Episode #11
Trevor Morgan: From Child Actor To Midwest Filmmaker
A great film rarely comes from a perfect plan. It comes from a thousand adjustments made by people who refuse to quit. I sit down with writer, director, and actor Trevor Morgan to trace the through-line from his early days as a kid doing commercials around Chicago to working on major projects like The Sixth Sense, and then making the hard pivot into building his own work. We talk about what it feels like to grow up on set, why “normal” can hide the scale of what’s happening around you, and how curiosity turns into craft when you start asking better questions about story, collaboration, and process. From there we get concrete about independent filmmaking in the Midwest and the making of Best Thing. Trevor breaks down the unglamorous realities: testing ideas, recording sound to chase a specific emotional texture, shooting in pieces through COVID, using friends and family, reshaping scenes when locations change, and staying open to the unexpected moment that improves the film. We also go deep on directing values like failing fast, protecting rehearsal, and creating an environment where people can explore instead of performing fear. We close with the business side: film festivals, the changing definition of “independent film,” and distribution strategies that move closer to the audience, including direct-to-consumer release. If you care about intentional filmmaking, indie film distribution, and making movies outside the studio system, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share it with a filmmaker friend, and leave a review with the lesson you’re taking to your next set.
