LUKE BARNETT
Writer | Director | Producer | Actor
Luke Barnett | Print Q&A
In this candid interview, writer-producer Ash Lazer chats with the multi-faceted filmmaker Luke Barnett about his internet-obliterating viral short film The Crossing Over Express, but they also dive into the nuts and bolts of hustling as an indie filmmaker, what it takes to not only survive but thrive in this business, and Luke’s rise to the set as an actor at the highest level while working on shows like For All Mankind, The ‘Burbs, and Dark Winds.
We also discuss both the craft and the business side of breaking-in as an emerging filmmaker, touching on key conversations like:
Film festival rejections but going viral and having Hollywood come to you
Actor auditions, self tapes, and not getting the job
Having material ready/being ready for success
Next project starring Patton Oswalt, scored by Bear McCreary
Success ‘later’ in life
No/low budget traditional shorts vs skits/shorts for social media
If you’re an emerging filmmaker, a creative who’s recently broken through with early success, or an industry member looking for an incredible talent both on the page, behind the lens, and on screen, you need to check out our interview with Luke below—and hire the man behind he mustache! #makemustachesmarvelousagain
VISIT: Luke on Twitter (X) | Luke on Insta | Ash Lazer on: Insta Twitter TikTok Substack Youtube
Luke Barnett | Q&A
First off, massive congrats on all the recent success. Have you had a chance to celebrate or take a victory lap yet? How does it all feel? Where’s your head at creatively right now?
Thanks, man. That’s very kind of you. The last year or so has been a ride for sure. A lot of lessons learned, a lot of exciting opportunities. What I’ve found fascinating is that even with some bigger opportunities, it’s only made me more enthusiastic about continuing to make my own no budget stuff. Everything that costs real money requires a lot of people’s approval and takes a lot of time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for those projects, but I’m also just not willing to wait for a studio to green light a project or a showrunner to cast me in order to create art.
2025/2026 seems to be heating up for you—Goodbye, Monster, Teacher’s Pet, Dark Winds, For All Mankind, The Burbs. Can you talk a bit about the hustle, the hardwork, and the realities of an actor working his way up into the top levels of the game?
I think for me it’s a combination of creating my own work and being ready to deliver when other work opportunities come. I treat every audition like a job, because honestly, auditioning IS the job. I can’t control if someone gives me the role, but I can control if the tape I send in is exactly what I want a producer or director to see. It’s an insanely difficult industry but I think if you are consistently putting in the work, people take notice. I also think making my own stuff takes the pressure of the auditions a bit and, in turn, makes the auditions stronger. It’s not that I don’t care, but I throw a tape down knowing I’m going to go back to writing a script or editing a project.
What’s up and coming for you release-wise? What can fans of your work (on screen, on the page, and in the director’s chair) expect to see from you soon?
I believe Dark Winds season 4 will be hitting Netflix very soon, so I’m excited for more people to see that. For All Mankind is airing now. The short I recently directed, Goodbye Monster, is about to hit the festival circuit, along with a handful of other projects I acted in. We’re currently in the early stages of getting The Crossing Over Express feature off the ground, so that’s also been a lot of my focus.
I know the success of The Crossing Over Express must’ve been bittersweet since it is inspired by a true story. Can you talk about the difficulties of writing, directing, producing, and starring in something so close to your own heart? Have you had that idea for a longtime and maybe were just too close/afraid to make it? What made you decide to make that film now?
The Crossing Over Express was inspired by a video I received 20+ years after my mom passed away. I originally wrote a very Hallmark-esque version of it and quickly decided that was very bad. A year or so later I went back to it because everyone I told the real story to gave such a strong reaction. The biggest lesson I learned from making The Crossing Over Express is the more specific a story becomes, the more universal it often feels. People don't connect to broad ideas about grief, love, or fear as much as they connect to a particular person grieving a particular loss. Ironically, it's through those unique details that audiences recognize themselves. I had a moment in post where I was worried about the things my character mentions in the short, like the Amy Grant Christmas album, were way too specific, but I quickly realized everyone just replaced it with whatever their Amy Grant Christmas album was.
Can you talk about short film budgets, cashing in favors, crowdfunding, and producing high quality short films? What are the checkboxes you personally need in order to spend the time, money, and effort to go to production on a short film?
I think this is where living in LA or NY can be a huge asset. I have spent many years making friends and collaborating with very talented people. My friends rock. Therefore when any of us go to make something, it’s easy to say “you wanna work on this thing?” and suddenly you have something great. I also think the more quality work you put out, the more open people are to working with you, even if the budget isn’t where you want it to be. The vast majority of people who came out to work on GOODBYE MONSTER were people who had seen THE CROSSING OVER EXPRESS.
Is it true that most of the major film festivals had rejected The Crossing Over Express? What made you choose to release on Twitter/X?
We were rejected by all the majors, yes. But I get it. If 13,000 films are submitted to Sundance, that’s not 6500 shorts and 6500 features. It’s more like 11,000 shorts. And they pick like 100. And most of those selections have someone involved who is alumni. That’s the game.
We put it out on Short of the Week, which was great, but a few days in I thought, knowing the response it had gotten from people before I released it, that it could hit a wider audience. So I decided to put it online directly with the backstory. I woke up and it had 300K views.
Can you walk us through the very next steps as it was going viral? Like actions you took to move the needle on your career, actions/offers that were coming your way, etc.
This was a big lesson for future stuff I make. We didn’t have any idea what was going to happen. So we didn’t have a clear pitch on expanding it. When it hit, we got a lot of calls. CAA ended up asking if they could take it out and we met with a lot of production companies. I wish we’d had a script ready to go! That said, we got some great producers and now have a draft I’m really excited about.
Aside from a career advancement standpoint, I know you also got A LOT OF LOVE from people who were truly moved by your film. Can you talk a little bit about what that felt like as someone who has experienced the heartbreak of losing of a loved one, as well as an artist putting his vulnerabilities on the screen and having it really resonate and connect with people?
It was heavy, but in the best possible way. To this day, I still get a message every week or two from someone who basically tells me they lost an uncle or a brother or a wife and they’ve watched The Crossing Over Express multiple times. I had someone write to me recently and told me his brother had passed away a week before the short came out and it’s now what he watches every anniversary of his passing. It’s overwhelming in the best way. Again, just so grateful.
I believe Patton Oswalt was one of many that really resonated with the film. Can you speak about the celebrity reactions? And how you specifically parlayed those into actionable steps to move your own career forward? And how it felt to have successful artists reaching out and praising your work? I believe Patton is collaborating with you / or might be featured in your next short?
Yeah, I think the key there is to not take advantage. I got a lot of messages from people I’ve long admired and of course you hope to work with them all, but it’s all about making sure it feels right. Working with both Patton and Bear McCreary on this next one (Goodbye, Monster) directly happened because they saw The Crossing Over Express.
Do you think your career trajectory would've been the same had you relied solely on the traditional routes of film festivals etc vs premiering it on Twitter/X? It seems like a lot of filmmakers, Youtubers, content creators, and creatives in general are bypassing traditional gatekeepers and releasing their work online and finding a massive audience that connects with their stories; then in turn catching the attention of the traditional models and having Hollywood come to them instead of trying to “break in.” Does this feel like a seismic shift in the way artists are trying to break in, or has it always felt that way, maybe now it's just more public, these acts of creative rebellion and artistic revolution being online and such?
The game has 100% changed. Don’t get me wrong, I love film festivals and will continue to submit and attend when accepted. That said, when we were deciding how we wanted to put out Ovation (a 5 minute short we did at the end of last year), my manager said “how many Sundance shorts can you name off the top of your head?”. I think festivals can still open doors, but if you can prove your idea has an audience, that’s massive. There is nothing better than proof. I think Obsession and Backrooms (and Portrait of God) are clearly proof of that but even on a smaller level, if you can remotely show your idea resonates, it will do more for you than a festival screening attended by 50 people ever will.
As a veteran filmmaker, of both shorts, skits, and features, along with writing, directing, producing, acting, etc, what sort of changes would you like to see /make in the indie film world, to achieve a better pathway to sustainability for artists and indie industry at large?
Man… I don’t know. I hope more big studios make little movies. Right now it feels like the places you can make a tiny movie don’t release the movie in a way that gives them a chance to really soar. I’d love to see more small studio movies.
Let’s talk collaboration: what makes you choose to go solo on a project vs working with your partner Tanner Thomason? What do you look for in a project as you're considering joining someone else's project?
I feel very, very lucky to have a lot of crazy talented collaborates in my life, Tanner being a key one. I feel very lucky to have a circle of filmmaker friends who are constantly kicking the door down. We talk regularly, find stuff to collaborate one. It’s great to have these people in your life all going through it so you can both celebrate wins and weather losses. They get it.
What sort of changes would you like to see within the Hollywood system for all emerging creatives—from acting to writing—to make it a more viable and sustainable path to pursue as an artist with a voice trying to break-in? And as someone who’s “broken-in” multiple times now, are there better ways the industry could keep and nurture voices like yours without having to start from scratch every time? Or, is this the nature of the beast we’ve chosen?
I think it’s the nature of the beast. I can tell you from talking to friends and colleagues at a much higher level than me, it’s always a roller coaster. Ebbs and flows. Once you can be ok with that, you’ll be a lot happier.
You were a producer for YOUR LUCKY DAY. Can you talk about the ins & outs, the difficulties, realities and the joys of independent cinema made outside of the studio system?
Your Lucky Day is one of my favorite projects to date. That period of my life was when I truly think I found my voice – as a filmmaker, writer, actor, etc. YLD was a big part of that. I don’t think I found my voice as a writer and filmmaker till I was 40. I didn’t book my first TV acting gig till I was 39. Everyone is on a different timeline. I’m happy with mine.
The loss of Angus Cloud was obviously heartbreaking. I'm grateful that Your Lucky Day captured such a powerful performance from him. He's absolutely phenomenal in the film.
You starred in Noam Kroll’s TEACHER’S PET. Noam and yourself seem highly skilled at DIY filmmaking. Can you walk us through getting TP off the ground with investors/financing, casting, production, release/distro and the results possibly?
