Episodes

Netflix Buys Warner Bros: The $82B+ Deal – Good for Viewers, Bad for Hollywood?

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 theater – and how packed was it?

Disney+ OpenAI: What the Deal (and Sora) 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

From Reality TV to AI Storytelling: Kiran Malhotra on Hollywood's Evolution & Creator Empowerment

Russell sits down with Kiran Malhotra — award-winning TV producer, AI artist, and director bridging traditional post-production with cutting-edge AI tools. 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.

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 ESCAPE AI. 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?

🎙️ Guest Spotlight: Dustin Hollywood — AI visual artist, photographer, jewelry designer, and engineer. His work and collaborations include VICE, D Magazine, Steve Aoki's Dim Mak, Art Basel, EDC, and Bonnaroo.

Is AI Replacing Hollywood? Jagger Waters on the Future of Storytelling

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.

Episode 10 feat. Academy Award® Winner John Gaeta | Brothers' Saga podcast

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 talk about:

Filmmaking — The Matrix, Keanu Reeves, and the future of interactive media
AI filmmaking — GenAI, greenlighting yourself, and why with GenAI “the real story is about empowerment”
Early filmmaking on the streets of NYC — NYU Tisch and “just making films” with cameras and now guerrilla filmmaking with iPhones and mocap suits
Historic decisions, events, and accomplishments of Steve Jobs, Ed Catmull, Pixar, ILM, Inworld AI, Magic Leap, Escape, and more
Directing (DGA), the 2023 WGA and SAG strikes, and upcoming negotiations
The opportunities and risks of generative AI, from deepfakes to ASI
The new ESCAPE streaming TV app — available now on major TV app stores