Filmmaker Mixer

Writers and directors Will Crouse and Ashley Crowe join Filmmaker Mixer to discuss their short film The First Date, a tender and playful story about two women who meet at a bar and embark on an unforgettable first date. Starring Ashley Crowe and Alex Nolen, the film explores vulnerability, courage, connection, and what happens when two people take a chance on each other.
Will and Ashley discuss how a personal experience became the foundation for the screenplay, developing authentic characters and chemistry, collaborating as writer-directors, directing while acting, and the practical challenges of making their first film together.

What do Woody Guthrie, the Dust Bowl, Jewish culture and Hanukkah songs have in common? More than you might imagine. In this episode of the Filmmaker Mixer Podcast, writer and director Steven Pressman joins us to discuss his documentary Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie, exploring the fascinating and often overlooked influence Jewish culture had on the legendary American songwriter.We talk about uncovering forgotten history, researching archival material, shaping a documentary around an unexpected cultural connection, and the creative decisions involved in bringing a historical figure's lesser-known story to life. For documentary filmmakers, this is a conversation about research, storytelling, visual choices, and finding a fresh perspective on a familiar subject.Subscribe to the Filmmaker Mixer for conversations with the filmmakers behind the stories.

What does it take to design costumes for a story that jumps across alternate realities? On this episode of Filmmaker Mixer, costume designer Valerie Klarich takes us behind the scenes of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, the genre-bending Big Bang Theory spinoff from Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady, and Zak Penn. The series combines sitcom comedy with sci-fi, fantasy, alternate realities, and returning characters—and Klarich's costume work helps define each world.Valerie breaks down the creative and practical decisions behind the costumes, including character identity, genre, collaboration with production design and other departments, and the challenges of designing for a constantly changing universe. Filmmakers and film students will get a look at how costume design functions as visual storytelling—not simply wardrobe.Watch Stuart Fails to Save the Universe on HBO Max, and subscribe to Filmmaker Mixer for more conversations about how films and television are actually made.

What does it take to create the visual world of a film? On this episode of Filmmaker Mixer, director of photography Adam Carboni joins us to discuss Best of the Best and the creative decisions behind bringing a story to life through cinematography.
We explore camera, lighting, visual storytelling, collaboration with the director, and the practical challenges cinematographers face on set. Whether you're an aspiring DP, an indie filmmaker, or a film enthusiast curious about how movies are made, this conversation offers insights you can apply to your own projects.
Subscribe to Filmmaker Mixer for more conversations with filmmakers about the craft, creativity, and challenges of making films.

How does a screenwriter move from film into comics and children's books? On this episode of Filmmaker Mixer, author and Oak Tree Comics founder Josh Oaktree talks about his journey from earning an MFA in screenwriting at the American Film Institute to creating books including Thorn the Unicorn, The Weird Animal Hour, and the Art & Oakie Ask series.
Josh also discusses character development, visual storytelling, writing for younger audiences, and the creative decisions involved in building stories across different mediums. Filmmakers and writers will get practical insight into adapting ideas, developing characters, and recognizing the right medium for a story.