The Director's Cut - A DGA Podcast

Directors Guild of America

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  • 27 minutes 43 seconds
    Mother Mary with David Lowery and Antonio Campos (Ep. 609)

    Director David Lowery discusses his new film, Mother Mary, with fellow Director Antonio Campos in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, he discusses how the project was born from a desire to shoot a one-room film, the choreography behind the seance scene, and his influences in costume and production design that set the groundwork for the film.

    The film tells the story of iconic pop star Mother Mary as she reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer, Sam. In need of a dress for her new tour, Mary asks Sam to help her, causing long-buried wounds, past traumas and specters to return to the spotlight.

    See photos and a summary of this event below:

    https://www.dga.org/events/2026/may2026/mothermary_qna_0426

    22 April 2026, 12:00 am
  • 32 minutes 11 seconds
    Ready or Not 2: Here I Come with Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett and Jorma Taccone (Ep. 608)

    Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett discuss their new film, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, with fellow Director Jorma Taccone in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they discuss casting Actor Kathryn Newton alongside Samara Weaving, how they film a lot of coverage in the kill sequences for story options in the edit, and their intentional methods of directing that allow them to strike a balance between comedy and horror in the final product.

    This sequel to the 2019 feature Ready or Not finds Grace, the lone survivor of the first film, discovering that she’s trapped in the next level of the nightmarish game - this time with her sister along for the ride.

    See photos and a summary of this event below:

    https://www.dga.org/events/2026/may2026/readyornot2_qna_0326

    8 April 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 42 minutes 31 seconds
    The Bride! with Maggie Gyllenhaal and Greta Gerwig (Ep. 607)

    Director Maggie Gyllenhaal discusses her new film, The Bride!, with fellow Director Greta Gerwig in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, she discusses the influence of 1930s cinema on the film’s themes, using dance sequences as a medium for her characters to express complicated emotions, and working with her Costume Designer to create striking looks for the cast.

    Set in an alternate 1930’s Chicago, the film follows Ida, a murdered woman brought back to life to be the monster Frankenstein’s companion. Ida’s second chance sparks a whirlwind of romance, police interest, and radical social change.

    See photos and a summary of this event below:

    https://www.dga.org/events/2026/may2026/thebride_qna_0326

    3 April 2026, 8:00 pm
  • 47 minutes 35 seconds
    Steal This Story, Please! with Carl Deal, Tia Lessin, Amy Goodman and Ondi Timoner (Ep. 606)

    Directors Carl Deal, Tia Lessin and the film’s subject, Amy Goodman discuss their new film, Steal This Story, Please!, with fellow Director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, the filmmakers discuss the structure of the film as a way to get to know Amy before her work, how the filmmakers originally met Amy, and the relevance of Democracy Now! in a modern corporate news landscape.

    Screened as part of the DGA’s Documentary Series, the film follows Goodman as she becomes a leader in the movement for independent media. Set against some of the most consequential stories of our time, Goodman works to amplify voices excluded from the mainstream and faces off against forces trying to silence her.

    See photos and a summary of this event below:

    https://www.dga.org/events/2026/april2026/docseries_stealthisstoryplease-0326

    25 March 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 33 minutes 36 seconds
    Scream 7 with Kevin Williamson and Paul Feig (Ep. 605)

    Director Kevin Williamson discusses his new film, Scream 7, with fellow Director Paul Feig in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses how the original concept of Scream came to be, how he balanced horror and comedy to establish the tone, and the importance and careful use of score needed to maintain the film’s tension.

    In the newest installment of the Scream franchise, original victim Sidney Prescott hopes to reinvent her life in a different town. But when a new killer emerges, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter becomes his prized target.

    See photos and a summary of this event below:

    https://www.dga.org/events/2026/april2026/scream7_qna_0326

    23 March 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 50 seconds
    Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man with Tom Harper and Mary Harron (Ep. 604)

    Director Tom Harper discusses his new film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, with fellow Director Mary Harron in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, he discusses working with Actor Cillian Murphy, how making a Peaky Blinders film differed from an episode of the series, and working closely with his composer to find a soundtrack befitting the tone.

    A sequel to the award-winning television series Peaky Blinders, the film follows Tommy Shelby as he returns from exile to a post-World War II Birmingham. With unsettled business and his future at stake, he must face his demons and choose whether to confront his legacy or burn it to the ground.

    See photos and a summary of this event below:

    https://www.dga.org/events/2026/april2026/peakyblinders_qna_0326

    20 March 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 35 minutes 56 seconds
    How to Make a Killing with John Patton Ford and Kobi Libii (Ep. 603)

    Director John Patton Ford discusses his new film, How to Make a Killing, with fellow Director Kobi Libii in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses inspirations and early iterations of the film, managing the tone as over-the-top events happening in a grounded and believable world, and the importance of sound design to the construction of the film.

    Loosely inspired by the 1949 feature Kind Hearts and Coronets, the film tells the story of Becket Redfellow, a blue collar worker disowned by his wealthy relatives. Determined to reclaim his inheritance, he launches a campaign of manipulation, betrayal and calculated violence to eliminate everyone standing between him and the fortune.

    See photos and a summary of this event below:

    https://www.dga.org/events/2026/april2026/how2makeakilling_qna_0226

    12 March 2026, 9:00 pm
  • 32 minutes 18 seconds
    Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die with Gore Verbinski and Sacha Gervasi (Ep. 602)

    Director Gore Verbinski discusses his new film, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, with fellow Director Sacha Gervasi in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses how he wanted to approach the story with a modern take on AI, how Actor Sam Rockwell’s costume was made from scrap technology found in surplus stores, and finding a delicate balance for the film's tone in between apocalyptic, comedic and irreverent.

    The film follows a man, allegedly from the future, who arrives at a Los Angeles diner and takes the patrons hostage. Claiming they are the precise combination of strangers he needs, he convinces them to join a quest to save the world from a rogue artificial intelligence.

    See photos and a summary of this event below:

    https://www.dga.org/events/2026/april2026/goodluckhavefundontdie_qna_0226

    10 March 2026, 8:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 5 seconds
    Wuthering Heights with Emerald Fennell and J.J. Abrams (Ep. 601)

    Director Emerald Fennell discusses her new film, Wuthering Heights, with fellow Director J.J. Abrams in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, she discusses her approach to adapting the original text, working with her Production Design team to create surreal landscapes and environments reminiscent of human features, and collaborating with musical artist Charli XCX to create a soundtrack for the film.

    Based on the novel by Emily Brontë, the film follows the impoverished Heathcliffe and the wealthy Catherine, two young lovers hailing from different social classes. After Catherine marries someone else and Heathcliffe disappears in despair, years pass and he returns with mysterious wealth and nefarious intentions.

    See photos and a summary of this event below:

    https://www.dga.org/events/2026/april2026/wutheringheights_qna_0226

    27 February 2026, 8:00 pm
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    Meet the 2026 Nominees for Theatrical Feature Film - Part 2 of 2 (Ep. 600)

    Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another), Ryan Coogler (Sinners), Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme) and Chloé Zhao (Hamnet) engage in a conversation with moderator Jeremy Kagan for the 35th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium.

    Please note: spoilers are included.

    See photos and a summary of this event below:

    https://www.dga.org/Events/2026/March2026/MTN_TheatricalFeatureFilm2026

    23 February 2026, 10:00 pm
  • 1 hour 14 minutes
    Meet the 2026 Nominees for Theatrical Feature Film - Part 1 of 2 (Ep. 599)

    Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another), Ryan Coogler (Sinners), Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme) and Chloé Zhao (Hamnet) engage in a conversation with moderator Jeremy Kagan for the 35th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium.

    Please note: spoilers are included.

    See photos and a summary of this event below:

    https://www.dga.org/Events/2026/March2026/MTN_TheatricalFeatureFilm2026

    20 February 2026, 1:00 am
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