Show Notes
Director Noah Baumbach discusses his new film, Jay Kelly, with fellow Director Todd Field in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, he discusses finding inspiration in Fellini, Bergman and other self-reflective cinema, the technical process behind filming the flashback sequences, and how he tailored the lead roles to Actors George Clooney and Adam Sandler.
The film tells the story of movie star Jay Kelly and his devoted manager as they take a whirlwind trip through Europe. Along the way, their journey becomes unexpectedly profound as they are forced to confront their choices, relationships, and the legacies they’ll leave behind.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/events/2025/december2025/jaykelly_qna_1125
More from The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast
Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu discusses his new film, Digger, with fellow Director Denis Villeneuve in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses using theater as a meta layer to reflect the truth of reality in another light, utilizing miniatures and old theater tricks in his production design, and working with Actor Tom Cruise to capture the bravado he was aiming for in the title character.
Director Don Scardino discusses his new film, A Break in the Rain, with fellow Director Laura Belsey in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, he discusses working with Actor Elizabeth Davis when writing the songs of the film, casting Actor Michael O’Keefe in the leading role, and recording the score of the movie himself with a guitar.
Director Chris Rock discusses his new film, Misty Green, with fellow Director Spike Lee in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, he discusses how lead Actor Rosalind Eleazar was selected for the part, finding which scenes worked and what didn’t through his rehearsal process, and approaching the edit of the film like he would a standup special.
Director Alex Stapleton discusses her new film, The Brittney Griner Story, with fellow Director Laura Belsey in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, she discusses her process of shooting master interviews first to find a foundation for her story, interviewing former President Joe Biden, and how she obtained footage of Russian prisons.
Director Michael Russell Gunn discusses his new film, The Brink of War, with fellow Director Rawson Marshall Thurber in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses using transcripts from the real event as reference for the film, utilizing the authentic locations and furniture that were used by the figures depicted in the film, and casting Actor Jeff Daniels as the lead from their past working on The Newsroom together.