Austin Film Festival's On Story

This week on On Story we're joined by David Self, the writer behind films like Road to Perdition and Thirteen Days. In this episode, Self dissects his career breaking into the industry to writing crime and historical dramas. David Self, having been born into an itinerant family of community college and high school teachers, he broke with family tradition and spent most of his waking hours trying to break into Hollywood. In 1994 he found success and was hired to pen the remake of the 1963 film The Haunting for Steven Spielberg. His credits also include Road to Perdition, Thirteen Days, and Wolfman. Crime and thriller film, Road to Perdition, is an adaptation of the DC Comics graphic novel series of the same name. Starring Tom Hanks, it follows the story of a mob enforcer's son in 1930s Illinois who witnesses a murder, forcing him and his father to take to the road down a path of redemption and revenge. Thirteen Days is a tale of truths about how the Kennedy administration struggled to contain the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. The Haunting is a story about how a study of fear escalates into a heart-stopping nightmare for a professor and three subjects trapped in a mysterious mansion. Moderator Barbara Morgan sat down with David Self for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Thirteen Days courtesy of Beacon Pictures. Clips of Road to Perdition courtesy of DreamWorks Films & Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Clips of Wolfman courtesy of Universal City Studios

This week on On Story we're joined by writer & showrunner Glen Mazzara as he discusses the ins and outs of the industry, and how his experiences developed him into a versatile writer. Glen Mazzara is a writer and producer whose work includes AMC's The Walking Dead, The Shield, and Damien. Damien, a TV Drama based on the classic horror film, "The Omen", follows the film's protagonist, Damien as he copes with his life after finding out he is the prophesied Antichrist. The Shield, a Primetime Emmy Award-winning Drama series following the lives and cases of dirty cop Vic Mackey and the LAPD unit under his command. The Walking Dead, a post-apocalyptic drama made television history, winning 2 Primetime Emmys and becoming the only drama in television history to hold the #1 title for five consecutive years. Moderator Harrison Glaser sat down with Glen Mazzara for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of The Walking Dead courtesy of AMC Entertainment Clips of The Shield and Damien courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

This week on On Story, Miss Juneteenth writer/director Channing Godfrey Peoples discusses her feature directorial debut and her work as a multi-hyphenate independent filmmaker. Peoples is the writer-director of the 2020 drama Miss Juneteenth, which follows a former beauty queen and single mom as she prepares her rebellious daughter for a life-changing pageant. Having grown up in Fort Worth, Texas, Peoples attended pageants where "Miss Juneteenth" is a real contest held there. A gripping story of poverty, the film has appeared on dozens of critics' year-end top ten lists, including TIME, Washington Post, and IndieWire, among others. Moderator Ya'Ke Smith sat down with Channing Godfrey Peoples for a panel about her work as a multi-hyphenate independent filmmaker at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Miss Juneteenth courtesy of Ley Line Entertainment.

This week on On Story writer Derek Kolstad, creator of the John Wick franchise reflects on his thrilling career, how he weaves emotion and humanity into action set pieces, as well as crafting characters you cannot help but root for. Derek Kolstad is the writer/creator of the popular John Wick franchise with the latest installment: John Wick: Chapter 4 set to be released in 2023. He also wrote on Marvel's hit limited series The Falcon and Winter Soldier, which has been nominated for 5 Primetime Emmys. 2021 also saw the release of Derek's action-thriller Nobody. Nobody sheds light on a docile family man struggling with aging and encroaching feelings of irrelevance as his children grow up. His new tv adaptation of the popular video game, Splinter Cell, is currently in production and will be airing on Netflix in the following year. Most recently, Kolstad produced the film The Princess for Hulu, which follows the action-packed story of a strong-willed princess who refuses an arranged marriage alliance to an especially cruel sociopath. Barbara Morgan sat down with Derek Kolstad for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of John Wick courtesy of Thunder Road Pictures Clips of Nobody courtesy of Universal City Studios

Hey podcast listeners, this week on On Story we're foraging for insight into Pig with writer and director Michael Sarnoski. Michael Sarnoski is a writer, director, and a producer best known for writing 2020's Pig. The film, starring Nicholas Cage, tells the story of a man searching for his pig, while dealing with the effects of prolonged grief. As director, Sarnoski revealed that he only had around twenty days to make the movie and there was no budget for re-shoots or delays. He is currently slated to direct the upcoming A Quiet Place: Day One, the anticipated prequel in the A Quiet Place series. We sat down with Michael Sarnoski for a panel about the film at the Austin Film Festival.

This week on On Story we're talking to Hustle & Flow producer, Stephanie Allain for a conversation on producing. Stephanie Allain is a producer, known for her work in both film and television. Her work includes Hustle and Flow, Beyond the Lights, and Dear White People, a political commentary turned dramedy. Hustle & Flow follows a street hustler's attempt to make it in the hip-hop industry, featuring several BET award-winning performances and appearances by rappers like Ludacris and Juicy J. Beyond the Lights tells the story of a mentally-unstable woman who has been shoved toward stardom by her domineering mother and finds her trajectory changed when a young cop stops her from taking her own life. Dear White People follows the stories of a group of black students trying to navigate life at a predominantly white, elite university. In 2021 Allain attended the Austin Film Festival, where she received the Polly Platt Award for Producing. Moderator Casey Baron sat down with Stephanie Allain for a panel about her work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Hustle & Flow courtesy of Crunk Pictures LLC. Clips of Beyond the Lights courtesy of Blackbird Productions, LLC. Clips of Dear White People courtesy of Homegrown Pictures.

This week on On Story we welcome screenwriter Eric Roth as he talks about about his process of adapting stories from beloved properties. Eric Roth is a producer and writer, best known for penning the screenplays for 2021's Dune, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and the Academy Award® winning adaptation, Forrest Gump. Dune, tells a sci-fi driven hero's journey of a young man traveling to the most dangerous planet to save his family's future. The film took home 6 Oscars during the 2022 Academy Awards. Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt, follows the heart-wrenching story of a man living his life in reverse. The critically acclaimed film Forrest Gump, adapted from the Winston Groom novel of the same name, and which starred Tom Hanks, itself won 6 Oscars and became the top- grossing film in America during its theatrical run. Clips of Forrest Gump courtesy of Paramount Pictures Clips of Dune courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Clips of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button courtesy of Paramount Pictures

This week on On Story we're joined by Lipscomb University filmmakers Melissa Forte & Sumner McMurtry talking about their journey from a chance encounter at Austin Film Festival to collaborating on a short film born out of a Ghost Story writing competition. Later, we'll sit down with Bogle Family Vinyards VP of Consumer Relations, Jody Bogle, and get her insight on producing a film rich in family history and spooky occurrences. Melissa Forte is a filmmaker and current chair of Lipscomb University's Department of Cinematic Arts. After six years of industry work with the Walt Disney World company, Forte spent eight years at Tenessee State University (TSU), earning tenure and building a strong program. After that time, she made the move to Lipscomb University when she was invited to chair the Department of Cinematic Arts. The skills she gained through her years of production work gave her the ability to easily transition into leading academic teams including faculty and staff. Forte is an advocate for instilling the idea that we are part of a larger society and should work to use our gifts and talents to give voice to the underestimated and often overlooked members of our communities. Sumner McMurtry is an award-winning filmmaker from Nashville, Tennessee. His short thriller, NOT CLICKBAIT, took home the grand prize in Lipscomb University's Five Minute Film Festival and was later screened at the Nashville Film Festival, the oldest running film festival of the south. His latest short film, THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, premiered at the Austin Film Festival in 2022. Sumner has had a passion for storytelling for as long as he can remember. He spends a great deal of his time creating an array of projects for clients across the Middle Tennessee area. I recently spoke with Melissa & Sumner about their experience creating the short film Phantom which premiered at the Austin Film Festival and working with the Bogle Family as producers. They've Been Waiting For You is the story of the resident spirit which inhabits the cellars of the Bogle Family Vineyards and the rich family history that accompanies the legend. Next, we're talking to Jody Bogle, who served as producer on the film THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU produced in collaboration with the Libscomb University Department of Cinematic Arts. Jody Bogle is the Vice President of Consumer Relations, at Bogle Family Vineyards. In her role, she oversees hospitality at the family's Home Ranch tasting room, direct-to-consumer sales, and internal and external communications and leads the winery's international sales efforts in 40 countries around the globe. After a chance encounter with members of Libscomb University, Bogle set her sights on producing a short film in celebration of Phantom Wine from her family's vineyards. I recently spoke with Jody about her experience producing the short film with the Libscomb University crew.

Hey podcast listeners, This week on On Story we're joined by Mare of Easttown writer Brad Ingelsby for a conversation on writing for the critically acclaimed television series. Brad Inglesby is a screenwriter and producer known for 2013's Out of the Furnace, 2020's The Way Back and the subject of today's episode, the HBO crime drama series, Mare of Easttown. Mare of Easttown follows the story of a police investigator who tries to get to the bottom of a shocking murder, all while trying to keep her life together as personal drama begins to spiral out of control. A limited series consisting of 7 gripping episodes, Mare of Easttown packs a powerful punch through its tightly-crafted story spearheaded by a career-defining performance by Kate Winslet. We sat down with Brad Inglesby for a conversation about his work at the Austin Film Festival.

This week on On Story we're joined by Jurassic Park and Spider-Man writer David Koepp for a conversation on adaptations, collaborating with Steven Spielberg, and creating blockbusters. David Koepp is a screenwriter and director. His screenplays for Jurassic Park, a science fiction film about a wildlife park inhabited by dinosaurs, and Spider-Man, a superhero film adapted from the Spider-Man Marvel Comics series, helped the films set numerous box office records, becoming some of the highest grossing films of their time. In 2013, Koepp received the Ian McClellan Hunter Award for career achievement from the Writers Guild of America, East for his contributions to cinema. Moderator Harison Glaser sat down with David Koepp for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Jurassic Park courtesy of Universal City Studios. Clips of Bad Influence courtesy of Epic Productions. Clips of Ghost Town courtesy of DreamWorks Films. Clips of Spider-Man courtesy of Columbia Pictures.