Everyone in Hollywood seems to have a podcast nowadays, but there are quite a few audio gems in the filmmaking realm. If you’re looking for a new podcast or two to follow, here are some of the best filmmaking podcasts currently on the air.
Great for: Industry professionals involved in all facets of production.
To kick things off, did you know that Wrapbook has its very own podcast?
On Production is a show dedicated to the “intersection of creativity and commerce.” Co-founder Cameron Woodward speaks with industry experts on topics ranging from film tax incentives to representation in film and TV to partnerships and collaboration.
The podcast offers valuable insights to help everyone from aspiring filmmakers to seasoned pros navigate the complex world of production.
Great for: Filmmakers hoping to geek out over aspect ratios and shooting stories.
Here’s a different kind of uncut gem.
True to its form-bending films like The Lighthouse and Everything Everywhere All at Once, A24’s ad-free, host-free podcast captures boundless conversations between filmmakers. Launched in 2018, the podcast pairs high-profile guests and lets them chat freely.
The unique format makes it one of the best filmmaking podcasts for more off-the-cuff inspiration and advice. Recent pairings include Emma Stone and Julio Torres, Celine Song and Sofia Coppola, and Brendan Fraser and Michelle Yeoh.
Great for: Aspiring or professional producers and anyone who works with producers.
For the last few years, Angle on Producers has gone in depth with guests to get insights into all the different roles a producer can play, as well as the less glamorous realities producers face every day.
This unique spotlight on producers makes this one of the best filmmaking podcasts available.
Great for: Filmmakers interested in examining the representation of women in media.
On The Bechdel Cast, hosts Caitlin Durante and Jamie Loftus, along with occasional special guests, examine movies through the lens of intersectional feminism. Each week, they pick a movie and use the titular Bechdel Test as a jumping-off point to explore how women are represented in the film.
Both hosts come from a comedy background, so you can expect lightness and silliness alongside more serious analysis of harmful film tropes.
Great for: Podcast series producers and anyone aspiring to build a galaxy in their films.
Blockbuster is an award-winning podcast that spotlights the creators of some of the highest grossing movies. The narrative style format creates a rich experience where you feel by the end you know the filmmakers the podcast features.
Season one focuses on Steven Spielberg and George Lucas and how their personal and career struggles led to the Star Wars franchise. Season two centers around James Cameron, the man who helped Arnold Schwarzenegger and Leonardo DiCaprio reach households worldwide. This is the best filmmaker podcast with a season-based format for those who prefer to follow a story for multiple episodes.
Great for: Directors, writers, producers, actors, and anyone else into biz banter.
The Hollywood Reporter’s Kim Masters shoots the breeze around the latest entertainment industry news alongside conversations with A-list stars, directors, producers, and writers. A former correspondent for NPR, Masters has also served as a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, TIME, and Esquire, and was a staff reporter for The Washington Post.
Episode highlights include The Last Dance director Jason Hehir sharing his time sitting down with Michael Jordan to get the docuseries out earlier due to the pandemic.
Great for: Anyone looking to fund an indie film or break into the biz.
Each season, Catch a Break host Julie Harris Walker and a panel of other entertainment industry experts explore specific themes around navigating a career in Hollywood.
Season one revolves around networking and getting your first job in Hollywood, while season two explores developing and funding an independent film. Season three highlights how different departments collaborate together on a project. Season four uses Max (formerly HBO) original film Gray Matter as a case study and interviews a different department for each episode.
Follow the show on Instagram to see what season five will bring!
Since 2014, The Cinematography Podcast has been releasing interview-based episodes on the craft of film. While the hosts mostly interview cinematographers, they’ve also had showrunners, editors, designers, actors, and other artists on the show.
Recent guests include Saltburn cinematographer Linus Sandgren who discussed how Caravaggio paintings, vampire films, and fashion photography were among the influences for the look of the film.
Great for: Directors and producers.
The Directors Guild of America presents The Director’s Cut, a podcast featuring the directors at the helm of many of the most talked-about films. Each episode includes directors interviewing their peers, providing an inside view of directing.
This is one of the best filmmaker podcasts around for directors, since episodes include cream of the crop directors like Aaron Sorkin and the Russo brothers.
Great for: Anyone looking to connect with or listen to hardcore cinephiles.
If you’re seeking to get a pulse on what critics think of popular releases, you’ll want to add The Filmcast to your rotation. The podcast features David Chen, Jeff Cannata, and Engadget editor Devindra Hardawar diving into and debating films with bloggers, directors, and other guests.
For bonus episodes, you can subscribe to the show’s Patreon. These exclusive episodes include extra editions of The Filmcast: After Dark series where the hosts cover a range of topics from non-region Blu-rays to de-aging actors.
Great for: Anyone who loves analyzing films.
Film reviews and any sort of critiques are fair game and expected in Filmspotting.
Filmspotting analyzes current films, classics, and forgotten gems. Tune into its annual Golden Brick Awards to discover the most overlooked films as recommended by its hosts, which include executive producer Adam Kempenaar.
Have random shower thoughts about your favorite five movies of 1988? That’s why they have top-five format episodes like “The Top Five Anthony Hopkins Performances.”
Great for: Fans of movies that are so bad they’re good.
Here’s another podcast for Earwolf fans — and anyone who loves a good hate-watch. On How Did This Get Made?, comedians Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas join forces to discuss movies that swung and missed.
Catch the mini-episodes to hear advice from Paul, along with bonus episodes.
Great for: Producers, directors, and cinematographers.
Alex Ferrari’s weekly Indie Film Hustle podcast covers the nuts and bolts of DIWAST (Do-It-With-a-Small-Team) filmmaking including color grading, post-production, distribution, and filmmaking software.
Recent episodes focus on screenwriting, with topics like “How To Write For CSI Vegas, NCSI & Law & Order SVU,” “Screenwriting For Netflix And Television,” and “The Art Of Creating Memorable Characters.” Each of these features a different seasoned screenwriter as a guest.
Having worked on over 1,000 projects, Alex’s filmmaking podcast brings a realistic perspective to getting a movie created and produced.
Great for: Anyone trying to keep up with the indie film business.
Each weekly episode of Indiewire: Screen Talk features IndieWire chief film critic Eric Kohn chatting with “Thompson on Hollywood”'s Anne Thompson about the indie film world.
Topics range from the impact of current events on the industry, upcoming film festivals, and award show speculation. Listen to this podcast to feel in the loop on major industry happenings.
Great for: Film award aficionados.
If you love keeping up with the Oscars, the Emmys, and other awards shows, Little Gold Men might be one of the best filmmaking podcasts for you. The podcast covers not only award predictions and nominations but also the campaigns and festivals that lead to them.
The Vanity Fair-presented podcast also features regular interviews with buzzy actors and filmmakers.
Great for: Anyone looking to build their career in tv or film production.
No Film School is a popular online resource for filmmaking, so it’s no wonder it produces one of the best filmmaker podcasts. Whether you’re starting or growing your filmmaking career, the No Film School podcast gets down to the nitty gritty with working pros. If you have a specific film you enjoyed and want to get a behind-the-scenes look at or information on filming techniques, be sure to listen in.
Cherry-pick episodes based on whatever you’re looking to learn with episodes dedicated to screenwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, and producing.
Great for: Anyone that's writing in the entertainment world.
On Scriptnotes, hosts John August and Craig Mazin discuss all things related to scripts and how to properly credit support staff. Occasionally, they even read scripts that writers send in and give notes on the podcast.
Explore a deep archive of episodes based on specific topics like copyrighting your work, "dealing with deals," or projects they’ve written including Big Fish, Chernobyl, and more. This is among the best filmmaking podcasts for screenwriters.
Great for: Anyone looking to get direct access to one of the industry’s leading cinematographers, Roger Deakins.
You’re in good company as a filmmaker when you listen to this podcast with the DP for films like True Grit and Skyfall. Team Deakins features cinematographer Roger Deakins and James Deakins, his collaborator and spouse, as they discuss cinematography, the film business, and listener-submitted questions.
Among the aspects of the show that rank it among the best filmmaker podcasts is being able to ask Team Deakins anything. If you have follow-up questions to a recent episode, you can submit your questions on Roger’s site.
Great for: Anyone who wants to dig into classic movies.
Actor/comedian Paul Scheer (of How Did This Get Made?) and film critic Amy Nicholson work together in Unspooled to create the ultimate list of GOAT movies.
In the podcast’s first season, Paul and Amy combed through the AFI 100’s top films. Now they’re diving into different genres with input from their listeners. Listen along as they dissect key scenes and chat with the cast and crew surrounding these films.
Great for: Working and aspiring television writers.
Host Ben Blacker is your captain for The Writers Panel, which features interviews and panels with writers, producers, and showrunners for hit shows.
As you weigh balancing art and business, you can get pragmatic tips and candid conversations from past guests like Vince Gilligan of Breaking Bad, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, Elizabeth Meriwether of New Girl, and Damon Lindelof of The Leftovers.
Like most writers, you probably have a ton on your plate so if you’re looking to fine-tune specific processes, consider this podcast your huckleberry.
Great for: Anyone who wants to know more Hollywood history.
Dive into the past with one of the best filmmaking podcasts for armchair historians. You Must Remember This explores Hollywood’s first century. Karina Longworth, founder of the now-defunct film blog Cinematical, produces and narrates each episode, navigating what really went down surrounding films, stars, and scandals.
Episodes cover everything from the actress Mary Astor (star of The Maltese Falcon) to the controversial Disney film Song of the South. Catch a series of episodes covering the life of producer, screenwriter, and trailblazer Polly Platt.
Filmmaking podcasts offer a wealth of knowledge and advice on how to not only break into the industry but also thrive in it.
For firsthand insights on how to navigate the entertainment world, be sure to follow On Production for regularly published episodes with Wrapbook Co-founder Cameron Woodward.
At Wrapbook, we pride ourselves on providing outstanding free resources to producers and their crews, but this post is for informational purposes only as of the date above. The content on our website is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal, accounting, or tax advice. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances.