The Oscar Project Podcast

18:24

4.70-Filmmaker Interview with Angad Aulakh

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/08/25

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Angad Aulakh, director of the short film "Aurora," a exploration of the loneliness and isolation felt by a man in deep space and those he left behind on Earth. Listen to hear about the musical inspiration for the film, his collaboration with the star of the film, Guy Kent, and the interesting use of sound to convey certain emotions throughout the film. Books mentioned in this episode include: Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West ...

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49:06

4.69-Svengali with Enrico Banson

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/08/21

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Svengali. I'm joined by film and theater director Enrico Banson who writes the Director's Notes newsletter and we talk about whether this film belongs with the great Universal horror films of the era, how the film portrays bohemian artistic culture of the late 1800s, and some of the most incredible production design we have seen in Oscar nominated films to date. You can watch Svengali on Tubi, YouTube, or Amazon Pr...

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30:36

4.68-Filmmaker Interview with Deborah Lee Smith and...

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/08/18

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Deborah Lee Smith and Brian Leahy, producer, star, writer, and director of the short film "Glitterbomb," which follows a woman through a harrowing situation while she tries desperately to keep her composure on a virtual job interview. Listen to hear about Deborah's real life experience that inspired the film, the incredible achievement of an extremely small crew that worked on the film on a very tight timeline, and the logistics of shooting one...

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38:15

4.67-The Public Enemy with Gareth Bradwick

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/08/14

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film The Public Enemy. I'm joined by Gareth Bradwick from the Popped newsletter and we talk about an unexpected level of crime and violence in the film, a wide array of stories surrounding a specific piece of fruit, and rain like we have never seen before on film. You can watch The Public Enemy on Hulu and be sure to check out Gareth's newsletter. Other films mentioned in this episode include: Titanic directed by ...

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25:58

4.66-Filmmaker Interview with Kate Radcliffe and...

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/08/11

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Kate Radcliffe and Sophie King, writer and director of the short film "Still Life," which tells the story of a couple dealing with the loss of a baby and all the daily reminders they face of that loss. Listen to hear about the ability we have to find the humor in dark situations, exploring the effects of dealing with loss and trauma while the rest of the world goes on as if nothing has changed, and the process for getting a cast ready to play c...

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57:12

4.65-Skippy with Jonathan Hammond

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/08/07

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Skippy. I'm joined Jonathan Hammond, film director and previous guest on the podcast and we talk about the deep trauma that resulted from watching this film, some major issues with the film's production when you look at it from today's perspective, and a long-standing legal battle over a simply name. You can watch Skippy online and be sure to check out Jonathan's films at a festival near you and give him a follow on...

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18:20

4.64-Filmmaker Interview with Matt Kennard

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/08/04

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Matt Kennard, director of the short film "Before You Go," which tells the story of a young man who visits a loved one in the hospital to say his final goodbyes. Listen to hear about Matt's thoughts on what seems like a rise in films set in hospitals, how he found his incredible lead actor, and the role that sound plays throughout the film. Books mentioned in this episode include: A Christmas Carol by Charles DickensThe Shadow World: Inside the...

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46:13

4.63-The Front Page with Matthew Carlson

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/07/31

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film The Front Page. I'm joined by Matthew Carlson from the What Am I Making newsletter and we talk about the level of effectiveness of the film's humor, how this film paved the way for many that came after it including at least one remake of the story, and the deep rooted misogyny of the story. You can watch The Front Page on YouTube, Tubi, or Amazon Prime and be sure to check out Matthew's newsletter and check out his ...

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17:45

4.62-Filmmaker Interview with Johnny Russell

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/07/28

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Johnny Russell, director of the short film "A Scent." The film is based on a real person who claimed to have the ability to smell patients with a certain disease. Listen to hear about how Johnny came to telling this story in his film, the challenges of filming a drama set in a hospital on a short film budget and schedule, and finding the balance between melodrama and the quieter moments of reflection and discovery. Books mentioned in this epis...

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66:55

4.61-East Lynne with Lewis Beer

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/07/28

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film East Lynne. I'm joined by Lewis Beer from the Slow Movie Pictures newsletter and we talk about some drastic changes the film made from the source material, the outstanding performances from the female actors in the film, and several innovative camera techniques used to show the world from Isabel's point of view throughout the film. You can watch East Lynne on YouTube and be sure to check out Lewis's newsletter. Ot...

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25:22

4.60-Filmmaker Interview with Kat Butterfield and...

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/07/21

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Kat Butterfield and Daniel Audritt, directors of the short film “Life Goes On,” a darkly humorous take on a man in hospice who is forced to relive the same day over and over. Listen to hear about the story that was ten years in the making, some time loop films that inspired this film, and the challenges of keeping a time loop film straight when it comes time to edit all the footage together. Books mentioned in this episode include: The works o...

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56:09

4.59-Tabu with James Kreul

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/07/17

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Tabu: A Story of the South Seas. I'm joined by James Kreul from the Moving Image Madison newsletter and we talk about how the film's pacing suffers due to trying to blend documentary filmmaking with a loose narrative structure, the film's influence on modern films set in the same region like Moana, and the sad passing of the film's director just a week before it debuted. You can watch Tabu on Amazon Prime or YouTube or p...

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21:36

4.58-250th Episode Celebration!

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/07/15

Send us Fan Mail With today's episode, The Oscar Project has official hit a huge milestone, 250 episodes! That includes over 100 interviews with authors, filmmakers, and more as well as over 80 episodes focusing on specific Oscar nominated films from the first four years of the Academy Awards. This special episode is a bit of a history of the show, a chance to recognize everyone who has helped me turn it into what it is today, and a chance to publicly thank those closest to me without whom th...

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16:05

4.57-Filmmaker Interview with Ingrid Runde Saxegaard

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/07/14

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Ingrid Runde Saxegaard, director of the short film “Sandy Fannies,” a deeply personal film about the conversations we often don't have with those we love the most. Listen to hear about the challenges of filming on a remote beach on the Norwegian coast, how the story went through many iterations before landing on its final structure, and the lengthy process of finding the two actors to play the mother and daughter featured in the film. Books me...

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59:15

4.56-Cimarron with Kevin Pettit

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/07/10

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Cimarron. I'm joined by Kevin Pettit from the See You At the Movies newsletter and we talk about the unbelievable scale of the world created for this film, the absolute character that is Yancey Cravat, and several excellent double features that you can pair with this film. You can watch Cimarron online or purchase a copy for yourself and be sure to check out Kevin's newsletter. Other films mentioned in this episode incl...

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16:07

4.55-Filmmaker Interview with Ran Jing

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/07/07

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Ran Jing, director of the short film “Imprint,” a look at how topics like immigration, class, and advancing technology can all be intertwined. Listen to hear about the genesis for the story out of a conversation she had with a friend, how the film addresses the common fear of falling behind in our society, and the challenge of casting a young actor who needed to cover a wide array of talents in the film. Books mentioned in this episode include...

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43:41

4.54-Trader Horn with Rob Thomas

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/06/26

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Trader Horn. I'm joined by Rob Thomas from the Not That Rob Thomas newsletter and we talk about how the film is at times an adventure story and at others a nature documentary, the sometimes surprising amount of violence on display in the film , and the most obnoxious pith helmet this side of the Sahara. You can watch Trader Horn online or purchase a copy for yourself and be sure to check out Rob's newsletter. Other fil...

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12:23

4.53-Filmmaker Interview with Misha Calvert

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/06/23

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Misha Calvert, director of the short film “Fault,” an exploration of buried trauma that threatens the career of a star tennis player on the eve of the U.S. Open. Listen to hear about the story that was adapted from the personal story of the film's star, the potential alternate setting for the film that still comes through in the final product, and how they found the fantastic home that the film uses as its main setting. Books mentioned in this...

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41:53

4.52-Little Caesar with Charlotte Simmons

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/06/19

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Little Caesar. I'm joined by Charlotte Simmons from The Treatment newsletter and we talk about the array of differences between the novel and the film, the film's place as a foundation for many of the mob movies that have followed, and You can watch Little Caesar online for or purchase a copy for yourself and be sure to check out Charlotte's newsletter. Other films mentioned in this episode include: Wizard of Oz ...

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17:47

4.51-Filmmaker Interview with Guy Trevellyan

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2026/06/16

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Guy Trevellyan, director of the short film “Plastic Surgery,” a unique take on the body horror genre mixed with awareness of a crisis with global impact. Listen to hear about how he re-wrote a character based on his lead actress being six months pregnant, getting connected with one of the actors from the Narnia films, and the importance of sound and practical visual effects in pulling off the film. Books mentioned in this episode include: Midn...

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