On Story (2011)
An inside look at the creative process behind some of our most popular and beloved movies and television shows. All episodes feature recorded conversations between acclaimed and award-winning screenwriters, TV creators, and filmmakers from the Austin Film Festival's annual conference and year round events.
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Episode 1 - Breaking Bad: A Conversation with Vince Gilligan
Release Date: 2014-04-18Vince Gilligan, creator of the AMC hit series Breaking Bad, reflects upon the show's hyper-serialized storytelling as well as his inspirations and influences. Accompanied by Victor Nores' short film, Euthanas Inc.
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Episode 2 - Frank Darabont: A Filmmaker's Journey
Release Date: 2014-04-25Frank Darabont, writer and director of such classics as The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and The Mist, discusses adapting works by Stephen King and keeping his characters at the core of the story. Followed by Jeffrey DeChausse's short film, Anniversario, trailing a woman's visit to her two favorite hairdressers on the day of her 45th wedding anniversary for what becomes the most important makeover of their lives.
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Episode 3 - Alien: Deconstructing a Sci-Fi Classic
Release Date: 2014-05-03An iconic example of its genre, Alien's tension, pacing, and craftsmanship are deconstructed by veteran screenwriters John August and Ashley Miller. Accompanied by Jason Mann and Frieda Luk's mystical short film, Delicacy, following a culinary connoisseur and his loyal chef as they dangerously navigate into the unknown with hopes to obtain a rare treat.
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Episode 4 - House of Cards: A Conversation with Beau Willimon
Release Date: 2014-05-09House of Cards creator, Beau Willimon, discusses writing for Netflix, working with David Fincher, and delving into the psychology of narrative power struggles. Artiz Moreno's short film, Colera, follows with an ominous glimpse of a town that decides to take the law into their own hands, without considering the consequences.
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Episode 5 - Time Travel and the Filmmaker's Trek
Release Date: 2014-05-16Rian Johnson, Richard Kelly, and Roberto Orci, masters of weaving time travel into film, dissect the elements that make for a believable "operating system" when writing a comprehensible screenplay timeline. A Conversation About Cheating with my Time Traveling Future Self follows, with one man's attempt to better his life by traveling back in time to offer himself advice.
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Episode 6 - Thelma & Louise: A Conversation with Callie Khouri
Release Date: 2014-05-23Callie Khouri reflects upon her experience working with Ridley Scott and writing the classic female-driven-buddy film, Thelma and Louise. Followed by Avram Dodson's short film, Pistachio Milk, a coming of age tale about a young suitor using only his wits and a bottle of pistachio milk to pursue his love interest.
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Episode 7 - Unforgiven: Deconstructing an Anti-Western
Release Date: 2014-05-30The Clint Eastwood/David Peoples classic Unforgiven is deconstructed by Into the West's Kirk Ellis and Apaloosa's Robert Knott as they explore its gritty action, ambiguous morality, and the tried-and-true tropes of its genre. Christian Baker's short film, The Well, follows suit, trailing a young Civil War soldier stationed alone on the US/Mexico faced with nothing but his own demons.
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Episode 8 - Men in Black: A Conversation with Ed Solomon
Release Date: 2014-06-06Men in Black writer, Ed Solomon, explores the genesis of the movie and its journey from pre-production through post. Solomon documents his experiences getting fired and re-hired on the project, the evolution of the story, and working with the cast and crew.
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Episode 9 - Rectify: Ray McKinnon on Characters & Culture
Release Date: 2014-06-13Ray McKinnon, creator of the Sundance Channel's breakout hit, Rectify, details how to capture the personality of a culture through establishing strong characters, tone, and atmosphere. The short film Spanola Pepper Sauce Company follows, directed by McKinnon and written by Graham Gordy, suggesting there's more brewing in Spanola, AK than just its fine pepper sauce cooking.
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Episode 10 - Philadelphia: A Look Back
Release Date: 2014-06-20Ron Nyswaner recounts the social impact of his screenplay Philadelphia, a bold film released during a delicate time in history. Followed by Oliver Kember's Puzzled, about a young boy whose only chance at survival on the playground is to outsmart the other children.
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Episode 11 - Deconstructing Dog Day Afternoon
Release Date: 2014-06-27Frank Pierson's Academy Award® winning Dog Day Afternoon elevates the classic crime genre through its exploration of textured characters and rationale. Screenwriters Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Peter Craig (The Town) examine the story's masterful reveal of information and its surprising, but inevitable and honest conclusion.
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Episode 12 - Neo Noir: The Modern Day Film Noir
Release Date: 2014-07-05Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) and Brian Helgeland (LA Confidential) discuss the modern day Neo Noir - a genre-bending response to the Film Noirs of the 1940s and 50s - and dissect the basic styles, impulses, themes, and tones that embrace this form of storytelling.
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Episode 13 - Greaser's Palace with Jonathan Demme & Paul Thomas Anderson
Release Date: 2014-07-12Filmmaking legends Paul Thomas Anderson and Jonathan Demme pay tribute to Robert Downey Sr.'s cult classic Greaser's Palace. Next, Andrew Napier's short film, Grandma's Not a Toaster, where a whiskey-guzzling mother-to-be aims to enlist her neurotic brother in attempt to thieve from their ailing grandmother's fortune.
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Episode 14 - Jonathan Demme and Paul Thomas Anderson: A Conversation
Release Date: 2014-07-19In this second On Story® installation featuring Paul Thomas Anderson and Jonathan Demme, the duo look back on the vision, style, influences, and creative passion for Demme's The Silence of the Lambs, Stop Making Sense, Rachel Getting Married and Something Wild.