The Art of Film Funding

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Imagine being able to understand your audience before you even shoot your first scene… to test your story, evaluate casting choices, and anticipate market performance—all from your script. That’s no longer science fiction. It’s happening now.
Benjamin Schnau is a multilingual actor, producer, host, book author and public speaker native in English and German plus conversational French who also built a successful career as a business development and account executive in the tech industry working for companies like Splunk and Nasdaq. He is now overseeing client accounts globally within the film & streaming division of AI tech company Largo, THE platform that turns creative intuition into strategic impact through audience predictions, AI-powered content tests, and simulated focus groups. Combining his tech background with his experience as an actor working on feature films and TV-shows himself, he is now leveraging his experience to support producers, directors and filmmakers taking the next step in getting their project off the ground with the assistance of AI.
Benjamin is widely known for his role 'Minion' in the Academy-Award Winning movie ‘Mank’ alongside Academy-Award Winner Gary Oldman, directed by David Fincher, produced and released by Netflix, for 'The Current War' playing opposite protagonist George Westinghouse portrayed by actor Michael Shannon and for his lead role 'Jupp Klein' 'Megastructures' produced by National Geographic available on Netflix.
His book 'The Reality of Hollywood' was released worldwide to educate and guide upcoming actors to establish themselves in the film industry in Hollywood long-term.
https://www.amazon.com/Reality-Hollywood-Success-Through-Actors-ebook/dp/B09WQD71YF/
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-reality-of-hollywood
Benjamin just wrapped the action feature film ‘Citizen Vigilante’ starring in critical role Jack opposite actor Armie Hammer and in the movie ‘Sweet Nothings’ where he plays the lead role Ethan, which both being scheduled for release in Fall 2026.  
Benjamin Schnau
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250622/
https://www.instagram.com/benjaminschnau/

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This is a revolution to budget making. If you want to learn how to budget your film with the newest program that will save you hours and be accurate, listen to these two brilliant, intelligent line producers Stephen Marinaccio & Matthew Cuny, Co-Founders of Cinematic Apps who took years to create and share this new way to budget your film.
Learn More! 
Line Budgeter: linebudgeter.com 
LinePM: line.pm 
Art of Film Funding listeners can use code filmfunding10 for 10% off.

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From PBS broadcasts to grassroots theatrical screenings, Mike has built a career defined by independence, impact, and a deep belief in cinema as a communal experience. He has worked across productions that have been screened at major festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, Cannes, and Toronto, and has been a driving force behind the independent film movement in upstate New York.
What makes Mike’s journey so powerful is not just what he’s created—but how he’s done it: with courage, clarity, and a commitment to bringing audiences together.
Learn More:
www.brownwhitestory.com  
www.videosforchange.com

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Danielle Guilbot is an Austin-based actress and film-tech entrepreneur.  She is the founder of TexasFilmScene.com: the Texas Movie Operating System. TFS is a clearinghouse connecting producers, crews, and talent with everything they need to bring productions to Texas — from firsthand producer insights and crew resources to a full breakdown of the state's film incentive programs.

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AI is no longer something on the horizon. It’s already here, quietly reshaping how films are developed, produced, edited, and even distributed. But with that power comes critical questions—about ethics, authorship, and the future of creative work itself.  In this episode, we’re not just talking about what AI can do—we’re exploring what it should do, and how filmmakers can stay aligned with their creative voice while navigating a rapidly evolving industry.