An interesting show this week on BEHIND THE LENS as we take a look at two very different films and filmmakers, thanks to producer/actor Johnny Danks talking about his new film, SHAKEY GROUNDS, the first one produced under the banner of his company Dank Productions, and director/editor VINCENT GRASHAW discussing the emotionally powerful character study BANG BANG.

First up, Johnny Danks and SHAKEY GROUNDS. What began as a short film about coffee and a coffee shop, after 15 years, morphed into the feature film we have today, SHAKEY GROUNDS, which is not about coffee, but a film that features grunge music and captures Seattle's 1990s vibe.

SHAKEY GROUNDS is the story of a troubled musician and his band as they navigate personal demons and a shot at redemption with a disgraced record executive. After multiple obstacles, they rise together, finding purpose in their music and each other.

Switching gears, we move into the world of boxing with BANG BANG, an exquisite character study courtesy of director and editor VINCENT GRASHAW. I love this film and every element of the storytelling.

In BANG BANG, retired boxer Bernard "Bang Bang" Rozyski finds a renewed sense of purpose when he reconnects with his estranged grandson and begins training him in the very sport that destroyed his life. As the bond between them grows, questions arise about Bang Bang's true motivations – including from an old flame who witnessed his explosive rise in the 1980s and his bitter rivalry with her cousin, now a formidable political figure and Detroit mayoral candidate, Darnell Washington. Is Bang Bang simply passing down his anger, or is there real redemption in his mentorship?

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We're chatting about some wonderful films with some terrific filmmakers this week on BEHIND THE LENS, starting with director/co-writer ALLAN UNGAR talking about his new film, the action buddy comedy road trip, LONDON CALLING. Then in the second half of the show, director/co-writer CHRISTOPHER LEONE and writer/former paramedic PATRICK PIANEZZA are on hand for their new comedy/dramedy, CODE 3.

Directed by Allan Ungar with script by Omer Levin Menekse, Allan Ungar, and Quinn Wolfe, LONDON CALLING stars Josh Duhamel, and along with Josh is the scene-stealing Jeremy Ray Taylor, Aidan Gillen, Arnold Vosloo, Rick Hoffman, and Daniel Lasker, who is a solid standout here.

In this exclusive interview, you'll hear Allan discuss LONDON CALLING, highlighting the dynamic between Tommy and Julian, played by Josh Duhamel and Jeremy Ray Taylor. He praises cinematographer Alexander Chinnici for the film's visual grammar, particularly the use of light and lens in South Africa, as well as the collaboration of his production team, including production designer Warren Gray, art director Kerry Von Lillienfeld, and set decorator Roberto Bassi, and their successful recreation of London and Los Angeles in Cape Town.

Then, we're coming in hot with sirens roaring and lights flashing thanks to director and co-writer Christopher Leone and writer/former paramedic Patrick Pianezza and their new film CODE 3.

Directed by Christopher Leone, CODE 3 is a high-octane action dramedy that follows a world-weary paramedic on his final 24-hour shift as he trains his eager but inexperienced replacement. What begins as a routine night quickly unravels into a chaotic, citywide odyssey, testing their endurance, instincts, and sense of humor as they race from one emergency to the next. Blending heart, irreverent comedy, and edge-of-your-seat action, CODE 3 offers a gritty, behind-the-scenes look at the life of first responders, where every call could mean disaster or redemption.

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Let's kick things off talking about movies with TINA and my exclusive interview with MIKI MAGASIVA and actor ANAPELA POLATAIVAO.

Written and directed by Miki Magasiva and starring Anapela Polataivao, Antonia Robinson, Zac O'Meagher, Beulah Koale, Dalip Sondhi, Nicole Whippy, and Jamie Irvine, among others, TINA is an inspiring drama, a light-hearted rhythmic tear-jerker, and the story of Samoan teacher Mareta Percival. Struggling after the death of her daughter in the Christchurch earthquakes, Mareta reluctantly takes on the role of substitute teacher at an elite, wealthy private school and is surprised to find children crying out for guidance, inspiration, and love. Using the symphony of her culture to empower her students, she forms a choir, bringing them together while unexpectedly rediscovering her passion for being a teacher and mother.

Then, we shift some gears with director CHAD HARTIGAN's THE THREESOME.

Directed by Chad and written by Ethan Ogilby, THE THREESOME stars, as our threesome, a flawlessly funny and heartfelt Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King, and Ruby Cruz, with some wonderful supporting performances by Jaboukie Yang-White and Josh Segarra, among others. As you can imagine, an impulsive night leads to a wild threesome between Olivia (Zoey Deutch), Connor (Jonah Hauer-King), and Jenny (Ruby Cruz), leaving both women facing unexpected consequences, thrusting all three into the raw and beautifully messy chaos of adulthood.

And we've got a brief recap and some congratulations for this weekend's Creative Arts Emmy Award winners, including Supervising Stunt Coordinator Jon Koyama and this stunt team for The Boys who got two pieces of hardware, the amazing soundies at Formosa Group who picked up Emmys for their work on multiple shows (Yay, George Haddad!), and the team at Jeopardy! (including my friend, writer John Duarte), as well as other winners like Barack Obama, who nabbed his third Emmy for Outstanding Narration of the documentary Our Oceans, while Julie Andrews picked up gold for her work as Best Character Voiceover on Bridgerton. The smash hit The Studio nabbed nine trophies on Saturday while The Penguin waddled away with eight. And this is all before the main event on September 14th!

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A fun show this week on BEHIND THE LENS as I get to take a look at two new films that just opened in theatres on Friday and speak with three filmmakers whom I've spoken with in the past, all of whose work I admire, respect, and in the case of one director, can't get enough of. I'm talking about the wonderful filmmaking team of MICHAEL ANGELO COVINO and KYLE MARVIN and their hilarious new non-rom com rom com, SPLITSVILLE, along with one of my fave filmmakers and the man who I believe helped put Taylor Sheridan on the map as a writer with the fabulous "Hell or High Water", director DAVID MACKENZIE and his new thriller RELAY.

So let's kick things off with the comedy stylings of Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin and SPLITSVILLE. It's a story of two couples. Ashley and Carey. And Julie and Paul. All best friends. And all with personalities as different as night and day. But while Ashley and Carey are on a road trip, driving down a multi-lane highway, out of the blue and left field Ashley asks Carey for a divorce. Let the hilarity and hijinks begin! Good-natured and kind of wimpy, Carey runs to besties Julie and Paul for support and a place to crash while he figures out what to do. It's then that he finds out their secret to their happy marriage. It's an open marriage. Shocked and curious, things take a left turn with Carey crossing the line, resulting in chaotic madness and mayhem for all concerned.

So now, let's switch gears and ratchet up the thrills and tension with RELAY and director DAVID MACKENZIE. I have been champing at the bit, sitting on this interview with David since early June, as the publicity team asked me to hold it until the film's release. Now the release has arrived, and I can share this interview with all of you. RELAY is a tense, New York thriller which has a timelessness to it while echoing the great paranoid thrillers of the 70s.

In RELAY, Riz Ahmed plays Ash, a world-class quot;fixerquot; who specializes in brokering lucrative payoffs between corrupt corporations and the individuals who threaten their ruin. He keeps his identity a secret through meticulous planning and always follows an exacting set of rules. But when a message arrives one day from a potential client named Sarah (Lily James) needing his protection just to stay alive, the rules quickly start to change.

RELAY is like a puzzle, with each production element integrating or interlocking with another. It's always fascinating to get inside David's mind and understand his vision, and what a vision this is with RELAY. So take a listen as director DAVID MACKENZIE talks the taut and tense paranoid thriller RELAY.

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We're going a bit dark this week on BEHIND THE LENS thanks to writer/director JEREMY RUDD and his directorial feature debut with DIE'CED: RELOADED, and the fabulous veteran director CHUCK RUSSELL and his latest dive back into the darkness with WITCHBOARD.

Let's kick things off with JEREMY RUDD and his feature debut, DIE'CED: RELOADED, which follows the story of Benny, an infamous serial killer who escapes a high-security asylum on Halloween night, turning 1980s/90s Seattle into a blood-soaked nightmare. Reborn behind a twisted scarecrow mask, he leaves a trail of carnage across the suburbs, as whispers of his gruesome past resurface, fueling panic in a city soaked in neon and fear. But Benny isn't just killing for pleasure – he's hunting someone. A young woman unknowingly tied to the darkest chapter of his madness becomes his fixation, and the closer he gets, the bloodier it gets. The result is a brutal, synth-drenched scarecrow slasher soaked in nostalgia, where Benny carves his place in horror history – one body at a time.

Then we shift gears with the wonderful director, writer, and producer CHUCK RUSSELL. Resurrecting the '80's horror classic with a chilling new vision, WITCHBOARD takes place in present-day New Orleans, where a cursed artifact unleashes a vengeful witch, drawing a young couple into a deadly spiral of possession, temptation, and occult terror.

Directed by Chuck Russell and co-written by Chuck and Greg McKay, WITCHBOARD stars Madison Iseman, Aaron Dominguez, Melanie Jarnson, Charlie Tahan, Antonia Desplat, and, one of my favorites, Jamie Campbell Bower.

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I'm very excited about this week's BEHIND THE LENS and for you to hear from these two fabulous directors – KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS talking about the delightful, charming, and funny MY MOTHER'S WEDDING and HOWARD J. FORD talking up RIVER OF BLOOD and a "leisurely kayak ride" through the jungles of Thailand, complete with indigenous tribes who don't like outsiders. What could possibly go wrong!

Directed by KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS and co-written by Kristin and John Micklethwaite (her real-life husband), MY MOTHER'S WEDDING stars Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Emily Beecham, Freida Pinto, and Kristin Scott Thomas and is the tale of three sisters who return to their childhood home for a momentous occasion: the third wedding of their twice-widowed mother. Over the weekend, the family gathers to celebrate the new marriage, but mother and daughters alike are forced to revisit the past and confront the future, all with help from a colorful group of unexpected wedding guests.

An absolute joy speaking with Kristin about her writing and directorial process, from the first moment, it is clear that she not only was and is passionate about this very personal story, but understands the intricate details of the production and storytelling process and its collaborative nature.

Now we go from the beautiful, joyful, and fun, to the terror and horror of a Thai jungle. Directed by HOWARD J. FORD and written by Tom Boyle, RIVER OF BLOOD stars Joseph Millson, Louis James, Ella Starbuck, Sarah Alexandra Marks, and David Wayman, many of whom you may recognize from Howard's prior films. As you'll hear Howard break it all down, he goes deep into his processes, starting with the challenges of filming in Thailand, including the search for jungle locations and the use of a local crew. With nothing but praise for his Thai cinematographer Park, we discuss the creation and use of smoke, along with the choice of Sony FX3 and FX6 cameras. And laying dolly track in the jungle? Amazing. But always at the forefront is Howard's desire and demand for authenticity. Speaking of authenticity, how about the use of real indigenous tribes as well as practical effects? One of the truly outstanding elements of RIVER OF BLOOD is the sound design and sound mix. WOW! We really get into Joe Vince's sound design and the mixing work of Graham and Adam Daniel, particularly when you layer in the very cool score by Anthony and Jack Wade.

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This week on BEHIND THE LENS, we're looking at two films that, at their hearts, are about fathers and daughters/a father and son – the wonderful family film SKETCH and the fugitive thriller SHE RIDES SHOT GUN. Besides being solidly entertaining films, each delivers incredible performances by the young stars. And joining me to talk about these films are two amazing filmmakers, NICK ROWLAND, director and co-writer of SHE RIDES SHOTGUN, and SETH WORLEY, who makes his feature directorial debut as the writer, director, and editor of SKETCH.

First, let's take a look at SHE RIDES SHOTGUN. Based on the 2017 Edgar Award-winning novel of the same name by Jordan Harper, SHE RIDES SHOTGUN is an intimate two-hander and fast-paced fugitive thriller that turns heartrending and pulse-pounding. This is the story of "Nate" McClusky and his daughter, Polly, who are on an emotional, thrilling, terrifying road trip across New Mexico as Nate tries to escape his own past — or at least to protect his 11-year-old child from paying for his mistakes. Along the way, they take shocking risks, survive daunting threats, and become profoundly close. Polly musters courage and insight well beyond her years, and Nate displays vulnerability and fortitude he didn't know he had.

Switching gears to another father-daughter/father-son film, this one is for the whole family to enjoy – SKETCH. I love this film!!! It is fabulously fantastic. Creative, imaginative, vibrant, colorful, and filled with heart. Making his feature directorial debut with SKETCH is SETH WORLEY, who not only directs the film, but is writer and editor, as well as working on some of the CG compositing.

SKETCH is the story of the Wyatt family – dad Taylor, daughter Amber, and son Jack – along with Tony's sister Liz. Grieving the loss of their wife and mother, Amber is having a particularly difficult time coming to terms with her mom being gone. And Taylor and Jack are so worried about Amber that they forget about dealing with their own grief. Focusing her anger and grief into her art, the school psychologist encourages Amber to continue to draw, as it will channel her grief.

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It's madness, mayhem, and a whole lotta fun on BEHIND THE LENS this week as we're talking THE OMRO HEIST!!

And let me just kick off the show by saying – HEEEEEEE'S BAAAACK!!! SIMON PHILLIPS is back with us today for his fifth appearance on #BTLRadioShow, which makes him the record holder with the most appearances by a single guest in the 11 years of the show! And it looks like he'll be back one or two more times before the end of 2025. However, adding to the joys of having Simon on board today, his collaborator/partner in production crime, director, cinematographer, editor, and writer, JAMIE BAILEY, is also with us! It's a real treat to have Simon and Jamie both on the show together, especially as we're talking about their latest venture – THE OMRO HEIST.

THE OMRO HEIST is the story of a bank robbery that goes wrong in a once quiet Wisconsin small town called Omro. When an FBI agent goes undercover during the bank siege in his hometown, he discovers the robbery is actually an elaborate cover-up orchestrated by a corrupt politician to destroy evidence of his criminal conspiracy. The locals must then stand up to take down an evil gunman who will kill anyone who gets in his way. No spoiler, but needless to say, SIMON PHILLIPS is the evil gunman, and a delicious one at that.

THE OMRO HEIST is directed by Jamie Bailey, written by Jamie Bailey and Simon Phillips, and stars Simon Phillips, Ken Bressers, Anthony Crivello, Damir Kovic, Nick Biskupek, Adam Huel Potter, Al Dias, Heather Arendt, and more.

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This is a fun week on BEHIND THE LENS as we're going back to nature and into the forest. That's right! It's back to nature this week as we take a look at a fantastically informative and entertaining short documentary that you can watch right now FOR FREE (and you all know how much I love FREE stuff) – CHARMIN WIPES OUT A FOREST. In my exclusive chat with writer/director/editor STEVE MIMS and producer BRIAN RODGERS, we delve into the making of this doc and Charmin toilet paper specifically. Then, get ready for director and editor DAN ALLEN, who joins me discussing his latest film from The Twisted Childhood Universe – BAMBI: THE RECKONING.

Kicking things off with CHARMIN WIPES OUT A FOREST, who would have thought someone would make any film about toilet paper, let alone one about Charmin, the biggest-selling brand in the United States, accounting for 25% of the US toilet paper market today. Most of us remember the early ad campaigns for Charmin with Mr. Whipple and the unforgettable "Please, don't squeeze the Charmin". And for quite a few years now, we've been seeing multiple ads with the animated bear family using Charmin. But now, thanks to STEVE MIMS and BRIAN RODGERS, we find out the truth behind the toilet paper.

CHARMIN WIPES OUT A FOREST is a comic in-depth exposé of the massive deforestation required to deliver the nation's most popular bath tissue. Although we are greeted with a comic opening to the doc, Steve and Brian deliver a shocking yet hopeful message to consumers. This is a big problem that manufacturer Procter & Gamble will never do anything about, but we as consumers can.

Next, we go deep into the part of the forest that hasn't been cut down for toilet paper, with BAMBI: THE RECKONING. The official synopsis for BAMBI: THE RECKONING reads: "After a mother and son get in a car wreck, they soon become hunted by Bambi, a mutated, grief-stricken deer on a deadly rampage seeking revenge for the death of his mother."

Directed and edited by DAN ALLEN and written by Rhys Warrington based on Felix Salten's 1923 novel "Bambi Life in the Woods", the film maintains the original book's themes of family, love, and hardship, and has some added 21st-century subtext on the horrors of man towards nature.

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Took a little 4th of July break, but BEHIND THE LENS is back this week with two interesting interviews talking about some impactful and entertaining films: the character-driven post-apocalyptic thriller 40 ACRES with director R.T. THORNE, and the action thriller OFF THE GRID with director JOHNNY MARTIN.

First up, let's take a look at R.T. THORNEt's narrative feature directorial debut, 40 ACRES. A bold, no-holds-barred action-thriller from debut filmmaker R.T. Thorne, 40 ACRES is set in a famine-decimated near future where a former soldier and her family struggle to safeguard their farm as they make one last stand against a vicious militia hell-bent on taking their land.

Co-written by Thorne together with Glenn Taylor and Lora Campbell, 40 ACRES stars, among others, Danielle Deadwyler, Kataem Ot'Connor, Michael Greyeyes, and Milcania Diaz-Rojas.

Shifting gears, we move on to a fun interview with director JOHNNY MARTIN talking about his new film OFF THE GRID, in which he takes Macgyvering to a new level.

OFF THE GRID is the story of Guy, a man who has gone t"off the grid." But why? After a morally bankrupt company tries to weaponize a brilliant scientist's revolutionary technology, he goes off the grid to safeguard humanity. When the company sends a strike force to find him, they make their biggest mistake of all – they weaponize the man they are trying to catch. Armed with unrivaled brains and brawn, the wild genius turns Guerrilla warfare into a deadly science.

Directed by JOHNNY MARTIN with script by Jim Agnew, OFF THE GRID stars Josh Duhamel, Greg Kinnear, Peter Stormare, Maria Elsa Camargo, and a breakout performance by Michael Zapesotsky.

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