Mimosas With Michael

So at the end of last year I wrote a short film based on a story told to me by my friend and actress Rochelle Robinson. I thought it would make a great film and I sat down and wrote it one day while on set filming. My good friend Edward Coupland wanted to help produce it.

Then I wrote my screenplay Axe. Edward read it and loved the complexity of the character. From there he asked me if I would consider adapting the short film Del Obispo Road into a feature - so that he could act in a film that was complex and well written as well. I asked my friend Brantley - who had just finished his film Chuckles to assist me.

We are very proud of this project!

This young man Juan moved to the US from Colombia when he was 17 years old. Now at 21 he is an actor, model, and musician. He stopped to have his first mimosa and talk to us about his journey.

BIO:

Juan Felipe Restrepo is a latino Actor and Model based in L.A. He was born in Colombia to his father, a surgeon, and his mother, an Engineer. He is the middle child in a family of three brothers. During his youth he was very involved in arts; writing, drawing, painting and playing the guitar.

Acting came to him on his teenage years, where he fell in love with it and has been doing it ever since. He became member of a theatre company from his hometown named "La Maleta Roja" with which he participated on International Theatre Festivals.

After training in Colombia he decided to move to L.A, where he graduated with a BFA in acting and developed a craft, which has sharpened his skills and allowed him to develop new talents, such as Stunts, Stage Combat, Freerunning, Modeling, as well as writing, producing and starred in his own film "Hijo Prodigo", making him winner of multiple awards.

While I was in London for my birthday I got the change to meet and sit down with Pierre Bohanna, prop maker for such films as Harry Potter, Star Wars, and even Wonder Woman. He was introduced to me by friend Kat Miller of Muggle Net, the #1 Harry Potter Fan website.

BIO:

Pierre’s work history began with apprenticeships in pattern making, Engineering and boat building. Working initially on a bespoke sports car project, then prototype dory’s to off shore racing powerboats.

His carrier in film started with a junior position at a model-making and effects company called Bowtell’s specialising in TV commercials and photography. This was pre-visual effects and so required ‘in camera’ models and effects. A great learning experience. Eventually he became a freelance Modeller and worked in the London area for similar effects companies and production companies (including Spitting Image and Hat Trick productions). Eventually he started working on Film Productions mostly at the three major studios of Pinewood, Leavesden and Shepperton making specialised Props, costumes and models. This included films such as Judge Dread, Phantom Menace, First Knight. Then he was asked to organise and make a large order of Props for Titanic. This began his carrier of organising, setting up and running departments for film productions to manufacture Props, Models and special Costumes. This includes films such as The World is not Enough, all 8 Harry Potter films, Sunshine, Dark Knight, Gravity, Edge of Tomorrow, The Force Awakens, Rogue One, Beauty and the Beast, The Legend of Tarzan, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Star Wars – the Last Jedi, The Justice League. Films yet to be released or in production – Ready Player One, Han Solo, Fantastic Beasts – The Crimes of Gringelwald, Extinction, Wonder Woman 2, Stat Wars 9.

I am excited to introduce you to another kick ass female this month on our podcast - Brandie Sylfae. You'll definitely have to listen to this episode to find out why she is so truly amazing. I can promise you this....you won't be disappointed!

BIO

Brandie Sylfae is an actor, voice over and stunt performer born in Los Angeles, California. As a second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do under Chuck Norris, she got her start in martial arts focused roles, including the television series V.R. Troopers and the feature film Bloodmoon. While she still enjoys a good fight scene, she is proud of her recent work as the lead in the body positivity PSA Glass Cage , the feature Deep Blue, and playing opposite Willow Shields (Primrose Everdeen in The Hunger Games) in the feature Woodstock or Bust.

She began her training in the BFA program at Cal State Long Beach performing roles in Inherit the Wind, The Importance of Being Earnest and Agnes of God, and then continued her education with classes in Los Angeles where she was fortunate enough to train Shakespeare with Kate Geer, and improv with John Michalski of Second City and Paul Ryan at CBS Comedy on the Lot. Now residing in Portland, Oregon, she has had the great fortune to study with Nike Imoru, Jana Lee Hamblin, Robert Blanche, Ted Rooney, and is currently training at The Actor's Lab with Kristina Haddad.

She holds an undergraduate degree in microbiology from UC Santa Barbara and a Master’s degree in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University where she worked for three years performing basic cancer research. These days, in addition to acting, she focuses on charity work as the co-organizer of the Portland chapter of the Harry Potter Alliance, an international nonprofit focused on equality, literacy, and human rights.

My acting/stunt website: BrandieSylfae.com

IMDb: http://www.imdb.me/brandiesylfae

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SiriuslyPix

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/siriuslypix/

The PDX HPA: https://pdxhpa.com/

PDX HPA Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/839423862860443/

I am traveling abroad this to the UK for my birthday....and I thought it would be great to introduce you to my dear friend Burgandi Phoenix. I adore this wonderful lady. Sit back and enjoy Mimosas with Michael...and Burgandi Phoenix

BIO:

Actress Burgandi Trejo Phoenix, is a radiant, feisty, petite, Native American/Latin American actress in Los Angeles with a beautiful smile and an infectious laugh.

She has worked in several independent feature films. She has produced 2 short films for the 48 Hour Film Festival and is working towards, producing her 3rd short film in the summer of 2018 and her first feature film by the end of 2018.

