Episode 236: Berner Talks Splash City, Cannabis, Music & His Move Into Filmmaking

Rapper, entrepreneur, and Cookies founder Berner joins Cannabis & Tech Today to discuss Splash City, his gritty new crime thriller set in San Francisco.

Berner explains how the Bay Area’s “bippin” scene inspired the film and takes us through the process of developing its characters, self-financing the production, co-directing, and securing a distribution partnership with Lionsgate. He also discusses the classic crime dramas that influenced the project, including Menace II Society, Boyz n the Hood, Juice, and Belly.

The conversation explores how Berner’s music career shaped the film’s soundtrack, why he decided to rescore much of the movie in four days, and how shooting on location allowed San Francisco to become a character of its own. He also shares how cannabis influences his creative process, why CBD played an unexpected role on set, and what he hopes audiences take away from the story.

For Berner, Splash City represents more than a first film. It is the beginning of an effort to bring edgy, culturally authentic crime movies back to the screen while shining a brighter light on Bay Area stories.

🔥 Topics Covered

• The inspiration behind Splash City

• Berner’s transition from music and cannabis into filmmaking

• Developing the characters and story

• Self-financing and retaining ownership of the film

• Partnering with Lionsgate

• Classic crime films that influenced Splash City

• Filming throughout San Francisco