On the Media A Hundred Years of The New Yorker
23 snips
Dec 24, 2025 
Marshall Curry, a documentary filmmaker who directed 'The New Yorker at 100,' shares insights on selecting pivotal stories and the challenges of storytelling through archival content. Judd Apatow, a film producer and the documentary's executive producer, adds anecdotes about the magazine's cultural significance and his creative process. They discuss the meticulous fact-checking behind articles, how the film captures the essence of The New Yorker's tone, and explore the magazine's evolving narrative, addressing its historical blind spots while celebrating the art of journalism.
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Curate A Tasting Menu Of History
- The filmmakers treated the century-long archive as a tasting menu, selecting visual, culture-shaping episodes rather than attempting completeness.
- Marshall Curry and Judd Apatow focused on a few vivid stories to convey the magazine's shape and tone.
Pick Visual, Impactful Archive Moments
- Choose archival moments that are both historically significant and visually cinematic when adapting print history to film.
- Prioritize scenes that can be turned into mini films to convey broader institutional narratives.
Late Discovery At Age 42
- Judd Apatow confessed he only started reading The New Yorker at 42 after feeling embarrassed talking with Owen Wilson.
- His late discovery shows even successful creators can be late adopters of culturally revered outlets.