The No Film School Podcast

This week on The No Film School Podcast, Editor-in-Chief George Edelman joins host Charles Haine talk about news from Apple about their laptops, a Panasonic firmware update, editing John Wick 3, plus tech news and "ask No Film School" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The No Film School Podcast, Editor-in-Chief George Edelman joins host Charles Haine talk about tech news, a feel-good distribution story for an indie filmmaker, reimbursements on set, and most importantly, Superman's facial hair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shane Hurlbut and our host Charles Haine talk about the Hurlbut Academy, how Shane got started, and what he's been busy with lately. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's safe to say that legendary auteur Jim Jarmusch has a talented roster of actors at his disposal. Bill Murray, Adam Driver, and Tilda Swinton are just a few of the names that would rush to the director's beck and call if summoned. But this fact is not solely due to the director's uniquely wry vision and radiant cool, it's because Jarmusch has never taken the actor for granted. The relationship between the actor and the director is a collaboration as important, if not more important, than any other on set and some director's seem to forget just how hard the actor's job is. Not Jarmusch. He takes the time to sit down with the actor, recognize their needs, and identify how he can best serve them to get the type of performance they both crave. It's true that over time he's built a shorthand with the actors he's worked with through multiple films (to the point he's even written dialogue with them specifically in mind) but at its root, the basis of their relationship remains the same. Respect. Respect seems to be the through line in our conversation today. Jim's latest film "The Dead Don't Die", is yes a zombie movie, but also a plea for humanity to begin respecting one another and the earth on which they call home. In it, the peaceful town of Centerville finds itself battling a zombie horde as the dead start rising from their graves: a result of reckless fracking which has thrown the planet off its axis. Even more so, it's evident how much Jarmusch, a true cinematic chameleon in his own right, respects the medium of film and would like emerging filmmakers to do the same. We talk the director's earliest influences, how music and sound effect every aspect of his production and how keeping empathy and an open mind are the two most important qualities a director can possess. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The No Film School Podcast, our resident tech-expert Charles Haine and Editor-in-Chief George Edelman chat about a new HBO show everyone loves and what makes it such a must-watch, a teenager who won Tribeca with a movie he shot in three weeks, that Apple monitor that is driving people a little nuts, plus Charles' unique way of using his computer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the No Film School Podcast, Host Charles Haine and NFS Editor-in-Chief George Edelman talk tech. They discuss Apple's new Mac Pro, unveiled on Monday, which features a completely overhauled design, a massive 32-inch Retina 6K display, and internal specs that will certainly pique the interest of pros. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is a very special episode of The No Film School Podcast and perhaps a momentous occasion in the history of the universe itself. The very balance of the cosmos hangs at a thread as Academy Award Nominated screenwriter John Fusco and former No Film School Producer Jon Fusco finally meet to discuss their craft. John Fusco is, of course, the legendary screenwriter who dropped out of high school at age 16 to travel the south as a blues musician before returning to the Northeast and attending Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. He later went on to write such hit films as Young Guns, Hidalgo, and most recently Netflilx's The Highway Men, which made its debut at 2019's edition of the SXSW film festival. The man has been writing films for over thirty years and has a wealth of knowledge to share with us all including practices on how to become disciplined (and stay that way), getting yourself into the screenwriting zone, and ways to retain control of your script once it hits the production stage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Egypt Mortimer's latest feature, like many others currently on the festival circuit, is the result of an enormous amount of careful planning and obsessing over details. About thirty-two pages or so's worth to be precise. In pre-production for Daniel Isn't Real Mortimer created what he calls a "style guide", which is essentially a heavily detailed look book that breaks down every single aspect of production for the key members of his crew. This includes not only notes on how the film should look aesthetically, but also the reasoning behind the choice of gear for each shot and how each scene relates thematically to the broader arc of the story. The guide played an essential role in both keeping the crew on the same page and allowing key production members to keep Mortimer on track if they saw him straying from the mission. The mission, in this case, was to convey the harrowing story of a troubled college freshman named Luke who, after undergoing a violent family trauma, resurrects his childhood imaginary friend Daniel to help him cope. The film features a few young members of Hollywood royalty in it's cast with both Patrick Schwarzenneger and Miles Robbins playing the schizophrenic duo. NFS sat down with Mortimer for a case study of sorts back at SXSW. We discuss the process and components involved in creating the perfect look book, using his own work as a guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The No Film School Podcast is a weekly show devoted to catching you up on all the notable things you may have missed while you were making films. Host Charles Haine and NFS Editor-in-Chief George Edelman