designed as a proof of concept for a feature. We talk about crowdfunding a short film, working with SAG-AFTRA, producing on a limited budget, practical effects vs. CGI, choosing the right film festivals, dealing with festival rejection, turning short films into professional opportunities, and why new filmmakers shouldn’t wait for the perfect budget, equipment, or connections before making their first film. Bartley also shares hard-earned directing advice, why filmmakers need multiple skills to build a career, and why story will always matter more than expensive gear or beautiful shots.

4. 

   21 Sept 2026

   How to Find Film Friends and Actually Make Your Short Film

   You don't need a huge budget or a professional crew to make your first short film. Sometimes you just need a couple of film friends who are willing to make something with you. In this episode of Filmmaker Spotlight, Warren Workman talks about how to find people to make short films with, whether you're entering a 48-hour film competition, making something for fun, building your reel, or trying to prove you can actually finish a film. We cover meeting local filmmakers, helping on other people's projects, finding collaborators through festivals and filmmaking groups, working with limited resources, and why your first crew doesn't need to be made up of seasoned professionals. The goal is simple: find a few people, look at the resources you already have, make something, finish it, and then make another one.

5. 

   18 Sept 2026

   What Should I Do With My Short Film?

   What should you do with your short film after you finish it? Learn how to submit your short film to film festivals, build a film festival strategy, and find the right festivals for your movie. Finishing your short film is only the first step. Next, you need to decide what success looks like. Do you want to win film festival awards? Watch your short film with a live audience? Meet other filmmakers? Find representation? Attract investors? Or use your short film as a calling card to help you make a feature film? Warren explains why filmmakers should answer those questions before spending money on film festival submissions.

6. 

   18 Sept 2026

   Your Film Synopsis Might Be Costing You Festival Selections

   Learn how to write a film synopsis that grabs the attention of festival programmers and potential audiences. Master the art of summarizing your movie's core appeal. Writing an effective film synopsis is essential for getting your project noticed. This guide breaks down the core elements required to craft a compelling summary that conveys your story's essence quickly. Whether you are aiming for film festival submission or trying to attract a wider audience, these techniques will help you clarify your narrative. We also walk through a concrete movie synopsis example, focusing on a historical drama about a family's journey and conflict. By analyzing this specific case, you can see how to balance plot points with emotional stakes to make your script stand out. These screenwriting tips are designed to help you communicate your vision clearly to industry professionals. Subscribe for weekly screenwriting tips, and comment below with the biggest challenge you face when summarizing your own scripts.

7. 

   18 Sept 2026

   The Real Cost of Making a Film with James Lee Young

   Learn the realities of executive producing and how to bridge the gap between business and creative storytelling. I am sitting down with James Lee Young to discuss the practical side of getting projects off the ground. We cover the essential filmmaking methods that apply whether you are shooting on a phone or working with a larger crew, and why the scale of your production often depends on your ability to secure resources. Funding a movie is rarely just about the art; it is about leveraging your existing business savvy to make your vision a reality. We break down how to approach film production with a professional mindset so you can focus on the story you actually want to tell. Subscribe for weekly breakdowns on the business of independent cinema, and let me know in the comments: what is the biggest hurdle you face when trying to get your scripts financed?

8. 

   13 Sept 2026

   Filmmaking Is Expensive Therapy with Rodrigo Moreno-Fernandez

   Warren Workman welcomes writer-director Rodrigo Moreno-Fernandez, whose short film EL Lloron received six nominations at the 2026 Utah International Film Festival, with Renée Victor winning Best Supporting Actress. Rodrigo explains how losing his father and remembering a professional mourner from his childhood inspired him to use comedy as a way to explore grief. He shares why filmmakers should build stories from personal experiences instead of trying to satisfy a particular festival, audience or trend. Warren and Rodrigo also discuss using AI for scheduling and clerical work without surrendering the creative decisions that give a film its soul. Rodrigo previews his developing feature, Panza Loca, and closes with honest advice about rejection, persistence and deciding whether filmmaking still brings enough joy to make the struggle worthwhile.

9. 

   13 Sept 2026

   How Erick Lozano 10X’d His Film Budget

   Warren Workman welcomes Utah filmmaker Erick Lozano to talk about the lessons that only come from making the movie before you feel completely ready. Erick shares how he moved from editing basketball highlights to directing his first feature, Among the Eight, and why managing people, schedules and morale became just as important as directing the scenes. He explains how festival recognition and licensing opportunities helped him increase the budget for Stay Awhile from $5,000 to $50,000. Erick also discusses collaborating without ego, learning filmmaking skills online and treating editing as the place where a movie can finally come together. His advice for filmmakers waiting on the perfect script, camera or crew is simple: make the film, learn from the mistakes and make the next one better.

10. 

    13 Sept 2026

    They Can’t Find You If You Don’t Show Up with Damarr Jones

    Warren Workman talks with actor, writer, director, producer, retired Air Force technical sergeant, and mentor Damarr Jones about the long road from performing in secret to earning a recurring role as Bram in Homestead. Damarr explains how military discipline shaped his preparation, why his family determines what receives his time, and how he turned painful early experiences into tools for storytelling and service. He also shares why he deleted social accounts with a combined following of roughly 530,000, what brought him back, and how he now separates purpose from praise. The conversation closes with practical advice for actors: create with the phone in your pocket, accept the value of background work, attend festivals, build genuine relationships, and stay ready so an open door doesn’t catch you unprepared. Guest Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damarrjones/ (https://www.instagram.com/damarrjones/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61591095860156 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61591095860156) TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@damarr.jones1 (https://www.tiktok.com/@damarr.jones1) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damarr-jones-1786b794/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/damarr-jones-1786b794/) IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2921468/ (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2921468/) Utah International Film Festival: https://theutahfilmfestival.com/ (https://theutahfilmfestival.com/)

11. 

    13 Sept 2026

    Building an Acting Career by Making Bold Choices with Charla Bocchicchio

    In this episode of Filmmaker Spotlight, Warren Workman sits down with actor, acting coach and filmmaker Charla Bocchicchio to talk about building a sustainable acting career, preparing for challenging roles and becoming the kind of person filmmakers want to invite back to set. Charla shares what she has learned from more than 100 acting credits, including why training remains essential, how actors can avoid common mistakes on set and why performers should arrive with their own creative choices instead of waiting for a director to build the character for them. The conversation also explores two very different projects. *Overhang* is a psychological thriller written specifically for Charla that required extensive research and carefully constructed physical, vocal and emotional choices. *Abide With Me* is a feature film shot on actual film stock, giving the actors only one or two takes and requiring a rehearsal process that felt more like preparing for a stage production. Charla also explains what actors notice when they step onto an independent film set, why communication can make or break a production and how actors can build meaningful credits in a regional market like Utah without immediately moving to Los Angeles.

12. 

    13 Sept 2026

    Make the Film Before You Feel Ready with Mary Hailstone

    Actor, filmmaker, director, producer, and UIFF volunteer Mary Hailstone joins Warren Workman to discuss building a film career before you feel completely ready. Mary shares how she moved from childhood theater into film, turned a deeply personal experience into An Early Return, learned directing lessons while working as a stand-in on The Chosen, and discovered the value of staying involved at film festivals. She also offers practical advice about accepting direction, creating your own material, forming sincere relationships, and protecting your self-worth while pursuing a creative career. Mary Hailstone on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11718987/ (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11718987/)

13. 

    13 Sept 2026

    Andrew DeBennet on Making Obsessions Rising

    Filmmaker Andrew DeBennett joins Warren Workman for a conversation about finding the courage to move from short films to a first feature. Andrew’s new psychological thriller, *Obsession’s Rising*, represents years of learning, relationship-building, and persistence. He explains how an unsuccessful crowdfunding campaign forced him to rethink his funding plan, why filmmakers must communicate their vision clearly, and how one private investor helped make the feature possible. This conversation is for filmmakers who have a story they want to tell but may still be waiting for the confidence, money, or perfect equipment to begin. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/obsession_rising_film/ (https://www.instagram.com/obsession_rising_film/)

14. 

    13 Sept 2026

    Finding Your Voice Through Storytelling with Elijah Amodt

    Award-winning actor and director Elijah Amodt shares an inspiring journey from a difficult childhood to becoming one of Utah's rising filmmaking talents. In just five years, Elijah has appeared in more than 22 film projects while also earning recognition for his directorial debut, Dazy Girl. In this heartfelt conversation, he reflects on the people who shaped his life, the transformative power of storytelling, and why kindness, perseverance, and community are the true foundations of a successful filmmaking career. About Elijah Amodt Elijah Amodt is an award-winning actor and filmmaker based in Utah. Over the past five years, he has appeared in more than 22 film and television projects while becoming a familiar face within Utah's independent film community. In 2025, he made his directorial debut with Dazy Girl, earning recognition for his thoughtful storytelling and collaborative leadership. Passionate about creating meaningful stories, Elijah believes filmmaking is ultimately about building community, lifting others, and using personal experiences to connect with audiences.

15. 

    13 Sept 2026

    Do It for the Story: What Lenni Uitto Wants Every Filmmaker to Remember

    In this episode, Warren Workman sits down with independent filmmaker Lenni Uitto to explore what keeps storytellers creating. From finishing his feature film Permafrost to embracing the Finnish philosophy of Sisu, Lenni shares why filmmakers should stop chasing perfection, build a trusted creative tribe, and ultimately do it for the story.

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Guest appearances

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.