TIFF Long Take

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Ep. 12: Debunking the Myth that 'Black Films Don't Travel' May 05, 2017

Show notes

The myth that "Black Films Don't Travel" is one that has existed in Hollywood for decades, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. But with the recent international success of films like MOONLIGHT, HIDDEN FIGURES, CREED, and STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, what is keeping this antiquated idea afloat in 2017? To find out, Rob and Geoff sit down with Tre'vell Anderson, Film Reporter at the Los Angeles Times. The three discuss the myth's origins (2:10), why film studios consistently under estimate the potential of films with diverse casts (5:05), and why "black film" is not a genre (8:00). They also question if films like MOONLIGHT and STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON are laying the groundwork for future international sales (14:25), wonder if the rise of reboots and recycled content is part of the problem (21:30), and discuss if television is ahead of the curve on this particular issue (22:50).

Ep. 11: 96% of Hollywood Writers Have Voted to Strike. Now What? Apr 28, 2017

Show notes

On Monday, 96% of Writer's Guild of America members voted to go on strike as of May 2nd. But what exactly are the writers seeking, who are the players involved, and how would a strike impact the industry and you the viewer? To get the answers Rob sits down with Vox Culture Writer Alissa Wilkinson, who has been covering the impending work stoppage. The two talk about why WGA members are fed up with their current contract (2:30), why too much good TV might be part of the problem (4:55), and why writers are getting paid less than they used to (9:55). They also discuss why shows like SNL and the Daily Show have the most to lose (14:30), why streaming services like Netflix and Amazon aren't concerned (20:05), and why President Donald Trump was the biggest winner of the 2007 strike.

Ep. 10: Remembering Jonathan Demme Apr 26, 2017

Show notes

Today we remember legendary filmmaker Jonathan Demme who passed away this morning at the age of 73. Jonathan was the genius director behind classic films Silence of the Lambs, Stop Making Sense, and Rachel Getting Married, among many others. Rob had the pleasure to sit down with Jonathan at last year's festival where the two discussed the art of the concert film (2:25), bringing a documentary approach to narrative filmmaking (12:40), and why musicians make such great actors (17:20).

Ep. 9: How ESPN Grew Into an Oscar Winning Film Studio Apr 21, 2017

Show notes

In the last few years, ESPN, a television channel known for 'SportsCenter' and 'Monday Night Football', has evolved into one of Hollywood's most respected film studios, developing acclaimed projects like the '30 for 30' film series, and the Academy Award winning 'O.J.: Made in America. To discuss this unlikely transformation, Rob and Geoff sit down with the studio's Manager of Development and Production, Jenna Anthony. Jenna talks about the '30 for 30' origin story (4:10), explains how they have been able to build a forum for inclusive storytelling, in such a male dominated industry (9:30), and details how ESPN has continued to stay at the forefront of the increasingly crowded sports documentary landscape (16:30). The three also talk about the unprecedented success of 'O.J.: Made in America' (23:55), discuss how the film's unconventional form, and length, changed expectations about the genre (25:50), and debate which sports stories from the past year might end up as a '30 for 30' down the road (27:40).

Ep. 8: Breaking Down Hollywood Sexism by the Numbers Apr 14, 2017

Show notes

It's no secret that Hollywood has a gender bias problem, with males representing about 2/3 of all onscreen roles, and close to 96% of all directors. But how did things get this bad, and more importantly, what can be done to solve this crisis? To get the answers Rob and Geoff speak with Dr. Stacy Smith and Dr. Katherine Pieper of the University of Southern California. Both have done extensive research on what they call Hollywood's "epidemic of invisibility". The four discuss the data behind Hollywood sexism (2:05), why the industries reliance on old conventions and tired tropes is a big part of the problem (5:45), and why the mythology that a female lead can't carry a film still exists, despite a tonne of evidence to the contrary (9:00). They also wonder why male filmmakers are given more chances than females(14:45), explain that women are often just as sexualized in G-rated films as they are in R-rated films (17:30), and argue that a groundbreaking film like HIDDEN FIGURES might be more of an outlier than a new standard (30:35).

Ep. 7: What "The Jon Stewart of Egypt" tells us about Satire in the Age of Trump Apr 06, 2017

Show notes

In just a few short years, comedian Bassem Youssef, often referred to as "The Jon Stewart of Egypt", went from being Egypt's biggest television star, pulling in 30 millions viewers a show, to living in political exile. But what does his unprecedented popularity, and subsequent cancellation tell us about the impact and importance of modern satire? To find out, Rob and Geoff sit down with Sara Taksler, Senior Producer at The Daily Show, and director of TICKLING GIANTS, a documentary on Bassem and his show, AL BERNAMEG. The three chat about how AL BERNAMEG became Egypt's first, and last, political satire show (7:20), what the show's popularity says about the power of satire in the Middle East (9:05), and why the best comedy often comes out of the toughest situations (10:50). They also discuss the importance of satire in today's political climate (15:30), question if the glut of political satire in popular culture is fatiguing to the consumer (23:10), and wonder if the form is changing opinions or just preaching to the choir (24:25)

Ep. 6: Animated Films Must Evolve to Stay Relevant Mar 30, 2017

Show notes

2016 was a massive year for animated films with the genre representing 5 of the top 10 grossing films in the US. But are heightened financial expectations squashing creativity within the imaginative form? To get the answer Rob sits down with veteran animated filmmakers, Director Tom McGrath (Madagascar, Megamind, Boss Baby) and Producer Ramsey Ann Naito (Boss Baby, South Park). The three discuss the challenge of making films that will appeal to both kids and adults (2:20), what they learned during their early days working in adult animation (6:00), and the reason why all animated movies are starting to look the same (8:25). They also chat about what's drawing directors like Wes Anderson and Charlie Kaufman into the animated realm (10:50), why, unfortunately, animated films are seen as babysitting tools (13:30), and why the form needs to evolve beyond "talking animals and appliances" in order to stay relevant (20:20)

Ep. 5: How IMDB Demystified the Film Industry Mar 24, 2017

Show notes

This week, Rob and Geoff sit down with the man who turned his love of film into one of the web's most influential sites, Internet Movie Database (IMDb) Founder and CEO, Col Needham. IMDb is the most popular film site on the web, and in many senses, it's changed the way we watch films. The three chat about IMDB's origin story (5:25), the early days of the 'World Wide Web' (7:10), the site's evolution over the past 20 years (9:15), how IMDB has empowered a generation of industry insiders (14:05), how their data has influenced the way that movies are made (16:00), and how the site has helped to democratize the film industry (18:45).

Ep. 4: Why Get Out Is the Future of Genre Film Mar 17, 2017

Show notes

Get Out is arguably the most talked-about film of the year, as well as a massive financial and critical success. Rob and Geoff call up Jason Blum, the film's producer and founder of Blumhouse Productions, the company behind such hits as Split, Whiplash, Paranormal Activity, and The Purge. Jason talks about how he got into the industry (2:27), Blumhouse's low-budget, high-yield approach to producing successful (and high quality) films (5:42), why you don't need movie stars to make great genre pictures (9:02), and why he broke his first-time director rule to work with Jordan Peele (11:10). He also discusses his 10-year first-look deal with Universal (15:21), the importance of relationships based on trust (19:37), why genre films are so valuable for generating conversation about social issues (20:50), how he was first connected with Jordan Peele (23:28), the reality that genre is a small part of the business, while tentpole movies remain the biggest part (24:47), and offers his advice to aspiring filmmakers (26:01).

Ep. 3: Why is Martin Scorsese Too Risky for a Major Studio? Mar 10, 2017

Show notes

Last week, news broke that Netflix had acquired the rights to Martin Scorsese's upcoming film, THE IRISHMAN, after Paramount Pictures walked away from the project. The deal sent shockwaves around the industry, and Rob and Geoff are pleased to sit down with the writer who broke the story, IndieWire's Editor at Large, Anne Thompson. The three talk about how the film went from a much lauded Paramount property to a $105 Million Netflix acquisition (3:00), why most traditional studios considered the project "too risky" (5:20), and why Scorsese, a noted champion of the cinematic experience, was willing to give up a theatrical release for greater financial and creative freedom (10:35). Anne also explains why current "major studios" are total facades (15:10), the difference between Netflix and Amazon Studio's distribution models (19:10), and wonders why traditional studios don't invest in their own stream services, rather than continue to feed the Netflix beast (22:55)

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