Where Filmmakers Talk
AI, Story, and the Future
Conversations at the intersection of filmmaking, AI, and the future of storytelling.
Kavan the Kid
Leading AI Filmmaker & Marketer
Join Russell and Kavan from the Kavanime-verse, animated using AI from Hey Gen.
In this episode of the Brothers’ Saga Podcast, Russell speaks with top AI filmmaker, marketer, and LA-based artist Kavan the Kid, the cofounder of PhantomX, and a filmmaker, photographer, and featured ESCAPE AI artist.
​
His project Echo Hunter was the first-ever SAG-AFTRA-approved AI Film, and he's gone viral in Forbes, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter. We chat tools and aggregators like Freepik, his new series The Chronicles of Bone, and more.
PJ Way
Learn about the AI Film 3 festival and events in the Southwest.
PJ is the founder of AI Film 3, a Marine Veteran, and AI Film Producer at Prometheus Productions of Phoenix, Arizona (and active volunteer with Arizona Tech Week). He helps screen AI creators works at movie theaters around Arizona, free to the public every 2 weeks, everywhere from AMC to historic landmarks and Mom-and-Pop smaller community theaters.
AI Film 3 Festival in Phoenix, AZ
AI Filmmaker Ryan Patterson
On AI Filmmaking, Generative Video & the Future of Cinema
Toronto-based AI filmmaker Ryan Patterson is building at the intersection of technology and cinema. In this episode, Ryan sits down with Russell and Andrew Palmer to talk about the rapidly evolving world of AI filmmaking, creative tools, and the growing global community of filmmakers experimenting with generative media.
Ryan attended Saga’s AI film event during TIFF and is now launching a Toronto Film Festival with GenTO planned for December 2026. From Toronto to Vancouver, Canada continues to be a powerhouse for film production—and now for the next generation of AI-driven storytelling.
Emmy-Winner Fred Graver
4-time Emmy Award winner Fred Graver joins the Brothers’ Saga Podcast to talk about the craft of writing television, the evolution of comedy, and how AI is changing the future of storytelling.
Fred has written for some of the most iconic shows in television history, including Cheers, Late Night with David Letterman, and In Living Color, and has earned 7 Emmy nominations and 4 Emmy Awards for his work in comedy television.
Today, he also teaches and writes about AI-assisted writing for TV and film, helping the next generation of creators understand how emerging tools can transform the writing process.
From Cheers & Letterman to AI: Fred on Writing the Future
Dr. Michael Zyda | Brothers Saga Podcast
IEEE & ACM Fellow | Founder of USC Games Program
Dr. Michael Zyda — Professor Emeritus of Computer Science Practice at the University of Southern California and Founding Director of USC’s Computer Science Games Program (ranked #1 in the world).
In this episode of the Brothers’ Saga Podcast, Russell and Andrew Palmer sit down with one of the true pioneers of virtual reality, simulation, and video game design.
Yoav Yariv | Founder of Reddit's
What happens when a Consciousness Studies graduate builds one of the largest AI writing communities on the internet?
In this episode of the Brothers’ Saga Podcast, we sit down with Yoav Yariv — writer, former Product Manager (10 years in Israeli tech startups), founder of the Reddit community r/WritingWithAI, and creator of the world’s first AI writing competition, Voltage Verse last year.
r/WritingWithAI Community |
Brothers' Saga Podcast E11
Episode 10 | Academy Award® Winner
John Gaeta | Brothers' Saga
Academy Award®-winning VFX designer, inventor, director, producer, and ESCAPE AI MEDIA Founder & CEO John Gaeta joins the Brothers’ Saga Podcast.
In this episode, we discuss: • Filmmaking — The Matrix, Keanu Reeves, and the future of interactive media • AI filmmaking — GenAI, “greenlighting yourself,” and why “the real story is about empowerment” • Early filmmaking in NYC — NYU Tisch, guerrilla filmmaking, iPhones, and mocap • Industry milestones — Steve Jobs, Ed Catmull, Pixar, ILM, Magic Leap, Inworld AI, and more • Directing (DGA), the 2023 WGA and SAG strikes, and what’s next for Hollywood • The opportunities and risks of generative AI, from deepfakes to ASI • The new ESCAPE streaming TV app, available now on major TV app stores
Jagger Waters: The Future of AI Filmmaking
& The New Creator Economy
Democratizing filmmaking, one story at a time. In this episode of the Brothers' Saga Podcast, co-founders Andrew and Russell Palmer sit down with multidisciplinary AI creator, writer, and producer Jagger Waters. After a decade in traditional Hollywood, Jagger turned to AI during the 2023 writers' strike and has since become a leading voice in AI-driven video production.
We dive deep into her award-winning work, her Sundance project with Adobe Firefly, and her collaborative feature AI Wonderland. Jagger shares her insights on why AI is growing production teams rather than shrinking them, and why "story is still king" in the age of emerging technology.
AI Filmmaker Dustin Hollywood
Brothers' Saga Podcast
In this episode, we sit down with Dustin Thornton (aka Dustin Hollywood) — award-winning AI Filmmaker and Director of Global Community at ‪@EscapeAIMedia‬. Dustin is also the co-founder of MASSIVE STUDIOS and the founder of NAKID PICTURES, STAGES & PAPER-App, and The Creative Foundation.
We dive into one of the biggest questions facing creators today: Are Creative Partner Programs (CPPs) offering real opportunity—or just free labor in disguise?
From Reality TV to AI Storytelling:
Kiran Malhotra on Hollywood's Evolution & Creator Empowerment
Kiran shares her journey from music major and starving actor in NYC to Co-Executive Producer on hits like Alone and Ink Master. We dive into what makes compelling narratives in nonfiction TV, the seismic changes shaking Hollywood (mergers, layoffs, fewer greenlights), and why AI is a lifeline for creators facing career crises. Kiran offers optimism on how AI enables indie voices to greenlight their own projects, plus advice for freelancers: get curious about the tools and understand the pipeline.
Whether you're a screenwriter, producer, or AI enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights on evolving with tech while keeping story at the heart.
How Students Are Selling Scripts to
Studios Using AI (ft. Justin Winters)
In this episode, Russell and Andrew sit down with Justin Winters—screenwriter, producer, LMU professor, and creator of Curious Refuge’s groundbreaking AI Screenwriting course.
Justin shares his journey from experimenting with LLMs in 2022 to teaching students how to sell pilots to major studios using custom GPTs and AI pitch decks.
What Top AI Prompt Engineers Do Daily
Escape AI's Matrix-Level Vision
Join hosts Andrew and Russell Palmer on the Brothers' Saga Podcast as we sit down with Wilfred Lee—a Toronto-based AI filmmaker, worldbuilder, CPP (Creative Partners Program pioneer) at Runway, Kling AI, Luma AI, and part of John Gaeta’s elite Escape.AI Media collective (founded by the Oscar-winning VFX legend behind The Matrix bullet time). Wilfred shares his journey from pre-AI artist (published author, actor, visual/digital creator) to pioneering AI filmmaking, including how he used SAGA (with ChatGPT) to write stories and dialogue for his short film.
How AI is Revolutionizing Filmmaking
Kimberly Offord on Diversity, and the Chicago AI Film Festival
Join hosts Andrew and Russell Palmer on the SAGA Podcast as we dive deep with Kimberly Offord—keynote speaker, AI filmmaker, creator of Playground Pastime, and founder of the Chicago AI Film Festival!
In this inspiring episode, Kimberly shares her journey from real estate marketer to pioneering AI artist, creating official music videos for Grammy-winning artist Lalah Hathaway (including "Tunnels"). We explore how AI is democratizing storytelling, making it the "great equalizer" for underrepresented creators, and opening doors for diverse voices worldwide.
Invest in Indie Films Like Stocks
CineBlock Launches with an AI Sci-Fi Movie
Indie film financing just got revolutionary! CineBlock is launching as the first regulated platform where anyone can invest in movies like stocks – equity, debt, real returns if the film succeeds.
​This is the future of filmmaking: Creators get funding without gatekeepers, fans become investors, and AI lowers production barriers. If you’re a filmmaker, investor, or movie lover, this changes everything.
Disney+ OpenAI: What the Deal
Means for Filmmakers & Writers
Disney just invested $1B in OpenAI and signed a groundbreaking deal to bring over 200 iconic characters (Mickey Mouse, Elsa, Iron Man, Darth Vader, Yoda, and more) into Sora and ChatGPT – letting fans create official short videos starting in 2026.
We’re huge Disney fans, pro-AI innovators (we built Saga around OpenAI), and one of us is in the Writers Guild of Canada – so we explore every angle with nuance.
Netflix Buys Warner Bros
What the $82B Deal Means for Creators
Netflix just announced its massive $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. studios, HBO, and HBO Max one of the biggest deals in Hollywood history. In our very first podcast episode, my brother and I (co-founders of Saga) break it all down. We grew up loving theaters in the 90s, but the numbers don't lie box office is down, and streaming is king.
As creators ourselves, we're excited about what this means for indie filmmakers and the future of TV/film. What do YOU think? Will you miss multiple subscriptions, or worry about Netflix's power? When was the last time you went to a movie theatre and how packed was it?