Episodes

1d ago

Designing for television isn’t just about building sets — it’s about knowing when to preserve them, when to break them, and how to let them evolve over time. On Slow Horses , that long view shapes every creative decision. This week on Below the Line , Skid is joined by Production Designer Choi Ho Man, with Gianni Damaia returning as co-host, to talk about the fifth season of Slow Horses , the Apple TV+ espionage series starring Gary Oldman. Choi traces her journey on the show from supervising art director to production designer, and how designing across multiple seasons requires long-term thinking, flexibility, and restraint. We take a deep dive into: How Slow Horses was designed as a rolling, multi-season project, shooting in pairs of seasons with overlapping crews and compressed turnaround times The evolution of Slough House itself, including how destruction at the end of Season Four informed the repaired, modernized, and slightly haunted version seen in Season Five Designing spaces that reflect character psychology, from Lamb’s office to Ho’s flat Building and rebuilding modular sets — lifts, car parks, corridors, offices — to stretch resources while preserving visual continuity Developing MI5 Headquarters (“The Park”) as a recurring environment, mapping unseen spaces to make the building feel architecturally complete Stitching together complex action sequences from multiple locations and stage builds, including chase scenes, stairwells, and exterior-to-interior transitions How practical construction, visual effects, and stunt coordination intersect on large-scale action sequences involving paint, height, and confined spaces Why face-to-face collaboration still matters, including sketches, models, and conversations that can’t be replaced by emails or message threads Across five seasons, Slow Horses proves that production design isn’t just about creating spaces — it’s about letting those spaces absorb history, pressure, and consequence, until the environment itself becomes part of the story. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Slow Horses . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Dec 14

The stranger The Chair Company gets, the more seriously it has to be treated. Nothing about the show tells the audience when to laugh — its world looks ordinary, its people feel real, and that restraint is exactly what lets the absurdity land. This week on Below the Line , Skid is joined by Costume Designer Nicky Smith and Cinematographer Ashley Connor to discuss their work on The Chair Company , the HBO series created by Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin. Together, they break down how a show rooted in off-kilter comedy relies on rigorous visual logic — from wardrobe and camera movement to pacing, texture, and point of view — to maintain its delicate tonal balance. Our conversation ranges across: Treating the series like a grounded crime or conspiracy drama, using mundane wardrobe and restrained visuals to make moments of surrealism hit harder Ashley’s cinematography approach: anchoring the camera to Ron’s emotional journey, using aggressive dollies, zooms, and imperfect movement to mirror his unraveling Nicky’s costume philosophy of thrifted, worn-in clothing — washing, distressing, and avoiding “newness” so characters feel unmistakably real Designing visual normalcy as misdirection, allowing sudden tonal shifts to surprise the audience without breaking the world of the show The evolving production scale from pilot to series, and how departments learned to stretch limited resources into something that feels expansive Building key sequences like the Episode Five bar chase and the Episode Eight wedding — where every department had to stay in sync to manage the chaos How casting, body types, and costume choices avoid stereotypes, creating a workplace and social world that feels genuinely lived-in Setting up Season Two without knowing the destination — trusting Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin’s writing while embracing uncertainty Rather than signaling comedy through exaggeration, The Chair Company finds its power in restraint — proving that the stranger a story becomes, the more important it is that every visual choice feels honest, deliberate, and grounded in character. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on The Chair Company . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Dec 7

Why do people who’ve spent their careers in the trenches of production take everything they’ve learned on set and turn it into something as quiet and lasting as a book? In this episode of Below the Line , three authors with deep roots in the industry talk about translating lived experience into storytelling on the page. This week on Below the Line , Skid is joined by Melanie Ragone, Key Grip and author of Below the Line: A Film Crew Survival Guide ; Rob Spera, director, teacher, and author of the Film/TV Director’s Field Manual: Seventy Maxims to Change Your Filmmaking ; and Ken Levin, longtime Property Master and author of the satirical novel Great Exploitations – A Hollywood Fable . Together, they compare notes on why they wrote their books, how decades inside the industry shaped them as authors, and what they hope readers take away — whether they work on set or simply love the stories it produces. On the page and behind the scenes, we talk about: How each book grew out of real experience: Melanie’s trial-by-fire years as a first-generation filmmaker and grip, Rob’s four decades directing and teaching, and Ken’s time in commercials, kids’ TV, and beyond The shared belief that film sets are communities, not dictatorships — and why Rob rejects auteur theory in favor of leadership that listens, thanks, and makes room for crew voices Melanie’s “love letter to crew”: honest advice about long hours, mental and physical strain, and why gratitude and basic respect from above the line can change an entire day on set Ken’s choice to write fiction as a way to tell the truth about Hollywood’s brutality, absurdity, and mutual exploitation — especially for those working below the line The changing economics of the industry: shorter seasons, longer gaps between shows, and why all three guests stress diversifying skills, planning ahead, and learning when (and how) to pivot Different publishing paths — from querying hundreds of agents to choosing self-publishing for speed and creative control — and what it really takes to market a niche industry book Who these books are for: new crew trying to survive their first shows, directors and producers who want a clearer picture of below-the-line life, and readers who just want to understand what really happens behind the camera What’s next: Melanie’s push toward showrunning and television writing, Rob’s continuing work as a teacher and documentary filmmaker, and Ken’s “second career” as a novelist, including aviation-themed projects waiting in the wings At its heart, this conversation is about survival, adaptation, and generosity — three industry veterans turning hard-won lessons into something that can outlast a single job, a single season, or even a single career. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line with three storytellers who took their experience to the page. For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Nov 30

What happens when filmmaking becomes a marathon of collaboration — spanning years, thousands of shots, and the world of Oz itself? For Wicked: For Good , that was the daily reality for Film Editor Myron Kerstein and Visual Effects Supervisor Pablo Helman. This week on Below the Line , Skid welcomes back Myron Kerstein and introduces Pablo Helman, who makes his Below the Line debut to discuss their shared journey on Wicked: For Good , the sequel to Jon M. Chu’s Wicked . Together, they reflect on what it means to sustain creative momentum through two interconnected films and the largest project of their careers. This episode unpacks: Building a years-long partnership between editorial and visual effects — and learning to “finish each other’s sentences” after thousands of hours together Integrating production, post, and VFX pipelines from the earliest days of Wicked through the sequel’s final render Designing the epic opening battle on the Yellow Brick Road, where performance, camera, and creature animation all converge Navigating Jon M. Chu’s collaborative process — a director who, as Myron puts it, is “a collector of people” and thrives on creative dialogue Crafting the technically complex “Girl in the Bubble” sequence — eight stitched plates, multiple reflections, and a seamless illusion that tested every department’s trust Refining the “No Good Deed” sequence — balancing raw emotion, musical rhythm, and visual effects spectacle Intercutting Glinda’s wedding with the imprisoned creatures to heighten tension and emotional contrast across parallel storylines How small creative choices — like a cape’s weight, a confetti storm, or a single flash of red sky — became storytelling tools in the hands of two artists who speak the same cinematic language What emerges is a portrait of collaboration under pressure — one built on mutual respect, relentless curiosity, and a shared belief that every frame, no matter how fantastical, should feel grounded and human. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Wicked: For Good. For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Nov 11

Before there were military consultants on movie sets, there were officers like Jon McBride — servicemen who understood how stories shape public perception. On this Veterans Day episode of Below the Line , we look at how the Navy’s storytellers helped connect the worlds of service and cinema. This week, Skid is joined by Jon McBride, a former U.S. Navy officer whose service from 1964 to 1968 led him from the deck of the USS Kitty Hawk to the Navy’s Public Affairs Office in Hollywood — bridging two worlds that rarely meet but often influence one another. We explore: Jon’s path from Yale graduate to Naval officer during the Vietnam War era, and how chance and persistence steered him toward public affairs Life aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk , where he volunteered for the ship’s public information role — discovering a talent for storytelling under pressure How a Pentagon connection set Jon on the path to Hollywood, joining the Navy’s West Coast Public Affairs Office on Sunset Boulevard The Navy’s relationship with the film industry — reviewing scripts, assigning project officers, and shaping depictions of sailors on screen Behind-the-scenes memories from Operation: Entertainment , Yours, Mine and Ours , and an unexpected day serving as Dionne Warwick’s “agent” Encounters with Ray Charles, the Blue Angels, and the surreal overlap between show business and service How McBride’s later work with the grassroots Beyond War movement reframed his understanding of conflict and communication Episodes like this one reflect a recurring theme for Below the Line — the shared discipline, teamwork, and creative purpose that link filmmaking and military service. Jon’s story captures that connection with humor, humility, and a deep sense of how storytelling itself can serve a mission. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line for a Veterans Day conversation that spans from the bridge of the Kitty Hawk to the backlots of Hollywood. For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Oct 19

What does it take to build a world that feels as authentic as the people it represents? On The Lowdown , that meant storytelling rooted in place — and departments working in harmony. This week on Below the Line , Skid welcomes Makeup Department Head Sharon Tabb and Production Designer Brandon Tonner-Connolly, who reunite after three seasons of Reservation Dogs to discuss their latest collaboration with creator Sterlin Harjo on the FX series The Lowdown , starring Ethan Hawke. The discussion covers: Continuing the collaborative spirit from Reservation Dogs — and how Sterlin Harjo’s leadership fosters creativity and respect across the crew Finding shared visual language between makeup and production design — creating a lived-in aesthetic that balances grit, texture, and humanity Designing the show’s Tulsa block from the ground up, building interconnected sets like Hoot Owl Books, Sweet Emily’s Diner, and nearby stores into one functioning neighborhood Layering authenticity through local artists and real community involvement, from murals and set dressing to tattoo design Bringing lived experience into the work — honoring real figures like journalist Lee Roy Chapman while telling a fictionalized story of truth-seekers and corruption Sharon’s approach to Ethan Hawke’s tattoos and makeup continuity, balancing realism with subtle symbolism — and a few Easter eggs for sharp-eyed viewers Brandon’s creation of Sweet Emily’s Diner, complete with custom wallpaper that pays tribute to Reservation Dogs in the most unexpected way Coordinating large-scale sequences like the cop party “oner” that concludes Episode Five — blending chaos, choreography, and cinematic precision Together, Sharon and Brandon reveal how every bruise, tattoo, and weathered wall becomes part of a larger visual story — one built from collaboration, trust, and craft in sync. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on The Lowdown . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Sep 29

What does it mean to edit a sports horror film that blurs the line between spectacle and nightmare? For Taylor Mason, the answer was finding the rhythm that carried HIM through its shifting tones. This week on Below the Line , Skid is joined by Film Editor Taylor Mason to discuss her work on the Universal/Monkeypaw feature HIM , directed by Justin Tipping and starring Tyriq Withers and Marlon Wayans. Joining the conversation is Christopher Angel, a regular guest and co-host of the podcast, who adds his editorial perspective. The conversation cuts across: Building Taylor’s creative partnership with director Justin Tipping, which began during their AFI collaborations Taylor’s career arc through high-end assistant editing (e.g. Blade Runner 2049 , Dune ) before making the jump to feature editing Shaping HIM ’s hybrid genre — balancing horror, satire, and sports narrative in the edit room Sculpting tone shifts, from unnerving silence to explosive sequences, while keeping character central Using helmet POVs, flash cuts, and hallucinatory visuals to plunge the viewer into the chaos of football Integrating VFX and x-ray sequences to reflect Cam’s physical deterioration and internal collapse Bringing personal resonance to the material, informed by her father’s NFL legacy and her own complicated relationship with the sport Cutting the film’s finale — a climax that threads horror, absurdism, and social critique In the end, it’s rhythm that defines Taylor’s edit — balancing precision and chaos in a story that’s both savage and deeply human. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on HIM . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Sep 21

How do you design a world that honors Hawaiian history while telling a story on a global stage? For Production Designer Jean-François Campeau, the answer was equal parts creativity, cultural respect, and collaboration. This week on Below the Line , Skid is joined by Jean-François “JF” Campeau, Production Designer of Chief of War , the Apple TV+ historical drama starring Jason Momoa. Two special guests from the Smithsonian Institution add their perspectives: Kalewa Correa, Curator of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, and Halena Kapuni-Reynolds, Associate Curator of Native Hawaiian History and Culture at the National Museum of the American Indian. We cover: JF’s first reaction to the project — both inspired and intimidated by the cultural weight of the story Research at the Bishop Museum and working closely with Hawaiian and Māori cultural advisors to ground the sets in authenticity Constructing major builds like temples, strongholds, and the bone tower — with blessings and protocols woven into the process Carving sacred objects from authentic materials, including shipping an ʻōhiʻa tree from Hawai‘i to New Zealand for sculpting Collaborating with Pacific artisans on woven mats, sails, and canoes that carried both cultural and cinematic weight Blending Hawaiian and New Zealand landscapes, balancing cultural similarities with visual continuity challenges Jason Momoa’s insistence on filming battle sequences on real Hawaiian lava fields — including a shoot delayed by Mauna Loa’s eruption Capturing the gravity of historically significant moments, like the Olowalu massacre carried out under Captain Simon Metcalfe, with sensitivity to sacred ground JF’s personal reflections on how the project changed him, and the values he carried forward from working alongside Native Hawaiian and Māori communities The conversation also touches on recommended resources for further learning, including Ke Kumu Aupuni: The Foundation of Hawaiian Nationhood by Samuel Kamaka and Fragments of Hawaiian History by John Papa Iʻi, suggested by our Smithsonian co-hosts. Through every set, carving and detail, Chief of War builds a conversation between past and present — one that honors place, people, and story alike. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Chief of War . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Aug 24

What does it take to shoot Formula 1 at Formula 1 speed? For 1st Assistant Director Toby Hefferman, it meant precision, improvisation, and a crew running at full throttle. This week on Below the Line , Toby Hefferman joins Skid to talk about his work on F1: The Movie , the high-octane feature that merges scripted drama with real-world racing. From on-track logistics to high-pressure resets, Toby shares how he and the crew captured the energy of Formula 1 without slowing it down. The conversation races through: Preparing for race-day chaos with limited takes and no second chances Coordinating with the F1 organization for track access and safety Balancing authentic racing with scripted storytelling beats Working with the broadcast crew and integrating into their coverage footprint Collaborating closely with director Joseph Kosinski to shape coverage and keep pace with the story Navigating the unique demands of filming alongside professional F1 drivers in active race environments What it means to “make the day” when the cars set the schedule — not the crew What emerges is a portrait of an Assistant Director balancing structure with flexibility — drawing on lessons from Rogue One , Mission: Impossible , and now F1: The Movie . 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on F1: The Movie . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Aug 17

In Alien: Earth , the music has to merge sci-fi horror with sci-fi action — all while carrying the emotional core of Noah Hawley’s storytelling. This week on Below the Line , Score Composer Jeff Russo joins Skid and returning co-host Louis Weeks to discuss his work on Alien: Earth , the FX series now airing its first season. An Emmy-winning and multiple Emmy-nominated composer, Jeff talks through how his music honors the legacy of Alien while building something entirely new — with select clips from his score woven throughout the conversation. Here’s what we cover: Collaborating with Noah Hawley from the earliest concept stage — five years before cameras rolled Weaving together the tones of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986) while still making the score uniquely his own Creating distinct sonic palettes for human, alien, and synth characters — and finding ways to blend them Crafting character-driven themes, including Wendy’s motif and the “Siblings” theme Integrating unusual instruments like the bass desmaphone and Aztec death whistle to shape the show’s sonic identity How serialized storytelling allows themes to grow and evolve across multiple episodes Building episode-specific releases, like the standalone score for Episode 5 Jeff also shares how his long creative partnership with Hawley has shaped his process — and why building trust early makes it easier to take musical risks later. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Alien: Earth . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Aug 10

Production Design doesn’t always get the laugh — but on Hacks , Rob Tokarz helps set up the punchline. This week on Below the Line , Production Designer Rob Tokarz joins Skid to discuss Rob’s Emmy-nominated work on Hacks , the HBO Max comedy that just wrapped its fourth season. Rob shares how the show’s design evolved with Deborah and Ava’s careers — from Vegas casinos to LA sound stages — and how visual comedy can live in the details. Among the highlights: Designing Deborah’s late night talk show set — and how its clean lines, reflective surfaces, and scale marked a new chapter in her career Leaning into sleek, showbiz artifice while still grounding scenes in emotional truth How Rob approaches “passive comedy” through shape, scale, texture, and layout Collaborating with Showrunners Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky to ensure that design and comedy worked hand in hand Designing new spaces like Jimmy’s office and the Home Shopping Network studio Working with returning directors, DPs, and department heads to maintain visual continuity Navigating studio notes and shifting production goals across multiple seasons Rob also shares how Hacks maintained character integrity even as its world kept expanding — and why no design detail is too small when you're playing for laughs. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Hacks . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Aug 3

Designing a future where human life feels disposable — and deeply familiar — takes creative nerve, dark humor, and a fearless approach to world-building. This week on Below the Line , Skid is joined by Production Designer Sue Chan to talk about her work on Murderbot , the new Apple TV+ series based on Martha Wells’ bestselling novellas. Sue breaks down how she and her team designed a future full of corporate dread, practical machinery, and sly visual comedy — all while making the world feel tactile rather than CG-slick. We discuss: Developing the look of a far-future society built around exploitation, automation, and control How inflatable tech, 3D-printed architecture, and lightweight materials shaped the show’s practical builds Establishing a visual language that’s grounded in reality but laced with satire Designing Sanctuary Moon , the soap-opera-within-the-show, as a technicolor contrast to Murderbot’s grey, corporate environments Using shapes, signage, and spatial hierarchy to reinforce themes of capitalism and class division The creative and political process behind Murderbot’s helmet: the mask design that divided the studio and delighted Skarsgård Working with VFX and costumes to build a unified visual tone across departments Embracing “conscious contrasts” between the emotional tone of a scene and its visual environment Sue also reflects on the challenge of building a world that feels both foreign and uncomfortably familiar — and why the best production design does more than just look good. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Murderbot . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Jul 27

Cinematographer Romain Lacourbas returns to Below the Line to talk about crafting Ballerina , the latest stylish installment in the John Wick universe. This week on Below the Line , Skid is joined by Cinematographer Romain Lacourbas to discuss his visual approach to Ballerina , from the film’s sweeping Prague exteriors to its tightly choreographed fight scenes. Romain breaks down his collaboration with Director Len Wiseman, the decision to shoot single-camera action, and the creative problem-solving behind some of the film’s most explosive moments. We cover: Building trust with Len Wiseman — and how the director’s homemade pre-vis videos helped shape their collaboration Adapting the look of John Wick to a new city — with its own palette and texture Leveraging Alexa 35 cameras and Hawk Class-X anamorphic lenses to add volume and texture — a deliberate choice to highlight Philip Ivey’s distinctive production design Planning and executing long-take action — including that grenade-filled basement sequence Why most stunt scenes were shot with a single camera — and how that impacted timing, blocking, and performance Leaning into practical effects, from real explosions to blood rigs and rain-slicked streets Capturing Hallstatt’s natural beauty — even on a tight shooting schedule Romain also reflects on the freedom he had as a DP, his continued partnership with Camera Operator James Frater, and how working with a detail-driven director made the difference. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Ballerina . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Jul 13

Running a tight, emotionally grounded procedural is no small feat — especially when you're steering a beloved franchise into new territory. On this week’s Below the Line , Skid sits down with Director Patrick Cady, 1st Assistant Director/Producer Trey Batchelor, Cinematographer Jason Andrew, and Gaffer Derrick Kolus to go behind the scenes of Bosch: Legacy , the three-season Amazon series that extended the universe of Michael Connelly’s iconic detective — and pushed the crew into new creative and logistical territory. We cover: How Bosch: Legacy balanced a fresh tone with the DNA of the original series The shift to a 5-act structure, network oversight, and more “advertiser-friendly” creative mandates How tight prep schedules, minimal standing sets, and constant location moves shaped every department’s workflow Jason’s transition from Key Grip to Cinematographer, and how his background informed his pacing and shot planning The challenges of lighting on the move — and how Derrick’s rigging strategy kept the crew ahead of schedule Trey’s insight into cast performances, unexpected rewrites, and what it really means to “make the day” Keeping continuity between DPs and episodes while balancing stylistic differences The collaborative bond this crew built across 10+ years and two Bosch series Along the way, they reflect on the show’s emotional arc, where it fits within the Bosch universe, and how Bosch: Legacy became a proving ground for tight collaboration, creative flexibility, and below-the-line excellence. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Bosch: Legacy . For more, visit belowtheline.biz .

Jul 6

Executing a well-timed oner is hard. Building a whole show around long, continuous takes? That’s another level. This week on Below the Line , Skid is joined by First Assistant Director Donald Murphy and Camera Operator Mark Goellnicht to go behind the scenes of The Studio , the Apple TV+ comedy that blends big laughs with an ambitious visual style. Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the show follows the fictional chaos of Continental Studios — and brings that chaos to life through long takes, handheld choreography, and camera work that pulls the audience into the scene. Topics include: Shooting single-camera, continuous-take scenes for nearly every episode How the “oner” for Episode 2 was planned, rehearsed, and executed with an eye towards golden hour Building camera choreography around comedy timing and live dialogue Collaborating with actors and stand-ins on complex blocking Stitching shots using natural movement, practical transitions, and VFX Pulling off production in real-world locations like the Las Vegas strip and the Golden Globes Utilizing crew members as additional “background” for added realism Managing on-set tone and morale with Seth Rogen’s laid-back leadership Donald and Mark also reflect on how The Studio pulled off its most ambitious sequences — from passing a camera mid-shot between operators to filming in working casinos with minimal control. And yes, they name names: Martin Scorsese, Sarah Polley, Zac Efron, and Ron Howard all make appearances (on set and in the story). 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on The Studio . For more, visit belowtheline.biz .

Jun 18

How do you bring a game world to life for the screen — especially when that world already has millions of devoted fans? Cinematographer Catherine Goldschmidt knows firsthand — and her work on The Last of Us reveals just how complex that challenge can be. Catherine Goldschmidt joins Skid to discuss her work on the second season of HBO's The Last of Us , with co-host Gianni Damaia bringing the perspective of a longtime fan and gamer. Together, they dig into the complex visual language of an adaptation that blurs the line between game and cinema — from shot-for-shot recreations to bold deviations. We cover: Catherine’s approach to adapting game cinematics into film language — including when to match and when to break away How The Last of Us uses space, light, and camera movement to draw viewers into Ellie’s experience Constructing visual set pieces like the subway ambush and Jackson assault with a blend of practical stunts, VFX, and strategic camera placement The emotional and logistical challenges of staging Joel’s death The visual shift from chaos to quiet in Episode 2’s final montage — and how that deliberate pacing reshapes the episode’s emotional impact Catherine also reflects on how her collaboration with multiple directors and departments shaped the season’s look and feel, and how visual storytelling can remain grounded even in the most heightened, post-apocalyptic moments. 🎧 Listen now to join us Below the Line with Catherine Goldschmidt — and explore more at www.belowtheline.biz .

Jun 15

What does it mean to “edit for emotion” in a show built around crime, identity, and betrayal? Eric Litman knows — and his work on Dope Thief proves it. This week on Below the Line , Skid and co-host Christopher Angel are joined by Film Editor Eric Litman to talk about shaping Apple TV+’s eight-episode crime thriller starring Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura. Topics we cover include: From unpaid intern on Gladiator to full-fledged editor on Dope Thief : a career milestone with Scott Free Being hired for one episode but ultimately cutting three, thanks to production delays from the strikes Episode 7 as “an editor’s episode” — montages that demanded narrative weight without sliding into music-video style Collaboration with director Marcela Said, whose instinct for unplanned footage (like vultures over a quarry) inspired poetic editorial choices Shaping the quarry shootout to unfold in escalating stages — keeping viewers aligned with the characters as horrified witnesses rather than action heroes Crafting a brutal prison fight with disorienting POV flash frames from GoPro footage Weaving together montages of Mina’s training, Ray’s torment, and Mani’s tragic end — drawing on influences from The Dark Knight and The Fugitive Using city footage and transitions to ground the series in Philadelphia, connecting personal roots with storytelling choices What emerges is an inside look at how an editor balances spectacle, emotion, and authenticity — turning raw footage into a gripping, character-driven crime saga. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Dope Thief . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Jun 8

What does it take to keep Marvel’s superhero worlds grounded in reality? On Thunderbolts* , that meant practical stunts, iconic props, and a crew operating at the top of their game. This week on Below the Line , Skid and co-host Gianni Damaia welcome back Assistant Property Master Travis Bobbitt to talk about his latest MCU project, after nearly two decades working on Marvel films. Highlights from the conversation: Travis’s journey from Iron Man to Thunderbolts* , and even a cameo in She-Hulk How the post-strike production assembled “the best crew in every department” A deliberate push toward practical filmmaking: real explosions in Malaysia, Humvee flips in Utah, and base jumps off one of the world’s tallest buildings Prop highlights including John Walker’s taco shield, Bucky’s rebuilt Winter Soldier gear, Florence Pugh’s parachute backpack, and a very real Molotov cocktail Tracking 15,000 individual prop cues with a massive spreadsheet to keep continuity across the film Stories from set: Florence Pugh handling a live scorpion and black widow spider without breaking character, plus that mischievous guinea pig Marvel’s formal “Easter egg meetings,” including Travis’s favorite hidden detail: Alfredo’s Bail Bonds What emerges is a portrait of a veteran prop master whose work bridges spectacle and detail — from designing hero props that stand up to fan scrutiny to collaborating across departments so that props, costumes, and VFX felt seamless on screen. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Thunderbolts* . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

May 25

How do you turn New Jersey into 1960s Greenwich Village — while navigating strikes, rewrites, and a lead performance that hinges on live music? That was the challenge behind A Complete Unknown , the 2024 Bob Dylan biopic directed by James Mangold. This week, Skid is joined by three key crew members behind the film: Set Decorator Regina Graves, Property Master Michael Jortner, and Second Assistant Director Brad Robinson. Together, they share how they navigated shifting scripts, location changes, and the challenge of historical fidelity — all in service of a film that manages to feel both intimate and iconic. Topics include: Rebuilding momentum after the actor’s strike forced a full crew reset The challenges of transforming Hoboken and Jersey City into Greenwich Village Training extras to behave like real 1960s folk fans — from posture to props Creating immersive environments for actors to perform (and improvise) in Balancing accuracy and atmosphere when representing real figures and events Behind-the-scenes dynamics with director James Mangold and star Timothée Chalamet Filming the concert finale, the Viking Hotel sequence, and the Columbia studio set How a film’s invisible craft can be both its triumph and its obstacle come award season The conversation also touches on the tensions between Dylan’s legacy and the demands of dramatization — and how the crew stayed grounded despite outside opinions and mid-production curveballs. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on A Complete Unknown . For more, visit belowtheline.biz .

May 18

With shifting plans, a writer’s strike, and a new creative mandate, Daredevil: Born Again became one of Marvel’s most fluid productions — and one of its most cinematic. This week on Below the Line , Skid is joined by Cinematographer Pedro Gomez Millan and co-host Gianni Damaia to discuss Pedro’s work on the Disney+ reboot. Together, they break down how Pedro helped shape the show’s visual identity — through strike delays, rewrites, and evolving creative priorities. We cover: Why Pedro’s original pitch leaned into naturalism and New York-as-character imagery The influence of courtroom dramas, street crime films, and in-camera effects How production adapted after Marvel’s mid-season pivot The visual parallels between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk — and how lighting and lensing shaped their arcs The surprising story behind Episode 5’s Inside Man-inspired bank setting Shooting under real-world constraints in the heart of Wall Street Designing fight sequences that serve both the action and the emotional arc Incorporating “doom zooms” and other techniques to convey Daredevil’s heightened senses Discovering perfect alleyways (and great bagels) while location scouting on foot Pedro also shares how his work on the series evolved across episodes — from gritty staircase fights to quietly devastating moments of character revelation — and why happy accidents often reveal the best ideas on set. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Daredevil: Born Again . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

May 11

Editing a character-driven crime series is never just about pacing — it’s about stitching together time, tone, and memory. This week on Below the Line , Film Editor Matthew Barber joins Skid and co-host Gianni Damaia to talk about Matthew’s work on Long Bright River , the eight-episode adaptation of Liz Moore’s novel. From subtle flashback reveals to emotionally charged cross-cutting, Matthew shares how he and the creative team shaped the series’ visual language — often while discovering it in real time. We cover: How flashbacks replaced the novel’s internal monologue — and became a key storytelling engine Balancing mystery, family drama, and editorial tone across episodes Structuring the pilot to delay key character reveals — including the true identity of the killer The emotional inspiration behind a flashback-within-a-flashback sequence Using match cuts, location callbacks, and music cues to layer subtext Capturing warmth and humanity inside a show full of loss, addiction, and institutional failure Incorporating both classical and contemporary music to define character and mood The editorial juggling act of cutting dailies, managing tone, and staying ahead of a tight production schedule Matthew also shares how his personal life unexpectedly shaped some of the show’s most emotionally resonant moments — and how quiet, human moments often carried the greatest weight. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Long Bright River . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

May 4

Before streaming and prestige TV, there was network television — and few shows ran tighter, longer, or more efficiently than JAG . This week on Below the Line , Skid is joined by First Assistant Director Robert Scott and Key 2nd Assistant Director Kevin Koster to look back at their time on JAG , the hit CBS procedural that ran for ten seasons and laid the groundwork for the NCIS franchise. Together, they explore how the show combined military precision with Hollywood problem-solving — and how their team navigated last-minute script changes, tight location logistics, and complex stunts on a weekly basis. We discuss: Working with series creator Donald Bellisario — and his instinct-driven writing process Balancing legal drama, action sequences, and military protocol within a single episode The importance of trust and tempo in an AD team working at network speed Designing efficient workflows for multi-location shoots, vehicle setups, and stunts Welcoming new directors into a well-established style — while giving them room to breathe Managing day players, guest stars, and recurring cast across episodes Building and maintaining a core crew across ten seasons — and how long-term collaboration shaped production flow Lessons learned from JAG that still apply to today’s television sets Robert and Kevin also reflect on the camaraderie that sustained the crew across ten seasons — and why “making the day” meant more than just finishing on time. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on JAG . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Apr 20

A score about maple syrup heists? FM Le Sieur makes it stick — with barrels, distortion, and a defiantly Canadian sound. This week on Below the Line , Skid is joined by Score Composer FM Le Sieur and co-host Louis Weeks to talk about FM’s genre-blending music for The Sticky , the six-part comedy series about Quebec’s infamous maple syrup heist. From pitch process to percussion tricks, FM walks us through a score that blends character, chaos, and quiet emotion — all under a very tight schedule. Among the highlights: Pitching the show during the strike and getting hired twice after long delays Building a sound palette from acoustic textures, folk instruments, and industrial objects (yes, including syrup barrels) Channeling a “Quebec sound” that balances regional roots and narrative tone Scoring for tone, not laughs — and why comedy music often works best when it holds back Embracing small ensembles, distorted metal, and deep manipulation in the mix Balancing groove, melody, and mood in a hybrid score Highlighting key cues like “Chainsaw,” “Ruth and Remy,” and the opening track for Episode 2 Navigating the emotional demands of scoring intimate scenes — without going sentimental FM also shares how he found his way into scoring through bands, gear tinkering, and a masterclass with Philip Glass — and why every great cue starts by trusting your gut. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on The Sticky . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Apr 13

The compound, Kitty’s porch, and a bondsman’s fraying wardrobe — design tells the tale in Prime Video’s The Bondsman . This week on Below the Line , Production Designer Eve McCarney and Costume Designer Liz Vastola join Skid and co-host Gianni Damaia to talk about crafting the look and feel of Prime Video’s The Bondsman , starring Kevin Bacon as an undead bounty hunter. Among the highlights: An unusually long prep schedule that gave Eve and Liz time to fully develop sets and wardrobes before cameras rolled Building the show’s four permanent sets, including the sprawling compound and the lived-in bond shop Designing Kitty’s porch as the emotional heart of the series and Hub’s apartment as a reflection of his resourceful character The evolution of The Boxcar, a richly layered club set complete with a memorable “one-er” shot Collaboration on the swimming pool sequence, balancing costume colors and set design for striking underwater visuals How production and costume design worked hand-in-hand, despite Eve and Liz never having collaborated before this project Behind-the-scenes stories of working with Kevin Bacon, from fittings and design emails to his generous, collaborative presence on What shines through is the close collaboration between Eve and Liz — an intentional partnership that ensured the environments and characters lived in the same visual world, reinforcing the show’s grounded but heightened tone. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on The Bondsman . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Apr 6

Revisiting the 2025 Awards Season means looking back at the winners, the surprises, and the snubs that defined this year’s Oscars. This week on Below the Line , Skid welcomes back Bill Hardy, Roger Mendoza, and Shaun O’Banion from last season’s Oscar panel. They weigh in on what the Academy got right — and where it went off course. Joining them is Katie Carroll, who missed the original conversation but brings fresh perspective to the follow-up. Our discussion ranges across: Sean Baker’s Anora dominating with five Oscars, sparking debate over its strengths, flaws, and Baker’s unusual multiple credits (writer, director, editor, casting director) The panel weighing campaign politics, including Anora ’s $6M indie turned $18M Oscar push Dune: Part Two emerging as a favorite for Skid and Katie, with the group questioning why it wasn’t more heavily awarded Split opinions on The Brutalist — admired for its scale and craft, but dismissed by some as slow or austere A Complete Unknown praised for performances and Mangold’s classic approach, despite being shut out on Oscar night Conclave respected as a compelling, old-school drama, with debate about its Catholic framing Emilia Pérez largely dismissed apart from Zoe Saldaña’s standout performance Additional shout-outs and overlooked titles, from Challengers to September 5th to the animated Flow What stands out in this episode is the way the panel blends craft critique with industry context — from union debates to campaign spending — while keeping the conversation fast-moving and funny. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line as we revisit the Oscar season. For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Mar 23

Staging motorcycle clubs on film is no small feat — especially when the bikes, the actors, and the period details all have to ride in sync. This week on Below the Line , 1st Assistant Director Don Sparks and Key 2nd Assistant Director Pete Dress join Skid to talk about building Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders , the period feature starring Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy. On the call sheet for today’s conversation: Shooting in and around Cincinnati, Ohio to capture a 1960s Rust Belt look the camera could believe Managing a 41-day schedule on a modest budget, with both ADs heavily involved in prep and problem-solving Creating a motorcycle “boot camp” to get actors licensed and camera-ready on period bikes Insurance hurdles, safety protocols, and staging massive group rides — including the final pack ride of 30+ motorcycles How Jeff Nichols personally matched bikes to characters and remained a constant collaborator with cast and crew Navigating period authenticity challenges, from sourcing cars to designing original biker patches that avoided conflict with real clubs Favorite moments on set, from Norman Reedus’s temperamental bike to watching Hardy and Comer deliver “a master class” in acting What stands out in this episode is the sheer scale of logistical detail — and how the AD team turned it into a smooth-running engine, balancing authenticity, safety, and storytelling at every turn. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on The Bikeriders . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Mar 16

Conspiracy, power, and the sound of unease — scoring Zero Day means writing tension into every frame. This week on Below the Line , Score Composer Jeff Russo joins Skid and co-host Louis Weeks to talk about building the musical world of Netflix’s Zero Day . In this episode, we dig into: Coming aboard early with showrunner Eric Newman and director Lesli Linka Glatter to set the series’ tonal compass Treating the main theme as a texture — a sound that signals doubt — rather than a traditional melody Mapping George Mullen’s psychological point of view, including a recurring “wake-up” motif that threads through the season Blending electronics with acoustic instruments (strings, piano, guitar): where texture carries the story and where harmony takes the lead How Episode 1 “unlocked” the palette and became the musical template for later episodes Spotting sessions, deadlines, and recording logistics — balancing live players with in-the-box writing under a TV schedule What lessons from Ripley (restraint, negative space) carried into Zero Day without duplicating a previous sound What emerges is a score built on restraint and perspective: Jeff writes to the characters’ doubt and the show’s creeping uncertainty — letting silence, texture, and carefully chosen motifs do the talking. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Zero Day . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Mar 9

What happens when the director of a documentary returns years later to retell the same story as a feature film? This week on Below the Line , Skid talks with Director Alex Parkinson about Last Breath , first made as a 2019 documentary and now released as a feature film starring Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, and Finn Cole. We talk through: How Alex first discovered the real-life story of diver Chris Lemons and shaped it into a documentary built around five minutes of chilling ROV footage The deliberate choice to hide Chris’s survival in the documentary — and how the feature film shifted perspective to follow him underwater Blurring lines between documentary and reconstruction, and carrying that visual style into the feature by weaving real footage with staged material The long road to directing his first feature, convincing producers through lookbooks and rewrites that he could expand his own documentary into a drama Building a crew from scratch and attracting world-class talent, including underwater DP Ian Seabrook, who signed on after watching the documentary The critical role of First AD Jude Campbell in organizing the complex underwater schedule and keeping the production on track Filming in Malta’s massive water tank and on full-scale ship sets designed to preserve authenticity and claustrophobia Working with Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, and Finn Cole to ground their performances in the documentary while making the feature cinematic What emerges is a story about continuity and transformation — a director returning to familiar material but reimagining it at a different scale, with different tools, and for a wider audience. 🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Last Breath . For more, visit belowtheline.biz.

Feb 27

Our sixth annual Academy Awards series — with panels of film professionals discussing the Oscar nominees in their category of expertise — concludes with Makeup and Hairstyling. Podcast veterans Angela Nogaro (Makeup) and Yvonne Depatis-Kupka (Hair) return to offer their assessment of this year’s slate of nominees. It’s a lively set of reviews to wrap up the series! I hope you’ve enjoyed these episodes as much as I’ve enjoyed publishing them. The 2024 Nominees for Makeup and Hairstyling: • “A Different Man” • “Emilia Pérez” • “Nosferatu” • “The Substance” • “Wicked”

Feb 24

Film professionals discussing the nominees in their area of expertise: that’s Below the Line at the Academy Awards. We’re in the home stretch (episode 11 of 12!), and today we’re talking about the Oscar nominees for Cinematography. My returning guests — Patrick Cady and David Tuttman — are directors of photography (and directors in their own right!) with a keen eye for what makes these films worthy of the nomination. It gets a little technical sometimes for my understanding but I suspect you’ll enjoy it nonetheless. The 2024 Nominees for Cinematography: • “The Brutalist” • “Dune: Part Two” • “Emilia Pérez” • “Maria” • “Nosferatu”

Feb 21

It’s a wild and woolly episode of the podcast as editors Christopher Angel and Amy Duddleston return to discuss this year’s Oscar nominees for Film Editing. In all the years I’ve hosted these conversations, this pair has always complained about films being too long. Given that the shortest film on this list clocks in at two hours, I was anticipating some blistering critiques, but their assessments surprised me. Did we agree about all of these films on their merits? No. Was I entertained? Yes. I hope you will be as well. The 2024 Nominees for Film Editing: • “Anora” • “The Brutalist” • “Conclave” • “Emilia Pérez” • “Wicked”

Feb 18

Costume Designers Helen Huang And Liz Vastola offer their insights on this year’s Academy Award nominees for Costume Design. This one runs a little longer than usual, but we take some time to discuss how costume design is different from fashion design, the role actors play in the shaping of their costumes, and other challenges of the craft. With the ceremony less than two weeks away, we’re in the home stretch, and I hope you’re keeping up. The 2024 Nominees for Costume Design: • “A Complete Unknown” • “Conclave” • “Gladiator II” • “Nosferatu” • “Wicked”

Feb 15

Oscar season continues here at Below the Line, where film professionals discuss the nominees in the category of their expertise. Today’s animated conversation about the nominees for Animated Feature Film benefits from returning guests, Kent Seki and Camille Leganza. We also take a brief side quest to discuss the challenges currently faced by the Animation Industry. The 2024 Nominees for Animated Feature Film: • “Flow” • “Inside Out 2” • “Memoir of a Snail” • “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” • “The Wild Robot”

Feb 12

Today we’re discussing the Oscar nominees for Original Song. My guests — Chris Molanphy (chart analyst and podcast host), Louis Weeks (score composer), and Tom Peyton (song writer) — offer both analysis and critique of this year’s nominees. Is there a lot of enthusiasm for the musical innovations these songs offer the listening audience? Well, no. Does it make for an interesting discussion? Yes, definitely. The 2024 Nominees for Original Song: • “El Mal” from “Emilia Pérez” • “The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight” • “Like a Bird” from “Sing Sing” • “Mi Camino” also from “Emilia Pérez” • “Never Too Late” from “Elton John: Never Too Late”

Feb 9

Our tour through the technical categories continues with a discussion of the Oscar nominees for Original Score. My guests — Louis Weeks (score composer), Chris Molanphy (chart analyst/pop critic), and Jennie Callender (founder and music supervisor of Soundbloom) — offer a multi-layered set of insights. The 2024 Nominees for Original Score: • “The Brutalist” • “Conclave” • “Emilia Pérez” • “Wicked” • “The Wild Robot”

Feb 6

It’s non-stop conversations about the Oscar nominees in the technical categories from now until the Academy Awards, and I hope you'll follow us for the full season. Today, Kent Seki and Chris Batty return to discuss the nominees for Achievement in Visual Effects. The 2024 Nominees for Visual Effects: • “Alien: Romulus” • “Better Man” • “Dune: Part Two” • “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” • “Wicked”

Feb 3

Below the Line continues our Sixth Annual Oscar Series with a discussion of the nominees for achievement in Directing, and I’m joined by a panel of fellow below-the-liners: Bill Hardy, Roger Mendoza and Shaun O’Banion. (This is the second year we’ve discussed the directors nominated for the Academy Award in lieu of the Directors Guild of America nominees.) The 2024 Nominees for Directing: • “Anora” • “The Brutalist” • “A Complete Unknown” • “Emilia Pérez” • “The Substance”

Jan 31

We’re continuing our deep dive discussions about the Oscar nominees in the technical categories, and today, Production Designer Bob Shaw and Set Decorator Regina Graves - Oscar nominees themselves - offer their insights about the five nominees for Production Design. The 2024 Nominees for Production Design: • “The Brutalist” • “Conclave” • “Dune: Part Two” • “Nosferatu” • “Wicked”

Jan 28

Our Academy Awards coverage continues, and now we’re into the categories proper. Today, Oscar nominees Steve Morrow (production sound mixer) and Erik Aadahl (sound editor) discuss this year's nominees for Achievement in Sound. The 2024 Nominees for Sound: • “A Complete Unknown” • “Dune: Part Two” • “Emilia Pèrez” • “Wicked” • “The Wild Robot”

Jan 25

Our Sixth Annual Academy Awards Series begins here! Each episode this season features a panel of Film Industry professionals discussing the nominees in their category of expertise. To kick us off: Achievement in Property Mastering. While the work of the property master is still not recognized with an Oscar, we’re carrying a torch. Gregg Bilson, Jr. (CEO of ISS) and Scott Buckwald (property master and friend of the podcast) propose a hypothetical slate of 2024 films that could have been nominated for their fantastic work with props. Our 2024 Nominees for Property Mastering: • “Alien: Romulus” • “Blitz” • “A Complete Unknown” • “Gladiator II” • ”Horizon: An American Saga”

Jan 19

“Henry Danger: The Movie”, now streaming on Paramount+, is the latest chapter in a storyline that started with the Nickelodeon television series in 2014. Director Joe Menendez joins me alongside an all-star panel of crew, including Costume Designer Farnaz Khaki-Sadigh, Director of Photography Chris Kempinski, Production Designer Bridget McGuire and Makeup Designer Jenn Kaminski. Not only did their collaborative efforts lift this multi-faceted film to another level, but they had a great time doing it. We've also shared an album of behind-the-scenes photos on Facebook: www.facebook.com/podcastbelowtheline/

Jan 12

“St. Denis Medical”, the workplace comedy currently airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock, is the latest show to take a crack at the mockumentary genre. Camera Operators Jacob Pinger, Mande Whitaker and Danny Whiteneck discuss how their extensive experience with unscripted television helps elevate this mockumentary to the next level. Why is it that an actual reality tv production would have fired these operators for filming the way they did, but this show kept pushing them to make the camera movements more obvious? Answers in the podcast.

Jan 5

“Cross”, the eight-episode crime thriller currently available on Amazon Prime, was filmed in Toronto but is set in Washington, DC. The assignment for Production Designer Elisa Sauvé was to venture outside the stereotypical Capitol Hill locations and really give the city it’s due. From the Georgetown neighborhood to Ben’s Chili Bowl, Elisa and her team made sure that DC’s unique vibrancy was an integral part of the series.

Dec 22, 2024

“Dune: Prophecy”, which airs its sixth episode and season finale tonight (!), is the latest example of HBO Max’s commitment to prestige television. This short but ambitious series required an all-hands-on-deck approach, and Film Editors Sarah Reeves and Mark Martzell are here to share the collaborative details. We talk about doing a prequel to the movies, the challenge of the strikes on production, and - spoiler alert - we break down some specific scenes. Insights and laughs guaranteed, or your money back.

Dec 15, 2024

Can “Rumours”, the 2024 comedy horror film written and directed by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson, be both an absurdist take on international politics AND the most accurate depiction of a G7 meeting ever? Cinematographer Stefan Ciupek collaborated with this team of three (!) directors to navigate a tightrope production between farce and truth. While every film project is a challenge, the need to accommodate an ensemble cast of nine (led by Cate Blanchett) while filming in Hungary on an independent film budget definitely spawned some transcendental experiences. This provocative and entertaining film teases both insights and laughs, and it was a lot of fun to talk about. In summary: yes, that’s a giant brain, and yes, it really is on fire.

Dec 8, 2024

“Wicked”, the Jon Chu theatrical adaptation of the stage musical, is currently in theaters and continues to dominate at the box office. Choreographer Christopher Scott and Film Editor Myron Kerstein share the challenges of bringing the extensive dance numbers from script to screen, with deep dives into “What Is This Feeling?” (bo staffs!), “Dancing Through Life” (tornado wheels!), and “No One Mourns the Wicked” (tulips!). Chris, Myron and Jon Chu previously worked together on “In the Heights”, and the strength of their collaboration is evident with this movie as well.

Dec 1, 2024

Wait, what? You haven’t finished watching “The Penguin”, even though all episodes are now available on HBO Max? Please catch up, because today we’re hosting Hair Department Head Brian Badie, and we’re going heavy on the spoilers. Plus: fellow Batman fan Gianni Damaia returns as co-host!

Nov 24, 2024

“Landman”, the new Taylor Sheridan drama starring Billy Bob Thornton, debuted just last week on Paramount+. Film Editor Chad Galster and Score Composer Andrew Lockington are both veterans of multiple Taylor projects and veterans of the podcast: with a warm welcome, I’m excited to have them make a joint appearance on the show. (Chad was also visiting set when they ran a tanker truck into an airplane parked on the highway - that was a practical stunt!) UPDATED: Now with score snippets, to enhance your listening experience!

Nov 17, 2024

It’s easy to assume that working on “Rescue: HI-Surf”, the Hawaii-based action drama currently airing on Fox, would be akin to a vacation for the crew. Filming on the North Shore of O’ahu, however, is a difficult undertaking even before you mix in the challenge of the ocean itself. Cinematographer Anka Malatynska and Water Unit Director of Photography Don King split the lensing duties at the waterline, and, together, they make this show work. Ready to go behind the scenes? Let’s ride this wave.

Nov 10, 2024

This episode - in honor of Veterans Day - is about “84 Charlie MoPic”, the 1989 feature film about small unit operations during the Vietnam War, and our star-studded panel includes Director Patrick Duncan, Cinematographer Alan Caso and Producer Michael Nolin. Joining me as co-hosts are Jim Stayton and Al Gerloff, current friends and former colleagues from my pre-Hollywood days with Combat Camera. This conversation is one that my late father, himself a veteran of the Vietnam War, would have enjoyed very much, and it made for a really special episode. I hope you enjoy it.

Nov 3, 2024

Wes Anderson’s 1996 feature film debut, “Bottle Rocket,” introduced a larger audience to both Wes’s unique filmmaking style and the acting chops of brothers Owen and Luke Wilson. It’s fair to say that the careers of all three received a big assist from this film’s veteran assistant director team — Jim Goldthwait (1st AD), Heather Kritzer (Key 2nd AD) and Jimmy Flowers (2nd 2nd AD) — who helped shepherd this classic film from script to screen over then course of a 40-day shoot. I speak with the team about filming in 90’s Texas, teaching Set Protocols 101, and how the crew knew when the party room at the Hillsboro Days Inn was open for guests. Interested in the script, the shooting schedule, call sheets, or other materials from the film? The AD team has made all of that and a treasure trove of photos available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1904r6Cgyv4dlhBis5wS9_uzB2uDOHVcu?usp=share_link

Oct 27, 2024

Costume Designer Helen Huang and Assistant Costume Designer Austin Wittick return to the podcast to discuss their work on “The Penguin”, the eight-episode series currently streaming on HBO/Max. The series is a spin-off and sequel to 2022’s “The Batman”, Director Matt Reeve’s take on the iconic superhero. While the Penguin was a supporting role in the film, played by an almost unrecognizable Colin Farrell, here he is the primary character for more than eight hours of television. Helen and Austin talk about the challenge of wardrobing for an entire series while remaining true to the original concepts.

Oct 13, 2024

Propmaster and friend of the show Scott Buckwald returns to the podcast with stories about his work on “The Old Man”, the Jeff Bridges-led spy drama currently airing its second season on FX. Two years ago, Scott and I talked about the first season with a focus on the challenges faced by production; this time, adversity is an ongoing theme but we’re more focused on the props. (You would think that Scott was ready for that, but decide for yourself: he kind of comes across as a little surprised.)

Oct 6, 2024

And without further delay, the Major League Baseball playoffs are upon us! My guest today, Rick Nyburg, has been a freelance camera operator for more than 30 years. He’s here to share stories not only about his time covering MLB games (Go Dodgers!), but also his multiple backstage interactions with Hollywood talent, the surprising reaction of the NASA team that landed the lander on Mars, and the evolving challenge of working freelance camera across three decades.

Sep 22, 2024

Shepherding an independent film from script to screen is hard: financial constraints don’t change the amount of work to be done. But when it comes to post-production, Jijo Reed, Founder and CEO of Sugar Studios, thinks his company can be part of the solution. Sugar Studios offers everything from Dailies and Editorial to Color, Mix, VFX and Deliverables under one roof: a synergistic opportunity that, for an indie project, can mean the difference between picture lock and post-production limbo. Jijo and I also discuss the state of the Industry, what runaway production means for LA, and the potential impact of AI on the post-production process.

Sep 15, 2024

Last March, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the addition of a new Oscar category: Best Achievement in Casting. Allison Estrin, an NYC-based casting director whose credits include “Billions”, “The Other Two”, “Bupkis”, and a slew of movies, joins me today and graciously answers my questions about the craft. We also talk about the Artios Awards, the honor by which the Casting Society of America has been honoring casting professionals since 1985, and what we might expect for the first slate of Oscar nominations in 2026.

Sep 8, 2024

Today we’re talking about the craft of Food Styling, and I’m joined by two guests with expertise to share. Christine Tobin (“Little Women”, “Julia” and “The Holdovers”) and Melissa McSorley (“Chef”, “Mad Men”, and various Star Wars projects) discuss where Food Styling fits into the larger film set environment, and we compare how period, contemporary and futuristic storylines trigger different food styling challenges.

Aug 18, 2024

“What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing” is a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes stories from former cast members Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack, and I’m thrilled to host them on this episode of the podcast and talk about the book (which was just published last week). Our conversation is both a teaser for the release and a chance to explore some of the set stories in more detail, and we discuss how the theme of service runs through the entire endeavor. Since the West Wing is among my assistant director credits, this was also a nice trip down memory lane for me and a wonderful opportunity to catch up.

Aug 11, 2024

“The Dead Don’t Hurt” is an indie western written and directed by Viggo Mortenson, who also starred in the film and composed the score. Costume Designer Anne Dixon joins me to discuss both the challenges of working on a multinational, low-budget film, the rewards of working with Viggo and the tone he sets (both on set and in front of the camera), and little easter eggs that thread through the entire film. It had a theatrical run earlier this summer and is now available for streaming.

Aug 4, 2024

Today we’re talking about “Mayor of Kingstown”, the Taylor Sheridan-produced series starring Jeremy Renner. Score Composer Andrew Lockington returns to the podcast to discuss his contributions across all three seasons, and composer Louis Weeks joins me once again to provide a colleague’s perspective. “Mayor of Kingstown” streams on Paramount+, and the finale of the third season is airing today. Relevance!

Jul 28, 2024

Regular listeners know that this podcast has a lot of respect for the film contribution of props, and we’re excited to discuss the recent endeavors of the Property Masters Guild (founded January 2021). Mikey Trudel and Chris Call, who both serve on the Board of Directors, discuss the PMG’s efforts serving both the society of property masters and the larger community of people who are interested in the craft. We also talk about the first ever MacGuffin Awards, which will be awarded in LA on September 14, 2024, and the PMG’s official podcast, Prop Talk (which they both host).

Jul 21, 2024

Netflix’s eight-episode adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” was well-received by critics and fans alike, and two more seasons are on the way. Costume Designer Farnaz Khaki-Sadigh discusses the challenge of adapting the popular animated series for live action, and we dive deep into the major battle scenes from the first and last episodes of season one.

May 12, 2024

“Fallout”, the eight-episode video game adaptation currently streaming on Prime, is retro-futuristic apocalyptic chaos at its best. The series has been applauded by gamers and non-gamers alike, and today’s guests — Set Decorator Regina Graves, Propmaster Michael Jortner and Propmaster Peter Gelfman — share story after story about the effort and creativity it took to bring the aesthetic of the game to a live-action show. Finally, it wouldn’t be a video game adaptation podcast without Gianni Damaia, who joins me once again as co-host. Don’t miss the accompanying photo album on our Facebook page.

May 5, 2024

It’s a two-guest show! Recreating the historical drama of Apple TV+’s “Manhunt” so it’s relatable to a modern audience was a challenge for both Costume Designer Katie Irish and 1st Assistant Director Gary Goldman. No matter what you think you know about Lincoln’s assassination and the 12-day manhunt that followed, Katie and Gary share some details that I bet will surprise you. Visit our Facebook page for an album of photos that illustrate what we’re talking about.

Apr 28, 2024

“Ripley” -- the stylish eight-episode series currently streaming on Netflix -- is a very deliberate bit of filmmaking. While the black-and-white filming and exquisitely framed shots draw attention to the cinematography, today co-host Louis Weeks and I are speaking with Score Composer Jeff Russo. We explore how Jeff’s relationship with the character of Ripley evolved over time, and Jeff illustrates how this score is an integrated aspect of the storytelling. (Jeff also draws parallels between his collaboration with creator Steve Zaillian and his time as a founding member of the rock band, Tonic, which itself is worth the price of admission.)

Apr 14, 2024

“Before I Change My Mind” is a wonderful coming-of-age story with a twist: the gender of our protagonist, Robin (played by Vaughan Murrae), is indeterminate throughout the film. Writer/Director Trevor Anderson shares how his extensive theater experience — and the support of the Edmonton theater scene — was integral to the making of this movie. We also talk about how it’s even possible to set a film in the Alberta, Canada, of 1987 for only half a million dollars (American). Trevor’s answer, which he also credits to his theater experience? A focus on character.

Apr 7, 2024

“Drugstore June”, starring Esther Povitsky, is a refreshingly low-key comedy that I sincerely enjoyed. Indie filmmaking is challenging, and Cinematographer Sherri Kauk explains how she worked with Director Nicholaus Goossen and the rest of the crew on issues of budget and schedule, ensuring that they got the most bang for their limited buck. She also shares insights that I wouldn’t have picked up on my own, like the different visual style of each act and how she plays with color throughout the film. And lest you think I forgot: I ask about that two-foot tall gummi bear baby.

Mar 31, 2024

“Griselda”, currently streaming on Netflix, stars Sofia Vergara as the titular cocaine kingpin, prominent in the Miami drug scene of the 1970s and 1980s. The role is a change of pace for the former “Modern Family” star, and my guest Angela Nogaro, Makeup Department Head for the series, was part of the team that made Sofia’s transformation possible. We talk about the challenges of designing makeup for a period-set project and how everyone came together in support of the vision (actors included).

Mar 24, 2024

The Paramount+ series “Sexy Beast”, with all eight episodes currently streaming, is a prequel to Jonathan Glazer’s 2000 film of the same name. My guest is Producer and Editor Matthew Barber, who joined the production to help establish the tone of the series and worked as an editor on the first and last episodes. We talk about the challenges of doing a prequel series to the well-respected film, and we break down specific scenes from an editor's perspective. The State of the Podcast is strong! Check it out.

Mar 17, 2024

“Oppenheimer” cleaned up at the Academy Awards last weekend, claiming seven statues for its 13 nominations. My guest this episode is the film’s Propmaster, Guillaume DeLouche. Achievement in Propmastering isn’t recognized with an Oscar, but today, we’re going to discuss how props contributed to all of the nominations and wins for Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus. Yes, even Original Score! Oh, and Guillaume and I first worked together back in 2000, so it’s a reunion of sorts. Good times! Join us.

Mar 5, 2024

BONUS EPISODE! Propmastering is not recognized with an Oscar, but what if it was? Gregg Bilson, Jr. (President of mega-prop conglomerate ISS) and Scott Buckwald (property master and friend of the podcast!) discuss a hypothetical slate of films that could be nominated for their props. This episode wraps our Academy Awards coverage, but if you've listened to the entire series, I promise you'll be the smartest person at your Oscars party. The 2023 Nominees for Propmastering: •“The Creator” •“Last Voyage of the Demeter” •“Napoleon” •“Oppenheimer” •”Poor Things”

Mar 2, 2024

The Academy Awards are only a week away, and today we’re discussing the Oscar nominees for Original Song. My guests — Chris Molanphy (chart analyst and podcast host), Louis Weeks (score composer), and Tom Peyton (song writer) — offer an assessment of these nominees that encompasses both the technical and the meta. The 2023 Nominees for Original Song: •"The Fire Inside" from "Flamin' Hot" •"I'm Just Ken" from "Barbie" •"It Never Went Away" from "American Symphony" •"Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)" from "Killers of the Flower Moon" •"What Was I Made For?" from "Barbie"

Feb 28, 2024

Our tour through the technical categories continues with a discussion of the Oscar nominees for Original Score. My guests — Louis Weeks (score composer), Chris Molanphy (chart analyst/pop critic), and Jennie Armon (executive producer/music supervisor) — offer a multi-layered set of insights. The 2023 Nominees for Original Score: •"American Fiction" •"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" •"Killers of the Flower Moon" •"Oppenheimer" •"Poor Things"

Feb 25, 2024

The Oscar nominees for Film Editing compose an interesting slate of films this year, and editors Christopher Angel and Amy Duddleston return to share their insights. For those following along at home, you may be amused to know that they disagree on the merits of at least one of these movies, but they both reinforced my opinion about the one nominee I’ve elsewhere suggested was overrated. What drama! Join us for a listen. The 2023 Nominees for Film Editing: •"Anatomy of a Fall" •"The Holdovers" •"Killers of the Flower Moon" •"Oppenheimer" •"Poor Things"

Feb 22, 2024

Our Academy Awards series continues with a discussion of the Oscar nominees for Makeup and Hairstyling. Joining me today are Angela Nogaro (Makeup) and Yvonne Depatis-Kupka (Hair), discussing not only the nominated films but - once again - questions about the selection process and who is considered part of the team. Why is there only one name on the team for “Oppenheimer”? We offer some thoughts. The 2023 Nominees for Makeup and Hairstyling: •"Golda" •"Maestro" •"Oppenheimer" •"Poor Things" •"Society of the Snow"

Feb 19, 2024

Film professionals discussing the nominees in their area of expertise: that’s Below the Line at the Oscars. Today, we’re talking about Cinematography, and my returning guests — Patrick Cady and David Tuttman — are directors of photography with stories to share. The 2023 Nominees for Cinematography: •"El Conde" •"Killers of the Flower Moon" •"Maestro" •"Oppenheimer" •"Poor Things"

Feb 16, 2024

Costume Designers Helen Huang And Allison Choi Braun return to offer their insights on this year’s Oscar nominees for Costume Design. We mark our halfway point through the Academy Awards season with another great conversation, discussing not only the five nominated films but also how the craft of costume design is such an integral aspect of the filmmaking collaboration. The 2023 Nominees for Costume Design: • "Barbie" •"Killers of the Flower Moon" •"Napoleon" •"Oppenheimer" •"Poor Things"

Feb 13, 2024

It’s difficult to sell 12 episodes of Oscars coverage, but if you appreciate the work done by crew, you’re going to appreciate this season, where film professionals discuss the nominees in the category of their expertise. Today’s animated conversation about the nominees for Animated Feature benefits from returning guests, Kent Seki and Camille Leganza. Have YOU seen Oscar nominee “Robot Dreams”? It's the rare case of a nominated film that I didn't get to see, so no spoilers about that one. The 2023 Nominees for Animated Feature Film: •“The Boy and the Heron“ •"Elemental" •"Nimona" •"Robot Dreams" •"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse"

Feb 10, 2024

We’re continuing our deep dive discussions about the Oscar nominees in the technical categories, and today, Production Designer Bob Shaw and Set Decorator Regina Graves - Oscar nominees themselves - offer their insights about the five nominees for Production Design. The 2023 Nominees for Production Design: •"Barbie" •"Killers of the Flower Moon" •"Napoleon" •"Oppenheimer" •"Poor Things"

Feb 7, 2024

It’s non-stop conversations about the Oscar nominees in the technical categories from now until the Academy Awards, and I hope you'll follow us for the full season. Today, Kent Seki and Chris Batty return to discuss the nominees for Visual Effects. This year, it looks like any of these nominees could deservedly take the prize. Join us for insights about the surprising group of contenders in this rapidly evolving field. The 2023 Nominees for Visual Effects: • "The Creator" • "Godzilla Minus One" • "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” • “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" • "Napoleon"

Feb 4, 2024

Below the Line continues our Fifth Annual Oscar Series with a discussion of the nominees for achievement in Directing, and I’m joined by a returning panel of fellow below-the-liners: Katie Carroll, Bill Hardy, Roger Mendoza and Shaun O’Banion. It’s the first year we’ve discussed the directors nominated for the Academy Award, but it’s in lieu of our traditional conversation focused on the Directors Guild of America nominees (the DGA crowns their winners next weekend, Feb 10th). Same panel, same topic, but a slightly different focus; the episode runs long, but I hope you’ll enjoy it. The 2023 Nominees for Directing: •"Anatomy of a Fall" •"Killers of the Flower Moon" •"Oppenheimer" •"Poor Things" •"The Zone of Interest"

Feb 1, 2024

Our Fifth Annual Oscar Series begins now! Once again, we’ve got panels of film professionals discussing the nominees in their category of expertise. First up: Oscar nominee Steve Morrow (production sound mixer) and Oscar winner Don Sylvester (sound editor) discuss this year's nominees for Sound. The 2023 Nominees for Sound: •“The Creator” •“Maestro” •“Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One” •“Oppenheimer” •"The Zone of Interest”

Dec 1, 2023

Now for something completely different! “Gen V” is a bombastic and provocative take on the Superhero genre, and Film Editor Maura Corey threads a needle balancing the action, the satire, and the humor from scene to scene. Gianni Damaia returns to the co-host seat, and - once again - it’s a laugh-out-loud conversation that I hope you’ll enjoy as much as we did.

Nov 10, 2023

2022’s “Aftersun” is a slow-burn of a movie which nonetheless resonated with a sizable audience, and Film Editor Blair McClendon brings us inside the collaboration that sits at the center of this film (which is currently streaming on Showtime and Paramount+). Fellow editor (and friend of the podcast) Christopher Angel identified “Aftersun” as an overlooked gem when we discussed Oscar nominees at the start of 2023, and he joins me today in the co-host chair to help tease out what made this rule-defying film so successful.

Oct 27, 2023

“Hatching”, a successful Finnish horror film currently streaming on Hulu, is a good case study for exploring the differences between European filmmaking and the U.S. studio system. I’m joined today by the Producer of “Hatching”, Mika Ritalahti, and two Executive Line Producers from Mistrus Media Film Production, Gints Grube and Elina Gedina. While the film is from Finland, principal photography was conducted in Riga, Latvia, and my panel shares how this entertaining movie came together.

Oct 7, 2023

“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” was released in theaters early this year and is now streaming on multiple platforms. Tyler Cordova, Co-Visual Effects Producer, is here to explain how practical effects and visual effects work together to create the magic of the film. And for the first time on the podcast: we’re discussing specific scenes in real time! Let us know if it works.

Sep 29, 2023

“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” wrapped earlier this year after four seasons on Amazon Prime, and Production Designer Derek Hill is here to offer behind-the-scene insights for a team that was based out of Budapest but filmed across Europe, from Greece to Croatia to the Canary Islands. Oh, and COVID: there was COVID.

Sep 22, 2023

Costume Designer Liz Vastola talks about her work on “Twisted Metal”, the comedy/action video game adaptation currently streaming on Peacock. I’ve never played the video game, but co-host (and fellow podcaster) Gianni Damaia brings some hard-won expertise to our laugh-out-loud discussion of the series.

Sep 1, 2023

Score Composer Andrew Lockington talks about his work on Taylor Sheridan’s “Special Ops: Lioness” (currently airing on Paramount+), and co-host Louis Weeks (composer, recording artist, and friend of the podcast) provides another layer of insight to our conversation. We discuss Andrew’s work on multiple levels, from the intention behind specifics pieces of score to the larger themes that inform the overall arc of the story.

Aug 27, 2023

My guest is Daril Fannin, CEO of Kino Studios. We talk about how Daril’s experiences as an army veteran, writer and executive producer led to the founding of Kino, with the goal of making Hollywood more open, equitable, efficient and diverse. Kino also runs a robust behind-the-scenes program which emphasizes - you guessed it - the contributions of Below the Line talent ( www.kino.studio ).

Aug 20, 2023

2022’s “The Menu” was an intriguing film that defied genre expectations. WIth 14 principle cast members and a tight shooting schedule, it was also a logistical challenge of epic proportions. First Assistant Director Gary Goldman takes us behind the scenes with stories about the cast, the supporting background, and the food. I mean, the FOOD: it was another character, both on and off the set.

Aug 4, 2023

“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” - now in its second season on Paramount+ - continues to make the familiar franchise new again. Director of Photography Benji Bakshi talks about how cinematography contributes to the genre-uniqueness of each episode, and we talk in detail about the recently-aired, first-ever Star Trek musical episode.

Aug 4, 2023

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” - in theaters now - is both a cutting-edge computer-animated feature and a really enjoyable film. Head of Cinematography Kent Seki and Art Director Arthur Fong share how an emphasis on the “teenage” element of the title characters informed every aspect of the filmmaking over a course of production spanning more than three years.

Jul 30, 2023

The “Hellraiser” film released late last year on Hulu was a creative reimagining of Clive Barker’s 1987 original. Production Designer Kathrin Eder discusses the challenge of rebooting a 35-year-old horror classic, Director David Bruckner’s reliance on practical effects wherever possible, and bringing all of these elements together while filming in Serbia.

Jul 23, 2023

“The Flash”, the latest DC superhero to earn a solo outing on the big screen, may be a spectacle of visual effects, but Sound Editors John Marquis and Nancy Nugent Title are here to explain why the movie experience is affected as much by what you hear as what you see. The integration is key, but recognizing the contributions of sound can unlock a completely new understanding of the film.

Jul 16, 2023

On June 23rd, the Directors Guild of America ratified a new three-year agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP); the vote was 87% in favor. Today I’m discussing the agreement with Kevin Koster, who works as a 1st Assistant Director, served as a member of the negotiating committee, and is a returning guest to the podcast.

Jul 9, 2023

Costume Designer Helen Huang and Assistant Costume Designer Austin Wittick return to discuss their work on “Beef”, the 2023 Netflix limited series starring Stephen Yeun and Ali Wong. We take the opportunity to discuss not only how costume design contributes to this story behind the scenes but how diversity is important for all the stories that Hollywood wants to tell.

Jul 2, 2023

Today we’re talking about 1987’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors”, and I’m joined by an all-star panel of guests. 1st Assistant Director Dennis Maguire, Production Designer Mick Strawn, and Director of Photography Roy Wagner tell the tale of a difficult shoot that was nonetheless the basis for friendships that have endured for more than 35 years.

Jun 11, 2023

As the Writers Guild of America strike enters its second month, I’m joined by Kerri Wood Einertson (National Director for Government Affairs & Public Policy, SAG-AFTRA), Tyler McIntosh (Political/Legislative Director, IATSE), and Michael Wasser (Assistant to the President and Legislative Director, DPE) to discuss how the WGA contract issues resonate with the other entertainment industry unions.

Jun 4, 2023

Today we’re talking about "Babylon", Damien Chazelle’s 2022 epic feature set during the early years of Hollywood, and my returning guest is Production Sound Mixer Steve Morrow.

May 28, 2023

"Quasi" is a lighthearted comedy from the Broken Lizard comedy troupe currently streaming on Hulu, and my guests today are the Hair and Makeup Department Heads, Lorna Reid and Amy Sparks.

May 21, 2023

The Writers Guild of America has been on the picket line for three weeks, and Lowell Peterson, WGA-East Executive Director, joins me to talk about the negotiations, the issues at stake for the union, and what to expect now that the strike is underway.

May 14, 2023

THE PODCAST IS BACK. To kick off the new season, I’m joined by writer/director/producer/actor Ben Milliken to discuss his directorial debut, “SNAG”, which is currently available to stream on demand.

Mar 20, 2023

We’re wrapping up our coverage of awards season with a look at the Oscars ceremony itself, and my guests are three quarters of the sound team nominated for their work on "Elvis". Wayne Pashley, David Lee and Michael Keller bring a below-the-line perspective to the honor of “just being nominated”, the challenge of bringing guests to the Academy Awards, and the differences between what they experienced live versus what the rest of us observed on the broadcast. And if you want to hear about the after-parties? Listen to the end if you’re curious about Baz Lurhmann’s AFTER after-party at Chateau Marmont.

Mar 8, 2023

It’s been 10 episodes of film industry professionals sharing the benefits of their expertise, and we’re concluding our Oscar series with an in-depth look at the nominees for Cinematography. My returning guests — Patrick Cady and David Tuttman — are directors of photography with stories to share. Enjoy the Academy Awards this weekend! I hope our insights have prepared you for the ceremony. (10 of 10)

Mar 5, 2023

The Academy Awards are only a week away, and today we’re discussing the Oscar nominees for Original Song. My guests — Chris Molanphy (chart analyst and podcast host), Louis Weeks (score composer), and Tom Peyton (song writer) — offer an assessment of these nominees that encompasses both the technical and the meta. (9 of 10)

Mar 1, 2023

The art of Costume Design can be subtle in ways that are often under-appreciated, and I’m very grateful to have Helen Huang (Costume Designer) and Austin Wittick (Assistant Costume Designer) offer their expertise to discuss this year’s Oscar nominees in the category of Costume Design. (8 of 10)

Feb 26, 2023

Our deep dive exploration of the Oscars’ technical categories is in the home stretch, and today we’re focused on Production Design. I’m happy to welcome Eve McCarney (Production Designer), Julie Drach (Set Decorator), and Kerry Weeks (Lead Man) to discuss this year’s nominees. (7 of 10)

Feb 23, 2023

Our tour through the technical categories continues with a discussion of the Oscar nominees for Original Score. My guests — Louis Weeks (score composer), Chris Molanphy (chart analyst/pop critic), and Jennie Armon (executive producer/music supervisor) — offer a multi-layered set of insights. (6 of 10)

Feb 19, 2023

Our 4th annual series of subject-matter experts discussing the Oscar nominees in the technical category of their expertise reaches the halfway point, and I'm joined again this year by Steve Morrow (production sound mixer) and Don Sylvester (sound editor) to discuss this year's nominees for Sound. (5 of 10)

Feb 16, 2023

Our Oscars series continues with a lively discussion about this year’s nominees for Animated Feature with returning guests, Kent Seki and Camille Leganza. My takeaway from the conversation: they know everyone that works in this space! Mix in a thoughtful analysis of the five films, and it makes for a session that should prove both enjoyable and enlightening. (4 of 10)

Feb 12, 2023

We’re kicking off a new week of Oscars coverage with a discussion of the nominees for Film Editing. My guests - editors Christopher Angel and Amy Duddleston - return to the podcast with hot takes, informed insights, and more than a hint as to their favorites among this year’s Academy Awards Film Editing nominees. (3 of 10)

Feb 8, 2023

Our Academy Awards series continues with a discussion of the Oscar nominees for Makeup and Hairstyling. Joining me once again are Angela Nogaro (Makeup) and Yvonne Depatis-Kupka (Hair) with hot takes on these five films, questions about the Academy’s process, and - for good measure - notes on what will make them turn off a movie, no matter the technical skill on display. (2 of 10)

Feb 5, 2023

Welcome back for our Annual Academy Awards series: four years running and still going strong. For each of the next 10 episodes, I’ve assembled a panel of film professionals to discuss the nominees in the technical category of their expertise. Today, Kent Seki and Chris Batty return to discuss this year's Oscar nominees for Visual Effects. (1 of 10)

Jan 29, 2023

Welcome to Awards Season at Below the Line! We're starting with the 75th Annual DGA Awards, and for the fourth year in a row, I’ve assembled a panel of fellow below-the-liners — Katie Carroll, Bill Hardy, Roger Mendoza and Shaun O’Banion — to discuss the five films recognized by the Directors Guild of America for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film. How did we rank them? Answers at the end of the podcast.

Dec 18, 2022

Podcast Season Finale! David Dorfman worked as a child actor for more than a decade, co-starring alongside such notable talent as Bill Macy (“Panic”), Naomi Watts (“The Ring”), Robert Downey Jr. (“The Singing Detective”) and Owen Wilson (“Drillbit Taylor”). We discuss not only his career in Hollywood but also the below the line ecosystem that both protects and supports minors on set.

Dec 11, 2022

In Netflix’s “Blonde”, Ana de Armas delivers an electric performance as Marilyn Monroe, and her portrayal is amplified by some of the most painstakingly accurate hair and makeup work I’ve ever seen on screen. Jaime Leigh McIntosh (Hair) and Tina Roesler Kerwin (Makeup) led their respective departments through this audacious endeavor, recreating more than 100 iconic looks over the course of a 45-day shoot (wait, what?! do the math!).

Dec 4, 2022

“Five Days at Memorial”, the Apple TV+ limited series that aired earlier this year, wants to do more than recap the tragic events that took place at Memorial Hospital in the wake of Hurricane Katrina: it endeavors to present the story in an authentic and emotionally-resonant way. Editor JoAnne Yarrow shares some of the techniques she utilizes to deliver that emotional impact, and we compare the challenges of this assignment to her Emmy-nominated work on her previous show, “Only Murders in the Building”.

Nov 27, 2022

Director of Photography Mark Doering-Powell has received two Emmy nominations for his work on “Grown-ish”, the spin-off of ABC’s “Black-ish” currently airing its fifth season on Freeform (and streaming on Hulu). Mark shares how cinematography helps establish a collegiate look that distinguishes itself from the parental perspective of the original, and we discuss in cinematic detail the fourth season episode recognized at this year’s Emmys.

Nov 20, 2022

Showtime’s “Kidding”, starring Jim Carrey, aired two 10-episode seasons from 2018 to 2020. If you’re not familiar with the show, it’s worth checking out. Today, though, 1st Assistant Director Katie Carroll and Set Dresser Phil Bufano are sharing insights about a specific scene they filmed for the third episode of Season 1. The scene itself is a marvel of what crew can do without visual effects, and you can watch it yourself at www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ykvDu-jUw (it’s only two minutes long).

Nov 13, 2022

Sometimes a movie adaptation is true to the book that inspired it; other times . . . there are compromises. My guest today is Max Brooks, author of "World War Z", the 2006 novel upon which the 2013 film (produced by and starring Brad Pitt) was loosely based. Max takes us along for the journey, from the bidding war (sorry, Leo!) to the premiere (and what Max wanted to say to Brad but didn’t). Join us wherever you get your podcasts.

Nov 6, 2022

2018’s “Donnybrook”, now streaming from multiple sources, is both an engaging action drama and an examination of poverty in the United States. That’s no small feat, and I’m happy to welcome back Production Designer Michael Perry to share his contributions in service of this film’s lofty ambitions.

Oct 30, 2022

Climate change is real, and how best to respond is an ongoing debate. But other than producing an environmental disaster movie every other year, what can Hollywood contribute to the conversation? My guests today, Pam Rittelmeyer (former camera assistant, now Postdoctoral Scholar of Science Governance at UC Davis) and Rae Binstock (playwright, screenwriter, and co-writer of the Climate Storytelling Playbook) discuss how the Industry is engaging the issue and how all of us — filmmakers and audience members alike — can be part of a storytelling realignment.

Oct 23, 2022

A critique of the horror genre that often rings true is its tendency to rely on the “male gaze”, where the film both presumes and caters to the heterosexual male viewer. “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin”, which recently concluded a 10-episode season on HBO Max, is doing something different. Cinematographer Anka Malatynska talks with me about reinterpreting horror tropes from a female perspective and the collaboration required to deliver on this idea.

Oct 16, 2022

Everybody knows that actors and directors have professional agents, but what about the crew? Sometimes the people behind the scenes need people of their own. To kick off Season 14, Marilyn Lintel (Storyline Public Relations) and Craig Mizrahi (Innovative Artists) join me to talk about representing Below the Line talent.

Sep 25, 2022

Principal photography for the “The Old Man”, the FX series starring Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow that ran for seven episodes earlier this year, started in November 2019 but didn’t finish until March 2022. Propmaster Scott Buckwald returns to the show to discuss the complexities of navigating first COVID and then Jeff Bridges’s lymphoma diagnosis over the course of bringing this dynamic series to the screen.

Sep 18, 2022

Production Designer Joshua Peterson and Cinematographer Adam McDaid talk about collaborating on “Everything’s Trash”, the Brooklyn-based sitcom starring Phoebe Robinson as a podcaster facing adulthood (streaming on Hulu). They talk about Brooklyn as a character and how both their departments deal with the crazy challenge of reflective surfaces. And of course we all agree that podcasters are HOT right now.

Sep 11, 2022

“The Princess”, currently streaming on Hulu, is basically an extended fight sequence: Joey King, the titular heroine, can only escape her prison tower by battling through an army of mercenaries. Now imagine filming those scenes — out of order — over a period of 12 weeks, and you have an inkling of the challenge faced by the Hair and Makeup Designer Lynda Armstrong. Lynda speaks with me about the pleasure of working with Joey and the difficulty of getting hair products delivered from London to Bulgaria in a timely fashion (thanks, Brexit).

Sep 4, 2022

Pair Oscar-winning makeup effects artist Howard Berger with veteran film journalist Marshall Julius, and what's the result? A globe-spanning selection of makeup artists sharing the secrets of their craft. Both Howard and Marshall are here this week to discuss “Masters of Make-Up Effects”, a new compendium that will soon be on the bookshelf of every film buff you know. Learn more about the book and upcoming signings at mastersofmakeupeffects.net .

Aug 28, 2022

Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis”, like all of his films, is an audacious fusion of sight and sound, and Wayne Pashley, the owner/co-founder of Big Bang Sound Design, has been working with Baz for more than 30 years. Credited as the re-recording mixer, sound designer and supervising sound editor on “Elvis”, Wayne is uniquely qualified to talk about the “sonic glue” that helps hold the whole construct together.

Aug 21, 2022

“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is a Nicolas Cage film that’s basically . . . a riff on Nic Cage. Principal photography took place in Hungary and Croatia, but two weeks of LA reshoots gave Property Master Mikey Trudel a chance to work his craft closer to home. Adhesive finger tape that delivers a knock-out chemical? Yeah, that’s a complicated prop.

Aug 14, 2022

HBO Max’s “Our Flag Means Death” is 10 episodes of comedy that manages to be both thoughtful and absurd, delivered by an all-star cast and a rotation of hilarious guest stars. 1st Assistant Director Emily Hogan returns to the show to talk about wrangling this ensemble through a series of unexpected adventures, including the Mystery of the Disappearing Beach and The Boat They Built on Stage.

Aug 7, 2022

"Marcel the Shell with Shoes On" is an unexpected pleasure: amusing, poignant, and heartwarming in equal measures. It’s also a major technical achievement, and Production Designer Liz Toonkel talks about the challenge of creating the whimsical world of Marcel and his shell community within the limitations of a reality where the principle character is 1-inch tall.

Jul 31, 2022

For the second half of our look at Ridley Scott’s “Black Hawk Down”, Harry Humpries (Senior Military Advisor) and Kimberley Ann Berdy (LA Production Coordinator) dive deep into the challenges of filming those epic battle scenes in Morocco. Plus, Kim joined the crew in country for what sounds like a pretty epic wrap party.

Jul 24, 2022

Season 13 starts off with a look at “Black Hawk Down”, Ridley Scott’s 2001 epic war film. My guests are Senior Military Advisor Harry Humpries and LA Production Coordinator Kimberley Ann Berdy, and the first half of our two-part discussion focuses on pre-production: sending the actors to military training camp, purchasing helicopters that production could actually destroy, and getting everything to Morocco in time for filming to begin.

Jun 19, 2022

“The First Lady”, now finishing its inaugural season on Showtime, takes the audience behind the scenes through a century of Presidential history. Makeup Department Head Carol Rasheed talks about designing First Lady looks that typify each historical period while remaining timeless. Oh, and we also talk about Barack Obama’s ears.

Jun 12, 2022

“Roar” is a show with something to say, and Production Designer Todd Fjelsted talks about reinforcing that message through all eight episodes of this Apple TV+ anthology series. Budget and schedule always complicate production efforts where anthologies are concerned but — as Todd explains — this project also offered a degree of freedom that’s unusual in the Industry.

Jun 5, 2022

Storytelling is more than just what the script describes, and today we’re talking with Cinematographer Shawn Peters about how his work on Apple TV+’s “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” helped shaped the look of the limited series. We also talk about Shawn’s unusual career path, and - for listeners who stick around to the end - how collaborating on set is like being in a relationship.

May 29, 2022

Costume Designer Helen Huang returns to the podcast to talk about “Station Eleven,” the 10-episode miniseries that aired on HBO Max last winter. This was probably my favorite tv series of both 2021 and 2022 (so far), and it was interesting to speak with Helen about designing for a post-apocalypse where hope is not dead.

May 22, 2022

Of all my work in Hollywood, 2003’s “Big Fish” was one of my favorite projects (I was the 2nd 2nd Assistant Director). For this episode, I’m joined by screenwriter John August, who I met when he visited us on location in Alabama. John talks about working with Tim Burton and the challenges of being a writer on set. Oh, and did you know there was a Broadway adaptation of the movie? I had a few questions about that as well.

May 15, 2022

2020’s “Promising Young Woman”, despite its limited budget and short shooting schedule, is a tour de force. My guest today, Production Designer Michael Perry, talks about approaching each set with either “masculine” or “feminine” intentions, and how those intentions subtly contribute to the overall story.

May 8, 2022

“The Walking Dead” will wrap it’s 11-season run on AMC later this year. The series is filmed just outside Atlanta, and my guests today — Best Boy Grip Frankie Zamora and Grip Nicole Higgins — talk about their work on Season 10 of the show. Do Grips on Walking Dead work much harder than the Electric Department? Listen and decide for yourself.

May 1, 2022

Taylor Sheridan’s “1883”, currently available on Paramount+, is a prequel to the hugely successful “Yellowstone” series (four seasons of which are exclusively available on NBC’s Peacock streaming service). My guest today is the Lead Editor, Chad Galster, who shares stories about how his long relationship with Taylor informs his work on this standalone, attention-getting series.

Apr 24, 2022

2021’s “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” is both a continuation of and an homage to the original Ghostbusters story. Not only can fans see the tribute on the screen, they can hear it in the soundscape. Today I’m joined by Production Sound Mixer Steve Morrow, Supervising Sound Editor Perry Robertson, and Re-recording Mixer/Supervising Sound Editor Will Files to explore how the iconic sounds of the original are an integral aspect of the new film.

Apr 17, 2022

“The Gilded Age”, which recently concluded its first season on HBO Max, explores the various social forces at play in the New York City of 1882. The theme of old money vs new money is reflected in the sets themselves, and Set Decorator Regina Graves joins me to discuss the challenges and rewards of bringing this period drama to life.

Apr 10, 2022

Welcome to Season 12 of the podcast! We’re kicking it off with a look back at this year’s Oscars ceremony, specifically the Academy’s decision to prerecord eight of the 23 awards during the hour preceding the live broadcast, and then air edited segments during the ceremony itself. Set Decorator Rena DeAngelo (nominated this year for her work on West Side Story) tells us what happened during that hour of pre-show taping, and Writer/Director/Editor Christopher Angel (who last joined us to discuss this year’s nominees for Film Editing) analyzes how those early acceptance speeches were censored for the telecast.

Mar 24, 2022

It’s been 10 episodes of film industry professionals sharing the benefits of their expertise, and we’re concluding our Oscar series with an in-depth look at the nominees for Cinematography. My guests — Patrick Cady and Shawn Peters — are directors of photography with stories to share. Enjoy the Academy Awards this weekend! I hope our insights have prepared you for the ceremony. (Episode 10 of 10).

Mar 21, 2022

The Academy Awards are less than a week away, and we’ve got two episodes to go. Today, we’re discussing the Oscar nominees for Visual Effects. Industry veterans Kent Seki and Chris Batty bring their expertise for a wide-ranging and animated discussion. (Episode 9 of 10)

Mar 17, 2022

Music is back! Week Four of our Oscars coverage concludes with an enlightening conversation about Original Score. My returning guests - Louis Weeks, Chris Molanphy, and Mick Coogan - once again offer insights about this year’s nominees that will most definitely wow you. (Episode 8 of 10)

Mar 14, 2022

Are you following the series? Week Four of our Oscars coverage kicks off with a review of the nominees for Film Editing. My guests - Christopher Angel and Amy Duddleston - are editors with a wealth of experience to share when discussing this year’s Academy Awards nominees. (Episode 7 of 10)

Mar 10, 2022

Week Three concludes with a discussion of the Oscar nominees for Makeup and Hairstyling. My guests — Angela Nogaro (Makeup) and Yvonne Depatis-Kupka (Hairstyling) — have opinions. I think you’ll enjoy them. (Episode 6 of 10)

Mar 7, 2022

Week Three: our tour through the technical categories continues with a discussion of the Oscar nominees for Original Song. My returning guests — Mick Coogan (song writer), Louis Weeks (score composer), and Chris Molanphy (chart analyst and fellow podcast host) — offer a multi-layered set of insights. (Episode 5 of 10)

Mar 3, 2022

This episode of our Oscar series features a discussion of the nominees for Animated Feature. Ready for some behind-the-scenes insights? My guests, Kent Seki and Camille Leganza, bring more than 40 years of animation experience to the panel, and it makes for an informative and lively conversation. (Episode 4 of 10)

Feb 28, 2022

It’s Week Two of our Oscars coverage, where film industry professionals offer insights in the category of their expertise. Today we’re focused on Production Design, and I’m happy to welcome back Sam Lisenco (Production Designer), Regina Graves (Set Decorator), and Kerry Weeks (Lead Man) to discuss this year’s nominees. (Episode 3 of 10)

Feb 24, 2022

Our 3rd Annual Academy Awards coverage continues, and today we turn our attention to this year’s Oscar nominees for Costume Design. My panelists, Allison Choi Braun and Helen Huang, are both veteran costumer designers (and returning podcast guests!) with insights to share. (Episode 2 of 10)

Feb 21, 2022

Our 3rd Annual Academy Awards coverage starts now! Each episode, a panel of subject-matter experts discuss the nominees in the technical category of their expertise. Today, I'm joined by Steve Morrow (production sound mixer) and Don Sylvester (sound editor) to discuss this year's Oscar nominees for Sound. (Episode 1 of 10)

Feb 17, 2022

This year, the Directors Guild of America nominated six directors for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Feature Film. I’m joined again by Katie Carroll, Bill Hardy, Roger Mendoza and Shaun O’Banion to discuss these films from a below-the-line perspective.

Feb 14, 2022

Welcome to Awards Season! For the third year in a row, I’ve assembled a panel of fellow below-the-liners — Katie Carroll, Bill Hardy, Roger Mendoza and Shaun O’Banion — to discuss the five directors recognized by the Directors Guild of America for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film. How did we rank them? Answers at the end of the podcast.

Feb 10, 2022

The tv shows set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe almost always have a parallel filming unit focused on the stunts and action sequences, and “Hawkeye” (the latest to stream on Disney+) is no exception. Two members of Hawkeye’s 2nd Unit, 1st Assistant Director Tim Fitzgerald and Cinematographer Darin Moran, discuss how their team aligned with the overall production effort.

Feb 3, 2022

Writer/Director/Producer Helen Alexis Yonov and Cinematographer Matt Rodgers join me today to discuss their recent project, “The Gesture and the Word”, a 23-minute short film that was in limited release for most of 2021 (logging 87 festivals and 65 awards). It’s a lively conversation, exploring the complexities of the production and the nuances of the festival circuit. The film is currently streaming for all audiences at Omeleto.com/257318/

Jan 27, 2022

“The Witcher”, currently streaming on Netflix, is a rousing mashup of monsters, mages, and mayhem. My guest today, Cinematographer Romain Lacourbas, talks about his work on the second season and how interdepartmental teamwork is a critical component of the production mix.

Jan 20, 2022

Apple TV+’s “Invasion”, with storylines spanning four continents, was an epic production in terms of both scale and scope. My guests today — Production Designer Loren Weeks, Leadman Kerry Weeks, and Set Dresser Dan Fisher — discuss how the art department met the challenges of this massive undertaking.

Jan 13, 2022

“The Shrink Next Door”, currently streaming on Apple TV+, stars Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd as patient/therapist, tracking their dysfunctional relationship over more than three decades. My guest today, Costume Designer Helen Huang, discusses how wardrobe is an important aspect of the storytelling.

Jan 6, 2022

I was the DGA Trainee on Tim Burton’s "Planet of the Apes" (2001), and I’m joined today by some fellow crew members with stories to share: Douglas Noe (Ape Makeup), Kevin Haney (Ape Makeup), Steve Thorp (Electric), and Ryan Miningham (Production Office) reminisce with me about our days together on set.

Dec 23, 2021

"8-Bit Christmas", currently streaming on HBO Max, is a holiday nostalgia tale reminiscent of "A Christmas Story" but set in the 80s and trading its Red Ryder air rifle for a Nintendo Entertainment System. My guest today is Avery Plewes, the film’s Costume Designer. Happy Holidays!

Dec 16, 2021

"The Matrix", the 1999 sci-fi classic written and directed by the Wachowski siblings, is rightfully praised for its groundbreaking visual effects. My guest today is Diana Giorgiutti, Digital Effects Producer for all three films in the original trilogy.

Dec 9, 2021

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut, “Tick, Tick . . . Boom!”, both features and reflects upon the creative works of Jonathan Larson, best known as the creator of the Broadway musical, Rent. My guests today are the film's editors, Andy Weisblum and Myron Kerstein, who discuss the challenges of shepherding this ambitious adaptation from script to screen.

Dec 2, 2021

My guests today - Melanie Ragone, Melissa Beaupre, and Nicole Higgins - are women who work in below the line film crew specialties typically dominated by men. We discuss the challenges and rewards of being film industry pioneers, and what attracted them to these careers in the first place.

Nov 25, 2021

The 21st Century has seen three film adaptations of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books: “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” (2005), “Prince Caspian” (2008) and “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” (2010). Howard Berger, my guest today, supervised the prosthetic makeup for all three films, and he won an Oscar for his work on the first. In addition to discussing this effort, our conversation places Howard’s work within the context of his storied career.

Nov 18, 2021

In “The Harder They Fall”, currently streaming on Netflix, Jonathan Majors and Idris Elba are opposing outlaws, leading their respective gangs into a classic Old West showdown through a series of expectation-defying twists. Film Editor Tom Eagles speaks with me about the journey from page to screen for this stylish western, the first feature-length film from Director Jeymes Samuel (aka The Bullitts).

Nov 11, 2021

Today is Veterans Day, and, to honor the occasion, I’ve once again invited a panel of Combat Camera veterans to talk about their time in uniform. My guests - Jim Stayton, J.R. Cole, and Fred Johnson - reminisce with stories covering nearly 50 years of Combat Camera history . . . and still find time to laugh about the foibles of a certain L.T. for whom they once worked. Oh, and remember in 2008 when Air Force One flew over NYC at low altitude? We’ve got the inside scoop on that.

Nov 4, 2021

Edgar Wright’s latest film, “Last Night in Soho” (starring Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy), is one of his most ambitious projects to date. My guest today is Re-Recording Mixer and Supervising Sound Editor Julian Slater, whose collaboration with Edgar Wright spans six films. Spoiler Alert: Soho is best enjoyed in the theater, and you’ll definitely want to see it there before joining us on this episode of the podcast.

Oct 28, 2021

“Man of the House”, the 2005 action-comedy starring Tommy Lee Jones as a Texas Ranger, is not well reviewed. It is, however, a film I worked on, as a consultant for a company called Big Crowds. Our mission was to fill a football stadium with background fans . . . or at least make it look that way on camera. My guests today — Alexa Sheehan, Ken Twohy, and Damon Chang — were members of my team.

Oct 21, 2021

“L.A. Confidential”, the 1997 film starring Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, and Guy Pearce, is an exceptional adaptation of James Ellroy’s novel about police and crime in 1950s Los Angeles. It was directed by Curtis Hanson, and my guests today are members of his assistant director team: Jim Goldthwait (Key 2nd AD), Heather Kritzer (2nd 2nd AD), and Kevin Koster (DGA Trainee). This was a challenging but rewarding film project for everyone involved, and we’ve got the stories.

Oct 14, 2021

I was a DGA Trainee on the fourth season of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, and I’m joined today by some of my crew mates: Todd McIntosh (Makeup Supervisor), Athena Alexander (Key 2nd AD), and Douglas Noe (Makeup Artist). We share stories from the set of this iconic Joss Whedon/Sarah Michelle Gellar series . . . and have a fun time catching up.

Oct 7, 2021

Today we’re talking about “American Horror Stories”, the weekly anthology show helmed by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, itself a spin-off of their long running series, “American Horror Story” (now in its 10th season). My guest is the Production Designer, Eve McCarney, who talks about the challenges of building a new world every week while remaining true to the aesthetic of the original show.

Sep 30, 2021

Contract negotiations between the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) are at a challenging juncture. My guests — Mike Loomer (Local 44), Dave Tuttman (Local 600), and Michael Taylor (Local 728) — discuss the union’s concerns and the possibility of a strike.

Sep 23, 2021

Today we’re discussing the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, and my Emmy-nominated guests — Amy Duddleston (“Mare of Easttown”), Geoff O’Brien (“Framing Britney Spears”), Alexandra Fehrman (“The Boys”) and Rich Weingart (“The Boys”) — share stories from this year’s ceremonies.

Sep 2, 2021

Today we’re talking about “The Social Dilemma”, a documentary about the manipulative and dangerous aspects of our online social activity currently streaming on Netflix. My guests are the Emmy-nominated cinematographers, John Behrens and Jonathan Pope, who split oversight of the documentary and narrative portions of the film but share responsibility for the cohesive look and feel.

Aug 26, 2021

Today we’re talking about “The Boys”, the audacious and dark superhero series currently streaming on Amazon Prime. My guest is Alexandra Fehrman, Sound Mixer for both seasons and recent Emmy nominee for her work on the Season 2 finale.

Aug 19, 2021

2021’s “Loki”, with all six episodes currently streaming on Disney+, is a surprisingly enjoyable expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. My guest today, Douglas Noe, both led the makeup department for the series and was the personal makeup artist for Tom Hiddleston, the continuation of a relationship that began with 2012’s “The Avengers”.

Aug 12, 2021

“Framing Britney Spears”, the New York Times investigative documentary released in February 2021, explores the conservatorship that Britney Spears has been living under since 2008, specifically within the larger context of her career and celebrity. My guests today - Geoff O’Brien and Pierre Takal - are the editors of the film.

Aug 5, 2021

Today my guests are a pair of Industry veterans - JR Helton ("Below the Line", the book) and Mike Taylor ("Confessions of a Hollywood Juicer", the blog) - who talk about the code of silence that surrounds most film productions and why they decided to break it.

Jul 29, 2021

I was the 2nd 2nd Assistant Director on Just Like Heaven , the 2005 Mark Waters feature starring Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo. My guests today are two other members of our AD team: Key 2nd AD Eric Pot and Production Assistant Taylor Phillips. We laugh about the challenges of filming in San Francisco and the extensive stage work involved once we returned to Los Angeles.

Jul 22, 2021

Today we're talking about Legacies , which recently concluded its third season on The CW Network. My guests are the Co-Department Heads for Creature Effects, Mark Villalobos and Heather Mages, and we're joined by the Assistant Stunt Coordinator, Jeremy Conner. Bring on the monster talk!

Jul 15, 2021

Mare of Easttown , the 2021 HBO series starring Kate Winslet, is a nuanced interplay of murder mystery and community drama. My guest is the Film Editor, Amy E. Duddleston, whose work on the series was recognized with two Emmy nominations earlier this week.

Jul 8, 2021

Today I’m discussing Into the Wild (the 2007 biopic directed by Sean Penn and starring Emile Hirsch) with the film’s Production Designer, Derek Hill. Derek also shared a lot of photos: after listening to the podcast, listen to Derek’s narrated slide show on our YouTube channel or Facebook page.

Jul 1, 2021

Film production is undergoing a digital revolution, and the pandemic has only accelerated it. My guests today — Michael R. Williams (Think Crew), Sam Patton (Castifi), and Alex LoVerde (SyncOnSet) — represent three companies at the forefront of this effort. We talk about the challenges on set for which digitization is the solution, and how the integration of digital tools will propel film production into the future.

Jun 24, 2021

As Amazon Prime prepares to release the seventh and final season of Bosch (starring Titus Welliver), I’m joined by an all-star panel to discuss Seasons 1 through 6: Frank Tignini (Unit Production Manager), Patrick Cady (Director of Photography), Trey Batchelor (1st Assistant Director) and Robert Paulsen (Location Manager) tell stories from the set.

Jun 17, 2021

In the Heights , the Jon M. Chu film adaptation of the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical (and already one of the best-reviewed films of the year), is currently in theaters and streaming on HBO Max. My guest is the film's editor, Myron Kerstein, and we talk about the challenges of adapting this story for the big screen (and completing post-production in the midst of the pandemic).

Jun 10, 2021

Today, I'm discussing John Carpenter's 1986 tour de force, Big Trouble in Little China (starring Kurt Russell), with a returning guest: Director of Photography Dean Cundey, the cinematographer for five of John Carpenter's films.

Jun 3, 2021

Welcome back for Season 8! Our first episode of the new season is a design-focused conversation about Judas and the Black Messiah with Sam Lisenco (Production Designer) and Jeremy Woolsey (Art Director). Enjoying the podcast? Please rate us, wherever you subscribe.

May 2, 2021

Bonus Oscar episode! Today, we're talking about the ceremony itself: my guest is three-time nominee John Pritchett, nominated this year for his sound work on News of the World. We discuss the challenges and unexpected perks of attending the Academy Awards with COVID-19 protocols in place.

Apr 23, 2021

Today concludes our 10-episode Oscar series highlighting the technical awards. To discuss the nominees for Original Score, I’m joined by returning guests Louis Weeks (score composer), Mick Coogan (songwriter) and Chris Molanphy (host of the Slate podcast, Hit Parade). Enjoy the ceremony this weekend!

Apr 22, 2021

The Academy Awards are only a few days away, and we’ve got two more categories to discuss. Today, Angela Nogaro (makeup) and Yvonne De Patis-Kupka (hair) join me to assess the Oscar nominees for Makeup and Hairstyling.

Apr 20, 2021

Our Academy Awards coverage continues all week. Today, I’m joined by Josh Gitelson (former editor/current lawyer) and Christopher Angel (writer/director/editor) to discuss the Oscar nominees for Film Editing.

Apr 19, 2021

With the Oscars ceremony less than a week away, we’re still talking about Academy Award nominees in the technical categories. Today, we're breaking down Original Song with returning guests Mick Coogan (composer) and Chris Molanphy (host of the Slate podcast, Hit Parade).

Apr 16, 2021

Week Two of our Oscars coverage culminates with the Academy Award for Cinematography, and cinematographer David Tuttman joins me once again this year to discuss the nominated films in this category.

Apr 14, 2021

As we continue our coverage of the Oscar nominees in the technical categories, I’m joined once again by Industry veteran Kent Seki. Today, we’re talking about the films recognized by the Academy for Visual Effects.

Apr 12, 2021

Week Two of our Academy Awards coverage starts now. Today, I'm joined by Production Designer Sam Lisenco, Set Decorator Regina Graves and Lead Man Kerry Weeks to review the Oscar nominees for Production Design.

Apr 9, 2021

Today wraps up our first week of Academy Awards coverage, and I’m joined by Kent Seki (visual effects) for a discussion of the Oscar nominees for Animated Feature.

Apr 7, 2021

Our discussion of Academy Award nominees in the technical categories continues! This episode, I'm joined by two costume designers, Allison Choi Braun and Katie Irish, to discuss this year’s Oscar finalists for — you guessed it — Costume Design.

Apr 5, 2021

For the next three weeks, we're talking about the Academy Awards! Each episode, I'll be hosting subject-matter experts to discuss the nominees in the technical category of their expertise. Today, I'm joined by Steve Morrow (sound mixer) and Don Sylvester (sound editor) to discuss this year's Oscar nominees for Sound.

Apr 1, 2021

The Directors Guild of America maintains a separate category for First-Time Feature Film, which often gives smaller films a chance at recognition. Today, I’m joined again by Katie Carroll, Bill Hardy and Shaun O’Banion to discuss these nominees from a below-the-line perspective.

Mar 29, 2021

Welcome back for our second year of Awards Season coverage! This episode, Katie Carroll, Bill Hardy and Shaun O’Banion return to the show to discuss the Directors Guild of America nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in the category of Theatrical Feature Film.

Mar 25, 2021

When Hollywood resumed work last year, the handling of props quickly emerged as a focal point of concern for cast and crew alike. Gregg Bilson, Jr. (CEO of prop house ISS) and Scott Buckwald (property master) return to the show to discuss how property departments and their suppliers have contributed to a safe and efficient set.

Mar 18, 2021

Filming safely and efficiently during the pandemic is a serious challenge. My guests today are a trio of assistant directors — Emily Hogan, Chris Della Penna and Vince Duque — who return to discuss their experiences on set and share what insights they've gained over the last nine months.

Mar 11, 2021

For the launch of Season 7, I've reconvened some familiar voices to discuss how film production has not only adapted to the pandemic but appears to be booming. Join Katie Carroll (assistant director), Allison Choi Braun (costumer), Dan Fisher (property master), and Dave Tuttman (cinematographer) to hear about their latest projects, and what it portends for the Industry going forward.

Nov 11, 2020

Happy Veterans Day! Today, I'm joined by military photographers and videographers I served with nearly 25 years ago at the 30th Communications Squadron (Vandenberg AFB, CA). My guests - Jim Stayton, Bruce Dzitko, Fred Johnson and Al Pedroza - share stories from our days in uniform and how those experiences still resonate with us today.

Nov 4, 2020

My guests today — Johanna Vanderspool, Caitlin Alba and Claire Truman — represent the NonFiction “Union”, an advocacy coalition of non-fiction freelancers. We talk about the growth of reality television over the last two decades and how this segment of the Industry is responding to the pandemic.

Oct 28, 2020

My guest today is Eric Branco, Cinematographer for The Forty-Year-Old Version, the 2020 Sundance winner that is now airing on Netflix. We discuss what it was like to collaborate with Radha Blank (who wrote, directed and stars in the film) and the practical challenges of capturing a vision in black and white.

Oct 21, 2020

Season 6 resumes with a discussion of the protocols adopted by the Film Industry to protect the health and safety of cast and crew during the pandemic. That's been the focus of my personal efforts over the last three months, and my guests today -- Jill Maxcy and Greg Kaston Smalley -- are also working in this space.

Jul 27, 2020

My guests today -- Jen Bender (Executive) and Claire Benjamin (Casting Director) -- are from Central Casting, the largest employer of background actors in the Industry. We discuss how background casting worked before COVID-19 and how the process is changing in response to the pandemic.

Jul 20, 2020

This episode, we’re talking about Ozark , the Netflix streaming series starring Jason Bateman and Laura Linney, which recently released its third season. In a change of pace, I’m joined by two of the producers who have been with the show since the beginning: Patrick Markey (Executive Producer) and Matt Spiegel (Line Producer/Unit Production Manager). We look behind the scenes at the Atlanta-based show, and discuss the challenge of filming Season 4 in a COVID-19 world.

Jul 13, 2020

Today we're discussing the television drama Party of Five , which ran for six seasons on Fox (1994-2000). It was my first assignment as a DGA (Directors Guild of America) Trainee, and I'm joined by two of the assistant directors with whom I worked: Chris Della Penna (1st Assistant Director) and Vince Duque (2nd Assistant Director). It's a fun look back at the long-running series, and we have an interesting discussion about how film production has changed over the last 20 years.

Jul 6, 2020

My guests today -- Jason Melius ( All Rise , 2nd Assistant Director), Mike Caron ( Danger Force , Director) and Emily Hogan ( Mythic Quest , 1st Assistant Director) -- all work on shows that produced new episodes under quarantine conditions. Each production took a different approach, and we compare notes on what it took to make these episodes happen.

Jun 29, 2020

This is the second of two episodes discussing John Carpenter's The Thing , and I'm once again joined by Dean Cundey (Director of Photography), Ken Diaz (Special Makeup Effects Coordinator), Dave Kelsey (Mechanical Animation Coordinator), and Bruce Humphrey (DGA Trainee). Dean also shared a video demonstrating how closely the filming of the movie aligned with Mike Ploog’s original storyboards, which you can watch on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/Pve-hRIJGWc

Jun 22, 2020

This is the first of two episodes discussing John Carpenter's The Thing , the 1982 sci-fi/horror classic starring Kurt Russell. I'm joined by crew from the film: Dean Cundey (Director of Photography), Ken Diaz (Special Makeup Effects Coordinator), Dave Kelsey (Mechanical Animation Coordinator), and Bruce Humphrey (DGA Trainee). Welcome to Season 6 of Below the Line.

Jun 4, 2020

This is the final episode of Season 5, and we're checking in with crew members from the season's first episode for status updates. Join Katie Carroll (assistant director), Allison Choi Braun (costumer), Dan Fisher (property master), and Dave Tuttman (cinematographer) for a discussion about how film production in both NYC and LA is responding to the ongoing pandemic.

May 28, 2020

My guests today represent the motion picture craft locals of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters: Tommy O'Donnell (Local 817 - NYC), Steve Dayan (Local 399 - Hollywood) and Lorrie Ward (Local 155 - Vancouver). We discuss how the pandemic is impacting their members, resources for those in need, and the strategy for getting back to work.

May 21, 2020

Earlier this month, Danger Force (the superhero tv show in its first season on Nickelodeon), produced and aired a special quarantine episode, and my guests today explain how it came together: Jimmy Brooks (line producer), Mike Caron (director), and Robyn Willey-Pratt (first assistant director).

May 14, 2020

Our series focused on the property department concludes today with a pre-pandemic visit to Independent Studio Services (a prop house headquartered in Sunland, CA, with offices worldwide) for a conversation with Gregg Bilson, Jr. (CEO of ISS) and Scott Buckwald (property master, ISS customer, and longtime podcast contributor). If you'd like to listen to this episode while looking at pictures from our tour, visit our YouTube channel for an edited slideshow = https://youtu.be/5v34PMDnHLI

May 7, 2020

My guest today is assistant property master Travis Bobbitt, whose work on 2019's Avengers: Endgame was the culmination of a journey he started a decade ago on 2010's Iron Man .

Apr 30, 2020

Today I'm speaking with the legislative directors from IATSE, SAG-AFTRA, WGA-East and the DGA, who collectively represent their members at the national level through their participation in the Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industry Coordinating Committee (AEMI). We discuss their work to-date on behalf of creative professionals in response to the pandemic ... and what's still to come.

Apr 23, 2020

Ken Levin and Jill Parry join me today to revisit their time managing props for Wizards of Waverly Place , the Disney sitcom that aired four seasons (2007-2012) and introduced the world to Selena Gomez.

Apr 16, 2020

My guest today is Erik "Dr. Booty" Kieltyka, an assistant property master on the television show, S.W.A.T. (starring Shemar Moore), currently airing its third season on CBS.

Apr 9, 2020

Last week, we lost one of our own: Larry Lerner, an assistant director with a film career spanning more than 35 years, passed away after contracting COVID-19. My guests today are fellow Directors Guild members who knew Larry, both on and off set.

Apr 2, 2020

Today I'm speaking with Jeff Butcher and Dan Fisher, the property team from 2008's The Wrestler (directed by Darren Aronofsky, starring Mickey Rourke, and featuring supporting performances by Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood).

Mar 26, 2020

My guest today is Property Master Scott Buckwald, sharing his insights from the set of 2006's The Prestige (directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale). This is the first of a multi-episode series focused on the Property Department.

Mar 19, 2020

And just like that, we're back for a new season. An assistant director, a costumer, and a property master meet virtually because of social distancing . . . this episode, my guests are crew members whose productions stopped filming due to concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19.

Feb 19, 2020

Bonus Oscar episode! A hairstylist and a sound mixer walk into a bar . . . want to know what really happens at the Academy Awards? My guests today are hairstylist Yvonne De Patis-Kupka, who has crewed many an Oscar ceremony, and three-time Sound Mixing nominee Steve Morrow, who tells us about the red carpet, the after parties, and everything in between. It's a Below the Line look at the event itself from both sides of the curtain.

Feb 6, 2020

Our discussion of the Oscar nominees in the technical/craftsman categories concludes today! A wardrobe department insider walks into a bar . . . this episode, we're assessing the nominees for Costume Design (Academy Awards series: 7 of 7).

Feb 5, 2020

A cinematographer walks into a bar . . . this episode is a deep-dive discussion of the Oscar nominees for Cinematography (Academy Awards Series: 6 of 7).

Feb 4, 2020

A makeup artist and a hairstylist walk into a bar . . . today, we're talking about the Oscar nominees for Makeup and Hairstyling (Academy Awards Series: 5 of 7).

Jan 30, 2020

A pair of composers and a music critic walk into a bar . . . our Oscar conversations continue with a discussion of the nominees for Original Song and Original Score (Academy Awards Series: 4 of 7).

Jan 29, 2020

A pair of editors and a producer walk into a bar . . . today, our discussion of the Oscar technical categories focuses on the nominees in Film Editing and Visual Effects (Academy Awards Series: 3 of 7).

Jan 27, 2020

Our Oscar coverage continues! A sound mixer and a sound editor walk into a bar . . . our discussion of the technical nominees continues with Sound Mixing and Sound Editing: two categories with a complicated relationship that lends itself to an interesting discussion (Academy Awards Series: 2 of 7).

Jan 26, 2020

For the next two weeks, we're all about the Oscars! A production designer, a set decorator and a leadman walk into a bar . . . our assessment of the nominees in the technical categories starts with an in-depth look at Production Design (Academy Awards Series: 1 of 7).

Jan 22, 2020

That same group of assistant directors are keeping the bar open late . . . our third of three episodes about the Directors Guild of America nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement is a discussion of the nominees in the various Television categories.

Jan 21, 2020

A group of assistant directors continue talking at a bar . . . our second of three episodes about the Directors Guild of America nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement is about the First-Time Feature Film and Documentary categories.

Jan 20, 2020

Welcome to Awards Season! A group of assistant directors gather in a bar . . . this week we're talking about the Directors Guild of America nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement. This episode (first of three) we discuss the Theatrical Feature Films.

Dec 24, 2019

Bonus episode! A stunt coordinator walks into a bar . . . my guest today is Robert Nagle, Stunt Coordinator for 2019's Ford v Ferrari . Needless to say, our conversation is focused on the stunts.

Dec 19, 2019

An assistant director, a sound mixer and a location manager walk into a bar . . . today we're talking about 2019's Ford v Ferrari (directed by James Mangold and starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon): see it in the theater and then join us for the podcast!

Dec 12, 2019

A cinematographer, a boom operator and a set dresser walk into a bar . . . this week, we're revisiting the long-running, NYC-based NBC series, Law & Order , which ran for 20 seasons (1990-2010).

Dec 5, 2019

A sound mixer and a grip walk into a bar . . . my guests today are crew from Quentin Tarantino's 2019 magnum opus, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt).

Nov 21, 2019

An assistant director, a property master and a production assistant walk into a bar . . . this episode, my guests are from 2010's Piranha 3D (directed by Alexandre Aja and starring Elisabeth Shue, Jerry O'Connell, Adam Scott and a slew of guest stars).

Nov 14, 2019

A team of amateur filmmakers walk into a bar . . . today I'm speaking with folks who competed in The 48 Hour Film Project, an annual filmmaking event that attracts entries from around the globe.

Nov 7, 2019

An assistant director, a set dresser and a production assistant walk into a bar . . . this week we're talking about Arrested Development, and my guests are crew representing the runs on both Fox (2003-2006) and Netflix (2013-2019).

Oct 24, 2019

A makeup artist and a couple of assistant directors walk into a bar . . . today we're talking about both seasons of the 2017-2018 Starz television series, Counterpart (starring J.K. Simmons and Olivia Williams).

Oct 17, 2019

A helicopter pilot, a stunt woman and an assistant director walk into a bar . . . this episode, we're revisiting 1992's Patriot Games (directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Harrison Ford, Sean Bean, Anne Archer and Samuel L. Jackson).

Oct 10, 2019

We're back with all new episodes! A couple of assistant directors and a makeup artist walk into a bar . . . today we're talking about all seven seasons of Mad Men (created by Matthew Weiner and starring an ensemble cast led by Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss).

Aug 1, 2019

Season 2 finale! An assistant director, a sound mixer and a location manager walk into a bar . . . today we're talking about La La Land , the critically praised 2016 musical (directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone). p.s. - we're taking a short hiatus after this episode but will be back this fall with Season 3

Jul 18, 2019

A special episode in honor of Comic-Con! A stunt woman and two production assistants walk into a bar . . . this episode, my guests are crew from The Matrix Reloaded (starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss and Laurence Fishburne, and directed by the Wachowski siblings).

Jul 4, 2019

A set dresser, a special effects tech and a grip meet up with a superfan at a bar . . . this episode, we're talking about the television show Jericho (starring Skeet Ulrich and Lennie James) and the fan campaign that brought it back for a second season.

Jun 20, 2019

A prop master, a costume designer and a post-production supervisor walk into a bar . . . this episode, we're talking about all six seasons of the award-winning television series, The Americans (starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys).

Jun 6, 2019

A group of former trainees walk into a bar . . . this episode, I'm joined by fellow graduates of the DGA Assistant Director Training Program.

May 23, 2019

A couple of production assistants and a director's assistant walk into a bar . . . this episode, we're revisiting 2005's Elizabethtown (written and directed by Cameron Crowe and starring Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst).

May 9, 2019

An assistant director, a property master and a gaffer walk into a bar . . . this episode, I'm joined by crew from 2018's Eighth Grade (written and directed by first-time director Bo Burnham and starring phenom Elsie Fisher).

Apr 25, 2019

A hair stylist, a sound mixer and a production assistant walk into a bar . . . this episode, I'm joined by crew who worked with me on 2001's The Majestic (directed by Frank Darabont and starring Jim Carrey).

Apr 11, 2019

A trio of assistant directors walk into a bar . . . this episode, I'm joined by ADs who worked all four seasons of the recently-concluded tv series, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (starring Rachel Bloom).

Mar 28, 2019

An assistant director, a property master and a key grip walk into a bar . . . this episode, we tell stories from the set of the long-running tv series, 24 (starring Kiefer Sutherland).

Mar 14, 2019

A pair of co-directors and their lead actress walk into a bar . . . this episode, we discuss the challenges of micro-budget indie filmmaking with Own Worst Enemy (now streaming for free on Amazon Prime).

Feb 28, 2019

A gaggle of production assistants walk into a bar . . . this episode, my guests are the founder, a trainer and a graduate of P.A. Bootcamp, a program for people starting out in the film business.

Feb 14, 2019

Welcome to Season 2! An assistant director, a camera loader and a producer walk into a bar . . . this episode, we're revisiting 2006's Bonneville (starring Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and Joan Allen), an indie road trip movie with a film crew based out of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Nov 27, 2018

Final episode of the season! A trio of assistant directors walk into a bar . . . this episode, I'm joined by the AD team for Henry Danger , a superhero tv show for kids currently airing on Nickelodeon.

Nov 20, 2018

A couple of prop guys and a production assistant walk into a bar . . . this episode, we share a few laughs about 2002's Repli-Kate (starring Ali Landry, James Roday, Desmond Askew and Eugene Levy).

Nov 13, 2018

Some military vets celebrate Veterans Day at a bar . . . this episode, my guests and I all spent time in uniform before starting careers in Hollywood, and we discuss the similarities, differences and lessons learned in the transition.

Nov 6, 2018

A stunt coordinator and a couple of assistant directors walk into a bar . . . this episode, we talk about 2006's Snakes on a Plane (starring Samuel L. Jackson), with a focus on the five days of rated-R reshoots.

Oct 30, 2018

Three extras walk into a bar . . . this episode, my guests are non-professional background artists who worked with me on 2001's The Majestic (starring Jim Carrey), when we were filming in Ferndale, CA.

Oct 24, 2018

An assistant director and a couple of prop guys walk into a bar . . . this episode, we share some stories from the set of 2000's Drowning Mona (starring Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Neve Campbell and Jamie Lee Curtis).

Oct 16, 2018

A wardrobe supervisor, a camera operator and an assistant director walk into a bar . . . this episode, we revisit the 2001 USA Network mini-series, Attila (filmed entirely in Lithuania and starring Gerard Butler in his first major role).

Oct 9, 2018

A set medic, a production assistant and an assistant director walk into a bar . . . this episode, we revisit 2007's Sex and Death 101 ( starring Simon Baker and Winona Ryder).

Oct 2, 2018

A gaffer, a property master and an assistant director walk into a bar . . . this episode, we revisit 2000's Panic ( starring William H. Macy, Neve Campbell, John Ritter, Tracey Ullman and Donald Sutherland).

Sep 25, 2018

Four more extras walk into that same bar . . . this episode, we return to background holding and bring together another group of White House staffers from The West Wing .

Sep 18, 2018

Three extras walk into a bar . . . this episode, all of my guests worked regularly as White House staffers on The West Wing during the show's seven-season run (1999-2006).

Sep 16, 2018

A stunt jockey, a set medic and a production assistant walk into a bar . . . this episode, we revisit 2003's horseracing epic, Seabiscuit (starring Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper).

Sep 14, 2018

An assistant director and a property master walk into a bar . . . this episode, we revisit 2004's Cellular (starring Kim Basinger, Chris Evans and Jason Statham).

Sep 10, 2018

A former assistant director opens up a bar . . .