Noam cast me after seeing FAITH BA$ED and we honestly just hit it off. We are both big believers in making things happen even if you have no money. Teacher’s Pet was shot for less than $100K and I’m incredibly proud of what we were able to accomplish on that budget. We have since made multiple shorts and are currently in production on a micro series and developing another feature together. Again, just super lucky to have so many talented friends and collaboraters in my life.
Let’s manifest for you – who are the agents, execs, production companies, studios, directors/writers/actors you’d love to work with in the future?
I have two bigger scripts that are pretty far along right now. I’d love to see them go to camera. I’d love to direct my first feature late this year, be it The Crossing Over Express or another hyper contained script I optioned. I’d love to recur on another great series like Dark Winds. I honestly just want to keep working on good projects with good people and hopefully do good work.
As an actor, I've always admired the era when leading men felt like actual people. When a Gene Hackman or Harry Dean Stanton could walk on screen and you immediately believed they had a past, a job, regrets, and a life beyond what we’re seeing on screen. I hope to continue that tradition myself.
What would be your dream acting role?
Playing Dale Ernhardt in a prestige cable series.
What would be your dream/writing directing job?
The Crossing Over Express feature.
What's an IP you’d love to perform in / write/direct in?
If I had to remake or reboot something it would be Cocktail (I have a pitch!), They Live, or The Gate.
What are the best practices you’ve learned as a short film maker over the years? And what about things you’ve learned the hard way that you wished you’d known sooner?
Just that you can make stuff with so little now. I wish I had started making my own content earlier. We just did a short that stars me and John Hawkes and it was a crew of like 6 and looks amazing.
When I view your work, yes the concepts are fantastic, and the execution and talent is there (all rare and much needed elements for success), but at least in my humble opinion, I think what truly makes you and your work special is the drive and intention to connect emotionally to your audience. To trust them and respect them. Can you speak a little bit about that? Was that a natural aspect of your storytelling or did it take years to hone in on and sharpen? Is it an active decision when writing or just a seasoned aspect of your voice that has grown organically?
That’s very kind. I think it goes back to the idea of being personal and specific, even if the subject matter is broad. I like simple, digestible plots and detailed, complicated characters. I try and actively focus on that combination. I also very much like trying to ride a line between humor and heartbreak and horror. Even we can build one up until it’s about to bubble over and break it with the next one right before… that’s the sweet spot.
For the short zeitgeist skit makers out there, you’re regularly releasing ultra meta short skits as well, for example: the standing ovation piece (Ovation), and the internal / philosophical approach to the Coca-Cola AI ad. Can you talk a little bit about having those ideas that comment on the immediacy of pop culture and how quick those decisions have to be made to film them,? And again if you can, talk a little bit about the budget / favors etc needed to execute skits vs films, etc. I used to be a guerrilla filmmaker and I would rent lenses and pay for pizza and we had a squad of hungry filmmakers and talent that just wanted to be a part of something special, get experience, exposure, and reels, etc. Can you talk to those filmmakers out there about tips and best practices for executing these concepts? And as well, about the strategy behind releasing them alongside the heat of TCOE?
I think eiter having a friend or two who is really good on the technical side or learning those skills yourself is key. Noam is a great DP and editor. So, he is usually my first call if I have a truly no budget idea because I know we can just do it on a whim. We live 10 minutes from each other, so that helps. TCOE and Goodbye, Monster are bigger. Still small compared to most movies, but an actual crew and cast and not just Noam and I and coffee.
Do we dare make a comment about your thoughts on AI in the business?
Honestly, AI bores me. I’m over the entire conversation. I’ve yet to see something AI that doesn’t bore me. Even when someone says “oh yeah, well watch THIS short someone made with AI” it’s always clearly just them putting “make the Mandalorian meets Rick & Morty” or whatever into a prompt. Hard pass. That said, aspects of it I think could be very helpful in medical fields, certain elements of business, etc. For our industry, I’m sure it will be a useful tool for certain workflows and will inevitably become the norm for certain aspects of the business. I’ve seen how it can help streamline individuals’ organization methods and reduce tasks. That said, if I’m excited about anything it’s seeing the rise in analogue as pushback. My neighbor’s ceramics studio has blown up, book sales are at their highest since 2019, all my daughter’s friends have the Tin-Can phone... The non-stop AI discourse is pushing more people back to handmade and I love that.
Any final thoughts on life and creativity in general?
The older I get, the more I believe that specificity creates universality. The stories that feel the most personal are often the ones that resonate the furthest, and those are the stories I'm most interested in telling. At the end of the day, I'm just grateful to keep telling stories. Whether that's acting in them, writing them, or directing them. I want to work with awesome, kind people forever.
Thank you, Luke. We’re huge fans and wishing you continued success. Goodbye, Monster is such a brilliant idea on just the concept alone. I wish I’d thought of it, and I can’t wait to watch it. Along with the feature adaptation of The Crossing Over Express and all your stories in development. Sending you all the Lights. Camera. Radness. in the universe. Let’s Break Some Lead!
