Rex Sikes' Movie Beat

Dan Davies, actor, writer, producer. Dan and Steve Russell, produced Ed Gein, The Musical a critically acclaimed film covered by nearly 1000 newspapers, magazines, websites and featured on national TV and radio. Dan has over 15 years in the film/television business. He hosted and co-produced over 80 episodes of TV seen throughout the Midwest including a cooking show called,"Sports' Cooking co-hosted by Sara White and the late NFL great Reggie White. In 2005, Dan and Ron Bullock of Video Trend Associates won the Platinum Remi at the 38th Annual Houston International Film Festival (aka WorldFest). Past winners at WorldFest have included Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, George Lucas, Ang Lee, the Coen Brothers, Robert Rodriguez, Ridley Scott, Spike Lee, etc. WorldFest is the largest and arguably the most prestigious in independent film. In 2006, he and Ron, won a Silver Remi at WorldFest. They also won Best Comedy at the 20th Annual Videomaker Magazine Video Contest and in November of 06, Dan was featured on the CBS Evening News. Katie Couric and Steve Bassett, creator of the Geico ads, did an almost three minute segment on funny political ads. Six commercials were featured, and two of those were created by Dan Davies, Robert Lorge, and Video Trend Associates. He  won the 1996 American Dream Festival World Comedy Contest sponsored by HBO and English Leather Cologne. He hosted his own syndicated radio show "The Swami," where he played Achmed Benaben (The Swami) from 1998-2001. Dan has been tapped as the lead role in the upcoming movie "Slade". western based on the life of Joseph Slade written by Michael Blake the Academy Award winning writer of "Dances with Wolves" Stay tuned to Rex Sikes' Movie Beat for other great interviews, cast and crew listings, events, premieres and more at rexsikes.com

Dan Davies, actor, writer, producer. THIS Interview had tech difficulties so it is only about 25 minutes long. It is good so I left it and we did another one - with the word FULL  in the title. Listen to both!!! Dan has over 15 years in the film/television business. He hosted and co-produced over 80 episodes of TV seen throughout the Midwest including a cooking show called,"Sports' Cooking co-hosted by Sara White and the late NFL great Reggie White. In 2005, Dan and Ron Bullock of Video Trend Associates won the Platinum Remi at the 38th Annual Houston International Film Festival (aka WorldFest). Past winners at WorldFest have included Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, George Lucas, Ang Lee, the Coen Brothers, Robert Rodriguez, Ridley Scott, Spike Lee, etc. WorldFest is the largest and arguably the most prestigious in independent film. In 2006, he and Ron, won a Silver Remi at WorldFest. They also won Best Comedy at the 20th Annual Videomaker Magazine Video Contest and in November of 06, Dan was featured on the CBS Evening News. Katie Couric and Steve Bassett, creator of the Geico ads, did an almost three minute segment on funny political ads. Six commercials were featured, and two of those were created by Dan Davies, Robert Lorge, and Video Trend Associates. He  won the 1996 American Dream Festival World Comedy Contest sponsored by HBO and English Leather Cologne. He hosted his own syndicated radio show "The Swami," where he played Achmed Benaben (The Swami) from 1998-2001. Dan has been tapped as the lead role in the upcoming movie "Slade". western based on the life of Joseph Slade written by Michael Blake the Academy Award winning writer of "Dances with Wolves" Stay tuned to Rex Sikes' Movie Beat for other great interviews, cast and crew listings, events, premieres and more at rexsikes.com

Rex Piano, director, graduated NYU School of the Arts in 1981. At school he worked on several films and commercials,  “Ms. 45” for director Abel Ferrara, “Mother’s Day”, “When Nature Calls” for director Charles Kaufman. Upon graduating, he worked as a 1st A.D. on dozens of commercials and films until he took a full time position at a NY Commercial Production Company. In 1985 Rex as Head of Production for O’Quinn Productions. he produced numerous videos for Fangoria Magazine. In 1987 Rex became Head of Production for Associated Television International.  Rex wrote, produced and/or directed several TV specials and numerous travel videos. Rex also co-wrote and line produced the feature film “Chill Factor,” starring Paul Williams, Patrick Macnee and Andrew Prine. Rex line produced “Severed Ties” in 1991 for Fangoria Films. In 1995 he produced the syndicated TV show “High Tide,” starring Rick Springfield. Rex became one of the series’ rotating directors. Some of the episodic shows Rex has directed  “Mike Hammer, Private Eye”, “Silk Stalkings”, “Born Free”, “Air America” and “Nightman.” In 2000 Rex produced and directed the multi-award winning romantic comedy feature film “The Month Of August.” Rex followed that film with the highly viewed and critically acclaimed TV movie “Hope Ranch” for The Animal Planet channel. Rex then began directing TV movies that aired on PAX and Lifetime Television. Rex has directed or produced 21 movies. In 2007 Rex was the primary director on “ROME – The Rise and Fall of an Empire,” for the History Channel. Stay tuned to Rex Sikes' Movie Beat for other great interviews, cast & crew listings, events, premieres & more at rexsikes.com

Dr. Barry Sandrew founded Legend3D, Inc., and is an internationally recognized visual effects pioneer and digital imaging expert with more than 14 VFX patents and 23 years of feature film and TV experience. In 2001, he developed the Company’s technology for the original patented digital systems and processes for colorization which he then later utilized as the platform from which he created Legend3D’s proprietary 3D conversion software.  He was previously the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of American Film Technologies (AFT), a pioneer colorization company and utilizing his patented technology, AFT colorized more than 200 motion pictures, 170 television programs and 90 animated cartoons under his management, accounting for over 80% of colorized product worldwide.

Bill Smitrovich, actor, stars as Vice President Raymond Jarvis, in NBC’s new high-octane thriller “The Event.” He began his professional acting career with Arthur Miller in the world premiere of Miller's “The American Clock” at the Spoleto Festival. Stage parts followed; then TY and movies. Smitrovich gained recognition for his portrayal of Drew Thacher, a family man and father of a Down syndrome son in the critically acclaimed and award-winning dramatic series “Life Goes On.” Smitrovich was also a proud member of the all-star cast of the live television version of George Clooney's production of “Fail Safe.” He has appeared in over 30 films, including, “Independence Day,” “Ghosts of Mississippi,” “Iron Man” “Nick of Time” (with Johnny Depp), “Air Force One,” “Thirteen Days,” “Seven Pounds”—and most recently his second film with Johnny Depp, an homage to Hunter S. Thompson's novel, “The Rum Diary,” due for a October 28th 2011 release. He's had many supporting & starring television roles include cigar- chomping Inspector Cramer in “Nero Wolfe Mysteries,”, D.A. Kenneth Walsh in “The Practice,” Agent Olcyk in “Without a Trace,” Lt. Bob Bletcher in “Millennium,” “FAT ACTRESS,” as Cry-Baby McGuire, and with Annette Bening in HBO's “Mrs. Harris.” Stay tuned to Rex Sikes' Movie Beat for other great interviews, cast & crew listings, events, premieres & more at rexsikes.com