Austin Film Festival's On Story Podcast

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-

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 Missi

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 o

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.

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 espec

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

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

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.

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 instil

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.

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.

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

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 Fest

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 do

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

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

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

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.

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

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 Josephso