444 - Oscar Boyson on Directing Our Hero, Balthazar, Working with The Neistat Brothers, Empathy Machines vs. Validation Machines, and Failing in Public

This episode is brought to you by Anthropic. Claude is the AI for minds that don’t stop at good enough—it&#39;s the collaborator that actually understands your entire workflow and thinks WITH you, not for you. Ready to tackle bigger problems? Sign up for Claude Pro when you use our link – www.claude.ai/makeitThis episode is brought to you by our e-book Mastering Film Marketing. Get your copy today at https://themakeitpodcast.com/products/mastering-film-marketing. Use the Discount code: NASHFILM20 for 20% off EVERYTHING at themakeitpodcast.comHello, Hello! In this episode, Chris &amp; Papa Bear sit down with filmmaker Oscar Boyson to discuss his directorial debut, Our Hero, Balthazar, a provocative and critically talked-about indie film that has been called the most controversial movie of the year. Oscar shares how his unconventional path — from competitive freestyle skier in Maine to Craigslist hire at the Neistat Brothers&#39; studio — shaped him into the filmmaker he is today. The conversation spans filmmaking craft, the dangers of AI dependency, the power of perseverance over ideas, and what it truly means to get an independent film in front of audiences.We also talk about:The thematic parallels between Our Hero, Balthazar, and the 1995 indie classic Kids, including how both films straddle the line between being cautionary tales for parents and romanticized adventures for younger viewersThe growing role of AI tools like ChatGPT in everyday decision-making, and whether over-reliance on AI is creating a generation that can no longer think or fail independently — including the concept of &#34;Gellman Amnesia&#34; as a lens for understanding AI&#39;s credibility problemThe social media &#34;validation machine&#34; phenomenon, how algorithms reinforce existing beliefs and behaviors, and what that means for youth culture, mental health, and even real-world violenceThe importance of perseverance over ideas in the creative process, drawing on Casey Neistat&#39;s famous motto — &#34;Ideas are common, perseverance is rare&#34; — and how Oscar applied that philosophy to his own career and filmmaking journeyThe practical and ethical considerations of using firearms and blank-firing weapons on an indie film set in the post-Rust era, including the critical role of a professional armorer and the creative reasoning behind using blanks for actor authenticityPeople, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned:PeopleOscar BoysonCasey NeistatVan NeistatRicky CamilleriNate DeYoungJosh &amp; Benny SafdieGreta GerwigNoah BaumbachTom SachsFrank GehryAsa ButterfieldJaeden MartellStephen PhelpsChristopher MessinaLena DunhamSam LisencoHarmony KorineRosario DawsonChloë SevignyRoger Ebert<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Siskel" rel="nofol