IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit

One of the preeminent American horror auteurs is back with his third feature, and for the director of Hereditary and Midsommar, it's no small thing to say this is his most ambitious film to date. Hear Aster discuss how he leveled up his craft, convinced Joaquin Phoenix to trust him, and stepped beyond the horror genre to encompass the bizarre totality of Beau's mind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The co-creator of The Knick joins us to talk about stepping onto Perry Mason as a showrunner for Season 2. Hear how he achieved the team's ambitious goals to expand the scope of the story, deepen the already fantastic characters, and craft a beguiling mystery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With this horror classic getting a 20 year anniversary Blu-Ray release this year, we sat down with Rob Zombie to reflect on the making and impact of his debut film. He recalls wild stories from getting the movie made, and opens up about his journey since then finding his artistic voice within the industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I just want those old version to die forever," director Gregg Araki told us during our discussion of the release of the long awaited restoration. Twenty eight years since the film was last properly seen at its Sundance debut, hear Araki unpack his long emotional journey with the film, and what it took for this restoration to bring his original vision back to the big screen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The director of all four John Wick movies sat down to discuss the secrets behind the stunning action and stylistic flare of his iconic series. Stahelski goes deep on the many influences he drew from to keep pushing the boundaries of what Wick can be in this third sequel. With the scope of the film drawing from epics like Lawrence of Arabia, and the fight scenes inspired by Gene Kelly and Bob Fosse musicals, hear how the franchise stays engaging by rooting itself in classic cinematic language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Showrunners Nora & Lilla Zuckerman discuss how they built ten "all killer" mysteries for "Poker Face," even in episodes where no one actually, as well as how their work in the genre space helped them understand Charlie Cale and the importance of building stories that use every part of the Buffalo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After years as the star of the Creed franchise, Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut in this emotional third sequel. Jordan opened up with us about the challenges of directing intense physical scenes while maintaining his energy as an actor, and the trust and grace he received from his cast that made it possible. He also goes deep on how his passion for anime revamped the visual style an emotional storytelling of the fight scenes, and how real life fathers Muhammad Ali, Jamie Fox, Kobe Bryant, and his barber inspired the girl-dad relationship between Adonis and his young daughter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1987, Robert Townsend co-wrote, directed, starred in and self-financed (using his savings and credit cards) “Hollywood Shuffle” as a reaction against the lack of opportunities for black actors at the time. 36 years later, the film stands alongside “Stranger Than Paradise,” “She’s Gotta Have It,” and “sex, lies, and videotape” as a classic of the independent film movement and has been newly released on Blu-ray by the Criterion Collection. Townsend sat down with Toolkit to talk about the “dark ages” of 1980s independent film, how he turned his frustrations into the raw material of hilarious farce, and how the lessons learned on “Hollywood Shuffle” continue to fuel his successful directing career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acclaimed cinematographer Mandy Walker sat down with us to talk about filming the life and art of one of the most iconic performers of all time. Mandy reflects on her long partnership with director Baz Luhrmann, and gives an inside look at what it takes to bring a massive crew in line with his unique creative vision. Capturing Elvis on film the way Baz envisioned meant extensive research into period-accurate cameras and lighting, developing a way to track the story through changing film stocks, and even teaching her camera operators Elvis's dance choreography. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The seminal teenage hangout movie is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and Criterion has released a 4K restoration packed with insight into the making of this classic. To celebrate, we sat down with Linklater and discussed what exactly makes Dazed and Confused so endearing and enduring to audiences a generation later. From stories of casting, struggling with the structure of the script, and battles for the rights to the iconic soundtrack, hear the now established director reflect back on being a young filmmaker looking to find his voice in the face of the hollywood system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices