Behind The Lens

It's a fun Halloween week on BEHIND THE LENS thanks to our special guest JANE CLARK and her new film WITCHY WAYS; plus my exclusive interview with ROEL REINE discussing CLASSIFIED. Kicking off the show is my exclusive interview with director/DP/composer ROEL REINE disclosing all the secrets about making his new film, the action thriller CLASSIFIED starring Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin and Tim Roth. Written by Bob DeRosa, the script is tight, the plot has some original elements in the hitman genre, first-rate performances, superb action, and the location of Malta is glorious. Then writer/director JANE CLARK joins me talking about her magically enchanting new film WITCHY WAYS! My regular readers and listeners may remember Jane from prior appearances on #BTLRadioShow talking about the fantastically fun and funny "Crazy Bitches", the movie and the tv series! I love WITCHY WAYS and Jane and I have the best conversation here as she breaks down her filmmaking process from script to screen with

With Halloween fast approaching, we keep the spooky going this week on BEHIND THE LENS and toss in some alien fun too, thanks to VIVIAN KERR and her new film, SEANCE, and RENNY GRAMES & BOSTON McCONNAUGHEY with their fun-filled alien encounter, ALIEN COUNTRY. Writer/director/actor VIVIAN KERR is kicking off the show and discussing her psychological thriller SEANCE. With only four actors, Scottie Thompson (who dazzles in period work), Connor Paolo, Jilon Van Over, and Kerr herself, this tightly knit ensemble shines in this tightly scripted and lensed story. A beautiful period piece set in 1892, Vivien dives into the genesis of the story and the making of the film discussing everything from locations and finding homes built in the 1890s that are still period-perfect, to Johanna Coelmo's lighting and lensing, the bulk of which is shot at night making beautiful use of negative space and candlelight, to Nina Fuller's gorgeous costuming... And then the dynamic duo of writer/actor RENNY GRAMES and

An interesting show this week as we look at the hot-button documentary NO ONE ASKED YOU with writer/director RUTH LEITMAN; a doc that is not only timely but should be mandatory viewing with elections looming. And we'll take a look at THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT with writer/director MICHAEL FELKER; a film that's a thriller, with a touch of noir, along with some supernatural sci-fi-esque elements and disbelief. First up, you'll hear my exclusive interview with writer/director MICHAEL FELKER as he discusses his new film, THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT. Michael is a wonderful director who thrives on storytelling detail and using all cinematic tools in the toolbox. A very enlightening and informative interview as we dive into all of those tools and how Michael used them to bring this film to life. Then writer/director RUTH LEITMAN joins us at the midpoint of the show in discussing her new documentary NO ONE ASKED YOU which deals with one of the hottest-button topics this election cycle – abortion. NO ONE

A very extended episode of #BTLRadioShow this week thanks to my very special guest, journalist and entertainment reporter turned author SCOTT HUVER discussing his true crime book, BEVERLY HILLS NOIR: CRIME, SIN & SCANDAL IN 90210, plus my exclusive interview with PAUL REISER & COLM MEANEY talking about their new film THE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE. First up, is my exclusive interview with PAUL REISER and COLM MEANEY talking about THE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE. Needless to say, there are plenty of laughs in the film and in our interview. These two bring so much experience and talent to the table and listening to them feed off of one another is a pure laugh-filled delight. Then, my friend and colleague, entertainment reporter/columnist turned author, SCOTT HUVER, joins me at the 30-minute mark of the show to discuss his new true crime book, BEVERLY HILLS NOIR: CRIME, SIN & SCANDAL IN 90210. Spanning almost a century of some notable crimes on the mean streets of 90210, there is something for everyone in this

The spooky season continues on BEHIND THE LENS this week as filmmakers DREW GARCIA and NATE GARCIA discuss their narrative feature directorial debut (as well as handling the editing and cinematography), for the the wonderfully entertaining TREASURE TRACKERS. Filled with just enough Halloween spookiness, adventure, friendship and fun, TREASURE TRACKERS is perfect for the whole family. It's a fun-filled conversation as we break down the cinematic and story elements of the film as well as talk about the need today for more films like TREASURE TRACKERS with a nostalgic family throwback. But before Drerw and Nate, listen to my exclusive interview with director ELLEN KURAS going in-depth discussing her new film, LEE, starring Kate Winslet and Andy Samberg. A chapter in the life of famed Vogue photographer Lee Miller, LEE dives into the WWII years when Lee was in the trenches and battle-ravaged towns, up close and personal, photographing the horror and the humanity of war as a war correspondent for Vogue Ma

We're diving into the darkness this week on BEHIND THE LENS and getting the jump on some Halloween horror thanks to three terrific filmmakers, CHRIS CARTER, JESSICA MORGAN, and RJ DANIEL HANNA, and some scary new films from each of them, NIGHT OF THE HARVEST and SUCCUBUS. One of the great elements of today's conversations is the discussions with Chris and Daniel about cinematography, lighting, and color with their respective films. Very insightful hearing their approaches to visual grammar as it pertains to each film. Kicking things off are writer/director/DP CHRIS CARTER and writer/director/actor JESSICA MORGAN talking about their new film, NIGHT OF THE HARVEST, "a spine-chilling thriller where masks and costumes aren't just for fun—they're part of a terrifying ritual. Prepare for a journey into the heart of fear, where every shadow hides an unknown threat and each twist reveals the mysteries behind the Harvest." Then, writer/director RJ DANIEL HANNA joins us discussing his

Interesting conversations and filmmaker insights on this episode of BEHIND THE LENS as director ALYSSA RALLO BENNETT joins us going in-depth about her new film THE ARRIVAL, and you'll hear my exclusive interview with producer-turned-director BOB SALERNO discussing his feature directorial debut HERE AFTER. First up is my exclusive interview with longtime producer now turned director, BOB SALERNO, talking about his feature directorial debut with HERE AFTER which stars Connie Britton. Some great perspective from Bob as we dive into the diversity of his prior films as a producer to give depth and context for what he now tackled as a director with HERE AFTER. Digging into "the making of" HERE AFTER, Bob discusses the challenges of a limited budget, shooting in Italy, limitations on work hours, casting in Italy and finding actors to embody the supporting characters, visual grammar and developing a visual tonal bandwidth and working with his cinematographer Bartosz Nalazek, working with editor John L

What a fun – and female filmmaker-friendly – week on BEHIND THE LENS thanks to the return of two wonderful filmmakers talking about their latest projects – JENNA ST. JOHN and ANNA ELIZABETH JAMES. First up is my exclusive interview with the fabulously talented screenwriter, JENNA ST. JOHN talking about her latest project, the fun-filled family film STINKY SUMMER. Regular listeners and readers will remember Jenna from her prior live appearances and call-ins to #BTLRadioShow and will recognize that this new film is a far cry from some of her prior works like "Sexpectations" and "Dinner with the Alchemist" (both in which she also stars). STINKY SUMMER is at the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of audience and plot, but still built on Jenna's skill for developing story and fully textured characters. What can possibly happen when you've got a skunk, a camp full of girls, and some international spies on your tail? Answer: a whole lotta laughter and Jenna dives into it all in this

It's a fun week of crime and comedy, mystery and drama on BEHIND THE LENS as we take a look at two new films – THE CLEAN UP CREW with director JON KEEYES and CHARLIE TANGO with writer/director SIMON BOISVERT. First up, my exclusive interview with director JON KEEYES going in-depth into THE CLEAN UP CREW, a terrific crime comedy that boasts some incredible performances, most notably a balls-to-the-wall comedic turn by Melissa Leo and a scene-stealing Antonio Banderas, not to mention fun and action at every turn. Listen as Jon and I go into detail on the cinematography and editing choices, costuming and color, casting, score, and more! What excited me about speaking with Jon is his own sense of humor and joy as he talks about the film, something that comes through loud and clear on screen. Then writer/director SIMON BOISVERT joins us discussing his new twisty thriller CHARLIE TANGO. An intriguing tale that appears to be one thing, but thanks to Simon's storytelling skill and craftsmanship, turns on

An informative and fun show for you this week on BEHIND THE LENS as we welcome director RJ COLLINS live discussing his new crime thriller CRESCENT CITY. Plus, my exclusive interview with composer BLAKE NEELY, Emmy nominee for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music for MASTERS OF THE AIR. First, we're going for gold, Emmy gold that is, thanks to composer BLAKE NEELY. Emmy nominations are out and voting begins later this week for Television Academy members. One of my favorite nominees is composer BLAKE NEELY who snagged a nomination for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music for MASTERS OF THE AIR. In this exclusive interview, Blake and I dive into the essence of MASTERS Main Title Theme and its creation from composition to instrumentation and the importance of capturing the emotional essence of the story through music and creating a unique sound and experience by incorporating different instruments and orchestral elements that add depth and complexity to the piece. And then, director RJ COLLINS joins me live di

What a fun show we've got for you with this episode of BEHIND THE LENS with something for everyone thanks to the fabulous SIMON PHILLIPS and his new film THE MOUSE TRAP, plus my exclusive interview with director NANETTE BURSTEIN talking her new documentary ELIZABETH TAYLOR: THE LOST TAPES. First up, get ready classic film fans, TCM fans, and Elizabeth Taylor fans because we're kicking off the show with my exclusive interview with NANETTE BURSTEIN and her new doc, ELIZABETH TAYLOR: THE LOST TAPES. Released exclusively on HBO on August 3rd, you do not want to miss this one. And you don't want to miss this interview as Nanette talks about the project, starting with how these 40 hours of previously unheard and unknown tapes came to her; a story in and of itself! And then…… he's back!!! SIMON PHILLIPS is back with us for the third time and this time it's all about THE MOUSE TRAP as Producer/Writer/ and playing "Mickey"!! In January 2024, Simon released the trailer for this

It's an out-of-this-world full house on this episode of BEHIND THE LENS thanks to our special guests ERIN MACDONALD, PH.D. talking about SPACE CADET, STAR TREK: PRODIGY and astrophysics, and director JAY SILVERMAN talking about his beautiful new film CAMERA. I'm so excited to have DR. ERIN MACDONALD join us to discuss her myriad of ongoing projects including serving as science consultant to the new fun Prime Video film SPACE CADET which is the story of a female protagonist who dreams of being an astronaut. And if that's not enough, Erin not only serves as science advisor to the STAR TREK franchise, but voices her fictional counterpart in the animated STAR TREK: PRODIGY now streaming on Netflix! Plus, she's one of the forces behind the film IDENTITEAZE. Adding to the excitement this week is the return of director JAY SILVERMAN who is back for his third appearance on #BTLRadioshow, this time talking about his new film CAMERA. Get the tissues out for this one when you see it. Beyond heart

It's a jam-packed episode of BEHIND THE LENS as director JEFF CELENTANO joins us live talking about his new film BLACKWATER LANE, and you'll also hear my exclusive interviews with ERIC ROBERTS talking LUMINA while GUY PEARCE discusses THE CONVERT. First up is my exclusive interview with the one and only ERIC ROBERTS talking about one of his new films (he has so many popping out and on deck), the sci-fi thriller LUMINA. A fun interview with one of my favorite character actors. Giving insight into creating a character including the wardrobe, production design, and location, Eric also discusses his process for accepting roles. Then director JEFF CELENTANO discusses his new psychological thriller, BLACKWATER LANE. Written by Elizabeth Fowler based on the best-selling novel by B.A. Paris, this is one riveting, twisty-turny tale that (1) doesn’t stray far from the book and (2) is exquisitely visualized by Jeff in the film as he taps into all of our senses. And we round out the show going overtime wit

We're showcasing a variety of films this week on BEHIND THE LENS as we welcome BRIAN JOHNSON who discusses his film POPULATION PURGE. Plus, my exclusive interview with ASIF AKBAR talking BONEYARD, and you'll get my mini-review of HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA – CHAPTER 1. First up, I can't help but talk about one of my favorite films of the year. A truly epic masterwork from Kevin Costner, HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA – CHAPTER 1. Co-written by Costner and Jon Baird, Costner's love of the Old West and man's ever-evolving attempts to tame it, settle it, develop it, cherish it, even destroy it, is once again evident here. Authenticity reigns supreme from costuming to set dress, as do the Utah locations in this emotional tale of a journey that begins in 1859 two years before the start of the Civil War, and over the course of the anticipated four chapters will span a total of 15 years. Then we switch gears and you'll hear my exclusive interview with director ASIF AKBAR talking about his n

It's another full house this week on #BTLRadioShow as we welcome MEREDITH YINGER talking SCARS UNSEEN and STEVE BALDERSON talking his new streaming series, BLOODY FAMOUS! PLUS, thanks to Steve being late with his call-in to the live show, you get the added bonus of my exclusive interview with JOSH MARGOLIN talking the fun-filled and unforgettable comedy THELMA. First up, writer/director MEREDITH YINGER joins us to talk about her new feature, a powerful documentary on domestic abuse but with a new perspective that we haven't seen before, SCARS UNSEEN, which makes its World Premiere on June 30th at Dances With Films in Hollywood! Then hear my exclusive interview with writer/director JOSH MARGOLIN as he talks about his new film THELMA and 94-year-old June Squibb – Action Hero! THELMA is not only fun but warm and wonderful; a sentimental journey of action and aging! And finally, the uber-talented writer/director/author STEVE BALDERSON joins us again for the fourth time (!!!!) talking about his la

It's a trifecta of festival films this week on BEHIND THE LENS 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, THE EXPOSED, and TIM TRAVERS AND THE TIME TRAVELER'S PARADOX. First up, take a listen as husband and wife filmmakers NICHOLAS ACOSTA and XENIA LeBLANC join us in talking about their respective films, THE PICKUP and THE EXPOSED. While Xenia wrote and directed the thriller, THE EXPOSED, she also starred in Nick's action-heavy film THE PICKUP. Both shorts are superb with THE PICKUP packing in action and humor while THE EXPOSED turns on a dime with a shocking reveal – and in only 5 minutes! Listen as each talks about their approaches to each of their films. And then get ready for writer/director STIMSON SNEAD and his feature film, the fabulous TIM TRAVERS AND THE TIME TRAVELER'S PARADOX! A visual delight. A storytelling joy. Science is key. Visuals daz

This episode of BEHIND THE LENS is all about FUN with a capital "F" thanks to a favorite returning filmmaker, JONATHAN SMITH, and his latest film GUY FRIENDS, and the brilliance of director PABLO BERGER with the oh-so-wonderful ROBOT DREAMS. First up, take a listen to my exclusive interview with writer/director PABLO BERGER as we discuss his exquisitely magical animated film ROBOT DREAMS. I have long loved Pablo's work going back to his brilliant "Blancanieves" in 2012, and as much as I love his work there, I am in love with ROBOT DREAMS. This is a fun and insightful interview that I know you'll enjoy as Pablo discusses adapting Sara Varon's picture book of the same name, creating an animated film when he is not an animator and "does not draw", making New York a character, score and needledrops, pop culture influences, and more. And then the wonderful writer/director/DP/editor JONATHAN SMITH returns with a new film – GUY FRIENDS. As if "Batsh*t Bride"

We're heading into the great outdoors on this episode of BEHIND THE LENS with films about self-discovery, friendship, and family as we talk about SUMMER CAMP with CASTILLE LANDON and 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

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. First up, writer/director/DP/editor CHRISTOPHER SCHRACK joins us discussing his new film, the horror comedy FOR SALE. Get ready to laugh out loud and jump out of your skin as we enter the world of narcissist Mason McGinness as he navigates life celebrating himself and cheating people out of anything and everything to further his own gains. But the tables may turn on Mason when he tries tackling real estate and his boss gives him the company albatross of "murder house" to sell. Belieing a very limited budget, FOR SALE is solid filmmaking. Listen as Christopher goes in-depth talking about the various elements of production from location, making the house a character, casting, visual effects, using natural light as muc

A very extended BEHIND THE LENS this week thanks to special guests CHARLEY and VLAS PARLAPANIDES who joined us live for an hour discussing Season 2 of BLOOD OF ZEUS. Plus my exclusive interview with MASTERS OF THE AIR Supervising Stunt Coordinator LEE MORRISON, and we remember ROGER CORMAN. I've been teasing this week's show for a while now and the movie gods have finally aligned. The Jersey boys are finally back with more BLOOD OF ZEUS!! Brothers, executive producers, and writers CHARLEY AND VLAS PARLAPANIDES are on hand discussing the long-awaited Season 2 of the Netflix animated hit, BLOOD OF ZEUS which dropped on Netflix on May 10th! And what a Season 2 this is as we continue the story of Heron, Zeus' demigod son, in the waging wars over Zeus' throne on Olympus. Executive Producers and writers of the entire series (Seasons 1 and 2). But first, you'll hear my exclusive interview with stunt coordinator LEE MORRISON talking about the masterful MASTERS OF THE AIR and the challenges