Episodit
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Bryan and Jason discuss takeaways from Bryan's chat with writer, producer, and food critic Bill Oakley. They also talk about the overwhelmingly positive response to the Mark Lanegan tribute episode. Finally, Bryan and Jason talk about taking a break from podcasting so they can focus on family and other creative endeavors.
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Bill Oakley is a Portland-based writer and producer known for his work on The Simpsons (where, with partner Josh Weinstein, he was executive producer and showrunner for the 7th and 8th seasons), Futurama, Regular Show, and Mission Hill. He most recently served as a writer and producer on Portlandia, Disenchantment, Chicago Party Aunt, and Close Enough on HBO Max. Bill is also popular on Instagram and Twitter (@thatbilloakley), where he reviews fast food from the comfort of his car, and has been dubbed “The Gordon Ramsay of Fast Food" by The Wrap Entertainment News. He appears regularly on the History Channel’s “The Food That Built America” and will appear on Netflix’s travel cuisine documentary Somebody Feed Phil this season as well.
What you will learn:
How Bill broke into the world of writing for animated television. The advantages and disadvantages of writing partners. What it was like writing for and being a showrunner on The Simpsons in the 1990s. Strategies Bill implements as a writer to avoid distractions and enhance productivity. Why writer’s rooms are overrated. How writers on animated shows were paid differently in the 80s and 90s vs. today. How residuals work for television writers How Bill found creative freedom as a food critic. How Bill hopes to parlay his food blogging success on social media into career opportunities.Resources:
Bill Oakley’s Twitter, Instagram -
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Bryan and Jason discuss takeaways from Bryan's chat with Rayka Zehtabchi and Shaandiin Tome, who co-directed the documentary short Long Line of Ladies, which premiered at Sundance and is now showing at SXSW. Bryan and Jason also talk about the situation in Ukraine and Jason talks about the music he has been writing and recording, which will be available in May.
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Rayka Zehtabchi is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker who won the Academy Award for her film Period. End of Sentence in 2019. Shaandiin Tome is an Albuquerque-based filmmaker whose breakout, award-winning short film Mud (Hashtł’ishnii) premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2018. Rayka and Shaandiin co-directed the documentary short Long Line of Ladies, which premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and will be featured at SXSW next week. Long Line of Ladies follows a girl and her tribal community as they prepare for her Ihuk, the once-dormant coming of age ceremony of the Karuk tribe of Northern California.
What you will learn:
How Rayka and Shaandiin found the story for Long Line of Ladies and brought it to film. What inspired them to tell the story of a tribe which resurrected a long-dormant coming of age ceremony for young girls. How Long Line of Ladies thematically is very different from Period. End of Sentence. Why they chose to lean into the positivity and lack of conflict they discovered in this story, as opposed to search for conflict as a story-telling device. The challenges they faced co-directing with each other for the first time. The choices they made before filming regarding what aspect of the story they wanted to tell, and what part of the story they chose to leave to the imagination of the audience. The challenges they faced using 16 mm film as opposed to digital cameras. Why they are excited to show the film at SXSW. What types of projects they hope to focus on in 2022.Resources:
Rayka’s website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter Shaandiin’s website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter Long Line of Ladies Trailer -
Bryan and Jason talk about the loss of Pacific Northwest indie rock legend Mark Lanegan, paying tribute to him and playing clips from interviews with musicians Moby, Mark Pickerel (formerly of the Screaming Trees), and Jeff Fielder, all of whom worked closely with Lanegan at various points in his career.
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Bryan and Jason discuss takeaways from Bryan's chat with Josef Kubota Wladyka, who wrote and directed Catch The Fair One (now on VOD), as well as takeaways from Bryan's chat with film producer Sunil Perkash, who produced Last Survivors (now on VOD). Bryan also talks about a recent illness which humbled him and made him grateful to be alive, Bryan tells Jason about two HBO Max shows he watched recently (Peacemaker and Station Eleven), and Bryan talks about his upcoming interview with Bill Oakley.
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Film producer Sunil Perkash developed major studios hits like BLAST FROM THE PAST starring Brendon Frasier, Alicia Silverstone, Sissy Spacek and Christopher Walken, PREMONITION , starring Sandra Bullock, and Disney’s blockbuster hit ENCHANTED, starring Amy Adams, which grossed $340 million, and received multiple oscar and golden globe nominations. Sunil then produced SALT, starring Angelina Jolie and grossing $300 million. He is currently in post production on DISENCHANTED, a sequel to ENCHANTED for Disney Plus starring Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey. His most recent indie film is LAST SURVIVORS, starring Alicia Silverstone, Stephen Moyer and Drew Van Acker. Last Survivors is a dystopian thriller about a father and son living isolated, off the grid, in a frigid wilderness to keep safe from a decaying civilization. But their perfect mini-utopia is disrupted when the father is severely injured and his son must go on a hunt for life-saving medicine, where he encounters a mysterious woman, played by Silverstone.
