Austin Film Festival's On Story

This week on On Story, we're joined by Lang Fisher for a conversation on her process of co-creating, writing, and showrunning Netflix's hit series, Never Have I Ever. Fisher has a long history of writing and producing funny yet intelligent television, and Never Have I Ever is no exception. This fresh, coming-of-age series follows Indian-American teen, Davy Vishwakumar, who after a difficult year,...

This week on On Story, we're joined by writing partners Noah Harpster and Micah Fitzerman-Blue, known for their collaboration on projects such as the award-winning film based on the life of Mr. Rogers, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, their work writing and producing the Amazon series, Transparent, and co-creating and co-showrunning their upcoming Netflix series, Painkiller. Known for their ta...

This week on On Story, we're joined by the comedic genius Stephen Merchant for a conversation on his impressive career in television. Perhaps best known for co-creating (with Ricky Gervais) BBC's The Office, Merchant's work writing and directing the critically acclaimed show attributed to the series earning multiple comedy awards, including three BAFTA awards, two British Comedy awards, two Golden...

This week on On Story, a conversation with acclaimed writer, director, and producer James Gray to discuss not only his artistic process, but how he established himself as one the industry's most talented writer-directors.  A true visionary, Gray made his directorial debut with his celebrated film Little Odessa, which earned him nominations for both Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay at t...

This week on On Story we're joined by director Ric Roman Waugh for a post-screening deep dive into his newest action thriller, Kandahar. Formerly an actor and stuntman who appeared in countless films, including Universal Soldier, The Last of the Mohicans, and Lethal Weapon 2, Waugh is certainly no stranger to action. Now known for his work as a writer, producer, and director, Waugh utilizes his ba...

This week on On Story, AFF Moderator Harrison Glaser sits down with television writing legend Alec Berg for an in-depth conversation on his triumphant comedy writing career. Nothing short of a comedic genius, Berg's writing credits include some of television's most hilarious series, including his work writing, directing, and producing Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mike Judge's Silicon Valley...

This week on On Story, AFF Moderator Andy Volk sat down with writer-director Elegance Bratton and actor Raúl Castillo for a post-screening Q&A of their latest feature film, The Inspection. Released last November by A24, The Inspection is an absolutely heart-wrenching drama inspired by Bratton's own experience. The film follows Ellis French, a young, gay black man played by Tony-nominated actor Jer...

This week on On Story, AFF Moderator and Senior Programmer, Andy Volk, sat down with writer, director, and producer James Gray for a post-screening Q&A of his coming-of-age drama, Armageddon Time. A deeply personal film inspired by Gray's childhood, Armageddon Time is a reflection on the strength of family, the complexity of friendship, and the realities of class as seen through the eyes of a youn...

This week on On Story, it's all about Women Talking, and I'm not just referencing our powerhouse guests, Academy Award-winning producer Dede Gardner and Oscar-nominated writer-director Sarah Polley, but also their newest film collaboration and adaptation, Women Talking. Women Talking is a drama feature based on Miriam Toews' critically acclaimed novel of the same name. Inspired by true events from...

Austin Film Festival was proud to recognize Nikyatu Jusu during our annual Awards Luncheon as the 2022 New Voice Award recipient, an award intended to spotlight unique and captivating new voices in film, television, and new media. Nanny is a psychologically complex horror-thriller which follows Aisha, a recently-emigrated woman from Senegal who is hired to care for the daughter of an unbalanced wh...

This week on On Story we welcome writer Samuel D. Hunter, and director Darren Aronofsky for a deep-dive (no pun intended) into AFF's 2022 Opening night film, The Whale. Samuel D. Hunter, recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant Fellowship, is known for his award-winning plays such as The Case for the Existence of God, A Bright New Boise, Greater Clements, and many more critically acclaimed titles....

This week on On Story we're joined by David Self, the writer behind films like Road to Perdition and Thirteen Days . In this episode, Self dissects his career breaking into the industry to writing crime and historical dramas.  David Self, having been born into an itinerant family of community college and high school teachers, he broke with family tradition and spent most of his waking hours trying...

This week on On Story we're joined by writer & showrunner Glen Mazzara as he discusses the ins and outs of the industry, and how his experiences developed him into a versatile writer.  Glen Mazzara is a writer and producer whose work includes AMC's The Walking Dead, The Shield , and Damien . Damien , a TV Drama based on the classic horror film, " The Omen ", follows the film's protagonist, Damien...

