BELOW THE LINE PODCAST

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S22 - Ep 10 - 97th Oscars - Film Editing Feb 21, 2025

Show notes

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”

S22 - Ep 9 - 97th Oscars - Costume Design Feb 18, 2025

Show notes

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”

S22 - Ep 8 - 97th Oscars - Animated Feature Film Feb 15, 2025

Show notes

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”

S22 - Ep 7 - 97th Oscars - Original Song Feb 12, 2025

Show notes

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”

S22 - Ep 6 - 97th Oscars - Original Score Feb 09, 2025

Show notes

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”

S22 - Ep 5 - 97th Oscars - Visual Effects Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

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”

S22 - Ep 4 - 97th Oscars - Directing Feb 03, 2025

Show notes

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”

S22 - Ep 3 - 97th Oscars - Production Design Jan 31, 2025

Show notes

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”

S22 - Ep 2 - 97th Oscars - Sound Jan 28, 2025

Show notes

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”

S22 - Ep 1 - 97th Oscars - Property Mastering Jan 25, 2025

Show notes

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”

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