EP017 Christopher What If the Story You Tell Yourself Is a Lie The Brave Man Project

Christopher Folkens spent nine years getting his film Catalyst out into the world. Seven men are thrown into one room with every reason to hate each other, and told to kill the parasite. The scenes in that room were structured improvisation, some roles played by non-actors who came from that background. Worth ten minutes, a quiet room and a pen: https://hamishniven.com/the-damage-re... Hamish found the film flicking through Amazon and was up at three in the morning thinking about it. They talk about the story you tell yourself, what being right costs, the title the distributor wanted instead, and why questions create choices. WHAT WE EXPLORE The story you've told yourself hundreds of times, and what if it's a lie Being right about the people we hate, and what it costs us and everyone around us Questions create choices: freedom or fear, every morning, at every choice point CHAPTERS 0:00 It still gives me chills 4:16 I was the angry guy 7:06 Which one is the worst? 10:21 But he can't do it 18:06 What kind of world? 21:53 Something else is going on 24:25 A giant middle finger 27:57 What if it's a lie? 30:17 It could have been different 32:59 They wanted Kill the Parasite 37:01 Tell me about the ending 42:16 It gives you choices FROM THE CONVERSATION "Can we not see this? Can we not see how that is who we've become?" "What if our story is the lie?" "Every moment of our lives is either choosing heaven or choosing hell based on what we choose. That's our choice." "What if the story I've been telling myself is a lie all along?" "Questions create choices and character is revealed through choices." MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Catalyst (2025), Christopher's film 12 Angry Men Saw The Asset, Christopher's short film The Pulse nightclub shooting, the true story behind his next feature CONNECT WITH CHRISTOPHER Instagram:   / chrisfolkens   Website, Mystic Films: https://www.mystic-films.com/ YouTube:    / @cffilms312   Vimeo, Mystic Films: https://vimeo.com/mysticfilms Catalyst trailer:    • CATALYST || Movie Teaser | Cyberpunk | Act...   Catalyst on Apple TV: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/catalys... Catalyst on Plex: https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/movie/cat... Catalyst is also on Tubi in the US, UK and Canada. Search Catalyst with Christopher's name: other films share the title. A LITTLE ABOUT HAMISH NIVEN For 25 years, I lived a life that looked successful from the outside. Inside it was falling apart, and I was throwing fuel on the fire — addiction, alcohol. I was on a steep path to self-destruct. November 2018. I chose life, and had to change everything. I built The 13th Room because nothing like that existed when I needed it. The Brave Man Project — this podcast. It is about men, but not just for men. Men who broke under the weight of their own performance. Men who rebuilt and climbed so much higher. The 13th Room is a space for the successful man who needs to change and knows it. 13 sessions, you and me. No fixing. Pure witnessing. Starts with a free 20-minute conversation. Podcast website: https://thebravemanproject.com Hamish's website: https://hamishniven.com YouTube:    / @thebravemanproject   LinkedIn:   / hamishniven   TikTok:   / hamish.niven   Instagram:   / hamishniven   Facebook:   / hamishniven   #TheBraveManProject #The13thRoom #Catalyst #IndieFilm #RewriteYourStory