Kabir Akhtar is an Emmy award winner who has worked on a long list of TV shows, such as Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Never Have I Ever, and The Sex Lives of College Girls. This accomplished director-editor-producer has directed 45 episodes of TV as of today.
In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and Director-Editor, Kabir Akhtar, discuss:
- Why Kabir still uses a printed script
- Moving to Los Angeles and hearing “no” after “no”
- Why post is the most important part of the process
- Understanding editing before you start directing
- Directing episodes in an existing show versus directing a pilot
- The different “languages” you have be able to speak as a director
- Editing scenes you directed yourself
- Embracing the creative instincts from others on set
- The right way to step into your leadership role as a director
- Believing in yourself despite the opinions of others
Memorable Quotes
- “It’s not really who you know, it’s ultimately who knows you.” [8:29]
- “No one is going to the movies to read a script. No one is going to the movies to watch raw footage.” [14:08]
- “Fundamentally editing is dark arts. It’s just doing a magic trick all day long.” [20:43]
- “It’s better to swing and miss than not swing at all.” [33:06]
- “I was completely convinced that it would happen and that it would absolutely never happen.” [56:20]
Mentioned Resources:
Connect with Kabir on Instagram
More about Kabir
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