The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

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   Number 1: Lockjaw

   Writer-director Sabrina Greco joins No Film School to discuss the making of her feature debut, Lockjaw, a dark comedy centered on a woman whose jaw is wired shut after a car accident. Greco explains how the project grew from a short into a feature, why she committed to an 11-day all-night shoot in Los Angeles, and how a tight-knit filmmaking community helped make the production possible. She also breaks down directing Blu Hunt’s physically constrained but highly expressive lead performance, adapting scenes when they stopped working on set, using two cameras to move quickly, and drawing on her editing background to reshape the film in post-production. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Sabrina Greco discuss... How Greco went from studying film at Boston University to editing for digital media, Nickelodeon, and feature films Why filmmakers like John Cassavetes and the mumblecore movement changed the way she thought about feature filmmaking How Lockjaw evolved organically from a 25–30 page short into Greco’s first feature Planning the production a year in advance so winter’s early sunsets would make an entirely nighttime shoot more manageable Building the film around an existing Los Angeles creative community of actors and crew members How producer Abby Davis helped secure a house where the production could shoot for eight of its 11 days Deciding to move forward with the movie after Greco lost her job during the Hollywood strikes Developing Rayna as an active, magnetic, self-destructive protagonist rather than a passive victim How Blu Hunt approached Rayna without judging the character’s choices Using Rayna’s wired jaw as both a physical filmmaking constraint and a source of conflict, comedy, and miscommunication Why Greco wanted Rayna’s accident to complicate her behavior rather than simply justify it Shooting an 80-page feature in 11 days using two Canon XF605 cameras, small crews, autofocus, and minimal lens changes Rehearsing and blocking scenes before sunset so the production could begin shooting immediately once it was dark How Greco, Blu Hunt, and Colin Burgess reworked a breakup scene on set when its original tone stopped working Learning when a director needs to stop rushing, reconsider a scene, and ask collaborators for help How Greco’s editing background helped her know which shots were essential and which material could be sacrificed Cutting entire storylines that were not serving Rayna’s central story Bringing in co-editor Neal Wynne when Greco needed fresh ideas, then returning to the film for the fine cut The process of getting Lockjaw into Slamdance and finally watching audiences respond to the film What Greco learned about LLCs, paperwork, and production infrastructure that she applied to her next project Why making a feature reinforced the importance of trusting collaborators instead of believing the director has to solve everything alone Memorable Quotes: “I’m going to make this happen no matter what.” “But it would be so much more fun if it was the opposite.” “Take a step back. You need to figure this out. Like, it’s okay if it takes 10 minutes away from shooting.” “Anything’s on the chopping block. I don’t care what it is. Like, if it’s, it’s not working, it’s not working.” Guest: Sabrina Greco Resources: Lockjaw on IMDb Lockjaw on Instagram Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

   September 12, 2026·41min
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   Number 2: The Art of the Reshoot: How the 'It Ends' Team Saved Their Indie Horror Feature

   Writer-director Alex Ullom and producers Carrie Carusone and Evan Barber break down the unconventional path behind It Ends, their micro-budget indie horror feature about four friends trapped on an endless road. They explain how they raised their initial financing, leaned on their filmmaking community, turned production limitations into creative advantages, and used multiple rounds of strategic reshoots to transform an early cut that wasn’t working. The team also shares how they cut a Jeep in half to shoot on an LED volume stage, navigated an expensive and complicated post-production process, premiered at SXSW, and generated enough grassroots momentum through the online horror community and Letterboxd to ultimately land a theatrical release with Neon. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests Alex Ullom, Carrie Carusone, and Evan Barber discuss… How graduating from film school during the pandemic pushed the team toward making an independent feature Raising the initial micro-budget through unconventional investors, personal connections, and community support How Florida State University’s alumni equipment package made a $30,000 feature possible Why paying crew something—even on an extremely limited budget—was important to the producers Discovering in the edit that the first version of It Ends wasn’t working Why indie filmmakers should stop thinking of reshoots as a sign of failure Using test screenings to identify pacing problems, missing emotional beats, and scenes that needed additional coverage Designing a contained film that could be affordably reconstructed for multiple rounds of pickups Balancing the film’s horror and hangout-movie elements through pacing and visual language Cutting a Jeep Cherokee in half to get it onto an LED volume stage Rebuilding the Jeep interior and using the removable vehicle to create otherwise impossible camera angles Why the filmmakers pulled out of Fantasia to continue improving the movie Maintaining continuity when returning to the same actors and characters two years after principal photography The editing workflow Alex developed to compare multiple performances of the same line Using low-pass filtering, bass, sound design, and close-ups to create production value on an indie budget What Alex learned from an extremely disorganized Premiere timeline Premiering at SXSW during an especially difficult independent film distribution market Why strong festival reviews and sold-out screenings didn’t automatically lead to a distribution deal The changing economics of minimum guarantees for independent films How online horror creators helped generate new momentum for It Ends The film’s path from Letterboxd’s video store program to a theatrical release with Neon Why filmmakers should focus on making the strongest movie possible rather than designing a project specifically for a major festival How the lessons from It Ends changed the team’s approach to their next features Previsualizing an entire movie before production to eliminate setups and solve story problems Using executive producer credits strategically when raising additional financing Practical advice for protecting hard drives, feeding a small crew, and building a trusted filmmaking community Memorable Quotes: “I'm a huge advocate for reshoots.” “And on that Saturday we got it onto the stage and it, and it fit through that hallway with a literal quarter of an inch clearance on either side, and that's like, that's not an exaggeration.” “I hope that this film can live kinda like when I first saw Slacker for the first time, and it was just like, oh, all you really need is a camera and two faces talking to each other.” “At the end of the day, surround yourself, your entire crew with people you trust creatively.” Guests: Alex Ullom Carrie Carusone Evan Barber Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

   September 03, 2026·58min
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   Number 3: Fiscal Sponsorship Explained

   Fiscal sponsorship can give independent filmmakers access to tax-deductible donations, in-kind contributions, corporate partnerships, and other fundraising opportunities without changing how they monetize their films after completion. Host GG Hawkins talks with filmmaker Lindsay St. Laurent and New Hollywood's Ian Mark about how fiscal sponsorship works, how to approach donors, and why building sustainable working conditions into an indie production matters. They also discuss tax incentives, pre-production strategies that can prevent burnout, protecting cast and crew on low-budget sets, and creating long-term relationships with supporters. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests Lindsay St. Laurent and Ian Mark discuss... How fiscal sponsorship allows filmmakers to fundraise through a nonprofit while maintaining the ability to operate commercially once the film is completed Why tax-deductible donations can give filmmakers a different fundraising pitch than traditional equity investment How in-kind donations can help cover production needs such as equipment, food, catering, and crafty How fiscal sponsorship can add legitimacy when approaching companies and potential partners New Hollywood's requirements for sponsored productions, including reasonable workdays, adequate turnaround times, and real meal breaks Why sustainable set culture and crew wellbeing can improve both the production experience and the finished film How table reads, storyboards, and strong pre-production planning can help filmmakers avoid long shoot days and burnout Why directors should communicate with department heads early and build schedules that make their jobs easier The importance of considering the emotional demands placed on actors when scheduling difficult scenes Why cast and crew members should understand their rights, establish boundaries, and read their contracts even on non-union productions How a more competitive grant landscape and changing corporate priorities are affecting independent film financing Why filmmakers raising larger budgets should research production tax credits and rebates as part of their financing strategy How to approach potential donors by focusing on genuine relationships rather than treating every conversation as a one-time ask Why filmmakers should present their projects as already having momentum rather than appearing dependent on a single donor How getting the first company, donor, or organization to say yes can make additional partnerships easier to secure Memorable Quotes: “So you get to fundraise as a nonprofit when you're starting, and then still operate as a for-profit entity once you have a film that you're ready to take to market.” “Just for our listeners, like if somebody is pushing you in a way that is not okay, you can say no, even if it's non-union.” “But like nobody is going to advocate for you on those sets except yourself, so it is good to know your rights.” “The first yes is the hardest one to get. Once you get that yes, the other yeses just start coming.” Guests: Lindsay St. Laurent Ian Mark Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

   August 15, 2026·41min
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   Number 4: One Lens, One Vision: The Cinematography of 'The Creator'

   In this episode, host Charles Haine sits down with cinematographer Oren Soffer to dive deep into the groundbreaking and much-discussed visual style of The Creator. As the co-DP alongside Greig Fraser, Soffer shares how they achieved the film’s unique aesthetic using a prosumer Sony FX3 camera, a single vintage lens, and a minimalist, indie-inspired production model. This discussion covers everything from lighting choices and VFX collaboration to gear workflows and lens testing, offering an in-depth look at how one of the year's most visually striking sci-fi films was crafted. In this episode, No Film School's Charles Haine and guest Oren Soffer discuss... How Oren Soffer became co-DP on The Creator alongside Greig Fraser The decision to shoot 95% of the film on one vintage 75mm Kowa anamorphic lens Using the Sony FX3 with an Atomos Ninja for ProRes RAW capture The benefits of designing visual effects around photography rather than the reverse Lighting choices inspired by naturalism and a small-footprint, indie ethos The influence of films like Baraka and Rogue One on the visual approach Operating with a nimble crew and custom-built gimbal rigs Remote collaboration between Soffer, Fraser, and director Gareth Edwards The impact of location shooting across Southeast Asia Memorable Quotes: "We shot 95 percent of the movie on a single focal length, which is the Kowa Cine Prominar... you're baking the look into the image." "The way to make visual effects feel more real is to let the photography lead." "We wanted to shoot this big movie as if it’s this tiny road movie." "It was an indie film with a 90-day shoot schedule and a full stunt team... but the filmmaking process itself felt really scrappy in the best way possible." Guest: Oren Soffer Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

   December 21, 2025·59min
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   Number 5: Do We Even Need Reps? How 'Violent Ends' Director John-Michael Powell Made His Theatrical Feature Without Them

   Director John-Michael Powell joins No Film School to talk about his gritty Southern crime thriller Violent Ends, which hits theaters October 31. Powell shares the winding journey that led to the film’s production—from being dropped from a college art program, to cutting indie films that made it to festivals like Sundance and SXSW, to editing the Emmy-winning Netflix series American Manhunt. Remarkably, he crafted a feature starring Billy Magnussen and Alexandra Shipp—without agents, managers, or festival support. This episode offers a raw, inspiring, and tactical look at building a career from the ground up, how to forge meaningful creative collaborations, and why the cavalry might never come. In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and guest John-Michael Powell discuss… How Powell transitioned from music and graphic design to filmmaking Why getting cut from a college program helped shape his resilience The long road from writing Violent Ends in 2013 to securing funding a decade later The strategy behind securing name actors without traditional representation How he used relationships and resourcefulness to get a bidding war What filmmakers should know about real-money offers and escrow Why adaptability and microbudget thinking still matters—on any scale How not having representation can actually work in your favor Building a production company (Midnight Road) and what’s coming next Memorable Quotes: "I got cut. I got the axe." "The most powerful tool you have as a filmmaker is your feet." "I took out 'editor' and put in just 'director and writer.'" "Violent Ends did not get accepted to any festivals… and we sold it to IFC." Guests: John-Michael Powell Resources: Watch the Violent Ends Trailer Violent Ends in Theaters via Fandango Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

   October 31, 2025·1h 18min
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