The Gray Area with Sean Illing

Ken Burns's latest on The Greatest

Listen Later

Vox's Jamil Smith talks with acclaimed documentary filmmakers Ken and Sarah Burns. The father-daughter team discuss their latest documentary about The Greatest, Muhammad Ali, trying to say something new about a famous and already well-documented figure, how to tell the best story from 500 hours of raw footage, and what it's like when filmmaking centered around American history is the family business.

Host: Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith), Senior Correspondent, Vox

Guests: Ken Burns (@KenBurns) & Sarah Burns (@sarah_l_burns), documentary filmmakers

References: 

  • Muhammad Ali, a film by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, & David McMahon (premieres Sept. 19)
  • King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero by David Remnick (Vintage; 1999)


    Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

    Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

    Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

    This episode was made by: 

    • Producer: Erikk Geannikis
    • Editor: Amy Drozdowska
    • Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall
    • VP, Vox Audio: Liz Kelly Nelson

      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store
      The Gray Area with Sean IllingBy Vox
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5

      4.5

      10,606 ratings

      More shows like The Gray Area with Sean Illing

      View all
      Fresh Air by NPR

      Fresh Air

      38,523 Listeners

      The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

      The New Yorker Radio Hour

      6,895 Listeners

      On the Media by WNYC Studios

      On the Media

      9,256 Listeners

      The Political Scene | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

      The Political Scene | The New Yorker

      4,099 Listeners

      Explain It to Me by Vox

      Explain It to Me

      7,858 Listeners

      Switched on Pop by Vulture

      Switched on Pop

      2,681 Listeners

      Pivot by New York Magazine

      Pivot

      9,779 Listeners

      Gastropod by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

      Gastropod

      3,660 Listeners

      Decoder with Nilay Patel by The Verge

      Decoder with Nilay Patel

      3,149 Listeners

      The Daily by The New York Times

      The Daily

      112,988 Listeners

      Good One by Vulture

      Good One

      1,492 Listeners

      Radio Atlantic by The Atlantic

      Radio Atlantic

      2,367 Listeners

      Today, Explained by Vox

      Today, Explained

      10,334 Listeners

      Interesting Times with Ross Douthat by New York Times Opinion

      Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

      7,291 Listeners

      Throughline by NPR

      Throughline

      16,473 Listeners

      Land of the Giants by Vulture

      Land of the Giants

      2,162 Listeners

      Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast by MKBHD

      Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

      36 Listeners

      Unlocking Us with Brené Brown by Vox Media Podcast Network

      Unlocking Us with Brené Brown

      23,581 Listeners

      A Touch More with Sue Bird & Megan Rapinoe by Vox Media Podcast Network

      A Touch More with Sue Bird & Megan Rapinoe

      739 Listeners

      Hard Fork by The New York Times

      Hard Fork

      5,553 Listeners

      Good Noticings by Vox Media Podcast Network

      Good Noticings

      6,487 Listeners

      The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

      The Ezra Klein Show

      16,447 Listeners

      Unexplainable by Vox

      Unexplainable

      2,319 Listeners

      Cover Story by New York Magazine

      Cover Story

      1,221 Listeners

      The Interview by The New York Times

      The Interview

      1,629 Listeners

      Not Just Football with Cam Heyward by Cam Heyward

      Not Just Football with Cam Heyward

      160 Listeners

      Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF by Vivian Tu

      Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF

      1,799 Listeners

      Prof G Markets by Vox Media Podcast Network

      Prof G Markets

      1,470 Listeners

      The Opinions by The New York Times Opinion

      The Opinions

      628 Listeners

      Bird's Eye View with Sue Bird by Sue Bird

      Bird's Eye View with Sue Bird

      433 Listeners

      Solutions with Henry Blodget by Vox Media Podcast Network

      Solutions with Henry Blodget

      32 Listeners