Filmmaker and screenwriter CJ Arellano joins Mishu to talk shop on platforms, posting, prestige, and playing the long game in a fragmented media landscape. With humor and insight, CJ reflects on how content creation has become a testing ground for audience connection—what hits, what flops, and why “dumb ideas” on Instagram sometimes say more than a perfectly polished pitch deck.

From viral sketches to award-winning horror shorts, CJ shares how he's balancing snarky realism with real artistic stakes. They explore the tension between algorithmic engagement and emotional resonance, why TikTok might be the new soap opera, and how communal attention still matters. Also: soap, slot machines, vertical mansion porn, and CJ’s surprise metric for success.

CJ Arellano is a horror, comedy, and fantasy storyteller whose award-winning shorts—including Dry January and Griffica—have landed him directing honors and grand prize wins across major screenwriting competitions. When not making smart genre work with bite, he’s directing for brands like McDonald’s and The Second City. His work has appeared everywhere from the British Horror Film Festival to your phone’s Reels tab.

We talk about:
→ Posting like an open mic
→ Making “dumb” content that’s secretly universal
→ The A24 version of vertical video
→ Treating Instagram like a testing ground
→ Playing the long game while feeding the content beast
→ Why collective laughter still hits harder than your FYP

Find more from CJ:
Website: cjarellano.com
Instagram: @cjlgva
Substack: cjlgva.substack.com

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