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Film Fights With Friends

Film Fights With Friends

Written by: Film Fights With Friends
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 Film Fights with Friends was nominated for Best TV/Film Podcast at the 2025 Podcast Awards and winner at the 2024 Dramatic Action Awards! Paul and Steve are martial artists, stuntmen and filmmakers who founded Breakfall Studios in 2015. In this action filmmaking podcast they sit with an industry guest to break down a fight scene from a film or television program they were involved in, explore the filmmaking craft and their guest's career. STEPHEN KOEPFER Stunt performer, filmmaker, renowned coach and martial artist. Stephen is the head coach of NY Combat Sambo. As a filmmaker, he has produced and directed several films that reflect his passion for storytelling. PAUL VARACCHI Martial artist, stunt and motion capture performer, celebrity chef and has worked extensively in television production in various roles from PA to department head. At the age of 8 Paul’s dad took him to see Robocop, and the rest is history! ® Film Fights With Friends, LLCCopyright 2026 Film Fights With Friends Art Entertainment & Performing Arts
Episodes
  • 302: The Pope of New York

    302: The Pope of New York
    May 8 2026
    S3 Ep2 – The Pope of New YorkStephen Pope is an Emmy winning stunt coordinator (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, 2024) and 9-time SAG Award nominee. His most recent Emmy nomination, Outstanding Stunt Coordination for Drama Programming, was for HBO’s The Penguin. Our discussion starts with the challenges of coordinating The Penguin and proceeds to dive deep into the importance of mentorship, leadership, set culture and ongoing changes in the stunt and film industries. MENTIONS:Car Chase and Fight Scene/Oz vs Sofia's Henchmen – Episode 1: https://youtu.be/luxZ6HBXEHE?si=q5yS8jrlwpd8AgFtOz Kills Taj and Nadia - The Penguin Episode 5 Fight Scene: https://youtu.be/cf-84-RsKoI?si=jQK6jBUpabtrW0pzOz VS Sofia Final Fight - The Penguin Episode 8 Sofia Gigante Got Arrested: https://youtu.be/vXGktiisTkg?si=p9WMekKgNYSRQ336Stephen Pope IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0691189/?ref_=ext_shr_lnkLeftovers fight shot for shot remake: https://youtu.be/aUIbIa2zC-M?si=xfMp10T6igf_QXQnSupport our food drive: Support our food drive: https://teamfeed.feedingamerica.org/participant/NYCombatSamboFILM FIGHTS WITH FRIENDSDo you listen to our show as an audio podcast? Give video a try. Subscribe to our Youtube for the video version with awesome behind the scenes pics and video! https://www.youtube.com/@FilmFightsFriendsPod?sub_confirmation=1Dig the show? Consider supporting our Patreon. There are some cool perks! http://patreon.com/FilmFightsFriendsPodcastJoin our e-mail list! Hit us up here: fightingwithfriendspod@gmail.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/FilmFightsFriendsPodFacebook: http://facebook.com/FilmFightsFriendsPodSteve’s Instagram: http://Instagram.com/sambosteveSteve’s IMDB: http://imdb.me/stephenkoepferPaul’s on Instagram: http://Instagram.com/KravMagaChefPaul’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8062990/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1Breakfall Studios’ Instagram: http://Instagram.com/breakfallstuntsSPONSORSStunt Contacthttps://stuntcontact.com/Stunt Accesshttps://stuntaccess.com/PRODUCERSExecutive Producers:Stephen KoepferPaul VaracchiProduced by:Press Record Studios-Matthew Kaplowitz-Richard Butler-Andrea Levinehttp://www.pressrecordstudios.comVideo EditorMatthew KaplowitzOriginal music by:Ahrue LusterBrought to you by Breakfall Studios®Film Fights With Friends LLC
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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • 301: Enter the Exit State

    301: Enter the Exit State
    Apr 24 2026
    Callie Schuttera and Gabriela Ledesma are the married couple behind the award-winning production company Poison Pictures. Callie is an actress, writer, and producer, known for her breakthrough role in Zach Cregger’s, WEAPONS. Gabriela is a director, writer, and producer who has directed 3 feature films, as well as multiple short films and music videos. In this interview, we dive into their new co-written and produced feature film, THE EXIT STATE.Set in a United States spiraling toward authoritarian collapse, The Exit State follows a group of Americans fleeing south toward Mexico as violence escalates and sweeping policies turn their own country against them. Hoping to disappear quietly, the group takes refuge in what they believe is a safe house. That sense of security doesn’t last long. The shelter quickly reveals itself to be anything but safe, forcing the group to confront the horrifying reality that escape will come at a devastating and terrifying cost. Rather than leaning into speculative sci-fi tropes, the film positions its horror in recognizably modern fears.Poison Pictures is a queer-led indie production company created by Callie and Gabriela. Their first feature, BLUE, was acquired by Gravitas Ventures and received top indie prizes, including Best Feature and Best Actor at the Austin Revolution Film Festival. Their extensive resume as a production company also includes big-budget, visually striking music videos for major artists like Ava Max and Jason Mraz. MENTIONS:Poison Pictures: https://www.poison-pictures.com/The Exit State IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38453653/reference/?ref_=fn_t_1Callie Schuttera IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3620962/?ref_=mv_closeGabriela Ledesma IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5860037/?ref_=fn_t_1School of Sexuality Documentary: https://givebutter.com/school-of-sexuality-documentary'Weapons' Cast Reunites for Political Horror Thriller 'The Exit State' (Collider): https://collider.com/weapons-stars-reunion-political-horror-the-exit-state-images/Blades of the Guardians Review: https://youtu.be/NYmV2BXixK8?si=lhLL-5Rf1Qvvg5UtSupport our food drive: Support our food drive: https://teamfeed.feedingamerica.org/participant/NYCombatSamboFILM FIGHTS WITH FRIENDSDo you listen to our show as an audio podcast? Give video a try. Subscribe to our Youtube for the video version with awesome behind the scenes pics and video! https://www.youtube.com/@FilmFightsFriendsPod?sub_confirmation=1Dig the show? Consider supporting our Patreon. There are some cool perks! http://patreon.com/FilmFightsFriendsPodcastJoin our e-mail list! Hit us up here: fightingwithfriendspod@gmail.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/FilmFightsFriendsPodFacebook: http://facebook.com/FilmFightsFriendsPodSteve’s Instagram: http://Instagram.com/sambosteveSteve’s IMDB: http://imdb.me/stephenkoepferPaul’s on Instagram: http://Instagram.com/KravMagaChefPaul’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8062990/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1Breakfall Studios’ Instagram: http://Instagram.com/breakfallstuntsSPONSORSStunt Contacthttps://stuntcontact.com/Stunt Accesshttps://stuntaccess.com/PRODUCERSExecutive Producers:Stephen KoepferPaul VaracchiProduced by:Press Record Studios-Matthew Kaplowitz-Richard Butler-Andrea Levinehttp://www.pressrecordstudios.comVideo EditorMatthew KaplowitzOriginal music by:Ahrue LusterBrought to you by Breakfall Studios®Film Fights With Friends LLC
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • 224: Rising Sun

    224: Rising Sun
    Mar 27 2026

    Eric Sun is Steven Yeun’s stunt double on Netflix’s The Rip. Eric, Steve, and Paul have a long history together in the stunt business, starting 10 years back when all were rookies in the industry and training together in NYC. In this season’s finale episode, we sit down with Eric and chew the fat about his work on The Rip and the decade-long journey that has brought him from a potential life as an accountant to where he is today in Hollywood.

    MENTIONS:

    Feeding America Drive: https://teamfeed.feedingamerica.org/participants/NYCombatSambo

    The Rip Final Fight: https://youtu.be/73IW-cWfzNs?si=oMHhCz21qWFjwjfw

    The True Story Behind Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s The Rip: https://time.com/7346935/the-rip-true-story/

    Eric Sun IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8405030/?ref_=ttrv_fcr_20_46

    FILM FIGHTS WITH FRIENDS

    Do you listen to our show as an audio podcast? Give video a try. Subscribe to our YouTube for the video version with awesome behind-the-scenes pics and video! https://www.youtube.com/@FilmFightsFriendsPod?sub_confirmation=1

    Dig the show? Consider supporting our Patreon. There are some cool perks! http://patreon.com/FilmFightsFriendsPodcast

    Join our e-mail list! Hit us up here: fightingwithfriendspod@gmail.com

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/FilmFightsFriendsPod

    Facebook: http://facebook.com/FilmFightsFriendsPod

    Steve’s Instagram: http://Instagram.com/sambosteve

    Steve’s IMDB: http://imdb.me/stephenkoepfer

    Paul’s on Instagram: http://Instagram.com/KravMagaChef

    Paul’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8062990/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

    Breakfall Studios’ Instagram: http://Instagram.com/breakfallstunts

    SPONSORS

    Stunt Contact

    https://stuntcontact.com/

    Stunt Access

    https://stuntaccess.com/

    PRODUCERS

    Executive Producers:

    Stephen Koepfer

    Paul Varacchi

    Produced by:

    Press Record Studios

    -Matthew Kaplowitz

    -Richard Butler

    -Andrea Levine

    http://www.pressrecordstudios.com

    Video Editor

    Matthew Kaplowitz

    Original music by:

    Ahrue Luster

    Brought to you by Breakfall Studios

    ®Film Fights With Friends LLC
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 12 mins
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