Behind The Lens

A BEHIND THE LENS you don't want to overlook thanks to our special guest TIM McGRATH, plus our exclusive interview with director GRANT S. JOHNSON.

If you missed this episode of #BTLRadioShow live, you definitely want to catch up now to hear what writer/director/actor TIM McGRATH has to say about his feature filmmaking debut, SURVIVING THEATER 9. A survivor of the Aurora Colorado "Dark Knight Rises" theatre shooting on July 20, 2012, Tim brings us a powerful and inspirational movie based on the true story, sharing survivors' stories in a narrative film while educating us all on the emotional magnitude of these now neverending mass shootings and the need for mental health education for the public at large. A fascinating conversation and discussion unlike any we've heard before as Tim talks about the cathartic nature of the film, getting beyond the events in Aurora in 2012, telling this story, as well as his learning curve as a filmmaker.

But first, our exclusive interview with director GRANT S. JOHNSON talking up his new action-packed spy thriller AGENT GAME starring Mel Gibson, Dermot Mulroney, Jason Isaacs, Katie Cassidy, Adan Canto, Rhys Coiro, and Barkhad Abdi.

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It's a jam-packed episode of BEHIND THE LENS this week as we welcome special guest MIRANDA KWOK who joins us live talking THE CLEANING LADY. And we turn our attention to the upcoming 13th Annual TCM Film Festival with an exclusive interview with DAVE KARGER. But first, a look at some new books that have hit the shelves thanks to authors LISA SCOTTOLINE and SCOTT McGEE.

First up, we take a look at the latest page-turning thriller from best-selling author Lisa Scottoline, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS. Next, we take a gander at the latest entry in the TCM Library from Scott McGee, DANGER ON THE SILVER SCREEN: 50 FILMS CELEBRATING CINEMA'S GREATEST STUNTS.

As is tradition at #BTLRadioShow each year, we take a look at the upcoming TCM FILM FESTIVAL, this year thanks to our exclusive interview with TCM host DAVE KARGER. Listen as Dave and I rave about, among others, faves and special treats at the fest, and explore some of the excitement and fun in store at the festival next week.

Then we switch gears and welcome creator/executive producer/writer MIRANDA KWOK live to the show talking about the smash hit series on Fox – THE CLEANING LADY. I am obsessed with this show so thank goodness a Season 2 pick-up was just announced! Set in Sin City (aka Las Vegas) where everything is a gamble just like life, THE CLEANING LADY focuses on universal themes of immigration, parenting, health care, crime and more with characters who draw you into this unfolding story while showing us that everything isn't black and white and sometimes we have more in common with another than we would like to think. Listen as Miranda discusses all of the various thematic elements addressed within the series as well as the genesis of the project and how she adapted the Argentinian series La Chica Que Limpia for the US audiences with the tweaks and added elements that distinguish THE CLEANING LADY. Plus, you'll get her thoughts on the cast (most notably, twins Sebastien and Valentino LaSalle who play Luca) and the overall production, AND some hints of what's to come in Season 2!

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Hold on to your stethoscopes folks because we've got a real treat for all the General Hospital fans out there with this episode of BEHIND THE LENS as we welcome PARRY SHEN live at the top of the show followed by writer/director JASON RICHARD MILLER with Parry and Jason talking about their new film MADELINES!

Take a listen and you'll not only hear some #GH intel (Parry is already looking forward to April 1, 2023 and GH's 60th birthday) as well as how daily soap work prepares you for indie films like MADELINES, but Parry dives into discussions on his preparation for a role, what he looks for when a script comes his way (note to casting agents and directors – when you think action, think of Parry Shen), some of his early television work like "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and "Tru Calling" and the ups and downs of the business, as well as his voicing on video games including mo-cap work, and so much more. And as for MADELINES, Parry goes into detail about working with his two co-stars Brea Grant and Richard Riehle, finding the right tone for his character, and working with writer/director Jason Miller in bringing this film to life.

And then MADELINES' writer/director JASON RICHARD MILLER joins us and we really get down and dirty into the "making of" MADELINES with everything from the visual complexity of MADELINES, in-camera effects, a fascinating and fresh story, some really nice production values and cinematography, working with his terrific trio of a cast and more!

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It's the morning after the night before in Hollywood on BEHIND THE LENS and we take a look at the good, the bad, and the very ugly from the Academy Awards, plus a look ahead to some of next year's possible Oscar contenders with our exclusive interview with writer/director HANY ABU-ASSAD talking HUDA'S SALON and joining us live is writer/director ALESSANDRO GENTILE talking about his directorial debut with LODO.

Then onto much happier things as you'll hear my exclusive interview with writer/director HANY ABU-ASSAD talking about his latest film, HUDA'S SALON, "a feminist journey with controversial themes, a thriller with humor, a Shakespearean drama with a tragic love story." A powerful drama that speaks to so many themes unfolding in our world today. As always, Hany is open and candid, talking about halting production due to the pandemic and then returning to complete the film, his own bout with Covid and how that has impacted his outlook on life, the importance of telling this story which is based on true events, and of course, as Hany and I always do, digging into the development of the story and the crafting of the visual design which is always metaphoric and adds just another layer of storytelling.

Still in a dramatic mode, take a listen as writer/director ALESSANDRO GENTILE joins us live and talks about his short film LODO, fresh off its world premiere at SBIFF and now on its journey towards Oscars 2023. Co-written with Marita De Le Torre, LODO marks Alessandro's directorial debut. A beautiful little gem, Alessandro melds life, death, and the hereafter into a touching story that copes with grief, fueled by a young boy named Eru mourning the loss of his mother. But the driving force of LODO is the performance of Jayden Enamorado who stars as Eru. WOW! A non-actor making his debut in LODO, Alessandro tells us all about his search for the perfect Eru and what set Jayden apart from the rest, as well as making the leap into directing, the challenges of shooting and designing visual metaphor, including underwater sequences, and more.

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This week it's All About Animation as we take a look at two dynamic and innovative animated films, Oscar Nominee THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES and THE SPINE OF NIGHT, with filmmakers MIKE RIANDA and MORGAN GALEN KING. Two films with two distinctive animation styles, stories, color palettes, and more, but both filmmakers true lovers of the art of animation.

First up, take a listen to my prerecorded exclusive interview with writer/director MIKE RIANDA talking about the Oscar nominee for Best Animated Feature, THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES. My pick for Oscar, this is an interesting conversation as we look at all of the components that went into breaking the mold with innovation in style and design, to give MITCHELLS such a distinctive and perfect look, perfect meld, perfect balance, and perfect animated film.

And then, we turn our attention to the hand-drawn classic rotoscope animation fantasy THE SPINE OF NIGHT as we welcome co-writer/co-director/co-editor and lead animator MORGAN GALEN KING live to the show. Another animated film that breaks the mold while paying homage to the rotoscoping greats of days gone by, Morgan talks about it all and how he and his co-director/writer/editor Philip Gelatt brought to life this epic fantasy tale spanning the ages.

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A week of exploring and asking age-old questions this week on BEHIND THE LENS as BEN EPSTEIN joins us asking the big question with WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE, while RUDOLPH HERZOG asks the questions most of us don't think about when it comes to space exploration and colonization with LAST EXIT: SPACE.

First up, take a listen to our exclusive interview with writer/director RUDOLPH HERZOG talking about his latest documentary LAST EXIT: SPACE. It's always wonderful to chat with Rudolph about his films and his books, but this subject matter makes it even more fun. Going down a research rabbit hole, LAST EXIT: SPACE asks the questions and takes a look at the considerations for long space travel and colonization. With interesting expert interview subjects (how about a space sexologist!), some beautiful imagery, a cogent throughline, and narration by Werner Herzog, and a longtime collaborative team, Rudolph and I cover it all and more!

Then hear from writer/director BEN EPSTEIN who joined us live on the show, asking the age-old question that most of us have pondered when we look at our siblings and parents – WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE. Told through the eyes of 16-year old Alex played by Ema Horvath (put her on your radar if she's not there already!), we are along for the ride as she tries to find herself by running away from boarding school and seeking out her biological father she never knew about. A terrific cast that also includes Devon Sawa, Yeardley Smith, Reid Miller, and Alyssa Milano, Ben takes us on his journey of bringing this story to life, using cinematography, visual grammar, and editing to their best storytelling advantage, performances and finding emotional beats, financing a small indie like this, and more.

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It's a day of documentaries on BEHIND THE LENS as we take a look at two very different subjects thanks to our guests ANDREW NOVICK who talks about JONBENET'S TRICYCLE while MARIA PEEK and STEPHEN PEEK talk about SEXTORTION: THE HIDDEN PANDEMIC.

First up, take a listen to director/editor MARIA PEEK and producer/cinematographer STEPHEN PEEK who join us fresh off their world premiere at Santa Barbara International Film Festival to talk about SEXTORTION: THE HIDDEN PANDEMIC. A compelling and disturbing investigation into the world of online grooming and sextortion–a present-day reality for one in seven children online. An interesting conversation discussing how Maria and Stephen became involved in this documentary, the challenges of research, the opening up of files and cooperation of DHS and other agencies, interviews with investigators and prosecutors explaining and showing the investigative process, creating a throughline, editing, the courage of one of the victims to now speak out, the shared shock of discovering that one of the featured perpetrators in the film was a Top Gun Navy pilot, and so much more.

Then, writer/director and avid collector ANDREW NOVICK joins us to talk about his documentary feature debut with JONBENET'S TRICYCLE. Taking us on a ride that starts with Andrew's compulsive collecting, things turn into an interesting layman's examination of the JonBenet Ramsey murder sparked by JonBenet's tricycle which Andrew just happened to gain possession of. Using the tricycle as a means to unpack the history of the JonBenet Ramsey still unsolved murder, as a collector of "pop culture", Andrew is able to provide a very unique spin to this unending story and do it through this documentary. Listen as Andrew talks about developing the story, the filming process, his own learning curve as a first-time filmmaker, finding the unique angle of psychometry as a means to "connect" with the tricycle, not to mention paranormal investigative debunking. But what he also touches on in the documentary and in this interview is the effect of the media on the shaping of public perception and the cultural zeitgeist. Andrew is a pure delight and his enthusiasm and passion for the creative arts are not only welcoming but infectious.

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This week, we're "kinda sorta live" as this episode of BEHIND THE LENS is prerecorded but airing live in its regular time slot. And why prerecorded you may ask? It's because today is the 5th Annual #HCAFilmAwards and I am one of the presenters. LA traffic being what it is, I couldn't get from the Adrenaline Radio studios to the awards venue in a timely fashion for rehearsal, so I opted to prerecord the show for you on Friday for airing today.

But what a terrific show this is thanks to our exclusive interviews with BEN MILLIKEN talking RUN & GUN and OLGA KALASHNIKOVA talking ANGEL BY THURSDAY!

First up you'll hear from BEN MILLIKEN as he talks about his new film RUN & GUN which I still think should be called "Run & Gun & Fun". Written and directed by Chris Borelli, RUN & GUN boasts a strong cast and is filled with assassins, double-crossing twists and turns, scorpions, anime action figures, action and lots of laughs for an entertaining feast. Ben talks about it all and he is as much fun as the film!

Then, our exclusive interview with actor OLGA KALASHNIKOVA talking about her new film ANGEL BY THURSDAY. A real step-up for Olga as an actor, she is one of the two main leads who carry this story. Co-starring opposite Kenneth Matepi, along with Russell Subiono and Jennifer Kinsey, ANGEL BY THURSDAY is written and directed by Jeff Wallace. Giving Olga's interview an interesting perspective is the fact that this is her first big role and a lead at that and she gives a true actor's POV from the audition process, working with an acting coach during production, shooting over the course of a year and maintaining emotional continuity, and so much more. Olga bares it all. And she is a joy!

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We're talking with JAN MILLER CORRAN and PATRICK LONGSTRETH in this episode of BEHIND THE LENS, making Valentine's Day a little extra special with films that celebrate family, friends, love, and the neverending journey of life.

First, we welcome writer/director JAN MILLER CORRAN who talks about her new film ALONG CAME WANDA. Charming and filled with heart, not only does Jan showcase the talents of Cathy DeBueno and Constance Brenneman, but the beauty of Los Angeles during the pandemic lockdown with empty freeways and beautiful forested greenery and blue skies. Listening to Jan it's easy to understand the ease and low of ALONG CAME WANDA as it mirrors her own joy.

Then director PATRICK LONGSTRETH joins us fresh off his Slamdance win with the 2022 Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature, IRON FAMILY, the story of the indefatigable Jazmine Faries, a young woman with Down's Syndrome who lets nothing stop her or her overactive and creative imagination, as well as her undying love for Matthew McConaughey! An interesting filmmaking journey to be sure.

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This episode of BEHIND THE LENS shifted midstream on air when a scheduled guest failed to appear, but that didn't diminish the filmmaking fun thanks to the wonderful JOAN CARR-WIGGIN (who did join us live) talking about A GRAND ROMANTIC GESTURE; not to mention our prerecorded exclusive interview with TIM KIRKBY talking LAST LOOKS!

First up we welcome JOAN CARR-WIGGIN back to the show. Always a joy to not only speak with Joan but watch her films, she's here just in time for Valentine's Day with a romantic comedy with the mature audience in mind – A GRAND ROMANTIC GESTURE. Sweet and charming with a light humorous touch, this is the story of Ava, a longtime medical professional who loses her job thanks to forced early retirement. Lost without her career, Ava's husband and daughter strong-arm her into taking a cooking class at the local adult school, as well as preparing to be a grandmother. Clearly not cut out for cooking, Ava quickly jumps into a drama class where she is cast as a Juliet – and falls in love with her Romeo.

Joan dives right in discussing her Shakespearean inspiration of "Romeo and Juliet" but turning the story on its head by casting Gina McKee and Douglas Hodge as Ava and Simon aka Romeo and Juliet. Casting in the mature age bracket for both leads opened up the story for Joan, allowing her to bring in all the baggage and experience of lives already lived which proves to be delicious. Listen as we talk about casting, the importance of color (key in all of Joan's films), cinematography and Joan's long collaboration with Bruce Worrall, the challenges of editing in terms of not only finding pacing but a balance between the lives of Ava and Simon, Kenneth Harrison's score and so much more.

And then we shift gears a bit, and you'll hear our exclusive interview with director TIM KIRKBY, talking about LAST LOOKS, a film that is not only fun but thanks to an amazingly hilarious performance by Mel Gibson will have you repeatedly laughing out loud. A smartly crafted genre meld from scribe Howard Michael Gould filled with madcap mystery, Sam Spade noir whodunnit, acerbic comedy, some police procedural and a touch of thriller, LAST LOOKS boasts some terrific performances from not only Gibson, but Charlie Hunnam, Rupert Friend, Lucy Fry, Clancy Brown, Morena Baccarin, and a standout turn by Jacob Scipio.

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