After the widely successful stage production of August Wilson’s book of the same name, none other than Malcolm Washington chose The Piano Lesson as his feature directorial debut, produced by his father Denzel Washington and Netflix.
There are three actors who reprise their roles in the film after portraying them on stage. You might’ve heard of these immensely talented trio of Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington and last but not least, today’s guest, Ray Fisher!
Ray was kind enough to join us on the show to talk about the evolution of his relationship with the character of Lymon, how much the collaborators and peers he is surrounded with means to him, and riding the waves of the industry.

Without a doubt one of 2024’s biggest cinematic events is The Substance. Coralie Fargeat’s body horror premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival to great critical acclaim and has been gathering more and more attention ever since. We managed to sit down with the film’s cinematographer Benjamin Kračun for an interview.
If you’ve seen the film, you surely know just how gripping it looks and feels. The Substance has a very distinct visual style, and Ben was kind enough to share some behind the scenes looks on prepping, shooting, and working with Coralie.
During our discussion we go through how they planned to differentiate the two main characters with lighting and colors, how the story set in LA was actually shot in France, and of course, the extreme body horror elements.

Despite Sean Baker’s impressive track record, his seventh feature, Anora, might be what brings him the next level of critical- and, more importantly, commercial- success.
Baker, who shoots his projects on film, reteamed with DoP Drew Daniels for the second time after Red Rocket. Drew, whose work you might know from projects such as Waves or It Comes at Night (both directed by Trey Edward Shults), was kind enough to join us for an extensive conversation and gave a detailed rundown of the challenges posed by circumstances and other factors while filming Anora, as well as the synergy between him and Sean.

If you're wondering what legendary director Sam Raimi is up to these days (besides prepping his next project Send Help, rumored to star Rachel McAdams), he’s busy producing films. His latest project is Don’t Move, directed by Brian Netto and Adam Schindler, and headlined by Kelsey Asbille.
In our conversation with Type AB, we touch on the duo's directing history, the production set in Bulgaria, and the thematic exploration of distances within the story and its characters.

(Photo credit: Vladislav Lepoev / Netflix)

Spending too much time within the confines of your home, in front of your computer, might lead some to tell you to “touch some grass”. But what do you do when that’s not an option? You touch others’ hearts in the world of World of Warcraft and make a difference in the digital world that translates into the real one. That’s exactly what Mats 'Ibelin' Steen did during his short yet impactful life. His story came to life in director Benjamin Ree's genre-bending documentary The Remarkable Life of Ibelin.
In our interview with Benjamin, we dive deep into both the emotional and technological sides of crafting this touching story, which reveals the unexpected surprises a physically and temporally limited life can hold.

(Photos: Courtesy of Benjamin Ree & Netflix)

No story is easy to tell, and you can always complicate it for yourself, but that might be beneficial for your purpose.
Taking on the conflicting institution of fraternities presented a similar challenge for first-time director Ethan Berger, who remained committed to his vision and wasn’t afraid to make changes to his script as time passed and life evolved.
Ethan’s film, along with our conversation with him, explores feelings of responsibility, the limits we push within ourselves and each other, and what the future might hold.

(Photo credit: Courtesy of Empirical)

A directorial debut is always a significant event, not just for the director, but for everyone involved in the project. And no film can truly succeed without a strong script, which is the case for Woman of the Hour, starring and directed by Anna Kendrick, and written by our next guest, Ian McDonald.
In this episode, we explore the film, based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala and his appearance on a televised dating show. Ian shares insights into his script's journey from page to screen, discusses the similarities shared between relationships in the '70s and today, and outlines the necessary changes made to the characters' personalities.

(Photo credit: Courtesy of Julia Max)

We all have our 'most anticipated films' that we can't wait to be released, but of course, sometimes filmmakers have to wait for their projects to see the light of day. The incredibly talented director duo, Celine Held and Logan George, shot Caddo Lake three years ago, and now we finally get to see it!
In our little conversation with them (0:57), we cover the dynamics of their directing relationship and M. Night Shyamalan's involvement in the project.
Then, providing context to the entirety of the shoot and the incredible team behind Caddo Lake, we are joined by cinematographer Lowell A. Meyer (8:38). Lowell has been a part of Celine and Logan's works since forever. His participation in the development and evolution of their visual language is beyond doubt.
Our chat with Lowell varies in topics, from the logistics of shooting on the water to his future projects.

(Photos: Courtesy of Celine Held and Logan George)