BPS 460: Making Independent Films Without Hollywood or a Huge Budget with David Ash

About this episode

David Ash shares his journey of making independent films while balancing a corporate career and family life.

On today’s episode, we meet David Ash, a filmmaker who perfectly embodies the spirit of the weekend warrior — balancing a demanding corporate career, a family of four, and a thriving passion for filmmaking. Living in the Twin Cities, Ash proves that a creative life doesn’t have to mean abandoning stability. With a degree in business administration and a full-time job as a treasury director, he still finds time to write, shoot, and direct independent films fueled by sheer willpower and resourcefulness. His journey began after a screenwriting contest brought him to Los Angeles, where he realized Hollywood wasn’t going to make his stories — so he decided to make them himself. From there, he dove into every filmmaking class he could find, learned the craft from the ground up, and began creating short films that would eventually lead to his first feature. His early projects, including the $800 mockumentary Love: A Documentary, showcased his ability to stretch every dollar while maintaining a sharp creative vision. As his filmmaking matured, Ash produced Twin Cities, a powerful drama exploring identity, duality, and personal transformation. Balancing his corporate life and creative…

People in this episode

Host: Bulletproof Screenwriting

Guest: David Ash

Topics covered

• independent filmmaking
• creative process
• work-life balance
• storytelling
• resourcefulness

Keywords

• independent films
• filmmaking
• Hollywood
• screenwriting
• creative vision
• resourcefulness
• passion

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hollywood

Books & works: Love: A Documentary, Twin Cities

Places: Twin Cities

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