
Welcome to Below the Line, a film industry podcast where we talk about making movies from the crew perspective. My name is Skid: I'm a former Assistant Director and your host. For the show, I invite my production friends - both old and new - to tell stories from their time on set. Each episode is organized around a specific film, television series or some other theme relevant to working in Hollywood. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, or peruse the list below: you might learn something new about one of your favorites.
Thoughts about a specific episode or comments about the podcast? I welcome your feedback: skid@belowtheline.biz
Episodes

Sunday Mar 23, 2025
S23 - Ep 3 - The Bikeriders - Assistant Directing
Sunday Mar 23, 2025
Sunday Mar 23, 2025
“The Bikeriders” is an ambitious film: star-studded cast, set in Chicago during the 1960’s and 1970’s, and - of course - lots and lots of motorcycles. My guests, 1st Assistant Director (and Producer) Don Sparks and Key 2nd Assistant Director Pete Dress, tackled these challenges head-on and helped deliver this underrated film on a tight schedule with a limited budget. It’s an impressive accomplishment, which you’ll appreciate even more after going behind the scenes with us.

Sunday Mar 16, 2025
S23 - Ep 2 - Zero Day - Score Composition
Sunday Mar 16, 2025
Sunday Mar 16, 2025
“Zero Day” - the intriguing six-episode political thriller currently streaming on Netflix - is an intentional commentary about today’s politics. Score Composer Jeff Russo joins the podcast to discuss his work on the series, and co-host Louis Weeks provides expert context for a conversation that explores both Jeff’s specific intentions with “Zero Day” and his philosophical approach to score composing as an art.
“Zero Day” - the intriguing six-episode political thriller currently streaming on Netflix - is an intentional commentary about today’s politics. Score Composer Jeff Russo joins the podcast to discuss his work on the series, and co-host Louis Weeks provides expert context for a conversation that explores both Jeff’s specific intentions with “Zero Day” and his philosophical approach to score composing as an art. Bonus announcement: I’m instituting a new listener appreciation program! If you send me a picture of yourself in a Below the Line t-shirt, I’ll mention you by name on a future episode of the podcast.

Sunday Mar 09, 2025
S23 - Ep 1 - Last Breath: From Documentary to Feature Film
Sunday Mar 09, 2025
Sunday Mar 09, 2025
Season 23! Episode 251! Long-time listeners: thanks for sticking with us. New listeners: welcome! We’ve got a lot to offer you.
This episode is about “Last Breath”, the based-on-a-true-story film currently in theaters. My guest is Alex Parkinson, who directed both the feature film and the documentary which inspired the movie. First-time director stories! Check. Exploring the transition from documentary to film! Check. Is Woody Harrelson’s performance a realistic take on the person he’s portraying? Well, maybe we don’t tackle that last question. But we’re serving up an entertaining discussion, nonetheless. If you’ve read this far, you probably don’t need additional help finding the episode, but tell your friends! Thank you, from Below the Line.

Thursday Feb 27, 2025
S22 - Ep 12 - 97th Oscars - Makeup and Hairstyling
Thursday Feb 27, 2025
Thursday Feb 27, 2025
Our sixth annual Academy Awards series — with panels of film professionals discussing the Oscar nominees in their category of expertise — concludes with Makeup and Hairstyling. Podcast veterans Angela Nogaro (Makeup) and Yvonne Depatis-Kupka (Hair) return to offer their assessment of this year’s slate of nominees. It’s a lively set of reviews to wrap up the series! I hope you’ve enjoyed these episodes as much as I’ve enjoyed publishing them.
The 2024 Nominees for Makeup and Hairstyling:
• “A Different Man”
• “Emilia Pérez”
• “Nosferatu”
• “The Substance”
• “Wicked”

Monday Feb 24, 2025
S22 - Ep 11 - 97th Oscars - Cinematography
Monday Feb 24, 2025
Monday Feb 24, 2025
Film professionals discussing the nominees in their area of expertise: that’s Below the Line at the Academy Awards. We’re in the home stretch (episode 11 of 12!), and today we’re talking about the Oscar nominees for Cinematography. My returning guests — Patrick Cady and David Tuttman — are directors of photography (and directors in their own right!) with a keen eye for what makes these films worthy of the nomination. It gets a little technical sometimes for my understanding but I suspect you’ll enjoy it nonetheless.
The 2024 Nominees for Cinematography:
• “The Brutalist”
• “Dune: Part Two”
• “Emilia Pérez”
• “Maria”
• “Nosferatu”

Friday Feb 21, 2025
S22 - Ep 10 - 97th Oscars - Film Editing
Friday Feb 21, 2025
Friday Feb 21, 2025
It’s a wild and woolly episode of the podcast as editors Christopher Angel and Amy Duddleston return to discuss this year’s Oscar nominees for Film Editing. In all the years I’ve hosted these conversations, this pair has always complained about films being too long. Given that the shortest film on this list clocks in at two hours, I was anticipating some blistering critiques, but their assessments surprised me. Did we agree about all of these films on their merits? No. Was I entertained? Yes. I hope you will be as well.
The 2024 Nominees for Film Editing:
• “Anora”
• “The Brutalist”
• “Conclave”
• “Emilia Pérez”
• “Wicked”

Tuesday Feb 18, 2025
S22 - Ep 9 - 97th Oscars - Costume Design
Tuesday Feb 18, 2025
Tuesday Feb 18, 2025
Costume Designers Helen Huang And Liz Vastola offer their insights on this year’s Academy Award nominees for Costume Design. This one runs a little longer than usual, but we take some time to discuss how costume design is different from fashion design, the role actors play in the shaping of their costumes, and other challenges of the craft. With the ceremony less than two weeks away, we’re in the home stretch, and I hope you’re keeping up.
The 2024 Nominees for Costume Design:
• “A Complete Unknown”
• “Conclave”
• “Gladiator II”
• “Nosferatu”
• “Wicked”

Saturday Feb 15, 2025
S22 - Ep 8 - 97th Oscars - Animated Feature Film
Saturday Feb 15, 2025
Saturday Feb 15, 2025
Oscar season continues here at Below the Line, where film professionals discuss the nominees in the category of their expertise. Today’s animated conversation about the nominees for Animated Feature Film benefits from returning guests, Kent Seki and Camille Leganza. We also take a brief side quest to discuss the challenges currently faced by the Animation Industry.
The 2024 Nominees for Animated Feature Film:
• “Flow”
• “Inside Out 2”
• “Memoir of a Snail”
• “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”
• “The Wild Robot”

Wednesday Feb 12, 2025
S22 - Ep 7 - 97th Oscars - Original Song
Wednesday Feb 12, 2025
Wednesday Feb 12, 2025
Today we’re discussing the Oscar nominees for Original Song. My guests — Chris Molanphy (chart analyst and podcast host), Louis Weeks (score composer), and Tom Peyton (song writer) — offer both analysis and critique of this year’s nominees. Is there a lot of enthusiasm for the musical innovations these songs offer the listening audience? Well, no. Does it make for an interesting discussion? Yes, definitely.
The 2024 Nominees for Original Song:
• “El Mal” from “Emilia Pérez”
• “The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight”
• “Like a Bird” from “Sing Sing”
• “Mi Camino” also from “Emilia Pérez”
• “Never Too Late” from “Elton John: Never Too Late”

Sunday Feb 09, 2025
S22 - Ep 6 - 97th Oscars - Original Score
Sunday Feb 09, 2025
Sunday Feb 09, 2025
Our tour through the technical categories continues with a discussion of the Oscar nominees for Original Score. My guests — Louis Weeks (score composer), Chris Molanphy (chart analyst/pop critic), and Jennie Callender (founder and music supervisor of Soundbloom) — offer a multi-layered set of insights.
The 2024 Nominees for Original Score:
• “The Brutalist”
• “Conclave”
• “Emilia Pérez”
• “Wicked”
• “The Wild Robot”

Thursday Feb 06, 2025
S22 - Ep 5 - 97th Oscars - Visual Effects
Thursday Feb 06, 2025
Thursday Feb 06, 2025
It’s non-stop conversations about the Oscar nominees in the technical categories from now until the Academy Awards, and I hope you'll follow us for the full season. Today, Kent Seki and Chris Batty return to discuss the nominees for Achievement in Visual Effects.
The 2024 Nominees for Visual Effects:
• “Alien: Romulus”
• “Better Man”
• “Dune: Part Two”
• “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
• “Wicked”

Monday Feb 03, 2025
S22 - Ep 4 - 97th Oscars - Directing
Monday Feb 03, 2025
Monday Feb 03, 2025
Below the Line continues our Sixth Annual Oscar Series with a discussion of the nominees for achievement in Directing, and I’m joined by a panel of fellow below-the-liners: Bill Hardy, Roger Mendoza and Shaun O’Banion. (This is the second year we’ve discussed the directors nominated for the Academy Award in lieu of the Directors Guild of America nominees.)
The 2024 Nominees for Directing:
• “Anora”
• “The Brutalist”
• “A Complete Unknown”
• “Emilia Pérez”
• “The Substance”

Friday Jan 31, 2025
S22 - Ep 3 - 97th Oscars - Production Design
Friday Jan 31, 2025
Friday Jan 31, 2025
We’re continuing our deep dive discussions about the Oscar nominees in the technical categories, and today, Production Designer Bob Shaw and Set Decorator Regina Graves - Oscar nominees themselves - offer their insights about the five nominees for Production Design.
The 2024 Nominees for Production Design:
• “The Brutalist”
• “Conclave”
• “Dune: Part Two”
• “Nosferatu”
• “Wicked”

Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
S22 - Ep 2 - 97th Oscars - Sound
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Our Academy Awards coverage continues, and now we’re into the categories proper. Today, Oscar nominees Steve Morrow (production sound mixer) and Erik Aadahl (sound editor) discuss this year's nominees for Achievement in Sound.
The 2024 Nominees for Sound:
• “A Complete Unknown”
• “Dune: Part Two”
• “Emilia Pèrez”
• “Wicked”
• “The Wild Robot”

Saturday Jan 25, 2025
S22 - Ep 1 - 97th Oscars - Property Mastering
Saturday Jan 25, 2025
Saturday Jan 25, 2025
Our Sixth Annual Academy Awards Series begins here! Each episode this season features a panel of Film Industry professionals discussing the nominees in their category of expertise. To kick us off: Achievement in Property Mastering. While the work of the property master is still not recognized with an Oscar, we’re carrying a torch. Gregg Bilson, Jr. (CEO of ISS) and Scott Buckwald (property master and friend of the podcast) propose a hypothetical slate of 2024 films that could have been nominated for their fantastic work with props.
Our 2024 Nominees for Property Mastering:
• “Alien: Romulus”
• “Blitz”
• “A Complete Unknown”
• “Gladiator II”
• ”Horizon: An American Saga”

Sunday Jan 19, 2025
S21 - Ep 12 - Henry Danger: The Movie
Sunday Jan 19, 2025
Sunday Jan 19, 2025
“Henry Danger: The Movie”, now streaming on Paramount+, is the latest chapter in a storyline that started with the Nickelodeon television series in 2014. Director Joe Menendez joins me alongside an all-star panel of crew, including Costume Designer Farnaz Khaki-Sadigh, Director of Photography Chris Kempinski, Production Designer Bridget McGuire and Makeup Designer Jenn Kaminski. Not only did their collaborative efforts lift this multi-faceted film to another level, but they had a great time doing it.
We've also shared an album of behind-the-scenes photos on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/podcastbelowtheline/

Sunday Jan 12, 2025
S21 - Ep 11 - St. Denis Medical - Camera Operation
Sunday Jan 12, 2025
Sunday Jan 12, 2025
“St. Denis Medical”, the workplace comedy currently airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock, is the latest show to take a crack at the mockumentary genre. Camera Operators Jacob Pinger, Mande Whitaker and Danny Whiteneck discuss how their extensive experience with unscripted television helps elevate this mockumentary to the next level. Why is it that an actual reality tv production would have fired these operators for filming the way they did, but this show kept pushing them to make the camera movements more obvious? Answers in the podcast.

Sunday Jan 05, 2025
S21 - Ep 10 - Cross - Production Design
Sunday Jan 05, 2025
Sunday Jan 05, 2025
“Cross”, the eight-episode crime thriller currently available on Amazon Prime, was filmed in Toronto but is set in Washington, DC. The assignment for Production Designer Elisa Sauvé was to venture outside the stereotypical Capitol Hill locations and really give the city it’s due. From the Georgetown neighborhood to Ben’s Chili Bowl, Elisa and her team made sure that DC’s unique vibrancy was an integral part of the series.

Sunday Dec 22, 2024
S21 - Ep 9 - Dune: Prophecy - Film Editing
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
“Dune: Prophecy”, which airs its sixth episode and season finale tonight (!), is the latest example of HBO Max’s commitment to prestige television. This short but ambitious series required an all-hands-on-deck approach, and Film Editors Sarah Reeves and Mark Martzell are here to share the collaborative details. We talk about doing a prequel to the movies, the challenge of the strikes on production, and - spoiler alert - we break down some specific scenes. Insights and laughs guaranteed, or your money back.

Sunday Dec 15, 2024
S21 - Ep 8 - Rumours - Cinematography
Sunday Dec 15, 2024
Sunday Dec 15, 2024
Can “Rumours”, the 2024 comedy horror film written and directed by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson, be both an absurdist take on international politics AND the most accurate depiction of a G7 meeting ever? Cinematographer Stefan Ciupek collaborated with this team of three (!) directors to navigate a tightrope production between farce and truth. While every film project is a challenge, the need to accommodate an ensemble cast of nine (led by Cate Blanchett) while filming in Hungary on an independent film budget definitely spawned some transcendental experiences. This provocative and entertaining film teases both insights and laughs, and it was a lot of fun to talk about. In summary: yes, that’s a giant brain, and yes, it really is on fire.

Sunday Dec 08, 2024
S21 - Ep 7 - Wicked - Choreography and Film Editing
Sunday Dec 08, 2024
Sunday Dec 08, 2024
“Wicked”, the Jon Chu theatrical adaptation of the stage musical, is currently in theaters and continues to dominate at the box office. Choreographer Christopher Scott and Film Editor Myron Kerstein share the challenges of bringing the extensive dance numbers from script to screen, with deep dives into “What Is This Feeling?” (bo staffs!), “Dancing Through Life” (tornado wheels!), and “No One Mourns the Wicked” (tulips!). Chris, Myron and Jon Chu previously worked together on “In the Heights”, and the strength of their collaboration is evident with this movie as well.

Sunday Dec 01, 2024
S21 - Ep 6 - The Penguin - Hair Styling
Sunday Dec 01, 2024
Sunday Dec 01, 2024
Wait, what? You haven’t finished watching “The Penguin”, even though all episodes are now available on HBO Max? Please catch up, because today we’re hosting Hair Department Head Brian Badie, and we’re going heavy on the spoilers. Plus: fellow Batman fan Gianni Damaia returns as co-host!

Sunday Nov 24, 2024
S21 - Ep 5 - Landman - Film Editing and Score Composition
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
“Landman”, the new Taylor Sheridan drama starring Billy Bob Thornton, debuted just last week on Paramount+. Film Editor Chad Galster and Score Composer Andrew Lockington are both veterans of multiple Taylor projects and veterans of the podcast: with a warm welcome, I’m excited to have them make a joint appearance on the show. (Chad was also visiting set when they ran a tanker truck into an airplane parked on the highway - that was a practical stunt!)
UPDATED: Now with score snippets, to enhance your listening experience!

Sunday Nov 17, 2024
S21 - Ep 4 - Rescue: HI-Surf - Cinematography
Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Sunday Nov 17, 2024
It’s easy to assume that working on “Rescue: HI-Surf”, the Hawaii-based action drama currently airing on Fox, would be akin to a vacation for the crew. Filming on the North Shore of O’ahu, however, is a difficult undertaking even before you mix in the challenge of the ocean itself. Cinematographer Anka Malatynska and Water Unit Director of Photography Don King split the lensing duties at the waterline, and, together, they make this show work. Ready to go behind the scenes? Let’s ride this wave.

Sunday Nov 10, 2024
S21 - Ep 3 - 84 Charlie MoPic and Combat Camera
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
This episode - in honor of Veterans Day - is about “84 Charlie MoPic”, the 1989 feature film about small unit operations during the Vietnam War, and our star-studded panel includes Director Patrick Duncan, Cinematographer Alan Caso and Producer Michael Nolin. Joining me as co-hosts are Jim Stayton and Al Gerloff, current friends and former colleagues from my pre-Hollywood days with Combat Camera. This conversation is one that my late father, himself a veteran of the Vietnam War, would have enjoyed very much, and it made for a really special episode. I hope you enjoy it.