Podcasts about annual austin film festival

The 29th Annual Austin Film Festival brought an eight-day uninhibited and authentic exploration of story. It was a conference for like-minded creators and an opportunity to view independent films. I love discovering new films and putting myself into a director or screenwriter's shoes to dive into how a film is made and what aesthetic and casting decisions were determined. After watching the dark comedy and unconventional spy story, Checkout, starring Josh Pais, Dar Zuzuvosky, and Norman Issa, I had the opportunity to sit down with Artistic Director Jonathan Dekel for a great conversation on his filmmaking process, how-to cross-cultural barriers within a single film, and how Checkout was inspired by true Mossad stories. Checkout follows Dov, played by Josh Pais, and shows a desperate Mossad spy who's forced to retire yet goes rogue. I don't want to Iive too much of the story away, but I will say that if you have an opportunity to checkout the movie Checkout, I urge you to see it because it is fantastic.  View more about Checkout here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10629014/ --- Please like, subscribe or follow this podcast on your preferred listening platform, and if you are even more ambitious, it would mean so much to me if you would complete a very short survey on how to shape future episodes of the podcast. Please consider filling out this short questionnaire by clicking here.   Be a part of this podcast! Sign up on our website to receive exclusive show insights and be the first to know about podcast extras and join the Neurons to Nirvana community.

