As we close-out of our first year of doc’in & walkin’ it’s time to take stock in what this podcast is all about. We’re excited to welcome self-proclaimed number one fan and Australian-born doc-maker, Sally O’Grady for a year-end, Year in Review episode. This nature-walk snakes through the wilderness behind Sally’s North Austin home as Ben intros us to a game of “High, Low, Buffalo, Mitzvah” (a Steinbauer family dinner game) and a chance to reflect on the ups, downs, weird little moments and the true mitzvahs of our first 33 episodes. We’ll catch up with some favorite Doc Walks bits, dig into what’s working, get schooled on our Bechdel Test failures (eight women out of 33 guests—Sally came with receipts), and navigate the eternal tension between preparation and off-the-cuff authenticity. And Sally shares her 10-year journey making THE TROUBLE I SEE, a film about incarcerated fathers and their daughters, premiering at AFS Cinema on January 14th (tix on sale now!)

Along the way: a surprise encounter with an 86-year-old Vietnamese general-turned-crossing guard, a sit-down at Sally’s Pond™, and a chance to commune with a magnificent blue heron who refuses to fly. Through the highs, the lows, the birds and the buffaloes, every step we’ve taken together in 2025 has been a mitzvah… happy holidays to you, and thanks for walking this road with us!

Discussion Links

THE TROUBLE I SEE (2025) | WINNEBAGO MAN (2010) | TOWER (2016) | HIGH HOPES (2024) | PEEWEE PLAYS HIMSELF (2025)

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Sally O’Grady arrives

01:05 Sally as “number one fan” and Doc Walks origin story

02:00 Discovering Copperfield Nature Trail in northeast Austin

03:00 Sally’s journey from Sydney to New York to Austin

05:00 Year one reflections and holiday episode setup

06:30 Do Ben-and-Keith-only episodes work? Sally weighs in

08:30 “Gardener Not a Carpenter” and useful documentary wisdom

10:00 Ben’s vulnerability about prep vs. free-jazz conversations

11:00 Keith on wanting episodes to feel more like real conversations

13:00 The magnificent blue-painted live oak

14:30 High-Low-Buffalo-Mitzvah game explained

16:00 Sally’s HIGH: Diane Quon’s sensitive interview and Megan Gilbride’s “make fucking cinema”

18:00 The title debate: why “Make Fucking Cinema” got vetoed

20:30 Keith’s HIGH: Matt Wolf episode and overcoming fears about solo Ben episodes

23:30 Ben’s HIGH: Celebrating Maureen Gosling and Les Blank’s legacy

26:00 Sally’s LOW: The Bechdel Test reality check (8 women out of 33 guests)

28:30 Ben and Keith respond to diversity critique

31:00 Ben’s LOW: The off-camera conflict moment with Keith

34:30 Keith’s LOW: Wanting guests to recognize them as fellow filmmakers

38:30 Buffalo: Matt Wolf’s vanity and Ben’s “tugboat” gaffe

40:00 Keith’s Buffalo: Birds and describing the world

42:00 Ben’s Buffalo: Embracing new formats amid industry change

43:30 Meeting Sally’s neighbor Bowie, the 86-year-old Vietnamese general

46:30 Keith’s mitzvah and development deal announcement

47:00 The blue heron finally appears

50:00 Sally’s film THE TROUBLE I SEE and 10-year journey

54:00 Working with editor Sandra Guardado

57:30 Sally’s next project: MA’AM and scammers targeting women therapists

1:01:00 Closing reflections and 2026 preview