Today’s podcast guest is Emma Schlenoff. I have had the extreme pleasure of working with her as Vermont Production Collective board member, but this is really the first time we are shedding the “business” aspect of things and just talking creative process and what drives her.

Emma is the owner and director of Witness Oak Productions. Her experience is drawn from working her way up in the industry from PA to now producing narrative features here in Vermont. Shes directed and produced work for the band Birds of Chicago, worked on the producing team for National Geographic's Origins, and was offered the opportunity to work on several projects with Emmy-Winning Director, the one and only Ken Burns. 

Her passion for film has risen from a deeply rooted love for storytelling and the human experience. We talk a bunch about the last project she produced here in Vermont, The Obelisk, returning to a literal sense of home in Vermont and so much more. Enjoy!

https://witnessoakproductions.com/

https://the-obelisk.com/

https://www.graftonthefilm.com/

Happy New Year and welcome back for the first episode of 2026. Today we have Vermont based animator and storyteller Travis Van Alstyne. Travis has a keen sense of connection to Vermont, its history, stories and other creatives here. His last project, Love of the Land, was recognized by the Vermont Historical Society with a Richard O. Hathaway Award and Vermont Public with a Made Here grant for the film...the first time I saw the film I was in tears.

Travis's next project is about the last catamount in Vermont. Another connection to the state's past and a perhaps a theme of melancholy running through his work.

Be sure to keep tabs on what he is up to bu following his socials and checking out his website.

https://www.travisanimates.com/https://www.instagram.com/travisanimates

Episode 16 we have the great Samuel LaPointe. His last project was highly regarded at both the Made Here Film Festival and Green Mountain Film Fest...and secured a spot at VTIFF screenings as a result of a great showing at Made Here.

Sam truly embodies the bold and free spirit of independent film. He was an absolute joy to talk with and I am excited to see what is next for him on the current project he is working on (and I got a little sneak peek of).

Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/@somewhereupstateproduction8915

https://www.instagram.com/somewhere.upstate.productions/?hl=en

Todays guest  is Austen Hamel, an 18-year-old filmmaker from Vermont who is driven by a lifelong passion for storytelling. He has been making short films since he was 10 and just released his first feature (yes, a feature film at 18...)

Austen is the exact demographic I have heard so much about in some of my own advocacy work for film in the state and a key group that needs support. Late teens, early 20s creatives looking for a way to stay in the state they love, but the work just isn't here to support. But that is a conversation for another day...

It was great to get Austen’s perspective on his work, his home state and what it takes to create work here.

https://www.youtube.com/@hamelfilms701

Samantha Davidson Green is a film+theater director/educator based in the Upper Valley region of VT/NH. She is also the executive director at the absolutely wonderful Junction Arts & Media in White River Junction and a huge pillar of support in her community. 

Her history in film and creative media is deeply rooted in the communal space and within the realm of Community Access TV and education (both at the community level and higher education).

I got to know so much more about Samantha, her history and her past work through this chat and I am super grateful for that and am especially excited about the great plans that she has with JAM in the coming year and with the White River Indie Film festival…lets get into it!

https://sdavidsongreen.com/about/

https://uvjam.org/

Hello and welcome back to EPISODE 13 of the Film in Vermont podcast. 13 feels appropriate given its Halloween tomorrow and I first became aware of today’s guest through his work in the genre space with the found footage, Giallo inspired horrors mystery short “The Red Raven’s Kiss”.

Director/writer/storyteller Austen Sprake is on the podcast today and we get into all things storytelling, using what you have available to you to create the most intriguing story and his new project: a Dark Noir meets DnD Fantasy narrative podcast called Moxie Monroe: Private Eye.

Austen's work is always creative and inspired by and never limited by what he has available to him. Its really something that I admire about him and look forward to seeing more of his projects in the future.

As always, thank you for tuning in and enjoy this conversation with Austen.

https://www.instagram.com/aus10sprake/?hl=en

John Schlag is a visual effects artist turned screenwriter/filmmaker who's breadth of work in the Vermont landscape in just the past few years is impressive and enviable.

At the heart of our conversation, we dive into the idea of creating a team around you. Trusted creatives that you can lean on again and again. Develop a shorthand with and ensure what you are creating is something truly special.

That is what I have come to admire most about him and his work (that and the sheer amount that he and his crew are able to create.).

Enjoy and check out John's work at the links below:

https://www.infinovation.film/

Ok, I am going to fanboy out a bit here. Sean and Sarah are two of my favorite Vermont filmmakers. Their latest film, The Thaw, is one of my favorite shorts of all time...and my wife agrees as well.

They two of them have such a keen eye for details, a penchant for story telling and embedding real, honest and important themes into their work, which maintaining movies that are beautiful to look at and fun to watch.

We talk all things process, from writing to working together on set, making things in Vermont and ghoulish raccoons living in your walls...ok that last one was just a sidenote. But you get the point.

Watch THE THAW on Alter at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfsdtoBAEtw

Check out more of Sarah and Sean's work here: https://www.homebodypictures.com/

Today’s guest on the podcast is Garret Harkawik. Garret is a documentary and experimental filmmaker, as well as a composer from Southern Vermont. I first came across his work as we had documentaries that were intimate portraits of real individuals at 2024’s Vermont Film Festival. His ability to draw out the honesty and grit of a person in their day to day intrigued me and in preparing for this interview, it was a treat to dig into more of his catalogue.

I am very grateful for this convo with Garret. Hope you enjoy.

https://www.garretharkawik.com/

Chris is a cinematographer, director, writer and actor based out of Brooklyn, New York with experience in a variety of on set roles from directing, gaffing to shooting.

His 2024 short film "Bear Dude" was born out of the film slam at the Vermont Film Festival and is a heart warming, yet hilarious, comedic short about a bear that turns into a dude after eating a magical mushroom.

We talk about writing, process, improvisation and the insanity that comes with signing up for a 48 hour film slam competition...that plus making things in Vermont and wanting to return to make Beardude the feature here.

Check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJQKAtUR9fc

https://www.instagram.com/crgram_dp/?hl=en