The No Film School Podcast

No Film School

A podcast about how to build a career in filmmaking. No Film School shares the latest opportunities and trends for anyone working in film and TV. We break news on cameras, lighting, and apps. We interview leaders in screenwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, and producing. And we answer your questions! We are dedicated to sharing knowledge with filmmakers around the globe, “no film school” required.

  1. 15h ago

    Designing Indie Horror: The Production Design of 'Obsession'

    GG Hawkins speaks with production designer Vivian Gray about building the visual world of Obsession, from Southern Gothic references and texture-heavy interiors to practical blood gags and micro-budget problem-solving. They discuss what a production designer actually does, how Gray collaborated with the director, cinematographer, costume designer, and art team, and why color, texture, aging, and window treatments can make a major difference on an indie horror film. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Vivian Gray discuss... What a production designer does and how the role shapes the visual world of a film How Vivian Gray landed the job on Obsession through a recommendation and visual pitch deck Building the film’s Southern Gothic and Midwestern Gothic-inspired visual language Why production designers should come onto a project as early as possible Collaborating with cinematography, costumes, props, set decoration, lighting, and graphic design How a small indie crew used hands-on collaboration to make the film’s world feel cohesive Designing horror environments through texture, color, maximalism, and unease Practical lessons from blood gags, aging props, window treatments, and set dressing The highest-impact production design choices for micro-budget filmmakers Vivian’s advice for aspiring production designers Memorable Quotes: “My job basically is I'm in charge of the visual design of the film and the visual world.” “Because they have nothing to shoot until there's something to shoot, right?” “Everything has to have a texture.” “I think it is color and texture. It's going to make the biggest impacts in your film, from my experience.” Guests: Vivian Gray Resources: Obsession on IMDb Universal Studios Prop House & Drapery The Hand Prop Room Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min

  2. 5d ago

    The Art of Curation: Inside Kanopy’s Approach to Film Discovery

    No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with Kanopy’s Aaron Spears and Matt Lewis about curation, film discovery, and how independent films find audiences in a streaming landscape shaped by algorithms. The conversation covers Kanopy’s library- and university-based model, the importance of human-led programming, how poster art and social media influence discovery, and why theatrical and festival experiences still matter for the long-term life of a film. In this episode, No Film School'se GG Hawkins and guests Aaron Spears and Matt Lewis discuss... What Kanopy is and how it differs from subscription-based streamers like Netflix Why Kanopy’s free, ad-free model through libraries and universities matters for film access Aaron’s path from film programming and art house theaters to Kanopy’s content programming team Matt’s background in entertainment marketing and how he brings that experience to Kanopy How Kanopy’s programming team curates new titles each week Why human taste, context, and browsing still matter in an algorithm-driven media landscape How poster art, title design, and trailers shape audience expectations What filmmakers should consider when creating key art for their films How Kanopy uses social media clips and themed collections to help audiences discover films Why niche programming, rock docs, horror, and repertory-style collections can build loyal audiences How universities use Kanopy for coursework and casual film discovery The continued importance of festivals, theatrical screenings, and communal moviegoing Why libraries may be one of the most important access points for independent cinema Upcoming Kanopy titles and programming, including I Really Love My Husband, Fright Fest, and The Napa Boys Advice for emerging filmmakers interested in curation, marketing, and film culture Memorable Quotes: “The big headline is, it's free. And also no ads.” “I really feel like browsing itself, this is probably the librarian in my head too, like browsing itself should be a pleasure.” “I think if you can represent that with a poster, that really helps too.” “Do your best to watch one movie a day.” Guests: Aaron Spears Matt Lewis Resources: Kanopy Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    45 min

  3. Jun 12

    The Logistics of Chaos: Directing Lord of the Flies With 36 Child Actors With Marc Munden

    GG Hawkins speaks with BAFTA-winning director Marc Munden about directing the new Netflix adaptation of Lord of the Flies, written by Jack Thorne. Munden discusses revisiting William Golding’s novel, shaping the series’ visual language, filming on a remote island in Malaysia, working with 36 young actors, and how limitations around child actors’ schedules helped inspire the show’s hallucinatory nighttime look. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Marc Munden discuss... Why Munden was initially conflicted about adapting Lord of the Flies again How Jack Thorne structured the four-part series around Piggy, Jack, Simon, and Ralph Using the rainforest as an alien, living ecosystem that mirrors the boys’ collapsing society How production restrictions led Munden to develop an infrared-inspired visual approach for nighttime scenes Rehearsing for five weeks with 36 child actors before shooting Directing young performers toward natural behavior instead of “performing” How Munden uses analog production books filled with references, sketches, script pages, and notes Why post-production became a continuation of discovery, including iPhone footage and evolving portrait sequences Munden’s advice for emerging filmmakers: make films, learn to write, be kind, and keep learning from others Memorable Quotes: “I thought, well, who needs another Lord of the Flies?” “I wanted to just characterize the rainforest as something which is alien, that has a strange beauty to it.” “I think filmmaking is the mixture of extreme joy and small defeats.” “I would say, shoot your own film.” Guests: Marc Munden Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    47 min

  4. Jun 11

    Pete Ohs' 2026 Distribution Experiment #2: Erupcja (and Releasing an Indie Starring Charli XCX)

    GG Hawkins continues No Film School’s 2026 distribution experiment with filmmaker Pete Ohs, focusing on the release of Erupcja, his Warsaw-shot microbudget feature starring Charli XCX, Lena Góra, Will Madden, and Jeremy O. Harris. Pete breaks down how the movie was made, how its TIFF premiere led to a deal with One Two Special, and what he learned from theatrical touring, Q&As, VOD timing, marketing assets, fan edits, and the emotional sustainability of releasing independent films. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Pete Ohs discuss... Making Erupcja in Warsaw, Poland, with Charli XCX and a small, experimental production model How SAG’s Global Rule One affected the budget of an international indie production Premiering at TIFF and navigating sales conversations with CAA and multiple distributors Why Pete chose One Two Special based on alignment, communication, and “vibes” Building a release around Q&As, theatrical events, and in-person audience engagement Creating playful marketing assets, including a zine, a voicemail phone line, and fan-edit materials Releasing trailer stems and encouraging remix culture around the film How theatrical box office expectations were framed for a movie made under $100,000 The limits of relying on actors or stars to carry indie film promotion Why filmmakers should treat Q&As as another form of storytelling The idea of “regional filmmaking” and creating meaningful local releases Finishing and releasing projects as part of sustaining a long-term filmmaking practice Memorable Quotes: “We went to Poland in August of 2024 for two weeks with half of an outline and shot the movie in order.” “If the numbers were better or the percentages were better, but the vibe was worse. I would have been suffering.” “The work doesn't end.” “Treat it as practice for storytelling.” Guests: Pete Ohs Resources: Erupcja on IMDb No Film School: How a Film Score Actually Gets Made (Step by Step) & Pete Ohs’ Distribution Experiment of 2026 No Film School: Pete Ohs' 2026 Distribution Experiment #1: 'OBEX' No Film School: Pete Ohs Rethinks How We Make Movies Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    46 min

  5. Jun 4

    They Started in the Red — Then Made a Movie: The Story of 'Hacked'

    No Film School’s GG Hawkins talks with filmmaker Shane Brady and producer Emily Zercher-Brady about turning a devastating real-life hack into the revenge comedy-horror feature Hacked: A Double Entendre of Rage Fueled Karma. The conversation covers the couple’s filmmaking origin stories, how losing $20,000 sparked the movie’s premise, why they pushed forward after their budget was cut in half, what it took to shoot between Los Angeles and Florida during the SAG strike, and how they approached building a collaborative low-budget set. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins, Shane Brady, and Emily Zercher-Brady discuss... How Shane’s early love of horror movies, theater, magic, and performance led him into filmmaking Emily’s background in performance, leadership, and problem-solving as the foundation for producing How Shane and Emily began working together through Camp Hollywood short films with young actors The real-life hack that drained $20,000 from their savings and became the emotional starting point for Hacked Calling the FBI, dealing with law enforcement limitations, and channeling frustration into a revenge story Why they decided to keep going after the movie’s budget was cut in half just weeks before filming How Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer production story inspired them to get scrappy Navigating the SAG interim agreement process while Emily was pregnant Splitting production between Funko Studios in Los Angeles and locations in Tampa, Florida Creating a “socialism set” where cast and crew were treated as equal creative collaborators Working French hours, offering hot meals, and protecting crew morale on a low-budget shoot Building festival relationships that helped lead to their distributor, Scatena & Rosner How they are thinking about audience outreach, VOD, and asking viewers to support independent filmmakers Memorable Quotes: “The absolute number one thing I want in my life is to be remembered, and when I’m gone and in the dirt, people can put on a film or a TV show or a recording of a play or something.” “Make it work and nobody can know that anything is going wrong.” “We have the money to film the thing.” “Everyone is equal playing fields and cast and crew, like you all mean everything and are a special piece of the puzzle.” “Everything that you work towards and someone just goes click.” Guests: Shane Brady Emily Zercher Resources: Hacked: A Double Entendre of Rage Fueled Karma on IMDb Where to watch Hacked: A Double Entendre of Rage Fueled Karma Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    44 min

  6. May 21

    They Said This Movie Did Everything You’re Not Supposed To—Then The President’s Cake Won Cannes

    No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with writer-director Hasan Hadi and producer Leah Chen Baker about the development, financing, production, and release journey behind The President’s Cake. The conversation traces the film from NYU and COVID-era writing sessions through the Sundance Labs, the challenge of building an aggressively independent financing plan, shooting on location in Iraq with non-professional actors, and the impact of winning both the Caméra d’Or and the Audience Award at Cannes. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins, Hasan Hadi, and Leah Chen Baker discuss... How Hasan and Leah’s collaboration began at NYU and grew through shorts, writing check-ins, and shared creative sensibilities Why film school was essential for Hasan as a filmmaker coming from a country with limited cinema infrastructure Developing The President’s Cake before applying to the Sundance Labs How the Sundance Screenwriting, Directing, Producers Lab, and Catalyst Forum helped build confidence around the project Leading with the film’s “risky” elements: a first feature, non-professional actors, no rehearsals, a period setting, and shooting in Iraq Building a financing plan through micro grants, institutional support, small stakeholders, and equity partners Why filming in Iraq was non-negotiable for the story’s authenticity Creating an international crew while ensuring every department included Iraqi local crew The realities of shooting with limited infrastructure and a long production schedule What changed after the film won at Cannes How Iraqi and international audiences have responded to the film The importance of setting an end point for one project so the next one can begin Memorable Quotes: “But for me as a filmmaker who came from country that has almost no infrastructure in cinema. So my first film set when I was in film school almost, film school was necessary for me.” “There were a lot of do not do's on our pitch for our first feature.” “Even the failure sometimes was considered progress. It's not a success, it's a progress.” “Stories have DNAs and roots and they have, you know, fingerprints and this story has a very strong fingerprints that is in Iraq.” Guests: Hasan Hadi Leah Chen Baker Resources: The President’s Cake on IMDb Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    51 min

  7. May 15

    Insights Into Blackmagic Design's Latest Cameras and Products Introduced at NAB 2026

    Jourdan Aldredge speaks with Blackmagic Design’s Simon Westland at NAB 2026 about the company’s latest camera, live production, mobile filmmaking, DaVinci Resolve, Blackmagic Cloud, and AI workflow updates. They discuss how Blackmagic’s new products serve both high-end live production and independent filmmakers, why hands-on trade show demos matter, and how filmmakers can think about camera choices as they grow their craft. In this episode, No Film School's Jourdan Aldredge and guest Simon Westland discuss... Blackmagic Design’s NAB 2026 product announcements and why the company released news before the show The value of hands-on product demos, workshops, and planning ahead for NAB Blackmagic’s URSA Cine 12K live production workflow, including 100G connectivity, 2110, 440fps, and 16 stops of dynamic range Why cinematic images are becoming more important in live production, sports, YouTube content, and live events How the Blackmagic Camera app is becoming an entry point for iPhone and Android filmmakers Using mobile phones in professional workflows with HDMI or SDI output, genlock, zoom demands, and focus demands Apple Watch control for Blackmagic Camera on iOS How Blackmagic’s products connect across cameras, ATEM switchers, DaVinci Resolve, and Blackmagic Cloud Why beginner filmmakers should focus on learning craft, exposure, lighting, and storytelling instead of searching for the “perfect” camera DaVinci Resolve’s new photo editing tools and how shared looks can help match stills and video How brands, agencies, and social media teams can use Resolve for color consistency across moving and still images Blackmagic’s view on AI tools, including transcription, media search, object search, and workflow acceleration The difference between workflow AI and generative AI replacement tools The future of Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras and why the company still sees them as important for independent filmmakers Memorable Quotes: “That really is what it's all about. You want to have that hands-on interaction.” “I would say, look, that camera app is an amazing entry point, but really just try it.” “It’s about the content. It’s about storytelling.” “Competition is a healthy thing. It’s healthy for everybody.” Guests: Simon Westland Resources: Blackmagic Design Blackmagic Camera App DaVinci Resolve NAB Show Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    28 min

  8. May 14

    How Specificity Makes Better Films: ‘Mile End Kicks’ and ‘I Like Movies’ Director Chandler Levack Explains

    GG Hawkins talks with writer-director Chandler Levack about making I Like Movies, Mile End Kicks, and Roommates, and how Levack protects a specific filmmaking voice while moving between indie features and studio comedy. They discuss the realities of Canadian film financing, directing with limited time and bigger resources, building cinematic worlds through research and memory, and why filmmakers have to keep making work instead of treating one movie as their only chance. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Chandler Levack discuss... How I Like Movies helped open doors for Mile End Kicks Why Mile End Kicks had to be shot in Montreal’s Mile End neighborhood The overlap of finishing one film while prepping and shooting another What changed when Levack moved from indie filmmaking to a studio comedy How music journalism shaped Levack’s directing and world building Why specificity in props, costumes, locations, and character details matters Navigating male-dominated creative spaces as a woman filmmaker The value and complications of film criticism Building a body of work through collaboration, experimentation, and persistence Memorable Quotes: “For me, I mean I'm obsessed with specificity.” “I think for me once I realized that filmmaking is just talking about treating fake people like they're real…” “It's weird. It's the only job where you're failing in public…” “The greatest thing you can do as a filmmaker is just exist and keep making stuff good and bad and having a body of work is like the most important thing…” Guests: Chandler Levack Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min
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Hosts & Guests

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out of 5
427 Ratings

About

A podcast about how to build a career in filmmaking. No Film School shares the latest opportunities and trends for anyone working in film and TV. We break news on cameras, lighting, and apps. We interview leaders in screenwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, and producing. And we answer your questions! We are dedicated to sharing knowledge with filmmakers around the globe, “no film school” required.

Information

  • Creator
    No Film School
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    947
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The No Film School Podcast

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