Required Watching

By Required Watching

Go beyond the screen with the official podcast from Required Watching. This is your audio masterclass in the art of storytelling, designed for filmmakers, screenwriters, and dedicated cinephiles.</

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FAQs about Required Watching:

How many episodes does Required Watching have?

The podcast currently has 164 episodes available.

Required Watching episodes:

February 26, 2026 What Black Cinema Taught Me About Storytelling
In this special capstone episode, we reflect on our month-long journey through the world of Black cinema. This isn't just a recap; it's a personal synthesis of the most powerful and enduring lessons these films have taught me about the art of storytelling.
From the pioneers of the 1920s to the worldbuilders of today, this is what Black cinema taught me about what it means to be a filmmaker.

THE FOUR LESSONS:

Introduction: The End of a Journey
Lesson 1: Necessity is a Language, Not a Limitation.
Lesson 2: Restraint is a Weapon.
Lesson 3: The World is What You Make It.
Lesson 4: Your Audience is an Act of Faith.
A Mission Statement for the Future.

ASKED & ANSWERED IN THIS EPISODE:
What can filmmakers learn from Black cinema history?
What is the importance of Oscar Micheaux?
How does Black British cinema use restraint?
What is the future of Black genre filmmaking?
What makes a powerful story?

This episode is the capstone to our entire Black Origins series.
Required Watching is your curriculum for cinematic literacy. We deconstruct the art and craft of filmmaking to help you become a sharper storyteller.
▶️ Subscribe for new video essays every week:
▶️ Website
▶️ Twitter/X
▶️ Instagram
▶️ Letterboxd
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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9min
February 25, 2026 Why These Films Were ‘Too Early’ for the Industry
In this critical companion to our "Reprogrammers" video, we ask a tough question: If these films were so brilliant, why did it take so long for the industry to recognize them?

This is a deep dive into the systems of power, taste, and commerce that shape film history, and a celebration of the masterpieces that were decades ahead of their time.

DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:

The First Draft of History is Always Wrong

Case Study: The Snubbing of Do the Right Thing

The Gatekeepers: Who Gets to Fail?

Aging Forward: How a Film's Legacy is Built

What "Canonization" Really Means

ASKED & ANSWERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Why was Do the Right Thing controversial in 1989?
Why did Daughters of the Dust not get wide distribution?
How do films become classics over time?
What is the role of the Criterion Collection in film preservation?
How does box office failure affect a director's career?
To see our formal analysis of these masterpieces, watch "The Black Films That Reprogrammed Cinema"
Required Watching is your curriculum for cinematic literacy. We deconstruct the art and craft of filmmaking to help you become a sharper storyteller.
▶️ Subscribe for new video essays every week:
▶️ Website
▶️ Twitter/X
▶️ Instagram
▶️ Letterboxd
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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8min
February 17, 2026 Why Western Audiences Struggle With African Films
Required Watching is your curriculum for cinematic literacy. We deconstruct the art and craft of filmmaking to help you become a sharper storyteller.
▶️ Subscribe for new video essays every week:
▶️ Website
▶️ Twitter/X
▶️ Instagram
▶️ Letterboxd
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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11min
February 11, 2026 Watching Black British Cinema as a Black American
In this personal episode of the Required Watching podcast, I'm exploring what happens when Black cinema crosses borders. As a Black American living in the UK, I didn't grow up with these stories. I came to them later, and that distance changed how I heard them.

This isn't about explaining Black Britain. It's about the profound shift that happens when you stop expecting art to sound like home.

CHAPTERS (The Four Acts):

Act I: Arrival

Act II: Contrast, Not Comparison

Act III: What Shifted in Me

Act IV: Why This Matters for Filmmakers

ASKED & ANSWERED IN THIS EPISODE:

What is it like watching Black British film as a Black American?
Analysis of Steve McQueen's Small Axe.
What are the differences between UK and US Black cinema?
How does national identity shape filmmaking?
What can filmmakers learn from different cultural styles?
To see the formal analysis that inspired this reflection, watch our video "The Grammar of Black British Cinema"
Required Watching is your curriculum for cinematic literacy. We deconstruct the art and craft of filmmaking to help you become a sharper storyteller.
▶️ Subscribe for new video essays every week:
▶️ Website
▶️ Twitter/X
▶️ Instagram
▶️ Letterboxd
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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8min
February 06, 2026 Why Black Film History Was Never Taught Like This
This is a deep dive into the mechanics of how history is written, how "canons" are formed, and what we lose when we erase the origin stories of pioneering artists.

DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:

- The Question: Why Don't We Learn This in School?

- What is "The Canon" and Who Decides?

- The Four Filters: Archives, Academia, Criticism, and Commerce

- The Cost of Erasure: What We Lose

- What Early Black Cinema Teaches Us Today

ASKED & ANSWERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Why isn't early Black film history taught in film schools?
How does a film become a classic?
What is the film canon and who creates it?
Why are so many early Black films lost?
What can modern filmmakers learn from Oscar Micheaux?
To understand the history we're discussing, watch our video on the pioneers of Black cinema
Required Watching is your curriculum for cinematic literacy. We deconstruct the art and craft of filmmaking to help you become a sharper storyteller.
▶️ Subscribe for new video essays every week:
▶️ Website
▶️ Twitter/X
▶️ Instagram
▶️ Letterboxd
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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9min
January 28, 2026 The Things We Can’t Say, So We Cook – Food, Family, and Emotional Fluency in Film
In this episode of Required Watching, Tray Epps explores the theme of emotional fluency through cooking in cinema. He discusses three films—'Eat Drink Man Woman', 'Pieces of April', and 'The Farewell'—highlighting how food serves as a medium for expressing complex emotions and familial connections. The conversation delves into how these films illustrate the power of meals in conveying love, grief, and intimacy without the need for words, emphasizing the significance of rituals and the kitchen as a stage for emotional expression.

Required Watching is your curriculum for cinematic literacy. We deconstruct the art and craft of filmmaking to help you become a sharper storyteller.
▶️ Subscribe for new video essays every week:
▶️ Website
▶️ Twitter/X
▶️ Instagram
▶️ Letterboxd
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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7min
January 21, 2026 Family, Fantasy, and Feeling – How Global Cinema Makes the Personal Universal
In this episode of Required Watching, host Tray Epps delves into the emotional depths of family dramas through the lens of three films: 'Kapoor and Sons', 'Painted Skin', and 'The Jacksons'. He discusses how personal stories can resonate universally by focusing on specific emotions and experiences. Epps emphasizes the importance of authenticity in storytelling, the power of silence, and the legacy of trauma that shapes family dynamics. The conversation highlights that the core of compelling narratives lies in the emotional truths they convey, regardless of cultural context.

Required Watching is your curriculum for cinematic literacy. We deconstruct the art and craft of filmmaking to help you become a sharper storyteller.
▶️ Subscribe for new video essays every week:
▶️ Website
▶️ Twitter/X
▶️ Instagram
▶️ Letterboxd
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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8min
January 14, 2026How to Outline a Screenplay: A Guide to the Scene Card Method | Required Watching Toolkit
You have a great idea for a movie. You have a compelling character, a killer ending, maybe even a few memorable scenes. But how do you get from a jumble of brilliant ideas to a rock-solid, 110-page script with a beginning, a middle, and an end that all connect? You don't just start writing. You build it, one scene at a time.

In this episode of the RW Toolkit, we're getting analog. We're breaking down one of the most powerful, flexible, and time-tested outlining tools used by professional writers: the Scene Card Method. Using simple, cheap index cards, you can build, rearrange, and stress-test your story's architecture before you ever write a single line of dialogue. It’s the secret weapon used by everyone from Aaron Sorkin to the writers at Pixar.

We'll walk you through the entire process, from creating your first card to laying out your entire film on your floor or wall. This is a practical, step-by-step guide to making your story's structure tangible, manageable, and powerful.

Resources Mentioned:
Our "Canon" video essay on the perfect structure of Chinatown
3x5 Index Cards (any brand will do)
Book: Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder (a beat sheet that works well with this method)
A great corkboard for your wall

Required Watching is your curriculum for cinematic literacy. We deconstruct the art and craft of filmmaking to help you become a sharper storyteller.
▶️ Subscribe for new video essays every week:
▶️ Website
▶️ Twitter/X
▶️ Instagram
▶️ Letterboxd
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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14min
January 09, 2026 The Blank Page: 3 Ways to Start Your Screenplay
In this episode of the Required Watching podcast, host Tray Epps discusses the challenges of screenwriting, particularly the fear of the blank page. He presents three practical methods to overcome this fear: the high concept approach, character-driven storytelling, and the final image technique. Each method offers a unique way to spark creativity and develop compelling narratives. Epps emphasizes the importance of understanding character desires and the emotional core of a story, ultimately guiding writers to find their unique voice and direction in filmmaking.

Required Watching is your curriculum for cinematic literacy. We deconstruct the art and craft of filmmaking to help you become a sharper storyteller.
▶️ Subscribe for new video essays every week:
▶️ Website
▶️ Twitter/X
▶️ Instagram
▶️ Letterboxd
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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10min
January 01, 2026 My Top 10 Films of 2025
In this comprehensive review of the year in film, Tray Epps explores the trends, triumphs, and disappointments of 2025. He presents a definitive list of the top 10 films that are expected to resonate for years to come, while also addressing notable disappointments in filmmaking. The conversation emphasizes the importance of storytelling, the emotional depth of cinema, and the evolving landscape of the film industry.

Required Watching is your curriculum for cinematic literacy. We deconstruct the art and craft of filmmaking to help you become a sharper storyteller.
▶️ Subscribe for new video essays every week:
▶️ Website
▶️ Twitter/X
▶️ Instagram
▶️ Letterboxd
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
20min

FAQs about Required Watching:

How many episodes does Required Watching have?

The podcast currently has 164 episodes available.