BPS 434: How Pixar’s Story Secrets Can Transform Your Filmmaking Process with Brit Cruise

BPS 434: How Pixar’s Story Secrets Can Transform Your Filmmaking Process with Brit Cruise

Author: Bulletproof Screenwriting August 28, 2025 Duration: 52:17
Brit Cruise—educator, filmmaker, and producer of Pixar in a Box—takes us on a journey through the fusion of storytelling, science, and education. From his early days editing videos with dual VCRs to his innovative work at Khan Academy, Brit reveals how deep focus, analog creativity, and a love for explanation helped shape his approach to teaching complex subjects through immersive visuals. With storytelling as the core, he shares how each lesson in Pixar in a Box connects school-taught concepts like math and physics to the movie magic of Pixar, showing students that what they learn can have real, creative application. Throughout the conversation, Brit explores his philosophy that creativity is “the ability to deal with unknowns,” emphasizing iteration, structure, and the power of simplicity. He also gives us a glimpse into the upcoming storytelling curriculum at Pixar in a Box, where students will storyboard their own shorts from scratch. For filmmakers, educators, and curious minds alike, this episode is a masterclass in how to bring clarity, authenticity, and joy into the learning and creative process.


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 396: How to Become an Indy Mogul with Ted Sim [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:16
Today on the show we have host, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and president of Aputure Ted Sim. Ted is the host of the Indy Mogul Podcast and Youtube Channel. He took over the reins of the legendary Indy Mogul Youtube channel…
BPS 395: The Art of Television Cinematography w/ Jayson Crothers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:52
Today on the show we have veteran cinematographer Jayson Crothers. Jayson had shot two dozen independent features before he joined the NBCUniversal hit show Chicago Fire in 2013. After serving as the 2nd unit DoP for 38…
BPS 394: Lighting Big Budgets and Indie Films with Shane Hurlbut [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:55
My guest today has done it all. He’s gone from cinematography on small-budget indie films to $200 million-plus projects which is literally goals for many in this line of business. Director and cinematographer, Shane Hurl…
BPS 389: From Short Films to Narcos with Josef Kubota Wladyka [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:13
Today on the show we have writer, producer, and director Josef Kubota Wladyka.Josef Kubota Wladyka’s debut feature film, Manos Sucias, won Best New Narrative Director at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival and was nominated f…
BPS 388: Hemingway and the Art of the Documentary with Lynn Novick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:12
I am a huge fan of today’s guest. Since seeing one of her first documentaries, I was transfixed by her power of storytelling. Our guest is an Emmy and Peabody award-winning documentary filmmaker, Lynn Novick---a formidab…
BPS 387: How to Protect Your Film from Online Piracy with Evan Zeisel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:11
Movie piracy has hurt the pockets of every filmmaker. But indie filmmakers are often affected worse. Today on the show we have Evan Zeisel and he has been systematically tracking down piracy sites for years. Ten years ag…