The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast How to Make a Killing with John Patton Ford and Kobi Libii (Ep. 603)
Mar 12, 2026
John Patton Ford, director/writer known for Emily the Criminal, discusses his dark comedy How to Make a Killing. He talks about balancing grounded realism with over-the-top tone. He describes the script's long evolution, intensive location and editing work, and how sound design holds rapid scene shifts together.
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Script Started As A 2013 Writing Sample
- The script began as a 2013 writing sample that landed on the Black List and launched Ford's career.
- StudioCanal later approached him about directing, forcing redevelopment from an unfilmable, angrier draft into a producible movie.
Ambition Theme Drawn From Personal Career Choices
- The film's theme grew from Ford's reflection on ambition and the costs of single-minded pursuit.
- He ties Emily the Criminal to his own career leap and made How to Make a Killing a meditation on what that sacrifice buys you.
Build Stories Around Dilemmas Not Just Actions
- Structure the story around dilemmas to sustain dramatic interest rather than just actions.
- Ford cites Hamlet and Two Lovers as models where character choices, not plot beats, create engagement over time.