Four "dollar babies" - James Cole, Daniel Thron, James Burgess Cox, and Billy Hanson - gather to discuss their films. We cover the process of obtaining the film rights from Stephen King, of casting, shooting, editing, and exhibiting. We talk about the unexpected and very real career benefits of producing a Dollar Baby film - even with (and perhaps because of) the severe restrictions that come with this special arrangement.
In this episode, we discuss the art of adaptation with author and screenwriter Maria Alexander, whose novel Mr. Wicker was recently published to great acclaim. We discuss the prolonged gestation of her dark fantasy, her mentorship under Clive Barker, her informal mentorship under Neil Gaiman, and the unique challenges of telling a single story in multiple formats.
Steven Richards is an actor, director, writer, editor, cook.... you name it. When you're working with a small group of close friends on a shoestring budget you've got opportunities you'll never have on the set of a big-time Hollywood production. In this episode, Steven Richards and I discuss the unique world of micro-budget horror.
In this episode we discuss: the unique characteristics of the Chinese film industry and market; the challenges of writing and directing in a culture that is not one’s own; and Richard's experience forging a new life in a new place with no job, no connections, and no knowledge of the language.
In this episode, I talk with filmmaker, critic, and co-founder of the Reel East Film Festival, Brian Holcomb. The festival just had its first year in New Jersey, the birthplace of cinema.
Brian talks about what it took to get this festival off the ground, the benefits of running a film festival, and what he and his partners intend to differently next year. He also discusses the participation of John Sayles, who was this year's guest of honor.
In this episode I interview James Burgess Cox about his successful Kickstarter campaign for CTRL ALT DELETE, a Crichton-esque science fiction thriller about artificial intelligence run amok.
We begin our discussion talking about Cox's background, then move on to a discussion of his film's story, and its context in the history of science fiction film.
17 minutes in, we get into the nitty-gritty of his Kickstarter campaign, discussing how exactly he succeeded in raising over $20,000 for his little film.
Quadruple-threat director/actor/writer/composer Frank LaLoggia speaks to us from his home in the Italian countryside.
Frank is currently most known for his classic ghost story Lady in White (1988). He also wrote and directed the cult favorite Fear No Evil (1981) and Mother (1996), starring Diane Ladd and Olympia Dukakis. In his varied career he has crossed paths with the Coen brothers, legendary casting director Lynn Stalmaster, Sean Penn, and even Spider-Man.