Behind The Lens

A fun-filled week on #BTLRadioShow thanks to our special guests, writer/director SAM FRIEDLANDER and director ANDREA DORFMAN.

First up this show is SAM FRIEDLANDER who is back for a second go-round for his comedy, BABYSPLITTERS. It's wonderful to welcome Sam back to the show as he first joined us in February 2019 when the film premiered on the festival circuit and now it's in distribution and available for everyone to see. Take a listen as Sam recaps the film and some of the highlights of crafting the comedic balance of two couples and one pregnancy and "babysplitting" parental responsibilities, while filling us in on his journey over the past year in terms of the public reception on the festival circuit, obtaining distribution, the distribution plan, and, of course, the topsy turvy pivoting of releasing platforms in light of the pandemic. Some good insight into the distribution process for filmmakers.

Then ANDREA DORFMAN joins us talking up her hilarious new film, SPINSTER. Taking place over the course of a year, we meet 39-year old Gaby. Single and cynical, we follow Gaby's journey as she "finds herself" amidst the "coupling" expectations of the world and why it's okay to be single by choice. Take a listen as Andrea talks about finding and casting Chelsea Peretti as Gaby (she is perfection and I am now anxious to see her stand-up comedy routines) as well as rounding out the cast with local actors and artisans from Halifax, Nova Scotia where Andrea lives and where she shot the film, developing the story with screenwriter Jennifer Deyell, working with cinematographer Stephanie Anne Biron, finding the comedic pacing, Daniel Ledwell's scoring, knitting, and so much more! Plus, some mini-reviews for THE CUBAN and MADE IN ITALY – two absolute "Must See" films this year!

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Take a listen now to some of the most insightful filmmaking conversations around thanks to director RYAN BROOKHART talking TWO WAYS TO GO WEST and writer/director KYLE COUCH talking THE TENT. Plus, hear what ALEX WINTER had to say about the much anticipated BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC during our recent exclusive interview!

First up is director RYAN BROOKHART talking about his new film - TWO WAYS TO GO WEST. A drama that showcases some dynamic performances from James Liddell (who also wrote the film), Paul Gennaro, and Drew Kelley as three friends coming together for the wedding of one of them, only to discover - and come to terms with - who they are now as individuals and to each other. Listen as Ryan talks about the specificity and challenges of cinematography in creating an emotional connection with each character while establishing the ever-changing emotional landscape of their interpersonal relationships, location, lighting and use of mirrors, color, sound design and the absence thereof in key moments and the intent behind that silence, casting, working with James Liddell both as an actor and writer, metaphor metaphor metaphor, and so much more.

At the midpoint of the show, writer/director KYLE COUCH joins us talking about his new powerhouse of a film, THE TENT. An "apocalyptic" setting with a very clever entre into the story and an even cleverer "reveal", this is a film that will speak to everyone on some level. Very well constructed from a cinematic standpoint and a film that uses metaphor so exquisitely and thoughtfully, this is another film that boasts excellent performances; here, from Tim Kaiser and Lulu Dahl. Listen as Kyle talks about the cinematography and sound design of THE TENT and the importance and synergy of each in creating this world in which our protagonists David and Mary now survive, the creation of the "the tent" itself and the masterful production design, marrying Mother Nature and the elements with footage shot within the confines of a controlled atmosphere, the perfect casting of Tim Kaiser and Lulu Dahl, the importance of the subject matter at the heart of THE TENT, score, and the spiritual and religious metaphor and walking that line so as never to become preachy but to have the elements within the film for those who may be familiar with them.

Rounding out the show, you'll hear an excerpt from our exclusive conversation with ALEX WINTER in which he gives us the latest on BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC. Regular listeners will recall that Alex previously appeared live on the show talking about his last documentary which he directed TRUST MACHINE: THE STORY OF BLOCKCHAIN, as well as giving us an update on the next Bill & Ted movie. At that time, Alex advised a script was completed that both he and Keanu Reeves were happy with and expected to be shooting sometime in 2019. We caught up with Alex again the other week for an exclusive interview talking about his newest documentary SHOWBIZ KIDS, but, as always, how can you speak with Alex and not ask about Bill S. Preston and Ted "Theodore" Logan; only this time, shooting is complete and release is imminent.

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A terrific and quite energetic #BTLRadioShow this week thanks to director/editor BOB ROSE and his new documentary INSTABAND, plus the love fest for THE OUTPOST continues with our exclusive interview with TAYLOR JOHN SMITH.

I'm still trying to figure out how director Rod Lurie ended up with not only such an incredibly talented cast on THE OUTPOST, but one filled with truly outstanding, respectful, nice young men. Obviously, like attracts like. Over the past few weeks on BEHIND THE LENS you've heard our exclusive interviews with Rod Lurie talking about the making of THE OUTPOST, as well as CALEB LANDRY JONES who delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as Medal of Honor recipient SSgt Ty Carter talking about finding his way into SSgt Carter through Ty Carter himself as well as insight from Jones' brother who is a Marine. Paramount to telling this story was a common goal of not only authenticity, but to do justice and show reverence to the soldiers of Combat Outpost Keating, all men and women in arms, and to the Gold Star families. And now we continue to showcase THE OUTPOST in this exclusive interview with TAYLOR JOHN SMITH who echoes those sentiments, while going into great detail as to his preparation for playing Distinguished Service Cross recipient, Lt. Andrew Bundermann.

Listen as Taylor talks about auditioning, the role he thought he wanted, his extensive reading material to help understand a soldier's mind and battle, keeping a copy of Jake Tapper's book with him while filming, watching Defense Visual Info Distribution Service videos (DVIDS) of Bundermann being interviewed by the military only two weeks after the Battle of Kamdesh, his own conversations with Bundermann, working with cinematographer Lorenzo Senatore and Lurie's long take "oner" style of filming THE OUTPOST, and more.

And then we switch gears into high octane energy as director/editor BOB ROSE joins us live talking about INSTABAND. This is an absolute "Must See" documentary for anyone and everyone breaking into the music industry in today's streaming world. Structured akin to the award-winning "Dummies" books that tell you how to do anything and everything, and chock full of even more info, with INSTABAND, Bob Rose breaks the industry down into its myriad of parts, providing not only an educational experience but an entertaining one. Focusing on middle-tier artists like Paul McDonald, Stealing Oceans, Infamous Her, and Sam Tinnesz, just to name a few, we not only hear from the artists themselves, but follow them through their experiences with merchandising, live performance, signing with a major label/breaking from a label, marketing versus music, the mandatory personal connection with fans, using social media as a tool, branding, the importance of maintaining one's artistic aesthetic, owning your masters, licensing for tv/films/commercials, the Music Modernization Act, and so much more. Listen as Bob Rose talks about his initial approach to the documentary and how that changed once he started talking with the various artists, being fluid in his vision and adding different aspects of the music game to the throughline of the film as he learned more from each artist, editing editing editing as the energy and entertainment and informational fun comes from Rose's editing (which is exemplary), how many aspects of succeeding in this middle tier approach to the music industry are equally applicable to the indie film world, expanding his own filmmaking voice in this sophomore directorial, and so much more. I can’t encourage musicians and filmmakers enough to see this film! If you want to rock, you’ve got to learn how to roll. . .

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A fun-filled show this week on #BTLRadioShow thanks to writer/director MIKE ARTHUR talking the noodly goodness of his latest documentary, I, PASTAFARI. Plus, our prerecorded exclusive interview with CALEB LANDRY JONES talking about his award-worthy performance in THE OUTPOST. The love for THE OUTPOST keeps rolling along on BEHIND THE LENS! Two weeks ago you heard our exclusive conversation with director Rod Lurie talking THE OUTPOST and this week we kick off the show with our in-depth exclusive interview with CALEB LANDRY JONES as he talks about the film and his role as Medal of Honor recipient Sgt Ty Carter. One of the most genuine and nicest guys around, it had been a number of years since Caleb and I last talked and I was so pleased to find him as authentic, good-humored, and kind as he was a decade ago. His many lauded performances leading him to this star-caliber turn in THE OUTPOST have neither jaded him nor compromised his compass. Listen as Caleb talks about his inspirations for getting into the mindset of Ty Carter and men in arms under fire, working with director Rod Lurie, the use of "oners" during shooting and working with cinematographer Lorenzo Senatore, the joy of camaraderie versus the need for distance to inform the performance, and more. Plus, we talk about Caleb's debut album, "The Mother Stone" and the musical aspect of his career.

And then writer/director MIKE ARTHUR joins us live talking about I, PASTAFARI: A FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER STORY. For all the Doubting Thomases our there, take a listen as Mike explains the Pastafarian religion (it’s a real thing, folks!) and how he came to learn of it and what prompted him to make a documentary about it. As entertaining as it is educational, Mike takes us to various countries around the globe speaking with believers, following court trials, learning about the different sects of the religion, and, of course, The Flying Spaghetti Monster with his noodly goodness and noodly appendages. Filmmakers will appreciate Mike's insight into the headaches of licensing and clearances for rights usage of materials when dealing with Europe and the United States (two different animals and processes), as well as his editing process and developing a cogent throughline, not to mention the whimsy of the music and animation.

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It's a fun show thanks to writer/director BRIAN BARSUGLIA, who joins us live at the midpoint of the show to talk about a film I'm very excited to be a part of – SOCIAL DISTANCE. Plus, we've got our exclusive prerecorded interview with cinematographer SEBASTIAN THALER talking about his latest film, the riveting nail-biter 7500.

First up is our exclusive conversation with SEBASTIAN THALER talking about 7500. This is a film not to be missed and Sebastian's lensing melded with a powerhouse emotional performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes 7500 the riveting, jaw-dropping, edge-of-your-seat thriller that it is. With a pedigree that includes working with his father, European cinematographer Wolfgang Thaler, as well as working as an assistant to the legendary Ed Lachman, the excellence of Sebastian's work comes as no surprise. Take a listen as we dig deep into his process for 7500 as we talk about camera and lens selection, lighting, working within the confinement of an actual airplane cockpit, shooting two crews simultaneously – Sebastian inside the cockpit and a camera operator in the galley area – so that we see the action unfolding essentially in real time on a cockpit monitor, shooting exteriors at the Vienna airport with set-ups on the runways visible through the cockpit windows, the challenges of shooting in the confined space, capturing the emotion and action as it's unfolding, and more.

And then it's time for BRIAN BARSUGLIA, writer/director/sound designer and all-around filmmaking guru talking about his latest project, SOCIAL DISTANCE. Regular listeners have already heard me talk about Brian and his last film, IMPACT EVENT. The Universe may not have given me an E.L.E. yet, but Brian did with IMPACT EVENT! And now he tackles SOCIAL DISTANCE. Now in the post-production phase, SOCIAL DISTANCE was filmed during the complete stay at home lockdown in California. Listen as Brian talks about the idea for the story and his approach to filming (and no, it is not a Zoom conference call), developing a story and script to take advantage of the lockdown situation and the accouterments cast members had in their homes which he worked into the storyline and visuals, casting, working with his cast to turn them into "crew" as they did their own lighting, camera set-up, hair, make-up (with some help from family members and friends quarantining with them), editing process of collecting and assembling footage which was sent to Brian by his actor/filmmakers, and so much more. It's an interesting conversation with some great insight for filmmakers currently frustrated by quarantine and craving creative expression.

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An exciting episode of #BTLRadioShow this week thanks to writer/director/editor/composer MICHAEL CUENCA, who joins us live talking about his new I'LL BE AROUND, while director ROD LURIE talks about his latest (and greatest) film THE OUTPOST, in our exclusive prerecorded interview.

First up is our exclusive conversation with director ROD LURIE talking about his new film THE OUTPOST. In short, THE OUTPOST is the BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR! Based on Jake Tapper's bestselling book "The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor", Rod delivers a film that is visceral, intense, emotional, powerful, and technically superlative. This is a "war movie" in the truest sense of the word. This is not a glossy, fictionalized or romanticized Hollywood look at this true event. This is the story of the men of Combat Outpost Keating and the 10-3-2009 Battle of Kamdesh, the bloodiest American engagement of the Afghan War in 2009. These men of Bravo Troop 3-61 CAV became one of the most decorated units of the 19-year conflict. Listen as Rod and I talk about his approach to telling this story from a visual and emotional standpoint, lensing the battle and the relentless nature of the onslaught, the men of Keating, casting (Caleb Landry Jones is Oscar-bound) which includes some of the soldiers who were actually in the Battle of Kamdesh on October 3, 2009, Lorenzo Senatore's cinematography and the reasons behind the decision to shoot oners or long takes, Michael Duthie's editing, sound design and editing of Kris Casavant and Ryan Nowak and their teams, Larry Groupe's score and Rod's selective use of it throughout the film, location, and so much more. And as comes as no surprise, the interview is a bit condensed for broadcast purposes.

Then writer/director MICHAEL CUENCA joins us live talking about his latest film, I'LL BE AROUND. Designed for the thirty-somethings out there, I'LL BE AROUND is set over a 24 hour period during an alt-music festival where we meet a cast of characters trying to find their footing and purpose in today's world as they tackle social and philosophical issues leading to more than a few laughs. We go in-depth talking about the density of the script and the dialogue-heavy and dialogue-driven design of the film while capturing the "vibe" of this 30-something world, creating over 50 featured speaking roles plus "a cast of hundreds", developing a visual tonal bandwidth with cinematographer Jessica Gallant and then composing lyric music and score that complements the flow of the visuals, editing a film this dense down to a viewable and distributable 2 hours, costuming, and something which indie filmmakers will value – insight into working with Seed & Spark on crowdfunding.

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Another full week on #BTLRadioShow as we continue our discussion on A THOUSAND MILES BEHIND with actor JEFFREY DOORNBOS who joins us live, plus our exclusive pre-recorded interview with writer/director JOSHUA CALDWELL as we talk about his new hot-button film INFAMOUS.

He was unable to join us last week along with his director Nathan Wetherington, but actor JEFFREY DOORNBOS is with us live talking about getting into character, finding the soul of "Preston", and his performance in the powerful A THOUSAND MILES BEHIND. A longtime member of the acclaimed Blue Man Group in New York City, Jeffrey talks about how the creativity and lack of dialogue in his Blue Man performances proved an asset when finding the character of Preston in this film, as well as discussing working with Greg Evigan, Vanessa Campbell, and that Scrambler Ducati motorcycle, itself a character in the film. Jeffrey has some insightful thoughts on working with cinematographer Keith Dunkerley on becoming both one with the camera and distancing oneself while finding the emotional journey of the character and the film. A very interesting and fun conversation with Jeffrey!

But before Jeffrey joins us, take a listen to our exclusive in-depth conversation with writer/director JOSHUA CALDWELL talking his latest film INFAMOUS. Timely and topical, INFAMOUS takes on even greater significance in light of recent socio-political events as we meet the characters "Arielle" and "Dean" who head off on a cross-country crime spree a la 21st-century Bonnie & Clyde. Fueling Arielle's fire is her obsession with social media fame, something upon which Joshua builds not only the story and the character, but the film's visuals. We leave no stone unturned as we delve into every level of storytelling from story and societal commentary to score to needle drops to cinematography and the use of handheld camera to color and costume to editing. It's wonderful to reconnect with Joshua and talk about his growth as a filmmaker and in bringing his voice to the forefront with INFAMOUS.

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A more reflective show this week on #BTLRadioShow as we focus on two standout films – A CLEAR SHOT with our exclusive prerecorded interview with MARIO VAN PEEBLES, and A THOUSAND MILES BEHIND with our special live guest, director NATHAN WETHERINGTON.

First up, we take a look at A CLEAR SHOT with our exclusive interview with MARIO VAN PEEBLES. A powerful film based on the true-life events of the largest hostage situation ever in the United States when a group of four Vietnamese youths stormed a Good Guys electronics store in Sacramento. A film that couldn't be more timely and topical in today's world, listen as Mario talks about the film and the characters – a melting pot of race, gender, ethnicity and the danger of what can happen in a divisive and discriminatory situation – plus, his thoughts on "two Americas" and where we stand as a nation, as a people, today in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder and global protests.

Then, we welcome writer/director NATHAN WETHERINGTON live to the show talking about his new film A THOUSAND MILES BEHIND. An emotionally experiential film that focuses on grief and one man's journey to "live", this is a cathartic film for all who see it. Take a listen as Nathan talks about the story, the casting of JEFFREY DOORNBOS, the film's construct and minimalist dialogue, the importance and integration of cinematography and sound design into not only the film's theme, but Doornbos' character of "Preston", and, of course, the Scrambler Ducati motorcycle so key to Preston's emotional journey.

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It's a full house on BEHIND THE LENS this week thanks to four fabulous filmmakers and two wonderful and very different films!

First up we're talking the fascinating and frightening ALGORITHM: BLISS with writers/directors ISAK BORG and DENA HYSELL-CORNEJO. A thought-provoking and riveting tale of what happens when ethics, morals, technology, and sanity collide, ALGORITHM: BLISS boasts a mesmerizing performance by Sean Faris. Listen as Borg and Dena go in-depth talking about designing the color palette and visual tonal bandwidth of the film and its reliance on some outstanding production design, casting, and above all, the genesis of development of a story and subject as compelling as this.

And then we go from darkness into the light with PUNCHING AND STEALING and writers/directors/actors RYAN CHURCHILL and DANNY PARKER-LOPES. A film of unfettered simplicity, sweetness, and sincerity that makes you laugh, makes you smile, and makes you want more, PUNCHING AND STEALING is a perfect counter to these stressful times. Take a listen as hilarity ensues during our conversation about the fun of this story and how it came to be, a multi-year shooting process that came together via seamless "cut and paste" filmmaking, casting (huge shout-out to a wonderful performance by Mel Rodriguez), music, and so much more. This is a perfect case where the camaraderie and friendship the filmmakers behind the scenes is reflected on the screen.

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An exciting #BTLRadioShow this week as we welcome back writer/director LISE RAVEN to talk about her wonderful film SNAELAND, plus our prerecorded exclusive interview with creator/writer/showrunner MARK BOMBACK talking about the riveting mini-series on Apple TV – DEFENDING JACOB.

First up is our prerecorded exclusive interview with MARK BOMBACK, the creator and writer of the acclaimed hit mini-series, DEFENDING JACOB! Now before you take a listen, be warned – SPOILERS! Mark and I discuss all aspects of the show, including spoilers for those who haven't yet seen it, and because of that we purposely decided together to hold this interview until after the series finale aired this past weekend. Listen as we talk about everything from adapting William Landay's novel and some key changes to the story to Mark tackling a series versus a feature film to casting (and potential Emmy noms for Jaeden Martell and Cherry Jones) to the wearing of a very wide-brimmed production hat to deviating from the novel with some truly surprising results. This is an absolute "Must See"! Catch it now on Apple TV at https://apple.co/_DefendingJacob.

And then a big welcome back to LISE RAVEN and SNAELAND. Lise joined us last August as SNAELAND was just coming onto the festival circuit and we knew then it was going to be making a big splash. Making the rounds since then, SNAELAND is currently screening in the Brooklyn Film Festival which is being done virtually – and it's FREE! You can watch SNAELAND and 147 other terrific films 24/7 just by logging into the festival site! Take a listen as Lise talks about how this virtual film festival concept is working for her as a creator and filmmaker, plus, of great interest to filmmakers will be Lise's thoughts on the viability and feasibility of making a film with sanitation and social distancing during life in the time of Covid. Interesting is that for indie filmmakers with smaller crews, Lise thinks any new protocols put into place for production will be not that difficult to implement and execute. Of course, important to Lise is the filmmaking carbon footprint and we talk again about SNAELAND being shot in Iceland and done purposefully in order to minimize its carbon footprint, but also how minimizing the carbon footprint plays into potential new production protocols for social distancing and sanitizing. But particularly timely and topical is our discussion on the issue of journalism and an individual's right to tell their own story.

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