First Time Go

Benjamin Duchek
First Time Go
DIRECTOR'S CLUB

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A weekly podcast highlighting the creators of independent film and the business behind it. Hosted by Ben Duchek.

  1. Matthew Heineman

    15. LOKAK.

    Matthew Heineman

    There is no other filmmaker working today that personifies being the "man in the arena", as Theodore Roosevelt so eloquently put it, than Matthew Heineman. His films have ranged from the frontlines of wars to the sweet and touching portrayal of Jon Batiste in AMERICAN SYMPHONY (2023). Just making one such film could be a career pinnacle -- Matthew has directed 14 wholly original, extraordinary special artistic contributions to the medium -- and he's here to share the details. In this episode, we discuss: you don't just walk onto the stage of Radio City Music Hall, in a special operations team room, or in a emergency room during COVID -- these are remarkably unique places. How did he manage that?how he is comfortable in such a wide array of different topics;whether he would recommend his path (he says it's important to have a "curiosity about the world");how his first film, OUR TIME (2009) was in a way his film school;how he sees the difference between journalism and documentary;his process regarding trust between filmmaker and subject ("trust is everything"), and he talks about how he earned the trust for the closeups in AMERICAN SYMPHONY;the story behind the creation of AMERICAN SYMPHONY;his reaction to the whiplash of the media regarding its chances at the Oscars and how he views awards as a filmmaker; Matt talks movingly about his relationship with awards as his career has evolved;"why do we make art and who do we make art for are questions that we constantly need to be asking";his relationship with the art of filmmaking, his friendship with Roger Deakins, and the importance of sound;what's next for one of the most talented filmmakers we have in both the narrative and documentary world and how he is able to toggle between both successfully. Matt's Indie Film Highlight: MURDERBALL (2005) dir. by Dana Adam Shapiro; Henry-Alex Rubin; SHERMAN'S MARCH (1986) dir. by Ross McElwee Links: Our Time Projects Follow Matthew on Instagram Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

    32 min
  2. Sian Astor-Lewis

    8. LOKAK.

    Sian Astor-Lewis

    The debut feature, TO NOWHERE (2020), of Sian Astor-Lewis is one of the best films I've seen this year, and she's here to talk about it. It's available now for streaming on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Nowhere-Sian-Astor-Lewis/dp/B0CWN8K3M3/), Tubi (https://tubitv.com/movies/100025711/to-nowhere), and Apple. The story of how she directed such a moody, original, character-driven film is an extraordinary one. The sets and vision are big, bold, and she's here to talk about it. In this episode, we discuss: how she got a start in filmmaking; what it's like when the distance between what you dreamed about and what you're doing (making your first feature) close to zero; how you create characters that come across as amazingly authentic; the importance of casting in character study filmmaking; how she made the universe of TO NOWHERE so large even with a lower budget; ** the problems with trusting the wrong producer in indie films (this happens more often than we know) ** what it's like being a female director; the environment in the UK for an indie filmmaker; and what's next for this character-driven filmmaker. Sian's Indie Film Highlight: FEMME (2023) dir. by Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping (https://boxd.it/ASQw); LA CHIMERA (2024) dir. by Alice Rohrwacher (https://boxd.it/vzVi) Links: Watch TO NOWHERE (2020) Now On Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Nowhere-Sian-Astor-Lewis/dp/B0CWN4815B/) TO NOWHERE Website (https://tonowherefilm.com/) Follow Sian Astor-Lewis on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sianastorlewis/) Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

    38 min
  3. Vladan Nikolić

    29. SYYSK.

    Vladan Nikolić

    Be prepared to get a bill from The New School after this episode -- it's an hour with Vlad Nikolić, dean of the School of Media Studies at The New School. In this episode we talk about: how he got started in filmmaking and his advice for new students ("make something every day"; "watch films every day"); what the average day is like as dean of media studies at The New School; can all indie filmmakers be teachers? how does he feel about gen z as filmmakers? he talks about the ethos of The New School; would he recommend film school?; how does The New School handle admissions? what would his advice be for a potential applicant?; are students fearless enough? I talk about the boundary pushing of filmmakers like Christian Kamaal (https://www.firstgopod.com/episodes/christiank); the importance of nuance in filmmaking; shout out to the brilliant Hannah Fidell; (https://newschoolmediastudies.org/alumni/hannah-fidell/) the career progression for film school graduates -- working as a PA or starting their own YouTube channel? discussing the differences between NY and LA for independent film; what's next for him? he's excited about AI; the equipment isn't as important as the story. Apologies to Will Mustin (https://www.firstgopod.com/episodes/willmustin) -- he's shooting in 16mm, not 35. Links: Vladan Nikolić Biography (https://www.newschool.edu/media-studies/faculty/vladan-nikolic/) Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

    59 min

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A weekly podcast highlighting the creators of independent film and the business behind it. Hosted by Ben Duchek.

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