How do you make a small budget seem large or few resources seem plentiful? That is what Ryan and Colin Levy discuss in this latest episode. Colin is no stranger to making an indie budget look like a Hollywood blockbuster. His short film, Skywatch stands shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the biggest films you’ve seen, all done with far fewer resources than you’d think.
Scott Glassgold is a Manager and Producer with well over a decade of experience. After getting his start at New Line Cinema and Disney, Scott Founded Ground Control, an innovative Management, and Production company. From there, he’s gone on to nurture several short films and initial ideas to final feature films – such as Prospect and The Beyond.
Recently Scott has driven several high-profile deals like his recent 7 figure sale of “My Wife and I Bought a Ranch” to Netflix,
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The importance of the First Assistant Director can’t be understated. They set the tone for the crew, keep the production on schedule, and are one of the closest allies of the director.
And this is the role Hristo Dimitrov fills with ease. With films like Rambo: Last Blood, Hunter Killer, Paul, Apostle of Christ, and the recent Netflix original Concrete Cowboy on his resume, it’s safe to say that Hristo is no stranger to the ins and outs of the process.
Today Ryan chats with Hristo about the responsibilities and challenges a 1st AD faces during the making of a feature film.
Sam Hargrave is the director behind the new Netflix original, Extraction, starring Chris Hemsworth.
While Extraction is Sam’s first feature as a director, it’s far from his first experience with action. With credits in Atomic Blonde, Winter Soldier, Civil War, Infinity War, and End Game, Sam has been a part of creating some of the most exciting action of the last 10 years.
In this episode, Sam talks about his path to the director’s chair and how he handles action to create those visceral gut-punch-style action sequences.
J Blakeson is the writer/director behind the new Netflix original, I Care a Lot, starring Rosamund Pike.
J started his career like many of us did, making films with his friends and just trying to figure it out. By 21, he had his first agent and went about trying to get his scripts made. After some years of frustration, J took matters into his own hands and wrote a film that he knew he could make himself with the resources he had. That film ended up being his breakout feature, The Disappearance of Alice Creed. Since then, J has carved a spot for himself in the feature and television world with his unique voice, leading to his latest and possibly best film.
Brett and Drew Pierce are the writer/director team behind the new horror film THE WRETCHED, an old school creature feature with more going on under the hood than just scares.
While having a background in Hollywood productions, the brothers still approach their work with a “do-it-yourself” attitude and a complete willingness to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty to make their film happen. Their infectious passion has led to them releasing their latest feature under IFC Films and will undoubtedly grant them more great features to come.
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Make your film! That is what drives the team behind the new comedy FAITH BASED. From shooting with iPhones in their living rooms, to what it ultimately became—a full-blown feature film with an impressive cast (Jason Alexander, Lance Riddick, and David Koechner, just to name a few). Vincent Masciale, Luke Barnett, and Tanner Thomason were going to make this film, come “hell” or high water.
Now with an October 9th release date and a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, the guys have show that with a little luck and a whole lot of passion and talent, you can make your dream project happen.
There’s perhaps no greater excitement for an aspiring filmmaker than to have their directorial debut receive mass acclaim and distribution. Relic is the directorial debut of Japanese-Australian writer/director filmmaker, Natalie Erika James. It’s a horror film anchored by its deeply emotional and honest themes, and masterfully co-written and directed by James.
Released theatrically in drive-ins, and now available across most major streaming platforms, you’d never guess that Relic is Natalie’s first outing as a feature writer/director. In the episode of the Film Riot podcast, fresh off the experience of making the film, Natalie meets with Ryan to discuss her experience as a first-time writer/director, working with actors, and why she leaned into the horror genre to tell this specific and personal story.
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As the cinematographer for such beautiful work as A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Manchester by the Sea, and I Know This Much is True, Jody Lee Lipes brings an emotional honesty to all his work.
Of course, every element within the filmmaking process is a part of delivering on that honesty, with arguably two of the most important aspects being the performance and cinematography. Those two elements work together in a creative dance – if one is out of step with the other, the intention won’t land and the emotional impact would be lost. Imagine the scene in Contagion where Matt Damon’s character learns his wife has died, but with constant dolly moves and lens flares.
That emotional honesty is something that Jody pulls off with ease. Today he and Ryan chat about leaning into that meaning and honesty, working with technically difficult scenes (like the twinning in his latest HBO show), and what made him want to be a filmmaker.
If you are wondering how to start making the films you love… To steal from Nike’s slogan… JUST DO IT!
That thought process seems to be behind everything Phil Hawkins does. Like a lot of us, he’s a student of Spielberg, Lucas, and the other greats of that day. Since he broke in, Phil has directed several features and worked with the likes of Al Pacino, Robert Englund, and Christopher Walken.
Today Ryan and Phil chat about how he shot an award-winning feature in just two days, making one of the biggest fan films ever made, and the importance of working with people you trust.
