The Sandbox: A See-Saw Podcast On Creativity

Jane has been nominated for 5 oscars, winning best original screenplay for The Piano and best director for the See-Saw production The Power of the Dog. She is in fact the only woman to have been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Director, and the first female filmmaker to receive the Palme d'Or at Cannes. We first worked with Jane In 2012 on the two season miniseries Top of the Lake ,...

Part 2 of our conversation with Volker Bertelmann, also known as Hauschka, an acclaimed film composer and experimental pianist, this time focusing on his creative process.  Host: Emile Sherman Producer: @jonahprimo Composer: @Adiescar Artwork: @studiostromberg A See-Saw Films Production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m speaking with Volker Bertelmann, also known as Hauschka, an acclaimed film composer and experimental pianist. We first collaborated on Lion (with Dustin O’Halloran), his debut score. Since then, he’s won an Oscar for All Quiet on the Western Front and scored projects like Conclave, The Day of the Jackal, and Dune: Prophecy, as well as our film One Life. In this conversation, we explore h...

Using Adolescence as a case study, Mediawan's Pierre-Antoine Capton and Elisabeth Darvieu speak to how they back bold, unconventional projects while maintaining independence and creative vision. They reveal the principles and processes that allow a media powerhouse to thrive in an unpredictable industry. If you’re curious about how risk, intuition, and collaboration drive some of the world’s most...

Emile Sherman sits down with Pierre-Antoine Capton, co-founder and chairman of Mediawan, and Elisabeth Darvieu, CEO of Mediawan Pictures. This is the story of Mediawan’s journey from France to a worldwide presence, their approach to nurturing talent and IP, and how they take risks while staying true to their purpose: creating compelling films and TV that connect with audiences around the globe. Th...

Part 2 of our conversation with Oscar-nominated screenwriter Luke Davies, this time a deep dive into creativity under pressure and Luke’s creaitve process. Host: Emile Sherman Producer: @jonahprimo Composer: @Adiescar Artwork: @studiostromberg A See-Saw Films Production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Oscar-nominated screenwriter Luke Davies, cinema isn’t just storytelling. It’s a search for grace, a confrontation with suffering, and a medium capable of revealing the sacred inside flawed human lives. From writing stories of loss, redemption and transcendence like 'Lion' to grappling with addiction and grace in 'Candy', Luke unpacks film as a place where audiences gather in the dark searchin...

We’re back! Today we’re speaking to John Yorke, former Head of Drama at Channel 4 and BBC Controller of Drama Series, founder of the BBC Writers’ Academy, and author of the bestselling Into the Woods . We explore the deep mechanics of story, the comfort and power it gives us, and even its role in politics, showing why storytelling isn’t just entertainment, but a fundamental part of being human. Jo...

How does a writer decide an idea is worth dedicating years of their life to? And how do you structure a story which is layered with the complexities of how lies are told and how we believe them? Emile speaks with writer and executive producer Samantha Strauss, and See-Saw’s Head of television and film in Australia Liz Watts, about a true story based on a lie, Apple Cider Vinegar. They discuss the...

How do you create the world for a story that sits right on the edge of reality? And how do you know you’ve struck the right tone when combining the dark with the comedic? Emile speaks with lead actor and executive producer Ella Purnell, director and executive producer Ella Jones and executive producer for See-Saw and fanboy Patrick Walters, about the comedic thriller, Sweetpea. They discuss walkin...

How does a producer support an author turned first-time screen writer, and how do you bring together the right team for the material? Emile speaks with creator, writer and executive producer Alice Oseman and executive producer for See-Saw Patrick Walters about the beloved series Heartstopper. They discuss representing a diversity of young voices, the challenges of shooting the series, and the comp...

How do you turn a hit series of novels into a show that honours its source material? And how do you stay true while building out 6 hours of television for each season? Emile speaks with executive producer and writer Will Smith and executive producer for See-Saw Julian Stevens, about the landmark series Slow Horses . They discuss the challenges of genre-crossing, the critical role of actors in...

How does a director who cut his teeth in the world of commercials, translate that experience into feature films? And how does a production house define and maintain their creative vision? Emile speaks with producer Samantha Lang and director Garth Davis about See-Saw's partnership with Garth, I Am That. They discuss how to use rehearsal time to achieve truth in performance, and the importance of b...

How does a project make its way onto a See-Saw slate? And to what extent is the creative integrity of a film influenced by the commercial imperatives of the industry? Emile speaks with See-Saw’s development producer Bill Bowring and director Kitty Green, about her psychological thriller The Royal Hotel. They discuss cross-continental script writing, how to fit a seven-week shoot into five, and the...

How does a director with decades of television experience approach his first theatrical feature? And what challenges does honouring a true story, told across decades, bring? Emile chats with See-Saw’s Iain Canning and director James Hawes about the long and winding road that led to the much loved film One Life . They discuss the skill and instinct needed to navigate a tight schedule while wranglin...

How did See-Saw Films come into being? And how, with the two founders running offices on opposite sides of the world, has it managed to keep such a clear and consistent creative vision? Emile Sherman speaks with See-Saw's Co-MD Iain Canning, and creative director Helen Gregory about beginnings, holding the creative flame, playing the long game, and balancing a vision with the realities of business...