Austin Film Festival's On Story
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 filmmaking through the eyes of some of the entertainment industry's most prolific writers, directors and producers.
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Kandahar Q&A with Ric Roman Waugh
05/17/2023
Kandahar Q&A with Ric Roman Waugh
This week on On Story we're joined by director Ric Roman Waugh for a post-screening deep dive into his newest action thriller, Kandahar. Formerly an actor and stuntman who appeared in countless films, including Universal Soldier, The Last of the Mohicans, and Lethal Weapon 2, Waugh is certainly no stranger to action. Now known for his work as a writer, producer, and director, Waugh utilizes his background in stunt work to create many of today's leading thrillers, such as Felon, Snitch, Shot Caller, and Angel Has Fallen, serving on all as writer and director. Recently in 2020, Waugh directed Greenland, a disaster thriller starring Waugh's frequent collaborator, Gerard Butler, which follows the story of John Garrity, who must save the United States from imminent destruction by a comet. Waugh's newest action thriller, Kandahar, was written by former U.S. Military Intelligence Officer Mitchell La Fortune, and follows the journey of undercover CIA operative Tom Harris, who along with his translator must flee hostile territory in Afghanistan after their covert mission is exposed. Both starring and produced by Gerard Butler, the film is based on LaFortune's own experience serving in Afghanistan during the 2013 Snowden leaks. Never short on suspense or excitement, Kandahar is a high-stakes race against time, set against the complex political background of the War on Terror. So sit back - or, well more likely on the edge of your seat - as Barbara Morgan sits down with director Ric Roman Waugh to talk all things Kandahar. Clips of Kandahar courtesy of Open Road Films.
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A Conversation with Alec Berg
05/04/2023
A Conversation with Alec Berg
This week on On Story, AFF Moderator Harrison Glaser sits down with television writing legend Alec Berg for an in-depth conversation on his triumphant comedy writing career. Nothing short of a comedic genius, Berg's writing credits include some of television's most hilarious series, including his work writing, directing, and producing Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mike Judge's Silicon Valley, and most recently, HBO's Barry, which he co-created with SNL legend Bill Hader. Barry, which was recently renewed for a fourth season, is an Emmy-nominated dark comedy hit that follows down-and-out hitman Barry Berkman, played by Bill Hader. Barry's assignments bring him to Los Angeles, where he finds himself joining a local acting class for wannabe talent taught by Gene Cousineau, played by none other than Henry Winkler. Through this class and a budding relationship with aspiring actress Sally Reed, this not-so-cold-blooded killer finds himself amidst an existential crisis, asking as we all often do, what is it he really wants out of life? Only Berg, a master of situational comedy, would think to put a hitman in a beginner's acting class and to make it lighthearted and funny, but as many of our listeners know, there's nothing lighthearted or easy about breaking into the world of comedy. Berg breaks down for our AFF audience his journey, which started by gaining inspiration from the tapes of prior comedy legends like Steve Martin, to his early work writing for Seinfeld, to expanding his credit from writer to writer-director, to ultimately making a career and name for himself as one of television's leading comedy creators and showrunners. So get ready for a lesson in laughter from comedy legend Alec Berg. Clips of Barry and Silicon Valley courtesy of Home Box Office, Inc. Clips of Seinfeld courtesy of NBC.
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The Inspection Q&A with Elegance Bratton and Raúl Castillo
04/19/2023
The Inspection Q&A with Elegance Bratton and Raúl Castillo
This week on On Story, AFF Moderator Andy Volk sat down with writer-director Elegance Bratton and actor Raúl Castillo for a post-screening Q&A of their latest feature film, The Inspection. Released last November by A24, The Inspection is an absolutely heart-wrenching drama inspired by Bratton's own experience. The film follows Ellis French, a young, gay black man played by Tony-nominated actor Jeremy Pope who is rejected by his mother and family. With very few options for his future, Ellis joins the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that has cast him aside. This deeply moving film is a sharp look at how one can find strength, support, and a sense of belonging in the most unexpected places. Just as inspiring as the film is Elegance Bratton's own artistic trajectory, which exemplifies perseverance and determination in creation. Bratton began making films while serving as a US Marine after spending a decade homeless. Now an acclaimed, boundary-breaking director, writer, and producer, Bratton's films have played at over two hundred film festivals worldwide, including Sundance, Outfest, BFI, New York City, Black Star Film Festival, and of course, at the Austin Film Festival. Beyond Bratton's festival success, he made his television debut as the creator and executive producer of the Viceland series, My House, which was nominated in 2019 for the GLAAD Media Award's Outstanding Documentary category. Additionally, his 2019 documentary, Pier Kids, made its streaming debut in August of 2021. Also in 2021, Bratton received the Film Independent Truer than Fiction Spirit Award presented to emerging directors of non-fiction features. And let's not forget that Bratton holds degrees from both Columbia University and the NYU Tisch Graduate School of Film. Yet summing up Elegance by merely his degrees, accolades, and awards does not provide the full picture. A master of harvesting film narratives and the overlooked stories right in front of us, Elegance uses his vision to highlight the universal power of our shared humanity. Joining Bratton is actor, playwright, and Texas's own Raúl Castillo. Castillo stars in the film as Rosales, a drill instructor who takes French under his wing. Castillo's artful performance is a nuanced depiction of masculinity and vulnerability, subverting traditional narratives through the duality of Rosales's stern yet nurturing mentorship, a complexity Castillo was eager to explore. Known for his starring roles in Amexicano, Cold Weather, We Are the Animals, as well as his role as Richie Donado Ventura in the HBO series, Looking, Castillo is known for his truthful embodiments of complex masculinity. Originally a playwright, Castillo has brought authentic Latinx stories to off-Broadway stages through his plays Border Stories, a trio of one-acts about life at the US-Mexico border, Knives and Other Sharp Objects, which premiered at the Public Theater in New York City, and his dark comedic family drama, Between You, Me, and the Lampshade, developed with the Atlantic Theater Company. We were thrilled to have both Elegance and Raúl, two exceptional storytellers, at the Austin Film Festival to speak to their creative process behind the film. So, do I have your attention yet? Are you standing at attention? Good. Let's dive deeper into The Inspection. Clips of The Inspection courtesy of A24.
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Armageddon Time Q&A with James Gray
04/05/2023
Armageddon Time Q&A with James Gray
This week on On Story, AFF Moderator and Senior Programmer, Andy Volk, sat down with writer, director, and producer James Gray for a post-screening Q&A of his coming-of-age drama, Armageddon Time. A deeply personal film inspired by Gray's childhood, Armageddon Time is a reflection on the strength of family, the complexity of friendship, and the realities of class as seen through the eyes of a young Jewish boy growing up in 1980s Queens. Through the brilliant performances of its all-star cast, which includes leading actors such as Anthony Hopkins, Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong, Armageddon Time is a beautiful, detailed, and intimate portrait of how privilege, inequality, and prejudice are integral to the American experience. AFF was ecstatic to welcome the preeminent writer-director James Gray, not only to speak more about the film but also to honor him as the 2022 recipient of AFF's coveted Bill Wittliff Award for Screenwriting, an annual award presented to leading storytellers within film, television, and new media. A true visionary, Gray made his directorial debut with his acclaimed film, Little Odessa, which earned him nominations for both Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay at the 1994 Independent Spirit Awards. Other acclaimed features in Gray's canon include The Yards, starring Joaquin Phoenix, who is in fact a frequent collaborator of Gray's, and We Own the Night, starring Mark Wahlberg, in addition to his films Two Lovers, The Immigrant, The Lost City of Z, and Ad Astra, all of which are critically acclaimed and set the bar for both screenwriting and direction. So join us and the legendary director James Gray for a little trip back to the 1980s and a closer look at Armageddon Time. Clips of Armageddon Time courtesy of AT Picture Ventures LLC.
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Women Talking Q&A with Dede Gardner and Sarah Polley
03/15/2023
Women Talking Q&A with Dede Gardner and Sarah Polley
This week on On Story, it's all about Women Talking, and I'm not just referencing our powerhouse guests, Academy Award-winning producer Dede Gardner and Oscar-nominated writer-director Sarah Polley, but also their newest film collaboration and adaptation, Women Talking. Women Talking is a drama feature based on Miriam Toews' critically acclaimed novel of the same name. Inspired by true events from a sequestered community in Bolivia, the film follows a group of women in an isolated religious colony as they struggle to reconcile their faith amidst a series of assaults committed by the colony's men. This raw and vulnerable look at domestic violence is ultimately a story of women's resilience, and it's beautifully portrayed by leading actors Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessica Buckley, Judith Ivey and Frances McDormand. Austin Film Festival was thrilled to include this powerful film in our 2022 film slate. But a little more on the women talking in this post-screening Q&A. AFF was honored to award Dede Gardner with the 2022 Polly Platt Award for Producing, an Austin Film Festival award intended to recognize producers with a keen sense of story who have demonstrated a commitment to fostering new talent. Throughout her career, Gardner has produced many Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning films, including pioneering work such as Minari, If Beale Street Could Talk, Moonlight, The Big Short, Vice, Selma, 12 Years a Slave, And Terrence Malick's Palme d'Or winner, The Tree of Life. Her recent television releases include HBO's limited series, The Third Day, as well as the Amazon series, The Underground Railroad, and Outer Range. Joining Gardner is Women Talking's writer-director, Sarah Polley. Formerly an actress known for her leading role in the television series, Ramona, Polley made her directorial debut with her film, Away from Her, which was Oscar-nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Polley also received the Writer's Guild of America Award for Best Documentary Screenplay for her doc, Stories We Tell. Most recently, she executive-produced and wrote the Netflix limited series, Alias Grace, which she adapted from Margaret Atwood's novel. In short, Sarah Polley is a master at taking existing stories and filtering them through a lens of her own. AFF moderator Marissa Padden spoke with Dede Gardner and Sarah Polley after their screening at this year's Austin Film Festival to give our audience an insider's look at the art of adaptation and to host an honest conversation about tackling stories with difficult subjects. Sh! The women are talking, it's time to listen. Clips of Women Talking courtesy of United Artists Releasing.
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Nanny Q&A with Nikyatu Jusu
03/08/2023
Nanny Q&A with Nikyatu Jusu
Austin Film Festival was proud to recognize Nikyatu Jusu during our annual Awards Luncheon as the 2022 New Voice Award recipient, an award intended to spotlight unique and captivating new voices in film, television, and new media. Nanny is a psychologically complex horror-thriller which follows Aisha, a recently-emigrated woman from Senegal who is hired to care for the daughter of an unbalanced white couple living in New York's Tribeca neighborhood. Through her work, Aisha begins to unravel, begging the question: When does the American Dream look more like a nightmare? Barbara Morgan sat down with Nikyatu Jusu at a post-screening Q&A at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Nanny courtesy of Amazon Studios.
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The Whale Q&A with Samuel D. Hunter and Darren Aronofsky
02/22/2023
The Whale Q&A with Samuel D. Hunter and Darren Aronofsky
This week on On Story we welcome writer Samuel D. Hunter, and director Darren Aronofsky for a deep-dive (no pun intended) into AFF’s 2022 Opening night film, The Whale. Samuel D. Hunter, recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant Fellowship, is known for his award-winning plays such as The Case for the Existence of God, A Bright New Boise, Greater Clements, and many more critically acclaimed titles. Darren Aronofsky is an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker known for his indie box office phenomenon, Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman. His previous directorial work includes the award-winning films The Wrestler, The Fountain, and Requiem for a Dream. Based on Samuel D. Hunter's acclaimed play with the same title, The Whale stars Brendan Fraser and follows the story of a reclusive English teacher living with severe obesity who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption. Andy Volk, Austin Film Festival's Senior Film Programmer, sat down with the creatives for a post-screening Q&A at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of The Whale courtesy of A24.
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A Conversation with David Self
02/02/2023
A Conversation with David Self
This week on On Story we’re joined by David Self, the writer behind films like Road to Perdition and Thirteen Days. In this episode, Self dissects his career breaking into the industry to writing crime and historical dramas. David Self, having been born into an itinerant family of community college and high school teachers, he broke with family tradition and spent most of his waking hours trying to break into Hollywood. In 1994 he found success and was hired to pen the remake of the 1963 film The Haunting for Steven Spielberg. His credits also include Road to Perdition, Thirteen Days, and Wolfman. Crime and thriller film, Road to Perdition, is an adaptation of the DC Comics graphic novel series of the same name. Starring Tom Hanks, it follows the story of a mob enforcer's son in 1930s Illinois who witnesses a murder, forcing him and his father to take to the road down a path of redemption and revenge. Thirteen Days is a tale of truths about how the Kennedy administration struggled to contain the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. The Haunting is a story about how a study of fear escalates into a heart-stopping nightmare for a professor and three subjects trapped in a mysterious mansion. Moderator Barbara Morgan sat down with David Self for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Thirteen Days courtesy of Beacon Pictures. Clips of Road to Perdition courtesy of DreamWorks Films & Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Clips of Wolfman courtesy of Universal City Studios
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A Conversation with Glen Mazarra
01/26/2023
A Conversation with Glen Mazarra
This week on On Story we’re joined by writer & showrunner Glen Mazzara as he discusses the ins and outs of the industry, and how his experiences developed him into a versatile writer. Glen Mazzara is a writer and producer whose work includes AMC’s The Walking Dead, The Shield, and Damien. Damien, a TV Drama based on the classic horror film, “The Omen”, follows the film’s protagonist, Damien as he copes with his life after finding out he is the prophesied Antichrist. The Shield, a Primetime Emmy Award-winning Drama series following the lives and cases of dirty cop Vic Mackey and the LAPD unit under his command. The Walking Dead, a post-apocalyptic drama made television history, winning 2 Primetime Emmys and becoming the only drama in television history to hold the #1 title for five consecutive years. Moderator Harrison Glaser sat down with Glen Mazzara for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of The Walking Dead courtesy of AMC Entertainment Clips of The Shield and Damien courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
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'Miss Juneteenth' with Channing Godfrey Peoples
12/21/2022
'Miss Juneteenth' with Channing Godfrey Peoples
This week on On Story, Miss Juneteenth writer/director Channing Godfrey Peoples discusses her feature directorial debut and her work as a multi-hyphenate independent filmmaker. Peoples is the writer-director of the 2020 drama Miss Juneteenth, which follows a former beauty queen and single mom as she prepares her rebellious daughter for a life-changing pageant. Having grown up in Fort Worth, Texas, Peoples attended pageants where “Miss Juneteenth” is a real contest held there. A gripping story of poverty, the film has appeared on dozens of critics’ year-end top ten lists, including TIME, Washington Post, and IndieWire, among others. Moderator Ya’Ke Smith sat down with Channing Godfrey Peoples for a panel about her work as a multi-hyphenate independent filmmaker at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Miss Juneteenth courtesy of Ley Line Entertainment.
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Writing 'John Wick' with Derek Kolstad
12/14/2022
Writing 'John Wick' with Derek Kolstad
This week on On Story writer Derek Kolstad, creator of the John Wick franchise reflects on his thrilling career, how he weaves emotion and humanity into action set pieces, as well as crafting characters you cannot help but root for. Derek Kolstad is the writer/creator of the popular John Wick franchise with the latest installment: John Wick: Chapter 4 set to be released in 2023. He also wrote on Marvel’s hit limited series The Falcon and Winter Soldier, which has been nominated for 5 Primetime Emmys. 2021 also saw the release of Derek’s action-thriller Nobody. Nobody sheds light on a docile family man struggling with aging and encroaching feelings of irrelevance as his children grow up. His new tv adaptation of the popular video game, Splinter Cell, is currently in production and will be airing on Netflix in the following year. Most recently, Kolstad produced the film The Princess for Hulu, which follows the action-packed story of a strong-willed princess who refuses an arranged marriage alliance to an especially cruel sociopath. Barbara Morgan sat down with Derek Kolstad for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of John Wick courtesy of Thunder Road Pictures Clips of Nobody courtesy of Universal City Studios
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On Writing Pig with Michael Sarnoski
12/14/2022
On Writing Pig with Michael Sarnoski
Hey podcast listeners, this week on On Story we’re foraging for insight into Pig with writer and director Michael Sarnoski. Michael Sarnoski is a writer, director, and a producer best known for writing 2020’s Pig. The film, starring Nicholas Cage, tells the story of a man searching for his pig, while dealing with the effects of prolonged grief. As director, Sarnoski revealed that he only had around twenty days to make the movie and there was no budget for re-shoots or delays. He is currently slated to direct the upcoming A Quiet Place: Day One, the anticipated prequel in the A Quiet Place series. We sat down with Michael Sarnoski for a panel about the film at the Austin Film Festival.
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Representing the Underrepresented with Stephanie Allain
11/29/2022
Representing the Underrepresented with Stephanie Allain
This week on On Story we’re talking to Hustle & Flow producer, Stephanie Allain for a conversation on producing. Stephanie Allain is a producer, known for her work in both film and television. Her work includes Hustle and Flow, Beyond the Lights, and Dear White People, a political commentary turned dramedy. Hustle & Flow follows a street hustler’s attempt to make it in the hip-hop industry, featuring several BET award-winning performances and appearances by rappers like Ludacris and Juicy J. Beyond the Lights tells the story of a mentally-unstable woman who has been shoved toward stardom by her domineering mother and finds her trajectory changed when a young cop stops her from taking her own life. Dear White People follows the stories of a group of black students trying to navigate life at a predominantly white, elite university. In 2021 Allain attended the Austin Film Festival, where she received the Polly Platt Award for Producing. Moderator Casey Baron sat down with Stephanie Allain for a panel about her work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Hustle & Flow courtesy of Crunk Pictures LLC. Clips of Beyond the Lights courtesy of Blackbird Productions, LLC. Clips of Dear White People courtesy of Homegrown Pictures.
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On Writing 'Dune' with Eric Roth
11/23/2022
On Writing 'Dune' with Eric Roth
This week on On Story we welcome screenwriter Eric Roth as he talks about about his process of adapting stories from beloved properties. Eric Roth is a producer and writer, best known for penning the screenplays for 2021’s Dune, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and the Academy Award® winning adaptation, Forrest Gump. Dune, tells a sci-fi driven hero’s journey of a young man traveling to the most dangerous planet to save his family’s future. The film took home 6 Oscars during the 2022 Academy Awards. Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt, follows the heart-wrenching story of a man living his life in reverse. The critically acclaimed film Forrest Gump, adapted from the Winston Groom novel of the same name, and which starred Tom Hanks, itself won 6 Oscars and became the top- grossing film in America during its theatrical run. Clips of Forrest Gump courtesy of Paramount Pictures Clips of Dune courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Clips of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button courtesy of Paramount Pictures
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They've Been Waiting For You: A Halloween Special
10/31/2022
They've Been Waiting For You: A Halloween Special
This week on On Story we’re joined by Lipscomb University filmmakers Melissa Forte & Sumner McMurtry talking about their journey from a chance encounter at Austin Film Festival to collaborating on a short film born out of a Ghost Story writing competition. Later, we’ll sit down with Bogle Family Vinyards VP of Consumer Relations, Jody Bogle, and get her insight on producing a film rich in family history and spooky occurrences. Melissa Forte is a filmmaker and current chair of Lipscomb University’s Department of Cinematic Arts. After six years of industry work with the Walt Disney World company, Forte spent eight years at Tenessee State University (TSU), earning tenure and building a strong program. After that time, she made the move to Lipscomb University when she was invited to chair the Department of Cinematic Arts. The skills she gained through her years of production work gave her the ability to easily transition into leading academic teams including faculty and staff. Forte is an advocate for instilling the idea that we are part of a larger society and should work to use our gifts and talents to give voice to the underestimated and often overlooked members of our communities. Sumner McMurtry is an award-winning filmmaker from Nashville, Tennessee. His short thriller, NOT CLICKBAIT, took home the grand prize in Lipscomb University's Five Minute Film Festival and was later screened at the Nashville Film Festival, the oldest running film festival of the south. His latest short film, THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, premiered at the Austin Film Festival in 2022. Sumner has had a passion for storytelling for as long as he can remember. He spends a great deal of his time creating an array of projects for clients across the Middle Tennessee area. I recently spoke with Melissa & Sumner about their experience creating the short film Phantom which premiered at the Austin Film Festival and working with the Bogle Family as producers. They've Been Waiting For You is the story of the resident spirit which inhabits the cellars of the Bogle Family Vineyards and the rich family history that accompanies the legend. Next, we’re talking to Jody Bogle, who served as producer on the film THEY’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU produced in collaboration with the Libscomb University Department of Cinematic Arts. Jody Bogle is the Vice President of Consumer Relations, at Bogle Family Vineyards. In her role, she oversees hospitality at the family’s Home Ranch tasting room, direct-to-consumer sales, and internal and external communications and leads the winery’s international sales efforts in 40 countries around the globe. After a chance encounter with members of Libscomb University, Bogle set her sights on producing a short film in celebration of Phantom Wine from her family’s vineyards. I recently spoke with Jody about her experience producing the short film with the Libscomb University crew.
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On Writing Mare of Easttown
10/27/2022
On Writing Mare of Easttown
Hey podcast listeners, This week on On Story we’re joined by Mare of Easttown writer Brad Ingelsby for a conversation on writing for the critically acclaimed television series. Brad Inglesby is a screenwriter and producer known for 2013’s Out of the Furnace, 2020’s The Way Back and the subject of today’s episode, the HBO crime drama series, Mare of Easttown. Mare of Easttown follows the story of a police investigator who tries to get to the bottom of a shocking murder, all while trying to keep her life together as personal drama begins to spiral out of control. A limited series consisting of 7 gripping episodes, Mare of Easttown packs a powerful punch through its tightly-crafted story spearheaded by a career-defining performance by Kate Winslet. We sat down with Brad Inglesby for a conversation about his work at the Austin Film Festival.
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A Conversation with David Koepp
09/14/2022
A Conversation with David Koepp
This week on On Story we’re joined by Jurassic Park and Spider-Man writer David Koepp for a conversation on adaptations, collaborating with Steven Spielberg, and creating blockbusters. David Koepp is a screenwriter and director. His screenplays for Jurassic Park, a science fiction film about a wildlife park inhabited by dinosaurs, and Spider-Man, a superhero film adapted from the Spider-Man Marvel Comics series, helped the films set numerous box office records, becoming some of the highest grossing films of their time. In 2013, Koepp received the Ian McClellan Hunter Award for career achievement from the Writers Guild of America, East for his contributions to cinema. Moderator Harison Glaser sat down with David Koepp for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Jurassic Park courtesy of Universal City Studios. Clips of Bad Influence courtesy of Epic Productions. Clips of Ghost Town courtesy of DreamWorks Films. Clips of Spider-Man courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
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Westworld: A Conversation with Lisa Joy
09/07/2022
Westworld: A Conversation with Lisa Joy
This week on On Story we’re joined by Westworld co-creator, writer & director Lisa Joy for a conversation on writing science fiction. Lisa Joy is a screenwriter, director, and producer. Her recent work includes Westworld, a dystopian science fiction thriller, and HBO mega-hit. Westworld has received an outstanding 54 Emmy Award nominations, including 9 wins, and Joy’s writing and producing have earned her 3 Emmy nominations. Joy attended the 2021 Austin Film Festival’s Writers Conference. Westworld is set in a futuristic amusement park where wealthy visitors are given the opportunity to experience their wildest fantasies through a mode of artificial consciousness and centers on a group of robot “hosts” who begin to diverge from their programmed scripts and exhibit abnormal behavior. Moderator Casey Baron sat down with Lisa Joy for a panel about her work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Westworld courtesy of Home Box Office Television Clips of Reminiscence courtesy of Warner Brothers Pictures Clips of Burn Notice courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
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Fact v Fiction: Exploring 'King Richard' & 'The Underground Railroad'
08/18/2022
Fact v Fiction: Exploring 'King Richard' & 'The Underground Railroad'
Hey podcast listeners, I’m Barbara Morgan and you’re listening to Austin Film Festival’s On Story Podcast. This week on On Story we’re joined by The Man in the High Castle and Underground Railroad writer Jihan Crowther and King Richard writer Zach Baylin for a conversation on fact vs. fiction. Jihan Crowther is a TV writer and playwright. Her work as a writer on The Underground Railroad, a powerful historical drama following runaway slaves in the old South, earned her a Writers Guild of America Awards nomination. She also helped write The Man in the High Castle, a dystopian take on what humanity would look like if the Axis powers had won World War II. Zach Baylin is a screenwriter. He received an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay King Richard, a biographical drama about how Serena and Venus Williams’ father Richard pushed them to achieve their full potential on the tennis courts. Moderator Casey Baron sat down with Jihan Crowther and Zach Baylin for a panel about their work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of The Underground Railroad and The Man in the High Castle courtesy of Amazon Studios Clips of King Richard courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
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Writing Shang-Chi with Dave Callaham
08/11/2022
Writing Shang-Chi with Dave Callaham
Hey podcast listeners, I’m Barbara Morgan and you’re listening to Austin Film Festival’s On Story Podcast. This week on On Story we’re joined by Shang-Chi and Wonder Woman 1984 writer Dave Callaham for a conversation on writing blockbusters intertwined with personal experiences. Dave Callaham is a screenwriter and producer. He co-wrote the screenplay for the highly praised Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, a superhero film adapted from the Marvel comic series, and Wonder Woman 1984, a superhero film based on the DC Comics character. Callaham attended the Austin Film Festival in 2021. Shang-Chi tells the story of a martial arts master who is forced to revisit his past when he is confronted by members of a secret organization called the Ten Rings. A mix of action, adventure, and fantasy, Shang-Chi was not only an outstanding commercial success, but also a huge breakthrough in cinema as it marked Marvel’s first film with an Asian lead, director, and predominantly Asian cast. Moderator Casey Baron sat down with Dave Callaham for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Shang-chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings courtesy of Marvel Film Studios. Clips of Doom courtesy of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
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Writing IT: Chapter One with Chase Palmer
07/28/2022
Writing IT: Chapter One with Chase Palmer
This week on On Story we’re we’re taking a look at the work of screenwriter Chase Palmer who co-wrote It: Chapter One. Chase Palmer is a screenwriter and director known for co-authoring the screenplay for IT: Chapter One with Cary Fukinaga, as well as 2021’s Naked Singularity starring John Boyega. His two award-winning short films, Neo-Noir and Shock and Awe, have played at film festivals worldwide with his feature film debut being the adaptation of the PEN-prize winning book A Naked Singularity by by Sergio De La Pava, with Ridley Scott as a producer. I sat down with Chase Palmer for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of It: Chapter One courtesy of Warner Brothers Entertainment Clips of Naked Singularity courtesy of 150 Degrees Pictures
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A Conversation with 'The Office' showrunner, Michael Schur
07/21/2022
A Conversation with 'The Office' showrunner, Michael Schur
This week on On Story we’re joined by the showrunner behind The Good Place and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Michael Schur. Michael Schur is a screenwriter, producer and character actor. He got his start writing for Saturday Night Live before becoming a producer and writer for the comedy series The Office. Schur then went on to co-create Parks and Recreation with Office producer Greg Daniels for seven seasons, ending in 2015. Later, he created The Good Place, and co-created the comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Schur was also a producer on the Netflix series Master of None, starring Aziz Anzari. I spoke with Michael Schur about his work at a panel at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of The Office, The Good Place, and Parks & Recreation courtesy of National Broadcast Company
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On Writing 'Minamata' with David Kessler
07/07/2022
On Writing 'Minamata' with David Kessler
This week we’ll hear from David Kessler, writer & producer of the docu-drama Minamata starring Johnny Depp. David Kessler began his career as a stand-up comedian in the early 2000s before quickly deciding to focus on writing. After penning a spec script for Will & Grace, he switched over to drama, and optioned the life rights and book titled Minamata, written by Aileen Mioko Smith and W. Eugene Smith. The film stars Johnny Depp as W. Eugene Smith, an American photographer who documented the effects of mercury poisoning on the citizens of Minamata, Kumamoto, Japan in the early 1970s. The film went through various stages of development over many years before finally getting picked up by Johnny Depp’s production company. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with David about the film’s journey to the big screen following it’s US release. Clips of Minamata courtesy of Minamata Film, LLC
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The Humans with Stephen Karam
06/29/2022
The Humans with Stephen Karam
This week on On Story we’re joined by The Humans writer & director Stephen Karam for a conversation on adapting a play for the big screen. Stephen Karam is a playwright, screenwriter, and director. His plays Sons of the Prophet, a comedy-drama about a Lebanese-American family, and the subject of today’s episode, The Humans were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2012 and 2016, respectively. The Humans won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Play, leading to Karam adapting the play for the big screen in 2021. The film was shown at the 2021 Austin Film Festival. Set inside a pre-war duplex in downtown Manhattan, The Humans follows the course of an evening in which the Blake family gathers to celebrate Thanksgiving. As darkness falls outside the crumbling building, mysterious things start to go bump in the night and family tensions reach a boiling point. Moderator Casey Baron sat down with Stephen Karam for a panel about his work at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of The Humans courtesy of A24.
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Donnie Darko with Richard Kelly
06/22/2022
Donnie Darko with Richard Kelly
This week on On Story we’re taking a retrospective look at Donnie Darko with screenwriter Richard Kelly. Richard Kelly is a screenwriter and director best known for writing the 2001 cult film, Donnie Darko. Known for its mind-bending themes and enigmatic ending, along with a stellar ‘80s soundtrack, Donnie Darko remains a cult phenomenon. Featuring a young, up-and-coming Jake Gyllenhall and exploring elements of time travel, mental health, and even a scary bunny-man, Richard Kelly’s 2001 film was not an immediate success but slowly wormed its way into the minds of teenagers all across the nation. Moderator Christopher Boone spoke with Richard Kelly about the film at a panel at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Donnie Darko courtesy of Flower Films
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The Sopranos with David Chase
05/11/2022
The Sopranos with David Chase
This week on On Story we’re joined by The Sopranos creator David Chase for a conversation on writing a hit television show. David Chase is a screenwriter, showrunner, director, and producer, best known for writing and producing the HBO drama The Sopranos. Chase has also produced and written for such shows as The Rockford Files, I'll Fly Away, and Northern Exposure. He created the original series Almost Grown and has won seven Emmy Awards. Chase's film debut came in 2012 with Not Fade Away, followed by 2021’s The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel film to The Sopranos. The Sopranos ran for six seasons from 1999 and 2007, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest television shows of all time. It is the first cable show to ever be nominated for, and win, the best drama series Emmy, and it helped to put HBO on the map and ushered in what some regard as the platinum age of television, which featured a slew of new shows and showrunners that could hold their own against the big screen. Moderator Barry Josephson spoke with Chase about his work on the show at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of The Sopranos courtesy of Home Box Office Television.
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The French Connection with Vince Gilligan
05/05/2022
The French Connection with Vince Gilligan
This week on On Story we’ll join Breaking Bad creator & showrunner Vince Gilligan for a retrospective look at the 1971 cult-classic The French Connection. Based on a true story, William Friedkin's 1971 hit The French Connection, gave audiences its first taste at what a truly realistic cop film could be. Starring Gene Hackman as detective Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle, the film follows the story of a driven New York cop whose intuitive street sense allows him to sniff out the secret players in a colossal heroin import operation, bringing the drugs into New York from Marseille. At a time where drug addiction was at an all time high, The French Connection brought a sense of realism to Hollywood’s law enforcement films by throwing the proverbial book at them. Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, an avid fan of Friedkin’s work, sat down with me after a retrospective screening of the film at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of The French Connection courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
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On Writing the Dallas Buyers Club
04/13/2022
On Writing the Dallas Buyers Club
This week on On Story we’ll hear from screenwriter Craig Borten on writing the 2013 film Dallas Buyers Club which starred Matthew McConaughey. Borten is best known for his Oscar-nominated script for the 2013 film Dallas Buyers Club. After hearing about Ron Woodroof, the original founder of the "Dallas Buyers Club" for the distribution of unapproved HIV medications, in the early 1990s, and interviewing Woodroof in 1992, Borten decided to write a screenplay about Woodroof and his buyer's club. He successfully sold the script in 1996, but shortly afterward the production company that had bought it dissolved. In 2001, he rewrote the script with Melisa Wallack and in 2009, Borten and Wallack were able to cast Matthew McConaughey and secure funding for the film's production. The film was released in 2013, more than two decades after Borten met Woodroof, and more than 15 years after selling his first version of the script. Dallas Buyers Club received numerous accolades, including Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Moderator Fred Strype spoke with Borten at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Dallas Buyers Club courtesy of Truth Entertainment & Dallas Buyers Club, LLC
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On Writing Comedy with April Shih & Tripper Clancy
03/24/2022
On Writing Comedy with April Shih & Tripper Clancy
This week on On Story we’ll hear from screenwriter April Shih who has worked on shows like Dave, You’re The Worst, and This is America and Tripper Clancy who wrote the script for 2019’s Stuber, and has worked on Netflix’s I Am Not Okay With This. April Shih is a screenwriter and producer, known for You're the Worst, Mrs. America,starring Cate Blanchett and most recently served as supervising producer on FX’s Dave, which follows the semi-autobiographical story of American rapper Lil Dicky. April has also produced several films and plays including the Ovation Award-winning revival of Kiss of the Spiderwoman: The Musical. Tripper Clancy is a screenwriter known for writing the scripts for Stuber which starred Kumali Nanjiani and Dave Bautista as well as Die Hart starring Kevin Hart and John Travolta. After working in the Fox Writers Studio in 2011, Tripper went on to write comedies and dramas of all shapes and sizes for Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Amazon, and is currently a writer on season one of I Am Not Okay With This, a half-hour show for Netflix. Moderator Harrison Glaser spoke with the pair about their journeys as writers at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Dave courtesy of FX Productions, LLC. Clips of You’re The Worst courtesy of Bluebush Productions, LLC. Clips of I Am Not Okay With This courtesy of Netflix Studios, LLC. Clips of Stuber courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
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Greaser's Palace: A Retrospective
02/16/2022
Greaser's Palace: A Retrospective
This week on On Story we’re taking a look back at the 1972 cult classic, Greaser’s Palace with Legendary filmmakers Paul Thomas Anderson & Jonathan Demme. In 1972, following a succession of truly unruly underground films, including 1968’s Putney Swope, Robert Downey Sr. gave the world a new take on the holy story of Jesus Christ in the form of the acid-western Greaser’s Palace. Featuring a brilliant mix of offbeat character actors and willing amateurs, Downey weaves a New Testament allegory against the backdrop of an absurdist Western parody. Paul Thomas Anderson, director of 2021’s Licorice Pizza and the Silence of the Lambs joined director Jonathan Demme to pay tribute to Robert Downey Sr. 's cult classic after a retrospective screening at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Greaser’s Palace courtesy of Greaser’s Palace Company
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