This week on the No Film School Podcast, John Hamburg joins GG Hawkins to discuss crafting iconic, rewatchable comedies—from cult hits like Safe Men to mainstream favorites such as Meet the Parents, Zoolander, I Love You, Man, and the upcoming new Meet the Parents installment. Hamburg shares his creative journey, balancing absurd premises with emotional truth, breaking into the industry, and directing the finale of Apple TV’s Stick. He also dives into working with comedic legends, developing enduring characters, and orchestrating large-scale scenes with precision and heart.In this episode, we discuss: How John’s breakthrough began with an NYU short at Sundance, leading to his first film, Safe MenHis process for deciding to leave NYU early and navigate a career in features vs. film schoolWhat drew him to direct the final episodes of Stick on Apple TV Plus and working with Owen WilsonThe particular direction and strategy involved in managing huge crowds and authentic golf interactions on a TV-scale productionThe building blocks of quotable comedy: committing to emotionally real characters, clear scene goals, and grounded set piecesCollaborating with actors like Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Rudd, and Alec Baldwin—balancing scripted freshness and improvisationBehind‑the‑scenes look at tough moments like reworking the poker table speech in Along Came PollyHamburg’s ringmaster philosophy: creating a safe, creative set for spontaneity while keeping an eye on structure and storyGuests: John HamburgSubscribe 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