Eyes On: How Hollywood Works

Everyone knows what an actor’s agent does. But who represents the cinematographer, the production designer, and the producer, the production service companies, the people who physically make the movie? Talent agent Matt Birch has spent 25 years on every side of that question. The hosts met Matt as a coordinator on Vanilla Sky. He went on to supervise production on Mission: Impossible III, Transformers, Elizabethtown, and Constantine before founding Mockingbird Media, a talent agency for producers, production designers, cinematographers, costume designers, second unit directors, studio and network executives, vfx producers and companies, production service companies and sound stages internationally. He breaks down what a crew agent really does: tracking jobs before they are announced, getting a client in the room, and why he wants to retire the phrase “below the line.” The human side, he says, is the real job: being the shoulder to cry on, delivering bad news when all you can say is “we’re going in another direction,” and his father’s advice about cutting a “cancer” from a team. Plus the origin story that has to be heard: a 21-year-old PA, a ten-ton truck he had no business driving, and the boss reaction that saved his career.

Is AI ending film careers or reinventing them? Barbara Ford Grant has watched it from every side, as a digital artist, a studio CTO, and the expert studios now hire to plan their AI strategy. Barbara spent 30 years bridging art and technology, from hand-drawn animation on Prince of Egypt, through six years of Shrek at PDI, to early machine learning at Sony Imageworks, Digital Domain, HBO in the Game of Thrones and Westworld era, and a run as CTO of Meow Wolf. That history is why her take on generative AI cuts differently. She is not reacting to a headline, she is describing a continuum she helped build. She lays out the real watershed, the collapse of the framework the industry has used for decades, the legal grey zone where almost no case law exists yet, and the existential math facing studios now that a handful of people anywhere can make something of cinema quality. She is just as clear about the limits: you can imitate a Roger Deakins shot, but you cannot predict what Deakins would do next, and that is the artistry no model can reach. Her advice to working crew is simple and urgent: get access to the tools and help define what they become.

Who actually does what on a fight scene? Stuntman, stunt coordinator, and second unit director Christopher Troy maps the whole hierarchy, from the performer who gets “burned” on day one to the second unit director running the sequence. Troy breaks down the roles most viewers never see: the stunt double who stays for a show’s entire run, the core team building fight previs in “box land” (a technique from the late Brad Allen of Jackie Chan’s team), the new “action designer” role, and the coordinators who carry the insurance when a stunt goes wrong. Then he explains how a stunt lead climbs to directing, the way J.J. Perry did with Day Shift. From there it gets forward-looking. He has motion-captured God of War, Mortal Kombat, and Call of Duty, and he is honest about generative AI: it is already fooling him, it will take some jobs, and it still cannot replace a human in the room. Plus how set safety really changed, why Christopher Nolan going all-practical still feels different, and the one piece of advice he would give his 17-year-old self. This is Part 2 of two. Part 1, his breakdancer-to-stuntman origin and the Hawaii fall, is out now.

How do you actually become a Hollywood stunt performer? Christopher Troy, a former professional breakdancer turned stunt performer, has the motion-capture resume (God of War, Mortal Kombat, Call of Duty) and the scars from live action movies and TV shows to explain it. He got discovered at 15 on a Huntington Beach pier, booked his first job at 17 (a music video, one second of screen time, the $200 pay stub now framed on his wall), and spent years striking out as an actor before he realized dance was a skill set that skips the line. A favor at a stunt gym, doubling a kid thrown through a table, turned into a decade of stunt work. Then it gets real. Why breaking into stunts is who you know, precisely because the work is dangerous. Why you can fake almost anything in Hollywood except a stunt. Why comedy hurts more than action. And the whole anatomy of a 15-foot fall for The Wrong Missy in Hawaii: the world-champion high-faller who called him, the one thing that kept him up all night, and the split-second decision that saved his vacation. This is Part 1 of two. Part 2 drops next week.

***This episode was recorded in early 2026. OpenAI has since discontinued Sora (referenced at ~15:32, ~19:22, and ~26:05), and its $1B Disney licensing deal (~26:05) was cancelled as part of that shutdown.*** Is AI ending film careers or creating them? AI film professor Justin Winters has watched it from every side: Sundance panels, Hollywood writers rooms, and a film school classroom where his students all want a career path he says no longer exists. Justin moderated Sundance's AI panel with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and former Academy president Janet Yang, and he brings that insider view here: the studios quietly building AI divisions, the $30 million OpenAI-funded animated film premiering at Cannes while Disney spends up to $1.5 million per minute of animation, and the House of David VFX budget that turned 700 shots into 500 VFX and 200 Gen AI. Then it gets personal. The quiet student who became the AI artist behind the Coca-Cola commercial. The TV writer who built millions of followers in 11 months. And the agent who refused to meet the most brilliant student Justin has ever taught, because she wasn’t leveraging the technology. His advice to her is the best 60 seconds of the episode.

How does a costume designer build a viral red carpet look in one week? Emmy winning costume designer Erica Schwartz did exactly that for Hacks stars Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs, and she takes us all the way inside the job. This one is a craft master class disguised as a great conversation. Erica breaks down recreating an iconic Marty Supreme Premiere look with custom painted shoes and 3D printed hardware, how she reads a script and gets inside a character before casting, why the actor usually wins the fight over a look, and how costume quietly solves problems for the sound and props departments. Along the way: Eli, the last working chimp in Hollywood, generative AI and body scanning creeping onto LED volume stages, and her love affair with the drag world, where more is more. Then it gets political. Erica sat on the contract committee that fought the AMPTP for pay equity on behalf of costume designers, a traditionally female department that was paid less than half of the art directors, and they won. It is the accomplishment she is proudest of, and it is why she wears her joy on her sleeve, literally.

In this season finale bonus episode, hosts Chris and Tanner are joined by Eyes On producer Simran Porwal to answer listener questions about everything from on-set attitudes to joining your first union. Eyes On: Conversations with Hollywood Filmmakers will be back next year for season two! In the meantime, if you have a burning question you'd like to hear answered next year, hit us up on any of our social platforms.

Hannah Driscoll is a script supervisor whose unique brain makes her perfectly suited for tracking continuity across Hollywood productions, including Hulu's PEN15, HBO's THE CURSE, and A24’s FRIENDSHIP (starring Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson). From live-typing actors' ad-libs while simultaneously monitoring multiple cameras to using her color-coded memory system to track missed dialogue lines, Hannah relates the intricate mental gymnastics required to ensure that scenes shot out of order will cut together seamlessly in post-production. Hannah also shares how childhood experiences trained her way of approaching her continuity work, the difference between working on feature films and TV shows, and the realities of working in today's challenging industry climate while maintaining the joy and positivity that makes her, as the hosts describe, "a bright light on set."

Chris Wells’ work in the VFX department spans from blockbusters like THE AVENGERS and AVATAR to acclaimed indie films like TAKE SHELTER and LOOPER. Chris shares his journey from wanting to be a forest ranger in rural Georgia to becoming a sought-after VFX producer in Hollywood, and offers his insights into an industry in transition. Chris discusses the dramatic shift in the VFX industry from brick-and-mortar studios to remote freelance work and why he enjoys the creative process on indie films more than massive studio tentpoles. We’ll hear his viewpoint on the future of AI in filmmaking and where the hype separates from reality. Chris doesn’t hold back either as he shares stories about standing up for his crew, what it takes to leave a toxic workplace, and why Southern honesty doesn't always play well in Hollywood.

Rob Belushi is an actor, writer, producer, and game show host who, as the son of Jim Belushi and nephew of John Belushi, comes from one of entertainment's most legendary families. Rob opens up about navigating Hollywood with a famous last name – what he calls both a privilege and "a grown-up curse" – and how he's carved his own path in the industry by embracing versatility and saying yes to opportunities, from small TV roles to producing game shows. In this candid conversation, Rob reflects on his journey through recovery, the value of collaboration over competition, and how having a business partner keeps him grounded. With refreshing honesty about privilege, pressure, and the realities of working in entertainment during industry contractions, Rob shares how he's built a sustainable career by focusing on relationships, staying present for his family, and remembering that everyone in Hollywood – from actors to bankers – is just trying to figure it out.

From casting TEEN WOLF to convincing producers that no, John Boyega probably won't do your short film for free, Jeff Gafner has spent his career bridging the gap between Hollywood dreams and on-set reality—all while actually watching every single one of those 800 audition tapes. Discover how a kid from New Jersey who loved reading movie credits turned a college conversation into a New York casting internship, then built a career navigating everything from CSI MIAMI to IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY to the V/H/S horror franchise. Learn why casting directors might be the most underrated development executives in Hollywood, and why Jeff's advice to actors boils down to: control your audition, because everything else is wildly out of your hands.

From creating sets for a room full of production designers at the Art Directors Guild Awards to designing numerous indie films, Megan Elizabeth Bell brings infectious enthusiasm (and animal print) to every project. Discover how watching HARRY POTTER as a kid sparked the question "who gets to decide what Hogwarts looks like?"—and how that curiosity led her to pack a U-Haul, drive cross-country with zero Hollywood connections, and hustle her way into the business. Meg shares the truth about breaking into production design, why she'd rather hire someone with a great attitude than a giant resume, the philosophy that keeps her driving that 2004 Honda Civic to studio lots, and how staying supportive of others' successes beats sitting home sending cold emails.

CORRECTION: At 20:10, Mark is referring to Crypt TV, not Havoc TV. Mark Camperell is an award-winning sound designer and mixer whose work spans everything from blockbuster video games to television dramas. With nearly two decades in the industry and three Golden Reel Awards under his belt, Mark breaks down the intricate world of post-production audio. From his early days making $8 an hour at Soundelux to founding his own company Empty Sea Audio in 2007, Mark shares the gritty reality of how he went from working on EverQuest II voice-overs to mixing Call of Duty: Black Ops. He dives deep into his craft—explaining the difference between sound design and sound effects editing, why you hear the same door squeak in every TV show, and how sound design can make an underwhelming styrofoam wall crash feel like a concussive concrete explosion. Mark also opens up about surviving industry downturns, finding work-life balance in the mountains of Northern California, and why the pandemic actually made some aspects of his remote-first business model work better.

Lisa Schwartz is a multi-talented actress, comedian, and content creator known for her recent appearance on ABBOTT ELEMENTARY and her YouTube channel LisBug, which has over 2 million subscribers. From her early days as a theater student at UC Irvine to becoming one of YouTube's pioneering content creators, Lisa shares her journey through the digital revolution. Discover how a chance audition for a Comedy Central pilot led by the Fine Brothers launched her into the YouTube stratosphere, where she built a massive following through comedy sketches, parodies, and lifestyle vlogs. Lisa opens up about the highs and lows of digital stardom, including landing brand partnerships, pitching shows to major networks like ABC and Freeform, and the unique challenges of sharing your personal life with millions of viewers. She also discusses the evolution of social media platforms, from YouTube's early days to the rise of TikTok, and offers valuable insights for the next generation of content creators.

Ever wonder what a director of photography actually does? Most people know the director calls the shots. But the DP is the one figuring out how those shots look, feel, and tell the story. Garrett O'Brien has been doing this at the highest level for years. He's got two feature films out last year: WALTZING WITH BRANDO, starring Billy Zane as Marlon Brando, and BAD MAN, starring Seann William Scott, a dark comedy based on a true story about a man who convinced an entire sheriff's department he was a state narcotics agent. In this conversation, Garrett gets into the real work behind the job: how he reads a script as a cinematographer, the detailed scene-by-scene breakdown he does before every film, and why communication is the skill that separates good crews from great ones. He also talks about shooting on location in Tahiti, recreating scenes from THE GODFATHER, going digital while making it look like 16mm film, and what happened when he had to step into a production mid-shoot with almost no prep. It's a candid, practical look at a craft that most audiences never see, from someone who lives it every day.

Real blood looks fake on camera. That’s just the beginning of what Hollywood makeup artist Carleigh Herbert has figured out. In this episode, you’ll hear from a department head who has worked across Teen Wolf, American Horror Story, Minx, Sex Lives of College Girls, and beyond. Carleigh does both beauty and prosthetic makeup, which is rarer than you’d think, and she breaks down exactly what that means on a real production. You’ll learn why real gore has to be enhanced just to look believable on screen, how a makeup artist figures out the “blood formula” for every type of wound and every type of shot, and what it actually takes to cover a fresh tattoo on a working actor. You’ll also hear about the continuity system Carleigh built to track character looks across scenes that shoot completely out of order, and why the makeup trailer is the first place a producer goes when they need to know how the cast is really doing. Plus: the full-body prosthetics work on Minx, what it’s like to be the first person on set and the last one out, and how Carleigh went from aspiring choreographer to one of the most in-demand makeup department heads in Hollywood. Follow Eyes On on Instagram @eyesonpodcast. Hosted by Chris Hanada and Tanner Kling.

Ever wonder who builds movie sets, applies an actor’s prosthetic nose or has their hand up that insult throwing puppet? EYES ON: Conversations with Hollywood Filmmakers is your backstage pass to the film industry. Hosted by producing partners Chris Hanada and Tanner Kling, this podcast celebrates the unsung heroes of moviemaking: special effects makeup artists, production designers, cinematographers, character actors, and everyone else who rarely gets a spotlight moment. Through laid-back conversations and swapping of war stories, Chris and Tanner uncover how these craftspeople got their start and built lasting careers in entertainment. Whether you're a film student, an industry vet or just curious how television, movies and more really get made, EYES ON serves up honest stories, practical wisdom, and laughs from Hollywood's hardest workers. eyesonpod.com