The How NOT To Make A Movie Podcast

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  S5E9 How To Make A Crypt Keeper 12.08.2026 1год 19хв

  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 55хв

  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 1год

  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 1год 8хв

  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 1год 33хв

  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 1год 17хв

  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 1год 21хв

  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 1год

  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 54хв

  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 42хв

  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 56хв

  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 1год 2хв

  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 1год

  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 49хв

  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.
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  S3E4 Peter Iliff 22.02.2024 1год 6хв

  THE BLURB: In this episode meet Tales From The Crypt alum, writer, director, producer and script doctor extraordinaire Peter Iliff. Peter wrote and directed Crypt's season 5 episode "Till Death Do We Part" with Kate Vernon and John Stamos. Peter will share war stories from some of his other projects including Point Break.SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this podcast, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com and check out our other podcasts (we have lots!). Who knows, your next favorite podcast may be just a click away! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S3E3 It's Forbidden 16.02.2024 1год 25хв

  THE BLURB: Among the incredibly talented directors we got to work with on Crypt (the lst included EP's Robert Zemeckis, Walter Hill and Richard Donner, William Friedkin, John Frankenheimer, Tobe Hooper, Tom Hanks and Michael J. Fox), was horror meister William Malone. Bill directed two episoides including one considered by the people making Crypt as one of its best - Skin Deep. The title of this episode refers to the fact that, movie devotee Bill managed to buy Robby The Robot - from the classic sci-fi movie Forbidden Planet - for almost nothing and then sell it years later (though he loved having it in his house!) for literally millions of dollars.SHOW NOTESIf you enjoy this podcast, please check out our others at https://costardandtouchstone.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S3E2 The Importance Of Being Ernest 09.02.2024 1год 33хв

  THE BLURB: Ernest Dickerson is a great filmmaker, a great DP (director of photography/cinematographer) and a truly lovely person. We had the pleasure of working together on the first Crypt branded feature film that we put out as part of our Universal 3 picture deal. Ernest was an inspired choice. His talent and vision are a given. But, it was Ernest's love for and encyclopaedic knowledge of horror movies that truly shows up in every frame. But, there's more to Ernest than just his relationship with Tales From The Crypt. There are all his projects with Spike Lee and his own growing body of work as a director.SHOW NOTESIf you enjoyed this podcast, you might enjoy one of our other podcasts - we make lots! Please visit us at https://costardandtouchstone.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S3E1 Crypt In London 01.02.2024 1год 10хв

  THE BLURB: In its final season - and for various reasons, some good, some not-so-good, we produced the last season of Crypt in London. All the good reasons were really, really good: locations we couldn't get in LA, cast we couldn't get in LA, and, hey - just the pleasures of living in London on the company's dime. But the not-so-good had to do with being American fishes in English water and the continuiing ripple effect Bordello Of Blood was having on the whole Tales From The Crypt creative team. For more great storytelling podcasts, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S2E10 Is Charly Fleischer Nuts 02.08.2023 1год

  THE BLURB: You know how you meet someone – on the set of a movie – say TALES FROM THE CRYPT PRESENTS DEMON KNIGHT, and the first thought that hits you (after “wow, he’s a nice guy”) is “Wow – that guy is smart, too!”? That’s Charlie Fleischer! Being smart – especially that smart – has a lot of the same hallmarks as being nuts. Those kinda people tend to focus with manic intensity on things. And when they do, they kinda look like they know things no one else does. Yeah – that, too, is what it’s like meeting and knowing Charlie Fleischer.Most people know Charlie as THE VOICE OF ROGER RABBIT. But that was hardly Charlie’s first time at the rodeo.Since the 1970’s, he’s appeared regularly in human form as an actor and standup, on TV and movies. He was a regular on “Welcome Back Kotter” and “Laverne & Shirley”. He appeared on “Laugh-In” and “The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson”. The second time Charlie did the Carson show, he did panel. Sitting beside Johnny was the point of the exercise. Charlie had – and has – a solid body of acting work to his name and credit.But, Charlie Fleischer is way , waaaaay more than just an actor and comedian. He’s a Renaissance Person who paints, creates music – and writes scientific papers.We’ll get into all of it as we try and answer the question we posed in the episode’s title.Is Charlie nuts? Or is he just smarter than everyone else? You be the judge… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  S2E9 A Crypt Tribute To Billy Friedkin 18.07.2023 1год

  THE BLURB: When Gil and Alan first suggested to their boss, Joel Silver, that Academy Award winning director William Friedkin ("The Exorcist", "French Connection", Sorcerer") direct an episode of Tales From The Crypt, Joel told them that Billy (a guy with a rep for intense behavior) would eat them alive. That didn't happen. Instead, Alan and Gil and the entire Crypt creative team embarked on one of their most challenging but rewarding Crypt experiences. In this episode, Alan and Gil are joined by some of the creative team to celebrate Billy - and the joys of working with a true master.SHOW NOTESFor more great podcasts like The How NOT To Make A Movie Podcast, please visit Costard And Touchstone Productions! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.