The No Film School Podcast

How do cinematographers and directors find a shared visual language, and what role can film references play in shaping a movie? No Film School's GG Hawkins sits down with Oscar-nominated cinematographer Lawrence Sher, ASC, whose credits include Joker, The Hangover, Garden State, and The Bride. Sher traces his journey from discovering photography as a teenager to building ShotDeck, the visual reference platform used by filmmakers to develop and communicate their creative visions. He breaks down his collaborative process with directors like Maggie Gyllenhaal, explains how lens choices influence emotion and storytelling, and previews ShotDeck's upcoming relaunch, including natural language search, motion clips, expanded discovery tools, and collaborative decks. The conversation explores how filmmakers at every budget level can develop their visual instincts, study cinematography, and make more intentional creative decisions.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Lawrence Sher discuss...

How a borrowed Nikon camera, a broken nose, and a college film class led Sher to a career in cinematography

The origins of ShotDeck and why Sher wanted to create a searchable library of cinematic images

How directors can communicate their visual intentions without mastering technical camera terminology

Using film references to discover a personal aesthetic through composition, lighting, color, and framing

ShotDeck's redesigned discovery experience, including curated collections, microgenres, first features, and microbudget films

How natural language search and improved filters can help filmmakers find highly specific visual references

Why Sher and Maggie Gyllenhaal gravitated toward 400mm and 800mm lenses while shooting The Bride

Sher's script breakdown and pre-production workflow, from scene-by-scene notes to shared visual reference decks

How ShotDeck's Canva integration, multi-select tools, and collaborative decks can streamline pitching and pre-production

New ShotDeck features including moving shot previews, GIF and MP4 exports, camera movement searches, and similar-shot recommendations

Why cinematography is a learnable craft and how independent filmmakers can make more deliberate visual choices

ShotDeck's upcoming behind-the-scenes resources, lighting diagrams, and annual Recreations Contest

Memorable Quotes:

"You can be a spectacular director and not know anything about the camera, truly."

"And what was really important for us that ShotDeck became a discovery tool, became an inspiration tool more than anything else."

"The figuring out what a movie isn't will get you more to like what it is."

"It doesn't matter how low budget it is, it's like, it, the craftsmanship still matters"

Guests:

Lawrence Sher, ASC

Resources:

ShotDeck — Visual Reference Library for Filmmakers

Explore I Really Love My Husband on ShotDeck

Lawrence Sher's Official Website

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What does it take to get an independent film in front of an audience when traditional distribution isn't working? In the third installment of Pete Ohs' 2026 distribution experiment, No Film School's GG Hawkins catches up with Pete to discuss his unconventional release strategy for Love and Work, a film that premiered at Slamdance in 2024 and is now available through Patreon. Pete breaks down his approach to self-distribution, from intimate theatrical screenings and bonus content to the unexpected challenges of making a film discoverable through Google. He also pitches a new model for independent film distribution inspired by touring musicians. First, filmmaker Matthew James Thompson joins GG to explain how he's building an audience for his romantic dramedy Handle with Care by sending a single DVD, portable player, and guestbook around the country in a traveling Pelican case. Together, these conversations explore grassroots film marketing, the value of physical media, audience building, and why creating experiences around movies might be as important as the movies themselves.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests Pete Ohs and Matthew James Thompson discuss...

How Handle with Care, starring Justin H. Min, follows a newly divorced man selling his wedding gifts to strangers in New York City

Why Matthew James Thompson created a traveling DVD experience to connect audiences with his film one person at a time

The challenges of competing for film festival slots against independent productions with significantly larger budgets

How physical media, special features, and a handwritten guestbook can create more meaningful audience engagement

Why Pete Ohs waited two years after Love and Work premiered at Slamdance to release the film

Organizing screenings in Corsicana, Texas, and at LA's Now Instant Image Hall, including a filmmaker conversation with Sean Baker

Releasing Love and Work on Patreon with a 43-minute making-of documentary and an audio commentary track

The unexpected SEO challenges of making a self-distributed film discoverable through Google and JustWatch

Why getting people to visit a film's website doesn't necessarily translate into sign-ups or purchases

How Radiohead's In Rainbows and Hundreds of Beavers illustrate the limits of replicating successful distribution strategies

Pete's proposal for an independent film touring circuit modeled after bands, with one-night screenings, local filmmakers, and community events

How thinking about film festivals, target audiences, and distribution earlier might influence the creative process without compromising it

What's next in Pete's experiment, including the upcoming release of The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick

Memorable Quotes:

"I really wanted it to be physical and tangible because I think that in this world of streaming, the convenience of it really devalues our work."

"The thing I've come to experience is that just 'cause it's on the internet doesn't mean the internet knows it."

"And what I'm pitching is for there to be a touring circuit for independent film modeled very much after how independent bands tour."

"And then I also do think there's a thing that, um, gets talked about a lot, which is like think about who your audience is, which I think you can over think"

Guests:

Pete Ohs

Matthew James Thompson

Resources:

Handle with Care — Official Website and Traveling DVD Sign-Up

Our Series with Pete Ohs:

Love and Work — Pete Ohs' Slamdance Interview

How a Film Score Actually Gets Made, Step by Step + Pete Ohs' Distribution Experiment of 2026

Pete Ohs' 2026 Distribution Experiment: OBEX

Pete Ohs' 2026 Distribution Experiment: Erupcja

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How do you edit a narrative feature like a documentary while managing 14 camera formats, improvised performances, and hundreds of hours of footage? In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins talks with Independent Spirit Award-winning editor Daniel Garber, ACE, about cutting A24's Primetime, directed by Lance Oppenheim and starring Robert Pattinson. Garber breaks down his documentary-inspired editing process, the creative friction that led to unexpected storytelling breakthroughs, and the challenges of blending vintage DV footage with modern digital cinematography. He also shares how Adobe Premiere Pro's Productions, Speech-to-Text, Essential Sound Panel, and Remix tools helped streamline the post-production workflow, why working closely with a director during production can transform a film, and how editorial experimentation shapes a movie's tone, humor, and emotional impact.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Daniel Garber discuss:

Bringing documentary editing techniques into narrative filmmaking and maintaining an open-minded approach to storytelling

Collaborating with director Lance Oppenheim to discover new possibilities beyond the screenplay

Why having an editor on set creates opportunities for real-time feedback and creative problem-solving

How creative disagreements in the edit bay led to the unexpected "Decoy Dan" scene

Balancing dark subject matter, comedy, and emotional authenticity in Primetime

Using test screenings and pickup shoots to reshape a film's structure and tone

Managing 14 camera formats, vintage DV tapes, and retro broadcast footage in Adobe Premiere Pro

Building an efficient post-production workflow with Premiere Productions, shared storage, and portable editing setups

Using Speech-to-Text to organize improvisation, locate specific dialogue, and navigate extensive footage

How Premiere Pro's Essential Sound Panel and Remix tool speed up sound design and temp scoring

Why cutting with music early can help establish a scene's emotional identity

The importance of creative trust, experimentation, and ongoing collaboration between directors and editors

Memorable Quotes:

"Like, finding the elements of what's new and the soul of what was on the page, and weaving those together into something that feels very alive."

"So sometimes when we get into that dynamic where one of us wants something in and the other wants something out, it The solution is actually keeping it in, but making it work better than it was working."

"I think it's just hard to know what movie you're making until you've made it."

"I think music is so important to just figuring out the overall identity and meaning of a scene."

Guests:

Daniel Garber, ACE

Resources:

Cutting Primetime: Editor Daniel Garber on Taming a Mountain of Footage — No Film School

Shooting a Feature on a MiniDV Camcorder — No Film School

Daniel Garber's Website and Editor Office Hours

Daniel Garber on Instagram

Find No Film School everywhere:

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📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com

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How do you edit a film that blends fantasy, comedy, romance, and the structure of a fable? Editor Sofi Marshall returns to the No Film School Podcast to discuss her work on Wicker, starring Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård and directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson. Marshall joins host GG Hawkins to break down the challenges of finding the film's distinctive tone, cutting comedic performances, and building a collaborative post-production workflow across three continents. She also shares how Adobe Premiere Pro, LucidLink, and Frame.io helped streamline the editing process, why practical effects made a difference in the cutting room, and what emerging editors should consider when choosing projects, negotiating budgets, and balancing their careers with life outside the industry.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Sofi Marshall discuss...

How editing I Saw the TV Glow influenced Sofi's career and brought greater visibility to her work

Why storytelling remains the foundation of editing, even as technology makes the process faster

Reuniting with directors Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson for Wicker after collaborating on Save Yourselves!

How Alexander Skarsgård's practical wicker costume shaped the editing process and preserved his performance

Finding the right balance of fantasy, comedy, romance, and fable-like storytelling in the edit

Managing a remote post-production workflow between New York, Budapest, Los Angeles, and Australia

Why comedy editing requires extensive experimentation, recutting, and test screenings

Collaborating with directors on alternate cuts and discovering creative solutions through multiple perspectives

Using chapter breaks to establish the distinct movements of Wicker

How Adobe Premiere Pro, LucidLink, and Frame.io improve remote collaboration, feedback, and editorial efficiency

Choosing creatively fulfilling projects, advocating for fair compensation, and avoiding burnout in independent filmmaking

Navigating parental leave, career opportunities, and returning to editing after time away

Sofi's next editing project, Thirsty Girl

Memorable Quotes:

"It's always story first, so there's just such a drastic difference between the way a film is written and how it comes across on the page, and then looking at the footage and looking at your first assembly and understanding how it's coming across as an actual film, and I think that's something that will never change."

"No. No, it is... It is the hardest. It is the hardest, hardest thing." — Sofi Marshall, on comedy editing

"Oh, obviously, like, this is, this is how to do that." — Sofi Marshall, on discovering the chapter-break structure for Wicker

"So I think just, just feeling like you are the creative force who's picking your projects, and you're not just taking whatever comes at you." — Sofi Marshall

Guests:

Sofi Marshall

Resources:

Sofi Marshall's website

Follow Sofi Marshall on Instagram

Previous No Film School episode: How 'I Saw the TV Glow' Editor Negotiates Creativity and Higher Pay

Wicker on IMDb

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What happens when a longtime podcast listener takes the leap into feature filmmaking? No Film School listener turned filmmaker Douglas A. Plomitallo joins GG Hawkins to share how he went from making 86 horror shorts to directing, self-financing, and securing distribution for his debut feature, Halloween Candy. Doug explains how he repurposed existing short films into a feature-length horror anthology, found a distributor, and built on that experience to create Halloween Candy 2. He also discusses balancing independent filmmaking with his full-time job as a director of photography for WWE, editing movies while traveling, stretching microbudgets with a skeleton crew, and learning to trust collaborators. His journey offers practical lessons on DIY filmmaking, cinematography, indie film distribution, and building a sustainable creative career.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Douglas A. Plomitallo discuss...

How a longtime No Film School listener went from aspiring filmmaker to releasing his first feature film

Learning filmmaking through 86 horror shorts over 15 years with his web series Scared Stiff

Why making mistakes, studying cinematography, and embracing constructive criticism can be more valuable than formal film school

Turning six existing Halloween short films into the feature-length horror anthology Halloween Candy

Finding independent film distribution by researching companies that release similar movies

How Halloween Candy found a larger streaming audience than its individual short films

Planning a horror sequel and building the foundation for a potential indie film franchise

Balancing a career as a WWE director of photography with writing, directing, and producing independent features

Editing a feature film on the road using Avid, DaVinci Resolve, After Effects, and portable hard drives

Stretching a microbudget by purchasing camera equipment, taking on multiple crew roles, and organizing shoots around locations

Shooting an hour of material in four days with a skeleton crew

Why trusting actors, welcoming better ideas, and admitting what you don't know are essential directing skills

Memorable Quotes:

"I feel like we learn more by mistakes, but here's the thing. It doesn't have to be your own mistake."

"Making my short films was my film school."

"If I lose my computer, I'm down a few thousand dollars, but the movie is safe."

"I'm not here to inflate my ego."

Guests:

Douglas A. Plomitallo

Resources:

Halloween Candy — Terror Films

Halloween Candy

Halloween Candy 2

Find No Film School everywhere:

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