The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Long Shot with Jonathan Levine and Ruben Fleischer (Ep. 206)

Director Jonathan Levine discusses his film, Long Shot, with fellow director Ruben Fleischer. The film tells the childhood crush, Charlotte, now one of the most influential women in the world. After Fred is hired to be a speechwriter on Charlotte's Presidential campaign, sparks fly and their chemistry leads to a romance, even though on the surface the two have nothing in common
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/June2019/LongShot_QnA_0519.aspx

Breakthrough with Roxann Dawson and Allan Arkush (Ep. 205)

Director Roxann Dawson discusses her film, Breakthrough, with fellow director Allan Arkush. The film tells the true story of how all hope seemed lost after Smith's adopted son, John, fell into an icy Missouri lake and afterwards lay lifeless in a hospital. Even in the face of every scientific prediction and medical case history, Smith's refusal to give up and steadfast belief inspired those around her to continue to pray for John's recovery.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/June2019/Breakthrough_QnA_0419.aspx

Little with Tina Gordon and Tina Mabry (Ep. 204)

Director Tina Gordon discusses his film, Little, with fellow director Tina Mabry. The film tells the story of tech mogul Jordan Sanders, who awakens one morning in her 13-year-old body. With only her long-suffering assistant in on the secret and do-or-die presentation on the line, Jordan must find a way to navigate through her new situation and learn how her ruthless approach to life affects the people around her.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/June2019/TinaGordon_Little_QnA_0419.aspx

The Best of Enemies with Robin Bissell and Hart Bochner (Ep. 203)

Director Robin Bissell discusses his film, The Best of Enemies, with fellow director Hart Bochner. The film tells the true story of how civil rights activist Ann Atwater and Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan C.P. Ellis came together to co-chair a community summit on the desegregation of schools in Durham, North Carolina during the summer of 1971, and how the events that unfolded would change their lives forever.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/June2019/BestOfEnemies_QnA_0419.aspx

Avengers: Endgame with Anthony & Joe Russo and Todd Holland (Ep. 202)

Directors Anthony & Joe Russo discuss their film, Avengers: Endgame, with fellow director Todd Holland. The film takes place directly after the events of the previous film, Avengers: Infinity War, and follows the superhero team and their allies as they assemble one final time to undo Thanos' destruction and restore their devastated universe.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/June2019/AvengersEG_QnA_0519.aspx

The Great Buster with Peter Bogdanovich and Chuck Workman (Ep. 201)

Director Peter Bogdanovich discusses his film, The Great Buster, with fellow director Chuck Workman. The film chronicles the life and works of the influential filmmaker and comedian Buster Keaton. Interspersed with interviews with collaborators, filmmakers, performers and friends, the film examines Keaton's career as the director, writer, producer and star of his own films; as well as the loss of artistic independence and career decline that marked his later years.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/May2019/0419-DocSeries_GreatBuster.aspx

The Highwaymen with John Lee Hancock and Lawrence Kasdan (Ep. 200)

Director John Lee Hancock discusses his film, The Highwaymen, with fellow director Lawrence Kasdan. The film concentrates on the other side of the Bonnie and Clyde saga, telling their true story of Frank Hamer and Maney Gault – former Texas Rangers who are coaxed out of retirement to end the Barrow gang’s murderous run when even the full force of the FBI isn’t enough to capture the nation’s most notorious criminals.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/May2019/Highwaymen_QnA_0419.aspx

The Science of Laughter - An Evening with the Directing Team from The Big Bang Theory (Ep. 199)

Director Beth McCarthy-Miller moderates The Science of Laughter: An Evening with the Directing Team from The Big Bang Theory featuring Director Mark Cendrowski, Director/Line Producer Kristy Cecil, Director/Editor Peter Chakos, Director/Associate Director Gay Linvill, Director/2nd AD Nikki Lorre and Director/1st AD Anthony Rich.
The discussion covers a variety of topics including the demands of single vs multi-camera shows, the benefits of working on a show with such a long-running history, and the scenes that terrified the directors when they read the script.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/April2019/BigBangTheory-_Event_0219.aspx

The Brink with Alison Klayman and Kristi Jacobson (Ep. 198)

Director Alison Klayman discusses her film, The Brink, with fellow director Kristi Jacobson. The film follows political consultant and former Trump administration chief strategist Steve Bannon on his global mission to spread extreme nationalism, tracking his moves through the 2018 American mid-term elections and shedding light on his efforts to mobilize and unify far right parties around the world.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/May2019/NYDocSeries_TheBrink.aspx

Triple Frontier with J.C. Chandor and Tony Gilroy (Ep. 197)

Director J.C. Chandor discusses his film, Triple Frontier, with fellow director Tony Gilroy. The film tells the story of five former Special Forces operatives who reunite to rob a cocaine cartel boss in a sparsely populated multi-border zone of South America. When events take an unexpected turn and threaten to spiral out of control, their skills, their loyalties, and their morals are pushed to a breaking point in an epic battle for survival.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/May2019/TripleFrontier_QnA_0319.aspx

Mapplethorpe with Ondi Timoner and Maria Burton (Ep. 196)

Director Robert Mapplethorpe discusses his film, Mapplethorpe, with fellow director Maria Burton. The film follows iconic photographer Robert Mapplethorpe -- whose portraits, still lifes and chronicles of New York City's underground BDSM scene inspired censorship debates throughout the 1980s and remain touchstones of 20th century photography -- from his rise to fame in the 1970s to his untimely death in 1989.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/April2019/Mapplethorpe_QnA_0319.aspx

Fighting with My Family with Stephen Merchant and Rawson Marshall Thurber (Ep. 195)

Director Stephen Merchant discusses his film, Fighting With My Family, with fellow director Rawson Marshall Thurber. Based on the true story of wrestling superstar Saraya "Paige" Bevis, who grew up in a tight-knit wrestling family that earned their living traveling around England performing. When Paige earns a spot in the highly WWE training program, she must find the courage to leaver her family and face this new world alone.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/April2019/FightingWithMyFamily_QnA_0219.aspx

Escape Room with Adam Robitel and Christopher Landon (Ep. 194)

Director Adam Robitel discusses his film, Escape Room, with fellow director Christopher Landon. Capturing the cultural zeitgeist of puzzle-box escape rooms, the film follows a group of adventurous game players vying to win $10,000 by cracking a series of puzzles in a mysterious building.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/March2019/EscapeRoom_QnA_0119.aspx

Meet the Nominees Movies for Television and Limited Series Symposium 2019 (Ep. 193)

Ben Stiller (Escape at Dannemora), David Leveaux (Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert), Alex Rudzinski(Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert), and Jean-Marc Vallee (Sharp Objects) participate in the Meet the Nominees: Movies for Television and Limited Series Symposium. Nominees Cary Joji Fukunaga (Maniac) and Barry Levinson (Paterno)were not available to participate.
The discussion covers a variety of topics including the director's approaches to casting, locations, and working with actors.

Meet the Nominees Feature Film Symposium 2019 - Part 3 of 3 (Ep. 192)

Jeremy Kagan moderates the 28th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Feature Film Symposium featuring Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Peter Farrelly, Spike Lee, and Adam McKay on their nominated films. Part three shares the nominees' thoughts on directing actors and knowing when you’ve gotten the performance. Highlights include Peter Farrelly commending his directorial team for helping him keep things moving, Adam Mckay sharing his amorphous directorial process, and Alfonso Cuarón sharing why you can't trust dailies and can only judge a moment in context.

Meet the Nominees Feature Film Symposium 2019 - Part 2 of 3 (Ep. 191)

Jeremy Kagan moderates the 28th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Feature Film Symposium featuring Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Peter Farrelly, Spike Lee, and Adam McKay on their nominated films. Part two shares the nominees' thoughts on casting. Highlights include how Peter Farrelly convinced Viggo Mortensen to take on the role of Tony Lip, why Alfonso Cuarón doesn't believe in directing kids, and how Bradley Cooper fared years ago during an audition for Spike Lee.

Meet the Nominees Feature Film Symposium 2019 - Part 1 of 3 (Ep. 190)

Jeremy Kagan moderates the 28th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Feature Film Symposium featuring Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Peter Farrelly, Spike Lee, and Adam McKay on their nominated films. Topics for part one include the nominees' thoughts on the night before the shoot and how they handle the immense pressure that comes with directing a film.

London Fields, The Director’s Cut with Matthew Cullen and Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck (Ep. 189)

Director Matthew Miguel Cullen discusses his film, London Fields, The Director's Cut, with fellow director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. The film weaves the tale of Nicola Six, a femme-fatale who ensnares three men into a love affair. The twist: she knows that one of these men will ultimately become her murderer.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Jan2019/LondonFields_QnA_1218.aspx

Dumplin’ with Anne Fletcher and Adam Shankman (Ep. 188)

Director Anne Fletcher discusses her film, Dumplin', with fellow director Adam Shankman. The film tells the story of Willowdean "Dumplin'" Dickson, a plus-size teenager living in the shadow of her former beauty queen mother. To prove a point about measuring up and fitting in, Dumplin' signs up for her mom's Miss Teen Bluebonnet pageant.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Feb2019/Dumplin_QnA_1218.aspx

Ben Is Back with Peter Hedges and Craig Johnson (Ep. 187)

Director Peter Hedges discusses his film, Ben is Back, with fellow director Craig Johnson. The film tells the story of Ben Burns, a young man who unexpectedly returns home on Christmas Eve after spending time in a treatment center following a heroin overdose. While his mother is happy to see her son returned, she is worried about his ability to remain clean and ready to do everything in her power to keep him and the rest of her family safe.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Feb2019/BenisBack_QnA_1218.aspx