The Friend with Scott McGehee, David Siegel and Gail Mancuso (Ep. 539)

The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Directors Guild of America

Tv & Film

4.6 • 806 Ratings

🗓️ 9 May 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel discusses their new film, The Friend, with fellow Director Gail Mancuso in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they discuss working with Actors Naomi Watts and Bill Murray, the consideration that went into changes from the source material to the film, and working with a dog trainer to achieve emotional performances from their mastiff actor. The film tells the story of Iris, a solitary writer who inherits a great dane once belonging to a late friend. At first creating problems for Iris, she finds herself unexpectedly bonding with the mastiff, gradually coming to terms with her lost friend and own creative inner life. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/events/2025/june2025/thefriend_qna_0425

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	But it's complicated also because Apollo's this great gift, but he's also this huge burden.
0:05.9	And it seems like understanding that boundary is another thing that was challenging for Walter.
0:11.2	It's like what is he doing that's really just convenient for him?
0:14.5	And what is he doing that's actually useful to the people around him?
0:18.3	And does he even draw a distinction?
0:20.4	We enjoyed thinking about that
0:22.2	kind of complicated male. Hello, and welcome back to the director's cut, brought to you by the Director's Guild of America.
0:47.5	In this episode, a grieving woman finds canine companionship in director Scott McGeehy and David Siegel's dromedy, The Friend.
0:57.0	The film tells the story of Iris, a solitary writer who inherits a Great Dane once belonging
1:02.0	to a late friend.
1:04.0	At first creating problems for Iris, she finds herself unexpectedly bonding with the Mastiff,
1:09.0	gradually coming to terms with her lost friend and own creative inner life.
1:13.6	In addition to the friend, McGeehee and Siegel's other directorial credits include the features, What Maisie knew, The Deep End, Uncertainty, Montana Story, and Suture.
1:26.6	Following a screening of the film at the DGA Theatre in Los Angeles, Certainty, Montana Story, and Suture.
1:32.3	Following a screening of the film at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles, McGeehee and Siegel spoke with director Gail Mancuso about filming The Fred.
1:37.3	Listen on for their spoiler-filled conversation.
1:48.0	Amazing! Amazing. Thank you very much.
1:49.7	Amazing movie.
1:50.4	Isn't it great?
1:51.5	Thank you.
1:53.2	Who loves dogs here?
1:56.4	Great audience.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 16 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Directors Guild of America, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Directors Guild of America and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.