First Time Go
Claim This Podcastby Benjamin Duchek
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Podcast Overview
<p>A weekly podcast highlighting the creators of independent film and the business behind it. Hosted by Ben Duchek.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
7/18/2023
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Recent Episodes
July 28, 2026
Writer/Producer Kate Radcliffe Of STILL LIFE (2026)
<p>I imagine there's not a lot of debate out there but here's what I believe: there's nothing worse in the human experience than losing a son or daughter. It violates our understanding of the cycle of life and it forces a unyielding loss amongst the living that can never be taken away.</p><p>Any experience so intense can, in the right hands, be channeled to create great art, so I am drawn to stories like <a href="https://boxd.it/10tMm" rel="nofollow">STILL LIFE (2026)</a>, which is an official selection this year of the HollyShorts Film Festival.</p><p>And let me tell you: in the hands of writer/producer Kate Radcliffe and director Sophie King, they deal with the topic of stillbirth with empathy, humor, and understanding. I think this film will forge important new conversations and result in so many people suffering the worst pain that we could all experience to feel a little bit more heard. Bravo, STILL LIFE team, you made brilliant art.</p><p>In this conversation, Kate and I talk about:</p><ul><li>what she tells people about STILL LIFE and how to talk about the film afterwards;</li><li>does a writer need firsthand knowledge of the kind of grief in this film to write about it?</li><li>how she got involved in filmmaking and why she decided to make this film;</li><li>why give away so much in the title and the description?;</li><li>the decision to make the audience rethink STILL LIFE in the middle of the film;</li><li>what makes a film great and not so great on this topic;</li><li>why is comedy so hard to write?</li><li>what's next for her.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Memorable Quotes:</p><p>" That was the actual reason we made the film was to start that conversation about baby loss."</p><p>" We lost Dexter, and we went into lockdown, and so that was incredibly tough, but it meant I had to sit with my grief."</p><p>" When I first started writing it, my parents were-- I was like, "Oh, I'm doing a dark comedy about stillbirth." And they were like, "It doesn't sound very funny." </p><p>Links:</p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/still_life_short/" rel="nofollow">Follow STILL LIFE On Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/SophieKingCR/" rel="nofollow">Follow Sophie On Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.straight8.net/shootout-2022" rel="nofollow">The Straight 8 Super 8 Experience That Sophie King Won An Audience Award in 2022</a></p>
July 26, 2026
Indie Film Highlight: SHOT CALLER (2017)
<p>Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: SHOT CALLER (2017)</p><p>Director: Ric Roman Waugh</p><p>Written By: Ric Roman Waugh</p><p>Stars: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau; Omari Hardwick; Lake Bell; Jon Bernthal</p><p>SYNOPSIS</p><p>A California stockbroker is arrested and charged for a fatal DUI accident, and on his lawyer's advice, takes a plea deal which sees him sentenced to 16 months in prison. While incarcerated, he becomes involved with a violent white supremacist gang.</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@firstgopod" rel="nofollow">Subscribe to our YouTube channel</a></p><p><a href="https://boxd.it/9BMgH" rel="nofollow">Follow us on Letterboxd</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/firstgopod/" rel="nofollow">Follow us on Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/firstgopod" rel="nofollow">Follow us on X</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/firstgopod" rel="nofollow">Follow us on Facebook</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@firstgopod" rel="nofollow">Follow us on TikTok</a></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/98995039/admin/feed/posts/" rel="nofollow">Follow us on LinkedIn</a></p>
July 24, 2026
Zoe Zhou of WE ARE HAPPY FISH (2025)
<p>Director Zoe Zhou's film, <a href="https://boxd.it/V0Oo" rel="nofollow">WE ARE HAPPY FISH (2025)</a>, is described as "a nihilistic girl escapes from her family with a robot boy to revive a dead fish", which by itself is interesting and accurate. But it only nibbles at how wild, zany, carefree the film is<strong>. </strong></p><p>Zoe also pushes back at the idea that film school would ever take the edges off her work. In this film, she does an amazing job blending "surrealism, dark humor, and social commentary", as she states for her goal, and I'll be the first person in line to watch whatever is next.</p><p>In this episode, Zoe and I talk about:</p><ul><li>was this the same basic story of when it started?</li><li>why the Toronto Metropolitan University?</li><li>were the interests of " blending surrealism, body horror, dark humor, and social commentary" shaped by film school?</li><li>her philosophy on casting;</li><li>why the Future of Film Showcase and why Toronto?;</li><li>what's next for her and what draws her to bloody and horror.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Zoe's Indie Film Highlight: <a href="https://boxd.it/kIp4" rel="nofollow">WE ARE LITTLE ZOMBIES (2019) dir. by Makoto Nagahisa</a>; <a href="https://boxd.it/ge6o" rel="nofollow">AND SO WE PUT GOLDFISH IN THE POOL (2017)</a></p><p><br></p><p>Memorable Quotes:</p><p>" For my style, I usually make like very bloody or like Japanese cult kind of stuffs before this short film."</p><p>" I think school always trying to protect the students from doing dangerous stuff, so I'm always kinda pushing the boundaries from the classes. </p><p>Links:</p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/zouettt/" rel="nofollow">Follow Zoe On Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.torontomu.ca/image-arts/news-events/2025/07/mdfftiff/" rel="nofollow">IMA Film student wins Best Film at MDFF Selects Student Showcase 2025</a></p>
372 total episodes available
Recent guests on First Time Go
Guests from recent episodes — sign up to see every guest that has ever appeared on this show.
Nathaniel Lezra
Guest
Antonio Harper
Guest
Abby Burton
Guest
Blake Jarvis
Guest
Max Morgan
Guest
Stephen Gerard Kelly
Guest
Rick Stanton
Guest
Sky Sitney
Guest
Huiju Park
Guest
Aoife Kelleher
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Sasha Wortzel
Guest
Andrew James Gonzales
Guest
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is First Time Go?
<p>A weekly podcast highlighting the creators of independent film and the business behind it. Hosted by Ben Duchek.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 9 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Information about guest appearances is not available.
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