Soundstage Access

Today's episode is a masterclass with Christopher McQuarrie — an Oscar-winning director, screenwriter, and producer whose credits include THE USUAL SUSPECTS, TOP GUN: MAVERICK, and over half of the entire MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE franchise. We discuss everything, from the creative pressure of winning an Oscar at age 26 to the way Buster Keaton influenced the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE films, and how McQuarrie...

**Minor spoilers for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING** We welcome on the show Hollywood composer Max Aruj, whose latest credit is MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING. In today’s conversation, Max and I discuss his beginnings as a student at USC, how that led to being mentored by Hans Zimmer; also, the circumstances that led Max and Alfie Godfrey to be chosen as the young composers...

This week on the show, it’s Nicholas Stoller — a BAFTA-nominated Hollywood director and screenwriter whose credits YES MAN, NEIGHBORS, THE MUPPETS and FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL. His latest film is YOU'RE CORDIALLY INVITED, starring Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon, and it’s currently streaming on Amazon Prime. In today’s conversation, Nick and I discuss the circumstances that brought his first p...

This week on the show, it’s Erik Jendresen —an Emmy-winning Hollywood screenwriter whose credits include the HBO mini-series BAND OF BROTHERS, as well as the two latest installments in the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE franchise. In today’s conversation, we deep dive into the writing and making of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING (2023) and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING (2025). Erik discusse...

How wonderful to welcome on the show Timothy Dowling, a Hollywood screenwriter whose credits include the cult classic ROLE MODELS, the Adam Sandler romantic comedy JUST GO WITH IT, and the explosive rom-com THIS MEANS WAR (starring Tom Hardy, Chris Pine and Reese Witherspoon). In today’s conversation, Tim and I discuss how one of his first scripts making the Blacklist led to him getting the attent...

What a special opportunity to welcome on the show ALEXANDER WITT, perhaps the most influential second unit director of his generation. When it comes to action cinema, he may as well be responsible for the most iconic action sequences of the last 30 years, with credits that include everything from the epic battles of GLADIATOR, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN and AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, to the car chases...

We're delighted to welcome on the show EVE STEWART, a 4-time Oscar-nominated production designer whose credits include a wide range of prestige period films (THE KING'S SPEECH, LES MISÉRABLES), Marvel's ETERNALS — as well as this year’s brand new movies KRAVEN THE HUNTER and GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE. In today’s conversation, Eve and I discuss her experience designing the Oscar-winning film LES...

What a treat to welcome on the show the Oscar-nominated cinematographer of NAPOLEON Dariusz Wolski, whose credits also include NEWS OF THE WORLD, THE MARTIAN, HOUSE OF GUCCI, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, SWEENEY TODD and four films in the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise. In today’s conversation, Dariusz and I discuss the challenges of photographing the epic battle scenes of the new Joaquin Phoenix movi...

We're excited to celebrate the release of his latest MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE movie by welcoming on the show the film's Oscar-nominated editor Eddie Hamilton, whose credits include MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT, KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE and TOP GUN: MAVERICK. In today’s conversation, Eddie and I discuss MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE in spoiler-ific detail: how the filmmakers handled...

We're excited to celebrate the release of his newest movie by welcoming on the show Michael Finch, a Hollywood screenwriter whose credits include THE NOVEMBER MAN and the latest chapter in one of the hottest action franchises - JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4. In today’s conversation, Michael and I discuss his philosophy on surviving the industry and the obstacles that screenwriters face — including his expe...

It was awesome to welcome on the show Dan Romer, a Emmy award-nominated composer whose film and TV credits include Netflix's MANIAC, and the Oscar-nominated movies BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD and Pixar’s Luca. In today’s conversation, Dan and I discuss his beginnings as a record producer, later transitioning into film composing. The reasons why, following his work on BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, h...

For this masterclass on the Art of Sound in film and TV, we welcome on the show Gwen Yates Whittle, a 2-time Oscar-nominated sound professional whose credits include this summer's JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION, Steven Spielberg's SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, TOP GUN: MAVERICK and the upcoming AVATAR: THE WAY OF THE WATER In today’s conversation, the Skywalker Sound member and I break down some of Hollywood’s b...

We had a blast welcoming on the show Billy Magnussen, a Tony-nominated actor whose credits include GAME NIGHT, BLACK MIRROR, Disney’s live-action ALADDIN, and Daniel Craig’s final chapter as Bond, 2021’s NO TIME TO DIE. In today’s emotionally-honest conversation, we discuss how Billy's early work on a soap opera impacted his process as an actor; what he learned from being directed by Steven Spielb...

Such a treat to welcome as a guest Les Bohem, an Emmy-winning screenwriter whose credits include THE ALAMO, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET: THE DREAM CHILD, as well as some of the biggest disaster movies of the 1990’s - like DANTE'S PEAK and DAYLIGHT, starring Sylvester Stallone. Today’s conversation was recorded to mark the 25th anniversary of DAYLIGHT, and in the episode Les explains how DAYLIGHT was...

It was awesome to welcome on the show Marc Shaiman, a 7-time Oscar-nominated composer and lyricist whose credits include (among others) the musical HAIRSPRAY, and films like WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, SISTER ACT and MARY POPPINS RETURNS. Today’s conversation is a masterclass in musical theater, as we discuss how a simple songwriting audition turned into Marc and his creative partner Scott Whittman writ...

What an honor to chat with Martin Campbell, a BAFTA-winning director whose credits include THE MASK OF ZORRO, GOLDENEYE and Daniel Craig’s first James Bond movie CASINO ROYALE... among many others! Today’s conversation marks the 15th anniversary of CASINO ROYALE, and in the episode we discuss how Martin started his career in the UK as a TV cameraman; why he turned down the opportunity to direct TH...

It was so much fun to welcome on the show Ve Neill, a 3-time Oscar winner and Makeup Effects Designer whose credits include EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, BEETLEJUICE, and the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN among many other iconic films. In today’s conversation, Ve and I discuss her early love for the Universal Monsters, and how the appreciation for makeup history fueled her desire to open her very first makeup s...

What a joy to welcome on the show Kevin Lima, an award-winning film director whose credits include Disney classics like A GOOFY MOVIE, TARZAN, and ENCHANTED (starring 6-time Oscar-nominee Amy Adams). In today’s conversation, Kevin and I discuss several topics: how his early days at Disney led him to make A GOOFY MOVIE as his directorial debut, a project born as an emotional exploration of the rela...

It was fantastic to welcome on the show David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, a Hollywood screenwriter whose credits include AQUAMAN, RED RIDING HOOD and this month’s newest release, THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT. In today’s conversation, David and I discuss a wide range of topics: from stumbling into the business as an assistant on THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION; taking over over screenwriting duti...

We're so lucky to welcome on the show Chris Beck, an Emmy-winning music composer with over 150 credits in film and television, including THE HANGOVER, Disney’s FROZEN & FROZEN 2, the ANT-MAN franchise and Marvel’s first original series WANDAVISION. In today’s conversation, Chris and I discuss a wide range of topics: how he wound up a student at the USC Film Scoring Program the one year that legend...

What a pleasure to speak with Jenny Beavan, a two-time Oscar-winning costume designer whose credits include SHERLOCK HOLMES, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, and Disney’s newest release CRUELLA (starring Oscar-winner Emma Stone). In today’s conversation, Jenny and I discuss a wide range of topics: an in-depth chat on the design of MAD MAX: FURY ROAD; the hypnotic costumes of the 2017 thriller A CURE FOR WELLNE...

It was awesome to welcome on the show Ted Griffin, a director, producer and screenwriter whose credits include OCEAN'S ELEVEN, MATCHSTICK MEN and Martin's Scorsese's THE WOLF OF WALL STREET. Ted has an encyclopedic knowledge of film history, and in today’s conversation we discuss a number of topics: from Ted selling his first script at age 27 and the frustrating first few years working in Hollywoo...

What a treat to speak with Ilya Naishuller, a Russian filmmaker whose credits include HARDCORE HENRY and NOBODY (starring Bob Odenkirk as a kick-ass action star).
 In today’s conversation, Ilya and I discuss a wide range of topics: how directing a music video that went viral led him to receive a fully-financed offer to make his first feature film; how that film became Hardcore Henry, an indie vide...

It's a pleasure to sit down with Salvatore Totino, a Hollywood cinematographer whose credits include BIRD BOX, THE DA VINCI CODE, SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING and SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY. In today’s conversation, discuss a wide range of topics: from Sal’s career-long relationship with Oscar-winning director Ron Howard and the creative choices they made during the challenging production of CINDERELLA MAN...

What a treat to be welcomed in the offices of Stunts Unlimited to chat with Jack Gill, an award-winning stunt coordinator and second unit director whose credits include VENOM, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR and several chapters in the FAST & FURIOUS franchise.
 In today’s conversation, discuss a wide range of topics: from Jack’s violent beginnings in the stunt industry of the 1970’s, working on TV sho...