THE FOUNDERS
Built by Filmmakers Who Became the Train
Selina Ringel and Dan Levy Dagerman built their careers by creating their own opportunities — writing, producing, and launching independent films without waiting for permission.
Built by filmmakers who released their last feature in 250+ theaters nationwide and sold to STARZ and HBO Max.
THE CREATOR
Selina Ringel
Award-Winning Filmmaker, Writer, Producer & Actress
Selina Ringel is an award-winning Mexican-American filmmaker, author, and sought-after speaker empowering independent creators to take control of their careers and greenlight their own work. Known for her candid, actionable approach to filmmaking and entrepreneurship, Selina speaks nationally and internationally on topics including independent film financing, distribution innovation, creative ownership, and building sustainable careers outside the studio system.
As a writer, producer, and actress, her work grounds her teaching in real-world experience. Her latest feature You, Me & Her has won 20+ awards, including Best Picture at the Mexican-American Film & Television Awards, and was released in 250 theaters nationwide as the Alpha test for Fithian Group's disruptive theatrical platform, Attend, and is now available on Starz. Her film Single Mother by Choice, which captured her real-time pregnancy journey during COVID-19, premiered on HBO Max and doubled its investment on the sale and her comedy special 2 Moms 1 Mic streams on Amazon Prime, with her recognized film The Best People being distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Selina is also the author of the Amazon Best Seller Be The Train: The Mindset & Tools You Need to Make Your First Feature, a practical guide that has become a go-to resource for emerging filmmakers looking to stop waiting for permission and start making their films. Praised by NY Times Best Seller Mel Robbins who says this book "will ignite the fire within you," this book has become required reading at various film programs.
She has been invited to speak and lead masterclasses at Sundance, Cannes, AFI, USC, Chapman University, Emerson College, NALIP Media Summit, LALIFF, Warner Bros, Raizado and film festivals and institutions nationwide, where she blends humor, transparency, and tactical advice to help artists move from idea to execution.
Whether on stage or on set, Selina's mission is the same: help creators bet on themselves, build momentum, and Be The Train. She has a manifestation wear company she has partnered with various celebrities on drops and collaborated with companies like Alice & Olivia.
THE ARCHITECT
Dan Levy Dagerman
Director, Producer & Creative Entrepreneur
Dan Levy Dagerman is an award-winning filmmaker, director, producer, and creative entrepreneur whose work spans independent cinema, film distribution, and emerging entertainment technologies. A graduate of the American Film Institute's MFA Directing program, Dan has directed three feature films: The Best People (2018), Single Mother by Choice (2021), and You, Me & Her (2025).
Dan began his career interning for pioneering independent producer Ted Hope before co-founding Two Hands Productions with filmmaker Selina Ringel. Their films have reached audiences through theatrical releases and major streaming platforms, including HBO Max, STARZ, and Amazon Prime, with The Best People distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Most recently, Dan spearheaded the theatrical release strategy for You, Me & Her, bringing the film to more than 250 theaters nationwide through a campaign involving over 20 brand partners, 250 influencers, and direct audience engagement. The release served as an early test of The Fithian Group's innovative Attend theatrical distribution platform, demonstrating the potential for independent filmmakers to take greater control of their films' paths to market.
Having experienced the challenges of independent filmmaking firsthand, from financing and production to distribution and audience development, Dan has increasingly focused on addressing the systemic barriers that make sustainable filmmaking careers difficult to build. His work explores new models of creative ownership, audience engagement, and technology-driven production at a time of fundamental change in the entertainment industry.
As co-founder of Be The Train, Dan brings his experience as a filmmaker and entrepreneur to building an ecosystem of education, community, services, and technology designed to empower independent creators to develop, finance, produce, and release their work on their own terms.
TWO HANDS PRODUCTIONS
Built Together
Selina Ringel and Dan Levy Dagerman met at the American Film Institute Conservatory, where they both earned their MFA and began working together.
Since then, they've built their careers side by side — navigating the rapidly changing film industry while developing, producing, and launching their own projects through Two Hands Productions.
Their most recent feature film, You, Me & Her, launched in 250+ theaters nationwide with a groundbreaking independent campaign that included:
- 20+ brand partners
- 250 influencers
- Celebrity collaborations
- Tourism Board of Nayarit partnership
- Glam Squad partnership
- Lalo Tequila partnership
- W Hotel Punta de Mita partnership
This real-world experience became the foundation for Be The Train — an educational platform built from doing, not theory.
Built from real experience. Shared to help the next generation move faster.
Built on Real Results. Open to Creators Ready to Move.
Everything Selina and Dan learned building independent films from scratch is now available through the Be The Train ecosystem.