We Need to Talk About Oscar

No story is easy to tell, and you can always complicate it for yourself, but that might be beneficial for your purpose. Taking on the conflicting institution of fraternities presented a similar challenge for first-time director Ethan Berger, who remained committed to his vision and wasn’t afraid to make changes to his script as time passed and life evolved. Ethan’s film, along with our conversatio...

A directorial debut is always a significant event, not just for the director, but for everyone involved in the project. And no film can truly succeed without a strong script, which is the case for Woman of the Hour , starring and directed by Anna Kendrick, and written by our next guest, Ian McDonald. In this episode, we explore the film, based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala and h...

We all have our 'most anticipated films' that we can't wait to be released, but of course, sometimes filmmakers have to wait for their projects to see the light of day. The incredibly talented director duo, Celine Held and Logan George, shot Caddo Lake three years ago, and now we finally get to see it! In our little conversation with them (0:57), we cover the dynamics of their direc...

If you’re wondering where the term “anxiety chic” comes from, It’s What’s Inside ! This time around on the show, you can listen to our conversations with the film's writer-director Greg Jardin (0:52), and actor David Thompson (17:32). First up, Greg shares his experience working on trailers, the core idea's journey from script to screen, and creating a comfortable atmosphere for actors o...

Following the release of Sing Sing , another breakout title from last year’s TIFF is finally here, in the form of His Three Daughters ! This three-hander, starring Natasha Lyonne, Carrie Coon, and Elizabeth Olsen, is written and directed by Azazel Jacobs. Harrowingly gorgeous and at times lovingly funny, the film offers a subtle depiction of grief, mortality, and familial dynamics. We were fortuna...

Dear Listener, From time to time, we’ll treat you to different themes and formats, like our new series, “Rewind”. This special edition of the show will drop in your feed every month or so. The very first episode of “Rewind” is, needless to say, a special one. We are excited to welcome cinematographer turned director Paul Cameron. The two main titles we cover are Man on Fire and Collateral , both o...

For a few years now, Apple has been consistently building out its streaming platform with the help of great artists and prestigious projects. Their new release, Lady in the Lake is a limited series starring Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram. Áron had the pleasure of welcoming the show’s cinematographer Lachlan Milne, and production designer JC Molina to the show. As Lady in the Lake takes place in...

We had the director-cinematographer duo of Shōgun Episodes 1-2, Jonathan van Tulleken and Chris Ross, on the show back in April. Since then the series received 26 Emmy nominations, including two for cinematography. One of these nominations went to Chris, and now we're joined by the other incredibly talented DOP nominee, Sam McCurdy. Sam has an impressive résumé in television, having worked on...

Now that Sing Sing is expanding to more theaters, we’re ramping up our coverage of the film! In our interview with cinematographer Pat Scola, we talked about both A Quiet Place: Day One and Sing Sing . Today we’re pleased to share Áron’s conversation with the editor of A24’s big title contender, Parker Laramie! This interview sheds some light on the evolution of Parker’s collaboration with directo...

Next up on the show, with A Quiet Place: Day One hitting VOD, we are thrilled to welcome Michael Sarnoski, the director behind the movie. (You might also know his debut feature from three years ago, Pig starring Nicolas Cage.) In this captivating episode, Áron had the opportunity to talk with Michael about his journey from indie filmmaking to the world of a studio blockbuster. Michael shares his v...

We really hope you watched Hulu’s Under the Bridge (if not, honestly, what are you doing?!), cause this time we have the absolute pleasure of welcoming actress Vritika Gupta (0:37), who plays Reena Virk, and director Kevin Phillips (19:23), who directed episodes 2 and 8, to the show. In their conversation, Áron and our two fantastic guests cover topics like career decisions, the challenges of play...

It's been about a week since the series (or season?) finale of Julio Torres' Fantasmas aired. Whether or not there will be a follow-up to these six episodes, we have another spooky treat for you: our chat with the show's production designer, Tommaso Ortino! In this episode Tommaso and Áron go down the rabbit hole of building sets on a stage, blending the projections with the physica...

The release of a new project is always special, and if the release of two of your projects is within two weeks, it is, well, one, really special, and two, your name might be Pat Scola! As a part of this interview, Pat tells Áron about the past, present, and future of his collaboration with director Michael Sarnoski, shooting on another scale for A Quiet Place: Day One , constructing a true indie i...

In this episode, Áron sits down with Sam Levy, the cinematographer behind the surrealist comedy series, Fantasmas . Created, directed, and written by the multi-talented Julio Torres, who also stars in it. Fantasmas takes viewers on an extraordinary journey as Torres searches for a golden oyster earring, meeting a number of eccentric characters along the way. As a part of the conversation, Sam delv...

Next up on the show, Áron’s joined by Kristi Zea, a production designer whose work we’re sure you’ve come across over the years! Kristi’s previous projects include Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas or The Departed , Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs or Philadelphia , and Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road . Her latest is Christy Hall’s feature directorial debut, Daddio . The themes covered in this...

This time on the show, Áron speaks with Florian Hoffmeister, the cinematographer of 'True Detective: The Night Country', the fourth season of the beloved HBO anthology series. Florian shared his experiences on the technical and logistical challenges of shooting in the extreme conditions of Iceland. From the complexities of filming both indoors on stages, and outdoors in the low-light conditions, t...

In our next episode, Áron interviews four key contributors behind the film 'Jazzy': Andrew Hajek (DoP & co-writer), Morrisa Maltz (Director & co-writer), Lainey Bearkiller Shangreaux (Actress & co-writer), and Vanara Taing (Co-editor & co-writer). The film explores the transition from childhood to young adulthood. When her best friend moves away, Jazzy navigates a profound sense of...

Next up, we welcome James Jones, the director of the documentary 'Antidote' on the show. The film tells the courageous stories of whistleblowers and activists who risk everything to expose Putin's authoritarian regime, facing dire consequences for their bravery. Áron talks with James about the parallels between “Antidote” and the 2022 documentary 'Navalny', shedding light on the relentless pursuit...

The second episode of our coverage at this year’s Tribeca is here, as Áron sat down with the director, Daniel Oriahi and the two leads, Uzoamaka Aniunoh and Bucci Franklin, of the genre-bending horror thriller, 'The Weekend'. This fresh take on the ‘nightmare at the in-laws’ -genre will make you second guess your trust in your surroundings and relationships! In this interview you can learn about D...

The 2024 Tribeca Film Festival kicked off this week and in this episode you can hear Áron talking with director Tolga Karacelik and cinematographer Natalie Kingston to discuss their much-anticipated film, 'The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer'. The story follows a struggling writer in the midst of a divorce who befriends a retired serial killer. The killer unexpe...

In this episode, Szilveszter sits down with the director, Weronika Tofilska (0:55), while Áron speaks with the cinematographer, Krzysztof Trojnar (26:23), of the gripping new show 'Baby Reindeer'. This series, adapted from Richard Gadd's acclaimed one-man stage play, chronicles his harrowing experience with a female stalker and the dark, hidden trauma it forces him to confront. Weronika and Krzysz...

For this episode we got to talk to Steven Knight about his latest limited series, FX’s The Veil , headlined by the one and only Elisabeth Moss. Research, his writing process, generating yet keeping tension under control and homages are among the topics Áron covered with the show's writer, creator, showrunner. Steve has written (and at times directed) films like Locke , Spencer or Eastern Prom...

Creating a score that perfectly matches the atmosphere of a new show is a challenge, but when a series is renewed, the composer faces the additional task of evolving, while maintaining the music’s familiar essence. Our next guest, Marty Beller, found himself in this exact situation transitioning from Season 1 to Season 2 of ‘American Rust’.  In this episode, Marty talks to Áron about balancing the...

In this episode, Áron interviews Jess Gonchor, the production designer behind the enchanting world of John Krasinski’s ‘IF’. The film follows a young girl navigating a tough time in her life, who begins to see the forgotten imaginary friends of those who have grown up. Jess shares his insights on creating the whimsical and poignant settings that bring this unique story to life. Drawing on his exte...

In this episode, Áron sits down with Sidd Khosla, the talented composer behind the evocative score of 'The Idea of You'. While the boy band August Moon fills the film with infectious hits, it's Sidd's music that truly brings the quieter, more emotional moments to life. Join us as we explore how Sidd crafted a soundtrack that perfectly complements the highs and lows of the story, drawing on his ric...