IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit

"Nickel Boys" is not only one of the best films of the year, but also one of the most experimental and challenging we've seen in a long while. IndieWire's Chris O'Falt sat down with Director RaMell Ross to explore why this story had to be told in first-person cinematography, and hear what Ross is trying to say about film form, and how it needs to evolve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The director of "Jackie" and "Spencer" returns to his unofficial trilogy of films about famous women in moments of crisis, this time to depict the final days of one of opera's most renowned singers, Maria Callas. Larraín talks to IndieWire's Jim Hemphill about directing Angelina Jolie in the biggest role of her career, and how he found a cinematic language that felt truly operatic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

'Sugarcane' is an investigative documentary about abuse at a Catholic Native school in Canada. The film's director's joined Chris O'Falt to talk about the years of developing the project, speaking to honest Native experiences, and the camera's power to heal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you heard about this movie where Amy Adams turns into a dog? Writer and Director Marielle Heller (Can You Ever Forgive Me?, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood) spoke with IndieWire's Sarah Shachat about how she related to this wild and thought-provoking story, and explains how she tackled the famous Hollywood no-no, working with both children and dogs in one film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Luca Guadagnino joins us for his 5th appearance on the Toolkit Podcast, this time to discuss his drug-infused psycho-sexual drama "Queer." Luca explains how the novel has been a part of his life for decades, why he decided to shoot the film on soundstages with painted backdrops, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Director Elizabeth Sankey's new documentary examines depictions of Witches across media and pop culture, using her own journeys with motherhood and mental illness as a powerful lens. She has a great chat with IndieWire's Sarah Shachat about the complex filmmaking and personal details that make the film special. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The director of this fall's biggest box office smash joins Chris O'Falt to break down the incredibly complex making of the movie. They discuss the decision split the story into two films, how Chu reworked Elphaba's emotional arc, and the intricacies of Munchkin-land culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The trio of directors behind Ken Burn's new film join IndieWire's Sarah Shachat for a deep dive into documentary filmmaking, and how they pushed their form forward to capture one of the most fascinating minds in history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For his second feature as Director, Jesse Eisenberg takes us on a hilarious and emotionally complex family road trip to Poland. He sat down with IndieWire's Chris O'Falt to discuss writing the script, why he initially wanted to play the Kieran Culkin part, and what the title of the film actually means. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of our favorite Toolkit guests is back to talk about his hilarious, heartfelt, and emotionally challenging new feature. Baker explains how he found the incredible mansion that anchors the film, what was important to get right in the portrayal of sex, and shares stories about working with the incredible multi-lingual ensemble cast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The director of The Batman, and its upcoming sequel, joined IndieWire's Chris O'Falt for an extra long deep dive into the spin off series on HBO Max. Reeves explained his role as creative head of this current Batman franchise, how the show is intimately connected to the films, and how he crafted a monster of an origin story for the unrecognizable Colin Farrell to portray. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the best directors working today has made an incredible series about how form and narrative can manipulate our understanding of events. We dive right into a rich, spoiler-filled discussion of the series, so we recommend watching it all before listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Director Megan Park sat down with IndieWire's Sarah Shachat to discuss her new time-travel coming of age movie. Park discusses the wonderfully quirky Canadian-ness of the movie, and how she found the perfect "Old Ass" late in the process with Aubrey Plaza. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

IndieWire's Chirs O'Falt sat down with Co-Directors of one of the most urgent and powerful documentaries of the year while they were in town for the New York Film Festival. Basel is a Palestinian activist who had been filming his rural West Bank farming community as it had been destroyed by Israel's occupation. He builds an unlikely alliance with the Israeli journalist Yuval, who had been traveling to the region to report on what was going on in the West Bank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The director of 2022’s All Quiet on the Western Front is back with a story of a very different conflict: choosing the next Pope. Berger chatted with IndieWire’s Chris O’Falt about directing the impeccable Ralph Fiennes, making multiple scenes of voting feel dramatic, and how he inserted honest absurdities into the serious proceedings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard Linklater sat down with IndieWire's Chris O'Falt back in June for the premiere of 'Hit Man,' one of the most fun movies of this year. Linklater explains the decision making that went into crafting the film's many twists and turns, and explores his deep collaboration with star Glen Powell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on Toolkit, something special: for the 30th anniversary of the action classic "Speed," IndieWire's Jim Hemphill interviewed the director and stars live on stage at the American Cinematheque for their recent Beyond Fest screening of the movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Director Aaron Schimberg takes us under the hood of his fascinating new film, which follows Sebastian Stan as a man with a condition that causes tumors to grow in the skin of his face. The story takes us through black comedy, thriller, and explores the streets of New York in an honest, gritty way we haven't seen since the films of the 70s. And Aaron opened up about his personal relationship to the story and actor Adam Pearson, who has the condition in real life. Around 48:00 we ask Aaron about his screening series at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and he breaks down how each film inspired "A Different Man." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The creators of the hit HBO series join Chris O'Falt on Toolkit to discuss the season finale. They get surprisingly candid about the ways they needed to improve as writers and show runners after the first two seasons, and dive into the many choices that made season three a titanic leap forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The film that Francis Ford Coppola has been working on for a quarter century, that he spent 120 million of his own fortune to finance, is finally hitting theaters this weekend. Listen to Francis talk about how he rediscovered his craft in the long journey to the screen, and opens up about some of the on-set controversies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Duplass, the writer and producer of the new Netflix series Penelope, sat down with Chris O'Falt to discuss the maverick way he brought this project to screen. From inspiration he took from conversations with his kids about their mental state, to the potential future he sees for an indie-TV market to rival indie-film, Mark covered a range of fascinating topics in this conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever been curious about visiting a psychic? Too skeptical to try? Lana Wilson's new documentary might be for you. Hear Wilson share the story of an Election Night 2016 story that sparked her fascination into the psychic community, and why she thinks it's not really about believing, but something more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Schrader returns to Toolkit to discuss the film he is most proud of from his long career, "Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters." Schrader walks through the challenges he faced getting the film made, including wearing a knife proof vest on set due to death threats from the right-wing government, and why the story of this Japanese artist has fascinated him for decades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lee Daniels joins IndieWire features writer Jim Hemphill to discuss his new Netflix film “The Deliverance,” which combines elements of spirituality, social realism, melodrama, dark comedy, and horror to create a consistently entertaining and intensely involving viewing experience. Daniels talks about working in the horror genre for the first (and probably last) time, the challenges of making a movie with several younger actors, how he turned Glenn Close into an archetype often seen in life but rarely on screen, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The creator of "Dear White People" sat down with us to talk about his new 4-part docuseries that explores the forgotten influences and power of black film. Listen in to learn about some of the untold stories of black Hollywood, and hear how his peers like Ryan Coogler and Ava DuVernay reacted to watching this cinematic history. - You can watch this entire conversation on IndieWire.com or on the IndieWire Youtube page - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re joined by writer-director JT Mollner, here to talk about his audacious new thriller STRANGE DARLING - which IndieWire has called “the best horror film in years.” JT talks about finding an unusual structure for his tale, working with first-time feature cinematographer Giovanni Ribisi, and why shooting on 35mm film should remain a priority. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zaillian's adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel was some of the best, most carefully considered TV we've seen this year. On the podcast he discusses his approach, including why it was essential the show be presented in rich black and white cinematography. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Martha Coolidge appears on the podcast to talk about her debut feature, “Not a Pretty Picture,” which is newly restored and available from Criterion. The movie, an audacious documentary/narrative hybrid, depicts Coolidge’s own sexual assault with power, intelligence, and sensitivity. Coolidge discusses why she chose this unusual form to tell her story, how it informed her later work, and what it led to in terms of a Hollywood career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Set during a weekend backpacking trip in the Catskills, "Good One" is a gorgeous coming of age film that focuses more on interiority than dramatic plot. Director India Donaldson walks us through the struggle of filming outside in the woods, and gives a fantastic lesson on modern independent filmmaking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" director and showrunner Jeff Schaffer joins the podcast to talk about bringing the show to a satisfying conclusion, working with non-actors like Bruce Springsteen and Willie Geist, and whether or not this is really the end. Plus, a special guest makes a surprise appearance! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Noah Hawley has been the show-runner of "Fargo" since it premiered in 2014, and the latest season might be the best yet. Hear how Hawley and his team carefully managed the tone and subverted expectations for Season 5, and also get a tease for his upcoming "Alien" TV show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The director of the classic mock-umentary This Is Spinal Tap has made his first actual documentary, a moving reflection on the life and career of his childhood friend, Albert Brooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the 20th anniversary of the game-changing thriller, we sat down with the director of "Collateral" to hear his thoughts on being one of the first major theatrical features to embrace hi-def digital photography. You'll also hear his thoughts on directing stars Jamie Fox and Tom Cruise, and how he adapted the story and characters when the setting changed from New York to LA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creator, writer and director Nida Manzoor joins us to talk everything 'We Are Lady Parts' season 2. Nida shares how she handled navigating new songs including the banger "Malala Made Me Do It", with a cameo from the legend herself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the biggest breakouts from Sundance this year was the feature debut of writer/director Sean Wang, based on his experiences as a 13 year old Taiwanese American growing up in 2008 California. Sean spoke with us about how his time at google prepared him to capture the ways screens and technology affect the relationships in the film, and how he realized Didi was as much about immigrant mothers as a coming of age story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The director of the Oscar nominated Minari returns with a surprising follow up, and it's the most fun blockbuster of the summer. What isn't a surprise is Isaac's thoughtful insights into using the big budget tools for the first time, what inspired him about real life storm chasers, and why Miranda Lambert had to be on the soundtrack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Russian Doll creator brings her flair for mystery to the Star Wars universe with The Acolyte. Headland joined us the morning after the series finale to discuss the show's bold narrative structure, her unique take on Star Wars witches, and how she choreographed the lightsaber fights character-first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Martin Scorsese and his long time editor Thelma Schoonmaker have delivered another marvelous piece of film history with their new documentary, "Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger." Schoonmaker analyzes the impact of one of the most important cinematic partnerships of all time, and shares stories of how her late husband Michael Powell advised Scorsese on several of his early films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The final film in the horror trilogy that began with “X” and “Pearl” has arrived. For “MaXXXine,” director Ti West talks about creating a period film on a budget, working with Kevin Bacon to create one of cinema’s slimiest detectives, and how directing episodic television gave him the chops to take his filmmaking to the next level. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Costner revitalized the Western genre with his first film as director, “Dances With Wolves.” He talks about returning to the West for the ambitious epic “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” and explains what still interests him about the Western and why he’s taking the biggest gamble of his career on this passion project. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the VFX heavy world building of Poor Things, director Yorgos Lanthimos has delivered something more akin to his earlier work on Dogtooth and Killing of a Sacred Deer. Hear how he guided Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe and the other actors through multiple roles across 3 stories, and get a peek into Yorgos's game-filled rehearsal process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From building a fictional government around Kate Winslet, to the benefits and liabilities of shooting in real palaces, the show's creator joins us to break down this fabulously satirical look at modern day authoritarianism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a fantastic finale to Season 3, one of the minds behind "Hacks" sat down with us to explore how the show remains so keyed into the joys, costs and absurdity of making art (and also pulling off 4AM drone shots on the Vegas strip). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hit series from streaming service Dropout, "Game Changer," combines a '70s game show with the joy of messing with your friends. Two of the executive producers walked us through the comedic chaos of producing a show where the game changes every episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If the title "Robot Dreams" sounds familiar, this was one of the Animated Features nominated for last year's Oscars. Now expanding wide over the summer, it's the perfect time to catch up on this darling story of friendship and New York City in the 80s. Hear how Pablo fell in love with animation directing, and how he inspired his animators with films from silent comedy masters like Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The co-director of "Good Time" and "Uncut Gems" returns to Toolkit to discuss his collaboration with Nathan Fielder on their bizarrely fascinating series, "The Curse." Always a student of filmmaking, Benny walks us through what he learned making a show unlike anything we've ever seen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices