The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Tone is probably the strongest element that defines a project and yet, surprisingly, is a topic that is frequently the least discussed on a feature film, pilot, or first season of a television show. DGA members interested in learning more about techniques for determining and subsequently communicating this ever elusive but critical aspect gathered in the Guild’s Los Angeles theater for Special Projects Committee event, Creating & Talking Tone with Your Team. In a conversation moderated by Director Valerie Weiss, Directors Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, Karyn Kusama and David O. Russell spoke about what has worked and not worked on their productions. In the conversation, the panelists discuss how the topic of tone is implemented throughout their projects and shared their advice on how to achieve tone through music, casting, opening shots and much more. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/April2023/SP-CreatingNTalkingToneWithYourTeam-0323.aspx

Director Matt Smukler discusses his new film, Wildflower, with fellow director Will Speck in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Smukler spoke about how the project transitioned from a documentary to a narrative feature, the challenges of making the shift in format and selecting a cast resembling family. Based on a true story about his extended family that inspired a documentary of the same name, Smukler’s feature centers on Bea, the daughter of two intellectually disabled parents and a set of relatives that can't quite agree on the best way to help. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/May2023/Wildflower_QnA_0323.aspx

Director Michael B. Jordan discusses his new film, Creed III, with fellow director Tim Miller in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Jordan discusses the challenge of directing himself, how the fight scenes were another language within the film, and how anime allowed the themes of the story to resonate. The film follows boxing champion Adonis Creed as he is forced to put his future on the line when a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy resurfaces after serving time in prison, eager to settle an old score and prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/April2023/Creed003_QnA_0323.aspx

Director Alice Diop discusses her new film, Saint Omer, with fellow director Dee Rees in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Diop speaks about finding ways to expand the court room visually, how her personal experience of watching the trial informed her direction, and relying on intuition to lead her through the making of the film. Based on true events, the film tells the story of Rama, a successful author living in Paris, who travels to the northern town of Saint Omer to attend the trial of a young Senegalese women accused of murdering her baby daughter. Rama's plan to write a book about the case unravels when she is forced to reckon with memories of her own immigrant mother as well as her impending motherhood. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/March2023/GCS_SaintOmer_0123.aspx

Director Michael Showalter discusses his new film, Spoiler Alert, with fellow director Charles Rogers in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Showalter speaks about earning an emotional reaction to the film through technique, dealing with characters who use humor as a coping mechanism, and working with how an actor interprets a character naturally. Based on Michael Ausiello's 2017 memoir, Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies, the film follows the final 11-months of Manhattan photographer Kit Cowan's life from his terminal cancer diagnosis to his death, told through the eyes of Ausiello, his spouse. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/February2023/1222_QnA_SpoilerAlert.aspx

Director Sam Mendes and fellow director Karyn Kusama discuss Mendes' new film, Empire of Light. They explore the personal nature of impactful scenes, crafting the film and maintaining restraint in its execution, the power of movies to transport and impact us, and the importance of authenticity and sense of place in creating an immersive experience.

Director Scott Cooper and fellow director David O. Russell discuss the film "The Pale Blue Eye" in a Q&A session. Topics include the importance of restraint in period movies, collaboration with Christian Bale, and creating an immersive experience for the audience. The film explores the murder of a West Point cadet and enlists the help of a young Edgar Allan Poe. They also discuss the incredible cast and cinematography, powerful performances, and shooting the film's fiery ending.

Director James Cameron discusses his new film, Avatar: The Way of Water, with fellow director Guillermo del Toro in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Cameron speaks about working with Sigourney Weaver to develop her unique character, the innovative tech necessary for the film (and its upcoming sequels) and the groundbreaking process of underwater performance capture. The long-awaited sequel to Cameron’s DGA Award-nominated feature, Avatar, The Way of Water is set a decade after the events of the first film and follows human-turned-Na’vi Jake Sully, who must find a safe haven for his family when old foes return to ravage their beautiful home and destroy their harmonious way of life. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/February2023/1222_QnA_Avatar.aspx

Director Damien Chazelle discusses his new film, Babylon, with fellow director Taylor Hackford in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Chazelle discusses the real-life figures who inspired the lead characters in the film, capturing the DNA of a "party movie" through the use of music, and crafting an atmosphere on set where life blends with art. The film chronicles the rise and fall, outsized ambition, and outrageous excess of multiple characters during Hollywood’s transition from silent to sound films in the late 1920s. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/February2023/1222_QnA_Babylon.aspx

Darren Aronofsky and Greta Gerwig discuss Aronofsky's film "The Whale," exploring the motivation behind the 4:3 aspect ratio, the adaptation from the play to the novel Moby Dick, and collaboration with Brendan Fraser. They talk about creating a magical atmosphere using lighting and production design, finding the perfect actor after a 10-year search, and the advantages of shooting in a single location. The podcast also touches on working with a film composer, setting the film in 2016, and the visual style.