Rex Sikes' Movie Beat

Richard Chisolm is an Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker and cinematographer with over twenty-five years of production experience. Based in Baltimore, he has shot films and television programs on a wide variety of subjects in the US and abroad. Deeply committed to the value of real stories and the adventures of real people, Richard has worked for PBS, National Geographic, BBC, Discovery Channel, HBO, and many other broadcast entities. He was the Director of Photography for both of ABC's "Hopkins" prime time medical documentary series (2000 and 2008). He is also the recipient of a Peabody Award, a Columbia duPont Journalism award, two Kodak Vision awards, three CINE Golden Eagles, and is a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Maryland. In Richard’s Own Words: When shooting, I think about lighting, movement, framing, depth of field, eye lines, etc., and I critically weigh the utility of shots on the eventual editing table. But above all, I imagine in the back of my mind the perspective of a curious and possibly restless viewer. I try to deliver to an audience the feeling of being there--being inside the story. To me this intuitive process is as important as the technical aspects of cinematography, and I strive for it to be second nature. Over the years I have done camera work on a wide variety of projects: feature films, TV series, commercials, corporate and educational videos. However, most of my experience continues to be in the realm of documentaries and actuality-style drama, much of it shot hand-held, a particular specialty of mine. 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

Jon Reiss PT 3 author of Think Outside the Box Office is the first nuts-and-bolts guide for filmmakers who want to take control of their own distribution and marketing destiny. Each chapter addresses an essential aspect of a film’s release and gives specific techniques to filmmakers to create success with their films in today’s marketplace. Jon Reiss named one of “10 Digital Directors to Watch” by Daily Variety, Jon Reiss is a critically acclaimed filmmaker who has produced and directed three feature films most recently Bomb It about graffiti and the battle over visual public space throughout the world. Based on his experience releasing Bomb It with a hybrid strategy has just published Think Outside the Box Office: The Ultimate Guide to Film Distribution in the Digital Era. He also speaks around the world at film festivals, schools and organizations on this topic. Jon teaches film the California Institute for the Arts where he created the class “Reel World Survival Skills: Everything I Wish I Had Been Taught in Film School.” This course covers the practical aspects of surviving as an independent writer/producer/director in today’s economy from finding a job, pitching and script development, to financing and new models of distribution. 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

Diane Nabatoff producer & founder of Tiara Blu Films has produced Take The Lead, a New Line release, starring Antonio Banderas & Narc, a Paramount release, written & directed by Joe Carnahan, starring Ray Liotta & Jason Patric. She Executive-Produced Gray Matters starring Heather Graham, Sissy Spacek & Alan Cumming; Knights of the South Bronx starring Ted Danson (nom. for a SAG award) & Malcolm David Kelley (nom. for a Namic Vision Award) for A&E; Racing For Time (nom. for a NAACP Image Award) starring & directed by Charles Dutton (nom. for an NAACP Image Award for acting) for Lifetime as well as three seasons After Hours with Daniel for Mojo now on Ovation. She Co-Executive Produced the HBO pilot Baseball Wives by Tom Fontana & Julie Martin. She is developing projects at a number of studios & cable networks & several features that will be independently financed. Girl Soldier starring Uma Thurman shoots soon.

Prior to Tiara Blu Films, Diane was a Producer at Interscope Communications; she developed & produced films that include: Very Bad Things, written & directed by Pete Berg, starring Christian Slater, Cameron Diaz & Daniel Stern; The Proposition starring Kenneth Branagh, Madeleine Stowe & William Hurt; Operation Dumbo Drop, directed by Simon Wincer, starring Danny Glover, Ray Liotta & Denis Leary; Separate Lives starring Jim Belushi & Linda Hamilton; Holy Matrimony, directed by Leonard Nimoy starring Patricia Arquette; & Body Language starring Tom Berenger.

Diane was Sr VP of Production for Henry Winkler’s Fair Dinkum Prods & VP of Vestron Pictures. She Executive Produced Hider in the House & Fear which received an Ace Award nom. She began as VP at The Feldman-Meeker Co. working on The Golden Child starring Eddie Murphy & serving as Assoc Producer of The Kindred & Kathryn Bigelow’s Near Dark.

Stay tuned to Rex Sikes Movie Beat for other great archived interviews, cast & crew listings, events, festivals, premieres, & more at http://www.rexsikes.com

Rick Overton PT 3 has been doing standup comedy since before there were lockable steering columns on cars. Seriously. Rick believes that Comedy shares it's roots with Country Western and The Blues because they're all just complaining to a rhythm. Rick can currently be seen in the comedy film DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS with Steve Carrell and Paul Rudd, recently in Stephen Soderberg's THE INFORMANT starring Matt Damon. He's also Pam's Dad on THE OFFICE in the Wedding Episodes. Yay for On Demand! Someone got something right somewhere. And he recurs on TNT's LEVERAGE as an FBI agent, along with Gerry Downey. He’s been a creative consultant on a sci fi series in 1999 called The Secret Adventures Of Jules Verne, designing all the steam punk technology for the series. Rick had the honor of sharing a couch with Jonathan Winters and Robert Klein on Showtime's THE GREEN ROOM WITH PAUL PROVENZA! When not doing standup comedy, Rick can be seen on local dog park paths getting to visit all the dogs he wants without having to actually own or pay for any of them. Win-win. Rick loves to improvise! He’s been a guest player with a lot of established improv troupes down through the years, Second City, Groundlings, Off The Wall, Bucket O' Snakes, The Transformers etc. He’s been doing two man improv blowout shows with Robin Williams for 30 some odd years. And some odd years they were! But fun! He's also got an Emmy for his writing on HBO's DENNIS MILLER LIVE from the 1996 season. 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

Edoardo Ballerini PT 3 recently completed filming the feature film “No God, No Master,” opposite Academy Award Nominee David Strathairn. Also in 2009, Edoardo was seen in “The Caller,” with Frank Langella, “Corrado” opposite Tom Sizemore, and in the ensemble “Life is Hot in Cracktown” with Kerry Washington and Illeana Douglas. Edoardo has been called “an actor to watch” (Variety), “a most promising actor” (Los Angeles Times), and a ‘heartthrob” (The Hollywood Reporter).He has appeared in over forty films and television series, including the blockbuster “Romeo Must Die,” the highly acclaimed indie “Dinner Rush,” co-starring with Danny Aiello, and in a memorable recurring turn in “The Sopranos.” Edoardo’s directorial debut "Good Night Valentino" premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and later screened at the Museum of Modern Art (New York) and the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, in Italy. He also played the title character, silent screen idol Rudolph Valentino. The short film is permanently archived at the Academy of Motion Pictures. His feature project on Valentino was recently optioned by Andrew Lauren Productions. Edoardo Ballerini is a graduate of Wesleyan University and is a dual citizen (Italy), and fluent in Italian. He lives in New York.A Partial Filmography: He has had recurring roles on: “Boardwalk Empire”, “The Sopranos”, “The Sarah Connor Chronicles”, and “24”He’s appeared on: “Medium”, “Without a Trace”, “NYPD Blue”, “Law & Order”, “Protect & Serve” (pilot), “Charmed” Movies: “No God, No Master”, “Life is Hot in Cracktown”, “Dinner Rush”, “Romeo Must Die“, Malevolent”, The Last Days of Disco”, “I Shot Andy Warhol” Besides acting he served as a contributing writer on “The F-Word” and as writer/director on “Good Night Valentino” . 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

David Branin & Karen Worden are filmmakers & radio hosts of FIlm Courage. David is the Director/Writer/Producer of the feature films ‘Night Before the Wedding’ and ‘Goodbye Promise.’ He is Co-Host of LA Talk Radio’s ‘Film Courage’ & the monthly ‘Film Courage Interactive’ held at the Downtown Independent in L.A. David grew up near Hartford, Connecticut. Raised by a single deaf mother, he picked up her skill of observing & reading people. His college career was nearly over when the dream of making a major motion-picture burst into his head. David & three of his closest friends wrote an original screenplay together & moved to L.A. in 2000 to pursue their own Hollywood ending. His pursuit of that dream continues to this day. His work has been seen by millions online. His short films, Shoot-Out & Honey, I’m Home have garnered their share of acclaim, having combined to screen in over 50 international film festivals while winning their share of awards.

Karen Worden is an Actress & Producer who serves as Co-Host of LA Talk Radio’s ‘Film Courage’ & the monthly ‘Film Courage Interactive’. Her film credits include ‘Goodbye Promise,’ ‘Honey, I’m Home,’ ‘Road Therapy,’ ‘Mind Over Matter Man,’ & ‘Night Before the Wedding.’ Karen also wrote & starred in a one-woman play showcased at the Space Theatre entitled The Other Woman, as well as being featured in several commercials & print ads. One of her favorite shoots was working with Richard Simmons on his Sweatin’ to the Oldies series.

Christopher Lockhart PT 4 is a Hollywood executive, teacher and producer. For a dozen years, Chris has worked as the Story Editor at ICM, the William Morris Agency and, currently, the newly formed WME. During his tenure, Chris worked with legendary talent agent Ed Limato (who recently passed away) helping to find film projects for actors such as Denzel Washington, Mel Gibson, Steve Martin, Richard Gere, Michelle Pfeiffer, Liam Neeson, Claire Danes and many others. He has also consulted on hundreds of screenplays with studio executives, producers and writers from around the world. Chris estimates he has read over 30,000 screenplays. As a producer, Chris set up A RHINESTONE ALIBI at Paramount with Julie Richardson. He co-produced THE COLLECTOR, which was released nationwide in the summer of 2009 and is one of the producers on the sequel, which is currently in pre-production. Chris is the writer/producer of a feature length documentary called MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS, which ran in NYC and LA in the summer of 2010 as part of the prestigious DocuWeeks and will make its film festival premiere in October ’10 at the Mill Valley Film Festival in California. Chris has taught screenwriting classes at UCLA and Los Angeles Valley College and lectured at conferences throughout the country. His popular article “I Wrote a 120 Page Script but Can’t Write a Logline: The Construction of a Logline” has become the de facto reference on the subject and is used in film schools across the globe. His writing workshop “The Inside Pitch” was televised in Los Angeles and earned him an Emmy nomination. He appeared on “Fox Morning News” and has been featured in many periodicals including The Writer magazine. He is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 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

Derrel Maury Actor, & Rex Sikes remember the making of the cult classic Massacre at Central High.

Derrel Maury joined SAG and AFTRA over 40 years ago. He was so young when he started; his first roles were “crawl-on’s”. He has appeared as a series regular on Norman Lear’s “One Day at a Time” & “Apple Pie”, also Gary Marshal’s “Happy Days” & “Joanie Loves Chachi”. He played Jughead in James Komack’s “The Archie Show” and starred as the teen killer in the 70’s cult classic feature “Massacre at Central High”. Some other credits include guest starring roles in “Murder She Wrote”, WKRP in Cincinnati”, “Barney Miller”, “Highway to Heaven”, & “The Partridge Family”. He has just completed work on a number of features including, “Blood of the Cross”, “Mexican Hat”, “Wasteland” & the “Tramp”. He has won numerous awards for his stage and film work including his recent best actor award at the New York Short Film Festival for his lead role in the film “Wither”.

An acting coach for over twenty years, he has taught for Estelle Harman, Tracy Roberts, and many top agencies around town. He also runs his own acting studio, Derrel Maury’s Young Actor’s Workshop. He was recently highlighted on CNN in a special report on acting classes for kids.

Derrel’s extensive list of plays directed at theatres in and around Los Angeles include “Grease”, “Oliver”, “Once Upon A Mattress”, “The Music Man”, “Fiddler On The Roof”, “The Wizard Of Oz”, “Guys And Dolls”, “Bye Bye Birdie”, “Damn Yankees”, “Joseph”, ”High School Musical”, “South Pacific”, “Willy Wonka”, “Annie”, and “Answer the Call”. Every year Derrel also participates in the Secret Roses’ Mini Musical Festival. His directing work there has won awards three years in a row for his productions of “Blenderman”, “Change of Plans” and “Climb the Smallest Mountain”.

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

Douglas Day Stewart Pt 3 is best known for his original screenplay “An Officer and a Gentleman,” which was based on his own experiences as a Naval Officer Candidate undergoing rigorous training, while falling in love with a factory girl looking for a “ticket out of nowhere.” In addition to the many accolades and awards garnered by the film, “Officer” was recently listed by the American Film Institute as one of the ten highest grossing love stories in cinema history. Stewart’s other writing credits include the enduring first “Blue Lagoon” with Brooke Shields, the acclaimed “The Boy In the Plastic Bubble”, (the ABC television movie that launched John Travolta’s career), and “The Scarlet Letter,” Stewart’s much maligned take on Hawthorne’s classic novel, starring Demi Moore. Stewart wrote and directed the cult favorite “Thief of Hearts” (which boasts clubs of women around the country) and the controversial “Listen to Me.” Stewart has been nominated for an Academy Award, and for an Emmy, and for numerous Writers Guild Awards. His original screenplay “The Accident” (a semi-autobiographical story of a teen tragedy) will go before the cameras in Europe this year. His Musical adaptation of “An Officer and a Gentleman,” will begin production in Australia next year, and will hopefully go to Broadway soon after. Stewart has recently finished another original screenplay entitled “The Flying Man,” which he describes as “a cross-cultural love story with a unique twist, set against the political conflicts of modern day Burma.” Stewart plans to direct the film next year in Thailand. 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

Mitch Apley is the Executive Producer for Chicago-based Resolution Digital Studios. Resolution productions include a live broadcast of Top Chef Miami, sports programming produced by Intersport for Fox, ESPN & ABC to feature films such as The Strip & Osso Bucco, music videos for Snoop Dog & Janus, spot and web work for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes & more. Resolution is currently co-producing the comedy horror film, The Moleman of Belmont Avenue starring Mike Bradecich & John LaFlamboy.

Mitch is in post-production for a short film he wrote & directed called Lighter Lightness, an effects-heavy love story about light, love & a snow globe. He enlisted the production help of many industry contemporaries in the process, & the film is slated for a spring finish.

Mitch Apley began making films at Northwestern University in 1992. He shot an award winning stop motion film, Robert: Portrait of a Legend (1995), & produced an award winning live action film, NoWhere Town (1996).

Mitch freelanced in various capacities on film & video productions in Toronto, Los Angeles & Chicago, He took a position at Post Effects where he worked almost every aspect of a full service production company. While working as an assistant editor & colorist, he produced the short film Bubble Quandary (1998). As an editor he's worked on spots, broadcast and corporate videos. In 2000 he was promoted to staff director, & directed an Emmy award winning program on teen substance abuse, Illinois, Get in the Know (2000).

In 2002, Mitch helped produce a 2-hour A&E Special Bill Kurtis Report Saudi Arabia: A Complicated Ally (2003). Upon his return to Post Effects, he acted as project manager for Spiffy Pictures children's program, Jack's Big Music Show which still airs on Nick Jr.

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