Working Title: From Paper to Screen with Mark Elias cover art

Working Title: From Paper to Screen with Mark Elias

Working Title: From Paper to Screen with Mark Elias

Written by: Merrick Studios
Listen for free

Working Title: From Paper to Screen follows writer, producer, actor, and director Mark Elias as he documents the real, unglamorous, and occasionally exhilarating journey of making an independent film. Each season tracks a single project from first draft to final release—covering fundraising, casting, production, post, and everything that can derail it.

Season One follows We Could Be Heroes, offering an honest, behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to get a movie made today. No hype. No shortcuts. Just the work, the setbacks, and the small wins that bring a script to life.

If you’ve ever wondered how films really get made—this is it, in real time.

From Paper to Screen with Mark Elias is a Merrick Studios podcast.

Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
Art Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Susheel Daswani on Why Smart Money Bets on People
    May 13 2026

    What makes someone back a film before there's a trailer, a cast, or anything to point to but an idea?

    Mark Elias sits down with Susheel Daswani—Silicon Valley tech investor and one of the earliest believers in We Could Be Heroes—to unpack what it really takes to be the first yes.

    They cover vision pitches vs. metrics pitches, why gaming culture and storytelling share the same DNA, the difference between "dumb money" and "smart money," and what success looks like when it isn't measured in returns.

    Because before a movie has a poster, it has a pitch. And someone has to lean in first.

    Show More Show Less
    41 mins
  • Jonny Price (Wefunder) on Making Investors Part of the Story
    Apr 29 2026

    You’ve got the script. Now how do you actually get it made?

    In this episode, Mark Elias sits down with Wefunder President Jonny Price to break down equity crowdfunding—and how filmmakers are raising real money by turning their audience into investors.

    They dive into what separates successful campaigns from the ones that stall, why momentum matters more than you think, and how to position your film as an opportunity people want to be part of.

    This isn’t about posting a page and hoping for the best. It’s about strategy, storytelling, and building a community before you ever ask for a dollar.

    If you’re serious about getting your project off the ground, this is where the work really begins.

    Working Title: From Paper to Screen is hosted by Mark Elias and produced and distributed by Merrick Studios. View all our episodes and more at wearemerrickstudios.com/working-title-pod

    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • E.J. Foerster on Shopping a Script in Today’s Industry
    Apr 27 2026

    You’ve finished the script. Now comes the hard part—getting it made.

    In Episode 4 of Working Title, Mark Elias sits down with director and producer E.J. Foerster (Forrest Gump, Gringa) to break down what it really means to “shop” a project.

    From packaging and attaching talent to building momentum and choosing a financing path, E.J. shares practical insights on how films actually move from script to screen.

    If you’ve ever asked, “What now?”—this episode is your roadmap.

    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet