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NOTE
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This season of Truly Independent is
supported by the Help Them See Foundation.
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Help Them See is a nonprofit dedicated
to supporting feature films that
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inspire faith, hope, and connection.
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By partnering with filmmakers
that help them see Foundation
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brings meaningful stories to life
and shares them with audiences
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worldwide, making a lasting cultural
impact through the power of cinema.
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Learn more and discover how you can
be part of the movement by visiting.
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Help them see foundation.
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Welcome to Season three
of Truly Independent.
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I'm Garrett Batty, alongside
my co-host Daren Smith.
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Each week we'll go in depth with guests,
industry experts, and we'll even share
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our own experiences, all with the goal of
demystifying the independent film process.
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This season, it's all about the
script from the first spark of an
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idea to a polished final draft,
breaking it down for scheduling,
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budgeting, and ultimately shooting.
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We'll walk through every step it
takes to get from page to production.
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Welcome to Truly Independent.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Hello.
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Hello, and welcome to another
episode of Truly Independent.
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I'm Gary Batty co-host and with me
today is Daren Smith, of course,
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daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Hey.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Daren.
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How are you?
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daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I am good.
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It's good to be here.
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I love doing this.
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So like anytime we have other
stuff, that's before or after,
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I'm like, guys, I gotta go.
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'cause truly the pet
is recording right now.
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So we had that happen this morning.
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We were on a marketing call for
brotherhood and it's we gotta go see ya.
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So we're here, we made it.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
we're here, we're in Truly independent.
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We've got an episode and
we have a guest with us
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daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Hey.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
listening into our intro.
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And now we're gonna introduce her.
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Savannah Osler, incredible filmmaker,
director and longtime friend.
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Savannah, how are you?
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Nice to see you.
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Hey, it's amazing seeing
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you as well, Gary.
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And Daren.
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Oh my gosh.
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I'm just thrilled to be here.
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I'm doing wonderful.
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daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Thank you.
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We're excited to have you.
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You're like the local queen of
indie film, so be a great convo.
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I'll gladly take that title that's
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really, really, really sweet
and generous and flattering.
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Thank you.
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daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
No, of course.
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You've got a new project coming out,
which, what number film is this for you?
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
This new film that I have coming
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out, it's my third feature film.
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daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Okay,
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Third
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daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
That's a big.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: it
seems like Savannah, in between features.
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I see you working on
other people's projects.
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I see
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Doing shorter format stuff.
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You were always telling narrative stories.
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Is that.
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah,
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
that just your Facebook
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feed or is that accurate?
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
no, that's totally accurate.
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Of course, Facebook always,
makes us look, cooler.
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I don't know, like I sometimes,
feel as an indie filmmaker, you get
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a little bit of imposter syndrome.
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I'm sure you guys.
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Can even relate.
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I'm not sure, but yeah,
I'm always telling stories.
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I'm directing commercials for ad agencies
like Chamber Media and Harmon Brothers.
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I've worked with them all and creatively
and also, yeah, short narrative.
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I am actually working on a new short film.
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It's one I didn't write.
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But I was hired to direct it
and we're shooting this spring.
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I'm really excited because it's
unlike anything I've ever done before.
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It's, it's a thriller, so I've never,
I've never told any story quite like
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that, so I'm really excited you.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh, very cool.
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Ah, I'm looking forward to
seeing whatever it is you do.
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'cause it's always very enjoyable.
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Savannah.
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For, again, as we were talking about
our podcast, our goal is to really
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just demystify this independent film
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
and just how to get films going.
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And you I'm having a hard time
deciding where to start with you.
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You have had some incredible independent
films and you it does feel like you
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have earned that title of kind of this
queen of independent film as far as in,
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in our local circles and even beyond.
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh wow.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: So
just a little bit of your background.
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How did, where did you get into this
and how has this always been something
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you've wanted to do and what finally
gave you the the go ahead to do it?
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh my gosh, that's a wonderful question.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Great.
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Garrett.
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And it's almost like, yeah, I don't
know where to start, but I guess
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I'll start from the beginning.
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I've always been a huge Disney fan.
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Uh, you can't, you can't
really see my office.
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It's a little cluttered right now,
so I'm like, I, I didn't wanna like
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show it off, but I got a lot of Disney
like Disney memorabilia everywhere.
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I love Disney and you know, like
happy stories and inspiring stories.
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And I remember the very
first movie I remember.
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Seeing in theaters was the Lion
King, like the actual, the live,
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not, sorry, not the live action.
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The original.
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The og the og, the 1994 version.
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And I remember watching that,
you know, as a tiny kid and just
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like as soon as the lights dimmed
picture started, it was just like.
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Absolute quiet silence.
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People are invested in this story.
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You know, the credits roll
and the music starts like, ha.
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And I was like, just absolutely taken.
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And then when and you
know, eating popcorn.
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It's just that whole experience.
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And then, you know, of course
the tragedy with Mufasa dying and
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adults were crying in the theater.
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Like, I turned around, I'm
like, oh my gosh, like this.
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Movie.
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It's a movie that is making, that
is moving people this much and it's
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moving me and it's taking me on this
wild journey of, songs and, and,
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happiness and, and joy, but also
tears and, you know, inspiration.
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And, and I just, from that
moment on, I just realized like I
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wanted to work in this industry.
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I wanted to.
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Tell stories, you know, I didn't
know how, obviously I was four,
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but I'm like, I'm, I'm gonna do it.
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And so, you know, I was in little
theater groups and I started writing,
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I think when I was like, I think the
earliest memory I have of myself writing
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was like eight, maybe eight years old.
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Just writing short stories and then long
stories, fan fiction, that was my jam and.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
And then when I got older I grew up on
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Lizzie McGuire, you know, Hillary Duff.
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She was like my role model and I
was like, oh my gosh, I have to
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do this, I have to tell stories.
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And so I started with acting,
'cause I, I, I really enjoyed it.
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Uh, joined theater groups and did some
like camps at the Hale Center Theater.
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And then my parents realized like,
I think, you know, like, yeah,
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she's really serious about this.
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So they heard an advertisement on the
radio for a film charter high school
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locally called East Hollywood High.
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Have you guys heard of it?
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
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Yeah.
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In fact, yeah, I'm familiar with
some of the teachers there, and.
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Have looked at doing
some projects with them,
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
That's,
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daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
not heard of it.
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I have not heard of it,
so I'm like, what now?
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
oh, it's the, yeah, it's like
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this hidden gem and it's, I think
the first year it opened like
00:07:09.359 --> 00:07:11.219
in 2006 or 2005, so it was like.
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Perfect.
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I went my junior and and senior year
there, and that's where I first took
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screenwriting classes with Nathan
Smith Jones, acting class classes
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with Christopher Robin Miller.
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Like we had some awesome teachers.
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And then my film production
teacher, I know you guys.
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Know him, Mario D'Angelos.
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He is fantastic.
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And that's when I started first
writing my first screenplay twice the
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Dream at East Hollywood High School.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Is that right?
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Okay.
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
East Hollywood High School and then
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rounded up the resources
to make twice a dream.
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah, I guess in a very nonlinear.
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garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
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I'm making it sound simple.
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savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
As you guys know, like independent
00:08:03.584 --> 00:08:06.464
film is, is very non-linear.
00:08:06.464 --> 00:08:08.204
There's so many ups and downs.
00:08:08.444 --> 00:08:13.214
Yeah, I, I actually started writing
twice the dream, like the story
00:08:13.214 --> 00:08:15.704
of it when I was 14 in math class.
00:08:15.704 --> 00:08:19.694
I was, I was never really good in
math and like, I was just a, you know,
00:08:19.694 --> 00:08:23.864
always daydreaming, like thinking,
ah, you know, I don't know how this
00:08:23.864 --> 00:08:25.544
is ever gonna apply to my life.
00:08:25.544 --> 00:08:28.014
I'm just gonna, write
a story in my notebook.
00:08:28.014 --> 00:08:29.694
And then that story really.
00:08:29.969 --> 00:08:32.609
Captured me and I was like,
I need to make this movie.
00:08:33.119 --> 00:08:37.262
I went to East Hollywood High School
and started, actually writing it
00:08:37.262 --> 00:08:40.652
as a script, and I was just hooked.
00:08:40.652 --> 00:08:45.392
You know, like, I just knew, like, you,
you know, once you find that story, that
00:08:45.872 --> 00:08:51.130
this is the one, this is the one that,
that I'm gonna tell this is I need to,
00:08:51.190 --> 00:08:52.570
I need to get this movie out there.
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So after graduating East Hollywood.
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I was working at the movie theater,
just saving pennies so I could move
00:09:01.280 --> 00:09:06.710
to LA because, I thought, yeah, you
know, everyone makes movies in LA like
00:09:06.740 --> 00:09:08.510
I'll probably have better luck there.
00:09:08.930 --> 00:09:12.470
I am, I'm still very glad I
made the move to LA because I
00:09:12.470 --> 00:09:15.290
think it really it grounded me.
00:09:15.290 --> 00:09:19.200
Plus I also furthered
my, filmmaking education.
00:09:19.912 --> 00:09:23.602
Had tremendous teachers
film production and acting.
00:09:24.142 --> 00:09:28.072
And it, I think, yeah, it just,
it just really grounded me.
00:09:28.072 --> 00:09:31.612
And also in reality, like, you
know, you'd be at Starbucks and a
00:09:31.612 --> 00:09:35.122
dozen other screenwriters, like with
their laptop, like with Final Draft.
00:09:35.122 --> 00:09:37.942
I'm like, huh, I guess everyone
has a script here, you know?
00:09:40.522 --> 00:09:43.457
And here I thought I was special, but but.
00:09:44.797 --> 00:09:49.027
And funny enough, I think it was
like 20 17, 20 18, I was already
00:09:49.027 --> 00:09:51.157
there for about eight years.
00:09:51.787 --> 00:09:57.217
Utah just started calling back to
me and I'm like, you know what?
00:09:57.817 --> 00:10:04.027
I think that's where we need to be
Utah, and maybe that's where we'll have
00:10:04.027 --> 00:10:06.672
better luck making twice the dream.
00:10:07.822 --> 00:10:08.112
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Okay.
00:10:08.497 --> 00:10:11.317
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
because like I was, I and I had so many
00:10:12.157 --> 00:10:16.507
pitch meetings and producer meetings and
you, I can't tell you how many people
00:10:16.507 --> 00:10:18.077
told me like, oh, it's a great story.
00:10:18.077 --> 00:10:18.677
I love it.
00:10:18.677 --> 00:10:22.307
But have you ever thought of making it
two brothers instead of two sisters?
00:10:22.307 --> 00:10:24.437
Because the story follows two sisters and.
00:10:26.312 --> 00:10:29.522
Because they said oh, male
oriented stories are Mark more
00:10:29.522 --> 00:10:30.932
marketable, blah, blah, blah.
00:10:31.502 --> 00:10:34.142
And that was just a big no for me.
00:10:34.142 --> 00:10:39.777
I said, no, this is very much a female,
you know, it's a story on sisterhood.
00:10:40.452 --> 00:10:42.842
And, that's, that's very important.
00:10:42.842 --> 00:10:45.182
So if I have to wait longer, that's fine.
00:10:45.782 --> 00:10:49.652
And then of course, there's so many
people like, oh yeah, you know, like, if
00:10:49.652 --> 00:10:53.792
you've raised the first half a million,
I can get you the rest, blah, blah, blah.
00:10:54.212 --> 00:10:56.607
I, you, you've, you get know the drill.
00:10:56.607 --> 00:10:57.867
And, and I was just like, ugh.
00:10:58.257 --> 00:11:02.547
It just felt like I was running into
wall after wall after wall there,
00:11:03.027 --> 00:11:06.657
and I just finally was decided,
you know what, maybe if we, I.
00:11:07.977 --> 00:11:12.687
If we, uh, look for other
opportunities in Utah, and maybe
00:11:12.687 --> 00:11:15.387
we can do it ourselves, you know?
00:11:15.387 --> 00:11:20.847
And, and because I, at first, like I
was trying to make it for a million
00:11:20.847 --> 00:11:26.457
dollars, but it soon, not soon, like
it took me years to realize this.
00:11:26.457 --> 00:11:26.962
I, I, I.
00:11:28.002 --> 00:11:32.532
Came to the realization, like, I don't
know if anyone's going to give a first
00:11:32.532 --> 00:11:34.572
time filmmaker a million dollars.
00:11:34.872 --> 00:11:37.482
Like, I feel like that's very rare.
00:11:38.229 --> 00:11:42.102
Um, unless like you have a really wealthy
uncle, which unfortunately I didn't.
00:11:42.957 --> 00:11:49.257
So I decided to write it, tailor the
script a little bit more, catered toward
00:11:49.257 --> 00:11:55.517
a lower budget because it, it used to,
require like so many ritzy things and
00:11:55.517 --> 00:11:57.377
locations and everything like that.
00:11:57.377 --> 00:12:01.067
And it was actually set in la so
I, I thought about setting it in
00:12:01.067 --> 00:12:06.352
like a small, um, mountain, rural
town that we can shoot in Utah
00:12:06.652 --> 00:12:06.942
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Sure.
00:12:07.457 --> 00:12:08.357
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
and stuff like that.
00:12:08.357 --> 00:12:13.847
So I, I, I kind of like, I guess
put my producing hat on and
00:12:13.847 --> 00:12:15.832
looked at it that way and just.
00:12:16.982 --> 00:12:21.962
Started raising money, pretty much
just knocking on everyone's doors.
00:12:21.962 --> 00:12:29.882
I knew and probably the person I
least expected to help me would
00:12:29.882 --> 00:12:33.482
wanna help me and trust and,
and wanna invest in the film.
00:12:33.512 --> 00:12:37.062
That's who ultimately in
invested in the movie.
00:12:37.277 --> 00:12:37.447
And
00:12:37.747 --> 00:12:38.037
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Okay.
00:12:38.527 --> 00:12:39.937
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah, it was just kind of like crazy.
00:12:41.037 --> 00:12:46.747
You know, it was like, oh, and then,
so now they were technically an
00:12:46.747 --> 00:12:49.427
angel investor, which is, incredible.
00:12:50.897 --> 00:12:52.967
And then, um, I also
00:12:53.957 --> 00:12:54.197
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
What do you mean by that?
00:12:54.197 --> 00:12:55.142
What do you mean by angel investor?
00:12:55.907 --> 00:12:58.157
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
basically like they, it was like.
00:13:00.992 --> 00:13:06.842
They straight up told me like if you don't
pay me back anything, like it's fine.
00:13:06.902 --> 00:13:10.322
I just, this is, I'm investing
in you and your career.
00:13:11.567 --> 00:13:13.757
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
How many conversations do you think
00:13:13.757 --> 00:13:17.267
you had to have or that you think
you had for that first film to try
00:13:17.267 --> 00:13:19.067
and raise the budget that you had?
00:13:19.532 --> 00:13:20.492
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh my gosh.
00:13:21.217 --> 00:13:24.542
I, I can't even, it's
almost like over a hundred.
00:13:24.542 --> 00:13:25.022
Yeah.
00:13:25.052 --> 00:13:25.592
Hundreds.
00:13:25.592 --> 00:13:29.162
I think, you know, like I was, I
was constantly talking about it,
00:13:29.162 --> 00:13:34.862
you know, and, and I think it's, if
I wasn't like, just so passionate
00:13:34.862 --> 00:13:36.782
about it, like I would eat.
00:13:37.802 --> 00:13:40.832
Sleep and dream this story.
00:13:40.862 --> 00:13:43.787
If I wasn't so passionate about
it, I would've given up years ago,
00:13:43.882 --> 00:13:44.782
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I think that's one of the things
00:13:44.782 --> 00:13:46.432
we hear a lot of, and that is
00:13:46.442 --> 00:13:49.382
Nature of what we're doing
as indie filmmakers is.
00:13:50.057 --> 00:13:51.887
Sometimes it's that
passion that drives us.
00:13:51.972 --> 00:13:56.412
Love that you said, okay, this may
or may not this will not happen.
00:13:56.412 --> 00:13:58.092
If I'm seeking to raise a million dollars
00:13:58.147 --> 00:13:58.897
not gonna happen.
00:13:58.992 --> 00:13:59.282
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:13:59.582 --> 00:14:02.407
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: And we
sometimes we become our biggest obstacle,
00:14:03.397 --> 00:14:07.297
once we get outta the way of kind of
this precious idea, you say, look, the
00:14:07.297 --> 00:14:12.917
goal is to make a movie, to, whatever
is stopping me from making a movie.
00:14:12.967 --> 00:14:14.437
Let's look at the resources that I have.
00:14:14.437 --> 00:14:18.577
I've got access to a small Utah
town, or I've got access to it
00:14:18.577 --> 00:14:20.047
is, crew at East Hollywood High.
00:14:20.917 --> 00:14:22.432
I don't have access to a million dollars,
00:14:22.732 --> 00:14:23.062
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:14:23.077 --> 00:14:24.577
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
use what I have to make this movie.
00:14:25.282 --> 00:14:26.452
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah, exactly.
00:14:26.452 --> 00:14:31.372
And then also my husband is
graduated from film school and he's a
00:14:31.372 --> 00:14:33.772
talented cinematographer and editor.
00:14:34.222 --> 00:14:39.022
Yeah, we invested in a camera, a
red camera with a nice zoom package.
00:14:39.359 --> 00:14:39.839
So it was a.
00:14:41.204 --> 00:14:44.812
Our budget was a combination of
like our soft money resources,
00:14:44.812 --> 00:14:50.002
like our camera camera equipment
genie, and then also the hard money.
00:14:50.302 --> 00:14:56.572
But our budget, it was very small, even
including post it was like $50,000.
00:14:56.572 --> 00:14:57.622
That's twice the dream it,
00:14:58.672 --> 00:14:59.062
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Wow.
00:14:59.422 --> 00:14:59.752
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
but
00:14:59.767 --> 00:15:02.047
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Savannah, it sounds and you were able to,
00:15:03.007 --> 00:15:04.507
you were able to distribute that movie.
00:15:04.507 --> 00:15:05.647
It's released, it's out there.
00:15:05.697 --> 00:15:06.477
People can watch it.
00:15:06.612 --> 00:15:07.092
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:15:07.157 --> 00:15:08.027
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
That's kinda what we're doing.
00:15:08.077 --> 00:15:09.942
It, it doesn't do any
good as a screenplay.
00:15:09.942 --> 00:15:11.412
Just sitting there not being made.
00:15:11.482 --> 00:15:12.172
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Exactly.
00:15:12.262 --> 00:15:12.712
Yeah.
00:15:12.772 --> 00:15:13.822
It's like I had to,
00:15:14.617 --> 00:15:15.967
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
sorry, but you were like a
00:15:15.967 --> 00:15:17.257
multi hyphenate on that, right?
00:15:17.257 --> 00:15:20.377
You wrote directed, produced,
starred in, et cetera,
00:15:20.727 --> 00:15:21.252
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah, yeah.
00:15:21.552 --> 00:15:21.882
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:15:21.897 --> 00:15:23.457
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
would say, I mean, I guess
00:15:23.457 --> 00:15:26.827
CoStar but yeah, multi h, yeah.
00:15:27.307 --> 00:15:28.117
Act, yeah.
00:15:28.417 --> 00:15:29.197
Rope produce.
00:15:29.272 --> 00:15:31.067
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
led to this, the second one.
00:15:31.067 --> 00:15:32.597
Then you did a sequel.
00:15:32.897 --> 00:15:34.232
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah, we did a sequel
00:15:34.232 --> 00:15:35.642
called Even In Dreams.
00:15:35.882 --> 00:15:36.872
This is low key.
00:15:36.872 --> 00:15:38.672
This is how I got the idea.
00:15:39.422 --> 00:15:43.592
So we were at the premiere of
Twice the Dream at Jordan Commons,
00:15:44.162 --> 00:15:48.172
and it was right before you
know, the theatrical release and.
00:15:49.342 --> 00:15:50.212
I kid you not.
00:15:50.242 --> 00:15:54.622
'cause it had an open ending at
the end and the audience at the
00:15:54.622 --> 00:15:55.552
end, they were like cheering.
00:15:55.552 --> 00:15:56.842
They're like, seek, seek, see.
00:15:57.232 --> 00:16:00.862
And you know, at first I was like, oh
yeah, that's, that's never gonna happen.
00:16:00.862 --> 00:16:01.882
The story's finished.
00:16:02.362 --> 00:16:07.152
I think it, it, maybe it was like six
months later or a eight months later
00:16:07.152 --> 00:16:08.832
I started really thinking about it.
00:16:08.832 --> 00:16:09.102
I was like.
00:16:10.917 --> 00:16:15.147
Hey, what if these characters,
their journey was not done?
00:16:15.512 --> 00:16:19.262
What if, and then I, it
just came to me in a song.
00:16:20.342 --> 00:16:23.222
So I started writing the
song first, even in dreams.
00:16:23.582 --> 00:16:25.082
And then the script.
00:16:25.142 --> 00:16:28.727
I think I wrote the first draft of that
in like three weeks, maybe two weeks.
00:16:28.892 --> 00:16:30.662
I, it was crazy.
00:16:31.902 --> 00:16:34.052
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
So we glossed over this step here
00:16:34.052 --> 00:16:38.282
that you made a movie, $50,000,
you got investors, you made it, and
00:16:38.312 --> 00:16:40.052
then you went and got distribution.
00:16:40.052 --> 00:16:43.322
Like a lot of people who are producing
micro budget stuff, ultra low
00:16:43.322 --> 00:16:45.752
budget stuff, that's like sub 500 k,
00:16:46.087 --> 00:16:46.597
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:16:47.072 --> 00:16:47.912
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
with that step.
00:16:47.912 --> 00:16:50.402
So tell us a little bit about
the distribution process and how
00:16:50.437 --> 00:16:50.587
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh, I,
00:16:50.642 --> 00:16:51.152
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: line up
00:16:51.452 --> 00:16:51.927
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah, that's a great.
00:16:52.657 --> 00:16:54.517
That's a great question.
00:16:54.517 --> 00:17:01.207
I mean, the theatrical, honestly, I had
some connections still from working at
00:17:01.257 --> 00:17:05.727
the movie theater when, you know, I was
a teenager, so I called I think she was
00:17:05.727 --> 00:17:07.257
like my assistant manager at the time.
00:17:07.257 --> 00:17:08.217
She was my manager.
00:17:08.457 --> 00:17:11.307
I was like, Hey, I don't
know if you remember me.
00:17:11.307 --> 00:17:14.067
You know I used to sell popcorn with
you, and she's like, oh yeah, yes.
00:17:14.877 --> 00:17:17.969
And she's like, and I said,
yeah, well, I make movies now.
00:17:17.997 --> 00:17:19.617
I have this movie and.
00:17:20.832 --> 00:17:21.792
Is this crazy?
00:17:21.792 --> 00:17:27.012
It might be crazy, but I kind
of want to pitch it to the film
00:17:27.012 --> 00:17:28.452
buyer at Megaplex theaters.
00:17:28.452 --> 00:17:29.892
Like, how do I go by that?
00:17:30.372 --> 00:17:32.862
Or, and she's like, oh yeah,
let me give you his number.
00:17:32.862 --> 00:17:34.302
Like, yeah, you have
to call the film buyer.
00:17:34.302 --> 00:17:39.842
And I just had this conversation and they
agreed to, to book it, you know, in a
00:17:39.842 --> 00:17:42.152
number of theaters, which was awesome.
00:17:42.362 --> 00:17:44.132
So it was honestly just a phone call.
00:17:44.132 --> 00:17:45.122
Sometimes you have to.
00:17:45.827 --> 00:17:49.577
You have to be, so you
have to have the audacity.
00:17:49.707 --> 00:17:50.547
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
distribution.
00:17:50.597 --> 00:17:50.847
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:17:50.927 --> 00:17:54.587
You have to have the audacity just to pick
up the phone and be like, you know what?
00:17:55.127 --> 00:17:55.877
I made a movie.
00:17:56.177 --> 00:17:59.837
Yeah, it's an independent movie, but
I'm happy with how it turned out.
00:17:59.847 --> 00:18:04.377
Audiences, people are responding
to it and let's see if we can work
00:18:04.377 --> 00:18:06.072
something out so that quickly.
00:18:07.397 --> 00:18:12.857
It not only played in Utah, but then
another theater chain called me Harkins
00:18:12.947 --> 00:18:16.697
Theaters and was like, Hey, I heard
about this movie twice The dream, you
00:18:16.697 --> 00:18:18.167
know, we'd like to play in Arizona.
00:18:18.167 --> 00:18:18.797
We also have.
00:18:19.517 --> 00:18:21.527
A couple other theaters
like in California.
00:18:21.527 --> 00:18:22.577
I was like, oh my gosh.
00:18:22.847 --> 00:18:26.657
Yeah, I'd love my movie to
play in Arizona and California.
00:18:26.657 --> 00:18:31.517
So it was, it just kind of made me realize
like as an independent filmmaker, you
00:18:31.517 --> 00:18:33.317
kinda almost have to be your own Yeah.
00:18:33.317 --> 00:18:34.967
Marketing team too.
00:18:34.967 --> 00:18:40.277
You just push it out and if you just
make something and get it out there.
00:18:41.537 --> 00:18:45.047
Just do what you can with
the tools that you have
00:18:45.277 --> 00:18:46.447
And push it.
00:18:46.447 --> 00:18:47.257
Oh, I'm so sorry.
00:18:47.257 --> 00:18:48.067
That was my phone.
00:18:48.607 --> 00:18:49.237
Bad phone.
00:18:50.117 --> 00:18:52.037
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I love what you started that with
00:18:52.092 --> 00:18:54.572
you said, I picked up the phone
and you started the conversation
00:18:54.572 --> 00:18:56.522
with, this might be crazy, but,
00:18:56.847 --> 00:18:57.137
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah,
00:18:57.242 --> 00:18:58.547
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
can't, I can't tell you how many like,
00:18:58.597 --> 00:19:00.307
that should be written on, tattooed.
00:19:01.237 --> 00:19:04.337
indie filmmaker's, on their forehead,
just saying, this is what we're doing.
00:19:04.337 --> 00:19:05.717
This might be crazy, but,
00:19:05.717 --> 00:19:05.927
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Great.
00:19:06.077 --> 00:19:08.097
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
and then your idea is I'm gonna
00:19:08.097 --> 00:19:09.387
make a movie, or whatever it is.
00:19:09.747 --> 00:19:11.367
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
that might be my next tattoo.
00:19:11.397 --> 00:19:12.117
I like that idea.
00:19:14.677 --> 00:19:16.117
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Just
don't put it on your forehead, Savannah.
00:19:16.327 --> 00:19:16.807
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I won't.
00:19:18.172 --> 00:19:20.187
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Severely limit your acting opportunities.
00:19:20.587 --> 00:19:21.907
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
that would really change things.
00:19:22.567 --> 00:19:22.857
Yeah.
00:19:23.657 --> 00:19:29.042
a and then, okay, so let's, so
you did the sequel and now we're,
00:19:29.042 --> 00:19:30.572
we want to get into Buster Brooks
00:19:30.602 --> 00:19:33.102
I've followed with only In
Dreams and Twice The Dream.
00:19:33.552 --> 00:19:33.672
Was
00:19:33.672 --> 00:19:34.092
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:19:34.542 --> 00:19:34.932
So
00:19:34.962 --> 00:19:35.382
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Thank you.
00:19:35.382 --> 00:19:37.632
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
twice the dream and even in dreams.
00:19:37.932 --> 00:19:38.622
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Even in Dreams.
00:19:38.622 --> 00:19:39.102
Thank you.
00:19:39.192 --> 00:19:39.612
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:19:39.912 --> 00:19:42.872
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: And
they, it seemed laid the foundation for.
00:19:43.757 --> 00:19:44.897
What your next movie is?
00:19:45.197 --> 00:19:45.842
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Buster Brooks.
00:19:45.842 --> 00:19:46.157
Yeah.
00:19:46.457 --> 00:19:47.822
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
from my outside perspective,
00:19:48.122 --> 00:19:48.542
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:19:48.602 --> 00:19:50.342
No, that's a great question.
00:19:50.342 --> 00:19:54.232
So I kinda I actually had a theatrical
distributor on even in Dreams Purdy
00:19:54.262 --> 00:19:57.062
distribution back when Brandon was
00:19:57.187 --> 00:19:58.567
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
purdy ran Purdy distribution.
00:19:58.572 --> 00:19:58.582
Yeah.
00:19:58.597 --> 00:19:58.867
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:19:58.867 --> 00:19:59.557
Brandon Purty.
00:19:59.557 --> 00:19:59.947
Yeah.
00:20:00.047 --> 00:20:00.737
Awesome guy.
00:20:01.037 --> 00:20:02.927
Learned a lot from him, that's for sure.
00:20:03.357 --> 00:20:06.057
And then I came up with
the idea Buster Brooks.
00:20:06.787 --> 00:20:11.857
I just randomly pictured this
like farm boy just in the
00:20:11.857 --> 00:20:13.297
middle of Hollywood Boulevard.
00:20:14.122 --> 00:20:18.022
Front, in the front of the Chinese
theater with a rooster random.
00:20:18.082 --> 00:20:23.142
I don't know where that came
from, but it just, that idea alone
00:20:23.142 --> 00:20:25.212
put a such a smile on my face.
00:20:25.692 --> 00:20:33.132
And I, I just, it was another, another
I knew, I know my next story when I,
00:20:33.252 --> 00:20:34.932
when I feel it, you know what I mean?
00:20:34.932 --> 00:20:36.222
Like, I was like, oh, that's it.
00:20:36.657 --> 00:20:40.497
Because for the longest time, after, even
in Dreams, I kind of felt like Rapunzel.
00:20:40.497 --> 00:20:41.607
I'm like, well, what's next?
00:20:41.607 --> 00:20:44.987
Like this these characters
have been my dream for so long.
00:20:45.707 --> 00:20:49.007
I've told their stories, like
I've made and released two movies.
00:20:49.307 --> 00:20:51.017
Now what next?
00:20:51.827 --> 00:20:55.037
So I came up with Buster
Brooks, and I wrote that script.
00:20:55.457 --> 00:20:57.017
I'd say the first draft, yeah.
00:20:57.017 --> 00:20:58.854
In about three to four weeks.
00:21:00.122 --> 00:21:03.212
And had, uh, industry feedback.
00:21:03.512 --> 00:21:09.192
And then we held a an actor's table
read, just so I can hear the words
00:21:09.192 --> 00:21:10.872
out loud, the dialogue out loud.
00:21:11.142 --> 00:21:16.762
See, you know, how it clicked and people
were really responding quite positively.
00:21:16.762 --> 00:21:20.392
Like people were like actually laughing
out loud and I was just like, oh my gosh.
00:21:20.392 --> 00:21:20.902
Great.
00:21:20.902 --> 00:21:25.202
Like, this is resonating with people
because it sounds so silly, right?
00:21:25.202 --> 00:21:26.792
You know, a farm boy.
00:21:27.162 --> 00:21:28.002
With a rooster.
00:21:28.002 --> 00:21:32.832
He moves to Hollywood, but he's
actually a really endearing character.
00:21:33.492 --> 00:21:38.982
And you know, of course I got some very
valuable feedback from that reading.
00:21:39.312 --> 00:21:44.702
And I, I kept rewriting that,
that script until finally I found.
00:21:46.272 --> 00:21:51.607
A team that believed in it as much
as I did, and that's the movie
00:21:51.697 --> 00:21:53.557
that we made for a million dollars.
00:21:53.647 --> 00:21:55.057
So it was my third feature.
00:21:56.197 --> 00:21:58.987
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Okay, so you raised, so are you still
00:21:58.987 --> 00:22:02.467
involved with some of those early
investors or was this a separate
00:22:02.467 --> 00:22:04.477
group and how did that come about?
00:22:04.777 --> 00:22:07.707
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Um, it's kind of combined it's
00:22:07.737 --> 00:22:11.397
some investors from my previous
two films and then new ones.
00:22:11.457 --> 00:22:12.702
And then we also raised.
00:22:14.007 --> 00:22:15.987
I can't remember off the top of my head.
00:22:16.047 --> 00:22:17.217
Via crowd funding.
00:22:17.217 --> 00:22:22.087
I think we raised about
80,000 on seed and spark.
00:22:22.447 --> 00:22:23.197
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Oh, nice.
00:22:23.487 --> 00:22:26.487
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
So I used that as like the seed money
00:22:26.487 --> 00:22:33.537
because unlike my first two films where,
you know, we could make for under two,
00:22:33.717 --> 00:22:36.597
200 k, I, I realized like this is a story.
00:22:36.897 --> 00:22:39.537
Hollywood, Chinese theater animals.
00:22:40.212 --> 00:22:40.662
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:22:41.412 --> 00:22:43.272
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
there's a lot of moving parts.
00:22:43.272 --> 00:22:47.442
Like I couldn't, I don't see how
this story would've been possible
00:22:47.442 --> 00:22:50.562
with under anything under 500,000.
00:22:50.562 --> 00:22:51.382
Like, I just,
00:22:51.682 --> 00:22:51.972
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:22:52.302 --> 00:22:53.772
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
it really had its limitations.
00:22:53.772 --> 00:22:58.272
So this was, this was the project
that I just decided like, okay,
00:22:58.572 --> 00:23:01.122
I'm gonna really test myself
to see if I can actually do it.
00:23:01.122 --> 00:23:04.122
Like I worked the ultra low budget world.
00:23:04.662 --> 00:23:10.242
First feature film, 50 KI think even
in Dreams landed around one 50 K
00:23:10.242 --> 00:23:12.102
or 200 K, somewhere around there.
00:23:12.462 --> 00:23:17.497
So it was my goal to at least
like jump, a budget level
00:23:17.797 --> 00:23:18.127
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:23:18.367 --> 00:23:18.907
Yeah,
00:23:18.952 --> 00:23:20.992
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
because I, I thought that was the only
00:23:20.992 --> 00:23:23.452
way to, to really grow as a filmmaker.
00:23:24.202 --> 00:23:28.252
Um, but it was, it was quite
the jump, like, going from.
00:23:29.257 --> 00:23:31.867
200,000 to a million dollars.
00:23:31.867 --> 00:23:36.367
You know, like having trailer production
trailers, cast trailers, all that.
00:23:36.367 --> 00:23:38.467
It was like, it was, it was a lot.
00:23:38.467 --> 00:23:39.957
But we did it.
00:23:39.957 --> 00:23:44.007
And I'm just, I'm so thankful
for the, the cast and crew.
00:23:44.397 --> 00:23:48.957
We just, it was just an amazing,
phenomenal experience and I'm, I'm really
00:23:48.957 --> 00:23:50.877
happy with how the product turned out.
00:23:52.107 --> 00:23:53.507
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Savannah how I you should
00:23:53.507 --> 00:23:54.827
be 'cause it looks amazing.
00:23:54.827 --> 00:23:56.732
Your cast and crew did an amazing job.
00:23:57.032 --> 00:23:57.452
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Thank you.
00:23:57.752 --> 00:23:58.877
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
dp Uh, kudos
00:23:58.982 --> 00:23:59.312
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh
00:23:59.537 --> 00:23:59.547
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: at.
00:23:59.642 --> 00:24:00.032
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:24:00.162 --> 00:24:01.662
My DP was Wes Johnson.
00:24:01.662 --> 00:24:02.622
He's fantastic.
00:24:03.312 --> 00:24:04.092
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
He's fantastic.
00:24:04.392 --> 00:24:04.602
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:24:04.902 --> 00:24:09.262
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Wes and
everything he touches is just watchable,
00:24:09.682 --> 00:24:10.222
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:24:10.672 --> 00:24:11.782
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
for lack of a better description.
00:24:12.052 --> 00:24:13.557
It just really makes a pretty image.
00:24:13.947 --> 00:24:16.437
And then your cast, I'm curious
how you've found your cast.
00:24:16.467 --> 00:24:20.757
'cause you were shooting in LA and
it seems like you shot some in Utah.
00:24:21.057 --> 00:24:21.732
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yes.
00:24:22.167 --> 00:24:24.377
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
And so what was the audition process?
00:24:24.377 --> 00:24:25.797
How'd you put together a great cast?
00:24:26.097 --> 00:24:26.742
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh, thank you.
00:24:26.742 --> 00:24:31.132
Well, I really kudos to
our casting directors.
00:24:31.582 --> 00:24:34.012
So it's kind of a funny story.
00:24:34.042 --> 00:24:38.572
Our casting team, Lisa London and,
and Katherine Stroud, London Stroud
00:24:38.572 --> 00:24:39.742
Casting, they're based in la.
00:24:40.972 --> 00:24:47.392
I was referred to them by my acting
coach from La Adrian Armon, who worked
00:24:47.392 --> 00:24:49.942
on a lot of Disney Channel stuff.
00:24:49.942 --> 00:24:54.442
He was a series regular in the
sweet Life of Zach and Cody.
00:24:55.072 --> 00:24:58.852
And, um, so he's just, he's really
fun and he's very well connected.
00:24:58.852 --> 00:25:02.722
I, I called him up and I asked,
I asked him, Hey, you know, I am
00:25:02.782 --> 00:25:07.432
making this movie, you know, it's
independent film, but you know, we're
00:25:07.432 --> 00:25:09.292
looking at a million dollars, so.
00:25:10.012 --> 00:25:13.822
We really need to, raise the bar
as far as casting, do you have any
00:25:13.822 --> 00:25:15.142
casting directors you recommend?
00:25:15.142 --> 00:25:19.012
And he was like, oh, a hundred percent
Lisa London, a hundred percent.
00:25:19.072 --> 00:25:26.452
And um, funny enough, she was the casting
director from Hannah Montana, so she.
00:25:27.127 --> 00:25:30.427
They like legit discovered Miley Cyrus.
00:25:30.427 --> 00:25:36.117
And they, so they come from the Disney
world, but they also do lots of amazing
00:25:36.117 --> 00:25:42.147
movies and, and, um, lately they've
been diving into the indie world.
00:25:43.137 --> 00:25:45.777
So that's how I found my
casting director team.
00:25:45.777 --> 00:25:47.967
And, and they're just phenomenal.
00:25:48.507 --> 00:25:52.287
That's, it's, I think this cast,
it's a very well-rounded cast.
00:25:52.287 --> 00:25:53.123
It's, you know, we have.
00:25:53.978 --> 00:25:59.008
Matt Cornett, who plays Buster
himself from high school, musical the
00:25:59.008 --> 00:26:03.388
series, and he's just so phenomenal.
00:26:03.718 --> 00:26:08.308
I, he steps so well into that role.
00:26:08.668 --> 00:26:11.728
It's impossible for me
to see anyone else in it.
00:26:11.728 --> 00:26:14.878
Like, it's just, he's just so buster.
00:26:14.938 --> 00:26:16.813
So it was just incredible.
00:26:18.248 --> 00:26:20.028
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: I
was laughing under my breath a little
00:26:20.028 --> 00:26:23.718
bit because this through line from
your career of this story you've
00:26:23.718 --> 00:26:26.748
told so far is I didn't have this
thing, so I called somebody and then
00:26:26.748 --> 00:26:29.283
I didn't have this and I didn't know
how to do it, so I called somebody
00:26:29.583 --> 00:26:29.883
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:26:29.898 --> 00:26:31.398
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
just this idea of.
00:26:32.323 --> 00:26:34.318
the destination and asking for directions
00:26:34.403 --> 00:26:38.108
Someone you knew, a person you worked
with at a movie theater selling popcorn
00:26:38.408 --> 00:26:38.698
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:26:38.903 --> 00:26:41.033
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
how do I get my movie in Megaplex?
00:26:41.063 --> 00:26:41.203
You're
00:26:41.503 --> 00:26:41.953
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:26:42.443 --> 00:26:43.013
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
call this guy.
00:26:43.103 --> 00:26:43.973
Okay, cool.
00:26:44.183 --> 00:26:44.873
I'll do that.
00:26:45.323 --> 00:26:50.288
But that step as simple as it sounds is
like such a stumbling block for so many
00:26:50.588 --> 00:26:50.878
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:26:51.643 --> 00:26:53.383
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Where
they think it's someone else's job to
00:26:53.383 --> 00:26:58.003
do it, or they don't know if it's okay
to call, so they hesitate to even try.
00:26:58.008 --> 00:27:02.028
Just love this through line
for you of know what to do or I
00:27:02.028 --> 00:27:04.488
didn't have that person that I
needed, so I just called somebody
00:27:04.873 --> 00:27:05.163
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:27:05.298 --> 00:27:05.478
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: and
00:27:05.508 --> 00:27:05.928
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:27:05.928 --> 00:27:06.378
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
worked out.
00:27:06.378 --> 00:27:09.078
Maybe not on the first call, but you
just kept calling and until you had it.
00:27:09.903 --> 00:27:12.033
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
You just have to keep knocking on
00:27:12.033 --> 00:27:14.103
those doors until something sticks.
00:27:14.403 --> 00:27:20.763
It's absolutely true because I
think the best directors don't
00:27:20.763 --> 00:27:24.093
necessarily always come up with the
best ideas themselves, but they're
00:27:24.093 --> 00:27:25.773
able to recognize the best ideas.
00:27:25.773 --> 00:27:30.663
You know, and, and I realize like,
okay, I don't know, everything.
00:27:30.663 --> 00:27:34.653
You know, like I, I've never worked with
a professional casting director team.
00:27:34.653 --> 00:27:39.273
Like I kind of just cast the, my first
two movies myself, blah, blah, blah.
00:27:39.430 --> 00:27:45.613
But yeah, I just, I really have
learned to go back into my resources
00:27:45.613 --> 00:27:49.243
and my, my contacts and, and call.
00:27:49.573 --> 00:27:54.523
Even like my first film, I
called Mario D'Angelos from East
00:27:54.523 --> 00:27:57.523
Hollywood High, my teacher, and I
was like, I'm making this movie.
00:27:57.868 --> 00:27:59.488
You are my film production teacher.
00:27:59.488 --> 00:28:01.798
Like this is my first one.
00:28:01.798 --> 00:28:02.608
What do I do?
00:28:02.878 --> 00:28:05.938
And so I eventually
hired him as my first ad.
00:28:06.118 --> 00:28:06.748
That's what I did.
00:28:07.528 --> 00:28:07.918
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah,
00:28:08.668 --> 00:28:09.448
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I freaking love it.
00:28:10.948 --> 00:28:12.748
I want one other question for you.
00:28:12.808 --> 00:28:13.408
Sorry, Garrett.
00:28:13.408 --> 00:28:19.408
But how important or integral was
that decision on your first movie to
00:28:19.408 --> 00:28:23.608
say, we're gonna go do this, even if
it's 50 grand, like that's the budget.
00:28:23.668 --> 00:28:28.478
Like how important was that for the rest
of your trajectory in the, in your career?
00:28:29.083 --> 00:28:31.783
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I would say so important 'cause I
00:28:31.783 --> 00:28:34.393
don't think I would've gotten it made.
00:28:34.393 --> 00:28:36.553
I honestly don't think I
would've gotten anything made
00:28:36.553 --> 00:28:38.623
if I hadn't made that decision.
00:28:39.538 --> 00:28:44.718
You know, earlier on in my career,
even like, fresh off the, the bus
00:28:44.718 --> 00:28:51.018
from L or from Utah to la when people
even suggest, even suggested like,
00:28:51.018 --> 00:28:53.598
have you thought about making it
for maybe a little lower budget?
00:28:53.598 --> 00:28:54.618
I kind of like scoff at them.
00:28:54.618 --> 00:28:57.918
Like, no, like this story, it
deserves a million dollars.
00:28:58.158 --> 00:29:00.378
It deserves like these stars.
00:29:00.738 --> 00:29:05.808
And I just, but I ended up realizing,
oh, I totally got in my own way.
00:29:06.408 --> 00:29:07.218
Um.
00:29:08.718 --> 00:29:13.908
You know, if something is not working,
you have to change what you're doing.
00:29:13.908 --> 00:29:18.668
You know, like, and that's, I needed
to change what I was doing in order
00:29:18.668 --> 00:29:23.918
to change the outcome that I, in order
to get the outcome that I, I wanted.
00:29:25.583 --> 00:29:27.943
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I often think also maybe a follow up
00:29:27.948 --> 00:29:32.138
question is what would've happened
had you made it for a million dollars?
00:29:33.278 --> 00:29:38.503
And I wonder, if a I've got a nephew
who's training to be a pilot right
00:29:38.503 --> 00:29:42.573
now, and he is gotta get his hours
the little Cessna right in the thing.
00:29:42.873 --> 00:29:44.733
He, nobody's putting him behind a 7 47
00:29:45.033 --> 00:29:45.323
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:29:45.623 --> 00:29:47.133
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
because he's just starting out.
00:29:47.193 --> 00:29:51.573
And I think, boy, I, it's a very
similar story with my first feature
00:29:51.683 --> 00:29:55.433
Savannah, and if I would've made it
for the original budget that I wanted.
00:29:56.063 --> 00:29:57.488
That would be the last movie I made
00:29:57.788 --> 00:29:58.388
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:29:58.523 --> 00:30:00.293
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
be still digging myself out
00:30:00.293 --> 00:30:03.173
of that giant pit I dug, or,
00:30:03.473 --> 00:30:03.713
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah
00:30:03.783 --> 00:30:05.283
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
n never, ever being able to sit
00:30:05.283 --> 00:30:08.623
in front of a potential investor
and explaining what went wrong?
00:30:09.253 --> 00:30:09.913
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
right.
00:30:09.943 --> 00:30:14.653
No, I mean, honestly, the best film
school is making a feature yourself.
00:30:15.083 --> 00:30:21.243
I can't it's just there's so many elements
you just don't realize, like, oh my gosh.
00:30:21.483 --> 00:30:24.573
Even just like with the production,
the scheduling, like, oh my
00:30:24.573 --> 00:30:25.668
gosh, like should we really.
00:30:26.283 --> 00:30:27.873
Shoot that important scene.
00:30:27.873 --> 00:30:29.433
Should we save that
for the end of the day?
00:30:29.433 --> 00:30:30.663
What if we're rushing it?
00:30:30.963 --> 00:30:33.093
Oh my gosh, like getting
all the coverage we need.
00:30:33.093 --> 00:30:36.903
Oh, you only have four hours to shoot
this really important scene you have.
00:30:36.903 --> 00:30:40.803
You gotta sacrifice some
coverage or one angle.
00:30:40.803 --> 00:30:41.763
What are you gonna sacrifice?
00:30:42.153 --> 00:30:45.693
It's all those decisions you
don't even think about, and
00:30:45.693 --> 00:30:46.743
then you're just thrown in.
00:30:46.953 --> 00:30:52.383
So I'm honestly really glad twice my
first feature twice the dream was made
00:30:52.383 --> 00:30:55.363
on that budget because I, you know, I am.
00:30:56.553 --> 00:30:59.733
I haven't watched it in a bit,
I think maybe like a year ago.
00:30:59.733 --> 00:31:01.773
And then I, you know,
like I see some stuff.
00:31:01.773 --> 00:31:02.523
I was like, okay.
00:31:02.793 --> 00:31:07.313
You know, I, I definitely learned
some things since then, you know,
00:31:07.313 --> 00:31:11.123
and, and if I were to remake this
or make this today, I probably
00:31:11.123 --> 00:31:13.193
would've made a different choice here.
00:31:13.403 --> 00:31:14.963
But, you know, it was my first feature.
00:31:14.963 --> 00:31:15.233
Right.
00:31:15.233 --> 00:31:15.983
You're learning.
00:31:16.193 --> 00:31:17.333
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
That you want that, right?
00:31:17.333 --> 00:31:20.483
If you were to look at it now
and go, man, I peaked with my
00:31:20.603 --> 00:31:21.053
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:31:21.863 --> 00:31:23.228
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
then that's a bad thing,
00:31:23.528 --> 00:31:24.008
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah
00:31:24.233 --> 00:31:24.953
exactly
00:31:25.718 --> 00:31:27.608
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: at your
early work and go, God, I've come a long.
00:31:27.908 --> 00:31:28.448
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:31:28.598 --> 00:31:33.798
But it's also giving yourself some
grace and credit and looking at
00:31:33.798 --> 00:31:36.978
some shots and some characters
and thinking like, you know what?
00:31:37.098 --> 00:31:39.408
We got some awesome
performances out of that.
00:31:39.588 --> 00:31:41.578
Like I'm really proud of that,
or I'm proud of that moment.
00:31:42.723 --> 00:31:46.143
I'm proud of, what we did
there or the composition there.
00:31:46.143 --> 00:31:47.373
It was just spot on.
00:31:47.373 --> 00:31:51.523
Like, you know, like it's, it's
really an interesting process.
00:31:51.523 --> 00:31:53.653
So, yeah, there's some cringey moments.
00:31:53.653 --> 00:31:57.403
I, I watch, I'm like, ah, you
know, but, but that's how you grow.
00:31:57.403 --> 00:31:59.053
You're exactly right, Garrett.
00:31:59.353 --> 00:32:00.953
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Savannah, what every film,
00:32:01.053 --> 00:32:02.383
no film is easy to make
00:32:02.683 --> 00:32:03.013
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Right.
00:32:03.313 --> 00:32:05.203
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
It only gets harder, I think, or more
00:32:05.203 --> 00:32:09.183
complicated with the bigger the budget
and, more, more grander the story
00:32:09.453 --> 00:32:12.663
and more moving parts that we bring
on, and yet we do that to ourselves.
00:32:12.843 --> 00:32:13.263
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh yeah.
00:32:14.553 --> 00:32:17.033
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: what
is it, what helps you like what are
00:32:17.033 --> 00:32:20.933
some of those challenges that you may
have faced specifically with Buster
00:32:20.933 --> 00:32:29.823
Brooks and then how you overcame them,
whether production or or, whatever.
00:32:29.883 --> 00:32:29.973
It's
00:32:30.183 --> 00:32:31.263
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
That's a wonderful question.
00:32:32.043 --> 00:32:35.823
Straight up off the top of
my head, we shot this, we
00:32:35.823 --> 00:32:40.603
were in active pre-production
right as the SAG aftra strike.
00:32:40.963 --> 00:32:41.593
Happened.
00:32:42.348 --> 00:32:42.568
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Oh.
00:32:43.123 --> 00:32:44.893
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
It was in the thick of that
00:32:45.313 --> 00:32:51.493
and we had SAG actors and it
was just one of those things.
00:32:51.493 --> 00:32:55.703
And my first film was non-union, so I
didn't have to worry, about the union.
00:32:55.703 --> 00:33:00.983
But my second film, I had worked with SAG
before, but that was right during COVID.
00:33:01.073 --> 00:33:05.883
So I worked, yeah I've done.
00:33:06.063 --> 00:33:07.293
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
no film is easy, right?
00:33:07.523 --> 00:33:07.793
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:33:08.093 --> 00:33:10.338
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
film easy, but it's like I, it's like
00:33:11.178 --> 00:33:16.488
when the strike happened, I kind of
like turned to Steve and I was like, why
00:33:16.488 --> 00:33:21.018
did, do we always tend to decide to make
movies during like the hardest times?
00:33:21.018 --> 00:33:21.828
It doesn't make sense.
00:33:22.458 --> 00:33:28.908
So I think it was like
the, we had a month to.
00:33:30.003 --> 00:33:33.573
Yeah, I think a month or maybe even
two months before our principal
00:33:33.573 --> 00:33:38.005
of photography, you know, we had
already locked crew, our dates.
00:33:38.005 --> 00:33:41.515
We had already put deposits down
for locations and we still had no
00:33:41.515 --> 00:33:45.355
cast because we were waiting on
our SAG AFTRA clearance, our, our
00:33:45.355 --> 00:33:49.615
waiver in order to make the movie.
00:33:49.615 --> 00:33:52.405
So it was like it came down to the wire.
00:33:52.405 --> 00:33:53.275
I actually.
00:33:53.890 --> 00:33:58.630
Again, back to the phone calls,
I insistently called our rep
00:33:58.690 --> 00:34:00.910
and I'm like, Hey, I know.
00:34:00.910 --> 00:34:01.210
Yep.
00:34:01.240 --> 00:34:03.910
It's me, Savannah, with Buster Brooks.
00:34:03.970 --> 00:34:05.980
Because he knew who I was
because I would call just.
00:34:05.980 --> 00:34:06.340
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:34:07.330 --> 00:34:09.340
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
It started like with emails, and then
00:34:09.340 --> 00:34:13.780
I would start calling maybe every
week and then every couple days.
00:34:13.780 --> 00:34:17.200
And then by the end I was like, okay,
I have to call this guy every day and
00:34:17.200 --> 00:34:19.870
ask him like, how is this looking?
00:34:19.870 --> 00:34:22.270
Like I'm seeing some films
getting their waivers.
00:34:22.690 --> 00:34:26.080
We really need to get our
casting process started.
00:34:26.350 --> 00:34:31.120
So finally and he was so kind, he
was like, I love your guys' film.
00:34:31.120 --> 00:34:31.690
I, I love.
00:34:32.115 --> 00:34:32.925
The passion.
00:34:32.925 --> 00:34:37.325
You, you are, because I'm like, I don't,
I don't mean to, you know, pest you, but
00:34:37.475 --> 00:34:41.585
you know, we're kind of in a pickle, and
I really think it's because of those, all
00:34:41.585 --> 00:34:43.715
those phone calls, that squeaky wheel.
00:34:44.195 --> 00:34:46.475
Finally, he's like, okay,
you got your, you got your
00:34:46.475 --> 00:34:47.465
clearance, you got your waiver.
00:34:47.465 --> 00:34:48.035
Let's go.
00:34:48.575 --> 00:34:54.335
Finally, then casting team, we were
able, because actors sag actors couldn't
00:34:54.335 --> 00:34:56.015
even read scripts during the strike
00:34:56.465 --> 00:34:56.765
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah,
00:34:57.085 --> 00:34:58.285
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
unless we were cleared.
00:34:58.285 --> 00:34:59.725
So that was.
00:34:59.810 --> 00:35:00.410
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I gotta say
00:35:01.685 --> 00:35:03.575
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
PTSD for me, 'cause Daren and I were
00:35:03.575 --> 00:35:05.015
in the exact same spot with faith
00:35:05.055 --> 00:35:07.065
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah, I remember calling you
00:35:07.065 --> 00:35:08.385
and talking to you during that
00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:08.770
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:35:09.005 --> 00:35:10.145
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
That whole thing.
00:35:10.145 --> 00:35:13.160
And I remember going, man, if she's
calling every day, I should do that too.
00:35:13.235 --> 00:35:13.385
And
00:35:13.490 --> 00:35:16.715
And then it was like we had a different
outcome where we went non-union
00:35:16.765 --> 00:35:19.705
Was trying to, that's another
conversation for another
00:35:19.855 --> 00:35:20.305
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:35:20.455 --> 00:35:21.085
Yeah.
00:35:21.085 --> 00:35:21.985
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
like I was, I.
00:35:22.615 --> 00:35:22.765
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: still.
00:35:24.940 --> 00:35:25.540
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Cut that out.
00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:27.420
But I was seriously impressed.
00:35:27.450 --> 00:35:31.360
'cause man, I, I was following
up regularly and then here you
00:35:31.360 --> 00:35:32.920
are calling them every day.
00:35:32.920 --> 00:35:35.590
I'm like, man, I gotta step up my game
like I should be calling every day.
00:35:35.590 --> 00:35:39.150
And then by the time I started doing
that's when they finally responded and.
00:35:39.205 --> 00:35:40.645
That is what it takes though.
00:35:40.645 --> 00:35:41.260
Like you have,
00:35:41.560 --> 00:35:42.160
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Absolutely.
00:35:42.235 --> 00:35:43.795
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
only person who can get what
00:35:43.795 --> 00:35:44.950
you want for your movie.
00:35:45.250 --> 00:35:45.940
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
It's true.
00:35:46.075 --> 00:35:46.915
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
think of it that way.
00:35:46.915 --> 00:35:47.515
It may not be true.
00:35:47.515 --> 00:35:49.135
You may have partners
who are helping you, but
00:35:49.435 --> 00:35:50.005
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah,
00:35:50.125 --> 00:35:52.405
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: have
what you need, then you gotta go get it.
00:35:52.585 --> 00:35:52.795
And
00:35:52.845 --> 00:35:54.225
Is gonna go do it, you gotta do it.
00:35:54.555 --> 00:35:58.575
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I always tell myself and other
00:35:58.995 --> 00:36:03.525
filmmakers, no one cares about
your movie as much as you do.
00:36:03.595 --> 00:36:08.295
Of course people, will really respond to
it and care for it, but, and producing
00:36:08.295 --> 00:36:10.285
team, but it's really the filmmaker.
00:36:10.285 --> 00:36:11.150
It's, that's your baby.
00:36:11.845 --> 00:36:13.045
You know what I'm saying?
00:36:13.195 --> 00:36:13.675
I know.
00:36:13.675 --> 00:36:14.695
You know, Garrett.
00:36:14.695 --> 00:36:19.915
I know and I know you know, too,
Daren, like you, no one cares as much.
00:36:19.915 --> 00:36:23.185
So you know, you can call in
all the favors you want, but
00:36:23.185 --> 00:36:25.015
ultimately it's gotta be you.
00:36:25.015 --> 00:36:28.550
It's gotta be you boots on
the ground, making those
00:36:28.550 --> 00:36:30.410
calls, making those decisions.
00:36:30.620 --> 00:36:32.450
Early mornings, late nights.
00:36:32.750 --> 00:36:34.520
And that's why I will.
00:36:35.435 --> 00:36:37.175
Basically, I just refuse.
00:36:37.175 --> 00:36:43.475
I'm not going to work on a, a story that
I'm not so passionate enough that I'm
00:36:43.475 --> 00:36:46.175
not passionate enough about, because.
00:36:46.745 --> 00:36:50.525
It's not worth it, you know, unless you're
really passionate about the story, you're
00:36:50.525 --> 00:36:57.275
telling all that, the groundwork and
calls and sweat and, and ups and downs,
00:36:57.275 --> 00:37:00.785
you know, SAG permits, locations, crew.
00:37:00.845 --> 00:37:05.615
It's just not worth it unless you are
just so hellbent on telling that story.
00:37:06.140 --> 00:37:08.840
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah, reasons for doing it have
00:37:08.840 --> 00:37:09.710
to be greater than the reasons.
00:37:10.700 --> 00:37:11.435
To give up
00:37:11.735 --> 00:37:11.915
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:37:12.290 --> 00:37:13.760
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
when those obstacles show up.
00:37:14.150 --> 00:37:17.780
And honestly from the producer
side, we look for that in
00:37:18.770 --> 00:37:19.910
person we're partnering with.
00:37:19.970 --> 00:37:20.360
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah,
00:37:20.660 --> 00:37:24.110
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: director,
we have to see that this is inevitable.
00:37:24.110 --> 00:37:25.910
Like you're gonna get
up and do it every day.
00:37:25.910 --> 00:37:28.070
There's no stopping this
story from happening.
00:37:28.070 --> 00:37:31.250
And we better get on board if
we wanna participate 'cause it's
00:37:31.250 --> 00:37:32.600
happening with or without us.
00:37:32.600 --> 00:37:33.290
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
exactly.
00:37:33.465 --> 00:37:34.970
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
if that energy isn't there, it's
00:37:34.970 --> 00:37:38.070
like I need to go find someone that
has that energy about their story.
00:37:38.370 --> 00:37:39.210
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Exactly.
00:37:39.750 --> 00:37:40.200
Yeah.
00:37:41.550 --> 00:37:44.340
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: So with
Bus Brooks, you did, you got it finished.
00:37:44.340 --> 00:37:47.000
The strike was a few years ago,
00:37:47.300 --> 00:37:47.930
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:37:48.530 --> 00:37:50.510
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
and you're screening it at Ziff.
00:37:50.570 --> 00:37:51.455
This, at the end of this month.
00:37:51.860 --> 00:37:52.850
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yes.
00:37:53.405 --> 00:37:53.870
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Z, is that right?
00:37:54.180 --> 00:37:54.780
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yes.
00:37:55.230 --> 00:37:55.800
Thank you.
00:37:55.800 --> 00:37:58.800
We're, yeah, we're actually
premiering at Ziff.
00:37:58.920 --> 00:37:59.370
This, yeah.
00:38:01.665 --> 00:38:03.555
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: And do
you already have distribution lined up?
00:38:03.555 --> 00:38:06.195
Are you working with Pretty again,
or is it like you're taking it to Z
00:38:06.315 --> 00:38:07.605
and hoping there's an option there?
00:38:07.605 --> 00:38:09.015
What's the plan on that front?
00:38:09.325 --> 00:38:09.865
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Both.
00:38:09.895 --> 00:38:12.415
We're already talking to DIS distributors.
00:38:12.415 --> 00:38:17.225
We got a couple offers on the table, but
I'm also, we're kind of like seeing like,
00:38:17.225 --> 00:38:22.375
okay, because I feel like the theatrical
model has changed so much even since I
00:38:22.375 --> 00:38:25.195
released my first two films theatrically.
00:38:25.195 --> 00:38:29.575
So I'm just trying to figure out,
that landscape almost relearning it.
00:38:29.575 --> 00:38:33.415
And then, with the V-O-D-S-O, all those.
00:38:33.445 --> 00:38:36.295
But we're talking to a really
great family distributor who
00:38:36.625 --> 00:38:39.055
ironically is a sponsoring Ziff.
00:38:39.055 --> 00:38:42.130
So it felt like, it was serendipity.
00:38:42.400 --> 00:38:46.220
So I think that's where
we're gonna take it.
00:38:46.520 --> 00:38:51.950
And I just wanna say like, part
of probably the biggest struggle
00:38:51.950 --> 00:38:56.510
for Buster Brooks was just
finishing the film for us, because.
00:38:58.580 --> 00:39:03.770
Youth, obviously a million dollars,
it sounds like a lot, but with this
00:39:03.770 --> 00:39:10.130
story and our cast and, and everything,
it, it, it really, it burnt quickly.
00:39:11.030 --> 00:39:15.760
There are some decisions that I think
I would, I would, make differently.
00:39:16.600 --> 00:39:20.050
Hindsight is 2020, like maybe I
wouldn't have used that location.
00:39:20.050 --> 00:39:20.605
Maybe I would've.
00:39:21.325 --> 00:39:26.755
Uh, maybe instead of like all these, you
know, more name actors, maybe only like
00:39:26.755 --> 00:39:29.575
one or two, but you know, in the moment.
00:39:29.575 --> 00:39:34.825
So it was a struggle for me to
just raise the finishing funds.
00:39:34.825 --> 00:39:37.055
That's why there was a little, yeah.
00:39:37.055 --> 00:39:41.585
We filmed a couple years ago and it's
been, honestly, it's been really tough.
00:39:41.585 --> 00:39:44.505
I honestly think, I've
gone through a lot of.
00:39:45.750 --> 00:39:52.770
Hiccups and trials like, yeah, we
filmed 2020 during COVID and sag, and we
00:39:52.770 --> 00:39:57.900
literally had a SAG rep visiting set, like
basically COVID checking us every day.
00:39:58.025 --> 00:39:58.200
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:39:58.860 --> 00:39:59.070
Wow.
00:39:59.370 --> 00:40:01.410
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
on my second film, it was really
00:40:01.410 --> 00:40:05.110
stressful, but at the end of the
day, like that film, we finished
00:40:05.110 --> 00:40:08.590
posts pretty quickly and got it
into theaters and got it out there.
00:40:08.590 --> 00:40:13.570
But Buster Brooks, I'd say by
far was the most trying hardest.
00:40:14.320 --> 00:40:17.020
There were even some times where I
was like, oh my gosh, I don't even
00:40:17.020 --> 00:40:18.730
know if we're ever gonna finish this.
00:40:18.730 --> 00:40:22.930
Like it's, I don't see
an end to this tunnel.
00:40:22.930 --> 00:40:24.670
It was like devastating.
00:40:24.820 --> 00:40:28.580
And then I got pregnant and then
which is an amazing thing, you
00:40:28.580 --> 00:40:31.790
know, I have a, we have a beautiful
daughter, nine months old.
00:40:31.790 --> 00:40:37.340
But, and then after having her, then I
finally realized, I'm like, you know what?
00:40:38.810 --> 00:40:40.580
I might, we might have to self fund.
00:40:41.255 --> 00:40:44.585
The rest of the movie just to get
it out there because it really
00:40:44.585 --> 00:40:46.355
deserves, it deserves to be seen.
00:40:47.195 --> 00:40:51.965
You know, we, it was a lot of hard work,
lot of money already been spent on it,
00:40:52.475 --> 00:40:55.295
and that's when the magic happened.
00:40:55.475 --> 00:40:59.225
And I feel like I've grown
so much, not even just as a
00:40:59.225 --> 00:41:00.695
filmmaker, but just as a person.
00:41:00.935 --> 00:41:04.955
My resilience, I feel like was, was
already pretty high, but after this
00:41:04.955 --> 00:41:09.305
I'm like, there ain't nothing I can,
you know, like, like there's nothing I.
00:41:10.535 --> 00:41:11.945
Is gonna stop me.
00:41:12.245 --> 00:41:13.175
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
And then you had a baby.
00:41:13.490 --> 00:41:14.060
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:41:15.455 --> 00:41:16.865
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Savannah, one of the things that
00:41:16.865 --> 00:41:21.015
I notice in all of your movies is
first of all, that you finish them.
00:41:21.045 --> 00:41:24.105
They all get done all out there,
which is amazing and remarkable.
00:41:25.095 --> 00:41:28.605
it looks like your cast is just
having the time of their life.
00:41:28.705 --> 00:41:32.275
So everyone in the film just
brings their A game and looks like
00:41:32.275 --> 00:41:33.775
they're just having a great time.
00:41:34.255 --> 00:41:37.585
And it seems like you create probably
an environment that enables that.
00:41:38.200 --> 00:41:38.680
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh.
00:41:38.695 --> 00:41:39.775
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
whatever you're doing, whatever
00:41:39.775 --> 00:41:40.735
you're doing, keep it up.
00:41:41.170 --> 00:41:41.410
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:41:41.710 --> 00:41:41.935
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: fun.
00:41:41.935 --> 00:41:43.015
Fun to see it each
00:41:43.030 --> 00:41:43.630
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Thanks.
00:41:43.690 --> 00:41:44.650
Thank you, Garrett.
00:41:44.650 --> 00:41:48.100
I love actors because that's
how I started my career.
00:41:48.100 --> 00:41:49.930
I love working with actors.
00:41:49.930 --> 00:41:51.700
I love collaborating.
00:41:51.700 --> 00:41:53.540
I just it's amazing.
00:41:53.540 --> 00:41:57.560
It's just an essential, there was
an essential piece of the puzzle, as
00:41:57.560 --> 00:41:59.340
you guys know, and I just love it.
00:42:00.800 --> 00:42:01.250
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Good.
00:42:01.410 --> 00:42:01.890
Good.
00:42:02.650 --> 00:42:05.880
Okay, so Buster Brooks, we for
those that are listening that
00:42:05.880 --> 00:42:09.090
are near near Z go check it out.
00:42:09.090 --> 00:42:10.300
Do you know when it's premiering?
00:42:10.660 --> 00:42:11.230
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yes.
00:42:11.280 --> 00:42:13.920
It's premiering on February 27th.
00:42:13.920 --> 00:42:15.240
That's a Friday night.
00:42:16.710 --> 00:42:17.400
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
It's Friday night
00:42:17.580 --> 00:42:17.940
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:42:18.030 --> 00:42:18.150
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: z.
00:42:18.600 --> 00:42:19.950
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah, you can get tickets
00:42:19.950 --> 00:42:23.910
at the website and also.
00:42:24.780 --> 00:42:28.770
Oh, the trailer full circle moment.
00:42:29.320 --> 00:42:30.670
You cut the trailer.
00:42:30.670 --> 00:42:33.100
Garrett cut an amazing trailer for us.
00:42:33.100 --> 00:42:34.810
We are dropping on Wednesday.
00:42:34.810 --> 00:42:35.860
I'm so excited.
00:42:35.905 --> 00:42:36.895
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Nice.
00:42:37.825 --> 00:42:38.095
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yes,
00:42:38.395 --> 00:42:38.575
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Cool.
00:42:38.575 --> 00:42:39.175
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
love that.
00:42:39.175 --> 00:42:40.885
We here are Three Coin Productions.
00:42:40.885 --> 00:42:43.435
We cut trailers for all sorts of
filmmakers and absolutely love it.
00:42:44.155 --> 00:42:45.835
And and you're no exception.
00:42:45.835 --> 00:42:48.415
It's so fun when you call and
say, Hey, I've got another film.
00:42:48.715 --> 00:42:49.005
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:42:49.055 --> 00:42:50.695
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Always,
we're always excited to do that for you.
00:42:50.695 --> 00:42:52.855
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
You just, it was an amazing trailer.
00:42:52.855 --> 00:42:53.635
So fun.
00:42:53.785 --> 00:42:59.035
Everyone that I've showed to showed
it to really has responded positively
00:42:59.035 --> 00:43:01.285
to it, so I'm just so excited.
00:43:02.220 --> 00:43:02.440
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: oh
00:43:02.545 --> 00:43:03.745
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
congrats on that.
00:43:03.835 --> 00:43:03.985
The
00:43:04.105 --> 00:43:04.435
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Thank you.
00:43:04.735 --> 00:43:05.395
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
oh my gosh.
00:43:05.845 --> 00:43:07.255
I'm gonna do everything I can to make it.
00:43:07.255 --> 00:43:09.205
I might be coming back from
New York that day, but I
00:43:09.360 --> 00:43:09.650
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Okay.
00:43:09.950 --> 00:43:10.855
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
if I'm in town.
00:43:11.160 --> 00:43:12.625
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Would love to have you.
00:43:12.625 --> 00:43:13.555
Oh my gosh.
00:43:14.170 --> 00:43:14.660
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Awesome.
00:43:15.595 --> 00:43:16.315
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
It's gonna be amazing.
00:43:16.640 --> 00:43:18.350
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Savannah, thank you for joining us.
00:43:18.350 --> 00:43:22.790
It's, I love hearing about filmmakers
stories and just this common theme
00:43:22.820 --> 00:43:27.890
of, being, letting the passion drive
you through the obstacles and getting
00:43:27.890 --> 00:43:29.270
outta the way of the idea and making.
00:43:31.445 --> 00:43:36.990
if there is a challenge, pick up the phone
and say, this might sound crazy, but, and
00:43:37.040 --> 00:43:37.490
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yep.
00:43:38.540 --> 00:43:38.960
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
There you go.
00:43:40.550 --> 00:43:40.880
Love it.
00:43:40.880 --> 00:43:41.930
Thanks for coming on Savannah.
00:43:42.110 --> 00:43:43.010
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh, absolutely.
00:43:43.010 --> 00:43:44.240
My, my pleasure.
00:43:44.240 --> 00:43:46.340
Thank you so much, Garrett Daren.
00:43:46.700 --> 00:43:48.320
It's just been an absolute treat.
00:43:49.032 --> 00:43:52.992
This season of Truly Independent is
supported by the Help Them See Foundation.
00:43:52.992 --> 00:43:57.042
Help Them See is a nonprofit dedicated
to supporting feature films that
00:43:57.042 --> 00:43:59.472
inspire faith, hope, and connection.
00:43:59.472 --> 00:44:02.322
By partnering with filmmakers
that help them see Foundation
00:44:02.322 --> 00:44:05.682
brings meaningful stories to life
and shares them with audiences
00:44:05.682 --> 00:44:09.792
worldwide, making a lasting cultural
impact through the power of cinema.
00:44:09.792 --> 00:44:13.032
Learn more and discover how you can
be part of the movement by visiting.
00:44:13.122 --> 00:44:14.442
Help them see foundation.
00:44:16.296 --> 00:44:17.436
Thanks for joining us.
00:44:17.436 --> 00:44:19.116
If you are enjoying truly independent.
00:44:19.116 --> 00:44:22.416
Please share and subscribe so you
don't miss the rest of the journey.
00:44:22.416 --> 00:44:25.896
Today's episode was edited by
Michael Bradford and produced
00:44:26.046 --> 00:44:27.336
by Three Coin Productions.
NOTE
This file was generated by Descript
00:00:00.711 --> 00:00:04.671
This season of Truly Independent is
supported by the Help Them See Foundation.
00:00:04.671 --> 00:00:08.721
Help Them See is a nonprofit dedicated
to supporting feature films that
00:00:08.721 --> 00:00:11.151
inspire faith, hope, and connection.
00:00:11.151 --> 00:00:14.001
By partnering with filmmakers
that help them see Foundation
00:00:14.001 --> 00:00:17.361
brings meaningful stories to life
and shares them with audiences
00:00:17.361 --> 00:00:21.471
worldwide, making a lasting cultural
impact through the power of cinema.
00:00:21.471 --> 00:00:24.711
Learn more and discover how you can
be part of the movement by visiting.
00:00:24.801 --> 00:00:26.121
Help them see foundation.
00:00:28.167 --> 00:00:30.867
Welcome to Season three
of Truly Independent.
00:00:31.317 --> 00:00:34.107
I'm Garrett Batty, alongside
my co-host Daren Smith.
00:00:34.377 --> 00:00:38.787
Each week we'll go in depth with guests,
industry experts, and we'll even share
00:00:38.787 --> 00:00:43.227
our own experiences, all with the goal of
demystifying the independent film process.
00:00:43.287 --> 00:00:46.437
This season, it's all about the
script from the first spark of an
00:00:46.437 --> 00:00:49.707
idea to a polished final draft,
breaking it down for scheduling,
00:00:49.827 --> 00:00:51.237
budgeting, and ultimately shooting.
00:00:51.317 --> 00:00:55.037
We'll walk through every step it
takes to get from page to production.
00:00:55.127 --> 00:00:56.597
Welcome to Truly Independent.
00:00:56.779 --> 00:00:57.259
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Hello.
00:00:57.289 --> 00:00:59.959
Hello, and welcome to another
episode of Truly Independent.
00:01:00.259 --> 00:01:05.299
I'm Gary Batty co-host and with me
today is Daren Smith, of course,
00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:06.079
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Hey.
00:01:06.409 --> 00:01:06.559
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Daren.
00:01:06.559 --> 00:01:06.669
How are you?
00:01:07.924 --> 00:01:08.524
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I am good.
00:01:08.524 --> 00:01:09.484
It's good to be here.
00:01:09.484 --> 00:01:10.864
I love doing this.
00:01:10.864 --> 00:01:14.134
So like anytime we have other
stuff, that's before or after,
00:01:14.134 --> 00:01:15.154
I'm like, guys, I gotta go.
00:01:15.394 --> 00:01:17.044
'cause truly the pet
is recording right now.
00:01:17.044 --> 00:01:18.484
So we had that happen this morning.
00:01:18.484 --> 00:01:22.384
We were on a marketing call for
brotherhood and it's we gotta go see ya.
00:01:23.854 --> 00:01:25.144
So we're here, we made it.
00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:26.779
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
we're here, we're in Truly independent.
00:01:26.779 --> 00:01:28.499
We've got an episode and
we have a guest with us
00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:29.019
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Hey.
00:01:29.319 --> 00:01:30.589
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
listening into our intro.
00:01:30.589 --> 00:01:31.939
And now we're gonna introduce her.
00:01:31.939 --> 00:01:36.079
Savannah Osler, incredible filmmaker,
director and longtime friend.
00:01:36.424 --> 00:01:37.264
Savannah, how are you?
00:01:37.264 --> 00:01:38.074
Nice to see you.
00:01:38.384 --> 00:01:40.124
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Hey, it's amazing seeing
00:01:40.219 --> 00:01:41.509
you as well, Gary.
00:01:41.509 --> 00:01:42.439
And Daren.
00:01:42.439 --> 00:01:43.099
Oh my gosh.
00:01:43.099 --> 00:01:44.539
I'm just thrilled to be here.
00:01:44.579 --> 00:01:45.689
I'm doing wonderful.
00:01:46.694 --> 00:01:47.144
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Thank you.
00:01:47.144 --> 00:01:48.014
We're excited to have you.
00:01:48.014 --> 00:01:51.964
You're like the local queen of
indie film, so be a great convo.
00:01:52.039 --> 00:01:54.859
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I'll gladly take that title that's
00:01:54.859 --> 00:01:57.949
really, really, really sweet
and generous and flattering.
00:01:57.949 --> 00:01:58.579
Thank you.
00:01:59.314 --> 00:01:59.914
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
No, of course.
00:01:59.914 --> 00:02:04.174
You've got a new project coming out,
which, what number film is this for you?
00:02:04.334 --> 00:02:05.954
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
This new film that I have coming
00:02:05.954 --> 00:02:07.514
out, it's my third feature film.
00:02:07.844 --> 00:02:08.414
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Okay,
00:02:09.329 --> 00:02:09.689
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Third
00:02:09.854 --> 00:02:10.334
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
That's a big.
00:02:11.519 --> 00:02:14.069
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: it
seems like Savannah, in between features.
00:02:14.309 --> 00:02:16.709
I see you working on
other people's projects.
00:02:16.739 --> 00:02:16.959
I see
00:02:17.259 --> 00:02:17.549
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:02:17.829 --> 00:02:19.389
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Doing shorter format stuff.
00:02:19.419 --> 00:02:21.824
You were always telling narrative stories.
00:02:22.004 --> 00:02:22.344
Is that.
00:02:23.244 --> 00:02:23.484
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah,
00:02:23.484 --> 00:02:24.654
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
that just your Facebook
00:02:24.654 --> 00:02:26.184
feed or is that accurate?
00:02:26.634 --> 00:02:28.314
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
no, that's totally accurate.
00:02:28.314 --> 00:02:31.704
Of course, Facebook always,
makes us look, cooler.
00:02:31.704 --> 00:02:36.374
I don't know, like I sometimes,
feel as an indie filmmaker, you get
00:02:36.374 --> 00:02:38.144
a little bit of imposter syndrome.
00:02:38.144 --> 00:02:38.954
I'm sure you guys.
00:02:39.869 --> 00:02:40.799
Can even relate.
00:02:40.799 --> 00:02:43.949
I'm not sure, but yeah,
I'm always telling stories.
00:02:43.949 --> 00:02:49.379
I'm directing commercials for ad agencies
like Chamber Media and Harmon Brothers.
00:02:49.379 --> 00:02:54.299
I've worked with them all and creatively
and also, yeah, short narrative.
00:02:54.359 --> 00:02:56.279
I am actually working on a new short film.
00:02:56.339 --> 00:02:57.479
It's one I didn't write.
00:02:58.004 --> 00:03:02.054
But I was hired to direct it
and we're shooting this spring.
00:03:02.054 --> 00:03:06.194
I'm really excited because it's
unlike anything I've ever done before.
00:03:06.194 --> 00:03:11.864
It's, it's a thriller, so I've never,
I've never told any story quite like
00:03:11.864 --> 00:03:13.999
that, so I'm really excited you.
00:03:14.519 --> 00:03:15.574
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh, very cool.
00:03:15.964 --> 00:03:18.664
Ah, I'm looking forward to
seeing whatever it is you do.
00:03:18.694 --> 00:03:20.104
'cause it's always very enjoyable.
00:03:20.554 --> 00:03:20.914
Savannah.
00:03:22.294 --> 00:03:25.924
For, again, as we were talking about
our podcast, our goal is to really
00:03:25.924 --> 00:03:27.694
just demystify this independent film
00:03:28.029 --> 00:03:28.319
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:03:28.684 --> 00:03:30.724
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
and just how to get films going.
00:03:30.724 --> 00:03:33.904
And you I'm having a hard time
deciding where to start with you.
00:03:34.744 --> 00:03:38.824
You have had some incredible independent
films and you it does feel like you
00:03:38.824 --> 00:03:42.774
have earned that title of kind of this
queen of independent film as far as in,
00:03:42.779 --> 00:03:45.289
in our local circles and even beyond.
00:03:45.934 --> 00:03:46.274
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh wow.
00:03:46.574 --> 00:03:48.829
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: So
just a little bit of your background.
00:03:48.829 --> 00:03:51.949
How did, where did you get into this
and how has this always been something
00:03:51.949 --> 00:03:55.689
you've wanted to do and what finally
gave you the the go ahead to do it?
00:03:56.259 --> 00:03:58.029
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh my gosh, that's a wonderful question.
00:03:58.509 --> 00:03:58.959
Yeah.
00:03:58.989 --> 00:03:59.439
Yeah.
00:03:59.469 --> 00:03:59.949
Great.
00:04:00.279 --> 00:04:00.729
Garrett.
00:04:00.789 --> 00:04:05.079
And it's almost like, yeah, I don't
know where to start, but I guess
00:04:05.079 --> 00:04:06.879
I'll start from the beginning.
00:04:07.809 --> 00:04:10.359
I've always been a huge Disney fan.
00:04:10.449 --> 00:04:12.639
Uh, you can't, you can't
really see my office.
00:04:12.639 --> 00:04:15.459
It's a little cluttered right now,
so I'm like, I, I didn't wanna like
00:04:16.149 --> 00:04:22.509
show it off, but I got a lot of Disney
like Disney memorabilia everywhere.
00:04:22.539 --> 00:04:27.829
I love Disney and you know, like
happy stories and inspiring stories.
00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:30.679
And I remember the very
first movie I remember.
00:04:31.234 --> 00:04:35.284
Seeing in theaters was the Lion
King, like the actual, the live,
00:04:35.374 --> 00:04:36.814
not, sorry, not the live action.
00:04:37.484 --> 00:04:38.264
The original.
00:04:38.264 --> 00:04:41.684
The og the og, the 1994 version.
00:04:42.674 --> 00:04:48.674
And I remember watching that,
you know, as a tiny kid and just
00:04:48.674 --> 00:04:54.164
like as soon as the lights dimmed
picture started, it was just like.
00:04:54.569 --> 00:04:56.309
Absolute quiet silence.
00:04:56.669 --> 00:04:58.289
People are invested in this story.
00:04:58.589 --> 00:05:01.979
You know, the credits roll
and the music starts like, ha.
00:05:03.144 --> 00:05:06.149
And I was like, just absolutely taken.
00:05:06.779 --> 00:05:10.099
And then when and you
know, eating popcorn.
00:05:10.099 --> 00:05:11.629
It's just that whole experience.
00:05:11.629 --> 00:05:15.049
And then, you know, of course
the tragedy with Mufasa dying and
00:05:15.079 --> 00:05:16.609
adults were crying in the theater.
00:05:16.609 --> 00:05:19.819
Like, I turned around, I'm
like, oh my gosh, like this.
00:05:20.167 --> 00:05:20.854
Movie.
00:05:20.854 --> 00:05:25.654
It's a movie that is making, that
is moving people this much and it's
00:05:25.654 --> 00:05:32.034
moving me and it's taking me on this
wild journey of, songs and, and,
00:05:32.124 --> 00:05:36.914
happiness and, and joy, but also
tears and, you know, inspiration.
00:05:36.914 --> 00:05:39.674
And, and I just, from that
moment on, I just realized like I
00:05:39.674 --> 00:05:42.164
wanted to work in this industry.
00:05:42.164 --> 00:05:43.124
I wanted to.
00:05:43.874 --> 00:05:47.714
Tell stories, you know, I didn't
know how, obviously I was four,
00:05:47.714 --> 00:05:49.634
but I'm like, I'm, I'm gonna do it.
00:05:50.684 --> 00:05:56.054
And so, you know, I was in little
theater groups and I started writing,
00:05:56.054 --> 00:06:01.244
I think when I was like, I think the
earliest memory I have of myself writing
00:06:01.244 --> 00:06:03.434
was like eight, maybe eight years old.
00:06:03.954 --> 00:06:10.434
Just writing short stories and then long
stories, fan fiction, that was my jam and.
00:06:10.784 --> 00:06:11.174
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:06:11.979 --> 00:06:15.529
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
And then when I got older I grew up on
00:06:15.529 --> 00:06:17.989
Lizzie McGuire, you know, Hillary Duff.
00:06:17.989 --> 00:06:21.099
She was like my role model and I
was like, oh my gosh, I have to
00:06:21.099 --> 00:06:22.899
do this, I have to tell stories.
00:06:23.469 --> 00:06:27.959
And so I started with acting,
'cause I, I, I really enjoyed it.
00:06:29.024 --> 00:06:33.434
Uh, joined theater groups and did some
like camps at the Hale Center Theater.
00:06:33.854 --> 00:06:36.764
And then my parents realized like,
I think, you know, like, yeah,
00:06:36.764 --> 00:06:38.564
she's really serious about this.
00:06:39.004 --> 00:06:44.104
So they heard an advertisement on the
radio for a film charter high school
00:06:44.194 --> 00:06:46.804
locally called East Hollywood High.
00:06:46.924 --> 00:06:47.914
Have you guys heard of it?
00:06:49.564 --> 00:06:50.044
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:06:50.074 --> 00:06:50.374
Yeah.
00:06:50.374 --> 00:06:53.569
In fact, yeah, I'm familiar with
some of the teachers there, and.
00:06:54.244 --> 00:06:55.704
Have looked at doing
some projects with them,
00:06:56.159 --> 00:06:56.519
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
That's,
00:06:56.534 --> 00:06:57.344
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
not heard of it.
00:06:58.964 --> 00:07:01.094
I have not heard of it,
so I'm like, what now?
00:07:01.559 --> 00:07:04.709
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
oh, it's the, yeah, it's like
00:07:04.709 --> 00:07:09.359
this hidden gem and it's, I think
the first year it opened like
00:07:09.359 --> 00:07:11.219
in 2006 or 2005, so it was like.
00:07:12.164 --> 00:07:13.094
Perfect.
00:07:13.154 --> 00:07:19.574
I went my junior and and senior year
there, and that's where I first took
00:07:19.574 --> 00:07:24.424
screenwriting classes with Nathan
Smith Jones, acting class classes
00:07:24.589 --> 00:07:26.059
with Christopher Robin Miller.
00:07:26.059 --> 00:07:28.729
Like we had some awesome teachers.
00:07:28.729 --> 00:07:31.939
And then my film production
teacher, I know you guys.
00:07:32.254 --> 00:07:34.264
Know him, Mario D'Angelos.
00:07:34.654 --> 00:07:36.634
He is fantastic.
00:07:37.624 --> 00:07:42.604
And that's when I started first
writing my first screenplay twice the
00:07:42.604 --> 00:07:45.224
Dream at East Hollywood High School.
00:07:45.929 --> 00:07:46.589
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Is that right?
00:07:46.904 --> 00:07:47.189
Okay.
00:07:47.204 --> 00:07:47.744
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:07:48.119 --> 00:07:49.969
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
East Hollywood High School and then
00:07:52.219 --> 00:07:54.889
rounded up the resources
to make twice a dream.
00:07:55.264 --> 00:07:58.234
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah, I guess in a very nonlinear.
00:07:59.994 --> 00:08:00.314
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:08:00.464 --> 00:08:01.574
I'm making it sound simple.
00:08:01.994 --> 00:08:03.584
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
As you guys know, like independent
00:08:03.584 --> 00:08:06.464
film is, is very non-linear.
00:08:06.464 --> 00:08:08.204
There's so many ups and downs.
00:08:08.444 --> 00:08:13.214
Yeah, I, I actually started writing
twice the dream, like the story
00:08:13.214 --> 00:08:15.704
of it when I was 14 in math class.
00:08:15.704 --> 00:08:19.694
I was, I was never really good in
math and like, I was just a, you know,
00:08:19.694 --> 00:08:23.864
always daydreaming, like thinking,
ah, you know, I don't know how this
00:08:23.864 --> 00:08:25.544
is ever gonna apply to my life.
00:08:25.544 --> 00:08:28.014
I'm just gonna, write
a story in my notebook.
00:08:28.014 --> 00:08:29.694
And then that story really.
00:08:29.969 --> 00:08:32.609
Captured me and I was like,
I need to make this movie.
00:08:33.119 --> 00:08:37.262
I went to East Hollywood High School
and started, actually writing it
00:08:37.262 --> 00:08:40.652
as a script, and I was just hooked.
00:08:40.652 --> 00:08:45.392
You know, like, I just knew, like, you,
you know, once you find that story, that
00:08:45.872 --> 00:08:51.130
this is the one, this is the one that,
that I'm gonna tell this is I need to,
00:08:51.190 --> 00:08:52.570
I need to get this movie out there.
00:08:53.170 --> 00:08:55.660
So after graduating East Hollywood.
00:08:56.630 --> 00:09:01.280
I was working at the movie theater,
just saving pennies so I could move
00:09:01.280 --> 00:09:06.710
to LA because, I thought, yeah, you
know, everyone makes movies in LA like
00:09:06.740 --> 00:09:08.510
I'll probably have better luck there.
00:09:08.930 --> 00:09:12.470
I am, I'm still very glad I
made the move to LA because I
00:09:12.470 --> 00:09:15.290
think it really it grounded me.
00:09:15.290 --> 00:09:19.200
Plus I also furthered
my, filmmaking education.
00:09:19.912 --> 00:09:23.602
Had tremendous teachers
film production and acting.
00:09:24.142 --> 00:09:28.072
And it, I think, yeah, it just,
it just really grounded me.
00:09:28.072 --> 00:09:31.612
And also in reality, like, you
know, you'd be at Starbucks and a
00:09:31.612 --> 00:09:35.122
dozen other screenwriters, like with
their laptop, like with Final Draft.
00:09:35.122 --> 00:09:37.942
I'm like, huh, I guess everyone
has a script here, you know?
00:09:40.522 --> 00:09:43.457
And here I thought I was special, but but.
00:09:44.797 --> 00:09:49.027
And funny enough, I think it was
like 20 17, 20 18, I was already
00:09:49.027 --> 00:09:51.157
there for about eight years.
00:09:51.787 --> 00:09:57.217
Utah just started calling back to
me and I'm like, you know what?
00:09:57.817 --> 00:10:04.027
I think that's where we need to be
Utah, and maybe that's where we'll have
00:10:04.027 --> 00:10:06.672
better luck making twice the dream.
00:10:07.822 --> 00:10:08.112
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Okay.
00:10:08.497 --> 00:10:11.317
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
because like I was, I and I had so many
00:10:12.157 --> 00:10:16.507
pitch meetings and producer meetings and
you, I can't tell you how many people
00:10:16.507 --> 00:10:18.077
told me like, oh, it's a great story.
00:10:18.077 --> 00:10:18.677
I love it.
00:10:18.677 --> 00:10:22.307
But have you ever thought of making it
two brothers instead of two sisters?
00:10:22.307 --> 00:10:24.437
Because the story follows two sisters and.
00:10:26.312 --> 00:10:29.522
Because they said oh, male
oriented stories are Mark more
00:10:29.522 --> 00:10:30.932
marketable, blah, blah, blah.
00:10:31.502 --> 00:10:34.142
And that was just a big no for me.
00:10:34.142 --> 00:10:39.777
I said, no, this is very much a female,
you know, it's a story on sisterhood.
00:10:40.452 --> 00:10:42.842
And, that's, that's very important.
00:10:42.842 --> 00:10:45.182
So if I have to wait longer, that's fine.
00:10:45.782 --> 00:10:49.652
And then of course, there's so many
people like, oh yeah, you know, like, if
00:10:49.652 --> 00:10:53.792
you've raised the first half a million,
I can get you the rest, blah, blah, blah.
00:10:54.212 --> 00:10:56.607
I, you, you've, you get know the drill.
00:10:56.607 --> 00:10:57.867
And, and I was just like, ugh.
00:10:58.257 --> 00:11:02.547
It just felt like I was running into
wall after wall after wall there,
00:11:03.027 --> 00:11:06.657
and I just finally was decided,
you know what, maybe if we, I.
00:11:07.977 --> 00:11:12.687
If we, uh, look for other
opportunities in Utah, and maybe
00:11:12.687 --> 00:11:15.387
we can do it ourselves, you know?
00:11:15.387 --> 00:11:20.847
And, and because I, at first, like I
was trying to make it for a million
00:11:20.847 --> 00:11:26.457
dollars, but it soon, not soon, like
it took me years to realize this.
00:11:26.457 --> 00:11:26.962
I, I, I.
00:11:28.002 --> 00:11:32.532
Came to the realization, like, I don't
know if anyone's going to give a first
00:11:32.532 --> 00:11:34.572
time filmmaker a million dollars.
00:11:34.872 --> 00:11:37.482
Like, I feel like that's very rare.
00:11:38.229 --> 00:11:42.102
Um, unless like you have a really wealthy
uncle, which unfortunately I didn't.
00:11:42.957 --> 00:11:49.257
So I decided to write it, tailor the
script a little bit more, catered toward
00:11:49.257 --> 00:11:55.517
a lower budget because it, it used to,
require like so many ritzy things and
00:11:55.517 --> 00:11:57.377
locations and everything like that.
00:11:57.377 --> 00:12:01.067
And it was actually set in la so
I, I thought about setting it in
00:12:01.067 --> 00:12:06.352
like a small, um, mountain, rural
town that we can shoot in Utah
00:12:06.652 --> 00:12:06.942
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Sure.
00:12:07.457 --> 00:12:08.357
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
and stuff like that.
00:12:08.357 --> 00:12:13.847
So I, I, I kind of like, I guess
put my producing hat on and
00:12:13.847 --> 00:12:15.832
looked at it that way and just.
00:12:16.982 --> 00:12:21.962
Started raising money, pretty much
just knocking on everyone's doors.
00:12:21.962 --> 00:12:29.882
I knew and probably the person I
least expected to help me would
00:12:29.882 --> 00:12:33.482
wanna help me and trust and,
and wanna invest in the film.
00:12:33.512 --> 00:12:37.062
That's who ultimately in
invested in the movie.
00:12:37.277 --> 00:12:37.447
And
00:12:37.747 --> 00:12:38.037
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Okay.
00:12:38.527 --> 00:12:39.937
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah, it was just kind of like crazy.
00:12:41.037 --> 00:12:46.747
You know, it was like, oh, and then,
so now they were technically an
00:12:46.747 --> 00:12:49.427
angel investor, which is, incredible.
00:12:50.897 --> 00:12:52.967
And then, um, I also
00:12:53.957 --> 00:12:54.197
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
What do you mean by that?
00:12:54.197 --> 00:12:55.142
What do you mean by angel investor?
00:12:55.907 --> 00:12:58.157
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
basically like they, it was like.
00:13:00.992 --> 00:13:06.842
They straight up told me like if you don't
pay me back anything, like it's fine.
00:13:06.902 --> 00:13:10.322
I just, this is, I'm investing
in you and your career.
00:13:11.567 --> 00:13:13.757
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
How many conversations do you think
00:13:13.757 --> 00:13:17.267
you had to have or that you think
you had for that first film to try
00:13:17.267 --> 00:13:19.067
and raise the budget that you had?
00:13:19.532 --> 00:13:20.492
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh my gosh.
00:13:21.217 --> 00:13:24.542
I, I can't even, it's
almost like over a hundred.
00:13:24.542 --> 00:13:25.022
Yeah.
00:13:25.052 --> 00:13:25.592
Hundreds.
00:13:25.592 --> 00:13:29.162
I think, you know, like I was, I
was constantly talking about it,
00:13:29.162 --> 00:13:34.862
you know, and, and I think it's, if
I wasn't like, just so passionate
00:13:34.862 --> 00:13:36.782
about it, like I would eat.
00:13:37.802 --> 00:13:40.832
Sleep and dream this story.
00:13:40.862 --> 00:13:43.787
If I wasn't so passionate about
it, I would've given up years ago,
00:13:43.882 --> 00:13:44.782
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I think that's one of the things
00:13:44.782 --> 00:13:46.432
we hear a lot of, and that is
00:13:46.442 --> 00:13:49.382
Nature of what we're doing
as indie filmmakers is.
00:13:50.057 --> 00:13:51.887
Sometimes it's that
passion that drives us.
00:13:51.972 --> 00:13:56.412
Love that you said, okay, this may
or may not this will not happen.
00:13:56.412 --> 00:13:58.092
If I'm seeking to raise a million dollars
00:13:58.147 --> 00:13:58.897
not gonna happen.
00:13:58.992 --> 00:13:59.282
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:13:59.582 --> 00:14:02.407
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: And we
sometimes we become our biggest obstacle,
00:14:03.397 --> 00:14:07.297
once we get outta the way of kind of
this precious idea, you say, look, the
00:14:07.297 --> 00:14:12.917
goal is to make a movie, to, whatever
is stopping me from making a movie.
00:14:12.967 --> 00:14:14.437
Let's look at the resources that I have.
00:14:14.437 --> 00:14:18.577
I've got access to a small Utah
town, or I've got access to it
00:14:18.577 --> 00:14:20.047
is, crew at East Hollywood High.
00:14:20.917 --> 00:14:22.432
I don't have access to a million dollars,
00:14:22.732 --> 00:14:23.062
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:14:23.077 --> 00:14:24.577
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
use what I have to make this movie.
00:14:25.282 --> 00:14:26.452
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah, exactly.
00:14:26.452 --> 00:14:31.372
And then also my husband is
graduated from film school and he's a
00:14:31.372 --> 00:14:33.772
talented cinematographer and editor.
00:14:34.222 --> 00:14:39.022
Yeah, we invested in a camera, a
red camera with a nice zoom package.
00:14:39.359 --> 00:14:39.839
So it was a.
00:14:41.204 --> 00:14:44.812
Our budget was a combination of
like our soft money resources,
00:14:44.812 --> 00:14:50.002
like our camera camera equipment
genie, and then also the hard money.
00:14:50.302 --> 00:14:56.572
But our budget, it was very small, even
including post it was like $50,000.
00:14:56.572 --> 00:14:57.622
That's twice the dream it,
00:14:58.672 --> 00:14:59.062
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Wow.
00:14:59.422 --> 00:14:59.752
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
but
00:14:59.767 --> 00:15:02.047
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Savannah, it sounds and you were able to,
00:15:03.007 --> 00:15:04.507
you were able to distribute that movie.
00:15:04.507 --> 00:15:05.647
It's released, it's out there.
00:15:05.697 --> 00:15:06.477
People can watch it.
00:15:06.612 --> 00:15:07.092
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:15:07.157 --> 00:15:08.027
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
That's kinda what we're doing.
00:15:08.077 --> 00:15:09.942
It, it doesn't do any
good as a screenplay.
00:15:09.942 --> 00:15:11.412
Just sitting there not being made.
00:15:11.482 --> 00:15:12.172
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Exactly.
00:15:12.262 --> 00:15:12.712
Yeah.
00:15:12.772 --> 00:15:13.822
It's like I had to,
00:15:14.617 --> 00:15:15.967
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
sorry, but you were like a
00:15:15.967 --> 00:15:17.257
multi hyphenate on that, right?
00:15:17.257 --> 00:15:20.377
You wrote directed, produced,
starred in, et cetera,
00:15:20.727 --> 00:15:21.252
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah, yeah.
00:15:21.552 --> 00:15:21.882
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:15:21.897 --> 00:15:23.457
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
would say, I mean, I guess
00:15:23.457 --> 00:15:26.827
CoStar but yeah, multi h, yeah.
00:15:27.307 --> 00:15:28.117
Act, yeah.
00:15:28.417 --> 00:15:29.197
Rope produce.
00:15:29.272 --> 00:15:31.067
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
led to this, the second one.
00:15:31.067 --> 00:15:32.597
Then you did a sequel.
00:15:32.897 --> 00:15:34.232
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah, we did a sequel
00:15:34.232 --> 00:15:35.642
called Even In Dreams.
00:15:35.882 --> 00:15:36.872
This is low key.
00:15:36.872 --> 00:15:38.672
This is how I got the idea.
00:15:39.422 --> 00:15:43.592
So we were at the premiere of
Twice the Dream at Jordan Commons,
00:15:44.162 --> 00:15:48.172
and it was right before you
know, the theatrical release and.
00:15:49.342 --> 00:15:50.212
I kid you not.
00:15:50.242 --> 00:15:54.622
'cause it had an open ending at
the end and the audience at the
00:15:54.622 --> 00:15:55.552
end, they were like cheering.
00:15:55.552 --> 00:15:56.842
They're like, seek, seek, see.
00:15:57.232 --> 00:16:00.862
And you know, at first I was like, oh
yeah, that's, that's never gonna happen.
00:16:00.862 --> 00:16:01.882
The story's finished.
00:16:02.362 --> 00:16:07.152
I think it, it, maybe it was like six
months later or a eight months later
00:16:07.152 --> 00:16:08.832
I started really thinking about it.
00:16:08.832 --> 00:16:09.102
I was like.
00:16:10.917 --> 00:16:15.147
Hey, what if these characters,
their journey was not done?
00:16:15.512 --> 00:16:19.262
What if, and then I, it
just came to me in a song.
00:16:20.342 --> 00:16:23.222
So I started writing the
song first, even in dreams.
00:16:23.582 --> 00:16:25.082
And then the script.
00:16:25.142 --> 00:16:28.727
I think I wrote the first draft of that
in like three weeks, maybe two weeks.
00:16:28.892 --> 00:16:30.662
I, it was crazy.
00:16:31.902 --> 00:16:34.052
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
So we glossed over this step here
00:16:34.052 --> 00:16:38.282
that you made a movie, $50,000,
you got investors, you made it, and
00:16:38.312 --> 00:16:40.052
then you went and got distribution.
00:16:40.052 --> 00:16:43.322
Like a lot of people who are producing
micro budget stuff, ultra low
00:16:43.322 --> 00:16:45.752
budget stuff, that's like sub 500 k,
00:16:46.087 --> 00:16:46.597
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:16:47.072 --> 00:16:47.912
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
with that step.
00:16:47.912 --> 00:16:50.402
So tell us a little bit about
the distribution process and how
00:16:50.437 --> 00:16:50.587
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh, I,
00:16:50.642 --> 00:16:51.152
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: line up
00:16:51.452 --> 00:16:51.927
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah, that's a great.
00:16:52.657 --> 00:16:54.517
That's a great question.
00:16:54.517 --> 00:17:01.207
I mean, the theatrical, honestly, I had
some connections still from working at
00:17:01.257 --> 00:17:05.727
the movie theater when, you know, I was
a teenager, so I called I think she was
00:17:05.727 --> 00:17:07.257
like my assistant manager at the time.
00:17:07.257 --> 00:17:08.217
She was my manager.
00:17:08.457 --> 00:17:11.307
I was like, Hey, I don't
know if you remember me.
00:17:11.307 --> 00:17:14.067
You know I used to sell popcorn with
you, and she's like, oh yeah, yes.
00:17:14.877 --> 00:17:17.969
And she's like, and I said,
yeah, well, I make movies now.
00:17:17.997 --> 00:17:19.617
I have this movie and.
00:17:20.832 --> 00:17:21.792
Is this crazy?
00:17:21.792 --> 00:17:27.012
It might be crazy, but I kind
of want to pitch it to the film
00:17:27.012 --> 00:17:28.452
buyer at Megaplex theaters.
00:17:28.452 --> 00:17:29.892
Like, how do I go by that?
00:17:30.372 --> 00:17:32.862
Or, and she's like, oh yeah,
let me give you his number.
00:17:32.862 --> 00:17:34.302
Like, yeah, you have
to call the film buyer.
00:17:34.302 --> 00:17:39.842
And I just had this conversation and they
agreed to, to book it, you know, in a
00:17:39.842 --> 00:17:42.152
number of theaters, which was awesome.
00:17:42.362 --> 00:17:44.132
So it was honestly just a phone call.
00:17:44.132 --> 00:17:45.122
Sometimes you have to.
00:17:45.827 --> 00:17:49.577
You have to be, so you
have to have the audacity.
00:17:49.707 --> 00:17:50.547
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
distribution.
00:17:50.597 --> 00:17:50.847
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:17:50.927 --> 00:17:54.587
You have to have the audacity just to pick
up the phone and be like, you know what?
00:17:55.127 --> 00:17:55.877
I made a movie.
00:17:56.177 --> 00:17:59.837
Yeah, it's an independent movie, but
I'm happy with how it turned out.
00:17:59.847 --> 00:18:04.377
Audiences, people are responding
to it and let's see if we can work
00:18:04.377 --> 00:18:06.072
something out so that quickly.
00:18:07.397 --> 00:18:12.857
It not only played in Utah, but then
another theater chain called me Harkins
00:18:12.947 --> 00:18:16.697
Theaters and was like, Hey, I heard
about this movie twice The dream, you
00:18:16.697 --> 00:18:18.167
know, we'd like to play in Arizona.
00:18:18.167 --> 00:18:18.797
We also have.
00:18:19.517 --> 00:18:21.527
A couple other theaters
like in California.
00:18:21.527 --> 00:18:22.577
I was like, oh my gosh.
00:18:22.847 --> 00:18:26.657
Yeah, I'd love my movie to
play in Arizona and California.
00:18:26.657 --> 00:18:31.517
So it was, it just kind of made me realize
like as an independent filmmaker, you
00:18:31.517 --> 00:18:33.317
kinda almost have to be your own Yeah.
00:18:33.317 --> 00:18:34.967
Marketing team too.
00:18:34.967 --> 00:18:40.277
You just push it out and if you just
make something and get it out there.
00:18:41.537 --> 00:18:45.047
Just do what you can with
the tools that you have
00:18:45.277 --> 00:18:46.447
And push it.
00:18:46.447 --> 00:18:47.257
Oh, I'm so sorry.
00:18:47.257 --> 00:18:48.067
That was my phone.
00:18:48.607 --> 00:18:49.237
Bad phone.
00:18:50.117 --> 00:18:52.037
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I love what you started that with
00:18:52.092 --> 00:18:54.572
you said, I picked up the phone
and you started the conversation
00:18:54.572 --> 00:18:56.522
with, this might be crazy, but,
00:18:56.847 --> 00:18:57.137
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah,
00:18:57.242 --> 00:18:58.547
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
can't, I can't tell you how many like,
00:18:58.597 --> 00:19:00.307
that should be written on, tattooed.
00:19:01.237 --> 00:19:04.337
indie filmmaker's, on their forehead,
just saying, this is what we're doing.
00:19:04.337 --> 00:19:05.717
This might be crazy, but,
00:19:05.717 --> 00:19:05.927
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Great.
00:19:06.077 --> 00:19:08.097
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
and then your idea is I'm gonna
00:19:08.097 --> 00:19:09.387
make a movie, or whatever it is.
00:19:09.747 --> 00:19:11.367
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
that might be my next tattoo.
00:19:11.397 --> 00:19:12.117
I like that idea.
00:19:14.677 --> 00:19:16.117
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Just
don't put it on your forehead, Savannah.
00:19:16.327 --> 00:19:16.807
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I won't.
00:19:18.172 --> 00:19:20.187
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Severely limit your acting opportunities.
00:19:20.587 --> 00:19:21.907
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
that would really change things.
00:19:22.567 --> 00:19:22.857
Yeah.
00:19:23.657 --> 00:19:29.042
a and then, okay, so let's, so
you did the sequel and now we're,
00:19:29.042 --> 00:19:30.572
we want to get into Buster Brooks
00:19:30.602 --> 00:19:33.102
I've followed with only In
Dreams and Twice The Dream.
00:19:33.552 --> 00:19:33.672
Was
00:19:33.672 --> 00:19:34.092
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:19:34.542 --> 00:19:34.932
So
00:19:34.962 --> 00:19:35.382
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Thank you.
00:19:35.382 --> 00:19:37.632
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
twice the dream and even in dreams.
00:19:37.932 --> 00:19:38.622
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Even in Dreams.
00:19:38.622 --> 00:19:39.102
Thank you.
00:19:39.192 --> 00:19:39.612
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:19:39.912 --> 00:19:42.872
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: And
they, it seemed laid the foundation for.
00:19:43.757 --> 00:19:44.897
What your next movie is?
00:19:45.197 --> 00:19:45.842
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Buster Brooks.
00:19:45.842 --> 00:19:46.157
Yeah.
00:19:46.457 --> 00:19:47.822
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
from my outside perspective,
00:19:48.122 --> 00:19:48.542
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:19:48.602 --> 00:19:50.342
No, that's a great question.
00:19:50.342 --> 00:19:54.232
So I kinda I actually had a theatrical
distributor on even in Dreams Purdy
00:19:54.262 --> 00:19:57.062
distribution back when Brandon was
00:19:57.187 --> 00:19:58.567
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
purdy ran Purdy distribution.
00:19:58.572 --> 00:19:58.582
Yeah.
00:19:58.597 --> 00:19:58.867
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:19:58.867 --> 00:19:59.557
Brandon Purty.
00:19:59.557 --> 00:19:59.947
Yeah.
00:20:00.047 --> 00:20:00.737
Awesome guy.
00:20:01.037 --> 00:20:02.927
Learned a lot from him, that's for sure.
00:20:03.357 --> 00:20:06.057
And then I came up with
the idea Buster Brooks.
00:20:06.787 --> 00:20:11.857
I just randomly pictured this
like farm boy just in the
00:20:11.857 --> 00:20:13.297
middle of Hollywood Boulevard.
00:20:14.122 --> 00:20:18.022
Front, in the front of the Chinese
theater with a rooster random.
00:20:18.082 --> 00:20:23.142
I don't know where that came
from, but it just, that idea alone
00:20:23.142 --> 00:20:25.212
put a such a smile on my face.
00:20:25.692 --> 00:20:33.132
And I, I just, it was another, another
I knew, I know my next story when I,
00:20:33.252 --> 00:20:34.932
when I feel it, you know what I mean?
00:20:34.932 --> 00:20:36.222
Like, I was like, oh, that's it.
00:20:36.657 --> 00:20:40.497
Because for the longest time, after, even
in Dreams, I kind of felt like Rapunzel.
00:20:40.497 --> 00:20:41.607
I'm like, well, what's next?
00:20:41.607 --> 00:20:44.987
Like this these characters
have been my dream for so long.
00:20:45.707 --> 00:20:49.007
I've told their stories, like
I've made and released two movies.
00:20:49.307 --> 00:20:51.017
Now what next?
00:20:51.827 --> 00:20:55.037
So I came up with Buster
Brooks, and I wrote that script.
00:20:55.457 --> 00:20:57.017
I'd say the first draft, yeah.
00:20:57.017 --> 00:20:58.854
In about three to four weeks.
00:21:00.122 --> 00:21:03.212
And had, uh, industry feedback.
00:21:03.512 --> 00:21:09.192
And then we held a an actor's table
read, just so I can hear the words
00:21:09.192 --> 00:21:10.872
out loud, the dialogue out loud.
00:21:11.142 --> 00:21:16.762
See, you know, how it clicked and people
were really responding quite positively.
00:21:16.762 --> 00:21:20.392
Like people were like actually laughing
out loud and I was just like, oh my gosh.
00:21:20.392 --> 00:21:20.902
Great.
00:21:20.902 --> 00:21:25.202
Like, this is resonating with people
because it sounds so silly, right?
00:21:25.202 --> 00:21:26.792
You know, a farm boy.
00:21:27.162 --> 00:21:28.002
With a rooster.
00:21:28.002 --> 00:21:32.832
He moves to Hollywood, but he's
actually a really endearing character.
00:21:33.492 --> 00:21:38.982
And you know, of course I got some very
valuable feedback from that reading.
00:21:39.312 --> 00:21:44.702
And I, I kept rewriting that,
that script until finally I found.
00:21:46.272 --> 00:21:51.607
A team that believed in it as much
as I did, and that's the movie
00:21:51.697 --> 00:21:53.557
that we made for a million dollars.
00:21:53.647 --> 00:21:55.057
So it was my third feature.
00:21:56.197 --> 00:21:58.987
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Okay, so you raised, so are you still
00:21:58.987 --> 00:22:02.467
involved with some of those early
investors or was this a separate
00:22:02.467 --> 00:22:04.477
group and how did that come about?
00:22:04.777 --> 00:22:07.707
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Um, it's kind of combined it's
00:22:07.737 --> 00:22:11.397
some investors from my previous
two films and then new ones.
00:22:11.457 --> 00:22:12.702
And then we also raised.
00:22:14.007 --> 00:22:15.987
I can't remember off the top of my head.
00:22:16.047 --> 00:22:17.217
Via crowd funding.
00:22:17.217 --> 00:22:22.087
I think we raised about
80,000 on seed and spark.
00:22:22.447 --> 00:22:23.197
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Oh, nice.
00:22:23.487 --> 00:22:26.487
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
So I used that as like the seed money
00:22:26.487 --> 00:22:33.537
because unlike my first two films where,
you know, we could make for under two,
00:22:33.717 --> 00:22:36.597
200 k, I, I realized like this is a story.
00:22:36.897 --> 00:22:39.537
Hollywood, Chinese theater animals.
00:22:40.212 --> 00:22:40.662
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:22:41.412 --> 00:22:43.272
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
there's a lot of moving parts.
00:22:43.272 --> 00:22:47.442
Like I couldn't, I don't see how
this story would've been possible
00:22:47.442 --> 00:22:50.562
with under anything under 500,000.
00:22:50.562 --> 00:22:51.382
Like, I just,
00:22:51.682 --> 00:22:51.972
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:22:52.302 --> 00:22:53.772
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
it really had its limitations.
00:22:53.772 --> 00:22:58.272
So this was, this was the project
that I just decided like, okay,
00:22:58.572 --> 00:23:01.122
I'm gonna really test myself
to see if I can actually do it.
00:23:01.122 --> 00:23:04.122
Like I worked the ultra low budget world.
00:23:04.662 --> 00:23:10.242
First feature film, 50 KI think even
in Dreams landed around one 50 K
00:23:10.242 --> 00:23:12.102
or 200 K, somewhere around there.
00:23:12.462 --> 00:23:17.497
So it was my goal to at least
like jump, a budget level
00:23:17.797 --> 00:23:18.127
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:23:18.367 --> 00:23:18.907
Yeah,
00:23:18.952 --> 00:23:20.992
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
because I, I thought that was the only
00:23:20.992 --> 00:23:23.452
way to, to really grow as a filmmaker.
00:23:24.202 --> 00:23:28.252
Um, but it was, it was quite
the jump, like, going from.
00:23:29.257 --> 00:23:31.867
200,000 to a million dollars.
00:23:31.867 --> 00:23:36.367
You know, like having trailer production
trailers, cast trailers, all that.
00:23:36.367 --> 00:23:38.467
It was like, it was, it was a lot.
00:23:38.467 --> 00:23:39.957
But we did it.
00:23:39.957 --> 00:23:44.007
And I'm just, I'm so thankful
for the, the cast and crew.
00:23:44.397 --> 00:23:48.957
We just, it was just an amazing,
phenomenal experience and I'm, I'm really
00:23:48.957 --> 00:23:50.877
happy with how the product turned out.
00:23:52.107 --> 00:23:53.507
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Savannah how I you should
00:23:53.507 --> 00:23:54.827
be 'cause it looks amazing.
00:23:54.827 --> 00:23:56.732
Your cast and crew did an amazing job.
00:23:57.032 --> 00:23:57.452
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Thank you.
00:23:57.752 --> 00:23:58.877
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
dp Uh, kudos
00:23:58.982 --> 00:23:59.312
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh
00:23:59.537 --> 00:23:59.547
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: at.
00:23:59.642 --> 00:24:00.032
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:24:00.162 --> 00:24:01.662
My DP was Wes Johnson.
00:24:01.662 --> 00:24:02.622
He's fantastic.
00:24:03.312 --> 00:24:04.092
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
He's fantastic.
00:24:04.392 --> 00:24:04.602
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:24:04.902 --> 00:24:09.262
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Wes and
everything he touches is just watchable,
00:24:09.682 --> 00:24:10.222
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:24:10.672 --> 00:24:11.782
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
for lack of a better description.
00:24:12.052 --> 00:24:13.557
It just really makes a pretty image.
00:24:13.947 --> 00:24:16.437
And then your cast, I'm curious
how you've found your cast.
00:24:16.467 --> 00:24:20.757
'cause you were shooting in LA and
it seems like you shot some in Utah.
00:24:21.057 --> 00:24:21.732
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yes.
00:24:22.167 --> 00:24:24.377
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
And so what was the audition process?
00:24:24.377 --> 00:24:25.797
How'd you put together a great cast?
00:24:26.097 --> 00:24:26.742
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh, thank you.
00:24:26.742 --> 00:24:31.132
Well, I really kudos to
our casting directors.
00:24:31.582 --> 00:24:34.012
So it's kind of a funny story.
00:24:34.042 --> 00:24:38.572
Our casting team, Lisa London and,
and Katherine Stroud, London Stroud
00:24:38.572 --> 00:24:39.742
Casting, they're based in la.
00:24:40.972 --> 00:24:47.392
I was referred to them by my acting
coach from La Adrian Armon, who worked
00:24:47.392 --> 00:24:49.942
on a lot of Disney Channel stuff.
00:24:49.942 --> 00:24:54.442
He was a series regular in the
sweet Life of Zach and Cody.
00:24:55.072 --> 00:24:58.852
And, um, so he's just, he's really
fun and he's very well connected.
00:24:58.852 --> 00:25:02.722
I, I called him up and I asked,
I asked him, Hey, you know, I am
00:25:02.782 --> 00:25:07.432
making this movie, you know, it's
independent film, but you know, we're
00:25:07.432 --> 00:25:09.292
looking at a million dollars, so.
00:25:10.012 --> 00:25:13.822
We really need to, raise the bar
as far as casting, do you have any
00:25:13.822 --> 00:25:15.142
casting directors you recommend?
00:25:15.142 --> 00:25:19.012
And he was like, oh, a hundred percent
Lisa London, a hundred percent.
00:25:19.072 --> 00:25:26.452
And um, funny enough, she was the casting
director from Hannah Montana, so she.
00:25:27.127 --> 00:25:30.427
They like legit discovered Miley Cyrus.
00:25:30.427 --> 00:25:36.117
And they, so they come from the Disney
world, but they also do lots of amazing
00:25:36.117 --> 00:25:42.147
movies and, and, um, lately they've
been diving into the indie world.
00:25:43.137 --> 00:25:45.777
So that's how I found my
casting director team.
00:25:45.777 --> 00:25:47.967
And, and they're just phenomenal.
00:25:48.507 --> 00:25:52.287
That's, it's, I think this cast,
it's a very well-rounded cast.
00:25:52.287 --> 00:25:53.123
It's, you know, we have.
00:25:53.978 --> 00:25:59.008
Matt Cornett, who plays Buster
himself from high school, musical the
00:25:59.008 --> 00:26:03.388
series, and he's just so phenomenal.
00:26:03.718 --> 00:26:08.308
I, he steps so well into that role.
00:26:08.668 --> 00:26:11.728
It's impossible for me
to see anyone else in it.
00:26:11.728 --> 00:26:14.878
Like, it's just, he's just so buster.
00:26:14.938 --> 00:26:16.813
So it was just incredible.
00:26:18.248 --> 00:26:20.028
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: I
was laughing under my breath a little
00:26:20.028 --> 00:26:23.718
bit because this through line from
your career of this story you've
00:26:23.718 --> 00:26:26.748
told so far is I didn't have this
thing, so I called somebody and then
00:26:26.748 --> 00:26:29.283
I didn't have this and I didn't know
how to do it, so I called somebody
00:26:29.583 --> 00:26:29.883
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:26:29.898 --> 00:26:31.398
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
just this idea of.
00:26:32.323 --> 00:26:34.318
the destination and asking for directions
00:26:34.403 --> 00:26:38.108
Someone you knew, a person you worked
with at a movie theater selling popcorn
00:26:38.408 --> 00:26:38.698
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:26:38.903 --> 00:26:41.033
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
how do I get my movie in Megaplex?
00:26:41.063 --> 00:26:41.203
You're
00:26:41.503 --> 00:26:41.953
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:26:42.443 --> 00:26:43.013
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
call this guy.
00:26:43.103 --> 00:26:43.973
Okay, cool.
00:26:44.183 --> 00:26:44.873
I'll do that.
00:26:45.323 --> 00:26:50.288
But that step as simple as it sounds is
like such a stumbling block for so many
00:26:50.588 --> 00:26:50.878
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:26:51.643 --> 00:26:53.383
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Where
they think it's someone else's job to
00:26:53.383 --> 00:26:58.003
do it, or they don't know if it's okay
to call, so they hesitate to even try.
00:26:58.008 --> 00:27:02.028
Just love this through line
for you of know what to do or I
00:27:02.028 --> 00:27:04.488
didn't have that person that I
needed, so I just called somebody
00:27:04.873 --> 00:27:05.163
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:27:05.298 --> 00:27:05.478
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: and
00:27:05.508 --> 00:27:05.928
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:27:05.928 --> 00:27:06.378
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
worked out.
00:27:06.378 --> 00:27:09.078
Maybe not on the first call, but you
just kept calling and until you had it.
00:27:09.903 --> 00:27:12.033
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
You just have to keep knocking on
00:27:12.033 --> 00:27:14.103
those doors until something sticks.
00:27:14.403 --> 00:27:20.763
It's absolutely true because I
think the best directors don't
00:27:20.763 --> 00:27:24.093
necessarily always come up with the
best ideas themselves, but they're
00:27:24.093 --> 00:27:25.773
able to recognize the best ideas.
00:27:25.773 --> 00:27:30.663
You know, and, and I realize like,
okay, I don't know, everything.
00:27:30.663 --> 00:27:34.653
You know, like I, I've never worked with
a professional casting director team.
00:27:34.653 --> 00:27:39.273
Like I kind of just cast the, my first
two movies myself, blah, blah, blah.
00:27:39.430 --> 00:27:45.613
But yeah, I just, I really have
learned to go back into my resources
00:27:45.613 --> 00:27:49.243
and my, my contacts and, and call.
00:27:49.573 --> 00:27:54.523
Even like my first film, I
called Mario D'Angelos from East
00:27:54.523 --> 00:27:57.523
Hollywood High, my teacher, and I
was like, I'm making this movie.
00:27:57.868 --> 00:27:59.488
You are my film production teacher.
00:27:59.488 --> 00:28:01.798
Like this is my first one.
00:28:01.798 --> 00:28:02.608
What do I do?
00:28:02.878 --> 00:28:05.938
And so I eventually
hired him as my first ad.
00:28:06.118 --> 00:28:06.748
That's what I did.
00:28:07.528 --> 00:28:07.918
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah,
00:28:08.668 --> 00:28:09.448
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I freaking love it.
00:28:10.948 --> 00:28:12.748
I want one other question for you.
00:28:12.808 --> 00:28:13.408
Sorry, Garrett.
00:28:13.408 --> 00:28:19.408
But how important or integral was
that decision on your first movie to
00:28:19.408 --> 00:28:23.608
say, we're gonna go do this, even if
it's 50 grand, like that's the budget.
00:28:23.668 --> 00:28:28.478
Like how important was that for the rest
of your trajectory in the, in your career?
00:28:29.083 --> 00:28:31.783
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I would say so important 'cause I
00:28:31.783 --> 00:28:34.393
don't think I would've gotten it made.
00:28:34.393 --> 00:28:36.553
I honestly don't think I
would've gotten anything made
00:28:36.553 --> 00:28:38.623
if I hadn't made that decision.
00:28:39.538 --> 00:28:44.718
You know, earlier on in my career,
even like, fresh off the, the bus
00:28:44.718 --> 00:28:51.018
from L or from Utah to la when people
even suggest, even suggested like,
00:28:51.018 --> 00:28:53.598
have you thought about making it
for maybe a little lower budget?
00:28:53.598 --> 00:28:54.618
I kind of like scoff at them.
00:28:54.618 --> 00:28:57.918
Like, no, like this story, it
deserves a million dollars.
00:28:58.158 --> 00:29:00.378
It deserves like these stars.
00:29:00.738 --> 00:29:05.808
And I just, but I ended up realizing,
oh, I totally got in my own way.
00:29:06.408 --> 00:29:07.218
Um.
00:29:08.718 --> 00:29:13.908
You know, if something is not working,
you have to change what you're doing.
00:29:13.908 --> 00:29:18.668
You know, like, and that's, I needed
to change what I was doing in order
00:29:18.668 --> 00:29:23.918
to change the outcome that I, in order
to get the outcome that I, I wanted.
00:29:25.583 --> 00:29:27.943
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I often think also maybe a follow up
00:29:27.948 --> 00:29:32.138
question is what would've happened
had you made it for a million dollars?
00:29:33.278 --> 00:29:38.503
And I wonder, if a I've got a nephew
who's training to be a pilot right
00:29:38.503 --> 00:29:42.573
now, and he is gotta get his hours
the little Cessna right in the thing.
00:29:42.873 --> 00:29:44.733
He, nobody's putting him behind a 7 47
00:29:45.033 --> 00:29:45.323
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:29:45.623 --> 00:29:47.133
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
because he's just starting out.
00:29:47.193 --> 00:29:51.573
And I think, boy, I, it's a very
similar story with my first feature
00:29:51.683 --> 00:29:55.433
Savannah, and if I would've made it
for the original budget that I wanted.
00:29:56.063 --> 00:29:57.488
That would be the last movie I made
00:29:57.788 --> 00:29:58.388
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:29:58.523 --> 00:30:00.293
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
be still digging myself out
00:30:00.293 --> 00:30:03.173
of that giant pit I dug, or,
00:30:03.473 --> 00:30:03.713
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah
00:30:03.783 --> 00:30:05.283
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
n never, ever being able to sit
00:30:05.283 --> 00:30:08.623
in front of a potential investor
and explaining what went wrong?
00:30:09.253 --> 00:30:09.913
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
right.
00:30:09.943 --> 00:30:14.653
No, I mean, honestly, the best film
school is making a feature yourself.
00:30:15.083 --> 00:30:21.243
I can't it's just there's so many elements
you just don't realize, like, oh my gosh.
00:30:21.483 --> 00:30:24.573
Even just like with the production,
the scheduling, like, oh my
00:30:24.573 --> 00:30:25.668
gosh, like should we really.
00:30:26.283 --> 00:30:27.873
Shoot that important scene.
00:30:27.873 --> 00:30:29.433
Should we save that
for the end of the day?
00:30:29.433 --> 00:30:30.663
What if we're rushing it?
00:30:30.963 --> 00:30:33.093
Oh my gosh, like getting
all the coverage we need.
00:30:33.093 --> 00:30:36.903
Oh, you only have four hours to shoot
this really important scene you have.
00:30:36.903 --> 00:30:40.803
You gotta sacrifice some
coverage or one angle.
00:30:40.803 --> 00:30:41.763
What are you gonna sacrifice?
00:30:42.153 --> 00:30:45.693
It's all those decisions you
don't even think about, and
00:30:45.693 --> 00:30:46.743
then you're just thrown in.
00:30:46.953 --> 00:30:52.383
So I'm honestly really glad twice my
first feature twice the dream was made
00:30:52.383 --> 00:30:55.363
on that budget because I, you know, I am.
00:30:56.553 --> 00:30:59.733
I haven't watched it in a bit,
I think maybe like a year ago.
00:30:59.733 --> 00:31:01.773
And then I, you know,
like I see some stuff.
00:31:01.773 --> 00:31:02.523
I was like, okay.
00:31:02.793 --> 00:31:07.313
You know, I, I definitely learned
some things since then, you know,
00:31:07.313 --> 00:31:11.123
and, and if I were to remake this
or make this today, I probably
00:31:11.123 --> 00:31:13.193
would've made a different choice here.
00:31:13.403 --> 00:31:14.963
But, you know, it was my first feature.
00:31:14.963 --> 00:31:15.233
Right.
00:31:15.233 --> 00:31:15.983
You're learning.
00:31:16.193 --> 00:31:17.333
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
That you want that, right?
00:31:17.333 --> 00:31:20.483
If you were to look at it now
and go, man, I peaked with my
00:31:20.603 --> 00:31:21.053
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:31:21.863 --> 00:31:23.228
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
then that's a bad thing,
00:31:23.528 --> 00:31:24.008
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah
00:31:24.233 --> 00:31:24.953
exactly
00:31:25.718 --> 00:31:27.608
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: at your
early work and go, God, I've come a long.
00:31:27.908 --> 00:31:28.448
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:31:28.598 --> 00:31:33.798
But it's also giving yourself some
grace and credit and looking at
00:31:33.798 --> 00:31:36.978
some shots and some characters
and thinking like, you know what?
00:31:37.098 --> 00:31:39.408
We got some awesome
performances out of that.
00:31:39.588 --> 00:31:41.578
Like I'm really proud of that,
or I'm proud of that moment.
00:31:42.723 --> 00:31:46.143
I'm proud of, what we did
there or the composition there.
00:31:46.143 --> 00:31:47.373
It was just spot on.
00:31:47.373 --> 00:31:51.523
Like, you know, like it's, it's
really an interesting process.
00:31:51.523 --> 00:31:53.653
So, yeah, there's some cringey moments.
00:31:53.653 --> 00:31:57.403
I, I watch, I'm like, ah, you
know, but, but that's how you grow.
00:31:57.403 --> 00:31:59.053
You're exactly right, Garrett.
00:31:59.353 --> 00:32:00.953
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Savannah, what every film,
00:32:01.053 --> 00:32:02.383
no film is easy to make
00:32:02.683 --> 00:32:03.013
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Right.
00:32:03.313 --> 00:32:05.203
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
It only gets harder, I think, or more
00:32:05.203 --> 00:32:09.183
complicated with the bigger the budget
and, more, more grander the story
00:32:09.453 --> 00:32:12.663
and more moving parts that we bring
on, and yet we do that to ourselves.
00:32:12.843 --> 00:32:13.263
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh yeah.
00:32:14.553 --> 00:32:17.033
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: what
is it, what helps you like what are
00:32:17.033 --> 00:32:20.933
some of those challenges that you may
have faced specifically with Buster
00:32:20.933 --> 00:32:29.823
Brooks and then how you overcame them,
whether production or or, whatever.
00:32:29.883 --> 00:32:29.973
It's
00:32:30.183 --> 00:32:31.263
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
That's a wonderful question.
00:32:32.043 --> 00:32:35.823
Straight up off the top of
my head, we shot this, we
00:32:35.823 --> 00:32:40.603
were in active pre-production
right as the SAG aftra strike.
00:32:40.963 --> 00:32:41.593
Happened.
00:32:42.348 --> 00:32:42.568
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Oh.
00:32:43.123 --> 00:32:44.893
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
It was in the thick of that
00:32:45.313 --> 00:32:51.493
and we had SAG actors and it
was just one of those things.
00:32:51.493 --> 00:32:55.703
And my first film was non-union, so I
didn't have to worry, about the union.
00:32:55.703 --> 00:33:00.983
But my second film, I had worked with SAG
before, but that was right during COVID.
00:33:01.073 --> 00:33:05.883
So I worked, yeah I've done.
00:33:06.063 --> 00:33:07.293
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
no film is easy, right?
00:33:07.523 --> 00:33:07.793
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:33:08.093 --> 00:33:10.338
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
film easy, but it's like I, it's like
00:33:11.178 --> 00:33:16.488
when the strike happened, I kind of
like turned to Steve and I was like, why
00:33:16.488 --> 00:33:21.018
did, do we always tend to decide to make
movies during like the hardest times?
00:33:21.018 --> 00:33:21.828
It doesn't make sense.
00:33:22.458 --> 00:33:28.908
So I think it was like
the, we had a month to.
00:33:30.003 --> 00:33:33.573
Yeah, I think a month or maybe even
two months before our principal
00:33:33.573 --> 00:33:38.005
of photography, you know, we had
already locked crew, our dates.
00:33:38.005 --> 00:33:41.515
We had already put deposits down
for locations and we still had no
00:33:41.515 --> 00:33:45.355
cast because we were waiting on
our SAG AFTRA clearance, our, our
00:33:45.355 --> 00:33:49.615
waiver in order to make the movie.
00:33:49.615 --> 00:33:52.405
So it was like it came down to the wire.
00:33:52.405 --> 00:33:53.275
I actually.
00:33:53.890 --> 00:33:58.630
Again, back to the phone calls,
I insistently called our rep
00:33:58.690 --> 00:34:00.910
and I'm like, Hey, I know.
00:34:00.910 --> 00:34:01.210
Yep.
00:34:01.240 --> 00:34:03.910
It's me, Savannah, with Buster Brooks.
00:34:03.970 --> 00:34:05.980
Because he knew who I was
because I would call just.
00:34:05.980 --> 00:34:06.340
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:34:07.330 --> 00:34:09.340
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
It started like with emails, and then
00:34:09.340 --> 00:34:13.780
I would start calling maybe every
week and then every couple days.
00:34:13.780 --> 00:34:17.200
And then by the end I was like, okay,
I have to call this guy every day and
00:34:17.200 --> 00:34:19.870
ask him like, how is this looking?
00:34:19.870 --> 00:34:22.270
Like I'm seeing some films
getting their waivers.
00:34:22.690 --> 00:34:26.080
We really need to get our
casting process started.
00:34:26.350 --> 00:34:31.120
So finally and he was so kind, he
was like, I love your guys' film.
00:34:31.120 --> 00:34:31.690
I, I love.
00:34:32.115 --> 00:34:32.925
The passion.
00:34:32.925 --> 00:34:37.325
You, you are, because I'm like, I don't,
I don't mean to, you know, pest you, but
00:34:37.475 --> 00:34:41.585
you know, we're kind of in a pickle, and
I really think it's because of those, all
00:34:41.585 --> 00:34:43.715
those phone calls, that squeaky wheel.
00:34:44.195 --> 00:34:46.475
Finally, he's like, okay,
you got your, you got your
00:34:46.475 --> 00:34:47.465
clearance, you got your waiver.
00:34:47.465 --> 00:34:48.035
Let's go.
00:34:48.575 --> 00:34:54.335
Finally, then casting team, we were
able, because actors sag actors couldn't
00:34:54.335 --> 00:34:56.015
even read scripts during the strike
00:34:56.465 --> 00:34:56.765
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah,
00:34:57.085 --> 00:34:58.285
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
unless we were cleared.
00:34:58.285 --> 00:34:59.725
So that was.
00:34:59.810 --> 00:35:00.410
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I gotta say
00:35:01.685 --> 00:35:03.575
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
PTSD for me, 'cause Daren and I were
00:35:03.575 --> 00:35:05.015
in the exact same spot with faith
00:35:05.055 --> 00:35:07.065
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah, I remember calling you
00:35:07.065 --> 00:35:08.385
and talking to you during that
00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:08.770
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:35:09.005 --> 00:35:10.145
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
That whole thing.
00:35:10.145 --> 00:35:13.160
And I remember going, man, if she's
calling every day, I should do that too.
00:35:13.235 --> 00:35:13.385
And
00:35:13.490 --> 00:35:16.715
And then it was like we had a different
outcome where we went non-union
00:35:16.765 --> 00:35:19.705
Was trying to, that's another
conversation for another
00:35:19.855 --> 00:35:20.305
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:35:20.455 --> 00:35:21.085
Yeah.
00:35:21.085 --> 00:35:21.985
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
like I was, I.
00:35:22.615 --> 00:35:22.765
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: still.
00:35:24.940 --> 00:35:25.540
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Cut that out.
00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:27.420
But I was seriously impressed.
00:35:27.450 --> 00:35:31.360
'cause man, I, I was following
up regularly and then here you
00:35:31.360 --> 00:35:32.920
are calling them every day.
00:35:32.920 --> 00:35:35.590
I'm like, man, I gotta step up my game
like I should be calling every day.
00:35:35.590 --> 00:35:39.150
And then by the time I started doing
that's when they finally responded and.
00:35:39.205 --> 00:35:40.645
That is what it takes though.
00:35:40.645 --> 00:35:41.260
Like you have,
00:35:41.560 --> 00:35:42.160
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Absolutely.
00:35:42.235 --> 00:35:43.795
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
only person who can get what
00:35:43.795 --> 00:35:44.950
you want for your movie.
00:35:45.250 --> 00:35:45.940
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
It's true.
00:35:46.075 --> 00:35:46.915
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
think of it that way.
00:35:46.915 --> 00:35:47.515
It may not be true.
00:35:47.515 --> 00:35:49.135
You may have partners
who are helping you, but
00:35:49.435 --> 00:35:50.005
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah,
00:35:50.125 --> 00:35:52.405
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: have
what you need, then you gotta go get it.
00:35:52.585 --> 00:35:52.795
And
00:35:52.845 --> 00:35:54.225
Is gonna go do it, you gotta do it.
00:35:54.555 --> 00:35:58.575
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
I always tell myself and other
00:35:58.995 --> 00:36:03.525
filmmakers, no one cares about
your movie as much as you do.
00:36:03.595 --> 00:36:08.295
Of course people, will really respond to
it and care for it, but, and producing
00:36:08.295 --> 00:36:10.285
team, but it's really the filmmaker.
00:36:10.285 --> 00:36:11.150
It's, that's your baby.
00:36:11.845 --> 00:36:13.045
You know what I'm saying?
00:36:13.195 --> 00:36:13.675
I know.
00:36:13.675 --> 00:36:14.695
You know, Garrett.
00:36:14.695 --> 00:36:19.915
I know and I know you know, too,
Daren, like you, no one cares as much.
00:36:19.915 --> 00:36:23.185
So you know, you can call in
all the favors you want, but
00:36:23.185 --> 00:36:25.015
ultimately it's gotta be you.
00:36:25.015 --> 00:36:28.550
It's gotta be you boots on
the ground, making those
00:36:28.550 --> 00:36:30.410
calls, making those decisions.
00:36:30.620 --> 00:36:32.450
Early mornings, late nights.
00:36:32.750 --> 00:36:34.520
And that's why I will.
00:36:35.435 --> 00:36:37.175
Basically, I just refuse.
00:36:37.175 --> 00:36:43.475
I'm not going to work on a, a story that
I'm not so passionate enough that I'm
00:36:43.475 --> 00:36:46.175
not passionate enough about, because.
00:36:46.745 --> 00:36:50.525
It's not worth it, you know, unless you're
really passionate about the story, you're
00:36:50.525 --> 00:36:57.275
telling all that, the groundwork and
calls and sweat and, and ups and downs,
00:36:57.275 --> 00:37:00.785
you know, SAG permits, locations, crew.
00:37:00.845 --> 00:37:05.615
It's just not worth it unless you are
just so hellbent on telling that story.
00:37:06.140 --> 00:37:08.840
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah, reasons for doing it have
00:37:08.840 --> 00:37:09.710
to be greater than the reasons.
00:37:10.700 --> 00:37:11.435
To give up
00:37:11.735 --> 00:37:11.915
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:37:12.290 --> 00:37:13.760
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
when those obstacles show up.
00:37:14.150 --> 00:37:17.780
And honestly from the producer
side, we look for that in
00:37:18.770 --> 00:37:19.910
person we're partnering with.
00:37:19.970 --> 00:37:20.360
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah,
00:37:20.660 --> 00:37:24.110
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: director,
we have to see that this is inevitable.
00:37:24.110 --> 00:37:25.910
Like you're gonna get
up and do it every day.
00:37:25.910 --> 00:37:28.070
There's no stopping this
story from happening.
00:37:28.070 --> 00:37:31.250
And we better get on board if
we wanna participate 'cause it's
00:37:31.250 --> 00:37:32.600
happening with or without us.
00:37:32.600 --> 00:37:33.290
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
exactly.
00:37:33.465 --> 00:37:34.970
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
if that energy isn't there, it's
00:37:34.970 --> 00:37:38.070
like I need to go find someone that
has that energy about their story.
00:37:38.370 --> 00:37:39.210
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Exactly.
00:37:39.750 --> 00:37:40.200
Yeah.
00:37:41.550 --> 00:37:44.340
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: So with
Bus Brooks, you did, you got it finished.
00:37:44.340 --> 00:37:47.000
The strike was a few years ago,
00:37:47.300 --> 00:37:47.930
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:37:48.530 --> 00:37:50.510
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
and you're screening it at Ziff.
00:37:50.570 --> 00:37:51.455
This, at the end of this month.
00:37:51.860 --> 00:37:52.850
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yes.
00:37:53.405 --> 00:37:53.870
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Z, is that right?
00:37:54.180 --> 00:37:54.780
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yes.
00:37:55.230 --> 00:37:55.800
Thank you.
00:37:55.800 --> 00:37:58.800
We're, yeah, we're actually
premiering at Ziff.
00:37:58.920 --> 00:37:59.370
This, yeah.
00:38:01.665 --> 00:38:03.555
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: And do
you already have distribution lined up?
00:38:03.555 --> 00:38:06.195
Are you working with Pretty again,
or is it like you're taking it to Z
00:38:06.315 --> 00:38:07.605
and hoping there's an option there?
00:38:07.605 --> 00:38:09.015
What's the plan on that front?
00:38:09.325 --> 00:38:09.865
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Both.
00:38:09.895 --> 00:38:12.415
We're already talking to DIS distributors.
00:38:12.415 --> 00:38:17.225
We got a couple offers on the table, but
I'm also, we're kind of like seeing like,
00:38:17.225 --> 00:38:22.375
okay, because I feel like the theatrical
model has changed so much even since I
00:38:22.375 --> 00:38:25.195
released my first two films theatrically.
00:38:25.195 --> 00:38:29.575
So I'm just trying to figure out,
that landscape almost relearning it.
00:38:29.575 --> 00:38:33.415
And then, with the V-O-D-S-O, all those.
00:38:33.445 --> 00:38:36.295
But we're talking to a really
great family distributor who
00:38:36.625 --> 00:38:39.055
ironically is a sponsoring Ziff.
00:38:39.055 --> 00:38:42.130
So it felt like, it was serendipity.
00:38:42.400 --> 00:38:46.220
So I think that's where
we're gonna take it.
00:38:46.520 --> 00:38:51.950
And I just wanna say like, part
of probably the biggest struggle
00:38:51.950 --> 00:38:56.510
for Buster Brooks was just
finishing the film for us, because.
00:38:58.580 --> 00:39:03.770
Youth, obviously a million dollars,
it sounds like a lot, but with this
00:39:03.770 --> 00:39:10.130
story and our cast and, and everything,
it, it, it really, it burnt quickly.
00:39:11.030 --> 00:39:15.760
There are some decisions that I think
I would, I would, make differently.
00:39:16.600 --> 00:39:20.050
Hindsight is 2020, like maybe I
wouldn't have used that location.
00:39:20.050 --> 00:39:20.605
Maybe I would've.
00:39:21.325 --> 00:39:26.755
Uh, maybe instead of like all these, you
know, more name actors, maybe only like
00:39:26.755 --> 00:39:29.575
one or two, but you know, in the moment.
00:39:29.575 --> 00:39:34.825
So it was a struggle for me to
just raise the finishing funds.
00:39:34.825 --> 00:39:37.055
That's why there was a little, yeah.
00:39:37.055 --> 00:39:41.585
We filmed a couple years ago and it's
been, honestly, it's been really tough.
00:39:41.585 --> 00:39:44.505
I honestly think, I've
gone through a lot of.
00:39:45.750 --> 00:39:52.770
Hiccups and trials like, yeah, we
filmed 2020 during COVID and sag, and we
00:39:52.770 --> 00:39:57.900
literally had a SAG rep visiting set, like
basically COVID checking us every day.
00:39:58.025 --> 00:39:58.200
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:39:58.860 --> 00:39:59.070
Wow.
00:39:59.370 --> 00:40:01.410
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
on my second film, it was really
00:40:01.410 --> 00:40:05.110
stressful, but at the end of the
day, like that film, we finished
00:40:05.110 --> 00:40:08.590
posts pretty quickly and got it
into theaters and got it out there.
00:40:08.590 --> 00:40:13.570
But Buster Brooks, I'd say by
far was the most trying hardest.
00:40:14.320 --> 00:40:17.020
There were even some times where I
was like, oh my gosh, I don't even
00:40:17.020 --> 00:40:18.730
know if we're ever gonna finish this.
00:40:18.730 --> 00:40:22.930
Like it's, I don't see
an end to this tunnel.
00:40:22.930 --> 00:40:24.670
It was like devastating.
00:40:24.820 --> 00:40:28.580
And then I got pregnant and then
which is an amazing thing, you
00:40:28.580 --> 00:40:31.790
know, I have a, we have a beautiful
daughter, nine months old.
00:40:31.790 --> 00:40:37.340
But, and then after having her, then I
finally realized, I'm like, you know what?
00:40:38.810 --> 00:40:40.580
I might, we might have to self fund.
00:40:41.255 --> 00:40:44.585
The rest of the movie just to get
it out there because it really
00:40:44.585 --> 00:40:46.355
deserves, it deserves to be seen.
00:40:47.195 --> 00:40:51.965
You know, we, it was a lot of hard work,
lot of money already been spent on it,
00:40:52.475 --> 00:40:55.295
and that's when the magic happened.
00:40:55.475 --> 00:40:59.225
And I feel like I've grown
so much, not even just as a
00:40:59.225 --> 00:41:00.695
filmmaker, but just as a person.
00:41:00.935 --> 00:41:04.955
My resilience, I feel like was, was
already pretty high, but after this
00:41:04.955 --> 00:41:09.305
I'm like, there ain't nothing I can,
you know, like, like there's nothing I.
00:41:10.535 --> 00:41:11.945
Is gonna stop me.
00:41:12.245 --> 00:41:13.175
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
And then you had a baby.
00:41:13.490 --> 00:41:14.060
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:41:15.455 --> 00:41:16.865
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Savannah, one of the things that
00:41:16.865 --> 00:41:21.015
I notice in all of your movies is
first of all, that you finish them.
00:41:21.045 --> 00:41:24.105
They all get done all out there,
which is amazing and remarkable.
00:41:25.095 --> 00:41:28.605
it looks like your cast is just
having the time of their life.
00:41:28.705 --> 00:41:32.275
So everyone in the film just
brings their A game and looks like
00:41:32.275 --> 00:41:33.775
they're just having a great time.
00:41:34.255 --> 00:41:37.585
And it seems like you create probably
an environment that enables that.
00:41:38.200 --> 00:41:38.680
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh.
00:41:38.695 --> 00:41:39.775
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
whatever you're doing, whatever
00:41:39.775 --> 00:41:40.735
you're doing, keep it up.
00:41:41.170 --> 00:41:41.410
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yeah.
00:41:41.710 --> 00:41:41.935
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: fun.
00:41:41.935 --> 00:41:43.015
Fun to see it each
00:41:43.030 --> 00:41:43.630
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Thanks.
00:41:43.690 --> 00:41:44.650
Thank you, Garrett.
00:41:44.650 --> 00:41:48.100
I love actors because that's
how I started my career.
00:41:48.100 --> 00:41:49.930
I love working with actors.
00:41:49.930 --> 00:41:51.700
I love collaborating.
00:41:51.700 --> 00:41:53.540
I just it's amazing.
00:41:53.540 --> 00:41:57.560
It's just an essential, there was
an essential piece of the puzzle, as
00:41:57.560 --> 00:41:59.340
you guys know, and I just love it.
00:42:00.800 --> 00:42:01.250
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Good.
00:42:01.410 --> 00:42:01.890
Good.
00:42:02.650 --> 00:42:05.880
Okay, so Buster Brooks, we for
those that are listening that
00:42:05.880 --> 00:42:09.090
are near near Z go check it out.
00:42:09.090 --> 00:42:10.300
Do you know when it's premiering?
00:42:10.660 --> 00:42:11.230
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yes.
00:42:11.280 --> 00:42:13.920
It's premiering on February 27th.
00:42:13.920 --> 00:42:15.240
That's a Friday night.
00:42:16.710 --> 00:42:17.400
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
It's Friday night
00:42:17.580 --> 00:42:17.940
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
yeah.
00:42:18.030 --> 00:42:18.150
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: z.
00:42:18.600 --> 00:42:19.950
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah, you can get tickets
00:42:19.950 --> 00:42:23.910
at the website and also.
00:42:24.780 --> 00:42:28.770
Oh, the trailer full circle moment.
00:42:29.320 --> 00:42:30.670
You cut the trailer.
00:42:30.670 --> 00:42:33.100
Garrett cut an amazing trailer for us.
00:42:33.100 --> 00:42:34.810
We are dropping on Wednesday.
00:42:34.810 --> 00:42:35.860
I'm so excited.
00:42:35.905 --> 00:42:36.895
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Nice.
00:42:37.825 --> 00:42:38.095
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Yes,
00:42:38.395 --> 00:42:38.575
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Cool.
00:42:38.575 --> 00:42:39.175
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
love that.
00:42:39.175 --> 00:42:40.885
We here are Three Coin Productions.
00:42:40.885 --> 00:42:43.435
We cut trailers for all sorts of
filmmakers and absolutely love it.
00:42:44.155 --> 00:42:45.835
And and you're no exception.
00:42:45.835 --> 00:42:48.415
It's so fun when you call and
say, Hey, I've got another film.
00:42:48.715 --> 00:42:49.005
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yeah.
00:42:49.055 --> 00:42:50.695
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: Always,
we're always excited to do that for you.
00:42:50.695 --> 00:42:52.855
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
You just, it was an amazing trailer.
00:42:52.855 --> 00:42:53.635
So fun.
00:42:53.785 --> 00:42:59.035
Everyone that I've showed to showed
it to really has responded positively
00:42:59.035 --> 00:43:01.285
to it, so I'm just so excited.
00:43:02.220 --> 00:43:02.440
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722: oh
00:43:02.545 --> 00:43:03.745
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
congrats on that.
00:43:03.835 --> 00:43:03.985
The
00:43:04.105 --> 00:43:04.435
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Thank you.
00:43:04.735 --> 00:43:05.395
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
oh my gosh.
00:43:05.845 --> 00:43:07.255
I'm gonna do everything I can to make it.
00:43:07.255 --> 00:43:09.205
I might be coming back from
New York that day, but I
00:43:09.360 --> 00:43:09.650
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Okay.
00:43:09.950 --> 00:43:10.855
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
if I'm in town.
00:43:11.160 --> 00:43:12.625
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Would love to have you.
00:43:12.625 --> 00:43:13.555
Oh my gosh.
00:43:14.170 --> 00:43:14.660
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722: Awesome.
00:43:15.595 --> 00:43:16.315
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
It's gonna be amazing.
00:43:16.640 --> 00:43:18.350
garrett-batty_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Savannah, thank you for joining us.
00:43:18.350 --> 00:43:22.790
It's, I love hearing about filmmakers
stories and just this common theme
00:43:22.820 --> 00:43:27.890
of, being, letting the passion drive
you through the obstacles and getting
00:43:27.890 --> 00:43:29.270
outta the way of the idea and making.
00:43:31.445 --> 00:43:36.990
if there is a challenge, pick up the phone
and say, this might sound crazy, but, and
00:43:37.040 --> 00:43:37.490
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Yep.
00:43:38.540 --> 00:43:38.960
daren-smith_1_02-02-2026_100722:
There you go.
00:43:40.550 --> 00:43:40.880
Love it.
00:43:40.880 --> 00:43:41.930
Thanks for coming on Savannah.
00:43:42.110 --> 00:43:43.010
savannah-oster--she-her-_1_02-02-2026_100722:
Oh, absolutely.
00:43:43.010 --> 00:43:44.240
My, my pleasure.
00:43:44.240 --> 00:43:46.340
Thank you so much, Garrett Daren.
00:43:46.700 --> 00:43:48.320
It's just been an absolute treat.
00:43:49.032 --> 00:43:52.992
This season of Truly Independent is
supported by the Help Them See Foundation.
00:43:52.992 --> 00:43:57.042
Help Them See is a nonprofit dedicated
to supporting feature films that
00:43:57.042 --> 00:43:59.472
inspire faith, hope, and connection.
00:43:59.472 --> 00:44:02.322
By partnering with filmmakers
that help them see Foundation
00:44:02.322 --> 00:44:05.682
brings meaningful stories to life
and shares them with audiences
00:44:05.682 --> 00:44:09.792
worldwide, making a lasting cultural
impact through the power of cinema.
00:44:09.792 --> 00:44:13.032
Learn more and discover how you can
be part of the movement by visiting.
00:44:13.122 --> 00:44:14.442
Help them see foundation.
00:44:16.296 --> 00:44:17.436
Thanks for joining us.
00:44:17.436 --> 00:44:19.116
If you are enjoying truly independent.
00:44:19.116 --> 00:44:22.416
Please share and subscribe so you
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Today's episode was edited by
Michael Bradford and produced
00:44:26.046 --> 00:44:27.336
by Three Coin Productions.
