"Good Boy" Director Ben Leonberg on Crafting the Horror Film, Working with a Canine, Distribution, & More

In this episode, we welcome Ben Leonberg. Ben wrote, produced and directed Good Boy, the new horror film now playing in theaters nationwide. In our chat, he shares about the inspiration and making of this unique supernatural thriller, what it was like working with his dog as the lead actor, and the technologies used to capture this story. Ben also provides insights into the film’s path to distribution, and offers practical advice for independent filmmakers everywhere. “The Making Of” is presented by AJA:UDC-4K: More than just an average 12G-SDI and HDMI up/down/cross converterAJA’s newest Mini-Converter boasts powerful 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 I/O, 4K/UltraHD/2K/HD scaling, frame sync, frame rate conversion, and more. Unlocking an expansive range of conversion possibilities, UDC-4K enables teams to get disparate sources into a common format and timing reference. Explore how UDC-4K solves some of the most common production and post challenges.The Making Of “Halloween”: An Exclusive Evening with Dean Cundey, ASC, CSCWednesday, Oct. 29 | Los AngelesJoin us in-person for a conversation with legendary cinematographer Dean Cundey, ASC, CSC as he discusses his work on this landmark horror film!ZEISS Cinema Showroom | 5:00 - 8:00pm PDTFree tickets hereNext-Gen DIY Storage, UnleashedThe OWC Express 1M2 80G delivers over 6000 MB/s real-world performance using the latest USB4 v2 (80 Gb/s) interface, with Thunderbolt 5 compatibility for next-gen workflows. Choose a ready-to-run or DIY enclosure—upgradeable to 8 TB using NVMe M.2 SSDs. Its passive heatsink design ensures silent, consistent speeds, all in a bus-powered, palm-sized form factor. Explore hereVimeo Chicago Event:Wednesday, Oct. 29 | Siskel Film CenterA night of inspiring Vimeo Staff Picks + live filmmaker commentary!6:30pm Doors7:30-9pm Films + commentary 9-10:30pm Reception (complimentary drinks + bites)Free tickets hereIntroducing Ninja TX:Introducing Ninja TX, the all-new addition to the Ninja family. It’s equipped with 12G-SDI and HDMI, so now you can monitor & record from any pro camera to ultra-fast CFexpress media or external USB-C storage. You also get built in Wi-Fi for C2C workflows and AirGluTM timecode for multicam projects, all in a lightweight, compact 5-inch form factor. Atomos Ninja TX is available for pre-order for only $999 at Videoguys.com. Learn more herePodcast Rewind:Oct. 2025 - Ep. 101…Advertise in “The Making Of” and reach 250K filmmakers, TV production pros, & content creators each week. For more info, email [email protected] Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe