The Filmmakers Podcast

Director Rob Savage (Host) joins us to chat about his latest horror feature 'The Boogeyman'. He sits down with Giles Alderson and Dom Lenoir to discuss how he made the leap to studio movie and creating horror scares. They also discuss: How to shoot scare ad big horror scenes. Pitching, how he got in the room and what to do when in there. Casting incredible actors. Lighting and the 'Moon Ball'. How a light-saber and Disney helped create a defining image. Any why major issues and mistakes can lead to brilliant creativity. The Boogeyman in OUT in cinemas NOW! VOTE The Stranger in our Bed for Best Thriller at the National Film Awards here WATCH Breaking Infinity on it's cinema tour here PATREON Big thank you to: Serena Gardner Mark Hammett Lee Hutchings Marli J Monroe Karen Newman Want your name in the show notes or some great bonus material on film-making? Join our Patreon for bonus episodes, industry survival guides and feedback on your film projects! SUPPORT THE PODCAST Check out our full episode archive at TheFilmmakersPodcast.com CREDITS The Filmmakers Podcast is hosted, produced, edited and written by Giles Alderson @gilesalderson Social Media by Kalli Pasqualucci @kallieep Marketing Huw Siddle Logo and Banner Art by Lois Creative  Theme Music by John J. Harvey Music supplied by – Music Bed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this weeks podcast we are joined by actors Simon Pegg and Rebecca Ferguson and editor Eddie Hamilton to discuss making Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One. First up Simon Pegg (Star Trek, Shaun of the Dead) and Rebecca Ferguson (Silo, Dune) have fun with hosts Giles Alderson and Dom Lenoir discussing all things acting and being on set of a Mission Impossible film, being directed by Christopher McQuarrie and creating the characters. Secondly we have a great natter with editor Eddie Hamilton (Top Gun Maverick, Kick Ass) about editing on such a big movie, how he got the job and working with Tom Cruise and McQaurrie. We also discuss: Editing Tom Gun Maverick and Mission Impossible movies. Why and how they work with no script on MI films. If you don't care about character then nothing matters. Why it is just a pile of ingredients and why movies in post only come good in the last two weeks. And why you fight for moments and let others go. Listen to the Christopher McQaurrie episode here. Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning is in cinemas NOW! POST PRODUCTION DEMYSTIFIED COURSE link Join us on Zoom on Saturday, July 22nd at 1pm BST, when our team of film professionals will guide you through all the elements you’ll need to plan, all the people you’ll need to hire, and all the questions you’ll need to answer in order to effectively schedule and budget for post-production. https://cutting-room.ck.page/products/post-production-demystified?step=checkout PATREON Big thank you to: Serena Gardner Mark Hammett Lee Hutchings Marli J Monroe Karen Newman Want your name in the show notes or some great bonus material on film-making? Join our Patreon for bonus episodes, industry survival guides and feedback on your film projects! SUPPORT THE PODCAST Check out our full episode archive at TheFilmmakersPodcast.com CREDITS The Filmmakers Podcast is hosted, produced, edited and written by Giles Alderson @gilesalderson Social Media by Kalli Pasqualucci @kallieep Marketing Huw Siddle Logo and Banner Art by Lois Creative  Theme Music by John J. Harvey Music supplied by – Music Bed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The magnificent legend that is Christopher McQuarrie joins Giles Alderson and Dom Lenoir for a full hour to talk story, structure, creating magic, working with Tom Cruise and directing Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One. We also discuss: His debut movies, Public Access, The Way of the Gun and wining an Oscar for Usual Suspects. Working with Tom Cruise and pushing boundaries in film-making. In-depth into his mind on story and structure of making films. Trouble shooting moments and looking at bad reviews. How to make the audience care about action. Listener questions. And many, many tips on directing and screenwriting. Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning is in cinemas July 10th! Christopher's credits include: As writer: Public Access, Usual Suspects, Valkyrie, The Tourist, Jack the Giant Slayer, Edge of Tomorrow, The Mummy, Top Gun: Maverick As writer & director: The Way of the Gun, Jack Reacher, Mission Impossible Rogue Nation, Mission Impossible Fallout, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One. ---- POST PRODUCTION DEMYSTIFIED COURSE link Join us on Zoom on Saturday, July 22nd at 1pm BST, when our team of film professionals will guide you through all the elements you’ll need to plan, all the people you’ll need to hire, and all the questions you’ll need to answer in order to effectively schedule and budget for post-production. https://cutting-room.ck.page/products/post-production-demystified?step=checkout PATREON Big thank you to: Serena Gardner Mark Hammett Lee Hutchings Marli J Monroe Karen Newman Want your name in the show notes or some great bonus material on film-making? Join our Patreon for bonus episodes, industry survival guides and feedback on your film projects! SUPPORT THE PODCAST Check out our full episode archive at TheFilmmakersPodcast.com CREDITS The Filmmakers Podcast is hosted, produced, edited and written by Giles Alderson @gilesalderson Social Media by Kalli Pasqualucci @kallieep Marketing Huw Siddle Logo and Banner Art by Lois Creative  Theme Music by John J. Harvey Music supplied by – Music Bed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Filmmakers, welcome back to the pod! Today we are stripping away the craft and diving headfirst into the absolute engine room of our industry: The Business of Film. Giles Alderson is joined by a massive powerhouse panel to dissect the current state of the market, the realities of raising cash, and how to actually get your indie film seen and sold. We have data guru Stephen Follows, brilliant producers Lucinda Rhodes Thakrar and Dom Lenoir and fantastic indie directors Hilary Shakespeare and Conor Boru. Grab your notepads, because we are laying out the hard truths and actionable tactics you need to survive in this shifting landscape. The Data Paradox & The UK Indie Market Total UK spend across film and high-end TV plummeted by £2.7 billion in the first half of 2026. However, independent film sector spend has actually surged by 20%. Inward investment makes up about 90% of UK spend, meaning a massive amount of IP and value leaves the UK post-production. Budget pressures are fierce, with producers squeezed to keep indie budgets under £1-1.5 million to stand a real chance of recoupment. Sales agents warn that budgets higher than this rarely break even unless the film becomes an unexpected, massive hit. There is a serious contraction in the labour market, causing mid-to-high level crew to take lower-tier jobs or leave the industry completely. Distribution & Sales Strategies Only 10.8% of released fiction feature films on IMDb actually secure a professional sales agent. Including a reputable sales agent in your pitch deck is vital to make a project appear "safe" to equity investors. Pre-sales (Minimum Guarantees) are smaller nowadays but remain a crucial tool to secure investor confidence. Audiences are exhausted by algorithm-driven "soulless content" and are actively rewarding original, authentic cinema. Theatrical Release Tactics Cinemas frequently dump indie films into terrible time slots, like Tuesday afternoons, until the film proves it can pull an audience. If an indie film succeeds in those early slots, it can trigger better programming and longer runs. Major cinema chains often hit filmmakers with hidden costs, charging extra to place lobby posters or feature the film in their digital newsletters. Preview screenings are incredibly valuable because their ticket figures feed directly into the official opening weekend box office numbers. Targeting specific local cinemas relevant to the film's setting can generate much more profitable, sustained runs. Box Office Reality Check Spider-Man: Brand New Day is dominating the North American box office with a massive $900 million. Original indie films are absolutely breaking through, with Obsession taking 7th place at $263 million and Backrooms sitting in 9th place at $197 million. 🎧 Subscribe, Listen & Review: Help us out by subscribing and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—and tell your pals about this show! 👕 ⁠PODCAST MERCH⁠: Get your very own tees, hoodies, on-set gear and Hilary's Shakespeare Sisters merch ⁠HERE⁠. 📚 ⁠COURSES⁠: Want to learn how to finish your film? Take our POST PRODUCTION COURSE ⁠POST PRODUCTION DEMYSTIFIED⁠. 🌐 ARCHIVE: Check out our full episode archive on how to make films at ⁠TheFilmmakersPodcast.com⁠. 🎬 IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:📲 Support, Merch & Courses Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Filmmakers, we have an absolutely magical episode for you this week! While Giles Alderson has been out in Bulgaria producing his latest feature film, the brilliant Conor Boru steps into the host chair to sit down with the phenomenal director Susanne Bier to discuss her massive new release, PRACTICAL MAGIC 2. Nearly three decades after the original spellbound audiences, Susanne takes us behind the scenes of bringing the Owens sisters back to the big screen. She dives deep into the realities of directing a massive studio sequel, working with Hollywood royalty like Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, balancing practical on-set effects with visual spectacles, and why the beating heart of this film is the authentic sisterhood on screen. 🚨 EXCLUSIVE ANNOUNCEMENT: Before the interview, Giles is back with a massive exclusive update! He officially announces his latest producing project, The Joy of Sex, starring Academy Award winners Colin Firth and Julianne Moore! 💡 TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Giles breaks down "The Myth of A-List Intimidation." How do you transition from micro-budget indie sets to working with literal Oscar-winning legends without losing your nerve? Listen in for the hard truths on why the job of filmmaking never changes, no matter who is on the call sheet. 🎬 IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: Tackling a Legacy: The immense pressure and excitement of directing a sequel to a beloved 90s classic. Directing A-Listers: Susanne’s approach to collaborating with Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, and an incredible ensemble cast. Practical vs. VFX: How to ground supernatural elements with practical on-set choices (and unexpected beetles!). Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone: Why filmmakers must continuously embrace challenges that terrify them. The Producer's Mindset: Giles' lessons from the trenches of producing The Joy of Sex in Bulgaria. 🍿 ABOUT PRACTICAL MAGIC 2: Starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, Practical Magic 2 returns to a world steeped in moonlit mischief and powerful ancestral magic. The Owens sisters must confront a dark curse threatening to unravel their family. Joining the cast are Joey King, Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, Xolo Maridueña, Solly McLeod, Dianne Wiest, and Stockard Channing. Directed by Susanne Bier, from a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett, and Kelly Marcel. Distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. In cinemas across North America on September 10, 2026, and internationally beginning September 9, 2026. 📲 SUPPORT THE PODCAST: 🎧 Subscribe & Review: Help us out by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Send the elevator back down and share this with a fellow filmmaker! 👕 PODCAST MERCH: Grab your on-set gear HERE. 📚 COURSES: Finish your film with our Post-Production Course HERE. 🌐 ARCHIVE: Access hundreds of filmmaking masterclasses at TheFilmmakersPodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices