Shows
Cinema RevolutionSPECIAL: Trump’s Real Threat To Film Is Not The Film TariffIn this special episode, Kale addresses recent headlines about proposed 100% tariffs on foreign films and explains why this policy is unlikely to materialize. Instead, he urges listeners to pay attention to more consequential threats to the arts - particularly the Trump administration's cancellation of National Endowment for the Arts grants and attempts to defund NPR and PBS. Kale explores how these funding cuts could devastate film festivals, independent theaters, and community arts programs that rely on grants to operate. See the Film Festival Alliance unofficial guide for NEA grantees h...
2025-05-0622 minCinema RevolutionSPECIAL: Getting Financial Support For Your Festival RunIn this special episode, Kale shares a workshop he conducted with Cinema Revolution producer, Veronica Gonzalez Howell, at the 2025 Julien Dubuque International Film Festival. They present practical strategies for independent filmmakers to secure funding while navigating the festival circuit.The workshop covers three main approaches: leveraging your personal brand to attract aligned sponsors, utilizing festival platforms for audience support, and creating advertising opportunities with businesses targeting the film community.Through real examples like filmmaker Tedra Wilson's South by Southwest success and interactive discussions with attendees, they demonstrate how filmmakers can transform festivals into financial backing...
2025-04-2950 minCinema RevolutionBringing GenZ To Our SideBig streaming is killing your brain. Kale and Alex dig into the toxic relationship between modern viewers and content platforms like Netflix. Alex breaks down his radical solution - cancel your Netflix subscription and start curating your own watchlist of films you actually want to see. No more wasting your life on mid-tier content when you could be watching genuine cinema.Kale and Alex also discuss the brutal truth about Gen Z viewing habits revealed in a recent Hollywood Reporter survey: the kids aren't watching movies anymore, they're mainlining YouTube and TikTok for that...
2025-04-1521 minCinema RevolutionThe Grassroots Movement | Ethan de AguiarKale and Alex sit down with Ethan de Aguiar, a New Bedford-based filmmaker who's turning his hometown into a filmmaking powerhouse. Ethan shares his journey from skateboarding with a camera to founding the New Bedford Film Festival, now entering its second year. Tired of the formulaic wedding video grind and refusing to be the "starving artist," Ethan explains how he became an “ARTrepreneur" - merging creative passion with business savvy to build a sustainable filmmaking career.While Hollywood drowns in competition, New Bedford demonstrates how tight-knit communities can foster authentic creativity and sustainable careers. Ethan's grassroots movement in...
2025-04-081h 11Cinema RevolutionSPECIAL: Why Gen Z is Choosing Creators Over HollywoodIn this special episode, Kale is joined by Cinema Revolution producer, Veronica. They dive into a recent Hollywood Reporter article about a Deloitte study showing that younger audiences are abandoning traditional movies and TV shows in favor of creator content.The duo explores the uncomfortable questions Hollywood executives don't want to face: Why are Gen Z viewers gravitating toward YouTube and TikTok content? Is the problem about price, or something much deeper? And has Hollywood already missed its chance to adapt?Kale argues that the industry's obsession with blockbusters and superhero franchises has left them...
2025-04-0122 minCinema RevolutionThe Animation Resistance | Dylan Speeg & Josiah IantornoKale and Alex bring in Dylan Speeg and Josiah Iantorno, two animation professionals fighting in the trenches and they are here to expose how the animation industry REALLY works and who's calling the shots. These aren't your corporate PR-trained talking heads. Dylan's surviving in the Midwest by taking the scraps the big production houses won't touch, while Josiah has witnessed firsthand how even Disney and Cartoon Network are outsourcing animation work overseas to cut costs. Was The Lion King remake a pure cash grab dressed up as technological innovation? Hollywood execs-- who couldn't draw a...
2025-03-2556 minCinema RevolutionSPECIAL: The Miscreants of CinemaIn this special episode, Kale takes center stage to share a passionate commentary on what he calls "the miscreants of cinema" - those who disrupt the sacred space of film viewing with their disrespectful behavior.Kale examines how our collective relationship with cinema is changing, particularly in independent film spaces. He explores a troubling trend: filmmakers and audiences attending festivals only to see films they're personally connected to, rather than embracing the discovery and community that festivals are designed to foster.This isn't just a rant. Joined by his wife Veronica for a thoughtful discussion...
2025-03-1820 minCinema RevolutionOn the Front Lines with AI | Tedra Wilson & John CarstarpehnKale and Alex welcome innovative filmmakers Tedra Wilson (TT The Artist) and John Carstarphen to explore how independent creators are using AI as a powerful tool of resistance against the Hollywood machine.AI tools are giving filmmakers the power to create mind-blowing visuals, proof-of-concepts, and even entire films without begging for studio handouts. But this isn't some techno-utopian fantasy. We dig into the ugly truth about who really controls these platforms. As John warns, "These companies don't want you to have it." From OpenAI to Adobe, the big players are already trying to shut down what stories...
2025-03-111h 10Cinema RevolutionThe Los Angeles Indie Revolution | Megan Rosati, Evan Watkins, Victoria Elder & Alessandro PulisciKale and Alex bring together a powerhouse panel of working LA filmmakers to get real about the perfect storm that's devastated the industry over the past five years.Join director/actor Victoria Elder, writer/director Megan Rosati, actor/comedian Evan Watkins, and filmmaker Alessandro Pulisci as they unpack how COVID shutdowns, streaming wars, Hollywood strikes, and even the recent LA fires have reshaped their careers and the entire entertainment landscape.From the diversity initiatives that briefly flourished post-2020 to the corporate retreat that has followed, our guests share their unfiltered experiences: declining work opportunities, nonunion...
2025-03-051h 21Cinema RevolutionSeizing the Means of DistributionWe're taking our sh*t back. Kale and Alex get raw about what's happening to independent filmmakers right now. No sugar-coating the truth: we're getting squeezed out of our own art form by the big corporate machine.Ever paid 75 bucks to submit your film to a festival just to never hear back? Yeah, we dive into that whole racket.The movie industry isn't just changing—it's being deliberately consolidated. The people with all the money want to keep all the money. But we're done begging for scraps and waiting for permission from gatekeepers who don't gi...
2025-02-2827 min
Action Addicts - Talking action films and the Business of Show BusinessAction Addicts Podcast Interview w/ Kale Howell (Cinestruct Founder)Kale Howell is the founder of Cinestruct, a company known for its innovative approach to supporting independent filmmakers through its Cinevite platform. Launched in spring 2024, Cinestruct's initiatives include the Debut program, which partners with film festivals to spotlight emerging talents and provide them with industry mentorship and community engagement opportunities. Notable for his entrepreneurial ventures in the film industry, Howell has been instrumental in creating a supportive ecosystem for filmmakers, combining marketing, fundraising, and community building tools. His work has been highlighted in various media, showcasing his commitment to fostering new cinematic voices. Like and subscribe. Comment below a...
2025-02-0101 min