We looked at like Maisel Brothers films.

We looked at Frederick Weissman movies together and the Verite.

And we tried to create that feeling also with obviously Fat City and HUD and...

But we tried to keep a doc feeling with what we were doing.

Hello and welcome back to the director's cut, brought to you by the director feeling with what we were doing.

Hello, and welcome back to the director's cut, brought to you by the Director's Guild of America.

Today's episode takes us behind the scenes of director Fisher Stevens' new drama, Palmer.

The film tells the story of former high school football star Eddie Palmer, who has returned

to his Louisiana hometown to rebuild his life after 12 years in prison.

Eddie forms an unlikely bond with a neighbor from a troubled home, but his past threatens to ruin his new life.

In addition to Palmer, Mr. Stevens' directorial credits include the feature films, stand-up guys, and Just a Kiss, the

documentaries, and We Go Green, and Before the Flood, and episodes of the series Early Edition

and the documentary series, Dirty Money. Mr. Stevens spoke with director Kenneth

Lonergan about filming Palmer in front of a virtual audience. Listen on for their spoiler-filled conversation.

Okay. Kenneth Lonergan here with Fisher Stevens,

director of Palmer and many other things.

Hi, Fish.

Hi, Kenny. Great to be with you.

I wish we were together in person on a stage with a cigarette talking to each other

and glass of water. We could go back to even Johnny Carson days of a cigarette and a cocktail.

That's right. Much more civilized. So, yeah, and to have seen the movie with a nice audience

instead of what we're doing, but at least things are getting,

...