Usually these Patreon-only bonus Happy Hour episodes exist behind a paywall, but we decided to unlock this one to the general public because it’s just so much dang “fun.” Charles Smith III, who was the guest on our previous episode covering the ongoing WGA strike, hangs back for the Happy Hour to drink some cheap whiskey and discuss the tribulations of independent filmmaking, his work as a producer and professor, and what it was like to study under director Peter Medak in film school. But the real heart of the episode is rousing political discussion about work and hierarchies, not as an abstract concept, but as the lived reality of pretty much everyone. Though the discussion isn’t always strictly film related, this Happy Hour episode felt meaningful to us, so here it is unlocked and un-paywalled.

If you like our show and want extra content, please for the love of god sign up to Samm Deighan’s Patreon! Not only will you get access to all of our bonus Happy Hours, but you’ll also be able to listen to Samm’s series on Jean-Luc Goddard, read tons of articles, and hear one off audio treats. We can’t possibly express just how much we appreciate all of our supporters on Patreon. It’s truly keeping the lights on and our extremely large cat fed. It also helps keep Death Nerve 100% ad-free. But to be honest, we could make negative money a month and we still wouldn’t run ads. Fuck that.

Thanks as always for supporting the show. Pretty please rate, review, and share! You can also find us on Apple and Spotify and please follow us on Instagram. Also check out Essex Coffee Roasters (enter code CINEPUNX for 10% off).