Creative

Footer Legal

Main

NavBar

Sections

Topics

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Register to continue

Talkhouse

Jon Stahl is a writer and producer operating at the intersection of traditional media and the creator economy. He worked in the writers’ room on the final two seasons of HBO’s Veep and wrote on FOX’s animated sitcom HouseBroken. He is the author of <a href="https://substack.com/home/post/p-153332382" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How Not to Be a TV Writer</a>, a Substack newsletter discussing creative work and industry change, and the creator of the comedy micro-series <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@CasenPointe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Casen Pointe: True Crime Detective</a>, which premiered on Jan. 20th, 2026. He is the Chief Creative Officer of Pointfake Media, where he focuses on comedy-forward storytelling, and the CEO of Prolog, a creative development software platform which was acquired in 2025.

Jon Stahl

Film

From Newsletter to Pilot: How I Accidentally Rebuilt My Writing Career

Jessica Harrop is executive director of <a href="https://www.sandboxfilms.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sandbox Films</a> and an Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning documentary producer who has dedicated her career to inspiring passion about science through film. In her role at Sandbox Films, she oversees all project decisions and company strategy and acts as an executive producer across Sandbox Films’ documentary slate  — including Oscar-nominated Fire of Love; Sundance Special Jury-Prize winning All Light, Everywhere; Emmy-winning Fathom; and Fireball, a documentary directed by Werner Herzog. Jessica has produced content for a variety of outlets including Netflix, Showtime, Discovery, National Geographic, and PBS. As an establishing partner of Sandbox Films, Jessica’s passion for science storytelling shines through in each project she produces. She holds a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a Certificate in Theater from Princeton University, where she also co-taught an undergraduate film course on communicating climate change. Jessica is a member of both PGA and WGA and she serves on the board of Reel Works Teen Filmmaking. (Photo by Ruvan Wijesooriya.)

Jessica Harrop

Finding the Magic and Humanity in Science on the Big Screen

Janek Ambros is an Independent Spirit Award–nominated producer and director whose films have won honors at Venice, Sundance and GLAAD, and have screened at major festivals around the world. As a producer, his credits include Human Capital (starring Maya Hawke and Marisa Tomei), Ten Thousand Saints (starring Ethan Hawke and Hailee Steinfeld), Monica (winner of the Arca CinemaGiovani Award at the Venice Film Festival) and In the Summers, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2024. As a writer and director, Ambros has helmed projects such as the psychedelic farce Mondo Hollywoodland, a sequel to the 1967 cult classic, executive produced by Oscar nominee James Cromwell, which is now available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mondo-Hollywoodland-Janek-Ambros/dp/B0DFZM53LP" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prime Video</a>; the political documentary Imminent Threat, examining the War on Terror’s impact on civil liberties; and Ukrainians in Exile, executive produced by Liev Schreiber and two-time Oscar winner Janusz Kamiński. He is the founder of <a href="https://www.assemblylineentertainment.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Assembly Line Entertainment</a>, established in 2012. You can find him on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/janekambros" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://x.com/janekambros88" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/assemblylineent/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Assembly Line</a> on Instagram.

Janek Ambros

How Francis Ford Coppola Taught Me to Build, Not Just Direct

Robert Kolodny is a director, writer and cinematographer based in New York City. His feature film directorial debut, <a href="https://www.thefeatherweight.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Featherweight</a>, a biopic of the boxer Willie Pep starring James Madio, Ruby Wolf, Ron Livingston and Stephen Lang, premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and was released theatrically in fall 2024. As a cinematographer, Robert has shot on films by Josh and Benny Safdie, Alex Ross Perry, Robert Greene, Laura Poitras, Sean Price Williams, David Byrne, Taylor Mac and Cecilia Vicuña. His short film Fly on Out screened at the 67th Cannes Film Festival in the Court Métrage. His direction of the TV series Frankie Cooks, earned him a New York Emmy Award. In 2022, DOC NYC named Robert one of its 40 Under 40 Filmmakers. Robert is a prolific film-viewer and a lifelong student of the craft and history of cinema. When not making or watching films, he is a professor of film at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Robert Kolodny

David Lynch and I: Involved in a Mystery

Irene Sofia Lucio is a Puerto Rican actress who is starring as Isidora in this season’s most acclaimed Broadway play, <a href="https://liberationbway.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Liberation</a>, which closes on February 1. Irene created the role of Patricia in Jeremy O’Harris’ award-winning Slave Play, a role she carried from workshops through its runs Off-Broadway, on Broadway, on the West End, and in Los Angeles. Irene co-wrote, performed, and co-produced the webseries B.U.T.S. (Bi-lingual, Underrepresented, Titless Sallies), which won Outstanding Comedy at the NBCU Short Film Festival, and also wrote the animated series Super Ellas, about Latina trailblazers, winning the Gracia and Silver Telly Award for Best Animated Series. She has several screenplays in development with CBS and Dentsu Storylab. With degrees in Comparative Literature and Theatre from Princeton University and an MFA in Acting from the Yale School of Drama, Irene is a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, who currently resides in New York City.

Irene Sofia Lucio

To Protest or Not to Protest

Anna Konkle can currently be seen in the comedy thriller <a href="https://mpcafilm.com/getaway/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Untitled Home Invasion Romance</a>, starring Jason Biggs and Meagan Rath. She is the co-creator/co-star of PEN15, the critically acclaimed television series for Hulu which received Emmy nominations for Best Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for the second year in a row. Anna also directed several episodes in season 2. Her other recent TV appearances include Apple&#8217;s Murderbot, starring Alexander Skarsgard from the Weitz Brothers and the Apple+ series The Afterparty, from Lord-Miller. Anna&#8217;s memoir, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/677456/the-sane-one-by-anna-konkle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sane One</a>, will be published by Random House in May. (Photo by Sela Shiloni.)

Anna Konkle

Three Great Things: Anna Konkle

Leah Warshawski specializes in producing and directing documentaries, television, commercials, corporate videos, non-profit and brand videos around the globe. Her career in film began in Hawai’i for shows including Lost and Baywatch. Leah&#8217;s first feature doc, Finding Hillywood, took place in Rwanda and won six awards after its Seattle International Film Festival premiere in 2013. Her second feature doc, Big Sonia (2016), won 22 awards, screened for Congress, qualified for an Academy Award, and had a three-year run on PBS. Last year, Leah launched a nationwide screening and impact tour for her award-winning short film, Uncle Bully’s Surf Skool (2023), filmed in Lahaina before, during and after the devastating wildfires. Leah also consults with filmmakers about audience engagement, distribution and social impact. Her personal journey is the inspiration for her TedX Talk called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkAMHQhabkU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;How Do You Cope with the Trauma You Didn’t Experience?&#8221;</a> and the subject of a chapter she wrote for Soul Success, a #1 best-selling book on Amazon. She is currently based between Seattle, Idaho and Maui.

Leah Warshawski

Big Sonia and the Big 100

Lily Lady is an artist from New York City. Lily&#8217;s journalism can be found in Office and Dirty Magazine and their feature film, <a href="https://www.factorytwentyfive.com/sams-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam&#8217;s World</a>, is available digitally on Tubi, Amazon Prime and more platforms via Factory 25. Lily’s full length poetry collections are quickie (2022), NDA (2024) and Blood Brother (2026). (Photo by Max Lakner.)

Lily Lady

Can the “Post-Modern” Whore Era Finally Begin?

Nicola Rose is a film director and writer from New York City. Most recently she completed her second feature film, <a href="https://www.magnetospheremovie.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Magnetosphere</a>, a coming-of-age comedy about growing up neurodivergent with synesthesia. The film, which is <a href="https://www.freestyledigitalmedia.tv/film/magnetosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">now available</a> for rent or purchase throughout North America, stars Colin Mochrie, Patrick McKenna, Debra McGrath, Tara Strong, Steven He, and Shayelin Martin. In 2021, Nicola directed and wrote her first feature film, Goodbye, Petrushka, which premiered at Dances With Films in Los Angeles and is now streaming on many major platforms. ​Previously, Nicola directed, wrote and produced several short films. She is a graduate of Columbia University and the Université Sorbonne-Nouvelle in Paris. (Photo ©Kisha Peart.)

Nicola Rose

Sing, Dance and Be Yourself: How Two Films Helped Heal One Hurt

Joe Carnahan is a veteran action director whose latest thriller, <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81915745" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Rip</a>, starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Kyle Chandler, Catalina Sandino Moreno and Sasha Calle, is out now on Netflix. He made his directorial debut at Sundance with Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane in 1998 and established himself as a force within action filmmaking with his second feature, Narc, starring Ray Liotta and Jason Patric. His notable Hollywood films since then include the star-studded crime caper Smokin&#8217; Aces (2006), his big-screen reboot of The A-Team (2010), with Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper, the Alaskan-set The Grey (2011), also starring Liam Neeson, and time-loop thriller Boss Level, starring Frank Grilllo, Naomi Watts and Mel Gibson. (Photo by Claire Folger/Netflix.)

Joe Carnahan

Three Great Things: Joe Carnahan

Charlie Shackleton is a London-based filmmaker and film critic. His new film, Zodiac Killer Project, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the NEXT Innovator Award, and is <a href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/zodiac-killer-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">out now</a> on digital. His other recent projects include This Land, a radio documentary produced with Eleanor McDowall for Radio 4, and the short films Camera Test (King Cadbury) and Lateral. His previous work as a filmmaker includes the features <a href="http://charlielyne.com/beyondclueless">Beyond Clueless</a> (2014) and <a href="http://charlielyne.com/fearitself">Fear Itself</a> (2015), the shorts <a href="http://charlielyne.com/copycat">Copycat</a> (2015), <a href="http://charlielyne.com/blackout">Blackout</a> (2016) and <a href="http://charlielyne.com/fishstory">Fish Story</a> (2017), and the 10-hour protest film <a href="http://charlielyne.com/paintdrying">Paint Drying</a> (2016). Visit his <a href="https://charlie.film/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">personal website</a> for more info. (Photograph by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Charlie_Shackleton.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mia Mullarkey</a>.)

Charlie Shackleton

Photo Diary: The Making of Zodiac Killer Project

Darius Khondji is a Paris-based cinematographer renowned for his distinct visual style and his collaborations with some of the world’s most acclaimed filmmakers. His work has earned two Academy Award nominations, three César Award nominations, and a BAFTA nomination, and his credits include Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children for Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Se7en for David Fincher, The Ninth Gate for Roman Polanski, The Immigrant and The Lost City of Z for James Gray, Midnight in Paris and Magic in the Moonlight for Woody Allen, Amour for Michael Haneke (which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film), Zidane: A First 21st Century Portrait, a documentary film for Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno, and Evita for Alan Parker, which earned him his first Oscar nomination. Khondji has worked on some of the most celebrated films of the past decade, shooting Uncut Gems and Marty Supreme for Josh Safdie, Okja and Mickey 17 for Bong Joon Ho, and Eddington for Ari Aster. His work on Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths earned him an Oscar nomination, an ASC nomination, and a Silver Frog award at Camerimage. (Photo courtesy A24.)