Co-Founder of Studio NX Adam Jeffcoat is not waiting for Hollywood to say yes. Trained in classical Disney-style animation. Battle-tested in TV. Rejected for a decade by the gatekeepers. Then he flipped the model. Built his own IP. Launched it himself. Accidentally caught Amazon’s attention. Turned a failed monetization experiment into a Prime series. Then raised hundreds of thousands through […]
I chatted with filmmaker Kavan Cardoza at a moment when everything around him was moving fast. The kind of moment where momentum is real, but the pressure is too. Kavan is one of those rare creators who didn’t just use AI to make something flashy. He used it to tell stories. Real stories. Worlds. Characters. Lore. Watching his work, especially […]
CEO of Telos Media and Creator of SolarBalls Oliver Gilpin represents a new kind of media founder. He didn’t wait for Hollywood to validate his ideas. He didn’t chase a network deal first. Instead, he built audience, IP, and revenue directly on YouTube, then expanded outward from strength. Together with his business partner Alvaro Calmet, Oliver has quietly built SolarBalls […]
When I connected with the creator of Claynosaurz, Nic Cabana, the vibe was immediate. He was already plugged into the same circle of creators pushing this new kids and animation wave forward. That whole LinkedIn ecosystem where people are openly comparing notes, building in public, and trying to figure out what the next version of the industry even looks […]
Ryan Phillips is the kind of filmmaker the current moment was built for. Properly trained. Deeply experienced. Forged inside the traditional system and then quietly freed by new tools. He didn’t arrive at AI chasing novelty. He arrived with decades of craft, frustration, near misses, and hard-earned perspective. I’ve been a big fan of his work for quite some time […]
I chatted with filmmaker Daren Smith, someone I’ve been following for a while and quietly rooting for. Daren is based in Utah, but his thinking is global. He’s not waiting for Hollywood to call. He’s building his own system, raising his own capital, and greenlighting his own films with intention. What struck me most in this conversation wasn’t just the […]
I caught up with Evan Shapiro for our second Bypass Hollywood interview and the timing felt right. A lot has shifted since the last time we talked, and Evan is one of the few people in this business who will say what he actually thinks, even when it makes people uncomfortable. He’s funny, blunt, and weirdly optimistic in a way […]
I sat down virtually with filmmaker Emanuele Riccetti after seeing his latest AI-driven short “Vessel” on LinkedIn. I already knew his work, but this one hit different. The storytelling, the shot choices, the emotional build. If he never mentioned AI, I would have assumed he shot it on a RED or on celluloid film. We ended up talking about craft, […]
I’ve been around this industry long enough to see the landscape flip upside down. And right now if you’re a graphic novelist, filmmaker, animator, or unscripted TV producer this is the most wide-open moment you will ever get. You don’t need a gatekeeper. You don’t need representation. You don’t need anyone’s permission. You can make your thing and take it […]
I first discovered Sarah Hurley through her candid, no-fluff approach to building sustainable creative businesses. I first interviewed her some months back and absolutely loved her approach, turning her last $50 into a million dollar empire. While others dish out recycled mantras about “following your passion,” Hurley dishes out hard-earned, field-tested advice. She’s lived every part of the creator journey—from […]