In this episode of Off The Lot, Anthony Epp takes a solo deep dive into the role of the assistant director — unpacking how films actually come together in the final stages of pre-production.

Using his 20 plus years of experience, he breaks down the critical alignment between script, budget, and schedule, and how a screenplay transforms from a creative document into a logistical blueprint for every department. The conversation explores the AD–director relationship, the importance of early problem-solving, and how decisions around locations, setups, and time ultimately shape the film.

Anthony also shares a ground-level perspective on production — from managing hundreds of setups to balancing creative ambition with practical constraints, and why communication, clarity, and preparation are what keep a set from falling apart.

If you want a real-world understanding of how films are executed, and why the assistant director might be the most important hire on your project — this episode is for you.

Follow Ken's Indie Horror Feature Remnant here:

www.remnantmovie.com

Follow Ken Kabatoff's newsletter The Film Founder here:

https://kenkabatoff.substack.com/about

Follow Anthony Epp's newsletter The Filmmaker's Notebook here:

www.anthonyepp.com

Follow Ken & Anthony on Instagram here:

@ken_kabatoff

@epptri