This mastermind kicked off 2026 with a different tone than usual. Jason Brubaker led the meeting with Tom Malloy jumping in throughout.
The goal was simple. Look back at what 2025 actually did to us. Set one real goal for 2026. Then commit to one step you will take in the next two weeks. The theme was clear. Keep moving, even when it’s messy.
🔥 Key Topics Covered
A big part of the conversation centered on sustainability.
Not just making a film, but building a career that doesn’t fall apart after one project.
Marketing came up often. Not in a theoretical way. In a practical way. Knowing your audience. Building attention before release. Treating casting as part of the marketing budget. Accepting that every film now needs its own plan.
There was also a lot of talk about how to make film number two, three, or five without starting from zero every time. The idea of building a small “studio mindset” came up more than once.
AI was discussed as a tool, not a shortcut. Helpful for structure, research, and organizing thoughts. Not a replacement for taste, voice, or decision making.
Most of all, the call reinforced this idea. Everyone is dealing with something. The people who last are the ones who keep showing up anyway.
đź› Action Items by Member
At the end of each call, everyone shares one concrete commitment. These are the actions members are taking before the next mastermind.
- Marvin is continuing festival submissions, preparing for distribution conversations, and finishing his next project.
- Bill is focused on cracking modern film marketing so he can build a repeatable studio-style process.
- Angelia is sending investor letters, refining casting deals, and locking logistics to move her feature forward.
- Chris is finishing his trailer and preparing a release plan for his completed feature.
- Cornelia is prioritizing her writing slate and re-engaging the marketing side of her career while planning for major markets.
- Zadrina is developing repeatable financing strategies, packaging multiple projects, and advancing book and documentary work.
- Rick is executing contracts, securing locations, and attaching higher-level talent to multiple films in production.
- Dominic is finishing his horror short and writing the first three pages of his feature script.
- Elizabeth is preparing for her feature premiere, managing PR and social promotion, and following up with distributors.
- Howard is contacting top investor prospects and continuing momentum on his writing and financing goals.
- Jean is rewriting his first feature, preparing multiple projects for market, and building a repeatable release approach.
- Kjanyll is learning Final Draft, launching her website immediately, and rebuilding her script from organized notes.
- Marisol is completing a second draft of her horror script using AI for structure while protecting her voice.
- Scott is navigating conversations with high-level reps to move a true story project toward pre-production.
- Tom is continuing aggressive market travel while refining repeatable production and distribution systems.
- Jason is rebuilding consistent content output, developing clearer marketing frameworks, and strengthening the community infrastructure.
đź’ˇ Top Takeaways
Momentum comes from action. Not confidence. Writing three pages beats thinking about writing a script.
There is no single marketing and distribution formula anymore. Every movie needs its own plan. This is where tools like Bankroll and the Film Funding Quick Guide help producers think clearly about money and audience.
Careers are built by shipping work. The Movie Plan Pro and Backyard Blockbuster Blueprint both reinforce the same idea. Finish projects. Learn. Repeat.
🎯 What’s Next
Future sessions will go deeper into the Seven Levels of Movie Producing, with a strong focus on financing, packaging, and career leverage.
The Filmmaking Stuff team is also building a private member directory to make collaboration easier outside the calls.
More focused workshops are coming, covering marketing, AI workflows, and market readiness without fluff.
🙌 Final Thought
This meet was a reminder that nobody builds a film career alone. Progress comes from showing up, telling the truth, and taking the next step anyway.
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to keep moving. Two weeks from now, small steps will matter more than big intentions.