We Need to Talk About Oscar

Following the release of Sing Sing, another breakout title from last year’s TIFF is finally here, in the form of His Three Daughters! This three-hander, starring Natasha Lyonne, Carrie Coon, and Elizabeth Olsen, is written and directed by Azazel Jacobs. Harrowingly gorgeous and at times lovingly funny, the film offers a subtle depiction of grief, mortality, and familial dynamics.
We were fortunate enough to sit down with Aza and pick his brain about one of the most well-written scripts in recent memory, drawing the absolute best from his three leads (all of whom he wrote the characters specifically for), and the true essence of comic relief.

(Photo credits: Sam Levy & GODLIS / Netflix)

Dear Listener,
From time to time, we’ll treat you to different themes and formats, like our new series, “Rewind”. This special edition of the show will drop in your feed every month or so.
The very first episode of “Rewind” is, needless to say, a special one. We are excited to welcome cinematographer turned director Paul Cameron. The two main titles we cover are Man on Fire and Collateral, both of which celebrate their 20th anniversary this year.
In addition to Paul’s anecdotes and experiences on these projects, he gives us insight into his transition from DoP to Director, his perspective on his role in the industry, and, of course, what might be next for him.

For a few years now, Apple has been consistently building out its streaming platform with the help of great artists and prestigious projects. Their new release, Lady in the Lake is a limited series starring Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram. Áron had the pleasure of welcoming the show’s cinematographer Lachlan Milne, and production designer JC Molina to the show.
As Lady in the Lake takes place in 1960s Baltimore, there were plenty of topics to discuss about the visuals of the project. Having the cinematographer and the production designer on at the same time provided a great opportunity to dive into their collaboration and talk through how the teams and departments worked together to create this stunning period piece.
Lachland and JC were also kind enough to give us an insight into the research process, and even shared what emotional scenes were particularly hard to shoot or create for them.
(Plus they teased their upcoming projects: Michel Gondry’s Atlantis, and Mimi Cave’s Holland, Michigan.)

(Photo credit: Apple)

We had the director-cinematographer duo of Shōgun Episodes 1-2, Jonathan van Tulleken and Chris Ross, on the show back in April. Since then the series received 26 Emmy nominations, including two for cinematography. One of these nominations went to Chris, and now we're joined by the other incredibly talented DOP nominee, Sam McCurdy.
Sam has an impressive résumé in television, having worked on shows like Game of Thrones, Peacemaker, and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
This provides the perfect opportunity for Áron to pick his brain about choosing projects, transitioning between them, and even discussing Episode 9 of Shōgun, Crimson Sky, for which not only he, but also director Fred Toye received an Emmy nod.

(Photo credit: Katie Yu/FX)

Now that Sing Sing is expanding to more theaters, we’re ramping up our coverage of the film! In our interview with cinematographer Pat Scola, we talked about both A Quiet Place: Day One and Sing Sing. Today we’re pleased to share Áron’s conversation with the editor of A24’s big title contender, Parker Laramie!
This interview sheds some light on the evolution of Parker’s collaboration with director Greg Kwedar and co-writer Clint Bentley, the question of runtime, screen time, and expectations.

Next up on the show, with A Quiet Place: Day One hitting VOD, we are thrilled to welcome Michael Sarnoski, the director behind the movie. (You might also know his debut feature from three years ago, Pig starring Nicolas Cage.)
In this captivating episode, Áron had the opportunity to talk with Michael about his journey from indie filmmaking to the world of a studio blockbuster.
Michael shares his views about the challenges and exciting opportunities that come with joining a major franchise and working with larger budgets. Furthermore, of course Frodo the cat sparks an amusing discussion about the joys and trials of having animals on set, at the end of which our host even pitches a fun idea for Michael’s next project.

We really hope you watched Hulu’s Under the Bridge (if not, honestly, what are you doing?!), cause this time we have the absolute pleasure of welcoming actress Vritika Gupta (0:37), who plays Reena Virk, and director Kevin Phillips (19:23), who directed episodes 2 and 8, to the show.
In their conversation, Áron and our two fantastic guests cover topics like career decisions, the challenges of playing and directing teenagers and their flaws, or the responsibility and weight of telling Reena’s story.

It's been about a week since the series (or season?) finale of Julio Torres' Fantasmas aired. Whether or not there will be a follow-up to these six episodes, we have another spooky treat for you: our chat with the show's production designer, Tommaso Ortino!
In this episode Tommaso and Áron go down the rabbit hole of building sets on a stage, blending the projections with the physical (previously discussed in our interview with cinematographer Sam Levy), and he even gives a small update on Todd Solondz's Love Child.

The release of a new project is always special, and if the release of two of your projects is within two weeks, it is, well, one, really special, and two, your name might be Pat Scola!
As a part of this interview, Pat tells Áron about the past, present, and future of his collaboration with director Michael Sarnoski, shooting on another scale for A Quiet Place: Day One, constructing a true indie in the form of the prison drama Sing Sing, his experience on the set of Alex Russell’s directorial debut, Lurker (currently in production), and preparing for The Death of Robin Hood, starring Jodie Comer and Hugh Jackman.

In this episode, Áron sits down with Sam Levy, the cinematographer behind the surrealist comedy series, Fantasmas. Created, directed, and written by the multi-talented Julio Torres, who also stars in it.
Fantasmas takes viewers on an extraordinary journey as Torres searches for a golden oyster earring, meeting a number of eccentric characters along the way.
As a part of the conversation, Sam delves into his collaboration with Julio Torres, offering an insider’s perspective on the creative process behind this visually stunning series. He also reveals some sources of inspiration and how they shot the entire series on stage rather than on location, the critical role of color in the series, and more.

Next up on the show, Áron’s joined by Kristi Zea, a production designer whose work we’re sure you’ve come across over the years!
Kristi’s previous projects include Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas or The Departed, Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs or Philadelphia, and Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road. Her latest is Christy Hall’s feature directorial debut, Daddio.
The themes covered in this episode include the difficulties and advantages of shooting on a stage, a production designer's collaboration with the director and the cinematographer, plus the thought-provoking relationship between directing style and career decisions.

This time on the show, Áron speaks with Florian Hoffmeister, the cinematographer of “True Detective: The Night Country”, the fourth season of the beloved HBO anthology series.
Florian shared his experiences on the technical and logistical challenges of shooting in the extreme conditions of Iceland. From the complexities of filming both indoors on stages, and outdoors in the low-light conditions, to the special lighting techniques required, as well as the safety measures necessary for working in the cold environment. 
He also highlighted his deep involvement in crafting the series' mood and look, achieved through extensive experimentation before shooting started.

In our next episode, Áron interviews four key contributors behind the film “Jazzy”: Andrew Hajek (DoP & co-writer), Morrisa Maltz (Director & co-writer), Lainey Bearkiller Shangreaux (Actress & co-writer), and Vanara Taing (Co-editor & co-writer).
“Jazzy” explores the transition from childhood to young adulthood. When her best friend moves away, Jazzy navigates a profound sense of loss and her first taste of independence.
In this conversation, the team discusses the birth and inspiration behind the movie, the film's emotional core, its portrayal of beauty and optimism during tough times, and the unique challenges or rewards of working with child actors. The discussion also touches on current trends in cinema and the creative process of finding the sweet spot for the runtime.
Join us for a spoiler-free deep dive into the making of Jazzy, Morrisa Maltz's sophomore feature, premiering at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival.

Next up, we welcome James Jones, the director of the documentary “Antidote” on the show.
The film tells the courageous stories of whistleblowers and activists who risk everything to expose Putin's authoritarian regime, facing dire consequences for their bravery.
Áron talks with James about the parallels between “Antidote” and the 2022 documentary “Navalny”, shedding light on the relentless pursuit of truth in the face of tyranny. They also delve a bit into the use of AI in documentary filmmaking, exploring how technology can expand the way true stories, such as this, are told. Additionally, James shares insights into his influences as a journalist-turned-director, offering a unique perspective on his creative process, in our spoiler-free interview.
“Antidote” made its debut at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival and is set to screen at the DC/DOX Film Festival later this month.

(Photo credit: Edgar Dubrovskiy / Courtesy of Passion Pictures)

The second episode of our coverage at this year’s Tribeca is here, as Áron sat down with the director, Daniel Oriahi and the two leads, Uzoamaka Aniunoh and Bucci Franklin, of the genre-bending horror thriller, “The Weekend”.
In this interview you can learn about Daniel’s inspirations for the visuals of the movie and how the actors coped with the mental challenges of the shoot
This fresh take on the ‘nightmare at the in-laws’ -genre will make you second guess your trust in your surroundings and relationships!

(Photo credit: Kagho Idhebor)

In this episode, Szilveszter sits down with the director, Weronika Tofilska (0:55), while Áron speaks with the cinematographer, Krzysztof Trojnar (26:23), of the gripping new show 'Baby Reindeer'.
This series, adapted from Richard Gadd's acclaimed one-man stage play, chronicles his harrowing experience with a female stalker and the dark, hidden trauma it forces him to confront. Weronika and Krzysztof, who collaborated on the first four of the seven episodes, share their journey of bringing this intense true story to life on screen.
They delve into their past projects together and the unique challenges they faced while filming the show. The interviews touch upon incorporating elements like social media or emails into the narrative and highlight the renowned fourth episode, with exclusive behind-the-scenes stories that reveal the creative process behind its stunning visuals.
Join us for an insightful exploration of the making of 'Baby Reindeer' and the powerful storytelling that drives this haunting series.

For this episode we got to talk to Steven Knight about his latest limited series, FX’s The Veil, headlined by the one and only Elisabeth Moss.
Research, his writing process, generating yet keeping tension under control and homages are among the topics Áron covered with the show's writer, creator, showrunner.
Steve has written (and at times directed) films like Locke, Spencer or Eastern Promises, and well-known, critically acclaimed TV shows, such as the Peaky Blinders or Taboo.
Just in the last couple of months we got to see two of his new series: All the light We Cannot See and This Town, all the while he has a great number of projects lined up, including  Star Wars: New Jedi Order, a Peaky Blinders film, and Pablo Larraín's next, a project that is covered shortly near the end of the episode, the Angelina Jolie starrer Maria.

Creating a score that perfectly matches the atmosphere of a new show is a challenge, but when a series is renewed, the composer faces the additional task of evolving, while maintaining the music’s familiar essence. Our next guest, Marty Beller, found himself in this exact situation transitioning from Season 1 to Season 2 of ‘American Rust’. 
In this episode, Marty talks to Áron about balancing the differences and similarities between playing in a band like They Might Be Giants and composing for TV shows and films.

In this episode, Áron interviews Jess Gonchor, the production designer behind the enchanting world of John Krasinski’s ‘IF’.
The film follows a young girl navigating a tough time in her life, who begins to see the forgotten imaginary friends of those who have grown up.
Jess shares his insights on creating the whimsical and poignant settings that bring this unique story to life. Drawing on his extensive experience, including his acclaimed work on films like ‘No Country for Old Men’, ‘Little Women’ and ‘A Quiet Place Part II’, Jess reveals the magic and challenges of designing a world where imagination meets reality.
Tune in to discover the intricate art of production design that makes ‘IF’ a visually captivating and emotionally resonant film.

In this episode, Áron sits down with Sidd Khosla, the talented composer behind the evocative score of 'The Idea of You'. While the boy band August Moon fills the film with infectious hits, it's Sidd's music that truly brings the quieter, more emotional moments to life. Join us as we explore how Sidd crafted a soundtrack that perfectly complements the highs and lows of the story, drawing on his rich experience from acclaimed projects like 'This Is Us' and 'Only Murders in the Building'. 

Today’s guest is no stranger to editing wonderfully constructed, tension-filled episodes or TV shows, since Vikash Patel has worked on projects like Ozark or Five Days at Memorial.
This time we cover his work on HBO’s The Sympathizer, where he edited the first two and the fifth episode. Viks told Áron his experience from working shoulder to shoulder with Director Park, to realizing what’s written on the pages of the script in the editing room.

The score for Dev Patel’s directorial debut and true passion project, Monkey Man, has an authentic yet undeniably fresh feel to it. 
If you would like to go behind the scenes of the approach and process that led to the birth of the music playing in the background while Dev Patel’s character, Kid beats the sh*t out of everyone, you’re in the right place, as in this epsiode Szilveszter sits down with the film’s composer, Jed Kurzel.

The first three episodes of HBO's The Sympathizer showed us that even everything but rather nothing is as we see it... And then comes the fourth which is almost completely a standalone installment right in the middle of the limited series. However this is no accident, it's entirely deliberate. On today's episode cinematographer Barry Ackroyd joins Áron to talk about coming in for a single episode, his experience in shooting explosions and war, as well as who would play him in a movie.

By now you can stream the final episode of Shōgun and so the amazing FX show in its entirety as well.
The whole buildup and evolution of Shōgun is an absolute work of art and in this episode you can listen to Áron’s chat with the first two episodes’ director and cinematographer, Jonathan van Tulleken and Christopher Ross.
From the start of their work together on Misfits, onto Top Boy and now Shōgun, they covered the dynamics of their collaboration, preparing for the series, jumpstarting it, and finding the ideal look for it, then passing the torch on to those working on the later episodes.

(Photo credit: Kurt Iswarienko/FX)

Can you guess how many different Italian villas/churches/horse stables it took to create the convent for Immaculate? The film’s production designer, Adam Reamer, has the answer and he shared it with us. Filming locations, favourite sets, and Italy’s seemingly endless religious prop collection were all discussed in Szilveszter’s interview with Adam (0:52).
However, this is not everything for the episode! To have a whole picture about the visual storytelling details of Immaculate, Áron had the pleasure of welcoming the film’s cinematographer, Elisha Christian, on the show. For a horror film atmosphere is essential, and from Elisha you can learn how the tension escalated through the pacing and the movements of the camera, and lights will be drawn on the moody candlelit scenes as well (35:00).

This time we have a real treat for you, as Áron spoke to some of the creative minds whose work allowed HBO’s brand new mini series to look and feel this lived in, this surreal yet lifelike.
In chronological order you can hear  the show’s editors Paulo Pandolpho and Peter Lambert (01:08), followed by production designer Kave Quinn (35:32), and last but not least to complete the story behind the visuals, cinematographer Alwin H. Küchler (1:03:38).
This unusually  long episode gives some insight on piecing the six episodes together in terms of pacing, keeping the inside and the outside of the palace as far and different from one another as possible, and even how power and responsibility go hand in hand not just for the Chancellor, but for people in the film industry as well.

(Photo credit: HBO)

“Can you hear the music, Robert?” points Bohr the question to Oppenheimer in the latest Best Picture winner.
Our next guest can not only hear the music, but also understand it, create (with) it.
Jeff Russo has worked on the score of many deservedly admired TV shows, such as Fargo, Star Trek: Discovery and Picard or For All Mankind.
This Thursday another project he’s worked on, RIPLEY starring Andrew Scott and Dakota Fanning, landed on Netflix. On this occasion Jeff sat down with Áron to talk about his work on season 5 of Fargo, the difference in approach between limited VS anthology series, or how the music can take even the man behind the wheel on some unexpected ventures.

The next guest on our podcast is Christian Masini, the editor of Immaculate, who summed up the film the following way: “You show up to it, the movie punches you in the face and then it’s over”
Chris and Szilveszter discussed various aspects of editing a horror film, including jump scares, finding the right length for the film, or how acting performances can influence an editor’s decision making process.
Furthermore, we also got behind the scenes looks on a few key moments, like Cecilia’s interrogation or the infamous nail-tearing scene.

Who would've guessed that Syndey Sweeney's going to be our next scream queen? We could insert the infamous Paul Rudd meme ("Who would've thought? Not me...") here but it might not be that much of a surprise after all.
However there are many aspects to Neon's Immaculate, directed by Michael Mohan, that resulted in this very much talked about horror flick. One of these is the absolutely chilling, yet at times playful score, thanks to the brilliant Will Bates.
On the week of the film's wide theatrical release Will and Áron talked about the building suspense in the music, the roller coaster ride it can take the audience on, and the instruments he used while scoring this film that you might not generally associate with the genre.

(Photo credit: Alix Becq-Weinstein/Rhapsody PR)

2019’s The Gentlemen film, written and directed by Guy Ritchie, has a whole vibe and style of its own that until now we could’ve only hoped for to be revisited again. Then this year Netflix has brought us an 8 episode series that very well might only be the start of the new chapter for the world of the likes of Mickey Pearson or Eddie Horniman.
The show’s second half was shot by Callan Green (ACS, NZCS) and in this episode he tells Áron about picking up from a point where half the story was shot, adjusting to the directing style of multiple directors, and many more.

Colby Day wrote the screenplay for ‘Spaceman’, the Netflix film premiering earlier this year at Berlinale. Colby was kind enough to feature on our podcast and discuss his background and future, while of course covering many aspects of writing Spaceman.
Among other topics, he told Szilveszter about his theatre roots, what kind of writing process he used, how he adapted Jaroslav Kalfar’s book to the screen, and delved into the relationships of the main character, Jakub, portrayed by Adam Sandler.
The 3-hour long first draft, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the soothing voice of Paul Dano are also on the table in this episode.

(Photo credit: Zack DeZon)

Filmmaking is all about collaboration. No project could ever evolve into an actual film or show without the coordinated work of different departments. 
Not long after Netflix’s Orion and the Dark (written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Sean Charmatz) was released, Áron spoke to the film’s composers Kevin Lax and Robert Lydecker. 
Their conversation covers themes such as the workings of the previously mentioned collaborations, like theirs; conveying different feelings and attributing music to them; or even music that helped them get through hard times when they were young.

(Photo credit: DreamWorks Animation)

If you keep track of new releases there is a good probability that you’ve heard the music of Marcelo Zarvos last year. Marcelo contributed to the score of six titles released in 2023, including The Equalizer 3, Cassandro or Flamin’ Hot.
While these titles are mentioned in our interview with him, the focus is most definitely on Todd Haynes’ May December. The director set a new challenge to his composer, with the task of having to adapt another film’s score into the world of May December. In his talk with Szilveszter, Marcelo goes into detail regarding the adaptation process, its challenges, and how he views the characters and the story.

Without a doubt, one of last year’s greatest writing debuts was that of Samy Burch who wrote the script of May December and co-developed its story with her spouse, Alex Mechanik. They received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and won this year’s Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay.
On Oscar Day we are publishing Áron’s interview with Samy, and of course, the episode plunges into the masterfully complex characters and intricate story of May December but before that you can hear them speak a bit about her experience at the Nominees Luncheon, the awards season as a whole and working with her husband.

Continuing our countdown to this year’s Oscars and behind the scenes look at The Holdovers, we are treating you with a longer episode this time. Áron conducted two interviews regarding Alexander Payne’s heartfelt dramedy focusing on the technicalities that helped the film’s creators achieve its unique, yet authentic ‘70s look.
First you can hear Eigil Bryld discuss the cinematography of the film, for which he just won an Independent Spirit Award. By the way you can also find his work in Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges or last year’s comedy hit No Hard Feelings starring Jennifer Lawrence.
Then, Eigil is followed by the film’s production designer, Ryan Warren Smith, whose previous projects include the 2015 horror, Green Room or the third season of HBO’s True Detective.

(Poster Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2023 FOCUS FEATURES LLC)

The second time we can welcome an editor on the podcast has come, as you can listen to Áron’s interview with two-time Oscar nominee Yorgos Mavropsaridis, editor of Poor Things.
Mr. Mavropsaridis is a longtime collaborator of visionary director Yorgos Lanthimos, with whom he has been working since the beginning of the director's career, making commercials.
Yorgos gave us insight into this relationship and advice on how to keep it sustainable, before diving into the beautiful depths of Poor Things, covering themes such as the dimensions of editing, keeping the creative integrity alive and the pressures of decision-making.

The next guest on the show is Josh Weston, fresh off a BAFTA win in the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category for Poor Things, for which Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and he are also nominated at this year's Academy Awards thanks to their wonderful work.
Josh’s filmography includes a number of popular films, as he worked on the makeup and prosthetics of Elvis; Last Night in Soho; the Fantastic Beasts films and Suspiria, not to mention TV shows, like Game of Thrones or The Witcher. 
Josh was kind enough to talk to Szilveszter about the prosthetics we see in this unusual coming-of-age film starring Emma Stone, including a behind the scenes look at the inspirations and the application process of Willem Dafoe’s memorable appearance as Godwin Baxter.

An underrated but incredibly important element of filmmaking is the sound mixing because you would surely recognise it right away if something “sounded off”. If you have seen Maestro, you probably noticed how the sound contributes to both the soft and intimate scenes, as well as to the big and loud parts. Well, it definitely captured our attention, hence our next guest is Steve Morrow, production sound mixer of Maestro.
Steve has already received four Oscar nominations for best sound for the following films: La La Land; A Star Is Born; Ford v Ferrari, and of course Maestro, Bradley Cooper’s second film as a director. You can also find his work in Fast X; Prey and (one of Szilveszter’s all time favorites) Babylon.
In Áron’s interview with Steve, among many other topics, you can hear him talk about passion projects, Bradley Cooper’s directorial instincts, how to record an entire orchestra live during the much talked about cathedral scene, plus a little bit of Joker: Folie à Deux and SNL 1975.

(Photo credit: Jason McDonald/Netflix)

One of 2023’s most heartwarming movies, The Holdovers, scored 5 Oscar nominations, including Best Editing and we are incredibly lucky to kickstart We Need to Talk About Oscar with the film’s editor: two time Academy Award Nominee Kevin Tent.
Kevin is not only a member of the American Cinema Editors (ACE) who won the ACE Eddie Award for The Descendants in 2012, besides being nominated 5 other times between 2000 and 2024, but he is also the president of the board.
Most of you probably know his work thanks to his longstanding collaboration with director Alexander Payne, as they have worked together on every single feature film Payne has directed.
Kevin talked to Szilveszter about The Holdovers, his early days in the film industry and working together with the one and only Alexander Payne.
If you haven’t seen The Holdovers so far, we highly recommend you to do so. Trust us, it will be worth your time!

(Photo credit: Peter Zachery)