004 - Jonathan & Josh Baker [TWIN] - Part 1

11/04/22 • 76 min

A conversation with directing duo, TWIN. Jonathan and Josh Baker are Australian-born identical twins who have been creating incredible work across both film and commercials. Their first feature, KIN, was a studio feature based on their short film, Bag Man. It is an amazing debut - ambitious and original in a world clogged with pre-existing IP. We spoke about their start in commercials, betting on themselves, what lessons they learned from their first feature, and how they plan to continue to evolve across multiple mediums. The future is bright for these guys and I'm grateful they made the time to chat.

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003 - Nikyatu Jusu

Nikyatu Jusu is on the most compelling and dynamic filmmakers that I've had the pleasure of meeting in the past few years. We were introduced by a mutual actor/friend and after seeing her enigmatic short, SUICIDE BY SUNLIGHT, I knew she was destined for massive projects. When I began the process of recording these interviews, she was my very first call. Thankfully she agreed and took a break from writing her debut feature, NANNY, to come sit and talk with me in studio for a conversation about her process. This was pre-pandemic, right after SUICIDE BY SUNLIGHT premiered at Sundance. This conversation was early, early, early. But I just knew that if I was to start a series of conversations about the nuts and bolts of directing, Nikyatu had to be at the top of my list. Of all the episodes, this one feels most like a time capsule and provides a compelling look at a filmmaker on the brink - one who has rigorously built the process by which she brings incredible stories into the world. The intervening years since recording this interview have proven to be incredibly fruitful for Nikyatu. She wrote and directed her first feature, NANNY, which won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance in 2022. And now, she's off to the races. Even since recording the intros for this episode, it was just announced that Nikyatu's next project will be directing the sequel to George Romero's 1968 masterpiece, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. The future is bright indeed. I have learned so much from my friendship with Nikyatu over the years and I'm excited to share a longform conversation with one of the most promising directors of my generation.

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004 - Jonathan & Josh Baker [TWIN] - Part 2

This episode is a continuation of my conversation with Jonathan & Josh Baker [TWIN]. Specifically, we dive into some of the hard-won learnings that they discovered while making their first feature film, KIN. Making films is trial by fire and the debrief after the dust settles is such a critical component to growing as a director. It's a rare thing to be able to be a part of such a candid and open conversation about the highs and lows of bringing a feature to life. Huge thanks to Jonathan and Josh Baker for letting us in on their process and all the things they've learned that they'll take into their next film, URSA MAJOR. Recorded in the summer of 2020.