
Ep696 - Stefan van de Graaff, Filmmaker ‘One of Us’ & ‘Simmer’
From Creative Principles by Creative Principles Podcast
April 3, 2026 · 25 min
About this episode
Stefan van de Graaff discusses his journey in filmmaking, including his micro-budget films and the impact of social media on independent cinema.
Stefan van de Graaff is a writer, director, EP, and digital marketing strategist. His first micro-budget film, SIMMER, was sold to HBO Max after getting 1M views on Facebook. Now, his second film, ONE OF US, starring Kit Connor, follows the members of a family who begin dying one by one at a funeral. He is also the founder of The Jung School, a coalition of artists making divergent new media. In this interview, we talk about the logistical benefits of co-directing for a first feature film, managing constraints of micro-budget filmmaking, leveraging social media following and social proof to create credibility for independent films, and much more. Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the…
People in this episode
Guest: Stefan van de Graaff
Topics covered
- filmmaking
- micro-budget films
- social media
- co-directing
- independent films
Keywords
- One of Us
- Simmer
- HBO Max
- The Jung School
Mentioned in this episode
Products: INK BY THE BARREL
Books & works: One of Us, Simmer, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, Write Review
More episodes of Creative Principles
- Ep697 - Kae Wagner, Founder ‘The Bold Authors Network’ & ‘The Bold Authors Book Agency’ · April 10, 2026 · 24 min
- Ep695 - Christina Alexandra Voros, Director ‘The Madison,’ ‘Yellowstone,’ and ‘1883’ · March 27, 2026 · 30 min
- Ep694 - Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett, Directors ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ · March 20, 2026 · 31 min
- Ep693 - Liz Sarnoff, Creator & Showrunner ‘Scarpetta’ · March 13, 2026 · 26 min
- Ep692 - Miriam Schulman, Author ‘Artpreneur’ · March 6, 2026 · 27 min
- Ep691 - Kate Hudson, Actress ‘Song Sung Blue,’ ‘Running Point’ & ‘Almost Famous’ · February 27, 2026 · 20 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Creative Principles podcast page.