This week on Yes But Why Podcast, we talk to eleven different filmmakers about their craft, their journey and their process. Listen in as they share stories from their experiences! And, since Austin Film Festival is still going on, you can check out all of these movies!Austin Film Festival was an amazing adventure for me. Yes But Why was invited to join the press corps and I spent the better part of Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th doing interviews in and around the Driskill Hotel in downtown Austin. I am excited to share them with you now! MARK WILSON & CHRIS RETTS (start 00:00:57)My first interview is with Mark Wilson and Chris Retts, the director and writer, respectively, of the film, Wade in the Water! They told me about how they have been working as a filmmaking team for 6 years and how they channel their creative flow to make movies together. Check out Wade in the Water tonight, Monday October 28th at 6:15pm at the Alamo Drafthouse Village. GUILLAUME LEVIL (start 00:18:47)Next up, I spoke with French screenwriter, Guillaume Levil. At the festival, Guillaume is presenting his uplifting short film, Running Naked in the Universe. In our chat, we talk about collaborative story development and the importance of making connections at festivals. I had the opportunity to moderate the Q&A for his premiere and it went great! Check out the 2nd screening of Running Naked in the Universe on Wednesday October 30th at 7pm at the Galaxy Highland movie theater. KATIE HYDE (start 00:53:22)Our next interview is with Katie Hyde, the director/producer/DP of Indie City Films. Katie is a “Jane of all trades” and in our conversation, we talked about giving opportunities to those who need it and building a great creative community. Katie is at the festival, promoting and presenting her film, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Oh My God I Think It’s Over,” a peek behind-the-scenes of the final rehearsals before the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend series finale! The documentary already played at the festival but keep your eyes peeled for a hopeful future release from the CW!ZOE WARD (start 01:14:00)My next chat was with filmmaker, Zoe Ward. Zoe’s short film, Soft & Pink, was made as her MFA thesis presentation at UCLA. I was excited to talk to Zoe about writing and directing her movie as well as composing both of the film’s musical numbers. I was also fortunate enough to moderate the Q&A for Zoe’s shorts program; Here, we discuss the theme of “good people doing bad things.” Your chance to see Soft & Pink is tonight, Monday October 28th at 6pm at the Galaxy Highland movie theater. DREW ROSAS (start 01:40:47)In my next interview, I chatted with filmmaker, Drew Rosas. Drew and his creative partner, Nick Sommer, have created a funny web series called Shangri-LA. Listen in as we chat about the magic of editing, doing PA work on commercials, and Drew’s newfound love of composing music. Check out the upcoming #AFF26 screening of Shangri-LA on Tuesday, October 29th at 3:45pm at the Rollins Theater or, go to the Shangri-LA website and watch the whole series at home! PAR PAREKH (start 02:04:31)The next conversation was a total surprise and I couldn’t be happier that I connected with him! Par Parekh is one of the most delightful people I have ever met. Par wrote, directed and acted in his short film, The Happy. He was sweet and funny in the interview and you’re going to love his stories! You can see Par’s short film, The Happy on Tuesday October 29th at 1pm at the Rollins Theater!ZACH LAMPLUGH & BRIAN EMOND (start 02:26:35)In this upcoming interview, I spoke with Zach Lamplugh and Brian Emond about their feature film, The VICE Guide to Bigfoot. I had moderated the Q&A for their premiere the night before and so we continued the conversation about the Atlanta comedy scene and about what it takes to put together a full length comedy movie like theirs. Go watch the 2nd screening of The VICE Guide to Bigfoot on Tuesday October 29th at 9:15pm at the Galaxy Highland movie theater!ELENA WEINBERG (start 02:42:25)Next up, I talk to Elena Weinberg of TurtleDove Films. Elena and her husband, Duncan Coe, made the feature film, A Room Full of Nothing. The movie premiered on Saturday night at the Austin Film Festival and I had the opportunity to host their Q & A! Elena and I sat down before the premiere to talk about learning Shakespeare, about creating project challenges for yourself to improve your skills and about finding your tribe. You still have a chance to see A Room Full of Nothing on Wednesday October 30th at 1:45pm at the Hideout Theater! (extra tidbit: Austin Improv scavenger hunt – one of our fine comedy institutions is a location in the movie! Tweet me at @YBYpodcast when you figure it out!)MARISSA TANDON (start 03:03:21)Our final interview is with podcaster, Marissa Tandon. An Austin Film Festival success story, Marissa entered a podcast script competition in 2017 and has since been producing and writing her own audio fiction podcast, Super Ordinary! Marissa is a great inspiration to me, as I have recently been very interested in writing an audio fiction podcast. She taught me a lot in this discussion! Listen in as we talk about developing new shows in her writers room, casting from the LA comedy scene and scratching the itch of creativity. Support Marissa by listening to her podcast, Super Ordinary on Tandonproductions.com! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Download the FREE HC Universal Network app for Android and iDevices or visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com and join the fun.This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This week on Yes But Why Podcast, we talk to eleven different filmmakers about their craft, their journey and their process. Listen in as they share stories from their experiences! And, since Austin Film Festival is still going on, you can check out all of these movies! Austin Film Festival was an amazing adventure for me. Yes But Why was invited to join the press corps and I spent the better part of Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th doing interviews in and around the Driskill Hotel in downtown Austin. I am excited to share them with you now! MARK WILSON & CHRIS RETTS (start 00:00:57) My first interview is with Mark Wilson and Chris Retts, the director and writer, respectively, of the film, Wade in the Water! They told me about how they have been working as a filmmaking team for 6 years and how they channel their creative flow to make movies together. Check out Wade in the Water tonight, Monday October 28th at 6:15pm at the Alamo Drafthouse Village. GUILLAUME LEVIL (start 00:18:47) Next up, I spoke with French screenwriter, Guillaume Levil. At the festival, Guillaume is presenting his uplifting short film, Running Naked in the Universe. In our chat, we talk about collaborative story development and the importance of making connections at festivals. I had the opportunity to moderate the Q&A for his premiere and it went great! Check out the 2nd screening of Running Naked in the Universe on Wednesday October 30th at 7pm at the Galaxy Highland movie theater. KATIE HYDE (start 00:53:22) Our next interview is with Katie Hyde, the director/producer/DP of Indie City Films. Katie is a “Jane of all trades” and in our conversation, we talked about giving opportunities to those who need it and building a great creative community. Katie is at the festival, promoting and presenting her film, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Oh My God I Think It’s Over,” a peek behind-the-scenes of the final rehearsals before the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend series finale! The documentary already played at the festival but keep your eyes peeled for a hopeful future release from the CW! ZOE WARD (start 01:14:00) My next chat was with filmmaker, Zoe Ward. Zoe’s short film, Soft & Pink, was made as her MFA thesis presentation at UCLA. I was excited to talk to Zoe about writing and directing her movie as well as composing both of the film’s musical numbers. I was also fortunate enough to moderate the Q&A for Zoe’s shorts program; Here, we discuss the theme of “good people doing bad things.” Your chance to see Soft & Pink is tonight, Monday October 28th at 6pm at the Galaxy Highland movie theater. DREW ROSAS (start 01:40:47) In my next interview, I chatted with filmmaker, Drew Rosas. Drew and his creative partner, Nick Sommer, have created a funny web series called Shangri-LA. Listen in as we chat about the magic of editing, doing PA work on commercials, and Drew’s newfound love of composing music. Check out the upcoming #AFF26 screening of Shangri-LA on Tuesday, October 29th at 3:45pm at the Rollins Theater or, go to the Shangri-LA website and watch the whole series at home! PAR PAREKH (start 02:04:31) The next conversation was a total surprise and I couldn’t be happier that I connected with him! Par Parekh is one of the most delightful people I have ever met. Par wrote, directed and acted in his short film, The Happy. He was sweet and funny in the interview and you’re going to love his stories! You can see Par’s short film, The Happy on Tuesday October 29th at 1pm at the Rollins Theater! ZACH LAMPLUGH & BRIAN EMOND (start 02:26:35) In this upcoming interview, I spoke with Zach Lamplugh and Brian Emond about their feature film, The VICE Guide to Bigfoot. I had moderated the Q&A for their premiere the night before and so we continued the conversation about the Atlanta comedy scene and about what it takes to put together a full length comedy movie like theirs. Go watch the 2nd screening of The VICE Guide to Bigfoot on Tuesday October 29th at 9:15pm at the Galaxy Highland movie theater! ELENA WEINBERG (start 02:42:25) Next up, I talk to Elena Weinberg of TurtleDove Films. Elena and her husband, Duncan Coe, made the feature film, A Room Full of Nothing. The movie premiered on Saturday night at the Austin Film Festival and I had the opportunity to host their Q & A! Elena and I sat down before the premiere to talk about learning Shakespeare, about creating project challenges for yourself to improve your skills and about finding your tribe. You still have a chance to see A Room Full of Nothing on Wednesday October 30th at 1:45pm at the Hideout Theater! (extra tidbit: Austin Improv scavenger hunt – one of our fine comedy institutions is a location in the movie! Tweet me at @YBYpodcast when you figure it out!) MARISSA TANDON (start 03:03:21) Our final interview is with podcaster, Marissa Tandon. An Austin Film Festival success story, Marissa entered a podcast script competition in 2017 and has since been producing and writing her own audio fiction podcast, Super Ordinary! Marissa is a great inspiration to me, as I have recently been very interested in writing an audio fiction podcast. She taught me a lot in this discussion! Listen in as we talk about developing new shows in her writers room, casting from the LA comedy scene and scratching the itch of creativity. Support Marissa by listening to her podcast, Super Ordinary on Tandonproductions.com! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Download the FREE HC Universal Network app for Android and iDevices or visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com and join the fun. This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This week on Yes But Why Podcast, we talk to eleven different filmmakers about their craft, their journey and their process. Listen in as they share stories from their experiences! And, since Austin Film Festival is still going on, you can check out all of these movies!Austin Film Festival was an amazing adventure for me. Yes But Why was invited to join the press corps and I spent the better part of Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th doing interviews in and around the Driskill Hotel in downtown Austin. I am excited to share them with you now! MARK WILSON & CHRIS RETTS (start 00:00:57)My first interview is with Mark Wilson and Chris Retts, the director and writer, respectively, of the film, Wade in the Water! They told me about how they have been working as a filmmaking team for 6 years and how they channel their creative flow to make movies together. Check out Wade in the Water tonight, Monday October 28th at 6:15pm at the Alamo Drafthouse Village. GUILLAUME LEVIL (start 00:18:47)Next up, I spoke with French screenwriter, Guillaume Levil. At the festival, Guillaume is presenting his uplifting short film, Running Naked in the Universe. In our chat, we talk about collaborative story development and the importance of making connections at festivals. I had the opportunity to moderate the Q&A for his premiere and it went great! Check out the 2nd screening of Running Naked in the Universe on Wednesday October 30th at 7pm at the Galaxy Highland movie theater. KATIE HYDE (start 00:53:22)Our next interview is with Katie Hyde, the director/producer/DP of Indie City Films. Katie is a “Jane of all trades” and in our conversation, we talked about giving opportunities to those who need it and building a great creative community. Katie is at the festival, promoting and presenting her film, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Oh My God I Think It’s Over,” a peek behind-the-scenes of the final rehearsals before the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend series finale! The documentary already played at the festival but keep your eyes peeled for a hopeful future release from the CW!ZOE WARD (start 01:14:00)My next chat was with filmmaker, Zoe Ward. Zoe’s short film, Soft & Pink, was made as her MFA thesis presentation at UCLA. I was excited to talk to Zoe about writing and directing her movie as well as composing both of the film’s musical numbers. I was also fortunate enough to moderate the Q&A for Zoe’s shorts program; Here, we discuss the theme of “good people doing bad things.” Your chance to see Soft & Pink is tonight, Monday October 28th at 6pm at the Galaxy Highland movie theater. DREW ROSAS (start 01:40:47)In my next interview, I chatted with filmmaker, Drew Rosas. Drew and his creative partner, Nick Sommer, have created a funny web series called Shangri-LA. Listen in as we chat about the magic of editing, doing PA work on commercials, and Drew’s newfound love of composing music. Check out the upcoming #AFF26 screening of Shangri-LA on Tuesday, October 29th at 3:45pm at the Rollins Theater or, go to the Shangri-LA website and watch the whole series at home! PAR PAREKH (start 02:04:31)The next conversation was a total surprise and I couldn’t be happier that I connected with him! Par Parekh is one of the most delightful people I have ever met. Par wrote, directed and acted in his short film, The Happy. He was sweet and funny in the interview and you’re going to love his stories! You can see Par’s short film, The Happy on Tuesday October 29th at 1pm at the Rollins Theater!ZACH LAMPLUGH & BRIAN EMOND (start 02:26:35)In this upcoming interview, I spoke with Zach Lamplugh and Brian Emond about their feature film, The VICE Guide to Bigfoot. I had moderated the Q&A for their premiere the night before and so we continued the conversation about the Atlanta comedy scene and about what it takes to put together a full length comedy movie like theirs. Go watch the 2nd screening of The VICE Guide to Bigfoot on Tuesday October 29th at 9:15pm at the Galaxy Highland movie theater!ELENA WEINBERG (start 02:42:25)Next up, I talk to Elena Weinberg of TurtleDove Films. Elena and her husband, Duncan Coe, made the feature film, A Room Full of Nothing. The movie premiered on Saturday night at the Austin Film Festival and I had the opportunity to host their Q & A! Elena and I sat down before the premiere to talk about learning Shakespeare, about creating project challenges for yourself to improve your skills and about finding your tribe. You still have a chance to see A Room Full of Nothing on Wednesday October 30th at 1:45pm at the Hideout Theater! (extra tidbit: Austin Improv scavenger hunt – one of our fine comedy institutions is a location in the movie! Tweet me at @YBYpodcast when you figure it out!)MARISSA TANDON (start 03:03:21)Our final interview is with podcaster, Marissa Tandon. An Austin Film Festival success story, Marissa entered a podcast script competition in 2017 and has since been producing and writing her own audio fiction podcast, Super Ordinary! Marissa is a great inspiration to me, as I have recently been very interested in writing an audio fiction podcast. She taught me a lot in this discussion! Listen in as we talk about developing new shows in her writers room, casting from the LA comedy scene and scratching the itch of creativity. Support Marissa by listening to her podcast, Super Ordinary on Tandonproductions.com! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Download the FREE HC Universal Network app for Android and iDevices or visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com and join the fun.This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This week on Yes But Why Podcast, we talk to eleven different filmmakers about their craft, their journey and their process. Listen in as they share stories from their experiences! And, since Austin Film Festival is still going on, you can check out all of these movies! Austin Film Festival was an amazing adventure for me. Yes But Why was invited to join the press corps and I spent the better part of Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th doing interviews in and around the Driskill Hotel in downtown Austin. I am excited to share them with you now! MARK WILSON & CHRIS RETTS (start 00:00:57) My first interview is with Mark Wilson and Chris Retts, the director and writer, respectively, of the film, Wade in the Water! They told me about how they have been working as a filmmaking team for 6 years and how they channel their creative flow to make movies together. Check out Wade in the Water tonight, Monday October 28th at 6:15pm at the Alamo Drafthouse Village. GUILLAUME LEVIL (start 00:18:47) Next up, I spoke with French screenwriter, Guillaume Levil. At the festival, Guillaume is presenting his uplifting short film, Running Naked in the Universe. In our chat, we talk about collaborative story development and the importance of making connections at festivals. I had the opportunity to moderate the Q&A for his premiere and it went great! Check out the 2nd screening of Running Naked in the Universe on Wednesday October 30th at 7pm at the Galaxy Highland movie theater. KATIE HYDE (start 00:53:22) Our next interview is with Katie Hyde, the director/producer/DP of Indie City Films. Katie is a “Jane of all trades” and in our conversation, we talked about giving opportunities to those who need it and building a great creative community. Katie is at the festival, promoting and presenting her film, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Oh My God I Think It’s Over,” a peek behind-the-scenes of the final rehearsals before the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend series finale! The documentary already played at the festival but keep your eyes peeled for a hopeful future release from the CW! ZOE WARD (start 01:14:00) My next chat was with filmmaker, Zoe Ward. Zoe’s short film, Soft & Pink, was made as her MFA thesis presentation at UCLA. I was excited to talk to Zoe about writing and directing her movie as well as composing both of the film’s musical numbers. I was also fortunate enough to moderate the Q&A for Zoe’s shorts program; Here, we discuss the theme of “good people doing bad things.” Your chance to see Soft & Pink is tonight, Monday October 28th at 6pm at the Galaxy Highland movie theater. DREW ROSAS (start 01:40:47) In my next interview, I chatted with filmmaker, Drew Rosas. Drew and his creative partner, Nick Sommer, have created a funny web series called Shangri-LA. Listen in as we chat about the magic of editing, doing PA work on commercials, and Drew’s newfound love of composing music. Check out the upcoming #AFF26 screening of Shangri-LA on Tuesday, October 29th at 3:45pm at the Rollins Theater or, go to the Shangri-LA website and watch the whole series at home! PAR PAREKH (start 02:04:31) The next conversation was a total surprise and I couldn’t be happier that I connected with him! Par Parekh is one of the most delightful people I have ever met. Par wrote, directed and acted in his short film, The Happy. He was sweet and funny in the interview and you’re going to love his stories! You can see Par’s short film, The Happy on Tuesday October 29th at 1pm at the Rollins Theater! ZACH LAMPLUGH & BRIAN EMOND (start 02:26:35) In this upcoming interview, I spoke with Zach Lamplugh and Brian Emond about their feature film, The VICE Guide to Bigfoot. I had moderated the Q&A for their premiere the night before and so we continued the conversation about the Atlanta comedy scene and about what it takes to put together a full length comedy movie like theirs. Go watch the 2nd screening of The VICE Guide to Bigfoot on Tuesday October 29th at 9:15pm at the Galaxy Hig

This Special Presentation of On Story is a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival. We talked with the filmmakers whose work represent some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world about the challenges they faced in their creative process, and the breakthroughs that led them to The Austin Film Festival. This week on On Story, director, Elizabeth Coffman, discusses her documentary feature which chronicles the life and work of acclaimed author and novelist Flannery O’Connor. O’Connor was a Southern writer who often wrote in a Southern Gothic style that relied heavily on regional settings and characters. Coffman spoke about developing the documentary and the connections between the O’Connor’s writing and personal experiences. Flannery premieres at the Hideout Theatre on Sunday, October 27th. 

This Special Presentation of On Story is a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival. We talked with the filmmakers whose work represent some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world about the challenges they faced in their creative process, and the breakthroughs that led them to The Austin Film Festival. This week on On Story, director, Zach Lamplugh, discusses his comedy, The Vice Guide to Bigfoot. The film tells the story of a Vice clickbait reporter sent to the Appalachian foothills to follow a crypto zoologist on the trail of the infamous Bigfoot.   I spoke to Zac ahead of the film’s world premiere at the Alamo Drafthouse Village on Friday, October 25th. 

This Special Presentation of On Story is a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival. We talked with the filmmakers whose work represent some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world about the challenges they faced in their creative process, and the breakthroughs that led them to The Austin Film Festival. This week on On Story, writer and director, Danish Renzu, discusses his film, The Illegal. The film stars Life of Pi actor Suraj Sharma and explores his journey living as an immigrant in Los Angeles and chasing the American Dream. A native of Kashmir and an alum of UCLA, Danish Renzu has directed several award-winning short films. I spoke to Danish ahead of the film’s premiere at the Rollins Theatre on Saturday, October 26th. 

On this Special Presentation of On Story we're taking a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival. We talked with the filmmakers whose work represent some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world about the challenges they faced in their creative process, and the breakthroughs that led them to The Austin Film Festival. This week on On Story, co-writers and directors Alexandra Kotcheff and Hannah Leder discuss the process of making their feature film, The Planters. The film is a whimsically stylized comedy about a woman who buries treasure in the desert and  befriends another young woman with a multitude of personalities. Kotcheff and Leder both star in the film.  

This Special Presentation of On Story is a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival. We talked with the filmmakers whose work represent some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world about the challenges they faced in their creative process, and the breakthroughs that led them to The Austin Film Festival. This week on On Story, Man Camp writer and actor, Daniel Cummings. Daniel’s best-known performances come from his recurring and guest star roles on TV shows such as NCIS and General Hospital. Cummings currently stars in Man Camp and plays one of three adult brothers who discovers their mother is engaged to a man very different from their late father.  

On this special presentation of On Story, we’re taking a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival and the filmmakers behind these films. We spoke with filmmakers whose work represents some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world and the challenges they faced in their creative process as well as the breakthroughs that led them to Austin Film Festival. On this week’s On Story, writer/director Van Ditthavong discusses his feature film Sleeping in Plastic. The film tells the story of a high school wrestler who becomes ensnared by an alluring drifter. Desperate to escape her sadistic lover, he is drawn deeper into the dangerous underside of his small Texas town.   Van Ditthavong was born in Vientiane, Laos and immigrated to the US when he was 4-years-old. He began his career as an award-winning still photographer before transitioning to filmmaking. His short films have been screened at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, The Independent Filmmakers Showcase, The Atlanta Shortsfest, and The Pasadena International Film Festival.  Sleeping in Plastic stars Alex MacNicoll, Addison Timlin, Nick Chinlund, and Dash Mihok and is produced by Red Entertainment and goPOP FILMS. This is Van Ditthavong's first feature directing debut.    

On this special presentation of On Story, we’re taking a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival and the filmmakers behind these films. We spoke with filmmakers whose work represents some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world and the challenges they faced in their creative process as well as the breakthroughs that led them to Austin Film Festival. On this week’s On Story, director Matt Patterson discusses his feature film Apartment 413. The film tells the story of Marco, played by actor Nicholas Saenz who is running out of time to find a job before his girlfriend, Dana, has their first baby. However the walls begin to close in around him and his grip on reality begins to slip into a psychological nightmare. Matt Patterson is an award-winning writer, producer and director. Patterson has written 8 feature screenplays, 1 sitcom pilot, produced 3 features and over 100 media projects. Patterson also co-founded Matter Media Studios.  

On this special presentation of On Story, we’re taking a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival and the filmmakers behind these films. We spoke with filmmakers whose work represents some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world and the challenges they faced in their creative process as well as the breakthroughs that led them to Austin Film Festival. On this week’s On Story, co-writers and directors John Langmore and Bud Force discuss their feature documentary Cowboys: A Documentary Portrait. Told in the cinematic tradition of classic westerns, the film gives viewers a first-hand account from modern working cowboys on some of America’s largest and most remote cattle ranches.  John Langmore is a former working cowboy who spent five years photographing cowboys on twelve of the country’s largest ranches, His recently published book, Open Range: America's Big-Outfit Cowboy, is the result of over six years of work photographing on fourteen of the country's largest ranches, all running full crews of horseback cowboys. Bud Force is an award-winning director and cinematographer based in Austin, Texas. He has been involved in the agriculture industry most of his life. Bud is a former rodeo cowboy who has spent the past decade producing brand films and documentaries around the world. I spoke to John Langmore and Bud Force about Cowboys: A Documentary Portrait presented by Hill Country Conservancy ahead of the film’s world premiere at the historical Paramount Theatre on Friday, October 25th.   

This week on On Story we’ll hear from legendary independent filmmaker Roger Corman whose extensive body of work includes over 500 film credits. And later, we’ll hear from writer and director Nicole Holofcener on her films Please Give, The Land of Steady Habits and Enough Said. Roger Corman is a trailblazer in the world of independent filmmaking. Often called “The Pope of Pop Cinema,” Corman opted out of the major studio system early on by founding his own production and distribution company, New World Pictures, in 1970. His extensive film credits include cult classics The Wild Angles, Little Shop of Horrors, The Trip, and The Intruder. Corman is also widely known for mentoring a number of filmmakers including James Cameron, Gale Anne, Hurd,  Francis Ford Coppola, Jonathan Demme, and Ron Howard. Roger Corman spoke about his 50 year career with Josephson Entertainment president, Barry Josephson, at the 25th Anniversary Austin Film Festival where he was receiving the Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking award. Clip of Dementia 13 courtesy of Roger Corman Productions and American International Pictures (AIP) Clip of The Wild Angels courtesy of American International Pictures (AIP) Clip of The Intruder (1962) courtesy of Filmgroup, Inc. and Astor Pictures Corporation Nicole Holofcener has written and directed six feature films, including Friends with Money, Enough Said, and most recently The Land of Steady Habits. In 2019, Holofcener was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for her script Can You Ever Forgive Me. In addition to her feature work, Holofcener has directed numerous television shows including Orange is the New Black, Togetherness, One Mississippi and the upcoming HBO series Mrs. Fletcher. Holofcener spoke with Pixar’s Head of Creative Development, Mary Coleman at the 25th Annual Austin Film Festival. Clips of Please Give courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics, Inc. Clips of Enough Said courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation  

This week on On Story we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Robert Altman film Cookie’s Fortune with a conversation with the film’s screenwriter Anne Rapp & the 30th anniversary of Dead Poets Society with Academy Award® winning writer Tom Schulman. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Mississippi set ‘non-murder’ mystery Cookie’s Fortune. The film marked director Robert Altman’s second collaboration with writer Anne Raap – Raap’s short story All The President’s Women was previously adapted into an episode of the television series Gun and the two would later go on to collaborate on a second feature Dr. T & The Women.  I spoke with Anne Raap after a special 20th anniversary screening of the film earlier this year. Clips of Cookie’s Fortune courtesy of Moonstone Entertainment & Sandcastle 5 Productions Next up, a conversation with screenwriter Tom Schulman who won an Academy Award® for best original screenplay for his film Dead Poets Society which was released 30 years ago this year. The film, directed by Peter Weir, follows a group of students studying in a conservative Vermont boarding school in 1959 and the English teacher who inspires them through poetry. Schulman discussed the film at the 21st Annual Austin Film Festival with filmmaker Christopher Boone. Clips of Dead Poets Society courtesy of Touchstone Pictures a.a.d.o. the Walt Disney Company

This week on On Story we’ll hear from writer, producer, and showrunner Graham Yost. Yost has been behind 90's action hits Speed and Broken Arrow, World War II epics Band of Brothers and The Pacific, and the suspenseful TV dramas Justified and the recent Golden Globe winning FX series The Americans. And later we’ll hear from husband and wife creators Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller on the second season of their Netflix comedy series Friends from College which stars Fred Savage, Keegan-Michael Key, and Cobie Smulders. In the 1990’s he wrote the Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock action hit Speed. He followed the success of that film by writing a string of action hits that included Broken Arrow, and The Last Castle. In the 2000’s Yost returned to television writing two installments of the Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning World War II series Band of Brothers and the Emmy Award winning follow up The Pacific. Most recently Yost was the showrunner of the Emmy winning FX series Justified, the Executive Producer on the Golden Globe winning series The Americans, and showrunner of the Amazon series Sneaky Pete which was co-created by actor Bryan Cranston. Clips of Justified courtesy of Sony Pictures Television Inc. & Bluebush Productions, LLC. Clips of Justifiedcourtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Corporation.  Netflix’s original series Friends from College follows six Harvard alums living New York City in their 40s and the complicated relationships they have with each other. The series was created by husband and wife team Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller. Stoller is known for writing and directing comedy films Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Neighbors, and Get Him to the Greek. The pair spoke about creating the comedy series after the Season 2 premiere at the 25 Annual Austin Film Festival. Clips and trailers of Friends from College courtesy of Netflix, Inc.  

This week on On Story we’ll hear from screenwriting duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods on how the classic silent films of Charlie Chaplin and Jacques Tati and the board game Monopoly inspired 2018’s biggest horror hit A Quiet Place. Later we’ll hear from Veteran screenwriter Linda Woolverton who is responsible for writing some of Disney’s most beloved films; Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Maleficent. Filmmakers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods first met as sixth-graders in their hometown of Bettendorf, Iowa. The two quickly began a creative collaboration that continues today.  Most recently the pair wrote the screenplay for A Quiet Place. The film stars Emily Blunt and John Krasinski as a husband and wife who are forced to raise a family in a post apocalyptic world surrounded by monsters who hunt anything that makes a noise.  The horror film was one of 2018’s biggest hits – it received critical acclaim and grossed over $300 million. Filmmaker Christopher Boone spoke with Beck and Woods about writing the genre script at the 25th Annual Austin Film Festival in 2018. Clips of A Quiet Place courtesy of Paramount Pictures Corporation. Writer Linda Woolverton has built a career on telling family friendly stories. In 1991 she wrote her first animated feature, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. The film won a Golden Globe and became the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards®. She continued her success with Disney by contributing to the scripts for The Lion King, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey and Mulan. More recently, Woolverton wrote the screenplays for Tim Burton’s live-action Alice in Wonderland and 2014’s Maleficent which starred Angelina Jolie. Story Bar Founder Erin Hallagan spoke with Linda Woolverton at the 25th Annual Austin Film Festival in 2018. Clips of Beauty and the Beast (1991) courtesy of the Walt Disney Company. Clips of Alice in Wonderland (2010) & Maleficent courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Michael returns from Austin, Texas with a report on what he learned at the 25th Annual Austin Film Festival & Writer’s Conference. Find out what’s new in the world of film, television and podcasting! Enjoy! Show Notes Death of the Hollywood Middle Class (via Fast Company) ScriptNotes podcast (Recommended listening: Episode 373: Austin Live Show)

Hey, Jason, is that a plum in your pocket, or are you just happy to see us? Joe and Laura hit the red carpet of the 25th Annual Austin Film Festival on a quest to interview Academy Award-winning actress, Natalie Portman, and podcast legend, Jason Mantzoukas. Laura asks the tough questions: What’s your favorite color? Is that Carhartt you’re wearing? And Joe discovers that Nat-nat Portman is a Beto O’Rourke supporter. But it’s not all Hollywood glitz and glamor when these two podcast hosts experience a soul-crushing defeat. Will they rise to the occasion and become AFF’s red carpet MVPs? Someone better rent a Bissell because Joe and Laura are about to leave it all on the carpet. To see an exclusive video of Joe and Laura’s interview with Jason Mantzoukas, become a Patron! https://www.patreon.com/heavyfriending Don’t forget to check out “The Long Dumb Road,” starring Jason Mantzoukas, on November 9th and “Vox Lux,” starring Natalie Portman, on December 7th! Please subscribe to Heavy Friending and follow us on social media! Twitter & Instagram: @heavyfriending Joe: @mrjoebarlow Laura: @thelauraleeb heavyfriending@gmail.com

We were saddened to learn of the loss of screenwriter Audrey Wells. A former Austin Film Festival panelist, Audrey was incredibly generous with her time and expertise and was an artist our registrants were always eager to learn from. Through her work, Audrey's voice shone through as one of inspiration, passion, and empowerment. The characters she created time and again were full of strength and depth, and he spirit will live on through the films she shared with the world. Our thoughts go out to Audrey's friends and family during this difficult time. Here's a short clip of Wells discussing the challenges of adapting Under the Tuscan Sun with writers Bill Witliff and Aline Brosh McKenna and moderated by Robert Draper, from the 14th Annual Austin Film Festival in 2007.

On this week’s episode, second generation actor Ed Begley Jr. talks about what he looks for when choosing new projects, finding the pain in a character, working with Christopher Guest and other comedy legends. Ed Begley Jr. has performed in hundreds of movies and television shows, including An Officer and a Gentleman, St. Elsewhere, This Is Spinal Tap, Batman Forever, Pineapple Express, Better Call Saul, and Best in Show. He is most recognized for his role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich on the television series St. Elsewhere for which he received six consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award Nomination. He is a recurring cast member in several of the mockumentaries written by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy. Barbara Morgan spoke with Ed Begley at the 23rd Annual Austin Film Festival in 2016. 

On this week’s episode, the creative team behind the new film Chappaquiddick which tells the true story of Ted Kennedy’s 1969 car accident which resulted in the death of campaign staff member, Mary Jo Kopechne. We'll also hear from New Girl creator Elizabeth Merriwether and Academy award® winning filmmaker Kenneth Lonergan on their process writing between mediums. The new film Chappaquiddick depicts the events following Ted Kennedy’s 1969 late night single car accident that resulted in the death of one of his campaign staff members. I spoke with writers Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan and director John Curran about the research required to write a true story and the responsibility they felt depicting the victim Mary Jo Kopechne. The following discussion was recorded at the 24th Annual Austin Film Festival after a screening of Chappaquiddick at the Historic Paramount Theater in 2017. Clips of Chappaquiddick courtesy Apex Entertainment and Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures Next up we’ll hear from New Girl creator Elizabeth Meriwether. The Fox comedy series starring Zooey Deschanel is currently in its seventh and final season. The show has been nominated for five Golden Globes and five Emmy awards. Before working in television, Meriwether started her career as a New York playwright. She spoke with House of Cards creator Beau Willimon at the 23rd annual Austin Film Festival in 2016. Clips of New Girl courtesy 20th Century Fox Television, Elizabeth Meriwether Pictures and Chernin Entertainment. Now we’ll hear from award-winning playwright and filmmaker, Kenneth Lonergan.  Lonergan’s theatrical work includes This is Our Youth, Lobby Hero, and The Starry Messenger. As a filmmaker he wrote and directed You Can Count on Me, Margaret, and Manchester by the Sea, which he won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. I spoke with Kenneth Lonergan at the 24th Austin Film Festival where he received the 2017 Distinguished Screenwriter award. Clips of You Can Count on Me courtesy of Paramount Classics. Clips of Manchester by the Sea courtesy of KFilms Manchester, LLC. and Roadside Attractions  

On this week’s episode of On Story from Austin Film Festival and PRI, we bring you a look at independent releases including Rob Reiner’s, LBJ, Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut, Lady Bird and we bring you a look at how the classic 1970’s action thriller, The Seven-Ups influenced HBO’s hit series, The Deuce. We start this episode of On Story with a look at how the film, LBJ came to life with actor Woody Harrelson who portrays the president and director and producer, Rob Reiner. We continue this episode of On Story with actress Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut, Lady Bird. Director Greta Gerwig was in attendance for this year’s 24th Annual Austin Film Festival and discusses how the film came to life. The directrial debut by actress Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha, Mistress America), Lady Bird stars Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn, The Grand Budapest Hotel) as Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson, a young woman who fights against but is exactly like her wildly loving, deeply opinionated and strong-willed mom (Laurie Metcalf), a nurse working tirelessly to keep her family afloat after Lady Bird's father (Tracy Letts) loses his job. Director Greta Gerwig was in attendance for this year’s 24th Annual Austin Film Festival. Clips in the following segment copyright: Lady Bird, InterActiveCorp Films, LLC and A24. In this final segment we discuss some of the influences on the HBO series, The Deuce with author, writer, and co-creator of the hit series, George Pelecanos. I spoke with Pelecanos at a special retrospective screening of the detective thriller, The Seven-Ups and how the film influenced some of the parallels of his show, The Deuce. George Pelecanos is an independent film producer, screenwriter, the recipient of numerous international writing awards, and was a producer and writer on the HBO series The Wire, Treme, The Pacific, and the upcoming The Deuce.  He is the author of twenty novels set in and around Washington, D.C.