IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit

Episodes

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  'You Can See Everything' & 'Primetime' Director Lance Oppenheim 19.10.2026 53m

  Lance Oppenheim is a favorite guest on the Filmmaker Toolkit; a director who loves dissecting his process. Lance has two films in theaters that demand this kind of breakdown more than any this year. First, we dig into the Elizabeth Holmes documentary he co-directed with Nathan Fielder, 'You Can See Everything.' Lance explains the web of confusion and falsehoods they were drawn into by Holmes, often disagreeing about the nature of what they had just captured on camera. Then we cover Lance's first scripted feature 'Primetime,' including how he got Robert Pattinson on board and how his brand of narrative documentary adapted to fiction filmmaking. (33:18) Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/-9_2sAeltZw Read the breakdown of how 'Primetime' shot on 12 formats - https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/primetime-cinematography-explained-colonoscopy-camera-robert-pattinson-1235219102/ More on A24's unique marketing plan for 'You Can See Everything' - https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/you-can-see-everything-a24-hopes-preserve-secrets-elizabeth-holmes-1235222048/ Read our full review of 'You Can See Everything' - https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/you-can-see-everything-review-nathan-fielder-1235215268/ and 'Primetime' - https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/a24-primetime-movie-review-robert-pattinson-chris-hansen-1235215068/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'Fjord' Director Cristian Mungiu 14.10.2026 43m

  Director Cristian Mungiu ("4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days") uses his films to challenge audience's morals and sense of justice. In his newest film, the Palme d'Or winning "Fjord," Mungiu follows an immigrant Romanian family targeted by Norwegian child protective services for their conservative beliefs. Our challenging conversation digs into the messy morality of a progressive nation enforcing its beliefs with authoritarian practices, and how Mungiu writes his films to place the viewer in the role of jurist. Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/tBK4KDuGRE4 Read our full review of "Fjord" - https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/fjord-movie-review-sebastian-stan-renate-reinsve-1235194645/ Read our interview with 'Fjord' star Sebastian Stan - https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/sebastian-stan-fjord-politics-batman-part-ii-bald-1235221322/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'The Social Reckoning' Director Aaron Sorkin 10.10.2026 1h 1m

  The legendary screenwriter returns to the subject that won him an Oscar for "The Social Network," this time in the director's chair. Hear Sorkin explain how he tried to get David Fincher to direct, replacing Jesse Eisenberg with Jeremy Strong's intense transformation into the Facebook founder, and why America's growing political extremism made him change his mind about "not wanting to jump up and down" on Zuckerberg. We also explore the making of the 2010 original film, and even touch a bit on 'The West Wing.' Watch this conversation on IndieWire's YouTube page - https://youtu.be/oALqrCNI2pk Read our profile of Sorkin's collaboration with casting director Francine Maisler - https://www.indiewire.com/influencers/aaron-sorkin-francine-maisler/ Mikey Maddison on why she was drawn to this more 'restrained' role - https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/mikey-madison-the-social-reckoning-after-anora-1235220304/ Production Designer Jon Hutman breaks down building Meta HQ - https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/the-social-reckoning-facebook-shooting-locations-vancouver-1235221151/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'Misty Green' Director Chris Rock 09.10.2026 34m

  In his fourth film as writer and director, Chris Rock is coming out as a cinephile. In this conversation with IndieWire's Chris O'Falt, Rock shares his love for independent filmmakers like Alexander Payne and Noah Baumbach, and how he is trying to be taken seriously as a director of personal, dramatic films. We also discuss casting and collaborating with the film's star Rosalind Eleazar, and stumble into some fun anecdotes from Rock's comedy past. Watch this conversation on IndieWire's YouTube page - https://youtu.be/jiBbivUZA3E Watch the trailer for "Misty Green" - https://www.indiewire.com/news/trailers/chris-rock-misty-green-trailer-hollywood-drama-a24-1235206552/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  '48HRS' Director Walter Hill 01.10.2026 30m

  In a live edition of Filmmaker Toolkit, writer-director Walter Hill joins IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill at the American Cinematheque for a post-screening discussion of his action-comedy classic “48HRS.” Hill discusses casting Eddie Murphy, designing one of the great long takes of the 1980s, and what he thinks his imitators got wrong in the buddy films that came later. Read Walter Hill reflect on the making of another of his classics, "The Warriors" - https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/walter-hill-interview-warriors-1235142531/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'Heart of the Beast' Director David Ayer 24.09.2026 29m

  Through films like "Fury," "End of Watch" and "The Beekeeper" David Ayer has proven himself an auteur of visceral action and male emotion. His newest has him re-teaming with Brad Pitt to show off a side of the star (and himself) that we have not seen on screen before. Hear Ayer share how his time on a nuclear submarine helped him as a director, his philosophy of violence on screen, and how having a dog on set can make even the longest shoot days possible. Subscribe to Top Of The Line - IndieWire's new newsletter about the craft of film and TV - https://cloud.email.indiewire.com/signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'The History of Concrete' Director John Wilson 17.09.2026 35m

  For his feature documentary debut, director John Wilson takes us into (and far, far beyond) the history of a substance that forms the foundation of the modern world. He sat down with IndieWire's Sarah Shachat to discuss the difference in audience interaction from TV to film, file management, the drone photography epidemic, starting a micro-cinema, filming Kylie Jenner at a party, and much more. Watch the trailer for "The History of Concrete" - https://www.indiewire.com/news/trailers/john-wilson-the-history-of-concrete-trailer-1235213146/ And read our full review - https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-history-of-concrete-movie-review-john-wilson-1235174386/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'Hope' Director Na Hong-jin 11.09.2026 52m

  After creating one of the biggest waves of any film to ever hit the Cannes Film Festival, Director Na Hong-jin is bringing his genre defying spectacle "Hope" to theaters. IndieWire's Chris O'Falt could not wait to dive into the incredible world building, audacious motion capture CGI, and some of the most spectacular action filmmaking we've seen in in a while. Skip to 27:16 to hear Director Na Hong-jin's full answers in Korean. Watch the trailer for "Hope'" - https://www.indiewire.com/news/trailers/hope-trailer-na-hong-jin-1235204304/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'Silo' Director Michael Dinner 04.09.2026 30m

  Director Michael Dinner returns to the podcast to talk with IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill about his work on Apple TV’s “Silo.” Dinner discusses the influence of 1970s conspiracy thriller’s on the show’s visual language, collaborating with showrunner Graham Yost and star Rebecca Ferguson, and much more. Read more about the production design of "Silo" - https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/silo-props-apple-tv-plus-1234879799/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'The Dog Stars' Director Ridley Scott 27.08.2026 25m

  In a wide-ranging conversation, veteran director Ridley Scott returns to the podcast to talk with IndieWire features writer Jim Hemphill about his latest film, “The Dog Stars.” Scott also has stories about “Blade Runner” and “Black Hawk Down,” reveals his very English approach to love stories, and explains how he’s able to make epics on a budget. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  ‘Tony’ Director Matt Johnson 20.08.2026 32m

  Director Matt Johnson is already a hot name this year following the cult success of “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie,” and now his next film “Tony” is attracting early awards buzz. Johnson explained how he took many liberties adapting the early chapters of Anthony Bourdain’s memoir while avoiding the typical pitfalls of a biopic. He also reveals why he changed his style for “Tony,” avoiding the documentary aesthetics that define his previous Toronto-made comedies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  ‘Pluribus’ Creator Vince Gilligan 17.08.2026 37m

  After his hit shows ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul,’ creator and showrunner Vince Gilligan is back with the sci-fi thriller ‘Pluribus.’ We sat down with Gilligan at a reflective moment as he and his team were hard at work breaking Season 2. Hear him break down what worked and didn’t in the first season, why directing crowd scenes was the hardest part of the premise to film, and what it was like finally shooting outside his beloved New Mexico (while not abandoning Albuquerque). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' Director Jane Shoenbrun 14.08.2026 36m

  For their third feature, Jane Shoenbrun brings us to the brink of ecstasy with their deeply felt and impeccably crafted exploration of the slasher genre. The director of "I Saw the TV Glow" and "We're All Going to the World's Fair" explains why their new film had to start with a geyser of fake blood, walks us through making horror scenes a metaphor for sex, and wonders where our fascinations with slasher tropes really come from. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'House of the Dragon' Co-Creator and Showrunner Ryan Condal 10.08.2026 31m

  HBO's epic dragon war just wrapped its third season, and series co-creator and showrunner Ryan Condal sat down with IndieWire's Sarah Shachat to break down how they pull off multiple features' worth of world-building and action into a season of TV. Hear how they balanced character psychology with famous battles adapted from the source material, and why they added some of their own dragon action to the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'I Want Your Sex' Director Gregg Araki 03.08.2026 35m

  Director Gregg Araki joins IndieWire features writer Jim Hemphill to talk about his latest film, “I Want Your Sex.” Araki discusses casting Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman, making sex fun again on screen, and making the most of the shortest schedule he ever had. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'Cape Fear' Creator Nick Antosca 31.07.2026 30m

  Writer and producer Nick Antosca joins IndieWire features writer Jim Hemphill to discuss his Apple TV series "Cape Fear," an adaptation of Martin Scorsese's 1991 thriller and the 1962 Robert Mitchum classic that inspired it. Antosca talks about building on the previous versions to create a hallucinatory nightmare that retains the spirit of its sources but takes their themes in completely new directions. Listen to the Screen Talk Podcast. Every Friday IndieWire editors Anne Thompson & Ryan Lattanzio break down insider news from Hollywood and debate the latest films and series. - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/indiewire-screen-talk/id893977298 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'The Vampire Lestat' Showrunner Rolin Jones 20.07.2026 29m

  For the third season of the gothic horror series, "Interview with the Vampire" got a new name and a new focus on undead rock & roll. The creator and showrunner of all three seasons joins IndieWire craft editor Sarah Shachat to sink their teeth into how they made "The Vampire Lestat" so operatic and engaging. Read our full review of the season - https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/the-vampire-lestat-review-iwtv-season-3-sam-reid-remix-1235198082/?v3=true Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'Star City' Creators Ben Nedivi & Matt Wolpert 13.07.2026 44m

  The co-creators of this sci-fi alternate history series join IndieWire's Sarah Shachat to dig into 'Star City's connections to 'For All Mankind,' adding spies to the mix, and the many unfortunate ways their story reflects the present day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass' Writers David Wain & Ken Marino 09.07.2026 36m

  Director David Wain and Star Ken Marino bring their decades of iconic comedy experience ("Wet Hot American Summer," "Role Models") to co-writing their newest hilarious summer romp "Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass." The pair sat down with IndieWire's Chris O'Falt for a chat about their 7 day writing process, loving their troupe of regular performers, and plenty of funny digressions as you'd expect from an interview with two improv comedians. Read our full review of "Gail Daughtry'"- https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/gail-daughtry-and-the-celebrity-sex-pass-movie-review-1235175438/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  'The Invite' Director Olivia Wilde 03.07.2026 51m

  Olivia Wilde, the director and star of "The Invite," joins IndieWire's Chris O'Falt for an in depth discussion of her thorny and hilarious relationship drama. Drawing on lessons from her cameo on "The Studio," Wilde and co-stars Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz, and Edward Norton embarked on a fascinating rehearsal process that informed everything from script rewrites to cinematography. She breaks down the process in detail, and how it lead to the biggest sale out of Sundance this year. Watch this interview on our YouTube page - https://youtu.be/0b8wsIzm9Ac Read our interview with Production Designer Jade Healy about building that apartment - https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/the-invite-apartment-production-design-interview-1235202367/ Subscribe to Top Of The Line - IndieWire's new newsletter about the craft of film and TV - https://cloud.email.indiewire.com/signup/ Listen to the Screen Talk Podcast. Every Friday IndieWire editors Anne Thompson & Ryan Lattanzio break down insider news from Hollywood and debate the latest films and series - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/indiewire-screen-talk/id893977298 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices