The No Film School Podcast

In this episode, GG Hawkins speaks with writer-director Alessandra LaCarratza about her award-winning film In the Summers, which took home both the U.S. Grand Jury Prize and Best Director at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. LaCarratza shares the deeply personal roots of the film, the tumultuous road to production, and the pressures of staying true to a creative vision in the face of industry challenges. The conversation dives into casting across timelines, editorial discovery, and the intense final days before Sundance. It's an intimate and inspiring look at how a deeply personal, quietly powerful film almost didn't get made—and why it ultimately resonated so profoundly. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Alessandra LaCarratza discuss... * The semi-autobiographical inspiration behind In the Summers * Creating emotionally complex characters and tender portrayals of masculinity * Casting multiple actors for the same role across time * The chaotic production process and financial uncertainty before filming * How Alessandra balanced creative integrity with commercial pressures * Editing discoveries, including changing the film’s ending after test screenings * What it was like to win at Sundance—while sick and alone * The unexpected emotional reach of the film across different demographics * Advice for emerging filmmakers on trusting collaborators and staying clear on your vision Memorable Quotes: * “I just knew I couldn’t make this film with that suggestion... I’d rather not make it because it won’t be good.” * “Making the film was harder than having a baby.” * “There’s no real villain, and you just leave the audience to make up their own mind.” * “If you don’t [know your story], you’re going to get lost in the maze, and then your editing process is going to be a lot more complicated.” Guest: * Alessandra LaCarratza [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6628877/] Resources: * In the Summers [https://www.hulu.com/movie/in-the-summers-2cbaec2c-3bf7-409e-8b3c-27a38e57639d] is now available to stream on Hulu. Find No Film School everywhere: * On the Web: No Film School [https://nofilmschool.com/] * Facebook: No Film School on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschool] * Twitter: No Film School on Twitter [https://twitter.com/nofilmschool] * YouTube: No Film School on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool] * Instagram: No Film School on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nofilmschool] * 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

This week on the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins sits down with Pete Docter, Chief Creative Officer at Pixar Animation Studios and the visionary behind films like Monsters, Inc., Up, Inside Out, and Soul. The conversation dives deep into the creative process behind Pixar’s latest original feature Elio, and how Pixar’s iterative storytelling model has evolved over the years. Pete shares actionable insights on how filmmakers—whether working at a major studio or independently—can embrace change, vulnerability, and creative discovery to build resonant stories. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Pete Docter discuss... * * How Pete Docter chose Pixar over Disney and The Simpsons early in his career * * The iterative story process at Pixar and how it has shaped Elio * * The importance of balancing imaginative worlds with relatable emotional storytelling * * How Pixar greenlights projects by betting on people rather than ideas * * The evolving leadership strategies that support creativity and collaboration * * Why vulnerability is key to character empathy and story resonance * * How emerging filmmakers can use these Pixar principles in their own work Memorable Quotes: * * "Go to a small place where one person has a huge effect." * * "Every idea is good until you have to tell it to somebody else." * * "At some point, it is more about tenacity than talent." * * "Don't try to make and analyze at the same time." Guests: * Pete Docter [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0230032/] Resources: * Pixar’s Elio [https://www.pixar.com/elio] Find No Film School everywhere: * * On the Web: No Film School [https://nofilmschool.com/] * * Facebook: No Film School on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschool] * * Twitter: No Film School on Twitter [https://twitter.com/nofilmschool] * * YouTube: No Film School on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool] * * Instagram: No Film School on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nofilmschool] * * 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Filmmakers Peter Hall and Paul Gandersman join No Film School's GG Hawkins to discuss their chilling feature debut Man Finds Tape, premiering in the “Escape from Tribeca” section at the 2025 Tribeca Festival. The Texas-based writer-director duo explores their found-footage horror hybrid, rooted in documentary realism and intimate character drama. They dive deep into the film’s decade-long evolution, DIY production tactics, narrative experimentation, and the collaborative scrappiness that made their micro-budget creature feature resonate on a grand scale. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests discuss: * * How a shelved podcast idea evolved into a Tribeca-premiering feature film * * Using documentary experience to inform a found-footage horror aesthetic * * Why keeping a tight creative circle allowed for fast, agile production decisions * * Shooting scenes with GoPros and iPhones for final edits—and why it works * * Casting actors willing to dive into a highly iterative, experimental process * * Crafting practical and VFX-driven creature moments that elevate low-budget horror * * Editing techniques that treat the narrative as a real documentary-in-progress * * How found footage can stay emotionally grounded and narratively justified Memorable Quotes: * * "There cannot be a point at which the audience says, why are they still filming?" * * "We were willing to let it sound like shit in parts, and it ended up not having to." * * "We threw out a lot of the lavs and just used on-camera MiniDV audio. It felt 10 times more real." * * "What we make is not Peter’s voice or my voice—it’s a third voice." Guests: * * Peter S. Hall [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4296678/] * * Paul Gandersman [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2821596] Resources: * * Man Finds Tape at Tribeca [https://tribecafilm.com/films/man-finds-tape-2025] * * XYZ Films Boards Tribeca Horror Feature Man Finds Tape [https://deadline.com/2025/05/xyz-films-man-finds-tape-tribeca-2025-1236411485/] Find No Film School everywhere: * * On the Web: No Film School [https://nofilmschool.com/] * * Facebook: No Film School on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschool] * * Twitter: No Film School on Twitter [https://twitter.com/nofilmschool] * * YouTube: No Film School on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool] * * Instagram: No Film School on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nofilmschool] * * 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

In this episode, GG Hawkins is joined by writer-director duo (and real-life couple) David Joseph Craig and Brian Crano to discuss their new film I Don’t Understand You, a genre-bending dark comedy starring Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells. The film follows a couple on a babymoon in Italy that spirals into chaos and violence. Craig and Crano share their process of fictionalizing their own adoption journey, balancing collaboration as married filmmakers, and navigating international co-productions. They also dive into the mechanics of shooting stunts, working with passionate collaborators, and sustaining a creative life while parenting. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests David Joseph Craig and Brian Crano discuss... * * How personal experiences shaped the emotionally charged and comedic tone of I Don’t Understand You * * Transitioning from individual careers in acting and theater to collaborative filmmaking * * Tips for making international co-productions smoother, especially in Italy * * The logistics and artistry of filming stunts that are both shocking and funny * * Balancing parenting and directing, and how being a parent reshapes storytelling instincts * * Hiring passionate collaborators to elevate areas where you may feel less confident * * Why directors should consider editing or DP paths for a more sustainable career Memorable Quotes: * * "My films are like my ex-wives — I'm glad they exist and I never want to see them again." * * "We just decided early that on set, we would shoot everything and figure it out after." * * "Directing is like being eaten by crows — no one wants all of you, but everyone wants three bites." * * "Hire the people who are most passionate about the job you're most insecure about." Guests: * David Joseph Craig on IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3828267/] * * David’s Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/davidjosephcraig/] * * Brian Crano on IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1591542/] * * Brian’s Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/briancrano/] Resources: * * I Don’t Understand You — In theaters June 6 - Get Ticket Now [https://app.powster.com/verticalentertainment/i-dont-understand-you/us/] * * I Don’t Understand You Trailer [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgXrFNeVwN4] * * I Don’t Understand You on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/idontunderstandyoumovie/?hl=en] * * Articles on stunts and filmmaking at No Film School [https://nofilmschool.com/search/?q=shooting+stunts] Find No Film School everywhere: * * On the Web: No Film School [https://nofilmschool.com/] * * Facebook: No Film School on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschool] * * Twitter: No Film School on Twitter [https://twitter.com/nofilmschool] * * YouTube: No Film School on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool] * * Instagram: No Film School on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nofilmschool] * *  📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins welcomes back filmmaker Janek Ambros to dive deep into the wild origin and evolution of his second feature film, Mondo Hollywoodland. The conversation spans everything from a life-changing phone call with Francis Ford Coppola to the chaotic, experimental production process of an iPhone-shot psychedelic satire. Ambros shares how a rogue spirit, a skeleton crew, and the mantra "just make something" powered his creative journey. He also discusses the challenges of distribution, finding a cult audience, and why the edit room is his happy place. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Janek Ambros discuss... * How Francis Ford Coppola inspired the DIY ethos behind Mondo Hollywoodland * Why the film is more of a spiritual successor than a direct sequel to the 1967 cult doc Mondo Hollywood * The experimental, no-crew production process using an iPhone and real locations * Casting friends and local oddballs to match the film’s bizarre, countercultural tone * How the film’s editing and narrator shape its chaotic narrative * Navigating COVID-era distribution and marketing challenges * Ambros’s dual approach to career-building: make art, but also think commercially * Why learning to produce is essential for emerging filmmakers Memorable Quotes: * "You should just make a movie with your iPhone with your friends if you don’t have money." * "We didn’t have a cinematographer. We have a camera op. That’s really it." * "It was just totally the freest form of filmmaking." * "Editing is definitely my favorite part of filmmaking. Everything else is a necessary evil just to edit." Guests: * Janek Ambros [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4471783/] Resources: * More from NFS x Janek [https://nofilmschool.com/rebuilding-hollywood-podcast] * Screening Tickets – June 8, 6 p.m. at Lumineer Music Hall, Beverly Hills [https://88.formovietickets.com:2235/T.ASP?WCI=BT&Page=PickTickets&SHOWID=65776] * Mondo Hollywoodland on Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/film/mondo-hollywoodland/] * Assembly Line Entertainment on Instagram: @assemblylineent [https://www.instagram.com/assemblylineent/],  [https://www.instagram.com/mondohollywoodland/] * Mondo Hollywoodland on Instagram: @mondohollywoodland [https://www.instagram.com/mondohollywoodland/] * Janek on Twitter: @janekambros88 [https://twitter.com/janekambros88] * Assembly Line Entertainment on Twitter: @assemblylineent [https://twitter.com/assemblylineent] Find No Film School everywhere: * On the Web: No Film School [https://nofilmschool.com/] * Facebook: No Film School on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/nofilmschool] * Twitter: No Film School on Twitter [https://twitter.com/nofilmschool] * YouTube: No Film School on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool] * Instagram: No Film School on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nofilmschool] *  📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]