Rex Sikes' Movie Beat

Lance Kawas, PT 2, director, has a passion for writing screenplays and directing. Lance spent the last ten years writing 30 screenplays which earned him 19 national screenplay competition awards and opened the door for him to direct indie films. His first horror feature Silent Scream gave him a taste of the reality of indie film and was picked up by Lions Gate Films. His second was based on a true story. It is the mob film Street Boss. It was picked up by Maverick. His third, a children’s movie called The Deported was picked up by Green Apple. Lance is in post on his forth film the drama/action Restitution due out later this year. Lance has directed actors such as, Tom Arnold, Mena Suvari, C Thomas Howell, William Sadler, Talia Shire, Michael Rappaport, Paul Rodriguez, Vincent Pastore, Carmen Argenziano, and Nick Turturro to name a few. He also has two best feature film awards and one nomination for best director. Currently, Lance is in development on several projects and looking for partners who love film and want to embark on a great journey with him. He has signed a deal with (Rex Sikes' Movie Beat guest) producer Scott Rosenfelt (Home Alone) to Direct the film The Violinist. He is also hired to write scripts for producers and has inked four such writing deals. He resides in Farmington Hills Michigan, and heads to LA five times a year. He is Managed by Bettina Vaviano of Accelerate Entertainment in Beverly Hills California. He holds a BA in Finance & Banking from The University of Michigan. His finance background helps him prepare film budgets. 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

Todd Robinson, PT 2, director/producer is an Academy Award finalist, Emmy-winning, Independent Spirit Award-nominated filmmaker whose new movie Phantom stars Ed Harris and David Duchovny. His next feature is The Last Full Measure, with Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Robert Duvall, Andy Garcia, Laurence Fishburne and others. John Watson, Pen Densham and Trilogy Entertainment will produce. He wrote and directed Lonely Hearts, starring John Travolta, James Gandolfini, Salma Hayek, Jared Leto and Laura Dern. He wrote and produced White Squall starring Jeff Bridges directed by Ridley Scott, The Four Diamonds, directed by Peter Werner, and Mermaid, helmed by Peter Masterson. Todd scripted That Others May Live for Wolfgang Peterson and was a contributing writer on Bad Boys II, directed by Michael Bay. He worked on Lewis and Clark, that will be Pietro Scalia’s directing debut and is attached to direct Bloody Jack from the novel of the same name, starring Anna Sophia Robb. Other projects are Quest for Scion, for Paramount and Skydance Productions, and Blood Money for RCR Media. Todd wrote and directed Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick, a feature documentary about legendary studio director William A. Wellman, and the feature documentary Amargosa.  He got an Emmy for writing and directing The Legend of Billy the Kid for Disney. He created and executive produced Astronauts for ABC, adapted the Nicholas Sparks  The Rescue for CBS and wrote and executive produced The Third House, for Sydney Pollack. Other TV credits include Night and Day, The Young Riders, Life Goes On, Man of a Thousand Faces, The Outsiders, The Wings of Denali, Law & Order: SVU and Stand and Be Counted. 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 23 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

Sam Christensen, (PT 6) Image Expert, began his 35-year career as a concert promoter then worked as the company manager of the longest running musical of all time, THE FANTASTICKS. Later Sam served as a executive assistant to renowned playwright/screenwriter/director Arthur Laurents. CBS and MTM Productions brought Sam to Hollywood as an independent casting director. Among his many TV and feature film casting credits was the most popular small screen series of all time, MAS*H. Sam was the first person to ever be accorded front title billing on a major Hollywood release for his casting work on the MGM film, "Coma".  Pictures like "The Champ" and "The Clash Of The Titans" followed.  Sam continued to cast Broadway tours, television series and pilots and acclaimed mini-series, like the Emmy-winning "Jonestown, The Guyana Tragedy".  He retired from active casting in 1982 to become a personal manager and guided the careers of many important actors, including Rita Wilson, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Patricia Elliott and Jean-Claude Van Damme. For two decades Sam Christensen has thrived as a teacher and personal consultant, advising working actors and movie stars, community leaders and political candidates, entrepreneurs and CEOs.  His original process, developed first for artists has been expanded to the corporate market and is the subject of his upcoming book Charisma: the art of authenticity.  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

Todd Robinson, director/producer is an Academy Award finalist, Emmy-winning, Independent Spirit Award-nominated filmmaker whose new movie Phantom stars Ed Harris and David Duchovny. His next feature is The Last Full Measure, with Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Robert Duvall, Andy Garcia, Laurence Fishburne and others. John Watson, Pen Densham and Trilogy Entertainment will produce. He wrote and directed Lonely Hearts, starring John Travolta, James Gandolfini, Salma Hayek, Jared Leto and Laura Dern. He wrote and produced White Squall starring Jeff Bridges directed by Ridley Scott, The Four Diamonds, directed by Peter Werner, and Mermaid, helmed by Peter Masterson. Todd scripted That Others May Live for Wolfgang Peterson and was a contributing writer on Bad Boys II, directed by Michael Bay. He worked on Lewis and Clark, that will be Pietro Scalia’s directing debut and is attached to direct Bloody Jack from the novel of the same name, starring Anna Sophia Robb. Other projects are Quest for Scion, for Paramount and Skydance Productions, and Blood Money for RCR Media. Todd wrote and directed Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick, a feature documentary about legendary studio director William A. Wellman, and the feature documentary Amargosa.  He got an Emmy for writing and directing The Legend of Billy the Kid for Disney. He created and executive produced Astronauts for ABC, adapted the Nicholas Sparks  The Rescue for CBS and wrote and executive produced The Third House, for Sydney Pollack. Other TV credits include Night and Day, The Young Riders, Life Goes On, Man of a Thousand Faces, The Outsiders, The Wings of Denali, Law & Order: SVU and Stand and Be Counted. 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