Jun 17 2021 91 mins
On this episode I chat with filmmakers Matthew O'Connor & Barnaby O'Connor of Ivy Film. They have directed several music videos, numerous commercials and one previous feature documentary California High.
Their latest documentary feature "The Pickup Game" is an inside look at the emergence of the ‘pickup’ business - an industry where self-styled seduction coaches travel the world, charging a small fortune to teach men skills they claim will guarantee success with women. Four years in the making and the result of a global, coordinated shoot across multiple countries, The Pickup Game cracks open a worldwide, underground subculture that many people know in passing but few understand.
The film has screened at Toronto HotDocs, New York DocNYC and Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. It can be seen on Starz in the US and iWonder in Oceana. And it is now available to purchase on Amazon Prime, YouTube, iTunes, Google Play, Apple TV and more.
On the show, we talk about:
- The making of their first ever feature film which was a fictional narrative that took them on a road trip across America.
- Their ethos of wanting to start open discussions through the subject matter of their documentaries.
- Advice for up and coming filmmakers in the early stages of their careers.
- Some of the challenges of making The Pick Up Game.
- The initial feedback they received for the film on the festival circuit.
- How interviewing Ross Jeffries opened doors to having other people
in the industry to speak with the team. - Why after 4 years of making the film they believe these pickup companies need to be managed and overseen by a governing body of some sort.
For more on the film, go to https://www.thepickupgamefilm.com/
Enjoy the show!