discuss the myriad flaws and wonders of the ‘Game of Thrones’ finale (is Drogon smarter than we think?) and how Verve made a crucial move in the WGA vs. ATA battle. They also go over some exciting gear news: the MicroFogger blasting onto the scene, DJI taking on GoPro, and why normal-speed scenes in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ might be shot at 48 fps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If there's one universal truth about filmmaking, it's that it's hard as hell to get your picture made. So if you're going to go through all the trouble of making a movie, you better damn well make sure you're not scared to tell the story that you want to tell. Luckily, there's no better time to do this than at the very beginning. Rick Alverson is one of the most daring filmmakers on the planet. His latest film, The Mountain, is a surreal odyssey concerning the very heart of creativity itself: the mind. Or rather the antiquated science behind destroying it. In the film, Tye Sheridan plays a young man who after losing his mother, goes to work with a doctor, portrayed by the unhumanly charismatic Jeff Goldblum, who specializes in lobotomies. The timing of this film's release is no coincidence. While there may not be a literal blade held to our skull, every day we are subject to creative suppression from an overabundance of media, screens and pop culture. And while mainline cinema may do its best to further this narrative, Alverson argues that it's our duty as independent filmmakers to buck the trend and create art that leads to critical thinking. It's a truth that he learned some time along the middle of his career, that filmmaking should be about having a conversation with the medium and not a promotional exercise. Filmmakers should meditate on how they can contribute to the art form itself and not look for personal advancement. There is no better time to start this practice, than at the very beginning. NFS sat down with Alverson and Sheridan to discuss how filmmakers can look to achieve this very notion at SXSW. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The No Film School Podcast is a weekly show devoted to catching you up on all the notable things you may have missed while you were making films. Host Charles Haine and NFS Editor George Edelman dive into the latest Game of Thrones controversy (this week style and content are at war), Roger Deakins’ old-school, single-LUT methods and why ARRI is invading Charleston, North Carolina. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big Time Adolescence is a feature close to director Jason Orley's heart, and why shouldn't it be? In addition to making its world premiere at Sundance back in January, the film has the unique distinction of being the first screenplay he ever wrote. It's not often that the first thing you write ends up being your first feature. But the fact that this is Orley's first feature is not from lack of trying. In the process of achieving this seemingly unachievable feat, Orley penned multiple scripts with the goal of "proving he could write." A few of them, including Big Time Adolescence ended up on The Black List. And if you don't know what The Black List is, it's time to get familiar, because it's an accolade that could end up changing your screenwriting career forever. That's what ended up happening for Orley in any case. Adolescence tells the story suburban teenager comes of age under the destructive guidance of his best friend, an aimless college dropout. That dropout is played by none other than Saturday Night Live standout Pete Davidson, who in addition to joining the film as an executive producer, turns in a star-confirming performance. NFS sat down with Orley at Sundance to discuss the basics of writing to prove you can write, what The Black List can do for your career, using the star of your film as your greatest collaborator and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For his new film Olympic Dreams, filmmaker Jeremy Teicher was granted unprecedented access to one of the most exclusive residences in the world. This is a location so rare that it's only available once every four years. A place where pheromones course through the veins of some of the most beautiful and physically talented people alive: The Olympic Village. Teicher and his partner Alexi Pappas were provided a grant and, perhaps equally valuable, permission to shoot anywhere they wished at 2018's Winter Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Pappas, an Olympic track star in her own right, stars in the film with the always hilarious Nick Kroll. The two are the only actual actors in the film, playing a young cross-country skier and a volunteer doctor that fall in love over the course of the winter games. Everyone else who appears in the film is either a competing Olympian or unknowing passerby. For this reason, it was crucial the production had the smallest footprint it could possibly get away with. The opportunity wouldn't be without its challenges, however. Namely, Teicher would be shooting an entire narrative film in a chaotic foreign location, entirely by himself. NFS sat down with Teicher and Pappas to discuss the most important parts of one man crewing, what gear to bring along, how to make things easier for yourself in pre-production and, at the end of the day, why it may be a better idea to bring at least one other person along to help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Introducing the No Film School Podcast a weekly show devoted to catching you up on all the notable things you may have missed while you were making films. Host Charles Haine dives into the current state of the WGA - ATA conflict, discusses the perceived darkness of the most recent episode of Game of Thrones, and gives us some insight into a new LED cube light. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mariam Webster defines "democratization" as to make (something) available to all people: to make it possible for all people to understand (something). So when we talk the democratization of filmmaking, in a way we're talking about the evolution of filmmaking itself. Over the past decade or so we have seen some radical changes in both the type of video content that is being created and the industry at large. Not only are filmmaking tools growing more sophisticated, they are becoming cheaper to access as well. What's more, the language of film itself has seemingly been instilled in the minds of new generations of creators who have grown up with the social media platforms like Instagram, Vine and TikTok. These creators are learning to edit and tell stories, whether that's their intention or not. At SXSW, NFS led a panel featuring Instagram Co-Founder Mike Krieger, KitSplit Co-Founder Lisbeth Kaufman, and Frame.io Founder Emery Wells. We discussed how each of their platforms has contributed to the democratization of filmmaking, what the revolution means to them and how emerging filmmakers should be taking advantage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barry Jenkins once said, "Art is inherently political. Even trying to make a film that has nothing to do with politics is, in and of itself, a political act." Unfortunately for filmmakers, not everyone these days will jump at the chance to see a movie that advertises its own inherently political nature. So how do you subvert an audience's expectations with a film like The Wall of Mexico? The title itself implies one of the most controversial issues facing the United States of America today. Directors Zachary Cotler and Magdalena Zyzak would say that the first step lies in staying ahead of the audience. How do you stay ahead of an audience expecting a social issues movie? Don't write a movie explicitly about social issues. That's exactly what the directing partners did with their SXSW standout. The film is heavy on magical realism and doesn't beat the audience over the head with any one single message. As Colter and Zyzak put it, ambiguity is a part of their artistic creed. And it's one that benefits the social issues genre greatly. In what is a subversive plot in and of itself, The Wall of Mexico tells the story of a wealthy Mexican family who decides to build a wall around their ranch to stop American townspeople from stealing their well water. I sat down with the cast and directors to discuss the art and importance of subtlety and messing with audience expectations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Forte never met Mike Ahern or Enda Loughman before jumping on board the pair of Irish director's debut feature. He didn't need to. The script for Extra Ordinary was just that good. All he needed to know was that they'd be directing. Why? Because according to Forte, in comedy, writing and directing go hand in hand. In that respect, writing and acting may go hand in hand as well. While Forte and scene partner Claudia O'Doherty may bring some star power to the project, it's the relatively unknown comedian Maeve Higgins who truly carries the brunt of the project on her shoulders. And as we learned in this interview, she had a hand in writing the film as well. Higgins plays Rose, a sweet, lonely driving instructor in rural Ireland, who is gifted with supernatural abilities. Rose has a love/hate relationship with her 'talents' & tries to ignore the constant spirit requests from locals - to exorcize possessed rubbish bins or haunted gravel. Forte plays a washed-up pop star/satanist in his usual outlandish manner, O'Doherty his indifferent wife. Also joining us on the show is actor Barry Ward, Roses' love interest in the film. We sat down after the film's premiere at SXSW to discuss trusting actors to write, the advantages of comedy jamming with directors and "funnying" your way out of any problematic situations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Making a coming of age film can be a tricky thing. There's a delicate line between teenagers keepin' it real and overly nostalgic reminiscing. Even though it's his first feature, it's clear that Ninian Doff will never have a problem toeing that line and is truly a master of keepin' it real. SXSW Midnight standout Boyz in the Wood follows a group of kids as they set off deep in the Scottish Highlands, as part of a camping program for troubled youth. As they push through the wilderness they encounter everything from rap-loving farmers to hallucinogenic rabbit shits. What really sets the film apart from the traditional coming of age story, however, is its strong influence from hip hop culture. This might be obvious from a film whose title so closely resembles John Singleton's 1991 classic, but Ninian Doff's film is about as contemporary in tone as you can possibly get. While it's his debut film, the director made a name for himself in his music video collaborations with acts like Run the Jewels, and his past work is clearly seen in the frenetic graphics, a pulsating soundtrack and blitzkrieg action that pervade through the feature. We sat down with Doff and his cast of boyz soon after their opening night premiere at SXSW to talk about shooting a film that's 95 percent exteriors, building trust with young actors and how to make a coming of age film that doesn't suck. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the No Film School Podcast, we’re going to talk about one of the most largely undiscussed nuances of filmmaking: the portrayal of masturbation on film. Specifically, of the female kind. 