Design Matters with Debbie Millman 20th Anniversary Celebration with acclaimed directors Brian Koppelman, Thomas Kail, Mike Mills, Sarah Polley, and Siân Heder
Dec 30, 2025
Join acclaimed directors Brian Koppelman, Thomas Kail, Mike Mills, Sarah Polley, and Siân Heder as they discuss their creative journeys. Koppelman shares insights on storytelling and collaboration, while Kail reflects on his theater roots and early collaborations with Lin-Manuel Miranda. Mills dives into the emotional core of filmmaking, drawing from personal history. Polley explores family narratives and memory, emphasizing the value of listening. Heder highlights representation in cinema, sharing her experience adapting CODA and centering deaf stories.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Film Moments That Changed a Life
- Brian Koppelman recalls seeing Spike Lee and the Coen Brothers early in his life and memorizing their films by watching repeatedly.
- He describes Pulp Fiction as a cinematic explosion that changed his sense of film language and possibility.
Collaborative Outlining Then Split Writing
- Outline stories collaboratively, then divide scenes to write separately and combine into a master document.
- Alternate polishing passes between collaborators to refine the script.
Finding a Story in a Poker Club
- Koppelman describes walking into an illegal Manhattan poker club and instantly knowing he'd found the world for his film.
- He called his writing partner that night and they committed to making a poker movie.
