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.

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

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.