Indiewire's Filmmaker Toolkit

One of the three co-creators of the new HBO Max series “Hacks,” Aniello also directed six of the 10 episodes (including the first three) and together with cinematographer Adam Bricker employed a purposeful and effective use of the camera so sorely missing from most half-hour comedy series. On the podcast Lucia discusses casting a non-standup in Jean Smart, creating her routines, and how she used the camera to tell the story of Deborah Vance (Smart) and Ava (Hannah Einbinder). Bricker joins the second half of the podcast to talk about creating the look of a classic Vegas and avoiding the pitfalls inherent with cross-shooting a comedy series.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The “In the Heights” director on his original pitch to Lin-Manuel Miranda to direct his Tony award winning musical. We break down the opening number, the “When the Sun Goes Down” dance up the side of the building, and Jon’s distinct use of movement.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The “P-Valley” showrunner talks about growing up in Memphis and how going to strip clubs informed how her Starz TV series celebrates the culture and art form of stripping. Hall discussed how she was inspired by Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” and used color light to capture the beauty of her casts’ dark skin tones. The playwright-turned-TV creator also talked about her experience of being a first time showrunner, what she is building off for Season 2 (about to start filming), where she’ll step into the director’s chair for the first time.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Co-star Anna Konkle talks about the "half-therapy, half-masochist" process of reliving her middle school years through her "Pen15" character, writing the incredible “Vendy Wiccany" (witch) episode, and working with her 13 year-old stars.  And at the 27:26 mark, co-creator Sam Zvibleman, who directed all seven episodes of Season 2A, joins the podcast to talk the restraint of Season 2, the influence of "Welcome to the Dollhouse" and the low-fi 90s filmmaking aesthetic of "Pen15," the difficulty of cutting 50 minute episodes down to 30, and what's like to shoot every episode in 4 days.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did creator and star Michaela Coel make “I May Destroy You”? We go inside her process with two close collaborators, as we discuss Coel stepping into the role of Arabella through costume, visually adapting her 12 brilliant scripts, capturing the spirit of East London, the constantly evolving rewrite process, and that surreal final episode.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

McQueen and Kirchner go inside how they created the magic of the “Lovers Rock” dance scenes, how McQueen’s own life was saved by the heroic mothers featured in “Education,” the fight to shoot 16mm, and how they approached making 5 individual movies in this remarkable anthology.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barry Jenkins returns to the podcast with his long-time cinematographer James Laxton to discuss their epic journey in shooting all 10 episodes of the Amazon Original Series “Underground Railroad.”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Why shouldn’t films look like this?” asks director Emerald Fennell, who believes diverse storytelling doesn’t just open the door to different stories and characters, but a diversity of craft. In talking about the colorful world she built around Cassie (Carrie Mulligan), Fennell breaks down how she constructed a film that tackles difficult issues in such entertaining and subversive ways. At the 24 minute mark, Emerald and I welcome “Promising Young Woman” costume designer Nancy Steiner and production designer Michael Perry to the conversation, where we talk about everything from Paris Hilton Videos to Twin Peaks to Sweet Valley High. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Does a Childhood Memory Look and Sound Like? That's a question we explore with the "Minari" director, who revisited his memories of growing up on an Arkansas family farm in the 1980s to make this film. And for the second half of the podcast Isaac and I welcome his composer Emile Mosseri into the conversation to discuss their collaboration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it feel like when your relationship to the world around you suddenly changes? Riz and Darius talk about the unique subjective experience they crafted for the audience as Ruben (Ahmed) looses his hearing, and the immersive way they shot ‘Sound of Metal.’ From putting mics down Riz’s throat, to learning drums, to the fascinating way sound design dictated editing and camera, we jump inside one of the more interesting production and craft stories of this awards season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zhao and Richards talk about how their process and filmmaking has evolved over 3 films, their spiritual connection to Terrence Malick, why Zhao decided to edit herself and Richards wanted to build Fern's van himself (and ended up with a production design credit), and marvels of Frances McDormand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The only way Shaka King was going to get a film made about the Chicago leader of the Black Panthers, Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), was to mask it as ‘Donnie Brasco’ genre film, and on this podcast we break down the incredible structure and ingenuity of this remarkable script. Shaka also talks about collaborating with DP Sean Bobbitt (after Bradford Young had to step away form the project), how the 'Judas' team turned modern day Cleveland into the westside of Chicago of the late 60s, the music track the director played at every pitch meeting (much to Exec Prod Ryan Coogler's dismay), and actress Dominique Fishback's vital role in shaping the film's third act and the role of Deborah Johnson (now known as Akua Njeri). 'Judas and the Black Messiah' is streaming now on HBO Max. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The “Euphoria” creator talks about writing his new Netflix film around Zendaya’s persona and talents, throwing away the first two days of shooting, lacking confidence on set, finding the right needle drops, making the special “Euphoria” episodes, being aware of the audience’s (and his own) attention span, and severely restricting the number shots, angles, and lenses he uses. We also address (at the beginning and end of the podcast) Malcolm’s (John David Washington) attacks on film critics in the film, which Sam believes is being misconstrued and I believe is problematic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

'Gunda' Director Victor Kossakovsky by Chris O'Falt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When “Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets” premiered at Sundance last January it sparked a predictable conversation about what qualifies as a documentary. Bill and Turner Ross’ nonfiction story about the last night of a bar on the outskirts of the Las Vegas Strip was actually shot in a New Orleans bar, its patrons were bar flies the co-directors had met in an extensive casting process of visiting late night watering holes throughout the city. What got lost in the focus on the behind-the-scenes elements of making “Bloody Nose” was the craft that went into it and art that unfolded on screen. Bill and Turner are masters of direct cinema, and on the podcast we give them an opportunity to dig into their craft and process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A fascinating filmmaking discussion about how echoes Truffaut, Scorsese, Peckinpah, and Bergman found their way into this intimate nonfiction drama. Ree and “the Painter” (Kysilkova) talk about their unique collaboration and what happened off-screen before filming, while the director also opens up about how he was mentally drained and ready to give up on the film before getting an important call from Sundance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most cinematically exciting, joyous, and sad films of the year, the director behind "Cameraperson" talks about her process of making a Netflix film with her father about his dementia and inevitable death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How ‘Son of Saul,' 'Lincoln' and other scripted narrative films Influenced this Documentary’s Up-Close and Widescreen Subjectivity. From casting to editing, a deep dive into the Grand Jury Prize winner for Best Documentary at Sundance 2020, and the frontrunner for the 2021 Oscar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Possibly the film of the year, Garrett Bradley takes us inside the creation of her poetic cinematic process in making a film about love, family, and incarceration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

'Succession' Deep Dive: Creator Jeremy Armstrong and His Craft Team Break Down the Season 2 Finale – "The Is Not for Tears." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices