Welcome back, Rebels! In this episode of Low-Budget Rebels, we’re diving into a part of filmmaking that’s often overlooked but absolutely essential — sound design. From capturing clean dialogue on set to mixing score and building tension through sound, this week’s guests share how they approach audio on tight schedules and tighter budgets.

First up, I talk with Spooky Madison about building strong communication with your sound team and being aware of audio issues before they become problems. We also discuss what it’s like to mix and master your own projects early on, and how that DIY mindset can give you more control and creative freedom.

Next, I’m joined by Alex Kahuam, who breaks down how he captured clean audio during the intense, one-take production of Failure. We also dig into the role of score in storytelling, and how music can shape the emotional rhythm of a film when used with intention.

Then I sit down with Dillon Brown to talk about sound design in found footage horror. Dillon shares how using directional audio and tonal shifts can heighten scares, build tension, and sell the realism of a scene — especially when you’re working with minimal visual effects or coverage.

Finally, I wrap the episode with Michael Pierro, director of Self Driver. We talk about the importance of planning ahead to capture usable sound in tight locations and fast shoots, as well as the creative side of post — including recording foley and maintaining consistency across a film’s soundscape.

This episode touches on everything from prepping for sound on set to mixing score, creating tone, and layering foley, showing how much audio influences the final product — and how indie filmmakers can use sound to elevate their work, even on a budget.

Thank you so much for supporting Low-Budget Rebels.Your support helps keep the show going and gives you access to these episodes completely ad-free. If you’re not already a member, head to patreon.com/flushstudios to join. And be sure to follow and support this episode’s amazing guests:

• Alex Kahuam – kahuamfilms.com | @alexkahuam
• Spooky Madison – @finalghoulfilms | Final Ghoul on YouTube
• Dillon Brown – @horrornerproductions | Films on Tubi and Amazon
• Michael Pierro – @m_pierro

More conversations with bold, independent filmmakers are coming your way this season — stay tuned, and stay rebellious.

Cheers,
Josh

Welcome back, Rebels! We’re kicking off Season 6 with a deep conversation about finding your genre, defining your storytelling process, and building creative momentum even when things get tough. I’m joined by four incredible filmmakers — each with a unique approach to writing, directing, and creating personal, impactful films on a budget.

First up is Alex Kahuam, director of Forgiveness and the one-take thriller Failure, starring Ted Raimi. Alex and I talk about choosing a subject that resonates deeply, especially when you know you’ll be living with it through the entire filmmaking process. Then I’m joined by Spooky Madison, an actress, writer, and director whose upcoming film Fiber Burn and writing on What’s Wrong Wendy reflect her collaborative, music-driven approach. We discuss how writing in a freeform way can open the door to on-set discoveries, creative rewrites, and trusting the interpretations of your cast and crew.

Next is Dillon Brown, the filmmaker behind the Tahoe Joe series and The Summer We Died. He shares how he outlines found footage films, sticks to personal genre instincts, and navigates the pressures of creating in an age of instant online reactions and reviews. We also talk about staying true to your voice while making something entertaining and marketable. Finally, I wrap the episode with Michael Pierro, director of Self Driver, a low-budget sci-fi thriller that recently won awards at Fantasia Fest. Michael and I dig into how life experience and personal ideals shape story structure, how to follow a creative framework while breaking rules when necessary, and how to balance audience appeal with originality.

Some of the big themes that came up throughout this episode include choosing a genre that speaks to you, writing with flexibility and openness to collaboration, rehearsal techniques and directing performance, planning complex shots and long takes, and making films that are both personal and marketable.

Thank you so much for supporting Low-Budget Rebels here on Patreon. Your support helps keep the show going and gives you access to these episodes completely ad-free. If you’re not already a member, head to patreon.com/flushstudios to join.And be sure to follow and support this episode’s amazing guests:

• Alex Kahuam – kahuamfilms.com | @alexkahuam
• Spooky Madison – @finalghoulfilms | Final Ghoul on YouTube
• Dillon Brown – @horrornerproductions | Films on Tubi and Amazon
• Michael Pierro – @m_pierro

More conversations with bold, independent filmmakers coming your way this season — stay tuned, and stay rebellious.

Cheers,
Josh

On a bonus episode of Low-Budget Rebels podcast, I sat down with Alex Kuhuam to discuss his new impressive, one-take movie FAILURE! starring Ted Raimi.

In this episode we discuss finding a genre and story that speaks to you, making a single-take movie, writing for your cast, blocking and planning for the best shot possible, directing a crew during production, finding the best performances and utilizing the rehearsal process, tricks to getting the best sound design on set, and more.Check out Alex's film FAILURE! now available on all Apple+, Fandago at Home, and other platforms.

Find out more at alexkahuam.com  And join the conversation and be a part of the FLUSH community by heading over to our discord today! https://discord.gg/TzGYXdJw

Cheers!
Josh

🎙️ This Week on Low-Budget Rebels

My good pal and co-conspirator, Sean Ashley, aka R. S. Trashley, joined me to talk about his latest films, Old Man Slaughter and El Ron.

We also talked about what's happened since our first conversation way back in July of 2019, how to get your movie in a theater, the challenges of pulling together a community, and the process of working collaboratively with your peers on a set.

Check out Sean's Homicide McLeod at https://www.homicidemcleod.com/ and follow Sean at @rstrashley on Instagram!

From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has supported this show in season 5! Talking to so many filmmakers was incredible, and I learned so much from hearing about their experiences. I look forward to diving into Season 6 after a little break. If you have any specific topics you'd like me to discuss with the indie filmmaking community, let me know!

Cheers,
Josh

🎙️ This Week on Low-Budget Rebels

I was joined by filmmaker and editor Allan Piper to talk about his new movie EVIL SUBLET.

We discuss mixing horror with comedy and the art of surprising the audience, the benefits of working with film, and the challenges that can arise on a film set. We also talked about the gaps between projects, self-funding, ways to adapt and utilize what you have at your disposal, and the joys of screening your movie with people who don't generally watch the types of movies we've made.

Allan and I also discuss his experience on his first film STARVING ARTIST and follow-up documentary MARRIED AND COUNTING.

Check out EVIL SUBLET now on Amazon, Fandango, and Spectrum, and follow Allan at @apiper13!

Cheers,
Josh 

🎙️ This Week on Low-Budget Rebels

I was joined by Ian Martin to discuss his film Cooke Concrete. This unique and methodical film stands out in the low-budget scene, showcasing a sincere commitment to its vision. Blending genres, Cooke Concrete consistently surprises with bold stylistic choices and innovative filmmaking techniques.

In our conversation, Ian and I explored ways to the right tone for your film, understanding your creative process, the early experiences that shape our storytelling, unique distribution opportunities through streaming, and the importance of personal storytelling.

We also chatted about the intriguing mystery behind Cooke Concrete, crafting a film with intentional pacing, and encouraging audiences to engage with a central question early on.

This and so much more!

Make sure to check out Cooke Concrete, available on Tubi, Amazon, and Hoopla:
https://tubitv.com/movies/682678/cooke-concrete?start=true


Follow Ian Martin at ianmartin.works or on Twitter @ianmartinhello.

Cheers,
Josh

On today's episode of Low-Budget Rebels, I chatted with director Garry Medeiros and producer Walter Rivero about their film Plaga Zombie: American Invasion, a comedy zombie movie filmed with hilarious camp, nasty jokes, and a relentlessly fun style.

We discuss the process of being able to make a sequel to a cult camp film and why this movie seemed like the right first for the team. We also talked about the styles and movies that influenced their passion for filmmaking, finding locations and people to help with visual effects, finding the motivation to keep going when things hit rock bottom, scheduling, and tricks we've learned over the years making projects on minimal budgets.

Make sure to follow Plaga Zombie: American Invasion on Instagram at @plagazombi.4 and check the movie out on TUBI. To learn more about their upcoming film Sins of the Devil follow @sinsofthedevil24 on Instagram!

Cheers,
Josh

On this week's episode of LOW-BUDGET REBELS, I sat down to chat with director and amazing human Dusty Austin. We discussed her new movie The Beast of Walton St. and how a love of visual effects led to experiments with film and made the process seem possible.

