The Filmmaker’s Podcast #488: James L. Brooks on directing ‘Ella McCay’ & ‘The Simpsons’

Here’s the latest episode of The Filmmakers Podcast, part of the podcast roster here on Nerdly. If you haven’t heard the show yet, you can check out previous episodes on the official podcast site, whilst we’ll be featuring each and every new episode as it premieres.

For those unfamiliar with the series, The Filmmakers Podcast is a podcast about how to make films from micro-budget indie films to bigger-budget studio films and everything in between. Our hosts Giles Alderson, Dom Lenoir, Dan Richardson, Andrew Rodger and Cristian James talk about how to get films made, how to actually make them and how to try not to f… it up in their very humble opinion. Guests will come on and chat about their filmmaking experiences from directors, writers, producers and screenwriters, to actors, cinematographers and distributors.

The Filmmaker’s Podcast #488: James L. Brooks on directing Ella McCay, The Simpsons, Emma Mackey & Writing Honest Dialogue

The legendary James L. Brooks (Creator of ‘The Simpsons’, Director of ‘As Good as It Gets’) sits down with Conor Boru and Francis Annan to discuss his first film in 15 years, ‘Ella McCay’. In this exclusive interview, the 3-time Oscar winner breaks down his return to the director’s chair, working with Emma Mackey and Jamie Lee Curtis, and his unique process for finding the “truth” in comedy. We dive deep into his screenwriting craft, how he produces for other directors (like Wes Anderson), and the lessons he’s learned from a career that defined the “dramedy” genre.

Topics discussed:

• Why he chose Ella McCay as his return to directing.
• The challenge of writing dialogue that is both funny andheartbreaking.
• Directing an ensemble cast (Woody Harrelson, Jaime Lee Curtis, Ayo Edebiri,
• The legacy of Terms of Endearment and Broadcast News.
• Producing advice for young filmmakers.

Follow The Filmmakers Podcast on Twitter: @filmmakerspod | @gilesalderson and the official website