From Monterey Bay to a Whale’s Belly: Production Designer Ramsey Avery’s Incredible “Whalefall” Design Challenge
Production designer Ramsey Avery takes us inside the extraordinary making of “Whalefall,” revealing how scientific research, practical craftsmanship, and Monterey Bay realism helped create the giant whale and underwater world surrounding Austin Abrams’ survival journey.
From “Sinners” to “Stranger Things”: How Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights Turns Screen Nightmares Into Reality
Guests may come for the scares, but behind Halloween Horror Nights lies a year-round creative operation. Creative director John Murdy and production designer Chris Williams reveal how “Sinners,” “Stranger Things,” and other hit properties become immersive nightmares.
How “Widow’s Bay” Turned a Mushroom-Fueled Nightmare Into an Emmy-Winning Soundscape
Music editor Nate Underkuffler reveals how music and sound design merged to create Matthew Rhys’ hallucinatory journey, shape the show’s genre-bending identity, and help make “Widow’s Bay” one of television’s most celebrated new series.
Dressing a Texas Double Act: Colin Wilkes on Costuming Matthew McConaughey & Woody Harrelson in “Brothers”
For costume designer Colin Wilkes, “Brothers” offered a chance to lean into Texas authenticity while highlighting the sharp contrasts between Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, from custom cowboy hats and worn-in jeans to eco-conscious island style.
Creating the Look of “WAR”: Tara McDonald on Wealth, Status & Sienna Miller’s Signature Style
For HBO’s “WAR,” Emmy-winning hair & makeup designer Tara McDonald crafted a world where wealth, power, and ambition are communicated through the smallest details. She discusses working with Sienna Miller, designing rival law-firm aesthetics, and creating luxury that feels authentic.
Busan 2026: How “Everybody’s Oma” Filmmaker Jason van Genderen Turned Family Stories Into a Global Movement
From turning a pandemic family project into the acclaimed documentary “Everybody’s Oma” to pioneering smartphone filmmaking, Jason van Genderen shared his journey with emerging filmmakers at Busan, urging them to tell personal stories that resonate around the world.
Creating “Wildwood”: How LAIKA Brought Portland’s Spirit, Forests, and Landmarks to Life in an Epic Stop-Motion Fantasy
Seven years in the making, LAIKA’s “Wildwood” is the studio’s most ambitious film yet and a love letter to Portland itself. We go behind the scenes to learn how Oregon’s landscapes, people, artists, and unmistakable spirit shaped every frame of the stop-motion fantasy.
Writer/Director Cristian Mungiu on “Fjord” and the High Cost of Living Inside Political Echo Chambers
With a screenplay mostly in Norwegian, along with Romanian, Swedish, and English, director Cristian Mungiu’s quietly riveting family drama is a true European co-production. “We shot in Norway, edited in Romania, sound design in Finland, and mixing in Denmark,” he said of Fjord, which won the Palme d’Or in Cannes this spring. “There was always somebody speaking Norwegian in post-production. For the final mixing in Denmark, we had people speaking Norwegian, Swedish, English and Romanian,...
Busan 2026: Wētā FX CTO Kimball Thurston on AI’s Biggest Promise: Less Busywork, More Creativity
As CTO of Oscar-winning Wētā FX, Kimball Thurston is helping guide the industry's use of AI. Speaking alongside Netflix executive Sung Q Lee and filmmaker Kang Yun-sung, he explains why the future of filmmaking still depends on human creativity.
From Busan to the World: Hollywood and Korea Celebrate the Power of Global Storytelling
At the Busan International Film Festival’s American Film Night, industry leaders, filmmakers, and stars gathered to celebrate the growing creative partnership between Hollywood and Korea, highlighting new collaborations, global storytelling, and cross-border productions.
“Love of Your Life” DP Todd Banhazl on Finding a Spiritual Collaborator in Director Rachel Morrison
Cinematographer Todd Banhazl discusses partnering with director Rachel Morrison to create the visual language of “Love of Your Life,” using light, shadow, and evocative locations to chart Margaret Qualley's moving journey through grief and renewal.
The Fabric of Sisterhood: Grace Snell’s “Sense and Sensibility” Costumes Tell the Story
For costume designer Grace Snell, “Sense and Sensibility” was about more than period accuracy. From shared dresses and subtle color palettes to signs of wealth and hardship, every garment helped tell the story of the Dashwood sisters' lives, loves, and changing fortunes.
“Crystal Lake” Costume Designer Cristina Spiridakis on Linda Cardellini’s Pamela Voorhees & the Show’s Hidden Easter Eggs
Longtime “Friday the 13th” fan Cristina Spiridakis approached Peacock's “Crystal Lake” with painstaking attention to detail, filling Pamela Voorhees' world with meaningful Easter eggs, franchise callbacks, and character-driven costume design.
“The Mastermind” & “The Alto Knights” Sound Mixer & Proud Ohioan Geoff Maxwell on the Power of Production Incentives
After years working alongside stars like Robert De Niro, Cate Blanchett, and Robert Redford, Ohio-based production sound mixer Geoff Maxwell took a deep dive into production incentives. He explains why he believes MPTERA could help keep more productions and jobs in the U.S.
Face-to-Face: Mikey Madison & Jeremy Allen White on Finding the Human Story in “The Social Reckoning”
Oscar winner Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White discuss working with Aaron Sorkin on “The Social Reckoning,” portraying real-life figures Frances Haugen and Jeff Horwitz, and bringing one of the digital age’s most consequential stories to the screen.
The Testimony: DP Jeff Cronenweth on Lighting Power, Doubt & Control in “The Social Reckoning”
Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth discusses bringing the sterile world of “The Social Reckoning” to life, capturing Frances Haugen's awakening, filming Jeremy Strong's Zuckerberg, and finding visual drama inside Facebook's corridors of power.
Aaron Sorkin on His Chilling Return to Facebook in “The Social Reckoning” and the Fight to Keep Production in America
Writer/director Aaron Sorkin returns to the world of Facebook with “The Social Reckoning,” a legal thriller inspired by whistleblower Frances Haugen. He discusses Jeremy Strong's Zuckerberg, visualizing isolation, and why he supports efforts to keep film production jobs in the U.S.
Hearing the Impact: “Mindhunter” & “Mayor of Kingstown” Sound Mixer Christopher Strollo on How MPTERA Could Fuel Pittsburgh’s Economy
When "Mindhunter" spent nine months filming in Pittsburgh, production sound mixer Christopher Strollo saw firsthand how a major series can transform a local economy. Now he's backing MPTERA, saying more production could mean more jobs, stronger businesses, and greater opportunity across Pennsylvania.
There’s No Place Like Richmond: “Ted Lasso” DP Bella Gonzales on Bringing Ted Home Again
For “Ted Lasso” season four, cinematographer Bella Gonzales turned Kansas into a sun-drenched storybook inspired by “The Wizard of Oz,” capturing Ted’s sense of dislocation before his long-awaited return to Richmond and the women’s game.
Hitchcockian by Design: Production Designer Amy Williams on Building Anne Hathaway’s Luxe Labyrinth in “Verity”
Drawing inspiration from Hitchcock, De Palma, striking architecture, and close collaboration with Anne Hathaway and Michael Showalter, production designer Amy Williams built the seductive, unsettling world of “Verity,” where every room conceals a clue.
