Originally from New Mexico, Michelle Tomlinson is an award-winning Actress with a long list of IMDb credits.

A recipient of the bronze Best Director & Best Web/TV Pilot Award for the Palm City Film Festival for her Directing work in "Deeply Superficial," she loves working behind and in front of the camera.

Tomlinson was first inspired by a conversation with former Governor James Mountain of San Ildefonso Pueblo about language being a living thing that can die and lead to catastrophic events for Native American cultures. That conversation started the journey that has become the documentary, "Edge." "Edge" has been shot in and around the Pueblos and at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in New Mexico, with Lori Bowen producing.

Tomlinson is the Casting Director for the groundbreaking Narrative Podcast "Frijoles y Arroz" for creator James Charleston, and she is directing the Documentary, "Rise of the Millennial", with partner Kimberly Amato.

Tomlinson recently Directed the deep emotional drama that addresses sexual assault, "Redemption" for creator James Charleston. "Redemption" was shot via Zoom during the pandemic in 2020.

- IMDb mini biography by: Michelle

Film and Television Writer and Director Megan Griffiths and Writer and Producer Eliza Flug 

In this episode, host Genevieve Trainor is speaking for the second time with film and television writer and director Megan Griffiths and for the first time with writer and producer Eliza Flug. They started working together in 2018, and both have multiple, acclaimed independent films under their belts. This episode will focus on their latest feature together, Year of the Fox, which Eliza wrote based on her own personal experiences. Megan and Eliza will also talk about their thoughts on independent film opportunities in this tough time for filmmakers and actors.

Year of the Fox is led by Sarah Jeffery, Jane Adams, Jake Weber, Lexi Simonsen, and Balthazar Getty and directed by Megan (Eden, The Night Stalker). The drama follows a teenager navigating privilege and predation in 1990s Aspen’s elite party scene amidst her adoptive parents’ bitter divorce. Tying directly to our current moment, the film is drawn from Flug’s own upbringing in Aspen, where she crossed paths with the likes of Jeffrey Epstein, who served as the inspiration for the character Balthazar Getty plays. Its nationwide digital release is August 19, 2025 on Amazon and Apple.

Learn more about the film on Instagram and TikTok: @yearofthefoxfilm

Megan’s built a successful writing and directing career from her home base in Seattle. She’s directed shows for HBO, EPIX, TNT, Hulu, USA, Fox and Netflix and served as the producing director for season two of Amazon’s The Summer I Turned Pretty. In addition to Year of the Fox, her other recent feature films include Duplass Brothers Productions’ I’ll Show You Mine, starring Poorna Jagannathan and Casey Thomas Brown.

Also based in Seattle, Eliza is in post for Shelter (Nick Nolte, Oliver Masucci and Jacqueline Bissette), for which she serves as a producer. Some of her previous credits include East of the Mountains (Tom Skerritt, Mira Sorvino) and Sadie (Melanie Lynskey, Tony Hale, Sophia Mitri Schloss).

Adad Warda, Writer and Director

Adad Joel Warda is an award-winning Assyrian American filmmaker based in San Francisco. He writes and directs branded content and narrative films that explore diverse perspectives and reflect his international experiences. Fluent in three languages, Adad spent 12 years living abroad in Prague and traveling the world, which inspired his compassionate approach to storytelling. His films and screenplays focus on family and social-impact issues such as diversity, and the environment.

Adad's short film "Miss Her" has won multiple awards, including placement in the Oscar-qualifying LA Shorts International Film Festival and "Best Short" at the Illume Film Festival. His earlier short "UnSound Play" was selected for the Oakland International Film Festival. He was also a finalist in the prestigious Screencraft Film Fund Competition and the ATX Pitch Festival for his Sci-fi climate-focused TV pilot "Sky City Haya."

With his unique background and thoughtful approach, Adad creates moving films that resonate universally while conveying highly personal themes. His work continues to garner acclaim at festivals as he develops new projects that illuminate diverse voices and perspectives.

Jason Martinez - 

A seasoned producer of independent films and TV shows, Jason shows the utmost professionalism on set, whilst at the same time ensuring that cast and crew is well cared for. He is known for Millennium Bugs, The Unexpecteds, Rebel Without a Crew: The Series and the TV show Southern Hospitality. He has worked in New Mexico and around the USA.

Levi Gordon - 

Levi Gordon's passion for film has driven him to forge his own path in the industry. He independently studied screenwriting and producing, which laid the foundation for his creative endeavors. Gordon's dedication culminated in the thought-provoking short film "The Hard R", which he wrote and executive-produced. The film delves into the complex issue of cultural appropriation, showcasing Gordon's ability to tackle relevant social themes through the medium of storytelling. Building on the success of his short film, Gordon has recently made significant strides by writing and collaborating on multiple feature-length screenplays, "Unwritten", "Iniquitous" and "Retreat of the Heart". These projects demonstrate Gordon's versatility as a writer and his commitment to bringing diverse narratives to the screen. With a keen eye for crafting compelling stories and a willingness to explore challenging subjects, Levi Gordon is emerging as a promising talent in the film industry. As he continues to develop his voice and collaborate with other creatives, audiences can anticipate thought-provoking and entertaining works from this rising screenwriter.

About the film: 

To save her family's farm in 19th Century Shanghai, a young woman disguises herself as a man and journeys to the American West, risking everything to take down a ruthless railroad tycoon and ignite a revolution. 

Guest Bios:

Max Gail - 2 time Emmy winner, Max Gail has over 50 years of acting experience, working on shows such as Barney Miller and General Hospital, as well as many films. He will play the character James Cannon in Midnight Shanghai. 

Hal Haixu Liu - An up and coming director whose film Beyond the Curtain won critical acclaim at the Santa Fe Film Festival. He is a graduate of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts film school. 

Mini, Michelle Ng - Born and raised in Singapore, Mini already had a career in film and TV before moving to LA to pursue her career. She is an actress, producer and stunt woman and plays the assassin Mei Xian.

Laura Marie Segura - Laura is a New Mexican and wears many different hats in film industry, from editing to producing and here she is the UPM and contributed to the script writing too. 

Pang Thao - Pang is an actress based in Florida and will play the character Miss Wong, an entrepreneur and bathhouse keeper who is known as the 'Keeper of the Souls' in the film. 

Ricky Lee - Ricky Lee is a seasoned producer and actor based in New Mexico. With a deep love for westerns and storytelling, he brings authenticity to all his work. Midnight Shanghai is his most personal film to date, blending heritage, grit and cinematic ambition. 

Producer, Elizabeth Marrs

Liz has been acting and telling stories since being cast as a child clown for a brief stint with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum Baily Circus. After college she moved from the stage to the classroom, becoming a college professor teaching art history. Since leaving academia she has appeared in many theater productions in Albuquerque and non-union films and commercials in
New Mexico and Utah. Working as a producer for Cactus club has been a pleasure and she looks forward to seeing the series go into production in the next year. Currently, Liz  in post- production for a documentary feature, “Liz and Nancy.”

Actor, Vic Browder - 

At a young age, Vic Browder came to the realization that he wanted a life in the performing arts. A dynamic, bold, truthfully courageous and dedicated actor, Browder is known for for Sicario, Waco, The Magnificent Seven, Godless, Succession and over 100 other film and TV projects. He's worked with Liam Neeson, Ethan Hawke, Idris Elba, Peter Sarsgaard, David Strathairn, Michael Shannon and Cuba Gooding.

Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, he was poor and sometimes homeless while his mother struggled to keep her six children safe and healthy. It was his early introduction to local theatre that gave him a place to escape the drugs, crime and poverty that surrounded his youth. The creative arts became his sanctuary for self expression and emotional support.

His passion led to college at Southern Utah University and the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City, Utah and then to Florida State University's Asolo Conservatory in Sarasota for his MFA.

WIth his Masters Degree, Browder headed back to the Southwest and eventually landed in Albuquerque. After a while Browder felt constrained by limited opportunities for actors so he planned a move to Chicago for their flourishing theatre community. Luckily, he met a few New Mexico folks that talked him into staying for the film opportunities that were about to explode.

Actor, Colin Jones -  

Colin has been a working actor in NM for just over 20 years. He received his BA in Theatre Arts from NMSU, and went on to a Masters in Acting Training Program at Northern Illinois University with Kathryn Gately from The Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC. Colin has appeared in many Films and TV Series. Most notably as Damon in Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead. Colin is a proud dad and Citizen of Albuquerque.

Director, Michelle Tomlinson - 

Originally from New Mexico, Michelle Tomlinson is an award-winning Actress with a long list of IMDb credits.

A recipient of the bronze Best Director & Best Web/TV Pilot Award for the Palm City Film Festival for her Directing work in "Deeply Superficial," she loves working behind and in front of the camera.

Tomlinson was first inspired by a conversation with former Governor James Mountain of San Ildefonso Pueblo about language being a living thing that can die and lead to catastrophic events for Native American cultures. That conversation started the journey that has become the documentary, "Edge." "Edge" has been shot in and around the Pueblos and at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in New Mexico, with Lori Bowen producing.

- IMDb mini biography by: Michelle

Actress, Kelsey Landon - 

Kelsey Landon is an award winning, seasoned SAG-Aftra & Actors's Equity Actress who splits her time between LA & Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has appeared on Days of Our Lives, HBO, Lifetime, Netflix, Discovery ID, Prime, NBC & Peacock. Kelsey has been working in the industry for the last decade as a film actress, respected acting teacher, writer, director & producer and has starred on Broadway and Regional Theatre. Kelsey is a powerhouse actress with a grounded, versatile style. When she's not on set, Kelsey loves writing and traveling with her family.

Born in Roswell, New Mexico; Merritt's first encounter with performing, aside from the plays and stories she performed on her own for family, was at the age of seven. A movie called 'Silent Tongue,' by Sam Shepard, came to Roswell to film in the desert surrounding her home town. As a request of her mother's first time position as the on set tutor, Merritt auditioned for Sam Shepard as a featured, recurring, background player. "I wanted to give Merritt an outlet for her strong tendencies toward performance that she showed since, well, pretty much birth," chuckles her mom. "I knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for her, especially in a small town like Roswell." 

From this experience, Glover learned that her talent in performance could become the pursuit of a lifetime, and her career. Merritt begged her parents to travel to L.A. soon after 'Silent Tongue' wrapped, but they agreed it wasn't the right time for a family move. From that moment forward, Merritt took part in anything that had to do with acting. She vigorously sought out classes, community theatre, high school theatre, independent films, and eventually a college degree in Performing Arts. After graduating college as magna cum laude, Merritt went to Portland, Oregon to try on a different market in acting. 

With many successes in community and professional theatre (including one of her favorite roles, The Wicked Witch of the West), Merritt spent three years away from her home state. When asked what brought her back to New Mexico, Merritt states with a grin: "The pilot of 'Breaking Bad'....I was watching it in Portland and going, what the hell are you doing Merritt?! This is HUGE and it's going on right in your backyard! I knew I had to make it back to New Mexico to try and become a part of this incredible show in some way. They were revolutionizing television, and I had just moved away." 

Shortly after seeing the pilot, Glover moved back to Albuquerque, New Mexico to start her pursuit of a film career in addition to her theatrical career. Two years later, Merritt booked her first SAG speaking role on the popular series: 'In Plain Sight,' as Sheila. Soon to follow was another role on the well received show: 'Longmire'. Then, after around twenty auditions for 'Breaking Bad,' as well as a two year stint as Skylar's (Anna Gunn's) stand-in, Merritt got the call: she had finally booked a role on the series that brought her back to New Mexico. With over 38 theatrical credits, and 37+ film and television credits under her belt now, Merritt will keep going until, as she says: "I am too old and crazy to get hired."

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3839545/bio?item=mb0508350

In this episode, host Genevieve Trainor is speaking with two-time Emmy Award-winning Co-Executive Producer, Line Producer, Director, Writer and Production Executive Stew Lyons. This is Stew’s second time on the show.

With the current retraction in the industry, Genevieve is speaking to Stew about his thoughts on how producers can best pitch and position themselves to work on projects, as well as trends in producing and line producing.

Stew’s experience includes TV series and pilots with Netflix, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Brothers, Amazon, Starz, Apple, HBO, FX, AMC and three broadcast networks.

He’s also a production consultant with years of experience in detailed production analysis, schedules and/or budgets for nearly 350 television pilots for television broadcast, cable and streaming services.

He has credits on over 600 episodes of television, including 34 series and 29 pilots (21 ordered to series). One hundred of these episodes were shot in New Mexico. His most recent projects include The Cleaning Lady; Roswell, New Mexico; Snowfall; Better Call Saul; and Matlock.

Stew worked on the pilot and every episode of Breaking Bad, for which he received two Emmys and additional awards from the Directors Guild of America and Producers Guild of America, plus two Peabody Awards and a Golden Globe.

He was also an adjunct professor teaching line producing at the graduate level at DePaul University and has guest lectured at universities all over the world.

In this episode, host Genevieve Trainor is speaking with New Mexico Film Office Director Steve Graham about the long-awaited return of the New Mexico Film and Media Conference, which takes place on Saturday, May 31, 2025, and will focus on filmmakers, crew, businesses and industry leaders coming together to collaborate and discuss the future of film and television in New Mexico. They're also talking about the elephants in the room, including the slow industry and the proposed tariffs, and what new opportunities are also bubbling up as a result.

For more information on the New Mexico Film and Media Conference, visit: https://nmfilm.com/conference

In this episode, Cinema Scope host Genevieve Trainor is speaking with Kyiv-based Babylon’13 Film Collective Producer and Cinematographer Andrii Kotliar. This is their third conversation for Cinema Scope but their first one in person — they sat down in the Babylon‘13 office in Kyiv to talk about the important role filmmakers in Ukraine have in documenting Russia’s full-scale invasion and, globally, the fight for democracy and human rights.

Andrii is one of the core team members of Babylon‘13, which produced documentary Iron Butterflies. The film helped bring public awareness to Russia’s direct responsibility for the downing of Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014. Iron Butterflies had its world premiere at Sundance 2023 and was selected for Berlinale and many other significant festivals in 2023 and 2024.

Learn more about Babylon‘13 and watch their films here: https://babylon13.org.ua/?lang=en