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The 50/50 Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by 50/50 Film Festival
50% Business, 50% Creative.Hosted by 50/50 founder Luke Steinfeld, and 50/50 Head of Talent Wyatt Sarkisian, the podcast builds on the mission of the platform: to nurture and empower the next generation of industry talent.Join us every tuesday as we sit down with voices from all corners of the entertainment industry, offering educational insight into process, production, and execution.
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- 6 days ago58 min
HOW TO: Channel Relentless Passion (w/ David Jacobson) [RE-RELEASE]
(RE-RELEASE) This week, we resurface a CLASSIC episode. We sit down with David Jacobson, marketing director at Cherry Lane Theatre — freshly reopened under A24 — to talk shepherding one of downtown New York’s most historic stages into its next era. David cut his teeth in sports marketing with the New York Knicks and New York Rangers (not to mention a brief, glorious stint working the second floor of the old times square NikeTown — RIP). Along the way, he adopted a simple philosophy passed down from his dad: the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Ask questions. Meet everyone. Be the “dumbest” person in the room. Remain a fan at heart. David stepped into Cherry Lane just months before its reopening, balancing the theater’s deep, rebellious history with A24’s modern indie sensibility. He says that running marketing there feels more like a startup than an institution. It’s a candid conversation about hustle, taste, and parlaying every job into meaningful relationships. In classic 50/50 fashion, it's another theatre/film mashup. Buckle your seatbelts! YOU GOT OLDER at the Cherry Lane Theatre The Cherry Lane Theatre Instagram HENRY WINKLER'S INSTAGRAM (random but relevant) Submit Your Horror Short!
- 1 weeks ago1h 5m
HOW TO: Take Your Show to Edinburgh and Beyond (w/ Britt Berke)
Director Britt Berke is back on the pod! Since we spoke with her last year, Britt has been BUSY— she most recently directed Ruby Karp’s solo special I DON’T TRUST ADULTS, premiering on VEEPS September 10th. We get into the unique challenges of directing a stand-up special versus theatre (and where the lines between the two blur), including how to manage blocking for stage/film. We also dive deep into Britt’s experience directing Julia Atkin’s CRYING AT MY PODIATRIST, a body-horror solo show she was brought on to direct for the Edinburgh Fringe. She and Julia built the show from the ground up - they workshopped it first in NYC and then jetted off to Edinburgh where they only had room for minimal set dressing and a two-person crew. Britt gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to put up a show at Fringe — including flyering strategies, theatre timeslots, director fees, costs, and why so many industry people love Edinburgh. Plus: shipping-container bars, late-night theatre kid antics, seeing 20+ shows in a month, the list could go on and on. We close the interview by highlighting Britt’s recent directing residencies, how she chooses the projects she wants to work on, and what’s next — including her upcoming production of PHYL at the Mint Theater Company. I DON'T TRUST ADULTS (Britt Directed Ruby Karp Special - on VEEPS Sept 10th) CRYING AT MY PODIATRIST (FRINGE) PHYL at MINT THEATRE (Oct 3rd - Nov 7th) BRITT'S WEBSITE BRITT'S INSTA Submit Your Horror Short
- 2 weeks ago1h 24m
HOW TO: Provoke, Produce, Perfect (w/ Gabriella Mykal)
This week, we sit down with filmmaker/visual artist Gabriella Mykal to talk about her journey from making experimental films in Texas to CalArts, where she made her first doc feature, RP — a documentary exploring the normalization of traumatic sexual experiences through fan fiction. Gabriella discusses the film’s unconventional approach to documentary filmmaking, heavily featuring reenactments to create something that feels high-concept, intellectual, and deeply psychological. We also talk about the experience of seeing the film connect with audiences at its international premiere at TIFF Next Wave. We also discuss the more business-y elements to Gabriella's film career thus far: her work in reality TV post-production at Renegade83, working on Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut under producer Tiffany Persons, and working in development at Shondaland. We dig into the lessons she learned from each of those experiences, how she managed to keep writing throughout demanding day jobs. Finally, we talk about her plans to actually get those films made — and the reasoning for starting with the most grounded of her many scripts. RAPE PLAY - TRAILER RAPE PLAY (TIFF SITE) WHAT'S TROUBLING YOU? (w/ JOSH CARONE) GABRIELLA'S WEBSITE INSTA Blacklist Projects Lab Announcement Submit Your Horror Short
- 3 weeks ago1h 9m
HOW TO: Make and Sell a Stand-Up Special (w/ Ruby Karp)
This week, we sit down with comedian Ruby Karp! We briefly recap Ruby's unconventional childhood (for more on that, listen to our first episode with her!); how growing up with a single mom ended up with the early UCB improvisers essentially serving as her babysitters. Her solo show, I Don’t Trust Adults, draws from that experience — exploring what it’s like to grow up surrounded by adults, growing up way too fast in some ways and not at all in others. After a successful run at Soho Theatre in NYC, Ruby filmed the show as a standup special, and we get into the ins and outs of working with a theatre, crew, director, and editor to bring a live show to the screen — as well as the business of selling it as a special to a streamer. We also dive into Ruby’s approach to launching the special after selling it to VEEPS, a newer streamer focused on comedy and emerging voices. From clips and man-on-the-street content to PR and social strategy, Ruby breaks down how she thinks about turning a special into a full-blown digital campaign. Having previously worked at Betches and Unwell producing social content for other creators, she’s become a one-person digital marketing powerhouse. Watch I Don't Trust Adults -- on VEEPS Sept 10th! I DON'T TRUST ADULTS (VEEPS) Deadline Announcement Ruby Betches Submit Your Horror Short
- Aug 18, 20261h 16m
HOW TO: Get Out of Your Own Way and BE FUNNY! (w/ Kenzie Gross)
This week, actor/comedian/musician Kenzie Gross joins us to talk about growing up in a sports family, where constant competition and a full plate of extracurriculars instilled a strong work ethic in her from a young age. After growing up in Portland, OR and finding her place in musical theatre—often playing the comedic relief—Kenzie headed to USC, where she continued performing and eventually interned at The Groundlings. That experience made her realize, “Oh yeah, this is what I want to do forever.” We dive into the equally terrifying experiences of starting stand-up and posting comedy videos online, discussing what it’s like to throw yourself into the deep end as a performer, finding your comedic voice, and learning to get comfortable being uncomfortable. KENZIE'S INSTA Submit Your Horror Short
- Aug 11, 20261h 18m
HOW TO: Build an Internet Sketch Group (w/ Josh Carone of 2bd2bth)
This week, we talk with Josh Carone of 2bd2bth! We discuss how a conversation with fellow creator and friend Milky Tran was the catalyst for Josh and his comedy partner Jenny to start the group, and they quickly fell in love with the immediate gratification of making internet sketches — the ability to come up with a variety of ideas and bring them to life quickly. For Josh, who had previously only written features, the format felt incredibly freeing artistically. We talk about the process of seeking authenticity while simultaneously paying attention to what the platforms actually want. Josh also discusses the rise of 2bd2bth while continuing to work a day job on the content side at Sony, an experience that gave him a unique perspective at the intersection of digital content and film — and taught him a ton along the way. We also dig into his beloved short DON’T PAUSE THE GAME, which is a drama (we dont see a ton of drama shorts these days), and Josh's take on male communication. 2BD2BTH INSTA JOSH INSTA DONT PAUSE THE GAME (SHORT FILM)
- Aug 4, 20261h 20m
HOW TO: Experience THE ROOM Through a New Lens (w/ Josh Folan, Jonathan Mann, and Ted Garvey)
Some movies become cult classics. THE ROOM became a phenomenon. This week, we're joined by Josh Folan, Jonathan Mann, and Ted Garvey, the filmmaking team behind the animated documentary ROOM TONE: THE SOUND OF THE ROOM, which tells the unbelievable story of Tommy Wiseau's infamous film through the eyes of the people who were actually there. After meeting legendary sound mixer Zsolt, Josh realized that he was one of the only constants on THE ROOM's famously chaotic set; and he had an incredible story to tell. Alongside boom operator Tim D. Lloyd, Zsolt offers a firsthand perspective on one of the most dysfunctional productions in movie history—and because archival footage wasn't an option, Josh enlisted Jonathan and Ted to bring these stories to life through animation. We dive into the creative pipeline behind the documentary, from interviews to illustration to the years-long animation process, and discuss the unique challenge of visually recreating stories that had never been seen before. We also talk about the reactions from the people who actually made THE ROOM, what it meant to finally share the finished film with them, and how the project became a source of creative freedom for everyone involved. BUY THE FILM ROOM TONE TRAILER ROOM TONE (LETTERBOXD) ROOM TONE (IMDB) SUBMIT YOUR HORROR SHORT!
- Jul 28, 20261h 5m
HOW TO: Come of Age Through Film (w/ Parker Fenady)
This week, we're joined by writer/director Parker Fenady (2x 50/50 Alum). Parker reflects on growing up around the film industry while still forging her own creative identity, the pivotal feedback from a professor that challenged her to look beyond technical skill, and how studying acting in London helped shape not only her craft, but her perspective as a storyteller. Together, we explore her mission to tell stories about women coming of age through one another, and why understanding your artistic purpose is just as important as mastering the craft itself. We also dive into Parker's acclaimed short I Didn't Like You, unpacking its grassroots success, why she chose to promote the film with a zine instead of a traditional trailer, and how the growing appetite for fresh queer stories helped audiences discover the film. The conversation then turns personal as we discuss the realities of balancing relationships with a creative career, navigating love as an artist, and finding harmony between the people you care about and the work you're passionate about. I DIDN'T LIKE YOU (50/50 COMEDY 2026) ZINE/WEBSITE - I DIDN'T LIKE YOU Gen Z Creatives List - Parker F. SEANCE Short Film (early 50/50 Selection) Submit Your Horror Short!
About The 50/50 Podcast
50% Business, 50% Creative.Hosted by 50/50 founder Luke Steinfeld, and 50/50 Head of Talent Wyatt Sarkisian, the podcast builds on the mission of the platform: to nurture and empower the next generation of industry talent.Join us every tuesday as we sit down with voices from all corners of the entertainment industry, offering educational insight into process, production, and execution.
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