# Hollywood Rebooted Podcast | Directing Your 1st Feature Michael Delano

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/hollywood-rebooted-podcast-with-billy-barnes-7673168/hollywood-rebooted-podcast-directing-your-1st-feature-michael-delano
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/hollywood-rebooted-podcast-with-billy-barnes-7673168/hollywood-rebooted-podcast-directing-your-1st-feature-michael-delano.md
Podcast: [Hollywood Rebooted Podcast with Billy Barnes](https://stenobird.com/podcast/hollywood-rebooted-podcast-with-billy-barnes-7673168)
Published: 2026-02-02T14:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://youtu.be/gPSLWbOOzbk
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/697426af9252830699ed4dc2/e/6977eedceefa744a9c912b12/media.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/hollywood-rebooted-podcast-with-billy-barnes-7673168/episodes/hollywood-rebooted-podcast-directing-your-1st-feature-michael-delano
Duration seconds: 4417

## Resource

Is the "Director’s Dream" still alive in 2026? 🎬 In Hollywood Rebooted Podcast, award-winning filmmaker Billy Barnes sits down with Michael Delano, producer, director, and the visionary founder of Cotu Media. Transitioning from shorts to a feature film is the hardest leap a filmmaker can make. Michael breaks down the practical roadmap for directing your first feature, how to maintain creative momentum in a rapidly shifting "New Hollywood" landscape, and why your personal brand is just as important as your reel. 📌 In This Episode: The First Feature: Step-by-step advice on making the jump to long-form storytelling. Navigating New Hollywood: How to stay relevant and moving forward in the current industry climate. Marketing Yourself: Modern strategies for young directors to get noticed by producers and investors. The Cotu Media Story: Michael’s journey founding a production powerhouse. 🚀 About the Guest: Michael Delano is a seasoned producer and director known for his ability to merge high-level artistry with savvy business strategy. As the founder of Cotu Media, ( https://www.cotumedia.com/ ) he has become a leading voice for the next generation of creators. 🎙️ About the Podcast: Battery Not Included is hosted by Billy Barnes, an award-winning filmmaker dedicated to pulling back the curtain on the grit, the grind, and the gear that fuels the film industry. 🔗 Connect with Us: Follow Battery Not Included Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/batterynotincludedpodcast/ Follow Billy Barnes: https://www.instagram.com/braythirteen/ Follow Michael Delano/Cotu Media: https://www.instagram.com/cotumedia/ https://www.instagram.com/yasodic/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/hollywood-rebooted-podcast-with-billy-barnes-7673168/episodes/hollywood-rebooted-podcast-directing-your-1st-feature-michael-delano/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/hollywood-rebooted-podcast-with-billy-barnes-7673168/hollywood-rebooted-podcast-directing-your-1st-feature-michael-delano.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.