Build the Career You Can Control
In this episode of Off The Lot, Anthony Epp breaks down what it actually means to start a career in the film industry — especially when you’re starting from zero or coming in later in life.
They explore the mindset shift from waiting for permission to taking control, using a stoic framework to focus on what’s within your control: the quality of your work, consistency, collaboration, and preparation. The conversation challenges the idea of “breaking in” through luck, festivals, or gatekeepers, and instead reframes filmmaking as a process built through volume, repetition, and self-generated opportunities.
From volunteering on set to making ultra-low-budget projects, they unpack why constraints are often the fastest path forward — and how rejection, lack of resources, and limited access can actually become advantages when approached correctly.
If you’re trying to get your foot in the door, build momentum, and create a sustainable path into the industry — this episode is for you.
Follow Ken's Indie Horror Feature Remnant here:
Follow Ken Kabatoff's newsletter The Film Founder here:
https://kenkabatoff.substack.com/about
Follow Anthony Epp's newsletter The Filmmaker's Notebook here:
Follow Ken & Anthony on Instagram here:
