A podcast about how to build a career in filmmaking. No Film School shares the latest opportunities and trends for anyone working in film and TV. We break news on cameras, lighting, and apps. We interview leaders in screenwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, and producing. And we answer your questions! We are dedicated to sharing knowledge with filmmakers around the globe, “no film school” required.
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Sep 29, 2026 · 50:29
Writer-director Lee Kirk joins No Film School’s GG Hawkins to break down the making of Nimrods, his Green Day-inspired coming-of-age road movie. Kirk traces his path from…
Sep 27, 2026 · 54:48
Ryan Koo and Jourdan Aldredge report from Fantastic Fest 2026 in Austin, Texas, where they explore how the festival is expanding beyond exhibiting genre films to helping…
Sep 24, 2026 · 54:13
Recorded at Fantastic Fest 2026 in Austin, No Film School founder Ryan Koo talks with Into the Sky writer-directors Drew Mylrea and Evan Buxbaum about the decade-long path to…
Sep 17, 2026 · 1:10:47
Writer-director-actor Leah McKendrick joins GG Hawkins to break down the long road to getting Voicemails for Isabelle made after years in development. McKendrick traces her…
Sep 12, 2026 · 40:40
Writer-director Sabrina Greco joins No Film School to discuss the making of her feature debut, Lockjaw, a dark comedy centered on a woman whose jaw is wired shut after a car…
Sep 3, 2026 · 57:50
Writer-director Alex Ullom and producers Carrie Carusone and Evan Barber break down the unconventional path behind It Ends, their micro-budget indie horror feature about four…
Aug 27, 2026 · 48:57
Writer-director Sam Hayes and actor-filmmaker Michael Vlamis break down the making and unconventional release of Pools, a coming-of-age film built around an overnight…
Aug 22, 2026 · 35:32
Tribeca Festival Director and SVP of Programming Cara Cusumano joins No Film School’s GG Hawkins to reflect on 25 years of Tribeca and explain what independent filmmakers should…
Aug 15, 2026 · 40:21
Fiscal sponsorship can give independent filmmakers access to tax-deductible donations, in-kind contributions, corporate partnerships, and other fundraising opportunities without…
Aug 6, 2026 · 30:40
Editor Jon Fine joins GG Hawkins to discuss shaping The Revisionist, a dialogue-driven drama directed by Alex Vlack and starring Alison Brie, André Holland, and Dustin Hoffman.…
Jul 31, 2026 · 39:03
Most filmmakers wait until after production to identify their audience and develop a distribution strategy. In this partner episode, GG Hawkins speaks with Greenlight Coverage…
Jul 30, 2026 · 45:06
Wonder Dynamics co-founders Tye Sheridan and Nikola Todorovic join GG Hawkins to explain how their filmmaking backgrounds shaped the development of AI-powered production tools…
Jul 27, 2026 · 37:48
Editor, director, and producer Whit Conway explains how the Hulu comedy Never Change! was assembled on an unusually compressed post-production schedule. He discusses cutting…
Jul 25, 2026 · 47:32
Producer and Joy Coalition founder Joy Gorman Wettels joins GG Hawkins to discuss the long, uncertain path of building a producing career, from developing Next to Normal and…
Jul 19, 2026 · 39:40
Emmy-nominated stunt coordinator and performer Victor Paguia joins No Film School’s GG Hawkins to explain how action sequences are designed around character, story, safety, and…
Jul 16, 2026 · 53:42
Madhouse Films co-founders Katherine Romans and Charlie Traisman join GG Hawkins to explain how they built an independent production company from the ground up. They discuss…
Jul 11, 2026 · 49:12
After an earlier feature project collapsed, filmmakers Amanda Drexton, Michael A. Drexton, and Samantha Westervelt decided to stop waiting for permission and make Sour Party with…
Jul 6, 2026 · 53:03
No Film School’s Jo Light records live from Aspen Shorts Fest with Julia Aks and Steve Pinder, the co-writers and co-directors of Jane Austen’s Period Drama. The conversation…
Jun 26, 2026 · 54:40
In this episode, GG Hawkins talks with writer, director, producer, assistant, and Not Your Daddy’s Films co-founder Vika Stubblebine about building a sustainable film career…
Jun 25, 2026 · 47:47
Filmmaker Joe Burke and actor-writer-producer Oliver Cooper join No Film School to discuss the making and release of Burt, a black-and-white micro-budget feature inspired by…
Jun 24, 2026 · 42:59
GG Hawkins speaks with production designer Vivian Gray about building the visual world of Obsession, from Southern Gothic references and texture-heavy interiors to practical…
Jun 19, 2026 · 45:12
No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with Kanopy’s Aaron Spears and Matt Lewis about curation, film discovery, and how independent films find audiences in a streaming landscape…
Jun 12, 2026 · 47:21
GG Hawkins speaks with BAFTA-winning director Marc Munden about directing the new Netflix adaptation of Lord of the Flies, written by Jack Thorne. Munden discusses revisiting…
Jun 11, 2026 · 46:13
GG Hawkins continues No Film School’s 2026 distribution experiment with filmmaker Pete Ohs, focusing on the release of Erupcja, his Warsaw-shot microbudget feature starring…
Jun 4, 2026 · 43:31
No Film School’s GG Hawkins talks with filmmaker Shane Brady and producer Emily Zercher-Brady about turning a devastating real-life hack into the revenge comedy-horror feature…
May 21, 2026 · 50:36
No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with writer-director Hasan Hadi and producer Leah Chen Baker about the development, financing, production, and release journey behind The…
May 15, 2026 · 27:36
Jourdan Aldredge speaks with Blackmagic Design’s Simon Westland at NAB 2026 about the company’s latest camera, live production, mobile filmmaking, DaVinci Resolve, Blackmagic…
May 14, 2026 · 41:00
GG Hawkins talks with writer-director Chandler Levack about making I Like Movies, Mile End Kicks, and Roommates, and how Levack protects a specific filmmaking voice while moving…
May 8, 2026 · 44:15
No Film School’s Jourdan Aldridge sits down with Adobe’s Jason Druss at NAB 2026 to discuss Adobe Premiere’s new Color Mode, a three-year effort to rethink color grading for…
May 7, 2026 · 43:39
Director Nicole Bazuin joins No Film School’s GG Hawkins to discuss the decade-long creative collaboration behind Modern Whore, a hybrid documentary based on Andrea Werhun’s…
Apr 30, 2026 · 30:31
Jo Light interviews documentary and commercial director Brendan Young live from Aspen Shortsfest about his short documentary The Meloneers, which follows the Rocky Ford High…
Apr 23, 2026 · 44:51
In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins speaks with cinematographer Johanna Coelho about building the immersive visual language behind The Pitt. Coelho breaks…
Apr 17, 2026 · 1:10:07
GG Hawkins speaks with Kino co-founders Brit MacRae and Daril Fannin about the broken handoff between post-production and release, and how insecure screeners, fragmented feedback…
Apr 14, 2026 · 39:44
In this sponsored episode, GG Hawkins speaks with Eddie AI co-founder and CEO Shamir Allibhai about Eddie AI’s latest release, Eddie v3, which launched on April 14, 2026 ahead of…
Apr 11, 2026 · 52:21
Writer-director Lee Cronin joins No Film School to discuss how he approached reimagining The Mummy through the lens of family trauma, mystery, and body horror. In conversation…
Apr 9, 2026 · 37:38
GG Hawkins speaks with editors Lam T. Nguyen and Austin Keeling about building the visual language of Mercy, a hybrid screen life thriller directed by Timur Bekmambetov. They…
Apr 3, 2026 · 1:05:42
In this episode, GG Hawkins speaks with animator and director Julian Glander about making his microbudget animated feature Boys Go to Jupiter for just $30,000, premiering it at…
Mar 27, 2026 · 1:00:55
In this episode, No Film School host GG Hawkins speaks with director Charlie Tyrell and editors Davis Coombe and Daysha Broadway about The AI Doc: Or How I Became an…
Mar 26, 2026 · 34:41
GG Hawkins speaks with filmmaker Pete Ohs for the first installment in a quarterly 2026 series tracking how he releases four films over the course of the year. Using OBEX as the…
Mar 19, 2026 · 56:29
Ryan Koo and Jourdan Aldredge report from Austin during the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival, reflecting on how the event felt different after the convention center overhaul and how…
Mar 14, 2026 · 39:27
In this episode, No Film School host GG Hawkins speaks with editor Sonny Atkins about shaping fear through sound, rhythm, and restraint in the horror feature Undertone. Atkins…
Mar 12, 2026 · 45:45
Writer-director Amy Wang joins the No Film School podcast to discuss her debut feature, Slanted, and the long road from film school to theatrical release. In conversation with GG…
Mar 6, 2026 · 38:10
In this episode, GG Hawkins speaks with editor Harrison Atkins about shaping A24’s How to Make a Killing with director John Patton Ford. Atkins breaks down his path into editing,…
Feb 26, 2026 · 57:19
Recorded live at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, this annual Director of Photography Roundtable features No Film School’s GG Hawkins in conversation with…
Feb 20, 2026 · 40:31
Producer Zainab Azizi joins GG Hawkins to break down her journey from agency mailroom to President of Raimi Productions and producing studio features like Send Help. Azizi shares…
Feb 19, 2026 · 58:41
Recorded live from the Sundance Film Festival, GG Hawkins hosts a roundtable conversation with four short film directors premiering work at the festival: Kelly McCormack (How…
Feb 13, 2026 · 50:18
In this episode, GG Hawkins speaks with Madison Jones and Lindsay Grossman, co-founders of The Love List, along with filmmaker Shelby Blake Bartelstein, about what makes a…
Feb 6, 2026 · 50:52
Recorded live at Sundance, this episode features a wide-ranging roundtable on the current state of independent film exhibition. Host GG Hawkins speaks with festival programmers,…
Feb 5, 2026 · 1:22:06
In this episode, we dive into the logistics, strategy, and evolving experience of getting into and attending SXSW. GG Hawkins is joined by No Film School Founder Ryan Koo and a…
Jan 31, 2026 · 1:03:12
In this episode recorded live at the Sundance Film Festival, No Film School founder Ryan Koo sits down with Julien and Justen Turner—real-life brothers and co-creators of…
Jan 30, 2026 · 1:28:09
This episode of the No Film School Podcast is recorded live from the final Sundance Film Festival in Park City, 2026. GG Hawkins and Ryan Koo are joined by No Film School writer…
Jan 26, 2026 · 45:26
In this episode recorded live from the final Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, GG Hawkins is joined by No Film School’s Ryan Koo and Jo Light to commemorate the end of…
Jan 22, 2026 · 52:40
January is often perceived as a slow month in Hollywood, but in reality it’s one of the most strategic windows of the year for filmmakers. On this episode, GG Hawkins and guests…
Jan 15, 2026 · 37:03
In this episode, Charles Haine sits down with documentary co-directors Geneva Peschka and Anna Andersen to discuss their latest project The Solace of Sisterhood, which recently…
Jan 9, 2026 · 46:25
This episode of the No Film School Podcast dives deep into the power and necessity of physical spaces in modern film culture. Host GG Hawkins sits down with Maggie Mackay,…
Jan 1, 2026 · 1:15:26
This episode of the No Film School Podcast features two conversations. First, host GG Hawkins reunites with filmmaker Pete Ohs, who returns to share the unique distribution…
Dec 27, 2025 · 1:05:29
In this episode, the tables are turned as No Film School host GG Hawkins becomes the interviewee, speaking with No Film School founder Ryan Koo about the journey of releasing her…
Dec 24, 2025 · 43:33
Host GG Hawkins sits down with filmmaker Charlie Polinger to unpack the making of his debut feature, The Plague. Polinger discusses his transition from theater to film, the…
Dec 21, 2025 · 58:17
In this episode, host Charles Haine sits down with cinematographer Oren Soffer to dive deep into the groundbreaking and much-discussed visual style of The Creator. As the co-DP…
Dec 18, 2025 · 53:25
Allan Ungar started directing features at just 23 and has since evolved into a filmmaker known for his action-comedy chops and ability to elicit career-best performances from his…
Dec 12, 2025 · 42:18
Screenwriter and showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine joins the No Film School Podcast to unpack her career and creative process behind hit adaptations including The Boys and The…
Dec 10, 2025 · 1:07:28
In this episode, No Film School founder Ryan Koo and host GG Hawkins, along with producer and guest Ana Liza Muravina, dig into the ramifications of the news that Netflix is…
Dec 5, 2025 · 50:54
In this episode, cinematographer Gayle Ye joins host GG Hawkins for an intimate and wide-ranging conversation about artistry, identity, and what it means to lead with…
Nov 21, 2025 · 42:08
GG Hawkins speaks with directors Jessica Dimmock and Zackary Canepari about their haunting and thought-provoking HBO documentary Thoughts & Prayers. The film offers a chillingly…
Nov 14, 2025 · 1:34:42
In this episode of the No Film School podcast, GG Hawkins and Ryan Koo dig into the often‑murky world of film release strategy and distribution from multiple angles—and then sit…
Nov 13, 2025 · 51:09
The current state of Hollywood script development is chaotic, to say the least—but what if there were a way to reclaim it for writers? In this episode, guest host Charles Haine…
Nov 7, 2025 · 59:33
In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins dives into the sweeping process behind Train Dreams, a period drama adapted from the Dennis Johnson novella. GG is…
Nov 6, 2025 · 1:09:11
In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, host GG Hawkins connects with two key voices in the film-industry ecosystem. First, she chats with screenwriter and filmmaker…
Oct 31, 2025 · 1:17:25
Director John-Michael Powell joins No Film School to talk about his gritty Southern crime thriller Violent Ends, which hits theaters October 31. Powell shares the winding journey…
Oct 30, 2025 · 52:25
In this episode, No Film School founder Ryan Koo sits down with contributor and fellow Austinite Jourdan Aldredge to recap the highlights and insights from the 32nd annual Austin…
Oct 24, 2025 · 54:04
In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and guests Geeta Gandbhir and Viridiana Lieberman dive into the making of the breakout documentary The Perfect Neighbor, which uses…
Oct 18, 2025 · 54:39
In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins speaks with writer-director Mary Bronstein about her searing psychological comedy-drama If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You. The…
Oct 17, 2025 · 49:33
No Film School founder, Ryan Koo, sits down with acclaimed director Jeremiah Zagar to explore his journey from Sundance Labs and indie documentaries to directing high-stakes…
Oct 10, 2025 · 1:06:07
How do you make enough money to support yourself as an independent filmmaker? It's nearly impossible. So these scrappy filmmakers tried something new. Moviegoers at this year's…
Oct 9, 2025 · 56:05
In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, host GG Hawkins sits down with writer-director Zoe Eisenberg to discuss her provocative and powerful debut feature Chaperone, which…
Oct 3, 2025 · 30:05
This episode of the No Film School Podcast takes a deep dive into the intersection of AI and creativity in filmmaking. Host GG Hawkins speaks with Matty Shimura from ElevenLabs…
Oct 3, 2025 · 1:06:06
In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, host GG Hawkins sits down with legendary screenwriter and director Shane Black, known for iconic films like Lethal Weapon, The Last…
Oct 2, 2025 · 58:33
In this episode, GG Hawkins sits down with filmmaker and actor Benny Safdie to dig into his solo directorial feature The Smashing Machine — a biopic‑adjacent portrait of UFC…
Sep 27, 2025 · 1:04:36
In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, host GG Hawkins sits down with Matt Enlow and Oren Kaplan, the prolific directing duo and co-hosts of the long-running Just Shoot…
Sep 26, 2025 · 48:16
No Film School's GG Hawkins checks into Netflix’s brand new animated comedy, Haunted Hotel, and gets a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create an adult animation from…
Sep 25, 2025 · 41:47
In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins, and guests Erin Sullivan and Johnny Han take listeners behind the curtain of The Penguin, exploring how a VFX team builds a gritty,…
Sep 23, 2025 · 47:30
In this episode, Ryan Koo and Jourdan Aldredge explore what makes the 20th edition of Fantastic Fest so crucial for genre and indie filmmakers. They discuss the festival’s unique…
Sep 19, 2025 · 45:48
GG Hawkins sits down with Carmen Emmi (director, writer) and Erik Vogt-Nilsen (editor) of Plainclothes, a striking debut feature that blends the aching vulnerability of first…
Sep 18, 2025 · 42:57
Editor Taylor Mason returns to the No Film School Podcast to discuss her leap from indie features to her first studio film, HIM, directed by Justin Tipping. Host GG Hawkins…
Sep 11, 2025 · 47:59
In this episode, GG Hawkins is joined by Shelby Schultz, Director of Programming at LOOK Cinemas. Shelby shares her insights into the complex and often misunderstood world of…
Sep 5, 2025 · 45:42
In this episode, GG Hawkins speaks with writer-director-producer Nora Fiffer about her debut feature Another Happy Day, and how she achieved a rare feat in indie filmmaking:…
Aug 29, 2025 · 51:35
In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins sits down with filmmaker Macon Blair to discuss his journey from scrappy DIY filmmaking in Virginia to directing the…
Aug 26, 2025 · 52:04
No Film School delves into the high-pressure, fast-paced world of sketch comedy editing on Saturday Night Live's historic 50th Anniversary special. The episode features returning…
Aug 21, 2025 · 42:12
In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins sits down with Oscar-winning editor Paul Rogers, best known for his work on Everything Everywhere All at Once. Paul…
Aug 14, 2025 · 39:22
This episode of the No Film School Podcast welcomes back Charles Haine, who hosts a compelling conversation with filmmaker Aditya Kripalani and lead actors Nawazuddin Siddiqui…
Aug 7, 2025 · 58:16
In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins sits down with powerhouse writing and showrunning duo Nick Stoller and Francesca Delbanco. The married couple behind hit…
Aug 4, 2025 · 46:34
In this special episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins sits down with filmmaker duo Talia Shea Levin and Kara Grace Miller to discuss the journey behind their short…
Jul 31, 2025 · 1:15:13
In this episode, GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman sit down with filmmaker and producer Matthew Scheffler, whose unique path through the industry includes five seasons field…
Jul 24, 2025 · 48:54
This episode of the No Film School Podcast features GG Hawkins in conversation with writer-director Sophie Brooks, whose new film Oh, Hi! hits theaters nationwide on July 25,…
Jul 20, 2025 · 1:11:24
In this episode, GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman dig into the behind-the-scenes business of micro-budget filmmaking. They tackle a fan-submitted Ask No Film School question about…
Jul 19, 2025 · 1:01:52
John Hamburg joins GG Hawkins to discuss crafting iconic, rewatchable comedies—from cult hits like Safe Men to mainstream favorites such as Meet the Parents, Zoolander, I Love…
Jul 15, 2025 · 43:48
In this episode, GG Hawkins sits down with director Steven Feinartz and editor Derek Boonstra, two members of the team behind 'Are We Good?', an intimate documentary following…
Jul 4, 2025 · 1:23:08
In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins presents two riveting conversations that push boundaries and challenge cultural taboos. First, she interviews Michael…
Jul 3, 2025 · 45:47
In this episode, GG Hawkins sits down with Emmy and ACE Eddie-nominated editor Isaac Hagy, whose emotionally charged and visually inventive work includes Waves, Atlanta, Mr. and…
Jun 27, 2025 · 46:31
In this episode, GG Hawkins sits down with Derick Rhodes, VP of Community at Vimeo, to dive into how Vimeo continues to be a crucial hub for independent filmmakers. Derick…
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