Free Daily Podcast Summary
Film Formally: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Will Ross & Devan Scott
Film Formally gets granular about how movies work by studying a technique or trait through its best examples. Independent filmmakers and friends Devan Scott and Will Ross leverage years of experience watching and making movies to bring you spirited and approachable conversations, offering brick-by-brick analysis and discussions about how films work.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Sep 22, 202650 min
Are Movies Getting Uglier?!
Movies these days are dim, flat, dull. You know it, we know it, everyone seems to know it. But is it true? If so, how did we get here? If not, is it mere nostalgia, or is something deeper amiss? To sort through the wreckage of this discourse, Film Formally gets back to basics with a Willa-and-Devan-hash-it-out special. 00:00 - Why Don't Movies Look Like Movies Anymore? Why Do They Look Like That? 07:10 - What is the "that"-ness of "Why do Movies Look Like That?" 12:05 - Generational Imprinting & Romanticization of Past Cinema 21:45 - A look at 2026 cinema: are things that dire? 31:45 - A brief history of film aesthetics. 41:10 - Corporate Consolidation in Hollywood 48:10 - We Are All Grampa Simpson Now
- Sep 1, 20261h 50m
Restoring the Dollars Trilogy with James White & James Flower of Arrow Video
In today's episode, James Flower and James White from Arrow Video join us to discuss the world of film preservation and boutique home video labels, and in particular their recent release of Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy. The story of this restoration of Leone's opus is one of years of false starts, hunts for reference prints and high-quality source materials, navigation of complex technical hurdles, and maddening quality-control processes. Join us as we tell the tale! 00:00 - Introduction to Arrow Video 06:28 - Paths to the Boutique Label Industry 11:26 - Acquiring the Rights to the Dollars Trilogy 16:48 - The Technical Challenges of Restoration 25:22 - Finding and Trusting Reference Prints 32:07 - Restoring the Look: HDR and Source Fidelity 38:50 - The Nightmare of Techniscope Negatives 46:15 - Audio Restoration: Mono and 5.1 Mixes 52:41 - Rescuing Audio from LaserDiscs and VHS 01:10:08 - Extended Cuts and Versioning 01:16:05 - Encoding, Quality Control, and Fidelity in Motion 01:40:40 - Packaging, Artwork, and Tony Stella’s Legacy Works Cited: Arrow Films: https://www.arrowfilms.com/ Spencer’s 2025 Discs of the Year Awards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbE33341qX0 Spencer’s Interview with James Flower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D87IseQlKL4 Shownotes and Resources: https://sadhillmedia.com/filmformally
- Jul 21, 20261h 47m
Digital Colour w/ Dirk Meier, Colourist of 'Secret Agent'
If any modern colourist has seen it all, it’s Dirk Meier. From the long-take trenches of the early digital masterpiece Russian Ark and the boundary-pushing slow-motion of Antichrist, to emulating distinct formats in Happy as Lazzaro and Romeria, Meier has witnessed many of the key inflection points in digital cinema. Now, he joins Film Formally to share his war stories, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and his philosophy for look-development and aesthetic frameworks in the digital era. We discuss how to conceive and define visual language through an analytical lens, breaking down images into variables of color, texture, and motion. We also dive into insights from Meier’s collaborations with directors like Roy Andersson and Lars von Trier and cinematographers like Hélène Louvart, explore the nuances of celluloid and MiniDV emulation, and the ways in which digital workflows allow for nonlinear image design. 00:00 - Introduction 03:14 - Russian Ark and Dirk's Early Projects 12:45 - The Evolution from Film to Digital Workflows 21:03 - Antichrist and late-'00s digital workflows. 36:26 - Defining "Look Development", and working with Roy Andersson 49:13 - Working with Hélène Louvart on Happy as Lazarro and Romeria and emulating MiniDV 01:01:43 - Working on THE PIMP, HDR grading, and using color references. 01:05:44 - Image Attributes, Steve Yedlin's Display Prep Demo, and Demystifying Digital Imagery 01:21:12 - Colour Grading Secret Agent Devan's LetterBoxd list on Digital Cinema: https://letterboxd.com/devanagscott/list/digital-cinema/ Steve Yedlin's Display Prep Demo: https://www.yedlin.net/DisplayPrepDemo/ 'The Fog of Log': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IugTH2VwDk The Hitchhiker's Guide to Digital Colour: https://hg2dc.com/ Edited by Griffin Sheel Shownotes and Resources: https://www.filmformally.com
- Jun 30, 202644 min
Il Cinema Ritrovato: A Festival Dispatch
In this extra-hot special emergency dispatch episode, Devan's in Bologna, Italy at Il Cinema Ritrovato, the world's premiere archival film festival! Every year, tens of thousands of cinephiles gather in Italy to watch old movies presented anew. He's joined by Tom Charity, VIFF Centre's year-round programmer, to discuss this remarkable festival, the films they saw, and all the questions raised by various methods of film exhibition. Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome to Bologna 01:02 - What is Il Cinema Ritrovato? 02:59 - All the Directors are Dead" 07:07 - Old European Cities & Heat Waves 10:20 - Festival Highlights: Barbara Stanwyck & Co. 18:25 - Pakeezah (1972) 23:26 - What Price Glory (1926) & MoMA Restorations 26:11 - Ball of Fire (1941) 27:58 - The Devils (1971) 29:05 - Ludwig (1973) 34:23 - Carbon Arc Projection 38:50 - 35mm and DCPs: the showdown. Shownotes and Resources: https://www.filmformally.com
- Jun 9, 20261h 2m
Large Format Myths (Film Formally is back!)
Film Formally returns! What's changed? 1. We're a video podcast now! 2. We're a monthly podcast now! Otherwise, you know the drill: Devan Scott and Willa Harlow Ross - and sometimes a guest - dive deep into the formal building blocks of cinema. Or sometimes preservation. Or sometimes even more niche academic topics! All the stars are here. This week: Devan went and made a video essay debunking myths about shooting format size, and it stirred up some controversy! We're here to sift through the pieces and and answer some questions about exactly we talk about when we talk about format size. We'll discuss the finer points of image formation, perspective distortion, rectilinearity, and why industry icons inadvertently perpetuate misconceptions. Welcome back! Chapters: 00:00 – The Return of Film Formally! 07:31 – Format Size Discussion 13:26 – Breaking Down the Physics: What is Format Size? 24:50 – Depth of Field and Image Blur Circles 37:58 – Editing Influences: Errol Morris and the "Vlogging" Aesthetic 46:21 – Resolution Talk Shownotes and Resources: https://www.filmformally.com WORKS CITED: Devan's video essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nqa-OBV5ik Steve Yedlin's display prep demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suZtYPIADHM Cine Lens Manual: https://store.ascmag.com/products/the-cine-lens-manual
- Apr 19, 202226 min
Commentary 6 - STILL PROCESSING with Sophy Romvari
FILM FORMALLY is back! This month, friend of the podcast Sophy Romvari’s films are premiering on the CRITERION CHANNEL and to mark the occasion we’ve recorded a set of commentaries for six of these films - NINE BEHIND, IT’S HIM, PUMPKIN MOVIE, NORMAN NORMAN, IN DOG YEARS, and STILL PROCESSING. To listen along, have the film ready to go and hit “play” when prompted within the episode after the introductions. Please note that, due to sync necessities, there are a few gaps in the episode’s discussion: we’ve filled with with snippets of Will’s original score for the film. STILL PROCESSING (2020) A box of stunning family photos unseen for decades awakens lost memories as they are viewed for the first time on camera. In this episode, we discuss: Hybrid documentary and fictional elements. Still Processing’s long production and post-production schedule. Photographic storyboards. Audience expectations and documentaries about grief. Composing the score. What did we learn? Sophy’s films can be seen on the CRITERION CHANNEL - feel free to sign up for a free trial if you aren’t a member.
- Apr 12, 202215 min
Commentary 5 - IN DOG YEARS with Sophy Romvari
FILM FORMALLY is back! This month, friend of the podcast Sophy Romvari’s films are premiering on the CRITERION CHANNEL and to mark the occasion we’ve recorded a set of commentaries for six of these films - NINE BEHIND, IT’S HIM, PUMPKIN MOVIE, NORMAN NORMAN, IN DOG YEARS, and STILL PROCESSING. We’ll be releasing one per week for the next six weeks. To listen along, have the film ready to go and hit “play” when prompted within the episode after the introductions. IN DOG YEARS (2019) Old dogs are celebrated in ten short stories about love, loss, and letting go. In this episode, we discuss: Why the CBC hired Sophy to make a dog documentary. Cinemascope as a canine-friendly aspect ratio. A talking head documentary without talking heads. Documentary structure. Will and Sophy’s correspondence editing style. Sophy’s films can be seen on the CRITERION CHANNEL - feel free to sign up for a free trial if you aren’t a member.
- Apr 5, 202213 min
Commentary 4 - NORMAN NORMAN with Sophy Romvari
FILM FORMALLY is back! This month, friend of the podcast Sophy Romvari’s films are premiering on the CRITERION CHANNEL and to mark the occasion we’ve recorded a set of commentaries for six of these films - NINE BEHIND, IT’S HIM, PUMPKIN MOVIE, NORMAN NORMAN, IN DOG YEARS, and STILL PROCESSING. We’ll be releasing one per week for the next six weeks. To listen along, have the film ready to go and hit “play” when prompted within the episode after the introductions. NORMAN NORMAN (2018) A young woman grapples with the declining health of her beloved dog in this film about mortality, cloning, and Barbra Streisand. In this episode, we discuss: Creative “Labour” and filmmaking. Cross-country collaboration. Norman’s TIFF pass. Conceptual cinema. The opportunities afforded by non-traditional modes of production. Sophy’s films can be seen on the CRITERION CHANNEL - feel free to sign up for a free trial if you aren’t a member.
Get Film Formally summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
Cinema Spectator
Discusses classic films from the cinematic canon to evaluate their relevance and entertainment value for modern, casual audiences.
Documentary First: Conversations on Documentary Filmmaking
Filmmakers discuss the personal and creative journeys behind making documentaries, from idea to release.
The Filmcast
Film critics and guests discuss recent movies, TV shows, and entertainment news with analysis and debate.
Unspooled
Two film enthusiasts analyze classic and contemporary movies, breaking down scenes, characters, and cultural impact.
Critical Darlings
Film critics Richard Lawson and Alison Willmore analyze new movie releases, from blockbusters to indie darlings and awards contenders.
Doc Walks
Two documentary filmmakers discuss the craft and industry of non-fiction filmmaking with guests during weekly walks.
BELOW THE LINE PODCAST
Stories from film sets told by the crew working behind the scenes.
Classic Camera Revival
Alex Luyckx
Movies and the People Who Love Them
People share personal stories and emotional connections behind their four favorite movies in candid weekly conversations.
Films To Be Buried With with Brett Goldstein
Comedian and actor Brett Goldstein explores how films shape lives and confront mortality with weekly guests.
Dear Movies, I Love You
Film enthusiasts discuss blockbusters and obscure cinema with enthusiasm, exploring movie culture through personal and critical perspectives.
The Projection Booth
In-depth film discussions and critical analysis with guest contributors exploring a wide range of cinematic genres.
About Film Formally
Film Formally gets granular about how movies work by studying a technique or trait through its best examples. Independent filmmakers and friends Devan Scott and Will Ross leverage years of experience watching and making movies to bring you spirited and approachable conversations, offering brick-by-brick analysis and discussions about how films work.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Film Formally in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Film Formally daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Film Formally as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Film Formally podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Film Formally product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Will Ross & Devan Scott.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Film Formally release new episodes?
Film Formally publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Film Formally cover?
Film Formally covers topics including Arts, Film, TV & Film. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Film Formally summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.