David Gelb is an award-winning director and producer. He is best known for directing the critically acclaimed documentary JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI, which ushered in a new wave of food-focused cinematography and storytelling.Following the success of Jiro, Gelb went on to create Netflix’s longest-running series, Chef's Table, now in its tenth season, as …

With a career spanning over 25 years, Gary Oldman is one of the most respected and recognized actors of his generation. He has earned critical acclaim for his iconic roles, including Sirius Black in the HARRY POTTER series, Commissioner Jim Gordon in Christopher Nolan's BATMAN trilogy, and Winston Churchill in DARKEST HOUR, for which he won an Acad…

Nate Bargatze is a stand-up comedian known for his clean, family-friendly humor and deadpan delivery. He gained popularity through appearances on late-night shows and has released multiple comedy specials, including THE TENNESSEE KID, THE GREATEST AVERAGE AMERICAN, and YOUR FRIEND, NATE BARGATZE.In addition to his stand-up career, he hosts a podcas…

Tony Tost is the showrunner of season two of Poker Face. His first feature film as a writer-director -- the modern-day western crime film Americana starring Sydney Sweeney, Paul Walter Hauser, and Halsey -- will hit theaters this summer.In this interview, we talk about challenges and rejections in Hollywood, strategies for getting films made, advic…

John McKeever is a versatile writer, actor, and director with a diverse portfolio spanning television, stand-up, and digital media. His writing credits include work for MTV, TruTV, NBC, and Comedy Central, and as a stand-up comedian, he was recognized as a New Face at the 2014 Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal.McKeever has appeared on Comedy Cen…

Jeremy Saulnier is best known for his low-budget revenge thriller BLUE RUIN, which he wrote, directed, and cinematographed. He followed up with GREEN ROOM, a claustrophobic horror film about a punk band trapped with white supremacists, starring Anton Yelchin and Patrick Stewart.Most recently, he directed REBEL RIDGE. The film follows a former Marin…

Jeffrey Doe is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker whose work has premiered at Sundance, Cannes, and Telluride. Starting his career as an editor of MTV Award-winning music videos, Jeff then transitioned to documentary, cutting WE SOLD OUR SOULS FOR ROCK ’N ROLL for famed “rock-u-mentary” director Penelope Spheeris and the Grammy Award-winning RUNNIN’ DOWN …

Kristina Stanley is the bestselling author of SECRETS TO OUTLINING A NOVEL, SECRETS TO EDITING SUCCESS, and SECRETS TO WRITING A SERIES, as well as the award-winning STONE MOUNTAIN MYSTERIES SERIES. In 2019, she developed a brand-new structural editing software, Fictionary. After years of outlining and editing in complex Excel spreadsheets, she des…

Julie Christeas is the founder and CEO of Tandem Pictures. Her recent films include NUKED, a comedy starring Justin Bartha and Anna Camp, and BLACK BEAR starring Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, and Sarah Gadon.She also Executive Produced three original, short-form comedy series for NBCU/Peacock, all are slated for release Spring 2025, and produce…

James DeMonaco is the writer and director of the feature films THE PURGE, THE PURGE: ANARCHY, and THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR, as well as co-founder of the Man in a Tree production company along with his producing partner Sebastian LeMercier.His upcoming horror film THE HOME, starring fellow Staten Islander Pete Davidson, follows Max, who realizes tha…

Sam Lansky is making his feature film screenwriting debut with Sony's I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. This highly anticipated new installment of the cultural phenomenon franchise boasts an all-star cast, including Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Tyriq Withers, Jonah Hauer-King, and Sarah Pidgeon. Additionally, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Pr…

Widely recognized for his roles as Lucius Malfoy in the HARRY POTTER film series, Jason Issac’s extensive career includes various film and television appearances such as THE OA, STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, and the third season of THE WHITE LOTUS.In this interview, we talk about shadowing people for roles and asking "awkward" questions, THE WHITE LOTUS an…

Tony McNamara is an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and playwright, whose most recent film, POOR THINGS, earned his second Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.POOR THINGS marked the second creative collaboration between McNamara and director Yorgos Lanthimos, and it is the third collaboration for McNamara and star Emma Stone. …

Stephen Murphy is a cinematographer known for his work on MR. & MRS. SMITH, ATLANTA, and HEART EYES.In 2025, Murphy received a BAFTA TV Craft nomination for Photography & Lighting in Fiction for the mini-series SAY NOTHING, as well as a nomination for Best Cinematography from the Irish Film and Television Awards for the same project.He currently pr…

Matt Tyrnauer is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose acclaimed works include the Oscar-shortlisted VALENTINO: THE LAST EMPEROR, STUDIO 54, and WHERE'S MY ROY COHN? Chef Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa is a globally renowned Japanese chef who revolutionized modern cuisine by blending traditional Japanese techniques with Peruvian ingredients. His …

Shannon Lewis is making her Broadway debut as choreographer for the musical JUST IN TIME. The show stars Tony Award winner Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin in an immersive experience featuring iconic hits like "Beyond the Sea" and "Mack the Knife."As a choreographer, she's well-known for her work on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, creating viral video dances, an…

David Koepp is a highly successful screenwriter best known for his work on some of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters. With a career spanning decades, he has worked on the scripts for iconic films such as JURASSIC PARK, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, SPIDER-MAN, and WAR OF THE WORLDS. His latest work, JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH, follows the story five years after…

Justin Spitzer is a co-creator and executive producer of ST. DENIS MEDICAL. Prior to that, he created and ran NBC comedies SUPERSTORE and AMERICAN AUTO. Eric Ledgin is the showrunner and co-creator of ST. DENIS MEDICAL. He is an Emmy award-winning writer and producer, whose TV credits include SUPERSTORE, IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, AMERICAN …

Peter Craig is behind some of the biggest box office successes of the past decade writing screenplays for such hits as THE TOWN, THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY (part 1 and 2), BAD BOYS FOR LIFE, THE BATMAN and TOP GUN: MAVERICK which earned Craig an Oscar and WGA nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Craig also wrote GLADIATOR II, which received a …

Luke Cormack is a skilled GSS, Shotover, U-Crane Arm, Aerial, and Phantom operator, and is at home shooting underwater, in the air, long lens, macro, or with A-list celebrities.He has won an Emmy, Panda, and Grand Teton Awards for cinematography and has had the pleasure of working on many Emmy and BAFTA-nominated shows. His latest work was on DAVID…

Aaron B. Koontz is a filmmaker, writer, and founder/CEO of Paper Street Pictures, a leading force in independent genre cinema. He has directed CAMERA OBSCURA, THE PALE DOOR, and the cult-favorite SCARE PACKAGE series on Shudder. As a producer, he has worked on projects like THE ARTIFICE GIRL, THE REQUIN, OLD MAN, and BLOOD RELATIVES.Most recently, …

Kim Rosenstock is an Emmy and WGA-nominated TV writer, producer, and playwright, best known for shows like NEW GIRL and ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING, for which she received Emmy and WGA nominations. Elizabeth Meriwether is a screenwriter, playwright, and producer best known as the creator of the hit TV sitcom NEW GIRL, starring Zooey Deschanel. She…

Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, the creative minds behind the beloved animated series PHINEAS AND FERB, are back as co-creators and executive producers for its new season. Both will also reprise their voice roles, with Povenmire once again lending his voice to the hilariously villainous Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, and Marsh returning as Major F…

Seth Meyers is an Emmy Award-winning comedian, writer, producer, and television host. He is currently the host of NBC's LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS, where he delivers a nightly blend of political commentary, celebrity interviews, and clever comedic segments.Alex Baze is a highly respected comedy writer and producer, best known for his extensive wor…

Emmy and PGA award-winning screenwriter and producer Charlie Brooker created the critically acclaimed anthology series BLACK MIRROR. The highly anticipated seventh season premiered April 10th on Netflix. In this interview, we talk about the conception and evolution of BLACK MIRROR, his writing process and habits, advice on writing pilots/standalone…

Paul Giamatti is an award-winning actor best known for films like AMERICAN SPLENDOR, SIDEWAYS, and THE HOLDOVERS. Most recently, he appeared on Episode 5 of the newest season of BLACK MIRROR, called “Eulogy,” where an isolated man is introduced to a groundbreaking system that allows its users to step inside old photographs.In this interview, we tal…

Anna Camp is an actress best known for her role as the unforgettable Aubrey Posen in the PITCH PERFECT film series. She has built an impressive resume with notable roles in popular television shows such as THE MINDY PROJECT and TRUE BLOOD, and most recently, she played Maddie & Reagan Lockwood in the last season of Netflix’s YOU.In the epic fifth a…

Todd Harthan is currently the executive producer and showrunner on ABC’s HIGH POTENTIAL. In recent years, he has been executive producer on the Disney+ series CROSSOVER, ABC’s THE COMPANY YOU KEEP, and FBC’s THE RESIDENT.HIGH POTENTIAL follows a single mom with three kids who helps solve an unsolvable crime when she rearranges some evidence during …

Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson are the creators, showrunners, writers, and executive producers of the hit Showtime drama series, YELLOWJACKETS. YELLOWJACKETS, equal parts survival epic, psychological horror story and coming-of-age drama, is the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls soccer players who become the (un)lucky survivors of …

Freddy Macdonald is a Student Academy Award winner and the youngest Directing Fellow ever accepted to the AFI Conservatory. Freddy’s AFI admission film, SEW TORN, was acquired by Searchlight Pictures, and it received an Oscar-qualifying theatrical release nationwide alongside READY OR NOT. SEW TORN follows a seamstress who gets tangled in her own t…

Jonathan Tropper is an American novelist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the internationally best-selling author of six novels that have been translated into over thirty languages.Most recently, he created the Apple TV+ Series YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, which follows a hedge fund manager who resorts to burglary after losing his job, targeting w…

Luke Barnett is an actor, writer, and filmmaker. On the acting front, Luke recently wrapped season 5 of AppleTV+'s critically acclaimed sci-fi drama FOR ALL MANKIND, where he recurs as suit supervisor Mike Shaw (we also spoke with the creators of this series back in Episode 363.)This year, his short film THE CROSSING OVER EXPRESS, which he wrote, d…

Jon Shaivitz is an LA-based writer and director. Since moving to Los Angeles in 2009, he's earned recognition in prestigious competitions such as the Academy Nicholl Fellowship (Top 50), StoryPros (Runner-Up), and the Atlanta Screenplay Awards (Best Feature).His work has led to multiple script options, industry collaborations, and a growing reputat…

Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield are the dynamic duo behind the highly anticipated Netflix comedy series THE FOUR SEASONS, a show they co-created with Tina Fey, inspired by the classic 1981 film. Fisher previously co-created the hit NEVER HAVE I EVER and wrote for BROOKLYN NINE-NINE and THE MINDY PROJECT, and Wigfield created SAVED BY THE BELL, GREA…

Katie Robbins and Sarah Sutherland are the showrunners of Hulu's highly anticipated limited series, GOOD AMERICAN FAMILY, starring Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass.The series follows a Midwestern couple who adopts what they believe is a little girl with dwarfism as they begin to raise her alongside their three biological children, falling into a battl…

NYU roommates Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, established a working partnership through their love for genre films. Their filmography includes the thrillers BODY, THE STAKELANDER, and the critically acclaimed VILLAINS, starring Bill Skarsgård and Maika Monroe. They continued their success with SIGNIFICANT OTHER and their newest action-comedy film NOVOCA…

Ian Seabrook is a highly acclaimed Director of Photography, celebrated for his mastery of underwater cinematography. His recent work includes lensing both underwater and main unit photography for the upcoming thriller LAST BREATH starring Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, and Finn Cole.Seabrook's extensive filmography features blockbuster hits like INDIAN…

Andy Bobrow is a seasoned TV comedy writer with over two decades of experience on hit network shows like MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, COMMUNITY, and BROOKLYN NINE-NINE. He also served as Executive Producer and Co-Showrunner for Fox’s LAST MAN ON EARTH and currently writes for Fox’s KRAPOPOLIS.Guy Goldstein bridges screenwriting and technology, renowned f…

David Carson is a counter-intuitive thinker and creative problem-solver with a knack for uncovering genius where others see nonsense. Known for transforming unconventional ideas into groundbreaking solutions, he has helped global brands like American Express, Nike, Coca-Cola, and IKEA build human connections, captivate audiences, and redefine what’…

Mark Dent is a senior writer and editor at The Hustle, where he writes feature stories about business and the economy. Mark's work has also appeared in outlets like the New York Times and Wired. He's the author of KINGDOM QUARTERBACK, a book about Patrick Mahomes and the fall and rise of midwest cities.In this interview, we talk about his early car…

Dito Montiel went from punk rocker to briefly a boxer, then a Versace/Calvin Klein model. His band Gutterboy signed a record deal with Geffen, followed by a period of homelessness. He rebounded by writing A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS, which became a film starring Robert Downey Jr., launching his directing career.His latest film, RIFF RAFF, fo…

Nikki Toscano is a showrunner, executive producer, and director. She co-created and runs Peacock's LONG BRIGHT RIVER starring Amanda Seyfried, and was showrunner on Paramount+'s THE OFFER and Amazon's HUNTERS. With an extensive track record, including overall deals at major studios and credits on numerous acclaimed series, Toscano is a proven force…

J.J. Bailey is the creator, executive producer and co-showrunner on the NBC drama THE HUNTING PARTY. Since 2017, he has developed several projects with UTV/NBC, which include two pilot orders for ECHO and GETAWAY. Now working under an overall deal with NBCUniversal, Bailey has his first series order with THE HUNTING PARTY.Jake Coburn also serves as…

Ike Barinholtz is an acclaimed comedic actor, writer, and producer. He's known for his work on shows like THE MINDY PROJECT, NEIGHBORS, BLOCKERS, and HISTORY OF THE WORLD, PART II. David Stassen is a writer, producer, and director. He co-created and runs Netflix's RUNNING POINT starring Kate Hudson. He also co-wrote and produced Hulu's HISTORY OF T…

Pietro Schito is an animation screenwriter and producer who turns ideas into animated adventures and helps development teams unravel their story problems. He has worked with major studios and helped storytellers coming from Pixar, Netflix, Disney, and Dreamworks develop their own projects. Some of his credits include THINGDOM, THE PIANO, and INZOMN…

Martin Campbell is a filmmaker known for directing two acclaimed James Bond films, GOLDENEYE and CASINO ROYALE. He gained recognition in British television with REILLY: ACE OF SPIES and the BAFTA-winning EDGE OF DARKNESS. His Hollywood career includes hits like THE MASK OF ZORRO and VERTICAL LIMIT. Renowned for his dynamic action sequences and abil…

Andrew Buss has carved out a niche for himself as a pop culture expert, with a heavy emphasis on comedy. He has written for publications like Vanity Fair, New York Magazine’s Vulture, The Daily Beast, Consequence of Sound, and The Laugh Button, where he served as editor for five years.As a journalist, Andrew has conducted interviews with some of th…

Lol Crawley is a cinematographer known for his work on films such as THE BRUTALIST, WHITE NOISE, and 45 YEARS; and he is particularly recognized for his frequent collaborations with director Brady Corbet.His most recent work, THE BRUTALIST, follows a visionary architect and his wife who fled post-war Europe in 1947 to rebuild their legacy and witne…

Jarin Blaschke is an acclaimed cinematographer best known for his work with director Robert Eggers. His striking, atmospheric visuals define films like THE WITCH, THE NORTHMAN, and THE LIGHTHOUSE which earned him an Academy Award nomination.His latest work NOSFERATU, follows a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifyin…

Philip Gelatt is a writer, director, and producer best known for his contribution to Netflix’s animated anthology LOVE, DEATH & ROBOTS.His most recent work, FIRST WORD ON HORROR, featuring Stephen Graham Jones, Paul Tremblay, Elizabeth Hand, Laird Barron, and Mariana Enriquez, is a fifteen-part documentary series that profiles five of the finest ho…