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In this special holiday episode of Until You Make It, Chris and Mike gather with longtime friend and visual effects artist Ryan Laux for a look back at a transformative year and a look forward into the creative landscape of 2026. From Ryan’s move to full-time freelance in Los Angeles to his strategic "rise" on social media, the crew explores the delicate balance between professional polish and the "scrappy" authenticity that actually drives engagement in the creator economy. The conversation shifts from the technical to the theatrical as Chris recounts his first true Broadway experience seeing Wicked in New York, sparking a deep dive into the differences between stage spectacle and cinematic storytelling. The guys also tackle the "dumbed down" state of modern streaming, questioning if shows are now being written specifically for distracted viewers on their phones, favoring repetitive dialogue and shallow focus over nuanced "show, don't tell" artistry. Whether it’s debating if Die Hard is a Christmas movie, pitching a Brendan Fraser-led "Christmas Planet" sci-fi epic, or critiquing the AI-generated "munchkins" at the Las Vegas Sphere, this episode is a blend of high-level industry insight and casual holiday shop talk. What You’ll Discover: The Power of "Scrappy" Content: Why Ryan shifted from perfectionism to TikTok-style tutorials—and how it led to a 50,000-view spike and new client leads. The 2026 Freelance Blueprint: Ryan shares the realities of his first full year of independent work and the transition from studio roles to the creator economy. Wicked on Stage vs. Screen: A breakdown of vocal performances, character framing, and why some creatives struggle with the "campy" nature of musical theater. The "Distraction" Epidemic in Media: How modern cinematography and writing are evolving to accommodate viewers who are multi-tasking on mobile devices. AI and the Las Vegas Sphere: Ryan’s firsthand account of watching the Wizard of Oz enhanced by AI and rebuilt CG sets—and where the technology fell short. Defining a "Christmas Movie": The crew sets strict (and not-so-strict) criteria for what qualifies as a holiday classic. 2026 Creative Goals: From finishing "the movie" by NAB to finding a better balance between business growth and personal health. If you’ve ever felt paralyzed by perfectionism or wondered where the line is between "content" and "art," this episode offers a transparent look at making it in the modern visual industry.

What happens when creative grit meets a shifting digital world? In this episode of _Until You Make It, Chris and Mike sit down with illustrator and character designer Keith Glidewell to explore the real-life evolution of an artist—pivoting majors in college, discovering a voice through compulsive sketching, becoming a stay-at-home dad, and finding the fire that pushed him into professional illustration. From Instagram-driven work and band art to producing animated shorts for Cat-e-Corner, Keith shares how life, family, and discipline completely reshaped his career path. As the conversation deepens, the crew unpacks the state of modern creativity: the rise of AI art, what it steals, what it enables, and what it risks. They dissect client expectations, the temptation of shortcuts, whether “prompt artists” count as artists, and how much of the future belongs to genuine human collaboration. It’s honest, funny, vulnerable, and full of the kind of creative shop talk most people never get to hear. Whether you're figuring out your own artistic path, wrestling with AI fatigue, or just here to laugh at raccoon-infested punk demos and parenting revelations, this one goes deep. What You’ll Discover: How a single life pivot pushed Keith to fully commit to art Why daily discipline matters more than “talent” in illustration and animation How Instagram became Keith’s main driver for paid creative work The inside story behind the Cat-e-Corner animated world and Keith’s role in shaping it Why AI art divides creatives—and where it actually fits as a tool The hidden emotional cost of giving up on your dreams for stability How family, identity, and creative purpose overlap in unexpected ways If you care about making things—honestly, imperfectly, and with as much humanity as possible—this episode cuts right to the heart of the creative process 00:00 - Catching up 01:52 - We suck at sports 04:15 - Other life updates 14:41 - Who's our guest? 17:44 - Keith's life updates! 20:33 - Keith's incredible illustration work 34:30 - What is Ditz and Bug Rock? 39:23 - Cat-e-Corner (Animated Shorts) 45:47 - Is AI killing collaboration? 01:12:42 - Does having a family impact your art? 01:19:43 - Sleep schedule nightmares 01:23:21 - Indie film vs Indie animation 01:33:56 - Camera nerd talk 01:37:37 - Mike's new "Fig Rig" camera system 01:48:33 - Surviving as a creative 01:59:06 - Voice Acting 02:01:12 - GAME TIME

Episode Notes What happens when branding chaos meets creative grind? In this episode of Until You Make It, Chris and Mike sit down with designer Chris Rumeau to dig into the messy middle of making things—from sketching hundreds of logos on graph paper to rebranding a local coffee shop, chasing clients through Instagram reels, and figuring out how merch design can carry a career. Along the way, The Bitterheat’s debut video gets dissected, flag football strategy gets way too serious, and the crew debates whether “Razor the Mattress Salesman” was actually cool. From logo dumps and stinger experiments to AI visuals, the crew unpacks how creative work actually happens: late nights, weird tangents, and plenty of trial and error. It’s a mix of design shop talk, production talk, and accidental comedy—all in one episode. What You’ll Discover: How sketching logos by the hundreds can unlock a brand identity Why merch design is a secret bridge for musicians and artists How Instagram reels can actually land real clients The comedy of signatures, stingers, and failed branding experiments The pros and cons of letting AI “help” with creative work Whether you’re grinding through freelance projects, chasing music dreams, or just here for the ridiculous side stories, this episode blends practical lessons with plenty of laughs. 00:00 – New Name? The SEO Struggles of Until You Make It 07:00 – The Bitterheat: First Release and Behind-the-Scenes Stories 14:00 – Guest Chris Joins: From Coffee Shops to Graphic Design 20:00 – The Process: Sketchbooks, Logos, and Finding Clients 27:00 – Creative Balance: Music, Merch, and Video Work 35:00 – Signatures, Branding Experiments, and Razor the Mattress Guy 42:00 – Passion vs. Profession: Why We Create (and for Who) 50:00 – Wrapping Up with Lessons Learned and Next Steps Find out more at https://until-you-make-it.pinecast.co

Episode Notes This week, we dive deep into the world of anamorphic lenses—why they look so cinematic, whether they’re worth the hype, and how they’ve completely changed how we shoot our own projects. From film history to hands-on test shoots (with a side of burritos), we unpack what makes these lenses so alluring and complicated. After years of window shopping, we finally picked up our first set of anamorphic lenses—and used them to shoot a full music video. In this episode, we explore the difference between anamorphic and spherical, the history of Super 35, the struggle with vertical video, and how lens choices affect everything from contrast to storytelling. Plus, a bonus tale about AI girlfriends and milk-based VFX. 00:00 - Intro 08:13 - The Argument for Sirui 17:45 - Rehash from Ep #30 20:19 - The History of Anamorphic 33:11 - Our Experience so far 45:39 - Our Microcenter Story Find out more at https://until-you-make-it.pinecast.co

In this episode, Chris, Mike, and special guest/producer Steve catch up post-film festival to unpack the last few chaotic weeks of filmmaking, festivals, and film nerdery. The guys recount an award-nominated short they worked on, the highs and lows of networking at Golden Door Film Festival and the NJ Film Expo, and some sharp critique on another 9/11-themed short that left everyone confused. They also break down key takeaways from the B&H Build Expo — including what makes video content actually connect with people — and try to make sense of a whirlwind talk from an eccentric AI influencer who may or may not have burned down her childhood home. Plus: Full spoiler review of the new F1 racing film starring Brad Pitt, including what made it work, what fell flat, and how the hell they actually filmed it. (Hint: iPhones, GoPros, and possibly witchcraft.) It’s an episode that swerves from filmmaking strategy to movie criticism to martial arts choreography… with a few laughs and alcohol-related regrets along the way. 0:00 - Intro 05:13 - Networking for film 11:43 - Golden Gate Film Fest 16:00 - The 9/11 Movie We Saw 23:01 - Viral Content Pillars (what we learned) 35:41 - AI Scam or Actual Good Idea? 51:43 - Complete F1 Movie Review 53:46 - F1 General Impressions 58:15 - F1 Movie Fun Facts 01:05:43 - F1 Missed Opportunities? 01:15:37 - Cars Are Dangerous 01:19:26 - Almost Friday TV & Joel Haver Find out more at https://until-you-make-it.pinecast.co

Episode Notes What’s it like working at Netflix Animation for years… and never having anything released? In this episode, we catch up with Joshua Lewkowicz, a longtime friend of the show and an assistant/associate editor at Netflix, to unpack the unseen side of the animation industry — the long hours, the creative burnout, and the projects that disappear into studio limbo. Josh talks candidly about the experience of working on unreleased shows, the highs and lows of bouncing between roles, and what it means to feel like your work isn’t seeing the light of day. We also dig into why Andor might be the best Star Wars series ever made — and how it succeeds where so many others fall flat — before ending with a wild behind-the-scenes story involving stunt choreography, last-minute prep, and Kel Mitchell’s… anatomy. It’s a funny and sobering look at the creative grind — from inside one of the biggest studios in the world. 00:00 - Intro 02:39 - Josh Works At Netflix Animation 05:07 - Making Art No One Will See 16:44 - The Artist Struggle 20:10 - Treat It Like A JOB 26:01 - Why go to Disney Land so often? 31:54 - Is Star Wars Land Cool or nah? 40:21 - Andor is GREAT 52:19 - Guillermo del Toro loves Josh 58:31 - The Kel Mitchell Story 01:15:41 - Test Screening our New Film 01:21:13 - GAME TIME: Writers Room Find out more at https://until-you-make-it.pinecast.co

Episode Notes What’s it really like to tour with a band while shooting their music videos, managing merch, and directing creative strategy—sometimes all at once? On this episode of Until You Make It, we sit down with photographer, videographer, and all-around creative multitasker Connor Meany. From building DIY sets for $10K music video albums to shooting concerts while also acting as tour manager, Connor shares his journey of turning passion projects into a sustainable creative career in the music industry. Connor opens up about the highs and lows of wearing eight different hats on the road, shifting back into music after a stint in e-commerce, and how creative autonomy fuels his best work. We dive deep into the changing expectations of music content creators, surviving the social media video grind, and why working with artists you truly connect with matters more than ever. 00:00:00 - In this ep 00:00:57 - Hosts Catch Up 00:03:20 - What we can learn from grandparents 00:10:50 - Connor intro 00:21:40 - Shooting with bands, how does it work? 00:25:13 - Music video budgets (Save Face) 00:33:00 - Getting creative with budgets 00:40:08 - The shift to "jack-of-all-trades" 00:48:23 - How do you grow shooting music? 00:53:48 - What should you focus on? 00:57:43 - Corporate gigs vs. Passion 01:08:04 - What's your dream music video project? 01:14:20 - Has AI affected this industry? 01:21:23 - Authenticity will prevail... kinda 01:30:18 - The shift to social first content 01:35:03 - What's touring with a band like? 01:46:40 - Never stop making 01:51:53 - The GREAT DEBATE (movie theater madness) 01:58:31 - CHICKEN JOCKEY 02:24:50 - GAME SEGMENT (Improv Music) Find out more at https://until-you-make-it.pinecast.co

Episode Notes What’s it like to land your dream job in TV? Tyler Law shares his journey from student filmmaker to producing award-winning content for Syfy, Oxygen, and more. From goofy college shorts to high-stakes network promos, we dive into the creative grind, staying grounded, and what it really means to “make it.” In this episode: – How Tyler produced the Chucky Season 3 teaser – The workflow behind TV marketing at NBCUniversal – Editing software and gear talk – Why climbing the ladder isn’t always the goal – How networking changed everything 0:00 - Intro 1:19 - Mike & Chris catch up 6:18 - Guest Intro 10:54 - TCNJ Video Stories 20:31 - Tyler stole Chris' Job! 32:42 - Tyler has his DREAM job 48:42 - Happy Right Where I Am 52:38 - Chucky 58:52 - Being a FAN of your own show 1:05:11 - Why the Tools You Use Matter (or Don’t) 1:19:55 - Camera Talk + A Wedding Shoot Disaster 1:23:20 - Man Cow & Milk Man (Our Milk Based Films) 1:31:04 - Our New Film Marketing Strategy 1:46:40 - Our Biggest Critics 1:52:26 - What does "making it" mean to us? 1:55:50 - GAME TIME

On this episode of Until You Make It, Frank takes us behind the scenes of working as an assistant camera in New York City, sharing his unique experiences on a range of productions, including the hit show "Severance". We also explore Frank's passion for shooting on film, diving into the unique differences from shooting digital. Whether you're a film enthusiast, aspiring AC, or curious about the industry, Frank’s insights offer a fascinating look into the art and technical skill of creating images. 0:00 - Intro 5:35 - How we met Frank 15:37 - Working with film cameras 38:22 - Frank is a Union Camera Assistant! 46:52 - Working on "Escape from Dannemora" 56:06 - Someone stole the Arri cameras 01:00:56 - Working on "Severance" 01:06:54 - How do you move up in production world? 01:09:45 - 1st AC requires insane knowledge! 01:15:20 - Everyone on a set is talented 01:22:51 - Director stories 01:24:52 - Beard talk 01:29:44 - Sushi talk 01:39:47 - Mike's audition 01:41:15 - Sopranos 01:46:04 - Frank's advice from his career path 01:59:12 - GAME SEGMENT: Debate Stage 02:09:51 - Quickfire Round 02:17:20 - Outro

Episode Notes Natalie speaks on a one week photography workshop she attended overseas while Chris and Mike warn her of the many goobers that are to be found in creative fields (scary). In this show: 0:00 - Intro 2:00 - Natalie goes to London for photography workshops 17:37 - The process of creativity 24:00 - Fake Ad Break (Clams) 25:50 - Natalie's new mindset for photography 33:13 - How do you go from fan film to Amazon Prime? 39:06 - Consistency in creating/Struggles 52:55 - Chris worked for Call Her Daddy randomly 55:15 - Reliability is key 57:13 - Eric's new game: what do you think? 1:03:50 - The Thing: Even better than you remember 1:06:50 - Soccer player dies from lightning 1:08:35 - Natural disasters 1:11:10 - Chris' pitch for a PSA commercial 1:16:02 - The Goober Theory 1:22:21 - GAME SEGMENT: AI Story Making

Episode Notes Anthony Marinelli is a writer, director, editor, filmmaker, and film buff! Name any classic movie and Anthony can probably not only tell you the year but also who the director was! We learn about Anthony's career path in the creative advertising industry leading up to his most recent creative endeavors including writing plays and his very own book. And what a nice fellow he is :) In this show: 0:00 - Intro 2:00 - Who is Anthony Marinelli 14:05 - TV is where the money is 17:15 - Communicating the vision 25:15 - Editing a superbowl commercial 27:59 - Getting the rights to use Led Zeppelin 32:28 - Kill em with kindness 34:15 - Intersection of Film and Theater 47:15 - Writing scripts 56:30 - Ryan chimes in 01:01:00 - Mike sets up a clip 01:03:05 - Do professionals watch short films? 01:08:05 - Ryan helps Damien Chazelle 01:10:48 - Why make short films 01:17:24 - What kind of camera starting out? 01:31:30 - GAME TIME

Episode Notes Topics covered: Catching up with Andy Shooting spec ads Stories about cops on film sets Nikon/RED Acquisition Photographing an eclipse Pasta Our pitch to G FUEL Investing in yourself GAME SEGMENT: Karaoke!

Episode Notes 0:00 - Intro 2:35 - Behind the scenes of Mycelium 25:38 - San Diego Zoo & Abraham Lincoln 30:40 - Why board games are great 42:50 - Tennis balls 44:50 - Nikon buys RED! 50:55 - Shrek jr. - a masterpiece 56:50 - GAME: Lightning Round

# Episode Notes

# Episode Notes