Filmmaker & Actor Burt Binder Of ‘Halfway to Amarillo’ On Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry
…You need to trust that if you don’t quit, it will pay off eventually — whether it’s in ten years, twenty years, or however long it takes. Panicking about it and letting that existential fear consume you only makes it harder. You have to accept that this is part of the journey of being an artist. There’s a quote from Sandy Meisner that I love. He said, “It takes ten years to be an artist.” So calm down. Ten years to make an actor, anyway. And honestly? He’s right…
I had the pleasure of talking with Burt Binder. Burt, an emerging force in the independent film scene, is an American actor, writer, and director with a passion for storytelling that spans multiple mediums. Born and raised in Santa Monica, California, Binder’s upbringing in the heart of the entertainment industry — his father is filmmaker Mike Binder — provided him with an early and intimate exposure to the world of cinema. He cultivated his interest in the arts while attending Pacific Palisades Charter High School, where he participated in theater and began creating short films. Binder later studied filmmaking at Emerson College in Boston, solidifying the foundation for his creative career.
Binder’s multifaceted talent has been evident throughout his career, which includes acting, writing, producing, and directing. He initially gained recognition for his work on projects like The Comedy Store (2020) and Dirty Daddy: The Bob Saget Tribute (2022). However, it was his debut feature film, Halfway to Amarillo (2023), that firmly established him as a noteworthy presence in the independent film community. Serving as the writer, director, and lead actor, Binder crafted a unique narrative blending modern comedy with the Western genre — a lifelong passion of his.
In Halfway to Amarillo, Binder plays Michael Coleman, a writer grappling with the challenges of his second novel, a Western inspired by Lonesome Dove. The story takes a whimsical turn when Coleman’s protagonist, an outlaw named Eli West, materializes in his backyard, forcing the writer to confront the characters and themes of his story in unexpected ways. The film was shot in just ten days during the summer of 2021 with a modest budget, underscoring Binder’s resourcefulness and commitment to independent filmmaking. After a year of post-production, the film premiered to critical acclaim, earning the “Best Independent Feature” award at the IFS Los Angeles Film Festival in March 2023. Its subsequent release by Gravitas Ventures marked a significant milestone in Binder’s career.
Beyond his work on Halfway to Amarillo, Binder has continued to explore diverse projects, contributing to Netflix productions such as Dirty Daddy: The Bob Saget Tribute and Bill Burr: Live at Red Rocks. His eclectic resume reflects a dedication to storytelling across genres and platforms, as well as a willingness to take risks in pursuit of creative expression.
Binder’s approach to filmmaking is deeply influenced by his love of Westerns and his admiration for filmmakers like the Coen Brothers. He views his work as a reflection of personal experiences and draws inspiration from the world around him. In interviews, Binder has emphasized the importance of balancing artistic ambition with the realities of the industry, often sharing candid insights about the challenges of breaking into Hollywood. He advises aspiring artists to embrace the journey, emphasizing patience, perseverance, and the value of living fully outside the confines of creative work.
Currently, Binder is developing several projects, including a collaborative effort with his father and a personal screenplay titled Knocked, described as an action-comedy blending elements of Reservoir Dogs and Home Alone. While details remain under wraps, these ventures signal Binder’s ambition to further expand his repertoire as a filmmaker.
Binder’s grounded perspective on his career is complemented by his belief in the power of storytelling to connect people. His work, whether as an actor, writer, or director, consistently seeks to explore human experiences with humor, depth, and authenticity. With a growing body of critically acclaimed work and an unwavering commitment to his craft, Burt Binder is poised to leave a lasting mark on the world of independent film.
Yitzi: Burt, it’s a delight to meet you. Before we dive in deep, our readers would love to learn a little bit about your personal origin story. Can you share with us a story of your childhood and how you grew up?
Burt: Oh, wow. Well, I grew up in Los Angeles. My father’s a filmmaker as well, so I kind of grew up around the industry. I was fortunate enough to see it up close from an early age. I went to Pali High, which was recently affected by the fires — thankfully, it’s still standing, I believe. I grew up on the west side of LA and lived in The Palisades for most of my life.
