Actor, Producer, and Director Fisher Stevens is the creative force behind Netflix’s Emmy-nominated docuseries “Beckham”, which follows David Beckham's rise from humble working-class beginnings to football stardom, as well as all his personal turbulence along the way. Fisher shares with Tiller why he pivoted from acting to documentaries (2:00), the backstory behind his unlikely partnership with the Beckhams (7:30), building trust with David (12:00), figuring out the story structure in the edit (23:00), filming over 20 hours of interviews with David (30:00), and what it really means to be a director (37:30).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Director, photographer, interviewer, and yes, amateur skateboarder Sam Jones reflects on the winding journey of directing “Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off”, a definitive, no-holds-barred look at the life and iconic career of skateboarding’s greatest to ever do it. Tiller and Sam discuss why Tiller is envious of Sam’s career (2:45), the backstory behind Sam’s debut documentary from 2002 about the band Wilco (9:50), how Tony Hawk truly lives as hard as he can (21:00), Sam’s decision to make the film independently even though every streamer passed on it (28:30), continuing to find inspiration on the long lonely road of documentary filmmaking (36:00), and how this is ultimately film about people, not for people (44:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Artist-turned-filmmaker (and old friend of Tiller’s) Jill Magid joins the show to discuss her brilliant 2018 film “The Proposal”, which tracks her journey to recover the works of famed Mexican architect Luis Barragán from a Swiss bunker. Jill discusses with Tiller her artistic voyage from sculptor to filmmaker (3:40), her fascination with incorporating herself as a subject in her art (8:15), the project’s organic evolution from art proposal to feature film (15:00), learning the medium of filmmaking and she went along (20:20), editing the film in a freezing make-shift bunker (31:20), and her carefully crafted performance of “self” (35:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

In his new film “Sly”, filmmaker Thom Zimny offers an intimate perspective of the great Sylvester Stallone by delving into his Hollywood successes, personal pitfalls, underdog story and its parallels with the characters he brought to life. In his conversation with Tiller, Thom discusses finding the rhythm of the film (5:45), the dream space of editing an archival-based film (9:10), letting the themes speak to him organically (15:00), the dramatic imagery of Sly moving homes (23:52), writing with visual grammar (29:38), and interviewing Sly for 7 hours (38:30). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

This one is from the vault. If you haven't seen Mad Hot Ballroom from director Marilyn Agrelo, stop now and go check it out. It's a classic and a masterpiece. Centered around a ballroom dancing competition for fifth grade dance teams in New York City elementary schools, Agrelo captures a genuine and life-affirming transformation as a group of children evolve from reticent novices to confident contestants versed in the Latin styles of foxtrot, merengue and rumba. Agrelo shares with Tiller the challenges of capturing the spirit of New York City (4:25), casting the right teachers and kid dancers (14:10), the mechanics of verité filming and simultaneous editing (21:22), the art of directing kids (28:50), being validated by local criminals (32:45), and the film's shocking critical reception (42:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

"The Space Race", a new film by directors Lisa Cortés and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, profiles the pioneering Black pilots, scientists, and engineers who joined NASA to serve their country in space, even as their country failed to achieve equality for them back on Earth. From 1963, when the assassination of JFK thwarted Captain Ed Dwight’s quest to reach the moon, to 2020, when the echoes of the civil unrest sparked by the killing of George Floyd reached the International Space Station. In today’s discussion, Lisa and Diego share their paths to documentaries (1:40), their co-directing process (5:30), the injection of “Afro-Futurism” (12:00), the impact of George Floyd’s death on the International Space Station (21:48), and the experience of screening the film with the astronauts themselves (35:30). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Season 3 kicks off with one of the great nonfiction filmmakers working today, Brett Morgen - the director, writer and editor of the film "Moonage Daydream", which explores David Bowie's creative, spiritual, and musical journey. In his discussion with Tiller, Brett shares how a speech impediment led him to make documentaries (2:45), determining the visual style for each film (6:25), the making of his 2002 film "The Kid Stays in the Picture" (9:10), the origin of "Moonage Daydream" (18:45), the two-year process of personally screening David Bowie's entire video archive (29:00), how Homer's "Illiad" inspired the structure of the film (37:50), when he knows a project is finished (45:30), and Sean Penn's single note that saved the film (49:20).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Seth Porges and Chris Charles Scott’s darkly comedic hit film “Class Action Park” skirts the trappings of 1980s nostalgia and chronicles the unbelievable rise and fall of the most insane – and possibly the most dangerous – amusement park that ever existed. In his discussion with Tiller, Seth reflects on the universality of doing idiotic, dangerous things as kids (2:08), the vital tonal shift in the film from hilarity to death (6:40), creating the film on their own dime (19:05), the editorial process (23:20), landing the film at HBO right at the onset of Max (26:15), how the first outline barely changed (31:30), and the choice to feature himself as an on-screen interview as well as incorporate voice-over narration (36:10). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Filmmaker Steve James burst onto the scene in 1994 with his iconic documentary, "Hoop Dreams", a film that is widely considered one of the great works of American nonfiction cinema. His latest film, "A Compassionate Spy", tells the incredible story of Manhattan Project scientist Ted Hall, who, fearing the post-war risk of a nuclear holocaust, shared classified nuclear secrets with the Soviets. In today's episode, Steve discusses with Tiller the lasting legacy of "Hoop Dreams" (2:30), why he's made films outside of the streamer system (5:15), why he chose to make "A Compassionate Spy" (10:35), trusting his gut instinct (17:50), the production plan for "A Compassionate Spy" (22:40), how Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" helped revitalize this time period for storytelling (34:40), and the shocking misconceptions he uncovered about WWII, Ted Hall, and the Military Industrial Complex (40:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Kathryn Ferguson’s 2022 film “Nothing Compares” follows the career of celebrated singer Sinéad O'Connor through her rise to fame and explores the ways her iconoclastic personality led to exile from the pop mainstream. In today’s episode, Kathryn shares with Tiller the origin for the film (2:00), her writing process (10:00), interweaving archival with audio-only interviews (14:00), creating a visual iconography through original cinematic photography (20:45), screening the film for Sinéad (33:05), and honoring Sinéad’s legacy (36:30).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

SNL directors and co-creators of the cult favorite Documentary Now! Rhys Thomas and Alex Buono join Tiller to discuss their mockumentary series starring Fred Armisen and Bill Hader, in which each episode is a masterful homage to a classic documentary film style. They reflect on their start at SNL (2:20), the blend of documentary and narrative storytelling (9:20), how much is improvised (13:50), the challenges of making totally unique episodes (20:30) how pressure lends itself to creativity (28:30), turning far-fetched hilarious ideas into reality (32:40), the benefit of having great writers (38:30), and how legendary documentarians have received their work (44:10). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

The two-part docuseries “San Francisco Sounds”, helmed by directing duo Alison Ellwood and Anoosh Tertzakian, celebrates the musical and artistic renaissance that exploded in the Bay Area from the mid-sixties into the mid-seventies. Featuring the music of Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Steve Miller, and many more, it’s a glimpse into a time and place that changed the world of music, love, and culture forever. Anoosh and Alison talk with Tiller about transitioning from editing to directing (2:00), the journey from “Laurel Canyon” to “San Francisco Sounds” (7:00), the benefit to using audio-only interviews (14:00), why it took over a year to make this movie (19:05), finding a fresh approach to telling the story of Janis Joplin (22:10), how they craft performances from their key interviews (25:08), the parts of the story that surprised them the most (30:20), and how money changes even the best art (34:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Director Jeff Zimbalist returns to the podcast to discuss his second feature film of the year, “Skywalkers: A Love Story”, a thrilling tale about a daring couple that performs acrobatics atop the world’s last super skyscraper. Jeff talks with Tiller about blending the genres of heist and romance (3:30), why this film had to be independently financed (11:00), interweaving the themes of love, risk and trust (17:00), directing Angela and Ivan’s camerawork on top of skyscrapers (27:00), how the presence of a film crew brought a deeper truth out of their relationship (32:00), the difference between “facts” and “ecstatic truth” in nonfiction filmmaking, (36:00), and the humbling truth about love that Jeff learned while making this film (46:00). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Kartiki Gonsalves is the first Indian Film Director to have ever won an Academy Award in the history of India, which she received for her 2022 short film “The Elephant Whisperers”. Available on Netflix, this film follows a a couple in South India who devote their lives to caring for an orphaned baby elephant, forging a family like no other that tests the barrier between the human and the animal world. Kartiki shares with Tiller the experience of winning an Oscar (1:45), the origin of the film (5:30), the process of following her artistic instinct (11:05), intertwining the various love stories (16:40), finding the editorial structure (25:30), and the most special moment of the entire filmmaking process (31:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Editor Chris Passig’s latest work, HBO’s “Telemarketers”, follows the 20-year journey of two telemarketers as they vow to expose the scam behind the American telemarketing industry. This three-part documentary takes you from an anarchic, seedy New Jersey call center filled with booze, drugs, and debauchery to the halls of the United States Senate as the world's unlikeliest journalists uncover a deep, nation-wide billion-dollar racket. Tiller speaks with Chris about how the series evolved from years of raw tapes into an HBO series with high-profile EPs (5:05), constructing multiple cohesive storylines in the edit (11:00), his shared background with director Sam Lipman-Stern (15:15), developing Sam and Pat Pespas’s friendship on screen (20:00), screening the series for Pat (25:10), pacing the series (28:35), the lead characters’ borderline stupid bravery (32:30), clarifying the complexity of the scam without including outside experts (37:20), and the reverberating effect of the series in the world (41:10).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Actor, writer, producer, director, and loving nephew. Griffin Dunne is the only man who could have directed "Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold", an intimate insight into the remarkable career and tragic struggles his aunt, literary icon Joan Didion. The 2017 film is a touching tribute which includes a trove of archival materials as well as an interview with Didion herself, one of her last appearances before her death in 2021. In this episode, Griffin shares with Tiller his reflections on the title of the film (1:50), how he convinced Joan to trust him with her legacy (5:12), amassing his cast of interview subjects (12:26), his tonal inspirations for the film (16:35), Joan's defining reaction to the acid-dropping five-year-old from "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" (23:38), his experience sharing the film with Joan (27:04), and her lasting legacy with new generations (32:41).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

The role of the Producer is complex, challenging, and ever-changing. Simon Chinn is a double Oscar-winning Producer who is responsible for some of the most successful feature documentaries of recent years, including “Man on Wire”, “Searching for Sugar Man”, and “LA92”. Simon shares with Tiller his thoughts on producing his first feature “Man on Wire” (1:48), pitching the film to director James Marsh and star Philippe Petit (10:00), the keys to building a prolific career as a documentary producer (26:30), the challenge of sustaining excellence (34:45), and the future of nonfiction (40:45).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Jeff Tremaine is the king of “Jackass”. As director, writer, and producer, he shepherded the hilarious daredevil phenomenon not only onto TV screens in 2000, but into 8 feature films, including the spinoff “Bad Grandpa” and 2022’s “Jackass Forever”. Yet behind the pranks, stunts, and pure Jackass-ery, there is a mastery of documentary filmmaking. Perhaps better than anyone else, Jeff has embodied the phrase “a method to the madness”. In his discussion with Tiller, Jeff reflects on the skateboard origins of Jackass (4:30), his “development” and “preproduction” processes (8:30), getting the first movie greenlit with MTV (16:00), finding new cast members for “Jackass Forever” (24:10), the hidden art of editing Jackass movies (32:45), how certain stunts go from funny to “crazy town” (44:00), his stress level while shooting (49:07), and what’s next in his post-Jackass career (54:40).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Director Julie Cohen, best known for her Oscar nominated film “RBG”, crafts a moving and eye-opening exploration of intersexuality in her new theatrical release, “Every Body.” By focusing on the lives of three intersex individuals – actor and screenwriter River Gallo, political consultant Alicia Roth Weigel, and Ph.D. student Sean Saifa Wall – Cohen foregrounds the ways the medical establishment and popular culture have historically denied the complexity of intersexuality by insisting on the existence of only two sexes. Julie speaks to Tiller about the incredible story that became the genesis of her film (3:30), finding her three star characters (10:00), society’s intolerance for gender ambiguity (18:03), her method of simultaneous filming and editing (26:31), and screening the film for the intersex community (29:01). Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Filmmaker Lesley Chilcott – perhaps best known for producing “An Inconvenient Truth” – recently directed Netflix's “Arnold”: a 3-part documentary series examining the life, work and deeper side of the cigar-chomping Governator action movie star…Arnold Schwarzenegger. In her conversation with Tiller, she discusses peeling back the complex layers of Arnold’s story (4:50), her interview process with Arnold (8:30), showing a new side of Arnold in the opening sequence (15:05), selecting the cast of characters from campaign managers to James Cameron (20:20), broaching and navigating the awkward subjects (26:35), contending with the trove of archival materials (37:00), filming impressionistic scenes of Arnold’s memory (40:50), and sharing the film with Arnold (43:50).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Nick Rosen and Peter Mortimer make climbing films. It’s their world and expertise. And when they heard about Marc-Andre Leclerc, the Canadian free-spirited 23-year-old free soloist who was making some of the boldest ascents in history, they knew they had to track him down. Nomadic and publicity shy, he doesn't own a phone or car, and is reluctant to let a film crew in on his pure vision of climbing. Thus began the journey to create THE ALPINIST, a fascinating, beautiful, and thrillingly filmed investigation into a life spent defying danger. In their conversation with Tiller, Nick and Peter talk about building their relationship with the elusive Marc-Andre (2:15), capturing the purity of Marc’s spirit (7:18), the incredible discipline of alpine soloing (13:15), the process of writing such a kinetic film (17:55), mountaineering cinematography (23:40), and what it means to live a life well lived (31:40).

Acclaimed director Ondi Timoner’s latest film “Last Flight Home” examines the last days of her father, Eli Timoner, and their family’s emotional turmoil as they grapple with his decision to end his own life. Through the film, Ondi journeys back through Eli's remarkable life to discover the true meaning of tragic loss and enduring love. In her discussion with Tiller, Ondi reflects on the decision to film her dad in hospice (2:24), the powerful personalities in her family (9:20), the right to die (19:05), learning how to live with dignity (28:00), editing the scene of her father's death (33:50), and the profound impact the films has had on audiences (35:50).

R.J. Cutler’s new four-part documentary series explores the high-stakes Miami criminal underworld through the eyes of the most daring jewel thief in American history turned alleged murderer, Jack Roland Murphy, aka “Murf the Surf.” Featuring exclusive access to Jack Roland Murphy himself prior to his death in 2020, the series addresses the blurred line between fact and fiction, faith and delusion, sanity and madness—raising the timely question of who we believe, and why. In their conversation, R.J. discusses with Tiller how he learned at the feet of masters (3:00), the making of his and D.A. Pennebaker's iconic verité film “The War Room” about James Carville (9:20), why we’re so drawn to a murderous jewel thief as a main character (15:28), how Murf is the first true crime TV superstar (22:40), what it means to direct incredible collaborators (27:20), the symbolism behind his graphics and animation (31:31), what makes the documentary medium so malleable today (36:02), and whether Murf is a hustler, a liar, or truly born-again repentant (45:00).

Director Jeff Zimbalist’s latest film, HOW TO COME ALIVE WITH NORMAN MAILER, explores the rollercoaster life of America’s most controversial and bestselling author of the 20th Century, Norman Mailer. Prophet, hedonist, violent criminal, literary outlaw, and social provocateur, Mailer’s ideas about love, anger, fear, and courage cut to the core of human nature, are more relevant than ever today, and point to a prescription for waking ourselves up, shaking free of society’s expectations, and coming alive as a people. Jeff shares with Tiller his familiarity with Norman Mailer prior to embarking on the film (2:50), why he ended the film with Norman “getting right with God” (10:00), what Norman means to be “an intellectual rascal” (17:00), how Jeff brought Mailer to life as the first-person perspective of the film (23:00), pitching the film as commercially viable (32:00), the importance of producers who still take a leap of faith in today’s fraught documentary market (38:00), and how artists can access the depths of their minds (41:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Sebastian Junger's iconic Oscar-Nominated 2010 war epic RESTREPO chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, widely considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, "Restrepo," named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. Experiential, immersive, and raw, RESTREPO is a 90-minute deployment to a complicated, fraught warzone. Sebastian discusses with Tiller if it is an anti-war movie (1:43), his path to the Korengal Valley (5:30), the challenge of editing down months of footage (11:02), capturing emotional interviews with hardened soldiers (12:10), and incorporating footage of Platoon Medic Restrepo (16:30).

Academy award winning director Orlando von Einsiedel sits with Tiller to discuss his film VIRUNGA, a gripping expose of the realities of life in the Congo that follows a team of brave individuals risking their lives to protect the last mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park. Tiller also asks Orlando about his latest short film FROM DEVIL'S BREATH, a dramatic look at the catastrophic wildfires in Portugal in 2017 and a revolutionary scientific discovery creating hope in the face of climate change. During their discussion, Orlando describes his film selection process (2:10), the beginning of VIRUNGA (5:20), uncovering the story of corrupt oil drillers (9:18), recruiting an undercover journalist as a spy (13:49), financing the film (18:10), joining forces with Leonardo DiCaprio (23:00), creating FROM DEVIL'S BREATH (27:40), and intercutting dual narratives to tell one powerful story (33:10).

Bonus Series! This is Episode Four of the companion podcast series for Tiller's new Netflix series, Waco: American Apocalypse.    Waco: American Apocalypse is a deep dive into the Netflix documentary series, exploring topics and interviews that didn’t make the final cut. In Episode Four, Tiller and Lee evaluate how the tragedy at Waco became a rallying cry for the anti-government movement within America as well as a foundation for arguments surrounding gun rights and religious freedom. Tiller also speaks with Bob Ricks, the FBI’s Assistant Special Agent in Charge, about the FBI’s failed response to Waco, rampant conspiracy theories, government distrust, Waco’s connection to the Oklahoma City Bombing a year later, and how it resonates through to the present day.  

Bonus Series! This is Episode Three of the companion podcast series for Tiller's new Netflix series, Waco: American Apocalypse.    Waco: American Apocalypse is a deep dive into the Netflix documentary series, exploring topics and interviews that didn’t make the final cut. In Episode Three, Tiller speaks to Lee about the challenge of objectively reporting on Waco and the lasting trauma the story has had on her life, as well as on those included in the documentary series. Featuring excerpts from interviews with KWTX reporter John McLemore, the sole reporter who covered the ATF raid live only to have his life upended by it, and David Thibodeau, perhaps the most well-known Branch Davidian alive today.  

Bonus Series! This is Episode Two of the companion podcast series for Tiller's new Netflix series, Waco: American Apocalypse.    Waco: American Apocalypse is a deep dive into the Netflix documentary series, exploring topics and interviews that didn’t make the final cut. In Episode Two, Tiller speaks with Robert Rodriguez, an undercover agent with the ATF who embedded with David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. On the day of the raid, Robert knew the Davidians were tipped off that the ATF was coming, and he tried to call the whole thing off. However, despite his warnings, the ATF went ahead with their plan, resulting in the largest gunfight on US soil in over 100 years, and Robert was pinned as the scapegoat. In a rare interview not included in the documentary series, Robert shares intimate memories with Tiller from his time working undercover before narrating the day of the raid from his perspective in grueling detail. 

Bonus Series! This is Episode One of the companion podcast series for Tiller's new Netflix series, Waco: American Apocalypse.    Waco: American Apocalypse is a deep dive into the Netflix documentary series, exploring topics and interviews that didn’t make the final cut. In Episode One, director Tiller Russell and reporter Lee Hancock paint a complex portrait of cult leader David Koresh – the controversial figure at the center of the story – and discuss how he convinced over 100 people (and perhaps himself) that he was a living prophet. Featuring excerpts from interviews with FBI Agent Bob Ricks, Hostage Rescue Team Sniper Chris Whitcomb, Branch Davidian Kathy Schroeder, and Heather Jones, the last child to make it out of the compound alive.

“How would I describe myself? Fuck you. You can describe me.” Fair enough. The Oscar-nominated director of 1988’s essential documentary “Who Killed Vincent Chin?” before she became a NYU professor famous for drinking vodka on the rocks during class, Shanghai-born filmmaker Christine Choy is a character so incandescent that she’s every bit as powerful in front of the camera as she is behind it — a fact that “The Exiles” seizes upon from the moment it starts. In their debut feature film, Ben Klein and Violet Columbus follow their former professor Christine as she tracks down three exiled dissidents from the Tiananmen Square massacre to help her find closure on an abandoned film she began shooting in 1989. "The Exiles" premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and was awarded the Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Documentary. In today's episode, Ben and Violet reflect on being mentored by Christine Choy (3:10), pitching the film premise to Christine (6:21), getting the film off the ground (10:30), replicating Christine’s archival footage with modern cinematography (15:58), building the interview setup in an empty movie theater (18:12), persuading Steven Soderberg to be an Executive Producer (22:12), deciding when to screen the film (28:50), and winning the Grand Jury Prize at a virtual Sundance (32:15). 

The Academy Award Winner for Best Documentary in 2010, Inside Job, shows that the 2008 global financial Armageddon was no accident; it was predicted and could have been prevented. Director Charles Ferguson, with narration by Matt Damon, created a compelling, wonderfully illuminating film that provides a detailed examination of the rogue industry that led to the collapse and identifies key corrupt financial and political players.  Charles joins Tiller to reflect on his iconic film, in which he discusses getting tipped off to the impending collapse of the housing marking (1:42), intense negotiations with Sony Picture Classics (5:40), framing it as a crime genre flick (8:28), conducting contentious interviews with corrupt bankers and brokers (15:28), blowback from Wall Street (20:42), translating complex ideas for a broad audience (26:12), and what he’s working on now (32:10).

In Alexander Nanau's 2019 Oscar nominated documentary "Collective", a fire at Bucharest’s Colectiv nightclub leaves 27 dead and 180 injured. Soon, more burn victims begin dying in hospitals from wounds that were not life-threatening. One revelation leads to another as the journalists start to uncover vast health care fraud. When a new health minister is appointed, he offers unprecedented access to his efforts to reform the corrupt system but also to the obstacles he faces. Following journalists, whistle-blowers, burn victims, and government officials, "Collective" is an uncompromising look at the impact of investigative journalism at its best. In today's discussion, Alexander shares with Tiller the film's point of origin (1:22), how he cultivated journalist sources in a Communist regime (6:30), constructing scenes while shooting verité (10:57), acquiring footage of the fire at Colectiv nightclub (18:40), gaining access to the  Minister of Health (27:41), views on the fundamental failure of totalitarian society (31:45), and his unique writing process (40:30). 

Midwest-born and raised, David is a first-generation Cambodian-Mexican-American filmmaker. His SXSW award-winning feature debut BAD AXE captures his closely-knit Asian American family living in rural Michigan during the pandemic as they fight to keep their local restaurant and American dream alive. With rising racial tensions, the family uses their voice and must unite as they reckon with backlash from a divided community, white supremacists, and intergenerational trauma from Cambodia's "killing fields." David speaks to Tiller about starting to film his family with no idea where it was going (3:45), finding universality in his family's story (12:26), the American Experience (17:28), his editing process (21:01), including himself in the narrative (30:01), and screening the film for his family and town for the first time (39:58).

Academy and Emmy Award winning director Alex Gibney, head of the prolific doc studio Jigsaw Productions, has a new film about an old legend, Paul Simon. “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon”, is a look back on Paul Simon's extraordinary six-decade career as well as an intimate glimpse into his creative process as he is in the studio creating his newest album, Seven Psalms. In his discussion with Tiller, Alex reflects on capturing both the practical and mystical method of Paul’s creative process (2:20), starting to put the film together with Paul (8:30), weaving the distant past with the present day (15:30), uncovering the intimacy between Paul and Wynton Marsalis through their disagreements (21:30), and how creating music is unexpectedly evocative of the documentary process itself (28:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Narrative director Ramin Bahrani – best known for The White Tiger, Fahrenheit 451, and 99 Homes – speaks to Tiller today about his debut documentary feature entitled “2nd Chance”, a brilliantly inquisitive film about the inventor of the bullet proof vest, who shot himself in the chest 196 times. A self-made mythical figure with an allergy to accountability, Richard Davis’s hilarious yet heartbreaking story is a particularly American one, as Bahrani puts it.    During their discussion: Ramin reflects on: His personal journey to taking on this film (2:40)  Extracting truth from a sociopath (10:30) The invaluable note from EP Joshua Oppenheimer (19:23) Influences on his voice-over script (25:04) The powerful final scene (30:55) Ending the film with Richard shooting himself over and over (37:20)

Bing Liu exploded onto the scene in 2018 with his Academy-award nominated documentary “Minding the Gap”, an extraordinary portrait of three young men (himself included) as they bond through skateboarding to escape their volatile family life in their Rust Belt home town. As they face adult responsibilities, unexpected revelations threaten their decade-long friendship. In today’s episode, Bing chats with Tiller about the origin and evolution of “Minding the Gap” (1:28), his editor Josh Altman’s invaluable perspective (7:34), braiding together individual storylines (14:00), exploring the topic of race through Kiere’s eyes (18:00), working with his composer (25:32), the evolution of a healthy soul (30:33), and the meaning behind the final track of the film (37:50). 

Academy Award nominated filmmaker Amy Berg has built a prolific career elevating the voice of the underdog, investigating systemic abuse, and shining a light in dark places. She began with Deliver Us From Evil - a shocking revelation of child abuse in the Catholic Church - and most recently created Phoenix Rising, the true story of actress and activist Evan Rachel Wood's journey passing domestic violence legislation and naming her own infamous abuser for the first time. In today’s episode, she reflects on how she chooses her film topics (2:05), her approach to addressing hyper-sensitive subjects (8:45), the origin of Phoenix Rising (13:20), contending with the power of “celebrity” (18:50), how Twitter has changed the dialogue (22:00), examining Evan Rachel Wood’s personal archive (27:00), constructing the animation (31:23), collaborating with Evan (34:50), what has driven her to tell these stories (43:30), and how we can stop the cycle of systemic abuse (47:00). 

“Popcorn Doc” auteur and king of Miami Billy Corben, best known for his mainstream hit Cocaine Cowboys, joins Tiller to discuss his latest explosive film God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty, which profiles former pool attendant Giancarlo Granada’s 7-year relationship with charming older woman, Becki Falwell, and her husband, the Evangelical Trump stalwart Jerry Falwell Jr., as well as the overarching influence this affair had on a presidential election. In their discussion, Billy chats about his path from child actor to doc director (1:55), becoming the face of Miami filmmaking (8:00), finding his signature style while crafting Cocaine Cowboys (10:20), developing God Forbid with Adam McKay (15:25), how he keeps his interviews fresh (27:00), the terror of filming without any other interviews booked (32:00), his original photography and editing process (43:53), and his biggest failure: staying sane (49:29). 

Matthew Heineman is an Oscar-nominated director whose films plunge viewers deep into some of the most tumultuous conflicts in the world. His new film, "Retrograde", tells the story of the last months of the 20-year war in Afghanistan through the intimate relationship between American Green Berets and the Afghan officers they trained, resulting in the heart-wrenching fall of Kabul. In this conversation with Tiller, Matthew reflects on his own fascination with military service (3:20), pivoting from filming the Green Berets to Afghan General Sami Sadat (6:56), how he achieved such incredible intimacy with his subjects (9:50), constructing the story in real time (16:02), the parallels between himself and his protagonist (22:20), sneaking back into Kabul during the fall (24:54), crying while filming (30:15), and how he plans to push himself further as a storyteller (32:50). 

Director James Marsh (The Theory of Everything) joins Tiller to revisit his Academy-Award winning film “Man on Wire”, a joyous and masterful documentary about high-wire daredevil Philippe Petit’s 1974 stunt: performing acrobatics on a thin wire strung between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Their thoughtful discussion touches on sanctifying the Twin Towers in a post 9/11 era (2:25), James's process of courting Philippe (12:14), the film's unlikely success at the Sundance Film Festival (19:00), making documentaries cinematic (24:00), trusting the audience (25:45), crafting unique reconstructions (30:42), the hidden blessings of small budgets (38:00), signing a blood pact for Philippe's film archive (42:09), and finally whether James ever intends to return to nonfiction filmmaking (46:00). 

Director and Conversation Journalist Pippa Ehrlich joins Tiller to discuss her first – and Oscar winning – film “My Octopus Teacher”, which documents a year spent by filmmaker Craig Foster forging a relationship with a wild octopus in the South African kelp forest. Pippa reflects on meeting Craig for the first time (2:27), learning underwater tracking (5:50), being gripped by “The Terrible Feeling” (9:18), and experiencing a shared consciousness with nature (13:30), before diving into the filmmaking specifics of crafting her three-day interview with Craig (20:04), finding the narrative structure and musical score (31:00), directing a team of masters (35:10), and reflecting on the life-altering experience of winning the Oscar on her first film and seeing her baby go out into the world (42:00). 

Disclaimer: This episode is not about a documentary. But when an idol comes calling, you answer. Legendary Hollywood film director William Friedkin sits down with Tiller for a rare interview to share stories about his Oscar-winning film “The French Connection”, including developing the script (2:30), directing Gene Hackman (16:30), never rehearsing (20:06), filming all over New York (22:45), hiring Fidel Castro’s cameraman (30:00), how it compares to “the perfect movie” (41:38), outwitting studio executives (48:50), and why winning the Academy Award was, as William put it, “the saddest day of my life” (59:02).

Iconic music documentary director Emmett Malloy joins Tiller to share stories and secrets from the making of his latest film “Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell” about the rapper Notorious B.I.G., including how he initially got the job (3:00), earning the trust of Ms. Wallace, Biggie's Mom (15:20), connecting with Biggie's best friend D. Roc (27:45), working with over 100 hours of rare footage (34:10), interviewing P. Diddy (45:00), and the honor of adding to Biggie's legacy (52:15).

Tiller chats with director Mark Lewis about his hit Netflix documentary "Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer", the hilarious yet harrowing tale of a widespread Internet group of animal lovers who came together to capture a murderer. Their conversation touches on Mark's fascination with true crime and the power of Internet sleuths (3:30), then goes deeper into how Mark and Tiller earn the trust of their interview subjects (17:00), until finally revealing how much films change in post (32:00) and what they believe is the true essence of documentary filmmaking (57:40).

Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s newest film, “The Grab”, is an earth-shattering revelation. Over six years in the making, it follows the incredible work of an investigative journalist who uncovers the money, influence and alarming rationale behind covert efforts to control the most vital resource on the planet. In her discussion with Tiller, Gabriela reflects on her journey of starting to go down this treacherous rabbit hole (1:00), making a complicated global plot feel like a digestible, present tense thriller (8:00), her collaborative methods (15:30), what happened to the film when they received 20,000 secret emails (22:30), how to end an existentially terrifying investigative film like this with genuine hope (29:00), and selling the film’s commercial appeal despite possibly making enemies with world power governments (36:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

Tiller sits with Oscar nominated and Emmy winning filmmaker Joe Berlinger, whose iconic career includes landmark films such as the "Paradise Lost" series, "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster", "Crime Scene", and "Conversations With a Killer." In this conversation, Berlinger describes his unconventional journey to filmmaking (4:00), then discusses the making of his 1992 masterpiece "Brother's Keeper" and why crime is such a perfect genre for documentary filmmakers (28:48), before finally breaking down how the medium of documentaries has evolved since the late 1980s (47:40). ---------------- Films discussed in this episode: Endless Summer (1966) dir. Bruce Brown. Stranger Than Paradise (1984) dir. Jim Jarmusch. The Thin Blue Line (1988) dir. Errol Morris. Brother’s Keeper (1992) dir. Joe Berlinger. Hoop Dreams (1994) dir. Steve James. Paradise Lost (1996 - 2011) dir. Joe Berlinger. Collective (2019) dir. Alexander Nanau. Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (2019) dir. Joe Berlinger. Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel (2021) dir. Joe Berlinger.

Tiller talks to the multi-talented producer/director Jaimie D’Cruz about his journey from founding a hip-hop magazine to being nominated for an Oscar for the documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop,” a brilliant collaboration with the legendary and elusive street artist Banksy.

Fresh off their popular sports anthology series "Untold", Emmy-winning filmmakers Maclain and Chapman Way sit with Tiller to revisit their their groundbreaking series, "Wild Wild Country", where they discuss everything from humanizing cult figures and breaking out in stress hives while editing, to the bright future of documentaries.

Oscar-winning producer James Gay-Rees shares the monumental challenges he faced while crafting the archival-only masterpieces "Amy" (on the life and tragic death of Amy Winehouse) and "Senna” (about the Brazilian racing champion Ayrton Senna), as well as what it really means to be a producer.