The Season - An FYCit Podcast

In this season finale of The Season, host Ryland Aldrich delves into the intricacies of Oscars betting with Johnny Avello, Director of Race and Sports Book Operations at DraftKings. He shares his perspective as an Oscars betting expert on everything from setting odds to when they make adjustments and the significance of precursor awards on the lines. Next up in this special episode is a comprehens...

On this episode of The Season, host Ryland Aldrich interviews Chris Albert, a documentary awards guru who spent more than 20 years at National Geographic before leaving to found Albert Media Group. Chris discussed his experiences leading Oscar and Emmy-winning campaigns for Free Solo and this year's nominee, Porcelain War, as well as insights on why craft still matters when it comes to making succ...

On this episode of The Season, host Ryland Aldrich is joined by Jarin Blaschke, Oscar-nominated cinematographer of Nosferatu, to discuss his experiences with awards season as a two-time nominee. Back now after his previous nomination for The Lighthouse, Jarin shares what goes into his acclaimed work with his longtime collaborator, Director Robert Eggers, including some behind-the-scenes insights f...

On this episode of The Season, host Ryland Aldrich sits down with Volker Bertelmann, Oscar Winner and Nominated Composer of Conclave. Their conversation covers Bertelmann's experience composing for films like Conclave and his winning effort for All Quiet on the Western Front, his collaborations with director Edward Berger, and insights into his creative process. Volker describes the challenges and...

On this episode of The Season , host Ryland Aldrich interviews David Barber, President of Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE), to discuss sound design in film and television. The episode explores the unique peer-voted nature of the Golden Reel Awards, MPSE's efforts to promote sound editing awareness and international expansion, as well as mentoring and support for emerging talent. They also touch...

In this episode of The Season, host Ryland Aldrich interviews acclaimed sound designer, editor, and mixer Will Files. The discussion covers Will's impressive career, his approach to sound design, and his recent work on multiple award-contending films, including Alien: Romulus and Saturday Night. Will shares insights into the technical and artistic aspects of sound design, the challenges of working...

In this episode, The Season host, Ryland Aldrich, kicks off the new year with Jerry Rojas, EVP at Shelter PR for Awards and Events. He has helped craft campaigns for celebrated films such as The Theory of Everything, Milk, Dallas Buyers Club, American Fiction and many more. Jerry shares invaluable insights into the intricate world of awards events and campaigns, including strategies for Oscar and...

On this episode of The Season, host Ryland Aldrich hosts an insightful conversation with Oscar-winning costume designer Deborah L. Scott. Known for her work on iconic films like E.T., Heat, and Back to the Future, Deborah discussed her storied career, the evolving role of digital costume design in film, and the impact of technology and social media on the awards season. She shares personal anecdot...

On this episode of The Season, host Ryland Aldrich delves into the intricacies of predicting awards season with Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter's Executive Editor for Awards. We dive into why he's been dubbed an 'awards oracle' as Scott explains his methodology for creating the Feinberg Forecast, the influence of various factors on Oscar predictions, and the changing dynamics within the Aca...

In this episode of The Season, host Ryland Aldrich speaks with director and producer Vanessa Hope about the grassroots awards campaign for her documentary, Invisible Nation. They discuss navigating a challenging festival circuit and the strategy as independent filmmakers behind the doc's Oscar push. Vanessa also shared her experience gaining unparalleled access to politicians in Taiwan, her filmma...

This episode of The Season podcast, hosted by Ryland Aldrich, features a deep dive discussion with Jason Deadrich, CEO of Vision Media, about the evolution of screener distribution and the impact of technology on awards season campaigns. It covers the transition from physical to digital screeners, the role of secure digital media, and how they plan to use their platform, Screener Passport, to crea...

In this episode of The Season, host Ryland Aldrich interviews Jenni McCormick, the Executive Director of the American Cinema Editors (ACE). They discuss the upcoming 75th Eddie Awards, the importance of recognizing various film editing categories, and how ACE has evolved over the years to stay current with industry trends. In addition, Jenni shares ACE's initiatives to grow the next generation of...

In this episode of The Season podcast, host Ryland Aldrich sits down with John Griffiths, Executive Director of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics and Producer of the Dorian Awards. Together, they explore the origins of the Dorian Awards and GALECA's mission to honor diverse voices in entertainment. The conversation delves into the unique challenges queer voices face in a media lan...

In this episode of The Season, host Ryland Aldrich sits down with Delphine Figueras, General Manager of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), and Stephen Pizzello, Editor-in-Chief of American Cinematographer magazine. They delve into the ASC's influential role in awards season, exploring how their work champions cinematography as an art form. From initiatives like Clubhouse Conversations...

In this episode, host Ryland Aldrich sits down with Christina Routhier, the Executive Director of the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, to explore the festival's evolution over the past two decades. Christina shares how the festival has grown from a platform for SCAD students into a key stop on the awards season circuit, thanks to a conscious effort to position it as a special event for industry inside...

In this week's episode of The Season, we sit down with Emmy and VES Award-winning visual effects supervisor Eric Durst. Eric shares his journey through some of the most iconic projects in film and television, from working on Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer to his award-winning work on the Apple TV+ series Five Days at Memorial. He also reflects on the evolving landscape of VFX campaigning and takes us...

In this episode of The Season, we're joined by Ray Costa, a Film & TV Music Awards Strategist who has shaped award-winning campaigns for over 30 years. Ray has worked with artists like Billie Eilish, Elton John, and Lady Gaga, crafting unconventional strategies to get their music in front of voters. He shares his unique approach, from organizing one-of-a-kind events to navigating the emotional hig...

Our guest this week is Hugh Fink, Executive Producer of the Writers Guild Awards, stand-up comedian, and Emmy-winning SNL writer. Hugh takes us behind the scenes of producing award shows, sharing insights on navigating comedy in front of live audiences, the challenges of booking the right hosts, and why he believes the Writers Guild Awards is "the most entertaining awards show not on television."...

Our guest is Katey Rich, the Awards Editor at The Ankler and host of the Prestige Junkie podcast for this inaugural episode of The Season. We take a dive deep into Katey's recent experiences at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), breaking down audience reactions, standout films, and the ripple effect of the People's Choice Award on the Oscars race. Katey also shares insights on running...

Announcing the new FYCit Podcast, The Season.  If you're part of the industry—or just curious about how it all works—this is the show that examines the nuts and bolts of the awards machinery. We're pulling back the curtain on what really goes on behind the scenes: the strategies driving campaigns and the personal experiences and challenges of running the awards circuit gauntlet. Featuring highligh...