We also discussed finding the genre you prefer, self-discovery of the type of director you want to be,  the challenges of adapting on set when things go wrong, taking the "No's" you receive as possibilities, and trying to balance what you can do to help the independent film community while also creating your own art.Make sure to follow Dusty online and keep an eye out for The Beast of Walton St. this November from Scream Team Releasing!

CHEERS!
Josh

In this episode of Low-Budget Rebels Podcast, I had a cup of coffee and chatted with Facing East and This Must Be It director Tommy Baker.

We discussed working with his brother at Half Brothers Media, a production company that they started together, and how they balance contract work with creative ideas. We also talked about how making a film is similar to being in a band, the benefits of learning the craft doing behind-the-scenes projects, getting access to locations that you have available, knowing your role in a specific project, and using the knowledge you've gained throughout your life to write a story you know.

This and so much more!

Make sure to check out https://halfbrothersmedia.com/ to find out more about Tommy's films and creative work.

Cheers,
Josh

This week I sat down on two occasions (thanks Hurrican Helene) to chat with filmmaker and genuinely nice guy Tate Hoffmaster about filmmaking and his new movie Pizza Guy 8.

We also discuss working with VHS and other media to create art, Troma and its influence on low-budget filmmaking, assessing criticism of films, and things we've learned on set. We also talk about our scripting process and improvising ideas. This and so much more! Ch

eck out Tate's work at https://www.youtube.com/@GuyBacon13 and follow him on social media @xfilescabinet

Have a great week and don't let your meat loaf!
Josh

I had the pleasure of hopping on a call with Micah Khan and discussing his new feature film The Zombie Wedding. Unrelated, but I also had my mic backward the whole time I recorded like an absolute moron. Technical difficulties aside, it was still a wonderful conversation and I hope you all can handle my very hollow-sounding microphone for a week. I hope to not have this issue again for at least a few episodes. Oh the joys of working in a new studio...

Micah and I discussed what it's like to work on projects that we didn't write or are outside of the norm for us, especially projects where you're working with other people's money. We also discuss lost old movies, the cringiness of where you begin and how to enjoy it, Micah's festival that revolves around showing early films, working with your cast and crew, how to fake shots and utilize a small room, and so much more! 

Check out Micah's film The Zombie Wedding - available now to rent or purchase and screening in limited theaters! 

Visit Micah's website to find out more: https://micahazamkhan.com/

Have a great week, everyone! 

This weekend I had the pleasure of chatting with actor and filmmaker Jamie H Jung about all things independent filmmaking!

Jamie and I were both part of the the Rebel Without A Crew: The Series process but in very different capacities. Jamie was an actor in Alejandro Montoya Marin's movie Monday; and on this episode, we compared experiences of what it was like to be on reality TV. Jamie also discusses his adventure in producing his first film The Wedding Night which will be premiering at the Manhattan Film Festival on June 22.

We also discussed the challenges of adapting your project with no money, finding a character, and learning your process through life experiences.

Follow Jamie on social media @jamiehjung and check out more from Jamie at jamihjung.com 

This week I had the pleasure of chatting with writer and director Rob Mabry.If you look at our film's synopsis, you can instantly see that my film Greywood's Plot and his The Legend of El Chupacabra have some things in common. Watching the movies, it's interesting how unique both movies are as well!

Rob and I discussed his rise from early days of playing with cameras, to the break in his filmmaking process and coming back to it through 48 hour film fests and making a plethora of shorts, to eventually making his first feature film. We also chat about Rob's preproduction process, finding the shot in the moment, messy effects shots, and the fun of creating monsters with practical visual effects.This and so much more!

 Make sure to follow @thechupacabramovie to find out more about Rob's movie.

Director Scott McElroy came on the show to discuss his feature film Fey, a twisting, independent psychological-thriller about a rock band that goes to a secluded studio to record their album and finds out they may be in for more than creating tunes and drinking booze.

We discuss a wide variety of independent filmmaking topics including how to direct when you don't have technical knowledge, building a friend and family group that you can call on for help when it's time to get out and make a movie, and tricks for taking advantage of sound design to build the mood. We also chatted about music and how other forms of art beyond filmmaking help to build storytelling and structural style when it is time to make a feature length movie.

