This episode I am so happy to have had the opportunity to chat with Portland based filmmaker Karina Ripper. Karina is on her way to LA to continue in the prestigious AFI DWW+ program but found time to chat with me about taking film classes in Texas, growing up the eldest daughter and how the struggles she faces continue to propel her forward. She's prepping a new short film called The Devil In Me and currently crowdfunding!

I'm talking about the prep for my first solo show, GHOST STORIES. Alyssa White, producing partner for GHOST STORIES, joins half way through as we post-game after the work in progress performance at the PIT on Friday, April 19th, 2024.

This episode is a little bit different. I talk about upcoming projects that Alyssa and I are working on and tell a story about an audition I went on this past week. It's fun stuff, I think. :)

This new episode I'm recording part of from McMinneville, Oregon where I just traveled (via the train!) to screen my new horror short The Demon of Dumbo. I'm going to talk about the screening but ALSO my journey out!! Wow! It's interesting OUT THERE! Thanks to Alyssa for the great train sound effects!

This episode I continue discussions (with myself) about something that's been on my mind for quite some time dating back to a post I saw from Emilia Clarke on instagram. Only 16% of all of the folks in show business are from working class backgrounds!!?! Let me discuss, please. Also, what does success in indie filmmaking look like? Would I recognize it if I saw it??? * I refer to Emilia Clarke's character in Game of Thrones as Kahlessi, it's Daenerys. :) https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/emilia-clarke-matthew-lewis-imelda-staunton-daenerys-targaryen-emma-thompson-b1043605.html

This episode I'm getting down to business. I'm talking about distribution!! Making money off my super indies?! Is that even possible? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe a little.

I finally talk about the pink elephant in the collective room.

This episode I talk to Doro Tachler, a long time collaborator of mine as well as a very gifted musician and composer. She has done the music for almost ALL of my films going back to grad school. We talk about CATHY COPPOLA and the work we've done together over the years but we also talk a little bit about loss. I actually think this is my fav episode so far. Please enjoy and thank you for listening! All the music in this episode is also from the CATHY COPPOLA Soundtrack. CHECK OUT the CATHY COPPOLA soundtrack here!

What do you do when an actor drops out two hours before you are set to shoot? Does loyalty exist is show business or is it just another word for "sucker". I'll talk about that in this new episode of The Struggle Is Reel.

In this episode I continue talking (and answering some of Alyssa's questions) about the shooting of CATHY COPPOLA in August 2012. I talk about tiny, tiny locations, what to do when you're locked out of a location and our days shooting at the Dream hotel and the NYFA office. Thanks so Alyssa for the production help and to Doro Tachler for the original music from the soundtrack of the film CATHY COPPOLA.

In this episode I go into some detail on the actual production of CATHY COPPOLA in August of 2012. Music by Dorothea Tachler for the film CATHY COPPOLA. Produced with the assistance of Alyssa White. This episode goes into detail about the August 2012 shoot of the super no-budget feature film CATHY COPPOLA and what I learned when I was left behind by my own production van at the end of a harrowing day.

Hello! Welcome back to The Struggle is Reel! This episode we're talking about CASTING! In this episode I talk about one of my favorite scenes from the film featuring Scottie Gage, Lena Cigleris, Amanda Sprecher, myself and Kadeen Alston-Roman. I also talk a bit about MY OPINION on the current film festival situation and why super indies are important! Original music by Doro Tachler (as featured in the film Cathy Coppola) and produced with Alyssa White, one of my favorite students from MSU!

Hey, this is the first episode of the podcast where I talk about the making of my first feature film, Cathy Coppola (2013). In this episode, I talk about the catalyst for it all, receiving the Jerome Grant and how I was actually in the middle of relocating to LA in the summer of 2012 when I finally got the grant to make my first feature, the Jerome New York Filmmaker Grant. I will continue talking about the process of making Cathy Coppola in the upcoming episodes, as well. Original music by Dorothea Tachler.

My name is Stefanie Kay Sparks. I'm a super indie filmmaker. I've made 3 feature films in the last 10 years. I have some thoughts. This episode, my first one ever, I talk about festival submission fees at Sundance Film Festival! 1.3 million dollars was submitted to Sundance Film Festival in 2022 for their 2023 film festival. Is this really necessary?