Filmmakers Academy Podcast

About Filmmakers Academy Podcast

Filmmakers Academy presents two of the film industry’s most unique and reliable podcasts for professionals who work behind the camera. We explore the latest trends, interview industry leaders, and offer leadership and lifestyle guidance tailored to fit the needs of filmmakers. Stop what you’re doing this very moment and subscribe to Filmmakers Academy to watch LIVE episodes for free on the FA Platform! While full audio episodes are available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, you can watch past episodes on the FA platform as a member of Filmmakers Academy. The Inner Circle Podcast is Filmmakers Academy’s flagship podcast hosted by Lydia and Shane Hurlbut, ASC. Together the duo chats with everyone from industry leaders in the film industry to health experts and beyond, spotlighting subjects useful to filmmakers pursuing successful and sustainable careers. *In addition to new episodes is a robust archive containing a wealth of knowledge. Finding the Frame is not so much an interview series as it is a lounge-sesh with your favorite filmmakers. Hosted by Brendan Sweeney, prominent filmmakers from ASC cinematographers to Oscar winners visit the studio to dish about their careers and approach to the craft. BAFTA Breakthrough Cinematographer Aaron Reid praises Filmmakers Academy as “a valuable learning resource for film craft” that “pushes learning film into the future.” Online Filmmaking Courses rates Filmmakers Academy 5/5 stars as the best-advanced filmmaking training platform! A trusted partner of Academy Gold Rising, British Cinematographer, RED Digital Cinema, and many other industry titans, visit FilmmakersAcademy.com to see how filmmakers like you are scaling successful careers in the film industry. We also keep past SIC episodes in our archive dedicated to cinematography, how to navigate your career, and leadership, hosted by Filmmakers Academy CEO Lydia Hurlbut and cinematographer Shane Hurlbut, ASC Filmmakers Academy is a subscription-based streaming platform developed to educate and inspire filmmakers to enrich their storytelling and technical skillset. Through on-demand lessons, podcasts, and courses across multiple disciplines, filmmakers at any level of experience will learn from our elite team of industry-leading professionals.

Publisher

Filmmakers Academy

Category

education · tv & film

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 May 2018

Latest episode

14 Jan 2026

Latest episodes

2 of 118 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   14 Jan 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Finding the Frame - Editing Wicked & Musical Storytelling (feat. Myron Kerstein, ACE)

   Thanks for joining us for another episode of the Filmmakers Academy Podcast! Take advantage of monthly virtual group coaching, networking events, as well as new content released weekly by becoming a member today. Join today and get $50 off your first year by using the promo code FAPOD50. And join the #1 resource for cinematographers, film crews, and Do-It-All filmmakers! Coupon Link: https://watch.filmmakersacademy.com/checkout/new?o=83067&amp;d=FAPOD50 (https://watch.filmmakersacademy.com/checkout/new?o=83067&amp;d=FAPOD50) This episode is proudly lit exclusively by Nanlux-Nanlite Lights and sponsored by B&amp;H and Hollyland. In this episode of Finding the Frame (https://watch.filmmakersacademy.com/catalog/search?category_id=125196), host Chris Haigh (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13352079/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2_tt_0_nm_8_in_0_q_Chris%2520Haigh) sits down with multiple Academy Award nominee Myron Kerstein, ACE (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0450005/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_5_in_0_q_myron%2520kerstein), the lead editor behind blockbuster musicals like In the Heights (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1321510/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_in%2520the%2520heights), Tick, Tick... Boom! (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8721424/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_tick%252C%2520tick), and the global phenomena Wicked (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1262426/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_5_nm_2_in_0_q_wicked) and Wicked: For Good (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19847976/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_4_tt_5_nm_2_in_0_q_wicked). Kerstein shares his fascinating evolution from architecture student and collage artist to one of Hollywood's most trusted editors. He explains how his background in design and "found object" art informs his "mad scientist" approach to the edit suite, where he views the timeline as a blueprint for human emotion. The conversation explores Kerstein's early career working on rebellious 90s indie projects like Michael Moore’s (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0601619/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_6_in_0_q_michael%2520moore) TV Nation (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108951/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_tv%2520nation) and Louis Theroux’s (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0217229/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_0_in_0_q_weird%2520weekends)Weird Weekends (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0217229/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_0_in_0_q_weird%2520weekends), where he learned the power of letting a moment "hang" and the value of awkward silences. Kerstein concludes with a powerful call to action for aspiring editors: Hustle and cut everything. He encourages young artists to develop their emotional muscle by identifying why certain images move them and stresses the importance of perseverance and networking in an industry that rewards those who dream big but work harder. More from Filmmakers Academy and for do-it-all filmmakers: -Cinematography: Virtual Location Scouting with the Insta360 (https://www.filmmakersacademy.com/blog-cinematography-virtual-location-scouting-with-the-insta360/) -<a...

2. 

   8 Jan 2026

   Finding the Frame - Filming Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (feat. Dan Lausten, ASC)

   Thanks for joining us for another episode of the Filmmakers Academy Podcast! Ready to take your filmmaking to the next level? As a member, you'll get access to monthly virtual group coaching, exclusive networking events, and fresh content released every week. Join today and take advantage of our Holiday Promotional Offer, the lowest price on Annual Membership we've ever offered: https://learn.filmmakersacademy.com/holiday-promotion-2025-secondary/ (https://learn.filmmakersacademy.com/holiday-promotion-2025-secondary/) This episode is proudly lit exclusively by Nanlux-Nanlite Lights and sponsored by B&amp;H and Hollyland. Two-time Academy Award nominee Dan Lausten, ASC (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0491565/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_1_nm_7_in_0_q_dan%2520lausten), joins Finding the Frame (https://watch.filmmakersacademy.com/catalog/search?category_id=125196) to discuss his legendary 30-year partnership with Guillermo del Toro (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0868219/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_2_nm_5_in_0_q_guillermo) and their latest masterpiece, Frankenstein (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1312221/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_7_nm_0_in_0_q_frankenstein). From his humble beginnings as a still photographer in Denmark to lensing blockbusters like John Wick: Chapter 4 (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10366206/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_john%2520wick) and The Shape of Water (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5580390/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%2520shape%2520of%2520water), Lausten details how he utilizes single-source lighting to create a painterly, "Rembrandt-esque" aesthetic. He shares how he and del Toro prioritize practical effects—using real fire, rain, and massive 1:20 (https://watch.filmmakersacademy.com/categories/category-finding-the-frame-podcast#1:20) scale miniatures—to achieve an organic texture that digital effects simply cannot replicate. Lausten provides a technical deep dive into shooting with the Alexa 65, explaining how he keeps his light sources outside the set to maintain atmospheric consistency while using custom filters to soften digital sharpness. He highlights the symbolic use of light in Frankenstein, where warm amber tones represent love and the "sun," while cold blues represent the creature's isolation. Throughout the conversation, Lausten emphasizes the importance of a collaborative "family" atmosphere on set and encourages aspiring filmmakers to embrace their mistakes, urging them to "go out on the thin ice" where true learning and artistic breakthroughs happen. More from Filmmakers Academy and for do-it-all filmmakers: -Cinematography: Virtual Location Scouting with the Insta360 (https://www.filmmakersacademy.com/blog-cinematography-virtual-location-scouting-with-the-insta360/) -Cinematography: The EL Zone System Exposure Guide (https://www.filmmakersacademy.com/blog-cinematography-el-zone-guide/) -Shane’s Gear Bag (https://www.filmmakersacademy.com/shanes-gear-bag/) -Shane Hurlbut’s Go-To Lighting Package (https://www.filmmakersacademy.com/go-to-lighting-package/) -The Modern...

3. 

   11 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Finding the Frame - Gothic Lighting Secrets & Film Emulation (feat. Steve Yedlin, ASC)

   Thanks for joining us for another episode of the Filmmakers Academy Podcast! Ready to take your filmmaking to the next level? As a member, you'll get access to monthly virtual group coaching, exclusive networking events, and fresh content released every week. Join today and take advantage of our Holiday Promotional Offer—the lowest price on Annual Membership we've ever offered: https://learn.filmmakersacademy.com/holiday-promotion-2025-secondary/ (https://learn.filmmakersacademy.com/holiday-promotion-2025-secondary/) This episode is proudly lit exclusively by Nanlux-Nanlite Lights and sponsored by B&amp;H and Hollyland. In this episode of Finding the Frame, host Chris Haigh (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13352079/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2_tt_0_nm_8_in_0_q_chris%2520haigh) sits down with acclaimed cinematographer Steve Yedlin, ASC (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006911/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_1_nm_7_in_0_q_steve%2520yelin), the visionary behind director Rian Johnson's (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0426059/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_1_nm_7_in_0_q_rian%2520johnson) films for over 30 years, including Knives Out (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8946378/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_knives%2520out), The Last Jedi (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2527336/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%2520last%2520jedi), and the new Benoit Blanc mystery, Wake Up, Dead Man (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14364480/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_wake%2520up). Steve discusses his 30-year partnership with Rian Johnson and his technical approach to cinematography, moving from early visual effects fascination to developing custom digital color pipelines. He demystifies the film vs. digital debate, emphasizing that the ultimate look of a film is determined by the color pipeline rather than the camera brand, a philosophy he applied across projects like The Last Jedi to ensure consistency between film and digital formats. This foundation allows him to focus on the story's visual needs, leading to the distinct, highly stylized looks of the Benoit Blanc trilogy, culminating in the Gothic, high-contrast world of Wake Up, Dead Man. For Wake Up, Dead Man, Yedlin details complex lighting techniques: using custom software for real-time dynamic lighting cues to simulate clouds and sun changes within scenes, and integrating monitors to project realistic fire and window reflections onto actors' faces and eyeglasses. A notable logistical solution involved using meticulously hand-painted stage backdrops that allowed him to light the sky and trees separately, offering unparalleled control over day/night transitions on the soundstage. Yedlin also offers crucial advice to aspiring DPs: remain fiercely idiosyncratic and true to your vision rather than trying to be an "interchangeable cog." He concludes with a brief, skeptical take on the current state of AI, calling it a "fuzzy search engine" that primarily excels at mashing up existing content. More from Filmmakers Academy and for do-it-all filmmakers: -Cinematography: Virtual Location Scouting with the Insta360 (https://www.filmmakersacademy.com/blog-cinematography-virtual-location-scouting-with-the-insta360/) -Cinematography: The EL Zone System Exposure Guide (https://www.filmmakersacademy.com/blog-cinematography-el-zone-guide/) -<a...

Inside a recent episode

Finding the Frame - Editing Wicked & Musical Storytelling (feat. Myron Kerstein, ACE)

Published 14 Jan 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And there's a lot of needle drops, you know, that are just sort of one after another and that, you know, that, that film was known for its soundtrack, but it's also, you know, from today's standards, you know, might be too much. And so I, you know, um, but I, I wouldn't change a frame of it because I think that it's a time capsule of what I where I was, where Zach was, where the rest of the team was, you know, everyone from March sure who now cuts, you know, shoots like, you know, you know, uh, the, the Joker and, and what, you know, we're all sort of progressing as artists from these, you know, um, real sort of, um, you know, indie sensibilities. […]

Who has been a guest on Filmmakers Academy Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Colleen Bell
• Emily Ting
• Jessica Lee Gagné
• Adam Newport-Berra

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

4,262,624

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

28 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

10 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 79 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

66

Social presence

97

YouTube

93

Engagement

90

Contact Filmmakers Academy Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Filmmakers Academy Podcast