The No Film School Podcast

Kami Asgar and Jessica Parks are post-production heavyweights who work with major studios, namely Sony. As a sound designer (Asgar) and as a post executive (Parks), their collective resume touches on everything from Apocalypto to Grandma's Boy to Venom. Parks has recently shifted her focus from supervisor to hands-on sound design, and we talk about how it’s never too late to pivot on your career path and find thing you love doing wherever you are in life. We also talk about the new revolutionary technology that will democratize the ability to mix sound on a professional level... and why the literal size of your ear matters.If you're in the mood for more sound talk, learn from the master: our exclusive interview with Walter Murch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the 20th anniversary of Requiem for a Dream and Matthew Libatique is here to tell us the whole story. Starting in early days at AFI doing student projects with Darren Aronofsky, on to the $30,000 "stunt" known as Pi, this great DP/director collaboration was born. Libatique talks at length about the impact of music and music videos on his filmmaking approach, influencing key creative choices in Requiem. We discuss how he has managed to stay cool and relevant for over 20 years and how this journey is a constant struggle to find new techniques that match the substance of each story. Also pretty fun: Libatique managed to sneak a peek at Roger Deakins’ LUT.More on Aronofsky, Libatique and great cinematographers: This Is What a Shot List for a Darren Aronofsky Film Would Look Like What's It Like Being Darren Aronofsky's DP? Matthew Libatique Tells You Darren Aronofsky Delivers His Ten Commandments of Indie Filmmaking 8 Signature Trademarks of Darren Aronofsky's Work 'Lovecraft Country' DP Michael Watson On Shooting During COVID-19 [Podcast] David Fincher's Longtime DP Jeff Cronenweth Has Advice, Insight, and Stories [Podcast] How Darren Aronofsky Takes Us Down His Rabbit Hole (NFSW)*Editorial note: we apologize for occasional background noise in Matthew's audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, joined once again by Oakley Anderson-Moore, we unpack the powerful, complicated legacy of the late Sean Connery. We also pick apart America’s political landscape in light of the obscure, inconsequential election taking place. We discuss what responsibilities we have as content creators who shape the national conversation. In Tech News, a deep dive into Blackmagic and their newly-released URSA Mini Pro 12K camera!Read more here: Here's How to Set Up a 12K Workflow for Independent Projects in Post How 'Residue' Filmmakers Greenlit Themselves (and Then Ava DuVernay and Netflix Followed) Is There A Way to Make a Film About Politics Without a Political Point of View? 'JFK': How Oliver Stone and Robert Richardson Shot the Scariest Political Movie Ever Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glen Keane animated lead characters in Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas and many other classic Disney characters as he became a master of his craft. With his signature enthusiasm and optimism, Keane tells us the story of how this background led him to eventually directing his first feature film for Netflix: the heartwarming Over the Moon. Of course Keane had already become a director in his own right, winning an Oscar in 2018 for his short Dear Basketball, a collaboration with the late, great legend Kobe Bryant. Keane discusses his unique, inspired collaboration with Bryant in the intimate setting of his home animation studio. Don't miss this rare chance to hear insights from one of the masters of the craft. Also, Over The Moon is currently streaming on Netflix, go check it out.More about animation below! How Disney's Iconic Multiplane Camera Changed Animation How 'The Land Before Time' Made It Okay for Kids to Cry Again Watch: Preview the 10 Enchanting Animations Shortlisted for the 2018 Oscars How to Shoot Stop Motion at Home 'Spider-Verse' Director Reveals How You Can Survive Studio Politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we take a very, very biased look at Shushgate perpetrator Jeffrey Katzenberg's fallen streaming platform Quibi and why this failure was perhaps an inevitability. Also, as the new Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is released, we examine how much our culture has changed since the first Borat and Netflix drops streaming and viewership data. For Tech News, Hollyland unveils its new wireless video transmission system, the Mars 400 Pro. And for Ask No Film School, Charles helps you navigate the terrifyingly vast landscape of lights when it's time to go bigger and brighter. Enjoy!*Editorial note: We apologize for the uneven sound quality on Charles' mic. Additionally, on several instances, the hosts accidentally say “David Geffen” when they mean "Jeffrey Katzenberg." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this informative, fascinating episode, we sit down with cinematographer Michael Watson to discuss his work on HBO’s genre-bending horror series Lovecraft Country. Watson details his process: finding the tone of a show that is both pulpy and thematically driven and getting on the same page with the entire HBO team. We also get into the nitty-gritty of on-set challenges as a television DP during COVID-19. Don't miss the one! And so long as you're soaking up wisdom of great DP's, you might as well check out our exclusive interview with David Fincher's legendary lensman Jeff Cronenweth. More on Lovecraft Country:How Genre-Bending Reveals the True Monsters of 'Lovecraft Country'*Editorial note: in the podcast, there are some audio interruptions that occurred which we could not remove from the mix. We apologize for the distraction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facing failure isn't scary. In fact, it might be exactly what you need. The ever-inspiring Jim Cummings joins us once again to discuss his new horror/comedy The Wolf of Snow Hollow, just in time for Halloween. As with his (proper) debut feature Thunder Road, Cummings writes, directs and stars. He tells us about the beauty of having a democratized film set, even on a production as large as Snow Hollow and why filmmakers should think of themselves as competition to the industry, rather than “subordinates.” Also, why the most important thing to learn about directing is how to set up a C-stand. The Wolf of Snow Hollow is out on iTunes today. Enjoy!Also check out: How to Make the Jump From Short to Feature with Award-Winning Director Jim Cummings FREE: Jim Cummings's 'Short to Feature' Lab Curriculum Is This the Future of Indie Film Finance? Don't Wait for Somebody to Make Your Move, Do it Yourself: The Award-Winning Mantra Behind 'Thunder Road' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the No Film School Podcast, AMC follows Alamo Drafthouse's lead, letting consumers rent out their theaters for a low price -- and why this may be a sign of what the post-pandemic world will look like. For Tech News, a double whammy: Apple releases it's innovative, filmmaker-friendly iPhone 12 and DJI steps up it's gimbal game. And for this week's Ask No Film School, we discuss how a great character arc can sometimes be found in a not-so-great movie... Enjoy! DJI's RS 2 and RSC 2 Gimbals Have Arrived... and They're Awesome Here's What the iPhone 12 Means for Creators You Can Now Rent an Entire AMC Theater for Only $99 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here to celebrate the 35th Anniversary 4K Blu-Ray release of the beloved Back to the Future trilogy is its writer and producer Bob Gale. He gives us his own origin story including his years of collaborating with Robert Zemeckis which led up to their big hit. He highlights the integrity of executive producer Steven Spielberg, who made Back to the Future the first Amblin production. Bob Gale has been a protective gatekeeper of the franchise and he explains why. Make sure to stay until the end because he drops some of the purest and most valuable storytelling wisdom you're likely to find anywhere.Learn more about Back to the Future here! No, Back to the Future Doesn't Have a Giant Plot Hole John Mulaney Analyzes Back to the Future...and it Gets Weird Great Scott! Learn How to Re-Create the Back to the Future Time Slice Using Practical FX Watch: In Honor of Back to the Future Day, Here's an Awesome Hoverboard VFX Tutorial Watch: What Are the Greatest Movie Gadgets of All Time? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's podcast, joined once again by Oakley Anderson-Moore, we discuss how the rise of streaming not only impacts how films are distributed, but how they're made as well. We also take on the egregious pay disparity between men and women in the industry, including the example of the writers for the Crazy Rich Asians sequel. For Tech News, Charles praises the innovative new Sachtler Activ tripod. And finally for Deep Cuts, we reminisce on our favorite theatrical experiences. Enjoy! The Beginning of the End? Disney Shifts Focus to Streaming Content How Much Progress Has Hollywood Made in Pay Equity So Far? *Editorial note: contrary to what was said in the podcast, Adele Lim and Pete Chiarelli are not writing partners. They are both credited writers on Crazy Rich Asians who worked separately. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices