Welcome to episode 32 of The First Act Break podcast, the show where we dive into the art, business, and hustle of breaking into the film industry, and help you build a career doing what you love. In this episode, Tribeca feature film director Chris Merola breaks down exactly how he made his first feature film Lemonade Blessing and premiered it at the Tribeca Film Festival. He shares the full journey: from writing the script, fundraising, building a team, and navigating indie production, to landing reps, taking meetings, and understanding today’s brutal distribution landscape. Whether you're an aspiring director, indie filmmaker, or USC film student, this deep-dive reveals the real strategies, risks, and mindset needed to make your first feature.

Welcome to episode 31 of The First Act Break podcast, the show where we dive into the art, business, and hustle of breaking into the film industry, and help you build a career doing what you love. Today, we bring on Elijin Yoo, a USC film school grad and editor of vertical short dramas. He breaks down how a musician’s rhythm shapes pacing, coverage, and storytelling for TikTok/Reels-style narrative edits, plus the key differences from traditional film editing. He shares the indie journey behind his short “Sonata” (SAG micro-budget, Seed&Spark crowdfunding, festival strategy) and previews his Koreatown drama “Sea Otter,” with practical advice on career stability and building toward a debut feature. We also tackle distribution trends and AI in filmmaking as well as actionable insights for editors, directors, and film students navigating today’s industry.