Behind The Lens

A week of exploring and asking age-old questions this week on BEHIND THE LENS as BEN EPSTEIN joins us asking the big question with WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE, while RUDOLPH HERZOG asks the questions most of us don't think about when it comes to space exploration and colonization with LAST EXIT: SPACE. First up, take a listen to our exclusive interview with writer/director RUDOLPH HERZOG talking about his latest documentary LAST EXIT: SPACE. It's always wonderful to chat with Rudolph about his films and his books, but this subject matter makes it even more fun. Going down a research rabbit hole, LAST EXIT: SPACE asks the questions and takes a look at the considerations for long space travel and colonization. With interesting expert interview subjects (how about a space sexologist!), some beautiful imagery, a cogent throughline, and narration by Werner Herzog, and a longtime collaborative team, Rudolph and I cover it all and more! Then hear from writer/director BEN EPSTEIN who joined us live on the show, as

It's a day of documentaries on BEHIND THE LENS as we take a look at two very different subjects thanks to our guests ANDREW NOVICK who talks about JONBENET'S TRICYCLE while MARIA PEEK and STEPHEN PEEK talk about SEXTORTION: THE HIDDEN PANDEMIC. First up, take a listen to director/editor MARIA PEEK and producer/cinematographer STEPHEN PEEK who join us fresh off their world premiere at Santa Barbara International Film Festival to talk about SEXTORTION: THE HIDDEN PANDEMIC. A compelling and disturbing investigation into the world of online grooming and sextortion–a present-day reality for one in seven children online. An interesting conversation discussing how Maria and Stephen became involved in this documentary, the challenges of research, the opening up of files and cooperation of DHS and other agencies, interviews with investigators and prosecutors explaining and showing the investigative process, creating a throughline, editing, the courage of one of the victims to now speak out, the shared shock

This week, we're "kinda sorta live" as this episode of BEHIND THE LENS is prerecorded but airing live in its regular time slot. And why prerecorded you may ask? It's because today is the 5th Annual #HCAFilmAwards and I am one of the presenters. LA traffic being what it is, I couldn't get from the Adrenaline Radio studios to the awards venue in a timely fashion for rehearsal, so I opted to prerecord the show for you on Friday for airing today. But what a terrific show this is thanks to our exclusive interviews with BEN MILLIKEN talking RUN & GUN and OLGA KALASHNIKOVA talking ANGEL BY THURSDAY! First up you'll hear from BEN MILLIKEN as he talks about his new film RUN & GUN which I still think should be called "Run & Gun & Fun". Written and directed by Chris Borelli, RUN & GUN boasts a strong cast and is filled with assassins, double-crossing twists and turns, scorpions, anime action figures, action and lots of laughs for an entertaining feast. Ben ta

We're talking with JAN MILLER CORRAN and PATRICK LONGSTRETH in this episode of BEHIND THE LENS, making Valentine's Day a little extra special with films that celebrate family, friends, love, and the neverending journey of life. First, we welcome writer/director JAN MILLER CORRAN who talks about her new film ALONG CAME WANDA. Charming and filled with heart, not only does Jan showcase the talents of Cathy DeBueno and Constance Brenneman, but the beauty of Los Angeles during the pandemic lockdown with empty freeways and beautiful forested greenery and blue skies. Listening to Jan it's easy to understand the ease and low of ALONG CAME WANDA as it mirrors her own joy. Then director PATRICK LONGSTRETH joins us fresh off his Slamdance win with the 2022 Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature, IRON FAMILY, the story of the indefatigable Jazmine Faries, a young woman with Down's Syndrome who lets nothing stop her or her overactive and creative imagination, as well as her undying love for Matt

This episode of BEHIND THE LENS shifted midstream on air when a scheduled guest failed to appear, but that didn't diminish the filmmaking fun thanks to the wonderful JOAN CARR-WIGGIN (who did join us live) talking about A GRAND ROMANTIC GESTURE; not to mention our prerecorded exclusive interview with TIM KIRKBY talking LAST LOOKS! First up we welcome JOAN CARR-WIGGIN back to the show. Always a joy to not only speak with Joan but watch her films, she's here just in time for Valentine's Day with a romantic comedy with the mature audience in mind – A GRAND ROMANTIC GESTURE. Sweet and charming with a light humorous touch, this is the story of Ava, a longtime medical professional who loses her job thanks to forced early retirement. Lost without her career, Ava's husband and daughter strong-arm her into taking a cooking class at the local adult school, as well as preparing to be a grandmother. Clearly not cut out for cooking, Ava quickly jumps into a drama class where she is cast as a Juliet –

A "Must Listen" episode of BEHIND THE LENS is one that filmmakers and aspiring filmmakers don't want to miss thanks to our special guest STEVE BALDERSON who is live talking about his new book How To Find Investors, plus his new film ALCHEMY OF THE SPIRIT making its world premiere at Santa Fe Film Festival on February 12. And as if that's not enough for you, how about our exclusive interview with the wonderful KENNY LEU talking about his new film, the powerful A SHOT THROUGH THE WALL. An accomplished filmmaker in his own right, not to mention author, speaker, and so much more, I am thrilled to welcome STEVE BALDERSON back to #BTLRadioShow who not only talks about his latest film ALCHEMY OF THE SPIRIT which is screening at The Santa Fe Film Festival but his latest book, HOW TO FIND INVESTORS. It's one thing to want to make a film. It's another to get the money to make it. Listen as Steve and I delve into the book and the successful process he has used to find investors for his 17

Things get a bit dark and serious with a touch of the supernatural and surreal on BEHIND THE LENS thanks to GREG NEWBERRY who is on hand live to discuss his new film, the political courtroom drama WHO IS AMOS OTIS?, plus our exclusive interview with writer/director ISAAC RODRIGUEZ talking LAST RADIO CALL. First up, take a listen to our exclusive interview with writer/director ISAAC RODRIGUEZ talking about his new film LAST RADIO CALL. A dash of horror, a smattering of folkloric supernatural, and a nice blend of "found footage" and "present-day" set in an ultra-spooky abandoned hospital location, and all packaged with a verite style make for a fun thriller. Isaac talks about all of that and how he took an initial 2-minute short and developed it into a feature with a story that comes together with images and sound. Isaac delves into his process going from 2-minute short to feature, the thrill of this location, and how about an anecdote you'll only hear on #BTLRadioShow about how a &quo

BEHIND THE LENS is back with a bang to kick off YEAR EIGHT with some laughter and lightness thanks to writer/director PAUL BOYD and his new film I, CHALLENGER, plus our exclusive interview with the young star of THE TENDER BAR, DANIEL RANIERI. And we remember some of the beloved legends we've said goodbye to in just the past few days. First up today, take a listen to our exclusive prerecorded interview with that little scene-stealer in THE TENDER BAR - DANIEL RANIERI. Making his acting debut under the guidance of director George Clooney, Daniel steals your heart and the film with his performance. I spoke with Daniel about the role, acting, working with Clooney, Ben Affleck, Christopher Lloyd, and others, the rigors of onset school and homework (blech!), the fun of filmmaking, and more. Energetic, effervescent and an absolute delight, just listening to Daniel will put a smile on your face! Then writer/director PAUL BOYD is on hand live to talk about his new comedy, I, CHALLENGER. A situational comedic

As 2021 and year seven of BEHIND THE LENS draws to a close, we treat you to a mix and match of films and filmmaking with our special guests DAVID BEINSTEIN and ALAN McINTYRE SMITH talking ARE YOU HAPPY NOW, plus our exclusive interviews with writer/director MICKEY REECE talking the fascinating AGNES while director MIKE ROHL makes merry with THE PRINCESS SWITCH 3: ROMANCING THE STAR. First up, we get a little bit of Christmas magic thanks to director MIKE ROHL in this prerecorded exclusive interview as he talks about THE PRINCESS SWITCH 3: ROMANCING THE STAR. Director of the first two installments of the franchise as well, Mike and I join up again to discuss his dazzling, ever-increasing amount of Christmas lights and the movie magic that gives us Vanessa Hudgens taking on three concurrent roles. Take a listen as Mike talks about not only the expanded visual palette (and more twinkle lights), but added color themes, upping the ante with Vanessa Hudgens times three, the design and manufacture of the Christmas

From the luscious countryside of the south of France to the global alien annihilation of Earth, we've got the best of both worlds on BEHIND THE LENS courtesy of special guests SETH and NOAH GILBERT talking THE ONLY ONE, while SIMON KINBERG talks about all things INVASION. So, who's been watching AppleTV's INVASION? WOW! The final episode of Season One just aired and I'm still blown away by it. Luckily, we now have Season Two to look forward to! But right now listen to my pre-recorded exclusive interview with Executive Producer/Creator/Co-Writer SIMON KINBERG talking all about INVASION from the idea and story to craftsmanship to globe-trotting events to score and so much more. We spoke on December 7, just prior to the Season One finale and the day before Season Two was announced so Simon was able to reflect on the build of the entire season through characters and diversity in front of and behind the camera, as well as visually bringing the series to life, not to mention the creation and lo

