Soundstage Access

This week we welcome on the show Courtenay Miles — a WGA-nominated screenwriter and assistant director whose credits include MINDHUNTER, GONE GIRL and the upcoming THE FURTHER MIS-ADVENTURES OF CLIFF BOOTH, starring Brad Pitt. In today's conversation, Courtenay shares the remarkable story of her transition from assistant director to screenwriter, reflects on her years-long collaboration with David Fincher, and takes us inside the meticulous research and writing process behind MINDHUNTER. Courtenay's latest feature, EVIL GENIUS, directed by Courteney Cox, will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this September. Subscribe to Soundstage Access to share your favorite episodes with your friends. INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/soundstageaccess/ FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/soundstageaccess/ TWITTER: twitter.com/SoundstageAC

Today's episode is a masterclass with Christopher McQuarrie — an Oscar-winning director, screenwriter, and producer whose credits include THE USUAL SUSPECTS, TOP GUN: MAVERICK, and over half of the entire MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE franchise. We discuss everything, from the creative pressure of winning an Oscar at age 26 to the way Buster Keaton influenced the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE films, and how McQuarrie and Tom Cruise’s relationship with audiences shapes the way they approach filmmaking. Subscribe to Soundstage Access to share your favorite episodes with your friends. INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/soundstageaccess/ FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/soundstageaccess/ TWITTER: twitter.com/SoundstageAC Thumbnail photo credit: Tony Olmos

**Minor spoilers for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING** We welcome on the show Hollywood composer Max Aruj, whose latest credit is MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING. In today’s conversation, Max and I discuss his beginnings as a student at USC, how that led to being mentored by Hans Zimmer; also, the circumstances that led Max and Alfie Godfrey to be chosen as the young composers of this latest MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, and the creative challenges behind the film's climactic sequence. All of this… and much more! Subscribe to Soundstage Access to share your favorite episodes with your friends. INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/soundstageaccess/ FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/soundstageaccess/ TWITTER: twitter.com/SoundstageAC

This week on the show, it’s Nicholas Stoller — a BAFTA-nominated Hollywood director and screenwriter whose credits YES MAN, NEIGHBORS, THE MUPPETS and FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL. His latest film is YOU'RE CORDIALLY INVITED, starring Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon, and it’s currently streaming on Amazon Prime. In today’s conversation, Nick and I discuss the circumstances that brought his first produced film credit as a 28-year-old writer to be a Jim Carrey; also, Nick’s memories from meeting his idol, Oscar-nominee Nora Ephron, the writer of WHEN HARRY MET SALLY and YOU'VE GOT MAIL, and the lesson that Nora taught Nick and that changed his approach to screenwriting forever. All of this… and much more! Make sure you subscribe to Soundstage Access on your favorite podcast platform so you can share your favorite episodes with your friends. INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/soundstageaccess/ FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/soundstageaccess/ TWITTER: twitter.com/SoundstageAC

This week on the show, it’s Erik Jendresen —an Emmy-winning Hollywood screenwriter whose credits include the HBO mini-series BAND OF BROTHERS, as well as the two latest installments in the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE franchise. In today’s conversation, we deep dive into the writing and making of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING (2023) and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING (2025). Erik discusses the reasons the two films were shot simultaneously over the course of four years, and the ways the projects developed — including the actor who was originally cast in the role of the film’s main villain; we also discuss a secret WWII thriller which Erik wrote during the pandemic, and the circumstances that brought Tom Cruise to choose it as his next movie. All of this… and much more! Subscribe to Soundstage Access to share your favorite episodes with your friends. INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/soundstageaccess/ FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/soundstageaccess/ TWITTER: twitter.com/SoundstageAC

How wonderful to welcome on the show Timothy Dowling, a Hollywood screenwriter whose credits include the cult classic ROLE MODELS, the Adam Sandler romantic comedy JUST GO WITH IT, and the explosive rom-com THIS MEANS WAR (starring Tom Hardy, Chris Pine and Reese Witherspoon). In today’s conversation, Tim and I discuss how one of his first scripts making the Blacklist led to him getting the attention of Will Smith, and who were the other Oscar-nominated actors who almost starred in THIS MEANS WAR. Also, how Tim navigated some of the biggest Hollywood writing assignments, especially when the projects he was hired for didn't interest him. All of this… and much more! Make sure you subscribe to Soundstage Access on your favorite podcast platform so you can share your favorite episodes with your friends. INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/soundstageaccess/ FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/soundstageaccess/ TWITTER: twitter.com/SoundstageAC

What a special opportunity to welcome on the show ALEXANDER WITT, perhaps the most influential second unit director of his generation. When it comes to action cinema, he may as well be responsible for the most iconic action sequences of the last 30 years, with credits that include everything from the epic battles of GLADIATOR, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN and AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, to the car chases in THE ITALIAN JOB, FAST X and the 'Daniel Craig era' of the JAMES BOND franchise — including the most recent entry NO TIME TO DIE. Today on the podcast is a masterclass in action cinema, as we discuss behind-the-scenes stories and the making of these movies. All of this… and much more! The trilogy of action thrillers directed by Alexander Witt, titled SAYEN — are now available to stream on Amazon Prime. Make sure you subscribe to Soundstage Access on your favorite podcast platform so you can share your favorite episodes with your friends. INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/soundstageaccess/ FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/soundstageaccess/ TWITTER: twitter.com/SoundstageAC

We're delighted to welcome on the show EVE STEWART, a 4-time Oscar-nominated production designer whose credits include a wide range of prestige period films (THE KING'S SPEECH, LES MISÉRABLES), Marvel's ETERNALS — as well as this year’s brand new movies KRAVEN THE HUNTER and GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE. In today’s conversation, Eve and I discuss her experience designing the Oscar-winning film LES MISÉRABLES, and my favorite movie of 2017, Gore Verbinski’s gothic thriller A CURE FOR WELLNESS. After describing how a freak accident destroyed the sets inside a Berlin soundstage (and how she dealt with the aftermath), Eve also reveals what she makes of the critical and commercial disaster of 2019’s CATS, and what it was like to design the film. All of this… and much more! GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE is now available on home video, with KRAVEN THE HUNTER scheduled to release on December 13, 2024. Make sure you subscribe to Soundstage Access on your favorite podcast platform so you can share your favorite episodes with your friends. INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/soundstageaccess/ FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/soundstageaccess/ TWITTER: twitter.com/SoundstageAC

What a treat to welcome on the show the Oscar-nominated cinematographer of NAPOLEON Dariusz Wolski, whose credits also include NEWS OF THE WORLD, THE MARTIAN, HOUSE OF GUCCI, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, SWEENEY TODD and four films in the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise. In today’s conversation, Dariusz and I discuss the challenges of photographing the epic battle scenes of the new Joaquin Phoenix movie, replacing Kevin Spacey at the last minute for ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD, working on the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise and the reasons why Dariusz chose not to be involved in the upcoming GLADIATOR 2. All of this… and much more! NAPOLEON is now in theaters and on Apple TV+. Make sure you subscribe to Soundstage Access on your favorite podcast platform so you can share your favorite episodes with your friends. INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/soundstageaccess/ FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/soundstageaccess/ TWITTER: twitter.com/SoundstageAC

We're excited to celebrate the release of his latest MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE movie by welcoming on the show the film's Oscar-nominated editor Eddie Hamilton, whose credits include MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT, KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE and TOP GUN: MAVERICK. In today’s conversation, Eddie and I discuss MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE in spoiler-ific detail: how the filmmakers handled the secrecy of certain sequences, often recreating pieces of Italy on a backlot in England; selecting the best take of the infamous motorcycle cliff jump, and why Eddie chose that specific take for the final movie. All of this… and much more! MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE is now in theaters. Make sure you subscribe to Soundstage Access on your favorite podcast platform so you can share your favorite episodes with your friends. INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/soundstageaccess/ FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/soundstageaccess/ TWITTER: twitter.com/SoundstageAC