Make sure to follow Fey on social media @feythemovie on instagram and stay tuned for the release of this truly independent, twisted flick!

Even with the busy holiday weekend, I was able to chat with two indie filmmakers who've made some interesting movies and are looking to take them out to theaters and try a new model of low-budget film distribution.

While they're called The Farx Brothers, you'll find out early in this episode that they are not actually brothers. Nick and Kyle are two Minnesota based filmmakers creating short form movies and proof of concept videos. We discuss their background, how they each bring different ideas and style to the projects they make, and new ideas about how they want to distribute their films this year.

They also discuss four walling, new projects, and working in the industry versus having a day job outside of filmmaking.

This and much more!

I'm in my studio and recording new episodes of Low-Budget Rebels Podcast! For my first episode in the new studio, I have Romeo's Distress director Jeff Frumess on to talk about what he's been up to since the last time we chatted on the show.

Not only has he been running his patreon page and youtube channel, he's also directed a new film called Gouge Away, and created a gonzo style documentary using diaries and home videos called Kuyashii Gonzo: Blood Visions and Chaos Magic! We also discuss a wide range of topics from the process of finishing a feature and setting deadlines to the benefits of table readings to how important it is to find a way to distribute your own projects in the modern era of film. 

Head over to https://www.frumess.com/ to learn more about where you can see Jeff's films.

Follow Jeff on Social Media:
X : https://x.com/Jfrumess
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/screaminjfrumess/

Check out more from Low-Budget Rebels and hear all the episode ad free at patreon.com/flushstudios 

Cheers,
Josh

On this episode of the podcast, Josh Stifter sits down for a conversation with returning guest Taylor Morden. They discuss what has happened since they recorded the last episode, The Last Blockbuster and it's run on Netflix, the challenges of getting projects off the ground, being hired to direct a movie about Build-a-Bear Workshops, and Taylor's newest adventure in crowdfunding with his horror/comedy Bampire! 

Make sure to go over to bampiremovie.com and help support this fun and unique take on indie monster movies. 

Follow the film on social media @bampiremovie

Cheers!

On this episode of the podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Michael J Epstein. In his second appearance on the show, he discussed the movies he's directed since the pandemic. Experimenting with mocumentary mixed media projects that included short scenes from other filmmakers during the pandemic and mocumentaries, Michael and his partner Sophia Cacciola have made three incredibly experimental films including The Transformations of the Tranformations of The Drs. Jenkins, The Once and Future Smash, and End Zone 2. We discuss the making of these films, how the pandemic effected them, and the process of distibution for these truly independent features.

Make sure to check out the kickstarter for the release of The Once and Future Smash here: https://launchover.com/launch/film/the-once-and-future-smash/

And follow Michael J Epstein on social media by going to launchover.com

Cheers,
Josh

This Is Your Song is a beautiful, sad, and completely unique film about relationships gained and lost.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with independent filmmaker Hassan Said to talk about the process of making such an ambitious film. Filmed as one long take, the movie tells a story that many of us can relate to - but also will impress the hell out of all you indie filmmakers.

We discussed the casting process, the massive endeavor that is filming large takes, things that can go wrong on a film like this, and why his director of photography had to build her core before production. Six weeks of rehearsal and preproduction, screenings of the film, getting permits for the shoot, color correcting a movie for mood, distribution of a film like this, and finding the right locations are just some of the topics we discuss! Make sure to follow Hassan Said by checking out his website at https://hassansaid.com/ and look for THIS IS YOUR SONG through Indie Rights available now!

Have a great week, everybody!

Cheers,
Josh Stifter

On this weeks episode of Low-Budget Rebels, I had the pleasure of talking with first time feature filmmaker of the new sci-fi comedy Love Virtually L.E. Staiman and his co-writer Cheston Mizel.

We discussed how they got into making movies and why a comedy about the Metaverse seemed enticing. They tell me about the writing process and how it came together during the Covid quarantine, what the biggest challenges were, and how the process of editing this movie challenged them. They also discuss the benefits and shortcomings of relying on visual effects and animation and how Cheston learned animation based on the needs of the film.

This and much more!

Love Virtually is releasing November 7th on digital and on demand.

Cheers,
Josh