The No Film School Podcast

Kabir Akhtar is an Emmy award winner who has worked on a long list of TV shows, such as Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Never Have I Ever, and The Sex Lives of College Girls. This accomplished director-editor-producer has directed 45 episodes of TV as of today.In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and Director-Editor, Kabir Akhtar, discuss: Why Kabir still uses a printed script  Moving to Los Angeles and hearing “no” after “no” Why post is the most important part of the process Understanding editing before you start directing Directing episodes in an existing show versus directing a pilot The different “languages” you have be able to speak as a director Editing scenes you directed yourself Embracing the creative instincts from others on set The right way to step into your leadership role as a director Believing in yourself despite the opinions of others Memorable Quotes “It’s not really who you know, it’s ultimately who knows you.” [8:29] “No one is going to the movies to read a script. No one is going to the movies to watch raw footage.” [14:08] “Fundamentally editing is dark arts. It’s just doing a magic trick all day long.” [20:43] “It’s better to swing and miss than not swing at all.” [33:06] “I was completely convinced that it would happen and that it would absolutely never happen.” [56:20] Mentioned Resources:Connect with Kabir on InstagramMore about KabirFind No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolSend us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should you tell others how much money you make? Should you pay for your own productions? How should you be properly allocating your money? In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, Jason Hellerman, GG Hawkins, and Yaro Altunin discuss: The weird social taboo of not talking about money  Publishing everyone’s day rates out in the open Advocating for yourself and valuing your work  How having a mentor can change the trajectory of your career Why profit sharing is tricky Different ways to invest your money for the future How working in this industry is a long game marathon When you should pay for your own passion projects How community building is so important for your career and finances Memorable Quotes “It should be illegal for people to ask you what you’re currently making, because it is irrelevant to what they are currently offering.” [4:35] “The side hustles are what bridged the gap and paid the rent for me.” [32:45] “You never know what curveball Hollywood is going to throw at you.” [36:13] “Spend longer casting than you think you need to.” [43:10] “Coffee is fancy and delicious.” [49:48] Mentioned Resources:How Much Money Do You Need to Survive in Los AngelesFind No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolSend us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever thought about drawing inspiration for your characters, from your own family? How do you accomplish that in a way that protects them while also being true to the story?In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and director of Wildflower, Matt Smukler, discuss: Taking a documentary piece and turning it into a narrative feature Being as authentic as possible while not losing his family in the process Knowing immediately who would be casted as the main character Leaning on the screenwriter and main actress to help him tell a young girl’s story Not wanting the audience to recognize his director’s hand Using a feature editor versus a commercial editor The things he wish he knew before making a feature film How a game of tennis helped him find a producer Having his teenage daughter write songs for the film  Memorable Quotes “I got really really lucky. I had all my first choices in this movie.” [15:05] “I do feel like, as a family unit, they are all individually these wildflowers who can exist with very little in terms of human intervention in some ways.” [16:13] “I did want this to feel like it was just happening in sort of real time, in front of us.” [20:02] “I’d rather be in business with someone who's got the hustle than a bunch of credits.” [33:33] “Figure out a story that’s got a beginning, middle, and end that you love and just go do it.” [44:20] Mentioned Resources:Wildflower is Now Available for StreamingFind No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolGet your questions answered on the podcast by emailing editor@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does “work-life balance” mean to you? How do you come up with new ideas for projects? Can you believe Tarantino is working on his final film of all time?In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, Jason Hellerman, GG Hawkins, and Yaro Altunin discuss: Freelance Brain - what it is and how to deal with it How the fear of missing out on opportunities leads us to never taking breaks The unique yet effective things we do in order to generate new ideas Having discipline when it comes to setting boundaries with yourself What we know about Quentin Tarantino’s final film, The Movie Critic Why it’s hard for us to believe Tarantino will only make 10 movies in his career DJI’s exciting new camera system, the Ronin 4D Flex Why the next frontier for technology needs to be affordability  Memorable Quotes “I’m trying to survive and thrive in a culture that I didn’t dictate or build.” [8:39] “You can do better work when you’re present and healthy and not anxious and stressed.” [15:53] “Creativity really thrives within boundaries.” [36:07] “Why get a stabilizer when you can get a chicken?” [47:09] Mentioned Resources:Dolly Parton’s “5 to 9” videoFREE Screenplay Beat SheetTarantino’s Final Film, The Movie CriticStabilization Power of Chicken HeadsDJI Ronin 4D Flex“Green Theme” by BaronessFind No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolGet your questions answered on the podcast by emailing editor@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with director C.J. Obasi and Cinematographer Lílis Soares about the film, Mami Wata. They explain their shared vision in creating a film about people of color. They also share how they dealt with challenges like filming the ocean at night and losing almost three weeks of shooting time. Mami Wata premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival where it won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Cinematography.In this episode we talk about: Their intention to shoot a black and white film from day one Wanting to show the value and beauty of people of color in this film Being ghosted by the equipment provider on the first day of shooting Filming for 24 days instead of 6 weeks Not wanting too many shades of gray Treating the ocean as another character How Africans see themselves and portray themselves in film Leveraging an empathetic gaze versus a sympathetic gaze Why being patient is key to being in this industry Memorable Quotes “It’s a story of sisterhood. It’s a story of mortality versus spirituality. It’s also a story about what it means to be African.” [3:43] “The eyes of the ocean are everywhere.” [26:41] “I wanted to do something deeper…something that had more meaning.” [34:34] “It’s like trying to figure out a jigsaw. When you find that one jigsaw, all the pieces make sense.” [35:38] Resources:Find CJ on InstagramFind Lílis on InstagramMami Wata MovieFind No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolGet your questions answered on the podcast by emailing editor@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, Jason Hellerman, GG Hawkins, and Yaro Altunin discuss the diversity of films at the 2023 Academy Awards. They also chat about the return of comedy, and the difficulties in receiving criticism.In this episode we talk about: The winner of Best Picture - Everything Everywhere All at Once Movies we loved that were not nominated How we are hoping for the return of theatrical comedy  The hilarious and viral trailer for upcoming film, No Hard Feelings A recent interview of Seth Rogen talking about getting negative feedback What you need to consider when brainstorming and writing Sharing critical reviews we have received and our reactions Holding ourselves back due to criticisms  Giving notes that align with the writer’s intention Memorable Quotes “It felt like a year where truly anything could be made and that’s the kind of Hollywood I want to live in.” [5:17] “Google search results started to suck this year.” [6:34] “I think there should be more weird ass rules.” [14:17] “It’s a bummer when somebody’s light can be snuffed out so early.” [37:28] “I also think you just accept that it hurts.” [42:24] Mentioned Resources:Check out the 2023 Academy Award winnersEverything Everywhere All at OnceNo Hard FeelingsSeth Rogen’s thoughts on negative reviews Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In wake of the 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Oscar sweep last night, we're republishing No Film School's 2+ hours of geeking out on the film.(Re-Run) Everyone once in a while a movie comes out that blows our collective hearts and minds. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" is that movie, and these are the people who made it.We're blessed to have an extra-special episode this week featuring Daniels (Writer/Director team behind the film) as well as their frequent collaborators Larkin Seiple (DoP) and Paul Rogers (Editor) to talk about EVERYTHING that went into crafting this modern classic.See the movie, then listen to this as a companion piece!Everyone once in a while a movie comes out that blows our collective hearts and minds. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" is that movie, and these are the people who made it. We're blessed to have an extra-special episode this week featuring The Daniels (Writer/Director team behind the film) as well as their frequent collaborators Larkin Seiple (DoP) and Paul Rogers (Editor) to talk about EVERYTHING that went into crafting this modern classic. See the movie, then listen to this as a companion piece!link to the film: https://a24films.com/films/everything-everywhere-all-at-onceFind No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschool Twitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschool YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschool Get your questions answered on the podcast by emailing editor@nofilmschool.com!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with director Erica Tremblay and Co-Writer Miciana Alise about the film, Fancy Dance. They discuss what their writing collaboration looked like, as well as challenges they faced during filming. The film premiered at Sundance 2023 and will premiere at SXSW on March 10.Topics discussed: Tackling prevalent problems in indigenous communities How Erica and Miciana met and what it was like writing the script together Applying storytelling into different genres, platforms, and formats Sharing breakthrough moments in complicated scenes Realizing that one still does directing in post production Successfully pulling off a big set piece using ingenuity and networking Having the right people behind the scenes, who really wanted to support the project Learning how to be a more considerate writer Memorable Quotes “We hope it can shine a little light on some of the struggles that Indian country has, with outside forces coming in and trying to tell us how we should be living on our sovereign land.” [5:12] “It makes it a little less painful that you’re not just alone in these deep, dark, scary pages.” [12:29] “There’s this symbiotic relationship of ideas and talent and knowledge that’s passing through two people, ending up on the page.” [12:43] “The biggest thing was learning what the characters didn’t need to say….Just letting them breathe in that uncomfortable moment.” [14:56] “Just be ferocious. You cannot hang your ego on any one scene. You can’t be precious about it.” [22:12] Resources:Fancy DanceFind Miciana on InstagramFind Erica on InstagramFind No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolGet your questions answered on the podcast by emailing editor@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, Jason Hellerman, and GG Hawkins discuss their concerns over the insidious ways big data is affecting hollywood. They also unpack the benefits and disadvantages to entering screenwriting contests. We discuss: The scary way big data is now being used in the industry How commerce is pushing back on creativity The best way to approach screenwriting contests Our worries about screenwriting contests and who actually benefits from them Feeding into the “hope machine” in order to get into the industry An anecdote about Triangle of Sadness Why there are no rules to convey your message when it comes to screenwriting Memorable Quotes “It is interesting to think about the data that’s being tracked on what you watch and where it can go…Is this something they are selling to people?” [6:40] “In an industry that’s already shrinking…putting A.I. behind it is a little worrisome.” [8:15] “The safest bet is not the best story.” [9:25] “There are things other than the checkboxes that make a movie what it is.” [12:52] “As a writer, as a director, you can use whatever you want to get your point across.” [42:20] Resources:I am Worried About Big Data and HollywoodTriangle of SadnessDenver the Guilty DogFree Screenwriting E-bookFind No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolGet your questions answered on the podcast by emailing editor@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you bring your full self to a festival, to a film, to any project, whilst helping others shine in the process, you will find your place in this industry.In this episode, GG Hawkins speaks with director, Ella Glendining about her feature film, Is There Anybody Out There? She also speaks with cinematographers Lauretta Prevost and Laura Valladao on recent Sundance films they worked on.We discuss: Being a vehicle for communicating your passion Feeling self conscious about filming oneself everyday for a documentary film The surreal experience of having a film premiere at Sundance Accessibility, open captioning and inclusive viewing experiences at the festival Prioritizing everyone’s comfort in the making of a film  Figuring out how to shoot and edit a purely black and white film Limiting air flow on set during Covid Experiences working with nonactors How emerging filmmakers should approach attending film festivals Memorable Quotes “I think anybody who’s ever felt other or left out or discriminated against, hopefully will be able to take something very powerful from the film.” [11:23] “I didn’t really notice I was making a feature until I was in the editing suite.” [19:10] “You must, must, must stick to your gut. Like if you absolutely know something is right, then it is.” [22:46] “Texture is so important in black in white because you don’t have color information to help you understand the space and the depth.” [33:14] “It’s the first time I’ve really felt like an adult here…I feel like a grown up.” [38:56] Resources:Find Ella on InstagramFind Laura on InstagramLaura’s websiteFind Lauretta on InstagramLauretta’s websiteFind No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolGet your questions answered on the podcast by emailing editor@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices