The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller discuss their new film, Project Hail Mary, with fellow Director Guillermo del Toro in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they discusses finding depth in their characters by trying to see the good intentions is everyone including antagonists, the casting and puppeteering processes that helped realize the alien character of Rocky, and bringing their philosophy of trying to make encouraging films to this feature. The film tells the story of scientist Ryland Grace, who wakes up on a spaceship as part of a desperate mission to stop the Earth’s sun from dying. On his own and millions of miles from home, he has a chance meeting with an alien on the same mission, forming a friendship that may prove to be the key to success. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/events/2026/june2026/projecthailmary_qna_0426

Director Visar Morina discusses his new film, Shame and Money, with fellow Director Valerie Weiss in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses how he experiments with scenes and leaves time for discovering natural moments on set, some of his filmic influences that contributed to specific scenes, and his strategic use of staging and tension in the film. Screened as part of the DGA’s Global Cinema Series, the film tells the story of Shaban, a proud family man struggling to provide as financial pressures mount. Embarrassed about accepting the support of his family, he faces tough choices about pride versus survival. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/events/2026/june2026/gcs-shameandmoney_0426

Director David Lowery discusses his new film, Mother Mary, with fellow Director Antonio Campos in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, he discusses how the project was born from a desire to shoot a one-room film, the choreography behind the seance scene, and his influences in costume and production design that set the groundwork for the film. The film tells the story of iconic pop star Mother Mary as she reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer, Sam. In need of a dress for her new tour, Mary asks Sam to help her, causing long-buried wounds, past traumas and specters to return to the spotlight. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/events/2026/may2026/mothermary_qna_0426

Tyler Gillett, co-director skilled in staging and tone, and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, co-director known for genre hits, join Jorma Taccone for a lively Q&A. They talk casting Kathryn Newton, filming extensive coverage for edit options, balancing horror and comedy, tough logistics and schedule pressure, and designing set pieces and music choices to shape the film's tone.

Maggie Gyllenhaal, filmmaker, writer, and actor known for The Lost Daughter and The Bride, discusses her creative process and influences. She talks about using 1930s cinema and choreography to shape character emotion. Conversations cover rehearsal strategies, actor collaboration, costume design choices, and visual storytelling techniques.

Tia Lessin, documentary director (Behind the Labels, The Janes), Carl Deal, filmmaker (Trouble the Water, Citizen Coke), and Amy Goodman, investigative journalist and Democracy Now! anchor, join Ondi Timoner for a lively Q&A. They discuss structuring the film to reveal Amy, archival hunting, Democracy Now!’s role amid media consolidation, threats to independent media, and how the film connects to activism and community campaigns.

Director Kevin Williamson discusses his new film, Scream 7, with fellow Director Paul Feig in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses how the original concept of Scream came to be, how he balanced horror and comedy to establish the tone, and the importance and careful use of score needed to maintain the film’s tension. In the newest installment of the Scream franchise, original victim Sidney Prescott hopes to reinvent her life in a different town. But when a new killer emerges, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter becomes his prized target. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/events/2026/april2026/scream7_qna_0326

Tom Harper, director of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man and films like The Aeronauts, shares stories about directing the film sequel. He talks about shifting from TV to a singular cinematic story. He contrasts improvisational shooting with careful prep, discusses working with Cillian Murphy, and explains collaborating closely with his composer to shape the soundtrack.

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.

Gore Verbinski, acclaimed director of Pirates of the Caribbean and Rango, chats about making Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die and the long road to get it made. He talks tone, balancing apocalyptic stakes with absurdist humor, casting and Sam Rockwell’s scrappy costume, intense diner shooting logistics, and updating the villain into a modern AI.