Behind The Lens

BEHIND THE LENS just keeps on rolling along as we welcome MARIO VAN PEEPLES and LISA FRANCE to this week's show. A powerhouse in the industry, writer/director/actor/producer MARIO VAN PEEPLES is live talking about his latest series on SyFy Channel- SUPERSTITION. A riveting chilling thriller, you'll enjoy hearing Mario talk about creating the series' big screen feel with exemplary production values, complex characters, and fascinating storylines steeped in historical fact and legend. With the Season One finale just aired, the fate of Season Two hangs in the balance with a rapidly growing fanbase. Involved at every level of production (including directing 8 episodes), it's a joy to hear Mario talk about this incredible journey from script to screen. Then pro basketball player turned stuntwoman turned filmmaker LISA FRANCE joins us talking about her new documentary ROLL WITH ME. Fresh off a successful showing at Slamdance, as you will learn in this conversation with Lisa, ROLL WITH ME is the very definition of guerrilla filmmaking as Lisa and a ragtag skeleton crew embark on a cross-country journey with the film's subject Gabriel Cordell who is attempting a 3000 mile roll from Santa Monica, California to Long Island, New York. But this isn't just any journey. Cordell is a paraplegic, recent drug-addict, and is riding his wheelchair across the country. While moviegoers will be gobsmacked on hearing Lisa talk about the filmmaking journey, filmmakers will find Lisa's experience particularly inspiring as she goes in-depth talking about securing equipment, financing, and yes, editing 4000 hours of footage. But before our special guests come onboard, hear director BEN LEWIN talk about his latest film, PLEASE STAND BY, starring Dakota Fanning. (Lewin previously directed Helen Hunt to an Oscar nomination for her work in the Lewin written/directed "The Sessions" co-starring John Hawkes.) Written by Michael Golamco, PLEASE STAND BY is the story of a young autistic girl who experiences the world on her own (with her dog Pete) for the first time as she heads to Los Angeles to hand deliver a "Star Trek" script contest submission. In today's exclusive clips, you'll hear Ben talk about what led him to this story and the film's visual tone.

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A fun-filled and enlightening BEHIND THE LENS this week thanks to special guests DAN MIRVISH and LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS! With Slamdance Film Festival in full swing, what better way to celebrate indie film than with DAN MIRVISH. Not just one of the co-founders of Slamdance, but a filmmaker in his own right, Dan is on hand talking about his latest directorial feature, BERNARD AND HUEY, starring Jim Rash and David Koechner. A recently discovered, long lost script by the Pulitzer-Prize and Oscar-winning cartoonist, playwright and screenwriter, Jules Feiffer, BERNARD AND HUEY is the closing night feature at Slamdance. Hear Dan talk about the discovery of the script and bringing it to life . . . including developing characters previously experienced in cartoons and books, as well as turning his Culver City garage into a New York subway! Then we have a legend on hand – LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS. One of the hardest working and most consistently present actors since he first lit up our movie screens some 30-years ago, Lou skyrocketed to fame thanks to turns in films like "Stand and Deliver", "La Bamba", and "Young Guns", but over the years has successfully transitioned to television (most recently "Longmire") and the stage, the latter as a Tony-nominee for "The King and I", making him a real triple threat across the boards. Lou's constant presence continues with QUEST, also showing at Slamdance. As with so many of Lou's films, QUEST is emotionally powerful, heartbreaking, yet hopeful. And while he goes against type with this performance, the messaging of the film is right in his wheelhouse. One of our most favorite guests ever on BEHIND THE LENS, listen as Lou talks not only about QUEST, but working with young actors, mentoring, working with female directors (and he's worked with many!), the industry today, how he selects projects, and more. Enlightening and entertaining, LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS is an interview you'll want to hear again and again. Plus, hear what Gerard Butler, writer/director Christian Gudegast, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, O'Shea Jackson Jr., and Pablo Schreiber have to say about their new action heist thriller DEN OF THIEVES!

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We've got the cream of the crop and the pick of the litter this week on BEHIND THE LENS thanks to our guests SANTINO PANICO, DANA NACHMAN, and DON HARDY. First up is SANTINO PANICO. Sports fans may know Santino best from his days as an All-American on the gridiron or most recently as a marathon runner, but what few may know is that Santino proves himself to be an accomplished storyteller and filmmaker with the documentary, FROM THE GROUND UP. Focusing on his journey from meat eating football player to a marathoning vegan, on this freshman directorial journey, Santino opens our eyes into a world of "plant-based" eating. Hear the passion and enthusiasm in Santino's voice as he talks about not only the whats and whys of plant-based eating but the whats and whys and hows of real grassroots filmmaking from self-financing to corraling interview subjects to editing to licensing/clearances (a real testament to Santino's conviction in making this documentary is his patience in obtaining clearance from the NFL). But get ready for cuteness at the mid point of the show when we welcome DANA NACHMAN and DON HARDY as they talk about their latest documentary PICK OF THE LITTER. Many may know Dana and Don best from their documentary BATKID BEGINS, but once you see PICK OF THE LITTER, tongues will be wagging with praise as they take us on the journey of five precious puppies in training for Guide Dogs for the Blind. Directors and cinematographers will appreciate hearing Don talk about camera selection and jury-rigging gear and shooting puppy POV, while both expound on the process of working with Guide Dogs for the Blind, shooting schedules over a two year time period, logistics of multi-city locations, editing, and more. And while we had to cut short our exclusive interview clip of composer Alexandre Desplat talking THE SHAPE OF WATER last week, we've got it for you now in full.

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BEHIND THE LENS goes global with this week's guests, STEVEN ALLERICK and VIVIENNE DeCOURCY! In-studio to help kick off the new year and our fourth year of BEHIND THE LENS, actor STEVEN ALLERICK is back! From Broadway to musical theatre to television to commercials to stage to film, Steve does it all and as an actor/writer/producer, has a keen perspective which he brings to any discussion on the filmmaking process. And talking about a keen perspective, as the former "Simba" on Broadway, in Toronto and in Los Angeles in "The Lion King", you'll love hearing Steve's take on THE GREATEST SHOWMAN! Joining us live at the midpoint of the show all the way from London is writer/director VIVIENNE DeCOURCY talking her new film, and first narrative feature, DARE TO BE WILD! Taking us from the lush emerald green hills and forests of Ireland to the arid lands of Ethiopia to the prim and proper Chelsea, with DARE TO BE WILD Vivienne brings us the story of Mary Reynolds. Named as one of the top ten garden designers of all time, Mary not only set out to win and did win the esteemed Chelsea Flower Show with a Celtic Sanctuary garden, but her very ideology of landscape celebrates and champions the idea of "man is nature, nature man". Perhaps the premiere "garden whisperer" of our time, it is through Mary and filmmakers and garden lovers like Vivienne that seeds are planted for "going wild" as a means to combat global warming and repopulate the environs of nature. Vivienne's own passion for nature and filmmaking takes hold as she talks about, among others, wildflower gardens, the importance of Mary Reynolds and her work, recreating and building/growing Mary's award-winning Celtic Sanctuary for the film, and trekking 12,000 feet up to the top of a mountain in Ethiopia to capture some of the most exquisite imagery you'll see on screen this year. And you'll get a taste of what composer - and recent Golden Globe winner - Alexandre Desplat had to say in our exclusive interview about scoring THE SHAPE OF WATER!

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It's a fabulous fun-filled BEHIND THE LENS to not only wrap up 2017, but the third year of BTL! What better way to end the year than with two of my favorite guys to interview as we talk about the award-winning comedy THE TRUTH ABOUT LIES! Returning to BTL is award-winning writer/director PHIL ALLOCCO and joining him is one of the film's stars, the uber-talented FRAN KRANZ. I had a chance to sit down with Fran earlier this year at LAFF to talk about the glorious "A Midsummer Night's Dream" which had its premiere at LAFF and he was a joy! And yes! Not only does Fran talk a bit about "A Midsummer Night's Dream", but reveals the film just got a distribution deal with release set for Spring 2018! And speaking of distribution, both gentlemen provide some insight into the distribution experience in this ever-changing media age, as well as providing their perspectives on visual comedy, acting, casting, and more! But before we get to Phil and Fran, take a listen to the stars of THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN – Bill Pullman, Peter Fonda, and Tommy Flanagan – with some clips of our exclusive interviews with them. And hear some more about the Golden Globe-nominated THE SHAPE OF WATER with our exclusive interview with production designer PAUL AUSTERBERRY.

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Another exciting week on BEHIND THE LENS as we explore two favorite genres – the western and a hybrid fantasy/sci-fi love story – thanks to special guest, writer/director JARED MOSHE, plus an exclusive interview with creature creator/sculptor MIKE HILL. First up is our exclusive interview with creature creator MIKE HILL talking the now Golden Globe-nominated masterpiece from Guillermo del Toro, THE SHAPE OF WATER! Get Mike's insight into working with Guillermo and executing his vision as he discusses practical production considerations, aesthetics, and integrating those factors with the telling and advancement of the story. Learn something about silicon versus foam latex, epoxy paints, color color and more color, designing for Dan Lausten's lighting and water as well as working with water, fish lips, and more. At the midpoint of the show writer/director JARED MOSHE is live talking his new film, THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN. An avowed lover of the American western, LEFTY BROWN follows on the heels of his freshman feature, "Dead Man's Burden", as Jared goes back to the Old West, this time with Bill Pullman, Peter Fonda and Tommy Flanagan. Embracing all of the cinematic and storytelling elements of John Ford, Bill Wellman, Howard Hawks, Raoul Walsh, John Sturges, and more, listen as Jared candidly speaks about his love of the genre and defining characters by morals and a man's "code". With a backdrop of glorious cinematic vistas, gunfights, and Bill Pullman in an award-worthy turn as the title character, we talk not only about casting and character arcs, but the technical aspects of the production, including location, POV, shooting 35mm with natural light, score, and more.

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From a galaxy far, far away to cowboys and comics, BEHIND THE LENS has something for everyone as we rustle up the creative folks of RUSTY REVOLVER and hear from the cast of STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI. First up today it's all about comics and cowboys with the team from RUSTY REVOLVER. Three of the most entertaining gentlemen we have ever had on BTL, writer/director PAUL MORRELL, actor/producer ANTON TROY, and actor VERNON GEORGE WELLS are on hand to talk about this multi-media project as RR hits Amazon Prime as a web series with a companion comic book available now as well. What little boy (or girl) didn't dream of growing up to be a cowboy and fighting the bad guys? RUSTY REVOLVER gets to do just that in this rootin' tootin' round-up as Paul and Anton talk about the genesis of the show and the character of Rusty, the visual aesthetic, and the importance of editing and post-production in saving the day after two days of under-developed footage! Legendary actor Vernon Wells chimes in as he talks about developing his character of "Deacon" beyond what's on the page, the benefits of having a director who gives an actor the tools to develop a character, plus a look back at some of his prior works and then into the future with his thoughts on what makes a project the right fit for him. And you don't want to miss hearing what director Rian Johnson and the cast of STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI have to say about THE LAST JEDI in terms of tone and what we can expect with the film, and some thoughts from the women of STAR WARS on the legacy of Leia and the indomitable Carrie Fisher.

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Timely, topical, and fascinating on multiple levels is the only way to describe this episode of BEHIND THE LENS with a nice mix for all thanks to special guest JACOB KORNBLUTH and some exclusive interviews with award-worthy filmmakers of COCO and composer CARTER BURWELL! No stranger to BTL, director JACOB KORNBLUTH is back talking about his latest documentary, SAVING CAPITALISM, based on the best-seller by former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich. Kornbluth and Reich first teamed up some years ago for the acclaimed INEQUALITY FOR ALL and have since gone on to not only collaborate on some 40 short videos which have gone viral with more than 250 million YouTube views, but also founded the non-profit, INEQUALITY MEDIA. Although a sobering subject, with SAVING CAPITALISM Jacob and Bob give us hope for the future, not to mention hope for filmmakers as Jacob discusses the journey to bring this book to the screen, the total shift in the political climate while in production, losing and then regaining focus, and more, as we dig into this rich collaboration between Reich and Kornbluth. Before Jacob joins us at the midpoint of the show, we're talking more COCO and specifically, the task of skeleton design. For those of you who saw the film this weekend, you'll appreciate hearing what director Lee Unkrich, producer Darla Anderson, and writer/co-director Adrian Molina have to say on the subject. And take a listen to our exclusive interview with composer CARTER BURWELL. Riding high with a trifecta of WONDERSTRUCK, GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN, and THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI (all award-worthy contenders), we discuss all three films from composition to instrumentation and emotionality.

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On this episode of BEHIND THE LENS we're setting you up for a perfect holiday weekend with a little light reading and something tasty to snack on thanks to our guests director SCOTT WHEELER, producer RAFAEL DIAZ-WAGNER, and KELLEY SMOOT GARRETT.

Classic film fans who missed KELLEY SMOOT GARRETT last time she was with us, can catch up now as she's back talking about PRINCESS APRIL MORNING-GLORY, a beautiful fairy tale by Letitia Fairbanks all hand done in illuminated calligraphy with exquisite illustrations. As Letitia's step-daughter, Kelley is now completing the book's journey of publication, something Letitia and her father were never able to do due to technologic limitations in the 1940's. A fairytale strongly influenced by "Uncle Douglas", Kelley talks about Douglas Fairbanks' motto of "3 Good Deeds" and how that influenced Letitia and "Princess April". And Kelley drops a big surprise on BTL about the upcoming 100th anniversary of United Artists which was founded by Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin and D.W. Griffith, as well as plans to re-release Letitia's biography on Douglas Fairbanks, "The Fourth Musketeer".

And who doesn't like donuts? Donuts are great snack food while you're reading Princess April. . .or when watching a movie, especially a movie like ATTACK OF THE KILLER DONUTS! A horror comedy you can really sink your teeth into, director SCOTT WHEELER and producer/co-writer RAFAEL DIAZ-WAGNER are on hand at the midpoint of the show and tell us about this fun, and ambitious, film, and the VFX and practical in-camera hijinks that make the donuts extra tasty. From comedy to script to visual effects to action, we've got some tasty insight from Scott and Rafael on the making of KILLER DONUTS!

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Take a listen now to this very special edition of BTLRadioShow - our first extended show (90 minutes!) - with special guest, Sound Effects Editor/Designer and founder of THE HOLLYWOOD SOUND MUSEUM, STEVE LEE! Chock full of sound effects clips ("Star Wars", "Raiders", "Robocop" and more), Steve provides the backstory of the creation of these notable sounds, not to mention regales us with more than a few anecdotes about film history and the folks who helped sonically shape it. And how about some surprise guests? Oscar and Emmy winner RICHARD ANDERSON is also on hand, as is LISA VARNEY, who makes a wonderful announcement about the legacy of her father, BILL VARNEY, and THE HOLLYWOOD SOUND MUSEUM!!

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