BPS 418: Drugs, Sex and Higher Love with Slamdance Winner Hasan Oswald

BPS 418: Drugs, Sex and Higher Love with Slamdance Winner Hasan Oswald

Author: Bulletproof Screenwriting May 8, 2025 Duration: 1:11:21
Today on the show we have Slamdance Grand Jury winning filmmaker Hasan Oswald. Hasan's story is pretty inspiring. He did exactly what I preach all the time, he picked up a camera and began to tell his story. He made his first short film that was later tweeted by Stephen Fry, and the National Geographic came calling to work on their film Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS. 

He has since covered the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, drug trafficking, and homelessness in Philadelphia. He quickly established a unique ability to capture the human experience through "cinema verité."  His unfettered access to and intimacy with his characters creates a seamless veneer between the filmmaker and subject.

After getting much need experience in the field he decided it was time to tell larger stories. His first outing as a feature film director, Higher Love, won him the top award at the Slamdance Film Festival. To finance his film he pulled a page out of Robert Rodriguez's playbook and sold his blood plasma to finance his film.

Hasan's filmmaking journey is inspiring to say the least. He is using cinema to tell stories that will hopefully change the way people think. Higher Love is available on all major VOD platforms. His current project focuses on the Yazidi Genocide in Iraq.

Enjoy my conversation with Hasan Oswald.


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bulletproof-screenwriting-podcast--2881148/support.

Ever find yourself staring at a blank page, wondering how the stories you love actually got made? Bulletproof Screenwriting™ Podcast digs into that process with the people who live it. Each week, we sit down for honest, detailed conversations that pull back the curtain on the craft and business of telling stories for the screen. You’ll hear from Oscar® and Emmy® award-winning writers, not just about their triumphs, but about the drafts that failed and the specific problems they had to solve. We also talk with best-selling authors who have adapted their work, seasoned Hollywood agents and managers who know what sells, and various industry insiders who provide a clear-eyed view of how things really work. This isn't about abstract theory or motivational fluff. It's a practical resource built on real experience, covering every aspect of the screenwriting process from that initial spark of an idea to navigating the complexities of the marketplace. The goal is straightforward: to provide you with actionable insights and straight talk that can strengthen your work and clarify your path forward. Whether you're just starting out or have a few scripts under your belt, this podcast offers a grounded perspective on the journey, one concrete discussion at a time. Tune in for a dose of reality and craft from those who have been in the trenches and emerged with stories to tell.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Bulletproof Screenwriting™ Podcast
Podcast Episodes
BPS 403: Cinematic Masterclass with Philip Bloom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:52
Today on the show we have a legend in the filmmaking blogosphere, award-winning cinematographer Philip Bloom. Philip is a world-renowned filmmaker who, for the past 10 years of his 27-year career has specialized in creat…
BPS 401: iPhone Filmmaking & Cinematography with Jason Van Genderen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:33
Today on the show I have iPhone filmmaking master and TEDTalk Speaker Jason Van Genderen. I've wanted to have Jason on the podcast for a long time. He is a true inspiration to anyone who wants to pick up a camera and tel…
BPS 400: How I Made $100K+ Selling Stock Footage with James Forsher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:44
Today on the show we have the Stock Footage Yoda James Forsher. James has nearly forty years of experience in producing, writing, and directing documentaries and television commercials. Forsher's productions, ranging fro…
BPS 398: Inside the World of Cooke Optics with Les Zellan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:41
Today on the show we have the chairman of the legendary Cooke Optics empire. For over 100 years, Cooke has been at the centre of the filmmaking business. We've been listening to the community of which we are a part. We l…