BELOW THE LINE PODCAST

“Landman”, the new Taylor Sheridan drama starring Billy Bob Thornton, debuted just last week on Paramount+. Film Editor Chad Galster and Score Composer Andrew Lockington are both veterans of multiple Taylor projects and veterans of the podcast: with a warm welcome, I’m excited to have them make a joint appearance on the show. (Chad was also visiting set when they ran a tanker truck into an airplane parked on the highway - that was a practical stunt!)

UPDATED: Now with score snippets, to enhance your listening experience!

It’s easy to assume that working on “Rescue: HI-Surf”, the Hawaii-based action drama currently airing on Fox, would be akin to a vacation for the crew. Filming on the North Shore of O’ahu, however, is a difficult undertaking even before you mix in the challenge of the ocean itself.  Cinematographer Anka Malatynska and Water Unit Director of Photography Don King split the lensing duties at the waterline, and, together, they make this show work. Ready to go behind the scenes? Let’s ride this wave. 

This episode - in honor of Veterans Day - is about “84 Charlie MoPic”, the 1989 feature film about small unit operations during the Vietnam War, and our star-studded panel includes Director Patrick Duncan, Cinematographer Alan Caso and Producer Michael Nolin. Joining me as co-hosts are Jim Stayton and Al Gerloff, current friends and former colleagues from my pre-Hollywood days with Combat Camera. This conversation is one that my late father, himself a veteran of the Vietnam War, would have enjoyed very much, and it made for a really special episode. I hope you enjoy it.

Wes Anderson’s 1996 feature film debut, “Bottle Rocket,” introduced a larger audience to both Wes’s unique filmmaking style and the acting chops of brothers Owen and Luke Wilson. It’s fair to say that the careers of all three received a big assist from this film’s veteran assistant director team — Jim Goldthwait (1st AD), Heather Kritzer (Key 2nd AD) and Jimmy Flowers (2nd 2nd AD) — who helped shepherd this classic film from script to screen over then course of a 40-day shoot. I speak with the team about filming in 90’s Texas, teaching Set Protocols 101, and how the crew knew when the party room at the Hillsboro Days Inn was open for guests. 

Interested in the script, the shooting schedule, call sheets, or other materials from the film? The AD team has made all of that and a treasure trove of photos available here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1904r6Cgyv4dlhBis5wS9_uzB2uDOHVcu?usp=share_link

Costume Designer Helen Huang and Assistant Costume Designer Austin Wittick return to the podcast to discuss their work on “The Penguin”, the eight-episode series currently streaming on HBO/Max. The series is a spin-off and sequel to 2022’s “The Batman”, Director Matt Reeve’s take on the iconic superhero. While the Penguin was a supporting role in the film, played by an almost unrecognizable Colin Farrell, here he is the primary character for more than eight hours of television. Helen and Austin talk about the challenge of wardrobing for an entire series while remaining true to the original concepts. 

Propmaster and friend of the show Scott Buckwald returns to the podcast with stories about his work on “The Old Man”, the Jeff Bridges-led spy drama currently airing its second season on FX. Two years ago, Scott and I talked about the first season with a focus on the challenges faced by production; this time, adversity is an ongoing theme but we’re more focused on the props. (You would think that Scott was ready for that, but decide for yourself: he kind of comes across as a little surprised.)

And without further delay, the Major League Baseball playoffs are upon us! My guest today, Rick Nyburg, has been a freelance camera operator for more than 30 years. He’s here to share stories not only about his time covering MLB games (Go Dodgers!), but also his multiple backstage interactions with Hollywood talent, the surprising reaction of the NASA team that landed the lander on Mars, and the evolving challenge of working freelance camera across three decades.

Shepherding an independent film from script to screen is hard: financial constraints don’t change the amount of work to be done. But when it comes to post-production, Jijo Reed, Founder and CEO of Sugar Studios, thinks his company can be part of the solution. Sugar Studios offers everything from Dailies and Editorial to Color, Mix, VFX and Deliverables under one roof: a synergistic opportunity that, for an indie project, can mean the difference between picture lock and post-production limbo. Jijo and I also discuss the state of the Industry, what runaway production means for LA, and the potential impact of AI on the post-production process.

Last March, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the addition of a new Oscar category: Best Achievement in Casting. Allison Estrin, an NYC-based casting director whose credits include “Billions”, “The Other Two”, “Bupkis”, and a slew of movies, joins me today and  graciously answers my questions about the craft. We also talk about the Artios Awards, the honor by which the Casting Society of America has been honoring casting professionals since 1985, and what we might expect for the first slate of Oscar nominations in 2026.

Today we’re talking about the craft of Food Styling, and I’m joined by two guests with expertise to share. Christine Tobin (“Little Women”, “Julia” and “The Holdovers”) and Melissa McSorley (“Chef”, “Mad Men”, and various Star Wars projects) discuss where Food Styling fits into the larger film set environment, and we compare how period, contemporary and futuristic storylines trigger different food styling challenges.