In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, host GG Hawkins sits down with filmmaker Charlie Polinger to unpack the making of his debut feature, The Plague. Polinger discusses his transition from theater to film, the personal childhood memories that shaped the story, and how embracing chaos—rather than controlling it—became central to his directing process. From casting an electrifying ensemble of young actors to shaping dread through sound design and editing, the conversation explores how specificity, vulnerability, and trust can turn a coming-of-age story into psychological horror.In this episode, we discuss:Transitioning from theater directing to feature filmmakingDrawing from childhood memories to create visceral, psychological horrorWhy a boys’ water polo camp became the perfect contained settingCasting and directing a large ensemble of young actorsLetting location do the storytelling heavy liftingEmbracing chaos on set instead of fighting itBuilding anxiety through sound design and post-production rhythmHands-on collaboration in the edit and score developmentAdvice for emerging filmmakers on making work consistentlyGuests:Charlie PolingerSubscribe 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: ...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday