Brad Russell couldn't find the type of film festival that he wanted to go to, so he came up with the crazy idea to start one. He is the founder of the Washington West Film Festival, going on its fifth year. Washington West Film Featival: wwfilmfest.com Twitter: @wwfilmfest Check out Audible and get a 30 day free trial and audiobook at filmback.tv/audible. Please subscribe and leave reviews if you like what we’re doing. Hit us up through our website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, too @filmbacktv.

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The Filmback Podcast is dedicated to striving and thriving filmmakers. You host, Claire Tanner chats with individuals working in the film industry to learn from their journey and to help you further your own success by avoiding mistakes her guests have made. Consider Claire your friend, partner, cheerleader and her guests your mentors when it comes to filmmaking. Filmback is short for filmmaker feedback, and that's what Claire's all about. Just think of these episodes like mini master classes. What are you waiting for? Class is in session and there's a lot to learn.

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Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne joins Claire to discuss his documentary Dear Zachary, his love for film, and what he thinks is required for documentary filmmaker to have integrity.    Claire's movie of the week: Learning To Drive   Article mentioned about Kinglsey and working with female directors  http://www.indiewire.com/2016/06/ben-kingsley-says-women-best-directors-for-male-actors-1201684632/   Student Short Film - Fuel  https://vimeo.com/167433178   Congrats to Robert Locke Jones for the award of the grant from Cricket.    The Interview:   6:29 Kurt shares where his love for movies was born.  10:35 Claire  and Kurt talk about how much Kurt is in love with movies and storytelling.  14:05 Claire asks is Kurt is funny. 15:05 Claire talks about the process of finding your creative voice. 19:35 Kurt talks about rhythm in editing.  22:08 Claire talks about Ebert's quote "Its not what the movie's about it's how it is about it." 24:50 Claire asks about truth in documentary filmmaking.  36:55 Kurt talks about how long it took to complete DEAR ZACHARY. 41:08 Claire asks about the responsibility of a documentary filmmaker.  42:10 Kurt and Claire talk about the shift in the style of documentaries. 48:20 Claire asks Kurt for advice for documentary filmmakers. 50:20 Kurt share a story about a lesson he learned. 55:00 Kurt recommends listeners seeing Sing Street, Nobody's Business.   Connect with Kurt: http://kurtkuenne.com/   Connect with the show: Twitter: @filmbackpodcast Instagram: @filmbackpodcast Facebook: facebook.com/filmbackpodcast Website: filmbackpodcast.com    **To stay unto date with the latest episodes be sure to subscribe to the show. And if you like what you've been hearing, we'd love it if you'd take a moment to rate and review us. Thanks so much for listening...until next time!**

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Bill Zahn introduced himself to Claire as in indie filmmaker, she later discovered he'd worked on Men in Black, Pirates of the Caribbean,  Star Wars, Wall-E, Ratatouille, Cars, Toy Story 3 and so much more. Claire was intrigued by the humility of this artist who started out as a teenager making monsters and now works at Pixar. She invited her friend to get behind the mic to share his journey into filmmaking with you.    What Claire is excited about in the world of film:   What Claire's watching:  Hello My Name Is Dorris - now available on VOD.   Coming soon: Dream Dangerously - Neil Gainan documentary avaiable on vimeo July 8th. http://respectfilms.com/neil-gaiman-documentary/ https://vimeo.com/ondemand/neilgaiman  Twitter: @GaimanMovie   On The Web: June 2nd Google Doodle Lotte Reiniger's 117th birthday -  https://www.google.com/doodles/lotte-reinigers-117th-birthday   Behind the scenes of the Google Doodle with Nat and Lo https://youtu.be/MK1P6RGs6U4 Nat and Lo on Twitter: @natandlo   The Interview With Bill Zahn:   8:32 Bill shares that Loony Toons shaped his sense of humor and inspired him to play and create characters.    10:56 Bill tells us about how me managed to teach himself the craft and what it took to break into the business.   13:30 Claire asks if Bill wishes he'd gone to film school.   15:48 Bill talks about moving to Hollywood after getting a next-day interview with $60 to his name.   18:35 Claire asks about how Bill's work differs on big and small projects.   22:25 Claire talks about being moved to tears by the set design at a high school play.   23:20 Bill tells a story about seeing The Incredibles with his friend Paul and how the movie moved them.   25:45 Claire doesn't understand what special effects always means but she's glad that it's there to add to the movie magic.    26:56 Bill talks about how he got to work at Pixar.   30:03 Claire asks what working at Pixar, a playground is really like.   31:51 Bill talks about the people who are working at Pixar being the "Pixar magic."    34:20 Bill observes that it's the people who are working while others are distracted or goofing off who do well and move forward.    34:50 Claire asks Bill about imposter syndrome.    36:28 "Half of it is your work, and half of it is how good you are at working."    37:07 Claire asks about what Bill does in the character department at Pixar.    40:00 Claire asks about how artists are picked for films at Pixar.   41:10 The average Pixar film takes about 5 years to finish.    42:10 Listener question - Lynn asks about how it feels when what you've worked on doesn't even make it into the movie.   43:48 Claire asks about humility with great success.    46:40 Claire talks about hard work increasing luck.   49:06 Claire asks Bill if he thinks he's "made it."   50:40 Bill and Claire discuss measuring success as getting to keep working.    54: 13 Claire talks to bill about the "Stone Soup" approach in indie filmmaking.        56:23 Bill says "Get to work!" when asked for a piece of advice for aspiring filmmakers.    57:50 Bill talks about his new book.   58:50 "You're gonna mess up!" Bill shares a lesson.    60:00 Bill recommends a few resources for filmmakers http://www.videocopilot.net http://www.wordplayer.com http://everyframeapainting.tumblr.com   Bill suggests these films: Star Wars  Jaws The Shining  The Man Who Would Be King Raiders Of The Lost Ark Groundhog Day     Connect with Bill at www.billzahn.com   Connect with the show: Twitter: @filmbackpodcast Instagram: @filmbackpodcast Facebook: facebook.com/filmbackpodcast Website: filmbackpodcast.com    **To stay unto date with the latest episodes be sure to subscribe to the show. And if you like what you've been hearing, we'd love it if you'd take a moment to rate and review us. Thanks so much for listening...until next time!**  

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This week Claire talks with director Mark Freiberger about his journey from film school, directing features in his early 20s, to winning the Crash the Super Bowl Doritos Commercial Contest, and how he's positioning himself to make the movies he really wants to.  6:30 Mark shares why he decided to pursue directing instead of acting.  7:50 Claire observes there are benefits to being an extra on set despite being "human furniture."   9:28 Claire asks Mark about how his parents reacted when he told them he wanted to work in movies for a living  10:35 Mark shares a story about how he got his first camera.  12:32 Mark talked about why he chose to stay in his home state to study film. 14:40 Claire and Mark talk about how small the world is, especially in film, and note they have friends in common.  16:20 Claire is curious is Mark is just ambitious or if he is crazy for having made a feature film straight out of film school. 20:45 Mark shares how to balance helping friends with their projects and when it's time to get out there and make you own things.   23:23 Claire admits she's very skinny and LOVES food. She talks about how food rarely changes your life - but for Mark, a bag of chips opened doors that had been closed before.   41:55 Do you get a truck load of chips when your Doritos commercial gets aired during the Super Bowl?  43:15 What would you pick if you had to decide between a million dollars or the chance to work with Michael Bay for three months?  43:50 Claire asks about that time when the attention starts to die down and you have to keep earning your place in the spotlight.  50:07 Mark has said "If you're not in love with it, don't do it. There are other ways to make money that are much less stressful." Mark talks about the love needed to keep working in the film industry.   51:00 Every time you slow down, there is always some one ready to beat you, and speed past you.  55:24 Mark shares an embarrassing story. 57:54 Mark recommends  Books: Save The Cat, Blake Snyder Screenwriting, Syd Fields The Visual Story, Bruce Block   Films: The Shawshank Redemption Being There   Connect with Mark:Twitter:@RealFreiburgerInstagram:@markfreiburger Connect with the show: Twitter: @filmbackpodcast Instagram: @filmbackpodcast Facebook: facebook.com/filmbackpodcast Website: filmbackpodcast.com   **To stay unto date with the latest episodes be sure to subscribe to the show. And if you like what you've been hearing, we'd love it if you'd take a moment to rate and review us. Thanks so much for listening...until next time!**

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Claire Tanner explains where the show has been and what to expect moving forward.   You can connect with us on  Facebook: facebook.com/filmbackpodcast Twitter: @filmbackpodcast Instagram: @filmbackpodcast   Connect with Claire clairetanner.com Twitter: @filmbackclaire   Connect with Cory  Twitter: @filmbackcory

Show Update - Changes Come

In episode 40.5 we’re joined by Leah Meyerhoff. Leah Meyerhoff's debut feature film I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS premiered in competition at SXSW 2014 and continues to travel the film festival circuit. Her previous short films have screened in over 200 film festivals, won a dozen awards, and aired on IFC, PBS, LOGO and MTV. She has been shortlisted for the Student Academy Awards and Gotham Awards and received high profile grants from IFP, the Tribeca Film Institute and the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. Leah was one of eight filmmakers chosen to participate in IFP's Emerging Narrative Labs and Narrative Finishing Labs and one of ten filmmakers chosen to participate in the Emerging Visions program at the New York Film Festival. She was also one of eight filmmakers chosen to participate in the Tribeca All Access Labs and was recently honored with the Adrienne Shelly Director's Award. She has been featured in Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and The New York Times and starred on the docudrama Film School on IFC. She holds a BA in Art-Semiotics from Brown University and is a Dean's Fellow in Graduate Film at NYU.   Website: http://www.leahmeyerhoff.com Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/leahland Twitter: https://twitter.com/leahmeyerhoff Film Fatales: http://www.filmfatales.org/   Check out Audible and get a 30 day free trial and audiobook at www.filmback.tv/audible   Please subscribe and leave reviews if you like what we’re doing.  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-filmback-podcast/id987247464?mt=2   On social media, hit us up through: Our website - www.filmback.tv Facebook - www.facebook.com/filmbacktv Twitter - @filmbacktv or  www.twitter.com/filmbacktv Instagram - @filmbacktv or  www.instagram.com/filmbacktv

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