“Before I Change My Mind” is a wonderful coming-of-age story with a twist: the gender of our protagonist, Robin (played by Vaughan Murrae), is indeterminate throughout the film. Writer/Director Trevor Anderson shares how his extensive theater experience — and the support of the Edmonton theater scene — was integral to the making of this movie. We also talk about how it’s even possible to set a film in the Alberta, Canada, of 1987 for only half a million dollars (American). Trevor’s answer,...

“Drugstore June”, starring Esther Povitsky, is a refreshingly low-key comedy that I sincerely enjoyed. Indie filmmaking is challenging, and Cinematographer Sherri Kauk explains how she worked with Director Nicholaus Goossen and the rest of the crew on issues of budget and schedule, ensuring that they got the most bang for their limited buck. She also shares insights that I wouldn’t have picked up on my own, like the different visual style of each act and how she plays with color throughout...

“Griselda”, currently streaming on Netflix, stars Sofia Vergara as the titular cocaine kingpin, prominent in the Miami drug scene of the 1970s and 1980s. The role is a change of pace for the former “Modern Family” star, and my guest Angela Nogaro, Makeup Department Head for the series, was part of the team that made Sofia’s transformation possible. We talk about the challenges of designing makeup for a period-set project and how everyone came together in support of the vision (actors included).

The Paramount+ series “Sexy Beast”, with all eight episodes currently streaming, is a prequel to Jonathan Glazer’s 2000 film of the same name. My guest is Producer and Editor Matthew Barber, who joined the production to help establish the tone of the series and worked as an editor on the first and last episodes. We talk about the challenges of doing a prequel series to the well-respected film, and we break down specific scenes from an editor's perspective. The State of the Podcast is strong!...

“Oppenheimer” cleaned up at the Academy Awards last weekend, claiming seven statues for its 13 nominations. My guest this episode is the film’s Propmaster, Guillaume DeLouche. Achievement in Propmastering isn’t recognized with an Oscar, but today, we’re going to discuss how props contributed to all of the nominations and wins for Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus. Yes, even Original Score! Oh, and Guillaume and I first worked together back in 2000, so it’s a reunion of sorts. Good times! Join us.

BONUS EPISODE! Propmastering is not recognized with an Oscar, but what if it was? Gregg Bilson, Jr. (President of mega-prop conglomerate ISS) and Scott Buckwald (property master and friend of the podcast!) discuss a hypothetical slate of films that could be nominated for their props. This episode wraps our Academy Awards coverage, but if you've listened to the entire series, I promise you'll be the smartest person at your Oscars party. The 2023 Nominees for Propmastering: •“The...

The Academy Awards are only a week away, and today we’re discussing the Oscar nominees for Original Song. My guests — Chris Molanphy (chart analyst and podcast host), Louis Weeks (score composer), and Tom Peyton (song writer) — offer an assessment of these nominees that encompasses both the technical and the meta. The 2023 Nominees for Original Song: •"The Fire Inside" from "Flamin' Hot"  •"I'm Just Ken" from "Barbie"  •"It Never Went Away" from "American Symphony"  •"Wahzhazhe (A Song For My...

Our tour through the technical categories continues with a discussion of the Oscar nominees for Original Score. My guests — Louis Weeks (score composer), Chris Molanphy (chart analyst/pop critic), and Jennie Armon (executive producer/music supervisor) — offer a multi-layered set of insights. The 2023 Nominees for Original Score: •"American Fiction"  •"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny"  •"Killers of the Flower Moon" •"Oppenheimer" •"Poor Things"

The Oscar nominees for Film Editing compose an interesting slate of films this year, and editors Christopher Angel and Amy Duddleston return to share their insights. For those following along at home, you may be amused to know that they disagree on the merits of at least one of these movies, but they both reinforced my opinion about the one nominee I’ve elsewhere suggested was overrated. What drama! Join us for a listen. The 2023 Nominees for Film Editing: •"Anatomy of a Fall" •"The...

Our Academy Awards series continues with a discussion of the Oscar nominees for Makeup and Hairstyling. Joining me today are Angela Nogaro (Makeup) and Yvonne Depatis-Kupka (Hair), discussing not only the nominated films but - once again - questions about the selection process and who is considered part of the team. Why is there only one name on the team for “Oppenheimer”? We offer some thoughts. The 2023 Nominees for Makeup and Hairstyling: •"Golda" •"Maestro" •"Oppenheimer" •"Poor...

Film professionals discussing the nominees in their area of expertise: that’s Below the Line at the Oscars. Today, we’re talking about Cinematography, and my returning guests — Patrick Cady and David Tuttman — are directors of photography with stories to share.  The 2023 Nominees for Cinematography:  •"El Conde" •"Killers of the Flower Moon" •"Maestro" •"Oppenheimer" •"Poor Things"

Costume Designers Helen Huang And Allison Choi Braun return to offer their insights on this year’s Oscar nominees for Costume Design. We mark our halfway point through the Academy Awards season with another great conversation, discussing not only the five nominated films but also how the craft of costume design is such an integral aspect of the filmmaking collaboration. The 2023 Nominees for Costume Design: • "Barbie" •"Killers of the Flower Moon"  •"Napoleon"  •"Oppenheimer"  •"Poor Things" 

It’s difficult to sell 12 episodes of Oscars coverage, but if you appreciate the work done by crew, you’re going to appreciate this season, where film professionals discuss the nominees in the category of their expertise. Today’s animated conversation about the nominees for Animated Feature benefits from returning guests, Kent Seki and Camille Leganza. Have YOU seen Oscar nominee “Robot Dreams”? It's the rare case of a nominated film that I didn't get to see, so no spoilers about that...

We’re continuing our deep dive discussions about the Oscar nominees in the technical categories, and today, Production Designer Bob Shaw and Set Decorator Regina Graves - Oscar nominees themselves - offer their insights about the five nominees for Production Design. The 2023 Nominees for Production Design: •"Barbie"  •"Killers of the Flower Moon" •"Napoleon"  •"Oppenheimer" •"Poor Things" 

It’s non-stop conversations about the Oscar nominees in the technical categories from now until the Academy Awards, and I hope you'll follow us for the full season. Today, Kent Seki and Chris Batty return to discuss the nominees for Visual Effects. This year, it looks like any of these nominees could deservedly take the prize. Join us for insights about the surprising group of contenders in this rapidly evolving field. The 2023 Nominees for Visual Effects: • "The Creator" • "Godzilla Minus...

Below the Line continues our Fifth Annual Oscar Series with a discussion of the nominees for achievement in Directing, and I’m joined by a returning panel of fellow below-the-liners: Katie Carroll, Bill Hardy, Roger Mendoza and Shaun O’Banion. It’s the first year we’ve discussed the directors nominated for the Academy Award, but it’s in lieu of our traditional conversation focused on the Directors Guild of America nominees (the DGA crowns their winners next weekend, Feb 10th). Same panel,...

Our Fifth Annual Oscar Series begins now! Once again, we’ve got panels of film professionals discussing the nominees in their category of expertise. First up: Oscar nominee Steve Morrow (production sound mixer) and Oscar winner Don Sylvester (sound editor) discuss this year's nominees for Sound. The 2023 Nominees for Sound: •“The Creator” •“Maestro”  •“Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One”  •“Oppenheimer” •"The Zone of Interest”

Now for something completely different! “Gen V” is a bombastic and provocative take on the Superhero genre, and Film Editor Maura Corey threads a needle balancing the action, the satire, and the humor from scene to scene. Gianni Damaia returns to the co-host seat, and - once again - it’s a laugh-out-loud conversation that I hope you’ll enjoy as much as we did.

2022’s “Aftersun” is a slow-burn of a movie which nonetheless resonated with a sizable audience, and Film Editor Blair McClendon brings us inside the collaboration that sits at the center of this film (which is currently streaming on Showtime and Paramount+). Fellow editor (and friend of the podcast) Christopher Angel identified “Aftersun” as an overlooked gem when we discussed Oscar nominees at the start of 2023, and he joins me today in the co-host chair to help tease out what made this...

“Hatching”, a successful Finnish horror film currently streaming on Hulu, is a good case study for exploring the differences between European filmmaking and the U.S. studio system. I’m joined today by the Producer of “Hatching”, Mika Ritalahti, and two Executive Line Producers from Mistrus Media Film Production, Gints Grube and Elina Gedina. While the film is from Finland, principal photography was conducted in Riga, Latvia, and my panel shares how this entertaining movie came together.

“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” was released in theaters early this year and is now streaming on multiple platforms. Tyler Cordova, Co-Visual Effects Producer, is here to explain how practical effects and visual effects work together to create the magic of the film. And for the first time on the podcast: we’re discussing specific scenes in real time! Let us know if it works.

“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” wrapped earlier this year after four seasons on Amazon Prime, and Production Designer Derek Hill is here to offer behind-the-scene insights for a team that was based out of Budapest but filmed across Europe, from Greece to Croatia to the Canary Islands. Oh, and COVID: there was COVID.

Costume Designer Liz Vastola talks about her work on “Twisted Metal”, the comedy/action video game adaptation currently streaming on Peacock. I’ve never played the video game, but co-host (and fellow podcaster) Gianni Damaia brings some hard-won expertise to our laugh-out-loud discussion of the series.

Score Composer Andrew Lockington talks about his work on Taylor Sheridan’s “Special Ops: Lioness” (currently airing on Paramount+), and co-host Louis Weeks (composer, recording artist, and friend of the podcast) provides another layer of insight to our conversation. We discuss Andrew’s work on multiple levels, from the intention behind specifics pieces of score to the larger themes that inform the overall arc of the story.