A short film has never met its moment like THE SEEING EYE DOG WHO SAW TOO MUCH (2026), which premiered at South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival this month. Of course it won the audience award -- how could it not? The film, as filmmaker Eric Jackowitz explains, is a homage to Italian giallo films, a mix of mystery horror and thriller films that peaked in the 1970s.

Eric's career, as a filmmaker and musician based in Los Angeles, led him to this moment. He plays drums, attended the Berklee College of Music, and I'll say it: he's a brilliant director.

The audience at SXSW agrees. And I think you will, too, after hearing our discussion.

In this episode, Eric and I discuss:

the first time reaction and sensory overload of seeing his award-winning film;
why the film was so perfect for SXSW's Midnight Madness competition;
what is giallo films and why he was drawn to making one of his own;
how he got started in filmmaking and if he has any preferences in terms of writing, directing, and scoring films;
what indie filmmakers don't understand about comedy and music in their films;
his thoughts on the podcast space for filmmakers;
hidden genres of indie films;
what's next for him and his advice for people who didn't make SXSW with their films (with a crazy Judd Apatow story!);

Eric's Indie Film Highlights: GRIND (2026) dir. by Brea Grant; Chelsea Stardust; Ed Dougherty; I LOVE BOOSTERS (2026) dir. by Boots Riley

Memorable Quotes:

"It's very mixed, but it ranges on a scale, right? There's people that really get it, who understand giallo films, who are horror fans, who are comedy fans. And then on the other end of it, there are people who are like, wow, I really like that. I don't really know what you were referencing."

On giallo films: "And they're so bad. It's good. So good, it's good and so great, it's good."

"And I feel like in a short block you have to, and with the goal of making a feature, you have to make as big of a announcement as possible."