In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins sits down with filmmaker and actor Benny Safdie to dig into his solo directorial feature, The Smashing Machine — a biopic‑adjacent portrait of UFC legend Mark Kerr starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. The conversation ranges from genesis stories and casting experiments to the heavy emotional labor behind staging domestic fights, and how Benny’s dual identity as actor-director shapes his approach to truth in film.In this episode, we discuss: How the film began as a handwritten letter and a vintage sweater, and the surprising miscommunication that delayed the projectBenny’s desire to make emotional scenes feel like “virtual reality,” pushing the boundary between fiction and lived experienceHis method of breaking big scenes (fights, domestic conflict) into overlapping sections for pacing, focus, and emotional veracityWorking with first-time actors and real athletes: adapting dialogue, rehearsal during casting, and honoring spontaneityThe role of the score (with Nala Sinefroo) as an “actor” in the film, and how Benny collaborates with musiciansEditing while shooting, watching dailies, and carrying the film in his mind from set to cutStruggles in balancing creative work with personal life, and how photography serves as a solitary creative practiceAdvice for emerging directors: start with something you intimately understand before trying to overreachGuests Benny SafdieSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing podcast@nofilmschool.com Listen to more episodes of the No Film School podcast right here: This episode of The No Film School Podcast...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Thursday, 2 October