Pizza Film School

Go behind the scenes of The Whisper Man with the filmmakers who brought the psychological thriller from page to screen. In this special two-part edition of Pizza Film School: Secret Sauce, the team breaks down the creative choices, collaboration, and craft behind the film, from adapting Alex North's bestselling novel and developing the mythology of the Whisper Man to directing the cast, building its visual language, designing its world, and shaping the story in the edit.
 
Part One features director James Ashcroft, cinematographer Peter Deming, production designer Anastasia White, and editor Chris Tellefsen, alongside AGBO producers Angela Russo-Otstot, Michael Disco, and Kassee Whiting. They explore working with Robert De Niro, Adam Scott, and Michelle Monaghan, creating the film's look and atmosphere, building character through production design, and finding suspense and story in the edit.
 
Part Two brings together producers Michael Disco and Kassee Whiting with co-writer Chase Palmer to unpack the years-long journey of developing The Whisper Man, adapting the novel for the screen, creating the cassette tapes and mythology surrounding the killer, assembling the cast, and sharing stories from production with Robert De Niro, Adam Scott, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Keaton, and more.
 
Together, the two episodes offer an inside-the-making masterclass in how a psychological thriller evolves from development through production and post.
 
SPOILER WARNING: This is intended as a companion to The Whisper Man and discusses specific scenes, characters, and major story points. Watch the film on Netflix before listening.
 
ABOUT SECRET SAUCE
Secret Sauce is a subseries of Pizza Film School focused on the making of a single AGBO film or TV series. Hosted by AGBO's creative leadership, each episode brings together the filmmakers and key creative collaborators behind a project to explore development, production, and post, offering a practical masterclass on how a project comes to life.
 
ABOUT THE SHOW
Created and hosted by Anthony and Joe Russo, Pizza Film School is a video podcast that demystifies the filmmaking world, with each episode delving into creative processes, favorite films, and personal anecdotes from working in the industry, while enjoying a couple of slices from local pizzerias. An AGBO Production.

Go behind the scenes of The Whisper Man with the filmmakers who brought the psychological thriller from page to screen. In this special two-part edition of Pizza Film School: Secret Sauce, the team breaks down the creative choices, collaboration, and craft behind the film, from adapting Alex North's bestselling novel and developing the mythology of the Whisper Man to directing the cast, building its visual language, designing its world, and shaping the story in the edit.
 
Part One features director James Ashcroft, cinematographer Peter Deming, production designer Anastasia White, and editor Chris Tellefsen, alongside AGBO producers Angela Russo-Otstot, Michael Disco, and Kassee Whiting. They explore working with Robert De Niro, Adam Scott, and Michelle Monaghan, creating the film's look and atmosphere, building character through production design, and finding suspense and story in the edit.
 
Part Two brings together producers Michael Disco and Kassee Whiting with co-writer Chase Palmer to unpack the years-long journey of developing The Whisper Man, adapting the novel for the screen, creating the cassette tapes and mythology surrounding the killer, assembling the cast, and sharing stories from production with Robert De Niro, Adam Scott, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Keaton, and more. Together, the two episodes offer an inside-the-making masterclass in how a psychological thriller evolves from development through production and post.
 
SPOILER WARNING: This is intended as a companion to The Whisper Man and discusses specific scenes, characters, and major story points. Watch the film on Netflix before listening. 
 
ABOUT SECRET SAUCE
Secret Sauce is a subseries of Pizza Film School focused on the making of a single AGBO film or TV series. Hosted by AGBO's creative leadership, each episode brings together the filmmakers and key creative collaborators behind a project to explore development, production, and post, offering a practical masterclass on how a project comes to life.  
 
ABOUT THE SHOW 
Created and hosted by Anthony and Joe Russo, Pizza Film School is a video podcast that demystifies the filmmaking world, with each episode delving into creative processes, favorite films, and personal anecdotes from working in the industry, while enjoying a couple of slices from local pizzerias. An AGBO Production.

This is a Secret Sauce edition of Pizza Film School, a project-focused deep dive into the making of an AGBO release.
 
ABOUT THE EPISODE
Go behind the scenes of The Bluff with the filmmakers who built it from concept to final cut. AGBO's Angela Russo-Otstot and Michael Disco sit down with director Frank E. Flowers, and co-writer Joe Ballarini for a craft-focused conversation on making The Bluff.
 
Starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Karl Urban, The Bluff is an action-packed pirate epic set in the Cayman Islands, inspired by Flowers' personal connection to the region. The team explores how the idea evolved from concept to screenplay to production, unpacking the collaboration, world-building, and creative decisions that shaped the final film.



ABOUT SECRET SAUCE
Secret Sauce is a subseries of Pizza Film School that focuses on the making of a single AGBO film or TV series. Hosted by AGBO's creative leadership, each episode explores development, production, and post with the filmmaking teams, offering a practical masterclass on how a project comes to life.



ABOUT THE SHOW
Created and hosted by Anthony and Joe Russo, "Pizza Film School" is a video podcast that demystifies the filmmaking world with each episode delving into creative processes, favorite films, and personal anecdotes from working in the industry, while enjoying a couple of slices from local pizzerias. An AGBO Production



FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
Instagram: @TheRussoBrothers @AGBOfilms #PizzaFilmSchool #agbofilms
 
00:00:22 - The Bluff: A Grounded 19th Century Pirate Story
00:02:05 - The Origin of The Bluff
00:03:53 - Pirates Week in the Cayman Islands
00:05:23 - First Read of The Bluff at AGBO
00:06:12 - Partnering with Cinestar & Zoe Saldana
00:07:47 - The Zoom Pitch That Sold The Bluff
00:10:05 - The Home Invasion Turn: Blending Western, Horror & Pirate Genres
00:11:11 - Protecting the Vision & Getting the Film Made
00:14:28 - Creative Decisions & Authenticity in The Bluff
00:15:06 - Writing in the Cayman Islands & Archival Research
00:18:18 - Cultural Representation & Casting Authenticity
00:19:13 - Using Virtual Production to Prep The Bluff
00:23:47 - Production Design & Importing Sand for Authenticity
00:25:39 - Shooting Challenges: Weather, Islands & Blessings
00:28:39 - Family on Set & Multilingual Pirate Performances
00:32:15 - Post-Production: Editing, Pace & No Reshoots
00:35:54 - Why Writers & Editors Belong on Set
00:37:00 - What The Bluff Means to the Filmmakers

Acclaimed composer Henry Jackman (Captain America: Civil War, The Gray Man, Cherry) joins Anthony and Joe Russo for an in-depth exploration of cinematic scoring. From early classical training to cutting-edge electronic textures, Jackman breaks down how theme, tone, and story intersect in film music.
WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/PcPjjzL9rIk
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL: Instagram: @TheRussoBrothers @AGBOfilms #PizzaFilmSchool #agbofilms 
ABOUT THE SHOW: Created and hosted by Anthony and Joe Russo, "Pizza Film School" is a video podcast that demystifies the filmmaking world with each episode delving into creative processes, favorite films, and personal anecdotes from working in the industry, while enjoying a couple of slices from local pizzerias. An AGBO Production.
00:10 - Welcome Henry Jackman to Pizza Film School
01:45 - How Henry Got Into Music as a Child
02:49 - Life at St. Paul's Cathedral Choir School
06:55 - From Classical Training to Rave Culture
08:51 - How Drum & Bass Changed Henry's Musical Perspective
11:04 - The Blend of Classical and Electronic in Winter Soldier
13:05 - Scoring the Winter Soldier: Creative Risks & Storytelling
17:17 - Getting Discovered by Hans Zimmer
20:28 - Film Music Is Storytelling, Not Just Music
22:29 - How Cherry Was Scored with a Suite
25:30 - The Power of Music Over Dialogue in Film
27:00 - Cherry's Final Scene: Emotion Without Words
29:37 - Writing the 10-Minute Cherry Suite
32:12 - Scoring as a Foundation for Storytelling
35:54 - Scoring the Civil War Airport Battle Scene
38:49 - Why the Music Slows Down at the Moment of Impact
40:00 - Underscoring Heroic Moments in Marvel
41:06 - The Misdirection in Civil War's Nanosuit Scene
43:00 - Musical Heroism: From Strauss to John Williams
45:19 - Why Fantasy Lets You Embrace Earnestness
46:32 - Small Bites: Henry's Quickfire Answers
47:05 - Music Henry Wishes He Could Hear for the First Time
50:39 - Henry's Go-To Karaoke Song
50:53 - Henry's Favorite Piece of Music

Legendary film editor Jeff Ford (Avengers: Endgame, The Winter Soldier, The Electric State) joins Anthony and Joe Russo for a deep dive into the craft of editing, the collaborative nature of filmmaking, and the surprising origin of Iron Man's iconic final line. A must-watch for anyone who wants to understand how movies are truly made.
WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/ocrWqQ1CAcA
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL: Instagram: @TheRussoBrothers @AGBOfilms #PizzaFilmSchool #agbofilms 
ABOUT THE SHOW: Created and hosted by Anthony and Joe Russo, "Pizza Film School" is a video podcast that demystifies the filmmaking world with each episode delving into creative processes, favorite films, and personal anecdotes from working in the industry, while enjoying a couple of slices from local pizzerias. An AGBO Production.
00:30 - Meet Jeff Ford: Editor of the Avengers Saga  
01:15 - Editing The Electric State with the Russo Brothers  
02:00 - Jeff Ford's Journey from Super 8 to Marvel  
03:00 - The Essence of Editing: Writing with Picture  
04:00 - Why Editing Never Matches the Original Script  
05:30 - How Cap 2 United the Russos and Jeff Ford  
07:00 - Paranoid Thriller Roots of The Winter Soldier  
08:30 - Making "Everyone's on the Same Movie"  
10:00 - The Director-Editor Relationship  
11:30 - Inside the Emotional Core of Marvel Scenes  
14:00 - Breaking Down the Cap & Peggy Scene  
17:00 - Editing Performances from Incomplete Footage  
19:00 - The Character-Driven Arc of Steve Rogers  
22:00 - Editing the Cap vs Bucky Final Fight  
26:00 - How Music & Rhythm Shape Action Scenes  
29:00 - The Role of Camera Operating in Editing  
31:00 - Creating Emotional Endings That Last  
33:00 - What Makes a Great Editor-Director Match  
35:00 - Nick Fury's Chase Scene: Action as Music  
38:00 - Managing Chaos: Cutting Across Units  
41:00 - Pre-Vis, Stunt-Vis & Planning the Cut  
43:00 - Working with Directors Like Mann & Watts  
45:30 - On-Set Rewrites & Actor-Driven Blocking  
48:00 - Why Simplicity Wins in Performance Direction  
50:00 - The Origin of "I Am Iron Man"  
54:00 - Thematic Symmetry & Emotional Closure  
56:00 - Jeff's Favorite Show to Rewatch for the First Time  
57:00 - Who Jeff Ford Would Love to Work With  
58:00 - Advice to Young Editors and Filmmakers  
59:00 - Wrap-Up: Jeff Ford on Chasing the Perfect Cut