The No Film School Podcast

By No Film School

A podcast about how to build a career in filmmaking. No Film School shares the latest opportunities and trends for anyone working in film and TV. We break news on cameras, lighting, and apps. We inter... more

· TV & Film

4.5

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FAQs about The No Film School Podcast:

How many episodes does The No Film School Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 1,044 episodes available.

The No Film School Podcast episodes:

May 05, 2023How To Nail Camp Across Genres
Traci Hays is a DGA Award-nominated director, a production designer, and art director who has received numerous awards for the various shorts she has directed. Her feature directorial debut, Tangled, was named a “must-see movie” by The Hollywood Reporter. She recently directed Blood, Sweat and Cheer, her second feature, which is a dark love letter to Heathers, Mean Girls, The Breakfast Club, and Clueless.

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and director Traci Hays, discuss:
Traci’s dream of becoming a pro soccer player before becoming a director
Being rejected to film school
Meeting incredible collaborators and established mentors in the industry
All the lessons Traci learned as a production designer
Adapting a book to a film for the movie, Tangled
How a soccer team connection led to a directing opportunity
Being surprised by the very thoughtful and meaningful notes from the producers
Filming Blood, Sweat and Cheer in only 13 days
Casting actors that were serious about the dance scenes
Memorable Quotes
“Having that background as a director feels like a superpower.” [12:29]
“To be in the middle of it, the middle of the chaos, is sort of where I thrive.” [14:15]
“On a lower budget fast moving train, what will kill your day more than anything else is company moves.” [33:15]
“I even tried to learn the dance and let me tell you, I did not get very far.” [40:39]

Mentioned Resources:
Tangled

Blood, Sweat and Cheer

Traci’s website

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51min
May 04, 2023How To Salvage a Toxic Production and the Death of the Movie Star
Are the best movie stars only the older ones? What’s the difference between celebrities of the past compared to today’s stars? What are some effective strategies you can use to navigate a troubled production?

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, Jason Hellerman, GG Hawkins, and Yaro Altunin discuss:
Flaws from NRG’s recent study on who the biggest movie stars are
Getting fatigued from frequently released franchise movies
Why direct access to newer movie stars makes them more relatable and less mysterious
The old ‘four quadrant’ movie model
Micro-targeting different types of audiences
Why Heaven’s Gate is not a horrible movie
Reasons to hire slowly and fire quickly
Figuring out how your team prefers to receive feedback
Sharing takeaways from a successful short film production
Being the ‘glue guy’ who rallies everyone together
Memorable Quotes
“Some people are famous enough to be known even in the Amazon rainforest.” [12:30]
“The demographics of the world are so much more complicated.” [23:23]
“No matter how you problem-solve on projects big or small, you have to keep morale up.” [30:59]
“Most troubled productions are personality conflicts.” [33:15]

Mentioned Resources:
Are Old Movie Stars the Only Actors that Matter?

Heaven’s Gate

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48min
April 28, 2023Puberty and Filmmaking—Not So Different! ‘Are You There God?’ Director Kelly Fremon Craig
Kelly Fremon Craig is a writer and director who has earned awards and nominations for her first feature, The Edge of Seventeen. Her second feature, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, is based on the very famous Judy Blume novel of the same name. A main theme of this film is what it’s like to undergo the complicated process of puberty, which is ironically similar to Craig’s experience with the screenwriting process.

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and director Kelly Fremon Craig, discuss:
How this film brought a sense of relief from embarrassment
Why the worst place to create from is a place of self-consciousness
Accepting the complicated emotions that arise during the writing process
Trying to render the truth of an experience
Letting kid actors give their authentic reactions on camera
Giving actors the freedom to play and create on set
How she decided to shoot a very specific scene in the film
Figuring out how to shoot more intimate moments without crossing the line
Why directors need to get different versions of a shot
Watching all the different takes and pulling out the nuggets
What Kelly hopes this film will inspire viewers to do
Memorable Quotes
“I felt such a crushing pressure not to screw it up.” [5:44]
“I love creating a set, an atmosphere on set, where everybody feels safe to try even their wildest ideas.” [16:54]
“I like that ‘fly on the wall’ style of shooting where you feel like you’re eavesdropping.” [24:12]
“Every single different version is a different tool in your toolbelt.” [26:54]
“It’s treasure hunting on set. You’re just looking for little diamonds.” [29:04]

Mentioned Resources:
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

The Edge of Seventeen

Find No Film School everywhere:
On the Web
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https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschool

Twitter
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YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/nofilmschool

Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected]!

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...more
36min
April 27, 2023Golden Elevator to Indie Film? Plus, Rolling Calls
How can a truly independent film find success at the large film festivals? How does one manage to get well-known actors to star in your film? The answer is simple, yet takes effort. You need to get in the mix!

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine and GG Hawkins discuss:
The truth about getting an indie feature made
Golden elevator films versus free-range films
Big actors starring in small, independent films
Hustling your network and constantly building connections
Thinking strategically about certain relationships you have in the industry
Learning how to accept “no” and still maintain a professional relationship
Steps an emerging producer should follow to grow their career
Rolling Calls - what are they?
Memorable Quotes
“Everybody that gets into Sundance knows each other.” [4:27]
“There are a lot of people who want to appear to be a filmmaker.” [26:06]
“I hate to say it, but it depends upon how big your bank account is.”[27:20]
“Rolling calls is an art and a science.” [35:33]

Mentioned Resources:

Mynette Louie on Mastodon

Filmmaker Magazine article

Episode with Matt Smuckler

How to Get a World-Famous Actor in your Short Film

SKYWATCH (a Sci-Fi Short Film)

Find No Film School everywhere:
On the Web
https://nofilmschool.com/

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschool

Twitter
https://twitter.com/nofilmschool

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/nofilmschool

Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected]!

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...more
45min
April 21, 2023'Chevalier' Director Stephen Williams on Big Breaks Outside of Hollywood
Stephen Williams is a producer, director, and writer who has worked on popular TV shows such as Lost, Undercovers, and Watchmen. He recently directed, Chevalier, a film based on the true story of one of France’s most important composers. Chevalier is about the journey of understanding oneself better, through the trials and tribulations that life sends one’s way.

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and director Stephen Williams, discuss:
Growing up in Jamaica and skipping class to go to the movie theater
Starting as a PA in a production house in Toronto, Canada
Moving to Hawaii to produce and direct episodes of Lost
Comparing the role of producer to the role of director
A scene in Chevalier, that was like a rap battle, but with violins
Selecting collaborators behind the camera with the same care you cast the performers
An example of how his collaborators saved him from making a mistake
Thinking about the impact his career has on his family
How to tell a narrative story about a real person
Identifying and connecting to the journey of the main character
You can watch Chevalier in theaters on April 21, 2023.

Memorable Quotes
“Literally on a Friday I was pushing a broom as a PA, and on a Monday, I was a director at this company.” [9:00]
“I just didn’t find anything that really warranted me stopping what I was doing, until I read Chevalier.” [19:25]
“I want everyone to feel free…completely free to bring all of themselves to the table.” [28:18]
“My working life is really important to me, but it pales in comparison to my family life.” [34:52]
“Not everything has to be factually true…It just has to be essentially true.” [42:44]

Mentioned Resources:

Chevalier trailer
More of Stephen’s work

Find No Film School everywhere:
On the Web
https://nofilmschool.com/

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschool

Twitter
https://twitter.com/nofilmschool

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/nofilmschool

Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected]!

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...more
53min
April 21, 2023Day 2 of NAB 2023: Innovation, Battle Testing Camera to Cloud
It’s Day 2 of NAB 2023, and Tech Editor Yaroslav Altunin and NAB host Raafi Rivero sit down to share more details about the conference. Joining the episode are special guests, Haeleigh Royall and Indeana Underhill of Cinematography for Actors, and producer Ian McClellan of Coco Butter Family. We all agree the one word that comes to mind when describing NAB 2023 is “innovation.”

In today’s episode, we discuss:
Recognizing the need for imagination with the rise of virtual production
Seeing NAB from the perspective of a newbie
Speaking to Stefan Karle from DoPchoice about their accessible gear
How OWC is accommodating workflow solutions
Being impressed by Sennheiser’s wireless microphone
Meeting the CEO of the companies that you love at NAB
The issues we had filming NAB on Day 1
Collaborating with people that aren’t in your same physical location
Filmic’s 106 bit color reader
Lexar’s amazing new memory card
The benefits to automatic transcription now offered by Adobe Premiere Pro
Being inspired by every booth we visited
Memorable Quotes
“For virtual production, you have to be even more imaginative. You have to be able to sink yourself deeper into a world.” [9:31]
“The cloud is so integrated into these products…before it was kind of a whisper and now it’s more of a shout.” [11:26]
“Green screen doesn’t exist anymore. It doesn’t have to.” [15:53]
“They could start editing a clip that you’re not done shooting, and they can be in different parts of the world.” [38:32]
“Everyone is innovating in their direction of interest, and there’s still infinite potential.” [45:23]

Mentioned Resources:
Lexar
DoP Choice
OWC
Sennheiser
Lemo Connectors
Filmic
Lexar’s Professional CFexpress Type B Card GOLD Series
Adobe Premiere Pro
Pixotope
No Film School Coverage of NAB 2023

Connect With the Guests & Hosts:
Cinematography for Actors
Coco Butter Family
Ian’s Instagram
Yaro’s Instagram
Raafi’s Instagram

Find No Film School everywhere:
On the Web
https://nofilmschool.com/

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YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool

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Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected]!

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...more
1h 2min
April 18, 2023Day 1 of NAB 2023: The Largest Community of Creatives and the Philosophy of What Makes a Camera Great
Tech Editor Yaroslav Altunin and NAB host Raafi Rivero sit down to discuss Day 1 of NAB 2023. So what does the most prominent tech trade show have to offer this year? How about some of the hottest pieces of kit? The duo also chat about Blackmagic Design CEO Granty Petty, filming on Fujifilm cameras with Frame.io, and what makes the community of this trade show such an essential part of the broadcast and cinematic medium.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
The incredibly intense and exciting experience of going to NAB
The history of NAB and who the conference is for
A truly innovative product Creamsource developed themselves
Camcorders - would we ever use one again
Being confused by some of Canon’s newest lenses
How cine zooms are catching up to prime lenses
Unique ways people have been using Fuji’s Cine Box Lens
New features being added to Davinci Resolve studio post production software
Black Magic Design - They are building both products and a community
Applying cloud-based technologies to shows like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Tools that get out of your way and help you be a better creative
Memorable Quotes
“This is a mirrorless camera I can throw in my backpack.” [10:28]
“Am I crazy or is it the same lens just on opposite ends of the spectrum?” [14:25]
“Get a 12K…It’s a dope camera. Go get one right now.” [33:08]
“The cloud is matter of fact. The cloud is the state of the art.” [40:31]
“A needle in the haystack problem has been solved by A.I.” [46:59]

Mentioned Resources:
DaVinci Resolve

Lexar

More on the Fujifilm Cine Box Lens
Creamsource LNX

No Film School Coverage of NAB 2023

Find No Film School everywhere:
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...more
54min
April 14, 2023‘Renfield’ Director Chris McKay: The DNA of Your Movie Is the People Who Make It
“Your sword is sharpened by all the people around you.” If you can let go of control and allow space for playfulness and creativity on set, you will create a great movie. Also, you will become a better filmmaker in the process.

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and director of Renfield, Chris McKay, discuss:
Imitating adult filmmaking techniques as a kid
How the stunt coordinator helped to accomplish a complex fight scene in the movie
What is important to consider when selecting your team of collaborators
How everyone on set is more focused when employing practical effects
Maintaining engagement at all times on set
Giving people room to make mistakes and treating them with love and kindness
Why he knew Nicholas Hoult and Nicolas Cage would be the right actors for this film
Being open to listening - it makes you a better filmmaker
Make sure to watch Renfield, in theaters April 14.

Memorable Quotes
“Action fatigue is real…it’s a real thing.” [15:53]
“I like to shoot in the extremes, lens wise.” [22:23]
“I want people to find things. I want people to discover things. I want them to make it their own.” [24:46]
“Don’t be afraid to go big. Don’t be afraid to be expressive. Don’t be afraid to try things.” [32:14]

Mentioned Resources:
Renfield
The Weather Man
Kiss of Death
It Could Happen to You

Find No Film School everywhere:
On the Web
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...more
53min
April 13, 2023WGA Strikes for Everybody, Plus Ray Romano, and Falling Out of Love
What are some ways can you support the writer’s union if they end up going on strike? What should you do when you find yourself resenting the project you are working on? What did Ray Romano learn from his directorial debut, Somewhere in Queens?

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, Jason Hellerman, GG Hawkins, and Yaro Altunin discuss:
Why solidarity and support for the WGA is important
Shows being bought out with no residuals
How the rest of the industry benefits from writers strikes
Television show production during a strike
Advice for new writers that are not part of the WGA
What you should do if you are falling out of love with your current project
The power of being part of a writers group
Plus, we have a short conversation with Ray Romano, discussing what it was like to direct his first ever film, Somewhere in Queens, in theaters April 21.

Memorable Quotes
“Solidarity and support for the writers guild is important because they strike, and it ends up benefiting everybody.” [9:29]
“The writers need public opinion on their side as they continue to negotiate for better pay.” [19:16]
“Every new stage should let you fall in love with it again.” [37:22]
“You have to rely on discipline. You have to keep showing up.” [38:25]
“It’s okay to hate your project for a little while.” [43:40]
“Fear is okay. Don’t let it stop you.” [64:53]

Mentioned Resources:
WGA Contract 2023

Scriptnotes Podcast - Strike Authorization Vote

Details on Ray Romano’s new film

Somewhere in Queens trailer

Find No Film School everywhere:
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YouTube
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Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected]!

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...more
1h 11min
April 07, 2023‘Joyland’ Director Saim Sadiq Redefines What it Means to be a Director
A film is like a baby, and everyone involved is a parent. How do you keep all the parents happy, calm, and on the same page?

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and director of Joyland, Saim Sadiq, discuss:
The universality of the film and seeing oneself in the characters
Why the Cannes Film Festival was the best place for the film to premiere
People needing time to process the film after watching it
Keeping only the necessary people on set
Not overloading the actors with too much information
Feeling excited about problems that would arise
Why it’s so important to have empathy on set from the very beginning
Earning respect on set with a unique directing style
Memorable Quotes
“There is that one thing, their desire of being visible, that joins them all together.” [17:33]
“It is not a scene I would rehearse, ever, because there is improv involved in it.” [21:52]
“There’s a lightbulb that goes on. Once that goes on, you need to stop talking immediately.” [27:06]
“I was so ready, that even the idea that some problem would happen, was exciting.” [31:43]

Mentioned Resources:
Joyland

Find No Film School everywhere:
On the Web
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Twitter
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Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected]!

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...more
49min

FAQs about The No Film School Podcast:

How many episodes does The No Film School Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 1,044 episodes available.

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