Screen Speak

In this episode, I talk with Adam Orton and Beau Batterson about their short film The Last Minute Till Midnight.

Topics Include: Background on Adam & Beau, Dream City Cinema, Batterson Media, The Last Minute Till Midnight Production & Premiere, Noir Genre, Engaging Imagination in a Green Screen Environment, Reactions to the Short, How to Maintain Passion for Filmmaking, Self Imposed Expectations, Noirvember, Importance of Welcoming Film Communities, Character Actors, Upcoming Projects and more.

Learn More About Adam and Beau:

Adam Orton: Adam is a Midwest -based filmmaker and owner of Dream City Cinema. Early in his career he worked as a floor director for a local news company. After graduating with a film degree from Columbia College, he worked as an assistant editor for the world famous comedy institution The Second City and eventually began teaching motion graphics at a community college part-time. As a freelance filmmaker, Adam has directed national TV commercials, branded content, as well as several short and feature films. He’s also written music and created visual effects for many of his films.

Adam’s Official Website

Follow Dream City Cinema

Beau Batterson: Beau is a digital media specialist with degrees in video production and communication from Full Sail University and the University of Northern Iowa. He has spent the last several years marketing television and instructing young entrepreneurs how to better market their businesses using web/social media. With over a decade of experience in film and video, Beau specializes in creating exciting content that delivers a creative visual message. As an extra creative outlet, Beau creates short films, web comics, and the occasional nerdy video for YouTube.

Beau’s Official Website

Follow Beau

Beau’s YouTube Channel

The Last Minute Till Midnight (Short):

Watch Here (Watch Party 11/16/23 at 7:00pm CST)

IMDB

Short Details

Get Involved with Screen Speak

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Contact: [email protected]

References Made

Amelia 2.0

October Sky

In this episode, I talk with Adam Orton and Beau Batterson about their short film The Last Minute Till Midnight.

Topics Include: Background on Adam & Beau, Dream City Cinema, Batterson Media, The Last Minute Till Midnight Production & Premiere, Noir Genre, Engaging Imagination in a Green Screen Environment, Reactions to the Short, How to Maintain Passion for Filmmaking, Self Imposed Expectations, Noirvember, Importance of Welcoming Film Communities, Character Actors, Upcoming Projects and more.

Learn More About Adam and Beau:

Adam is a Midwest -based filmmaker and owner of Dream City Cinema. Early in his career he worked as a floor director for a local news company. After graduating with a film degree from Columbia College, he worked as an assistant editor for the world famous comedy institution The Second City and eventually began teaching motion graphics at a community college part-time. As a freelance filmmaker, Adam has directed national TV commercials, branded content, as well as several short and feature films. He’s also written music and created visual effects for many of his films.

Adam’s Official Website

Follow Dream City Cinema

Beau is a digital media specialist with degrees in video production and communication from Full Sail University and the University of Northern Iowa. He has spent the last several years marketing television and instructing young entrepreneurs how to better market their businesses using web/social media. With over a decade of experience in film and video, Beau specializes in creating exciting content that delivers a creative visual message. As an extra creative outlet, Beau creates short films, web comics, and the occasional nerdy video for YouTube.

Beau’s Official Website

Follow Beau

Beau’s YouTube Channel

The Last Minute Till Midnight (Short):

Watch Here (Watch Party 11/16/23 at 7:00pm CST)

IMDB

Short Details

Get Involved with Screen Speak

Instagram: Click Here

Contact: [email protected]

References Made

Amelia 2.0

October Sky

In this episode, I talk with Michal Sinnott, Katie Braden and Alexandra Clayton about their film Unpacking.

Topics Include: Unpacking Beginnings, Cast Coming Together, Wellness Retreats, Questions Raised in the Film, Where Can People Go For Connective Experiences, Experiences with Strangers, Types of Transformations, Elements of Michal’s Life Infusing Into the Story, Giving Yourself Over To A New Methodology, Importance of In-Person Community, Cultural Appropriation, Explaining Your Position to Someone Else Respectfully, Depiction of Women in Movies, Opportunities Gained from Attending Film Festivals, How to Make Original Diverse Movies Profitable, Where People Can Watch the Movie, Fun Questions and more.

Learn More About Michal, Katie and Alexandra:

Michal: Michal’s performed in dozens of plays and over fifty principal/starring roles for radio, television and film. She’s the voice, likeness and performance capture artist for Tracey De Santa, one of the several main characters in the video game phenomena “Grand Theft Auto V”. Performance highlights include roles in Spike Lee’s “Inside Man” and “Quid Pro Quo” with Vera Farminga.

Follow Michal on Instagram

Katie: Katie is a fixture of the New York theater scene, having performed in numerous classic and new plays throughout the city. She is a co-founder of Ivy Theater Company and film production company Wherever You Go Pictures, LLC, and is also a member of The Workshop Theater Company.

Follow Katie on Instagram

Alexandra: Alexandra is a director, writer, producer and actor from Los Angeles, California. She has produced several short films, web series, and branded content shoots. In addition, films she has acted in have been screened at over thirty festivals, including Karlovy Vary, NYC’s Rooftop Films, SF’s Cinema by the Bay and more.

Follow Alexandra on Instagram

Unpacking Movie: Trailer, Website, Instagram

Get Involved with Screen Speak

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Contact: [email protected]

References Made

The Bechdel Test

Join or Die

In this first ever live episode (originally recorded November 2nd, 2023), I answer questions submitted by listeners to celebrate the 100th Episode of Screen Speak. Special appearances by Jake Daniels & Michael Huntington.

Learn more about Jake & Michael

Jake’s Instagram - Click Here

Michael’s Instagram - Click Here

Get Involved with Screen Speak

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Contact: [email protected]

In this episode, I talk with Mitch McCallson (Filmmaker) about his short film Password Problems and more.

This episode marks the fifth in a series of exclusive conversations that were recorded on site at the 16th Annual Iowa Independent Film Festival.

This was recorded at Mason City Brewing in Mason City, IA.

Topics Include: Inspiration for Password Problems, L.A.M.E. Entertainment, Praise for the Short, Audience Reactions, The Art of Broad Comedy, Determining a Story’s Length, Shaping Comedy, Timing Curse Words, Tarantino Dialog, Curling, Upcoming Projects, Subtitles in Films, Anime, Learning Foreign Languages through Movies, Office Space, and more.

Learn More About Mitch:

Mitchell is a filmmaker, writer, videographer and all around creative and funny human being. He went to school for videography at Central Lakes College in Minnesota and currently resides there along with his wife Leah. He has his own YouTube Channel that specializes primarily in comedy. By day, he works as a Multimedia Project Coordinator, and, fun fact, has placed 3rd place in a contest for the sunglasses company Pit Viper’s Intimidation Contest.

Password Problems (Short)

YouTube

Follow on Instagram

Follow on Facebook

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Contact: [email protected]

References Made

Canon R6 Mark 2

Action VFX

After Effects

Central Lakes College

Pit Viper

In this episode, I talk with Carrsan T. Morrissey (Filmmaker) about the Horror Film Genre and more. This episode marks the fourth in a series of exclusive conversations that were recorded on site at the 16th Annual Iowa Independent Film Festival.This was recorded at Mason City Brewing in Mason City, IA.

Topics Include: Thoughts on Renfield, The Tower (Carrsan’s Short Film), Sub-Genres of Horror, Carrsan’s Introduction to Horror, Memorable Horror Moments, Death in Horror Movies, Rot (Carrsan’s Short Film), What Challenges Carrsan, Stigmas Against the Horror Genre, How to Change Stigmas against the Horror Genre, Process on Shooting Challenging Scenes, Intimacy Coordination, Difficulties in Expression (Emotional/Physical), Representation in Horror Films Today, Art Challenging Norms, Effective Moments in Horror, and more.

