In this episode of the Colorado Business Podcast, Marcus and Andrew sit down with David Chavez and Jacob Rivera to discuss how they built a massive 72-hour independent film festival. What started as a small project with only eight teams has quickly grown into a 46-team competition drawing filmmakers from across the country.

David shares his journey from working as a production assistant on sets like Iron Man 2 and Bad Boys 3 in Florida to relocating to Colorado and building a community for local creatives. He also discusses his day job with the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and what the Sundance Film Festival's move to Boulder means for local legislation and funding.

Halfway through the episode, co-founder Jacob jumps into the hot seat to break down the business side of the festival. He explains how they utilized grassroots meet-and-greets to scale their event with no marketing budget, the psychology behind placing creative constraints on filmmakers, and their ambitious vision for the future of Colorado's film industry.

Episode Chapters:

• 00:00 - Intro & Proud American Electrical and Solar

• 00:24 - Building a 72-hour film festival from the ground up

• 03:00 - Leaving the restaurant industry and moving to Colorado

• 07:15 - Wake Up Pueblo & working with Grant Cardone

• 11:45 - On set for Iron Man 2 and Bad Boys 3

• 14:48 - The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce & Sundance coming to Boulder

• 22:51 - Inside the 72-hour film formula & shooting a skydiving promo

• 38:51 - Overcoming personal struggles and finding motivation in family

• 44:00 - Jacob tags in: The origins of their business partnership

• 50:00 - Growing a live event with a zero-dollar marketing budget

• 58:00 - The ultimate vision for the Colorado independent film scene

Connect with the Guests:

• Website: https://www.kickassfilmfest.com/

• Socials: Search for their festival on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube