Rex Sikes' Movie Beat

Rick Vaicius is director and founder of Flyway Film Festival, Wisconsin's bluff premier destination for independent film as noted by Emmy award-winning blogger Scott W. Smith “ … a festival that should be on your radar” . Founded in 2008 Vaicius has created a standout, intimate and high-quality annual festival. Over the past four years, Flyway has brought over 80 filmmakers into the local community. In addition to screening remarkable films, it has become a unique venue for filmmakers to network and discuss projects and the "state of the industry" in the film world. Vaicius has already persuaded some top film industry talent to appear. The 6 Annual Flyway Film Festival in Pepin and Stockholm, Wisconsin promises to be its most exciting to-date. Emily Best, founder of Seed&Spark, will deliver the keynote at the 2013 Flyway Gala, Best, Jeanne Bowerman (ScriptMag.com) and Michael Starrbury (screenwriter, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete,  are amongst other industry professionals on crowdfunding and scriptwriting panels. Flyway is proud to host the World Premiere of the new Stephen Rea (The Crying Game) Eleanor Tomlinson (The White Queen) vampire drama, Styria (with co-directors Mauricio Chernovetzky, Mark Devendorf  in attendance). The gay teen romantic comedy, Death to Prom (co-directors Matt Stenerson and Jeremy Wilker expected to attend). Two 2014 Oscar-nominated foreign dramas: tThe Rocket (Australia) and The Broken Circle Breakdown (Belgium). Stay tuned to Rex Sikes Movie Beat for other great archived interviews, cast and crew listings, events, festivals, premieres, and more at rexsikes.com

Jim McKairnes is 23-year veteran of the TV industry, 15 at CBS is currently, a producer and television consultant, and an adjunct college-instructor/guest-lecturer and author. He moved to  L.A. in 1989 to work in the TV-business as a programmer. There, Norman Lear led Jim to CBS President Jeff Sagansky who hired for the Scheduling department. McKairnes was part of the team that took the network from worst in the 90s to first in the 2000s under CBS President Leslie Moonves. He created and produced the prime-time series “CBS Moments,” he was instrumental in the development of several made-for-TV movies and network specials; and contributed to various promotional campaigns each season of his tenure. After 13 years as a Sr Vice-President at CBS, he was recruited by Discovery Communications in 2006 to head up that Maryland-based company’s 11 networks as its Executive VP of Scheduling. Later, he returned in L.A. to return to CBS, to serve as Senior VP in charge of developing new comedies for its cable division from 08 to 10.  He's published 2 books on the TV industry and serves as a consultant for various TV networks, speaks at colleges and holds an adjunct-faculty position at Chicago’s DePaul University teaching a self-created “TV 101” course. He mentors upcoming industry hopefuls; and he works with the Television Academy on its long-standing Archive project, interviewing key figures who contributed to the medium’s history. He also created a web series about television for TV.com; and, in 2013, served as executive-producer of a planned cable talk-show. Stay tuned to Rex Sikes Movie Beat for other great archived interviews, cast and crew listings, events, festivals, premieres, and more at rexsikes.com

Julian Adams,  PT 2 produced and co-stars in Phantom starring Ed Harris, David Duchovny and William Fichtner, written and directed by Todd Robinson of Lonely Hearts, and writer and co-producer of Ridley Scott’s White Squall. The producing team includes John Watson and Pen Densham Back Draft, Blown Away, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Phantom is the first wide theatrical release for Julian and Solar Filmworks, the South Carolina based production company, founded by Julian and his father Weston Adams.  Julian and Weston wrote and produced the maiden project for Solar Filmworks, The Last Confederate: The Story of Robert Adams THINKFilm 2007. The Last Confederate won 10 Film Festivals Awards, including a Best Actor Award for Julian, and seven Producing Awards for father and son. The film is in release worldwide. Julian is currently partnered with Robinson. Robinson and Adams developed the story for Phantom, which is based on true events during the Cold War. Ed Harris plays the haunted Captain of a Soviet submarine who holds the fate of the world in his hands. Phantom is in theaters now. Julian is producing and acting in Robinson’s feature film, The Last Full Measure, starring Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Robert Duvall, Andy Garcia, and Laurence Fishburne, for a 2014 release.  He is also working with writer and executive producer Michael Frost Beckner producing and acting in the Civil War mini-series, from Sony Pictures Television, Grant vs. Lee: To Appomattox” 2014 starring Rob Lowe, Will Patton, Bill Paxton, and William Peterson. Stay tuned to Rex Sikes Movie Beat for other great archived interviews, cast and crew listings, events, festivals, premieres, and more at http://www.rexsikes.com

Peter Marshall, Pt 26 The Director's Series - The nuts & bolts of directing film and television with Peter Marshall. Peter has had a 35-year career and has worked as a PA, dolly grip, electrician, assistant cameraman, commercial production manager, first assistant director, TV series creative consultant, television producer and director. He has worked on industrial films, documentaries; television commercials, music videos; Emmy Award nominated TV series and features. Peter has directed over 30 TV episodes and written, directed or produced over 50 hours of documentary educational programs. His works have won, or been nominated for 14 International awards. He's worked for directors such as Zack Snyder, John Woo, Ed Wick, Phillip Noyce, John Balham, Roger Adam, Anne Wheeler, Bobby Roth & Kim Manners. He has worked with actors including Michelle Pfeiffer, Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, John Travolta, Mel Gibson, Kathy Bates, Adam Sandler and Peter O'Toole. Other credits inclurde scores of television series as 1st Ad & as a director. Stay tuned to Rex Sikes Movie Beat for other great archived interviews, cast and crew listings, events, festivals, premieres, and more at rexsikes.com

Alex Kruz, actor, of Ecuadorian descent (Kañari Indian) that has worked in movies and TV. His TV work includes roles on The Americans, the upcomin The Tyme Chronicles, as Eskander Hanna, an AlShaabab Terrorist Cell Leader. He was also the Technical Advisor in Counter-Terrorism methods, Electronic Surveillance, and Terrorist Modus Operandi to assure the authenticity of the production in terms of  American Sleeper Cells.  He's had roles on The Good Wife, White  Collar, Person of Interest, Blue Bloods, which he has appeared several times as a Police Officer. Movie credits include, Now You See Me, The Dictator,  Tom in America, Alex plays  Gus (Burt Young’s Father in the Flashbacks), and in the multiple award winning Red Cloud: Deliverance, he has the lead role of Jake Red Cloud, based on the comic book character.Alex has a wide range of skills in martial arts and weapon arts. He speaks several languages and serves as an instructor in Native American tracking and knife fighting to specialized units, as well as a participant/instructor for the West Point Negotiation Project preparing US Military leadership for dealing with real world situations all over the globe. Often sought after for his tactical knowledge, Alex lends authenticity to any production by utilizing his expertise in assault team methods and counterterrorism missions. Stay tuned to Rex Sikes Movie Beat for other great archived interviews, cast and crew listings, events, festivals, premieres, and more at rexsikes.com