The Next Reel Film Podcast

Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off a new series on director Kelly Reichardt with her 2008 lost dog film Wendy and Lucy.

Show Notes

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"Don’t be a nuisance. We don’t need that."

Kelly Reichardt has been called a minimalist film director, and if you’re comparing her to someone like Michael Bay or Steven Spielberg or the Hughes brothers, that certainly seems to be the case, at least based on her 2008 film Wendy and Lucy. This film doesn’t have a lot of pizazz or a large cinematic sense. What it does have, though, is a character study in which we dig deeply into our protagonist during a difficult few days in her life. In that aspect, it isn’t minimal at all. Perhaps calling it incredibly focused would be a better way to describe it. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off a new series on director Kelly Reichardt with her 2008 lost dog film Wendy and Lucy.

We talk about this ‘minimalist’ type of filmmaking and how it fits into the larger context of filmed stories that we know and love. We talk about how the story came about and was developed by Reichardt and writer Jon Raymond. We discuss Michelle Williams and her incredible (and incredibly internal) performance as Wendy, and how inadvertently she’s in all three of Reichardt’s films that we’re discussing in this series. We also chat about other actors in the film like Will Patton, Will Oldham, Wally Dalton and John Robinson and what they bring to the table. We look at the cinematography by Sam Levy and chat about what it brings to this story, notably the ‘naturalistic’ grainy and dark scenes. And we touch on the sound design and how Reichardt chose to use train sounds instead of score throughout the film.

It’s a touching film yet one we oddly aren’t sure we’d return to anytime soon, but certainly is one well worth talking about. Check out this movie then tune in to the show!

Film Sundries

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  • Script Transcript
  • Original theatrical trailer
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Creators and Guests

Host
Andy Nelson
With over 25 years of experience in film, television, and commercial production, Andy has cultivated an enduring passion for storytelling in all its forms. His enthusiasm for the craft began in his youth when he and his friends started making their own movies in grade school. After studying film at the University of Colorado Boulder, Andy wrote, directed, and produced several short films while also producing indie features like Netherbeast Incorporated and Ambush at Dark Canyon. Andy has been on the production team for award-winning documentaries such as The Imposter and The Joe Show, as well as TV shows like Investigation Discovery’s Deadly Dentists and Nat Geo’s Inside the Hunt for the Boston Bombers. Over a decade ago, he started podcasting with Pete and immediately embraced the medium. Now, as a partner at TruStory FM, Andy looks forward to more storytelling through their wide variety of shows. Throughout his career, Andy has passed on his knowledge by teaching young minds the crafts of screenwriting, producing, editing, and podcasting. Outside of work, Andy is a family man who enjoys a good martini, a cold beer, a nice cup o’ joe. And always, of course, a great movie.
Host
Pete Wright
#Movies, #ADHD, & #Podcasting • Co-founder @trustory.fm🎥 The Next Reel Family of #Film Podcasts @thenextreel.com🎙️ Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast @takecontroladhd.com📖 Co-author of Unapologetically ADHD • https://unapologeticallyadhdbook.com

What is The Next Reel Film Podcast?

A show about movies and how they connect.
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