This week on On Story, Miss Juneteenth writer/director Channing Godfrey Peoples discusses her feature directorial debut and her work as a multi-hyphenate independent filmmaker.   Peoples is the writer-director of the 2020 drama Miss Juneteenth , which follows a former beauty queen and single mom as she prepares her rebellious daughter for a life-changing pageant. Having grown up in Fort Worth, Tex...

This week on On Story writer Derek Kolstad, creator of the John Wick franchise reflects on his thrilling career, how he weaves emotion and humanity into action set pieces, as well as crafting characters you cannot help but root for. Derek Kolstad is the writer/creator of the popular John Wick franchise with the latest installment: John Wick: Chapter 4 set to be released in 2023. He also wrote on M...

Hey podcast listeners, this week on On Story we're foraging for insight into Pig with writer and director Michael Sarnoski.   Michael Sarnoski is a writer, director, and a producer best known for writing 2020's Pig . The film, starring Nicholas Cage, tells the story of a man searching for his pig, while dealing with the effects of prolonged grief. As director, Sarnoski revealed that he only had ar...

This week on On Story we're talking to Hustle & Flow producer, Stephanie Allain for a conversation on producing. Stephanie Allain is a producer, known for her work in both film and television. Her work includes Hustle and Flow , Beyond the Lights , and Dear White People , a political commentary turned dramedy.  Hustle & Flow follows a street hustler's attempt to make it in the hip-hop industry, fe...

This week on On Story we welcome screenwriter Eric Roth as he talks about about his process of adapting stories from beloved properties.   Eric Roth is a producer and writer, best known for penning the screenplays for 2021's Dune , The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and the Academy Award® winning adaptation, Forrest Gump .  Dune , tells a sci-fi driven hero's journey of a young man traveling to t...

This week on On Story we're joined by Lipscomb University filmmakers Melissa Forte & Sumner McMurtry talking about their journey from a chance encounter at Austin Film Festival to collaborating on a short film born out of a Ghost Story writing competition. Later, we'll sit down with Bogle Family Vinyards VP of Consumer Relations, Jody Bogle, and get her insight on producing a film rich in family h...

Hey podcast listeners, This week on On Story we're joined by Mare of Easttown writer Brad Ingelsby for a conversation on writing for the critically acclaimed television series.   Brad Inglesby is a screenwriter and producer known for 2013's Out of the Furnace , 2020's The Way Back and the subject of today's episode, the HBO crime drama series, Mare of Easttown . Mare of Easttown follows the story...

This week on On Story we're joined by Jurassic Park and Spider-Man writer David Koepp for a conversation on adaptations, collaborating with Steven Spielberg, and creating blockbusters. David Koepp is a screenwriter and director. His screenplays for Jurassic Park , a science fiction film about a wildlife park inhabited by dinosaurs, and Spider-Man , a superhero film adapted from the Spider-Man Marv...

This week on On Story we're joined by Westworld co-creator, writer & director Lisa Joy for a conversation on writing science fiction. Lisa Joy is a screenwriter, director, and producer. Her recent work includes Westworld , a dystopian science fiction thriller, and HBO mega-hit. Westworld has received an outstanding 54 Emmy Award nominations, including 9 wins, and Joy's writing and producing have e...

Hey podcast listeners, I'm Barbara Morgan and you're listening to Austin Film Festival's On Story Podcast. This week on On Story we're joined by The Man in the High Castle and Underground Railroad writer Jihan Crowther and King Richard writer Zach Baylin for a conversation on fact vs. fiction. Jihan Crowther is a TV writer and playwright. Her work as a writer on The Underground Railroad , a powerf...

Hey podcast listeners, I'm Barbara Morgan and you're listening to Austin Film Festival's On Story Podcast . This week on On Story we're joined by Shang-Chi and Wonder Woman 1984 writer Dave Callaham for a conversation on writing blockbusters intertwined with personal experiences. Dave Callaham is a screenwriter and producer. He co-wrote the screenplay for the highly praised Shang-Chi and the Legen...

This week on On Story we're we're taking a look at the work of screenwriter Chase Palmer who co-wrote It: Chapter One .  Chase Palmer is a screenwriter and director known for co-authoring the screenplay for IT: Chapter One with Cary Fukinaga, as well as 2021's Naked Singularity starring John Boyega. His two award-winning short films, Neo-Noir and Shock and Awe , have played at film festivals world...