Why the 'Head of Story' at One of Hollywood's Biggest Agencies Writes His Own

The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood with James Tager: Sonny Bunch talks to PEN America’s James Tager, the lead author of PEN’s new report, “Made in Hollywood, Censored by Beijing,” to talk about the ways in which China uses the levers of business to ensure that Hollywood’s products reflect the Communist Party line. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

34 min listen

Alyssa Rosenberg and Peter Suderman on post-Trump cultural coverage: This week, Sonny talks to Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post) and Peter Suderman (Reason Magazine), his old friends from Across the Movie Aisle, about the world of movies and movie writing post-Trump. Is Christopher Nolan right that Hollywood studios should be looking to foreign box office dollars? Does Netflix have buyer's remorse about their mega-deals with super-producers? And now that The Trump Show is coming to a close, will the world of cultural writing be able to focus a bit more on, you know, the culture? by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

48 min listen

Shannon Moore on Movie PR in the Age of COVID: This week on the show, Sonny talks to Shannon Moore, the Director of Field Marketing at Allied Global Marketing’s Washington, DC office. Sonny’s been a working film critic for 15 years or so, and the first question he always gets—after “What’s your favorite movie?” which he refuses to answer on general principle—is “How do you see the movies? Do you, like, get a private screening?” So he decided to have Shannon on to talk about this and other facets of marketing movies. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

39 min listen

The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood with Tony Davis: This week on The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood, Sonny talks to Tessive founder Tony Davis, who until last year headed the technology group at RealD, the company that enables 3D movie presentation in over 30,000 theaters around the world, about 3D’s successes, failures, and future in an uncertain exhibition landscape by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

47 min listen

The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood with James Shapiro: Sonny is joined today by James Emanuel Shapiro, who has been an executive in the entertainment industry for 20 years working in home video entertainment, exhibition festival programming and in distribution. He most recently worked at the Alamo Drafthouse where he started their analytics department and contributed to Alamo forming their internal booking department. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

41 min listen

The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood with David Guglielmo: Sonny Bunch talks to David Guglielmo, who in only a few years has cast over 20 feature films, including the critically acclaimed THE STANDOFF AT SPARROW CREEK as well as the upcoming RUN HIDE FIGHT, premiering at this year’s Venice International Film Festival. Additionally Guglielmo writes, directs, and produces his own independent films such as NO WAY TO LIVE and HOSPITALITY. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

35 min listen

The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood with Richard Rushfield: In the inaugural episode of The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood, Sonny Bunch talks to Richard Rushfield about Disney’s decision to charge for early access to MULAN, the future of streaming, and the death of theaters. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

33 min listen

Glenn Kenny on 'Goodfellas,' Martin Scorsese, and the Business of Movie Books: This week’s guest is Glenn Kenny, the author of the excellent new book Made Men: The Story of Goodfellas. Glenn is is a film critic whose work appears in the New York Times and Roger Ebert dot com. He has also written for The Current, Rolling Stone, the Village Voice, the New York Daily news, Playboy, Film Comment, and other publications. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

63 min listen

Zack Stentz on Camp Cretaceous, Rim of the World, and Netflix: This week, Sonny talks to Zack Stentz (“X-Men: First Class,” “Thor,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) about his work with Netflix on the film “Rim of the World” and the hit new show, “Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous.” What’s it like pitching the service that has everything? How is the world of TV evolving as different streaming services aim for different markets? And how can filmmakers working with kids protect them from being exploited? by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

34 min listen

The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood with Gerry Daly: This week, Sonny talks to Gerry Daly, who has 15 years experience in home entertainment sales, including 13 years with 20thCentury Fox, working in Category Management. Also, at one time was an elections & politics blogger with a fairly sizeable audience, quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and New York Post. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

50 min listen

Alison Macor on screenwriting 'Top Gun' and 'Batman': Sonny talks to the Austin-based Alison Macor this week about the life and times of Warren Skaaren this week. Skaaren’s battles with the studios and the Writer’s Guild to get proper credit for his work on Top Gun, Batman, Beverly Hills Cop 2, and Beetlejuice are the subject of her excellent book, Rewrite Man. Consider picking it up after listening to this podcast; it’s a quick read and a great view into a professional script doctor’s process. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

37 min listen

Derek Dye on Family Video and saving our video stores: This week Sonny talks to Derek Dye, the Senior Brand Manager for Highland Ventures, which is the parent company of the iconic Family Video brand. The chain is spearheading the #SaveTheVideoStore campaign, which hopes to raise awareness for those remaining stores. Derek and Sonny discuss the difficulties of operating a video store in general, the extra hardships created by a lack of new content coming from Hollywood, and a good way to save a few bucks while you build up your home video library. Plus: Stranger Things, which will feature the store in their forthcoming season! by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

26 min listen

The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood with Chris Fenton: This week, Sonny talks to “Feeding the Dragon” author Chris Fenton. For seventeen years, Fenton served as president of DMG Entertainment Motion Picture Group and GM of DMG North America, internationally orchestrating the creative and business activities of DMG—a multi-billion dollar global media company headquartered in Beijing. He is currently CEO of Media Capital Technologies and a Trustee of the US-Asia Institute. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

48 min listen

The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood With Chris Yogerst: This week, on the Bulwark Goes to Hollywood, Sonny talks to Chris Yogerst about his new book, “Hollywood Hates Hitler: Jew-Baiting, Anti-Nazism, and the Senate Investigation into Warmongering in Motion Pictures.” Chris is an assistant professor of communication at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the department of Arts & Humanities. He has written for the Washington Post, Hollywood Reporter, and most frequently at the Los Angeles Review of Books. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

36 min listen

Phil Contrino on movie theaters and cinema safety: Sonny is joined this week by Phil Contrino, the Director of Media and Research for the National Association of Theatre Owners. Topics of discussion include the state of the movie theater business (spoiler: it’s kind of dire at the moment, given news that Regal’s U.S. screens are shuttering again), the relative safety of moviegoing as opposed to dining out or attending church (spoiler: it’s much safer!), and what role the government might play in helping ensure theaters don’t go out of business. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

32 min listen

Jesse Nelson of Diabolik DVD Discusses the Boutique Blu-ray Biz: This week Sonny is pleased to be joined by Jesse Nelson, the co-owner of Diabolik DVD and Cauldron Films. Diabolik is one of the best places to pick up boutique Blu-ray discs from outlets like Vinegar Syndrome, Arrow, and Shout/Scream Factory, and he had a number of interesting thoughts about the state of the physical media industry. We also talked a bit about his own label, Cauldron Films, which released a wonderful Blu-ray set of the pictured movie: American Rickshaw. If you’re a fan of physical media or have one in your life, make sure to share this episode with them! by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

40 min listen

David C. Lowery on Making Money by Making Music: On this episode of the Bulwark Goes to Hollywood, David C. Lowery — the singer and guitarist for the bands Camper van Beethoven and Cracker — talks to Sonny Bunch about the economics of the music business, the difficulties of making a living as a middle class musician, and why what’s happening in the world of movies may resemble what happened to the music business in the early 2000s. How does TikTok resemble Spotify, and what dangers does it present to the world? Most importantly: How much would it cost Sonny to license the opening riff of “Teen Angst,” the hit song on Cracker’s debut album, “Cracker”? (Spoiler: way too much for Sonny to be able to afford.) by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

52 min listen

Tom Shone on Christopher Nolan: This week, Sonny is joined by Tom Shone, film critic for the Sunday Times, to talk about his recent book The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan. The book is a must-own if you’re a fan of Nolan, as Shone spent hours with the director of The Dark Knight trilogy, Memento, and Inception. On this episode we talk about influences on Nolan’s work like Jorge Luis Borges (whose collected fiction is also a must-own for those looking to understand the director), how fatherhood has influenced his work, and the politics of The Dark Knight. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

55 min listen

Tony Davis Returns! Why Does Your TV Look Better Than Most Theaters?: You may remember Tony Davis as the guy who explained to us why popcorn grease is destroying movie theater projectors. (He also had lots of interesting thoughts on 3D and the economics of the theater business, but mostly, judging by responses I received: popcorn grease.) He’s back this week to explain why the home theater set you can build in your home looks about as good as a standard (read: non-IMAX or Dolby) theater. (Whether or not it sounds as good is a separate issue.) And he has a few suggestions for theater owners as to how they could step up their game. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

40 min listen

Chris McKenna on 'Community' and Writing for TV and Movies: This week on The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood, Sonny is joined by Chris McKenna. Chris was the co-showrunner on NBC’s (and later Yahoo’s) Community, earning an Emmy nomination for his classic episode “Remedial Chaos Theory.” He’s also the co-writer of the most recent series of Spider-Man films, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and Lego Batman. On this week’s podcast, he discusses the differences between writing for TV and movies, his winding path to screenwriting success, and what it’s like to work with the great Chevy Chase. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

55 min listen

Natalie Metzger on producing indie films in the age of COVID: Sonny is joined today by Natalie Metzger, VP of development and production at Vanishing Angle. She is a Spirit Award nominated producer whose credits include GREENER GRASS, THUNDER ROAD, THE ROBBERY, and THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

37 min listen

Mark Graham on How to Decide What to Watch: This week, Sonny is joined by Mark Graham, the Editor-in-Chief of Decider, a website dedicated to helping solve one of society's most pressing and important issues: What movies and shows should I watch? In this episode we talk about how Mark and his team decide what to cover for Decider and why, looking at how non-traditional audience metrics help determine what’s worth writing about. Plus! Mark offers up some tips for would-be freelancers on getting your work published. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

32 min listen

Nicholas Jarecki on 'Crisis,' Opioids, Releasing a Movie During COVID, and Armie Hammer: On this episode, Nicholas Jarecki—the writer and director of the opioid crisis thriller Crisis—talks about the making and casting of Crisis, the evolving international market for feature films, and the difficulties of promoting a movie when one of the actors is undergoing a PR crisis of his own. We also talk a bit about the evolving nature of film criticism, how one researches a project about drugs while tens of thousands are dying from overdoses, and more. If you enjoy the show, please share it with a friend! Podcasts need love too. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

51 min listen

The Nelms Brothers on 'Fatman,' Casting Mel Gibson, and Sequel Plans?: Sonny talks this week to Ian and Eshom Nelms, the fraternal directorial team behind Fatman, about the circuitous path to making that film, the vagaries of indie economics and budgeting, the clash between critics and audiences on the film, and the possibility of a sequel on the horizon after its surprisingly strong VOD performance. There’s some spoiler-y conversation in the last 10 minutes or so of the show, so you should rent the movie before listening if that sort of thing bothers you! by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

40 min listen

Frank Pallotta on the State of Streaming: On this episode, Sonny talks to CNN’s Frank Pallotta about the state of streaming. What does it mean that the WWE Network is headed to the Peacock? Are HBO Max’s conversion numbers good enough? Why is Disney trying to charge people $30 to rent a cartoon? All this and more on this week’s episode. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

36 min listen

Peter Labuza on Antitrust, Hollywood, and Big Tech: This week Sonny is joined by Peter Labuza to talk about the past, present, and future of antitrust as it relates to Hollywood. In an age of consolidation and technological advance, how will the end of the Paramount Decrees influence what happens in filmmaking? Peter is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Southern California, where he also earned his PhD in Cinema and Media Studies. His research explores the legal, financial, and political history of creative industries. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

45 min listen

Eddie Muller on TCM, Film Noir, and the HFPA's Charitable Work: This week Sonny is joined by Eddie Muller, the host of TCM’s “Noir Alley” and the founder and president of the Film Noir Foundation. We discussed the Foundation’s reliance on the Golden Globes for the funding it procures to help restore long-lost film noirs to something approaching their original condition. We also talked about the world of film restoration more generally and Eddie offered up some picks for those looking to dive into the world of film noir. And make sure to pick up Eddie’s newly revised and expanded edition of Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir. I’ve already ordered my copy! And please: If there’s a noir lover in your life—or someone you hope to convert into a noir lover—make sure to share this episode with them. Just click that little button and pass it along; they’ll surely thank you for it. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

35 min listen

David Thomson on His 'History of Movie Directors' by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

39 min listen

Mike Malloy on the Business of Blu-ray Supplements: On this week’s episode, Sonny talks to Mike Malloy about the home video landscape, what it’s like to make supplements for specialty Blu-ray purveyors, and the world of tough-guy cinema writ large. Mike began as a film journalist for newspapers, magazines and the occasional book. After the decline of print media, he moved into filmmaking with larger projects like his EUROCRIME! documentary. But with budgets hard to come by, he has lately settled into the groove of producing—and appearing in—bonus content for Blu-Rays. You can find his YouTube channel here and his Instagram account here. by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

34 min listen

James Emanuel Shapiro on the Epic WB/HBO Max Brouhaha: On this week’s episode, James Emanuel Shapiro, the COO of Drafthouse Films who started the analytics department at the Alamo Drafthouse and also works as a distribution consultant, talks with Sonny about the epic, amazing, spectacular, disastrous mess that is the decision made by Warner Bros. to release their whole 2021 slate on HBO Max and in theaters simultaneously. Will theaters play ball? Does a shrinking window mean Netflix originals might show up on big screens owned by AMC, Regal, and Cinemark? Will anyone want to work with Warners ever again? All this and more will be discussed on this week’s episode! by The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

41 min listen

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Why the 'Head of Story' at One of Hollywood's Biggest Agencies Writes His Own

Why the 'Head of Story' at One of Hollywood's Biggest Agencies Writes His Own

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