IFH 456: From Indie Docs to the Last King of Scotland with Oscar® Winner Kevin Macdonald

IFH 456: From Indie Docs to the Last King of Scotland with Oscar® Winner Kevin Macdonald

On the show, today is academy award-winning documentary and film director, and producer, Kevin Macdonald. He is one of few directors who dance the line of film and documentary seamlessly. He directed documentaries like Whitney (2018), crowdsourced documentary - Life in a Day (2011), Marley (2012), among others.

He is famously known for his 2006 drama film, The Last King of Scotland, starring Oscar winning best actor, Forest Whitaker. Kevin has made a huge name for himself and his work over his 27 years in the industry - dabbling in commercials, films and documentaries.

As a boy, his granddad, Emeric Pressburger who was a legendary filmmaker in the 1940s lit his passion for filmmaking. When his grandfather passed, Kevin wrote a biography in 1994 about his grandad’s life journey, titled, ‘ The Life and Death of a Screenwriter’, which he later made into a documentary ‘The Making of an Englishman’ (1995). This was the start to him becoming a documentary maker.

In 1999 he directed the Box office hit and Oscar-winning documentary, One Day in September, which is about the 1972 Munich Olympic Games massacre, featuring a lengthy interview with Jamal Al-Gashey, the last known survivor of the Munich terrorists.

This project catapulted his career big time. He then made the adventure-docudrama, Touching the Void, another critically acclaimed film that won Best British Film at the 2003 BAFTA. The true story of two climbers and their perilous journey up the west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985.

Kevin’s directorial debut on a film was the Oscar® winning, The Last King of Scotland. It is an adaptation of Giles Foden's 1998 novel by the same title. This historical drama which also carries a political thriller genre received riveting reviews and performed exceptionally - both commercially and critically. Forest Whitaker's performance stole the show and earned him an Oscar for Best Actor. This $6million budget film grossed $48.4million at the Box Office and has an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The story details the brutal reign of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin as seen through the eyes of his personal physician. James McAvoy stars as the doctor who slowly realizes that he is trapped in an inescapable nightmare, and Forest Whitaker assumes the role of the notorious despot.

In commemoration of Youtube’s fifth anniversary, Macdonald was hired to direct and produce the very unique film, the Life in a Day (2011) documentary. It was crowdsourced from 80,000 Youtubers and regular people all over the world sharing their life in one day. The film serves as a time capsule to show future generations what it was like to be alive on July 24, 2010. The completed film debuted at Sundance in early 2011

In February of this year, Kevin's latest film, The Mauritanian was released in the US. He explains in this interview that it was a very difficult subject matter to tackle. The entire movie was shot in two locations. Both in South Africa and in Mauritania.

The Mauritanian is a suspense legal-drama based on the 2015 memoir Guantánamo Diary by Mohamedou Ould Salahi, a true story of Salahi's experience of being held for fourteen years without charge in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. The film stars Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Shailene Woodley, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

You going to really enjoy this conversation. We dig into the nitty-gritty of documentary structuring, tales of directing huge movie stars, and navigating the Hollywood machine.

Enjoy my conversation with Kevin Macdonald.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

Episoder(980)

IFH 333: Inside the World of Cooke Optics with Les Zellan

IFH 333: Inside the World of Cooke Optics with Les Zellan

Today on the show we have the chairman of the legendary Cooke Optics empire. For over 100 years, Cooke has been at the center​ of the filmmaking business. We've been listening to the community of which we are apart​. We lead by introducing new products such as /i Technology, and we remember our success is built on a simple idea - do what the filmmaker needs.Enjoy my conversation with Les Zellan.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

23 Jul 201959min

IFH 332: Is Artificial Intelligence Putting Screenwriters Out of Work? with Andrew Kortschak

IFH 332: Is Artificial Intelligence Putting Screenwriters Out of Work? with Andrew Kortschak

Today on the show we have filmmaker Andrew Kortschak. In today’s digital age, where ‘releasing’ a film involves putting it on Vimeo, new filmmakers often struggle to rise above the noise and break into the exclusive industry.Andrew has a unique approach to this problem and in fact joined forces with a Silicon Valley venture capitalist to build End Cue like a tech startup: via a bi-coastal incubator model where directors cut their teeth and build their portfolios doing commercial work. On such alum of this approach is Jon Watts - Andrew co-produced his NBR award-winning film Cop Car before he’d go on to direct Spiderman: Homecoming.To further address the pain-points of young producers, End Cue even sprouted groundbreaking Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to save time during the scriptwriting process. This was a fascinating conversation. Enjoy my talk with Andrew Kortschak.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

17 Jul 201953min

FT 004: Creating Revenue Streams from Your YouTube Short Films with Luke Neumann

FT 004: Creating Revenue Streams from Your YouTube Short Films with Luke Neumann

Today's guest is Filmtrepreneur Luke Neumann. Luke has taken a very interesting filmmaking path. He runs a very popular YouTube channel with over 140,000 subscribers. On his channel, you'll see DIY film tutorials, filmmaking tips and tricks, aerial drone videos, short films and vlogs presented in 4K/UHD, 4K/60fps and 8K. What makes him a Filmtrepreneur is that he leveraged his audience and created multiple revenue streams.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

16 Jul 201958min

The NEW Filmtrepreneur® Podcast - Introduction | Show Formalities | What to Expect

The NEW Filmtrepreneur® Podcast - Introduction | Show Formalities | What to Expect

After months of preparation, it's finally here, The Filmtrepreneur Podcast! After the success of the Indie Film Hustle Podcast and the Bulletproof Screenwriting Podcast, I felt there was another area of the filmmaking process that I could help filmmakers with, how to actually make money with their films. Filmtrepreneur was born.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

16 Jul 201922min

IFH 331: Hollywood Screenwriting with Screenwriter John August

IFH 331: Hollywood Screenwriting with Screenwriter John August

Today on the show we have Hollywood screenwriter, director, producer, podcaster and novelist John August. He is known for writing the hit Hollywood films Go, Charlie's Angels, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Big Fish, Charlie, ​and the Chocolate Factory and Frankenweenie, the Disney live-action adaptation of Aladdin and the novel Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire. He hosts the popular screenwriting podcast Scriptnotes with Craig Mazin, maintains an eponymous screenwriting blog and develops screenwriter-targeted software called​ Highland 2.5 through his company, Quote-Unquote Apps.Enjoy my conversation with John August.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

11 Jul 20191h 5min

IFH 330: To Film and Die in L.A - Micro-Budget Misadventures with Adam William Ward

IFH 330: To Film and Die in L.A - Micro-Budget Misadventures with Adam William Ward

Today on the show we have writer/director, Adam William Ward. His new film is called Wally Got Wasted. I brought him on the show to discuss the crazy misadventures he had shooting guerilla-style in the City of Angels, Los Angeles. L.A. is probably the toughest city in the world to shoot a guerilla-style film.  His stories are not on filled with knowledge bombs but are entertaining as hell. "Wally Got Wasted" is like "The Hangover" meets "Weekend at Bernie's." It follows the adventures of 3 friends who accidentally kill a scumbag, then screws up getting rid of the body, so they are forced to pretend he is alive as they are chased through downtown LA in one crazy night.Enjoy my entertaining conversation with Adam William Ward.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

9 Jul 20191h 17min

IFH 329: Shooting a Micro Budget Film in a War Zone with Benjamin Gilmour

IFH 329: Shooting a Micro Budget Film in a War Zone with Benjamin Gilmour

Today on the is one of the bravest indie filmmakers I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, writer/director Benjamin Gilmour. His film Jirga was shot with a tw0 person crew, a Sony A7s Camera he purchased at a local camera shop and an ever-changing​ screenplay. Did I mention he shot this film in Afghanistan​?Three years after an Australian army helicopter raid on a small village led to the killing of an unarmed man, former Australian soldier Mike (Sam Smith) returns to Afghanistan to find the victim’s family. He sets off on a perilous journey over a terrain where both the Taliban and ISIS are active. Mike is determined to make amends and so puts his life in the hands of the Jirga – the village justice system. Jirga is screening in US cinemas in AugustThis unconventional film about the war in Afghanistan became Australia's submission for the Oscar's Foreign Language category in 2019. As we spoke on this episode my mouth keeps​​ dropping on the floor. One issue​ after another, with crazy stories and life-threating​g situations this episode has it all. I dont't want to hear any excuses. If you want to make your film you find a way to do it.Enjoy my inspirational conversation with Benjamin Gilmour.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

2 Jul 201946min

THROWBACK FRIDAY: How to Direct the Character, Not the Actor with Mark Travis

THROWBACK FRIDAY: How to Direct the Character, Not the Actor with Mark Travis

This week I have the pleasure of having directing coach Mark Travis on the show. I was introduced to him after I watched his stellar workshop Hollywood Film Directing, which he co-instructed with Gil Bettman (he'll be on the show soon).Mark Travis has developed a new way to directing actors called The Travis Technique. Mark teaches directors how to direct the character (not the actor) in order to create instantaneous authentic performances, even on tight schedules and tiny budgets. Here's a bit on The Travis Technique.Acting is too often just pretending. And most directing is demanding and controlling and result oriented.  And consequently, the final product suffers. But it doesn’t have to be that way. When you use The Travis Technique, you can achieve instantaneous and authentic performances from actors that are deeply felt by audiences.  The Travis Technique is an organic approach to directing actors that are guaranteed to create authentic characters and performances by shifting the focus from directing the actor to directing the character.Mark Travis first created his techniques out of the necessity to generate the most authentic performances within actors under a tight schedule and often an even tighter budget.  In the last 20-years, the Travis Technique has grown and is now used by some of the best directors, actors and writers in Hollywood and the international film market. Mark has taught The Travis Technique to students all over the world in over 50 film schools.When actors, directors, and writers use the Travis Technique, it’s not just a performance anymore.  It becomes REAL!   The Travis Technique creates organic authenticity in every performance and under all circumstances. This translates immediately onto the screen and gains enormous attention for the director, actor, and writer.Most directors make a critical mistake: They direct only the actor, not the character. And that is just one of the many techniques directors must master.  They also must learn how to expertly stage scenes, understand exactly how camera angles intensify or diminish a shot amongst hundreds of other skills to become a renowned, in-demand, and working director.Winner of over 30 directorial awards, teaching internationally in 50 prestigious film schools, for the past 20-years Mark Travis’ workshops and seminars have covered the entire filmmaking process including all stages of preparation, pre-production, production, and post-production.  Mark has been instrumental in launching successful directorial careers in the US and internationally.Sought out by the most experienced directors, Mark now teaches his signature Travis Technique: a simple, immediate, and powerful Directing Tool, directors can use to achieve instantaneous authentic performances that translate brilliantly onto the screen.Here's some info on Mark Travis:Mark Travis is regarded by Hollywood’s top brass and international film professionals as the world’s leading authority on the art and craft of film directing.  All of his techniques stem from the pursuit of organic authentic performances that are deeply felt by audiences.He is currently on the faculty of HFF (Munich), HSU (Kiev) and has taught at AFI, UCLA, The Binger Institute (Amsterdam), PU (Pixar University), FAS Screen Training Ireland and many other internationally acclaimed institutions and film schools.  He has served as He has served as a directorial and creative consultant to Mark Rydell, George Tillman, Cyrus Nowrasteh, and dozens of Independent filmmakers in Hollywood and internationally.  He is respected and recommended by top actors such as Beau Bridges, Henry Winkler, and Bill Pullman.Enjoy my conversation with Mark Travis.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

28 Jun 20191h 54min

Populært innen Fakta

fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
merry-quizmas
treningspodden
foreldreradet
dypdykk
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
jakt-og-fiskepodden
sinnsyn
diagnose
rss-kull
gravid-uke-for-uke
hverdagspsyken
fryktlos
dopet
uroskolen
rss-var-forste-kaffe
smart-forklart
rss-kunsten-a-leve