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Private Notes
Breaking Bad drove into television like a dump truck filled with nitroglycerine. Chained to a hyper growth curve and vociferous viewership, Vince Gilligan oversaw a monstrous hit turned cultural phenomenon with this serialized masterpiece. Casual fans to fervent fanatics will find something to chew on in this personal reflection. Film: Eutanas S.A. by Victor Nores
Frank Darabont, writer and director of such classics as The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and The Mist, discusses adapting works by Stephen King and keeping his characters at the core of the story. Followed by Jeffrey DeChausse’s short film, Anniversario, trailing a woman’s visit to her two favorite hairdressers on the day of her 45th wedding anniversary for what becomes the most important makeover of their lives.
An iconic example of its genre, Alien’s tension, pacing, and craftsmanship are deconstructed by veteran screenwriters John August and Ashley Miller. Accompanied by Jason Mann and Frieda Luk’s mystical short film, Delicacy, following a culinary connoisseur and his loyal chef as they dangerously navigate into the unknown with hopes to obtain a rare treat.
House of Cards creator, Beau Willimon, discusses writing for Netflix, working with David Fincher, and delving into the psychology of narrative power struggles. Artiz Moreno’s short film, Colera, follows with an ominous glimpse of a town that decides to take the law into their own hands, without considering the consequences.
Rian Johnson (Looper), Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko), and Roberto Orci (Star Trek), masters of weaving time travel into film, dissect the elements that make for a believable “operating system” when writing a comprehensible screenplay timeline. A Conversation About Cheating with my Time Traveling Future Self follows, with one man’s attempt to better his life by traveling back in time to offer himself advice, written/directed by Pornsak Pichetshote.
What does a revolution look like? How does one start? Maybe two renegades soaring off a cliff, into the Grand Canyon, all in the name of freedom? In this powerful episode, Callie Khouri reflects upon her experience working with Ridley Scott and writing the genre-crushing classic Thelma and Louise. Film: Pistachio Milk by Avram Dodson
The Clint Eastwood/David Peoples classic Unforgiven is deconstructed by Into the West’s Kirk Ellis and Apaloosa’s Robert Knott as they explore its gritty action, ambiguous morality, and the tried-and-true tropes of its genre. Christian Baker’s short film, The Well, follows suit, trailing a young Civil War soldier stationed alone on the US/Mexico faced with nothing but his own demons.
He made this stuff look good. Ed Solomon, screenwriter and caretaker of Men in Black explores the genesis of the franchise and its rambunctious journey from pre-production into post; including his own trial of getting fired and re-hired on the colossal project.
Ray McKinnon, creator of the Sundance Channel’s breakout hit, Rectify, details how to capture the personality of a culture through establishing strong characters, tone, and atmosphere. The short film Spanola Pepper Sauce Company follows, directed by McKinnon and written by Graham Gordy, suggesting there’s more brewing in Spanola, AK than just its fine pepper sauce cooking.
Every so often a film transcends the lofty ideal of cinema and permanently imprints itself on the face of history. Philadelphia was such a film. In this memorable recollection, Ron Nyswaner recounts the societal impact of his screenplay, masterfully unleashed at a delicate time in America. Film: Puzzled by Oliver Kember
Frank Pierson’s Academy Award® winning Dog Day Afternoon elevates the classic crime genre through its exploration of textured characters and rationale. Screenwriters Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Peter Craig (The Town) examine the story’s masterful reveal of information and its surprising, but inevitable and honest conclusion.
Drenched in a menagerie of shadows and unmistakable mood, the film noir can be a gripping encounter. In this episode, Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) and Brian Helgeland (LA Confidential), perform an autopsy on the basic impulses, themes, tropes, and tones considered hallmarks of the genre.
Filmmaking legends Paul Thomas Anderson and Jonathan Demme pay tribute to Robert Downey Sr.’s cult classic Greaser’s Palace. Next, Andrew Napier’s short film, Grandma’s Not a Toaster, where a whiskey-guzzling mother-to-be aims to enlist her neurotic brother in attempt to thieve from their ailing grandmother’s fortune.
Creative forces Jonathan Demme and Paul Thomas Anderson sit down for a captivating and enthralling discussion, performing a retrospective on the vision, style, and influences that gave us The Silence of the Lambs, Stop Making Sense, Rachel Getting Married and Something Wild.
A conversation with Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas and actor Chris Lowell on the process of bringing the beloved series to the big screen. Be sure to also check out the Veronica Mars featurette by clicking here
