Red Carpet Rookies

Red Carpet Rookies

Every great film and TV maker began as a Red Carpet Rookie. In this podcast each episode you’ll learn from the life and career story of someone who’s grown to the top of the entertainment business, hearing how they mastered their craft with lessons you can apply to harness your own creative talent in your own career and everyday life. From lessons given by Spielberg to Oscar-winners tips on imposter syndrome, and some pretty crazy on-set anecdotes thrown in for good measure… My name is Mike Battle a film crew member turned screenwriter and I’ll be your host…and this is Red Carpet Rookies.

Episodes

April 29, 2024 26 mins

Today’s guest began his career writing novels informed by his experiences growing up in the troubles of 1970s Northern Ireland such as The Second Prison which was shortlisted for the 1991 Irish Times prize.

Soon after, he began writing for television and film, again bringing signature realism to his work in later projects including Michael Mann’s gangster pic Public Enemies, Gunpowder starring Kit Harrington and most notably his cre...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest began her creative journey in the world of theatre before moving to Pixar where she worked in the story department of hits including Ratatouille, Up, Brave, The Good Dinosaur and Inside Out.

Having now transitioned to writing and showrunning her own projects, most recently the double Emmy nominated Tab Time as well as co-hosting mega-popular podcast The Screenwriting Life alongside fellow Red Carpet Rookies alumni, Meg...

Mark as Played

I am lucky to introduce today’s guest who has been at the forefront of British comedy for the last two decades.

The man behind hit shows such as Back starring Mitchell and Webb and Sky’s Breeders, his career is long and celebrated but it is his partnership with Armando Innaucci for which he is probably best known.

Together they have brought movies like In The Loop and The Personal History of David Copperfield into the world as well a...

Mark as Played

Hello and welcome to Red Carpet Rookies, today’s guest earned his early entertainment industry stripes working at Village Roadshow and Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company Appian Way, later transitioning to the world of literary management, where he has since set up his own management and production company Bellevue Productions.

There his clients have had projects set up at Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, Fox, and more, some ...

Mark as Played

Born to a sleepy town in South Wales, after university, he swapped the countryside for the Big Apple where he made his name as the film unit director at New York institution, Saturday Night Live.

In addition to his time at 30 Rock, he’s also managed to peel off and create the hilarious documentary satire series Documentary Now with friends Bill Hader, Fred Armisen and Seth Myers, and more recently, took a step into the Marvel Cinema...

Mark as Played

Hello and welcome to Red Carpet Rookies.

I’m very excited to introduce today’s guest who cut his teeth working on the British children’s TV that made up my childhood with shows like The Queens Nose, Tracey Beaker and My Parents are Aliens, before transitioning to his own creations like Fresh Meat and most notably the one and only, the great Peep Show which he co-created with longtime collaborator Jesse Armstrong and won a BAFTA for.

...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest began his career working as a runner on James Cameron’s legendary action movie Aliens but found his home in the art department where he honed the skill of concept art becoming one of the foremost illustrators in the business.

With a resume that includes movies such as Star Wars Rogue Rogue, The Martian, Gravity, Casino Royale, Tim Burton’s Batman, Game of Thrones and even a few Harry Potters thrown in for good measure,...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest has one of the most varied resumes of anyone in the film and TV business. Having produced everything from megahit Top Boy to winning a BAFTA for The Last King of Scotland, making documentaries and more, I can’t wait to hear his story and learn from his journey to success in the industry.

He also has one of the coolest names of any guest I’ve ever had!

My guest is Charles Steel.

Mark as Played

Hello and welcome to Red Carpet Rookies.

Today’s guest is a first for a the show. Someone who began his career in the world of comedy editing. With eight years at the legendary Saturday Night Live to his name, he’s been in the cutting room for skits featuring Margot Robbie as a murderous librarian, Ed Norton in a Wes Anderson themed horror movie parody, Andrew Garfield as a Beyonce Fan on the run and so many more.

Whilst there he pic...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest is one of the most notable casting directors in the history of movie making.

Beginning her career under the tutelage of legendary casting director Marion Doughtery, our guest then transitioned to making a name for herself and by god did she.

Now retired, during her epic career she was responsible for the casting of films including but not limited to, DEEP BREATH NOW - Taxi Driver, Schindler’s List, The Exorcist, Close E...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest began his filmmaking career under the tutelage of legendary Producer Charles Roven where he was a producer’s assistant on Hollywood blockbusters such as Get Smart, The International and of course, Christopher Nolan’s, The Dark Knight.

Following his apprenticeship, he was swiftly promoted through the ranks of Atlas Entertainment, soon becoming a leading producer for the company working on projects such as American Hustl...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest earned his early entertainment industry stripes working as a journalist for publications including Digital Spy and Empire before gaining what must be one of the world’s most fun jobs as Radio 1’s very own film critic, a position he has held since 2016.

Since then, his career has only risen with recent projects such as hosting the red carpet of a little-known awards show called the BAFTAS and the BBC’s new series ‘The F...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest is the king of British detective drama writing. Having discovered his talent for the written word whilst in a comedy troupe with a pre-movie star Hugh Grant, my guest later transitioned to drama where he has produced over 100 hours of primetime television including a multitude of hits including Innocent, which pulled in EIGHT MILLION viewers on ITV, The Thief His Wife and the Canoe which was watched by TEN million in ...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest began her career as one of the youngest ever executives at Sony where she was part of the team that brought the now iconic ‘fully onscreen’ movie Searching to our screens, as well as many other projects such as Broken Hearts Gallery, executive produced by none other than Selena Gomez. Since then, like a young Reed Hastings she’s made the move into the world of media and technology with her film and tv networking compa...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest is something new for the show, our first film critic! Beginning her career in the world of music magazine editing, she soon transitioned to freelance writing on her favourite topic: movies. In the years since she’s graced every publication and TV channel you can imagine from the likes of Deadline Hollywood, Sight & Sound, the BBC, Sky News and many more. 

In addition to her day job, she is also co-founder...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest is one of Ireland’s most notable film producers.

Beginning his life in the Irish capital, he pursued his passion into movie production during his time at Trinity College Dublin where he set up a film society with a certain Lenny Abrahamson.

Today, he and his company Element Pictures have come a long way from those days though, having produced the likes of Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite, and Lenny’s very own movie Room,...

Mark as Played

Today's podcast is something a little different.

This weekend I was honoured to attend this year's British Film Designers Guild awards to speak to some of the very decorated production designers nominated. I managed to get a little time with the likes of six-time Oscar nominee Sarah Greenwood, who attended the awards with her recent film Cyrano. James Chinland who was there for The Batman, Luke Hull with Star Wars' An...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest is one of the most accomplished production designers in the world today. Starting his career under the tutelage of Star Wars designer John Barry, he worked his way through the art department on 1970s classics such as the original Christopher Reeve Superman and Richard Attenborough’s A Bridge too Far.

Here he began a multi-decade collaboration with Attenborough which produced the likes of Gandhi, for which he picked up ...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest is one of the most accomplished costume designers in the world today.

Starting out on features including Michael Mann’s Manhunter she has since travelled the world designing tens of the our most beloved films including The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia and the Fantastic Beasts Series.

Most notable about her career though, is her longstanding relationships with Directors Tim Burton and Rob Marshall which produced th...

Mark as Played

Go and grab your shine box people because today is a big one! 

Today's guest is one of the key creative decision-makers behind a number of the world's most well-loved movies. Beginning her career casting under the legendary Juliet Taylor, she later went out alone, casting beloved titles including Forrest Gump, The Devil Wears Prada, Mamma Mia and Scent of A Woman. 

It has been her collaborations though that have made up a b...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.

    Death, Sex & Money

    Anna Sale explores the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation.

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Crime Junkie

    If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people.

    Start Here

    A straightforward look at the day's top news in 20 minutes. Powered by ABC News. Hosted by Brad Mielke.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2024 iHeartMedia, Inc.