Required Watching
Required WatchingGo beyond the screen with the official podcast from Required Watching. This is your audio masterclass in the art of storytelling, designed for filmmakers, screenwriters, and dedicated cinephiles.
Each week, host and film analyst Tray Epps (and sometimes other guests) deconstruct the craft of cinema, providing practical "Toolkit" episodes to improve your work and in-depth interviews with industry p... more
| Publishes | Daily | Episodes | 185 | Founded | 7 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Film ReviewsTV & Film | |||
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Latest Episodes
Eighty thousand dollars buys you the 180-degree rule and four years of fear. It doesn't buy you the three things every great film runs on: the Blueprint (how it was built), the Ghost (why it haunts you), and the Echo (what it changed). This is the re... more
There's a performance style that's taken over prestige cinema. Quiet, internal, barely-there. And everyone's blamed the actors. Wrong call. The whispering isn't coming from the performance. It's coming from the camera. This is a breakdown of the spec... more
A personal audio essay on Glen Hansard, Once, and twenty years of chasing the feeling of that first screening. Recorded the week the world lost him.
Required Watching is your curriculum for cinematic literacy. We deconstruct the art and craft of fil... more
Baz Luhrmann has made six feature films. Every single one is about the same thing — a person of extraordinary natural talent trapped inside a world that wants to commodify and contain that talent, expressed through maximalist visual language and musi... more
Ten days. Ten episodes. This is the one where everything lands. Kokuho is a fictional film about a kabuki performer that tells the truth about what becoming an artist costs. EPiC is a documentary that refuses to be a documentary and presents Elvis at... more
In October 2025, I was alone in Hiroshima. I wandered into a kabuki theater not knowing what kabuki was, and watched a performance of Princess Takiyasha. I didn't speak the language well enough to follow the dialogue. I followed every second of it an... more
Everyone came to Bong Joon-ho through Parasite. Which means almost everyone is watching his career backwards — and missing the blueprint. Memories of Murder, his second film, contains every formal and political move he would spend the next seventeen ... more
Yesterday's episode made the case that Western TV pilots lie — that they're persuasion documents built for commissioners rather than honest first chapters built for audiences. Today is the answer. J-drama structures its first episode like a complete ... more
Key Facts
Host
Reviews
- Great show!!
Love this podcast ❤️ I will recommend this podcast to my friends and family. Keep it up 👍
Apple Podcasts5Adam"**"
United States5 years ago - Thank You!
This podcast is just what I was looking for. I enjoy looking at the list of movies and reflecting back to compare my critique with yours. Good stuff!
Apple Podcasts5DeWayne.HUnited States6 years ago - So far so good
Hm this show is interesting. I like that it isn’t too preachy. I enjoyed the conversation for Bamboozled. I like a good chit chat about films. I like it.
Apple Podcasts5dangle earrings
Spain6 years ago - Love a short podcast
As much as I like a podcast that goes on for an hour, I like hearing this guy have his thoughts that are short and sweet. I’m ready to Stan.
Apple Podcasts5frankenmonstarrs
United Kingdom6 years ago - Yes!
This is what my friends and I talk about all of the time. Can’t wait for more episodes.
Apple Podcasts5finding viewsUnited States6 years ago - Exactly what I’m looking for....
A movie review about older films that I can take part in.
Apple Podcasts5Drowning in paperUnited States6 years ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #160 |  Singapore/TV & Film/Film Reviews |
Apple Podcasts | #212 |  India/TV & Film/Film Reviews |
Apple Podcasts | #242 |  Finland/TV & Film/Film Reviews |
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Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Required Watching
What is Required Watching about and what kind of topics does it cover?
A cinephile-focused show that dissects storytelling craft across cinema and television. Episodes lean into practical filmmaking takeaways, deep dives into directing, editing, and sound design, and interview-driven conversations with industry professionals shaping the future of film. The host frequently reframes classic and contemporary works through a craft-first lens, offering actionable insights for writers, directors, and designers. Noteworthy tendencies include arguing for authenticity in biographical storytelling, exploring found-footage versus traditional formats, and unpacking how pilots and first episodes set long-running trajectories. The format stands out for its rigorous, theory-to-practice approach and willingness to challenge c... more
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How many listeners does Required Watching get?
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What are the audience demographics for Required Watching?
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How many subscribers and views does Required Watching have?
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How many episodes of Required Watching are there?
Required Watching launched 7 years ago and published 185 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact Required Watching?
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