We caught up with FNI Wrap Chat host and co-founder Paul Webster to discuss reaching the 100 episode milestone, where the idea for the podcast came from and some of their favourite moments so far.
Hosted by Paul Webster and Paul Butler Lennox, the FNI Wrap Chat has been running since September 2017, with Nick Kelly (The Drummer and The Keeper) featuring as the first guest on the podcast. Since then, the pair have hosted over 100 guests from a variety of roles from directors and producers to actors and casting agents to editors, development execs, and cinematographers.
Past guests include directors John Butler (Papi Chulo), Carmel Winters (Float Like A Butterfly), Lee Cronin (The Hole In Ground), as well as, people like editor Nathan Nugent (Room, The Little Stranger, and Disobedience), and production designer/Art Director, Jill Beecher (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood).
IFTN journalist Nathan Griffin spoke with Paul Webster about the FNI Wrap Chats journey so far.
Congratulations on reaching 100 episodes. What has the reaction been like to reach such a great milestone?
“Thank you, we've received a lot of support from our listeners and former guests and it's just been great to mark the milestone. We're very proud of what we've achieved with it and we're really looking forward to making a lot more episodes and developing the content further.”
For someone who hasn’t listened to it before, how would you describe the podcast?
“FNI Wrap Chat is for anyone with an interest in the Irish film and television industries. The podcast is really about learning from other filmmaker's experiences. It's a great way to hear from some of the most talented filmmakers and practitioners in Ireland. We've had a huge variety of guests and they've all kindly shared their stories, both funny and poignant, knowledge and insight with us. We are very much coming from the perspective of filmmakers, so our conversations revolve around the craft of filmmaking in all its guises.”
What was your ambition when you aired the first show and how much has the show changed or developed over the years?
“We set out to make a podcast that would be relevant specifically to people working in Film and TV in Ireland. There are loads of film podcasts in America, The UK and other parts of Europe, but they can often feel un-relatable. We wanted to celebrate and learn from the incredible filmmakers and crew that are working here.”
How would describe your interviewing dynamic on the show?
“We are both filmmakers and this really informs the interview style. I'm a writer and director and I'm really passionate about documentary filmmaking and I think this comes across. Paul Butler Lennox is an actor and it's great to have this perspective, especially when chatting to actors and drama directors.”
Looking through some of the guests you have had on the show. There is a great mix of well-established and independent talent. Can you talk to me about the diversity of your guests?
“I'm a huge fan of so many of the people who've come on the show. Often I'll see a film, documentary or TV series at the cinema or on TV and I'll just wait for the credits and see if I can get a contact for the people involved. We know how hard it is to get anything made, so it's gratifying to give a platform to people who are endeavouring to make interesting work and getting it across the line. We interview people at various stages in their careers, but what they all have in common is that they have so much passion for what they do and incredible work ethic.”
Who have been your favourite guests on the show, and why?
“For episode 100, we both put together a selection of our favourite bits and it was so difficult to choose. Frank Berry stands out for me. I love his films and he's such a warm and kind person, he really dispels the myth that you have to be a bit tyrannical to be a great director. We also did an episode called the Mind Yourself Episode, which looked at health and wellbeing for filmmakers, this was a great experience and I personally learned a lot from it.”
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