IFH 807: Making Your Own Damn Movies: Inside Dave Campfield’s Troma-Fueled Filmmaking Path

IFH 807: Making Your Own Damn Movies: Inside Dave Campfield’s Troma-Fueled Filmmaking Path

When two Daves walk into a podcast, you don’t expect to stumble upon a meditation on art, failure, persistence, and horror-comedy. But that’s exactly what happened in this electric and delightfully unfiltered conversation with Dave Campfield, a filmmaker, actor, and host of the Troma Now Podcast, best known for his work in the cult Caesar and Otto comedy-horror film series.Dave Campfield is a fiercely independent filmmaker whose journey from a now-defunct film college in New Mexico to directing his own cult horror satires has been a long and winding road paved with hustle, humor, and horror.We start in the sand-colored surrealism of Santa Fe, where adobe buildings and the ghost of City Slickers set the stage for Dave’s early filmmaking dreams. In the land of tumbleweeds and tumble-down gym studios turned sound stages, Dave cut his teeth not just on film but on the art of adaptation.

The college no longer exists, but the memories—like chalk lines under studio lights—remain vivid in his story. “It was like going to school on Tatooine,” he says, laughing, but behind that joke is a bittersweet nod to the ephemeral.From there, Dave walks us through the illusion of success—early meetings with Universal and New Line Cinema where hopes were dangled like carrots in front of eager young dreamers. The industry, he quickly learned, speaks its own coded language: familiarity, marketability, and sometimes, plain deception. One mentor told him to “say you're young, from the streets, and have a dark comedy,” regardless of truth. Dave gave it a shot but came away with the haunting realization that "they were intrigued enough to keep me on leash, but not enough to make it happen."That experience seeded his first real film, “Dark Chamber,” a mystery-horror project which deliberately bucked slasher formulas. It took five years to make—five years of blood, sweat, and overdrafts. And yet, when the studios responded with, “We wanted something more familiar,” Dave knew he was swimming upstream. Still, he sold the film to a small distributor, endured its repackaging as something it wasn’t, and got it onto Netflix. A win—just not the one he envisioned.

But here’s the heart of it all: Dave didn’t stop. He pivoted, not with bitterness, but with evolution. “I decided I wasn't going to be one of those people waiting for opportunity. You had to make it happen on your own.” And so, he leaned into comedy horror—a genre he describes as “Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein, but for the splatter generation.” Thus, Caesar and Otto were born: two absurdly lovable doofuses bumbling their way through massacres, monsters, and paranormal mayhem.One of Dave’s secret weapons is loyalty to what’s real. Whether recounting how Lloyd Kaufman forgot him (then remembered) or editing commercials for the Philadelphia Pet Expo, he keeps a kind of grounded magic about his craft. He shares a deeply personal new project, “Awaken the Reaper,” born from a decade of introspection and struggle, calling it “the most personal thing I’ve ever written.” He says, “It’s about being stuck—feeling like every day you’re not moving forward—and finally getting out of your own way.”All along, Dave’s been quietly building a reputation for casting future stars before they break—Trey Byers (Empire), Peter Scanavino (Law & Order)—and hosting a podcast that thrives not just because of brand synergy with Troma, but because he genuinely knows how to talk to people. “They’ve never rejected an episode,” he remarks. “I tease Troma a lot, and they’re always game. It’s a beautiful collaboration.”The conversation wraps not with grandiosity, but a recognition that even the smallest cult followings can keep a creator going. “My fanbase is small, but intense,” Dave says with pride. “I can rattle them off on two hands.” Maybe that’s enough. Maybe that’s everything.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

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IFH 341: Building an Audience & Industry Lessons with RB Botto & Alex Ferrari

IFH 341: Building an Audience & Industry Lessons with RB Botto & Alex Ferrari

As promised in this episode, I bring to you the live recording of my workshop from the 2019 HollyShorts! Film Festival on audience building and surviving the film industry with my brotha from another mutha RB Botto from Stage32.com. We discuss the best way to build an audience online, do's and dont's, and tips on surviving the film industry from two filmmakers with a ton of shrapnel. Enjoy!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

27 Aug 20191h 22min

IFH 340: How to Face Your Fear and Finish Your Indie Film with Theo Hogben

IFH 340: How to Face Your Fear and Finish Your Indie Film with Theo Hogben

We have all been there. A film project that just goes on and on and doesn't seem to have an end in site. While you are waiting for the punishment to finish your life starts to take a downward spiral into a blackhole. You look up and five years have passed and you wondered what the hell happened? That is exactly what happen to today guest filmmaker Theo Hogben.Theo reached out to me to tell me his story in an almost 2000 word email, by the way please do not send me long emails I just don't have the time to read them. For whatever reason I started read his email and his story of his five year odyssey making his short film, A Most Savage Beast, caught my ear. His journey down the dark rabbit-hole of filmmaking is a story I know many members of the IFH Tribe have gone or are going through right now.I hope his story will inspire you to start or finish that film you've always wanted to do. To finish the screenplay you've been noodling around with for years. Get up off your butt and make it happen for yourself. Theo's story is one of a phoenix rising. We all get knocked down but this business is all about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.Enjoy my conversation with Theo Hogben.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

