In Proximity
Episodes
How to Build a YouTube Empire with Michelle Khare
04 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
YouTube’s daredevil Michelle Khare has tackled the world’s toughest professions and stunts in her award-winning series CHALLENGE ACCEPTED — from...
Behind the Music: How PinkPantheress Produces Hits
27 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’re going stateside on IN PROXIMITY! Before she became a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated musician, PinkPantheress was a film student in London wh...
How SINNERS Built Its Oscar-Winning Score
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’re celebrating the theatrical anniversary of SINNERS with a musical deep dive featuring executive music producer Serena Göransson. Alongside her...
FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Art of the Pitch and Other Writing Tips with Juel Taylor, Tony Rettenmaier, and Sev Ohanian
13 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Take another trip to the archives with Proximity founder and writer/producer Sev Ohanian’s conversation with screenwriting duo Juel Taylor and Tony ...
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Screenwriting Masterclass with Sev Ohanian and Aneesh Chaganty
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’re back in the archives with a re-release of one of our first episodes ever featuring writer, producer, and Proximity Media founder Sev Ohanian a...
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Cord Jefferson and Ryan Coogler on Writing, Directing, AMERICAN FICTION, and SINNERS (sort of)
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’re going back into the IN PROXIMITY archives for the next several weeks, rereleasing masterclasses on filmmaking and screenwriting. On this episo...
INSIDE PROXIMITY: Meet (and Learn from!) our Nonfiction Team
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’re celebrating docs and nonfiction series with Proximity’s Nonfiction department! IN PROXIMITY host Paola Mardo sits down with Kelli Dunson Buc...
BEST OF SINNERS with Academy Award winners Ryan Coogler, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Ludwig Göransson, Michael B. Jordan, and more | PROX GEMS!
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
For this special episode of IN PROXIMITY, we’re celebrating the artisans who brought SINNERS to life. Relive the insightful conversations with Acade...
How to Make an Oscar-Winning Short Film with Luke Matheny
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Matheny is a writer, director, and showrunner who won the Academy Award for Best Live-Action Short Film in 2010 for GOD OF LOVE. Luke sat down wi...
Directing GOAT, Animation, and Dreaming Big with Tyree Dillihay
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Before his debut animated feature GOAT claimed the #1 spot at the box office, director Tyree Dilihay joined IN PROXIMITY host Paola Mardo for an in-de...
Maggie Gyllenhaal and Ryan Coogler: Writing, Directing, and IMAX
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Here comes the THE BRIDE writer/director/producer Maggie Gyllenhaal, who joins SINNERS writer/director/producer and Proximity founder Ryan Coogler, fo...
Writing and Directing KPOP DEMON HUNTERS
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We are sealing the Honmoon with KPOP DEMON HUNTERS directors and co-writers, Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans! The veteran animation filmmakers break d...
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Ryan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates on BLACK PANTHER, Chadwick Boseman, and Writing
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This February, we’re celebrating the 8th anniversary of the release of BLACK PANTHER! We dug deep into the In Proximity archives to re-release this ...
From FRIENDS Intern to CRIMINAL MINDS TV Writer to Showrunner: How to Build a TV Writing Career
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to build a successful TV writing career in comedy, procedurals, and drama? Executive producer, showrunner, and author Kimberly Ann H...
Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler on SINNERS, Lore, and Filmmaking
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
SINNERS lead actor Michael B. Jordan and writer/director/producer Ryan Coogler break down the Academy Award®-nominated film and their 10+ year collab...
PROX GEMS: Filmmaking 101
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Essential filmmaking advice from industry pros: writer/director Justin Tipping breaks down the Tagalog needle drop in the Jordan Peele-produced sports...
Inside Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show with Creative Director Mike Carson
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Mike Carson is a multidisciplinary creative director and designer. Last year, he co-creative directed and production designed Kendrick Lamar’s Super...
PROX GEMS: Industry Tips and Advice
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Kick off the new year with advice from industry pros: manager James Swoope on why you need “something to manage” before getting representation, ac...
PROX GEMS: SINNERS!
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Highlights from this season’s SINNERS episodes including: cultural consultant Dolly Li on Remmick’s infamous “licking” line, script supervisor...
PROX GEMS: A Day with Spike Lee and Other Stories with Ammar Mohamed
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ammar Mohamed, filmmaker and assistant to Ryan Coogler, on how he broke into the industry, his infamous ID story, and a never-before-released story ab...
PROX RECS 2025: Best Books, Films & Career Advice from Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, and more
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Celebrate the holidays with IN PROXIMITY! Kicking off our series of holiday mini episodes, host Paola Mardo shares the best Prox Recs of 2025. Whether...
How to Build a Film Community with Armenian Film Society
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From bookstore events to hosting the SINNERS Los Angeles premiere, what’s it like to start a film community from scratch? Armen and Mary Karaoghlani...
What Does a Culinary Producer Do on THE BEAR?
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Step into the kitchen set with Courtney Storer, culinary producer and co-executive producer of FX's Emmy-winning series THE BEAR. In this special holi...
From Storyboard Artist to Marvel Director: Todd Harris on EYES OF WAKANDA & SINNERS
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You know that iconic SINNERS juke joint music montage? Todd Harris is the artist who helped bring that sequence to life. A veteran storyboard artist, ...
What Filmmakers Can Learn from the Sneaker That Changed Streetwear
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What can a $100K riot-inducing sneaker teach us about storytelling, design, and creativity?Jeff Staple’s 2005 Nike Pigeon Dunk didn’t just drop. I...
SUPERGIRL's Azie Tesfai on Acting, Writing & Producing Your Own Stories
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Azie Tesfai was on track to become a lawyer until a breakup led to an audition and a new career in acting, writing, and producing. She’s appeared on...
From Sundance to The Shade Room: How Angelica Nwandu Built a Media Empire
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After a family tragedy landed her in foster care, Angelica “Angie” Nwandu turned to writing and poetry. Her first screenplay, NIGHT COMES ON, co-w...
SINNERS Script Supervisor on Working with Ryan Coogler and Christopher Nolan
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Ryan Coogler needed someone to track every detail on SINNERS – including Michael B. Jordan playing twin brothers Smoke and Stack – he called ...
Ryan Coogler’s Assistant on SINNERS, WAKANDA FOREVER, Set Life, and Learning from Mistakes
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What’s a crafty run? Why wear a chest vest? What would you do if you lost your boss’ ID? Ammar Mohamed – assistant to Ryan Coogler, SINNERS asso...
How Assistants vs. Agents Creator Warner Bailey Turned a Meme Page into a Media Brand and Business
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you a Hollywood assistant a.k.a. a rockstar with thick skin able to work in a fast-paced environment?! This is the episode for you! Assistants vs....
SINNERS Cultural Consultant Dolly Li on the Delta Chinese, Docs, and That Licking Line
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did a documentary and Ryan Coogler’s Chinese family ancestry lead to a role consulting on the blockbuster film SINNERS? Journalist, documentary ...
Making Hollywood Come to You with Talent Manager James Swoope (M88)
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you get a manager? What’s the difference between a manager and an agent? James Swoope, talent manager at M88, breaks it all down with IN PROX...
How Justin Tipping Blended Sports & Horror in HIM
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Writer/Director Justin Tipping (KICKS, THE CHI) joins IN PROXIMITY podcast host Paola Mardo to break down the making of his new film HIM, produced by ...
Trailer for Season 3 - Coming Monday September 22nd!
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A voice memo from Ryan Coogler to Paola Mardo – writer, producer, Proximity Media’s head of audio, and the new host of IN PROXIMITY podcast!Starti...
IN PROXIMITY SPECIAL: IRONHEART WITH CHINAKA HODGE
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From the Def Jam Poetry scene to the set of a major Marvel TV show, Oakland-raised writer, poet, rapper, actor, playwright, and screenwriter Chinaka H...
How Blues Music Inspired Ludwig Göransson and Ryan Coogler on SINNERS
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
SINNERS is only in theaters April 18 and we made a special two-part miniseries about the making of the film! Composer and executive producer Ludwig Gö...
Making IMAX History on SINNERS with Autumn Durald Arkapaw and Ryan Coogler
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
SINNERS is only in theaters April 18 and we made a special two-part miniseries about the making of the film! Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw sat...
Rachel Morrison and Ryan Coogler on cinematography, directing, and THE FIRE INSIDE
15 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From FRUITVALE STATION to BLACK PANTHER, Rachel Morrison and Ryan Coogler are longtime friends and collaborators. Rachel is a groundbreaking director ...
How to make it in Hollywood with Courtenay Valenti and Rebecca Cho
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Veteran studio executive Courtenay Valenti began her career as an assistant at Warner Bros. in the 1980s, eventually rising to President of Production...
SPECIAL EPISODE: How to Run a Movie Theater in 2024
17 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We took a trip to Gardena Cinema, one of the last family-owned, independent movie theaters in Los Angeles, to try and answer a simple question: What’...
How Writers and Producers Work Together with Jonny Sun and Rebecca Cho
03 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
GMORNING, GNITE! everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too. BOJACK HORSEMAN. GOODBYE, AGAIN. Jonny Sun is a film and TV writer, producer, author, and i...
Jon Else and Pete Nicks on Documentary, Truth, and Oppenheimer
20 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jon Else is an award-winning documentarian, cinematographer, and MacArthur Genius grant recipient. Over 40 years before Christopher Nolan’s OPPENHEI...
Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler on Genre, Fear, and Filmmaking
06 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
GET OUT. US. NOPE. Jordan Peele is an award-winning writer, director, and producer of these groundbreaking films, and founder of Monkeypaw Productions...
Breaking into Screenwriting with Juel Taylor, Tony Retteinmaier, and Sev Ohanian
22 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Sev Ohanian first read a script by Tony Rettenmaier, he was blown away. Tony was then fresh out of film school and working as a PA for an indie f...
Cord Jefferson and Ryan Coogler on Writing, Directing, and What They’re Doing Next
08 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut AMERICAN FICTION premiered at Toronto International Film Festival last year where it won the People’s Choice Aw...
Coming September 8th: Season 2!
27 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Don’t miss Jordan Peele, Cord Jefferson, Courtenay Valenti, Jonny Sun, and others in conversation with Ryan Coogler, Sev Ohanian, and the rest of ou...
Movies and basketball with Stephen Curry, Ryan Coogler, Pete Nicks, and Erick Peyton
06 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On our season finale, we’re going all in on Stephen Curry: Underrated, an inspiring coming-of-age story documenting the rise of NBA superstar, Golde...
Ryan Coogler and Pete Nicks
23 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Fruitvale Station was released 10 years ago this month. This was Ryan Coogler’s first feature film and it’s how he met fellow Bay Area director Pe...
Tara Duncan and Kalia King
09 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have a seat at the executive table with Kalia King, Proximity’s head of TV, and Tara Duncan, president of Onyx Collective, a premium content brand u...
Kris Bowers and Pete Nicks
25 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Anthem is an upcoming documentary streaming on Hulu on June 28th, produced by Proximity Media and our partners, and directed by our head of nonfiction...
Ta-Nehisi Coates and Ryan Coogler (Part 2)
18 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The second of a two-part conversation between Ta-Nehisi Coates and Ryan Coogler. Ta-Nehisi is a writer, journalist, and, most recently, host and write...
Ta-Nehisi Coates and Ryan Coogler (Part 1)
11 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The first of a two-part conversation between Ta-Nehisi Coates and Ryan Coogler. Ta-Nehisi is an author, journalist, and, most recently, host and write...
Blitz Bazawule and Ryan Coogler
04 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Blitz Bazawule is a filmmaker, musician, visual artist, and author. Born in Ghana and based in New York, his directorial credits include The Burial Of...
Inside Proximity: Working in Film & TV
14 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Step inside Proximity Media as our team members discuss topics and answer listener questions about working in film and television at our company. D’...
Jamie Carragher and Paola Mardo
07 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Before becoming a screenwriter and TV writer on HBO’s Succession, Jamie Carragher was a high school teacher turned graduate arts journalism student ...
Charles D. King and Ryan Coogler
30 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Charles D. King is the founder and CEO of MACRO, a multi-platform media company representing the voice and perspectives of Black people, indigenous pe...
Natalie Qasabian and Sev Ohanian
23 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Natalie Qasabian is an award-winning film producer who has worked on independent and studio films including Searching, Run, and Missing. She is a freq...
Pete Nicks and D'Angelo "D'Lo" Louis
16 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When Proximity’s co-founder and head of nonfiction Pete Nicks and creative executive D’Angelo “D’Lo” Louis met through their friend Ryan Coo...
Roman Mars and Ryan Coogler
09 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Proximity founder Ryan Coogler talks all about podcasts with Roman Mars, host and creator of 99% Invisible, a sound-rich narrative podcast about archi...
Tunji Balogun and Archie Davis
02 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From assistant desks at Interscope Records to the Def Jam C-suite, Tunji Balogun and Archie Davis share their journey as music industry executives. Tu...
Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian
26 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Grab your Moleskine and spreadsheets! It’s time for a screenwriting masterclass with writer, director, and producer Aneesh Chaganty and writer, prod...
Tessa Thompson and Kalia King
19 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tessa Thompson has starred in television shows, independent films, and blockbuster Hollywood movies like Selma, Dear White People, Westworld, Thor: Ra...
Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler
12 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From Fruitvale Station to Black Panther to Creed III, Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler’s cinematic partnership has shaped culture and broken box-o...
Coming March 12th: In Proximity
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Proximity is a podcast about craft, career, and creativity from Proximity Media, the production company whose credits include Creed III, Judas and ...