Soldiers of Cinema: Recent Episodes
Clark Coffey And Cullen McFater
Clark Coffey and Cullen McFater discuss film, those who make them, different philosophies of filmmaking, the creative process, and life as a Soldier of Cinema.
In this episode, Clark and Cullen chat about the 2022 horror film Barbarian and compare and contrast it to Cullen's very own suspense thriller, Daylight Again. Its rare we cover current films on our show, and so we don't usually include spoiler alerts - well, we will here! If you haven't seen Barbarian, we want to warn you that there will be spoilers in this episode. We also encourage you to watch Cullen's film before listening, which you can do for free at https://youtu.be/EdZ8zNM02bs
We chat about Clark's pick and an early inspiration, Kevin Smith's 1994 film Clerks! Clerks marks the beginning of what would become Kevin Smith's mini-media empire and is an important part of the impendent film golden era of the late 80's through the 90's.
Clark and Cullen chat about Cullen's pick - the 1977 classic, A Bridge Too Far. Stuffed with almost every male star of its era, this epic was one of Cullen's favorites growing up but this was Clark's first viewing. We discuss the epic-ness of the film and laugh at the sometimes hysterical sound mixing!
Clark and Cullen recover a once thought lost episode! Originally, this was going to be our 36th episode but we experienced some technical difficulties and we thought this episode would never see the light of day - but it was found and we present it here for your enjoyment! In this episode, we discuss Clark’s pick, James Foley’s 1986 drama starring Sean and Chris Penn, Christopher Walken, and Mary Stuart Masterson.
Clark and Cullen discuss Spike Jonz’s 1999 film. Written by Charlie Kaufman and starring John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, and Catherine Keener, with John Malkovich, this film was nominated for three Academy Awards.
Clark and Cullen sit down with the first guest in the history of the podcast, the wonderful Billy DaMota! Billy got his start in the industry in 1985 in casting. He’s worked on such films as Predator, The Running Man, and The Three Amigos, and Dennis Hopper’s Colors. He became an independent casting director with the gem of a film, Miracle Mile. Since then, he’s cast hundreds of films, tv shows, and commercials, casting a lot of actors at the start of their careers, including James Franco, Cameron Diaz, and Brad Pitt. Billy spends more than two hours with us sharing stories from his almost 45 years in the industry - so sit back and enjoy!
Clark and Cullen discuss Cullen's pick, Ridley Scott's 1979 horror/sci-fi masterpiece, Alien. Written by Dan O'Bannon and starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Harry Dean Stanton, and John Hurt, this episode's film highlights the power of visual story telling and is an art and production design powerhouse. Enjoy as we break it all down!
Clark and Cullen discuss Clark’s pick, the 1987 Charles Bukowski penned and Barbet Schroeder directed Barfly. This hidden gem of a movie stars Mickey Rourke, Fay Dunaway, and Frank Stallone and was shot on location in LA in and around the MacArthur Park area.
Clark and Cullen discuss Cullen’s pick - John Huston’s 1972 sports drama Fat City. This film, shot on location in good ol’ (and stinky) Stockton, CA, stars Stacy Keach, an extremely young Jeff Bridges, and Susan Tyrrell (who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance. Sit back and relax as we discuss this hidden gem of a flick!
Clark and Cullen discuss Clark’s pick, The Deer Hunter (1978). Directed by Michael Cimino, starring Robert De Niro, John Cazale (his final film), Christopher Walken, and Meryl Streep.
Clark and Cullen discuss Cullen’s pick, director Michael Mann’s 1995 crime drama, Heat. The film stars Al Pacino, Robert De Nero, and Val Kilmer and features what was at the time an extremely hyped first scene between both Pacino and Di Nero. Our discussion is just in time for the release of the sequel in novel form. Enjoy!
Clark and Cullen discuss Clark’s pick, the 1994 masterpiece Pulp Fiction. Quintin Tarantino’s sophomore effort was a huge critical and commercial success and made the director a household name. The film helped make Miramax a powerhouse studio and brought John Travolta’s career back from the dead. The film was the Palme d'Or winner at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival and both Tarantino and Roger Avery won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Sit back and enjoy as we break the record for our longest episode discussing this fascinating film.
Clark and Cullen discuss Cullen’s pick, the 1988 animated film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli. We chose to watch the English version of the film starring Dakota and Elle Fanning
Clark and Cullen breakdown Clark’s pick Milos Forman’s 1984 masterpiece and eight-time Academy Award wining film, Amadeus, starring F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, and Elizabeth Berridge.
This week Clark and Cullen discuss Cullen’s pick - the 1994 Tim Burton film starring Johnny Depp, Bill Murray, Martin Landau, and Sarah Jessica Parker - Ed Wood!
This week Clark and Cullen discuss Clark’s pick, Three O’Clock High, the 1987 teen cult classic directed by Spielberg protégé Phil Joanou.
Clark and Cullen discuss Cullen’s pick, Enemy, the 2013 Canadian psychological drama film directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Clark and Cullen break down Martin Scorsese’s (underrated, in Clark’s opinion) 1986 film, The Color of Money starring Paul Newman, a feisty young Tom Cruise, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.
Clark and Cullen discuss and dissect David Cronenberg’ s body-horror classic! Prepare to be Cronenberged!
Cullen and Clark discuss Clark’s pick - Gus Van Sant’s 1991 film My Own Private Idaho starring one of Clark’s childhood inspirations, River Phoenix, and Keanu Reeves.
In this episode, we follow up with Cullen and the production of his first feature film, the Hitchcockian thriller, Daylight Again.
In this episode, we luxuriate in the joy that is Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 (dare we say it) masterpiece, Robocop. We discuss darn near every aspect of this film - a film that punches well above its weight and ended up a much better film than it had any right to be.
In this episode, I grill Cullen about his experiences in pre-production and the first day of shooting on his first feature film, the Hitchcockian thriller, Daylight Again..
In this episode, we discuss Robert Altman’s 1973 neo-noir film, The Long Goodbye, starring Elliot Gould, Nina van Pallandt, and Sterling Hayden.
In this episode, we discuss the making of Cullen's first feature film, Daylight Again. We get an insiders view into the filmmaking process as Cullen shares with us his pre-production decision making process.
In this episode, we discuss Danny Boyle’s 1994 British black comedy crime film starring Kerry Fox, Christopher Eccleston and Ewan McGregor.
In this episode, we discuss Bong Joon-ho’s 2003 film, Memories of Murder. Joon-ho came to the attention of mainstream movie goers in the USA with his more recent film Parasite but we take a look at this earlier work which is considered one of the best South Korean films of all time.
In this episode, we discuss Brian De Palma’s 1976 film adaptation of Stephen King’s first published novel by the same name. Carrie stars Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie who were both nominated for an extremely rare for the horror genre Academy Award.
In this episode, we discuss Terrance Malick's 1988 film, The Thin Red Line, starring Sean Penn, Jim Caviezel. Nick Nolte and many others.
In this episode, we discuss Clark's favorite film of all time - Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 film, Rumble Fish. We delve into our personal experiences with the film and explore it from every angle we could think of - the performances, cinematography, Coppola's direction and more!
In this episode, we discuss Cullen’s all-time favorite film. Released in 1969, directed by George Roy Hill and starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. We dive in and in our own, special, super-nerdy way dissect the heck out of this masterpiece.
In this episode, we discuss a film that had a significant impact on Clark growing up, David Lynch’s 1980 The Elephant Man starring Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, and Anne Bancroft.
In this episode, we discuss the one of Cullen’s all-time favorite films - Jonathan Demme’s 1991 thriller, Silence of the Lambs starring Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.
In this episode, we discuss the greatest trilogy cinema has ever seen (this is Clark talking here, not sure Cullen would agree!). In all seriousness though, since their release in the 80’s, these three films have only grown in stature, especially after the much more recent fourth film brought these original three into focus for a whole new generation. We discuss our personal relationship with these films, what they meant to us growing up,. and the impact they had on our cinema sensibilities.
The podcast’s horizons expand! We move beyond the discussion of Herzog to discuss other filmmakers. In this episode, we take a look at Spielberg’s first feature, the made-for-tv thriller Duel, and compare and contrast that work with what we consider Spielberg’s quintessential film, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
We discuss our personal experiences with cinema in general. We share stories and discuss where our love for film come from, early film inspirations, and when we were first exposed to Herzog and what his films meant to us in our formative years.
We explore Herzog's 2006 film, Rescue Dawn, starring Christian Bale. This is the second part of our examination of Herzog's films about Dieter Dengler - a German-born United States Navy aviator during the Vietnam War and friend of Herzog's.
In this episode we discuss Herzog’s 1997, Little Dieter Needs to Fly., a documentary about German-American pilot Dieter Dengler’s extraordinary experiences and escape as a POW in Vietnam. Herzog would later go on to direct a narrative feature, Rescue Dawn, starring Christian Bale, about the same subject.
In this episode we discuss Herzog’s 1999 documentary, My Best Fiend. Herzog explores his love/hate relationship with infamous actor Klaus Kinski and what that relationship might say about himself, filmmaking, and the human condition in general.
We dive into Herzog’s masterpiece of documentary filmmaking, his 2005 film, Grizzly man. Using footage shot by Timothy Treadwell as well as newly-shot interview footage of those who knew Treadwell, Herzog presents yet another window through which to peer into the Human Condition. Treadwell lived among grizzly bears for 12 seasons in a national park in Alaska before being attacked and killed by one of the Grizzlies. Join us as we explore yet another Herzogian Landscape of the Soul.
We discuss the themes, technical aspects, and the stories behind the making of Nosferatu the Vampyre, (1979). We dig into Herzog’s homage to Murnau’s 1922 Nosferatu.
We discuss the themes and technical aspects of Family Romance, LLC. (2019), Herzog’s narrative film that stars the real-life owner of a Japanese company that offers family and friends for rent.
We discuss Herzog’s film, Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin(2019) - We discuss the themes Herzog explores as well as the technical aspects of Herzog’s fantastic film about Herzog’s friend and the importance of traveling on foot.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 24 & 25 - Career Strategy & Life as a Filmmaker. Short films can be your film school. Take initiative! Handling rejection (of which you will receive a lot) . Specificity in your career goals is vital. Thinking long term. Making what you want and ignoring the rest. Keeping your curiosity awake. Experiencing the essential moments. You are alone and all you have are your dreams.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 22 & 23 - Dealing with Human Beings and Truth in Nonfiction. There are no clear rules, but you must know yours and respect ethical boundaries. Being exploitive isn’t generally ethical and it doesn’t make for good film anyway when it comes to documentaries. Getting to the heart of people quickly - learning how and when to push your subject - never forget they are human beings! Documentaries are movies - they don’t have to be all truth. As a matter of fact - facts don’t make truth! You are seeking to illuminate your audience with the ecstasy of truth!
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 20 & 21 - Documentary Filmmaking: Making the Conversation & Eliciting Difficult Stories. It’s not a interview, it’s a conversation! We aren’t journalists, so don’t act like one. We discuss conversation strategies. Knowing your subjects’ hearts, making your subjects human, managing your own emotions while remaining present and engaged, getting to the heart of the story, and how to shape the story and get the essentials.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 18 & 19 - Invaded By Images. How to choose subjects for films? Ideas are like invaders who come to you in the middle of the night! The importance of traveling on foot - both literally and figuratively. When you are grabbed by an idea - be sure to capture it - but how? Keep opened to the unplanned. Let ideas come to you in unexpected ways. Gather your ideas and give them time.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 17 - Editing. Be careful not to force your intentions on your footage, consider it as if you hadn't shot it - what is it trying to tell you? Watch less and remember more - use a log book to make notes as you watch your footage the first time, don't ignore takes (you never know) and don't make yourself numb to the footage by watching it over and over. Be ruthless with your footage - don't be afraid to be decisive! Listen to your audience, but know when to take a stand or your vision. Use the footage you can't ignore!
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 16 - Music. In this episode, we discuss Herzog's always fascinating usage of music in film and what we can learn from him for our own films. We discuss how emusic informs our entire filmmaking process and offer suggestions on working with composers.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 15 - Sound. Learn from Herzog's mistakes (her couldn't show his first few films to an audience the sound was so bad). Take the time to learn the basics. Be sure to have sound in mind when location scouting. ADR vs. Location sound. Foley. Thinking of sound like a special effect. Diegetic vs. extradiegetic. Going above just the competent recording of sound and adding stylization to your work. Listen for the remarkable.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 14 - Working with Actors on Set. There are no stars on set, but whoever is front of the camera is royalty - even extras. To rehearse or not? And what do we mean by rehearsal. Be careful of too many takes. Do acting classes hurt an actor? Herzog claims yes, we argue only in the beginning.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 13 - Working with Actors, Creating the Character. We discuss the importance of selecting the right actor, understanding chemistry, and knowing the hearts of others. We have a lively debate on Herzog's philosophy that all that matters is what ends up on screen. "Everybody has the same chance in front o the camera!"
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 12 - Camera Techniques and spatial orientation. Your audience must be able to orient the action and characters We on screen! What's the 180 rule? Ever hear of the Kinski Spiral or the Nazarian Walk? When is it okay to disorient your audience? Iguanas!!!
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 11 - Cinematography. It's not the gear - it's you! We discuss getting caught up in thinking you need the latest and greatest gear, using (or not using) zoom lenses, favoring momentum over style, and the idea that maybe you shouldn't worry too much conceptually about your aesthetic and trust that it's there inside you and will come out in full if you just let it.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 10 - Shooting Strategies. Are storyboard the ”instruments of cowards?” How does Herzog keeps his cast and crew on edge (in a good way)? Coverage - how much to shoot? Is is smart insurance or a procrastination of artistic decision? Above all - we discuss Herzog’s strategies for collecting the remarkable, not garbage.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson nine - Set Rules. Cullen and Clark discuss Herzog's on-set philosophies including set organization, one camera vs. multi-camera shoots, using a video-village, crew size, cell phones on set, working with a sense of urgency, and being the buffer between your actors and the hustle and bustle of the crew.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson eight - Leading the Platoon. Cullen and Clark discuss Herzog's views on being an effective leader and director. We compare and contrast to our own experiences. We mull over the importance of developing a working knowledge of every areas of filmmaking - including acting, how to use catastrophes to your advantage dealing with the unexpected, and how your character is always on the clock if you want to be the best director you can be.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson seven - Locations. Don’t underestimate the importance of locations for a film. We discuss the impact of locations in Herzog’s films, shooting permits and stealing shots. Clark discusses his experience completing the 100 mile walk exercise from the class and Cullen shares some stories about his shoot in Iceland.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 6 - Negotiation Skills. We discuss Herzog's views on attorneys, contracts and negotiations from the perspectives of hiring on to a project or hiring others on to yours.
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 5 - Financing first films. Money is stupid and your story must be exceptional! We discuss our own experiences financing films, the need to become your own producer, the importance of understanding how to manage a production budget and more. Money lost, film gained!
We discuss Herzog’s Masterclass Lesson 4 - writing a screenplay. Herzog argues against dogmatically using the three act structure, discusses how he psychs himself up to write, and explains the the importance of urgency. We discuss all of these things through the lens of our own experience and more!
Filmmakers Clark Coffey and Cullen McFater use legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog's Masterclass, films, interviews, and writings as a jumping off point to discuss film, film-making techniques and philosophies, the creative process, and life as a Soldier of Cinema in general.
Episode 001 - Clark and Cullen introduce themselves and dive into Werner Herzog’s Masterclass lessons one and two. They discuss what a Soldier of Cinema might be, the pros and cons of film school, early inspirations, and more!