Coppola Told Me: Shoot It on Your Phone

In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins welcomes back filmmaker Janek Ambros to dive deep into the wild origin and evolution of his second feature film, Mondo Hollywoodland. The conversation spans everything from a life-changing phone call with Francis Ford Coppola to the chaotic, experimental production process of an iPhone-shot psychedelic satire. Ambros shares how a rogue spirit, a skeleton crew, and the mantra "just make something" powered his creative journey. He also discusses the challenges of distribution, finding a cult audience, and why the edit room is his happy place.In this episode, we discuss:How Francis Ford Coppola inspired the DIY ethos behind Mondo HollywoodlandWhy the film is more of a spiritual successor than a direct sequel to the 1967 cult doc Mondo HollywoodThe experimental, no-crew production process using an iPhone and real locationsCasting friends and local oddballs to match the film’s bizarre, countercultural toneHow the film’s editing and narrator shape its chaotic narrativeNavigating COVID-era distribution and marketing challengesAmbros’s dual approach to career-building: make art, but also think commerciallyWhy learning to produce is essential for emerging filmmakersGuests:Janek AmbrosSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing podcast@nofilmschool.com Listen to more episodes of the No Film School podcast right here: This episode of The No Film School Podcast was produced by GG Hawkins.

May 31, 2025 - 06:55

In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins welcomes back filmmaker Janek Ambros to dive deep into the wild origin and evolution of his second feature film, Mondo Hollywoodland. The conversation spans everything from a life-changing phone call with Francis Ford Coppola to the chaotic, experimental production process of an iPhone-shot psychedelic satire.

Ambros shares how a rogue spirit, a skeleton crew, and the mantra "just make something" powered his creative journey. He also discusses the challenges of distribution, finding a cult audience, and why the edit room is his happy place.

In this episode, we discuss:

How Francis Ford Coppola inspired the DIY ethos behind Mondo Hollywoodland
Why the film is more of a spiritual successor than a direct sequel to the 1967 cult doc Mondo Hollywood
The experimental, no-crew production process using an iPhone and real locations
Casting friends and local oddballs to match the film’s bizarre, countercultural tone
How the film’s editing and narrator shape its chaotic narrative
Navigating COVID-era distribution and marketing challenges
Ambros’s dual approach to career-building: make art, but also think commercially
Why learning to produce is essential for emerging filmmakers

Guests: