Barely Living The Dream

At long last, we have the lovely, wonderful, legendary Debbie Rochon on the podcast! Debbie and Mel have collaborated many times (with many more on the horizon). Deb takes the time to catch us up on her last few projects, including her directorial debut MODEL HUNGER, her upcoming second film as director, and her recent time on the set of Troma's SHAKESPEARE'S SHITSTORM. She also talks a little about the book she's been working on (that we can't wait to read).

We also work out some personal stuff and she invokes the (un)holy HELLRAISER in reference to yours truly...so of course she's one of our favorite people in the world.

For more info on Debbie's upcoming film and ways you can help out, check out https://www.debbierochon.com/news

Get MODEL HUNGER here: https://www.amazon.com/Model-Hunger-Lynn-Lowry/dp/B01D01K5UA

Check out the Astro Radio Z WC13 episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfuFCPIzFNo

PLACEHOLDERS can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=atv_dp_pd_dir?url=search-alias%3Dinstant-video&field-keywords=%22Mel%20House%22&rh=k:Mel%20House%2Cn:2858778011&ie=UTF8 as well as here: http://www.filmon.com/tv/the-placeholders

The BLTD podcast returns with our friend Yousef Abu-Taleb in the passenger car! We worked with Yousef on WEST OF HELL (formerly COLD DESCENT, and before that, LAZARUS), which is currently available in Redbox. We discuss everything from Yousef's beginnings as one of the first YouTube stars on lonelygirl15, to his (sadly too short) stint as a rapper, to working with Tony Todd, Michael Eklund, et al on WEST OF HELL...and more! Check it out, and check out our movie WEST OF HELL while you're at it!

Redbox link: https://www.redbox.com/movies/west-of-hell

Jeff Caudill (frontman for prominent Southern California rock band Gameface) joins us to discuss his latest solo EP, "Reset The Sun" and the five (!) videos that Mel/Upstart Filmworks produced to accompany the release. The relationship was definitely mutually beneficial, as you'll soon hear (note the clever wordplay in the podcast title). Jeff also discusses his "day job" - designing industry key art for everything from Deadpool to Harry Potter.

"Reset The Sun" is available NOW:

Digitally - https://jeffcaudill.bandcamp.com/

Vinyl - check your local record store!

Check out Jeff's Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/jeffcaudillmusic/

Quick update from Mel on what he's got going on (videos for Jeff Caudill's RESET THE SUN & the SEQUENCE BREAK World Premiere at the Chattanooga Film Festival on 4/6)and then we catch up with Brittany, Chris, and special guest Ken Whiting "The Gaffing Wizard" who are all currently on-set in Colorado.

Remember that promo we cut where we (mostly me) read hatemail? Here's the uncut recording session, which makes a pretty compelling listen on its own. Beyond "bad reviews"...these selections are mainly personal attacks or fallout from bad deals, shadiness, etc. It was actually kind of fun to revisit this stuff because 1) none of it ended up mattering and 2) I've become something akin to a Highlander that is fueled by spite and rage anyway. Enjoy! More soon (we promise). - Mel

Promo for the podcast. It will run on other B&E Network podcasts.

http://www.bmoviesandebooks.com/

This time, Chris and Brittany do an "on the road episode" while en route to Dallas to work on another production. Brittany gets to tell her side of the GROUNDS story, embellishing and filling in stuff mentioned on the previous episode. She and Chris discuss caring too much, justifying things on the fly, dealing with drama (the bad kind), watching Mel circle the drain, and even more cursed goings on!

https://www.facebook.com/moviemonsterhouston/

@ChrisWarr54

http://www.upstartfilmworks.net

@upstartfilm

Mel and Chris return to their roots and record another in-car installment which features: an invitation to those who didn't much care for our last podcast, a rundown of Death's latest attempt to claim Mel, a rundown of Death's latest attempt to claim not only Mel, but Chris, Brittany, AND Justin Powers (I guess Death didn't care for the last podcast either), and most importantly...a reflection on the film we all just finished working on in Vegas - THE GROUNDS. Some would say that film had a bit of a 'curse' on it. We joked about it often. But...maybe there's some truth to it. You be the judge.

In this feature-length episode, Mel is the sin-eater (for once) as Brittany, Chris, and guest Justin Powers spend an hour and a half going off about about their last "shitshow" experience. If you're wondering why we don't do much "local" work anymore, this pretty much sums it up, as the issues seem to be endemic at this point. Not to say that working elsewhere isn't crazy (we're all on-set in Nevada as of this writing, and it's definitely crazy)...but "Houston Film Crazy" is a special kind of crazy.

Also, speaking of crazy...Mel stared death in the face. Again. More on that later.

@upstartfilm

http://www.upstartfilmworks.net

Nickie Morgan, Mandi LeBlanc, and William Basinger join Mel as they reminisce about his first movie, FADE TO BLACK (which they are all in). Well, as much as can be remembered, anyway. The discussion starts at FADE and covers everything from PLACEHOLDERS to the Muskogee Castle to Nickie having to deal with the fact that Mel was editing sleazy adult films in the next room when they lived together.

@upstartfilm

http://www.upstartfilmworks.net