Behind The Lens

BTL Radio Show - 06/17/2024 with guests NICK ACOSTA, XENIA LeBLANC, and STIMSON SNEAD

It’s a trifecta of festival films this week on #BTLRadioShow and all three are “MUST SEE FESTIVAL FILMS” with “Must Meet” Festival Filmmakers at the upcoming Dances With Films film festival in Hollywood – THE PICKUP written and directed by NICK ACOSTA, THE EXPOSED written and directed by XENIA LeBLANC, and TIM TRAVERS AND THE TIME TRAVELER’S PARADOX written and directed by STIMSON SNEAD. 
It’s an episode of #BTLRadioShow that you don’t want to miss, especially all of you first-time/indie/festival filmmakers!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .

BTL Radio Show - 06/03/2024 with special guest GORDON FOXWOOD and our exclusive interview with CASTILLE LANDON

We're heading into the great outdoors on this episode of #BTLRadioShow with films about self-discovery, friendship, and family as we talk about SUMMER CAMP with CASTILLE LANDON nd WILD EYED AND WICKED with GORDON FOXWOOD.
 
First up is my exclusive interview with writer/director CASTILLE LANDON talking about the fun-filled comedic gem SUMMER CAMP which stars legends Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates, and Alfre Woodard along with Dennis Haysbert, Eugene Levy, Josh Peck, and Betsy Sodero, just to name a few. Shot on location in North Carolina, the cinematography is as light and bright and textured as the characters and the story. Most impressive about Castille is her attention to detail and emotion in the writing and direction of SUMMER CAMP. I think you'll enjoy hearing what she has to say about the summer fun to be had here.
 
Then writer/director GORDON FOXWOOD is live talking about his new film WILD EYED AND WICKED. Making his feature directorial debut, Gordon draws on elements of his own life with this story and shoots the film in the lush open fielded horse region of Malvern, Pennsylvania (which is truly beautiful) which is encircled by woods.  Listen as we talk about the genesis of this story and bringing it to life on screen, really cool battle sequences involving armor, broadswords, and demonic supernatural, lighting and lensing, the benefits of this specific location, and more.

BTL Radio Show - 05/20/2024 with special guests CHRISTOPHER SCHRACK and DANIEL YOON

It's a full house on this episode of BEHIND THE LENS as we welcome two multi-hyphenate indie filmmakers, CHRISTOPHER SCHRACK and DANIEL YOON, who discuss their new films, FOR SALE and EAST BAY, respectively, not to mention wearing a multitude of filmmaking hats during a production.

BTL Radio Show – 05/13/2024 with special guests CHARLEY & VLAS PARLAPANIDES plus my exclusive interview with LEE MORRISON

A very extended BEHIND THE LENS this week thanks to special guests CHARLEY and VLAS PARLAPANIDES who joined us live for an hour discussing BLOOD OF ZEUS. Plus my exclusive interview with MASTERS OF THE AIR Supervising Stunt Coordinator LEE MORRISON, and we remember ROGER CORMAN.

BTL Radio Show - 05/06/24 with special guest DANNY LEE and our exclusive interview with MARCUS TAORMINA

It's a mixed bag this week on #BTLRadioShow thanks to director DANNY LEE talking about his new documentary WHO IS STAN SMITH? and our exclusive interview with VFX Supervisor MARCUS TAORMINA discussing REBEL MOON-PART 2: THE SCARGIVER.
First up, take a listen as we dive into visual effects and my exclusive interview with VFX Supervisor MARCUS TAORMINA going in-depth about the visual effects work in Zach Snyder's REBEL MOON-PART 2: THE SCARGIVER. An interesting conversation as we delve into heat signatures and color, shooting ground battles in California where no pyro is permitted due to fire concerns thus putting more on the shoulders of VFX, working with Weta (aerial battles) and Scanline (ground battles), and more.
But then, one of the most insightful documentary discussions ever on #BTLRadioShow comes courtesy of director DANNY LEE as he talks about his new documentary WHO IS STAN SMITH?. Do you know who Stan Smith is? Some of you may know Stan Smith as a former tennis champion, not to mention having his own Adidas sneaker complete with his face and name on the shoe (long before Michael Jordan's deal with Nike). But how many know anything about the man behind the racket and the shoe; his life, his innate goodness? It's not often one can describe a documentary as "uplifting", but that's exactly what Danny Lee brings us with WHO IS STAN SMITH?. 
 
Listen as we delve into all aspects of the "making of" this documentary including research, archival materials and the challenges of finding any film footage of the early days of Stan Smith and tennis in the early 1960s, clearances for archival materials, working with Wimbledon and Adidas and logistics of shooting on multiple continents during the pandemic, newly discovered and previously unseen photos and film, interview subjects - who they have and the one person they wanted, finding an entry point and throughline into this story, the editing process, interstitials and small details, music and scoring, and more.  What I love about this conversation is that we hear Danny's passion and thoughtfulness not only for WHO IS STAN SMITH? but for filmmaking in general.  
 
 

BTL Radio Show - 04/29/2024 with exclusive interviews with PATRICK MEANEY and MEGHAN KASPERLIK

It's a mixed bag of creativity on this week's episode of BEHIND THE LENS  thanks to writer/director/editor PATRICK MEANEY and costume designer MEGHAN KASPERLIK.
First up, take a listen to my exclusive interview with PATRICK MEANEY discussing his latest film, the sweetly charming "integrated musical", THE BRINK OF.  This is a film that will have you smiling from beginning to end while filling you up with wonderful original songs written and performed by lead actors Nicolette Norgaard and Tim Hoffman. We dive into the "making of" with everything from cinematography to framing and lighting to editing to creating exquisite montages, and of course, the music.
And then, hear costume designer MEGHAN KASPERLIK talk about her extensive research for the costume design of MOON KNIGHT just in time for the new 4K UHD and Blu-ray Steebook (complete with plenty of extras) release on April 30.  Listen as Meghan dives into the minutiae of the details with everything from the environs, fabrications, buttons, 3D printing on fabric and more.

BTL Radio Show - 04/22/2024 with special guest FRANK MEYER plus a wrap-up of TCM Classic Film Festival

He's baaaaaack!  That's right!  Musician/singer/director/author FRANK MEYER joins me live for the entire hour!  Fresh off his whirlwind tour with The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs in Spain and with more fun surprises in the offing, Frank is on hand to talk about it all.
And talk about whirlwind!  How about a short recap of some of my highlights from this past week's TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood celebrating the 15th Annual TCM Film Festival AND the 30th Anniversary of Turner Classic Movies!

BTL Radio Show - 04/08/2024 with special guest DAMIAN HURLEY and our exclusive interview with ALESSANDRO CAMON

Slow and steady wins the race with the films we'll be showcasing on this episode of #BTLRadioShow as we welcome writer/director DAMIAN HURLEY live to discuss his feature directorial debut of the slo-burn mystery STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.  Damian is a filmmaker to put on your radar now.  Thoughtful, insightful, and skilled, Damian "sees" his vision and executes it utilizing all the tools in the cinematic toolbox to create emotionally and visually evocative storytelling.  And dare I say, he is one of the nicest individuals I have ever spoken with.
But first, we kick off the show with my exclusive interview with screenwriter ALESSANDRO CAMON talking about his latest film, the emotionally powerful THE LISTENER starring Tessa Thompson.

BTL Radio Show - 04/01/2024 with guest RICHARD RYAN and my exclusive interview with THEA SHARROCK

A mix-and-match episode of BEHIND THE LENS this week as writer/director/editor/actor RICHARD RYAN joins us talking about the espionage action thriller ART OF DECEPTION. 
Plus, my exclusive interview with director THEA SHARROCK discussing the most hilarious laugh-out-loud-funny film of 2024, the wickedly delicious WICKED LITTLE LETTERS.

BTL Radio Show – 03/25/2024 with special guests DIANE FOSTER & ALLISON LOBEL and our exclusive interview with PHIL ALLOCCO

The Easterpalooza continues this week on BEHIND THE LENS as we are joined by producer/director/actor DIANE FOSTER and producer/writer/actor ALLISON LOBEL talking about their comedy-horror spectacular EASTER BLOODY EASTER.  Plus, you'll her our exclusive interview with writer/director PHIL ALLOCCO discussing his new crime thriller 5LBS OF PRESSURE.