Behind The Lens

A bit of mix and match on this episode of BEHIND THE LENS with filmmaker DANIEL J. COPLAN talking about 8 WINDS, plus our exclusive interview with director ANTHONY FABIAN talking about the delightful MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS. First up is writer/director/producer/editor/actor DANIEL COPLAN who is on hand talking about his new film, 8 WINDS. Listen as Dan talks about his 5+ year journey in making 8 WINDS from idea to script and how to bring the page to life on screen. Covering everything, starting with the film being lo budget/no budget/micro-budget and how that dictated what Dan would and wouldn't be able to do with filming which impacted him starting at the script stage, to single camera shooting to using natural light and planning for such, to wireless mics and why scenes were limited to only two speaking characters in a scene, to casting, to pick-up shooting, to editing and more. A lot of helpful information for first-time or novice filmmakers as well as showcasing Dan's passion and sticktoitive

It's all about DOUBLE THREAT on BTL Radio Show with our exclusive prerecorded interview with producer/director/editor SHANE STANLEY. An action-adventure starring Matthew Lawrence, Danielle C. Ryan, Dawn Olivieri, and Kevin Joy, DOUBLE THREAT is fast-paced and action-packed boasting a breakout lead performance by Danielle C. Ryan and a scene-stealing turn by veteran Dawn Olivieri. Shane bares all as he talks in-depth about the contributions and importance of each of his collaborators on the film, from actors to cinematographer Joe Layogan and more, as well as the challenges and serendipitous creative benefits of Covid restrictions and the loss of multiple locations just days before filming. An interesting conversation for new and veteran filmmakers alike as Shane discusses overcoming obstacles, shooting from the hip, and pivoting in a heartbeat. And for all the "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman"/Joe Lando fans out there, you'll want to hear what Shane has to say about his next film, "Night

Last week BTL RADIO SHOW started some cinematic summer globetrotting with films about Mongolia & Genghis Khan and Syrian immigrants rebuilding lives in Canada. This week we continue our cinematic trek and go from the steamy swamps of the bayou in the Southern United States with CHRISTINE CHEN and ERZULIE to the highest point on the Earth – the summit of Mt. Everest – with ALEX HARZ and THE QUEST: NEPAL. First up, director/writer/editor/adventurer ALEX HARZ joins us live talking about his new documentary THE QUEST: NEPAL. Talk about an up close and personal journey!! Alex takes us along on his trek through Kathmandu and up into the Himalayas as he makes his way up Mt. Everest to its summit. Amazing cinematography with even more jaw-dropping images not only shows us the splendor of nature but the beauty of the Nepalese people and their culture. An engaging and entertaining adventurer and filmmaker, I could have chatted with Alex all day talking about THE QUEST: NEPAL. And as you listen to this show, you&a

We're going global on this episode of BTL Radio Show with our films, one a narrative based on a true story and one a documentary, thanks to our special guests JONATHAN KEIJSER talking PEACE BY CHOCOLATE while ROBERT H. LIEBERMAN talks ECHOES OF THE EMPIRE: BEYOND GENGHIS KHAN. Writer/director JONATHAN KEIJSER kicks off the show as he joins us in talking about his narrative feature debut – PEACE BY CHOCOLATE. A feel good true story pulled from the news, this is the story of a Syrian family (and distinguished chocolatiers) who emigrate from Syria to Canada and are forced to rebuild their lives in a new country with language barriers, work issues, family struggles, father-son head-butting, unacceptance and acceptance by the community and more. A wonderful film that inspires and gives hope, Jonathan's story of bringing this film to life and working with the real family in developing the film is inspirational while the production challenges are the things that only make first-time filmmakers better. Th

This episode of BTL Radio Show we help kick off Dances With Films film festival with filmmakers JASON LOFTUS talking ETERNAL SPRING and JENNY WALDO who talks about her feature film debut with ACID TEST, both with films at DWF. First up take a listen to first-time feature filmmaker JENNY WALDO talking about ACID TEST, making its West Coast Premiere at DWF. Knowing she wouldn't be available to join us live on the show, Jenny and I did a prerecorded interview talking about ACID TEST. Somewhat autobiographical in nature, ACID TEST is set in 1992 during the Bush-Clinton-Perot election cycle and focuses on high school senior Jenny who is trying to find herself while trying to survive in her dysfunctional family with a father with anger issues. Rebelling through music, dress, and deeds, including dropping acid in front of her parents, this journey of self-discovery is not only engaging and entertaining, but is beautiful to watch. Jenny goes in-depth about the visuals and their purposeful design, the story, the

