This is episode 34 and the FINAL EPISODE in our second season of The Directors Take Podcast.
In this week’s episode your hosts Marcus Anthony Thomas and Oz Arshad do a round up of their 2024 highlights, lowlights and their favourite episodes from the second season of the podcast, before throwing out some optimistic feels for the year ahead.
It’s been a tough year, but we are here to bring you some positivity for 2025 with a little help from our friends and guests of past episodes.
Our wonderful sponsor for this episode is THE NATIONAL FILM and TELEVISION SCHOOL.
We’ve also partnered with SCRIPTATION to offer our listeners an EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT on their software, which you can find on the link below…
http://scriptation.com/thedirectorstake
Nugget of the week
Marcus: The Telepathy Tapes by Ky Dickens
Oz: The Actors Guide to Success by Michaela Longden
Our Favourite Episodes of Season 2
Marcus:
Episode 1 – How I Directed Baby Reindeer with Weronika Tofilska
Episode 17 – Demystifying VFX with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s Angus Bickerton
Episode 8 – Showrunning BBC’s Domino Day with Lauren Sequeira
Episode 19 – Demystifying the road to BAFTAs & Oscars with Flair PR’s Catherine Lyn Scott
Episode 31 – How we created EMILIA PÉREZ with Jacques Audiard & Thomas Bidegain
Oz:
Episode 1 – How I Directed Baby Reindeer with Weronika Tofilska
Episode 15 & 16 – The Journey to Directing PRESUMED INNOCENT with Greg Yaitanes
Episode 9 – How I Directed HOUSE OF THE DRAGON with Clare Kilner
Episode 13 & 14 – The Journey to Directing SUPACELL with Sebastian Thiel
Episode 6 – Is Perfectionism Killing Your Creativity? With Dr. Thomas Curran
Credits
Socials
The Directors’ Take: Twitter (X) & Instagram
Marcus: Twitter (X) & Instagram
Oz: Twitter (X) & Instagram
If you have any questions relating to the episode or have topics you would like covering in future releases, reach out to us at TheDirectorsTake@Outlook.com
It's bittersweet, but we are saying goodbye this week and ending the same way we started: breaking down our predictions for this year's Oscars Ceremony. Stick around after for a celebration of all things ReelBlend while we reminisce about many of our most cherished memories on and off the show.
Thank you to everyone who has hung out with us for any number of discussions, debates, and of course interviews over the last several years. It's been the ride of a lifetime, and we couldn't have done any of it with you.
Until next time, Dunkirk!
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Timestamps (approx. only)
- 00:00 – Intro
- 2:47 – 2025 Oscars Predictions
- 1:11:32 – Farewell
- 1:53:12 – Outro
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John and Craig welcome writer and showrunner Tony Gilroy (Andor, Michael Clayton) for an in-depth look at crafting a second season of a hit TV show. They look at ways to find your season’s structure, setting your production up for success, controlling the energy your audience spends on information, and how to wrap up your story before the show eats you alive.
They also answer listener questions on what to do when a movie that’s similar to yours is wildly successful, and whether being a movie critic could hurt your writing career.
In our bonus segment for premium members, Tony sticks around to ponder which words we wish existed in English, and how we’d use them in our scripts.
Links:
- Tony Gilroy
- Here’s a recap of Andor Season 1!
- Andor Season 2: Trailer 1 | Trailer 2 | Special Look
- Episode 680 – Writing Action Set Pieces with Christina Hodson
- I’m Not a Robot short by Victoria Warmerdam
- I’m Not a Robot short by Jason Speir
- Stephen Schiff
- Startpage
- A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
- Raindrop
- Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
- Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
- Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
- Craig Mazin on Instagram
- John August on Bluesky, Threads, and Instagram
- Outro by Spencer Lackey (send us yours!)
- Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli.
Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
You can download the episode here.
Matt and Oren take a hard look at the current state of the film and TV industry in the wake of the LA fires, pandemic, strikes, AI, and streaming. It’s some real talk about the challenges facing production, including tax incentives, union rates, and the ongoing struggle to keep jobs from leaving the LA area.
And they explore potential solutions to get more production peeps working regularly and keep productions from being forced into shooting in places like Austin, Atlanta, Columbia, Mexico, and everywhere else.
From analyzing the role of tax breaks to discussing union wage negotiations, this is an insider’s perspective on what it will take for the industry to get more people working regularly.
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Get a great deal on Magic Mind! https://magicmind.com/shootit
Matt’s Endorsement: Use graph paper.
Oren’s Endorsement: Sesame AI voice https://www.sesame.com/
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In this episode, we’re talking strategy—not theory. If you’ve made a short (or are about to), this is the roadmap to make it count. We break down how to pick the right genre, why your feature script should be ready to go, and how to use festivals to build momentum toward directing your first feature.
🎯 Perfect for indie filmmakers ready to move beyond shorts.
In this episode, Brian and Elric look back at a bunch of movies that are turning 25 this year and run down some of their favorite recent new watches from the year 2000 as well as their individual top 10s from that banner year.
Consider supporting Pure Cinema (and getting monthly bonus content) via our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/purecinemapod
This episode is sponsored by MUBI! Get 30 days of great cinema free at https://mubi.com/purecinema (and we’d love it if you would give them a try!)
This month we also have another new sponsor – DIABOLIKDVD: https://diabolikdvd.com/
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and the New Beverly: https://bsky.app/profile/newbeverly.bsky.social
Welcome to Filmmaking (Actually)!
If you have any questions or comments for Koura or any of team, please reach out to us at filmmakingactually@gmail.com.
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For as little as $1.99 a month, you can join our community and stay updated on the latest projects from Koura and the Space Dream team.
Make sure to tune in for this and every episode, and we're excited to share more of what we have in store for you on Filmmaking (Actually).
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On this episode of the VIFF podcast, programmer Alan Franey sits down with Mark Levinson to talk about his film, TheUniverse in a Grain of Sand. Levinson, who is a former theoretical particle physicist as well as a producer on films such as Mystic Pizza and Teen Wolf, details why he transitioned from physicist to filmmaker—influenced by his findings at Berkeley's Pacific Film Archive.
The Universe in a Grain of Sand premiered at the 2024 Vancouver International Film Festival and explores the potential of quantum computing to solve complex problems, honing in on Levinson's view of AI as an extension of human creativity that could also bridge the gap between technology and our understanding of the universe.
This episode was recorded during the 2024 Vancouver International Film Festival.
This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.
Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.
In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the award-winning film “Saints and Soldiers” a special screening was held followed by an engaging Q&A with Cast and Crew moderated by actor Doug Jones.
This week we welcome filmmaker and producer Luis Caffesse on the show to talk about directing his mockumentary feature, Subtopia: The Story of Hueco Canyon which played at the Austin Film Festival earlier this year! I had the pleasure of conducting this interview from the Omni Hotel in Austin so it’s sure to be a good one. After that we play another round of THE GAME and Eric and Liz talk about what they are both up to, enjoy!
Don’t forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast
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It’s no surprise that a majority of Gen Z prefers content creators over traditional entertainment, but can the Hollywood establishment find a way to feed the next generation’s media diet? Matt Belloni and The Hollywood Reporter’s Alex Weprin investigate.
Plus, we revisit Kim Masters’ conversation with Rob Reiner and Albert Brooks about Reiner’s HBO documentary, Albert Brooks: Defending My Life. The legendary filmmakers talk about their early years in the industry and they talk about the drastically changing landscape of entertainment.
Check out our video essay channels on YouTube:
Thomas Flight: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThomasFlight
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About this episode:
Thomas Flight and Tom van der Linden discuss Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two.
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LOOK OUT! It’s only Films To Be Buried With!
Join your host Brett Goldstein as he talks life, death, love and the universe with comic, actor, writer and poet TIM KEY! This is the second and final part…
As well as being a unique individual in his own right, Tim is also one of those ‘six degrees’ people who you can get to and from just about anyone involved in comedy and screen. It speaks well how much Tim is adored in the wider world but also Tim is just awesome in all roles. Whether you met him through one of the various Alan Partridge projects, or through Taskmaster / Alex Horne-iverse, or through appearances in all manner of manifestations, you’ll get a ton from this episode (and the subsequent one!) as it’s just good times and good vibes from the beginning. In this second part you’ll hear more from the glorious mind of Tim and get that necessary closure from the first part, resulting a feeling of overall contentment and fulfillment. Enjoy!
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SUPERBOB (Brett’s 2015 feature film)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
SEASON 2 – EPISODE 135 – Simon Hayes – Production Sound Mixer
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with production sound mixer Simon Hayes (WICKED, LES MISERABLES, SHAUN OF THE DEAD). At 14, Simon followed his father to set to learn sound. At 15, he then won the European BMX Championship. And at 16, he quit school, immersed himself in the industry, and honed his skills during the boom times of British commercials. Simon shares how early-career nights at Soho bars led to his professional relationships with directors Guy Ritchie and Matthew Vaughn, and we discuss the lessons he learned about protecting live performances on those early films. Simon reveals how an idea from Meryl Streep changed the approach to recording the songs of MAMMA MIA!, and he later shares his own views on the effectiveness of boom mics and radio mics. Simon also reveals how they actually recorded the live vocals of LES MISERABLES without pre-recorded backing tracks, and he reflects on how his experiences in recording studios enabled him and his team to coordinate the complex musical numbers in WICKED with seasoned recording artists and leading actresses Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Plus, Simon reveals where he hid Elphaba’s radio mic.
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This episode is sponsored by Aputure
In this episode, we talk about
- Sydney’s Journey into the industry.
- Testing Lenses
- Working on The Holiday Club
- The importance of therapy.
Director of Photography: Sydney Lawson
https://www.sydlawson.com/
instagram: @sydlawson
Check out the Trailer for the Holiday Club:
Thank you for listening: Please let me know what you learned or thought of the show today. Subscribe to the podcast.
In this episode, I am joined by filmmaker Vivian Kerr to discuss her journey from acting to directing and how she successfully brought her first two feature films to life without traditional industry connections. Vivian’s debut feature, Scrap – a family dramedy starring herself alongside Anthony Rapp (Rent, Star Trek Discovery) – completed a two-year festival run spanning 43 festivals before its recent VOD release. She followed this quickly with her second feature, Seance, a psychological thriller that recently premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival. Throughout our conversation, we explored:
- Vivian’s background and transition from theater to filmmaking
- The genesis of Scrap and its exploration of hidden homelessness
- How she leveraged a short film version of Scrap to secure feature financing
- Using the equity crowdfunding platform WeFunder to raise the bulk of her financing
- Managing post-production on one film while doing a festival run with another
- The genesis of Seance and writing a contained feature during the pandemic
- Why believable performances are the foundation of good directing
Links from the show:
Scrap – Movie
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How has feminism changed in light of the way we live now?
DEAN SPADE (Author of Love in a F*cked Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up & Raise Hell Together) on recognizing political conditions in personal relationships.
MARILYN MINTER (Artist, Feminist) on sexual agency, beauty & her creative process.
TEY MEADOW (Author of Trans Kids: Being Gendered in the Twenty-First Century) on the necessity of creating an inclusive environment & argues that diverse storytelling is crucial for healthy development.
ELLEN RAPOPORT (Creator, Exec. Producer of Minx) on the evolution of feminism, the divides that emerged in the 70s over pornography & sex work.
LAURA EASON (Emmy-nominated Producer, Screenwriter · Three Women, House of Cards) on the significance of representing ordinary women’s experiences.
SHARMEEN OBAID-CHINOY (Oscar & Emmy-winning Director of Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge · Forthcoming Star Wars film) on the legacy of von Furstenberg.
SARA AHMED (Author, The Feminist Killjoy Handbook) reclaims the stereotypes, calling for solidarity among feminists.
INTAN PARAMADITHA (Author, The Wandering) reflects on the importance of intergenerational knowledge among women.
DIAN HANSON (Editor) on participating in the sex-positive movements of the 1960s to creating niche fetish magazines.
KATE MUETH (Neo-Political Cowgirls Founder) on the importance of finding meaning in creative work, community & storytelling in human experience.
Listen to full interviews
This week on the show we chat with cinematographer Scott Siracusano about his latest work on the film Control Freak.
Scott shares his unique path to shooting his debut feature, how he and the production tackled difficult situations over the course of the project, and he talks about what actually moves the needle for cinematography over the course of a schedule.
Lots of great takeaways from this conversation and hopefully we can get Scott back on the show in the future to see how his approach and the work progress.
Enjoy!
Patreon Breakdown – Behind the Scenes Breakdown
This week over on Patreon we are breaking down a commercial I shot late last year that had a few unique challenges. The breakdown episodes that used to live on the main podcast feed have now exclusively transferred over to the Patreon page for supporters.
The feedback has always been very positive for the breakdown episodes and the project that we are diving in to this week was the first that followed along every step of the way. We started with an initial look at the agency storyboards, then we went on location for the tech scout and now we are reviewing the final images to see how we did.
If you want access to all of the extra video content please check out the link below and help to support the show. I couldn’t do the podcast or the youtube content without the support.
Featured Guest – Cinematographer Scott Siracusano
Website: Scott Siracusasno
Instagram: @scott_siracusano
The post The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #480 – Cinematographer Scott Siracusano appeared first on Cinematography Podcast & Tutorials.
Praise Kier, it’s a Severance Script Apart special! In the spoiler conversation you’re about to hear, Dan Erickson – the dystopian workplace drama’s creator and showrunner – spills all the secrets that Lumon Industries will allow, about the season two finale that aired last week, and our real-world relationships with work, corporations and personal pain that the show offers a meditation on.
The series, starring Adam Scott, Britt Lower, John Tuturro and Zach Cherry, debuted on Apple TV+ in 2022 at the exact right time: post-pandemic, a new Zoom-aided groundswell of people found themselves now “working from home” in a way that might be better described as “living at work.” Studies showed Brits and Americans were working longer than hours than ever and tethered to their desks in this round the clock way that made Severance’s story – of characters trapped in an endless hellscape of never-ending work – hit in this deeply relatable way. All work and no play… you know the rest.
It was a three year wait for season two, but the payoff was worth it. This latest batch of episodes delved deeper into the lives and psyches of Mark S, Helly R and their “Outies” – the versions of themselves who have no recollection of their job once they leave; it’s like they’re never there. And in doing so, new questions and philosophical dilemmas were thrown at us in the audience about personhood under capitalism, who deserves what rights and what constitutes a soul.
Listen out for Dan’s revelations about his drastically different original pilot for the show, and his breakdown of every twist and turn in this final episode including that ambiguous line of Helly’s – “I’m her.” We also get into the hardship from Dan’s life that he’s glad he didn’t sever from: a period of depression in which he learned there’s “power in clawing your way out of a dark place.” It made him the writer he is today – the writer responsible for Severance.
Script Apart is hosted by Al Horner and produced by Kamil Dymek. Follow us on Instagram, or email us on thescriptapartpodcast@gmail.com.
Support for this episode comes from Final Draft.
To get ad-free episodes and exclusive content, join us on Patreon.
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Veronica West (creator of Surface, High Fidelity; Dexter: New Blood; Chicago Fire) discusses why she wrote Surface on spec, the elaborate pitch, working with actors, learning on the job, and more.
THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.
Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker’s newsletter, Re:Writing, where you’ll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he’s interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com
Come see Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Busy Philipps, Joshua Malina, Janet Varney, and more in The Thrilling Adventure Hour live in a city near you! https://thrillingadventure.live for details.
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