The How NOT To Make A Movie Podcast

Епизоде

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  S5E15 Why Is Comedy So Hard? 16.09.2026 1ч 19мин

  IN THIS EPISODE Though Phyllis Katz is not a blood relation – as far as I know – we do have history together. Phyllis was one of the earliest groundlings and was one of the founders of the Groundlings Improv School – the launching pad for many SNL alums and other comedy performers. I was Phyllis' student back in 1985, not too long after I moved to LA. But, as you’ll also hear, I had a strange history with Phyllis’ brother – a guy named Allan Katz. That Allan Katz was a highly successful and respected movie and TV writer when I first came to town and got confused for him. There’s a story to tell of course and we’ll get down to telling it. But, more than anything, we're here to talk comedy today - how to go about being funny - and to ask the question "why is comedy so hard" for some people?This episode originally dropped in August of 2023.SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this podcast, please check out everything else we're doing at Costard & Touchstone Productions. Your next great podcast obsession is but a mouse click away! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E14 A "Tales From The Crypt" Tribute To Tim Curry 09.09.2026 49мин

  IN THIS EPISODE One of the thrills of writing and producing HBO's iconic "Tales From The Crypt" was getting to work with people whose work we admired. One of those people was Tim Curry who courageously agreed to perform as three members of the same twisted, murderous family in the "Death Of Some Salesmen" episode. In this episode, we tell the story of Gil "seducing" Tim away from going to Carnivale in Rio and into doing our TV show. We also talk about what made and still makes Tim's performance so very special. SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this episode, please check out our whole family of podcsts at Costard & Touchstone Productions. Your next great podcast obsession is just a click away! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E13 How NOT To Make A SPY Movie 07.09.2026 1ч 3мин

  IN THIS EPISODE When we say this is a 'very special episode', we ain't kidding! Produced with our sister podcast from the Costard & Touchstone family - "John Kiriakou's Dead Drop" - together we explore the subject how NOT to make a SPY movie. For starters, John and Alan will tell the story of how they met and began writing and then making podcasts together. More importantly, they'll discuss all the movies and TV shows that inspired them when they were kids. In John's case, they made him want to be a spy. In Alan's, they made him want to tell stories about spies - like John. Finally, John and Alan will discuss what one must do to make the perfect spy movie.SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this episode, please check out the rest of our podcast family at Costard & Touchstone Productions! Your next podcast obsession is but a click away! To listen to more of Dead Drop, you can click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E12 Making Nice With Rita Rudner 02.09.2026 1ч 3мин

  IN THIS EPISODE I have a complicated relationship with comedian Rita Rudner. I'm a fan - have been from the first time I saw her. I was a fan when we cast Rita in the "Whirlpool" episode of "Tales From The Crypt" except, I wasn't a fan of the casting. Though, I guess, I became a fan of the casting. It's quite a story.SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this podcast, please check out our other podcasts at Costard & Touchstone Productions. Your next podcast obsession is just a click away! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E11 He's A One-Man Movie-Making Band 26.08.2026 1ч 1мин

  IN THIS EPISODE In this episode, Gil and I chatted with Tales From The Crypt alum John Harrison. John directed two episodes of Crypt: Easel Kill Ya with Tim Roth and The Pit with Wayne Newton which he also wrote. John wrote two of the episodes that we shot in London – Horror In The Night starring Elizabeth McGovern and The Kidnapper which starred Steve Coogan and Julia Sawalha. John came to Crypt already a highly respected horror auteur. Coming from Pittsburgh, John was heavily influenced by another Pittsburgh native, George Romero. In fact, John worked on Romero’s Dawn Of The Dead and Day Of The Dead. He also worked on Creepshow, Tales From The Darkside, Monsters (the TV series), Nightmare Café and Earth 2 – all before lending his talents to Crypt.Since then? Among other things, John wrote the animated feature “Dinosaur” for Disney. He wrote and directed Clive Barker’s Book of Blood for TNT, and John’s 6-hour miniseries adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune (2000), which he directed, was an Emmy Award-winner here in the US and an international TV and home video hit.Then John did the sequel - Children of Dune - another 6-hour miniseries encompassing the next two novels of Frank Herbert's mythic adventure series.  John wrote and co-produced the series - which also won an Emmy, this time for the Sci-Fi Channel.I’ve only just scratched the surface of our friend John Harrison. Did I mention he’s a musician and scores his work, too? He really is a one-man-movie-making band.This episode was originally published in April 2023.If you enjoy this podcast, please sample our other podcasts at Costard & Touchstone Productions. Your next podcast obsession is just a click away! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E10 The Name Game 19.08.2026 1ч 6мин

  IN THIS EPISODE I empathize with every John Smith or Robert Jones. It sucks having to share your name with others, never mind so many others. I had encountered my first Alan-Katz-who-wasn't-me in grade school. My friend Kenny Katz's dad was named Alan (Allan actually). The second Alan-Katz-Who-Wasn't-Me that I encountered was at summer camp. He was my bunkmate along with his twin brother Robert. I met the next Alan-Katz-who-wasn't-me whenn I got to Los Angeles and began breaking into the movie & TV business. That Allan Katz was hugely successful with massive credits already to his name. There was actual confusion. Money went to the wrong Alan Katz (several of his residual payments went to me - I sent them back). In this episode, that Alan Katz and I finally get to have a conversation together. Join us for The Name Game!SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this podcast, please check out our other podcasts at Costard & Touchstone Productions. Who knows? Your next great podcast obsession might be just a click away! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E9 How To Make A Crypt Keeper 12.08.2026 1ч 19мин

  IN THIS EPISODE It turns out making iconic horror characters is harder and more complicated than it looks. Perfect example: The Crypt Keeper, host of HBO's Tales From The Crypt. In this episode, for the firs time ever, the FOUR people responsible for creating the Crypt Keeper sit down together to talk about the thing they all created if not together than in their turns. It really did take four different creative contributions to create the CK. So, get prepared to meet Crypt's producer, Gil Adler, voice of the CK, John Kassir, special effects maestro Kevin Yagher and Alan Katz.SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this podcast, please check out everything else we're working on at Costard & Touchstone. Your next podcast obsession is just a click away! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E8 Postcards From Showbiz Mountain 05.08.2026 55мин

  IN THIS EPISODE My dear friend and former agent/manager Nick Mechanic returns to talk about the current stage of movies, TV and deal-making. It's not a pretty picture, but the challenge of conquering and staying on Showbiz Mountain is part of the lure for some people. Like Nick. As we'll discuss, the most difficult part of Showbiz Mountain isn't climbing onto it in the first place, it's staying on Showbiz Mountain once you've summited it. That's what ultimately undoes most people.SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this podcast, please check out all our others at Costard & Touchstone. Your next podcast obsession is just a click away! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E7 A Man Called Elliot 29.07.2026 1ч

  In This Episode We pay tribute to our grood friend, the director ELLIIOT SILVERSTEIN (Cat Ballou, A Man Called Horse, The Car, Tales From The Crypt). Elliot was a consumate craftsman as a director. Beyond the craft, he also was a strong union guy who was instrumental in making the Director's Guild of America the powerhouse union it is today. Elliot takes us inside his remarkable, detail-oriented process. This really is a master class in 'How To Be A Movie Director".SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this podcast, please check out our others at Costard & Touchstone! Your next podcast obsession is just a click away. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E6 World Class Actor 22.07.2026 1ч 8мин

  IN THIS EPISODE You've almost certainly seen actor Mark Ivanir's work - even if you don't recognize him. He's that prolific - and that good at disappearing into the roles he's playing. Among Mark's work: Schindler's List, Emelia Perez, 7 Days In Entebbe, Homeland, Mayor of Kingstown, Babylon Berlin and Big Mistakes. Mark's story outside his acting work is equally fasciniating. We talk about his role in helping the Jews of Ethiopia escape to Israel as part of Operation Solomon in 1991 - a breathtakingly bold intelligence mission.SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this podcast, please check out the rest of what we do at Costard & Touchstone. Your next great podcast binge is just a click away!Note: this episode was originally published April11, 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E5 The Importance Of Being Ernest 15.07.2026 1ч 33мин

  IN THIS EPISODE - As we've talked about in the podcast, when Universal Pictures first ordered three "Tales From The Crypt" branded feature films, Gil Adler and I were supposed to write the movie and Gil was supposed to direct the first. But Gil and I wanted to do something less conventional while the Crypt Partners and Universal wanted something more traditional - like, say, a monster movie. So, Gil and I opted to make the second Crypt feature (which became the ill-fated Bordello Of Blood) and we hired Ernest Dickerson (a terrific filmmaker in his own right and Spike Lee's former director of photography on movies like "She's Gotta Have It", "Do The Right Thing", "Mo Better Blues", "Jungle Fever" and "Malcolm X"). Ernest talks about all the influences that guided him (he's a huuuuuge horror fan) and his approach to filmmaking in general and to the various challenges of making "Demon Knight".SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this podcast, please check out the rest of what we do at Costard & Touchstone. Your next great podcast binge is just a click away!Note: this episode was originally published June13, 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E4 Killer Klowns 08.07.2026 1ч 17мин

  IN THIS EPISODE we catch up with the special effects makeup masters the Chiodo Brothers. Way, way back in the day, Alan & Gil talked about hitchinig their collective creative wagons together. In this sit-down, two of the brothers, Stephen and Charles, join Alan & Gil for a free-ranging celebration of all things horror. But especially that place where horror and comedy co-exist like, well, brothers.SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this podcast, please check out the rest of what we do at Costard & Touchstone. Your next great podcast binge is just a click away!Note: this episode was originally published October 29, 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E3 Valkyrie 01.07.2026 1ч 21мин

  IN THIS EPISODE When it comes to producing Big Studio Tentpole Movies - the summer or Christmas blockbuster that the studio is counting on to make its year - no one was/is better than this podcast's occasional co-host GIL ADLER. After Gil and Alan parted ways and ended their decade-long creative partnership and friendship, Gil went on to become Warner Bros go-to tentpole guy. He oversaw Superman Returns, Constantine and Valkyrie, all with budgets near or above $200 million. Valkyrie proved to be especially challenging for Gil on a number of different fronts. Here, Gil dives deeply into the experience of making that movie and in the high stakes game of Major Studio Movie Production.SHOW NOTESEnjoying this podcast? Please check out all the other podcasts at Costard & Touchstone. Your next podcast binge is just a click away! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E2 Character Acting As High Art 24.06.2026 1ч

  IIN THIS EPISODE: Leading actors come and go but good character actors are eternal. Actors like our very good friend William Sadler embody a kind of character actor perfection. Bill's easygoing charm can play anywhere on the good v evil spectrum. Hell, one of Bill's best known characters is The Grim Reaper, a seemingly larger-than-life character turned endearingly neurotic (and hilarious) by Bill's granular approach to his craft. SHOW NOTES Note: As our original publishing platform no longer exists, we are republishing this interview here. It was originally published November 8, 2022.If you enjoy this podcast, please check out our other (growing roster) of podcasts at Costard & Touchstone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S5E1 Crypt Is Finally Screaming! 11.06.2026 54мин

  THE BLURB: In this bonus episode, we celebrate the fact that "Tales From The Crypt" at long, long last is finally streaming (on the horror platform Shudder!) and it's definitely a cause for celebration. Joining us to celebrate is our friend, the entertainment journalist (and Crypt super fan) Kristen Lopez. We'll talk about Crypt's curious journey to streaming and share other backstage stories. We'll also talk about everything else that Kristen's working on (a great podcast, a great blog and a number of bookd). That includes "an Oral History Of Tales From The Crypt" which is due out next year!SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this podcast, please visit Costard & Touchstone Productions to sample our other podcasts. Your next great podcast experience is just a click away! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S4E4: Best v Worst 01.04.2025 42мин

  THE BLURB: NICK MECHANIC returns to give us a LIST of his BEST V WORST - BEST FOOD in LA, best clients, WORST DEAL he ever made, best executive he worked with, WORST DAY OF HIS LIFE. If you've heard Nick in previous episodes, you know: he was both a HOLLYWOOD SUPER AGENT and a HOLLYWOOD DRUG DEALER. He spent time in prison after getting caught doing the latter. Nick really has seen the best and worst of LA, of Hollywood - maybe even of LIFE itself! Buckle in for another slice of Nick's Hollywood!SHOW NOTES:My longtime friend – and former agent – Nick Mechanic is back for another visit.Nick really has seen the very best and the very worst aspects of show business. He’s made great deals and deals that weren’t so great. He’s had great clients… and clients who weren’t. He’s dealt with great studio executives. And executives who were nothing more than giant wastes of otherwise good carbon. He’s had bosses and co-workers in the agenting business who were really good and plenty who were so bad at it, you’d be complementing them by saying “they sucked”.If you’ve already experienced Nick Mechanic on this podcast, you know: he’s been to the wars. Not only was Nick a successful Hollywood agent, he was a successful Hollywood drug dealer, too. Well, that is, until he got caught - and got sentenced to 12 years in prison (Nick being Nick, he got out after six months - a story unto itself!).Nick really has seen the best of it and the worst of it. As you’re about to experience…For more great podcasts, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S4E3: It's Magic? 25.03.2025 56мин

  THE BLURB: MAGICIAN WES ISELI talks about the evolution of his craft - how integrating his (now) wife NATALIE ISELI into the act kicked it to new heights. How one MAGIC TRICK beat master illusionists PENN & TELLER. How does one even become a magician? More than anything else, creating illusions is a craft. And, as for happiness? Wes has that trick covered, too!SHOW NOTES:I met Wes Iseli via podcasting connections, but we have another connection, too. We’ve both worked with Penn & Teller. Teller co-wrote a superb episode of Tales From The Crypt with recent guest Colman DeKay called Staired In Horror.Subsequent to that I developed a show at HBO with Penn And Teller that died in development – as most projects do.Wes Iseli introduced himself to P&T via their show Fool Us where magicians are invited to confound these two master illusionists with tricks they can’t figure out.Wes did that. Fooled Penn & Teller. And not only did Wes get the prize money promised, P&T paid Wes directly for the knowledge of how he’d fooled them.As Wes will tell you, there’s no “magic” involved. There’s a ton of craft though. Which is why we’re talking about it here.Now, Wes insists – as you’ll hear – that there’s nothing supernatural about magic. In fact, he hates the idea of supernatural magic. But there’s something about magic and creating the illusions of it that can spark a little – let’s call it “transcendent” – kind of magic.There’s a ton of love in this story. Wes AND his wife NATHALIE sat and talked to me.What Wes and Nathalie have created – along with their three kids – is a kind of great magic trick.And that’s with the caveat that there’s no magic. There’s craft. Hard work and lots of repetition. But, I think you’ll find that the effect – the story itself - is magical. SOCIAL MEDIA:INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/hownottomakeamoviepodcast/PATREON: patreon.com/TheHowNOTToMakeAMoviePodcastFanPage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S4E2: Colman DeKay Knows EVERYBODY! 13.02.2025 1ч 2мин

  THE BLURB: My friend COLMAN DEKAY knows everybody. And if he doesn't, he knows almost everybody. It's always been that way. The son of a publisher, Colman got used to writers like DONALD WESTLAKE, JAMES BALDWIN and NORMAN MAILER just "hanging out" at their apartment in NYC. A terrific writer himself, Colman would go on to write several episodes of TALES FROM THE CRYPT and the feature BULLETS OVER BROADWAY and NINE LIVES: A MUSICAL HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS. He's also worked extensively with PENN & TELLER. I meant what I said: Colman DeKay knows EVERYBODY!SHOW NOTES:So – why do I say my friend Colman DeKay knows everybody? Because, as you’ll hear, HE KNOWS EVERYBODY! And, he’s so used to knowing everybody that he doesn’t even realize that he knows everybody. As you’ll also hear, Colman doesn’t drop names. But names - ones you recognize cos lots and lots of people know who they are - they come up in conversation because Colman was having a conversation with that person just last week. You know, like he’s having a conversation with you right now.An A List Literary SalonIt’s been like that since Colman was a kid. His family was involved in publishing in New York. His family’s Manhattan living room was a non-stop, A-List literary salon.A very, very, VERY scant sampling of the people Colman's rubbed elbows with since he was a kid: Donald Westlake, James Baldwin, Norman Mailer, Penn & Teller, Ken Kwapis, Steven Soderbergh.Colman became a talented writer himself - of screens small and large and of the stage. I first got to know Colman when he wrote a handful of episodes for us at Tales From The Crypt.Among Colman’s episodes - “In The Groove” and “Fatal Caper” and an absolute classic - “Staired In Horror” - which Colman wrote with occasional writing partner Teller from Penn & Teller.It’s a great episode because of the writing – and because we somehow put a whole Louisiana swamp on our stage in Los Angeles.New OrleansSomething about that part of the world – southern Louisiana, the swamps around there, New Orleans especially – has a powerful hold on Colman. Along with the musician PAUL SANCHEZ, Colman put together "NINE LIVES: AN ORAL HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS", a 40 song cycle that tells The Big Easy's story via its music.Personally? I think Colman's ripe for a podcast of his own. A conversation just with his friends would be, in essence, a conversation with everybody. Everybody interesting.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S4E1: Field Of Dreams 06.02.2025 1ч

  THE BLURB: If ever there was a metaphorical “FIELD OF DREAMS”, it’s HOLLYWOOD. And, in order to get anywhere near that field of dreams, you’re gonna need either an AGENT, a MANAGER or a PRODUCER. Hey – what if you could get all three in one person! In this episode I chat with JEFF FIELD – the man who manages my entertainment career. As you’ll hear, “manager” describes only one of the three Hollywood jobs Jeff’s held. Before he became a manager (mostly of writers, producers and directors), he was a topflight agent at THE WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY (which became William Morris Endeavor – WME).SHOW NOTES:In addition to managing careers for clients, Jeff has also produced work for his clients. What that really means is vital. It means that, as a producer, Jeff was essential in putting his clients’ vision on the screen.Even under the best of circumstances, getting anything made in Hollywood is stunningly hard. Having a producer who understands how creatives think can make a huge difference as they – the producer – navigates the minefield of production.It demands tact and diplomacy when necessary, but also a good sense of when to be aggressive and how to recognize that you hold all the good cards in a negotiation. Taste is important, too. And emotional honesty.It’s not an easy cocktail to make or maintain. That’s why only a handful of people have successfully travelled from agency to management to producer-of-quality. Lots of former agents are now producers. It’s the stop in between that’s handcuffing them.If you like hearing how Hollywood Deal-Making Sausage gets made – at the grinder level – this episode is in your sweet spot! Jeff’s a terrific storyteller. And wait till you hear what some of these sausages became! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S3E5 Dirty Laundry 29.02.2024 49мин

  THE BLURB: Want top know what's really happening on any film or TV set? Don't ask the executives, they don't know anything. The director also is (or should be) oblivious. But, one thing's for certain about most every film set - it has secrets. Who's sleeping with whom? Who's got weird habits? Who needs better personal hygiene? If you want to the answers to those questions, you have to talk to either hair and makeup ("the pretties") or to anyone in the wardrobe department. Today's guest, Randall Thropp, oversaw wardrobe for several seasons of Tales From The Crypt. And he's ready to tell you everything he saw!SHOW NOTESFor more great podcasts, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.