Latest news with #FutureofFilmmaking
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Abbott Elementary' Star William Stanford Davis Wants More Actors to Say ‘No'
When you're just starting out as an actor, wrestling with reservations about taking on a particular role, especially when it could pay a few bills or even your rent, poses a challenge. Then again, actors who go the distance tend to work with intention instead of throwing themselves at anything and everything. In the latest episode of 'What No One Tells You,' William Stanford Davis (aka Mr. Johnson on 'Abbott Elementary') told IndieWire's Future of Filmmaking that while 'people are afraid to say no,' that one word is key to setting yourself apart. More from IndieWire 'Ironheart' Review: Dominique Thorne Soars in Marvel's Solid Wakanda-Inspired Spinoff 'My Mom Jayne' Review: Mariska Hargitay's Documentary Portrait of Her Mother Has Massive Revelations - and Even More Empathy 'They think that saying no means that you're not gonna get a job,' said Davis, 'or that some type of bad spell is gonna be put on you because you said the word 'no.' The word 'no' is one of the most important things you can say in this business.' Davis cited a test he gave while teaching acting classes in Los Angeles, where he asked students if they were willing to do nudity. Many, as he said, immediately responded, 'Oh, yeah, sure,' but to Davis, this meant, 'They didn't think about the question.' If they're willing to do nudity, that's absolutely fine, but not even trying to understand why your character might strip down indicates they would 'do anything for a job.' Instead of just saying yes to everything, actors should consider why they're the best fit for a role and use that to guide their choices instead. Besides advising what to say 'no' to, Davis also highlighted why actors should 'always be learning.' By keeping their minds open, actors can tap into new ways of performing to elevate their presence. 'For me, it was just some little things, like every experience we have is filtered through your five senses,' Davis told Future of Filmmaking. 'That was like, 'Oh my God,' that was like an 'Aha!' moment for me. That was like, 'Ok, I can stop pretending. I can stop acting. I can only just behave now.'' He added, 'Emotion for emotion's sake is a lie. Emotion has to be based on the truth, and if I'm telling the truth all the time — if I'm really locked in — the truth of what this character's going through, the emotion's gonna be there to save me. It takes a tremendous amount of study to perfect it, and I don't think anyone perfects it. I think you're constantly learning, you're constantly growing.' Watch a clip from his episode of 'What No One Tells You' below. Want to find out more about Future of Filmmaking and 'What No One Tells You?' Visit IndieWire's new Future of Filmmaking landing page and sign up for our weekly newsletter, 'In Development.'Best of IndieWire The Best Thrillers Streaming on Netflix in June, from 'Vertigo' and 'Rear Window' to 'Emily the Criminal' All 12 Wes Anderson Movies, Ranked, from 'Bottle Rocket' to 'The Phoenician Scheme' Nightmare Film Shoots: The 38 Most Grueling Films Ever Made, from 'Deliverance' to 'The Wages of Fear'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
IndieWire and American Pavilion Gave Students an Inside Look at the Best of Cannes: See All the Photos
For film students and rising professionals, the American Pavilion has been an unparalleled resource at the Cannes Film Festival since 1989. This year, AmPav (as it's known) hosted more than 200 film students and provided up-close and personal access to the artists and businesspeople behind the biggest films premiering on the Croisette. The 2025 edition of the festival marked the beginning of a new partnership between IndieWire and AmPav, including the first Cannes edition of IndieWire's Future of Filmmaking summit with partner United Airlines. The event featured a Future of Filmmaking keynote address from Richard Linklater (who was in competition for the Palme d'Or with his new film 'Nouvelle Vague'), a ScreenTalk podcast with Neon CEO Tom Quinn, and panels about the current state of distribution. We also hosted Future of Filmmaking panels about AI and about international production. More from IndieWire Spike Lee Would Trade an Oscar for a Knicks NBA Title: 'I Got Two Already' SAG-AFTRA Launches Its Own Producer Portal to Make Dealing with Union Paperwork a Lot Easier MUBI Global Distribution Head Arianna Bocco Explains Why She's Bullish on Theatrical | Future of Filmmaking Summit at Cannes American Pavilion's programming also included appearances from the likes of Spike Lee, LaKeith Stanfield, Kevin Smith, 'Sorry, Baby' filmmaker Eva Victor, and more. If you attended Cannes with education and networking on your mind, it was the only place to be. Keep reading for all of the best photos of celebrities who made their way to the American Pavilion at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. And visit AmPav's website directly, so you can learn how you can join in on all they do next time. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Mad Men' Director Jennifer Getzinger: Ask for What You Want and Ask Again
Faith can be hard to attain when you're working in the entertainment industry. On the one hand, it's all there is to work off of, whether you're a nobody or a long-established player trying to keep in the mix. But with AI on the rise and jobs continuing to remain scarce, one starts to wonder what's even worth believing in. The answer? Yourself. During the latest episode of 'What No One Tells You,' television director Jennifer Getzinger discussed her leap from script supervisor to director and how it only came about because of her own tenacity. For year, Getzinger worked as a script supervisor on shows like 'Strangers with Candy,' 'The Sopranos,' and 'Sex and the City.' Later, 'Mad Men' creator and showrunner Matthew Weiner brought Getzinger onto the project as script supervisor for the pilot, which was shot in New York. Though the show was picked up to series and Getzinger invited to be a part of it, she found out it would require a bit of a sacrifice on her part. More from IndieWire Bella Ramsey Wants 'The Last of Us' Fans to Watch Upcoming Indie Films Like They're 'Game of Thrones' Dan Erickson on the 'Mesmerizing Dynamic' of 'Severance' Auteurs Ben Stiller and Jessica Lee Gagné 'The creator Matt Weiner said to me, 'Well we're going to go shoot the show in Los Angeles and I want my core team to come with me,'' she said. 'As a script supervisor, he wanted me to move to Los Angeles.' Getzinger was 'open' to the idea of moving across the country, but only if Weiner would allow her to direct an episode of the show. It was a huge ask, but based on Weiner's value of her and her own desire to move to the next stage of her career, she saw an opportunity and took it. 'He said to me, 'Look I believe in you, I know you're moving towards this, I know you're ready to do this, but I can't promise you anything. All I can tell you is if you don't come, it will never happen,'' Getzinger told IndieWire's Future of Filmmaking. 'That was what made me move to Los Angeles.' Sadly, Getzinger did not get to direct on the first season of 'Mad Men,' but when the show was renewed for a second season, her moment finally came. 'The producer called me and said, 'You know good news, we're going to get to do this again, bad news is we need a new script supervisor because you're going to be directing,'' said Getzinger. 'So that was my first shot at professional directing.' Getzinger would go on to direct not only for 'Mad Men,' but on 'Orange is the New Black,' 'Westworld,' and most recently on the hit HBO series 'The Penguin.' Watch a clip from her episode of 'What No One Tells You' below. Want to find out more about Future of Filmmaking and 'What No One Tells You?' Visit our new Future of Filmmaking landing page and sign up for our weekly newsletter, 'In Development.' Best of IndieWire Nightmare Film Shoots: The 38 Most Grueling Films Ever Made, from 'Deliverance' to 'The Wages of Fear' Quentin Tarantino's Favorite Movies: 65 Films the Director Wants You to See The 19 Best Thrillers Streaming on Netflix in May, from 'Fair Play' to 'Emily the Criminal'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Penguin' Director Jennifer Getzinger: Learn How to Keep Quiet
When you're first starting out as a director, it can be easy to hold tight to your vision as if it were some kind of North Star that can do you no wrong. It's good to have that passion and confidence, but when it comes to actually executing most productions, time can't be wasted trying to explain the minutiae of your inner thoughts. In fact, as explained by TV director Jennifer Getzinger, more often than not conciseness and clarity is more appreciated from actors than trying to dissect every element of a scene. During the latest episode of 'What No One Tells You,' Getzinger told IndieWire's Future of Filmmaking that when she was training to become a director, she tended to be 'a little bit afraid' of working with actors. To overcome this fear, she took a workshop with Adrienne Weiss, an acting coach and instructor who came out of the Yale School of Drama. It was here that she started to understand what performers really needed out of a director. More from IndieWire 'Hacks' Renewed for Season 5 at HBO Max AI Experts Debate What Will (or Won't) Be Disrupted by the Technology | Future of Filmmaking Summit at Cannes 'You would rehearse the scenes and then you would put them up in front of the class,' Getzinger said. 'And then at the end, the director would sit up on stage and everyone would critique what you did as a director.' This was unusual as typically it's the director commenting on the work of the actor, but in creating this even playing field, Getzinger began noticing patterns within the notes that spoke to a persistent problem amongst many first-time directors. 'It's unlike anything you'll ever ever have in real life as a director because no actor is going to tell you like, 'Oh, this was terrible. That note you gave me was awful,'' she told IndieWire's Future of Filmmaking. 'And the thing I learned the most was just stop talking so much. Stop giving so many notes.' In pursuit of their own objectives, Getzinger realized many directors were treating actors as devices rather than human beings. This didn't ultimately help the performer, but instead just overcomplicated whatever perspective they were trying to bring to the scene. 'You can't give someone 5 things to play in between every take,' said Getzinger. 'I think every new director just keeps talking and talking and talking and is hoping they're saying something that has some wisdom in it and you really need to stop.' Getzinger went on to direct for 'Mad Men,' 'Westworld,' and most recently on HBO's hit series 'The Penguin,' starring Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti. Watch a clip from her episode of 'What No One Tells You' below. Want to find out more about Future of Filmmaking and 'What No One Tells You?' Visit our new Future of Filmmaking landing page and sign up for our weekly newsletter, 'In Development.' Best of IndieWire Nightmare Film Shoots: The 38 Most Grueling Films Ever Made, from 'Deliverance' to 'The Wages of Fear' Quentin Tarantino's Favorite Movies: 65 Films the Director Wants You to See The 19 Best Thrillers Streaming on Netflix in May, from 'Fair Play' to 'Emily the Criminal'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
IndieWire Announces Inaugural Future of Filmmaking Summit at the American Pavilion at Cannes
IndieWire is proud to announce its inaugural Future of Filmmaking summit at the American Pavilion at Cannes, May 15-18. With four panels across four days, these lively conversations will speak to where the industry is going and the opportunities for emerging creatives at a time of unprecedented change. The summit is presented by United for Business. Richard Linklater will be our keynote chat in conversation with Eric Kohn, artistic director of Southampton Playhouse. The ultimate outsider-insider, Linklater has been a celebrated filmmaker for over 30 years. Before he became a Cannes regular, he was a cinephile who worked tirelessly to build a film culture in Austin, Texas. More from IndieWire 'Spring Breakers' Sequel Announced Sans Harmony Korine AMC Will Soon Offer Half-Off Pricing on Wednesdays, but Other Theaters Won't Follow Suit Just Yet The 'many hats' ethos he brought to the early days of the Austin Film Society — funding it with money earned on an offshore oil rig, and later as a bellhop — still reflects the kind of 'get 'er done' scrappiness that filmmaking demands today. With Linklater's new film debuting at Cannes, 'Nouvelle Vague,' he looks back to the start of the French New Wave, the legendary movement that reenergized cinema at another inflection point in the medium's history. He'll speak to why he's more excited about the future of film than he's been in years and why he believes that the Austin Film Society model can be exported to other cities to expand the film-culture footprint. Our panel on the future of international production will be a hot-button topic at a moment when Trump is tacking tariffs on 'foreign movies.' Harris-Bridson will lead a conversation with Watch This Ready executive vice president Emily Korteweg; Fabula North America head of film and TV, Andrew Hevia; Mandalay Pictures president Jason Michael Berman; and Oxbelly executive director Caroline von Kuhn. IndieWire editor at large Anne Thompson will also lead a one-on-one conversation with Mubi head of global distribution Arianna Bocco. She's one of the indie film world's most respected tastemakers and served as president of IFC Films, where she steered the release of major festival titles such as Venice Golden Lion winner 'Happening' as well as bold new visions from filmmakers making their feature debuts. Mubi broke through with last year's Cannes standout, 'The Substance'; with Bocco now at the helm and Mubi currently raising $100 million, the specialty streamer is poised for major expansion. We'll also host 'How to Survive and Thrive in the Age of AI,' moderated by former IndieWire editor Eric Kohn. It features Fable Studios CEO Edward Saatchi, Prezense/NVIDIA's Seth Piezas, DoubleEye Studios founder Kiira Benzing, Asteria Film Co. partner Paul Trillo, and Venice Immersive programmer Liz Rosenthal. The impact of this emerging technology on the future of filmmaking is the industry's favorite existential question and these are the people who can provide a sense of where it's going. Attendance for all panels requires a festival badge and American Pavilion membership, which can be purchased here. If you can't join us, we got you: Videos from the Future of Filmmaking summit will be published on IndieWire. Join us on the American Pavilion May 15-18. Dates and times follow. Thursday, May 1511:45amInternational Distribution: MUBI in Focus • Panelist: Arianna Bocco• Moderator: Anne Thompson Coming off a successful year that began with the launch of The Substance at the Cannes Film Festival, MUBI is riding high as the most promising international streaming entity with a global cinephile reach. The company recently hired veteran distribution executive Arianna Bocco, who ran acquisitions at IFC Films for nearly 20 years, as its SVP of Global Distribution. Bocco will share her insights on the increasing value of international territories in distribution strategy and how the landscape has changed. Friday, May 1611:00amThe Future of International Production• Panelists: Emily Korteweg (Producer, Splitsville), Andrew Hevia (Head of North American Production, Fabula), Jason Michael Berman (President, Mandalay Pictures), Caroline von Kuhn (Executive Director, Oxbelly)• Moderator: Dana Harris-Bridson As production faces increasing budgetary challenges in the U.S., more and more projects are migrating abroad. We will hear from veteran producers and financiers about how to navigate the opportunities and challenges of international co-productions. Saturday, May 172:30pmKeynote Chat: Richard Linklater• Moderator: Eric KohnSunday, May 1811:00amHow to Survive and Thrive in the Age of AI• Panelists: Edward Saatchi (Founder and CEO, Fable Studios), Kiira Benzing (Founder, DoubleEye Studios), Seth Piezas (Senior Product Manager, NVIDA/Founder, Prezense), Liz Rosenthal (Programmer, Venice Immersive), Paul Trillo (Partner, Asteria Film Co.)• Moderator: Eric Kohn The acceleration of artificial intelligence in recent years has led to rampant fears across the entertainment industry, some more founded than others. However, AI isn't going away – and its progress relates to broader changes to the future of storytelling as a whole. On this panel, we'll hear from creatives and executives about how to make the most of a new era defined by dramatic technological change. About United for Business: United's shared purpose is 'Connecting People. Uniting the World.' United offers the most diversified international route network among US airlines based on the number of international destinations served and is proud to offer a specialized travel product designed for the entertainment industry. United for Business comes with everything that will keep your production moving forward – reduced airfare, special rates for equipment, custom booking options, airport escort services and a dedicated entertainment support desk. For more information about United visit and to learn more about United for Business visit Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie The 55 Best LGBTQ Movies and TV Shows Streaming on Netflix Right Now
