The No Film School Podcast No Film School

The Blacklist started as an annual list of the best, unproduced screenplays in Hollywood. Nowadays, it’s an awesome online platform that nurtures and empowers screenwriters from around the world, by helping them showcase their scripts and grow within the industry.

In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins, Jason Hellerman, and host of the Blacklisted podcast, Chris Hill, discuss:

How the Blacklist got its start and what it looks like today

The difference between the website and the annual list of scripts

Getting multiple reports on a script

Recurring themes of screenplays on the Blacklist

What life is like after being on the list

The importance of using action descriptions 

Approaching your script with a journalistic curiosity

How to avoid writing a purely factual story 

The best way to approach writing a biopic

Why you need to write a detailed outline




Memorable Quotes

“One of the best things about the Blacklist is that it intentionally gives you heat.” [15:44]

“You're always pushing that rock up the hill, no matter what level you’re at. The rock isn’t lighter. Now it’s a bigger rock.” [21:05]

“Hollywood isn’t just an IP delivering service. It’s where dreamers go to dream big ideas.” [48:30]



Mentioned
The Blacklist website

Listen to Blacklisted on Apple

Listen to Blacklisted on Spotify 

Follow Chris on X

Follow Blacklisted Podcast on X 


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Ken Whittingham has directed shows we all know and love such as, The Office, 30 Rock, and Parks and Recreation. More recently, he has worked on the TV comedy, Abbot Elementary, which uses a mockumentary production style, similar to The Office. While Ken is an award-winning director with over 25 years of experience, he believes in the power of teamwork and respecting everyone on set regardless of their title.

In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with director Ken Whittingham and BraveMaker podcast host Priscilla Lam to discuss:

Selling a script as a new PA

How Ken became a television director 

Learning how to clearly communicate with actors

The balance between giving actors autonomy and giving them direction

An awkward moment with Alec Baldwin on the set of 30 Rock

Tone meetings - what are they and why are they important

Treating the documentarian in The Office as if it were a separate character

The power of subtlety in comedy

How Ken and Priscilla met 

Transitioning from TV into film

Our favorite shows, movies, and hobbies


Memorable Quotes

“I still get nervous. Every Sunday night before I shoot Monday morning, I’m nervous.” [10:37]

“You can’t get into this business, thinking about money. You have to go with your passion, and really believe in yourself.” [42:56]

“Everybody’s job is important and nobody’s job is more important than the other. It’s a team effort.” [48:01]


Mentioned
Abbott Elementary S2E21

The Office S1E3

Ken's Instagram

Priscilla's Instagram

BraveMaker on Instagram 

BraveMaker Film Festival

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As a beginning editor, working on low-budget projects is normal when you’re first starting. Once you get some experience under your belt, there comes a time when you have to start advocating for yourself so that you can get paid more. The “something is better than nothing mindset” can only serve you for so long, before you start to burn out. 

In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and editor Sofi Marshall discuss:

Falling in love with editing in high school 

What the indie film scene is like in New York

How to editors can make themselves more visible and less excluded

What it’s like to watch a Sundance premiere of a film you worked on

Landing the editing role on I Saw the TV Glow


What it was like to work on two different films at the same time

Sofi’s favorite tools in Adobe Premiere

Cutting the entire film remotely 

Taking on too many low-budget projects at the start of her career

Knowing when to ask for more pay



Memorable Quotes

“All of my films have come to me via a direct recommendation, just from people I have met.” [5:05]

“There’s nothing like watching your movie during that first premiere. It’s such a dopamine rush and terrifying at the same time. It’s great.” [8:19]

“No matter how much pre-planning you do, it’s always going to change in the edit.” [23:02]



Mentioned
I Saw The TV Glow


Find No Film School everywhere:
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Paramount and Skydance are merging. How does that impact the people already involved in those companies and what does it mean for the rest of us? How did House of Dragon pull off the epic Battle of Rook’s Rest, featuring multiple, fighting dragons? Let’s find out together!

In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman discuss:

What we know about the Paramount - Skydance merger

Whether or not the merger will result in job losses

An epic battle scene on season 2 of House of The Dragon


What we love about this HBO series

Creating flexibility in your shooting process

The importance of scope and scale

Including establishing shots into your script

The types of oners we find frustrating




Memorable Quotes

“There will always be job losses with mergers because there will always be redundancies.” [7:50]

“Whether you’re in TV or you’re in film, we do need to invest in brutality to make it feel real.” [15:38]

“If you’re just letting your camera roll, no thank you. That is not scale. That is not scope. That is not impressive.” [23:12]



Mentioned
Mastering Scope and Scale in Screenwriting
 

Find No Film School everywhere:

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On this special episode of the No Film School podcast, host GG Hawkins shares her experience of writing her first feature, 'I Really Love My Husband' on a small budget and arguably, an even smaller timeline. She discusses the constraints she faced, the collaborative writing process, and the challenges of receiving feedback. GG emphasizes the importance of pushing through the bad drafts to reach the good ones and highlights the value of constraints in spurring creativity. She also emphasizes the need for support from others and setting deadlines.
Takeaways

Constraints can spur creativity and lead to unique and specific storytelling.

Writing doesn't have to be a lonely process; seek feedback and collaborate with others.

Push through the bad drafts to reach the good ones; don't be discouraged by initial shortcomings.

Setting deadlines and receiving feedback from trusted sources can help refine and improve the script.


Video: https://vimeo.com/979992225?share=copy
Support the film: gghawkins.com/backourfilm
This episode is Directed & Produced by Max Gibson
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At what point should you get paid for the work you do to develop a project? What types of conversations should you be having with your agent? How can you show up confidently for potential projects, even though you’re feeling utterly afraid?

In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins, Jason Hellerman, and guest Carrie Solomon discuss:

Smart ways to save money as a filmmaker

How to build rapport with your reps and make sure you’re on the same page

The truth about doing development work and how you should approach being paid

An important question you must ask yourself when writing a spec

When Carrie realized she needed to scale up the story for A Family Affair


Getting in the habit of reading scripts

Why she quit working as a PA on Ingrid Goes West


Being thrown into the world of studio writing

How doing improv helped Carrie have less fear when going into meetings

Embracing failure and welcoming fear

The most intimidating part about writing A Family Affair


The difference between likeability and lovability in characters 



Memorable Quotes

“It's hard to get money out of Hollywood right now. You’re squeezing water from a stone.” [19:59]

“The only way to make money in this business is if someone loves your idea so much.” [22:35]

“I try to read as many scripts as I possibly can. I’m usually not picking up a book, I’m picking up a screenplay.” [29:00]

“From a very young age, I was a storyteller. And by that, I mean as a child, I was a big fat liar.” [37:54]

“Everyone has their own terrible little journey with finally getting their fingers on the keyboard.” [50:50]




Mentioned
A Family Affair


Find No Film School everywhere:
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Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com!
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