Annual film festival held in San Jose, California USA
POPULARITY
Joe Burke is the writer/director of Burt (2025), starring Oliver Cooper and Burt Berger. Shot on a $7,000 budget in just 7 days with a 3-person crew, the story follows Burt, a 69-year old street musician living with Parkinson's, and Sammy, a wayward young man from New York who shows up with the bombshell news that he is Burt's long lost son. The film premiered at Cinequest in San Jose to critical acclaim including the award for Best Narrative Feature: Comedy. It later won Best Picture and Best Acting Ensemble awards at the Phoenix Film Festival. On May 3rd, it had its LA premiere at the Fine Arts theater in Beverly Hills, which drew a packed crowd. Executive Producer David Gordon Green moderated a panel that consisted of Burt, Steven Levy, Oliver, composer Tim Rutili and other cast/crew. Joe Burke has also made a plethora of short films that can be found on his YouTube channel. One of the shorts, Another Cancer Movie (2013), features Burt Berger in a supporting role. Fast forward to Burt (2025) - Burke and Cooper crafted a film loosely based on Burt's real life, shining a light and keeping the focus on Burt's incredible character and not his diagnosis. The decision was made to portray the film in black and white, which adds great depth to the film's already heavy emotional value. Stay tuned for upcoming screening announcements, including another LA showing in June! For more info, visit Burtthemovie.com for up-to-date news. #KellensPettyTalkShow #BurtTheMovie
Se me surgió la oportunidad para cubrir un título del Cinequest de este año, llevado a cabo este pasado marzo, el mismo siendo el filme de horror sobrenatural titulado Voices Carry. Tan pronto el filme esté disponible para el público, les dejaré saber en las redes sociales.
This week we're covering the film Voices Carry straight out of Cinequest 2025. This film is written and directed by Abby Brenker and Ellyn Vander Wyden. Looking for a new beginning, Sam and Jack leave Boston and move into Sam's childhood home on a picturesque lake in New Hampshire. Despite the natural beauty and small-town charm, the couple struggles to adjust. Sam wrestles with her stagnant career and is forced to confront the traumatic events of her past. Where to find us: https://linktr.ee/Jumpscarepodcast #voicescarry #horrormovies #ghoststories #horrorpodcast #femaledirectedhorror #AbbyBrenker #EllynVanderwyden #moviereview #cinequest2025
In Abby Brenker and Ellyn Vander Wyden's VOICES CARRY, which premiered last Saturday, March 15 at the 2025 Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California, a woman (Gia Crovatin) returns to her lakefront childhood home, confronting the difficult memories of her mother's untimely death.Discovering an old diary in the shed, she's shocked to discover that not only did her mother write in it shortly before her death, but also did a slew of women, spanning back to the 1700s. What starts as historical intrigue devolves into potentially supernatural obsession as the history of trauma and secrets within the diary's pages leave her swearing she can hear the voices of these women calling to her from across the lake.VOICES CARRY is, at times, too tepidly paced for its own good. Are these voices real? Are they hallucinations of a stressed mind? This tightrope requires a delicate balance to get right but the movie almost goes too delicate, leaving the mystery up to expository dumps and a flurry of beautifully shot scenes that leave me cold.Don't get me wrong. I love Mauricio Vasquez's cinematography, mainly its voyeuristic approach and techniques that help translate the protagonist's state of mind. This lakefront property looks like a travel ad at times, it's so pristine.I think with this movie, the mileage may vary depending on where expectations lie. For those interested in how woman's mental health difficulties are misdiagnosed throughout history - witchcraft, hysteria, possession, etc. - this story may provide a valuable perspective. I just wish the movie also provided a propulsive quality.---Please rate, review & subscribe to The Movies wherever you listen to podcasts!Follow The Movies on Instagram & Bluesky: linktr.ee/themovies_pod
Today on Too Opinionated, we sit down with Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Nicole Betancourt whose documentary film THE UNFIXING premiered at CINEQUEST in Silicon Valley on Saturday, March 15th. The film is a poetic exploration of a mother's journey from illness to healing, framed by the intensifying global climate crisis. It presents a richly textured visual diary, capturing the intimate moments of Betancourt's personal struggles with a debilitating illness and the ripple effects on her family, all while engaging with larger ecological questions. As her body begins to break down, so too does the planet – both requiring a radical transformation and renewal. The film contains undercurrent themes pertaining to mental health, healthcare, and the environmental impacts of humanity. Nicole's creative projects have earned her many festival awards and recognition from The New York Times, Variety, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Her work has led to thousands of community events and discussions and she has spoken on panels and conducted workshops for numerous institutions, including the Sundance International Film Festival, Independent Feature Project, Ford Foundation and Columbia University. She is a Sustainability Leaders Network Fellow and has served on juries and panels for film institutions and competitions including the Emmy awards and New York State Council of the Arts. Nicole also served as Vice President of Membership for the board of New York Women in Film and Television. Want to watch: YouTube Meisterkhan Pod (Please Subscribe)
Don Hardy is an award-winning filmmaker known for his powerful documentaries that shed light on diverse societal topics. As a director, producer, and cinematographer, Hardy has worked on impactful films such as Citizen Penn, Linda Perry: Let It Die Here, and most recently, Bar. He has earned six regional Emmys and significant film festival awards. Hardy's career has been defined by following dreams, taking risks, and making connections. His documentaries reflect a deep desire to understand human experiences and share complex, nuanced stories that might otherwise go untold.Hardy's latest film, Bar, will premiere at the California Theater in Downtown San Jose on March 14 and 23 as part of the 2025 Cinequest Film Festival. Bar was filmed on-site during a five-day intensive bartending training program at the Culinary Institute of America in New York City. Graduates of this program have gone on to run top bars and spirits brands and lead the non-alcoholic beverage revolution. The film provides insight into the hospitality industry by focusing on five main characters in the high-pressure environment of learning complex skills.In this conversation, award-winning filmmaker Don Hardy discusses his journey to following his dreams, his connections throughout his career, and the Cinequest world premiere of his newest film, Bar.Follow Don Hardy on Instagram @iamdonhardy | ktffilms.comLearn more about Cinequest Film Festival and schedule at: cinequest.orgRead more about Cinequest co-founders Kathleen Powell and Halfdan Hussey from our 2015 Article: https://www.content-magazine.com/articles/cinequest
Georgie chats to writer and director Jessica Benhamou and actors Jordan Luke Gage and James Craven about their time making the short film 'Alchemy of the Word'. It will premiere at Cinequest on March 15th!
Today on the show we have Jim Mercurio. Jim is a filmmaker, writer, and author whose screenwriting instruction has inspired tens of thousands of writers around the world. Creative Screenwriting ranked him as one of the country's top story analysts:“The best example of how an analyst can give concrete help without veering off the track of your story... (Jim) is not just telling you how to rewrite a particular script... but how to apply it to future work as well.”Jim works with Oscar-nominated and A-List writers as well as complete beginners. He adapts to each writer and script.Jim is a true champion for undiscovered writers and filmmakers. He produced Hard Scrambled which, like the horror-thriller he directed Last Girl, was discovered in a contest. The film stars Kurtwood Smith (That 70's Show) and indie stalwart Richard Edson. It premiered at Cinequest and won Best Dramatic Feature at Garden State Film Festival. His experience as a filmmaker informs his approach to the material. He helps you to execute your vision with vivid and cinematic storytelling that can attract allies like directors and producers.He directed more than 60 hours of Screenwriting education including the first 40 Workshops in the Screenwriting Expo Series including classes by some of the other top screenwriting teachers in the world.His own course Killer Endings was one of the best sellers from the collection. He wrote and directed Making Hard Scrambled Movies, filmmaking tutorials, as bonus material for Hard Scrambled's original release.The Washington Post called them “a must for would-be filmmakers.” Inspired by his work on the Expo series, Jim applied his entrepreneurial “go big or go home” attitude to the six-disc DVD set Complete Screenwriting: From A to Z to A-List, a behemoth of screenwriting instruction. It is one of the most comprehensive screenwriting resources in the world. It's a fast and furious ten hours with an hour of stunning motion graphics that help to explain seldom-discussed topics like theme, concept and character orchestration.Jim wrote The Craft of Scene Writing: Beat by Beat to a Better Script, the first-ever screenwriting book that focuses solely on scene writing.Together, Jim's course and book illustrate his forte, to illustrate advanced craft and nitty-gritty insight essential for mastery of screenwriting craft.Enjoy my conversation with Jim Mercurio.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.
For the past thirteen years, Brittani Ward has built an impressive career, working on projects of every size. Extensive casting associate work under Emmy-award winners (Barbara Fiorentino, Amber Horn, Danielle Aufiero, Laray Mayfield, and Julie Schubert) includes one season of every Marvel/Netflix series, 50 Shades of Gray Darker and Freed, Death Note, two Jason Statham-led features, and prestigious television pilots and series. As an independent casting director, Brittani found her niche in high-level casting strategy relative to film financing, which has segued into producing. In 2022, she partnered up with Angie Gaffney to produce feature film Single Car Crashes (which she also wrote and directed; won the 'Best New Vision' jury award at its World Premiere at Cinequest), Desire Lines (won the Special Jury award in the 'Next' section at Sundance), another feature (in post-production), and several proof-of-concept web series and shorts. Today, Brittani lives with her husband and their daughter in Chicago. Brittani is a fierce proponent of diversity & inclusion, and prides herself on being intuitive, discerning, constructive, and accessible. Resources: Brittani Ward's Instagram Brittani Ward's IMDB Single Car Crashes Q&A ──────────────────────────── Stay Tuned with Tipsy Casting on IG Watch the Tipsy Casting YouTube Channel Follow Jessica & Follow Jenn Learn More About Jess & Jenn's Casting Journeys Get Casting Life Away Merch here!
Mac reviews the 13 film he saw at this years Cinequest Film Festival in Downtown San Jose, including films featuring Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller & Tim Blake Nelson.
Mac & Joe are back and the pair review Dune : Part Two!! James Gunn renames his Superman film & the pair look forward to Cinequest. Dreamworks Land in Universal Studios Orlando finally announces land specific details & Mac gives the final part of his history of Disney California Adventure.
Mac & Joe are back and discuss Universal's bombshell news about its latest theme park in Florida, "Epic Universe!". Mac reviews Argylle & the pair review Sam Rockwell's top 5 films. James Gunn cast his Supergirl & Netflix drops a 2024 tease. Cinequest is coming and tickets are on sale!! Plus, some incredibly sad news as we mourn the passing of Carl Weathers.
Chen Drachman is an Israeli-American, award-winning actress and filmmaker based in NYC.She was a film and TV major in high school in Israel specializing in scriptwriting, producing and editing. She became a permanent resident through an application of excellence in the field of production. Her acting credits include Last Week Tonight, and The Path, starring Aaron Paul. Chen's first film, The Book of Ruth, starring Tony and Emmy Awards nominee, Tovah Feldshuh, has been in numerous festivals in the U.S. and abroad, including Cinequest, the Chelsea Film Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival and more. The film won Best Narrative Short at the San Diego Jewish Film Festival, Best Family Short at the Deep in the Heart Film Festival, Best Narrative Short at the South Dakota Film Festival, and more. Since it concluded its run at the festival circuit, it had more than 125K views online through Omeleto. Her second film, But I'm a Shoe, starring The Legend of Korra's Janet Varney, won Best Script at the SENE Film Festival and is set to premiere in late 2023. www.chendrachman.com
Ran Li is a BA Law graduate of Tsinghua University and MA Film Directing graduate of Prague Film School! Her previous short films were selected in more than 60 international film festivals and won over 20 awards worldwide, including SXSW and Shanghai International Film Festival! Her debut feature film Till Love Do Us Part was world premiered in Warsaw Film Festival 2022 and was nominated Best Film and had it's United States Premiere at Cinequest 2023. .
During today's show, we will be talking about Cinequest, a movie festival that embodies the spirit of Silicon Valley. For that, we will be talking with Mr. Halfdan Hussey, one of its co-founders and CEO. Halfdan (hallf' dun) Hussey is the Co-Founder and Director of Cinequest Inc. and CEO of Cinequest Mavericks Studio LLC (CMS). He is also a renowned writer and film producer. Cinequest has been around for decades and has evolved with the times. Under its umbrella, it brings awards, recognitions, educational opportunities, and creative inspiration to a wide range of participants. Nestled in the vibrant heart of Silicon Valley, CINEQUEST seamlessly melds the forces of innovation and the arts to catalyze extraordinary creations and captivate a diverse spectrum of audiences, bringing youth, artists, and visionaries alike, all while engendering profound community bonds through storytelling. This dynamic process fosters elation and nurtures a profound sense of belonging. Cinequest actively cultivates global networks among creators, innovators, emerging talents, and discerning audiences, boldly asserting its leadership on the world stage. By championing and embracing the trailblazing innovations that have fundamentally revolutionized the panorama of creative expression and cinematic media, they consistently reinforce their commanding presence within the international sphere of influence. Cinequest [...]
Matt Orenstein is a Los Angeles-based composer. He has scored several shorts, features, and trailers, and has written music for branded content from companies including Mercedes-Benz, Square, and DoorDash.Films with Matt's scores have screened at several film festivals around the world, including Mostra São Paulo, Prix Videoformes (Paris), Chicago Independent Film Festival, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Cinequest and SXSW. In 2022, he scored the Webby-nominated documentary short “Nearside: Pink Mahogany,” directed by Max Gold.Matt got his start as a bass player in the relentlessly experimental Minneapolis music scene as an adolescent in the early 2000's, the spirit of which he carried with him to Oberlin, OH. While at Oberlin Conservatory, he studied bass with Peter Dominguez (and Eddie Gomez during Dominguez's sabbatical), studied electronic music and composition, and played in as many different kinds of ensembles as he could. He spent 2011 to 2015 in Chicago, where he worked as a teacher, composer, songwriter, sound designer, and instrumentalist. Matt's work and performances have seen favorable coverage in several publications, including The New York Times, The LA Times, Entertainment Weekly, and the Allmusic Guide. He has worked with Four Larks, Laboratory Dancers (Chicago), Le Tour, Oberlin Dance Company, Fonema Consort, Jacaranda Music, High Concept Laboratories, Access Contemporary Music, Death & Pretzels, Sheet Ghosts, Naomi Greene, Lyris Quartet, Antonio Lysy, and several other artist and groups around the Minneapolis, Oberlin, Chicago, and Los Angeles areas. Matt has toured the country several times under several different banners, including his longtime project Lionel O, which released six albums between 2006-15.
Matheus Bastos is director of photography based in New York and Los Angeles. Growing up as the first generation child of immigrants, he found an avenue into the arts and a passion for storytelling at a young age, entertaining himself with films and music.His work has played at multiple film festivals around the world such as SXSW, Tribeca Film Festival, Cinequest, Cannes Court Metrage, as well as Rolling Stone, Billboard, Revolver, and more.EPISODE LINKS: Matt's Website: http://www.matheusbastos.com/ Matt's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matt_bastos/ Matt's VERY old Tumblr: https://mattpbastos.tumblr.com/MORE ABOUT “NO SET PATH” Website: nosetpath.com Instagram: instagram.com/nosetpath YouTube: youtube.com/@nosetpathFOLLOW DREW ENGLISH Instagram: instagram.com/drewenglishh LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drewenglish Twitter: twitter.com/thedrewenglish Website: drewenglish.com
Phillip Botello was told NOT TO EVEN TRY to become an actor. He beat the odds. He braved his way and his acting credits are growing. @phillipandrebotello Phillip is best known for his role in THE ART OF DEFENSE, opposite Jesse Eisenberg, SUNSET ON THE RIVER STYX, and PLEDGE. He recently won an award for Best Actor for the films TWENTY NINE and FREE PASS!! He recently premiered his third film as an actor at San Jose's CINEQUEST film fest: FALLEN DRIVE
Mac & Joe for a very special episode in which we give out thoughts on 10 Cinequest films.For more information on please visit : http://www.cinequest.org
Mac & Joe are back to promote one more time, Cinequest!!! Disney invests more in A.I. while the Emmys are officially delayed. We look at Will Ferrell's 5 greatest performances & review Grand Turismo. Sprinkle in some recommendations and the pair give attraction history for two of Universal Studios' most popular attractions.
Want to watch the video version of this podcast? Please visit Youtube here: https://youtu.be/EtPv_ppbN0E 0:00 - 3 Reasons Why Filmmakers Should Hire A Producer's Rep 9:14 - 3 Reasons Why You Should Submit To Film Festivals 22:38 - Harsh Truths About Selling A Movie 34:28 - What Filmmakers Don't Understand About Distribution 48:03 - Why 86 Percent Of Filmmakers Don't Trust Film Distributors 1:00:13 - How Much Money Do Independent Movies Make? 1:11:05 - 10 Minute Rule For Filmmakers According To A Producer's Rep 1:24:55 - Honest Truth About Getting A Movie On Netflix 1:37:38 - How To Maximize The Money You Make When Selling A Movie 1:46:42 - How Movies Make Their Money Back Glen Reynolds founded Circus Road Films in 2006 to provide strategic advisory services to filmmakers. Circus Road guides filmmakers through the festival and distribution process and negotiates licensing agreements on their behalf. Glen has participated in the sales of over 900 narrative and documentary feature films with many of them premiering at Sundance, Slamdance, SXSW, Cinequest, Tribeca, Hot Docs, Fantastic, Telluride and Toronto. Distributors of these films include Fox, Sony, Warner Bros, Universal, Lions Gate, Magnolia, IFC, Strand, Oscilloscope, Drafthouse, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Showtime, Starz, Lifetime, ESPN and Syfy. Some favorite films sold include the first films of some successful filmmakers such as Absentia, written and directed by Mike Flanagan (Midnight Mass); Pop Skull, written and directed by Adam Wingard (Godzilla vs Kong); and Newlyweeds, written and directed by Shaka King. (Judas and the Black Messiah). Recent work includes Clean (Tribeca/IFC) with Adrien Brody, My Dead Dad and 18½ with Willa Fitzgerald (101 Films). Glen has also co-produced twenty films to date including his favorite Conversations with Other Women which premiered at Telluride and stars Aaron Eckhart, Helena Bonham Carter, and Olivia Wilde. Other great production experiences include developing two projects with Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) and co-producing five films with Ram Bergman (Knives Out, Star Wars: The Last Jedi). Glen holds a JD from the University of Texas at Austin, a BA in English from NYU and is a graduate of the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. He serves as a judge for the UCLA Screenwriting Competition and on the jury for the Woods Hole Film Festival. MORE VIDEOS WITH GLEN REYNOLDS https://bit.ly/3idqRHf CONNECT WITH GLEN REYNOLDS http://www.circusroadfilms.com https://www.instagram.com/circusroadfilms https://www.facebook.com/filmsales https://twitter.com/CircusRoadFilms (Affiliates) SAVE $15 ON YOUTUBE TV - LIMITED TIME OFFER https://tv.youtube.com/referral/r0847ysqgrrqgp ►WE USE THIS CAMERA (B&H) – https://buff.ly/3rWqrra ►WE USE THIS SOUND RECORDER (AMAZON) – http://amzn.to/2tbFlM9 SUPPORT FILM COURAGE BY BECOMING A MEMBER https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs8o1mdWAfefJkdBg632_tg/join CONNECT WITH FILM COURAGE http://www.FilmCourage.com http://twitter.com/#!/FilmCourage SUBSCRIBE TO THE FILM COURAGE YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://bit.ly/18DPN37 Stuff we use: LENS - Most people ask us what camera we use, no one ever asks about the lens which filmmakers always tell us is more important. This lens was a big investment for us and one we wish we could have made sooner. Started using this lens at the end of 2013 - http://amzn.to/2tbtmOq AUDIO Rode VideoMic Pro - The Rode mic helps us capture our backup audio. It also helps us sync up our audio in post https://amzn.to/425k5rG Audio Recorder - If we had to do it all over again, this is probably the first item we would have bought - https://amzn.to/3WEuz0k LIGHTS - Although we like to use as much natural light as we can, we often enhance the lighting with this small portable light. We have two of them and they have saved us a number of times - http://amzn.to/2u5UnHv *These are affiliate links, by using them you can help support this channel.
Mac & Joe are back and so is Cinequest!! Cinequest runs August 14th through August 30th & you can get tickets and informational cinequest.orgg . The pair talk about "The O.C"s 20th anniversary & rank the top 5 Morgan Freeman films with some controversy in Macs' rankings. Plus, Mac gives reviews of 5 films, including the incredibly anticipated (by Mac) "Haunted Mansion".
Episode #99 - Athenna Crosby, TV Host/Journalist, Actress, and Model Athenna Crosby devotes her time to inspiring young women and positively impacting the world through modeling, acting, and entertainment journalism. Her San Jose roots keep her grounded in her mission. She recalls, “[San Jose] is just a bunch of hard-working people who go to their nine to five and put food on the table for their families.”Pageantry called to Crosby after she discovered the significance of pageant competitions in her mother's native Venezuelan culture. Venezuelan women often utilize pageants to guide their families out of poverty. Crosby began participating in pageants at 14 and later won Miss California Teen, Miss Teen San Jose, and Miss Congeniality. Her experience in pageantry enabled her to create long-lasting friendships and connections. Currently, Crosby is the spokesperson for San Jose's Cinequest Film Festival. Her initial encounter with Cinequest was through a summer camp in high school hosted by the company, which resulted in one of her proudest successes. As Cinequest spokesperson, she spreads the word about the festival and the importance of film.Get your tickets and passes on cinequest.org and enjoy food, drinks, and entertainment at Cinequest's summertime film festival. @athennacrosby TV Host/Journalist @hotinhollywoodtv @cinequestorg @heartstringsstories Actress @kitinternationaltalent Model @therossagencyincHappening The Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival August 15-30 CinequestOrg ________________________________ #Contentpicks #contentmag #film #cinematography #theater #actress #model #journalist #cinequest #siliconvalley --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/content-magazine/support
Glen Reynolds, Founder and Producer of Circus Road Films, discusses with Jan Price his company, Circle Road Films, whose mission is to provide clear, honest, strategic advice to independent filmmakers and champion their work to the industry.Glen Reynolds founded Circus Road Films in 2006 to provide strategic advisory services to filmmakers. Circus Road guides filmmakers through the festival and distribution process and negotiates licensing agreements on their behalf. Glen has participated in the sales of over 900 narrative and documentary feature films, with many of them premiering at Sundance, Slamdance, SXSW, Cinequest, Tribeca, Hot Docs, Fantastic, Telluride, and Toronto. Distributors of these films include Fox, Sony, Warner Bros, Universal, Lions Gate, Magnolia, IFC, Strand, Oscilloscope, Drafthouse, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Showtime, Starz, Lifetime, ESPN, and Syfy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Step right up, folks! This week on Documentary First, we're shaking things up and diving into the world of narrative filmmaking. Our special guest is none other than D. Mitry, a talented writer, director, and producer whose short films have won international acclaim. D. Mitry's new film, “Hedgehog”, is taking the festival circuit by storm, and he's here to share his top three tools for any filmmaker looking to create a powerful, impactful story. But first, let's talk about D. Mitry's fascinating backstory. Born in the Soviet Union, D. Mitry didn't launch his filmmaking dream until 2015, but since then, his work has made waves across the globe. He's the mastermind behind “My True Fairytale”, a feature film that pays tribute to his daughter Alyssa after her tragic passing. This deeply personal project was acquired for worldwide distribution by Gravitas Ventures and had its world premiere at Cinequest in March 2021. Now D. Mitry has a new film on the horizon: “Hedgehog”. This short film explores the conflict between Ukrainian and Russian forces through the eyes of a young girl and a wounded soldier. D. Mitry discusses the challenges of telling a powerful story with minimal words and allowing images and stillness to speak for themselves. He emphasizes the importance of building a strong "movie family" of passionate collaborators who share a love for the project. And what about those top three tools for filmmakers? D. Mitry's first tool is "Economy of Writing," which means using every element of your story to its fullest potential to avoid overwriting. This is especially important for indie filmmakers who must be resourceful and conscientious about their budget. His second tool describes "movie family" as a group of collaborators who share a love for the project and thus can weather any challenges that come their way. Finally, D. Mitry stresses the importance of choosing a story that speaks to one on a personal level and has the power to make an impact in the world. So buckle up, folks, and get ready for a thrilling ride through the world of narrative filmmaking with D. Mitry on Documentary First! Social Media Links for The Hedgehog Film Website: https://www.thehedgehogfilm.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehedgehogfilm/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHedgehogFilm ** DocuView Déjà Vu: Dmitry: “Reggie's Forest” & “The Girl Who Wore Freedom” Reggie's Forest IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14014074/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 The Girl Who Wore Freedom: https://thegirlwhoworefreedom.com/ Jason: The Prestige TV Podcast - Episodes discussing Season 4 of “Barry” on HBO - Discussions with the director and actor. Link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ggiKF2wHHPcbyRAYbJO4o?si=94f568975f2d4571 Christian: "Eyewitness: D-Day", 2019, 44 mins IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10885884/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Quick Company Update: On May 19, 2023, the Doc First team will be attending the 80th Anniversary Ball for the 101st Airborne Division at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN which is open to anyone in the community (Tickets for “Community Invitees” are $105). The next day, May 20th, there will be a screening of "The Girl Who Wore Freedom" at the 101st Airborne home in Fort Campbell, Kentucky (Follow our socials for more details). Christian will be attending both events and then heading to Normandy for D-Day with World War II veterans on a Delta charter flight. Thanks to a wonderful partner at the 101st ABD (Air Assault), we are collaborating with the division on Instagram, as they share our micro-docs to raise awareness and build our audience. We encourage you to follow our journey on Instagram (@documentaryfirst), Facebook (Documentary First), Twitter (@doc_first), and TikTok (@documentaryfirst). 00:00 - 02:52 - Introduction 02:52 - D. Mitry's Bio 03:34 - The Hedgehog Film Synopsis 04:34 - Christian & Jason share their experience of viewing Hedgehog. 13:30 - Toolkit item number 3 - Story (Part 1) 14:25 - Toolkit item number 1 - Economic Writing 24:21 - Toolkit time number 2 - A Movie Family 34:35 - Toolkit time number 3 - Story (part 2) 36:32 - Jason asks about D. Mitry's vision and what actually made it to the screen 39:05 - Christian shares what she thinks is D. Mitry's best tool. 39:50 - The film festival run for The Hedgehog Film 42:21 - Praise and thanks for family, cast & crew - it takes “a movie family” 45:37 - DocuView Déjà Vu 51:32 - A quick update
Erica is a fifth-generation Chinese American director based out of Los Angeles. Her film “Americanized” based on her experiences playing high school basketball has taken home 25 awards including Palm Springs International ShortFest, Bentonville Film Festival, and the Oscar-qualifying award at Cinequest. Erica's love for film started at a young age with her love for TV and cartoons blossoming into a curiosity which was nurtured through her school eventually leading her to work at local a local tv station; where she learned cinematography opening her eyes up to the world of film and eventually set her on her path to becoming a music video director. She discusses the challenges she faced as a woman in film school and the film industry and how she overcame those challenges. She talks about how her film about her life stories as a Chinese American now has a place in the industry due to the new found appreciation of Asian American films such as Crazy Rich Asian and The Farewell. More so, the lack of work as a director is what motivated her to be the one moving her career forward and we get to learn a lot more about how she was able to develop this breakthrough film.
Jenna Suru is an auteur, director and entrepreneur based in Paris, France.Starting her career in International Sales at Gaumont, Jenna was on the team responsible for the launch of the In Development Forum series at the Cannes MIP Markets before founding the Paris International Film Festival (PIFF). Now in its 5th year, Suru has grown PIFF to a multi-day celebration of cinema, screening 60+ films from around the world, including hosting the World Premiere of the feature projects KISS THE GROUND, the award-winning environmental documentary, currently on Netflix, and Nóra Lakos's romantic modern tale, CREAM, now streaming on HBO.Through her production company, Belle Époque Films, Jenna has produced and directed short form and feature length projects, working with actors such as Robert Sheehan (Red Sonja, The Umbrella Academy, Robot Chicken) and with brands such as Canal+, Pathé, Panavision, Gibson Guitars, and Zeiss to name a few. Suru's directorial debut, l'Âge d'Or screened at festivals worldwide, including the Academy Award ® qualifying Cinequest in San Jose, CA. Additionally, Ms. Suru continues to give back to the film community by acting as juror and keynote speaker for film festivals such as Cannes and Sundance. For more information: info@belleepoquefilms.com JENNA SURU:jennasuru.comIG | @jennasurureal , Twitter | @jennasuru, Facebook | Jenna SuruPARIS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL:parisintlfest.comIG | @parisintlfest , Twitter | @parisintlfest, Facebook | Paris Intl FestBELLE EPOQUE FILMS: @bellepoquefilms across all platforms (Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook)L'ÂGE D'OR FILM:@lagedorfilm across all platforms (Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook)
Today on the show we have award-winning filmmaker, actress, author, speaker, women in film activist and force of nature Naomi McDougall Jones. Many of the IFH Tribe might remember Naomi from her first appearance on the show talking about her distribution adventures with her film Bite Me. You can listen to that episode here: Making Money Self Distributing Your Indie Film with Naomi McDougall JonesBite Me, is a subversive romantic comedy about a real-life vampire and the IRS agent who audits her. The film premiered at Cinequest, won Best Feature Film at VTXIFF, and then went on to the innovative, paradigm-shifting Joyful Vampire Tour of America in summer 2019, a 51-screening, 40-city, three-month, RV-fueled eventized tour that involved Joyful Vampire Balls, capes, a docu-series and a whole lot of joy. Naomi's first book, The Wrong Kind of Women: Inside Our Revolution to Dismantle the Gods of Hollywood, is now available wherever books are sold in hardcover, audiobook, and e-book. It debuted as the #1 New Release on Amazon. It is a brutally honest look at the systemic exclusion of women in film—an industry with massive cultural influence—and how, in response, women are making space in cinema for their voices to be heard.Naomi has been a vocal advocate for bringing gender parity to film, both on and off-screen. She has spoken at film festivals and conferences around the world and written extensively on this subject. Naomi's TEDTalk on these issues and what to do about them, “What it's Like to Be a Woman in Hollywood, has been viewed over a million times. Enjoy my eye-opening conversation with Naomi McDougall Jones.
Well, it's that time of year again when filmmakers around the world get that dreaded rejection letter from the Sundance Film Festival. Below is my rejection email:RE: On the Corner of Ego and DesireDear Alex,On behalf of the entire Programming team for the Sundance Film Festival, thank you for allowing us to consider your film for the 2019 edition of the Festival. Unfortunately, we were unable to include it in our program this year. Ultimately, we are forced to make many difficult decisions throughout our process, and we consider ourselves lucky to have the opportunity to view the latest work from the independent creative community.We received a record number of submissions this year (over 14,200), and the number of worthy projects submitted to us is far higher than the number of slots available in our Festival program. The level of quality displayed in the projects we receive is higher each and every year, so it is never an easy process. We wish you the best of luck with your film going forward and we are excited see more of your work in the future.Sincerely,John CooperDirector, Sundance Film FestivalDid you read that, 14,200 submissions? Getting into Sundance is a lottery ticket for sure but it isn't as important as it used to be. Here's what Mark Duplass wrote about it:Annual Sundance Film Festival rejection reminder: Sundance is awesome, but Sundance is not everything. So many incredible films don't make the cut. Don't let it get you down. If you believe in your film, keep pushing forward. There are so many new ways to get it there. Good luck! - Mark DuplassMy indie films have played in over 500 international film festival around the world and it has been a great experience and I've even been in a few big festivals like Raindance and Cinequest. I've also been rejected by EVERY major film festival in the world. SXSW, Berlin, Cannes, Toronto, AFI and the list goes on.Film festivals are great. I loved them so much my recent film, which got that Sundance rejection email, On the Corner of Ego and Desire, was a love letter to film festivals, Sundance and Independent filmmakers everywhere.You have to understand that film festivals are not the only way to get your films out there anymore. Sure, getting into Sundance would be AMAZING but alas it wasn't meant to be and you know what...it's OK. This should stop you from moving forward on your filmmaking journey. Festivals are run by people with tastes and opinions. Those tastes might not be in line with your tastes and that's OK.Maybe you made an amazing film but there were three other films about the same subject so they had to flip a coin. I decided to make this episode as a therapy session for any filmmaker who has been rejected from Sundance or any film festivals.I hope it helps. KEEP ON HUSTLIN' NO MATTER WHAT! Keep that dream ALIVE.
Today on the show we have award-winning filmmaker, actress, author, speaker, women in film activist and force of nature Naomi McDougall Jones. Many of the IFH Tribe might remember Naomi from her first appearance on the show talking about her distribution adventures with her film Bite Me. You can listen to that episode here: Making Money Self Distributing Your Indie Film with Naomi McDougall JonesBite Me, is a subversive romantic comedy about a real-life vampire and the IRS agent who audits her. The film premiered at Cinequest, won Best Feature Film at VTXIFF, and then went on to the innovative, paradigm-shifting Joyful Vampire Tour of America in summer 2019, a 51-screening, 40-city, three-month, RV-fueled eventized tour that involved Joyful Vampire Balls, capes, a docu-series and a whole lot of joy. Naomi's first book, The Wrong Kind of Women: Inside Our Revolution to Dismantle the Gods of Hollywood, is now available wherever books are sold in hardcover, audiobook, and e-book. It debuted as the #1 New Release on Amazon. It is a brutally honest look at the systemic exclusion of women in film—an industry with massive cultural influence—and how, in response, women are making space in cinema for their voices to be heard.Naomi has been a vocal advocate for bringing gender parity to film, both on and off-screen. She has spoken at film festivals and conferences around the world and written extensively on this subject. Naomi's TEDTalk on these issues and what to do about them, "What it's Like to Be a Woman in Hollywood, has been viewed over a million times. Enjoy my eye-opening conversation with Naomi Mcdougall Jones.
Indie Film Hustle® Podcast Archives: Film Distribution & Marketing
Adventures at Cinequest with the Cast of This is MegIt's a been a long journey but This is Meg finally had it's World Premiere at the Cinequest. I was fortunate enough to have a bunch of the cast make the trek up to San Jose, CA from Los Angeles. We had an amazing time. Cinequest really loves and supports filmmakers. They treated us like royalty.So in between screening, parties, and meetings I grabbed the cast: Joseph Reitman, Jill-Michelle Meleán, Lahna Turner, Holly Wortell and Ruben Dario and did an impromptu podcast in our hotel room. We discussed the festival, their experiences working on This is Meg, what the state of the biz is and much more.This episode is educational and funny but a bit "blue" in its language so if you are a parent you've been warned. Enjoy my conversation with the cast of This is Meg.Right click here to download the MP3Download on iTunes DirectWatch on IFH YouTube ChannelLINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEThis is MegThis is Meg Cinequest - TicketsJoseph ReitmanLahna TurnerHolly WortellJill-Michele MeleánRuben DarioPerfect 10 Podcast with Lahna TurnerLimeade - Comedy for mature audiences only!IFH 120: What the HECK is a Scriptment?Cinequest - Film FestivalSPONSORSDirecting Actors Master Course – (30% OFF – CODE: HUSTLE)Get Your Film on Netflix, Hulu & Amazon & Keep 100% off the Revenue - DistribberHollywood Camera Work: Mastering High-End Blocking and Staging (30% OFF – CODE: HUSTLE)Aaron Sorkin Screenwriting Master ClassFreeFilmBook.com (Download Your FREE Filmmaking Audio Book)KILLER RESOURCES!!!INDIE FILM SYNDICATE Filmmaking CommunityIFH's Online Film SchoolSix Secrets to get into Film Festivals for FREE!Action Items:Subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud or via RSSBONUS: TOP TEN Online Filmmaking Courses
Shopping Cart People presents an unflinching exploration of people living in today's world as homeless and those advocating for them. Stories are told, lives are shared, as a filmmaker delves into a community's efforts to help those without a voice and protect their belongings. You'll see interviews with community members and activists as they grapple with this controversial issue. https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/shopping-cart-people-trailer https://matthewtoffolo.com/2022/07/28/interview-with-filmmaker-duffy-hecht-shopping-cart-people/ Director BIO: As a producer, Duffy's films include the independent feature “First, Last and Deposit.” Peter Marin of Atlantic Magazine called it “the best movie about the homeless since Midnight Cowboy.” After winning awards at the San Francisco and New York City Independent Film Festivals, “FLD” became a popular staple on TV's Independent Film Channel. His next two films were with with writer-director Stuart Gordon (Honey I Shrunk The Kids, Re-Animator). Their first project was the film version of Charlie Higson's novel “King Of The Ants,” followed by “Edmond,” written by Pulitzer-prize winner David Mamet. “Edmond” featuring William H. Macy (Best Actor winner at Mar del Plata and Newport Beach), Julia Stiles, Joe Mantegna and Mena Suvari. His films and videos have screened at many of the world's great film festivals including Venice, Telluride, Seattle, Sitges, Leeds, the Berlin Film Market (sponsored by IFP and Kodak), Vienna, Deauville, Santa Barbara (twice), Seattle, Rio De Janeiro, Puchon (Korea), Cinequest as well as IndieFests in the US and abroad. A life-long political activist, Duffy served on the board of the Santa Barbara Legal Defense Center. This activist spirit is reflected in his directing debut, “The 8th Street Bridge,” as well as his next directing effort, “Occupy Santa Barbara.” Both were Official Selections of The Santa Barbara Film Festival. In 2020, Duffy Produced and Directed the documentary “Our Two Years With Trump” which screened at film festivals in Los Angeles, Taos, Prague and Bengal, India, winning awards for Best Documentary and Raising Social Awareness. His latest documentary as Producer/Director is “Shopping Cart People” a look at an underreported segment of the homeless community. This project reunites Duffy with composer Bobby Johnston (This American Life, Wristcutters) for their third project together. Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it's only $3.99 per month. Subscribe to the podcast: https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/ https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod
#87 - Angela Ostermeier - VP of Development, Cinequest Angela joined the Cinequest team as the Events & Development Manager in 2018 and has expanded her role and responsibilities to VP of Development. Angela works closely with sponsors, venue locations, and VIPs to ensure that Cinequest events such as Maverick Meet-Ups, Nightly VIP Soirees, and Opening & Closing night parties go off without a hitch. She prides herself on her attention to detail and drive to make each year's CQFF a success. In our conversation, we learn about Angela's interests in the film industry, her experiences before coming to Cinequest, and her plans and ambitions in the world of filmmaking. She also gives us some insight into the year's in-person festival, her favorite film, and announces the new Cinequest Beer/Wine Garden, which ones today (8/16/22) and runs 11:30a to 7p daily through the festival. The Unzipped Pavilion is a great venue to meet visiting artists and each other over affordable kraft drinks, food trucks, and entertainment. (Located at the stunning new Unzipped Pavilion, across from the California Theatre at 350 S. 1st Street 95113.) Recorded in the Media Lounge at AC Hotel by Marriott Sunnyvale Moffett Park. (Sidenote: I mistakenly call the AC at the "Marriott Park." That is incorrect, is it the AC Hotel by Marriott Sunnyvale Moffett Park) Beverage: AC Hotel Signature Cocktail - a refreshing Cucumber Gin and Tonic Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival Summer 2022 will feature 450 artists arriving to present the world's finest new films in downtown San Jose and Campbell. Cinequest In Person, August 16-29 cinequest.org IG: cinequestorg --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/content-magazine/support
Listen to our interview with writer/director Mikey Murray about his debut film, Mind-Set (2022). A contemporary and innovative kitchen-sink comedy/drama, this independent British production is currently on a Q&A tour in the UK with dates set in August for Cinequest. You can find our reviews, articles and much more at: reelreviewing.com facebook.com/reelreviewing twitter.com/reelreviewing instagram.com/reelreviewing Intro/Outro music by TheQLon.
We are living in a crazy world, my friends. I wanted to do an episode on the effect the Coronavirus is having, not only on the film industry at large but also on how it will affect the indie filmmaker. With major events canceled like SXSW, MIPTV, and Cinequest, indie filmmakers are already feeling the effect. Twenty four of the largest theater owners in China have pulled out of CinemaCon, the largest convention of international theatrical exhibitors. Is the Cannes Film Festival and Market next?Production has stopped on Mission Impossible 7, which was shooting in Italy and the extremely popular The Amazing Race reality show has been suspended. The new James Bond film No Time to Die has been pushed until Nov 2020. Disney's Mulan, which is a love letter to the Chinese market has canceled it's China premiere and the release date in the US is up in the air.The Chinese box office has been at a standstill. 70,000 screens have been closed since January with no word when they will open. This has cost $2 billion in lost revenue to the Chinese and world film industry. The worldwide box office has lost $4 billion to date and growing each day. The theatrical box office was down 26.6% vs 2018 and this could be a MAJOR nail in the coffin of an already vulnerable theatrical business. We are in crazy times, my tribe.In this episode, I go over how this event is affecting indie filmmakers, what they can do to prepare, adjust and/or pivot in the coming weeks and months. It has never been more important for filmmakers to adopt the Filmtrepreneurial Method. Diversification of revenue streams is the only way filmmakers can hedge their bets in the uncertain times ahead.Sit back, pull up a stiff drink and take a listen.
A talk programme dedicated to films and television shows, presented by Marcus Ako, Laura Sampson and David Campbell, on Resonance 104.4FM at 7pm (UK) on Fridays. Podcast episodes available from Monday morning at 00:30 (UK) #ItsAllAboutThe3Way #ShootTheBreezeShow #TheIdiotOnTheWritersBlock Reach us on Twitter, on Facebook, email shootthebreezonresonance104.4@gmail.com or Instagram In the 11th-season's twentieth episode, Marcus and Producer Dave talks with filmmaker and friend of the show - Jenna Suru - about her film The Golden Age (2019) playing at the Academy Qualifying film festival, Cinequest. Click here for tickets!
Episode 300."Cobra Kai"Director: Marielle Woods.I could not be more proud to have the 300th episode be a guest that's this awesome. Really loved speaking with Marielle who is really passionate about filmmaking. We talk all things Cobra Kai, who the real villain is and why the show manages to touch all ages and generations. Great talk.Marielle Woods is an award-winning, queer filmmaker who thrives in the high-stakes world of action storytelling. She pushes emotional buttons and visual boundaries, telling stories that make audiences think — with a few explosions and car chases along the way. After receiving her BA from Harvard in 2008, Woods moved west and has been working as an LA-based director and producer ever since. She got her start in docudrama television, crafting shows for networks including Discovery, History, A&E and Animal Planet. She cut her teeth filming gunfights, avalanches and animal attacks, traveling around the globe in pursuit of good stories. Now, she lives every week like it's Shark Week. Determined to move into the scripted world, Woods cold-called and warm-emailed her way to observing on FAST & FURIOUS 6 and CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER. Shortly thereafter, she transitioned a similar shadowing opportunity into a hired position assisting the stunt team on JOHN WICK: CHAPTER TWO. She then moved up to become a Stunt Department Coordinator, and spent almost a decade working with some of the best Stunt Coordinators and Second Unit Directors in the business on projects including BABY DRIVER, BRIGHT, and WESTWORLD. Woods' short films have toured the festival circuit with acceptances including LA Shorts Fest, Montreal World Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, Cinequest, Rhode Island Flickers, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and NBCU Short Cuts. She flipped a car in the jungles of Puerto Rico for her short, MI CORAZON, and recreated war-torn Iraq on a soundstage in Culver City for her 2018 film, DO NO HARM. In 2019, Woods turned sign-spinning into a martial art for her AFI DWW film, SPIN. Woods has been recognized as a member of the AFI Directing Workshop for Women, the Universal Directors Initiative and the HBOAccess Directing Fellowship. She has directed episodes for Seasons 4 & 5 of COBRA KAI for Netflix and Sony TV. Her original queer-action-romance, HEART SHOT, made as part of Netflix's Emerging Filmmakers Initiative, is streaming worldwide on Netflix.Currently, Woods is in development on a number of original action projects spanning a range of genres and tones. She is working to create “non-binary” filmmaking – blending the emotional resonance that some might deem “feminine” with the societally assigned “masculinity” of the action genre.Welcome, Marielle Woods.Instagram: Monday Morning Critic Podcast.Facebook: Monday Morning Critic Podcast.Twitter:@mdmcriticEmail: Mondaymorningcritic@gmail.comYouTube: Monday Morning Critic Podcastwww.mmcpodcast.com
I was thrilled to have Erica Hart on the Actorcast. She is an amazing casting director who has worked on a variety of different types of projects and I appreciated her succinct, actionable advice she provides throughout this episode. Erica and I discuss how she got into the world of casting, what the casting process looks like on her end of the table, as well as what she looks for in an audition. Erica also shares why she is a casting director and why this is work that is inspiring to her.You can learn more about Erica and follow her work on Instagram @elove67.Erica A. Hart, CSA (Casting Professional / Producer), graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied film and television. She has been casting for over 10 years on many high-profile projects. She started off in network and studio casting moving her way up to Casting Coordinator in the New York Office of ABC Primetime Casting. In 2014, Erica appeared in The Hollywood Reporter as a featured rising artist. She has cast projects that have screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, SXSW, Outfest, Cinequest, and the Cannes Film Festival and are streaming on Netflix and Amazon. She has cast commercials for high-end brands such as Maybelline, Gillette, Hasbro, and Delta, to name a few. She has also collaborated with The National Black Theatre and has cast a handful of their productions.Sign up for the Actorcast Newsletter at Actorcast.
We had a great conversation with Filmmaker, Acting Coach,& Performer Michelle Danner on The Chris & Sandy Show. We talked about so many things from family, acting, sacrifices, she told some great stories even a story of a lesson her past student Chris Rock taught her plus a whole lot more!The legendary acting teacher and founder of the Creative Center for the Arts and the Los Angeles Acting Conservatory, Danner's also now well-established as a successful feature film director. Danner's latest film “Bad Impulse,” is a psychological thriller about family secrets and modern technology, starring Sonya Walger, Grant Bowler, and Paul Sorvino. The film won Best Narrative Feature at the 2019 International Independent Film Awards and the Best Director Award at the 2019 Culver City Film Festival.Her upcoming film “The Runner, “ is an action thriller and true-life coming of age story starring Cameron Douglas and newcomer Edouard Philipponnat as a troubled teenager forced to go undercover to expose a drug kingpin. The film has played at 28 festivals around the country including Cinequest, Worldfest Houston (winning Best Suspense/Thriller), the Suspense Thriller Festival winning (Best Feature) and the Flicker Festival in Rhode Island. Internationally the film was screened at the Ischia Global Fest (Italy), the London Independent Film Festival, the Toronto Independent Film Festival of Cift and the Vancouver Independent Film Festival. Danner won Best Director at the Milan Gold Awards, the Montreal Independent Film Festival, the Paris Play Film Festival, the Vancouver Independent Film Festival, and L'Age d'Or.A dedicated mom of two (one is an aspiring filmmaker), Danner still has her “day job” – overseeing the faculty of the Los Angeles Acting Conservatory, and conducting her weekly acting class. Danner's list of students has included Christian Slater, Salma Hayek, Gerard Butler, Seth McFarlane, Penelope Cruz, Chris Rock, Gabrielle Union, and Zooey Deschanel. A longtime student of legendary acting teachers like Stella Adler and Uta Hagen, Danner's eclectic approach (which she calls “The Golden Box”) allows actors the freedom to employ a wide variety of techniques. Raised in a show business family and with a deep appreciation for all of the performing arts, Danner also continues to run the boutique “Cinema at the Edge” film festival and is currently preparing to direct a new one-person play, Bonnie Culver's “Norris,” starring Anne Archer, based on the memoirs of the widow of writer Norman Mailer.Simply put, there's almost no one in the business who knows as much about acting and success as Michelle Danner – and her continued success in multiple creative fields makes her one of the most successful women working in the industry today.
This week we talked with Writer, Director, Actor, Michelle Ehlen about their new film Maybe Someday, available to stream online at the Cinequest film festival until April 17th. We also discuss their popular Lesbian Comedy Trilogy, Butch Jamie, Heterosexual Jill and S&M Sally.
Pop Art Painter Jamie Roxx (www.JamieRoxx.us) welcomes Michelle Ehlen, Dir, Wri, Act & Shaela Cook, Act (Maybe Someday, Film | LGBTQ+, Com, Dra) to the Show! ● FB: @maybesomedayfilm ● TW: @MaybeSomedayJay ● IG: @maybesomedayfilm Watch here: https://creatics.org/cinejoy/moviepage/189777/Maybe-Someday Maybe Someday will have its world premiere at Cinequest's virtual film festival "Cinejoy" April 1-17. An LGBTQ feature film highlighting different aspects of love and heartbreak, Maybe Someday is a nostalgic and moving journey written and directed by Michelle Ehlen. The film is Ehlen's fifth feature and first dramedy, her prior films most notably being the first lesbian comedy trilogy - Butch Jamie, Heterosexual Jill, and S&M Sally. Maybe Someday stars Ehlen along with Shaela Cook from Heterosexual Jill and S&M Sally, and Charlie Steers. The story follows the character of Jay (Ehlen), a non-binary photographer in her 40s, battling a mixture of denial and depression as she attempts to move across the country in the midst of separating from her wife (Jeneen Robinson). Along the way, she takes a detour to stay with her high school best friend (Cook) who Jay used to be secretly in love with before she came out as a lesbian, and befriends a charismatic but complicated gay man (Steers) who has long given up on love. Struggling to move forward with the next chapter of her life, memories of the past resurface as Jay grapples with the inevitable cycles of love, loss, and letting go.
On today's episode I speak with filmmakers Laurence Madrigal & Jason O'Mahony. Their new documentary WE WERE HYPHY just premiered at Cinequest 2022. Great film, great chat! Thanks for listening! Kyler -- Social and Web: WE WERE HYPHY Instagram: @wewerehyphy Website: www.wewerehyphy.com -- PRESS RELEASE: WE WERE HYPHY is delighted to announce its World Premiere as part of the prestigious Cinequest 2022 Film Festival. The music documentary captures the hugely kinetic Hyphy movement, and brings the sights and sounds of the San Francisco Bay Area's most influential musical movement of the past 30 years to life on the screen. This music documentary feature traces Hyphy's genesis on Bay Area streets and examines its influence with interviews from legendary figures such as Keak da Sneak and Mistah FAB to modern day artists such as Kamaiyah, Rafael Casal, P-Lo, and G-Eazy who grew up during the movement and were deeply influenced by it. Historical context is provided by columnists and academics such as Pendarvis Harshaw and Dr. Andrea L.S. Moore. “Hyphy had a massive influence on me as a teenager,” says Laurence Madrigal, director of WE WERE HYPHY. “I grew up in Antioch and Hyphy was everywhere. It was on the streets, in our cars, in the clothes we wore, and in the way we spoke. I've always wanted to share my love of Hyphy with the world and this film is a love song to the era!”
In this week's episode, Jennifer talks to Erica Hart about all things casting. Erica shares insider tips around the dos, don'ts, & myths of self-tapes, auditions, and social media. They talk about the importance of listening and doing your research, celebrating your firsts & small victories, as well as the importance of collaboration, genuine human connection, and shooting your shot. About Erica: ERICA A. HART, CSA (Casting Director/ Producer) was born and raised in Washington, DC (the actual 202...not 301 or 703.) She graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied film and television. She has been casting for over a decade and has loved every minute of it. She started off in network and studio casting moving her way up to Casting Coordinator in the New York Office of ABC Primetime Casting. Erica has appeared in The Hollywood Reporter as a featured rising artist and has cast films that have screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, SXSW, Outfest, Cinequest, and the Cannes Film Festival. THE SURROGATE (a film she cast as well as associate produced) was in INDIEWIRE's Best Movies Eligible for a 2021 Oscar, was a VARIETY CRITICS PICK, and earned Erica her first Artios nomination and win in 2021. She has cast commercials for high-end brands such as Maybelline, Gillette, Hasbro, and Delta, to name a few, and cast H.E.R's music video for FIGHT FOR YOU which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Currently, she is the Casting Director for Season 2 of THAT DAMN MICHAEL CHE (HBO MAX) and JODIE produced by Tracee Ellis Ross and Grace Edwards. She cast the pilot BLACK DON'T CRACK (ABC) and season 1 of BUST DOWN (PEACOCK) coming out soon. In 2021 she made her Broadway debut casting two Broadway plays: CHICKEN AND BISCUITS and PASS OVER. She has cast theatrical productions for THE NATIONAL BLACK THEATRE and THE DRAMA LEAGUE. Erica has been the Casting Associate for shows like RAY DONOVAN (SHOWTIME), THE BOLD TYPE (FREEFORM), DEFENDING JACOB (APPLE+), and GODFATHER OF HARLEM (EPIX). She is on the Board of Governors for The Casting Society of America (CSA) and a member of the Television Academy. She also teaches TV auditioning techniques at colleges and universities around the country including Harvard University and NYU's Grad Acting Program. Outside of casting, she has received grants and awards from the Puffin Foundation, New York Television Festival and The Digital Bolex, and has developed series for BET and WeTV. Erica IG: @elove67 Want to coach with Jennifer? Schedule a session here! https://appt.link/jenniferapple Monologue Sourcing Promo Link! https://empoweredartistcollective.com/podcastpromo Learn more: https://www.empoweredartistcollective.com/podcast EAC IG: @EmpoweredArtistCollective EAC TikTok: @EmpowerArtistCollective EAC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empoweredartistcollective/ Check Out Our Merch! https://www.empoweredartistcollective.threadless.com/ Any thoughts you'd like to share? Email us at EmpoweredArtistCollective@gmail.com
We chat with Cinequest Program Director Michael Rabehl to preview USA Today's Best Film Festival in America. Also producer Emily Goss about her latest film A Little House in Aberdeen. The post Fanboy Planet Podcast: Cinequest is Back and It’s a Cinejoy! appeared first on Fanboy Planet.
Coffee and Language Independent Film — Personal, Controversial, Uncompromising www.coffeeandlanguage.com Kim Jiang Dubaniewicz (Jean) grew up in Northbeach, Chinatown and The Mission District of San Francisco, where she loved watching indie films. She studied Theatre at SOU in Ashland, Oregon, as well as in NYC with William Esper. She starred in the multiple award-winning feature film TIE A YELLOW RIBBON, that played on national TV / PBS, and internationally at festivals. Her other film credits include "BLiP", "Jackson Arms", "Anamnesis" and the award-winning short "Only Child". As a director, she made the short film "Gilpin's Nightmare" starring Carl Lumbly and also directed him on stage in THE EMPEROR JONES. She now lives in Mill Valley. Erin Mei-Ling Stuart (Joni) is an actor, director, dancer, choreographer, and occasional musician. She fled Fresno for San Francisco 28 years ago and has lived here ever since. Erin is a proud company member of Shotgun Players and Detour Dance. Upcoming projects include choreographing and performing in "The Truer History of The Chan Family", a live vaudeville turned digital (coming in June 2021), and co-directing the West Coast premiere of "Natasha And Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812" at Shotgun Players in Winter 2021. GIRL IN GOLDEN GATE PARK is Erin's first feature film. More info at www.erinmstuart.com Allison Ewing (Chris Moore) has been living in the Bay Area for 12 years and is originally from San Diego. Her feature film credits include lead roles in PLAYA (in post-production), 21 SUNSETS (shoots this Spring) and STOCHASTIC (shoots this Fall) along with supporting roles in DISRUPTED, now streaming on Amazon Prime and AppleTV (recipient of the audience choice award at Cinequest and other film festivals awards), E-14 now streaming on Amazon Prime, and CONFESSIONAL (in post production). She has also starred in over a dozen short-films including “Metropolitan Crush” now streaming on YouTube (with nearly 2 million views). Allison has gravitated toward films that illuminate important social issues impacting local communities and beyond. She is an acting teacher and student at First Take, in the Bay Area. JP Allen (writer/director) has made ten feature films, eight filmed in San Francisco, including GIRL IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. His first feature film, COFFEE AND LANGUAGE (a love story about writers in a San Francisco coffeehouse), premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival where it was nominated for the Golden Starfish Award and for Best Screenplay. He wrote, produced and acted a lead role in the film STEPHANIE'S IMAGE starring Academy Award Winner Melissa Leo. His other films include GAMBLING, BELIEF, Meeting with Chekhov (doc short), SEX AND IMAGINING (based on his play produced in NYC and LA), CENTAUR, LOVE AND DEMONS, REVISIONS, THE FILMMAKER (based on his novel) and GIRL IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. JP is from Texas, but has lived in San Francisco for over thirty years and has devoted most of his work to making films about characters in SF, and about The City itself. His production company is called Coffee and Language. More info at www.coffeeandlanguage.com and https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1135119/. Cathy Montosa (producer) has produced four Coffee and Language Films, LOVE AND DEMONS, REVISIONS, THE FILMMAKER and GIRL IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. She is also a registered nurse, a Psych Nursing Clinical Instructor at Santa Rosa Junior Collee, and the author of the children's book, "How Do You Know?" http://www.coffeeandlanguage.com/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bravemaker/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bravemaker/support
Scene Snob Interviews is at a special time with special guests Yutaka Takeuchi (Marvel's The Defenders) and Sarah Dumont (Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse) are discussing their new Neo Noir Movie - Drive All Night! Which premieres this week virtually at Cinequest.Check out more from Scene Snob Interviews on TheSceneSnobs.com
LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW BY PUSHING PLAY ABOVE! It's been four years since Planet Thunder Productions, writer/director Jacob Leighton Burns and producer Zachary Burns won deadCenter's Best Oklahoma Narrative Feature Film in 2016. After next taking home the first-place prize from the 48-hour Film Project in 2016 with Let the Bodies Hit the Floor followed by their 2017 documentary about New View Oklahoma, Fleeting Light, many in the Oklahoma film community began wondering what their next genre project would look like. Two years of fundraising, a multi-part production and a world premiere event cut short due to the recent global pandemic later, the Burns brothers follow-up film, Shifter, finally makes its Oklahoma debut at this weekend's deadCenter 2020 film festival. In part five of our ongoing Shifter Audio Diary series, found exclusively on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we catch up with writer/director Jacob Burns and producer Zachary Burns to recount the impact the COVID-19 outbreak had on their world premiere at Cinequest before talking about the excitement to bring their new film back home to premiere in their hometown of Oklahoma City. Tune in to get all of the insider stories and the deadCenter premiere details! The official deadCenter synopsis reads: SHIFTER is […] The post Shifter Audio Diary #5 – A deadCenter Homecoming – dCFF20 appeared first on The Cinematropolis.
Hanging out with some of the cast of "This is Meg" at the Cinequest film festival. Enjoy a fun conversation between the Perfect 10 podcast and "Indi Film Hustle" podcast.
The Best Ever You Show is proud to welcome actor Chris Kerson to the show. Born in NYC, and raised in the city and Westchester, Chris is a mix of sexy prep schoolboy and inner city grit. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary with a degree in psychology. While in college he became interested in acting, took an acting class, and discovered a passion and a talent that was highly praised by his teachers. Upon graduation he worked briefly in Investment Banking, and left that lucrative but unfulfilling field to pursue what he feels is his true calling. Both in L.A. and New York, Chris has studied and coached with several excellent teachers, including Charlie Laughton, William Alderson, Marcia Haufrecht, Arian Brandt, and Fred Waggoner. Chris has been a lead in over 14 independent films in the last 4 years, and more than 20 independent shorts and features in his entire career. Many have gone to film festivals such as Cannes, Slamdance, Berlin, Cinequest, and Brooklyn. Most notably, he played the lead character in Sean Kirkpatrick's feature film Cost of a Soul, which on May 20th, 2011 premiered across the country in 50 AMC theaters. AMC and its distributor, Relativity Media, chose Cost of a Soul as the winning independent film of the year in their “I am Rogue” film contest. The characters that Chris plays range from dark and quirky, to romantic, to comedic; and sometimes require him to gain or lose significant amounts of weight, demonstrating his ability to dramatically transform himself physically to portray a character. In addition to his refined acting technique, Chris credits his long time dedication to the martial arts, and spiritual practices, as what centers and grounds him in his acting work. These disciplines enable him to consistently bring forth richly human characters with greater depth and scope.