Hello, and thanks for tuning in to another episode of The Directors Cut, a podcast by the

Directors Guild of America featuring today's top directors sharing behind-the-scenes stories

of their latest films and insights into the craft of directing.

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This episode takes us behind the scenes of director Amy Scott's new documentary, Hal. Set against the backdrop of a rapidly

changing America and an even more dramatic shift in filmmaking, the film celebrates the life and

work of director Hal Ashby, whose filmography includes the DGA Award nominated feature

coming home, as well as the Academy Award-winning classics Harold and Maud,

Shampoo, and Being There. Once the toast of New Hollywood in the 1970s, Ashby's obsessive genius

but uncompromising nature became an archetypal story of art versus industry. Hal was screened as part

of the DGA's documentary series, which aims to spotlight groundbreaking

nonfiction films for DGA members and guests by presenting screenings of documentaries, as well

as conversations with their directors.

The film is Ms. Scott's directorial debut, and premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival,

where it was nominated for the documentary

grand jury prize. After the documentary series screening of Hal at the DGA Theater

in Los Angeles, Ms. Scott spoke with director Chuck Horkman about making the film. During their

discussion, Ms. Scott talks about why she thought the film needed to be made,

being a fellow editor turned director like the subject of her film, and what she learned from

...