8 Podcasts to Help You Become A Better Filmmaker

A director’s selection of the best podcasts for filmmakers.

Like any other art style, there is a wide variety of knowledge, techniques, and approaches to filmmaking.

By finding and listening to new podcasts, you aren’t simply learning new tricks; you’re broadening your perspective. If you’re looking to improve your filmmaking, you won’t want to miss these podcasts:

The Director’s Cut 

This podcast is brought to you from The Directors Guild of America. Each week, they speak with a different director, ranging from the biggest names in the industry, to lesser known independent directors.

Ranging from 15 to 30 minutes long an episode, this podcast is all about film directing. If you want to sit in on a conversation between top directors, the Director’s Cut is the podcast for you.

Highlighted Episode: The Shape of Water with Guillermo del Toro

Screenshot of the directors cut, a podcast for filmmakers.
Director Guillermo del Toro discusses his new film, The Shape of Water, with fellow Director Baz Luhrmann.

The No Film School Podcast

No Film School is a worldwide community of filmmakers, video producers, and independent creatives. They cover a wide variety of film and entertainment topics, tailored to up-and-coming filmmakers.

Their podcast covers a wide variety of filmmaking topics, including:

  • Building a career in film
  • Lighting, cameras, and apps
  • Opportunities and trends in the film industry
  • Screenwriters, directors, cinematographers, editors, and producers
  • Listener submitted questions

Highlighted Episode: How Can You Navigate Hollywood if You Aren’t Rich or Connected?

Screenshot of no film school, a filmmaking podcast.
“reacting to Sydney Sweeney’s hot take about income struggles…shedding light on the litany of inequalities of the film industry, and tech news about Aputure’s latest tube lighting…”

A24

A24 is a unique podcast: it has no host, no ads, and no rules.

This is a podcast for filmmakers, by filmmakers. If you’re looking for a casual, conversation driven podcast, with different guests each time, this is the one for you.

Highlighted Episode: Off To The Races with Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, and Daniel Radcliffe 

The A24 podcast.
Topics covered include: The Cheesecake Factory’s experimental tasting kitchen, navigating the technical logistics of the Butt Plug Fight Scene, child stunt doubles, Everything Everywhere as the greatest case for optimism…

Just Shoot It 

Matt Enlow and Oren Kaplan co-host this podcast, and interview guests from every part of filmmaking. They discuss directing, filmmaking, and how to start & expand your career in the entertainment industry.

If you’re wanting a collection of tips and stories that will help you succeed in making videos, Just Shoot It may be the podcast for you.

Highlighted Episode: How to Make Kids Cry with Jennette McCurdy – Just Shoot It 181

Jennette Mccurdy podcast, about the film industry.
In our third installment of our actors intensive we sit down with Jennette McCurdy. You remember her from her 100+ episodes of TV on Nickelodeon on Sam & Cat and iCarly and her Netflix show Between. Since starting acting as a teenager, she’s grown up in front of the camera, and now she’s ready to take the reins, and direct.

The Film Fund Podcast

If you haven’t heard of us, The Film Fund is a contest based organisation – we offer funding opportunities to filmmakers of all sizes and background.

What makes it special? Unlike most contests, with The Film Fund, you don’t have to offer a full script – just a single sentence.

We now have a podcast for filmmakers hosted our Executive Producer, Thomas Verdi. He interviews filmmakers, film festival judges, and even some previous winners of the show. With a wide range of experience and expertise, these conversations are a must-watch (or listen) for any aspiring filmmakers.

Highlighted Episode: Sunday Dinner

The film fund, a popular filmmaker podcast.
In this podcast, we have the writers, director, and producers from the short film we funded, “Sunday Dinner”— Don Fanelli, Darren Miller, Kevin Mead, and Nate Vaughan. They received $6,000 from The Film Fund to produce “Sunday Dinner.”
Listen Here.

Art of the Cut

The Art of the Cut is hosted by Steve Hullfish, who speaks with top Hollywood editors. This podcast explores the film editing process, giving viewers a look at tough decision making in the film world.

If you want to see behind the scenes of your favorite films, check out Art of the Cut.

Highlighted Episode: “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” Editor John Gilbert, ACE

Today is a very special episode of Art of the Cut, as we celebrate the 20th anniversary The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.
To look back on this cinematic milestone, we’re sitting down with John Gilbert, ACE, the editor who collaborated with Peter Jackson on The Fellowship of the Ring. Gilbert’s work on this film earned him nominations for a BAFTA, an ACE Eddie, and an Oscar.

Film Riot

Film Riot is a funny and informative look at the world of filmmaking.

Ryan Connolly is the host of this indie-film podcast. He speaks with a wide range of guests from the indie scene: actors, editors, directors, stunt coordinators, and more.

If you’re looking for a broad podcast, covering every element of the film industry, Film Riot might be for you.  

Highlighted Episode: Writing and Directing your first Feature

How do you get your first feature made? It’s the question every aspiring filmmaker wants answered. Today Ryan speaks with Ricky Staub — writer, director, and entrepreneur.

Allan McKay Podcast

This podcast is a part show, part interview.

Allan McKay, the host, interviews successful VFX animators, supervisors, and studio owners to get an insight into how they achieved success in their careers.  

If you’re looking for a podcast that covers the how and why of decision making, you should definitely check out this one.

Highlighted Episode: Perfectionism is the Enemy

A screenshot of a filmmaker podcast - the Allan Mckay podcast.
In this Podcast, Allan talks about the danger of perfectionism, how to not find yourself stuck in the cycle of endless iterations and move forward to becoming a better artist – and gives actionable tools to avoid the dangerous space in which nothing is good enough and nothing gets done.

Conclusion 

These eight filmmaking podcasts will give you the best news, strategies, and insights into the filmmaking industry. They cover every aspect from directing to financing, and even have interviews with some of the top directors in the industry.  

Do you have a podcast to recommend?

Whether it’s a single episode, or a full show, let us know your thoughts below – and don’t forget to check out our film funding page!