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The Filmmakers PodcastThis podcast is all about film-making and how to make them. From studio films to micro budget films, documentaries to TV and everything in between. Author: Giles Alderson
A podcast about how to make film and TV by filmmakers who actually make them. Interviewing guests from the film-making world from Indie film to Hollywood and everything in between. Hosts Giles Alderson (The Dare), Dom Lenoir (Winter Ridge) Lucinda Rhodes Thakrar (Wolves of War), Tori & Matthew Butler-Hart (Two Down), Phil Hawkins (Prancer: A Christmas Tale), Stephen Follows (Film Data Analyst), Christian James (Fanged Up), Andy Rodger (Three Day Millionaire) and many others explore the world behind-the-scenes of making films and TV, talking to the actors, writers, directors and producers who make them! Language: en Genres: Film History, Film Interviews, TV & Film Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Directing Sense and Sensibility: Georgia Oakley & Fiona Shaw on the BIG 2nd Feature, the Reality of Period Filmmaking & Cinematic Rigour
Wednesday, 23 September, 2026
Filmmakers, welcome back to the podcast! Today we are tackling a literary masterpiece, but we are looking at it through a completely fresh, vibrant, and fiercely cinematic lens. We are joined by the phenomenally talented director Georgia Oakley and the absolute acting titan, Fiona Shaw. Georgia is fresh off the massive success of her BAFTA-nominated debut feature, Blue Jean, which won the Venice People's Choice Award. She cut her teeth making brilliant short films like Little Bird and coming up through the BFI Flare mentorship, and now she has stepped up to direct a stunning new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. And what can you even say about Fiona Shaw? She is a true legend of the craft and a CBE. From winning multiple Olivier Awards on stage to dominating our screens in Killing Eve, Andor, Harry Potter, My Left Foot, and True Detective, she brings an incredible weight and mischievous joy to every single role she takes on. In this episode, Fiona praises Georgia for putting a gauntlet down to a new generation—keeping the absolute integrity of Austen's original book while completely transforming it into a powerful filmic metaphor. Georgia breaks down the massive artistic and practical challenges of the shoot, including the terrifying moment they lost a day and a half of footage to a digital transfer error. We discuss her specific influences from European cinema, why casting an ensemble is exactly like building a football team, and her unique process of using iPhone test shoots with extras so her main cast has the absolute freedom to move naturally on the day. A quick housekeeping note: This is part one of our Sense and Sensibility double-bill! This Friday, we are dropping an exclusive episode with George MacKay, who plays Edward Ferrars in the film. You absolutely do not want to miss his hilarious anecdote about a badly-timed trouser rip during a highly emotional scene. Also, full video versions of both today's interview with Georgia and Fiona, and Friday's episode with George, will be available over on our TFP YouTube channel—so make sure you head over there and subscribe. Let’s get straight into it. Enjoy the episode! IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: The Directorial Vision: Fiona explains how Georgia managed to keep the integrity of Austen's book while completely transforming it into a cinematic metaphor. A Nightmare on Set: Georgia shares the terrifying reality of losing a day and a half of film footage due to a transfer error. Rehearsals & Freedom: How Georgia uses an iPhone to block out scenes with extras beforehand, giving her main cast total physical freedom to explore the space on the day Casting the Ensemble: Why putting together a cast is exactly like building a football team, and how to navigate chemistry reads. Cinematic Influences: Georgia discusses the European filmmakers and naturalistic framing that influenced the visual language of the film. 🚨 DOUBLE-BILL ALERT: Make sure you tune in this Friday for Part Two of our Sense and Sensibility coverage, featuring George MacKay! Plus, watch the full video interviews for both episodes over on the https://www.youtube.com/@filmmakerspod 🎧 CATCH UP ON RECENT EPISODES: Bad Apples: Jonatan Etzler on Nailing the Pitch, Transitioning to Features, 17 Shorts, Character Arcs & His English-Language Debut starring Saoirse Ronan. The Business of Film Special: The Hidden UK Indie Boom, Sales Agents & Surviving the Distribution & Box Office Market. Directing PRACTICAL MAGIC 2: Susanne Bier on Magic, Studio Sequels & A-List Casts + Giles Announces his latest project. From the Vault: Dexter Fletcher on Indie Debuts to Studio Blockbusters: Rocketman, Ghosted & Directing Action. SUPPORT THE PODCAST & CALL TO ACTION: 🎥 Watch on YouTube: We are rolling out full video episodes! Head over to the TFP YouTube Channel to watch today's interview with Georgia and Fiona, plus Friday's upcoming special with George MacKay. Hit that subscribe button! 🎧 Subscribe & Review: If you enjoyed today’s deep dive, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It is the absolute best way to support independent podcasting and send the elevator back down for other filmmakers. 👕 Merch & More: Grab your on-set podcast gear, check out our filmmaking courses, and access hundreds of archived masterclasses at TheFilmmakersPodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
