How to Make Films and Influence People

In this podcast, we talk about our own approach to screenwriting and filmmaking, discuss great works of cinema, and blasphemously imagine how they could be remade. Each week we tackle a movie widely considered to be a "great film". We ask the important questions: How would you remake this as a family film? What's the no-budget version? How do you turn this into a 10-episode Netflix series? Join us as we walk through our creative process, share updates from our screenplay, and talk about what we've been watching lately.

How to Make Films and Influence People is a tv podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 42 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts How to Make Films and Influence People, a tv show with 42 episodes published.

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  Episode #40

  Goodfellas

  Aug 14, 20261h 5mS1

  Peter and Andrew unpack Martin Scorsese's 1990 classic Goodfellas , exploring how its highly stylized editing and unique dual-narrator perspective redefined the gangster genre. They discuss the film’s themes of the illusion of mafia loyalty, the allure of the criminal lifestyle, and the reality of middle management incompetence, and debate whether its intense, stylized violence serves to intentionally desensitize the viewer. In their remake scenarios, they tackle a ruthless challenge: How do you adapt an ultra-violent mob story for families? Could it work as a summer camp movie about a kid slinging contraband candy? What would a no-budget version set entirely inside Paulie's house or a single chaotic car ride look like? Would it be better as an ongoing TV series expanding on the unseen Lufthansa heist? The hosts also celebrate their 40th episode by handing out awards for the past ten movies they've covered, while referencing The Godfather , The Sopranos , Donnie Brasco , The Office , Wet Hot American Summer , A Woman Under the Influence , Children of Men , Mulholland Drive , The Truman Show , Night of the Living Dead , Ran , Scott Pilgrim vs. the World , Cinema Paradiso , and Donnie Darko in their discussion. Topics covered: The cinematic discipline of skipping a highly-anticipated heist scene, the unglamorous reality of cleaning up crime scenes in your own driveway, comparing ruthless mobsters to incompetent regional managers, and why some movies are better experienced as a fast-paced rollercoaster ride.

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  Episode #39

  A Woman Under the Influence

  Aug 7, 20261h 13mS1

  Peter and Andrew unpack John Cassavetes's 1974 independent character study A Woman Under the Influence , exploring how its uncomfortably intimate filmmaking style and incredibly nuanced performances left a lasting mark on independent cinema. They discuss the film’s themes of mental illness versus idiosyncrasy, the dark underbelly of 1970s domestic life, and the messy reality of marriage, and debate whether its challenging, unresolved narrative still resonates in a modern world. In their remake scenarios, they tackle an uncomfortable challenge: How do you adapt a harrowing domestic drama for families? Could it work as a Mary Poppins -style fantasy where a mother's erratic behavior translates into magical adventures for her kids? What would a no-budget "birthday party from hell" version told entirely from the perspective of an awkward visiting parent look like? Would it be better as a time-hopping TV series exploring the couple's early romance and the future lives of their children in the vein of This Is Us ? The hosts also launch a new segment pitching auteur directors for bizarre brand movies (featuring Edgar Wright and John Milius takes on Crocs), and share their current viewing habits, including Shoresy and The Karate Kid (1984), while referencing Barbie , Battleship , Jumanji , Mean Girls , Red Dawn , Letterkenny , Cobra Kai , Black Swan , The Killing of a Chinese Bookie , Krisha , Blue Valentine , Saturday Night Live , Barry , and Entourage in their discussion. Topics covered: The difference between a low-budget Hollywood film and true independent cinema, the dark cultural undertones of the 1970s, the ethics of the Cobra Kai dojo, the value of long, uncomfortable scenes, and why some masterpieces are deeply rewarding but incredibly unpleasant to watch.

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  Episode #38

  Night of the Living Dead

  Jul 31, 20261h 15mS1

  Peter and Andrew unpack George Romero's 1968 independent horror classic Night of the Living Dead , exploring how its single-location tension and foundational zombie tropes created an entire cinematic genre. They discuss the film’s themes of interpersonal power dynamics, the futility of survival, and the dark irony of the rescue posse, and debate whether its straightforward, relentless narrative still holds up in a modern world saturated with undead copycats. In their remake scenarios, they tackle a terrifying challenge: How do you adapt a story about flesh-eating ghouls for families? Could it work as a comedic movie about teenagers barricading their house to study for an AP test? What would a high-budget ancient Roman version set during the conquest of Gaul look like? Would it be better as an anthology TV series where the main cast dies every episode, or an X-Files-style detective show investigating petty grudges settled during the outbreak? The hosts also kick off a new segment pitching auteur directors for Disney live-action remakes (featuring Robert Eggers and Christopher McQuarrie takes on Moana), and share their current viewing habits, including Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and The Invite , while referencing Mission: Impossible, The Witch, Nosferatu, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Carnage, Closer, Die Hard, Jaws, Shaun of the Dead, The Purge, and 28 Days Later in their discussion. Topics covered: The logistical and financial realities of 1960s micro-budget filmmaking, the effectiveness of stripping away character backstories to heighten situational tension, the mechanics of a satisfying twist ending, and why the original blueprint of a genre is always worth revisiting.

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  Episode #37

  Children of Men

  Jul 24, 20261h 9mS1

  Peter and Andrew unpack Alfonso Cuarón's 2006 dystopian masterpiece Children of Men , exploring how its gritty, ground-level visual style and masterful "show, don't tell" world-building elevate it beyond a standard action thriller. They discuss the film’s themes of societal collapse, the moral complexities of revolution, and the balance between random chance and miraculous faith, and debate whether its deeply cynical yet hopeful view of humanity still resonates in a modern world. In their remake scenarios, they tackle an apocalyptic challenge: How do you adapt a bleak story about the end of human reproduction for families? Could it work as a fun adventure where a motley crew of animals helps the last pregnant sea turtle reach a sanctuary, or a quest to save the last growing plant? What would a no-budget version set entirely inside an abandoned Michigan strip mall look like? Would it be better as a gritty 10-episode sci-fi retelling of the biblical Nativity story? The hosts also share their current viewing habits, including The Invite , while referencing The Godfather trilogy, Star Wars: A New Hope, The Lord of the Rings, 22 Jump Street, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Pusher, Der Vorname, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Carnage, Closer, The Bourne Identity, and Seinfeld in their discussion. Topics covered: The rarity of truly great movie sequels, the effectiveness of a reluctant "common man" hero over an action superstar, the intricate background details of a collapsing society, and why some cinematic masterpieces are easily misjudged on a first watch because of their superficial accessibility.

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  Episode #36

  Donnie Darko

  Jul 17, 202648 minS1

  Peter and Andrew unpack Richard Kelly's 2001 genre-bending cult classic Donnie Darko , exploring how its bizarre time-traveling rabbit and its ambiguous blend of sci-fi, horror, and dark comedy left a lasting mark on early 2000s cinema. They discuss the film’s themes of the isolating teenage experience, the blurred lines of mental illness, and the impact of personal sacrifice, and debate whether its cynical view of corrupt adults still resonates in a modern world. In their remake scenarios, they tackle an apocalyptic challenge: How do you adapt a dark story about an imaginary doomsday rabbit for families? Could it work as a positive adventure where a happy bunny helps a teen fix his neighbors' hidden problems? What would a no-budget, computer screen-only "Screen Life" version look like? Would it be better as an ongoing TV series expanding the 28-day timeline to explore the bizarre lives of the town's side characters? The hosts also share their current viewing habits, including HyperNormalisation and Jackass Best and Last , while referencing Zelig , What's Up, Tiger Lily? , Forrest Gump , It's a Wonderful Life , Mulholland Drive , Fight Club , 2001: A Space Odyssey , Ferris Bueller's Day Off , The Shining , and Missing in their discussion. Topics covered: The creative use of archival footage in documentaries, the Buster Keaton-level visual comedy of Jackass stunts, the sinister camera framing used to introduce Donnie, and why some movies are destined to be subjective personal favorites rather than objectively the greatest films of all time.

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