Welcome to Below the Line, a film industry podcast where we talk about making movies from the crew perspective. My name is Skid: I'm a former Assistant Director and your host. For the show, I invite my production friends - both old and new - to tell stories from their time on set. Each episode is organized around a specific film, television series or some other theme relevant to working in Hollywood. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, or peruse the list below: you might learn something new about one of your favorites.
Thoughts about a specific episode or comments about the podcast? I welcome your feedback: skid@belowtheline.biz
Episodes
Thursday Jul 01, 2021
Season 8 - Ep 5 - Digital Tools for Film Production
Thursday Jul 01, 2021
Thursday Jul 01, 2021
Film production is undergoing a digital revolution, and the pandemic has only accelerated it. My guests today — Michael R. Williams (Think Crew), Sam Patton (Castifi), and Alex LoVerde (SyncOnSet) — represent three companies at the forefront of this effort. We talk about the challenges on set for which digitization is the solution, and how the integration of digital tools will propel film production into the future.
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
Season 8 - Ep 4 - Bosch
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
As Amazon Prime prepares to release the seventh and final season of Bosch (starring Titus Welliver), I’m joined by an all-star panel to discuss Seasons 1 through 6: Frank Tignini (Unit Production Manager), Patrick Cady (Director of Photography), Trey Batchelor (1st Assistant Director) and Robert Paulsen (Location Manager) tell stories from the set.
Thursday Jun 17, 2021
Season 8 - Ep 3 - In the Heights
Thursday Jun 17, 2021
Thursday Jun 17, 2021
In the Heights, the Jon M. Chu film adaptation of the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical (and already one of the best-reviewed films of the year), is currently in theaters and streaming on HBO Max. My guest is the film's editor, Myron Kerstein, and we talk about the challenges of adapting this story for the big screen (and completing post-production in the midst of the pandemic).
Thursday Jun 10, 2021
Season 8 - Ep 2 - Big Trouble in Little China
Thursday Jun 10, 2021
Thursday Jun 10, 2021
Today, I'm discussing John Carpenter's 1986 tour de force, Big Trouble in Little China (starring Kurt Russell), with a returning guest: Director of Photography Dean Cundey, the cinematographer for five of John Carpenter's films.
Thursday Jun 03, 2021
Season 8 - Ep 1 - Judas and the Black Messiah
Thursday Jun 03, 2021
Thursday Jun 03, 2021
Welcome back for Season 8! Our first episode of the new season is a design-focused conversation about Judas and the Black Messiah with Sam Lisenco (Production Designer) and Jeremy Woolsey (Art Director). Enjoying the podcast? Please rate us, wherever you subscribe.
Sunday May 02, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 16 - Below the Line at the Oscars
Sunday May 02, 2021
Sunday May 02, 2021
Bonus Oscar episode! Today, we're talking about the ceremony itself: my guest is three-time nominee John Pritchett, nominated this year for his sound work on News of the World. We discuss the challenges and unexpected perks of attending the Academy Awards with COVID-19 protocols in place.
Friday Apr 23, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 15 - Oscars - Original Score
Friday Apr 23, 2021
Friday Apr 23, 2021
Today concludes our 10-episode Oscar series highlighting the technical awards. To discuss the nominees for Original Score, I’m joined by returning guests Louis Weeks (score composer), Mick Coogan (songwriter) and Chris Molanphy (host of the Slate podcast, Hit Parade). Enjoy the ceremony this weekend!
Thursday Apr 22, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 14 - Oscars - Makeup and Hairstyling
Thursday Apr 22, 2021
Thursday Apr 22, 2021
The Academy Awards are only a few days away, and we’ve got two more categories to discuss. Today, Angela Nogaro (makeup) and Yvonne De Patis-Kupka (hair) join me to assess the Oscar nominees for Makeup and Hairstyling.
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 13 - Oscars - Film Editing
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
Our Academy Awards coverage continues all week. Today, I’m joined by Josh Gitelson (former editor/current lawyer) and Christopher Angel (writer/director/editor) to discuss the Oscar nominees for Film Editing.
Monday Apr 19, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 12 - Oscars - Original Song
Monday Apr 19, 2021
Monday Apr 19, 2021
With the Oscars ceremony less than a week away, we’re still talking about Academy Award nominees in the technical categories. Today, we're breaking down Original Song with returning guests Mick Coogan (composer) and Chris Molanphy (host of the Slate podcast, Hit Parade).
Friday Apr 16, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 11 - Oscars - Cinematography
Friday Apr 16, 2021
Friday Apr 16, 2021
Week Two of our Oscars coverage culminates with the Academy Award for Cinematography, and cinematographer David Tuttman joins me once again this year to discuss the nominated films in this category.
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 10 - Oscars - Visual Effects
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
As we continue our coverage of the Oscar nominees in the technical categories, I’m joined once again by Industry veteran Kent Seki. Today, we’re talking about the films recognized by the Academy for Visual Effects.
Monday Apr 12, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 9 - Oscars - Production Design
Monday Apr 12, 2021
Monday Apr 12, 2021
Week Two of our Academy Awards coverage starts now. Today, I'm joined by Production Designer Sam Lisenco, Set Decorator Regina Graves and Lead Man Kerry Weeks to review the Oscar nominees for Production Design.
Friday Apr 09, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 8 - Oscars - Animated Feature
Friday Apr 09, 2021
Friday Apr 09, 2021
Today wraps up our first week of Academy Awards coverage, and I’m joined by Kent Seki (visual effects) for a discussion of the Oscar nominees for Animated Feature.
Wednesday Apr 07, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 7 - Oscars - Costume Design
Wednesday Apr 07, 2021
Wednesday Apr 07, 2021
Our discussion of Academy Award nominees in the technical categories continues! This episode, I'm joined by two costume designers, Allison Choi Braun and Katie Irish, to discuss this year’s Oscar finalists for — you guessed it — Costume Design.
Monday Apr 05, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 6 - Oscars - Sound
Monday Apr 05, 2021
Monday Apr 05, 2021
For the next three weeks, we're talking about the Academy Awards! Each episode, I'll be hosting subject-matter experts to discuss the nominees in the technical category of their expertise. Today, I'm joined by Steve Morrow (sound mixer) and Don Sylvester (sound editor) to discuss this year's Oscar nominees for Sound.
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 5 - DGA Awards - First-Time Features
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
The Directors Guild of America maintains a separate category for First-Time Feature Film, which often gives smaller films a chance at recognition. Today, I’m joined again by Katie Carroll, Bill Hardy and Shaun O’Banion to discuss these nominees from a below-the-line perspective.
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 4 - DGA Awards - Theatrical Feature Films
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Welcome back for our second year of Awards Season coverage! This episode, Katie Carroll, Bill Hardy and Shaun O’Banion return to the show to discuss the Directors Guild of America nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in the category of Theatrical Feature Film.
Thursday Mar 25, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 3 - COVID-19 - Props in the Pandemic
Thursday Mar 25, 2021
Thursday Mar 25, 2021
When Hollywood resumed work last year, the handling of props quickly emerged as a focal point of concern for cast and crew alike. Gregg Bilson, Jr. (CEO of prop house ISS) and Scott Buckwald (property master) return to the show to discuss how property departments and their suppliers have contributed to a safe and efficient set.
Thursday Mar 18, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 2 - COVID-19 - Managing the Set
Thursday Mar 18, 2021
Thursday Mar 18, 2021
Filming safely and efficiently during the pandemic is a serious challenge. My guests today are a trio of assistant directors — Emily Hogan, Chris Della Penna and Vince Duque — who return to discuss their experiences on set and share what insights they've gained over the last nine months.
Thursday Mar 11, 2021
Season 7 - Ep 1 - COVID-19 - State of the Industry
Thursday Mar 11, 2021
Thursday Mar 11, 2021
For the launch of Season 7, I've reconvened some familiar voices to discuss how film production has not only adapted to the pandemic but appears to be booming. Join Katie Carroll (assistant director), Allison Choi Braun (costumer), Dan Fisher (property master), and Dave Tuttman (cinematographer) to hear about their latest projects, and what it portends for the Industry going forward.
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
Season 6 - Ep 10 - Combat Camera at Vandenberg AFB
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
Happy Veterans Day! Today, I'm joined by military photographers and videographers I served with nearly 25 years ago at the 30th Communications Squadron (Vandenberg AFB, CA). My guests - Jim Stayton, Bruce Dzitko, Fred Johnson and Al Pedroza - share stories from our days in uniform and how those experiences still resonate with us today.
Wednesday Nov 04, 2020
Season 6 - Ep 9 - COVID-19 - Non-Union Production
Wednesday Nov 04, 2020
Wednesday Nov 04, 2020
My guests today — Johanna Vanderspool, Caitlin Alba and Claire Truman — represent the NonFiction “Union”, an advocacy coalition of non-fiction freelancers. We talk about the growth of reality television over the last two decades and how this segment of the Industry is responding to the pandemic.
Wednesday Oct 28, 2020
Season 6 - Ep 8 - The Forty-Year-Old Version
Wednesday Oct 28, 2020
Wednesday Oct 28, 2020
My guest today is Eric Branco, Cinematographer for The Forty-Year-Old Version, the 2020 Sundance winner that is now airing on Netflix. We discuss what it was like to collaborate with Radha Blank (who wrote, directed and stars in the film) and the practical challenges of capturing a vision in black and white.
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
Season 6 - Ep 7 - COVID-19 - Protocols for Filming
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
Season 6 resumes with a discussion of the protocols adopted by the Film Industry to protect the health and safety of cast and crew during the pandemic. That's been the focus of my personal efforts over the last three months, and my guests today -- Jill Maxcy and Greg Kaston Smalley -- are also working in this space.