The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Director Azazel Jacobs discusses his new film, His Three Daughters, with fellow Director David Zellner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses how his personal experiences informed the film, working with his cast to capture performances against their usual types, and shooting scenes in the same order as they happen in the film to allow the performances to evolve with the story. The film tells the story of Katie, Christina and Rachel, who reunite for the first time in many years at their dying father’s New York City apartment. Over the course of three claustrophobic days, the sisters unearth past grievances, traumas and hang-ups as they learn to coexist before their father’s departure. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/Oct2024/HisThreeDaughters_QnA_0924

Director Matt Tyrnauer discusses his new film, Carville: Winning is Everything, Stupid!, with fellow Director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses his cinema verite approach to the nuances of Carville’s life, puzzling where and how to include Carville’s wife, Mary Matalin in the film, and finding a new wind in his documentary following Joe Biden’s exit from the presidential race. Screened as part of the DGA’s Documentary Series, the film follows the Democratic consultant’s career, from his rise to fame in 1992 to his current effort with Kamala Harris’ campaign. As he navigates America’s tumultuous 2024 election cycle, Carville is portrayed not only in his political element, but also in his personal life. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/Oct2024/DocSeries_CARVILLE-0924

Director Megan Park discusses her new film, My Old Ass, with fellow Director Siân Heder in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, she discusses finding and the means of capturing her tone, discovering scenes with the help of scouting the locations and the process of casting of Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza as the two leads. The film tells the story of teenager Elliott who, after her first time taking mushrooms on a summer vacation, is visited by a 39-year-old version of herself. Through this apparition of her older self, she learns valuable lessons about family, friends, love and coming to terms with her sexual orientation. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/Oct2024/MyOldAss_QnA_0924

Austin Peters, director of the film Skincare, joins Mimi Cave to explore the creative process behind his latest project. They discuss the quest for an authentic portrayal of Los Angeles, creating within the 'Sunshine Noir' genre, and working with Elizabeth Banks to craft her character. The conversation dives into the transformative journey of filmmaking, the vital role of music in storytelling, and the unique challenges of capturing real neighborhoods in Hollywood. Together, they emphasize collaboration and the unexpected joys that arise during production.

Director Fede Alvarez discusses his new film, Alien: Romulus, with fellow Director Leigh Whannell in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses his process for crafting scenes, creating a believable relationship between a human and android character, and working with the effects team from previous films. This continuation of the Alien franchise tells the story of a group of young space colonizers with a plan to scavenge a derelict space station. Instead, once they arrive, they discover they might not be alone. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/Oct2024/AlienRomulus_QnA_0824

Director Lee Daniels discusses his new film, The Deliverance, with fellow Director Adam Shankman in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses making a horror film for the first time with his characters at the forefront, playing with serious and campy tonal points, and discovering his portrayals of religious imagery while considering his own beliefs. The film tells the story of Ebony, a struggling single mother who moves her family into a new home for a fresh start. But when strange occurrences inside the home threaten to tear the family apart, Ebony soon finds herself locked in a battle for her and her children’s lives. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/Oct2024/TheDeliverance_QnA_0824

Director Irene Taylor discusses her new film, I Am: Celine Dion, with fellow Director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, she discusses discovering the purpose of her film as she was making it, Celine’s effort to participate more in the making of the film and being deliberate about how much she wanted to explore Celine’s stardom alongside more sensitive topics in her home life. Screened as part of the DGA’s Documentary Series, the film tells the story of the Canadian singer’s past and present as well as the sacrifices she’s made to continue performing for her beloved fans, all while managing her life-altering illness. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2024/Sept2024/DocSeries_IAMCelineDion-0824

Director Greg Berlanti discusses his new film, Fly Me to the Moon, with fellow Director Dan Gilroy in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses how his past work in film and television lead to him creating this film, utilizing authentic digital and practical production design to recreate aspects of the Apollo missions not seen before onscreen, and working with his actors to channel the tone of a classic workplace romantic comedy genre. The film tells the story of Kelly, a marketing director, who’s brought on to fix NASA’s waning public image against the wishes of NASA’s launch director, Cole. But when the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Kelly and Cole must work together and stage a fake landing as the launch grows nearer. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/August2024/FlyMe2DMoon_QnA_0724

Director Ti West discusses his new film, MaXXXine, with fellow Director Sean Baker in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses filming his X trilogy without pause, working with Actor Mia Goth to develop her characters between each film, and using familiar film production steps as horror setpieces. The third entry in West’s trilogy of X films tells the story of Maxine, an adult film star looking to break into mainstream cinema in 1980s Hollywood. But when a mysterious killer begins stalking starlets on the strip, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/August2024/MaXXXine_QnA_0724

Director Tony Goldwyn discusses his new film, Ezra, with fellow Director Michael Pressman in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, he discusses accurately casting the role of Ezra, utilizing selective shooting styles to capture the emotion he aimed for, and working with his friend and screenwriter - whose own experience the film is based on - to craft this story. The film tells the story of Max, a stand-up comedian struggling to co-parent his autistic son, Ezra, with his ex-wife. But when he’s forced to confront difficult decisions about his son’s future, Max and Ezra embark on a cross-country road trip that has a transcendent impact on both their lives. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/August2024/Ezra_QnA_0624