Sean Baker, Director of Red Rocket: On Suitcase Pimps and Anti-heroes

Today’s guest is Sean Baker, director of The Florida Project, Tangerine, Starlet, and most recently, Red Rocket. Red Rocket is a movie about a retired male pornstar (played by Simon Rex) who has returned to his small hometown - and it's literally the best movie I have ever seen about our industry, ever. You MUST go watch it immediately. I talked to Sean about what it was like to shoot a movie about porn, what it was like to shoot a movie during covid, and what it was like to shoot on film rather than digital. We talked about why he always makes movies about the unconventional, grittier side of life. We discussed open-ended endings, finding actors in unlikely places, and we talked about unlikable characters and what makes them likable. This was a really enlightening conversation and I learned so much about the OTHER side of Hollywood and how a mainstream movie is made. Oh also, we talked a lot about porn. Obviously. Enjoy!