Welcome to episode #36 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- My guest this week is Gráinne Humphreys. Gráinne is the Executive Director of the Dublin International Film Festival. Today, we talk about how Gráinne got started in film programming, how programming a major festival like DIFF works, submissions tips for filmmakers, the importance of Gala screening spaces and much more. -- The purpose of this podcast is to give a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the...

Welcome to episode #35 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- My guest this week is director, Darcia Martin. Darcia’s credits include Call The Midwife, Queen Charlotte, Casualty, The Chelsea Detective, Riches, Three Little Birds and more. -- Today, we talk about how Darcia moved from documentary to drama, making short films, pitching to JJ Abrams' production company BAD ROBOT and, she shares incredible insights and actionable advice for aspiring...

Welcome to episode #34 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- My guest this week is actor and filmmaker, Baz Black. As an actor, Baz has starred in Brassic, KIN, Swing Bout, and Dublin Crust, amongst others. As a writer, director and producer he has made award-winning short films, but is most well known for his indie-feature, Dublin Crust, which hit #1 on Amazon Prime in Ireland upon it’s release. -- Today, we discuss acting, indie-filmmaking and the...

Welcome to episode #33 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- My guest this week is Casting director, Wayne Linge. Wayne started his career as an actor and theatre maker before moving into casting. He worked extensively for the BBC before setting up Crampsie Linge Casting. Some of Wayne’s credits include We Hunt Together, EastEnders, Father Brown, Shakespeare and Hathaway, Our Girl and more.  -- Today, we discuss how Wayne came to work in casting, his top...

Welcome to episode #32 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- My guest this week is producer, Alex Jones. Alex started her career in the AD department where she worked on shows like Game Of Thrones, Penny Dreadful and Vikings. Her most recent work is producing high-end television drama such as Penance, Witness Number 3 and The Night Caller. Her latest show, The Hardacres, is currently airing on Channel 5.  -- Today, Alex takes us through her career to date,...

Welcome to episode #31 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- My guest this week is editor, Tony Kearns. Throughout his career Tony has edited iconic music videos for artists like Prodigy, Blur, The Chemical Bothers, Coldplay, Radiohead, Paul McCartney and more. His film and TV credits include Miss Scarlet and the Duke, Smother, and Black Mirror, including Bandersnatch.  -- Today, Tony takes us behind the scenes on his iconic career in music videos, his...

Welcome to episode #30 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to production designer, Lauren Kelly. Lauren was the production designer on the internationally acclaimed feature film 'You Are Not My Mother’. Other feature films include Claire Dix’s ‘Sunlight’, Damian McCarthy’s ‘ODDITY’ and Marian Quinn's 'TWIG’. Upcoming releases include ‘VISITATION’, produced by Entertainment One, Rumble Films, and Keeper Pictures, as well as...

Welcome to episode #29 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to producer, Louise Say. Louise has 25 years experience across high end drama and landmark documentaries. Some of Louise's credits include iconic BBC series' like Shetland, Dracula and Les Miserables. Other credits include Air Ambulance ER, How The Universe Works and Titanic: Birth of a Legend. -- In our conversation we discuss Louise’s career in the Royal Navy, moving from...

Welcome to episode #28 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to actor, Natalia Kostrzewa. Some of Natalia’s credits include Line of Duty, Krypton, Rosie, The Cured and one of Netflix’s biggest TV shows, Fool Me Once. She also runs Owning It Acting Studio in London and she’ll next appear in BBC’s Casualty and ITV’s Out There. -- In our conversation we discuss how Natalia came to acting through poetry, how being a Polish actor has...

Welcome to episode #27 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to director, Daniel O’Hara. Some of Daniel’s credits include Harlan Coben's SAFE and The Stranger for Netflix, Brassic, Doctor Who, Silent Witness, The Game, Being Human and most recently, The Red King. -- In our conversation we discuss how Daniel got started in magazine TV and sports, making his IFTA award winning short film, Yu Ming Is Anim Dom, breaking into television,...

Welcome to episode #26 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to writer and director, Phil Hawkins. Some of Phil’s credits include his epic Star Wars fan film, Star Wars: Origins, Prancer: A Christmas Tale for Universal Studios and the family, action-adventure film Robin and The Hoods for Sky Studios, starring Oscar-nominee, Naomie Harris. -- In our conversation we talk about how Phil got started in the industry, the making of Star...

Welcome to episode #25 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to Acting Coach, Helena Walsh. Helena is an International Voice, Acting and Empowerment and Resiliency Coach and has worked with some of my favourite actors. She is the Founder of Helena Walsh Empowerment Studios; an Organic Intelligence® Coach, a Fitzmaurice Voicework® teacher and the co-creator of 'The Actor's Practice'. -- In our conversation we discuss how Helena came to...

Welcome to episode #24 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to cinematographer, JJ Rolfe. JJ’s feature film credits include Dublin Old School, The Bright Side and Deadly Cuts. His TV works includes KIN, Smother, Blackshore, Witness Number 3, The Night Caller, and Harry Wild, amongst others.   -- In our conversation we discuss JJ’s time at IADT, what he learned as an editor, bringing challenge to your work, the importance of...

Welcome to episode #23 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to actor and writer, Jade Jordan. Jade’s credits include Blackshore, TWIG, You Are Not My Mother, KIN, Northern Lights and more. She wrote and starred in the IFTA nominated short film, The Color Between and in 2021 published her first book, Nanny, Ma and Me.  -- In our conversation we discuss the musical Annie, how Jade got started in film and television, going to drama...

Welcome to episode #22 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to creative consultant and filmmaker, Des Doyle. Des started his career in the camera department working on films like Reign of Fire, The Ringer, Ordinary Decent Criminal before making his acclaimed feature length documentary, Showrunners. He also works extensively as an educator and a creative consultant, helping production companies and writers navigate the television...

Welcome to episode #21 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to Academy-award and Emmy-award winning director, writer and producer, Edward Zwick. Ed’s credits include Glory, Legends of the Fall, The Siege, Courage Under Fire, Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai and Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, amongst many others.  -- In our conversation we discuss Ed’s must-read book, Hits, Flops and Other Illusions. We cover a wide array of topics...

Welcome to episode #20 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to Script Supervisor and emerging Producer, Carley Armstrong. Carley’s credits as a script supervisor include Slow Horses, Boiling Point, Brassic, The Red King, Ferrari and more. She is a BAFTA Connect Producer, an RTS Nominated Rising Star Producer, and an alumnus of BFI Network Creative Producer Lab.  -- In our conversation we discuss the role of the script supervisor from...

Welcome to episode #19 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to Director, Conor Morrissey. Conor’s credits include documentary series like MacIntyre’s Underworld and TV drama series such as Red Rock, Hollyoaks, BBC’s EastEnders and Casualty.  -- In our conversation we discuss Conor’s background as an actor, how he got his first directing jobs, what he learned making observational documentaries, how he navigated a move to directing...

Welcome to episode #18 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to Producer, John Wallace. John’s credits include acclaimed feature films like Rialto, Lola, Ballywalter and Songs for While I’m Away. TV credits include dramas such as Redemption, Too Good To Be True and the upcoming Dead and Buried. -- In our conversation we discuss how John became a producer, the importance of reflection, learning to understand the ‘why’ behind a no,...

Welcome to episode #17 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to 1st Assistant Director, Sarah Lucas. Sarah's credits include A Gentleman in Moscow, Boiling Point, Malpractice, Midsomer Murders, Father Brown and Doctors, among many others. -- In our conversation we discuss how Sarah got started in the industry, how she climbed the AD ladder, how a 1st AD gets hired, collaborating with her directors and other HODs to build schedules,...

Welcome to episode #16 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to Writer, Script Editor and Development Executive, Nadine Flynn. Nadine currently works in Development with Galway based Danú Media where she heads up their slate. Other work includes script editing on TV series like EastEnders and Fair City, as well as writing her own scripts.  -- Some of the topics we cover include how Nadine got started in television, what she learned...

Welcome to episode #15 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to directors Rob and Ronan Burke. Rob and Ronan direct as a duo and individually and their credits include Red Rock, Harry Wild, Netflix's Free Rein, Find Me In Paris and the feature films Standby and Damo & Ivor: The Movie. -- In our conversation we discuss how they started in the industry, directing as a duo, the role their short films played in growing their careers,...

Welcome to episode #14 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to director, Jermain Julien. Jermain has directed TV series like Grantchester, Death in Paradise, Casualty, Holby City, Wolfblood, Vera and more. -- In our conversation Jermain shares how he transitioned from 2nd ADing to directing some of the UK's most well-known TV series, the incredibly inventive way he built an audience for his short films, the importance of shooting for...

Welcome to episode #13 of The Filmmaker's Playbook, hosted by writer-director Jason Branagan. -- On today’s show I talk to 1st Assistant Director, Ger Duffy. Ger’s credits include KIN, Game of Thrones, Normal People, Witness Number 3, Smother, Blackshore and much more.  -- In our conversation we talk about the importance of a good 1st AD, what the role actually involves and how an AD solves the puzzle of scheduling and production. We also discuss our love of the industry, the challenges...