What happens when a filmmaker stops writing from the outside in—and starts building stories from the subconscious out? In this episode, Jordan Tragash joins Mishu for a conversation that gets into experimental structure, emotional disorientation, and the creative tension between clarity and chaos. They explore the value of discomfort, the illusions of control, and why Jordan has no interest in telling you what his films are about.

Jordan is a writer-director and creative producer named “One To Watch” by The Guardian in 2024 after the release of his debut feature BAM!, which earned audience awards at Wicked Queer and nominations at Rome Independent and Fresno Reel Pride. His previous shorts include By A Thread (Pentimenti Emerging Filmmaker Award) and Only Strangers Sleep In My Bed, which has amassed over 100k YouTube views. A Wesleyan grad with degrees in Theater and Economics, Jordan works between New York, Chicago, and LA, integrating market insight and emotional intelligence into his uniquely absurd, character-focused work.

We talk about:
→ Writing from personal discomfort, fear, and absurdism
→ Rebuking three-act structure—and what happened in his writers’ group when he did
→ Audience interpretation vs. authorial control
→ What it means to build “the vibe” without giving up rigor
→ Why he’ll never tell you what a film is about

Watch Jordan’s feature film BAM! now on Tubi, or rent it on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+.
Follow him on Instagram at @jtragash and track his next project Cinghiale at @cinghialefilm.

Listen to more episodes at mischiefpod.com and follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @mischiefpod. Produced by @ohhmaybemedia.