On Story - Season 5

First aired: 4/18/2015 14 episodes

A look inside the creative process of writers, creators and filmmakers.

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Episodes

1. Mad Men: A Conversation with Matthew Weiner.

Aired: 4/18/2015

Mad Men creator, Matthew Weiner, dissects the culture, identity, and status quo of the show, and the psychology behind its beloved antihero, Don Draper. Followed by Faraday Okoro's short film, Full Windsor, about a young boy's quest to preserve a meaningful piece of his past.

2. Fargo & True Detective: Television Anthologies

Aired: 4/25/2015

True Detective director, Cary Fukunaga, and Fargo creator, Noah Hawley, discuss the rise of the television anthology series and how to execute a compelling balance of plot, character, and structure within the bounds of one season. Followed by Elaine Poon's short film, Entrain about Laurent, a young man who absorbed in his own world, draws the attention of a fellow train passenger who shares his interest in rhythm, despite their obvious language barrier.

3. A Conversation with John Ridley

Aired: 5/2/2015

John Ridley reflects on his beginnings and the inspirations that have shaped his approach to screenwriting, with a special look into his journey adapting the Academy Award®-winning script for 12 Years a Slave. Accompanied by Alex Clark's short film, Siren, about two ambulance paramedics faced with an emergency that's out of this world.

4. Deconstructing "The Fly"

Aired: 5/9/2015

Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) and Alvaro Rodriguez (Machete) deconstruct the shock, suspense, and subtleties of David Cronenberg's The Fly and how his execution has contributed to the legitimacy and intellect of the horror genre.

5. Selling Non-Fiction to an Audience: A Conversation with Terry George

Aired: 5/16/2015

Terry George (writer/director Hotel Rwanda; writer In the Name of the Father) reflects on the art of fictionalizing fact and placing ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances as a storytelling vehicle. Followed by Dean Loxton's short film, Under, about a train operator struggling to deal with a traumatic event and finding solace in an unsuspecting way.

6. The Left and Write: Politically Driven Narratives

Aired: 5/23/2015

Beau Willimon (creator House of Cards) and Eli Attie (writer The West Wing) debate politically- driven narratives, power struggles, and dramatizing the truths and fictions that comprise ideologically-charged stories. Accompanied by Topher Field's short film, The Hustle, offering a glimpse inside a swindler's artful technique and deception.

7. Indie Filmmaking in Hollywood: A Conversation with Jay Duplass

Aired: 5/30/2015

Jay Duplass (writer/director Jeff Who Lives at Home, The Puffy Chair) recollects his journey with brother Mark Duplass onto the DIY indie film scene, along with their specific approach to storytelling. Followed by Future Hero, the story of a father, son, and a time-travelling killer android, in a short film by Ramin Serry.

8. Groundhog Day: Deconstructing the Comedy Classic

Aired: 6/6/2015

Danny Rubin, co-writer of "Groundhog Day," deconstructs the film's progression from script to screen and talks about his collaboration with the film's co-writer and director Harold Ramis.

9. Planet of the Apes: Reimagining a Sci-Fi Franchise

Aired: 6/13/2015

Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, co-writers of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, discuss re-imagining the popular sci-fi franchise and their delicate approach to depicting the protagonist's journey.

10. Dead Poets Society: Deconstructing the Acclaimed Classic

Aired: 6/20/2015

Tom Schulman, writer of Dead Poet's Society, deconstructs the story's journey from script to screen, along with his unique working relationships on set with Robin Williams and director Peter Weir.

11. Tommy Lee Jones: Bringing the Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada to Life

Aired: 6/27/2015

Tommy Lee Jones, writer, director, and protagonist of The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, reflects on the making of the film, accompanied by some of his cast and crew. Followed by Roy Rutngamlug's short film, Formosa, TX, about a first generation Asian-American's fleeting encounter with an out-of-towner who stumbles upon his family's diner.

12. Scott Frank: A Screenwriter's Design

Aired: 7/4/2015

Scott Frank (Get Shorty, Out of Sight) reflects on his diverse career writing thrillers and pulp films, and his approach to developing complex characters in search of their identity.

13. Justified: Inside the Writers' Room

Aired: 7/11/2015

Writers from the hit show Justified discuss adapting Elmore Leonard's short story for television and the evolution of the show's tone, rhythm, and setting.

14. Better Call Saul: A Conversation with Peter Gould

Aired: 7/18/2015

Peter Gould, writer, producer, and director of Breaking Bad and co-creator of its spinoff Better Call Saul discusses shifting gears, schemes, and swindles within the world of Saul Goodman pre-Walter White.