In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, Ryan Koo and Jourdan Aldredge report from Fantastic Fest 2026 in Austin, Texas, where they explore how the festival is expanding beyond exhibiting genre films to helping filmmakers actually get movies made.

They break down the first completed feature from Fantastic Pitches, Nicholas Curcio’s Playhouse, what filmmakers can learn from its $100,000 production, and this year’s ambitious winning pitch, Father Figure. They also discuss the value of pitching even when you don’t win, the advantages of designing films around microbudget constraints, and some of the movies and filmmaking communities they’ve encountered at the festival.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • How Playhouse went from winning Fantastic Pitches to premiering at Fantastic Fest in just one year
  • Designing a $100,000 movie around limitations like one location, a small cast, and practical aesthetics
  • Why microbudget filmmakers need a creative “hack” that makes their limitations work for the movie
  • How filmmakers can make a live pitch memorable with props, costumes, trailers, and a strong presentation
  • Why being selected for Fantastic Pitches can create opportunities even if you don't win
  • The ambitious Technocrane strategy behind this year’s winning pitch, Father Figure
  • What Ryan and Jordan noticed about the DIY films, filmmaking collectives, and genre community at Fantastic Fest
  • Why festivals can have a bigger impact by supporting filmmakers before their movies are made


Subscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:

Get your question answered on the podcast by emailing podcast@nofilmschool.com

Listen to more episodes of the No Film School podcast right here:

From Your Site Articles
fantastic festfantastic fest 2026no film school podcastpodcast
Festivals & EventsEditorialPodcastTopics