Indie Film Craft 3 | How to Get Life Rights As an Indie Filmmaker (and Make the Biopic Indie Audiences Actually Want) ft. The Bragg Brothers

The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna

Meg LeFauve & Lorien McKenna

Tv & Film

4.8 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 11 July 2025

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Join TSL Workshops: https://tslworkshops.circle.so How do you turn a real-life moment into a movie — without studio backing or a big festival launch? Jeff talks with The Bragg Brothers about making PINBALL: THE MAN WHO SAVED THE GAME, an indie biopic about GQ journalist Roger Sharpe, who helped overturn New York’s ban on pinball in 1976. They share how they spotted the story’s potential, built trust with Roger and their financier MPI, and crafted a fun, visually bold film — complete with narration and performances from major talent like Mike Faist (CHALLENGERS). If you’re developing a true story or curious how two filmmakers turned a niche moment into a breakout debut, this episode is for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Oh, that's my prime delivery.
0:01.6	What, already?
0:02.7	Only one thing can match the buzz of Prime's fast delivery.
0:06.2	And that's the buzz of Prime's entertainment.
0:09.0	What are we watching?
0:09.7	Heads of state, that new action comedy with Idris Elber as the Prime Minister,
0:13.3	John Sina as the president, and Prianka Chopra Jonas,
0:15.9	as their only hope.
0:17.0	It looks like a blast.
0:18.2	From fast delivery to explosive entertainment, it's on Prime. For only
0:23.0	899 a month, join now. Content includes limited ads, subscription, or to our news. For more information,
0:28.2	go to amazon.com.uk.U.K., Prime. In 1976, a GQ journalist named Roger Sharp walked into a New York
0:34.8	City Council hearing, pulled back the plunger on a pinball machine,
0:38.4	and made history. Believe it or not, pinball was actually illegal at the time, considered a form of
0:42.9	gambling rather than a game of skill. But Sharp, after covering the story and becoming a skilled
0:47.7	player himself, was determined to make an impact. Under the eyes of the law and in front of the
0:52.5	press, he proved that pinball took real
0:54.8	skill, helping to overturn New York City's 35-year band. And until two years ago, this story
1:00.3	had actually never been told on film, until our guests today made it happen. I'm thrilled
1:05.4	to welcome filmmaking duo, the Bragg Brothers, onto Indie Filmcraft, to talk about how they turn
1:09.7	this wild true story into a
1:11.3	budget-friendly indie and turned that indie into a hit. I met Austin and Meredith Bragg during the
	...

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