It's a jam-packed show thanks to our special guests IGOR DRLJACA who is on hand talking about his latest film THE WHITE FORTRESS, while DAN MIRVISH is back, this time talking the terrific dark comedic thriller 18 ½. First up, take a listen to writer/director IGOR DRJLACA talking THE WHITE FORTRESS. The 2022 Oscar submission from Bosnia and Herzegovina, THE WHITE FORTRESS is a coming-of-age film set in a present day world with a war-torn history, political corruption, and no sense of hope for the young people burdened by the past. In spite of the obstacles of life, sweet romance develops for Faruk and Mina. But can moments of escape and fancy lift them beyond the White Fortress of life? Boasting beauteous cinematography and haunting piano scoring that capture both the visual and emotional history, this is a film not to be missed. An interesting conversation with Igor as he goes into detail about the history and politics of the country and the people and how that shaped this story and this film. And then

We take to the open waters this week on BEHIND THE LENS thanks to director ZACH CARVER who joins us live talking about his latest doc, THE RACE TO ALASKA. And, we dive into the deep end with a bite of SHARK BAIT and our exclusive interview with one of my fave filmmakers, JAMES NUNN. Everyone knows of my love for sharks (after all, I am known as moviesharkd), especially in film, and thankfully a new shark film hits the cinematic waters just in time for summer – SHARK BAIT! The tale of five friends on spring break who head to the sandy beaches of Mexico for much-needed fun and partying. On their last night, partying gets a bit out of control which leads to stealing some jet skis in the morning and heading out into the ocean for a game of chicken. And you can just imagine how well that goes. Needless to say, spring break, stupidity, and sharks are a lethal combination. Take a listen to this exclusive interview with director JAMES NUNN as we dive into the making of SHARK BAIT talking everything from shooting off

It's a bit of a mixed bag on this episode of BEHIND THE LENS as we hear from writer/director/actor BRIAN PRESLEY talking his new film HOSTILE TERRITORY. Plus my thoughts on DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. . .and madness it is indeed, and then a little tease on the riveting new HBO Max limited series THE STAIRCASE. Then, my exclusive interview with writer/director/actor BRIAN PRESLEY talking about his new film, HOSTILE TERRITORY. A film set in post-Civil War United States, Brian brings some oft-forgotten pieces of history to the forefront (the Orphan Trains and Company K) in a heartfelt, and action-packed story of a family torn apart by war and the fallout from that war. Built around fascinating pieces of history, a compelling and often nail-biting story, solid performances, and beautiful lensing in the rugged Colorado wilderness during winter, HOSTILE TERRITORY is a "must see." Take a listen as Brian and I go in-depth into the "making of" HOSTILE TERRITORY. And how ab

This week on BEHIND THE LENS we hear from two very distinctive directors and their latest projects – veteran director MARTIN CAMPBELL and first-time feature director EMERSON MOORE. First up, our exclusive interview with acclaimed veteran director MARTIN CAMPBELL talking about MEMORY. Starring Liam Neeson, MEMORY is the story of an assassin-for-hire who becomes the target of a hit by the very people who hired him. Alex Lewis may be a hitman, but he does have moral boundaries which now put him in the line of fire. But Alex Lewis is also a man falling victim to Alzheimer's. A complex character and a story of complex issues come to life under Martin's direction. Listen as Martin talks about researching Alzheimer's, bringing authenticity to the story and the character of Alex Lewis, casting and most notably Liam Neeson and the "pizzazz" of Monica Bellucci, focusing on story and character with action secondary, developing visual grammar with cinematographer David Tattersall, and more. A

A BEHIND THE LENS you don't want to overlook thanks to our special guest TIM McGRATH, plus our exclusive interview with director GRANT S. JOHNSON. If you missed this episode of #BTLRadioShow live, you definitely want to catch up now to hear what writer/director/actor TIM McGRATH has to say about his feature filmmaking debut, SURVIVING THEATER 9. A survivor of the Aurora Colorado "Dark Knight Rises" theatre shooting on July 20, 2012, Tim brings us a powerful and inspirational movie based on the true story, sharing survivors' stories in a narrative film while educating us all on the emotional magnitude of these now neverending mass shootings and the need for mental health education for the public at large. A fascinating conversation and discussion unlike any we've heard before as Tim talks about the cathartic nature of the film, getting beyond the events in Aurora in 2012, telling this story, as well as his learning curve as a filmmaker. But first, our exclusive interview with direct

It's a jam-packed episode of BEHIND THE LENS this week as we welcome special guest MIRANDA KWOK who joins us live talking THE CLEANING LADY. And we turn our attention to the upcoming 13th Annual TCM Film Festival with an exclusive interview with DAVE KARGER. But first, a look at some new books that have hit the shelves thanks to authors LISA SCOTTOLINE and SCOTT McGEE. First up, we take a look at the latest page-turning thriller from best-selling author Lisa Scottoline, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS. Next, we take a gander at the latest entry in the TCM Library from Scott McGee, DANGER ON THE SILVER SCREEN: 50 FILMS CELEBRATING CINEMA'S GREATEST STUNTS. As is tradition at #BTLRadioShow each year, we take a look at the upcoming TCM FILM FESTIVAL, this year thanks to our exclusive interview with TCM host DAVE KARGER. Listen as Dave and I rave about, among others, faves and special treats at the fest, and explore some of the excitement and fun in store at the festival next week. Then we switch gears

Hold on to your stethoscopes folks because we've got a real treat for all the General Hospital fans out there with this episode of BEHIND THE LENS as we welcome PARRY SHEN live at the top of the show followed by writer/director JASON RICHARD MILLER with Parry and Jason talking about their new film MADELINES! Take a listen and you'll not only hear some #GH intel (Parry is already looking forward to April 1, 2023 and GH's 60th birthday) as well as how daily soap work prepares you for indie films like MADELINES, but Parry dives into discussions on his preparation for a role, what he looks for when a script comes his way (note to casting agents and directors – when you think action, think of Parry Shen), some of his early television work like "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and "Tru Calling" and the ups and downs of the business, as well as his voicing on video games including mo-cap work, and so much more. And as for MADELINES, Parry goes into detail about working with his two co-

It's the morning after the night before in Hollywood on BEHIND THE LENS and we take a look at the good, the bad, and the very ugly from the Academy Awards, plus a look ahead to some of next year's possible Oscar contenders with our exclusive interview with writer/director HANY ABU-ASSAD talking HUDA'S SALON and joining us live is writer/director ALESSANDRO GENTILE talking about his directorial debut with LODO. Then onto much happier things as you'll hear my exclusive interview with writer/director HANY ABU-ASSAD talking about his latest film, HUDA'S SALON, "a feminist journey with controversial themes, a thriller with humor, a Shakespearean drama with a tragic love story." A powerful drama that speaks to so many themes unfolding in our world today. As always, Hany is open and candid, talking about halting production due to the pandemic and then returning to complete the film, his own bout with Covid and how that has impacted his outlook on life, the importance of telling t

This week it's All About Animation as we take a look at two dynamic and innovative animated films, Oscar Nominee THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES and THE SPINE OF NIGHT, with filmmakers MIKE RIANDA and MORGAN GALEN KING. Two films with two distinctive animation styles, stories, color palettes, and more, but both filmmakers true lovers of the art of animation. First up, take a listen to my prerecorded exclusive interview with writer/director MIKE RIANDA talking about the Oscar nominee for Best Animated Feature, THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES. My pick for Oscar, this is an interesting conversation as we look at all of the components that went into breaking the mold with innovation in style and design, to give MITCHELLS such a distinctive and perfect look, perfect meld, perfect balance, and perfect animated film. And then, we turn our attention to the hand-drawn classic rotoscope animation fantasy THE SPINE OF NIGHT as we welcome co-writer/co-director/co-editor and lead animator MORGAN GALEN KING live to the

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