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

422422 ratings

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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:

April 06, 2023True Originality is Within Your Grasp
In terms of diversity and inclusion, is Hollywood actually making big strides or is the industry regressing? As a writer, are you allowing yourself to be unique and original, or do you rely only on mimicking what has already been done?

In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins, Jason Hellerman, and Yaro Altunin discuss:
The latest findings from the UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report
Why we need to dig deeper into the data
How the inclusion aspect of Hollywood feels like someone is just checking a box
Why diversifying cast and crew will make the industry more money
Telling specific yet universal stories that can still be loved by many
Our thoughts on how to affect change in Hollywood
Commiting to the bit by going all in
Having confidence in your own unique voice and perspective
Memorable Quotes
“The numbers are so bad that we’re failing at a rate that would, in many other industries, send up alarm bells.” [5:22]
“Hollywood is both commerce and art. Diversifying sort of satisfies the best of both worlds.” [8:14]
“Originality is focused on you having something to say.” [32:37]

Mentioned Resources:
Did Diverse Movies Save the Box Office?
Overused Jokes in Film and TV Dialogue You Should Avoid

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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40min
March 31, 2023Turning "You're Not Gonna Make It" into Emmys with Director-Editor Kabir Akhtar
Kabir Akhtar is an Emmy award winner who has worked on a long list of TV shows, such as Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Never Have I Ever, and The Sex Lives of College Girls. This accomplished director-editor-producer has directed 45 episodes of TV as of today.

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and Director-Editor, Kabir Akhtar, discuss:
Why Kabir still uses a printed script
Moving to Los Angeles and hearing “no” after “no”
Why post is the most important part of the process
Understanding editing before you start directing
Directing episodes in an existing show versus directing a pilot
The different “languages” you have be able to speak as a director
Editing scenes you directed yourself
Embracing the creative instincts from others on set
The right way to step into your leadership role as a director
Believing in yourself despite the opinions of others
Memorable Quotes
“It’s not really who you know, it’s ultimately who knows you.” [8:29]
“No one is going to the movies to read a script. No one is going to the movies to watch raw footage.” [14:08]
“Fundamentally editing is dark arts. It’s just doing a magic trick all day long.” [20:43]
“It’s better to swing and miss than not swing at all.” [33:06]
“I was completely convinced that it would happen and that it would absolutely never happen.” [56:20]

Mentioned Resources:
Connect with Kabir on Instagram

More about Kabir

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
1h 13min
March 30, 2023The Money Episode
Should you tell others how much money you make? Should you pay for your own productions? How should you be properly allocating your money?

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, Jason Hellerman, GG Hawkins, and Yaro Altunin discuss:
The weird social taboo of not talking about money
Publishing everyone’s day rates out in the open
Advocating for yourself and valuing your work
How having a mentor can change the trajectory of your career
Why profit sharing is tricky
Different ways to invest your money for the future
How working in this industry is a long game marathon
When you should pay for your own passion projects
How community building is so important for your career and finances
Memorable Quotes
“It should be illegal for people to ask you what you’re currently making, because it is irrelevant to what they are currently offering.” [4:35]
“The side hustles are what bridged the gap and paid the rent for me.” [32:45]
“You never know what curveball Hollywood is going to throw at you.” [36:13]
“Spend longer casting than you think you need to.” [43:10]
“Coffee is fancy and delicious.” [49:48]

Mentioned Resources:

How Much Money Do You Need to Survive in Los Angeles

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
57min
March 24, 2023How to Greenlight Yourself with ‘Wildflower’ Director
Have you ever thought about drawing inspiration for your characters, from your own family? How do you accomplish that in a way that protects them while also being true to the story?

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and director of Wildflower, Matt Smukler, discuss:
Taking a documentary piece and turning it into a narrative feature
Being as authentic as possible while not losing his family in the process
Knowing immediately who would be casted as the main character
Leaning on the screenwriter and main actress to help him tell a young girl’s story
Not wanting the audience to recognize his director’s hand
Using a feature editor versus a commercial editor
The things he wish he knew before making a feature film
How a game of tennis helped him find a producer
Having his teenage daughter write songs for the film
Memorable Quotes
“I got really really lucky. I had all my first choices in this movie.” [15:05]
“I do feel like, as a family unit, they are all individually these wildflowers who can exist with very little in terms of human intervention in some ways.” [16:13]
“I did want this to feel like it was just happening in sort of real time, in front of us.” [20:02]
“I’d rather be in business with someone who's got the hustle than a bunch of credits.” [33:33]
“Figure out a story that’s got a beginning, middle, and end that you love and just go do it.” [44:20]

Mentioned Resources:
Wildflower is Now Available for Streaming

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

Get your questions answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected]!

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...more
50min
March 23, 2023Tarantino's Last Movie, plus, Surviving Freelance, Anchoring Scripts, and Ronin 4D Flex
What does “work-life balance” mean to you? How do you come up with new ideas for projects? Can you believe Tarantino is working on his final film of all time?

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, Jason Hellerman, GG Hawkins, and Yaro Altunin discuss:
Freelance Brain - what it is and how to deal with it
How the fear of missing out on opportunities leads us to never taking breaks
The unique yet effective things we do in order to generate new ideas
Having discipline when it comes to setting boundaries with yourself
What we know about Quentin Tarantino’s final film, The Movie Critic
Why it’s hard for us to believe Tarantino will only make 10 movies in his career
DJI’s exciting new camera system, the Ronin 4D Flex
Why the next frontier for technology needs to be affordability
Memorable Quotes
“I’m trying to survive and thrive in a culture that I didn’t dictate or build.” [8:39]
“You can do better work when you’re present and healthy and not anxious and stressed.” [15:53]
“Creativity really thrives within boundaries.” [36:07]
“Why get a stabilizer when you can get a chicken?” [47:09]

Mentioned Resources:

Dolly Parton’s “5 to 9” video

FREE Screenplay Beat Sheet

Tarantino’s Final Film, The Movie Critic

Stabilization Power of Chicken Heads

DJI Ronin 4D Flex

“Green Theme” by Baroness

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

Get your questions answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected]!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
...more
1h
March 17, 2023How to Cut Weeks of Shooting and Still Win at Sundance with ‘Mami Wata’ Director C.J. “Fiery” Obasi and Cinematographer Lílis Soares
In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with director C.J. Obasi and Cinematographer Lílis Soares about the film, Mami Wata. They explain their shared vision in creating a film about people of color. They also share how they dealt with challenges like filming the ocean at night and losing almost three weeks of shooting time. Mami Wata premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival where it won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Cinematography.

In this episode we talk about:
Their intention to shoot a black and white film from day one
Wanting to show the value and beauty of people of color in this film
Being ghosted by the equipment provider on the first day of shooting
Filming for 24 days instead of 6 weeks
Not wanting too many shades of gray
Treating the ocean as another character
How Africans see themselves and portray themselves in film
Leveraging an empathetic gaze versus a sympathetic gaze
Why being patient is key to being in this industry
Memorable Quotes
“It’s a story of sisterhood. It’s a story of mortality versus spirituality. It’s also a story about what it means to be African.” [3:43]
“The eyes of the ocean are everywhere.” [26:41]
“I wanted to do something deeper…something that had more meaning.” [34:34]
“It’s like trying to figure out a jigsaw. When you find that one jigsaw, all the pieces make sense.” [35:38]

Resources:

Find CJ on Instagram

Find Lílis on Instagram

Mami Wata Movie

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

Get your questions answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected]!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
...more
45min
March 16, 2023Too Many Cooks in the Best Picture Category? Plus, Critiques, Critics, and 'No Hard Feelings'
In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, Jason Hellerman, GG Hawkins, and Yaro Altunin discuss the diversity of films at the 2023 Academy Awards. They also chat about the return of comedy, and the difficulties in receiving criticism.

In this episode we talk about:
The winner of Best Picture - Everything Everywhere All at Once
Movies we loved that were not nominated
How we are hoping for the return of theatrical comedy
The hilarious and viral trailer for upcoming film, No Hard Feelings
A recent interview of Seth Rogen talking about getting negative feedback
What you need to consider when brainstorming and writing
Sharing critical reviews we have received and our reactions
Holding ourselves back due to criticisms
Giving notes that align with the writer’s intention
Memorable Quotes
“It felt like a year where truly anything could be made and that’s the kind of Hollywood I want to live in.” [5:17]
“Google search results started to suck this year.” [6:34]
“I think there should be more weird ass rules.” [14:17]
“It’s a bummer when somebody’s light can be snuffed out so early.” [37:28]
“I also think you just accept that it hurts.” [42:24]

Mentioned Resources:

Check out the 2023 Academy Award winners

Everything Everywhere All at Once

No Hard Feelings

Seth Rogen’s thoughts on negative reviews

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...more
54min
March 14, 2023 Daniels and Paul Rogers talk Oscar-Winning (Re-Run)
In wake of the 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Oscar sweep last night, we're republishing No Film School's 2+ hours of geeking out on the film.
(Re-Run) Everyone once in a while a movie comes out that blows our collective hearts and minds. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" is that movie, and these are the people who made it.
We're blessed to have an extra-special episode this week featuring Daniels (Writer/Director team behind the film) as well as their frequent collaborators Larkin Seiple (DoP) and Paul Rogers (Editor) to talk about EVERYTHING that went into crafting this modern classic.
See the movie, then listen to this as a companion piece!

Everyone once in a while a movie comes out that blows our collective hearts and minds. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" is that movie, and these are the people who made it.

We're blessed to have an extra-special episode this week featuring The Daniels (Writer/Director team behind the film) as well as their frequent collaborators Larkin Seiple (DoP) and Paul Rogers (Editor) to talk about EVERYTHING that went into crafting this modern classic.

See the movie, then listen to this as a companion piece!

link to the film: https://a24films.com/films/everything-everywhere-all-at-once

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

Get your questions answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected]!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
...more
2h 7min
March 10, 2023From Sundance to SXSW: "Fancy Dance" Director Erica Tremblay and Co-Writer Miciana Alise
In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with director Erica Tremblay and Co-Writer Miciana Alise about the film, Fancy Dance. They discuss what their writing collaboration looked like, as well as challenges they faced during filming. The film premiered at Sundance 2023 and will premiere at SXSW on March 10.

Topics discussed:
Tackling prevalent problems in indigenous communities
How Erica and Miciana met and what it was like writing the script together
Applying storytelling into different genres, platforms, and formats
Sharing breakthrough moments in complicated scenes
Realizing that one still does directing in post production
Successfully pulling off a big set piece using ingenuity and networking
Having the right people behind the scenes, who really wanted to support the project
Learning how to be a more considerate writer
Memorable Quotes
“We hope it can shine a little light on some of the struggles that Indian country has, with outside forces coming in and trying to tell us how we should be living on our sovereign land.” [5:12]
“It makes it a little less painful that you’re not just alone in these deep, dark, scary pages.” [12:29]
“There’s this symbiotic relationship of ideas and talent and knowledge that’s passing through two people, ending up on the page.” [12:43]
“The biggest thing was learning what the characters didn’t need to say….Just letting them breathe in that uncomfortable moment.” [14:56]
“Just be ferocious. You cannot hang your ego on any one scene. You can’t be precious about it.” [22:12]

Resources:

Fancy Dance

Find Miciana on Instagram

Find Erica on Instagram

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

Get your questions answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected]!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
...more
45min
March 09, 2023Big Data in Little Hollywood
In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, Jason Hellerman, and GG Hawkins discuss their concerns over the insidious ways big data is affecting hollywood. They also unpack the benefits and disadvantages to entering screenwriting contests.

We discuss:
The scary way big data is now being used in the industry
How commerce is pushing back on creativity
The best way to approach screenwriting contests
Our worries about screenwriting contests and who actually benefits from them
Feeding into the “hope machine” in order to get into the industry
An anecdote about Triangle of Sadness
Why there are no rules to convey your message when it comes to screenwriting
Memorable Quotes
“It is interesting to think about the data that’s being tracked on what you watch and where it can go…Is this something they are selling to people?” [6:40]
“In an industry that’s already shrinking…putting A.I. behind it is a little worrisome.” [8:15]
“The safest bet is not the best story.” [9:25]
“There are things other than the checkboxes that make a movie what it is.” [12:52]
“As a writer, as a director, you can use whatever you want to get your point across.” [42:20]

Resources:
I am Worried About Big Data and Hollywood

Triangle of Sadness

Denver the Guilty Dog

Free Screenwriting E-book

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

Get your questions answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected]!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
...more
50min

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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