Burgandi is often described by those she has worked with, in class and on set, as a goofy, funny, positive, bright light, with endless energy. She is working very hard, towards becoming a household name on Prime Time Television, as well as, booking her first major motion picture. She has had extensive training including UCB, Lesly Kahn, Stella Adler, The Laura Henry Studio and is currently enrolled in an ongoing class at the Stuart Rogers Studio.

Burgandi's danced as a company member with the Tucson School of Ballet and Ballet Rincon for several years and eventually went onto train in belly dancing, salsa, ballroom, modern and lyrical.

She is currently the national spokesperson for talentboom.com, an entertainment media company and a contributing writer for MsIntheBiz.com and a blogger for MyFeistyLife.com and EntertainmentWorld.us

To open February and Black History Month I thought I would interview my good friend and President of SketchHouse Entertainment, Ray McCann. He was chillin with his home boy Donte Spears - and we talk to them about being young producers in Hollywood!

BIO

Raymond McCann President of Sketch House Entertainment has extensive experience in the entertainment industry. Coming from the TV Sitcom world he has worked under major producers like Bentley Kyle Evans (Martin, Jamie Foxx) and Jeff Franklin (Full House, Fuller House). This experience of working under seasoned showrunners has given him extensive business knowledge on how to prepare, package and promote a show.

Award-winning actor/writer/director/producer Gregory Blair was born and bred in Southern California. He studied theater at various locations throughout Los Angeles--including UCLA--and also studied abroad at Cambridge University. He is a Geoffrey Award winning actor, EOTM Award winning director, Stonewall Award winning novelist and multi-produced and award-winning screenwriter and playwright.

As an actor, Gregory has graced the stage (Sylvia, Working, Six Degrees of Separation, etc.) the big screen (Ooga Booga, Fang, Look Back, etc.), and the small screen (Escape The Night, Love That Girl!, Amazing Sports Stories, etc.); as a writer he has been represented on stage (Cold Lang Syne, The Last Banana and Nicholas Nickleby), in prose (The Ritual, Little Shivers and Spewing Pulp) and in screenplays, including the original script resulting in Heretiks (due out this year), the award-wining Garden Party Massacre and Deadly Revisions, now available via SGL Entertainment.

We start off the new year by having mimosas with film festival promoter Eric Vollweiler. Listen as we talk about movies, love, Tinder, eHarmony, JWed and film festivals.

Bio:

Eric is based in Upstate NY and has been producing and marketing film festivals, conferences, movie premieres, parties at major film festivals and concerts in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Utah, Connecticut, Boston, New Jersey, Manhattan, Albany and Buffalo since 2005. Some of Erics Credits include the Saratoga Springs International Film Festival, New York State International Film Festival, Winter Film Awards Indie Film Festival, Garden State Film Festival, Boston International Film Festival, Silicon Beach Film Festival, Seal Beach Film Festival, Marina del Rey Film Festival, San Pedro International Film Festival.

Film Festivals

Silicon Beach Film Festival- Fort Lauderdale Florida- Festival taking place February 9-12,  Submissions still open visit our website at www.siliconbeachff.com .

Garden State Film Festival taking place March 22-25 in Asbury Park NJ, Submissions are closed.  Website is www.gsff.org

Silicon Beach Film Festival- Los Angeles taking place April 20-27 Submissions still open visit our website at www.siliconbeachff.com .

Silver State Film Festival- Nevada taking place in the Spring. Submissions are open and the website is www.silverstatefilmfestival.com .

Long Island International Film Expo taking place in Belmore, NY July 13-19 Submissions are now open www.longislandfilmexpo.com .

Princeton Independent Film Festival taking place in Princeton NJ in November of 2018 Submissions open January and the website is www.prindie.org .

Artemis Woman in Action Film Festival taking place March 22-25 in Los Angeles. Submissions are now closed and website is www.artemisfilmfestival.com .

Our last interview of the year is our friend, actor and retired hockey player, Tyler Gallant.

Bio:

Tyler Gallant is an American born actor and former pro Ice hockey player. Tyler was born in Boston, MA to Robert and Janice Gallant and brother to Ryan Gallant. Tyler's first love was acting but had always been involved in various sports as well. At the age of 12, Gallant really started to excel at ice hockey and played for various select teams. Gallant played college hockey for St Norbert College and Arizona State University, where he also studied acting and Journalism. After college Gallant signed pro and played 4 years professionally.

Gallant's love for acting and film started at the age of 7, while making home movies with his friends and cousins. College presented a golden opportunity to further his education of his lifelong passion for acting and film more aggressively; he immersed himself in acting, theatre, film study and film critique classes.

To date, Tyler Gallant has acted and/or been in a wide variety of media: film, TV, radio, web series, commercials, promotions, and modeling. Gallant's passion for film and past experiences in sports have molded him into a versatile, hard working, loyal, competitive and honest team player. Those qualities, along with tremendous focus and work ethic, are brought to every project Gallant is involved with.

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/actor_tyler_g/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Actor_Tyler_G

Official Website:

http://www.tylergallant.com

IMDb:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5136146/

Theatrical Reel:

https://youtu.be/CG4--yABEFY

Stunt/fight reel:

https://youtu.be/sJ_lKB3y938

Our theme song, composed by Richard Trejo

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