Learn More About Carrsan:

Carrsan T. Morrissey is a filmmaker, author and playwright from Cedar Falls, IA known for elevated horror, tense thrillers, and powerful dramas with a distinctly independent feel.

Raw, uncompromising, and often heavy in tone, Morrissey’s films are also known for their diverse casts and characters, especially in regards to the LGBTQIA+ Community.

Her films have been viewed over 2.4 million times online, and her novel “Old Wounds” debuted as one of the Top 25 best-selling new LGBT Horror Novels on Amazon, remaining on the Top 100 list for several weeks afterwards.

Carrsan’s Vimeo

Old Wounds (Book)

Matriarch Films (Instagram)

Get Involved with Screen Speak

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Contact: [email protected]

References Made

Cosmic Horror

MumbleCore

Allegorical Horror Movies

Film Scene

Refocus (Film Festival)

Halloween Palooza (Horror Film Festival)

Stephanie Schneider (Intimacy Director/Coordinator)

The Changeling (1980 Film)

In this episode, I talk with John Cumberland & John Young (Documentarians) about their documentary Bopper And Me.

This episode is the third in a series of exclusive conversations that were recorded on site at the 16th Annual Iowa Independent Film Festival.This was recorded at 173 Craft Distillery in Clear Lake, IA.

Topics Include: How the Quest for Bopper Began, John C’s Family Thoughts on the Quest, The Importance of the Induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Reverence for Bopper’s Impact on Music, Road Blocks from R&R Hall of Fame, Why Bopper Hasn’t Been Inducted, R&R Hall of Fame Induction Process, An Artists Legacy, The John’s Friendship, Poignant Moments from the Film, What If Bopper Hadn’t Died Young, and more.

Learn More About Bopper And Me

A scrap metal merchant from England travels to America on a mission to get his hero, The Big Bopper, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Website - Click Here

IMDB - Click Here

Trailer - Click Here

Learn More About & Connect with the Johns

John Cumberland: John is a scrap metal merchant from Shildon, England. He originally got interested in the Big Bopper when he borrowed the Bopper’s well known phrase, “Hello Baby” in his business advertisements. From there, he’s spent much of his free time and money exploring The Boppers legacy and has been leading a campaign to get him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ever since.

Junkyard Dawg Studio - Click Here

John Young: John is from Sheffield, England and went to school for engineering. For a good chunk of his life, he spent his time doing just that, engineering. All while doing that, he also held a passion for the arts. Over the years, he’s grown as an artist himself designing everything from custom guitars, canvases, and more. He’s best friends with John Cumberland and has been with him every step of the way in his campaign for The Bopper.

John Young Artworks - Click Here

Get Involved with Screen Speak

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YouTube - Click Here

Contact: [email protected]

References Made

JP Richardson - Click Here

Clear Lake, Iowa Plane Crash - Click Here

George Jones White Lightning - Click Here

Surf Ballroom - Click Here

Winter Dance Party - Click Here

In this episode, I talk with Joe Garcia (Director, Writer, Composer, Pianist) about a variety of multifaceted subjects within the entertainment industry. This episode is the second in a series of exclusive conversations that were recorded on site at the 16th Annual Iowa Independent Film Festival. This episode was also my first to be recorded outside! Specifically at 173 Craft Distillery in Clear Lake, IA.

Topics Include: Where Joe’s From, Film Freeway, First Movies Watched, Toy Story, Influential Films, Film Release Strategy, WGA Strike Thoughts, AI, Streaming, Fairness in Residuals, Movie Theater Business Strategies, Super Hero Genre Lately, Comfort Movies, Whiplash, Growing as a Filmmaker, Road to Making Joe’s Latest Film and more.

Learn More About & Connect with Joe

Joe Garcia is from central Illinois. He started writing creatively back in the 4th grade. Since then, with the help of his encouraging family, classmates and teachers, his skills and passion for writing led him to Columbia College, Chicago, where he studied directing and screenwriting. Joe has made multiple award-winning short films and has written multiple features and shorts. He is also a founder and co-host of Let’s Go To The Movies, a weekly film podcast, with over 200 episodes. Currently the show is in its fifth and final season. Outside of film, Joe enjoys playing piano and collecting vinyl's.

Joe’s Instagram - Click Here

Joe’s Website - Click Here

Let’s Go To The Movies (Podcast) - Click Here

Joe’s YouTube Channel - Click Here

Get Involved with Screen Speak

Instagram: Click Here

YouTube - Click Here

Contact: [email protected]

References Made

Retrospection (Trailer for Joe’s Short Film) - Click Here

Film Freeway - Click Here

Cover Fly - Click Here

Whiplash (Original Short) - Click Here

Phantom of the Paradise (Movie) - Click Here

173 Craft Distillery - Click Here

In this episode, I talk with Andrew Sherburne, Executive Director & Cofounder of Film Scene, about the upcoming 2nd Annual Refocus Film Festival (October 12-15, 2023).

Topics Include: About Andrew, Film Scene, Iowa City Community, Theatrical Experience, Refocus Film Fest Origins, Art of Adaptation, Literature's Role in this Festival, Inaugural Year of Refocus, Curation Process for the Festival, Special Features of the Festival, Balancing the Tone of the Festival, Fest Pass Options, Goals of the Festival and more.

Learn More About & Connect with Andrew

Andrew Sherburne is an American documentary filmmaker and producer based in Iowa. He was trained as a multimedia artist, holding degrees in Studio Art and Computer Science and also cofounded Film Scene, a non-profit cinema in Iowa City, Iowa.

Andrew’s Instagram - Click Here

Learn More About Refocus Film Festival

The 2nd annual festival will take place October 12-15, 2023. Building on the success of the inaugural year, this year’s festival will again include dozens of films, conversations, performances, and art inspired by the work of adaptation, transforming one art form into another.

Movie lovers will rejoice at the opportunity to take in multiple films each day, with screenings preceded by performances by local musical and visual artists to form a kaleidoscopic impression of the artistic disciplines that inform our big screen experience. In addition, a series of curated dialogues, in collaboration with Iowa City Book Festival will take us deeper into conversation about how ideas journey from page to screen. And yes, of course, there will be special guests, parties and celebration!

Buy Passes - Click Here

Website - Click Here

Festival Program - Click Here

Instagram - Click Here

Get Involved with Screen Speak

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YouTube - Click Here

Contact: [email protected]

References Made

University of Iowa - Click Here

Tracie Morris - Click Here

Sara Varon - Click Here

Iowa City Book Festival - Click Here

Hansure Infinite Dream Festival - Click Here

Werner Herzog Event - Click Here

In this episode, I talk with Jim Brockhohn (Actor) about his adventures over the years as an actor. This episode marks the first in a limited series of exclusive conversations that were recorded on site at the 16th Annual Iowa Independent Film Festival.

Topics Include: About Jim, Volunteerism, Leadership, Characterization in Acting, Jim’s Introduction to Acting, Thoughts on the Iowa Independent Film Fest, Working on Coen Brothers Film Sets, Behind the Scenes Features on Physical Media, Stories from Jim's Past Acting Jobs, Committing to Characters, Advice for Actors and more.

Learn More About & Connect with Jim

Jim Brockhohn is an Actor and Chiropractor in Forest City, IA. As an actor, Jim has been working steadily since 1994. He’s worked on over 40 films, multiple television roles, commercial work and much more. Jim and his wife Cindy are deeply committed to volunteerism and supporting the arts within the state of Iowa and beyond.

IMDB - Click Here

Get Involved with Screen Speak

Instagram: Click Here

YouTube - Click Here

Contact: [email protected]

References Made

Mason City Brewery - Click Here

Evolution (Movie) - Click Here

Best Man Down (Movie) - Click Here

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (Movie) - Click Here

Iowa Independent Film Festival - Click Here