The No Film School Podcast

The podcast discusses the terms of the WGA contract, raises for writers, benefits for feature writers, literary material and AI, minimum room sizes, the potential for a spec boom, original spec screenplays, and advice for younger writers.

The Midnight Shorts section of the Sundance Film Festival is known for creative, weird, and visually innovative horror. The 2023 lineup features short films with dark, weird, cringey stories that were created with love and intention. In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with the filmmakers behind these shorts to discuss: What each short film is about and what the stories were inspired by Digging into our own fears about love, our bodies, the world falling around us Taking specific topics and situations and making it relatable to the general audience The biggest cuts that had to get made Removing redundant scenes that embody similar meaning How the motion of the camera translates meaning into the final cut What it’s like to work with live animals on set The biggest technical challenges  Divulging set secrets  Filming in random people’s apartments in NYC Memorable Quotes “Wanting to tell a story about fear and desire and the places that those intersect.” [5:14] “Every word, every sentence is scrutinized on that level.” [18:50] “I can’t stand anything redundant at all.” [19:50] ResourcesPipesFollow Pipes on IGAlien0089Follow Alien0089 on IGUnborn BiruFollow Per-Josef on IGClaudio’s SongConnect with Andreas onlineA Folded OceanFollow Ben on IGPower SignalFollow Oscar on IGIn the FleshConnect with Daphne onlineFind No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolSend us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you ready for the WGA strike to end? We sure are! After almost half a year, the WGA and AMPTP have announced they have agreed on terms. In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine and Jason Hellerman discuss: WGA writers enjoying meals for free due to the generosity of a certain actor What a reboot of The Office would mean for writers The role of unions in the film industry Why labor movements in Hollywood are not going away  The reason film companies fled New York City in the early 1900s Arbitrary rules of script writing and why we don’t agree with them Why you need to write many different scripts Memorable Quotes “The union is not about getting people rich. The union, if it does its job right, will get some people rich. But it's making sure that everybody that’s working can at least afford to eat and have shelter.” [7:15] “The film industry being in Hollywood is at least, partially about labor history.” [12:55] “People want screenwriting to be so formulaic and so rule-driven.” [17:35] “You’re not gonna find your voice in the first script you write.” [29:55] Find No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolSend us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jake Van Wagoner is a director, producer, and actor known for his work on Impractical Jokers and the film Christmas Time. His recent film, Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out, is a family friendly sci-fi feature that premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with director Jake Van Wagoner to discuss: Getting funding for the film from a family friend  The unique title to the movie Making a film the whole family could enjoy Building the production team from many great connections How directing is like being a father Guiding the child actors in some challenging scenes Shooting a 93 page script in only 15 days Using children from his family to act as little aliens The process of attaching Will Forte to the movie Lessons he learned from his first feature, Christmas Time Memorable Quotes “We shot a movie in 15 days which is bananas.” [12:43] “Will Forte is the sweetest man on earth…he’s the LAST sweetest man on earth.” [16:10] “That’s probably my most embarrassing moment in the movie as a director.” [19:48] “In the end, we are just making a movie. It’s not the end of the world.” [23:55] ResourcesAliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left OutFind No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolSend us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unintended shifts in the industry from the current strike, iPhone 15's impact on filmmakers, dealing with a lead actor quitting before production, the benefits of working with casting directors early in your career.

If you are moving quickly, you don’t rise to the occasion. But you fall to your ability. If you do the work to get there, you will create great stuff.In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and Yaro Altunin speak with SNL editors, Chris Salerno and Ryan Spears to discuss:  How Chris and Ryan started working at SNL Common traits for people who succeed in their line of work Realizing quickly that certain things are done for a reason  What is was like editing the Mario Kart sketch The biggest challenges they faced in editing the trailer Telling jokes in the most efficient manner Learning to trust your initial instincts Advice for emerging sketch editors Working with mixed frame rates Favorite sketch moments of all time Memorable Quotes “You really have to adapt, just keep moving, and trust your instincts.” [10:35] “You have to learn to trust what your initial instinct to the footage is, because sometimes you don’t have time to have a second instinct.” [26:34] “It’s really just finding what the intention of the piece is at its heart.” [34:25] Resources:Connect with Ryan on IGRyan's websiteConnect with Chris on IGChris's websiteSNL Mario Kart Trailer (Edit Time lapse)HBO Mario Kart Trailer - SNL“SNL’s” Emmy-nominated “HBO Mario Kart Trailer” sketch edited with Adobe Premiere Pro and After EffectsFind No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolSend us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What important lessons can we learn from the current WGA strike? Is there a possibility that writers can make deals with individual studios versus the AMPTP? How do you maintain morale and set the tone for each day on set? In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, GG Hawkins, and Jason Hellerman discuss: Why trying to split up your opponents is a good strategy How low stock numbers may incentivize executives to end the strike Why trying to split up your opponents is a good strategy Getting sufficient sleep and having good food on set Taking time off and planning non-film related activities  Why you need to invest in hiring a fixer during production The best way to set the tone for each day of shooting  Our experiences working on a quiet set How to handle the hard days on set Memorable Quotes “Experienced negotiators like to negotiate on as many terms as possible and try to exhaust their opponents.” [6:27] “When we start to shoot that scene, it should become a quiet set by accident.” [32:22] “The nice thing about set is that it never feels like you are alone trying to solve anything.” [38:14] “Don’t overcommit to what you put on the page.” [42:36] Find No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolSend us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Curt Lobb is a Canadian editor known for his work in TV series and films, like The Kid Detective, I Used to Be Funny, and Tales from the Territories. He recently edited the film, BlackBerry, the story of the meteoric rise and catastrophic demise of the world's first smartphone. This doc-style film, which released May 2023, perfectly captures the chaos of business.In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with editor Curt Lobb to discuss: Starting his career in the industry as an assistant camera operator How he got his first paid editing jobs  What it was like being an assistant editor on The Dirties  Giving a frantic feeling to the film, BlackBerry, in the edit Curt’s approach to editing a scene Meshing different emotions like humor and anxiety  Using your own instincts in the edit before getting the director’s feedback What is was like editing in an old train station Special shortcut keys he loves to use in editing Going into a project with respect for the story you are telling  Knowing the right time for a joke or not Memorable Quotes “The editing side of things was always the most exciting for me.” [5:12] “I didn’t really turn anything down for a long time.” [10:12] “Instead of having to pick the best take of something. I’m comparing what's already there in the assembly.” [21:29] Resources:BlackBerry The Dirties Find No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolSend us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where are things at with the current WGA and SAG strikes? How do these strikes affect the way we think about work-life balance? How can you make sure all your ducks are in a row, when preparing to shoot a low-budget, indie film? In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and Jason discuss: What took place between the WGA and AMPTP in a recent meeting The incredibly difficult role of being a showrunner  Paying feature writers on a weekly basis Shooting an ultra, low budget, indie film in small island in Panama The No Film School Production Checklist for Directors Why chemistry is so underrated when it comes to casting  Storyboarding more transitions between different scenes  Benefits to filming rehearsals on an iPhone Being nickel and dimed on the softwares you need as a filmmaker Memorable Quotes “We need to remember how important it is to have a sustainable life when you are doing any job.” [6:04] “We don’t like wondering where our food is going to come from.” [7:58] “I’m treating it like it’s my life grad school thesis. My No Film School thesis.” [14:59] “You can really only learn by doing.” [39:37] Find No Film School everywhere:On the Webhttps://nofilmschool.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschoolTwitter https://twitter.com/nofilmschoolYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschoolInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschoolSend us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The team behind the true indie film, Anchorage, shot in 5 days on a self-funded budget, discuss topics like getting coverage in big publications, developing a short into a feature with the same budget, shooting in the high desert, assembling cut before editing, and playing at Music Box Theater alongside Oppenheimer and Asteroid City.