'Expats' Director Lulu Wang on the Power of Saying “No”…and Sound

Let’s say you’re an indie filmmaker and Nicole Kidman asks you to direct her tv show. You say “hell yeah,” right? Well, that wasn’t Lulu Wang’s first response when she was approached to direct the Amazon Prime limited series, Expats.

In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins, speaks with Director Lulu Wang to discuss:

Why Lulu originally rejected Nicole Kidman’s proposal to direct the show
How she protected her creative vision in a high production, studio project
Exploring and dissecting privilege throughout the show
Where they always start when planning each episode
Changing the visual language in each episode
Episode 5, "Central" (who premiered as a standalone film at TIFF)
The different perspectives represented in the writer’s room
The benefits to shooting on location
Recording real life sounds while location scouting
Starting a production company to support other filmmakers
Why emerging filmmakers shouldn’t follow industry trends

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_{This episode of The No Film School Podcast was produced by GG Hawkins.}

From Your Site Articles

Atikamekw Suns and Carry On win big on a night of celebration for independent cinema.

It's been a big year for Slamdance. What many of us in the filmmaking community knew as Sundance's weird little brother is growing up to be their own reputable festival, moving from Park Slope to Los Angeles next year. The Slamdance Group also made moves last night with their first annual awards ceremony celebrating independent film, the Indies Awards.

Many of the buzziest independent films in narrative and documentary went home big this year, with projects like Atikamekw Suns, Carry On, and The People's Jokerwalking away with newly minted Indies trophies.

"The Indies is where distinctly independent US and Indigenous feature filmmakers and their films will be seen, heard, and properly recognized year after year in Hollywood,” said Indie Awards co-founder Paul Rachman. Indie Awards co-founder Ben Umstead added, “Such recognition is a powerful tool for change of the status quo, and embracing change equals the film industry at its best.” - Slamdance Group

No Film School loves a good celebration of inclusive independent cinema, and we're both delighted and excited with Slamdance's growth this year. Check out the winners below!

Keep ReadingShow less

'Expats' Director Lulu Wang on the Power of Saying “No”…and Sound

“If you follow the trend, you’re always going to be a step behind.”

Slamdance Announces Winners for the First-Ever Indies Awards

Atikamekw Suns and Carry On win big on a night of celebration for independent cinema.

Narrative Awards

Best Narrative Feature

Outstanding Storytelling Craft

Outstanding Technical Achievement

Outstanding Ensemble and Casting

The Native Viewpoint Award For Outstanding Indigenous Community Story Collaboration

The Narrative Committee Renegade Award

The Narrative Committee Authenticity Award

Documentary Rewards

Best Documentary Feature

Outstanding Storytelling Craft

Outstanding Cinematography

Outstanding Use of Archival Footage

The Documentary Committee Spotlight Award

The Native Viewpoint Award For Indigenous Film Critic’s Best Overall Selection

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