I feel like filmmaking has so much in common with building, with architecture and construction.

And if you don't have good plans and solid engineering plans for a building, like you're going to have some problems.

You're going to have some problems. Hello, and welcome back to the director's cut, brought to you by the Director's Guild of America.

In today's episode, a film executive named Violet realizes that she has spent years letting

fear drive her every decision in director Justine Bateman's new drama, Violet.

Seeking to regain control over her life, Violet must learn to silence her relentlessly negative

inner thoughts to live life how she wants.

Violet is Ms. Bateman's feature directorial debut.

Her other directorial credits include the television documentary, Speechless, and the short

films, Five Minutes, and Push.

Following a recent screening of the film at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles, Ms. Bateman

gives insight into the making of Violet

with fellow director Aaron Schneider. Listen on for their spoiler-filled conversation.

Congratulations on a bold and very unique directorial debut. I saw the film, of course, and I just loved it.

I was most compelled by the idea that what drives the narrative

is a really, really internal journey, right?

Getting past the barriers of self-consciousness and that inner voice.

Talk a little bit about the challenges of making a movie about such a,

such an internal kind of struggle as opposed to something super plot driven.

I mean, what interests me as a filmmaker are like the little earthquakes that, I mean, the little things in our life that are big earthquakes.

Like, there are things that you can't come back from, like the first time you steal something or you lose your virginity or you're this.

And I feel like films often, if they're focusing on some earthquake in someone's life, they're

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