Episode 464 – Building an Unstoppable Film Career with William Joseph Hill

What does it take to carry one film idea for more than 20 years and finally bring it to the screen? William Joseph Hill is an actor, writer, martial artist, producer, and independent filmmaker whose love of movies began with Star Wars. We explore how his childhood in Hawaii, business training, acting career, and martial arts experience led him to create Cyber Fighter. William shares how he turned the story into a novel, comic book, audiobook, and short film while learning crowdfunding, directing, visual effects, sound design, and post-production. You will also hear how AI tools are changing independent filmmaking, why strong preparation matters, and how support from the right people can keep a creative dream alive. William’s story clearly shows what can happen when you keep learning, trust your vision, and refuse to stop. Highlights: 00:04:35 How movies and Star Wars inspired William’s filmmaking dream. 00:21:51 How martial arts and brain science shaped Cyber Fighter. 00:26:39 Why a short film became the best way to prove his vision. 00:32:44 How William moved forward without waiting for Hollywood gatekeepers. 00:46:30 Why persistence and support are key to an unstoppable mindset. 00:56:35 How AI can support filmmakers without replacing human creativity. About the Guest: William Joseph Hill is a SAG-AFTRA actor, filmmaker, writer, and producer based in Los Angeles, California. Raised in San Diego and Hawaii on Ford Island — the historic naval base at the center of Pearl Harbor — William grew up with a perspective shaped by the intersection of military history, multicultural community, and the vast Pacific. That island upbringing instilled in him a belief that where you come from is never a limitation on where you can go.  He began making films as a teenager on Ford Island. Returning to San Diego after college, William moved to Hollywood where he began his professional acting career.  He met his actress wife Pamela through a theater group and the both of them founded Four Scorpio Productions where they’ve created their own content including three seasons of That Darn Girlfriend, their YouTube channel sitcom which is an homage to classic 1960s/1970s TV. In 2023, William channeled more than two decades of experience into his most ambitious project: CYBER FIGHTER, an original sci-fi martial arts short film that he wrote, directed, produced, and completed entirely in post-production — solo. With a $20,000 budget raised entirely through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign launched during the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, William refused to let industry upheaval stop him from making his vision real. He performed his own stunts, edited the film, created all visual effects, mixed a 5.1 surround soundtrack, and delivered a 4K DCP for festival screenings — all from his home studio in Hollywood. CYBER FIGHTER is more than a short film — it is the proof of concept for a full transmedia franchise that William has been building since 2015. The IP exists across multiple formats: a completed short film now entering the festival circuit, a feature-length screenplay, an original novel, and a comic book adaptation. It is the story of a filmmaker who refused to wait for permission, refused to accept that resources determine vision, and refused to quit when everything around him said stop. Ways to connect with William**:** Personal Website: www.williamjosephhill.com Production Company: www.fourscorpio.com Film and Video CYBER FIGHTER Official Trailer: https://youtu.be/Ja-S5HgNK5E YouTube Channel (Four Scorpio Films): https://youtube.com/fourscorpio Making CYBER FIGHTER BTS Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5Sj6Du4oNA\&list=PLbYhzGWWTWrpvoT2eh730iA6_b_2qhFsO IMDb Profile: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384069 Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamjosephhill/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/williamjosephhill/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CyberFighterMovie Stage32: https://www.stage32.com/williamjosephhill Amazon Listing CYBER FIGHTER - novel: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081SJRMJ1 CYBER FIGHTER comic adaptation: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZL6X6W6 About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT\&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. 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