It's a full house and a mixed bag this week on BEHIND THE LENS thanks to our returning special guest JOSH TESSIER talking OVERRUN, plus our exclusive prerecorded interviews with writer/director FRAN KRANZ talking MASS, and the amazing cast of MIXTAPE – GEMMA BROOKE ALLEN, AUDREY HSIEH, and OLGA PETSA. First up, take a listen to the freshest, most effervescent, and most fun trio of actors from the new Netflix hit, MIXTAPE – GEMMA BROOKE ALLEN, AUDREY HSIEH, and OLGA PETSA. Set on the eve of Y2K, this is the story of 12-year-old Beverly who, together with her new BFF's Nicky and Ellen, sets out on a journey to find songs on a mixtape crafted by her late parents. (And folks – the soundtrack is amazing!) With none of the girls even born when this film takes place, you can really hear their amazement and joy at experiencing the hair, the clothes, and the music of the era. But most important is their very evident friendship to come from MIXTAPE. Plus, you'll hear our exclusive interview with write

BEHIND THE LENS is ready for the holidays with everything from visiting friends to that shopping experience known as "Black Friday" to holiday movies to entertain you thanks to writer/director BRETT WAGNER talking THE BIG BEND and VFX/creature creator guru ROBERT KURTZMAN talking BLACK FRIDAY. First up, our exclusive conversation with one of the kings of creature creation prosthetics and make-up, ROBERT KURTZMAN. Take a listen as Robert talks about his new film, BLACK FRIDAY, where holiday shoppers run amok and turn into zombies and monsters while shopping in a toy store. Granted, we all know that shoppers on Black Friday can be monstrous, but thanks to Robert Kurtzman and his work, it spectacularly comes to life in this fun horror film from director Casey Tebo and writer Andy Greskoviak. From creature design to use of color to collaboration with cinematographer David Kruta to techniques used for creature and prosthetic creation, Robert covers it all. Then we take a little holiday trip to THE BI

This week we're doing a bit of travelling on BEHIND THE LENS as we journey to BELFAST with editor UNA NI DHONGHAILE and then on to SPAGHETTI JUNCTION with writer/director KIRBY McCLURE. First up, take a listen to our exclusive interview with UNA NI DHONGHAILE, editor of what I believe is the Best Picture of the Year – BELFAST, as she talks about the editing process, working with Kenneth Branagh, adjusting film speed to create tableau effects, laying in the basic sound edit along with the visual edit, and more. Una's unbridled enthusiasm and passion for this film are beyond infectious. Her attention to detail and her collaborative process with "fellow magpie" Branagh is evident in the final product. BELFAST soars and Una's work is just one of the reasons. And then, we welcome writer/director KIRBY McCLURE who talks about his new film SPAGHETTI JUNCTION. The story of a disabled teenager in America's deep south who encounters a "traveler" from the stars, this indie gem

It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas on BehIND THE LENS as CHRISTINE WEATHERUP joins us live to talk about her latest film SEE YOU NEXT CHRISTMAS, plus our exclusive interview with KEVIN DURAND talking DANGEROUS! First up, things take a "dangerous" turn with our exclusive interview with actor KEVIN DURAND talking about his new film, the action thriller DANGEROUS! Directed by David Hackl with script by Christopher Borrelli, DANGEROUS is the story of ex-con and reformed sociopath Dylan Forrester (Scott Eastwood) who is trying to quietly serve out his parole — with the help of a steady supply of antidepressants and his eccentric psychiatrist (Mel Gibson). But when his brother dies under mysterious circumstances, Dylan breaks parole and, with a dogged FBI agent (Famke Janssen) on his trail, goes to uncover the truth. A band of heavily armed mercenaries led by Cole (Kevin Durand) wants something Dylan's brother was hiding, and Dylan will need all his guile and tactical skills to surviv

It's a rad #BTLRadioShow this week as we take a step back in time to the "awesome" 80s - those days of big and bigger hair, ruched puffy satin, high waisted jeans, Tom Cruise in his underwear, and Top 40 needledrop heavy John Hughes movies filling the movie screens - with LATER DAYS thanks to our special guests, co-writers/co-directors BRAD RIDDELL and SANFORD STERNSHEIN as well as actor MAJANDRA DELFINO. A coming-of-age tale of a 40-year-old stay-at-home dad who wants to throw a 40th birthday surprise party for his workaholic attorney wife and decides to toss an 80's themed prom bash, inviting everyone they knew - and didn't know - in high school. The problem is that his wife didn't want any kind of party and the glory days of high school were his, not hers. Adding insult to injury, he produces an old ruched satin dress of hers that he had altered to now fit her that she must wear. Ouch. Take a listen to all the fun and laughter about bringing the 80s to life, from Brad and Sa

