IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit

Today on Toolkit, something special: for the 30th anniversary of the action classic "Speed," IndieWire's Jim Hemphill interviewed the director and stars live on stage at the American Cinematheque for their recent Beyond Fest screening of the movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Director Aaron Schimberg takes us under the hood of his fascinating new film, which follows Sebastian Stan as a man with a condition that causes tumors to grow in the skin of his face. The story takes us through black comedy, thriller, and explores the streets of New York in an honest, gritty way we haven't seen since the films of the 70s. And Aaron opened up about his personal relationship to the...

The creators of the hit HBO series join Chris O'Falt on Toolkit to discuss the season finale. They get surprisingly candid about the ways they needed to improve as writers and show runners after the first two seasons, and dive into the many choices that made season three a titanic leap forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The film that Francis Ford Coppola has been working on for a quarter century, that he spent 120 million of his own fortune to finance, is finally hitting theaters this weekend. Listen to Francis talk about how he rediscovered his craft in the long journey to the screen, and opens up about some of the on-set controversies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Duplass, the writer and producer of the new Netflix series Penelope, sat down with Chris O'Falt to discuss the maverick way he brought this project to screen. From inspiration he took from conversations with his kids about their mental state, to the potential future he sees for an indie-TV market to rival indie-film, Mark covered a range of fascinating topics in this conversation. Learn more...

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Ever been curious about visiting a psychic? Too skeptical to try? Lana Wilson's new documentary might be for you. Hear Wilson share the story of an Election Night 2016 story that sparked her fascination into the psychic community, and why she thinks it's not really about believing, but something more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Schrader returns to Toolkit to discuss the film he is most proud of from his long career, "Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters." Schrader walks through the challenges he faced getting the film made, including wearing a knife proof vest on set due to death threats from the right-wing government, and why the story of this Japanese artist has fascinated him for decades. Learn more about your ad cho...

Lee Daniels joins IndieWire features writer Jim Hemphill to discuss his new Netflix film “The Deliverance,” which combines elements of spirituality, social realism, melodrama, dark comedy, and horror to create a consistently entertaining and intensely involving viewing experience. Daniels talks about working in the horror genre for the first (and probably last) time, the challenges of making a mov...

The creator of "Dear White People" sat down with us to talk about his new 4-part docuseries that explores the forgotten influences and power of black film. Listen in to learn about some of the untold stories of black Hollywood, and hear how his peers like Ryan Coogler and Ava DuVernay reacted to watching this cinematic history. - You can watch this entire conversation on IndieWire.com or on the In...

Today we’re joined by writer-director JT Mollner, here to talk about his audacious new thriller STRANGE DARLING - which IndieWire has called “the best horror film in years.” JT talks about finding an unusual structure for his tale, working with first-time feature cinematographer Giovanni Ribisi, and why shooting on 35mm film should remain a priority. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...

Zaillian's adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel was some of the best, most carefully considered TV we've seen this year. On the podcast he discusses his approach, including why it was essential the show be presented in rich black and white cinematography. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Martha Coolidge appears on the podcast to talk about her debut feature, “Not a Pretty Picture,” which is newly restored and available from Criterion. The movie, an audacious documentary/narrative hybrid, depicts Coolidge’s own sexual assault with power, intelligence, and sensitivity. Coolidge discusses why she chose this unusual form to tell her story, how it informed her later work, and what it l...

Set during a weekend backpacking trip in the Catskills, "Good One" is a gorgeous coming of age film that focuses more on interiority than dramatic plot. Director India Donaldson walks us through the struggle of filming outside in the woods, and gives a fantastic lesson on modern independent filmmaking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" director and showrunner Jeff Schaffer joins the podcast to talk about bringing the show to a satisfying conclusion, working with non-actors like Bruce Springsteen and Willie Geist, and whether or not this is really the end. Plus, a special guest makes a surprise appearance! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Noah Hawley has been the show-runner of "Fargo" since it premiered in 2014, and the latest season might be the best yet. Hear how Hawley and his team carefully managed the tone and subverted expectations for Season 5, and also get a tease for his upcoming "Alien" TV show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The director of the classic mock-umentary This Is Spinal Tap has made his first actual documentary, a moving reflection on the life and career of his childhood friend, Albert Brooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the 20th anniversary of the game-changing thriller, we sat down with the director of "Collateral" to hear his thoughts on being one of the first major theatrical features to embrace hi-def digital photography. You'll also hear his thoughts on directing stars Jamie Fox and Tom Cruise, and how he adapted the story and characters when the setting changed from New York to LA. Learn more about your...

Creator, writer and director Nida Manzoor joins us to talk everything 'We Are Lady Parts' season 2. Nida shares how she handled navigating new songs including the banger "Malala Made Me Do It", with a cameo from the legend herself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the biggest breakouts from Sundance this year was the feature debut of writer/director Sean Wang, based on his experiences as a 13 year old Taiwanese American growing up in 2008 California. Sean spoke with us about how his time at google prepared him to capture the ways screens and technology affect the relationships in the film, and how he realized Didi was as much about immigrant mothers...

The director of the Oscar nominated Minari returns with a surprising follow up, and it's the most fun blockbuster of the summer. What isn't a surprise is Isaac's thoughtful insights into using the big budget tools for the first time, what inspired him about real life storm chasers, and why Miranda Lambert had to be on the soundtrack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Russian Doll creator brings her flair for mystery to the Star Wars universe with The Acolyte. Headland joined us the morning after the series finale to discuss the show's bold narrative structure, her unique take on Star Wars witches, and how she choreographed the lightsaber fights character-first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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