Austin Film Festival's On Story

Austin Film Festival

Austin Film Festival's On Story Podcast is the companion to Austin Film Festival's television show, On Story. Get an uncensored inside look at the creative process of film making through the eyes of some of the entertainment industry's most prolific writers, directors and producers.

  1. MAR 25

    Refeed: On Dark Winds

    This week on On Story, we're taking a trip back in time to an interview with writer, creator, and showrunner Graham Roland, as he discusses developing his AMC series Dark Winds. Roland joined us to share the origins of the project, the creative challenges behind adapting Tony Hillerman's iconic novels, and what excited him most about bringing these characters to the screen. Let's dive into his conversation and hear his thoughts on crafting Dark Winds.

    23 min

  2. MAR 11

    On Train Dreams, with Clint Bentley

    This week on On Story, Clint Bentley will talk to us about his work writing and directing Train Dreams.  Train Dreams recounts the life of Robert Granier, an early 20th century logger and railway construction worker played by Joel Edgerton. Granier works in seasons, and his work keeps him separated from his family for months at a time. Throughout the story, Granier is haunted by the violence he's witnessed in the course of his work, and he spends his life searching for meaning in the face of a world that seems to destroy and reconstruct itself around him at breakneck speed. Clint Bentley, and his writing partner Greg Kwedar, adapted the script from Denis Johnson's 2011 novella of the same name.  Clips of Train Dreams courtesy of BBP Train Dreams, LLC

    35 min

  3. FEB 25

    Dead Man's Wire Q&A with Austin Kolodney

    This week on On Story, we're joined by screenwriter Austin Kolodney for a conversation on the historical crime thriller Dead Man's Wire.  The film is based on the true story of a 1977 kidnapping carried out by Tony Kiritsis. Kiritsis believed that his mortgage broker, Richard O. Hall, was conspiring to unjustly seize Kiritsis' property for himself. On a cold February morning in 1977, Kiritsis went to Hall's office and wired the muzzle of a sawed-off shotgun to Hall's neck. The trigger of the gun was connected to Hall by a "dead man's wire" meaning that if Hall tried to run, or if anyone tried to intervene in the crime, the gun would fire, and Hall would be killed. Kiritsis' demands were clear: he wanted five million dollars, freedom from prosecution, and an apology.  But before we travel back to 1977, we recommend you follow On Story wherever you get your podcasts. Are you under the gun trying to finish your screenplay? With a wide range of experience writing across film and television, our guests are here to help.

    16 min

  4. FEB 11

    Dissecting Top Gun, with Christopher McQuarrie

    This week on On Story, we're joined by a titan of the action genre, Christopher McQuarrie, for a behind the scenes deep dive into Top Gun: Maverick.  But before we ride into the sunset, we recommend you follow On Story wherever you get your podcasts. Sometimes finishing your screenplay can feel like trying to land an F-14 Tomcat with a blown out engine and an empty gas tank, but, armed with a wide range of experience writing across film and television, our amazing guests are here to bring you home.

    27 min

  5. JAN 28

    Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Q&A, with Rian Johnson

    This week on On Story, we're talking to Rian Johnson about his process writing and directing Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.  This third installment of the Knives Out series follows an ambitious young Catholic priest, and former boxer, named Jud Duplencity. Jud teams up with detective Benoit Blanc after the divisive Monsignor of his small, rural parish is murdered mid-sermon.  Outside of the Knives Out series, Johnson has two decades of experience writing and directing in the mystery and sci-fi genres. He made his directorial debut in 2005 with Brick, a neo-noir mystery set in a suburban high school. He dove into the sci-fi genre in 2012, with his time-travel action epic, Looper. Next, he served as the writer-director for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the second installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. In addition to his work on film, Johnson has also directed episodes of Breaking Bad, and created the "case of the week" crime-comedy series Poker Face. Rian Johnson sat down with AFF moderator Casey Baron for a post-screening Q&A for his newest feature, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.

    26 min

  6. JAN 15

    The Prestige Miniseries, with Craig Mazin and Marissa Jo Cerar

    This week on On Story, a conversation on the prestige miniseries with Craig Mazin and Marissa Jo Cerar.   Craig Mazin is the creator, writer, and executive producer of HBO's Emmy-winning limited series Chernobyl. Chernobyl is a five-episode historical drama following the events leading up to the Chernobyl disaster and the cleanup efforts that followed. Mazin is also known for co-creating and co-writing HBO's The Last of Us, and for his work on comedy films such as Scary Movie 3, and Identity Thief.    Marissa Jo Cerar is the creator of the NAACP Image Award-winning miniseries Women of the Movement. Women of the Movement centers on the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley, who dedicated her life to seeking justice for her son Emmett Till, who was lynched in 1955. Cerar is also the creator of the Hulu series Black Cake, and has worked as a writer on The Handmaid's Tale, and 13 Reasons Why.    Cerar and Mazin joined AFF moderator Fabienne Harford for a conversation on the advantages of writing for a limited series, and how they decided that the limited series was the right format for their respective stories.    Clips of Chernobyl courtsey of Home Box Office, Inc.   Clips of The Last of Us courtesy of Home Box Office, Inc.   Clips of Women of the Movement courtesy of Kapital Entertainment, LLC.   Clips of Black Cake courtsey of Kapital Entertainment, LLC.   Clips of the Handmaid's Tale courtesy of MGM Television Entertainment, Inc.    Clips of 13 Reasons Why courtesy of Paramount Television Studios.

    28 min

  7. JAN 7

    Succession, with Susan Soon He Stanton

    This week on On Story, we're joined by Susan Soon He Stanton for a look inside the writers room of the hit HBO drama, Succession. Succession centers on the Roy family, the ultra-rich owners of a global media conglomerate called Waystar RoyCo. The family business is spearheaded by aging patriarch, Logan Roy. As Logan's ability to lead the company becomes more and more uncertain, his adult children fight to out-maneuver their Father, and each other, to seize control. Each of the Roy children enters this fight for power carrying baggage from their bizarre upbringings within this cold, dysfunctional family. Succession was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series for each of its four seasons, and won the award three times.  Susan Soon He Stanton joined the writers room in Succession's first season, and continued to write for the show throughout its entire run. She has written for theater, television, and film. Succession was her first experience working in a television writers room. She has also worked as a writer on the TV series Dead Ringers, Modern Love, Conversations with Friends, and The Baby.     Stanton sat down with AFF moderator R.B. Brenner to talk about what it was like bringing her playwriting experience into the writers room, and the challenge of writing in each character's specific voice.    Succession clips courtesy of Home Box Office, Inc.

    23 min

  8. 12/17/2025

    Bojack Horseman, with Allison Flierl and Joe Lawson

    This week on On Story, a conversation on the animated tragicomedy series Bojack Horseman with two of its writers, Alison Flierl and Joe Lawson.   The series follows Bojack, a washed-up former sitcom star who's trying to stage a comeback in Hollywood, while fighting against his own addiction and self-destructive tendencies. Bojack is also an anthropomorphic horse inhabiting a world where humans and animals live side-by side. The series, which ran for six seasons on Netflix, features the voice acting talents of Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Aaron Paul, and a rotating cast of celebrity cameos.    Before writing for Bojack Horseman, Joe Lawson worked as a writer on Shameless, Modern Family, and This is Us. More recently, Lawson worked as a writer on Rian Johnson's case-of-the-week murder mystery series, Poker Face. Lawson is joined by his fellow Bojack writer, Alison Flierl, whose other writing credits include Conan, and the School of Rock TV series.    Flierl and Lawson sat down with AFF moderator Harrison Glaser to discuss their love-hate relationship with the character of Bojack, and how working in an animated medium allowed them to tackle surprisingly serious topics.    Clips of Bojack Horseman courtesy of BoJack Productions LLC.

    26 min
See All (99)

4.7
out of 5
88 Ratings

About

Austin Film Festival's On Story Podcast is the companion to Austin Film Festival's television show, On Story. Get an uncensored inside look at the creative process of film making through the eyes of some of the entertainment industry's most prolific writers, directors and producers.

Information

  • Creator
    Austin Film Festival
  • Years Active
    2012 - 2026
  • Episodes
    99
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Austin Film Festival 2026
  • Show Website
    Austin Film Festival's On Story

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