9 // Dir. of Crash Site // Jason Sperling

Send us a text

Watch Crash Site

Jason's IG

Jason Sperling's fingerprints are all over modern television's visual language. With three Primetime Emmy nominations and two VES Award nominations, he's shaped shows like American Horror Story, The Walking Dead, and Bridgerton through his visual effects expertise. Yet his most profound creative achievement might be his wildly successful directorial debut – a short film that took nearly a decade to complete.

"Crash Site," starring Steven Yeun and Sam Richardson, has exploded to over 560,000 views on YouTube in just three weeks. But this "overnight success" began in 2013 when Sperling and writer Miles Brandman launched a Kickstarter campaign that raised $13,000 to shoot their sci-fi story. What followed was a winding journey through post-production challenges, life interruptions, and eventually a pandemic delay before the finished film reached audiences.

This remarkable timeline speaks to Sperling's central philosophy about creative work: "No one ever fails in Hollywood. They just give up." His persistence paid off spectacularly, revealing how independent filmmakers can thrive by focusing on story fundamentals rather than massive budgets. The film demonstrates Sperling's core belief that visual effects should serve narrative rather than dominate it – even as he navigates the industry's complex relationship with advancing technology.

Sperling provides fascinating insights into how he secured his high-profile cast (a friendship with Yeun from The Walking Dead led to Richardson joining before his breakout success), the challenges of indie production, and the future of filmmaking in an AI-influenced landscape. While acknowledging genuine concerns about technological disruption, he sees opportunity in democratized tools that allow creators to "zig when others zag."

For anyone pursuing creative work against seemingly impossible odds, Sperling's journey offers both practical wisdom and philosophical encouragement. As he puts it: "Human beings creating art are being the most human they can be." His story reminds us that Hollywood isn't dead – it's evolving – and determined storytellers still find ways to break through when they refuse to give up on their vision.

Support the show

Please consider following the podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube!

HiD Artwork //

Mark Vega - Instagram

Theme Music //

Wave Saver "Night Stalker"

Try Epidemic Sound (This helps my channel if you sign up using this link)

Thank you for listening; it means the world to me!

LONG LIVE INDEPENDENT FILM!