Back to Inside Indies

Podcast Episode

The Hustle of Making Films That Matter with Janek Ambros

Inside Indies··16 April 2026·18 min

About this episode

Indie filmmaking isn’t for the faint of heart.  Janek Ambros, producer, director, and founder of Assembly Line Entertainment, shares his journey from finance to filmmaking and the evolution of his company. Known for his socially driven narratives, Janek has had films showcased at Sundance and other global festivals. In this episode of Inside Indies, John Cooke and Bishop Porter sit down with Janek to discuss his approach to indie film financing and how he blends creativity with business. Janek offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at life as a multihyphenate in the world of independent film. Key insights from this episode: How Janek's background in finance helped shape his approach to filmmaking The process of indie film financing, from securing investors to pre-selling films Why the creative process is more important than the outcome in filmmaking Chapters: (00:00) Meet Janek Ambros (04:00) How long does it take to produce a film? (06:20) Building Assembly Line Entertainment from the ground up (07:58) The art of securing investors (10:36) Focus on process over outcome (12:13) The future of indie filmmaking (13:56) Francis Ford Coppola’s advice and the value of persistence Learn more on https://castandcrew.com/  Contact us at http://info.mediaservices.com/inside-indies Follow us on our socials: Learn more on https://castandcrew.com/ Contact us at http://info.mediaservices.com/inside-indies   Facebook: https://facebook.com/CastCrew Instagram: https://instagram.com/castandcrewllc/ LinkedIn: https:/linkedin.com/company/castcrew/ X: https://x.com/CastAndCrewNews