CinemaScope's podcast

In this episode, we're speaking with writing, producing and directing pair Jules Jones and Sam Akina, a powerhouse team and real-life partners from the U.S. who unexpectedly found themselves living in Poland after what was supposed to be a short stint for a film there in 2017. Six years later, they have five of the past decade's highest-grossing films in Poland and a slew of projects in the pipeline. Today, we're talking about being open to new opportunities and how to build a film career in a foreign country. Find out more about their work at attackships.com.

Episode description: Filmmakers at War: A Rising Fury Director and Producer Lesya Kalynska and Producer TJ Collins In this episode, we're speaking with director and producer Lesya Kalynska and producer TJ Collins about their documentary film A Rising Fury, which is receiving global attention for exposing Russia's hidden war techniques in Ukraine that have drastic, worldwide implications.   A Rising Fury was more than nine years in the making. Lesya and co-director Ruslan Batytskyi initially sought to make a film about peaceful revolution in Ukraine; but they ended up filming with troops along the frontlines in Eastern Ukraine, learning the secrets of Russia's divide-and-conquer tactics.   Lesya and TJ discuss must-know advice on gaining the trust of the community in documentary filmmaking and the importance of documentary characters understanding the story — despite history unfolding. They also discuss the key role that filmmakers are playing in telling the truth in war and dismantling the propaganda machines that serve as the lifeblood of dictatorships around the world.   The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival 2022. Find out more at arisingfury.com.

On this episode of Cinemascope Milt & Jim talk with Jessie Walsh about the cool programs at SFCC.

In this episode, we're speaking with a European film industry leader who's dedicated countless hours to helping filmmakers and others in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale war started in February 2022: Irena Gruca-Rozbicka. We're speaking with Irena about what it's like for filmmakers fighting on the frontlines and other Ukrainian filmmakers, as well as the easy ways that listeners can directly help them as they document the truth and fight for democracy.    Irena has 20+ years in the professional audio-visual production press. Ten years ago, she co-founded an independent publishing house and the FilmPRO Foundation aimed at film education. Since then, she's published and edited FilmPRO – the most prominent Polish magazine about pre-production, production and postproduction. FilmPRO is the official magazine for the Polish Society of Cinematographers (PSC). In 2019, she moved to Germany and started working with Crew United as their European Development Coordinator. When Russia's full-scaLe war on Ukraine began, she and the owner and managing partner of Crew United formed Filmmakers for Ukraine, which Cinema Scope host Genevieve Trainor is a part of.

Sri Mirajkar is an actor, writer and director from Virginia. His short film Mera Daddu (My Grandpa) is winning awards and is in the film festival circuit. It stars Shishir Sharma and has environmental protection themes.    Shishir Sharma is an accomplished actor with many years of experience in film and television. He is known for the Hindi films Raazi and Talvar.    The film Mera Daddu also stars Arya Thakur as Aslam, who plays a very pivotal part in the film.   

This week we are joined by film professional Robert Dennis, who shares his experiences with various film studios including Lucasfilm and HBO, among other fascinating occupations! Dennis helps us explore the extensive diversity of different production types throughout many levels of film studios.  

Best-selling author and serendipity researcher Dr. Christian Busch   Groundbreaking serendipity researcher and best-selling author Dr. Christian Busch spent the past 10 years figuring out a science-based approach to creating good luck. He says we're looking at luck incorrectly. Connect the Dots: The Art and Science of Creating Good Luck is the culmination of his decade of research on serendipity, including his study of people who work in film.   In this episode, we dive into how you can change your trajectory for the better by accelerating your good luck.

In this episode, we're speaking with writer and director Clarence Fuller about his unconventional journey as a filmmaker and weaving his own childhood into his first feature, Signs of Love. Signs of Love was the opening night film at the 2022 Brooklyn Film Festival and stars Rosanna Arquette, Dylan Penn, Zoë Bleu Sidel and Hopper Jack Penn. More info about Clarence's work and Signs of Love: https://www.clarencefullerstudio.com/film.

In this episode, we're speaking with pioneering filmmaker Nina Menkes, who's one of the first women to present a feature film at Sundance and the filmmaker behind documentary BRAINWASHED: Sex-Camera-Power, which premiered at Sundance 2022 and has since screened at other prominent festivals worldwide. BRAINWASHED was released theatrically in October 2022 by Kino Lorber.   Considered a cinematic feminist pioneer and one of America's foremost independent filmmakers, Nina has shown widely in major international film festivals including multiple premieres at Sundance, Cannes, the Berlinale and Toronto.   Nina has an MFA with high honors from the UCLA Film School (1989). She's taught film directing at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and is currently a faculty member at California Institute of the Arts. She is a directing member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).   Nina synthesizes inner-dream worlds with harsh, outer realities. She was called “brilliant, one of the most provocative artists in film today” by the Los Angeles Times, and her body of work was described as “controversial, intense and visually stunning” by Sight and Sound. Nina has referred to herself as a witch; and Dennis Lim, writing in The New York Times, called her a “cinematic sorceress.”   

Andrew "Rosey" Hayett, Director of Film Prize Jr. New Mexico - a statewide educational initiative that will support classrooms and youth organizations to create short films which will screen at a film festival in Santa Fe in April 2022.   Check out Film Prize Jr. New Mexico at https://www.filmprizenm.com/

Writer and Director Naman Gupta:   An award-winning BIPOC director/writer and Ryan Murphy's Director Shadowing Program 2022 fellow, Naman grew up in India and worked against many odds to carve out a career for himself in the US. Diverse, inclusive and loves blending fiction with contemporary social issues so that his films can reach a wider audience. His immigrant background and his unique lived experiences (three countries and countless cities) help him bring a fresh and authentic voice, impassioned talent and a deep understanding of storytelling to all his projects.   Actress Sangeeta Agrawal: A seasoned actress with over 30 years experience in theatre and film. She is the recipient of the New Mexico Asian Film Festival award for Best Supporting Actress.    Actor Raghuram Shetty: A passionate actor who likes to explore different emotions and acting styles. He too received an award for Best Supporting Actor for this film

About Tarun Verma -    Tarun Verma is a writer and director known for his film Conception. He is also a pharmacist and this film is a collection of all the stories told by his fertility patients over the years. As a fertility pharmacist and filmmaker, the stories touched his heart beyond measure and he felt compelled to tell a story that is accurate to the emotions felt by couples that go through it. He felt like this IS the moment to bring fertility issues to light and this film is so relevant and timely and it deserves to be discussed and shared. Conception is available to rent on video streaming platforms.

Originally from Montreal, Canada, Isabel Dréan is an award-winning director / producer and writer. Psychological thriller and suspense are her forte. Her series Manigances was optioned by a major studio. She has also written several Christmas films and her script Love Letter to Laos, based on her life experiences in Laos, is receiving good reviews.   

On this episode of CinemaScope Co-Hosts Milton Riess & Jim Wysong talk with James Lujan, Chair of the Cinematic Arts and Technology at IAIA, about the cool new programs that will be held at IAIA this semester. 

Hailing from New Mexico and Los Angeles, Michelle Tomlinson is an award-winning actress, acting teacher and director. A 2020 recipient of the bronze Best Director & Best Web/TV Pilot Award for the Palm City Film Festival for her narrative directing debut, Deeply Superficial, Tomlinson loves working behind and in front of the camera. Tomlinson is in post-production with the documentary she directed titled Edge, which centers around Native American language preservation with producing partner Lori Bowen and former Governor of San Ildefonso Pueblo, James Mountain and the New Mexico Film Foundation.   Projects in development and pre-production include the feature films Portales and The Penny. She's also working on an untitled rom-com she's writing with Mary McDonald, which is nearing final script. Working weekly with actors, Tomlinson coaches and teaches actors from ages 8 to 80 and every skill set level. Tomlinson believes in teaching not only the craft of acting and booking acting jobs, but the philosophy and business of what it takes to work in this industry. She uses a holistic approach that she applies in her private acting sessions and workshops.

This week's interview includes New Mexico local producer and Executive Director of the New Mexico Film Foundation, Terry Futschik. Her projects include producing Behind the Yellow House (directed by Joel Vallie) and Baron and Toluca (directed by and starring Brendan Fehr). She has been immersed in the local independent film industry and has a passion and commitment for the advancement of women and youth in film.   Learn about upcoming events by the New Mexico Film Foundation and find out more information at nfilmfoundation.org About Royd McCargish: Tune in to Cinema Scope for a conversation with local New Mexico actor and producer Royd McCargish. Royd has been acting for many years and has executive produced two feature films, available on Amazon Prime. His work includes Back to Billy, The Final Trial of Billy the Kid and 30 Seconds in Hell.   Royd is an all rounder with lots of experience in different aspects of filmmaking, from crafty, location scouting, set construction, producing and more.

 Albuquerque Film & Music Experience Executive Director Ivan Wiener In this episode, we're speaking with Albuquerque Film & Music Experience (AFMX) Executive Director Ivan Wiener about this year's event, which will be in person as well as online September 13-18. The event, ranked by FilmFreeway as one of the top 50 festivals (out of 80,000) in the world worth the entry fee for filmmakers, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a significantly ramped up focus on its educational Center Stage Conversations. This year's Center Stage Conversations will welcome guest speakers and panelists working at the top of their craft in Hollywood and New Mexico.   This year also marks the return of in-person films, music and networking opportunities.   You can view AFMX's full schedule and purchase passes at afmxnm.com.

Director & Producer Barbara Bentree In this episode, we're chatting with Santa-Fe based award-winning director and producer Barbara Bentree about her approach to documentary filmmaking, her advice for funding and her advice to others considering documentary filmmaking. We're also chatting about her latest feature-length documentary, Origami in the Garden, which is taking the festival circuit by storm. Origami in the Garden is also an official selection for this year's Albuquerque Film & Music Experience, which takes place September 13—18. People can also catch the film at the John Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe on September 22.   Barbara's previous documentary, Dave Grusin: Not Enough Time, appeared in numerous film and music festivals all over the world and qualified for the 2019 Oscars and Grammy Awards.   Barbara is one-half of Jindojazz Productions, which she runs with her husband, multiple award-winning musician and producer John Rangel. Find out more about their work at www.jindojazz.com. Find out more about Origami in the Garden at origamiinthegardenfilm.com.

On this episode of Cinemascope, hosts Milton Reiss and James Wysong talk with the Director of The Santa Fe Film Office, Jennifer LaBar-Tapia

In this episode, we're chatting with SAG-AFTRA New Mexico Local President & SAG-AFTRA Actor Marc Comstock about the state of film in New Mexico, how actors and filmmakers can bring their A-games as productions ramp up and some exciting predictions for the end of 2022. After graduating from Colorado State University with a B.A. in Theater, Marc moved to Seattle where he performed in over forty plays and broke into film, commercial and industrial work. He then spent eight years in Los Angeles, where he booked numerous short films and worked on 100+ episodes as Bill Maher's stand-in on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. In 2012, Marc moved to New Mexico and has worked steadily ever since. He's had recurring roles on The Night Shift and Manhattan and continues to work steadily on the stage. Marc joined the New Mexico SAG-AFTRA Board in 2014 and is currently serving his second term as President for the local. In 2022, Marc was appointed by Governor Lujan Grisham to serve a four-year term on the Governor's Council on Film and Media Industries. 

In this episode, we're chatting with Native Cinema Showcase Program Manager Cindy Benitez and filmmaker and actor Morningstar Angeline about this year's showcase.   In conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian presents the annual Native Cinema Showcase, which takes place in Santa Fe from August 18 to 21. Native Cinema Showcase is an official program of the 2022 Santa Fe Indian Market, which is sponsored by the Southwest Association for Indian Arts.   About Morningstar, whose film Seeds is in the showcase: Born in Santa Fe and raised in Gallup and Los Angeles, Morningstar is a queer Navajo, Chippewa, Blackfeet, Shoshone and Latinx actor and filmmaker. Morningstar was just announced as the second-ever participant in NBCU's director's initiative and is a 2018 Sundance Indigenous Lab, 2020 Native American Feature Writers Lab and 2021 imagineNATIVE Directors' Lab Fellow and serves on the board of directors for the mixed-media company Tse'Nato'. As an actor, Morningstar recently had recurring roles in Outer Range and Westworld.   About Cindy: Cindy lives in NYC and has worked with the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian for the past 12 years. Ten of those years have been with Native Cinema Showcase, of which she said this: "One of my favorite memories at Native Cinema Showcase is not necessarily the films or even the filmmakers. It's the incredible subjects that are in these films."   Attendance is FREE, and you can find info and the full program here (35 films, 30 Native nations, 10 Indigenous languages, eight countries): https://nmai.brandlive.com/native-cinema-showcase-santa-fe-2022/en/home.

Born and raised in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, High Desert Screening Founder and Director Carmen Dahlman realized as a small child that she wanted to be a performer. In this episode, we talk about her journey, why she started High Desert Screening and the importance of community and mentorship.   Carmen is also an actor, model and director and founded High Desert Screening in 2017 to showcase New Mexico's artistic community. This unique film festival also introduces and promotes local photographers, artists and businesses that are committed to and invested in the elevation of the film and creative arts industry in New Mexico.   High Desert Screening takes place this year on Saturday, August 13, at the South Broadway Cultural Center in Albuquerque.

Guest Shalimar Krebs, Associate Dean of Art and Design/Liberal Arts/Film and Media Arts programs at Santa Fe Community College, discusses the various media programs at SFCC and opportunities for prospective students with Milton and James.

This episode with top stuntman, fight choreographer and action coordinator Daniel Locicero is packed with info on working with fear and adapting to change to do what you love. Trained by legendary Taky Kimura — Bruce Lee's best friend and one of three people certified by Lee to teach his martial arts — Daniel's one of Hollywood's most sought-after action actors and fight choreographers. He's been nominated for two SAG Awards for his work on Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk and Mission: Impossible — Fallout. He also choreographed the longest fight scene ever shot without a cut for the film Beta Test.

Nazneen interviews Alejandro Montoya Marin who is a writer and director.

In this episode, we're speaking with New Mexico's own Catharine ("Cat") E. Jones — an award-winning director, SAG-AFTRA actor, writer and teaching artist — about finding fulfillment in the film industry while balancing family and other career endeavors.   As an actor, Cat's had roles in Better Call Saul; Midnight, Texas; The Night Shift; Longmire and many other series and films. Her recurring role on The Night Shift spanned three seasons and 19 episodes.   Cat's directing career began with her debut film, Pinky Promise, winning Best Director honors at the International Different Faces Different Voices Film Festival for the Flicks4Chicks contest in 2016. In 2017, Cat was awarded first place at the Chimaera Project's In (H)er (D)irection Film Competition, whose advisory board includes Octavia Spencer and Angelica Houston. Cat's latest film, Hatchlings, won Best Horror at the Peephole Film Fest in Guadalajara, Mexico 2019 and Worldwide Women's Film Festival 2020 and is distributed through First Focus International.    Off set, Cat teaches performing arts to middle schoolers.

Milton & James bring a new mini series to Cinemascope called "Meet Your Film Faculty", where they sit down with faculty members of the Santa Fe Community College film program. Today's episode features Johnathan Mugford, an established post-production film editor & drone operator, & Scott Milder, a writer, director and producer whose main focus lies in the horror genre.  

In this episode, Dr. James Wysong and Milton Reiss sit down with the Stagecoach Foundation's Dr. Elizabeth Kianu Stahmer and Brandon Behringer and discuss how the foundation serves as a pathway into the film and television industry. The Stagecoach Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit and was founded by George R.R. Martin and David Weininger to attract productions to New Mexico and create opportunities for New Mexicans to get into the industry. They now provide free training to New Mexicans both in front of and behind the camera. Learn more at www.stagecoachfdn.org.

In this episode, we'll be covering four life lessons provided by top industry professionals who were guests on Cinema Scope in 2022. They were discussing their work with actors, but their insights are applicable to everyone. The guests for these episodes include a casting director with a PhD, a director who recently worked with actor Tom Skerritt in his first-ever leading role, a SAG-AFTRA actor and Academy member, and a former Hollywood talent manager who moderates a Facebook group of nearly 90 thousand actors.   You can check out the guests' full episodes here: Casting Director, Actor, Teacher & Producer Dr. Nike Imoru: https://cinemascope.libsyn.com/march-18-2022-with-nike-omoru-phd-csa Hollywood Winners Circle Founder & Former Hollywood Talent Manger Wendy Alane Wright: https://cinemascope.libsyn.com/cinema-scope-for-january-14-2021-with-wendy-alane-wright SAG-AFTRA Actor, Teacher & Coach Devielle Johnson: https://cinemascope.libsyn.com/cinemascope-april-22-2022-with-sag-aftra-actor-teacher-coach-devielle-johnson Filmmaker and Director SJ Chiro: https://cinemascope.libsyn.com/cinema-scope-for-january-21-2022-with-filmmaker-and-director-sj-chino

Industry executive, filmmaker and educator Christopher Lockhart is back on Cinema Scope! His February 2022 episode on how to successfully pitch films and series was one of Cinema Scope's most listened-to episodes ever. He's back to discuss his highly valuable (and completely free) group, The Inside Pitch, which is really "multiple master classes" for nearly 14,000 screenwriters and filmmakers to learn the art of pitching. Chris has 30-plus years of industry experience. He's read over 60,000 screenplays in his career. As Story Editor at William Morris Endeavor (WME), the world's largest diversified talent agency, he curates film and TV projects for A-list actors such as Denzel Washington. He is a member of the Writers Guild, the Producers Guild and the Television Academy. You can listen to his February 2022 episode here: https://cinemascope.libsyn.com/cinema-scope-for-february-4-2022-with-filmmaker-christopher-lockhart.

In this episode, SAG-AFTRA actor, director, producer and Breakthrough Reels Founder and Lead Editor Chris Bylsma discusses what actors and directors can do to dramatically improve their reels and clips, as well as actions that actors can take on set to become go-to actors for directors and producers.   Chris is known for his roles as "Sean Leibold” in El Camino, "Charlie Bowdre" in Vincent D'Onofrio's The Kid and "Pastor Garrett Moore" in Godless.

In this episode, SAG-AFTRA actor, Academy member, teacher and coach Devielle Johnson discusses his insights on resilience in this tough industry—as an actor, and specifically as an African-American actor. A professional actor for 17-plus years, Devielle splits his time between multiple markets. He's booked numerous film and television roles, from a recurring role on FOX's Lucifer to roles in Smallville, Grimm, Bates Motel and other episodics, to roles in films such as Interrogation. He trains with Margie Haber Studio in L.A. and is professionally trained in Meisner from Playhouse West and The Acting School. He's represented in the L.A., Vancouver, Seattle, Portland and New Mexico markets.

In this episode, producer, Cannes Producers Network Fellow and South by Southwest (SXSW) Mentor Roy Wol discusses his acclaimed production company, mentorship, innovative fundraising strategies, European vs. US film markets, and distribution's key role in telling globally important stories that bridge audiences.   Roy's most recent features are breaking ground: The Garden Left Behind won at SXSW and is considered by Rotten Tomatoes to be one of the best LGBTQ films ever made, and Americanish was the first-ever Muslim-American rom-com directed by an American-Muslim Hijabi woman.

In this episode, filmmaker Wes Hurley joins host Genevieve Trainor to discuss his life's story and how film helped him escape his harrowing existence in Russia. Potato Dreams of America is Wes's autobiographical coming-of-age dark comedy about a young, closeted Russian boy in the disintegrating USSR who, terrified of others finding out he's gay, escapes to the U.S. with his mother — a Russian prison doctor who becomes a mail-order bride.

Dr. James Wysong, Dean of Arts and Design at SFCC, and Milton Reiss, Co-Chair of the Film Department at SFCC, discuss their love of the science fiction genre. They share the surprising links between classic films like Metropolis and the pop culture of today. Stay tuned for part II of this fascinating conversation! In the second half of the show, Milton and James share details on local training opportunities within the NM film community.

In this episode, British-Nigerian casting director, actor, teacher, and producer Dr. Nike Imoru shares her thoughts with artists who may be struggling to find their place in the industry and in our creative world. Based in the Pacific Northwest U.S., she's helping to transform the industry and opportunities for fellow filmmakers and actors around the globe.

Orlando Skidmore is a Native American filmmaker and cinematographer in New Mexico. He owns the production company Mesa Mountain Film.

Groundbreaking researcher and best-selling author Dr. Christian Busch spent the past 10 years figuring out a science-based approach to creating good luck. He says we're looking at luck incorrectly. Connect the Dots: The Art and Science of Creating Good Luck is the culmination of his decade of research on serendipity, including his study of people who work in film. In this episode, we dive into how you can change your trajectory for the better by accelerating your good luck.

This week on Cinemascope, Milton and James discuss how different social issues are depicted by directors in their movies.  Plus, more about the importance of teaching on-set safety in film schools.

Agam Darshi is an actor, producer, writer and director known for the film Funny Boy by Deepa Mehta, and many TV shows including DMZ, Sanctuary and The Good Doctor. She makes her feature film debut as a director with the film Donkeyhead, available on Netflix, in which she also stars. 

Christopher Lockhart is Story Editor at WME and has over 30 years experience in the industry, curating scripts for celebrities including Denzel Washington. More information on his website www.christopherlockhart.com. His Facebook Group, The Inside Pitch, is a valuable place for screenwriters to learn the art of pitching. 

We introduce Cinemascope's two new co-hosts, Dr. James Wysong, Dean of Arts and Design at SFCC, and Milton Riess, Co-Chair of the Film Department at SFCC.  They will be joining the Cinemascope team the last Friday of every month.  Today they discuss Dr. Wysong's background and SFCC's Film Department.  Also, they announce the joint effort between Santa Fe County, SFCC's Film Department, and Stagecoach Foundation and the upcoming Production Assistant training program.  For details see: https://www.protecsantafe.com/