Behind The Lens

Hot in awards season, BEHIND THE LENS, continues to look at the best and brightest in cinema, in films both big and small. And this week it doesn't get much bigger than Academy Award nominee GRETA GERWIG. But filmmakers all start somewhere and also joining the show this week are JAY DOCKENDORF and KENNY SULEIMANAGISH who are headed to Sundance Film Festival for the first time. If you missed #BTLRadioShow live, you definitely want to catch up now! Joining us live in the top half of the show, take a listen as we welcome Oscar nominee and writer/director GRETA GERWIG talking LITTLE WOMEN, which picked up six Oscar nominations this year!! The first time I interviewed Greta was for the Duplass Brothers film, "Baghead", and it has been a joy to follow her trajectory and catch up with her on various projects over the past decade-plus as she moved from acting into writing and directing. There's a reason LITTLE WOMEN nabbed six Oscar nominations this year – Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, B

We're talking Oscar Nominations and what a nominations morning it was! The expected and the unexpected, the surprises and the snubs, we're talking about all of it on #BTLRadioShow! And joining us live, for her second appearance on #BTLRadioShow is writer/director LIZ MANASHIL talking about her sophomore feature, the charming and fun, SPEED OF LIFE! A bit of sci-fi, a bit of romance, a bit of "what if" – especially when David Bowie dies and the world goes out of kilter – and as always comes with Liz on hand, a whole lot of fun and enthusiasm! Unfortunately, time ran out before we could get to our exclusive interview with JO JO RABBIT cinematographer MIHAI MALAIMARE, but stayed tuned as we'll have that for you in the coming weeks! http://behindthelensonline.net http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

Year Six of BEHIND THE LENS kicks off with a golden flourish as we dive right into the "official" start of the last leg of the horse race known as "Awards Season" talking about the Golden Globe winners. Could last night's winners be a true predictor of what's to come with Oscars on February 9th? We'll find out! Then writer/director TAMMY MINOFF joins us talking her new film LIMERENCE. Listen as we talk about the film's genesis, the challenges in bringing it to life, casting, wearing multiple hats, the love letter to Venice California, and more. Plus, an excerpt of our exclusive interview with CHINONYE CHUKWU talking the powerful CLEMENCY starring Alfre Woodard. http://behindthelensonline.net http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

BEHIND THE LENS wraps up another year as we take to the skies with our exclusive interviews with THE AERONAUTS director Tom Harper and composer STEVEN PRICE. And with the New Year just ahead of us, potential resolutions loom on the horizon and for many, what better time to ask the question TO KID OR NOT TO KID. Director MAXINE TRUMP is live the second half of the show talking about the making of this documentary and how her own questions and her journey spawned the idea for the doc. Listen as Maxine provides insight and food for thought, as well as some production laughs, on the issue of having or not having children, and turning the camera on herself. http://behindthelensonline.net http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

It's a bit of a mix and match on BEHIND THE LENS this episode as writer/director DAVID GUY LEVY joins us live talking about his latest film THE MANDELA EFFECT, the story of a man who, following a personal tragedy, becomes obsessed with facts and the misremembering of them by thousands of people. Listen as David talks about the development of the story and visually bringing a questioning of reality to the screen. Plus, listen to our exclusive interview with writer/director JESSICA HAUSNER as she talks about the hypnotic (and deliciously creepy) LITTLE JOE! Our discussion digs deep into Jessica's use of color, cinematography, social issues and themes, and more. http://behindthelensonline.net http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

A fun-filled episode of BEHIND THE LENS as we take to the stage with ALEX RUIZ and VINCE GIOVANNI talking about their new play opening this week in Los Angeles – OVER TIME. But first, a bit of devilish fun thanks to our exclusive interview with composer NATHAN JOHNSON talking KNIVES OUT!! First up is our exclusive interview with KNIVES OUT composer NATHAN JOHNSON. One of my Best Picture picks of the year, writer/director Rian Johnson delivers a flawless whodunnit thanks to superb casting, a rapier script, even sharper dialogue, and a score by Nathan that dances with the dialogue as if performing its own saber dance. The score is akin to "gothic whimsy" and tells its own chapters within this delicious film which only add to each character through themes and musical motifs. Listen as Nathan and I talk about not only the fun of this KNIVES OUT score, but its stylization a la the masters of the cinematic past. Hilarity ensues when we are joined live by ALEX RUIZ and VINCE GIOVANNI. Alex is already a f

This week on BEHIND THE LENS we honor International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women thanks to our special guest w/d JARET MARTINO and his new film DONNA: STRONGER THAN PRETTY! based on the story of Jaret's own mother, Donna, we go in-depth into his multi-journey crafting this film and telling his mother's story with as much honesty and compassion as possible. From a dedicated cast, many of whom stayed with the film since the first table read more than five years ago, to shooting at 50+ locations, to the magic of shooting with Black Magic's Ursa mini camera, to camera lens selection for establishing distinctive visual tone between decades, and so much more, Jaret more than delivers and discusses his first directorial feature. But first, take a listen to our exclusive interview with director TODD HAYNES as we talk about the powerful "Must See" film of the year - DARK WATERS. The story of attorney Rob Bilott and the Taft Law Firm and their decades-long battle (still

Another jam-packed week on BEHIND THE LENS thanks to our special guests writer/director ANDREW LYMAN-CLARKE and writers/directors DAVID BAKER and JUSTIN R. SMITH. But first, take a listen to our exclusive interview with filmmakers JOE & ANTHONY RUSSO! Not ones to sit on their laurels with the MCU, Joe and Anthony have expanded their cinematic endeavors with their new company AGBO Films. Creating a mecca for collaboration and mentorship for writers, directors, producers, editors, and more, not to mention an expanse fully equipped with stages, post-production facilities, and in-house screening rooms, the aim of AGBO is to create thoughtful stories and quality films. The first film produced by the Russos under the AGBO banner is 21 BRIDGES starring Chadwick Boseman who also serves as a "boots on the ground" producer. We go in-depth talking about 21 BRIDGES, and their all-inclusive involvement with the production, bringing in veteran cinematographer Paul Cameron, first-time feature helmer Brian

Hold on to your hats boys and girls because this week on BEHIND THE LENS we're going from the race track of 1960's Le Mans to a modern-day Western thanks to GRAHAM PHILLIPS and PARKER PHILLIPS, and our exclusive interview with PHEDON PAPAMICHAEL. First up, take a listen to our prerecorded exclusive interview with Oscar-nominated cinematographer PHEDON PAPAMICHAEL as he puts the pedal to the metal with FORD V FERRARI. Focusing on the friendship between legendary automotive designer Carroll Shelby and British race car driver Ken Miles, the film is set against the backdrop of the battle between automotive titans Henry Ford Jr. and Enzo Ferrari as Ford readied itself to compete against Ferrari's award-winning racing team at Le Mans in 1966. Key to the high octane success of the film is Phedon's work as he puts the moviegoer in the driver's seat of the race car, making us feel the car corner on rails or catch the sun flares rounding critical course turns. And then we shift gears as w

As we are reminded on this week's BEHIND THE LENS, high school is hell and so is adulthood - but both situations provide plenty of laughter and fun when viewed through the lenses of DAYBREAK and WELCOME HOME and their incredible creators. First up is our exclusive interview with ARON ELI COLEITE, showrunner/creator/writer/Executive Producer of the new Netflix hit - DAYBREAK.  I can't say enough about DAYBREAK!  It is beyond bingeable!   It's the end of the world as we know it and I love it!  This is true "Must See Streaming TV"!  Think "Mad Max" meets "Waterworld" meets "Buffy" meets "Bueller" with a dash of "Warm Bodies" and "Revenge of the Nerds" thrown in.  And yes, Aron and company do remind us all that high school is hell and you're lucky to get out alive, but it's done with heart, humor, and hilarity.  A And after celebrating surviving high school and the end of the world, we turn our attention to the hell o

Catch up with this week's exciting #BTLRadioShow as we travel the globe and take a look at history and culture in India through the lens of Michelin Star Chef turned film director VIKAS KHANNA talking THE LAST COLOR, while mother-daughter dynamic filmmaking duo SWATI BHISE and DEVIKA BHISE talk THE WARRIOR QUEEN OF JHANSI. Plus, exclusive interviews with DEON TAYLOR and DAN KRAUSS who talk about their films, BLACK AND BLUE and THE KILL TEAM, respectively. http://behindthelensonline.net http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

It's a fun episode of BEHIND THE LENS as we talk aliens and alcohol and SPINNING DRY with our special guests JAMES DUVAL, JAMES AVALLONE, and ELANA KRAUSZ. Before being joined by our guests, we kick off the show talking about the DOWNTOWN LA FILM FESTIVAL and some of the films that will be screening at the Fest, including INSIDE GAME which we showcased last week on #BTLRadioShow with director Randall Batinkoff. First up is actor JAMES DUVAL talking about his latest film, SPINNING DRY. Set over the course of one day and night we meet Jimmy's character of Norm, a military veteran and the gardener's son, and Sam played by Elana Krausz, "alcoholic Hollywood mother and five-time ex-housewife who is also an alien abductee." The two bond of alcohol and aliens, but not without a lot of soul searching, personal problems, and reflection. You probably know Jimmy best as "Miguel" in the 1996 blockbuster "Independence Day", but he has done so much more since then, working

It's a day full of surprises on BEHIND THE LENS thanks to our special guests, director RANDALL BATINKOFF and writer/director NANCY GOODMAN. First up is actor turned director, RANDALL BATINKOFF, who is back for his third appearance on #BTLRadioShow! This time he's here talking about his latest film, INSIDE GAME, the betting scandal that rocked the NBA! In 2007, Tim Donaghy, James "Baba" Battista, and Tommy Martino, best friends since their days of shooting hoops at Cardinal O'Hara High School in suburban Philadelphia, were arrested and prosecuted for one of the biggest scandals to rock the NBA. Donaghy was a respected NBA referee. Battista was a big-time bookie with mob connections in the Havertown area outside Philly. Tommy Martino was the "go-between" between Battista and Donaghy, the latter who was providing coded inside info on multiple NBA games and through these schemes of Battista and Donaghy, was attempting to control the point spread of games. Ironically, the NBA

This week on BEHIND THE LENS we look to the stars and into the past as we take another look at THE RIOT ACT with two very special guests, plus an excerpt from our exclusive interview with the director of LUCY IN THE SKY. First up, take a listen to an excerpt from our exclusive interview with director NOAH HAWLEY as he talks about LUCY IN THE SKY starring Natalie Portman and Jon Hamm. Noah's first foray into the world of narrative features after a very successful career as a television writer ("Legion", "Fargo", "Bones") and sometimes director ("Fargo"), his direction and vision is solid; he takes some visual risks with aspect ratio as a means to further immerse the audience into the story and the mind of astronaut Lucy Cola who is experiencing an existential crisis and descent into madness following her latest mission into space and spacewalk. Then we've got a big welcome for actor MICAH HAUPTMAN who returns to #BTLRadioShow almost four years to the day,

This week on BEHIND THE LENS we take a step back in time with writer/director DEVON PARKS as he talks about his debut narrative feature directorial, THE RIOT ACT. Premised upon a fascinating and factual piece of history upon which Devon takes true events from the turn of the 20th Century and then hypothesizes "what if", creating a riveting tale of revenge and shifting allegiances. Take a listen as we go in-depth talking about the actual events of 1903 when locally respected and esteemed Dr. Parchman (fictionalized to "Perrauw" for the film) shot and killed his daughter to prevent her from running off with "a low life actor". (And yes, folks, he was acquitted because of his social stature.) But before Devon joins us live, take a listen as we go back in time talking about an icon who needs no introduction, Judy Garland, and RUPERT GOOLD's new film, JUDY. Set during Garland's final stint at London's The Talk of the Town mere months before her death, thanks to

This is a long-awaited episode of BEHIND THE LENS thanks to our incredible guest, entrepreneur and acclaimed documentarian BILL HANEY. Over the decades, Bill has shined a light on numerous important issues, honing in on the personal aspects and ramifications of subjects like slave labor in the sugar cane fields of the Dominican Republic with "The Price of Sugar", or the environmentally hazardous method of mountaintop removal for coal extraction from Coal River Mountain with "The Last Mountain". But now, Bill brings us a documentary that focuses on a man but touches on mankind on a global scale. A scientist, a Nobel prize winner, a man whose multi-decades passion and commitment led him to seek, and find, a cure for cancer – JIM ALLISON: BREAKTHROUGH. Listen to our insightful and thoughtful discussion on the making of JIM ALLISON: BREAKTHROUGH through the lens of Jim Allison's journey as a man, a son, and a scientist, as well as gain insight into Bill and some of his socially aware

A very interesting episode of BEHIND THE LENS as we take a look at an important moment in history thanks to our special guest, writer/director VALERIE McCAFFREY, who joins us at the mid-point of the show talking about her new short film – DIRTY BOMB. Based on true events of WWII involving the V-2 rockets and sabotage by prisoners at Mittelbau-Dora Concentration Camp who were forced to manufacture the bombs, this is a little known story but one with personal resonance for Valerie. A renowned casting director, Valerie continues to dip her toe into the waters of writing and directing telling impactful and important stories. DIRTY BOMB is one of them. Listen as Valerie talks about her personal connection to this story, her research process in order to attain historical accuracy in story and in visuals, securing locations, seasonal shoots, production design and costume authenticity, and casting, particularly in casting Ido Samuel. But before Valerie joins us, take a listen to our exclusive interview with writers/d

I'm very excited about this episode of BEHIND THE LENS as we welcome back two wonderful filmmakers, one with a new film that was just released, and the other with a film we've followed since the festival circuit which now has distribution and is available for all. Our first guest is writer/director/producer/editor QUINCY ROSE talking about his latest film, THE NARCISSISTS. It's a true joy to have Quincy join us again. #BTLRadioShow has had the privilege of showcasing all three of Quincy's feature films and having Quincy on hand to talk about each. With a storied cinematic pedigree, this latest love letter to New York City handily shows us whom a couple of his filmmaking influences are. Take a listen as he talks about casting this four-person ensemble, crafting the dialogue, showcasing New York – and not the iconic images, but rarely seen gems, embracing "the still" of the camera while life just moves on, sound design, and of course, some exquisite jazz musical pieces. Then,

Get ready because this is the biggest and one of the best BEHIND THE LENS shows ever! Two hours of guests coming at you! First up is JASON AXINN, director/editor of the killer graphic novel style animated TO YOUR LAST DEATH. Calling live from London fresh off the film's World Premiere, Jason talks about everything from the 2D hand-drawn animation to voice casting (William Shatner!!), to creating the visual look and meld of animated graphic novel styles, developing character and more. Not only Jason's first feature directorial, but first animated feature, Jason is candid about the journey to bring TO YOUR LAST DEATH to life. Next up is writer/director JUSTIN WARD who talks about his charming and fun new film RELISH. Known for his outstanding documentary work over the years (particularly "Inside the UFC", "UFC TV", and over 400 hours of sports programming), you'll be as amazed as I to hear Justin talk about completing principal shooting in only NINE DAYS! Justin goes in-

Get ready because this is the biggest and one of the best BEHIND THE LENS shows ever! Two hours of guests coming at you! First up is JASON AXINN, director/editor of the killer graphic novel style animated TO YOUR LAST DEATH. Calling live from London fresh off the film's World Premiere, Jason talks about everything from the 2D hand-drawn animation to voice casting (William Shatner!!), to creating the visual look and meld of animated graphic novel styles, developing character and more. Not only Jason's first feature directorial, but first animated feature, Jason is candid about the journey to bring TO YOUR LAST DEATH to life. Next up is writer/director JUSTIN WARD who talks about his charming and fun new film RELISH. Known for his outstanding documentary work over the years (particularly "Inside the UFC", "UFC TV", and over 400 hours of sports programming), you'll be as amazed as I to hear Justin talk about completing principal shooting in only NINE DAYS! Justin goes in-