TIFF Long Take

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Ep. 73: Debra Granik on How to Direct A Breakout Role Jul 10, 2018

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This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with award winning independent film director and writer, Debra Granik. Granik, whose films include Down to the Bone and Winter’s Bone, is recognized as one of film’s great talent spotters, casting actors Jennifer Lawrence and Vera Farmiga in their star-making roles. Her latest film, Leave No Trace, starring Ben Foster and rising star Thomasin McKenzie, is playing now at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

Granik discusses what she looks for most in her leading actors, how she’s able to spot talent in relatively unproven actors, and how she prepares her cast for such physically and emotionally demanding roles.

She also talks about about why she chooses to set her films in less conventional locations like the Ozarks or the Oregon wilderness, the challenges of making films about the disenfranchised, and where in America she hopes her next film will take her.

Ep. 72: How Ben Foster Became one of his Generation's Greatest Chameleons Jul 03, 2018

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This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with one of the industry’s most versatile and compelling actors, Ben Foster. Whether he’s playing a Texas bank robber in 'Hell or High Water', Lance Armstrong in 'The Program', or William S. Burroughs in 'Kill Your Darlings', Foster’s legendary range has earned him a wide variety of eclectic roles over the last decade. He most recently collaborated with filmmaker Debra Granik on 'Leave No Trace', which opens at TIFF Bell Lightbox on July 6.

In this episode, Foster discusses how he prepares for physically and emotionally demanding roles, the challenges of leaving a character behind, and what advice he wishes he’d been given when he was starting out in the business.

He also talks about what he values most in directors, how he’s avoided being typecast, and the secret to playing historical figures well.

Ep. 71: Is the Future of TV not on TV? Jun 26, 2018

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This week on TIFF Long Take, Geoff sits down with Vanessa Matsui, the creator and star of the web series 'Ghost BFF'. A dark comedy about depression, 'Ghost BFF' is yet another example of creators using the web series medium as an alternative to network or cable television. The show, which was recently greenlit for a second season, is distributed by WhoHaHa, a creative studio co-founded by Elizabeth Banks that celebrates and elevates women in comedy.

Matsui talks about how she came up with the concept for 'Ghost BFF', the advantages and disadvantages of the DIY model, and why she hopes her show will follow in the footsteps of other web series–turned–cable shows like 'High Maintenance', 'Insecure', and 'Broad City'.

She also discusses the economics of making a web series, how difficult it is to sell a show about mental health, and her creative collaboration with Elizabeth Banks and WhoHaHa.

Ep. 70: How to Breathe New Life Into a Classic Genre Jun 19, 2018

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This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with Indonesian filmmaker Mouly Surya whose latest film, ‘Marlina: The Murderer in Four Acts’, was released earlier this year to great acclaim. The movie, which follows a Sumba woman taking revenge against the the men who have wronged her, is the director’s Indonesian spin on the Spaghetti Western genre.

Surya discusses why Indonesia, the fourth largest country in the world, has such a small national cinema, her earliest inspirations as a filmmaker, and why her apathy towards the Western genre actually worked in her favour when making her latest film.

She also discusses the film’s imaginative score, how getting international financing has changed her approach to filmmaking, and how growing up in an especially patriarchal society has impacted her career.

Ep. 69: What’s it Like to Work at Pixar? Jun 12, 2018

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This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with Pixar animation artist, Domee Shi. Shi made history this month, when her animated short film ‘Bao’ became the first Pixar short to be directed by a woman. The film, which is based loosely her experiences as a child of Chinese immigrants in Toronto, is currently being shown prior to screenings of ‘Incredibles 2’.

Shi talks about how she went from Sheridan College’s animation program to landing one of the most coveted jobs in the business, the creative culture at Pixar, and why pitching her short film was strangely similar to ‘American Idol’.

She also discusses where the inspiration for ‘Bao’ came from, hiring her mother as a cultural consultant, the relevance of short films in 2018, and where she hopes her career will take her next.

Ep. 68: How to Build a Career in Documentary Filmmaking Jun 05, 2018

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This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with documentary filmmaker Sarah Burns, best known for her acclaimed film The Central Park Five, which she co-directed with her father, legendary documentarian Ken Burns, and her husband, David McMahon. Her second film, a documentary about Jackie Robinson, was released on PBS in 2016.

Burns talks about what she learned growing up in a house full of filmmakers, why she initially resisted her parent’s career path, and how her connection to the Central Park jogger case came long before she began filmmaking.

She also talks about the benefits and challenges of collaborating with your family, what the story of the Central Park Five represents in “Trump’s America,” and what her hopes are for Ava DuVernay’s upcoming dramatization of the story.

Ep. 67: How to Crowdsource the Cure to an Industry Problem May 29, 2018

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This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob chats with producer and YouTube personality Adi Shankar. Last month, Shankar (whose films include Dredd and The Grey) launched The Apu Screenwriting Contest, an online competition to which writers are encouraged to submit a spec script for The Simpsons that subverts, pivots, or writes off the character of Apu. A mainstay in The Simpsons’ universe, Apu has long been a controversial figure for what many see as a stereotypical and hurtful portrayal of Indian Americans. Shankar has promised that the winning script will be made, either as an official Simpsons episode or as a self-financed episode in Bootleg Universe, Shankar’s YouTube series.

Shankar talks about the massive cultural influence of The Simpsons, why he finds the character of Apu so damaging, and his frustration with the show’s reluctance to acknowledge or address the problem.

He also discusses where the inspiration for his spec-writing contest came from, his track record of circumventing traditional Hollywood practices, and why he thinks crowdsourcing is such a powerful tool for driving progressive change.

Ep. 66: How to Update a Classic Work for 2018 May 22, 2018

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This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with acclaimed writer and director Ramin Bahrani. Bahrani, who is best known for his independent dramas 'Man Push Cart', 'Chop Shop' and '99 Homes', has recently released the new film through HBO; an adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s 1953 dystopian classic ‘Fahrenheit 451’, starring Michael B. Jordan and Michael Shannon. The novel was previously made into a film by François Truffaut in 1966.

Bahrani talks about why he wanted to engage with Bradbury in 2018, how he was able to update a 65 year old story for the digital age, and why the genre of science fiction lends itself so well to political commentary.

He also talks about his fear of technology, his fascination with directors Werner Herzog and Mike Leigh, and why, despite his love of cinema, he elected to take this project straight to television.

Ep. 65: Can MoviePass Save the Cinematic Experience? May 15, 2018

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This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with the founder of MoviePass, Stacy Spikes. MoviePass has been making waves in the industry for the last few months after unveiling a plan that allows its users to see one movie a day in theatres for $9.95 a month. While many cinephiles are applauding the company for championing the in-cinema experience, other industry insiders are wondering if the MoviePass vision is too good to be true.

Spikes discusses how MoviePass’ business plan has evolved since he founded the company in 2011, why it has more in common with Google than with Netflix, and why so many large theatre chains were initially hesitant to partner with MoviePass.

He also talks about what the company means for independent film and addresses the perception that MoviePass’ current business model is unsustainable.

Ep. 64: Mark Duplass on the Changing Economics of Film May 08, 2018

Show notes

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with actor and filmmaker Mark Duplass. Along with his brother, Jay, the Duplass brothers have become two of the most influential figures in independent film, writing and directing films like 'The Puffy Chair', 'Cyrus', and 'Jeff, Who Lives at Home', as well producing films like 'Safety Not Guaranteed', 'The Skeleton Twins', and the recent Netflix documentary series 'Wild, Wild Country'. Their recently published memoir, 'Like Brothers', is in stores this week.

Duplass talks about the challenges of being inextricably linked to a creative partner, how to create a financial model that prioritizes artistry, and why he’d rather be prolific than be a perfectionist.

He also discusses why he and his brother aren’t interested in making “bigger” movies, the importance of “failing cheaply,” and his track record of giving young filmmakers a platform.

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