I went to college in Boston at a school called Emerson. Around the age of 17, I started looking into acting and realized I had caught the bug. But it wasn’t until after college that I really started pursuing it. Since then, I’ve been in LA, doing what everyone else does — hustling, trying to break in, and finding a way into the industry.
It’s been tough. I’d say there’s never been a time when it’s been easy in this industry, but the last five years have been especially challenging. Between the pandemic, the strike, and the fires, it’s been one thing after another. This isn’t unique to me; it’s universal for anyone trying to make it in this business. But it feels like breaking in has become even harder recently.
For the last five to ten years, I’ve been doing gigs here and there, building my resume, trying to get my foot in the door, and working on sets. I’ve produced things, worked behind the scenes, and spent a lot of time learning different aspects of the craft. I love filmmaking just as much as acting — they’re two sides of the same coin for me. Acting is about telling the story, and filmmaking — whether that’s writing, producing, or directing — is about creating the story.
From an early age, I’ve had an affinity for storytelling. I was lucky to grow up close enough to the industry that pursuing it didn’t feel like a huge gamble. If my father had been a dentist or something, it might’ve felt like a much bigger leap. So, I’m grateful for that.
I’d say I had a pretty boring childhood, thankfully — probably the goal of any parent. But filmmaking has always been my passion, and that’s why I do what I do.
Yitzi: You probably have some great stories from different projects you’ve worked on, either acting, producing, or filmmaking. Can you share with our readers one or two that stand out in your mind?
Burt: Oh, there’s one story — I’m not even sure if I should tell it. I worked on a movie where I had to do a nude scene. In the script, it was originally written as full-frontal nudity, which was something I’d never done at that point. The director was incredibly nice, supportive, and collaborative, so we worked out a way to make it more suggested rather than explicit. They even used what’s called a skin-colored piece of tape — wild, right?
Anyway, things on set don’t always go as planned. There can be miscommunication, and I guess that’s what happened here. They set up for this big wide shot, and apparently, no one told the cinematographer that I’d be wearing the tape. So, we get ready — it’s a very dramatic, sensitive scene tied to the character’s childhood trauma. This was one of my first big roles, so I was already nervous.
I walk onto set, fully naked except for the tape. We start the scene, and suddenly, we hear, “Cut! Cut! Cut!” But it’s not the director — it’s the cinematographer. And he yells out, “Is there a piece of tape on his junk?” I was like, “Yeah! Of course! Did no one tell you?”
So, there I was, in the middle of this intense, emotional scene, and instead of focusing on the drama, everyone was staring at this big, obvious piece of tape. The cinematographer had assumed I’d actually be naked. It was a ridiculous moment, and we all had a good laugh about it later.
The only reason I hesitate to tell that story is because that movie was such a great experience overall. I’m really proud of it. But, you know, stuff happens on set. Especially on the kinds of projects I was working on back then — most of them were made on shoestring budgets. Everyone was doing their best, wearing multiple hats, and sometimes things just fall through the cracks. It’s all part of the process.
Yitzi: It’s been said that our greatest teacher can be the mistakes we’ve made. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake you made when you were first starting out, and the lesson you learned from it?
Burt: Oh my God, I’ve made so many mistakes. I could go on forever! Honestly, so much of this industry is trial and error because no one really tells you when you’re doing something wrong. People are so caught up in their own stuff, and there’s also this strange ecosystem where a lot of people make money off telling you what you’re doing wrong. It’s almost like, if everyone knew what to do from the get-go, a bunch of those “advice-givers” would be out of business.
So much of this industry is just swinging in the dark. For years, I was making mistakes and didn’t even realize it. One that stands out — I wouldn’t call it funny, exactly, but it’s definitely something I laugh at now — is about headshots. I was really into filmmaking and thought, “Why should I pay someone a thousand bucks for headshots? My friends and I can just take each other’s photos and save the money!”
I thought they were great. I’d submit them for auditions, but for years, I’d just get a big, fat “no.” And I had no idea why. No one ever told me, “Hey, these don’t look professional, and casting directors can tell.” It took me way too long to realize that no matter how good I thought they looked, they weren’t up to industry standards. Eventually, I bit the bullet, paid for professional headshots, and, lo and behold, I started getting more responses.
That’s kind of what I mean about this industry — nobody’s going to pull you aside and say, “Hey, this is where you’re going wrong.” You just stumble around until you figure it out, and sometimes, that takes years.
I know that’s not the funniest story, but it’s what comes to mind. It’s like when someone asks you what your favorite movie is, and you suddenly can’t think of a single one even though you love so many. That’s how it feels trying to think of just one mistake — I’ve made so many! It’d honestly be easier to list the things I’ve done right — that’s a much shorter list.
And look, this isn’t me endorsing or criticizing the industry, but the truth is, every part of this business is someone’s livelihood. Professional headshots are a great example. Sure, you could bypass the process, but then you’re cutting photographers out of work. It’s like this symbiotic relationship where everyone’s profession supports someone else’s. The photographers rely on actors, the retouchers rely on photographers, the managers rely on the actors — it’s all interconnected.
Unfortunately, that dynamic can put a huge financial burden on struggling actors, who are often the ones with the least money to spare. But it’s the way the industry works. I just wish I’d figured that out sooner. But hey, that’s on me. It’s part of the learning process.
Yitzi: That’s great. Can you share with our readers the exciting projects you’re working on now and where you hope to be in the near future?
Burt: Well, I’m currently working on a project, but I can’t share too much about it just yet. I’m collaborating with my father on it, which is exciting. I’m in it as an actor, and it’s a much bigger, more high-profile role than I’ve played before. I’m also working on it as a co-producer. It’s a project we’ve been developing for over five years, and it looks like it’s finally going to happen — knock on wood! Since it’s not my project to share details about, I’ll just say stay tuned for updates.
Beyond that, I’m also writing my own projects. There’s another movie I’ve been trying to get made for a while now. It’s sort of an action-comedy — or maybe more of a hybrid. Someone once described it as “Reservoir Dogs meets Home Alone,” which I think is a pretty accurate comparison. It’s called Noob, and it’s something I’m really passionate about. Hopefully, I can bring it to life soon.
Other than that, I’m just living the life of an actor — waiting for the phone to ring, seeing what opportunities come my way, and taking things one day at a time.
Yitzi: This is our signature question. You’ve been learning through the school of hard knocks, gaining wisdom from your experiences. Do you have five things you know now that you wish someone had told you when you first started? Things that would have been really nice to know in the beginning?
Burt: Yeah, okay. I was someone who liked to do things on my own. I thought, “I can handle this myself.” For example, I remember thinking I could just submit to roles online. Because of that, I didn’t really understand the value of having an agent. I had one, but I didn’t fully utilize them.
1 . So, for anyone starting out — especially actors — I would say: be careful about what you submit for and what projects you take on online. There are a lot of predatory people in this industry. Sometimes it’s not even intentional; it’s just that some people shouldn’t be making movies. They don’t have proper funding or a clear plan. When you’re young, you want to work, so you’re willing to take jobs for free or very little money. You drive across the state, sleep on someone’s couch, and put in all this effort because you think it’s going to be an amazing project to add to your reel. But then it never gets finished — maybe because they didn’t have the money to edit it or even finish shooting. It’s tough because you want to get started, but I’d say be cautious with anything that doesn’t come through your agent or manager. There’s a reason certain opportunities are so widely available; unfortunately, that’s just the way it is.
2 . Another thing: don’t waste time trying to be someone else. I spent a lot of time trying to follow in someone’s footsteps, trying to mold myself into something I thought the industry wanted. It’s not worth it. I’d also find myself ignoring opportunities because I didn’t think they aligned with a specific goal or role I had in mind.
3 . Looking back, I’d tell my younger self to just say yes to everything. Do everything. Don’t hold on to a rigid idea of who you need to be or what you think your career path should look like. When you’re starting out, it’s about walking through every open door. And I know this might sound a bit contradictory to what I said earlier, but I mean actual open doors — legitimate opportunities that come through the industry, not random gigs you find online. The key is to balance being careful with being open to growth.
4 . Travel. I wish I had traveled more early on. I mean, I still can — I still have time — but looking back, I feel like early in your career, it’s important to understand that however long you think it’s going to take to “make it,” it’s going to take way longer than that. And you’re not the exception. Even though you might feel like you are — trust me, I did — it’s just not the case. I really believed I might be the exception, but I wasn’t. It’s taken me a long time, and I’m still not where I want to be. If I’d accepted earlier on that it was going to take a really long time and that there was nothing I could do to speed it up, I think I would have enjoyed life more. When I say “travel,” I don’t mean going to Paris or anything like that. I mean focusing on life outside of this industry — outside of chasing acting and filmmaking. I think if I had embraced the idea that it was going to take at least ten years to really get anywhere, I could have enjoyed those ten years for what they were instead of freaking out about not blowing up by a certain age. I used to think, “If I don’t blow up by 25, I’m screwed.” That kind of pressure isn’t helpful. Looking back, I realize I wasted a lot of energy panicking and obsessing over the timeline. But the truth is, if you can accept that it’s going to take a long time — ten years or more — you can actually enjoy the process. You can enjoy your life outside of this career without constantly questioning, “Is this all for something? Or am I just going to be another cautionary tale about someone who didn’t make it?” So much of what we do as artists is a reflection of our own lives. If you’re only living for the work, then you have nothing to draw from creatively. That’s why I think it’s so important to live as fully as you can. And I don’t just mean living the highs of life — like going to parties or having fun experiences. I mean living all of it. Work at a restaurant. Make friends there. Pull long shifts together, and then hang out after work. Experience the highs and lows of life and embrace it. The truth is, it’s hard. Those first ten years are really tough. But there are ways to enjoy them more. If I could go back, I’d tell myself to calm down and just live.
5 . Also, you need to trust that if you don’t quit, it will pay off eventually — whether it’s in ten years, twenty years, or however long it takes. Panicking about it and letting that existential fear consume you only makes it harder. You have to accept that this is part of the journey of being an artist. There’s a quote from Sandy Meisner that I love. He said, “It takes ten years to be an artist.” So calm down. Ten years to make an actor, anyway. And honestly? He’s right.
Yitzi: Burt, because of the incredible work you’ve done and the platform you’re building, you’re a person of significant influence. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would it be?
Burt: Well, I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it that way. So much of my time has been spent just trying to influence my own life.
But, yeah, I think the most miserable I’ve ever been is when I’ve been focused solely on myself. And the happiest I’ve been is when I’ve been thinking about other people. Not just helping other people — although that’s definitely part of it — but just stepping outside of myself.
I think this is something a lot of artists, actors, and filmmakers struggle with: this kind of self-obsession. It sounds like a vain thing, but it’s not always about vanity. When you’re trying to break into this industry, it feels like you have to think about yourself. If you don’t, who will? You have to advocate for yourself, take care of yourself, and push yourself forward.
But it’s also really important to step outside of that bubble. It’s hard to be happy when you’re constantly obsessing over yourself. The more you can find ways to shift your focus outward, the better off you’ll be.
So, if I were to inspire something, it would be that: finding ways to step outside of yourself. And also, be kind to animals. That’s always important.
Yitzi: Amazing answer, Burt. How can our readers continue to follow your work? How can they watch your past films and shows, and how can they watch your future projects? How can they support you in any way possible?
Burt: Well, I have a movie on Amazon Prime right now called Halfway to Amarillo. It’s a comedy — well, a lighthearted comedy. I like to think of it as more of a fairy tale. It’s about a writer working on his next book, a western, and the two main characters — the antagonist and the protagonist — literally jump off the page and into his life. They start a little war inside his house, and he has to figure out how to get them back into the book.
It’s on Amazon Prime right now, starring yours truly. I think a couple of my other movies might be on there as well, but that one for sure is. It’s a fun watch if you’re looking for something to pass the time.
And stay tuned for announcements about future projects!
Yitzi: I’m sure the world is going to be hearing a lot more from you, and I’m excited for your next project — the secret one. I’d love to do this again next year.
Burt: Yeah, let’s do a check-in.
Yitzi: It’s been awesome meeting you. I wish you only continued blessings
Burt: Thank you. Pleasure.
Filmmaker & Actor Burt Binder Of ‘Halfway to Amarillo’ On Five Things You Need To Shine In The… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.