'My Undesirable Friends' Director Julia Loktev
In this episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast, host Chris Ofaltov talks with director Julia Loktev about her five‑hour documentary series *My Undesirable Friends* (Part 1: Last Air in Moscow). The film follows independent journalists in Moscow as they are labeled "foreign agents" after Alexei Navalny’s return in 2021 and then forced into exile when Russia invades Ukraine in 2022. Loktev, a Russian‑born refugee, explains how she captured the rapid crackdown, the surreal daily reality of TV Rain’s neon‑lit newsroom, and the personal toll on journalists like co‑director Anya, who now faces the same designation. She also reveals that a sequel, *My Undesirable Friends* Part 2: Exile, is in post‑production, documenting the journalists’ lives after fleeing the country.
285: Did the "Project Hail Mary" Film Stick the Landing? | Ft. Dr. Danny Jaques
In this episode of Casual Space, host Beth Mund and guest Dr. Danny Jaques dissect the film adaptation of Andy Weir’s *Project Hail Mary*, comparing it to the novel. They explore how the protagonist Ryland Grace’s internal doubts and scientific...
Oscar Winners Victory Lap: Autumn Durald Arkapaw & Joachim Trier
In this episode of The Business, Kim Masters and Matt Bellany discuss the post‑Oscars landscape, highlighting recent winners Joachim Trier and Autumn Durald‑Arkapaw. Trier explains how his reputation now lets him cast stars like Al Fanning without a script, while Durald‑Arkapaw,...
Are Movies Actually Getting Longer? We Found Out.
In this episode of The Town, hosts Matt Bellany and Craig explore whether movies are actually getting longer, referencing research by Stephen Follows that shows the overall average runtime has stayed around 102 minutes, but wide-release films (those grossing over...
Proud 'Mary' Eats 'Forbidden Fruits'
In this episode of the Box Office Podcast, host Scott Mendelson and his panel of younger film analysts dissect recent box‑office results, from the sci‑fi hit Project Hail Mary to the modest‑budget indie Forbidden Fruits. The conversation weaves through deep...
'Pizza Movie' Directors Brian McElhaney & Nick Kocher (BriTANicK)
In this episode of IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit, Jim Hemphill chats with comedy duo Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher about their feature directorial debut, Hulu's Pizza Movie. The filmmakers trace the concept’s 20‑year evolution from a college‑room sketch to a full‑blown, Lord‑of‑the‑Rings‑style...
Why Hollywood Needs Books More Than Ever
In this episode of The Town, UTA media‑rights partner Jason Richman explains why Hollywood is turning to books like never before, noting that studios now see popular titles as the safest path to theatrical audiences amid a post‑superhero landscape. He...
JOHN HILLCOAT - Director
In this episode of the Team Deacons Podcast, director John Hillcoat shares his unconventional path from a childhood steeped in 1960s media turbulence to a career spanning animation, music videos, and feature films like *The Proposition* and *The Road*. He...
Surround Bible
The episode is a brief promotional teaser for "Surround Bible," an immersive audio movie that retells the Easter story in a fresh, cinematic style. It highlights the dramatic narration and biblical themes such as the kingdom of heaven, Christ’s sacrifice,...
A Demanding First Week for Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro
The episode focuses on Disney’s new CEO Josh D’Amaro, who in his first week faces three major setbacks: the cancellation of OpenAI’s Sora video app, which threatened Disney’s AI partnership, and troubles with Epic Games as Fortnite’s latest release underperforms,...
Can D.C. Save Hollywood? Senator Adam Schiff on Bringing Production Home.
In this episode, Senator Adam Schiff discusses a proposed federal tax credit aimed at halting the exodus of film and TV production from Los Angeles. He explains that a 15% baseline credit, stacked on top of state incentives, would make...
Abundant – What If the Most Radical Act Is Giving?
In this episode of Brave New Coin, director Donald Griswold discusses his documentary *Abundant*, which explores generosity through the lens of non‑directed kidney donation, and explains why the film will launch on the decentralized streaming platform Stuff.io on March 26....
Gosling, MBJ, Timmy, and the Biggest Movie Stars Under 50 Power Ranking
In this episode of The Town, hosts Matt Bellany and Lucas Shaw dissect the current hierarchy of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars under 50, using box‑office draw as the sole metric. They debate the merits of Michael B. Jordan, Ryan Gosling, Timothée Chalamet,...
A Human Conversation with the Producers of ‘The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist’
Producers Diane Becker and Ted Tremper discuss the making of their documentary "The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist," detailing how they secured interviews with AI leaders like Sam Altman and Dario Amodei, the logistical nightmare of organizing...
Secrets to Commercial Filmmaking With 'The Housemaid' Director Paul Feig
In this episode, host Matt Bellany talks with director Paul Feig about the unexpected blockbuster success of his thriller The Housemaid, which turned a modest $35 million budget into nearly $400 million worldwide. Feig explains his data‑driven, audience‑first process—rigorous test screenings, real‑time...
Movie Bread Club
In this brief 68‑second episode of Movie Bread Club, hosts Lee Casey, Jen Jones, and An Basha riff on a recent children’s film that shocked them with an unexpectedly upsetting scene, juxtaposing it with a nostalgic retro classic. They sprinkle...
283: How Will Project Hail Mary Make the Leap From Book to Silver Screen?
In this episode, host Beth Mund reviews Andy Weir's novel *Project Hail Mary* and speculates on how its three central "characters"—the brilliant but socially awkward Dr. Ryland Grace, the lovable alien Rocky, and the abstract yet pivotal force of time—will...
Tilly Norwood Creator Defends Her Controversial Synthetic Character
In this episode of The Business, host Kim Masters interviews Aline Vander Veldin, co‑founder of Particle 6 Productions, about her synthetic AI character Tilly Norwood. Vander Veldin explains that Tilly is intended solely for AI‑generated content and is not meant to...
How to De-Age the Oscars with Amelia Dimoldenberg
In this bonus episode of The Town, host Matt Bellany talks with Amelia Dimoldenberg, the official social‑media ambassador and red‑carpet correspondent for the Oscars, about how the Academy is trying to make the ceremony relevant to Gen Z and younger...
'The Bride!' Director Maggie Gyllenhaal
In this episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast, director Maggie Gyllenhaal discusses her genre‑bending film The Bride, which reimagines the Bride of Frankenstein through a 1930s musical‑film lens while interrogating gender expectations and violence. She explains how she blended IMAX...
A Check-In with SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin
SAG‑AFTRA president Sean Astin entered his term amid a storm of high‑profile disputes, from an FCC clash over Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue to the rise of synthetic performers and a retreat by OpenAI on a controversial opt‑out request. As the union...
HLYNUR PÁLMASON - Writer / Director
In this episode of the Team Deacons Podcast, writer‑director Hlynur Pálmason discusses his unconventional path from childhood fascination with images and sound to studying photography, working odd jobs, and ultimately graduating from the Danish film school. He explains how collaborative...
Baz Luhrmann Found Lost Elvis Footage and Turned It Into a Dreamscape
In this episode, Jim Hempill interviews director Baz Luhrmann about his new Elvis project, Epic Elvis Presley in Concert, which stitches together rare, unseen concert and behind‑the‑scenes footage into a dream‑like narrative told from Elvis’s own voice. Luhrmann explains how the lost...