It's a fun show this week as we get in the Halloween spirit with JOCELYN RISH as we look at GRAVE INTENTIONS, then examine the "horror" and biting edge of filmmaking and film festivals with MARSHALL COOK and his rapier-witted comedy FILM FEST, and you'll hear about a new non-fiction book on the way from Jocelyn called BATTLE OF THE BUTTS (Seriously! Kids are gonna love it.). First up today, take a listen to our prerecorded exclusive interview with writer/director and book author JOCELYN RISH talking about the horror anthology GRAVE INTENTIONS as well as her upcoming new book BATTLE OF THE BUTTS. It takes a talented and creative person to put together an anthology like GRAVE INTENTIONS AND research and write a book about animal butts, but Jocelyn does just that. Lighthearted and passionate, both shine through in this candid and fun-filled interview as we go from BUTTS to Madame Josephine who introduces the 5 horror shorts in GRAVE INTENTIONS. A global group of shorts, there is a sentimenta

Diving into some darker elements this week on #BTLRadioShow as we take a look at riveting and thought-provoking film THE SUBJECT with our special guest director LANIE ZIPOY, and the coming-of-age thriller WHAT BREAKS THE ICE with writer/director REBECCA ESKREIS. First up, take a listen to our prerecorded exclusive interview with writer/director REBECCA ESKREIS who talks about new film WHAT BREAKS THE ICE. A coming of age thriller where two girls enjoying a carefree summer vacation in an idyllic small town, suddenly have their best-laid plans go awry with fatal results. Rebecca goes in-depth about the story and its genesis, her cinematographic design and tone, sound design and the importance of ambient sound in this story, scoring, montage, and more! Then director LANIE ZIPOY joins us talking about her riveting directorial feature debut – THE SUBJECT. Timely, topical. A thought-provoking nail-biter with a myriad of themes to unpack, each as powerful as the next. A white documentary filmmaker gains acclaim f

On this week's episode of BEHIND THE LENS we take a look at two films – one steeped in the past and the other, set in present-day but affected by a past centuries old. Take a listen as POTSY PONCIROLI talks OLD HENRY and MILES DOLEAC talks DEMIGOD. First up, my prerecorded exclusive interview with writer/director POTSY PONCIROLI talking about his new film, OLD HENRY. Set in 1906, this is the story of an old farmer who has seen better days, days long buried. But what happens when Henry gives aid to an injured man and a gun-toting posse shows up at his door? Patient and pot-boiling, this is a film you should see and interview you should hear! Listen as Potsy talks about the story, casting, the importance of location and how it influenced the script and story, production design including build-out to the 100-year old house used as Henry's farm and accompanying period set-dress, cinematography and working with John Matysiak, Jamie Kirkpatrick's editing and finding the right build of tension, worki

We're digging into the darkness with this episode of #BTLRadioShow as we take a look at two riveting thrillers - THROUGH THE GLASS DARKLY and IMPLANTED - thanks to our two live guests, LAUREN FASH and FABIEN DUFILS. First up we welcome LAUREN FASH, who makes her feature directorial debut with THROUGH THE GLASS DARKLY, a pot-boiling thriller that delves into the darkness of the mind and the heart with the drama, prejudice, and corruption within a small Georgia town when two young girls go missing. Take a listen as Lauren goes in-depth on the story, themes, casting, powerhouse performances from Robyn Lively and Shanola Hampton, location, cinematography, and all things "the making of". Then writer/director FABIEN DUFILS is onboard to talk about his fascinating sci-fi psychological thriller IMPLANTED, the story of a woman who has a nanochip with artificial intelligence implanted in her body designed to aid in the body's well being and prevention of illness and disease. But what happens whe

We've got some drama, some action, and some laughs for you in this episode of BEHIND THE LENS thanks to our special guests SIMON PHILLIPS talking SURVIVE THE GAME (and more!) and first-time feature director RYAN LACEN talking ALL THE WORLD IS SLEEPING. Kicking off the show is none other than SIMON PHILLIPS! Regular listeners already heard me rave about Simon earlier this year when director Paul Tanter was on the show and we dove into their dark comedy STEALING CHAPLIN. Well, now we've got Simon joining us live talking about his latest film, the action-thriller SURVIVE THE GAME in which he costars with Bruce Willis, Chad Michael Murray, and longtime "General Hospital" favorite Sean Kanan! Ssssh! Don’t tell anyone, but Simon and Sean are THE reasons to see SURVIVE THE GAME. And talk about fun-filled and insightful!! Listen as Simon and I talk about SURVIVE THE GAME, shooting in Puerto Rico in February 2021 (and the film is releasing less than 8 months later!) and the safety protocols in pl