NFMLA | Greenlighting Yourself: Producing & Distributing an Indie Feature

Join NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) for a virtual conversation with the team behind the new independent feature film, Things Like This. The conversation will include Max Talisman (director, actor, and writer of the film), James Andrew Felts (President of MPX, the film's distributor), and Buzz Koenig (film's lead producer, and Head of TV & Film Production at Atlantic). We will discuss the process of greenlighting and building an independent feature film, its journey as an indie production from beginning to end, reaching an audience through distribution, and redefining queer love stories.

This conversation will be moderated by producer and NFMLA Board Member, Divya D'Souza.

• About Max Talisman:

Max Talisman is an actor, writer, and director dedicated to reshaping LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media. He began his career at the age of 12 in acclaimed regional theater in his hometown of Washington, DC, before landing roles in the indie thriller ‘Super Dark Times’, opposite Jennifer Lopez in ‘Marry Me’, Netflix’s ‘Orange is the New Black’, NBC’s ‘The Blacklist’, and MAX’s dark comedy ‘Search Party’.

After facing Hollywood’s narrow casting limitations as a plus sized actor, Max founded Malibu, Bro Productions to create inclusive stories and champion underrepresented, authentic characters. His feature film ‘Things Like This’, inspired by classic rom-coms and his own experiences as a plus-sized queer man, is set to debut in 2025.

With a growing slate of projects, Max continues to champion authentic, diverse storytelling in film and television. Each project celebrates the richness of human relationships, pushing beyond Hollywood’s typical boundaries to offer audiences characters and stories that feel authentic and true. As Max continues to expand his work as a writer, director, and actor, he champions the inclusion of unique perspectives, ultimately creating a space for diverse audiences to see themselves represented in stories that resonate universally.

• About Buzz Koenig:

Scott “Buzz” Koenig has been working in film production for more than three decades, with experience across the continuum from commercials to development to post-production. He has worked with acclaimed directors along the way, including Joe Ruben (RETURN TO PARADISE), Boaz Yakin (UPTOWN GIRLS) and Todd Haynes (FAR FROM HEAVEN).

As a Production Executive at Focus Features, Buzz shepherded both live-action and animated films, including IN BRUGES (dir. Martin McDonagh), EASTERN PROMISES (dir. David Cronenberg), and 9 (dir. Shane Acker).

In 2009, Buzz founded the independent film company Opposite Field Pictures, through which he has collaborated on a number of notable independent films. In 2022 Buzz joined Atlantic Pictures as Head of Production for Film and TV, working with studios, streamers and independent producers on such titles as DIARRA FROM DETROIT (BET), ERIC (Netflix) and KARATE KID: LEGEND (Sony).

• About the moderator:

Divya D’Souza is a veteran producer with over two decades of experience across film and television. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President of Development and Production at Invention Studios, the company founded by acclaimed producer Nicholas Weinstock (Severance, Bridesmaids). Prior to that, she spent seven years at On the Day Productions—led by Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone—playing a key role in a diverse slate of projects from 2016 through early 2023. Such as Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed, Thunder Force, God’s Favorite Idiot and more.

Originally from Delhi, India and raised in Canada, Divya began her career in Toronto, working on numerous U.S. television series and feature films before relocating to Los Angeles, where she’s been based for over a decade. Her work spans a broad range of formats, including studio features, scripted and unscripted television, documentaries, and independent film, with a production footprint that includes the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and more.

Beyond production, Divya is a dedicated advocate for emerging talent. She serves on the Board of Directors for NewFilmmakers Los Angeles, and a 2024–2025 mentor for the Pillars Fund Artist Fellowship.