The Film Gods

Ep. 129 Dudley Cruse | BECTU “Broken Turnaround” Working in the UK film and TV industry can be as hard as it is rewarding. The hours can be long, the demands unrelenting and the individuals determination to not let the rest of the crew down is a major part of what makes us the greatest film crews on the planet. That being said, we are human and recovery between wrap and call shouldn’t be a luxury....

EP. 128 Follow The Money | Hollywood's Real Fight (Pt. 1) A new format for The Film Gods. Couldn't get a guest on for April so I sat down with Claude (yes I call him Van Damme) to dig into what's actually happening in our industry right now. Hollywood is in the middle of another labour fight — WGA already signed, SAG-AFTRA back at the table on April 27th, DGA up in May, all three contracts expire...

Ep. 127 Jordi Bares | VFX Supervisor With 20 years in post production, this episode highlights the benefits of hard work, the importance of luck and how to make sure you are in the right place at the right time. Jordi worked at the top companies in London; the Mill and Framestore and won multiple awards for some iconic projects. Taking a leap of faith and committing to his to craft has lead to a w...

Ep. 126 Jon Sen | MD & Exec Prod   From cleaning toilets to running some of the UK’s most established and celebrated TV shows, Jon Sen is now the MD and Exec Prod at Esmerlda Productions, supporting and nurturing creatives to do their best work through the magic of story telling.   As always, thank you for listening.   Jons Substack links mentioned in ep: https://jonsen.substack.com/p/you-have...

Ep 125. 2025 Wrap up   Mental year with massive shifts. Too much for one ep but we have a go looking back at a few of what we think affected the industry in 2025. If we missed something let us know.   As always, thank you for listening.   Please like, share and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Big love, Isusko x   @filmgodspodcast   @thetimescheduler https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/...

Ep 124. Matt Palmer | Feature Film Director   Our guest’s journey from teen film enthusiast to film director epitomises the passion, action and consistency it takes to make one person’s dreams another person’s reality.   https://www.facebook.com/allnight.horrormadness/   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you for listening.   Please like, share and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts...

Ep 123. Zoe Brewer | Head of Production   Todays guest has worked on some of Amazons biggest UK shows. A life in TV, with some time out to be a mother, condensed into 40 minutes of wisdom and fond memories.   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you for listening.   Please like, share and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Big love, Isusko x   @filmgodspodcast   @thetimescheduler htt...

Ep 122. Peter Cornes | TV Exec Producer   Todays ep is one that I had lots of fun recording. Our guest is not only a friend and a neighbour but also a talented individual with years of experience and loads of great stories and insights.   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you for listening.   Please like, share and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Big love, Isusko x   @filmgodsp...

Ep 121. Film in the News | Canal+, Cannes & Dogma ‘25   As the worlds film family came together for the 78th Cannes Film Festival a few articles caught my interest, so I decided to put them out there for this ep. The festival was widely considered a success, but was there any affect felt from the last few years of turbulence?   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you for listening.   P...

Ep 120. Dom Beecheno | Overcoming fear in film   A slightly left field topic, but this weeks guest is the master of mindset. With the uncertainty happening in our lives we talk about his “7 Steps to overcome fear”. A wonderful, useful ep for all of us to better our lives and how we deal with what is happening currently in the industry   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you for listening...

Ep 119. Trumps Film Tariff   As the industry was dealt another possible blow of tariffs on films made outside the U.S, initial thoughts were fearful. With a little more insight and investigation, seems like more hot air to ruffle feathers.   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you for listening.   Please like, share and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Big love, Isusko x     https...

Ep 118. Streaming Levy   As the industry carries on finding its feet, the current state of affairs and a possible levy/tax on streaming services is being discussed in Parliament. They raise some good points and there is a long way to go on the journey but what are your thoughts? Let me know.   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you for listening.   Please like, share and subscribe whereve...

Ep 117. AI Fake KFC Advert – Dir: Joris Noordenbos & DOP: Simon Paul   As the internet exploded with comments and opinions on a recent AI generated fake KFC commercial by @divinci_production, it raised questions for me around copyright, and the thin vail between imitation and plagiarism. We have the foundations of the future of the industry already built through our shared experience, we shoul...

Ep 116. Scott Grummett | Food Photographer & Director   As we enter the new world of commercials and content, having a speciality, I think, is a smart move for future Directors. Our guest chose food and he continues to perfect his craft each job by pushing the boundaries of what Agencies and Clients will accept, and will make bellies across the globe rumble for many years to come.   As always,...

Ep 115. Last Swim. Dir: Sasha Nathwani & Lead Actor: Deba Hekmat   As I enter the fifth year making this podcast we have a very special film as todays talking point. A film that is uniquely now and wonderfully eternal. We have all been a young teen in our city, with no real plans, in a tight friendship group with “having fun” and “making memories” the only agenda. Please go and watch Last Swim...

Ep 114. James Davis ACO & Aaron Cole | Adolescence Cam Op & Drone Op (Ep 2)   After watching Adolescence, we had to get some of the crew on the Film Gods podcast. A record breaking show made by some of the British Film industries finest. No spoilers but some Easter eggs as we talk through Episode 2 of Adolescence (currently on Netflix)   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you for...

Ep 113. Joshua Cawthorn | Video Director & Self Shooter   As the industry of short form evolves some will take the bull by the horns and others will hope it “goes back to the good old days”. Our guest took it and ran and now has years of experience doing what he loves.   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you for listening.   Please like, share and subscribe wherever you get your podc...

Ep 112. Safiyah Chiniere | Documentary & Branded Commercial Director   From across the pond todays guest shows us how a career in film can start from a change of mind, simple beginnings and (the key word) consistency. We look forward to watching her career flourish and grow and getting her back on after her future Oscar win!   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you for listening.   Pl...

Ep 111. Jane Briers | Creative Director/Art Director   In a world pushing for more technology in the creative industries our guest today exemplifies the passion and power of human thinking time. Ideas are what make the world turn and the story teller the most power human on the planet.   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you for listening.   Please like, share and subscribe wherever you...

Ep 110. Josey Jacobs | 2nd Assistant Director   The word I took from this episode is community and how important, in this freelance lifestyle, to have people around you that understand, have your back and can be a support. Love for the game with a tight network around you will help give you longevity – we don’t need to be an island when we are all connected by the one thing that got us into this g...

Ep 109. Charlie Meyrick article. Why is the Film and Tv sector struggling?   For those on the front lines the last 18months have been some of the hardest in recent years. I hope by sharing this article it can shed some light and maybe give some hope for the years to come.     https://www.charliemeyrick.com/post/why-is-the-uk-film-and-television-sector-struggling     As always, thank you to our gue...

Ep 108. CineCertified   Seeing a problem on set and doing something about it are two different things. This company has seen that the camera trainee role needed organisation and that is exactly what they have done. With the help of camera associations across the UK, they had an idea, took action and did what the British Film Crew do best – they solved the problem in front of them with a smile and...

Ep 107. Ant Rubinstein | Dir / VFX / Maker of Things   From an engineering degree foundation, our guest has managed to build a temple of creative experience that makes him stand out from the crowd. We touch base on how he financed his short and the truth about film festivals.   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you for listening.   Please like, share and subscribe wherever you get your p...

Ep 106. Toby Walsham | Exec Producer   From starting off as a young man making teas and coffees in a post house to building two new production companies in New York, this episode is filled with how we used to make content, but more importantly, where he thinks AI could be taking the industry.   As always, thank you to our guest and thank you to you for listening.   Please like, share and subscribe...

Ep 105. Nigel Albermaniche | Sound Production Mixer   From one Emmy and BAFTA winner to another, todays episode is one of passion and how you should never waste any opportunity – if that’s taking a job before you think you are ready, to being brave enough to put forward ideas when you think it will make the project better.   Our first Sound Mixer and what a classic it is!   Please like, share and...