The No Film School Podcast
A podcast about how to build a career in filmmaking. No Film School shares the latest opportunities and trends for anyone working in film and TV. We break news on cameras, lighting, and apps. We interview leaders in screenwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, and producing. And we answer your questions! We are dedicated to sharing knowledge with filmmakers around the globe, “no film school” required.
51
‘Hungry Dog Blues’ Filmmakers Share Secret to I...
What does it feel like to finally finish your first feature? It’s difficult to explain the mix of emotions running through you. To quote the director of Hungry Dog Blues, it kind of feels like “finishing a marathon or coming out of a psychedelic drug trip.”
65 min
52
Gift Guide 2023 and the Pokémon Cards of Filmma...
It’s that time of year again. The time of year when we show the filmmakers in our lives how much we appreciate them, with practical gifts that will improve their filmmaking journey.
34 min
53
‘Asteroid City’ DP Robert D. Yeoman on Film vs ...
To improve your filmmaking, you have to just go out there and shoot with whatever you have, even if all you have is an iPhone. This advice comes from prolific cinematographer Robert Yeoman, who is joining us on the podcast for a second time.
49 min
54
An Indie Film Exec Unpacks The Post-Strike World
“As Hollywood changes post-strike, the only surefire way in the door is to have something great people are excited to make.” If you are a writer looking to break into the industry, you need to know how to write a great script that producers actually want to read.
42 min
55
Demystifying Artist Labs and Programs with Trib...
Have you considered submitting an application for a development program or a writer’s lab, but you don’t know where to start? You’re unsure what you should include in your application, and you don’t know what to expect if you do get accepted.
50 min
56
How To Talk About Your Film Career at the Holid...
44 min
57
‘TMNT: Mutant Mayhem’ Production Designer Yasha...
Yashar Kassai is the production designer of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. The team behind the film pushes the boundaries of animation by adding depth, complexity, and messiness to both the visuals and emotional tone of the film. Yashar describes the design of the film as bad. He says, “it’s like good-bad. It’s like dumb-good.”
49 min
58
Avoid Making Your Sets Look Like Sets; Plus, Ar...
Should filmmakers include intentional intermissions on long films? How do you properly film on a set, so it doesn’t look like a set? Is it possible to shoot your entire project using an iPhone?
39 min
59
Why Horror Films Are a Mirror of Society
The horror genre has not always been widely appreciated, yet it is one of the best genres to explore the challenges facing our world at large. “It is very easy to find the horror in reality,” whether it be the current ecological crisis or inequality facing female filmmakers. This genre offers an opportunity to bring awareness to important issues, in an enlightening and entertaining way.
56 min
60
Piloting Real-Time Post-Collab on Damien LeVeck...
33 min
61
Breaking Down the Color of Horror with LatinXor...
Ricardo Martinez is a multi-hyphenate Editor, Writer, Director. He is known for his award-winning documentary, The Wall, which won the 2010 SF Latino Film Festival and screened on PBS. If we had to describe Ricardo’s work, we would say he is an expert at “finding the horror and beauty in the reality” of everyday life.
54 min
62
Practical Advice for Practical Effects With the...
Can you make a feature film using practical effects in a way that feels realistic and not “cheesy?” That’s what the team behind the film, Snatchers did. Snatchers is a horror-comedy film about a teen girl who wakes up nine months pregnant with an alien.
45 min
63
Adventures in Indie Filmmaking and Leveraging F...
How do you handle post set blues? How do you properly adapt something you don’t have the rights for? What can we all learn from Taylor Swift’s recent movie?
53 min
64
How 'The Creator' DP Challenges Big Budget Film...
Can you make a big budget, sci-fi film that isn’t a franchise, or a sequel, or a reboot, and tackle it using an indie mindset? That’s what the team behind the film, The Creator did. The film, which tells a story about war between humanity and artificial intelligence, is currently in theaters.
53 min
65
How The Weird Satanist Guy Spawned a Sundance I...
Making a film is a laborious task that requires dedication, passion, discipline, and inspiration. Seeing the success of other filmmakers, who are more often than not in the same position as us, is not only motivational but can be a guiding light for those making their first film.
65 min
66
Why You Should Write Your Spec with 'Greenland'...
Don’t be afraid to plant your flag early on. This advice comes from writer Chris Sparling, who is known for the 2010 film, Buried, starring Ryan Reynolds and the 2020 film Greenland, starring Gerard Butler.
47 min
67
The WGA Strike is Over - What's Next?
Finally, the WGA strike has come to an end and writers are going to be elated about the new agreement. So what does this new agreement entail and how will it affect the future of Hollywood?
41 min
68
The Most Disturbing Shorts at Sundance
64 min
69
The Writer's Strike Ends and Social Media Debat...
Are you ready for the WGA strike to end? We sure are! After almost half a year, the WGA and AMPTP have announced they have agreed on terms.
33 min
70
How To Cast, Direct and Make Movies for Kids
Jake Van Wagoner is a director, producer, and actor known for his work on Impractical Jokers and the film Christmas Time. His recent film, Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out, is a family friendly sci-fi feature that premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
34 min
71
The iPhone 15 is for Filmmakers, Casting Proble...
What unintended shifts to the industry are coming from the current strike? Why is the iPhone 15 the perfect phone for filmmakers? What should you do when one of your lead actors quits right before production?
41 min
72
How These SNL Editors Cut an Emmy-Nominated Ske...
If you are moving quickly, you don’t rise to the occasion. But you fall to your ability. If you do the work to get there, you will create great stuff.
52 min
73
Secrets to a Happy Set
What important lessons can we learn from the current WGA strike? Is there a possibility that writers can make deals with individual studios versus the AMPTP? How do you maintain morale and set the tone for each day on set?
49 min
74
How “Blackberry” Editor Induces Anxiety in Comedy
Curt Lobb is a Canadian editor known for his work in TV series and films, like The Kid Detective, I Used to Be Funny, and Tales from the Territories. He recently edited the film, BlackBerry, the story of the meteoric rise and catastrophic demise of the world's first smartphone. This doc-style film, which released May 2023, perfectly captures the chaos of business.
48 min
75
Strike Updates & Questions Directors Need To An...
Where are things at with the current WGA and SAG strikes? How do these strikes affect the way we think about work-life balance? How can you make sure all your ducks are in a row, when preparing to shoot a low-budget, indie film?
51 min