Indiewire's Filmmaker Toolkit

Director Emerald Fennell joined us to the joys of crafting a deeply unsubtle movie without being foolish, and how the many lush details of Saltburn illuminate its characters' murky morality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The Color Purple” has already been a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, Academy Award-nominated film by Steven Spielberg, and Tony Award-winning Broadway show, but director Blitz Bazawule still found new areas to explore in his new adaptation of the stage musical. On this episode he talks about finding a visual language for the heroine Celie’s imagination, making the leap to big budget filmmaking, and choreographing every scene of the movie like a musical — even when the characters were just talking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This podcast was always conceived as a place where filmmakers could have the kinds of detailed, craft-centric discussions that Martin Scorsese would love. Now, for our 250th episode, the master himself joins us explain why his new film both is and isn't inspired by the American Western, and reflects on what keeps him passionate so far into his career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Director Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone were nominated for Oscars for their first collaboration, “The Favourite,” and their new film “Poor Things” is even funnier, more moving, and more original. Lanthimos and Stone sat down with us to talk about their collaboration, the benefits of a stripped-down set even for an epic, and the challenges of editing such a unique movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nikki Giovanni was one of the most prominent poet-activists to come out of the late-60s Black Arts Movement, and, as this film explores, is one of the Godmothers of Afrofuturism and the Afropunk alternative arts scene. But "Going to Mars" is far from your standard issue profile documentary, instead husband-wife co-directors Michèle Stephenson and Joe Brewster use Giovanni's life and writing as a jumping off point for their own formal exploration as they "delved into the soul of a poet." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Errol Morris has interviewed many controversial figures from Donald Rumsfeld to Steve Bannon, but when he sat down with author and former spy David Cornwell - aka John le Carré - he finally met his match in terms of intelligence and preparation. Morris joined us to discuss the interview with Cornwell that resulted in “The Pigeon Tunnel,” one of the director’s most compelling and entertaining films to date. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ridley Scott is one of those directors with almost too many great films to count, from classics like Blade Runner to modern favorites like The Martian. He joined us to discuss his newest film, detailing how he manages to shoot epics like this in a fraction of the time it takes other filmmakers, and how his partnership with Joaquin Phoenix has strengthened since Gladiator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greta Gerwig and the creative team of "Barbie" discuss the musical evolution of the Warner Brothers' film and the unusual way that the pop songs being written for the film ended up informing score, tone, the opening and ending of the film, and even Barbie's heart. This Deep Dive also features "Barbie" editor Nick Houy and co-composers Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. Music used in this episode: Pink Opening Theme - Barbie Score You Failed Me! - Barbie Score Dance The Night - Dua Lipa Deprogramming - Barbie Score The Pope of Greenwich Village - Dave Grusin, Musica Starlight Express Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax (Laser Version) It Might Be You (Theme from Tootsie) Ken Thinks - Barbie Score Stairway to Weird Barbie - Barbie Score To Live And Die In L.A - Wang Chung Mattel - Barbie Score What Was I Made For - Billie Eillish What Was I Made For (Instrumental) - Barbie Score Meeting Ruth - Barbie Score I’m Just Ken The Warmth Of Your Gaze - Barbie Score Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m

The director of the boundary pushing documentary joins us to illuminate how this famous character from Virginia Woolf remains strikingly relevant in our time, and how we are all a bit of an Orlando. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The directing team behind the latest Disney animated feature join us to discuss tapping into 100 years of Disney movie history to craft a film with its own sense of magic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After helming the last three films in the previous Hunger Games film series, director Francis Lawrence returns for the much anticipated prequel. He joined us to discuss how he returned to the franchise, and how he attempted to take every aspect of the series in new directions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sixteen years after the world saw a trailer for it in Grindhouse, Eli Roth has turned Thanksgiving into a real horror movie. Roth shares how the movie finally made it to the screen, and the slasher b-movies he paid homage to with this throwback. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you know it or not, today's guest has probably been involved in a movie or TV show you love. The celebrated director, writer, & producer joins us for the 40th anniversary of his directorial debut Terms of Endearment. Brooks shares memories from working with an all star cast as a first time director, and how his clear vision for the comedic tone made the movie a success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The director of one of the most talked about movies of the fall joins us to discuss making a courtroom thriller quite unlike any other, using film form to challenge the tropes of the genre and our obsession with true crime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by the captain himself: show-runner, creator, and now director David Jenkins. We go deep below decks to learn why Jenkins rejects many typical pirate tropes in order to protect the emotional truth of his characters, and how they represent his views on comedy and romance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The director of Once (2007) and Sing Street (2016) joins Toolkit today to discuss his latest film about creativity, music, and finding connection in Dublin. Listen to hear how classic musicals influence how Carney sees his stories, and even what he thinks of Taylor Swift. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The creator & showrunner of this darkly funny look at 80s culture and gender roles joined Toolkit to discuss the series' three season arc, the moving final episode, and that cruel inner voice so many of us seem to have. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Bois talks the many facets of creating the epic nine-hour documentary "The History of The Minnesota Vikings" from the boss chart that anchors the series to unexpected music cues to novel uses for Google Earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emma Seligman discusses creating the riotous action comedy "Bottoms" from casting and stunt work to music and production design, and the project of bringing queer characters into timeless high school tropes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Wilson discusses his approach to both documentary and comedy, how he keeps track of all his b-roll, and what things he wanted to make sure How To With John Wilson taught audiences before he wrapped the series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices