Behind The Lens

A "Must Listen" episode of BEHIND THE LENS is one that filmmakers and aspiring filmmakers don't want to miss thanks to our special guest STEVE BALDERSON who is live talking about his new book How To Find Investors, plus his new film ALCHEMY OF THE SPIRIT making its world premiere at Santa Fe Film Festival on February 12. And as if that's not enough for you, how about our exclusive interview with the wonderful KENNY LEU talking about his new film, the powerful A SHOT THROUGH THE WALL.

An accomplished filmmaker in his own right, not to mention author, speaker, and so much more, I am thrilled to welcome STEVE BALDERSON back to #BTLRadioShow who not only talks about his latest film ALCHEMY OF THE SPIRIT which is screening at The Santa Fe Film Festival but his latest book, HOW TO FIND INVESTORS. It's one thing to want to make a film. It's another to get the money to make it. Listen as Steve and I delve into the book and the successful process he has used to find investors for his 17 feature films. We go through and breakdown his methodology and the chapters in the book, hitting on key information and highlights. An interesting book and an interesting conversation.

But before Steve joins us live, we take a look at the powerful and topical new film from Aimee Long – A SHOT THROUGH THE WALL – and my exclusive interview with the film's lead actor KENNY LEU who plays Officer Mike Tan. Pulled right from life and an event that happened several years ago before the Black Lives Matter movement, this is the story of an accidental shooting of an innocent Black man in Brooklyn and Chinese-American police officer Mike Tan who must wade through his profound guilt as he attempts to navigate the complicated worlds of media, justice, and racial politics.

Dedicated, passionate, and an effervescent joy, Kenny bares all with thoughtful honesty and frankness talking about the film and its unique perspective of including the Asian community. A film that blends cultures and tackles multi-layered issues, including interracial relationships, Kenny discusses the authenticity of the Asian culture represented in the film, his research in preparing for the role (he actually went through the LAPD Academy training!), finding the character of Mike Tan within himself, his general thoughts on storytelling and what drives him and what he looks for in a role, and more. Kenny is definitely one of my favorite interviews.

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It's a full house on this episode of #BTLRadioShow thanks to our two very special guests - MARK PELLINGTON talking his new film THE SEVERING and JOY VILLA talking THE CONTRAST!

MARK PELLINGTON joins us at the top of the show to talk about his new film THE SEVERING which makes its 2022 debut at Slamdance Film Festival, running from January 27 through February 6, 2022. THE SEVERING is the best of two worlds from Mark as this is an experimental feature dance film that captures and evokes emotion and feelings through movement. As many may know, Mark is not only an acclaimed feature film director but also an award-winning music video director. THE SEVERING melds those disciplines with powerful imagery of dance (and color) that tells its own story, something unique and different that I found enthralling on watching. Take a listen as Mark and I dive deep into THE SEVERING and its visual power of body movement in translating the emotion of grief and the exploration into the journey of working through that grief and coming out on the other side, and how that is brought to life in the construct of THE SEVERING through the work of choreographer Nina McNeely, body painter Blake Armstrong, and cinematographer Evelin Van Rei.

And then hold on to your hats as Grammy winner, YouTube sensation, and actor JOY VILLA, joins us talking about her new film THE CONTRAST. One of the most unique progenies for a film, THE CONTRAST is a contemporary adaptation by Chris Johnson of the very first professionally produced play in America, Royall Tyler's 1787 play "The Contrast." Regular #BTLRadioShow listeners will recall that Chris was on the show in June and gave us some tidbits on THE CONTRAST at that time, so I am so thrilled to now have seen the film and speak with the film's lead actress and executive producer JOY VILLA about it. A romcom that boasts charm, humor, and heart, with some very cool nods to the play's Colonial roots, Joy is a breath of fresh air and quite frankly, a joy to watch! Not just a producing title on the credits, Joy was very hands on in the production and the process of bringing THE CONTRAST to the screen and speaks not only to her character and the story, but delves into the script and working with Chris Johnson in developing the tone and modernization of the character, casting and chemistry, cinematography and working within the confines of the bed & breakfast location, incorporating the history of Colonial America into the production design, directors Sean Dube and Presley Paras, Joy's musical contribution with two tracks for the film, skeet shooting and so much more.

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Things get a bit dark and serious with a touch of the supernatural and surreal on BEHIND THE LENS thanks to GREG NEWBERRY who is on hand live to discuss his new film, the political courtroom drama WHO IS AMOS OTIS?, plus our exclusive interview with writer/director ISAAC RODRIGUEZ talking LAST RADIO CALL.

First up, take a listen to our exclusive interview with writer/director ISAAC RODRIGUEZ talking about his new film LAST RADIO CALL. A dash of horror, a smattering of folkloric supernatural, and a nice blend of "found footage" and "present-day" set in an ultra-spooky abandoned hospital location, and all packaged with a verite style make for a fun thriller. Isaac talks about all of that and how he took an initial 2-minute short and developed it into a feature with a story that comes together with images and sound. Isaac delves into his process going from 2-minute short to feature, the thrill of this location, and how about an anecdote you'll only hear on #BTLRadioShow about how a "used" coffin with corpse now removed made it into not only the film but served as a perfect setting for an unwitting film crew to take selfies!

And then it's a big hello to playwright/writer/director GREG NEWBERRY on hand live talking about his debut feature film, WHO IS AMOS OTIS?. A politically-charged courtroom drama boasting powerful performances from John Katawick and Rico Reid, Amos Otis is on trial after assassinating the President and must convince the jury he saved the world from an unhinged ruler. Is he a madman, a conman, or a savior? Thanks to tightly crafted dialogue (and some killer monologues), Newberry tackles all of the social and political issues that have led to the divisiveness we see in the country today. Greg talks about the impetus for the film and the storyline, adapting his Pulitzer Prize-nominated stage play for film on the page and then bringing it to life cinematically with performance and cinematography, the importance of finding that "opening" scene that really kicks off the film, diversity in casting, score and specific instrumentation within that score, and more!

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BEHIND THE LENS is back with a bang to kick off YEAR EIGHT with some laughter and lightness thanks to writer/director PAUL BOYD and his new film I, CHALLENGER, plus our exclusive interview with the young star of THE TENDER BAR, DANIEL RANIERI. And we remember some of the beloved legends we've said goodbye to in just the past few days.

First up today, take a listen to our exclusive prerecorded interview with that little scene-stealer in THE TENDER BAR - DANIEL RANIERI. Making his acting debut under the guidance of director George Clooney, Daniel steals your heart and the film with his performance. I spoke with Daniel about the role, acting, working with Clooney, Ben Affleck, Christopher Lloyd, and others, the rigors of onset school and homework (blech!), the fun of filmmaking, and more. Energetic, effervescent and an absolute delight, just listening to Daniel will put a smile on your face!

Then writer/director PAUL BOYD is on hand live to talk about his new comedy, I, CHALLENGER. A situational comedic meld of stoner buddy comedies of days past, a bit of a thriller element, some societal commentary, and even a love story, I, CHALLENGER is an upbeat, fun-filled way to start the new year. Starring James Duval (who has been a live guest on BTL in the past), Coy Stewart, and Tina Majorino, among others, I, CHALLENGER is a perfect showcase for Paul's directorial talents. Listen as Paul and I dive into the genesis of the story and its development, story subtext and societal commentary, situational comedy, casting, editing and pacing to find balance of comedy and tension, importance of location, score and needledrops, color theory, and more.

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As 2021 and year seven of BEHIND THE LENS draws to a close, we treat you to a mix and match of films and filmmaking with our special guests DAVID BEINSTEIN and ALAN McINTYRE SMITH talking ARE YOU HAPPY NOW, plus our exclusive interviews with writer/director MICKEY REECE talking the fascinating AGNES while director MIKE ROHL makes merry with THE PRINCESS SWITCH 3: ROMANCING THE STAR.

First up, we get a little bit of Christmas magic thanks to director MIKE ROHL in this prerecorded exclusive interview as he talks about THE PRINCESS SWITCH 3: ROMANCING THE STAR. Director of the first two installments of the franchise as well, Mike and I join up again to discuss his dazzling, ever-increasing amount of Christmas lights and the movie magic that gives us Vanessa Hudgens taking on three concurrent roles. Take a listen as Mike talks about not only the expanded visual palette (and more twinkle lights), but added color themes, upping the ante with Vanessa Hudgens times three, the design and manufacture of the Christmas Star (made for the film by a jeweler!), working with Will Kemp and shooting not only a 360 waltz, but action scenes more often found in spy thrillers! It makes my holiday every year to speak with Mike about this Netflix franchise.

Then we welcome writer/director DAVID BEINSTEIN and cinematographer/producer ALAN McINTYRE SMITH live to talk about their new film ARE YOU HAPPY NOW. Described as an anti-romcom, with some questionable "rom" but plenty of "com", AYHN is a fun-filled and funny BFF bromance. And did I mention plenty of chickens? Chicken wrangling obviously came into play with this film. An interesting and fun conversation with Alan and David on the "making of" ARE YOU HAPPY NOW that should make you pretty happy.

Wrapping up the show and the year, we switch gears and go a bit darker in tone with writer/director MICKEY REECE talking about AGNES. Demonic possession, exorcism, some shady priests, and a crisis of faith are just the tip of the iceberg in this film. With an interesting story structure complemented by a classic lensing style that showcases the talents of Molly Quinn and Sean Gunn, among others, Mickey goes into it all.

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From the luscious countryside of the south of France to the global alien annihilation of Earth, we've got the best of both worlds on BEHIND THE LENS courtesy of special guests SETH and NOAH GILBERT talking THE ONLY ONE, while SIMON KINBERG talks about all things INVASION.

So, who's been watching AppleTV's INVASION? WOW! The final episode of Season One just aired and I'm still blown away by it. Luckily, we now have Season Two to look forward to! But right now listen to my pre-recorded exclusive interview with Executive Producer/Creator/Co-Writer SIMON KINBERG talking all about INVASION from the idea and story to craftsmanship to globe-trotting events to score and so much more. We spoke on December 7, just prior to the Season One finale and the day before Season Two was announced so Simon was able to reflect on the build of the entire season through characters and diversity in front of and behind the camera, as well as visually bringing the series to life, not to mention the creation and look of the aliens!

Then the brotherly filmmaking duo of NOAH GILBERT and SETH GILBERT are on hand to talk about their first feature, THE ONLY ONE. Shot on location in the beautiful countryside and vineyard regions of France, under Noah's directorial eye the film sweeps you into the romance of this world with the first frame while Seth's story and well-crafted characters take us into the heart of the story. An interesting and fun conversation with the brothers as they talk about their respective feature film learning curves, finding the locations for the film, developing story and character as we journey with David and Tom – both of whom are at a crossroads in their lives, Todd Bell's beauteous lensing, casting, finding feature film pacing working with editor Hannah Beavers, the art of collaboration and inspiration, and two topics we don't get to speak about too often – (1) the challenges and considerations of shooting in a foreign country complete with crew mandates, local labor laws, working hours, permits, etc., and (2) consumption of wine while shooting at a vineyard.

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It's a full house and a mixed bag this week on BEHIND THE LENS thanks to our returning special guest JOSH TESSIER talking OVERRUN, plus our exclusive prerecorded interviews with writer/director FRAN KRANZ talking MASS, and the amazing cast of MIXTAPE – GEMMA BROOKE ALLEN, AUDREY HSIEH, and OLGA PETSA.

First up, take a listen to the freshest, most effervescent, and most fun trio of actors from the new Netflix hit, MIXTAPE – GEMMA BROOKE ALLEN, AUDREY HSIEH, and OLGA PETSA. Set on the eve of Y2K, this is the story of 12-year-old Beverly who, together with her new BFF's Nicky and Ellen, sets out on a journey to find songs on a mixtape crafted by her late parents. (And folks – the soundtrack is amazing!) With none of the girls even born when this film takes place, you can really hear their amazement and joy at experiencing the hair, the clothes, and the music of the era. But most important is their very evident friendship to come from MIXTAPE.

Plus, you'll hear our exclusive interview with writer/director FRAN KRANZ talking about his feature directorial debut, the powerful and compelling MASS. Picking up four HCA Film Awards nominations this week (Best First Feature, Best Indie, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Jason Isaacs), MASS is the story of the aftermath of a violent tragedy that affects the lives of two couples in very different ways and stars Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton, and Reed Birney. Listen as Fran delves into, among others, the writing process and the intentional visual grammar of the film as well as conscious design to hone in on sound design with the absence of a score, extended periods of silence, and the use of calibrated distant ambiance as an auditory backdrop.

Then returning to #BTLRadioShow is the wonderful writer/director JOSH TESSIER who is back talking about his latest film OVERRUN. Now available on DVD/Blu-ray just in time for holiday gift-giving, stuntman-turned-director Josh talks about this tale of hard-core mafioso battles with Russians, Italians, good cops, bad cops, and an informant caught in the middle and bringing it all to life with this feature directorial debut.

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BEHIND THE LENS is ready for the holidays with everything from visiting friends to that shopping experience known as "Black Friday" to holiday movies to entertain you thanks to writer/director BRETT WAGNER talking THE BIG BEND and VFX/creature creator guru ROBERT KURTZMAN talking BLACK FRIDAY.

First up, our exclusive conversation with one of the kings of creature creation prosthetics and make-up, ROBERT KURTZMAN. Take a listen as Robert talks about his new film, BLACK FRIDAY, where holiday shoppers run amok and turn into zombies and monsters while shopping in a toy store. Granted, we all know that shoppers on Black Friday can be monstrous, but thanks to Robert Kurtzman and his work, it spectacularly comes to life in this fun horror film from director Casey Tebo and writer Andy Greskoviak. From creature design to use of color to collaboration with cinematographer David Kruta to techniques used for creature and prosthetic creation, Robert covers it all.

Then we take a little holiday trip to THE BIG BEND in Texas when writer/director BRETT WAGNER joins us live. Making its rounds on the festival circuit, THE BIG BEND is the tale of two families getting together in the Big Bend desert region of Texas. And as to be expected, the best-laid plans for fun vacation time together turns into anything but with lost kids (who are having the time of their lives), unhappy adults, rocky marriages, secrets, tragedy, no cell service, etc. But contrasting the personal dramas and crises is striking cinematography celebrating nature's mysteries and majesty. Listen as Brett talks about the influences for the story, location scouting, celebrating nature's beauty with light and lens, casting, working with his daughters who are co-stars in the film, weather and heat challenges, and so much more.

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This week we're doing a bit of travelling on BEHIND THE LENS as we journey to BELFAST with editor UNA NI DHONGHAILE and then on to SPAGHETTI JUNCTION with writer/director KIRBY McCLURE.

First up, take a listen to our exclusive interview with UNA NI DHONGHAILE, editor of what I believe is the Best Picture of the Year – BELFAST, as she talks about the editing process, working with Kenneth Branagh, adjusting film speed to create tableau effects, laying in the basic sound edit along with the visual edit, and more. Una's unbridled enthusiasm and passion for this film are beyond infectious. Her attention to detail and her collaborative process with "fellow magpie" Branagh is evident in the final product. BELFAST soars and Una's work is just one of the reasons.

And then, we welcome writer/director KIRBY McCLURE who talks about his new film SPAGHETTI JUNCTION. The story of a disabled teenager in America's deep south who encounters a "traveler" from the stars, this indie gem sparkles with originality, emotion, some beautiful visual effects, and a breakout performance by amputee Triathlon runner Cate Hughes. It's no holds barred as Kirby talks about the genesis of the film and his influences, crafting a script and visuals that blur the lines of reality, dreams, and maybe even toss in a bit of the sci-fi supernatural. Beautiful in its look with an observational style, Kirby goes in-depth about the Spaghetti Junction area of Georgia and working with DP Kristian Zuniga in designing visuals that embrace the natural elements of the region to create this cinematic world with everything from the suburban homes and neighborhoods to long-shuttered strip malls and industrial areas to sumptuous magnolia blossoms. Listen as Kirby talks about the challenges of casting, particularly with this desire to cast an amputee vs able-bodied actor with post-production erasure of a limb, as the film's lead "August". His search paid off as Cate Hughes dazzles in this first acting role.

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It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas on BehIND THE LENS as CHRISTINE WEATHERUP joins us live to talk about her latest film SEE YOU NEXT CHRISTMAS, plus our exclusive interview with KEVIN DURAND talking DANGEROUS!

First up, things take a "dangerous" turn with our exclusive interview with actor KEVIN DURAND talking about his new film, the action thriller DANGEROUS! Directed by David Hackl with script by Christopher Borrelli, DANGEROUS is the story of ex-con and reformed sociopath Dylan Forrester (Scott Eastwood) who is trying to quietly serve out his parole — with the help of a steady supply of antidepressants and his eccentric psychiatrist (Mel Gibson). But when his brother dies under mysterious circumstances, Dylan breaks parole and, with a dogged FBI agent (Famke Janssen) on his trail, goes to uncover the truth. A band of heavily armed mercenaries led by Cole (Kevin Durand) wants something Dylan's brother was hiding, and Dylan will need all his guile and tactical skills to survive in this action-packed thriller.

Take a listen as Kevin talks about the intricacies of the story and its appeal for him, the layers he was able to bring to his character of "Cole", working with Scott Eastwood, and more.

And then a big welcome to the effervescent director/writer/actor CHRISTINE WEATHERUP who brings us some early Christmas cheer with SEE YOU NEXT CHRISTMAS! The story of Annie and Tom Clark and their annual "Clarkmas" holiday party, SEE YOU NEXT CHRISTMAS visits Clarkmas and its party guests over the course of 6 or 7 years. Even with just this annual peek into their lives, we get to know each member of this ragtag group of friends. And while everyone is moving on, getting hooked up, married, or becoming parents, chronically single Natalie and Logan continue to run into each other at the party year after year, running hot and cold towards each other with each encounter but always wondering if maybe they're meant to be together.

Effervescent and enthusiastic, Christine's passion for this project is evident as she talks about the inspiration for this tale, honing in on characters and fun foibles, production design, set turnover (in her own apartment), post-production, casting, and so much more. So often we talk about a "filmmaker's voice" in a film. Just listen to Christine and it's easy to see that her voice comes through loud and clear with the fun and frolic, as well as heartfelt moments, in SEE YOU NEXT CHRISTMAS.

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