Be Shameless: Build Something That Lasts | Queer Voices NYC (Ronald Hinton) | Film Festival Friends

In this episode of Film Festival Friends, Brandon Nick sits down with actor, filmmaker, and co-founder of Queer Voices NYC Film Festival, Ronald Hinton, for a conversation that is equal parts masterclass and therapy session. Ronald is the creator behind Natives, the digital series set in New York City public housing that audiences are convinced is already on season three. (It isn't. There are two episodes. The production value is just that good.)They get into all of it: the $38K budget breakdown for episodes one and two, the “failure” of his 2025 crowdfunding campaign, why shamelessness is a transferable skill, and what he’s learned as a filmmaker who cofounded a film festival.Finally, Ronald pitches a rom-com starring Keke Palmer as an unlucky-in-love woman who gets a lucky bath from a street vendor played by Mike Epps — and yes, the cursed lace front is central to the plot.Film Festival Friends is a podcast about queer cinema, craft, and culture. Hosted by Brandon Nick. Full show notes and transcript available on our website: www.brandonnick.com/filmfestivalfriendsFOLLOW + CONNECTPodcast IG: @filmfestivalfriendsHost IG (Brandon R. Nicholas): @brand0nnickWATCH / LISTENWatch the full episodes (video): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-N87lnMjPV2yRkXz5uO9eIdJSZfzRh83Listen on Spotify (video): https://open.spotify.com/show/4QXQgQGdDoE627BJmW82l0?si=a1f3bb9c437645dcListen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/film-festival-friends/id1875343325SUPPORT THE SHOW If you want to help keep the cameras rolling and the conversations flowing:Patreon: www.patreon.com/cw/brand0nnick or make a one-time donation via CashApp/Venmo @brand0nnickShare Film Festival Friends with your friends!Take the conversation to social media using #FilmFestivalFriendsCHAPTERS00:00:00 Introduction & Describing Natives in Three Emojis 00:02:11 Breaking Down the $38K Budget 00:05:28 What Kept Ronald Committed to Natives for 10 Years 00:09:08 Why They Skipped the Festival Circuit & Premiered on YouTube 00:10:48 Support Film Festival Friends on Patreon 00:11:25 The 2025 Crowdfunding Campaign: What Went Wrong 00:16:28 Why Seed & Spark Is Ronald's Platform of Choice 00:19:38 How Queer Voices NYC Was Born 00:22:45 How Being a Filmmaker Shapes His Curation Process 00:30:32 Advice for Filmmakers & Programmers00:33:42 The Vision for Queer Voices Year 8 00:35:05 Black Queer Film Is... 00:36:32 60-Second Pitch: Keke Palmer, Mike Epps & a Cursed Lace Front