The Independent Film Podcast
NAB special interview with Red Digital Cinema Honcho Ted Schilowitz. Best of the festival winner Red Digital Cinema presents their radical new camera design to be out by the end of the year for under $18,000. Ted gives the details.
Director of the feature film Special Ed starring D.W. Moffett, Greg Germann, Bill Cobbs and Connie Britton. Jeffrey talks about his experiences as a first-time director directing a film that he wrote. He talks about Writers Boot Camp, taking acting classes and creative ideas for reducing the budget.
Producer Stephen Nemeth of Rhino Films joins Joel and Jesse on a rare rainy day in Beverly Hills. Stephen is an inspirational figure in filmmaking and shares his ideas on how he approaches filmmaking with a solid sense of social responsibility and an equally solid sense of the business of filmmaking. They discuss films he has produced such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, working with Terry Gilliam and developing films in association with Amnesty International.
Superman Returns and X-Men casting director Roger Mussenden, talks with Joel and Jesse. Topics include: what casting directors do, putting projects together using a casting director, becoming a casting director, method acting and unionizing.
April Webster, casting Director of Mission Impossible III, Lost, Alias, CSI, Independence Day and many many other films, talks about the job of casting film and television. Joel joins her in her very busy office.
Veteran AD Dave Venghaus talks about his work on Gore Verbinski's Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3, Spielberg's A.I. and Minority Report, Garry Marshall's The Other Sister, Oliver Stone's JFK and Natural Born Killers and many other films. Dave is the director and writer of the film They Call Him Sasquatch, starring Neal Mc Donough and Garry Marshall.
Sandra Chwialkowska, director of "It's About College," a documentary film that is making the festival rounds. Sandra documented the ivy league experience by turning the camera on her roommates for their entire college experience. Now she's in Hollywood.
Louise Frogley, veteran costume designer of Good Night, and Good Luck, Skeleton Key, Syriana, Traffic, Mona Lisa and many many other films. She joins Jesse and Joel in her office while preparing for her next film. Surprise appearance by Costumer Richard Schoen.
Independent Spirit Award Nominees Kyle Henry and Cyndi Williams talk about their film "Room" and its journey from their home in Austin Texas to Sundance, official selection at Cannes director's fortnight and now to nominations for best female lead and the John Cassavetes Award. They also talk about the companies that were involved in this project such as The Edit Center, The 7th Floor, Michael Stipe and Jim McKay's C-Hundred Film Corp. and Celluloid Dreams.
Stacey Parks is the author of “Insider’s Guide to Film Distribution”, a comprehensive manual for filmmakers and producers dedicated to film distribution and the marketplace. Stacey has worked in Independent film for over ten years and is currently an Independent Sales Rep. She was previously a Foreign Sales Agent for several years. You can purchase “Insiders Guide to Film Distribution”, as well as sign up for a free distribution mini eCourse at www.film-distribution-secrets.com. You can also visit Stacey’s blog for distribution tips at www.all-about-film-distribution.blogspot.com.
Director Sharyn C. Blumenthal and Cinematographer Linda J. Brown enlighten us on their new film "Take Two." We talk with them about developing scripts, their use of mulit-media, and cinéma vérité. Raw food enters into the conversation once again. We also learn about how being film professors enriches their craft.
John Plenge, composer known as Tone Factory, joins Joel Marshall. John talks about scoring films, collaborating with directors and other musicians, the Orange Project and his deaf cat. Samples of John's music are featured in show.
In the editing room with Henry Jaglom and Tanna Frederick where we find out about Jaglom's new film Going Shopping. Tana is starring in the film that Henry is currently editing entitled Hollywood Dreams and she describes what it's like to work on a Jaglom movie. Henry talks about his filmmaking process, working with actors, cutting his own films by hand on a KEM flatbed editor, his friendship with Orson Welles, and being an auteur.
Dan Mirvish, Slamdance founder and director of Open House and Omaha the Movie is our guest. Joel hangs out with him in his Culver City garage/studio, just down the street from Sony Pictures. Green screens, Slamdance, American Kickboxer 2, and independent musicals are the subjects covered.
Director Kathy Busby is the guest. Her short film "Max and Josh" will be premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. She is also Senior VP of Production for New Line Cinema. Joel and Jesse talk with her about how she got her film into Sundance, her experience making the film and her experience at New Line Cinema and Carsey-Werner hearing script pitches and developing scripts and ideas.
Oscar® Winner Tom Rolf, editor of The Right Stuff, Taxi Driver, Jacob's Ladder, Heat, Equilibrium and many other films. Joel and Jesse sit down to a cup of tea with the master editor and talk shop.
Josh Welsh of the organization Film Independent joins Rhines and Marshall. They discuss Film Independent's filmmaker labs, the Spirit Awards, as well as what constitutes an independent film.
Software and Film Editing. Holiday episode in which Joel and Jesse discuss non-linear editing software, script writing software, the new Panasonic HD camera and the idea of film criticism.
Interview with musician and freelance film scorer Johnny Wilson at his funky music studio in downtown Los Angeles. Johnny talks about the equipment he uses, explains some music terminology and gives some tips on creating great tunes. He also discloses his secret name, gives us some health food recipes and describes his yoga bathing habits. Dr. Jesse Rhines plays a tune on the piano.
Lunch in the kitchen of Phaedra aka Erika Ellis, author of the book "Good Fences." She prepares raw food and gives the backstory on how her book became a movie starring Whoopie Goldberg and Danny Glover. The organization FIND, or Film Independent, and their upcoming Spirit awards are also discussed.