The Creator Manifesto
Start The Engine
The creator manifesto for a world that no longer works the way it used to.
Filmmakers. Creators. Entrepreneurs. Community builders. The walls between them have collapsed. Start The Engine is a roadmap for navigating the new creator economy and building a life around your work.
By Selina Ringel & Dan Levy Dagerman
What People Are Saying
“The path forward isn’t finding a gatekeeper. It’s becoming the engine yourself.”
Ted Hope
Producer
“Dan and Selina have consistently pushed the boundaries of independent filmmaking, audience building and creator entrepreneurship with a healthy dose of hustle. Their willingness to experiment publicly while sharing what they learn is exactly the kind of innovation our industry needs.”
Jackie Brenneman
CEO, IFTA & AFM
About Start The Engine
The Story
Why This Book Exists
The old system promised a path: get discovered, get picked, get distributed. That system is gone.
After launching their feature film You, Me & Her into 250+ theaters nationwide — without a studio, without stars, without a traditional distributor — Selina Ringel and Dan Levy Dagerman realized the most valuable asset in the new economy isn’t a deal. It’s a direct connection to the people who care about your work.
Start The Engine is the field guide they wish they’d had — for the creators building what comes next.
It’s not theory. It’s the playbook they used — and are still using — to build films, books, courses, and a community without waiting for anyone’s permission.
“The path forward isn’t finding a gatekeeper. It’s becoming the engine yourself.”
Ted Hope
Producer · Author, Hope For Film
On The Move
The book lives where the work is happening.
Featured In
The press is paying attention.
About The Author
About Selina
Selina Ringel is a Mexican-American filmmaker, author, producer, actress, and entrepreneur. A graduate of the AFI Conservatory, she has written, produced, and starred in her own feature films — including You, Me & Her, which released in 250+ theaters nationwide.
She built Be The Train from a personal philosophy into a growing ecosystem — books, courses, and community — for creators who refuse to wait for permission.
About The Co-Author
About Dan
Dan Levy Dagerman is a producer, distributor, and operator. An AFI Conservatory graduate, he led the release strategy for You, Me & Her — a 250+ theater nationwide rollout built on 20+ brand partners, 250 influencers, and direct audience relationships.
His work is the operational backbone of the Be The Train ecosystem.
