This Machine News

R.J. Cutler on Bloomberg ‘The Close’
R.J. Cutler discusses the making of “Esports World Cup: Level Up”

Olivia Newton-John Documentary Heading To Netflix, Directed By Oscar Nominee Nicole Newnham
Major news for fans hopelessly devoted to Olivia Newton-John: a documentary in production about the late singer and actress will be coming to Netflix.

Esports World Cup: Level Up
Unless we’re talking about golf or bowling, most sports require an extreme amount of physical exertion. Well, now you can add Esports to the list of sports that are more mind over matter, and it’s sweeping not just the country, but the world. Filmmaker R.J. Cutler’s five-part documentary series Esports World Cup: Level Up gives viewers a peek behind the curtain of the very first Esports World Cup (EWC) in Saudi Arabia.

Inside R.J. Cutler’s New 'Esports World Cup: Level Up' Documentary
The five-part series follows the inaugural Esports World Cup (EWC) — a tournament so massive it offered a record-shattering $60 million prize pool. Shot in verité style, Level Up isn’t just about gameplay. It’s about the lives behind the keyboards. From international rivalries to stories of grit and personal sacrifice, Cutler captures the emotional intensity of elite-level gaming—and proves esports is no longer just a pastime. It’s a profession, a path, and for some, the only way out.

Episode 226: Martha Stewart, Alice Waters, John Williams
Our Emmy contender conversations conclude with a look at three stand out biographies. Host Thom Powers interviews these directors:
R.J. Cutler on "Martha" (Netflix)
David Gelb with cinematographer Adam Bricker on "Chef's Table: Legends" (Netflix)
Laurent Bouzereau on "Music By John Williams" (Disney+)
Recorded live in Los Angeles at Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.

R.J. Cutler: Still 'Bullish' on Docs, Bring the 'Bank Robber Mentality'
The Emmy-winning director on what he learned from D.A. Pennebaker, and how he navigates big personalities like Martha, Wintour, Cheney & Eilish

It’s R.J. Cutler… He’s the only guy Martha Stewart trusted to tell her story!
Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker RJ Cutler details the beats of a wild career that’s landed him exclusive access to make documentaries about Anna Wintour, Dick Cheney, Billie Eilish, Elton John and, most recently, Martha Stewart in Netflix’s juicy 2024 tell-all Martha, about the world’s first influencer.

Martha Stewart on Her Netflix Doc and What She Wants to Focus on in Her Next Autobiographical Project
“This story is about equality, about women being able to stand up for themselves and do what they want to do,” she says of the R.J. Cutler-directed documentary.

El documental de Karol G en Netflix: “Una carta de amor a sus fans”
El productor Trevor Smith habla del documental de Netflix, uno de los más vistos en Estados Unidos; comparte lo que fue seguir al fenómeno latino

The Stories Behind The Competition: ‘Esports World Cup: Level Up’ Docuseries Drops June 6 On Prime Video
Electronic sports, also known as esports, have escalated from a niche for dedicated gamers competing in organized video game matchups into an industry that boasts millions of participants and spectators globally. Despite some debate about its validity as a “real” sport, what was once perceived as a hobby of enthusiasts has morphed into the multi-million-dollar mainstream where streaming services, the advertising community, the participating players, the job market, and an annual global competition like the Esports World Cup (EWC) are reaping the benefits.

Amazon Orders Docuseries on First-Ever Esports World Cup Directed by R.J. Cutler (EXCLUSIVE)
Amazon‘s Prime Video has ordered a five-part docuseries about the inaugural “Esports World Cup,” which is set to premiere June 6 ahead of the Saudi Arabia-based sporting event’s second annual games.

‘Lee Soo Man: King of K-Pop’ Explores the Mastermind Behind Some of Genre’s Biggest Acts
Ever wondered how some of the biggest acts in K-pop were made? Amazon‘s documentary Lee Soo Man: King of K-Pop dives deep into the inner workings of the popular music genre as seen through the eyes of legendary South Korean business executive and record producer Lee Soo Man.

Martha Stewart on Why She Chose to Work With ‘Martha’ Filmmaker R.J. Cutler: ‘I Didn’t Want Some Namby-Pamby, Ralph Lauren Documentary’
“I didn’t want some namby-pamby, Ralph Lauren documentary,” Martha Stewart declared Monday night in Beverly Hills as she and filmmaker R.J. Cutler sat for an FYC event on the outdoor deck of the Maybourne Hotel to tout the Netflix docu “Martha.”

RealScreen’s Top Ten Doc Production Companies
Realscreen’s Global 100 Top Tens for 2025: Unscripted brings the drama

Karol G Has Always Believed In a Better Tomorrow
To this day, the Mañana Será Bonito tour is the highest-grossing—and the first-ever stadium tour—by a Latina recording artist.
Now, thanks to a new documentary—Mañana Fue Bonito (Tomorrow Was Beautiful)—available on Netflix today, Karol's fans can relive the era that changed everything for the singer, as well as see all that it took to make history and shift the perception of success for Latinas in music.

Karol G sheds her armor in new Netflix doc ‘Tomorrow Was Beautiful’
Premiering May 8 on Netflix, “Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful,” is a behind-the-scenes look into the making of her “Mañana Será Bonito” tour: the highest-grossing and most attended tour by a Latina artist in history. Woven into the storyline are the many hurdles Karol had to face as a woman coming up in the male-dominated urban genre known as reggaeton.

Trump’s collapse into total ‘F’: Dem James Carville from ‘War Room’ to MAGA (Melber x Cutler)
Award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler joins MSNBC’s Ari Melber for an in-depth conversation spanning the “discovery” of James Carville for The War Room, Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry, The September Issue, which captured the power dynamics inside Vogue, and Cutler’s controversial portrait of Martha Stewart. Cutler reflects on storytelling, democracy, and what drives him to document people. His newest documentary, Fight for Glory, chronicling the drama of the 2024 World Series

When Did We All Start Watching Documentaries?
Award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler talks to Stephen Dubner about capturing Billie Eilish’s musical genius and Martha Stewart’s vulnerability — and why he really, really, really needs to make a film about the New York Mets.

‘Lee Soo Man: King Of K-Pop’ Documentary Examines A Legendary K-Pop Legacy
A new Amazon MGM Studios documentary is peeling back the curated layers of the K-pop scene to better reveal the complex and brilliant figure that’s been at its center for nearly 30 years: Lee Soo Man, the man widely dubbed as a “king of K-pop” as the subject of the highly anticipated feature.

‘Lee Soo Man: King of K-Pop’ playing at Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on May 2nd
Lee Soo Man and filmmakers in attendance. Film program will be followed by Q&A.