In this episode, Mishu sits down with Chicago-based writer/director and producer Demma Strausbaugh to talk about the tension between creative drive and creative fatigue. They unpack the push and pull of wearing too many hats, the hard truths about indie filmmaking as a “rich person’s game,” and why Demma’s determined to create her own intentionality anyway.

🎬 Demma Strausbaugh has produced multiple short films, a music video, and a commercial, and directed two shorts of her own. She’s currently taking on the Filmmaker’s Mixtape Challenge — a yearlong experiment in consistency and craft. A founding member of Film Girlz Brunch Chicago and coordinator for the Chicago Independent Film Symposium, Demma is also a fierce advocate for creative community and independent storytelling.

We talk about:
→ Why indie filmmaking sometimes feels impossible — and how to do it anyway
→ The difference between creative paralysis and creative rest
→ How to build discipline without losing curiosity
→ The myth of “just writing” versus learning to protect creative time
→ Balancing producing for others and directing for yourself

Follow Demma's work on Instagram: @players_pod
Website: players-pod.com

Listen to more episodes at mischiefpod.com and follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @mischiefpod
Produced by @ohhmaybemedia