Fostering with Laura Schmitt & Lance Murphy-Ep18

How do you make a horror movie when you don't have a budget for a monster, your schedule is packed, and sometimes your entire crew consists of the people standing in front of the camera? You get creative! In Episode 18 of The Neveready Podcast, I sit down with Southern Utah filmmakers Laura Schmitt and Lance Murphy to talk about Fostering, their entry in the 2026 FMASU Horror Guerrilla Film Challenge. Lance calls it the “pizza budget”—the cost of the pizza needed to feed the crew. With the competition's creature-feature theme forcing them to rethink their plans, they took inspiration from the 1980s horror classic Critters and focused on practical filmmaking, creative camera work, and letting the audience's imagination do some of the heavy lifting. We get into the real challenges of independent filmmaking: long shooting days, working with family and friends, losing shots, rewriting scenes, and making a movie when you don't always have enough hands on set. Lance also shares some genuinely useful cinematography advice about lighting, day-for-night shooting, steadycam work, and why a light meter can make a difference. Plus, Laura tells the story of their Egypt vacation film that needed an extravagant hotel scene—only for them to realize they had to film it at a Motel 6 back home in St. George! We also talk about their daughter Emma's acting, the importance of local collaborators, and the hope that one day they'll be able to pay everyone who helps bring their films to life. ABOUT THE NEVERREADY PODCAST Conversations with Southern Utah's filmmakers, artists, and doers—people who keep creating even when they don't feel completely ready. WHERE TO WATCH FOSTERING Fostering is making its way through the festival circuit. Follow Laura and Lance's Team Schmurphy channel for its public release when available. Subscribe for more local filmmaking stories, creative advice, and behind-the-scenes conversations! #TheNevereadyPodcast #Fostering #LauraSchmitt #LanceMurphy #FMASU #GuerrillaFilmmaking #FilmmakingTips