22 Aug 20191h 25min

IFH 339: What to Do When Your Film Project Falls Apart

IFH 339: What to Do When Your Film Project Falls Apart

We all have gone through it, a project falls apart after months if not years of you working on it. It has happened to me so many times I lost count. I based my book Shooting for the Mob on my biggest and most painful failure. In this episode, I share my experience on how to deal with a dream crushing event. "ALL filmmaking careers are forged by the failures you have in this business."You need to understand that EVERY FILMMAKER at EVERY LEVEL has gone or is going through a project falling apart. Let's discuss how we can deal with this and keep moving forward towards our filmmaking dream. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

20 Aug 201922min

IFH 338: How to Pay Off Your Film School Student Debt FAST!

IFH 338: How to Pay Off Your Film School Student Debt FAST!

Today's guest, filmmaker Hari Mitar Khalsa, figured out how to pay off $30,000 in student debt in 11 months working as a freelance videographer and editor. We go into a deep dive on his methods, habits and tips on how you can pay that student debt off fast.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

16 Aug 20191h 1min

IFH 337: Directing 70+ Feature Films & Making Money with Mike Feifer

IFH 337: Directing 70+ Feature Films & Making Money with Mike Feifer

In this episode I  speak to prolific film producer/writer/director Mike Feifer. Mike has directed over 70 films and produced over 100 feature films.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

13 Aug 20192h 10min

IFH 336: Personal Branding and Why I Legally Changed My Name

IFH 336: Personal Branding and Why I Legally Changed My Name

In today's world, personal branding is more important than ever. I wanted to discuss what personal branding is, how to go about it and examples of how other world-famous filmmakers branded themselves. What is the definition of personal branding?Personal branding is the practice of marketing people and their careers as brands. It is an ongoing process of developing and maintaining a reputation and impression of an individual, group, or organization. Whereas some self-help practices focus on self-improvement, personal branding defines success as a form of self-packaging. The term is thought to have originated from an article written by Tom Peters in 1997. In Be, Your Own Brand, first published in 1999, marketers David McNally and Karl Speak wrote: "Your brand is a perception or emotion, maintained by somebody other than you, that describes the total experience of having a relationship with you."Individuals sometimes associate personal names or pseudonyms with their businesses. Celebrities may also leverage their social status to support organizations for financial or social gain. For example, Kim Kardashian endorses brands and products through her media influence. - WikipediaI also discuss why I legally changed my name to Alex Ferrari when I was 18 years old. I hope you start thinking of not only what your personal brand is but also how to build it. Enjoy!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

8 Aug 201920min

IFH 335: How to Attract an Oscar Nominee to a $10K Indie Film with Nick Psinakis

IFH 335: How to Attract an Oscar Nominee to a $10K Indie Film with Nick Psinakis

Today on the show we have writer, producer, and actor Nick Sinakis. Nick and his writing partner created the film My Best Friend's Famous, an indie film produced for under $10,000 and made it entirely out of his apartment. He acted, co-wrote, produced and edited the film while his writing partner directed, produced and scored the film.Through a little HUSTLE (haha couldn't help myself) he managed to attract to the film MINDY STERLING (most known as Frau Farbissina from Austin Powers, Goldbergs) as well as OSCAR® NOMINEE RYAN O''NEAL (Love Story, Barry Lyndon).  The rest of the cast is rounded out with DAVID ROSS PATERSON (Saving Mr. Banks, Benjamin Button, Frost Nixon) as well as some young up and coming comedians.I wanted him on the show to, first of all, find out how he attracted his cast for such an indie film, to discuss how he was able to make his film look much bigger than a $10k indie and what he learned from Indie Film Hustle that helped him along his journey making his film.Enjoy my conversation with Nick Psinakis.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

6 Aug 201940min

IFH 334: How to Direct a Sex Scene with John Bucher

IFH 334: How to Direct a Sex Scene with John Bucher

We have a special episode today. I wanted to discuss a topic that NEVER gets discussed until minutes before the cameras begin to roll, shooting sex scenes. Loving making or sex scenes are like walking through a field of landmines. I've shot these kinds of scenes in my life and it's​ just uncomfortable for everyone on set. Today we have a guest who literally wrote a book on the subject, John Bucher.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

30 Juli 201920min

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