'Yes, God, Yes' is a film unlike any you’ve seen before. In it, a Catholic teenager in the early aughts discovers masturbating and struggles to suppress her new urges on a religious retreat. But this ain’t no American Pie satire. Writer/Director Karen Maine (who you may know as half of the writing team from 2014’s indie hit 'Obvious Child') truly brings us inside the mind of female adolescence. Much of this ability is due to the fact that she lived through this experience as a teen herself. As I learned when I sat down with Maine and her cast at SXSW earlier this month, however, it was the director’s openness to collaborate with her talented young leads that truly sealed the deal. The cast is led by a standout performance from Natalia Dyer, who shows she clearly deserves more complex roles than the likes of 'Stranger Things'’ archetypal Nancy Wheeler provides her. Dyer joins us on the show today, along with Timothy Simons (perhaps best known for his role as Jonah Ryan from 'Veep'), and talented new comers Francesca Reale, Alisha Boe and Wolfgang Novogratz. We talk about building an atmosphere on set comfortable enough to to avoid the pitfalls of the typical coming of age story and masturbation, lots of masturbation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greener Grass is a project that has been on a whirlwind path to success since the very beginning. Directors Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe's first iteration of the surreal comedy turned heads as a short film back in 2016, when it won awards at major festivals like SXSW and the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France. Upon its release online, it also achieved viral status and earned distinctions from Short of the Week and Vimeo. It's rare that a short finds success like that both on the festival circuit and online, but hey, when you watch Greener Grass, it's easy to see why. Though they claim to have had no intention of doing so initially, the duo expanded the short into a feature film which hit Sundance in a big way back in January. The film's meticulously crafted aesthetic places it on a level somewhere between Adult Swim and David Lynch. With the aid of talented production designers, costume designers, and a brilliantly specific script, DeBoer and Luebbe's film brings us into a candy-coated utopia that we've never seen the likes of in film before. Of course, things descend into dystopia by the time the film's through. Suburban tensions reach their boiling point after one mom willingly gives up her daughter to a friend, who I might add later goes on to give birth to a bouncing baby soccer ball. Things get weird. But not odd enough to sway IFC Midnight from purchasing the film earlier this week, or SXSW programming it into their festival to be seen in Austin later this week. Jon Fusco sat down with the directors and producer Natalie Metzger at Sundance this year to talk about using characters to build a world, hiring geniuses as collaborators and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Lee Cronin, getting to the point where he could make his debut feature "The Hole in The Ground" was like climbing a greasy pole. For every step he took upwards it always seemed like he’d have to slip down a bit as well. His three horror shorts helped to boost his leverage, especially the 2014 award winner "Ghost Train", but none seemed to elevate him to a point where he could leave commercial work behind and commit to a career as a feature filmmaker. As the director so aptly puts it in our interview today, “there’s no business like slow business.” Something in the air has seemingly changed this year, however, as that process has transformed into something like a “slow rocket.” After years of struggling, The Hole in the Ground is set for a March 1st release, by none other than family horror distributor extraordinaire, A24. The film, which made its premiere at Sundance in January, follows a woman who moves to a new town with her young son in order to escape a life of domestic abuse, only to encounter an ominous sinkhole that appears to have supernatural powers which threaten the life of her child. We sat down in Park City to discuss how horror filmmakers can follow a similar path to success by staying steady on their own course without giving up. And perhaps more importantly, Cronin gives tips on how to stay positive during the grueling journey ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some filmmakers get their starts late, and some filmmakers get their starts early. Our guests on today’s roundtable fall under the latter. Since 2015, Sundance and Adobe have held the Sundance Ignite Fellowship a year long program for 18-to-25-year-old emerging filmmakers from around the world. Their fellowship kicks off with a free trip to the Sundance Film Festival, where they are paired with a Sundance mentor and attend special Sundance Ignite events that advance their films and careers. For the rest of the year, the fellows will work with their mentors, attend select Sundance Institute programs, enjoy eligibility for internships, and receive additional creative and professional development opportunities as they develop their craft. The fellows also receive a complimentary subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud,and lets not also forget that they have a pretty sweet shot at getting their films into Sundance at some point in their burgeoning careers. Joining us today are four short filmmakers who did just that: Matthew Puccini and Tyler Rabinowitz with Lavender; Crystal Kayiza with Edgecombe; and Vasilis Kekatos with The silence of dying fish. Together with mentor Lacey Schwartz we talk about the benefits of fellowships like the Ignite Program for young filmmakers and how you can be accepted to opportunities like this yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Johannes Nyholm, director of Sundance standout Koko-Di Koko-Da takes the whole wearing many hats thing to a whole other dimension. If you're looking for a filmmaker who has complete command over his material, then look no further than this Swedish auteur. It would take too long to list all of his credits on this film, but how about Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, Colorist, VFX Artist, and Shadow Puppet Designer/Performer for a start? Nyholm is a great believer in the "Do It Yourself" ideology and through years of hard work, he has truly taught himself the tools necessary to put it into practice. What he may have an even better knack for, however, is when to step away and let his collaborators take the wheel. It's both of these abilities combined that have garnered him a successful career in the film industry. His latest film Koko-Di Koko-Da follows a couple that goes on a camping trip to find their way back to each other, only to be haunted by a sideshow artist and his shady entourage who emerge from the woods and terrorize them, luring them deeper into a maelstrom of psychological terror and humiliating slapstick. Nyholm joins us on The No Film School Podcast today to discuss why working with a smaller team can be smarter than working with a large one, growing your cinematic tool kit and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“In the rugged wilderness of Appalachia, the members of an isolated community of Pentecostal snake handlers led by Pastor Lemuel risk their lives to attest themselves before God.” This is a much different type of log-line than the others entries you’d find scrolling down the list of Dramatic Competition entries in Sundance’s program. It is the plot of Them That Follow, the feature film debut for writer/directors Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage and boy, is it a doozy. Though they didn’t have any directing credits prior to the film’s premiere, the duo had more than enough experience between them to pull off the gripping narrative. Through years of working for other studios and other directors they found themselves with the opportunity to "get in the room.” What is the room? Well and not to use a cliche lightly here, but, “the answer may surprise you.” We also talk through writing a story about a secretive community with limited access, filling in the blanks with your own personal experiences and working with an incredible cast that included Olivia Coleman, Walton Goggins, Jim Gaffigan and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The documentary cinematographer is a special kind of cinematographer. Whereas in narrative, the role is more defined, DP’s of the more truthful persuasion may find themselves piling on more hats than their fiction bound counterparts. Take it from David Paul Jacobson of Ask Dr. Ruth and Kristy Tully of Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins, two Sundance caliber cinematographers who join us on today’s show. Both of their projects revolve around strong women. Ask Dr. Ruth chronicles the incredible life of Dr. Ruth Wertheimer, a Holocaust survivor, former soldier, immigrant and two-time divorcee who became the world’s most influential sex therapist. Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins memorializes the former journalist who made a name for herself as rough talkin’ six foot Texan who was quick to expose corruption wherever she found it. Together in this roundtable we talk about how to grab the most effective b-roll, the perfect kits for the job, and not overstepping boundaries with directors and editors as you must also direct and edit yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Buder, Erik Luers, George Edelman, Ryan Koo and Jon Fusco are all together again in Park City to give you a rundown of everything that happened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019. It's been a crazy week full of screenings, interviews, and generally just trying to stay alive, so you best believe they've got more than a few hot takes to throw your way. In addition to sharing their favorite films and what they're sad they missed, the team identifies a few trends that could end up re-shaping the future of the industry. This is Part 2 of No Film School's live audio coverage from Sundance 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Taking its rightful place at the very beginning of the 2019 festival circuit, the Sundance Film Festival is often an unpredictable beast. But Jon Fusco, Erik Luers, and George Edelman are live from Park City, Utah to try and make some sense of it all for you. In this special episode of The No Film School Podcast, they take an early stab at predicting what features end up as festival favorites, run down some of their most anticipated films and share some insights on how to survive the 2-week orgy of independent film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's not all about big names and big projects here on the No Film School Podcast. Some of our best conversations take place with artists who are just starting to find their way in the world. Really, all of should be able to relate to these guests on a deeper level since we hear problems that many of us are still struggling with as we make our own way through the industry. On today's, final installment of the best of the No Film School Podcast we'll take a look back at some of these conversations and trace through what it can cost to make a film. Whether it be a short or a feature, documentary or narrative, you're bound to walk away with some advice that will be of aid on your future projects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We had some of the biggest directors of the year on the show in 2018 and this batch of best ofs proves it. Yorogs Lanthimos, Debra Granik, Jeremy Saulnier, and the legendary Mike Leigh all make an appearance as does Denis Villeneuve and Steve McQueen's go-to-editor, Joe Walker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liz Nord, Erik Luers, Charles Haine and (kind of) Jon Fusco are all together for the last time on this special, final episode of our long-running independent film news series Indie Film Weekly. There are three years worth of huge industry and gear stories to remember, but on this show, we identify a few that stand out that will forever change the future of filmmaking. We look back at some of our favorite films and directors from the show's lifetime, as well as a few movies that we're most excited to see in 2019. Finally, we share the best advice we could possibly think of and try to finally answer that perennial question once and for all: is going to film school really worth it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Depending on what stage of your career you’re at, you can learn as much from someone who's gotten a couple shorts into some major festivals as you can from a director like Yorgos Lanthimos. It’s in this realization where The No Film School Podcast really shines. For that reason, we treat our guests with the same level of respect across all boards, no matter who they are or how prestigious their film may be. Let’s face it, we are all filmmakers who have made, or are trying to make movies under difficult circumstances. And one of the best ways to learn how to do that is by listening to the stories of those who have struggled through both success and failure. For a true artist both experiences hold immense value. Our countdown this year features just as many big names as it does incredible advice. Over the next three weeks, you’ll hear from the likes of Lanthimos, Jeremy Saulnier, Mike Leigh, Steve Yeun, Debra Granik and more. I’ll be leading you through some of our best clips of 2018, so if you haven’t heard all of our interview podcasts, these episodes will be a great overview of those pearls of advice that may end up helping you down the road. This week's features guests Claudette Godfrey (SXSW Programmer), Jim Cummings (Thunder Road), Kirsten Lepore (Hi Stranger), Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert (DANIELS) and Sam Morill (Vimeo). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is with a heavy heart that today we are announcing that Indie Film Weekly will be entering an indefinite hiatus in 2019. We will have one final show airing Thursday, January 9th with the whole gang back together for the last time. There is a distinct possibility that the show will return in some form later on, but for now, it’s time to say goodbye. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Fusco, Erik Luers, and Liz Nord are back together for the final show of 2018. It was an amazing year for film, but a recent study found that there was one key ingredient for the biggest box office successes. And yes, that ingredient may surprise you. Plus how MoviePass may be making a come back and the Oscars are off to a horrible start. Charles Haine joins us for gear news where he breaks down what's been a busy month in codec. On Ask No Film School - how do you build your filmmaking network online? As always, the show also brings news you can use about gear, upcoming grant and festival deadlines, this week’s indie film releases, industry wisdom, and other notable things you might have missed while you were busy making films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Filmmaker Alyssa Bolsey didn’t discover until she was in film school herself that her great-grandfather had invented the iconic Bolex 16mm camera. She spent the next decade-plus researching her enigmatic ancestor and interviewing several influential filmmakers who used his cameras, including Barbara Hammer, Wim Wenders, and Jonas Mekas, for a film called BEYOND THE BOLEX. Bolsey and the film’s producer and DP, Camilo Lara Jr., join No Film School’s Liz Nord to discuss why the Bolex is such an enduring and beloved camera that is still used today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sundance's own Liz Nord joins the show to give Jon Fusco and Erik Luers the down and dirty on all Sundance's Feature and Shorts selections for 2019 and what they could mean for future filmmakers. Plus what Lars Von Trier has done to upset the entire MPAA. Charles Haine joins us for gear news, where he gives us his full thoughts on Blackmagic's new Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. In what was a busy week for cameras, he also previews a new RED camera that will be hitting rental houses and stores shortly. On Ask No Film School - do you really need a follow focus anymore? As always, the show also brings news you can use about gear, upcoming grant and festival deadlines, this week’s indie film releases, industry wisdom, and other notable things you might have missed while you were busy making films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Cristina Gallego was busy working as a producer on her partner Ciro Guerra's magnificent film "Embrace of the Serpent", she caught wind of a story from one of the many indigenous non-actors onset. That story was one that perhaps many of us have heard before, a Colombian man finds partners in America that he can sell drugs to, becomes fantastically wealthy and ends up abandoning his morals as a result. Except "Birds of Passage" is so much more. With Gallego and Guerra at the helm, we get a glimpse at a side of this much-glamorized Narcos-era that we've never seen before. The film presents the narrative from an indigenous Colombian perspective, full of magical realism steering from traditions that go back hundreds of years and is perhaps the most authentic story concerning its subject matter of all time. Think of it as a thrilling mixture of The Godfather and One Hundred Years of Solitude, where we watch the entire history of two families whose native ways are slowly brought to a halt as they engage in the burgeoning drug trafficking business. Eventually, it brings a war to control the business that ends up destroying both their lives and their culture. There is no other pair of directors in the world that could've told this story, and for her part, Gallego switched from a lifetime of producing to the role of co-director in order to more clearly communicate her vision. I sat down with her at TIFF to talk about what that transition was like, working with Ciro Guerra, and finding the stories that stem from your own history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Fusco, Erik Luers, and Liz Nord are here to catch you up on all the stuff you missed while in a tryptophan coma last week. Believe it or not, awards season has officially begun and we have a full report on what could be the year's top contenders. Plus the perennial riddle of how to best shoot sex on film may be closer to being solved. Charles Haine joins us for gear news, where he discusses some rumors surrounding new cameras from Canon and Sony. On Ask No Film School - what program should you use for editing on an older computer? As always, the show also brings news you can use about gear, upcoming grant and festival deadlines, this week’s indie film releases, industry wisdom, and other notable things you might have missed while you were busy making films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've seen any of Yorgos Lanthimos' films, then you know the Greek director isn't afraid to put anything on the screen. Like many famous surrealists, Lanthimos isn't interested in exploring stories where things go right, he wants his audience to see what's wrong in the world. To him, nothing is off limits and any dark side of the human psyche is worth exploring. In surrealist film, any image can be too much or too little. It's a delicate balance, but one that Lanthimos has truly mastered with his latest film The Favourite. A period piece set in early 18th century England, a frail Queen Anne Olivia Colman, occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) governs the country in her stead. When a new servant Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives, however, her charm endears her to Sarah and a competition to be the queens favorite emerges. In this interview, Lanthimos is joined by screenwriter Tony McNamara to discuss how commercial work early in his career ended up steering him in the complete opposite direction, not conforming to filmic norms, and breaking every possible rule you can. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Fusco and Erik Luers are stranded together in Brooklyn for yet another turkey day, but a major announcement from The Criterion Collection has given them plenty to be thankful for. On the other side of the coin, we take a moment to remember one of the greatest American screenwriters of all time. Charles Haine joins us for gear news where big changes may soon be coming for Final Cut users and on Ask No Film School - how do you avoid casting shadows when setting up your lights? As always, the show also brings news you can use about gear, upcoming grant and festival deadlines, this week’s indie film releases, industry wisdom, and other notable things you might have missed while you were busy making films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How we approach history and how we approach film are very similar. As László Nemes puts it, history doesn’t work the way we think it works, we think we know more about these events in our past, but there’s no way of ever knowing firsthand what the atmosphere at the time actually was. In much the same way, we can lean on popular conceptions of the way films should be made or we can question the existing language of cinema and follow our own inspiration. The truth is, you don’t have to start from ground zero. As a filmmaker, you are already taking in an enormous amount of influences, every single day. Cinema is about your adventure. It’s not about what someone tells you will work. Nemes has followed his own guiding light, despite going to film school, on every project he’s ever made. History is his muse, but his style comes from a curriculum which he’s curated himself. This is something you can do too. Nemes’ debut feature Son of Saul earned him an Academy Award, a BAFTA, several grand jury prizes at Cannes, and dozens more. His latest film, Sunset, features a stunning performance from Juli Jakab as a young milliner in Budapest before World War I, whose bent on finding out how her family lost control of their prized hat store. I sat down with both Names and Jakab at TIFF where we discussed making period films thrilling, ignoring your film school teachings and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Fusco, Erik Luers, and Liz Nord are here to recap what was a truly insane week in the world, even in the film industry. They discuss an unexpected loss in the epicenter of cinema as fires continue to rage through Southern California and say goodbye to one of the world's greatest storytellers - Stan Lee. Charles Haine joins us for gear news, where he reveals a major acquisition from Teradek, new features from Nikon and why RED's much-hyped Hydrogen may end up a major disappointment. On Ask No Film School, we give recommendations on a few books to check out on cinematic technique. As always, the show also brings news you can use about gear, upcoming grant and festival deadlines, this week’s indie film releases, industry wisdom, and other notable things you might have missed while you were busy making films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Working with Mike Leigh is what you would call an actor’s dream true. Since his debut in 1972, the seventy-five-year-old legendary British director has made twenty films and consistently refined his craft to fit a process where the collaboration with actors is paramount. This is due in part to his own experiences at acting school in the 60’s, where he felt confined by rigid Shakespearian premeditation and hostile attitudes towards experimentation. Perhaps his only rule now is that he must discover what his film is through the making of it. This starts with the actors and in effect, it begins as early as the audition process. Here he negates modern methods, instead opting for one on one improvisations with those going out for the part. Later these improvisations will become the basis for building scenes throughout the production and as a result, they are stacked one upon the other to build a narrative. We sat down with Leigh at TIFF this year, where his latest film Peterloo made its North American premiere. We nail down his process with actors, from audition to production and confronting your own status quo by challenging yourself as a filmmaker with every new film make. The advice he gives is invaluable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Fusco, Erik Luers, and Liz Nord are here this week to reveal a few of their favorites from what BBC has labeled their one hundred greatest foreign films of all time. Is your favorite on the list? Plus should "A Star is Born" really come with a trigger warning? Charles Haine joins us for gear news, where we talk Aputure's new venture into sound with Deity microphones and a new cage that actually may be worth checking out. On Ask No Film School - how much should you ask to be paid up front for a new gig? As always, the show also brings news you can use about gear, upcoming grant and festival deadlines, this week’s indie film releases, industry wisdom, and other notable things you might have missed while you were busy making films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For co-directors Daniel Schmidt and Gabriel Abrantes, the making of Diamantino was just as, if not more complex, than the award-winning film's insane plot. It tells the story of Diamantino, the world's premier soccer star, who loses his special touch and ends his career in disgrace. Searching for a new purpose, the international icon sets on a delirious odyssey where he confronts neo-fascism, the refugee crisis, genetic modification, and the hunt for the source of genius. That's a whole lot of ground to cover within the confines of an hour and a half, and after seeing the first assembly of their cut, the duo was dismayed and ready to throw in the towel. Even during production, Schmidt felt as if they had bit off a little more than they could chew. Unhappy, they walked away from the project and decided to regroup at a later date. Ultimately, they came to realize that they still had a fair amount of interesting material they felt they could work with and that their failures could, through the magic of post-production, be turned into an avante-garde tour de force. Using stock imagery, frenetic archival footage and green screen wizardry they spliced together a cut worthy of Cannes, New York Film Festival, The Toronto International Film Festival and more. We sat down with Schmidt prior to Diamantino's screening at TIFF and talked about adapting to difficult circumstances, learning from mistakes, and never giving up hope on your vision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Fusco, Erik Luers, and Liz Nord are back together again, this time to mourn the loss of yet another brilliant streaming service. But while our home options dwindle, box offices around the country continue to put up big numbers. So much so that Alamo Drafthouse has given its employees half a day off...for a much-needed reason. Charles Haine joins us for gear news fresh off Apple's big event in Brooklyn where they announced a new MacBook Air and more products designed with the intention of enticing filmmakers. Are they worth the plunge? In Ask No Film School - surefire methods to achieve hard and soft qualities of light. As always, the show also brings news you can use about gear, upcoming grant and festival deadlines, this week’s indie film releases, industry wisdom, and other notable things you might have missed while you were busy making films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's hard to coin Steven Yeun's year as "breakthrough" since the South Korean actor has been a figure in the public's eye since his first appearance as Glenn from AMC's The Walking Dead in 2010. But with starring roles in both Boots Riley's Sorry to Bother You and Chang Dong Lee's Burning in 2018, he has all but cemented himself as a leading man on the independent film scene. It's been a long road to get to this point. In the years between the role that made him famous and now, Yeun found himself on set feeling more like a placeholder than an actual human being. In the end, he found that growth stems from self-motivation. For him, this meant taking on meatier projects and ignoring those that were nothing more than a nice paycheck. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Fusco is back this week with Liz Nord to lead you through the fallout of Withoutabox's shut down and what it could mean for your project. Plus, in what was a busy week on the internet, they discuss new financial opportunities for educational YouTubers and the demise of one of our favorite video platforms. Charles Haine joins us for gear news, where he reveals his long-awaited opinion on the 2018 MacBook and if its an improved product for the aspiring filmmaker. On Ask No Film School - how do you calculate the amount of data storage you'll need for your film? As always, the show also brings news you can use about gear, upcoming grant and festival deadlines, this week’s indie film releases, industry wisdom, and other notable things you might have missed while you were busy making films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Irene Lusztig (‘Yours in Sisterhood’) and Dominic Gagnon (‘Going South’)—two filmmakers who edit their own films—join No Film School’s Liz Nord to make the case for editing your own work by sharing their processes and how they make the many decisions that go into an edit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erik Luers and Liz Nord are together again to discuss the state of the movie industry as we near the end of 2018 and how it could lead to a downward trend we'd all be happy to see take place. Plus there may be a new place on the map to move if you want to make movies, and it's not New York or LA. Charles Haine joins us for gear news and dishes on not one, not two, but twelve new lenses you may want to keep an eye on. In Ask No Film School - how the hell do you get a documentary funded anyway? As always, the show also brings news you can use about gear, upcoming grant and festival deadlines, this week’s indie film releases, industry wisdom, and other notable things you might have missed while you were busy making films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hayley Pappas (Head of RYOT Films), Caroline von Kuhn (Director of Artist Development at SFFILM), and Leah Giblin (Head of Grants at Cinereach) are responsible for getting millions of dollars to independent filmmakers each year through grants and financing. They join No Film School’s Liz Nord to discuss the many ways independent films are being funded today, and how you can access these various funding sources for your films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices