“Paradise” Lost: Directors Glenn Ficarra & John Requa on Crafting the Series’ Most Devastating Episode
In the first part of our conversation with Paradise directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, we talked about how California’s tax incentive program made it easier for series creator Dan Fogelman to shoot both seasons in Los Angeles. Now, let’s get to the most revealing episode, where Secret Service agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) finally confronts President Cal Bradford (James Marsden) about the day his life—and the entire world—fell apart.
“Paradise” Directors Glenn Ficarra & John Requa on Crafting the California-Made Emmy-Nominated Thriller
One of only seven TV projects approved for California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program during the 2022-2023 cycle, Dan Fogelman’s latest offering is an intense amalgamation of a murder mystery, political thriller, and post-apocalyptic survival drama all in one. True to his signature style a la This Is Us, a jaw-dropping twist at the end of the pilot uncovers a multitude of tragic truths and secrets alike.
“Part Debate Club and Part Therapy”: Inside “The Pitt” Writers’ Room With Cynthia Adarkwa & Valerie Chu
HBO’s The Pitt emerged as one of television’s most gripping medical dramas in years by doing something deceptively simple yet extraordinarily difficult: following a single, brutal 15-hour shift in a Pittsburgh emergency room in real time. What made the series so compelling wasn’t just its relentless intensity or unflinching medical realism (the “floating face” fracture in episode 2 will haunt my dreams), but how writers like Valerie Chu and Cynthia Adarkwa managed to weave deeply human character arcs through the chaos of trauma bays and life-or-death decisions.
From Maya Files to Magic: How Hollywood Creatives Help Build Epic Universe’s Immersive Worlds
Almost a decade in the making, Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida is a groundbreaking theme park that highlights the shared DNA between filmmaking, attractions, and immersive real-world experiences, taking audiences and guests on a cinematic journey.
Three of the five worlds that make up Epic Universe are born out of IPs that have graced both the big and small screens, namely The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic,
“Murderbot” Production Designer Sue Chan on Building the Brilliant World Around Alexander Skarsgård’s Conflicted Robot
Growing up in New Jersey with immigrant parents who ran a Chinese restaurant, Murderbot production designer Sue Chan didn’t even know the job existed when she first laid eyes on the futuristic movie that would inspire her journey into show business. “I basically decided to be an architect after going to see Blade Runner,” she recalls. “When I walked out of that movie theater with my family, I was like,
“Duster” Production Designer Jonah Markowitz Brings 1970s Arizona to 2025 New Mexico
The moment writer-director-producer J.J. Abrams saw actor Josh Holloway pull up to a pay phone in a vintage mini-muscle car, he knew what his next show would be. Duster, co-created with LaToya Morgan and streaming on HBO through July 3, casts Holloway, revered for his role in Abrams’ ABC hit Lost, as fast-driving rogue Jim Ellis, whose entanglement with drug dealers in 1972 Phoenix warrants the attention of Rachel Bilson’s Phoenix FBI Agent Dana Hayes.
Sylmar Studios: Hollywood’s New Production Powerhouse Built for the Modern Era
Sylmar Studios, a new 230,000-square-foot production facility, has opened its doors in the San Fernando Valley. The state-of-the-art facility offers six soundstages, production offices, support for dressing rooms, wardrobe, green rooms, and a substantial lighting and grip department, along with a massive 600-space parking structure. The studio is also set to receive MPA’s Trusted Partner Network certification, a program designed to meet strict security standards in the media and entertainment industry.
Since opening in January 2025,
The Great Escape: How Wrapbook is Freeing Hollywood from Payroll Hell
Wrapbook was founded with the idea of streamlining payroll and accounting services for the entertainment industry. Since its inception in 2018, the company has made significant strides in achieving this goal by creating a platform that seamlessly combines onboarding, payroll processing, expense tracking, and real-time financial reporting within a single interface.
“At Wrapbook, what’s really been coming together is the integrated experience for a company between payroll, accounts payable, and accounting.
From “Seven” to “Karate Kid: Legends”: How Central City Association of Los Angeles Champions Downtown LA’s Star Power
Nella McOsker is the President and CEO of Central City Association of Los Angeles (CCA), an advocacy group for businesses and organizations in downtown LA. I reached out to discuss how filmmaking impacts local businesses downtown during a particularly hectic time, when McOsker, like the rest of the city, was navigating the recent protests that spread across the city. “There’s a way to channel what they’re experiencing or feeling and the values they want to uphold towards supporting small businesses,” McOsker said.
Inside Writer/Director Dean DeBlois’ Secret Formula for Creating His Live-Action “How to Train Your Dragon”
When filmmaker Dean DeBlois found out a live-action reimaging of his award-winning animated hit How to Train Your Dragon was on the cards, he volunteered to write and direct it.
The adaptation, which lands in movie theaters on Friday, June 13, 2025, largely mirrors the storyline of the 2010 original. At the heart of the film is the friendship between a young Viking called Hiccup,
From Oscar Nominee to Action Star: Catalina Sandino Moreno on Her Journey Into John Wick’s World in “Ballerina”
“I never saw myself as an action [actor]. But I’ve been in this industry a little bit, and I know you have to have an open mind to everything,” says Catalina Moreno, who stars alongside Ana de Armas in the upcoming From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, the fifth film in the popular franchise. Her teenage son, she says, is “obsessed with John Wick, so when I got the script for Ballerina I thought,
Fire Drill: “Final Destination Bloodlines” DP Christian Sebaldt & VFX Supervisor Nordin Rahhali on Creating a Scorcher
A quarter of a century after the first Final Destination movie landed in theaters, the beloved franchise is back with a vengeance. Final Destination: Bloodlines leans into two things: using practical effects wherever possible and paying homage to the franchise’s core concept—Death can’t be cheated.
Final Destination: Bloodlines, now in theaters, follows college student Stefani Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) as she is plagued by a recurring nightmare that leads her to discover her family on Death’s list.
The Renaissance Executive: How Jason Harvey’s Multifaceted Background Powers BET+’s Streaming Success
There are many things Jason Harvey is. Currently, he’s the EVP and General Manager of BET+, a subscriber-based streaming service cultivated around Black entertainment. With that title, he oversees the programming strategy, business operations, and revenue growth, among other responsibilities. Previously, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer, worked with Google to expand its digital advertising in Latin America, and authored a children’s book about entrepreneurship. Oh, and he’s fluent in Spanish and Portuguese – all this while being a husband and a father of four.
“Sinners” Production Designer Hannah Beachler on Conjuring Ryan Coogler’s Supernatural Stunner
Warning: Contains spoilers
Ryan Coogler’s latest film, Sinners, made history with a second-weekend box office tally only six percent lower than its opening weekend. Just past its fourth weekend, it crossed the $200 million mark at the domestic box office. Both audiences and critics adore this Southern Gothic vampire thriller, starring Michael B. Jordan as identical twins Smoke and Stack. The pair has just returned to the Mississippi Delta after fighting in World War I and then getting involved with the Chicago mob,
Pinstripes and Blood Spatter: Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter on Making Dark Magic in “Sinners”
Two-time Oscar winner Ruth E. Carter takes us behind the seams of Ryan Coogler's horror masterpiece "Sinners," revealing how she brought the 1930s Mississippi Delta to life while dressing Michael B. Jordan's gangster twins.
“Dark Winds” Showrunner John Wirth on Building a Peabody-Winning Thriller with Native Voices at its Core
"Dark Winds" follows tribal cops Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon), Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) as they solve crimes on their Navajo Nation turf.
Behind Netflix’s “The Four Seasons”: How “30 Rock” Veterans Lang Fisher & Tracey Wigfield Reimagined a Classic With Tina Fey
Adapted from the classic romantic comedy of the same name, Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, and Tracey Wigfield‘s The Four Seasons is a contemporary take on a tale as middle-aged as time: the highs and lows of evolving friendships and relationships between friends who have reached the middle innings of life.
The original film was written and directed by Alan Alda and co-starred Alda and Carol Burnett, and it was one of 1981’s biggest box office hits.
Avengers, Assemble the Goonies! How SetJetters Connects Movie Fans to Their Favorite Film & TV Locations
We chat with two of SetJetters co-founders about creating the ultimate travel guide for the cinephile and TV lover.
Soul Transcendent: How DP Autumn Durald Arkapaw Captured Black Music’s Timeless Continuum in “Sinners”
In part one of our interview with Sinners cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the groundbreaking DP discussed how she leveled up to frame Coogler’s soulful supernatural epic by learning to use the largest film format available. Coogler’s ambitions for his vampire thriller, starring Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, were massive. The brothers return to Clarksdale, Mississippi, after serving in World War I and then taking their talents to Chicago,
Not Playing Games: “Squid Game” Star Lee Jung-jae on Gi-hun’s Transformation in Final Seasons
Season 2 of Squid Game revealed protagonist Gi-hun’s desperate transformation from spirited and naïve recruit to traumatized and hardened champion. The iconic wide smile he flashed in his player photo has faded with the knowledge that more lives are on the line. Actor Lee Jung-jae appreciated the new depth his character has developed.
“I was really drawn to that personality of Gi-hun, where he is quite optimistic.
