From Actor to Director: Robert Larriviere’s Indie Journey With "This Is Jan"

What does it take to make your first film? Robert Larriviere shares the journey from conceptualizing to having an award-winning debut. John Cooke and Bishop Porter sit down with Robert to unpack the making of This is Jan, discussing topics such as crowdfunding, casting, securing a SAG-AFTRA contract, and creating space for queer stories rooted in history. With warmth, candor, and behind-the-scenes wisdom, Robert shares how he turned a deeply personal experience into a festival-winning short. Key insights from this episode: What first-time directors need to know before stepping behind the camera How Robert turned screenwriting accolades into momentum for fundraising Why choosing the right lead actor changes things  Chapters: (00:00) Meet Robert Larriviere (01:59) Inspiration behind This is Jan (04:48) Winning awards before filming began (06:59) Planning every shot, then embracing the moment (09:36) How the location affected the entire story (14:25) Crowdfunding strategy that actually worked (18:13) Working with SAG-AFTRA on a short film (22:05) Advice for first-time indie filmmakers  Learn more on https://castandcrew.com/  Contact us at http://info.mediaservices.com/inside-indies  Follow us on our socials: Learn more on https://castandcrew.com/ Contact us at http://info.mediaservices.com/inside-indies   Facebook: https://facebook.com/CastCrew Instagram: https://instagram.com/castandcrewllc/ LinkedIn: https:/linkedin.com/company/castcrew/ X: https://x.com/CastAndCrewNews