The No Film School Podcast

The DP of In the Heights, Alice Brooks, is chatting today about all the things that make this new movie musical so special.In this episode, we talk about... How Alice got the job on In the Heights and her longtime love for musicals. How Alice prepared and gathered inspiration or In the Heights, having not seen it on stage. Some of the amazing filming locations throughout Washington Heights that were used for the film. Cinematography decisions that were made and types of equipment that were used for filming. How the creators approached capturing a place and a culture that were not their own. Some of Alice’s favorite movies and how they’ve inspired her. Links to Resources:In the Heights - https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/in-the-heights/umc.cmc.1zme0ypyl9tz3qggwwi3e5aoi?action=play Please like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschool Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolSubscribe to our Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool Check us out on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/nofilmschool/ Ask us questions at editor@nofilmschool.com!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

George, Todd, Kath and Charles discuss the drama surrounding Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney, Amanda Knox and the burden filmmakers have for research and talking to sources, how deep fakes have led to legit jobs and some exciting tech news!In this episode, we talk about… Details about Scarlett Johansson’s contract for Black Widow and why she’s suing Disney  Impact of changes to film releases: theatrical vs. streaming  Disparities in pay within the film industry  Ongoing issues with nonpayments and residual pay and why litigation is often necessary  Choosing to side with the stars vs. the studios  Why we should fight against wage theft at every level  Brief recap of the Amanda Knox story and how it relates to Tom McCarthy’s Stillwater film  What obligation filmmakers have regarding research and how real events inspire fiction  How marketing sometimes becomes a stumbling block for films    What deepfakes are and how they’re getting people jobs  Deepfaking skills and different examples of deepfakes  Exciting Adobe and Blackmagic releases    Links to Resources:Subscribe to our newsletter for news, contests, deals, and a FREE ebook at https://nofilmschool.com/screenwritingbook. Please like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and check us out on Instagram!Ask us questions at editor@nofilmschool.com!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many Americans grew up with the idea that there is a set career ladder that they can climb if they work hard enough - but unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work this way in the film industry.In this episode, we talk about... Whether or not Hollywood has a career ladder, whether the way the system currently works makes it impossible to move up in the industry, and who is trying to change the system. How frustrating it is that when you want to make a slight career change, it’s hard to make lateral transitions without starting at the very bottom. How opportunities in the industry are still limited to mostly serve people of a certain class, a certain race, and a certain gender. The fact that there is an expectation for people to spend their twenties working overtime at the poverty level just to move up in their career. Why there should be more mentorship opportunities in the film industry. Blender, a free tool for model-building from Adobe! Whether or not to form an LLC. Links to Resources:BlenderListen to recent episodes for great interviews with M. Night Shyamalan and Tom McCarthy (Stillwater).Please like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our Youtube, and check us out on Instagram!Ask us questions at editor@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new movie 'Stillwater' is a tour-de-force and we are joined by writer/director Tom McCarthy as well as his co-writers. Later on, we also talk to the writer/director of 'Let Us In', Craig Moss.In this episode, we talk about... How the team for Stillwater decided which elements of the plot to reveal to the audience and when to create an aura of mystery and sustain interest. The profound and timely themes that Stillwater’s plot explores, and whether the themes or the plot came first when developing the script. How the team developed characters for the script, and how those conversations informed casting. How Craig Moss found a bit of a loophole in intellectual property when he created Let Us In by tapping into urban legends. Moss’s early influences and how he got started in film. What it was like for Moss to make the jump from producing his own short films to directing a feature. Moss’s experience creating various parody films. How Moss and his partner developed Let Us In from the legend of the black-eyed children and other influences for the film, like The Goonies, ET, and Stranger Things. What it was like for Moss to work with his daughter as the lead actor on the film. Links to Resources:Stillwater Official TrailerStillwater Official WebsiteMore about Let Us InPlease like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our Youtube, and check us out on Instagram!Ask us questions at editor@nofilmschool.com!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer/director Edson Oda's first feature NINE DAYS premiered at Sundance 2020, where it won the Screenwriting Award and was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. A dream come true for a first-time filmmaker, right? The film, which is about social isolation and deep reflection on the meaning of life, was all set to debut theatrically later that year… until COVID-19 had other plans. And socially isolated all of us, and made all of us reflect on the meaning of life. This week it finally hits theaters (NY and LA on July 30, everywhere else in the US on August 6), and if you like ambitious films that ask existential questions, NINE DAYS will have been worth the wait. NFS Founder Ryan Koo talked with Oda and producer Jason Michael Berman (who also produced Koo's own first feature, AMATEUR) about the Herculean task of getting a first feature made — especially one as ambitious as NINE DAYS.In this episode, we talk about… Director Edson Oda’s background and early career, including screenwriting. How film-writing contests can be useful for the purposes of getting a deadline and some external pressure, and less for the results. The process of going through the Sundance Writers’ Lab, and actually getting a film made out of it. How the casting process for NINE DAYS went, especially given that the film was unfinanced at the time. How the team eventually got financing for their movie and the hurdles they faced. Oda’s preparation process for filming his first feature film and why prep is one of the most important parts of the process. Why Oda didn’t do a ton of rewriting during filming. What surprised Oda the most about the experience filming NINE DAYS. Why you really need to believe in yourself, be resourceful, and not give up when you’re trying to get a feature film made. Fun stories from the (often stressful) filmmaking process. Links to Resources:The trailer for Nine DaysNine Days on IMDBCheck out this short film: A Sensorial Ride on Vimeo - Edson Oda Please like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our Youtube, and check us out on Instagram!Ask us questions at editor@nofilmschool.com!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are multiple filmmakers on the podcast today who have lots of mic drop moments about these two new releasesIn this episode, we talk about… How M. Night Shyamalan’s movie Old is one of those rare films that can completely change your perspective on life and make you appreciate every moment. How Shyamalan worked with his cast to hone in on what was a difficult piece to capture for actors. How Shyamalan decides what information to give the audience (and when) for his thrillers. The ways humans have a dysfunctional relationship with time, how the movie plays with it, and how the timing with the pandemic made the movie’s message even more powerful. Why Shyamalan always wants to shoot 35, the challenges it presents, and why he insisted on it for Old. The career journey for PIG’s filmmakers, who are making their feature film debut! Nicholas Cage, how he ended up on the project, and what he was like to work with on set. The importance of tenacity for new filmmakers trying to get a film produced - sometimes you have to force it through. More advice for new filmmakers from this team fresh off their first feature! How they chose their gear for filming PIG. Links to Resources:Old by M. Night ShyamalanPIG starring Nicholas CagePlease like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our Youtube, and check us out on Instagram!Ask us questions at editor@nofilmschool.com!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we talk about… How Chris Nolan and Zack Snyder have a heart-warming tradition of watching each other’s movies before release and not giving each other any notes. The difference between notes from people who just feel like they have to say something versus getting tactful and well-thought out notes at the right time in the process. How to give useful notes to a filmmaker. The power of writers’ groups, even for writers who are already successful. Portrayals of sex in film and who gets to tell which stories. An ode to Richard Donner, who recently passed away. Celluloid film and how it still has a place for making movies today. Why the digital revolution is great, but digital vs. film doesn’t have to be a one-or-the-other argument. An Ask No Film School about working with clients and balancing their desires with what’s possible. How to handle struggles and miscommunications with your clients. Links to Resources:Please like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and check us out on Instagram!Ask us questions at editor@nofilmschool.com!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New film Gunpowder Milkshake is a love letter to violence on screen, and the film’s director is here today to chat about the making of the movie!In this episode, we talk about… How Papushado got started and the combination of bravery and stupidity (his own words) that helped him get his first movie. Papushado’s influences and how they drive him creatively. Instances throughout film history where humor and action/violence go hand-in-hand, from Looney Tunes to Tarantino. Various factors that set Gunpowder Milkshake apart, including that it has a female-led cast! Papushado’s process for planning out fight sequences. Some of the gear that Papushado used to create Gunpowder Milkshake. How Papushado tries to watch a movie per day and write as much as he can to keep his skills sharp. Links to Resources:Gunpowder Milkshake’s trailerWatch Gunpowder Milkshake on NetflixPlease like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and check us out on Instagram!Ask us questions at editor@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host George Edelman welcomes Ed Solomon to share how lessons from both success and failure—along with one wild night at an Alaskan Strip Club—have had a hand in shaping the writer he is today.  In this episode, we talk about… How Ed’s high school experience inspired him to be a writer and why he tells himself he’s an imposter daily How shifting from big budget films to smaller specs expanded Ed’s creative path How a trip to an Alaskan strip club led Ed to write the play “Strip Club” and how it got him hired for Laverne & Shirley  The fallacy about gateways that lead to your career—you make your own path Why Ed considers Men in Black as a series of failures that culminated in success  Developing a skill set to learn how to write while you write and learning from every script   How Ed approaches storytelling:  Remember you’re always dealing with point of view even if you don’t realize it Know what it means to have a healthy relationship with the audience and always keep in mind what they know Examples of objective vs. subjective points of view  Consider your audience as a friendly ally  Advice for new writers:  Get other people to say your words out loud and listen to it Take your words and mount it, direct it, film it, edit it  Take acting, editing, and cinematography classes  Watch your very favorite movies and transcribe them—internalize what those writers did What you can learn from transcribing films:  How little dialogue you actually need How little stage direction you need  How short scenes are and how they do not have a beginning, middle and end but just a middle (usually) The importance of sequences and how things are a juxtaposition of little pieces to form a sequence  You really only learn about writing screenplays by writing a bunch of screenplays  Why Ed is choosing to keep a beginner’s mind until the end  Links to Resources:No Sudden Move on HBO maxSubscribe to our newsletter for news, contests, deals, and a FREE ebook at https://nofilmschool.com/screenwritingbook. Check out our new video on lighting night shoots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J66WWsCp7XE You can read about all this and more at https://nofilmschool.com/. You can also check out our Gear Guides and Entertainment News on the right hand side.Please like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and check us out on Instagram!Ask us questions at editor@nofilmschool.com!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

George chats with Ben Mankiewicz and Julie Salamon about their podcast The Plot Thickens, Julie’s book The Devil’s Candy is the best book on movie making.... ever?    In this episode, we talk about… Details about the Plot Thickens Why they chose The Devil’s Candy for the podcast What everyone thought was going to happen during filming Bonfire of the Vanities vs. what actually happened Why The Devil’s Candy is the definitive adaptation of Bonfire and why it puts a stamp on Tom Wolf’s novel Defining what’s good and bad and why it’s unrealistic and boring to label films this way What makes the podcast the same but different from The Devil’s Candy Addressing how actors feel about their portrayal in The Devil’s Candy Encouraging people to allow more gray into their lives Reframing failure and why doing difficult things is worth it  Links to Resources:The Plot Thickens PodcastThe Devil’s CandySubscribe to our newsletter for news, contests, deals, and a FREE ebook at https://nofilmschool.com/screenwritingbook. Check out our new video on lighting night shoots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J66WWsCp7XE You can read about all this and more at https://nofilmschool.com/. You can also check out our Gear Guides and Entertainment News on the right hand side.Please like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and check us out on Instagram!Ask us questions at editor@nofilmschool.com!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices