Show Notes
We’re back! Today we’re speaking to John Yorke, former Head of Drama at Channel 4 and BBC Controller of Drama Series, founder of the BBC Writers’ Academy, and author of the bestselling Into the Woods. We explore the deep mechanics of story, the comfort and power it gives us, and even its role in politics, showing why storytelling isn’t just entertainment, but a fundamental part of being human.
John Yorke’s new book, Trip to the Moon, is out now: https://amzn.eu/d/01SHk6nD
Host: Emile Sherman Guest: John Yorke Producer: Sabrina Organo & Jonah Primo Composer: @Adiescar Artwork: @studiostromberg A See-Saw Films Production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from The Sandbox: A See-Saw Podcast On Creativity
Today we are delighted to be speaking with Tenzing Director Jennifer Peedom. We get into the balancing act between truth and drama, what filmmaking in extreme cold is like (and why we chose not to use a green screen), why it's an “anti-conquering” film, and Tenzing’s life as an outsider in his own community.
We do a deep dive case study into producing Tenzing with Liz Watts, one of Australia's most successful producers — we get into working with a cross-cultural cast and crew, the detail required to stay on top of budgets, and the creative philosophy that held the whole production together.
Today we sit down with Liz Watts, Head of Film and Television, Australia at See-Saw Films. Liz is one of Australia's most successful producers, with credits including Animal Kingdom and The King. Since joining See-Saw, she's executive produced Apple Cider Vinegar for Netflix, produced The Royal Hotel, and led us up a mountain with See-Saw's upcoming Apple Original film, Tenzing.
BAFTA winning casting director Nicky Barrett returns for part two, pulling back the curtain on how movies actually get cast: where star power, financier lists, and directors who need "director-proof" actors collide with the search for something real. The conversation widens into acting styles across cultures, the messy politics of authenticity casting, and closes on a genuinely unresolved question: can an AI performance ever have charisma, or is that something only a human being pretending to be someone else can give you?
"It's not who fits where — it's what is the world we're making." BAFTA award-winning casting director Nikki Barrett joins the show to talk about what makes a great actor, casting as world-building rather than list-filling: the difference between naturalism and truth on screen, why she's drawn to anthropological projects and non-actors, and how the best actors find the "safety to take risks.”