Q&A with NYFA Filmmaking Alum Zach Goodwin: Community, Crowdfunding, and Crafting a First Feature

In this Q&A NYFA alum Zach Goodwin shares the story behind Stitched, his debut feature which he made right after graduating from the BFA Filmmaking program. 

Stitched was Inspired by personal fallout and brought to life with the help of NYFA alumni, as well as over 30 collaborators and a bold $70K crowdfunding campaign. Zach reflects on community, creativity, and what it really takes to get an indie film off the ground.

NYFA Alumni Network: Can you tell us a bit about yourself, where you're from, and what brought you to New York Film Academy? 

Zach Goodwin (Z.G.): My name is Zach Goodwin, I’m a filmmaker, photographer, and multimedia artist from San Antonio, TX. After winning the Audience Award for Best High School Short at SXSW in 2019, I moved to Los Angeles, CA to obtain a BFA in Filmmaking at the New York Film Academy. 

NYFA Alumni Network: You made your first feature film right after graduation. Congratulations! Tell us more about the film. 

Z.G: Ever since I committed to filmmaking, I knew it was only a matter of time before I made my first independent feature. The idea came to me in 2021, after I was suddenly exiled from a close group of friends. 

When I moved to LA, my apartment neighbors—four young actresses from around the world (and Brooklyn)—became my second family. We shared holidays, movie nights, and national park adventures. They starred in nearly all my school films. 

Then, a friend of mine started dating one of them. One night, he asked for my honest opinion of the group. I gave it. Weeks later, I got a series of texts accusing me of betrayal. Just like that, I lost five friends. 

It hurt—especially knowing their version of the story wasn’t true. But in that aftermath, something clicked. I realized gossip reveals more about the speaker than the subject. That insight became the heart of Stitched, my debut feature: a story about a former counterfeit criminal told through the conversations held about him behind his back. 

NYFA Alumni Network: How did you decide to make a feature film and what were some of the biggest challenges you faced? 

Z.G: I think the desire to make a movie, a full-blown feature film, was always inside me. Movies were, and still are, my favorite form of storytelling. I love how many different trades, crafts, and technical skills come together in the process. Embracing versatility is something every great director must do, since they can’t perform at their highest level without at least some understanding of how acting, construction, computer graphics, costumes, camera, and sound all contribute to telling a story. It’s a beautiful balancing act that never ceases to impress me when it comes to life. 

The biggest challenges of making Stitched mostly came down to money. In a way, I see that as a blessing, because I would much rather worry about funding than the people involved. If you have a strong team and even a few resources, you can make something worthwhile. That said, the hardest part of making Stitched with 30 young adults in the summer was making sure they weren’t too hungover for the next shooting day. At our Fourth of July party, I brought a cooler of beer with the next day’s call time taped to the lid. 

NYFA Alumni Network: Over 30 emerging filmmakers helped you bring this vision to life, managing to raise over 70K through crowdfunding. What are the essential elements for a successful crowdfunding campaign? 

Z.G: 1) In my opinion, unless you have a large fanbase or an extremely supportive family, crowdfunding is a one-time opportunity. Use it wisely, and avoid constantly asking your friends and family to invest in your projects. 

2) Crowdfund a story that already has an audience. Know exactly who would want to watch the project you're trying to make, and tailor your campaign to reach them. Of course, you want the whole world to see your movie—but start by engaging with the community connected to one of the themes in your film. For example, if your story is about a marathon runner, reach out to people training for an Ironman. 

3) Make your campaign unique and show that you genuinely care about getting it made. Do something you've never seen before, something that would make you stop and say, "Wow, that’s cool—I want to know more." For my own crowdfunding campaign, I wrote people’s names on my car, dressed up like a leprechaun, let strangers draw on my clothes, and even got tattooed. 

NYFA Alumni Network: How did you foster that sense of community on set? 

Z.G: I did my best to set expectations before we got started. From the first introductions to the final production meeting, I tried to be as honest as possible about what I expected from the team and what they could expect from me. Be upfront and transparent with the people who support you. Don’t keep them in the dark if you’re struggling, they usually want to help. 

Beyond honest communication, I also scheduled group activities during our off days: sessions of D&D, football in the park, movie nights. If you’re going to foster a long-term project, a good producer should create plenty of opportunities for team building. 

Lastly, we had a stuffed pineapple plush named Maggie who served as our official "Vibe Coordinator." I genuinely believe Maggie helped the crew bond. 

NYFA Alumni Network: You also collaborated with 8 other NYFA alumni, who worked in key positions. How did these collaborations come about? 

Z.G: Most of the crew were either my classmates at some point or had worked with me on a class project. One of the reasons Stitched had such a great team is because people saw how passionate my friends and I were. I genuinely believe in the Law of Attraction, and I credit it for helping me meet so many talented and enthusiastic people at NYFA.

The alumni that worked on the project were: Richard Townsley – Editor, Flynn Harris – Sound Mixer, Israa Al-Kamali – Script Supervisor, Alexander Flanagan – Cinematographer, Nick Luna – Gaffer, Fenglin Lu – 1st AC, Zachary Heygood – Co-Director & 1st AD, and Ana Sierra – UPM & 2nd AD.

NYFA Alumni Network: What did you learn at NYFA that you applied directly to this project and others? 

Z.G: The sandbag goes on the tallest leg of the C-Stand! 

NYFA Alumni Network: What was it like premiering your debut feature at WorldFest-Houston? How does it feel to see your work on a festival stage? 

Z.G: I’m incredibly excited for the premiere. After years of work, it means a lot to finally share Stitched with an audience—and it was important to me that the world premiere happen in Texas. This film was made with Texas talent, Texas grit, and a whole lot of heart, so getting to screen it at WorldFest-Houston feels like bringing it home. 

I’m looking forward to seeing how people react, hearing those live audience moments, and just taking it all in. It’s a big milestone, and I’m grateful the first time Stitched is shown on the big screen will be with a community that understands where it came from. 

NYFA Alumni Network: What advice would you give to fellow NYFA students or recent grads who are hoping to jump into a big creative project like this? 

Z.G: Give yourself a deadline. In fact, give yourself a lot of mile markers, and stick to them. Learn self-discipline—there’s no shortcut for that. If you're going to write, direct, and produce, or even just try to get something made, you're going to take on a lot of responsibility. Always put your best foot forward and know that you are going to fail. Learn to love failing, because it will happen again and again. And that's okay. 

Success usually comes after a series of failures. It’s awesome when things go right, but getting there often means falling short first. 

You will never get anything done in a timely manner if you don’t: 

● Forgive your mistakes 

● Push yourself to be even greater than before 

This is another balancing act. It can easily lead to being too self-critical or slipping into procrastination. But the more you practice this balance, the better you’ll get at it. 

NYFA Alumni Network: Now that Stitched is complete, what’s next for you? Are there any upcoming projects you’re excited about? 

Z.G: Figure out how to pay rent this month. 

I’m currently working on two other feature scripts but putting a lot of my attention into writing, directing, and producing Vertical Mini-Series. It’s a very popular format in Los Angeles right now, and I see a lot of potential in the expansion of the medium.

NYFA Alumni Network congratulates Zach on all his success!