The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Director Dean Craig discusses his new film, The Estate, with fellow director Alex Grossman in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Craig speaks about encouraging actors to bring ideas to their roles, the perks of directing your own material, and how he prefers making shot lists over storyboarding. In the film, two sisters are pitted against their greedy extended family...

Director Mark Mylod discusses his new film, The Menu, with fellow director Lorene Scafaria in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Mylod speaks about his approach to building the ensemble of actors, finding places to put the camera in a mainly one-location film, and handling the controlled chaos of as movie set. The film follows a young couple as they travel to a remote i...

Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu discusses his new film, Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, with fellow director Rodrigo García in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Iñárritu shares his thoughts on how fiction can elucidate truth, the four years of developing the script, and the joyful process of editing his own work. The film follows a renowned Mexican jou...

Director Rian Johnson discusses his new film, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, with fellow director Phil Lord in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Johnson talks about the movies that influenced the conception of Glass Onion, his process when working with his "family" of filmmaking collaborators, and how nostalgia for a specific genre can be an obstacle to making a...

Director Ryan Coogler discusses his new film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with fellow director Tyler Perry in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Coogler talks about how he approached the tribute to actor Chadwick Boseman after his passing, writing and directing from his worst fears, and staying tapped into his inner child when faced with challenging directing dec...

Director Steven Spielberg discusses his new film, The Fabelmans, with fellow director Paul Thomas Anderson in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Spielberg discusses the development of the script with Tony Kushner, the process of directing Gabrielle LaBelle to play a version of himself, and the feeling of rediscovering his family through his camera. Please note: spoil...

Director Tobias Lindholm discusses his new film, The Good Nurse, with fellow director Scott Cooper in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Lindholm talks about casting Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain, wrestling with the true crime genre, and learning how to shoot diner scenes from David Fincher. Based on true events, a nurse risks her life to uncover the truth afte...

Director Maria Schrader discusses her new film, She Said, with fellow director R.J. Cutler in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Schrader speaks about shooting in the New York Times building, communicating the humanity of the leads rather than portraying an heroic treatment, and what it was like showing the film to Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor. The film recounts the...

Director James Gray discusses his new film, Armageddon Time, with fellow director Matt Reeves in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Gray discusses reconstructing his past onscreen, directing the actors who played his real-life family, and portraying the melancholic tone of the movie. The film follows Paul, a Jewish-American sixth grader who finds himself learning abo...

Director Evgeny Afineevsky discusses his new film, Freedom on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom, with fellow director Raymond De Felitta in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Afineevsky shares insights about working with nine editors on the project, engaging a crew in Russia to shoot footage, and counteracting the propaganda war of the current conflict. The film depicts...

Director Phyllis Nagy discusses her new film, Call Jane, with fellow director Sarah Pirozek in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Nagy discusses directing actor/directors, the intentional performers who make up the soundtrack, and how restrictions make for interesting choices. Set in Chicago in 1968, the film follows Joy, a conservative housewife and mother who is faced...

Director Martin McDonagh discusses his new film, The Banshees of Inisherin, with fellow director Jeremy Kagan in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, McDonagh discusses his rehearsal process, how he approached the tone of the film, and utilizing the innocent lens of animals. Set on a remote island near Ireland's west coast, the film follows the shocking series of event...

Director Chinonye Chukwu discusses her new film, Till, with fellow director David Oyelowo in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Chukwu speaks about the care necessary in depicting the tragic story, the political act of where to face the camera, and how she is not precious with her footage during the edit. Based on the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley, the film recount...

Director Todd Field discusses his new film, Tár, with fellow director Greta Gerwig in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Fields speaks about choosing to move the camera less, dealing with "romance vs. finance" conflict during production, and working with Cate Blanchett to form the central character. Set in the international world of classical music, the film follows gro...

Director Parker Finn discusses his new film, Smile, with fellow director Zach Cregger in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Finn speaks about where to put the camera for an effective jump scare, integrating practical effects, and how the film went from planning to be released on Paramount+ to getting a thetrical release. The film follows Dr. Rose Cotter, who after wi...

Director Nicholas Stoller discusses his new film, Bros, with fellow director Judd Apatow in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses where the idea for the film came from, how much improv factors into his process for directing actors, and what surprised him about directing the film. The film tells the story of Bobby, a neurotic podcast host who is content not...

Directors Maya Forbes & Wallace Wolodarsky discuss their new film, The Good House, with fellow director Susannah Grant in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they discuss their particular method for co-directing, how they approached the tone of the film, and how they built the characters with the actors. The life of New England realtor Hildy Good begins to come to...

Director Peter Farrelly discusses his new film, The Greatest Beer Run Ever, with fellow director Larry David in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Farrelly speaks about shooting the movie in Thailand, how the real-life story compares to the film, and why he loves to have weather in a movie. Based on a true story, the film follows Chickie, a slacker and former marine...

Director Brett Morgen discusses his new film, Moonage Daydream, with fellow director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Morgen discusses the film's themes of transience, the careful process of mixing the film, and the method he selected the songs that ended up in the movie. Screened as part of the DGA's Documentary Series, Moonage Daydream is a cinema...

Director David O. Russell discusses his new film, Amsterdam, with fellow director Jon Avnet in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Russell speaks about setting the tone of the movie with his actors, capturing intimacy and immediacy with the camera, and how he personally connected with the story. Set in the 1930s, the film follows a doctor, a nurse, and a lawyer who wi...

Director Olivia Wilde discusses her new film, Don't Worry Darling, with fellow director Reed Morano in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, she speaks about reconfiguring the film's opening, melding the film's sound design and score, and guiding the film's ideas without sacrificing the entertainment value. The film follows couple Alice and Jack, who live in a utopian comm...

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood discusses her new film, The Woman King, with fellow director Stan Lathan in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Prince-Bythewood speaks about how she won the job, shooting the final battle in 11 days, and the grueling training process for the actors. Inspired by true events, the film follows general Nanisca, the Agojie's leader, as she p...

Director Julian Higgins discusses his new film, God's Country, with fellow director Chloe Okuno in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Higgins discusses pulling off night exteriors on a small budget, the year hiatus during production, and the power of an impassioned letter. Based on a James Lee Burke's short story "Winter Light" and his own short film of the same name...

Director Nick Hamm discusses his new film, Gigi & Nate, with fellow director Ben Lewin in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Hamm speaks about why he decided to take on the project, his approach to the rehearsal process, and the effect of Covid-19 on the production. Based on true events, the film tells the story of Nate Gibson, a young man whose life is turned up...

Director Zach Cregger discusses his new film, Barbarian, with fellow director David F. Sanberg in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses creating a photoboard for the film with his cinematographer, shooting Detroit for Bulgaria, and pulling off the last scene in the film in only 40 minutes. The film tells the story of Tess, a young woman who arrives at her A...