The No Film School Podcast

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:  Ghost ShipsI am MichaelGod is a BulletGet LostFind 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

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 trailerFind 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 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 DutyThe LineFind 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

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:How to make money as a cinematographerListen to our interview with ‘Mami Wata’ Director and DPThe White Lotus season 2 trailerFind 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

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 trailerFind 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

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:The Boogeyman is in theaters June 2Find 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

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:A.I. is about to make social media much more toxicThe Hole in the Fence trailer (with English subtitles)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

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:Bravo, Burkina! - Presented by Ethical Fashion Initiative & Ikiré JonesStills from the film: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Mjad6OiPQF8Bncp5QauS1JPPcdGicOdfFind 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

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:How to Be A Hollywood Assistant in Film and TV‘Joyland’ Director Saim Sadiq Redefines What It Means To Be a DirectorCapella’s websiteCapella’s InstagramWhen Is Now podcastFind 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

When it comes to following your dream of breaking into the entertainment industry, you have to hustle in order to make that dream a reality. The question is, when does all that hustling become toxic to your well-being? In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and writer Charla Lauriston discuss: How Charla manages living between LA and Vancouver  Having this terrifying and weird desire to do stand up comedy  Taking writing seriously versus not taking it seriously Having a sense of urgency when you dive into a new career in entertainment What she learned from making a terrible web series Why the pandemic felt like a gift  Growing out of the constant, hustling lifestyle  Why she decided to go back to social media after taking three years off Memorable Quotes “Our profession is very anxiety inducing.” [12:05] “If you have the creativeness in your soul and you don’t nurture it, you will go crazy.” [18:48] “It’s very very hard to put up boundaries because there is very little structure in the work that we do.” [37:54] “Where I am is enough. Where I am is okay.” [42:15] Resources:The Werking Writer SchoolCharla’s InstagramThe Werking Writer on InstagramFind 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