How Specificity Makes Better Films: ‘Mile End Kicks’ and ‘I Like Movies’ Director Chandler Levack Explains

GG Hawkins talks with writer-director Chandler Levack about making I Like Movies, Mile End Kicks, and Roommates, and how Levack protects a specific filmmaking voice while moving between indie features and studio comedy. They discuss the realities of Canadian film financing, directing with limited time and bigger resources, building cinematic worlds through research and memory, and why filmmakers have to keep making work instead of treating one movie as their only chance. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Chandler Levack discuss... How I Like Movies helped open doors for Mile End Kicks Why Mile End Kicks had to be shot in Montreal’s Mile End neighborhood The overlap of finishing one film while prepping and shooting another What changed when Levack moved from indie filmmaking to a studio comedy How music journalism shaped Levack’s directing and world building Why specificity in props, costumes, locations, and character details matters Navigating male-dominated creative spaces as a woman filmmaker The value and complications of film criticism Building a body of work through collaboration, experimentation, and persistence Memorable Quotes: “For me, I mean I'm obsessed with specificity.” “I think for me once I realized that filmmaking is just talking about treating fake people like they're real…” “It's weird. It's the only job where you're failing in public…” “The greatest thing you can do as a filmmaker is just exist and keep making stuff good and bad and having a body of work is like the most important thing…” Guests: Chandler Levack Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices