Filmmakers Collaborative

12/09/2025

NEW Podcast: Long-time friend of the pod, Tim O’Donnell of Pixela Pictura Films, and first-time guest Mary Dague join us to discuss the just-completed film, "The Last Yztari."

This innovative and moving film tells the story of how, after using her body as a shield to protect her unit from an IED in Iraq, Mary Dague is left medically retired, missing both arms from the elbow down.

Many years after returning home, she finds a new place in online gaming communities as she adapts her controllers to work with her feet.

When her active-military husband readies to deploy again Mary is faced with the trauma of the past and the worry for her partner's yet to be diagnosed PTSD.

The film explores the liminal space between trauma and healing, and this world and a fantasy space where old wounds might present themselves as future insights or abilities. (Link to trailer in Comments.)

The film weaves observational documentary with an original generative AI system built from Mary's own fantasy novel. The novel itself a secret only revealed to the filmmakers and her husband after seven years of writing.

On this episode, host Michael Azevedo joined by long-time friend of the podcast Tim O’Donnell of Pixela Films and by first-time guest Mary Dague to discuss the just-completed film, "The Last Yztari." This innovative and moving film tells the story of how after using her body as a shield to protect...

12/09/2025

"...In the two months since Sora arrived, deceptive videos have surged on TikTok, X, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, according to experts who track them. The deluge has raised alarm over a new generation of disinformation and fakes.

Most of the major social media companies have policies that require disclosure of artificial intelligence use and broadly prohibit content intended to deceive. But those guardrails have proved woefully inadequate for the kind of technological leaps OpenAI’s tools represent."

Apps like OpenAI’s Sora are fooling millions of users into thinking A.I. videos are real, even when they include warning labels.

12/08/2025

“...'One Battle After Another,' a blisteringly funny look at a repressive society riven by political violence, dominated the 2026 Golden Globe Awards nominations on Monday, earning nine nominations.

It was followed closely behind by 'Sentimental Value,' a drama about a filmmaker’s dysfunctional family, and “Sinners,” a vampire movie set in the segregated South, which earned eight nominations and seven nominations, respectively.

See the 2026 Golden Globe nominations, where 'One Battle After Another' and 'White Lotus' lead film and TV.

12/08/2025

"...From Charlie Chaplin donning a Hitler-esque uniform to send up fascism in 1940’s The Great Dictator to Jane Fonda’s endeavor to channel the women’s movement in 1980’s 9 to 5, stars have leveraged their celebrity and charisma to amplify social or political issues they care about.

Today, one path for them to do so is to take on a supportive, even hype-mannish role as an executive producer on films and documentaries tackling societal problems."

Political projects that need the exposure (and distribution) are increasingly turning to issue-driven A-listers to get out their message.

12/06/2025

ProPublica examined months of Fox News’ coverage and reviewed over 700 videos posted on social media.

The network used five-year-old footage, mislabeled other dates and implied footage from elsewhere was in Portland.

After reviewing coverage from the network and hours of social media videos that preceded Trump’s decision, ProPublica found that Fox’s portrayal of “Portland rioters” routinely instigating violence was misleading.

12/06/2025

It's that time of year; let the "best-of" lists begin! This one from Film Stage.

"...A sprawling odyssey of the Black experience, Independent journalists fighting back in Russia, the life of a bullfighter, a deep dive into the video-store era, meta dissections of true crime, a look inside one of the most ambitious films of the decade, and the life of a legendary director: these are just a few of the subjects and stories this year’s finest documentaries brought us. With 2025 wrapping up, we’ve selected the non-fiction features that left us most impressed."

A sprawling odyssey of the Black experience, Independent journalists fighting back in Russia, the life of a bullfighter, a deep dive into the video-store era, meta dissections of true crime, a look inside one of the most ambitious films of the decade, and the life of a legendary director: these are....

12/05/2025

"...At a key court hearing in Washington, D.C., NPR's lawyers accused President Trump of acting illegally on May 1 when he issued an executive order demanding an end to all federal subsidies for NPR and PBS.

The president's order and materials that accompany it accuse the public broadcasters of ideological bias, in NPR's case due to its news coverage. The networks deny this."

NPR was in court for a pivotal hearing arguing that the Trump administration had broken the law with its treatment of public media.

12/04/2025

For the first time, The New Yorker opens up its offices to Academy Award-winning director Marshall Curry, allowing unprecedented access to its newsroom at a pivotal moment for all media, offering a rare look at what it took to publish a century of intrepid journalism, generation-defining fiction, and unforgettable cartoons.

"The New Yorker at 100" releases on Netflix December 5th.

For the first time, The New Yorker opens up its offices to Academy Award-winning director Marshall Curry, allowing unprecedented access to its newsroom at a ...

12/04/2025

"...Tammie Rosen, a staple of the indie film world who most recently worked at the Sundance Institute as chief communications officer, has died after a battle with cancer. She was 49 years old.

'Tammie was a remarkable leader whose integrity, compassion, and unwavering commitment to our organization will have a lasting impact,' Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute Board Chair, said in a statement. 'Under her stewardship, Sundance Institute’s story was told with heart and authenticity because, quite simply, she embodied the joy and power of our mission.'..."

Tammie Rosen, a chief communications officer at Sundance and Tribeca, has died at 49 after a battle with cancer.

12/03/2025

"...When Wirecutter conducted an investigation into the tracking habits of modern smart devices, we (and our readers) were alarmed by how much data collection smart TVs engaged in. Considering that almost every TV is smart these days, there’s almost no avoiding it unless you turn it off in your specific TV.

Here’s what you need to know."

Smart TVs can track and catalog everything you watch. Here’s what you need to know — and how to turn off the function.

12/02/2025

"...This is, unfortunately, not the first time this has happened when a classic series has changed platforms and/or formats. Most shows that originated in the 20th century were filmed in standard definition, in the classic 4:3 aspect ratio. Putting the images into a higher resolution, and then reframing them for widescreen television, has created similar problems."

The errors in one of the most beautiful shows ever made continue a modern tradition of reformatting things that are better off left alone.

12/02/2025

Haven’t listened to our most recent episode yet?

🎙️ In this clip, director Daniel Masciari shares how he and cinematographer Jackson Jarvis brought the cold, textured world of Stationed at Home to life—by stripping it down to light, shadow, and imagination. Stationed At Home

🌌 Set on a wintry Christmas Eve and filmed entirely at night, the film’s black-and-white aesthetic invites viewers to dream deeper and connect more intimately with its strange, beautiful characters.

🎧 Full episode out now: https://fcmakingmedia.podbean.com/e/daniel-masciari-makes-film-directing-debut-with-stationed-at-home/