The No Film School Podcast

What made Shang-Chi’s opening so successful and when’s the last time you played Dance Dance Revolution?  In this episode, we talk about… “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”: 2nd biggest box office opening of the pandemic  Preserving theatrical releases and “Petty” headlines Evolution of subtitles and reality of product placements in film budgets  Good Deal/Bad Deal: Working on holidays  Te...

Every once and awhile, a movie comes along that resonates and connects with people, becoming an instant classic. A screenwriter who makes multiple of these movies is even rarer, but Paul Schrader is one of those gems. In this episode, we talk about... The literary inspirations Paul drew from when creating the characters in his film Taxi Driver. Other iconic characters Paul has written over his car...

Should you be a writer’s room PA? What’s up with blockchain technology and what does it mean for Hollywood? Also, is it really okay to skip out on watching work you helped create but had no control over?  In this episode, we talk about… Good deal or bad deal: Kath’s experience as a writer’s PA Lessons from the bad deals and the need for boundaries  Questions around the Coppola’s blockchain and the...

Shawn Levy, director, co-writer, and producer of “Free Guy”, joins the show to discuss how to approach failure, humility and why you’ve got to really know yourself and see yourself to find the path that’s right for you.  In this episode, we talk about… What led to Levy’s “Hollywood System Career” The power of seeing yourself with harsh clarity to truly know thyself Understanding on the other side...

Details about Adobe’s multibillion-dollar deal to acquire Frame.io and why film industry workers deserve the same care as free range chickens...  In this episode, we talk about… Frame.io’s capabilities  The growing reality of video being made by collaborative teams  3 reasons Frame.io is worth what Adobe paid for the acquisition  A common love-hate relationship with Adobe  Letter from top cinemato...

Cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo takes us through his collaboration with David Lowery on 'The Green Knight’ in today’s interview. In this episode, we talk about... Palermo’s previous work as both a director and director of production. How ‘The Green Knight’ came to be - it’s been a long process! Some of the really cool production elements in the movie and the equipment used to capture them. The...

Make sure you listen to the whole episode for a new segment that we’re debuting at the end. In this episode, we talk about... How toxic fandom has become incredibly common on the internet. Director Alan Taylor losing the will to direct due to the toxic fandom he has to deal with. Why it's good that more big name people call out online harassment and cyber-bullying. The ways that what people say on...

Two of the film industry’s most prolific producers - John Davis and John Fox of Disney's Jungle Cruise - are giving us behind the scenes info and stories on many of the huge blockbusters they’ve been a part of. In this episode, we talk about... How these producers who work on movies with huge budgets and top stars still have to pitch their films and go through the same process as other filmmakers....

Today’s episode covers a range of film current event topics and some important food for thought for your film career. In this episode, we talk about... James Gunn’s use of a hot take about his new The Suicide Squad as a marketing tactic and (differing) opinions about whether or not it was ok to do. General thoughts about filmmakers criticizing each other over social media. Varying opinions about t...

The DP of In the Heights, Alice Brooks, is chatting today about all the things that make this new movie musical so special. In this episode, we talk about... How Alice got the job on In the Heights and her longtime love for musicals. How Alice prepared and gathered inspiration or In the Heights, having not seen it on stage. Some of the amazing filming locations throughout Washington Heights that w...

George, Todd, Kath and Charles discuss the drama surrounding Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney, Amanda Knox and the burden filmmakers have for research and talking to sources, how deep fakes have led to legit jobs and some exciting tech news! In this episode, we talk about… Details about Scarlett Johansson’s contract for Black Widow and why she’s suing Disney  Impact of changes to film r...

Many Americans grew up with the idea that there is a set career ladder that they can climb if they work hard enough - but unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work this way in the film industry. In this episode, we talk about... Whether or not Hollywood has a career ladder, whether the way the system currently works makes it impossible to move up in the industry, and who is trying to change the system....

The new movie 'Stillwater' is a tour-de-force and we are joined by writer/director Tom McCarthy as well as his co-writers. Later on, we also talk to the writer/director of 'Let Us In', Craig Moss. In this episode, we talk about... How the team for Stillwater decided which elements of the plot to reveal to the audience and when to create an aura of mystery and sustain interest. The profound and tim...

Writer/director Edson Oda's first feature NINE DAYS premiered at Sundance 2020, where it won the Screenwriting Award and was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. A dream come true for a first-time filmmaker, right? The film, which is about social isolation and deep reflection on the meaning of life, was all set to debut theatrically later that year… until COVID-19 had other plans. And socially isol...

There are multiple filmmakers on the podcast today who have lots of mic drop moments about these two new releases In this episode, we talk about… How M. Night Shyamalan’s movie Old is one of those rare films that can completely change your perspective on life and make you appreciate every moment. How Shyamalan worked with his cast to hone in on what was a difficult piece to capture for actors. How...

In this episode, we talk about… How Chris Nolan and Zack Snyder have a heart-warming tradition of watching each other’s movies before release and not giving each other any notes. The difference between notes from people who just feel like they have to say something versus getting tactful and well-thought out notes at the right time in the process. How to give useful notes to a filmmaker. The power...

New film Gunpowder Milkshake is a love letter to violence on screen, and the film’s director is here today to chat about the making of the movie! In this episode, we talk about… How Papushado got started and the combination of bravery and stupidity (his own words) that helped him get his first movie. Papushado’s influences and how they drive him creatively. Instances throughout film history where...

Host George Edelman welcomes Ed Solomon to share how lessons from both success and failure—along with one wild night at an Alaskan Strip Club—have had a hand in shaping the writer he is today.   In this episode, we talk about… How Ed’s high school experience inspired him to be a writer and why he tells himself he’s an imposter daily How shifting from big budget films to smaller specs expanded Ed’s...

George chats with Ben Mankiewicz and Julie Salamon about their podcast The Plot Thickens, Julie’s book The Devil’s Candy is the best book on movie making.... ever?     In this episode, we talk about… Details about the Plot Thickens Why they chose The Devil’s Candy for the podcast What everyone thought was going to happen during filming Bonfire of the Vanities vs. what actually happened Why The Dev...

Charles, George, Jo, and Kath break down all things Blackmagic such as using the 6K Pro for a night walk and talk, clarifying misinformation about 12K, and also whether you should bother learning Fusion and Fairlight.    In this episode, we talk about… Night walk and talks and why they’re more complicated than you think.    Why shooting raw is important when different color temperatures exist Prod...

Guest David Stump has worked on some of the biggest visual effects movies as well as being at the forefront of the shift to the digital medium, helping to develop the tech being used by filmmakers today. In this episode, we talk about… How David Stump got his career started, what made him want to get into visual effects, and how he made his break into that arena. What the world of visual effects w...

DP John Brawley drops wisdom from years in the trenches, plus insights into the development of Blackmagic Design. In this episode, we talk about… John Brawley’s career journey and how he was able to keep moving forward toward his goal of being a cinematographer, even while going through rough patches. The various jobs Brawley did in the film industry in his early days and how they served as a sort...

In this episode, we talk about… How the British government has begun demanding data from streaming services about how many people are watching their shows. How the movie industry’s data - like box office numbers - has always been public, but streaming services have been very secretive about their data. How Netflix wants control over which of their numbers come out and when. How Youtube has very pu...

While many topics seem off-limits for jokes these days, there is always value to poking fun at all the awful sides of human nature. Guest on the show John Lee created 'Wonder Showzen' to push boundaries and make people uncomfortable in an intelligent and meaningful way. He believes being political is a necessary part of being a creator.  In this episode, we talk about… John’s background and how he...

One of the most dynamic filmmakers working in the industry, Edgar Wright, is making a documentary about the band Sparks. All three are joining today to discuss this film, The Sparks Brothers! In this episode, we talk about… How Edgar Wright and Ron and Russell Mael (of Sparks) met over Twitter and ultimately decided to make a documentary about the band. How the group approached making the document...