The No Film School Podcast

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Big Movies Require Big Risks - 'God is a Bullet’ Producer and Financier Talks Filmmaking Jun 22, 2023

Show notes

In order to make your movie, you need money. So how do you get over that uncomfortable feeling of asking people to invest in your project? And once you have the financing, how do you get over the fact that your movie is not going to be appreciated by all audiences?

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, GG Hawkins, Jason Hellerman and producer Michael Mendelsohn discuss:

The wonderful process of discovering classic movies
Our parents sheltering us from watching certain scenes in famous movies
The best way you can become good at packaging and pitching a project
What it’s like to film underwater, deep in the Baltic Sea while a war is going on nearby
Breaking into the industry at 17 years old
People claiming titles without actually doing the work
Taking stories of actual experiences and then putting them to screen
The types of stories Michael typically leans towards

Memorable Quotes

“Stop doing impersonations of your favorite filmmakers and start figuring out what you have to say.” [4:10]
“I’m shooting there and the neighboring countries are at war. Missiles flying over, submarines, helicopters, airplanes…while we were filming.” [26:54]
“I have met several people that are back-biting, double-crossing, jerks who think they’re going to make it that way.” [39:04]
“Being okay with not being okay with everyone, is something we need to lean into as storytellers.” [54:38]

Resources:

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‘Extraction 2’ Director Sam Hargrave’s Advice on Oners, Stunts, and Emails Jun 16, 2023

Show notes

Sam Hargrave is an award-winning stuntman and stunt coordinator, second unit director for films like Suicide Squad and Avengers: Endgame, and director of the film Extraction. His second feature film, Extraction 2, is available on Netflix, June 16.

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and director Sam Hargrave discuss:

The transition from stunt performing to directing
What a “stunt vis” is and why it's important for efficiency and safety on set
How directing a film is like being a switchboard operator
Why filming Extraction 2 was more challenging than the first film
Wanting to give the audience more the second time around
The specifics to the casting process
Operating the camera on the more dangerous scenes
Landing a helicopter onto a moving train
Making others feel invested in your project
Sam’s approach to emailing those he works with

Memorable Quotes

“I was young and flexible and really wanted to be Jackie Chan.” [4:06]
“There’s so many questions that come the way of the director. It feels like you are a switchboard operator on methamphetamines.” [10:07]
“Communication with other departments is one of the most important things in filmmaking.” [11:50]
“Each movie…is its own unique puzzle. It’s a labyrinth that you and the crew have to work your way through.” [14:34]
“When you can do something practically, always do it.” [23:12]

Resources:

Extraction 2 trailer

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Live From TriBeCa plus a Film That Takes on Toxic Frat Culture Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

The Tribeca Film Festival is celebrating its 22nd anniversary in New York City. It is a big part of the festival circuit and we at No Film School love everything about it. From how it got its start, to the great networking benefits to attending.

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine and GG Hawkins discuss:

The history of the Tribeca Film Festival
Differences between Tribeca and Sundance
GG’s experience attending the 2023 festival
Reconnecting with people at the festival
The importance of taking time to attend film festivals
Excited to watch the show Jury Duty

Plus, we share a short conversation with director - writer, Ethan Berger. He describes the process of creating his feature film, The Line, which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival. The film portrays the blind adherence to tradition told through the lens of a fictional college fraternity. The film is both cringey, yet fascinating to watch and is the perfect examination of what is wrong with the tradition that still exists on college campuses.

Memorable Quotes

“The vibe of Manhattan is just contagious.” [4:09]
“The festivals are for staying in the mix.” [4:57]
“It is a concentrated investment of your time that pays off, from a networking perspective.” [9:46]
“You only want people to be in your movie, who want to be there.” [26:14]
“All art is about provoking an emotional response from an audience, and it should feel intentional.” [35:55]

Resources:

Jury Duty

The Line

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How to make money as a cinematographer

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‘White Lotus’ DP Explains the Difference Between Shooting Film & TV Jun 09, 2023

Show notes

Xavier Grobet is a cinematographer for movies and television shows. He is known for his work on films such as Focus and Nacho Libre and tv shows like The Watchmen and WeCrashed. Xavier is also the cinematographer for the Emmy-award-winning show, The White Lotus, which is available for streaming on HBO Max.

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and cinematographer Xavier Grobet discuss:

Growing up surrounded by photography
Different opportunities Xavier had when attending film school in Mexico City
Starting his film career as a camera assistant
Meeting director-producer Mike White on the set of Nacho Libre
All the elements that make a fun and great working environment
Creative differences between film and tv shows
Controlling the look of the show
How the gaffer and board operator hacked into the hotel server where they shot White Lotus
How to pull off cross-shooting
Sharing inspiring stories of others in the film industry who never gave up

Memorable Quotes

“I do love documentaries. I wish I had done more in my career.” [7:24]
“It’s been an evolution from film language to tv language.” [16:53]
“Usually I like having a LUT created from the beginning and just stick to it.” [25:11]
“The best thing to do is to be as close as possible to your liking from the get-go.” [25:50]
“Find your own and just pursue every possible opportunity that you have.” [41:43]

Resources:

Listen to our interview with ‘Mami Wata’ Director and DP

The White Lotus season 2 trailer

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How to Transition Roles Within the Film Industry Feat. ‘Flamin’ Hot’ Director Eva Longoria Jun 08, 2023

Show notes

It can be quite tricky to pivot from one career path in the film industry to another path. What should you do when you start climbing one ladder and realize you want to jump onto another ladder?

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, GG Hawkins, and Jason Hellerman discuss:

Ladders - avoid getting on the wrong one
Not wanting to be put into a box
How having a gap in your resume is not a bad thing
The best ladder to jump on if you don’t know which ladder to climb
Building our identity on our craft
How you should market yourself if you are a “multi-hyphenate” professional
Why you should consider having multiple websites

Plus, we share a short conversation with Eva Longoria, who is a great example of someone who has climbed different ladders in the industry. Eva is not only a talented actor, but she is also a producer and director. Eva offers words of advice for new filmmakers and she describes what it was like to direct her recent film, Flamin' Hot. The film is based on the inspiring true story of Richard Montañez, the Frito Lay janitor who channeled his Mexican American heritage and upbringing to turn the iconic Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into a snack that disrupted the food industry and became a global pop culture phenomenon. The film will be available for streaming on June 9.

Memorable Quotes

“The higher you climb, the easier it is to hop to other verticals.” [1:58]
“There’s this intense pressure to build our identity on these external things.” [15:25]
“There’s not a recipe. You just do it. You learn by doing.” [27:04]
“If you have a device like that, you gotta set it up early. You gotta set up the rules of your world right at the top.” [36:44]

Resources:

Flamin’ Hot trailer

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The Boogeyman is in theaters June 2

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How to Craft a Freaky Jump Scare With ‘Boogeyman’ Director Rob Savage Jun 02, 2023

Show notes

Rob Savage is a multi-award winning director and writer who is known for his films such as Host, Dawn of the Deaf, and Dashcam. His recent film, The Boogeyman, is a classic horror movie based on a short story written by Stephen King. The Boogeyman will be in theaters on June 2, 2023.

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and director Rob Savage discuss:

Rob’s intention for how we wanted the film to be perceived
The themes of grief and poor communication throughout the film
How the teenage character helped to bridge two opposite perspectives
Rob’s process for crafting scare scenes
Figuring out different modes of terror for different scenes
Why you need to focus on one idea versus having too many options
What the emptiness of the house represents
Giving the actors the opportunity to move things around their set bedrooms
What surprised him about making a studio film

Memorable Quotes

“We’ve got to act like we are making a classic horror movie. We’ve got to treat this deadly serious.” [10:15]
“The creature really represents the dark unspoken within all of us.” [11:39]
“I’m always looking for actors who are going to bring a bit of their own personality into the DNA of the movie.” [18:42]
“The house is kind of an extension of how the characters are feeling.” [35:31]

Resources:

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A.I. is about to make social media much more toxic

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Why We’ll Be Babysitting AI To Avoid a Cliche Hellhole Jun 01, 2023

Show notes

Will artificial Intelligence end our jobs and the world as we know it, or is its “intelligence” limited? While many of us feel nervous for the impact it may have on our careers, A.I. is also opening up new opportunities to those who want to break into the industry.

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, GG Hawkins, and Jason Hellerman discuss:

The A.I. marketing tool that is being used to gain attention
Thinking about whether or not we would use A.I. for certain things
Why we don't think A.I. will be able to make great films
The terrifying, yet fascinating, new filter TikTok is rolling out
How AI tools can help us democratize film making
Knowing how to make the right decisions at the right times

Plus, we have a short conversation with Joaquin del Paso and Lucy Pawlak, discussing what it was like to collaborate on the film, The Hole in the Fence. The film, which draws on actual events, dissects politics and privilege through a story that exposes the fault lines of contemporary Mexican society. The film is now available for streaming.

Memorable Quotes

“People who work in the A.I. industry keep talking about how it could potentially end the world.” [1:35]
“The indie film aesthetic and indie film content was driven by available resources.” [21:22]
“The biggest skill of a working professional is knowing when you have to make a decision.” [26:27]
“Living in that gray area is scary, but sometimes it’s absolutely necessary.” [27:50]

Resources:

The Hole in the Fence trailer (with English subtitles)

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Bravo, Burkina! - Presented by Ethical Fashion Initiative & Ikiré Jones

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An Accidental First Feature—Walé Oyéjidé’s on His Stunning ‘Bravo, Burkina!’ May 26, 2023

Show notes

Walé Oyéjidé is a director, writer, designer, photographer, musician, and lawyer who uses the power of storytelling to combat bias. His debut feature, Bravo, Burkina!, had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. The film is about a Burkinabé boy who flees his village and migrates to Italy. When later disillusioned by heartbreak, and haunted by memories of home, he travels through time in hope of regaining all he has lost.

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and director Walé Oyéjidé, discuss:

Not being rigid about the format you use to tell a story
Thinking more about the voice of the filmmaker instead of the budget of the project
Changing the bias people have towards refugees by casting them for his projects
How naivety can help us make big leaps and take chances
Giving your team time to work together before committing to a larger, more serious project
Contributing deeply to the local communities he works with
Why it takes decades to figure out your voice
Appreciating all the rejections you get

Memorable Quotes

“Finding your voice from the beginning, that’s more precious than any particular tools.” [7:38]
“We should not be shy about understanding why we are on this planet.” [17:09]
“You’re doing yourself and the world a disservice by not being your best self.” [49:21]
“It is better to be quiet than it is to be frivolous.” [52:14]

Mentioned Resources:

Stills from the film: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Mjad6OiPQF8Bncp5QauS1JPPcdGicOdf

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How to Be A Hollywood Assistant in Film and TV

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How To Navigate Hollywood Power Structures and What SAG Striking Means for the WGA May 25, 2023

Show notes

If you have ever been treated like garbage by others with power positions, we can relate. How do you respond to that type of treatment? Do you “kill them with kindness” or do you yell right back at them? Is there a way that we can train those in the industry to start being more conscious and kind?

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, GG Hawkins, and Jason Hellerman are joined by award-winning creator, Capella Fahoome to discuss:

Loving the passion-driven film industry
How Hollywood should be a place where we can collectively create and treat each other with mutuality
Using technology to improve quality of life, not eliminate it
Finding a balance between being kind and protecting yourself from exploitation
Why email is not effective to use when communicating to those with power
What things will look like if SAG decides to go on strike
Why groups need to publicly demand things
Talking about foreign films that have really moved us
The benefits that come with watching foreign films

Memorable Quotes

“No one person can know everything. You have to have these relationships.” [3:56]
“Hollywood is a collection, for all of us creatives to come and meet and collaborate in one place.” [5:21]
“We can use A.I. for good. We don’t have to use it to eliminate people’s livelihood.” [9:03]
“I hate the term soft skills…they are more important than the hard skills and calling them soft skills make them seem like towels.” [14:20]

Resources:

‘Joyland’ Director Saim Sadiq Redefines What It Means To Be a Director

Capella’s website

Capella’s Instagram

When Is Now podcast

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