Unfiltered: The Mike Figgis Podcast

Mike talks about how bad experiences in the Hollywood studio system led to his decision to make Leaving Las Vegas. The film was made with a small budget and crew, from a book that he thought was unadaptable at first read.He talks to writer Josh Karp about what drove him to independent cinema and how the classic movie came together.

Mike continues his conversation with legendary editor and sound designer Walter Murch. They talk about Murch’s sound work on THX 1138 and Apocalypse Now, surround sound, editing in a foreign language, and some of the early movies that shaped him.Walter Murch’s new book is called Suddenly Something Clicked: The Languages of Film Editing and Sound Design.

Three-time Oscar winner Walter Murch (The Godfather Trilogy, Apocalypse Now, The English Patient) joins Mike Figgis to talk about a lifetime spent reinventing how films are cut, heard, and felt, from his early experiments in sound design to the insights behind his new book Suddenly Something Clicked.

In our third and final installment of Mike’s reflections from the set of Megalopolis, he talks to writer Josh Karp about what goes into editing a massive project like MEGADOC. He shares stories about how he learned to edit, his sometimes tense relationship with other editors on Hollywood projects, and insights on how the documentary industry has changed the craft.

Mike dives deeper into life on the set of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, this time turning his lens on the cast. From Coppola’s fiery love/hate dynamic with Shia LaBeouf, to unexpected moments of connection with Aubrey Plaza, to the quiet mystery of Adam Driver, Mike shares candid stories of how these larger-than-life personalities collide. Together, they reveal how Coppola’s unruly ensemble fuels the director’s anarchic vision.Writer Josh Karp joins Mike him once again.MEGADOC, the documentary about the making of Megalopolis, is in theatres.

Francis Ford Coppola spent over $100 million of his own money to make Megalopolis, an epic film set in an alternate future with a cast full of stars. When the movie came out, it was met with polarizing reviews. Some saw a master experimenting with form, and others saw an incoherent film jam-packed with competing ideas and styles. Mike was invited on set to make a documentary about the movie, and got extensive access to Coppola, the cast and the crew. He’s joined by writer Josh Karp to talk about watching Coppola make this passion project. MEGADOC, the documentary about the making of Megalopolis, is in theatres September 19.