Austin Film Festival's On Story podcast

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The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX

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#725: Consumer confidence...and caution...with Eric Miao, Attentive 25:00

6 hari yang lalu25:00

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Are brands prepared for a consumer base that's simultaneously more confident and more cautious? Agility requires not just reacting to current consumer behavior but anticipating the shifts to come. It also requires a deep understanding of the nuances within different consumer segments, particularly as generational behaviors diverge. Today, we're going to talk about the evolving landscape of consumer confidence, especially among Gen Z and Millennials, and what this means for brands navigating the current market. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Eric Miao, Chief Strategy Officer at Attentive. About Eric Miao Eric Miao on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-miao-62313b9/ Resources Attentive: https://www.attentive.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Austin Film Festival's On Story Podcast is the companion to Austin Film Festival's television show, On Story. Get an uncensored inside look at the creative process of film making through the eyes of some of the entertainment industry's most prolific writers, directors and producers.

164 episode

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Script to Screen: Twisters 25:49

9 hours yang lalu25:49

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This week on On Story, a conversation with screenwriter Mark L. Smith on writing Twisters – the 2024 summer film that took audiences by storm…literally! The action-packed, thrilling adventure directed by Lee Isaac Chung is a standalone sequel to the 1996 film Twister starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton and produced by Austin Film Festival awardee Kathleen Kennedy. Yet, as the plurality suggests, stakes are raised in Twisters as meteorologist Kate Copper, played by Daisy Edgar Jones, tests a groundbreaking storm tracking system. Copper’s world spirals when she crosses paths with cowboy, social media superstar Tyler Owens, played by Glen Powell as the two storm chasers fight for their lives in the plains of Oklahoma. Mark L. Smith is best known for writing the screenplays The Revenant, starring Leonardi Di Caprio whose performance in the film earned him the Academy award for Best actor, The Midnight Sky, directed and starring George Clooney, and The Boys in the Boat, produced and directed by Clooney. Simply put, Smith is a mastermind at crafting stories that are sure to keep audiences at the edge of their seats. I sat down with Smith at our annual Writers Conference to discuss writing captivating action sequences and his process of writing a script which both honors and builds off the original 90s blockbuster. Twisters clips courtesy of Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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On Writing Vida, with Tanya Saracho 25:12

14 hari yang lalu25:12

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This week on On Story, a conversation with the creator and showrunner Tanya Saracho on her process crafting the hit Starz television series Vida. Saracho is a critically-acclaimed playwright and television writer known for featuring authentic latine storylines. In fact, Saracho co-founded the Untitled Latinx Project (ULP), whose mission is to increase Latine representation in television through content created by Latine writers and directors. Further, Saracho also launched the Ojalá Ignition Lab, an incubator program aimed to nurture, amplify, guide, and empower intersectional Latine voices. With her roots in Theatre, Saracho formed Chicago's Teatro Luna in June 2000. This ensemble of all latina women helped establish Saracho as a theater artist before she ultimately co-founded The Alliance of Latinx Theater Artists (ALTA) of Chicago. Saracho’s dedication to diverse stories carried over to her television work as she wrote on popular female-driven shows such as Devious Maids, Girls, and How to Get Away with Murder before Saracho created Vida for Starz. Vida, the heartwarming family drama, quickly became a critical success upon its release, charming critics and audiences alike with its tale of two mexican-american sisters who return home to Boyle Heights, Los Angeles after the death of their mother. The show, which aired for three seasons, artfully tackled gentrification in LA, fraught family dynamics, and sexuality from an authentic latine point of view. AFF moderator and writer herself Marcelena Campos Mayhorn sat down with Saracho to discuss creating the pioneering series. Vida clips courtesy of Starz Entertainment.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with Meg LeFauve: Inside Out of Pixar 38:40

21 hari yang lalu38:40

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This week on On Story, a conversation with screenwriter Meg LeFauve on her career as a writer at Pixar, where she co-wrote Inside Out and Inside Out 2, as well as The Good Dinosaur. Inside Out follows the personified emotions of Riley, a young girl who struggles to fit in after her family relocates from Minnesota to San Francisco. Riley’s emotions are stored as memories, and her most impactful experiences become core memories, which each define a central part of her personality. The story follows the chaos that ensues after Joy and Sadness go missing in the depths of Riley’s mind, leaving Fear, Anger, and Disgust in control of Riley’s emotional reactions. Inside Out 2 picks up when Riley is entering high school and follows the clash between Riley’s original emotions, and four new additions: Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui. Both films were Oscar nominated, including a nomination for LeFauve for Best Original Screenplay for her work on Inside Out. LeFauve began her film career as a producer and president of Jodie Foster’s production company Egg Pictures. LeFauve produced The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, which won the 2003 Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. I spoke with LeFauve about her experience taking the leap and moving from her stable producing career into the chaotic world of writing for Pixar. After Inside Out she went on to work as a writer on Captain Marvel, Onward, and My Father’s Dragon. LeFauve also co-hosts the Podcast, The Screenwriting Life, which is dedicated to the craft and profession of screenwriting. I sat down with Meg LeFauve to discuss her journey from producer to Oscar nominated writer. Clips for Inside Out courtesy of Disney Plus and Disney Enterprises, Inc…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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They Cloned Tyrone, with Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmeier 19:53

6 weeks yang lalu19:53

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This week on On Story, a conversation with director Juel Taylor and writer-producer Tony Rettenmaier on the making of their debut, genre-bending feature, They Cloned Tyrone. The science fiction-comedy-myster-thriller stars John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx (who also served as producer) as this unlikely trio attempts to uncover a government cloning operation. The film first premiered at the American Black Film Festival before a successful Netflix release. Ever since, the film has wowed audiences and critics alike with its poignant socio-political commentary and ability to break out beyond typical genre boxes. Longtime writing partners, Taylor and Rettenmaier met during their time at the University of Southern California’s graduate School of Cinematic Arts before co-writing the feature screenplays for Creed II and Space Jam: A New Legacy. AFF moderator Alex Mitchell sat down with the writer-director due to talk process and collaboration. They Cloned Tyrone clips courtesy of Netflix.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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On Writing Battlestar Galactica, with Ronald D. Moore 32:03

8 weeks yang lalu32:03

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This week on On Story, a conversation with science-fiction extraordinaire Ronald D. Moore on his process creating and showrunning the Battlestar Galactica series. The 2004 Syfy episodic is a fresh take on the 1979 series created by Glen A. Larson. Set in a distant star system, a civilization of humans live among a group of planets known as the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. Together, they must navigate attacks from their enemies, the Cylons, whose primary goal is to eliminate the human race. Through four critically-acclaimed seasons, Moore crafted the series for a modern audience all while paying homage to the original source material. Moore's early writing career started in the writers room of Star Trek: The Next Generation, during which he co-wrote twenty-seven episodes. In 1994, Moore joined the writing staff of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as a supervising producer, and was elevated to co-executive producer the following year. Now, through an overall deal with Sony, Moore's production company Tall Ship Productions produces the lauded series Outlander and For All Mankind. I sat down with Ronald D. Moore, a recipient of Austin Film Festival's Outstanding Television Writing Award, to discuss his journey reimagining Battlestar Galactica. Battlestar Galactica clips courtesy of Universal City Studios, Inc.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Script to Screen: American Psycho 24:54

14 weeks yang lalu24:54

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This week on On Story, a conversation with screenwriter Guinevere Turner on her process writing American Psycho. Though polarizing upon its release, for over two decades American Psycho has remained a cornerstone of horror cinema. Turner herself has a dynamic career as a writer, director and actor. Beyond American Psycho Turner wrote the films The Notorious Bettie Page, Charlie Says and her upcoming feature The Highway that Eats People. Turner also served as a story editor and played the recurring character Gabby Deveaux on Showtime’s hit queer television series, The L Word. AFF Moderator and journalist Michael MacCambridge sat down with Turner to discuss her process adapting the 1991 novel by Bret Easton Ellis, capturing zeitgeist within the script, and blending a unique and pioneering tone of satirical horror. American Psycho clips courtesy of Starz Entertainment.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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On the Making of Sing Sing 26:36

17 weeks yang lalu26:36

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This week on On Story, AFF Senior Film Programer Andy Wolk sits down with writer-producer Clint Bentley and producer Monique Walton to deep-dive into the making of Sing Sing. Based on the real-life Rehabilitation through the Arts program at New York’s Sing Sing Maximum security prison, the powerful film follows a group of incarcerated men who find purpose and creativity through their prison theater troupe. The feature earned wide-spread critical acclaim, not only for the feature’s moving portrayal of change and exploration of human expression, but also for the cast’s inclusion of real-life formerly incarcerated men who were alumni of the program. The formerly incarcerated men perform alongside starring actor Colmon Domingo. Clint Bentley co-wrote Sing Sing with the film’s director, Greg Kwedar. Bentley is known for his previous feature screenplays, Transpecos and Jockey which was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. Monique Walton is a leading indie producer and a recipient of a Film Independent Spirit Awards Producers Award. Prior, Walton produced Annie Silverstein’s award-winning debut feature Bull which premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. Bentley and Walton discuss their process of crafting and capturing a story based on authentic life experiences and having faith the project will come together. Sing Sing Clips courtesy of A24.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with Craig Mazin 26:46

23 weeks yang lalu26:46

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This week on On Story, a conversation with writer, director, producer and industry frontrunner, Craig Mazin. Mazin is perhaps best known for his Emmy award-winning historical Drama, Chernobyl. The HBO miniseries captivated audiences with its story of the aftermath of the 1986 disaster and earned Mazin the Emmy for Outstanding Writing on a Limited Series. Prior to his television work, Mazin gained recognition as a sharp comedy writer through features such as Scary Movie 3 and 4, Superhero Movie, The Hangover parts 2 and 3, and Identity Theif. The prolific writer is a long-time friend of Austin Film Festival and often hosts live recordings of his industry-insider podcasted, Scriptnotes, co-hosted with fellow writer John August, during AFF’s Annual Writers Conference each October. Eager to inform and support up-and-coming writers, the podcast discusses all things current in screenwriting. The Last of Us Clips courtesy of HBO Max.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with Kathleen Kennedy 22:59

25 weeks yang lalu22:59

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This week on On Story, a conversation with legendary producer, Katheleen Kennedy on her impressive producing career. Kennedy has produced or executive-produced more than 70 feature films, which have collectively garnered 120 Academy Award nominations and 25 wins. Among her credits include blockbusters and classics such as Jurassic Park, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, The Sixth Sense, the Back to the Future trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Goonies, Poltergeist, Empire of the Sun, Schindler’s List, and The Color Purple….just to name a few! Not to mention, Kennedy has collaborated with some of Hollywood’s most infamous directors including Steven Spielberg, David Fincher, Martin Scorsese, and Clint Eastwood. Today, Kennedy is the president of Lucasfilm where she produced Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), the highest grossing domestic feature of all time. I sat down with Kennedy, AFF’s 2024 Recipient of the Polly Platt Award for Producing, to discuss her vast career trajectory. Kennedy reflects on her journey from a green, yet visionary, producer to one of the most successful and respected producers in the film industry today. Kennedy outlines how she continues to find inspiration for each of her projects even after decades of experience. Listen closely, it’s time to learn from one of the best. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial clips courtesy of Universal pictures Empire of the Sun clips courtesy of Warner Brothers The Acolyte courtesy of Disney…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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On World Building with Damon Lindelof and Dan Erickson 25:40

28 weeks yang lalu25:40

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This week on On Story, AFF moderator Casey Baron speaks with leading TV writers Damon Lindelof and Dan Erickson on the art of world building. Damon Lindelof is a three-time Emmy Award-winning writer and producer, best known for creating and showrunning hit supernatural and science-fiction dramas such as ABC's Lost, the HBO series The Leftovers and Watchmen, as well as Peacock's limited series Mrs. Davis. Prior to showrunning, Lindelof wrote on the crime dramas Nash Bridges and Crossing Jordan. One of television's most prolific and pre-eminent writers, Lindelof has created some of TV's most captivating worlds, such as the disturbing island backdrop of Lost, or the world with two percent of the population missing, The Leftovers. A true television mastermind, AFF was honored to give Damon its renowned Outstanding Television Writer Award, created to recognize unparalleled achievements from television creators. Lindelof was joined in conversation by Dan Erickson, the showrunner and producer of Severance, the science-fiction and psychological thriller series directed by Ben Stiller and starring Adam Scott. Severance premiered on Apple TV in 2022 and has since captivated audiences through the world of the biotechnology corporation, Lumon Industries, with its extreme employee policies. Lindelof and Erickson discuss their process of building a series world from the ground up. Severance clips courtesy of Apple TV.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Film to TV Adaptations: A Conversation with Noah Hawley 45:15

36 weeks yang lalu45:15

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This week on On Story, a conversation with lauded TV writer, Noah Hawley, whose expansive writing career includes creating and showrunning the FX series Fargo and Legion. Fargo, the award-winning anthology series, is Hawley's adaptation of the 1996 film of the same name. Each season of the comedy-crime series follows murder investigations in various midwestern towns. Since the series debuted in 2014, the star-stacked cast has included Jon Hamm, Chris Rock, Jessie Buckley, Ben Wisham, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ewan McGregor, Patrick Wilson, Jean Smart, and Kirsten Dunst, to name just a few. The series, now with five seasons released, has earned six Emmy awards and an impressive fifty-five nominations. Both the acclaimed series Fargo and Legion are produced under Noah Hawley's 26 Keys Production banner. Hawley sat down with AFF moderator and TV producer Barry Josephson for a conversation focused on Fargo. Hawley discusses his approach to finding the essence of the film when adapting it for the small screen. Fargo clips courtesy of FX. Legion clips courtesy of FX. Bones clips courtesy of Fox.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Watchmen, with Damon Lindelof and Cord Jefferson 31:55

39 weeks yang lalu31:55

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This week on On Story, AFF moderator Harrison Glaser speaks with Watchmen showrunner Damon Lindelof and writer Cord Jefferson about the collaborative process of adapting the beloved comic book and writing the series' Emmy Award-winning episode. Watchmen, a critically and commercially celebrated limited series, tells the story of racially motivated violence and vigilantism in the world of Alan Moore’s graphic novel by the same name. Damon Lindelof is a WGA, PGA, and Emmy award-winning writer who has created some of television’s most iconic shows, including Lost and The Leftovers. A master of smart, character-driven science fiction, Lindelof shares his perspective on breaking story and building mythology. Cord Jefferson began his writing career as a journalist. Since transitioning to television, he has worked on some of the medium’s most formative shows in recent years: Master of None, The Good Place, Succession, and Watchmen. His debut feature, American Fiction, won the Audience Award at the 30th annual Austin Film Festival. Cord discusses bringing his own perspective to well-known material and honing in on character motivation. Watchmen clips courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with So Young Shelly Yo 19:01

43 weeks yang lalu19:01

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This week on On Story, a conversation with the up and coming visionary, So Young Shelly Yo. Shelly is an award-winning filmmaker whose work has been supported by HBO, CAAM, SFFILM, the Sloan Foundation and others. Shelly's feature film, SMOKING TIGERS, was the winner of Tribeca x AT&T’s Untold Stories and was awarded best screenplay, best performance and a special mention for the Nora Ephron prize at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival. Prior to SMOKING TIGERS, Shelly wrote and directed many short films including SOFT SOUNDS OF PEELING FRUIT and MOONWALK WITH ME. She is currently in development for her next project. Shelly will discuss transitioning from writing and directing short films to her debut feature, the visually stunning and emotionally rich multi-language film Smoking Tigers. Clips of Smoking Tigers courtesy of Max.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Adapting Period Pieces, with Alison Eakle and Evan Romansky 31:08

44 weeks yang lalu31:08

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This week on On Story, we explore finding the source material for a period piece, making decisions about historical accuracy versus creative liberties, and successfully marrying a modern audience with a bygone era. AFF moderator Fabienne Harford speaks with Alison Eakle, Chief Content Officer at Shondaland and executive producer on Bridgerton, and Evan Romanksy, co-creator of Ratched about what it takes to research and create period pieces that maintain integrity and entertainment. Alison Eakle oversees all Netflix streaming content for Shondaland. She joined Shondaland in 2013, helping develop the ABC dramas “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Station 19,” “For the People,” and “The Catch.” Prior to her time at Shondaland, Eakle was at Ellen DeGeneres’ production company, A Very Good Production. She began her career in features, working in development and production at Paramount Vantage and Columbia Pictures, as well as in marketing at Paramount Pictures. In 2016, Eakle was named one of Marie Claire’s New Guard: America’s 50 Most Influential Women, and in 2019 she was named an Ojai Fellow as part of CAA’s Convene. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and The University of Texas at Austin. She’s joined by Evan Romanksy the co-creator and executive producer of Netflix's Emmy and Golden-Globe nominated series RATCHED. A graduate of Ohio University and Loyola Marymount University, Evan has sold both film and TV projects to Amazon and MakeReady Studios and is currently developing with Jason Bateman's Aggregate Films as well as Margot Robbie's LuckyChap Entertainment. Both Evan and Allison have learned to successfully marry a modern audience with a bygone era. Ratched, Queen Charlotte, and Bridgerton clips courtesy of Netflix.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Tales from Texas Film Offices, Presented by TXAFC 48:01

51 weeks yang lalu48:01

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This week on On Story, we’re joined by the film industry experts who connect Texas filmmakers with funding and resources including President of the Texas Association of Film Commissions, Drew Mayer-Oakes, Director of the Texas Film Commission, Stephanie Whallon, Director of the San Antonio Film Commission, Kimberly LeBlanc, and Director of the Houston Film Commission, Alfred Cervantes. The discussion of their professional histories and organizational goals shines a light on the many different ways these structured bodies provide support for Texas creators while simultaneously invigorating local economies.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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'Never Have I Ever' with Lang Fisher 30:10

2 years yang lalu30:10

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This week on On Story, we're joined by Lang Fisher for a conversation on her process of co-creating, writing, and showrunning Netflix’s hit series, Never Have I Ever. Fisher has a long history of writing and producing funny yet intelligent television, and Never Have I Ever is no exception. This fresh, coming-of-age series follows Indian-American teen, Davy Vishwakumar, who after a difficult year, is determined to heighten her social status at Sherman Oaks High Schools. Both co-created with and inspired by Mindy Kaling’s own childhood, the show's current three seasons are a remarkable masterclass on witty dialogue, a leader in diverse representation on screen, and adept at presenting relatable themes for teens and adults alike. The show's highly anticipated fourth and final season is scheduled to be released by Netflix on June 8th, 2023. Prior to her work on Never Have I Ever, Fisher was a writer-producer for many comedy series, including Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Mindy Project, and the final season of 30 Rock, where she co-wrote the episode “A Goon’s Deed in a Weary World,” which was named one of Variety’s “25 Best TV Episodes of the Decade.” Before venturing into television writing, Fisher used her humor to write for six years at the satirical news outlet, The Onion. AFF moderator Casey Baron sat down with Lang Fisher to dive deeper into the process of writing and creating Never Have I Ever and to give our audience a craft conversation. Never have you ever learned so much on the art of comedy writing! Clips of Never Have I Ever courtesy of Netflix.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with Noah Harpster & Micah Fitzerman-Blue 45:26

2 years yang lalu45:26

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This week on On Story, we're joined by writing partners Noah Harpster and Micah Fitzerman-Blue, known for their collaboration on projects such as the award-winning film based on the life of Mr. Rogers, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, their work writing and producing the Amazon series, Transparent, and co-creating and co-showrunning their upcoming Netflix series, Painkiller. Known for their talents writing stories based on true events, Painkiller is no different, as it's an honest exploration of the birth of the opioid crisis in the United States, starring Matthew Broderick and Uzo Abuda. Together, Harpster and Fitzerman-Blue have won the Peabody Award, the PEN award, and the Humanitas Prize for their collaborative work as screenwriters, in addition to receiving Emmy, Golden Globe, People’s Choice Awards, and WGA writing nominations. AFF moderator Harrison Glaser sat down with both writers during the 2022 Writers Conference to discuss what makes a successful writing partnership, the process of crafting stories based on real events, and how to build a career that includes writing across genres, and within both television and film. You know what they say - two heads are better than one, and the truth is stranger than fiction. Harpster and Fitzerman-Blue embody these timeless statements. Clips courtesy of Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. and Amazon Studios.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with Stephen Merchant 48:55

2 years yang lalu48:55

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This week on On Story, we're joined by the comedic genius Stephen Merchant for a conversation on his impressive career in television. Perhaps best known for co-creating (with Ricky Gervais) BBC's The Office, Merchant's work writing and directing the critically acclaimed show attributed to the series earning multiple comedy awards, including three BAFTA awards, two British Comedy awards, two Golden Globe awards, a Primetime Emmy, and a Peabody Award, all before Merchant served as the executive producer on the immensely successful adaptation. The US series was a long-running hit, receiving five Primetime Emmy awards and forty-two nominations of its own during its run on NBC. Other pillars in Merchant's career include starring, co-creating, co-writing and directing the HBO series Hello Ladies, a sitcom based on Merchant's stand-up show of the same name. Currently, Merchant serves as the co-creator, executive producer, writer, director and star of his newest series, The Outlaws. Co-created with Elgin James, the crime thriller and comedic television show follows seven very different strangers who are sentenced to community service as payback for their various crimes. Yet things certainly take a turn when the group discovers a bag full of money, unaware of its dangerous owners, in this hit co-production from BBC One and Amazon Studios. A pivotal creative in the world of comedy, AFF was delighted to honor Merchant as the recipient of AFF’s Outstanding Television Writer Award, a distinction awarded annually to recognize excellence in the television industry. Merchant certainly demonstrates excellence, not only from his impressive collection of awards and accolades, but also through his various titles, roles, and hats, including actor, stand-up comedian, writer, director, and producer, thereby cementing his reputation as one of the most versatile talents in TV and film. Barbara Morgan sat down with Merchant during the 2022 Austin Film Festival for an in-depth conversation on both his creative process and career, eager to hear more on Merchant’s practice of crafting relatable characters, how he found comedic inspiration from drama, and most of all, how he established himself as one of television’s leading comedic voices. So sit back and have a laugh as we talk all things comedy with Stephen Merchant. Clips of The Outlaws courtesy of Amazon Studios. Clips of Hello Ladies courtesy of Home Box Office, Inc. Clips of The Office courtesy of British Broadcasting Corporation.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with James Gray 40:57

2 years yang lalu40:57

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This week on On Story, a conversation with acclaimed writer, director, and producer James Gray to discuss not only his artistic process, but how he established himself as one the industry’s most talented writer-directors. A true visionary, Gray made his directorial debut with his celebrated film Little Odessa, which earned him nominations for both Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay at the 1994 Independent Spirit Awards. Other esteemed features in Gray’s canon include The Yards, starring Joaquin Phoenix, who is in fact a frequent collaborator of Gray’s, and We Own the Night, starring Mark Wahlberg, in addition to his films, Two Lovers, The Immigrant, The Lost City of Z, and Ad Astra, all of which set the bar for both screenwriting and direction. Gray’s most recent feature, Armageddon Time, is a deeply personal film inspired by Gray’s childhood. A reflection on the strength of family, the complexity of friendship, and the realities of class as seen through the eyes of a young Jewish boy growing up in 1980s Queens, the film’s star-studded cast includes leading actors Anthony Hopkins, Anne Hathaway, and Jeremy Strong. In addition to speaking with Gray on his process of writing and directing each of his seven critically-acclaimed feature films, AFF was eager to honor Gray with our coveted Bill Wittliff Award for Screenwriting, an annual award presented to leading storytellers within film, television and new media. Gray adds this accolade to his five Palme d’Or nominations, as well as the Silver Lion Award. During our annual Writers Conference, Barbara Morgan sat down with Gray to discuss how he became a pillar of American filmmaking. Ad Astra clips courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Little Odessa clips courtesy of Fine Line Features. Lost City of Z clips courtesy of Sierra Afinity, LLC. We Own the Night clips courtesy of Columbia Pictures.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Kandahar Q&A with Ric Roman Waugh 19:25

2 years yang lalu19:25

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This week on On Story we're joined by director Ric Roman Waugh for a post-screening deep dive into his newest action thriller, Kandahar. Formerly an actor and stuntman who appeared in countless films, including Universal Soldier, The Last of the Mohicans, and Lethal Weapon 2, Waugh is certainly no stranger to action. Now known for his work as a writer, producer, and director, Waugh utilizes his background in stunt work to create many of today's leading thrillers, such as Felon, Snitch, Shot Caller, and Angel Has Fallen, serving on all as writer and director. Recently in 2020, Waugh directed Greenland, a disaster thriller starring Waugh's frequent collaborator, Gerard Butler, which follows the story of John Garrity, who must save the United States from imminent destruction by a comet. Waugh's newest action thriller, Kandahar, was written by former U.S. Military Intelligence Officer Mitchell La Fortune, and follows the journey of undercover CIA operative Tom Harris, who along with his translator must flee hostile territory in Afghanistan after their covert mission is exposed. Both starring and produced by Gerard Butler, the film is based on LaFortune's own experience serving in Afghanistan during the 2013 Snowden leaks. Never short on suspense or excitement, Kandahar is a high-stakes race against time, set against the complex political background of the War on Terror. So sit back - or, well more likely on the edge of your seat - as Barbara Morgan sits down with director Ric Roman Waugh to talk all things Kandahar. Clips of Kandahar courtesy of Open Road Films.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with Alec Berg 36:59

2 years yang lalu36:59

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This week on On Story, AFF Moderator Harrison Glaser sits down with television writing legend Alec Berg for an in-depth conversation on his triumphant comedy writing career. Nothing short of a comedic genius, Berg's writing credits include some of television's most hilarious series, including his work writing, directing, and producing Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mike Judge's Silicon Valley, and most recently, HBO's Barry, which he co-created with SNL legend Bill Hader. Barry, which was recently renewed for a fourth season, is an Emmy-nominated dark comedy hit that follows down-and-out hitman Barry Berkman, played by Bill Hader. Barry's assignments bring him to Los Angeles, where he finds himself joining a local acting class for wannabe talent taught by Gene Cousineau, played by none other than Henry Winkler. Through this class and a budding relationship with aspiring actress Sally Reed, this not-so-cold-blooded killer finds himself amidst an existential crisis, asking as we all often do, what is it he really wants out of life? Only Berg, a master of situational comedy, would think to put a hitman in a beginner's acting class and to make it lighthearted and funny, but as many of our listeners know, there's nothing lighthearted or easy about breaking into the world of comedy. Berg breaks down for our AFF audience his journey, which started by gaining inspiration from the tapes of prior comedy legends like Steve Martin, to his early work writing for Seinfeld, to expanding his credit from writer to writer-director, to ultimately making a career and name for himself as one of television's leading comedy creators and showrunners. So get ready for a lesson in laughter from comedy legend Alec Berg. Clips of Barry and Silicon Valley courtesy of Home Box Office, Inc. Clips of Seinfeld courtesy of NBC.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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The Inspection Q&A with Elegance Bratton and Raúl Castillo 26:59

2 years yang lalu26:59

26:59

This week on On Story, AFF Moderator Andy Volk sat down with writer-director Elegance Bratton and actor Raúl Castillo for a post-screening Q&A of their latest feature film, The Inspection. Released last November by A24, The Inspection is an absolutely heart-wrenching drama inspired by Bratton's own experience. The film follows Ellis French, a young, gay black man played by Tony-nominated actor Jeremy Pope who is rejected by his mother and family. With very few options for his future, Ellis joins the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that has cast him aside. This deeply moving film is a sharp look at how one can find strength, support, and a sense of belonging in the most unexpected places. Just as inspiring as the film is Elegance Bratton's own artistic trajectory, which exemplifies perseverance and determination in creation. Bratton began making films while serving as a US Marine after spending a decade homeless. Now an acclaimed, boundary-breaking director, writer, and producer, Bratton's films have played at over two hundred film festivals worldwide, including Sundance, Outfest, BFI, New York City, Black Star Film Festival, and of course, at the Austin Film Festival. Beyond Bratton's festival success, he made his television debut as the creator and executive producer of the Viceland series, My House, which was nominated in 2019 for the GLAAD Media Award's Outstanding Documentary category. Additionally, his 2019 documentary, Pier Kids, made its streaming debut in August of 2021. Also in 2021, Bratton received the Film Independent Truer than Fiction Spirit Award presented to emerging directors of non-fiction features. And let's not forget that Bratton holds degrees from both Columbia University and the NYU Tisch Graduate School of Film. Yet summing up Elegance by merely his degrees, accolades, and awards does not provide the full picture. A master of harvesting film narratives and the overlooked stories right in front of us, Elegance uses his vision to highlight the universal power of our shared humanity. Joining Bratton is actor, playwright, and Texas's own Raúl Castillo. Castillo stars in the film as Rosales, a drill instructor who takes French under his wing. Castillo's artful performance is a nuanced depiction of masculinity and vulnerability, subverting traditional narratives through the duality of Rosales's stern yet nurturing mentorship, a complexity Castillo was eager to explore. Known for his starring roles in Amexicano, Cold Weather, We Are the Animals, as well as his role as Richie Donado Ventura in the HBO series, Looking, Castillo is known for his truthful embodiments of complex masculinity. Originally a playwright, Castillo has brought authentic Latinx stories to off-Broadway stages through his plays Border Stories, a trio of one-acts about life at the US-Mexico border, Knives and Other Sharp Objects, which premiered at the Public Theater in New York City, and his dark comedic family drama, Between You, Me, and the Lampshade, developed with the Atlantic Theater Company. We were thrilled to have both Elegance and Raúl, two exceptional storytellers, at the Austin Film Festival to speak to their creative process behind the film. So, do I have your attention yet? Are you standing at attention? Good. Let's dive deeper into The Inspection. Clips of The Inspection courtesy of A24.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Armageddon Time Q&A with James Gray 25:16

2 years yang lalu25:16

25:16

This week on On Story, AFF Moderator and Senior Programmer, Andy Volk, sat down with writer, director, and producer James Gray for a post-screening Q&A of his coming-of-age drama, Armageddon Time. A deeply personal film inspired by Gray's childhood, Armageddon Time is a reflection on the strength of family, the complexity of friendship, and the realities of class as seen through the eyes of a young Jewish boy growing up in 1980s Queens. Through the brilliant performances of its all-star cast, which includes leading actors such as Anthony Hopkins, Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong, Armageddon Time is a beautiful, detailed, and intimate portrait of how privilege, inequality, and prejudice are integral to the American experience. AFF was ecstatic to welcome the preeminent writer-director James Gray, not only to speak more about the film but also to honor him as the 2022 recipient of AFF's coveted Bill Wittliff Award for Screenwriting, an annual award presented to leading storytellers within film, television, and new media. A true visionary, Gray made his directorial debut with his acclaimed film, Little Odessa, which earned him nominations for both Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay at the 1994 Independent Spirit Awards. Other acclaimed features in Gray's canon include The Yards, starring Joaquin Phoenix, who is in fact a frequent collaborator of Gray's, and We Own the Night, starring Mark Wahlberg, in addition to his films Two Lovers, The Immigrant, The Lost City of Z, and Ad Astra, all of which are critically acclaimed and set the bar for both screenwriting and direction. So join us and the legendary director James Gray for a little trip back to the 1980s and a closer look at Armageddon Time. Clips of Armageddon Time courtesy of AT Picture Ventures LLC.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Women Talking Q&A with Dede Gardner and Sarah Polley 30:33

2 years yang lalu30:33

30:33

This week on On Story, it's all about Women Talking, and I'm not just referencing our powerhouse guests, Academy Award-winning producer Dede Gardner and Oscar-nominated writer-director Sarah Polley, but also their newest film collaboration and adaptation, Women Talking. Women Talking is a drama feature based on Miriam Toews' critically acclaimed novel of the same name. Inspired by true events from a sequestered community in Bolivia, the film follows a group of women in an isolated religious colony as they struggle to reconcile their faith amidst a series of assaults committed by the colony's men. This raw and vulnerable look at domestic violence is ultimately a story of women's resilience, and it's beautifully portrayed by leading actors Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessica Buckley, Judith Ivey and Frances McDormand. Austin Film Festival was thrilled to include this powerful film in our 2022 film slate. But a little more on the women talking in this post-screening Q&A. AFF was honored to award Dede Gardner with the 2022 Polly Platt Award for Producing, an Austin Film Festival award intended to recognize producers with a keen sense of story who have demonstrated a commitment to fostering new talent. Throughout her career, Gardner has produced many Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning films, including pioneering work such as Minari, If Beale Street Could Talk, Moonlight, The Big Short, Vice, Selma, 12 Years a Slave, And Terrence Malick's Palme d'Or winner, The Tree of Life. Her recent television releases include HBO's limited series, The Third Day, as well as the Amazon series, The Underground Railroad, and Outer Range. Joining Gardner is Women Talking's writer-director, Sarah Polley. Formerly an actress known for her leading role in the television series, Ramona, Polley made her directorial debut with her film, Away from Her, which was Oscar-nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Polley also received the Writer's Guild of America Award for Best Documentary Screenplay for her doc, Stories We Tell. Most recently, she executive-produced and wrote the Netflix limited series, Alias Grace, which she adapted from Margaret Atwood's novel. In short, Sarah Polley is a master at taking existing stories and filtering them through a lens of her own. AFF moderator Marissa Padden spoke with Dede Gardner and Sarah Polley after their screening at this year's Austin Film Festival to give our audience an insider's look at the art of adaptation and to host an honest conversation about tackling stories with difficult subjects. Sh! The women are talking, it's time to listen. Clips of Women Talking courtesy of United Artists Releasing.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Nanny Q&A with Nikyatu Jusu 18:12

2 years yang lalu18:12

18:12

Austin Film Festival was proud to recognize Nikyatu Jusu during our annual Awards Luncheon as the 2022 New Voice Award recipient, an award intended to spotlight unique and captivating new voices in film, television, and new media. Nanny is a psychologically complex horror-thriller which follows Aisha, a recently-emigrated woman from Senegal who is hired to care for the daughter of an unbalanced white couple living in New York's Tribeca neighborhood. Through her work, Aisha begins to unravel, begging the question: When does the American Dream look more like a nightmare? Barbara Morgan sat down with Nikyatu Jusu at a post-screening Q&A at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Nanny courtesy of Amazon Studios.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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The Whale Q&A with Samuel D. Hunter and Darren Aronofsky 24:45

3 years yang lalu24:45

24:45

This week on On Story we welcome writer Samuel D. Hunter, and director Darren Aronofsky for a deep-dive (no pun intended) into AFF’s 2022 Opening night film, The Whale. Samuel D. Hunter, recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant Fellowship, is known for his award-winning plays such as The Case for the Existence of God, A Bright New Boise, Greater Clements, and many more critically acclaimed titles. Darren Aronofsky is an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker known for his indie box office phenomenon, Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman. His previous directorial work includes the award-winning films The Wrestler, The Fountain, and Requiem for a Dream. Based on Samuel D. Hunter's acclaimed play with the same title, The Whale stars Brendan Fraser and follows the story of a reclusive English teacher living with severe obesity who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption. Andy Volk, Austin Film Festival's Senior Film Programmer, sat down with the creatives for a post-screening Q&A at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of The Whale courtesy of A24.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with David Self 26:00

3 years yang lalu26:00

26:00

This week on On Story we’re joined by David Self, the writer behind films like Road to Perdition and Thirteen Days . In this episode, Self dissects his career breaking into the industry to writing crime and historical dramas. David Self, having been born into an itinerant family of community college and high school teachers, he broke with family tradition and spent most of his waking hours trying to break into Hollywood. In 1994 he found success and was hired to pen the remake of the 1963 film The Haunting for Steven Spielberg. His credits also include Road to Perdition , Thirteen Days , and Wolfman . Crime and thriller film, Road to Perdition , is an adaptation of the DC Comics graphic novel series of the same name. Starring Tom Hanks, it follows the story of a mob enforcer's son in 1930s Illinois who witnesses a murder, forcing him and his father to take to the road down a path of redemption and revenge. Thirteen Days is a tale of truths about how the Kennedy administration struggled to contain the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. The Haunting is a story about how a study of fear escalates into a heart-stopping nightmare for a professor and three subjects trapped in a mysterious mansion. Moderator Barbara Morgan sat down with David Self for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Thirteen Days courtesy of Beacon Pictures. Clips of Road to Perdition courtesy of DreamWorks Films & Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Clips of Wolfman courtesy of Universal City Studios…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with Glen Mazarra 25:00

3 years yang lalu25:00

25:00

This week on On Story we’re joined by writer & showrunner Glen Mazzara as he discusses the ins and outs of the industry, and how his experiences developed him into a versatile writer. Glen Mazzara is a writer and producer whose work includes AMC’s The Walking Dead, The Shield , and Damien . Damien , a TV Drama based on the classic horror film, “ The Omen ”, follows the film’s protagonist, Damien as he copes with his life after finding out he is the prophesied Antichrist. The Shield , a Primetime Emmy Award-winning Drama series following the lives and cases of dirty cop Vic Mackey and the LAPD unit under his command. The Walking Dead , a post-apocalyptic drama made television history, winning 2 Primetime Emmys and becoming the only drama in television history to hold the #1 title for five consecutive years. Moderator Harrison Glaser sat down with Glen Mazzara for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of The Walking Dead courtesy of AMC Entertainment Clips of The Shield and Damien courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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'Miss Juneteenth' with Channing Godfrey Peoples 24:41

3 years yang lalu24:41

24:41

This week on On Story, Miss Juneteenth writer/director Channing Godfrey Peoples discusses her feature directorial debut and her work as a multi-hyphenate independent filmmaker. Peoples is the writer-director of the 2020 drama Miss Juneteenth , which follows a former beauty queen and single mom as she prepares her rebellious daughter for a life-changing pageant. Having grown up in Fort Worth, Texas, Peoples attended pageants where “Miss Juneteenth” is a real contest held there. A gripping story of poverty, the film has appeared on dozens of critics’ year-end top ten lists, including TIME, Washington Post, and IndieWire, among others. Moderator Ya’Ke Smith sat down with Channing Godfrey Peoples for a panel about her work as a multi-hyphenate independent filmmaker at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Miss Juneteenth courtesy of Ley Line Entertainment.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Writing 'John Wick' with Derek Kolstad 24:29

3 years yang lalu24:29

24:29

This week on On Story writer Derek Kolstad, creator of the John Wick franchise reflects on his thrilling career, how he weaves emotion and humanity into action set pieces, as well as crafting characters you cannot help but root for. Derek Kolstad is the writer/creator of the popular John Wick franchise with the latest installment: John Wick: Chapter 4 set to be released in 2023. He also wrote on Marvel’s hit limited series The Falcon and Winter Soldier, which has been nominated for 5 Primetime Emmys. 2021 also saw the release of Derek’s action-thriller Nobody . Nobody sheds light on a docile family man struggling with aging and encroaching feelings of irrelevance as his children grow up. His new tv adaptation of the popular video game, Splinter Cell, is currently in production and will be airing on Netflix in the following year. Most recently, Kolstad produced the film The Princess for Hulu, which follows the action-packed story of a strong-willed princess who refuses an arranged marriage alliance to an especially cruel sociopath. Barbara Morgan sat down with Derek Kolstad for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of John Wick courtesy of Thunder Road Pictures Clips of Nobody courtesy of Universal City Studios…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with Lee Eisenberg 49:34

1 year yang lalu49:34

49:34

This week on On Story, a conversation with Lee Eisenberg about the launch of his comedy writing career. Eisenberg and his writing partner Gene Stupnitsky broke into the industry with their adventure-comedy screenplay, Year One, an irreverent retelling of the Book of Genesis in which they collaborated with the iconic comedian and filmmaker, Harold Ramis, who went onto direct the film for the Apatow Company. In tandem writing with Year One, Lee and Gene were staffed on season two of the notorious comedy television hit, The Office, where they wrote for five hilarious seasons. Masters of craft and discomfort comedy, stories that bring audiences right to the edge of unbearable cringe before easing them with a laugh, Lee and Gene wrote many celebrated teleplays for The Office, including Dinner Party, The Lover, and audience favorite Scott's Tots, in which Michael Scott realizes he cannot fulfill his long-time promise to pay the college tuition of local students. Eisenberg discusses his process of co-writing these scripts and the importance of leaving pathos and humanity into the most cringey comedic protagonists. Eisenberg also expands on his and Gene's process creating the out-of-the-box reality hoax sitcom, Jury Duty, in which Ronald Gladden, appearing as himself, was unaware that the entire case and jury proceeding had been staged. The one-of-a-kind comedy series was nominated for both Emmy and Golden Globe Awards. Lastly, Eisenberg elaborates on his latest project: developing the historical drama miniseries Lessons in Chemistry, based on the bestselling book of the same name. Eisenberg reveals how the artistry of the novel not only sparked his genre switch, but inspired him to subtly impart aspects of his lived experience into the Apple TV series. The Office clips courtesy of NBC. Jury Duty clips courtesy of Amazon Freevee. Good Boys clips courtesy of Universal Pictures. Lessons in Chemistry clips courtesy of Apple TV.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with Karyn Kusama 28:52

1 year yang lalu28:52

28:52

This week on On Story, Austin Film Festival moderator Harrison Glaser speaks with Karyn Kusama about her filmography, the evolution of her storytelling, and her focus on strong female protagonists. In her debut feature, Girlfight, Kusama drew from her own experiences training in a boxing gym and living in New York City, building Michelle Rodriguez’s character from young women she encountered on the subway. Kusama discusses connecting to their guarded nature and writing a protagonist that her audiences could root for. After the release of Girlfight, Kusama received critical praise and went onto direct her first studio film, Aeon Flux, co-written by Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay. Hay would become her husband and life partner, and her creative partnership with both Hay and Manfredi would lead to The Invitation and Destroyer. Kusama also discusses her experiences in episodic storytelling. Her television credits include Halt and Catch Fire, Billions, and the genre-bending hit, Yellowjackets. She delves into the ways that directing television keeps her craft sharp, and discusses how she and Yellowjackets co-creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson infuse cinematic sequences into shorter film storytelling. Throughout her illustrious career, Kusama has perhaps been best-known for the cult classic Jennifer’s Body, the black comedy horror film written by Diablo Cody and starring a young Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried. In conversation at the Austin Film Festival, Kusama recounts her connection with Cody’s voice and their creative exploration of female friendship as the emotional core of that story. Girlfight clips courtesy of United Artists. Jennifer’s Body clips courtesy of 20th Century Studios. The Invitation clips courtesy of The Invitation, LLC. Yellowjackets clips courtesy of Showtime.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

1
The Bikeriders, with Jeff Nichols 23:46

1 year yang lalu23:46

23:46

This week on On Story, a conversation with Jeff Nichols, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Mud and Loving, to discuss his most recent film The Bikeriders, a moving character drama based on journalist Danny Lyons’ photobook by the same name. The Bikeriders chronicles the rise and fall of a Chicago motorcycle gang in the 1960s through the lens of bikerider wife Kathy, an open book played by Jodie Comer. Led by the strong and silent Johnny, embodied by Tom Hardy, the club devolves from a surrogate home for outsiders with no place to go to a violent crime organization. Its members, especially Austin Butler’s strong-willed, reckless Benny, are forced to grapple with their club’s decaying principles, their role in the organization, and by extension, their place in a changing world. The film captures distinct nostalgia from a bygone era, and summons enormous affection for its deeply flawed characters. In conversation with the Austin Film Festival, Nichols recounts how he connected with the photobook’s images and anecdotes, and listened to voice recordings of the real-life vandals, to build a rich world and craft compelling characters. The Bikeriders clips courtesy of Focus Features.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, with Tommy Lee Jones 18:48

1 year yang lalu18:48

18:48

This week on On Story, a conversation with the team behind The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, a western that follows a ranch foreman's extraordinary trek to Mexico to bury his best friend's body in his hometown. Actor and director Tommy Lee Jones worked with writer Guillermo Arriaga to develop a moving, character-driven story inspired by true events about the shared border between Texas and Mexico. Jones, alongside 1st Assistant Director Phil Hardage, Unit Production Manager Eric Austin Williams, Post-Production Supervisor Larry Madaras, and actor Julio Cedillo discuss their decision to tell the story in a non-linear fashion, their experience filming on location, and how they incorporated sound effects and scoring to build the film's world and define its characters. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada clips courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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A Conversation with Katrin Benedikt 40:41

1 year yang lalu40:41

40:41

This week on On Story, we're having a conversation with Katrin Benedikt. Co-writer of the non-stop political action thrillers Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen, and Expendables 3, Benedikt lends a behind-the-scenes look into the realities of breaking into Hollywood as a writer, from pitching the same story for years on end, navigating relationships with co-writers, agents, and producers, to completing last-minute rewrites on set. A true lover of action movies, Benedikt discusses crafting characters for star-studded casts and working with genre experts Antoine Fuqua and Sylvester Stallone. Olympus Has Fallen clips courtesy of Film District. London Has Fallen clips courtesy of Millennium Media. Expendables 3 clips courtesy of Lionsgate Media.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

1
Finestkind, with Brian Helgeland 23:09

1 year yang lalu23:09

23:09

This week on On Story, a conversation with Brian Helgeland, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter who penned acclaimed movies including L.A. Confidential and Mystic River, and the director who brought to life beloved films such as A Knight’s Tale and 42. He lends a behind the scenes look at the making of Finestkind, a film mined from his relationship with his father and their experiences as deep sea fishermen. The film, set in Helgeland’s own hometown of New Bedford, Massachusetts, tells the story of two estranged brothers’ navigating a splintered relationship in the high-stakes world of commercial fishing and drug dealing. Helgeland discusses grounding the story in setting, crafting character backgrounds with Tommy Lee Jones (who plays the boys’ father) and imbuing the film with his personal touch. Finestkind is now streaming on Paramount Plus. Finestkind clips courtesy of Paramount Plus.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Past Lives, with Celine Song 32:40

1 year yang lalu32:40

32:40

This week on On Story, AFF moderator Harrison Glaser speaks with Celine Song about her feature debut, Past Lives. Inspired by Song’s own experiences, Past Lives tells the story of two childhood friends who reunite as adults and reckon with the nature of the enduring bond between them. This multi-language film is a deeply personal exploration of the modern immigrant experience, unflinchingly confronting the “what-ifs” that plague lost love and paths not taken. Celine Song began her writing career as a playwright in New York City, and joined fantasy series The Wheel of Time as a staff writer before her feature debut. The bittersweet romance premiered to critical acclaim and soared to Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. In conversation at the 30th annual Austin Film Festival, Song discusses creating complex identities for her characters, writing dialogue that feels true to life, and transitioning from playwright to filmmaker. Past Lives clips courtesy of A24.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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American Fiction, with Cord Jefferson 22:14

2 years yang lalu22:14

22:14

This week on On Story, a conversation with Cord Jefferson on adapting the novel Erasure into his strikingly sharp debut feature American Fiction. Cord Jefferson is an Emmy-winning writer who earned his chops on some of television’s most formative shows in recent years: Master of None, The Good Place, Succession, and Watchmen. His debut feature, American Fiction, won the Audience Award at the 30th annual Austin Film Festival. American Fiction is an adaptation of Percival Everett’s novel Erasure. The film introduces us to Thelonius Monk, played by Jeffrey Wright, a weary writer frustrated by the publishing industry’s obsession with reducing artists of color into stereotypes. In an effort to show the industry its own foolishness, Monk offers up a pandering manuscript that, much to his chagrin, becomes wildly successful. Cord discusses bringing his own perspective and sense of humor to the source material, and marrying comedy and drama in one film. Clips of American Fiction courtesy of Amazon/MGM Studios.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

1
The Bear, with Joanna Calo 34:23

2 years yang lalu34:23

34:23

This week on On Story, a conversation with Joanna Calo, showrunner of the character-driven dramedy The Bear. Joanna delves into her experience sharing showrunning duties with creator Christopher Storer, and discusses their approach to incorporating real life events into the show’s deeply grounded characters and high stakes world. As a television veteran, Joanna’s writing credits include Bojack Horseman, Hacks, Beef, and today’s subject, The Bear. The Bear tells the story of Carmy Berzatto, played by Jeremy Allen White, an award-winning chef who returns home to Chicago in the wake of his estranged brother’s suicide to find that he has inherited the family sandwich shop. Audiences fell in love with The Bear’s fast-paced dialogue, anxiety-inducing stakes, and deeply human characters in the show’s first season. In season 2, the show’s stakes raised even higher as Carmy attempted to open his own fine dining restaurant in Chicago. In today’s On Story conversation, Joanna share her insights surrounding the infamous mid-season episode Fishes featuring guest star Jamie Lee Curtis, as well as the well-crafted characters of Richie, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Marcus, played by Lionel Boyce. Clips of The Bear courtesy of FX.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Contact, with James V. Hart 19:20

2 years yang lalu19:20

19:20

This week on the On Story Podcast a conversation with James V. Hart, writer of the science fiction drama Contact directed by Robert Zemeckis. In his decades-long career, Hart has written beloved films including Hook , Bram Stoker’s Dracula , Tuck Everlasting , and August Rush . Hart discusses the process of adapting Contact from Carl Sagan’s novel about a scientist who discovers definitive proof of extraterrestrial life. From working with the author to discern his original intent and establishing a thematic purpose, to embedding a story with high stakes and finding the story’s emotional core, Hart lends us a close look at the intricacies of structuring a screenplay. Clips of Contact courtesy of Warner Bros.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

1
Iron Man 3 w/Shane Black 19:43

2 years yang lalu19:43

19:43

This week on On Story, a conversation with writer-director Shane Black about the making of Iron Man 3. Shane Black, the original creator of the Lethal Weapon franchise, is well-known for his irreverent comedic style and witty dialogue, as well as turning established genre tropes on their head. Black does just that in Iron Man 3, a superhero film that sets aside hero's bravado to dissect the man inside the suit. Barbara Morgan sat down with Black to discuss finding larger-than-life characters' interiority, navigating fan expectations, and working within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Clips of Iron Man 3 courtesy of Marvel Studios.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

1
Dolemite is My Name w/Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, and Craig Brewer 32:34

2 years yang lalu32:34

32:34

This week on On Story, a conversation with celebrated writing team Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, alongside filmmaker Craig Brewer, to discuss their collaboration on the hilarious, outrageous film Dolemite Is My Name. Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski are an accomplished duo best known for the “anti-biopic” - postmodern movies that defy genre expectations by focusing on lesser known people, like in their films Ed Wood, The People Vs. Larry Flynt, and Big Eyes. The pair have also earned critical and commercial success by fictionalizing well-known true stories in their hit TV show American Crime Story: The People Versus O.J. Simpson, and as we discuss today, their acclaimed account of the life of Rudy Ray Moore in Dolemite Is My Name. Craig Brewer’s career as a writer and director has spanned two decades, launched by his well-received debut The Poor and the Hungry and his Oscar winning sophomore feature Hustle & Flow. Brewer directed Dolemite Is My Name, a biographical comedy that chronicles Rudy Ray Moore’s making of beloved blaxploitation film Dolemite. Dolemite is My Name Clips Courtesy of Netflix.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

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Lawmen: Bass Reeves w/Chad Feehan, Christina Voros, and Damian Marcano 25:14

2 years yang lalu25:14

25:14

This week on On Story, a conversation with the creative team behind Lawmen: Bass Reeves, a show based on the incredible real life of Bass Reeves, a man who was born into slavery and later became a Deputy U.S. Marshal. He was the first black man west of the Mississippi River to hold that title, and according to creator and showrunner of the series Chad Feehan, he was “arguably the greatest lawman in the history of this country.” Taylor Sheridan is responsible for making it all happen, and this limited series is the latest installment in his television universe. Creator Chad Feehan has written on shows known for their gritty realism, like Southland and Ray Donovan. A meeting with David Oyelowo made him obsessed with Bass Reeves. Enough to create this series. Oyelowo plays the title role. He had been trying to get a show made about Reeves for years. Christina Voros is very familiar with the Taylor Sheridan universe. She directed and co-executive produced for megahits Yellowstone and 1883. She is the executive producer of the Bass Reeves series, and she directed the pilot beautifully. Damian Marcano, director on the intense, fast-paced Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty and the neo-noir television series, American Gigolo, directed several episodes of Lawmen: Bass Reeves. Barbara Morgan talked with Chad, Christina, and Damian about how they took on the material and some of the challenges that come from making historical fiction. Lawmen: Bass Reeves Clips Courtesy of Paramount Plus.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

1
Justified, with VJ Boyd and Chris Provenzano 24:55

2 years yang lalu24:55

24:55

This week on On Story, a conversation with two of the writers on Justified: City Primeval. VJ Boyd is a writer and producer. He did both on hits like Justified and S.W.A.T. He co-created and co-showran the crime drama Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector, and he’s currently showrunning The Madness, expected to release next year. Chris Provenzano was a writer on the first season of Mad Men. Since then, he’s written on an incredibly diverse number of hits, from Archer to Justified to Silicon Valley. Barbara Morgan spoke with the two at the Austin Film Festival. Justified clips courtesy of FX Networks.…

Austin Film Festival's On Story

1
A Conversation with Edward Neumeier 31:20

2 years yang lalu31:20

31:20

This week on On Story, writer Edward Neumeier discusses his creative process behind the sci-fi cult classics RoboCop and Starship Troopers. Neumeier explores the particulars of writing for the genre, as well as his knack for disguising deep issues within expansive and captivating stories. Clips of RoboCop courtesy of Orion Pictures. Clips of Starship Troopers courtesy of TriStar Pictures.…

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