Filmmaking Conversations Podcast with Damien Swaby

Ep 293: From Paramount to Independent Filmmaking: Rob Hollocks on Getting Films into Cinemas

Rob Hollocks has spent more than two decades on both sides of the film business — helping major studios sell some of the biggest films in the world, while ultimately purs

Ep 292: Stories Unite Us: Erin Mae Miller on Producing "If I Tell You"

Show Notes Producer, director and Ignite Studios founder Erin Mae Miller joins Damien Swaby for a wide-ranging conversation about the realities of independent filmmaking

Ep 291: When the Phone Stops Ringing: Chantelle Levene on Acting & Resilience

Episode Show Notes What happens when the dream of becoming an actor collides with the reality of earning a living? In this episode of Filmmaking Conversations, Damien Sw

Ep 290: Liz Moughon: Turning Type 1 Diabetes into Art

Show Notes What does it really mean to film something that can't be seen? In this episode of Filmmaking Conversations, I sit down with award-winning documentary cinemato

Ep 289: Minkie Spiro: Crafting Emotion, Suspense & Cinematic Television

Show Notes Award-winning director Minkie Spiro joins Filmmaking Conversations with Damien Swaby for a deeply personal and insightful conversation about creativity, stor

Ep 288: Stuart Dryburgh, ASC-The Poetry of Cinematography

Podcast Show Notes In this expansive and intimate conversation, Damien Swaby welcomes legendary cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh for a masterclass in visual storytelling

Ep 287: From Snowboarding Injury to Global Brand Storytelling with Darren Rayner

🧾 Episode Show Notes In this episode, Damien sits down with filmmaker and creative studio founder Darren Rayner to explore how action-sports filmmaking shaped modern soc

Ep 286: Translating Human Performance for the Camera: Fitness and the Future of Storytelling

Episode Show Notes: In this episode of Filmmaking Conversations with Damien Swaby, Damien speaks with Domenic Angelino, an exercise science specialist, public health exp

285: Inside White With Fear: Emmy-Winning Producer Andrew Goldberg on Media and Politics

What role does fear play in shaping political narratives—and who benefits from it? In this episode, Emmy Award–winning investigative producer Andrew Goldberg joins the po

Ep 284: From Imagination to Screen: Michael Kellman’s Path to Say Less

Episode Guest: Michael Kellman Host: Damien Swaby Born in Los Angeles, Michael Kellman has been passionate about storytelling and performance from an early age. With int

Ep 283: Shirley Billigmeier on Food, Creativity, and the Body’s Natural Signals

Show Notes Creative careers often demand everything from us—long hours, emotional investment, and intense focus. But how often do we consider how our relationship with f

Ep 282: The Emotional Language of Film: Rachel Deutsch in Conversation

Show Notes Rachel Deutsch is a filmmaker whose work explores relationships, identity and memory through emotionally grounded storytelling.  After studying acting at New

Ep 281: Lauren Hansson of Sheppard on Navigating Entertainment Law

In this episode, Damien sits down with entertainment attorney Lauren Hansson to explore her journey into the legal side of film and television. Lauren shares: How she di

Ep 280: Stepping Into the Frame: Ashlie Burgun's Journey to Acting

🎙 Episode Show Notes In this episode, we explore Ashlie’s unconventional path into acting — one that didn’t begin in theatre classrooms or on school stages.She didn’t gr

Ep 279: Xan Aranda on Taste, Opinion, and Creative Decision-Making

In this episode of Filmmaking Conversations with Damien Swaby, Damien is joined by Emmy-nominated filmmaker and showrunner Xan Aranda for a wide-ranging discussion on tas

Ep 278: Inside Rebel Safety with Richard Bradshaw: Creativity Without Compromise

🎙️ Show Notes In this episode, host Damien Swaby speaks with Richard Bradshaw, Director of Rebel Safety, about the often-misunderstood role of safety in film, television

Ep 277: Itunu Olowo: The Editor Who Rebuilt Her Creative Life from the Ground Up

Episode Summary In this episode of Filmmaking Conversations with Damien Swaby, Damien is joined by the talented and driven, a promo producer, editor, and filmmaker whose

Ep 276: Rob Reiner and the Lost Art of Making Films Like Sleepless in Seattle

Last night, I watched Sleepless in Seattle. This morning, I woke up to the news that Rob Reiner and his wife, producer Michele Singer Reiner, had been found dead at their

Ep 275: How One Filmmaker Made a Studio-Level Fantasy on a $100K Budget

In this episode, Damien speaks with filmmaker Christopher, the creator of Princess Hally and the Jester, a groundbreaking ultra-low-budget fantasy feature made with a hyb

Ep 274: Caprice on Fame, Films, and Creating Feel-Good Christmas Stories

In this episode of Filmmaking Conversations, Damien Swaby sits down with Caprice Bourret — award-winning model, actress, entrepreneur, and now film producer — to discuss