The Dangerous Art of the Documentary

Academy Award nominee Liz Garbus joins Tiller to discuss her latest masterful contribution to the realm of true crime, “Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer”, a tense examination of the ongoing the hunt for the Long Island serial killer through the perspective of his victims, their loved ones and the police. Liz discusses with Tiller how the documentary film industry has changed over the last 25 years (2:00), the moral quandary in telling true crime stories (6:00), whether she chose this story or if the story chose her (13:00), how the series highlights the failures of the criminal justice system (20:00), and the ongoing nature of the story (29:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Welcome to Season 4 of The Dangerous Art of  the Documentary! Oscar-winning director Errol Morris seeks to understand why Charles Manson's followers killed 7 people in 1969 through his latest work “Chaos: The Manson Murders”,  a chilling exploration of a conspiracy of mind control, CIA experiments, and murder. Tiller starts the discussion by sharing how Errol inspired him to become a filmmaker (1:30) before Errol unpacks the difference between a conspiracy and a conspiracy theory (6:00), how he knows when to stop making a film (11:00), the meaning of his own term “Errol's razor” (25:00), the stupidity of some of the murderous culprits (34:00), the similarities between “Chaos” and his 1988 masterpiece “The Thin Blue Line” (44:30), and what fascinates him most about true crime (50:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Acclaimed filmmaker Kevin Macdonald's latest film “One to One: John & Yoko” provides a fresh lens into the lesser-known side of John Lennon's life after The Beatles by incorporating never-before-seen footage of John and Yoko's concert performance at Madison Square Garden and of their lives in New York's Greenwich Village. Kevin shares with Tiller how he came to direct both narrative and documentary films (3:00), weaving together the disparate strands of John and Yoko's story (7:30), what he discovered about them through the never-before-seen archival (20:00), how the best works of art never patronize an audience (28:30), and why he didn't expect this film to resonate so much with a young audience (36:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

HBO's latest 9-part series “Celtics City” chronicles the remarkable saga of the Boston Celtics, the NBA's winningest and most storied franchise. Director Lauren Stowell and showrunner Gabe Honig join Tiller to discuss the first steps they took to starting such a monumental project (2:00), the weekly rhythm and delegation of responsibilities (16:00), collaborating through pressurized moments (28:00), the thought behind integrating pre-existing interviews (35:00), and what they hope people take away from this series (43:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Raoul Peck's latest film, “Ernest Cole: Lost and Found”, chronicles the profound life and work of Ernest Cole, one of the first Black freelance photographers in South Africa, whose work revealed to the world the realities of Black life during apartheid, and later, its echoes in New York City and the American South. Raoul shares with Tiller how he sees the difference between convincing an audience versus telling a story (2:30) how he uses his personal background as a medium to tell each story with deep authenticity (2:30), finding the soul of this film (8:00), why he doesn't call his art “journalism” (19:00), his process of creation and experimentation (26:30), the deep understanding he shares with his editor (32:00), and the suffocating constraints of the doc industry today (39:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

A stunning tribute to the resilience of Native people and their way of life, SUGARCANE, the debut feature documentary from Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, is an epic cinematic portrait of a community during a moment of international reckoning. Nominated for an Academy Award in 2025, it bravely illustrates an investigation into abuse and missing children at an Indian residential school that sparks a reckoning on the nearby Sugarcane Reserve. Julian and Emily share with Tiller how they came together to make this film (2:00), the decision to make Julian an on-camera character (8:00), how they constructed the edit after shooting for 160 days (12:30), using archival as a form of memory and propaganda (19:30), and how it felt screening the film for the first time at the world premiere (28:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

“Daughters” presents the story of four young girls as they prepare for a special Daddy Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers, as part of a unique fatherhood program in a Washington, D.C. jail. For most of the daughters, the dance will be the only time they will be able to touch or hug their fathers during sentences, some of which are as long as 20 years. Co-directors Angela Patton and Natalie Rae share with Tiller their experience meeting because of a TED talk (3:00), earning the trust of the mothers and daughters (8:30), working with the fathers inside the prison (15:00), the cinematographer's vital impact (21:00), why the film took so many years to make (33:00), and how to follow their impact campaign (40:50).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

In “Tickled”, a story stranger than fiction, journalist David Farrier and filmmaker Dylan Reeve uncover a strange tickling subculture. Delving deeper into the dark world of a tickling competition, they are with fierce resistance as they uncover a dark empire ensnaring and exploiting vulnerable young men. Dylan shares with Tiller how he and his co-director David Farrier blindly stumbled into this story (1:00), why they had to reshoot virtually everything (11:00, getting threats the deeper they went down the rabbit hole (18:30), the lies and bravery of his main characters (30:00), when they realized the film had transitioned from silly to dark and investigative (34:00), and the enduring legacy of making a film like this (41:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Gilad Baram is an Israeli photographer, visual artist and documentarian. His 2015 film “Koudelka Shooting Holy Land” follows iconic Czech photographer Josef Koudelka's journey through Israel and Palestine as he captures the essence of that conflicted land. Tiller begins the discussion explaining how he thinks this film achieves rigorous artistic singularity (2:30), before Gilad shares why this was never meant to be a film (10:30), Koudelka's surprising documentation of the West Bank border (20:00), how a foreign Czech photographer helped him look at his homeland of Israel in a new way (27:00), and the importance of still photography in our increasingly digital world (35:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Director Josh Greenbaum's latest documentary, “Will & Harper”, depicts an intimate portrayal of friendship, understanding and America as Will Ferrell and his recently transitioned close friend Harper Steele, former SNL head writer, embark on a cross-country road trip. Josh shares with Tiller the experience of being approached by Will and Harper with the initial film idea (2:30), Josh's multi-step prep process (6:00), how he ensured the road trip felt authentic (12:30), finding acceptance in the most unexpected places (15:30), the grand epiphanies they realized along the way (20:00), how removing the “comedy” was the key editorial breakthrough (25:00), and the fundamental definition of a director (29:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

The themes, images, and cultural vernacular of Victor Fleming's The Wizard of Oz continue to haunt David Lynch's filmography.  Is Lynch trapped in the Land of Oz? Through six distinct perspectives, Alexandre O. Philippe's Lynch/Oz helps us reexperience and reinterpret The Wizard of Oz by way of David Lynch, delivering new appreciations of both. In his discussion with Tiller, Alexandre speaks about the allure of making films about films (2:00), his jazz-inspired approach to interviews (7:30), how he selected his eclectic cast of characters, including John Waters (15:30), the art of the essay film (19:30), selling the film just on the title (29:00), and crafting the masterful opening scene (32:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

PART TWO! Director R.J. Cutler returns to the show to discuss his two latest biopic documentaries, “Martha” and “Elton John: Never Too Late.” In Part Two, R.J. discusses with Tiller about how Elton John walked into his life (0:35),  the theme of mortality in the film (4:30), exploring the most raw emotional moments of Elton's life (12:00), and how Elton's relationship with John Lennon fundamentally changed his life (18:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

PART ONE! Director RJ Cutler returns to the show to discuss his two latest biopic documentaries, “Martha” and “Elton John: Never Too Late.” In Part One, RJ will share with Tiller how he and Martha first connected (3:00), creating a film around a potentially unreliable narrator (9:00), why Martha was the only on-camera interview in the film (12:00), how he prepared Martha to be vulnerable (14:30), why nothing surprises him when making documentaries (18:30), and what it means to be in search of ecstatic truth (26:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Directors Daniel Roher and Edmund Stenson's latest film “Blink”, the follow-up to their Academy Award winning feature “Navalny”, follows a family taking their three children on an epic journey to see the beauty of the world before they lose their eyesight to an incurable condition. Edmund joins Tiller to discuss the nuances of capturing cinematic moments with verité (3:30), editing scenes in your mind as you film them (9:00), how to decide what to shoot as a team (13:00), how his editing background helped him communicate his cinematic language (19:00), and crying when he captured the final moment of the film (23:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Maciek Hamela's minimalist debut film, “In the Rearview” is an expansive road trip through the Russian invasion of Ukraine that drove more than 15 million refugees — more than one-third of Ukraine's population — in out of their homes and country. In this film, Maciek drives a van of Ukrainian refugees as they encounter numerous military checkpoints while trying to make their way to Poland. Maciek shares with Tiller how and why he made this film (2:00), his thought process in framing the film as a “profound act of bearing witness” (22:00), the agonizing process of cutting down the film when everything felt important (32:00), and creating a ravishing score purely from the sounds of car in the film (41:30).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Director Nenad Cicin-Sain's latest film “Kiss the Future” covers the incredibly dire yet uplifting stories of underground art and music, which culminated in a live concert by the band U2, during the brutal four-year siege of Sarajevo. Nenad opens up about about his connection to Sarajevo and researching this story (2:30), creating a war film first and a concert film second (12:45), what made Matt Damon such a great producer (18:30), the path to filming interviews in a bombed out former Red Cross building (23:45), the transfer of trauma when making a film about genocide (33:00), and the perfect metaphor for the role of a director (45:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Actor, Producer, and Director Fisher Stevens is the creative force behind Netflix's Emmy-nominated docuseries “Beckham”, which follows David Beckham's rise from humble working-class beginnings to football stardom, as well as all his personal turbulence along the way. Fisher shares with Tiller why he pivoted from acting to documentaries (2:00), the backstory behind his unlikely partnership with the Beckhams (7:30), building trust with David (12:00), figuring out the story structure in the edit (23:00), filming over 20 hours of interviews with David (30:00), and what it really means to be a director (37:30).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Director, photographer, interviewer, and yes, amateur skateboarder Sam Jones reflects on the winding journey of directing “Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off”, a definitive, no-holds-barred look at the life and iconic career of skateboarding's greatest to ever do it. Tiller and Sam discuss why Tiller is envious of Sam's career (2:45), the backstory behind Sam's debut documentary from 2002 about the band Wilco (9:50), how Tony Hawk truly lives as hard as he can (21:00), Sam's decision to make the film independently even though every streamer passed on it (28:30), continuing to find inspiration on the long lonely road of documentary filmmaking (36:00), and how this is ultimately film about people, not for people (44:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Director Jeff Zimbalist returns to the podcast to discuss his second feature film of the year, “Skywalkers: A Love Story”, a thrilling tale about a daring couple that performs acrobatics atop the world's last super skyscraper. Jeff talks with Tiller about blending the genres of heist and romance (3:30), why this film had to be independently financed (11:00), interweaving the themes of love, risk and trust (17:00), directing Angela and Ivan's camerawork on top of skyscrapers (27:00), how the presence of a film crew brought a deeper truth out of their relationship (32:00), the difference between “facts” and “ecstatic truth” in nonfiction filmmaking, (36:00), and the humbling truth about love that Jeff learned while making this film (46:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Director Jeff Zimbalist's latest film, HOW TO COME ALIVE WITH NORMAN MAILER, explores the rollercoaster life of America's most controversial and bestselling author of the 20th Century, Norman Mailer. Prophet, hedonist, violent criminal, literary outlaw, and social provocateur, Mailer's ideas about love, anger, fear, and courage cut to the core of human nature, are more relevant than ever today, and point to a prescription for waking ourselves up, shaking free of society's expectations, and coming alive as a people. Jeff shares with Tiller his familiarity with Norman Mailer prior to embarking on the film (2:50), why he ended the film with Norman “getting right with God” (10:00), what Norman means to be “an intellectual rascal” (17:00), how Jeff brought Mailer to life as the first-person perspective of the film (23:00), pitching the film as commercially viable (32:00), the importance of producers who still take a leap of faith in today's fraught documentary market (38:00), and how artists can access the depths of their minds (41:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Academy and Emmy Award winning director Alex Gibney, head of the prolific doc studio Jigsaw Productions, has a new film about an old legend, Paul Simon. “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon”, is a look back on Paul Simon's extraordinary six-decade career as well as an intimate glimpse into his creative process as he is in the studio creating his newest album, Seven Psalms. In his discussion with Tiller, Alex reflects on capturing both the practical and mystical method of Paul's creative process (2:20), starting to put the film together with Paul (8:30), weaving the distant past with the present day (15:30), uncovering the intimacy between Paul and Wynton Marsalis through their disagreements (21:30), and how creating music is unexpectedly evocative of the documentary process itself (28:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite's newest film, “The Grab”, is an earth-shattering revelation. Over six years in the making, it follows the incredible work of an investigative journalist who uncovers the money, influence and alarming rationale behind covert efforts to control the most vital resource on the planet. In her discussion with Tiller, Gabriela reflects on her journey of starting to go down this treacherous rabbit hole (1:00), making a complicated global plot feel like a digestible, present tense thriller (8:00), her collaborative methods (15:30), what happened to the film when they received 20,000 secret emails (22:30), how to end an existentially terrifying investigative film like this with genuine hope (29:00), and selling the film's commercial appeal despite possibly making enemies with world power governments (36:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Acclaimed filmmakers Rory Kennedy and Mark Bailey join Tiller to discuss their latest hit documentary “The Synanon Fix”, a four-part series that tracks the rise and fall of an organization that began as a rehab for heroin addicts and devolved into an egalitarian community that mandated vasectomies, shaved heads, partner swapping, bizarre social experiments, and ultimately, child abuse and attempted murder. Rory and Mark share how they've balanced marriage, co-parenting and running a film company together (1:40), what exactly is Synanon (7:30), why the “cult members” of Synanon feel so genuine and familiar to us today (14:00), the group leader Chuck's various methods of social experimentation (19:00), the division of labor between directing (Rory) and writing (Mark) (28:00), constructing their opening title sequence (33:00), and how this film “holds the tension of the opposites ” (42:50).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Director Avi Belkin's masterful 2019 film “Mike Wallace is Here” offers an unflinching look at the legendary reporter, who interrogated the 20th century's biggest figures in his over fifty years on air. Unearthing decades of never-before-seen footage from the 60 Minutes vault, the film explores what drove and plagued Wallace, whose storied career, marked by aggressive reporting style and showmanship, was entwined with the evolution of journalism itself. In his discussion with Tiller, Avi reflects on his foundational approach to nonfiction filmmaking (4:40), the tension between conventional storytelling and evolving the medium (11:00), the origin of “Mike Wallace is Here” (16:00), painting an faithful portrait of a dead man from a bygone era (21:00), moving between genres within one film (30:00), addressing the scene of Mike losing his son (37:30), and Mike's incredible interview with Barbara Streisand (45:00). 

Renowned cinema verité filmmaker Chris Hegedus, along with her late husband and co-director D.A. Pennebaker, was nominated for an Academy Award in 1993 for “The War Room”, a fleet-footed and entertaining documentary following the brainstorming and bull sessions of Bill Clinton's crack team of campaign consultants, especially James Carville and George Stephanopoulos, who became media stars in their own right. In her discussion with Tiller, Chris reflects on first getting connected with Pennebaker (3:00), recognizing dramatic verité stories to tell (11:30), meeting the larger-than-life star of “The War Room” James Carville (16:40), shooting only 40 hours on 16mm film (21:10), her and D.A.'s editing process (31:00), and ultimately when to put the paintbrush down (39:00). 

Director Bao Nguyen's new documentary “The Biggest Night in Pop” chronicles the dreamlike recording session for “We Are the World,” the 1985 charity single sung by a motley crew of America's biggest pop stars. In his conversation with Tiller, Bao reveals why he questioned if he was the right person to tell this story (3:00), his journey to find the long sought-after archival footage (8:40), the practice in ‘80s nostalgia (15:00), why he insisted on filming interviews at the same studio in Hollywood where they recorded the song (19:10), finding surprising characters in the unlikeliest places (26:00), and how they replicated the same filming look of the original music video, from using cheap TV doc crew lights to hunting down the same cameras used in 1985 (36:30).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Artist-turned-filmmaker (and old friend of Tiller's) Jill Magid joins the show to discuss her brilliant 2018 film “The Proposal”, which tracks her journey to recover the works of famed Mexican architect Luis Barragán from a Swiss bunker. Jill discusses with Tiller her artistic voyage from sculptor to filmmaker (3:40), her fascination with incorporating herself as a subject in her art (8:15), the project's organic evolution from art proposal to feature film (15:00), learning the medium of filmmaking and she went along (20:20), editing the film in a freezing make-shift bunker (31:20), and her carefully crafted performance of “self” (35:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

In his new film “Sly”, filmmaker Thom Zimny offers an intimate perspective of the great Sylvester Stallone by delving into his Hollywood successes, personal pitfalls, underdog story and its parallels with the characters he brought to life. In his conversation with Tiller, Thom discusses finding the rhythm of the film (5:45), the dream space of editing an archival-based film (9:10), letting the themes speak to him organically (15:00), the dramatic imagery of Sly moving homes (23:52), writing with visual grammar (29:38), and interviewing Sly for 7 hours (38:30). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

This one is from the vault. If you haven't seen Mad Hot Ballroom from director Marilyn Agrelo, stop now and go check it out. It's a classic and a masterpiece. Centered around a ballroom dancing competition for fifth grade dance teams in New York City elementary schools, Agrelo captures a genuine and life-affirming transformation as a group of children evolve from reticent novices to confident contestants versed in the Latin styles of foxtrot, merengue and rumba. Agrelo shares with Tiller the challenges of capturing the spirit of New York City (4:25), casting the right teachers and kid dancers (14:10), the mechanics of verité filming and simultaneous editing (21:22), the art of directing kids (28:50), being validated by local criminals (32:45), and the film's shocking critical reception (42:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

"The Space Race", a new film by directors Lisa Cortés and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, profiles the pioneering Black pilots, scientists, and engineers who joined NASA to serve their country in space, even as their country failed to achieve equality for them back on Earth. From 1963, when the assassination of JFK thwarted Captain Ed Dwight's quest to reach the moon, to 2020, when the echoes of the civil unrest sparked by the killing of George Floyd reached the International Space Station. In today's discussion, Lisa and Diego share their paths to documentaries (1:40), their co-directing process (5:30), the injection of “Afro-Futurism” (12:00), the impact of George Floyd's death on the International Space Station (21:48), and the experience of screening the film with the astronauts themselves (35:30). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Season 3 kicks off with one of the great nonfiction filmmakers working today, Brett Morgen - the director, writer and editor of the film "Moonage Daydream", which explores David Bowie's creative, spiritual, and musical journey. In his discussion with Tiller, Brett shares how a speech impediment led him to make documentaries (2:45), determining the visual style for each film (6:25), the making of his 2002 film "The Kid Stays in the Picture" (9:10), the origin of "Moonage Daydream" (18:45), the two-year process of personally screening David Bowie's entire video archive (29:00), how Homer's "Illiad" inspired the structure of the film (37:50), when he knows a project is finished (45:30), and Sean Penn's single note that saved the film (49:20). 

Seth Porges and Chris Charles Scott's darkly comedic hit film “Class Action Park” skirts the trappings of 1980s nostalgia and chronicles the unbelievable rise and fall of the most insane – and possibly the most dangerous – amusement park that ever existed. In his discussion with Tiller, Seth reflects on the universality of doing idiotic, dangerous things as kids (2:08), the vital tonal shift in the film from hilarity to death (6:40), creating the film on their own dime (19:05), the editorial process (23:20), landing the film at HBO right at the onset of Max (26:15), how the first outline barely changed (31:30), and the choice to feature himself as an on-screen interview as well as incorporate voice-over narration (36:10). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Filmmaker Steve James burst onto the scene in 1994 with his iconic documentary, "Hoop Dreams", a film that is widely considered one of the great works of American nonfiction cinema. His latest film, "A Compassionate Spy", tells the incredible story of Manhattan Project scientist Ted Hall, who, fearing the post-war risk of a nuclear holocaust, shared classified nuclear secrets with the Soviets. In today's episode, Steve discusses with Tiller the lasting legacy of "Hoop Dreams" (2:30), why he's made films outside of the streamer system (5:15), why he chose to make "A Compassionate Spy" (10:35), trusting his gut instinct (17:50), the production plan for "A Compassionate Spy" (22:40), how Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" helped revitalize this time period for storytelling (34:40), and the shocking misconceptions he uncovered about WWII, Ted Hall, and the Military Industrial Complex (40:00).

Kathryn Ferguson's 2022 film “Nothing Compares” follows the career of celebrated singer Sinéad O'Connor through her rise to fame and explores the ways her iconoclastic personality led to exile from the pop mainstream. In today's episode, Kathryn shares with Tiller the origin for the film (2:00), her writing process (10:00), interweaving archival with audio-only interviews (14:00), creating a visual iconography through original cinematic photography (20:45), screening the film for Sinéad (33:05), and honoring Sinéad's legacy (36:30).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

SNL directors and co-creators of the cult favorite Documentary Now! Rhys Thomas and Alex Buono join Tiller to discuss their mockumentary series starring Fred Armisen and Bill Hader, in which each episode is a masterful homage to a classic documentary film style. They reflect on their start at SNL (2:20), the blend of documentary and narrative storytelling (9:20), how much is improvised (13:50), the challenges of making totally unique episodes (20:30) how pressure lends itself to creativity (28:30), turning far-fetched hilarious ideas into reality (32:40), the benefit of having great writers (38:30), and how legendary documentarians have received their work (44:10). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producers: Tiller & Fitz Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

The two-part docuseries “San Francisco Sounds”, helmed by directing duo Alison Ellwood and Anoosh Tertzakian, celebrates the musical and artistic renaissance that exploded in the Bay Area from the mid-sixties into the mid-seventies. Featuring the music of Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Steve Miller, and many more, it's a glimpse into a time and place that changed the world of music, love, and culture forever. Anoosh and Alison talk with Tiller about transitioning from editing to directing (2:00), the journey from “Laurel Canyon” to “San Francisco Sounds” (7:00), the benefit to using audio-only interviews (14:00), why it took over a year to make this movie (19:05), finding a fresh approach to telling the story of Janis Joplin (22:10), how they craft performances from their key interviews (25:08), the parts of the story that surprised them the most (30:20), and how money changes even the best art (34:00).

Kartiki Gonsalves is the first Indian Film Director to have ever won an Academy Award in the history of India, which she received for her 2022 short film “The Elephant Whisperers”. Available on Netflix, this film follows a a couple in South India who devote their lives to caring for an orphaned baby elephant, forging a family like no other that tests the barrier between the human and the animal world. Kartiki shares with Tiller the experience of winning an Oscar (1:45), the origin of the film (5:30), the process of following her artistic instinct (11:05), intertwining the various love stories (16:40), finding the editorial structure (25:30), and the most special moment of the entire filmmaking process (31:00). 

Editor Chris Passig's latest work, HBO's “Telemarketers”, follows the 20-year journey of two telemarketers as they vow to expose the scam behind the American telemarketing industry. This three-part documentary takes you from an anarchic, seedy New Jersey call center filled with booze, drugs, and debauchery to the halls of the United States Senate as the world's unlikeliest journalists uncover a deep, nation-wide billion-dollar racket. Tiller speaks with Chris about how the series evolved from years of raw tapes into an HBO series with high-profile EPs (5:05), constructing multiple cohesive storylines in the edit (11:00), his shared background with director Sam Lipman-Stern (15:15), developing Sam and Pat Pespas's friendship on screen (20:00), screening the series for Pat (25:10), pacing the series (28:35), the lead characters' borderline stupid bravery (32:30), clarifying the complexity of the scam without including outside experts (37:20), and the reverberating effect of the series in the world (41:10).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producers: Tiller & Fitz Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Actor, writer, producer, director, and loving nephew. Griffin Dunne is the only man who could have directed "Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold", an intimate insight into the remarkable career and tragic struggles his aunt, literary icon Joan Didion. The 2017 film is a touching tribute which includes a trove of archival materials as well as an interview with Didion herself, one of her last appearances before her death in 2021. In this episode, Griffin shares with Tiller his reflections on the title of the film (1:50), how he convinced Joan to trust him with her legacy (5:12), amassing his cast of interview subjects (12:26), his tonal inspirations for the film (16:35), Joan's defining reaction to the acid-dropping five-year-old from "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" (23:38), his experience sharing the film with Joan (27:04), and her lasting legacy with new generations (32:41).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producers: Tiller & Fitz Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

The role of the Producer is complex, challenging, and ever-changing. Simon Chinn is a double Oscar-winning Producer who is responsible for some of the most successful feature documentaries of recent years, including “Man on Wire”, “Searching for Sugar Man”, and “LA92”. Simon shares with Tiller his thoughts on producing his first feature “Man on Wire” (1:48), pitching the film to director James Marsh and star Philippe Petit (10:00), the keys to building a prolific career as a documentary producer (26:30), the challenge of sustaining excellence (34:45), and the future of nonfiction (40:45).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producers: Tiller & Fitz Music by: James Carroll Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Jeff Tremaine is the king of “Jackass”. As director, writer, and producer, he shepherded the hilarious daredevil phenomenon not only onto TV screens in 2000, but into 8 feature films, including the spinoff “Bad Grandpa” and 2022's “Jackass Forever”. Yet behind the pranks, stunts, and pure Jackass-ery, there is a mastery of documentary filmmaking. Perhaps better than anyone else, Jeff has embodied the phrase “a method to the madness”. In his discussion with Tiller, Jeff reflects on the skateboard origins of Jackass (4:30), his “development” and “preproduction” processes (8:30), getting the first movie greenlit with MTV (16:00), finding new cast members for “Jackass Forever” (24:10), the hidden art of editing Jackass movies (32:45), how certain stunts go from funny to “crazy town” (44:00), his stress level while shooting (49:07), and what's next in his post-Jackass career (54:40).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producers: Tiller & Fitz Music by: James Carroll & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Director Julie Cohen, best known for her Oscar nominated film “RBG”, crafts a moving and eye-opening exploration of intersexuality in her new theatrical release, “Every Body.” By focusing on the lives of three intersex individuals – actor and screenwriter River Gallo, political consultant Alicia Roth Weigel, and Ph.D. student Sean Saifa Wall – Cohen foregrounds the ways the medical establishment and popular culture have historically denied the complexity of intersexuality by insisting on the existence of only two sexes. Julie speaks to Tiller about the incredible story that became the genesis of her film (3:30), finding her three star characters (10:00), society's intolerance for gender ambiguity (18:03), her method of simultaneous filming and editing (26:31), and screening the film for the intersex community (29:01). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producers: Tiller & Fitz Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Filmmaker Lesley Chilcott – perhaps best known for producing “An Inconvenient Truth” – recently directed Netflix's “Arnold”: a 3-part documentary series examining the life, work and deeper side of the cigar-chomping Governator action movie star…Arnold Schwarzenegger. In her conversation with Tiller, she discusses peeling back the complex layers of Arnold's story (4:50), her interview process with Arnold (8:30), showing a new side of Arnold in the opening sequence (15:05), selecting the cast of characters from campaign managers to James Cameron (20:20), broaching and navigating the awkward subjects (26:35), contending with the trove of archival materials (37:00), filming impressionistic scenes of Arnold's memory (40:50), and sharing the film with Arnold (43:50). 

Nick Rosen and Peter Mortimer make climbing films. It's their world and expertise. And when they heard about Marc-Andre Leclerc, the Canadian free-spirited 23-year-old free soloist who was making some of the boldest ascents in history, they knew they had to track him down. Nomadic and publicity shy, he doesn't own a phone or car, and is reluctant to let a film crew in on his pure vision of climbing. Thus began the journey to create THE ALPINIST, a fascinating, beautiful, and thrillingly filmed investigation into a life spent defying danger. In their conversation with Tiller, Nick and Peter talk about building their relationship with the elusive Marc-Andre (2:15), capturing the purity of Marc's spirit (7:18), the incredible discipline of alpine soloing (13:15), the process of writing such a kinetic film (17:55), mountaineering cinematography (23:40), and what it means to live a life well lived (31:40).

Acclaimed director Ondi Timoner's latest film “Last Flight Home” examines the last days of her father, Eli Timoner, and their family's emotional turmoil as they grapple with his decision to end his own life. Through the film, Ondi journeys back through Eli's remarkable life to discover the true meaning of tragic loss and enduring love. In her discussion with Tiller, Ondi reflects on the decision to film her dad in hospice (2:24), the powerful personalities in her family (9:20), the right to die (19:05), learning how to live with dignity (28:00), editing the scene of her father's death (33:50), and the profound impact the films has had on audiences (35:50).

R.J. Cutler's new four-part documentary series explores the high-stakes Miami criminal underworld through the eyes of the most daring jewel thief in American history turned alleged murderer, Jack Roland Murphy, aka “Murf the Surf.” Featuring exclusive access to Jack Roland Murphy himself prior to his death in 2020, the series addresses the blurred line between fact and fiction, faith and delusion, sanity and madness—raising the timely question of who we believe, and why. In their conversation, R.J. discusses with Tiller how he learned at the feet of masters (3:00), the making of his and D.A. Pennebaker's iconic verité film “The War Room” about James Carville (9:20), why we're so drawn to a murderous jewel thief as a main character (15:28), how Murf is the first true crime TV superstar (22:40), what it means to direct incredible collaborators (27:20), the symbolism behind his graphics and animation (31:31), what makes the documentary medium so malleable today (36:02), and whether Murf is a hustler, a liar, or truly born-again repentant (45:00).

Sebastian Junger's iconic Oscar-Nominated 2010 war epic RESTREPO chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, widely considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, "Restrepo," named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. Experiential, immersive, and raw, RESTREPO is a 90-minute deployment to a complicated, fraught warzone. Sebastian discusses with Tiller if it is an anti-war movie (1:43), his path to the Korengal Valley (5:30), the challenge of editing down months of footage (11:02), capturing emotional interviews with hardened soldiers (12:10), and incorporating footage of Platoon Medic Restrepo (16:30).

Academy award winning director Orlando von Einsiedel sits with Tiller to discuss his film VIRUNGA, a gripping expose of the realities of life in the Congo that follows a team of brave individuals risking their lives to protect the last mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park. Tiller also asks Orlando about his latest short film FROM DEVIL'S BREATH, a dramatic look at the catastrophic wildfires in Portugal in 2017 and a revolutionary scientific discovery creating hope in the face of climate change. During their discussion, Orlando describes his film selection process (2:10), the beginning of VIRUNGA (5:20), uncovering the story of corrupt oil drillers (9:18), recruiting an undercover journalist as a spy (13:49), financing the film (18:10), joining forces with Leonardo DiCaprio (23:00), creating FROM DEVIL'S BREATH (27:40), and intercutting dual narratives to tell one powerful story (33:10).

Bonus Series! This is Episode Four of the companion podcast series for Tiller's new Netflix series, Waco: American Apocalypse.  Waco: American Apocalypse is a deep dive into the Netflix documentary series, exploring topics and interviews that didn't make the final cut. In Episode Four, Tiller and Lee evaluate how the tragedy at Waco became a rallying cry for the anti-government movement within America as well as a foundation for arguments surrounding gun rights and religious freedom. Tiller also speaks with Bob Ricks, the FBI's Assistant Special Agent in Charge, about the FBI's failed response to Waco, rampant conspiracy theories, government distrust, Waco's connection to the Oklahoma City Bombing a year later, and how it resonates through to the present day.  

Bonus Series! This is Episode Three of the companion podcast series for Tiller's new Netflix series, Waco: American Apocalypse.  Waco: American Apocalypse is a deep dive into the Netflix documentary series, exploring topics and interviews that didn't make the final cut. In Episode Three, Tiller speaks to Lee about the challenge of objectively reporting on Waco and the lasting trauma the story has had on her life, as well as on those included in the documentary series. Featuring excerpts from interviews with KWTX reporter John McLemore, the sole reporter who covered the ATF raid live only to have his life upended by it, and David Thibodeau, perhaps the most well-known Branch Davidian alive today.  

Bonus Series! This is Episode Two of the companion podcast series for Tiller's new Netflix series, Waco: American Apocalypse.  Waco: American Apocalypse is a deep dive into the Netflix documentary series, exploring topics and interviews that didn't make the final cut. In Episode Two, Tiller speaks with Robert Rodriguez, an undercover agent with the ATF who embedded with David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. On the day of the raid, Robert knew the Davidians were tipped off that the ATF was coming, and he tried to call the whole thing off. However, despite his warnings, the ATF went ahead with their plan, resulting in the largest gunfight on US soil in over 100 years, and Robert was pinned as the scapegoat. In a rare interview not included in the documentary series, Robert shares intimate memories with Tiller from his time working undercover before narrating the day of the raid from his perspective in grueling detail.