Episode 500 Special! Filmmaking Advice: Audience Q&A, IndieFilm determination & Director Secrets with Giles Alderson, Dom Lenoir and Phil Hawkins

We made it to Episode 500! 🎉 After 9 years, over 600 hours of audio, and interviews with hundreds of the greatest directors, writers, actors and producers in the world, The Filmmakers Podcast is celebrating its 500th episode the best way we know how: by turning the microphones over to YOU. In this massive milestone episode, hosts and working filmmakers Giles Alderson (The Dare), Dom Lenoir (Winter Ridge), and Phil Hawkins (Robin and the Hoods) sit down to answer your audience questions. We strip back the curtain on our own filmmaking journeys, share the brutal realities of the indie hustle, and reflect on the greatest pieces of advice we’ve gathered from half a thousand episodes. From chatting about micro-budget producing to remembering our legendary sit-downs with cinematic titans like Sam Raimi, Paul Schrader, Steven Knight, Ari Aster, Chris McQuarrie and Zack Snyder, this episode is a love letter to the independent filmmaking community that makes this show possible. In this 500th Episode Q&A, we discuss: The Origin Story: How the podcast started as a chat between friends in 2017. The "Host" Hustle: How Giles, Dom, and Phil balance making actual feature films with running lives and the podcast. The Greatest Advice: The best lessons we've learned from 500 episodes about overcoming the fear of failure, financing indie films, and surviving on set. Your Questions Answered: Tackling the biggest hurdles our listeners are facing right now in 2026. What’s Next? For the hosts and where the podcast goes from here! Thank you for 500 episodes of listening, sharing, and making movies. We are in the business of making films, not just talking about them—now go get your next project made! Support the show & join the community:

You can listen to Episode 500 Special! Filmmaking Advice: Audience Q&A, IndieFilm determination & Director Secrets with Giles Alderson, Dom Lenoir and Phil Hawkins online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Episode 500 Special! Filmmaking Advice: Audience Q&A, IndieFilm determination & Director Secrets with Giles Alderson, Dom Lenoir and Phil Hawkins is an episode from The Filmmakers Podcast by Giles Alderson.

This episode is 90:14 long.

This episode was published on Mar 9, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from The Filmmakers Podcast when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.