BELOW THE LINE PODCAST

Last week, we lost one of our own:  Larry Lerner, an assistant director with a film career spanning more than 35 years, passed away after contracting COVID-19. My guests today are fellow Directors Guild members who knew Larry, both on and off set.

Today I'm speaking with Jeff Butcher and Dan Fisher, the property team from 2008's The Wrestler (directed by Darren Aronofsky, starring Mickey Rourke, and featuring supporting performances by Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood).  

My guest today is Property Master Scott Buckwald, sharing his insights from the set of 2006's The Prestige (directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale).  This is the first of a multi-episode series focused on the Property Department. 

And just like that, we're back for a new season.  An assistant director, a costumer, and a property master meet virtually because of social distancing . . . this episode, my guests are crew members whose productions stopped filming due to concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19.  

Bonus Oscar episode! A hairstylist and a sound mixer walk into a bar . . . want to know what really happens at the Academy Awards? My guests today are hairstylist Yvonne De Patis-Kupka, who has crewed many an Oscar ceremony, and three-time Sound Mixing nominee Steve Morrow, who tells us about the red carpet, the after parties, and everything in between. It's a Below the Line look at the event itself from both sides of the curtain.

Our discussion of the Oscar nominees in the technical/craftsman categories concludes today!  A wardrobe department insider walks into a bar . . . this episode, we're assessing the nominees for Costume Design (Academy Awards series: 7 of 7).

A cinematographer walks into a bar . . . this episode is a deep-dive discussion of the Oscar nominees for Cinematography (Academy Awards Series: 6 of 7).

A makeup artist and a hairstylist walk into a bar . . . today, we're talking about the Oscar nominees for Makeup and Hairstyling (Academy Awards Series: 5 of 7).  

A pair of composers and a music critic walk into a bar . . . our Oscar conversations continue with a discussion of the nominees for Original Song and Original Score (Academy Awards Series: 4 of 7).

A pair of editors and a producer walk into a bar . . . today, our discussion of the Oscar technical categories focuses on the nominees in Film Editing and Visual Effects (Academy Awards Series: 3 of 7).

Our Oscar coverage continues!  A sound mixer and a sound editor walk into a bar . . . our discussion of the technical nominees continues with Sound Mixing and Sound Editing:  two categories with a complicated relationship that lends itself to an interesting discussion (Academy Awards Series: 2 of 7).

For the next two weeks, we're all about the Oscars!  A production designer, a set decorator and a leadman walk into a bar . . . our assessment of the nominees in the technical categories starts with an in-depth look at Production Design (Academy Awards Series: 1 of 7).

That same group of assistant directors are keeping the bar open late . . . our third of three episodes about the Directors Guild of America nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement is a discussion of the nominees in the various Television categories.  

A group of assistant directors continue talking at a bar . . . our second of three episodes about the Directors Guild of America nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement is about the First-Time Feature Film and Documentary categories.

Welcome to Awards Season!  A group of assistant directors gather in a bar . . . this week we're talking about the Directors Guild of America nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement.  This episode (first of three) we discuss the Theatrical Feature Films. 

Bonus episode! A stunt coordinator walks into a bar . . . my guest today is Robert Nagle, Stunt Coordinator for 2019's Ford v Ferrari. Needless to say, our conversation is focused on the stunts.

An assistant director, a sound mixer and a location manager walk into a bar . . . today we're talking about 2019's Ford v Ferrari (directed by James Mangold and starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon):  see it in the theater and then join us for the podcast!

A cinematographer, a boom operator and a set dresser walk into a bar . . . this week, we're revisiting the long-running, NYC-based NBC series, Law & Order, which ran for 20 seasons (1990-2010).  

A sound mixer and a grip walk into a bar . . . my guests today are crew from Quentin Tarantino's 2019 magnum opus, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt).   

An assistant director, a property master and a production assistant walk into a bar . . . this episode, my guests are from 2010's Piranha 3D (directed by Alexandre Aja and starring Elisabeth Shue, Jerry O'Connell, Adam Scott and a slew of guest stars).

A team of amateur filmmakers walk into a bar . . . today I'm speaking with folks who competed in The 48 Hour Film Project, an annual filmmaking event that attracts entries from around the globe.

An assistant director, a set dresser and a production assistant walk into a bar . . . this week we're talking about Arrested Development, and my guests are crew representing the runs on both Fox (2003-2006) and Netflix (2013-2019).  

A makeup artist and a couple of assistant directors walk into a bar . . . today we're talking about both seasons of the 2017-2018 Starz television series, Counterpart (starring J.K. Simmons and Olivia Williams).  

A helicopter pilot, a stunt woman and an assistant director walk into a bar . . . this episode, we're revisiting 1992's Patriot Games (directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Harrison Ford, Sean Bean, Anne Archer and Samuel L. Jackson).

We're back with all new episodes!  A couple of assistant directors and a makeup artist walk into a bar . . . today we're talking about all seven seasons of Mad Men (created by Matthew Weiner and starring an ensemble cast led by Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss).