Hollywood to the countryside: vision + action to make Sparta, NJ Sussex’s first film town | EP 138

Trying to break into film but everything feels pay-to-play?Kevan Ali explains how to win with strategy (even without the “in”).In this episode of the 1% Podcast, we sit down with Kevan Ali — filmmaker + creative ambassador for the New Jersey Film Readiness Program — to talk about what actually gets projects made: relationships, leverage, and building an ecosystem that attracts real productions.You’ll get a clear playbook for:1. Building industry momentum when you’re not in LA2. Networking like a pro (without feeling fake or “needy”)3. Treating film like a business so your creativity actually travels further4. Using incentives (like NJ’s 40% tax rebate) to pull productions in5. Making a project that looks like $250K… for under $10K6. Creating your “Billie Jean moment” — the project that changes how people see youThis is for you if:1. You’re a filmmaker who’s tired of being “almost there”2. You’re building with limited money but big vision3.You want the real behind-the-scenes strategy—not just motivationHit play and steal the blueprint for your next move 👇⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Intro01:23 Welcome to the 1% Podcast02:39 Meet Kevan Ali + what he’s building in NJ03:31 Why Kevan’s edge is his network05:07 Leveraging relationships to level up fast10:19 Why productions are leaving big cities12:29 Sussex County advantage: space + privacy12:55 What the NJ Film Readiness Program is13:22 The 40% tax rebate and why it changes everything14:02 Studios, Fort Modest, and NJ’s “golden age”18:24 How he pulls real talent/crew into local projects20:36 The project that “should’ve cost $250K” — made under $10K21:18 Your “Billie Jean moment” (career-defining project)24:55 Creating momentum with “no budget”31:40 Using incentives + strategy to attract productions39:01 The networking lesson most people miss45:33 Outr#filmmaking #podcast #indiefilm #networking #entrepreneurship FIND KEVAN HERE:https://www.instagram.com/kevanali/STAY CONNECTED:https://www.instagram.com/the1percent_podcast/ https://www.facebook.com/the1percentpodcast/http://tiktok.com/@the1percent_podcastPodcastWANT TO CONNECT TO OUR HOST?Vin:Email: Vincentinfante.lifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vin.infante/Shane:Email: [email protected] ON OTHER SITESSpotify: https://bit.ly/3HtT10CApple Podcast: https://bit.ly/3HtT10C