390 episodes

A filmmaker and a writer tackle the AFI's Top 100 Films and beyond to educate themselves about movies and storytelling. Welcome to Film School!

Film School Ira Heinichen, Joshua McClenney

    • TV & Film
    • 4.8 • 25 Ratings

A filmmaker and a writer tackle the AFI's Top 100 Films and beyond to educate themselves about movies and storytelling. Welcome to Film School!

    White Lies (Cutting Room Floor #199)

    White Lies (Cutting Room Floor #199)

    A small lie. A sentence I didn't actually write, or a shot I didn't really shoot that I pass off as my own. Or I didn't actually do something the way I said I did. How big of a deal are these kinds of lies or omissions? Do they really matter? How truthful do we need to be with those who consume our work? Where is the line? We discuss!
    Also, Josh recommends Slings & Arrows, and Ira recommends The Boys on Prime.

    • 58 min
    The Lady Vanishes (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #22)

    The Lady Vanishes (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #22)

    Nuns don't wear high heels...
    A woman has disappeared into thin air, on a train no less. But when Iris Henderson reports it, nobody believes her. In fact, nobody on the train even knows who she's talking about. So, what gives? Is Iris crazy? Or is everyone else? This dilemma caps off a pretty solid run of Hitchcock's later British period that's seen him lock into his lane: suspense. So...how successful is this one? Can he keep us on the edge of our seat? We watch and find out!

    • 1 hr 6 min
    Good vs. Great (Cutting Room Floor #198)

    Good vs. Great (Cutting Room Floor #198)

    What's the difference between good...and great? Think about how each of those words makes you feel. The contrast is pretty dramatic, isn't it? Like, MILES different, not inches. So, if the difference between good and great is massive, how do we make the leap between the two? Is it possible? We discuss!
    Also, Josh recommends Oppenheimer, currently in theaters, and Ira recommends True Detective: Night Country on HBO and Max.

    • 1 hr 7 min
    Young and Innocent (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #21)

    Young and Innocent (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #21)

    Oh Robert, if only things would turn out all right...
    A woman's body washes ashore. A young man is seen fleeing from the sight of it. But...did he do it? That's the question the local constable's daughter must answer, even as she finds herself falling for him. Sounds like vintage, bang-on Hitchcock doesn't it??? So, how effective is this one? How much has Hitch developed his skills? We watch and discuss! 

    • 56 min
    You Need A Shock-Proof Sh*t Detector (Cutting Room Floor #197)

    You Need A Shock-Proof Sh*t Detector (Cutting Room Floor #197)

    Ernest Hemingway famously once said: "The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shockproof, shit detector." We all must be able to distinguish between good storytelling and bad storytelling. So...how strong is yours? (hint: it's probably super strong) And once you've got one that's working, how do you actually USE it to make your work better and not just send you running for the hills? We talk about it.
    Also, Josh recommends Love On The Spectrum on Netflix, and Ira recommends The Last Repair Shop on Disney+

    • 1 hr
    Sabotage (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #20)

    Sabotage (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #20)

    What goes on after hours in that cinema of yours...?
    Alfred takes on Joseph Conrad's popular novel The Secret Agent, about a man who's tasked with planting a bomb in London to create fear and terror. In this adaptation, he owns a movie theater, a detective from Scotland Yard is onto him and falling for his wife, and the motivations behind the conspiracy are nebulous. So, does it work? Do Hitch's tweaks build the drama to a fever pitch, or do they fall flat? We watch and discuss!

    • 1 hr 8 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
25 Ratings

25 Ratings

Jpmac98 ,

The Podcast I’ve Been Searching For

I went to film school and graduated right before the pandemic, meaning all my film contacts took their separate ways while we were living in the shutdown. Four years later, I’ve been dying to have film theory conversations with others who study the craft, and this is pretty much it. Granted, I’m not talking with them, but it feels like I am with how conversational the hosts are, AND most of my thoughts parallel theirs.

Such a great podcast that I’ll be recommending to all my fellow film buffs.

Octavia42069 ,

Charming Pod

Been listening for a while (went back during quarantine from episode 1) and enjoy it tons, especially the Cutting Room Floor stuff)

MKahwaty ,

Films With Friends

The best part of listening to Ira and Josh is getting a glimpse of their friendship. Even during their serious conversations about films and life, listening to Film School is like hanging out with that good friend who always makes you laugh.

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