What you will learn:
What it’s like producing films for major film studios vs. indie films. Why his passion is in independent film. How seeing Dances With Wolves during his senior year at Stanford inspired him to drive to Hollywood to try to break into the film industry. The challenges he faced making Last Survivors in the frigid hills of Montana during the pandemic. Why Sunil likes to work with the same actors across multiple films. How SALT, which was originally developed as a vehicle for Tom Cruise, evolved into a film starring Angelina Jolie. How Sunil developed Enchanted “from scratch” and why he is so excited about the rollout of its sequel, Disenchanted, which he shot in Ireland recently. What projects Sunil currently has in the hopper and whether a sequel to Salt may be in the works.Resources:
Sunil Perkash’s IMDb, Instagram -
Josef Kubota Wladyka is a screenwriter, director, and producer. His episodic television credits as a director include the netflix series Narcos, Narcos: Mexico, and Animal Kingdom, among others. Josef’s most recent feature film, Catch The Fair One, which he wrote, directed, and produced, was released in select theaters and on VOD on February 11 by IFC Films. Executive Produced by Darren Aronofsky and Produced by Academy Award winner Mollye Asher, Catch The Fair One stars Kali Reis, playing a former champion boxer who sets off on a dangerous quest into the criminal underworld of sex trafficking to find her kidnapped sister. Kali developed the story for Catch The Fair One with Josef over the course of several years.
What you will learn:
How Josef developed the story and script for Catch The Fair One with professional boxer Kali Reis over the course of several years. How Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler, The Fighter) became involved as Executive Producer on Catch The Fair One. How Josef became the first American director of the Netflix series Narcos, and Narcos: Mexico. What Josef learned directing multiple episodes of Narcos. How Josef balances the need to make money and pay the bills by working in episodic television, with his passion to make indie films, which take years to develop and are not always lucrative endeavors. Bryan and Josef do a deep dive on some of the decisions Josef made in Catch The Fair One, regarding expository scenes (or lack thereof), call backs, and more. Why Josef chose to disengage from social media after the pandemic began, and how this has helped him creatively.Resources:
Josef Kubota Wladyka’s IMDb Catch The Fair One Trailer -
Bryan and Jason discuss takeaways with from Bryan's chat with artist manager/concert promoter Ken Kinnear and screenwriter Zack Ford. Bryan talks about his experience covering the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, recapping some films he saw at the festival. Bryan and Jason dive into the Joe Rogan/Spotify controversy. And Bryan previews his upcoming interview with movie producer Sunil Perkash, who produced Salt starring Angelina Jolie, Enchanted Starring Amy Adams, and The Last Survivors, starring Drew Van Ackle, Stephen Moyer, and Alicia Silverstone, which was released to theaters and VOD on February 4.
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Zack Ford is a New York-based screenwriter who sold his first screenplay right out of New York University’s Tisch School of Arts. The screenplay, originally entitled Scribbleface, would become Scar 3D, the first stereoscopic 3D horror film. Zack’s film, Watcher, premiered at Sundance 2022 and was recently purchased by IFC Films for theatrical and VOD distribution. Directed by Chloe Okuno and starring Maika Monroe and Karl Glusman, Watcher is about a young American woman who moves into an apartment with her fiancé in Bucharest, Romania, only to be tormented by the feeling that she is being stalked by an unseen watcher in an adjacent building. This all happens while a serial killer is terrorizing the city.
What you will learn:
What first sparked Zack’s interest in screenwriting at age 6, how he wrote his first screenplay at age 12, entered a screenplay in the Nicholl screenwriting competition at age 16, and sold his first screenplay right out of NYU. How Zack struggled in the industry after his first produced film, Scar 3D, was panned by critics, inspiring him to hack into Hollywood by creating a fake agency and submit screenplays under pen names. Zack’s Script Magazine article about this journey is linked under Resources below. How Watcher finally got produced, years after writing it, after being optioned multiple times, going into production, and then being shut down due to covid, before finally getting produced during the pandemic in Romania. Zack describes his work flow and writing process, which typically results in six completed screenplays per year. How Zack’s approach to outlining has evolved over the years. Where Zack would like to see himself professionally over the next few years. What projects Zack is working on and is attached to in 2022.Resources:
Zack’s Website (Barbaric Media), IMDB, Instagram, and Twitter Barbaric Media Instagram How I Hijacked Hollywood or: How To Sell A Screenplay: https://scriptmag.com/breaking-in/how-i-hijacked-hollywood -
Ken Kinnear is an artist manager, concert promoter and author. He managed the band Heart for more than a decade and is the creator/developer of The Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington, considered by many to be the most iconic outdoor music venue in the world. Ken is featured in the documentary Enormous: The Gorge Story (now streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, YouTube and Vudu), and his book, There’s An Ass For Every Seat, will be released in March. Ken is also the host of a podcast of the same name, where Season 1 is focused on his campaign to “Induct the Gorge” into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He is scheduled to interview a number of Rock Hall artists, more than 60 of whom have performed at the Gorge. The Gorge Amphitheatre would be the first venue—ever—to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
What you will learn:
Why Ken created a podcast focusing on the Gorge amphitheater, which guests he’s planning to interview and why he is campaigning to induct the Gorge into the Roll and Roll Hall of Fame. [0:00-16:14] How Ken found and settled on the breathtaking location for The Gorge, the logistical challenges presented by the geography of the area, and how he was able to spark artists’ interest in performing there. [16:14-31:59] What led to the infamous 1988 Bob Dylan and Tracy Chapman performance at the Gorge that would solidify the venue’s place in history, why concert-goers often compare concert experiences at The Gorge to Woodstock, and the endearing and lasting memory the venue has created for millions of fans. Ken also discusses Brandi Carlile’s recent performance at The Gorge and what it was like seeing that show finally come together after being postponed due to covid. [31:59-45:06] Bryan shares his personal connection to Ken, reflecting on the Gorge concerts he saw in his teens and their connection to his late father, Greg Smith, who was good friends with Ken. Ken talks about the power of shared experiences and the sense of community that live performances foster. Ken also discusses the film Enormous: The Gorge Story, which features him talking about the origin of this venue. [45:06-58:05] Ken reflects on how he got started in the entertainment industry: from high school to a military career, to business school, to car sales, and finally arriving at artist promotion/management. Ken also talks about what it was like managing the band Heart for more than a decade, including Ken’s role with the band, and how he meshed with Heart founders Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Roger Fisher, Steve Fossen, Michael Derosier and Michael Fisher. [58:05-1:17:17] Going back to their personal connection, Ken reveals when he met Bryan’s dad, Greg, and Bryan shares a story about his dad being kidnapped by Yasser Arafat. Ken also shares his own stories and touches on a fateful flight with Greg that inspired a scene in Cameron Crowe’s film Almost Famous. [1:17:17-1:39:28] Why Ken sold The Gorge to Live Nation in 1993, and what he has planned in 2022. [1:39:28-1:49:00]Resources:
Ken Kinnear’s: LinkedIn, IMDb -
Bryan and Jason discuss takeaways from Bryan's chat with Michael Price, who co-created F Is For Family with Bill Burr for Netflix, and has written and co-executive produced on The Simpsons for over 20 years. Bryan and Jason also discuss Peter Jackson's new documentary on The Beatles, talk about plans for Sundance 2022, and preview next week's interview with artist manager and concert promoter Ken Kinnear.
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Michael Price has been writing and producing for the beloved and iconic television show The Simpsons for the past 20 years. In 2014 he co-created F is For Family, a serialized, animated series for Netflix, with comedian Bill Burr. Starring Bill Burr, Laura Dern, Justin Long, and Sam Rockwell, the series just concluded its fifth and final season. Michael has written for numerous other shows, including Teacher’s Pet, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, the Hercules tv series, and many Lego Star Wars projects.
What you will learn:
What it’s like working again on The Simpsons full time after the series finale of F is For Family. How Michael was able to bounce between the two shows throughout the creation and production of F is For Family for five seasons. [0:00-5:56] Michael reveals how he broke into Hollywood as a writer, with no backup plan, starting as a theater major, doing improv in New York, and then auditioning for acting roles before discovering that his true calling was writing. [5:56-15:10] Michael reflects on what has changed (and what remains the same) in Hollywood for writers over the last 30 years. The pros and cons of the seemingly limitless television content available due to streaming, and the logistics of making a show for Netflix. [15:10-24:25] The nostalgia that F is For Family evokes for fans and how Michael was mindful of maintaining that tone, while also calling attention to problematic social issues of that era (the 70s). How F is For Family attracted such an amazing cast of voice actors. [24:25-34:43] Michael goes into detail about what staffing for The Simpsons is like and what “breaking story” means in the writer’s room. [34:43-41:34] What it was like getting hired as a writer at the Simpsons in 2002 and how he ended up working on such a popular, beloved show. His personal dos and don’ts in writer’s rooms. [41:34-52:16]Resources:
Michael’s: IMDb, Twitter -
ENCORE EPISODE (Replay of Episode 3, April 9, 2019):
We are replaying this interview as a tribute to Rayka, whose film Long Line of Ladies is premiering at Sundance 2022. We want to contratulate Rayka and her co-director Shaandiin Tome on this achievement and wish them all the best in Park City.
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Rayka Zehtabchi is an Iranian-American film director based in Los Angeles. Her directorial debut, Madaran, is an Iranian language short film that has screened worldwide at established film festivals, winning jury awards at Hollyshorts, Urbanworld, and Cleveland International. Madaran qualified for the 89th Academy Awards in 2016.
Rayka’s documentary short, Period. End of Sentence., is about a group of village women in Northern India who start a sanitary pad business in an effort to improve feminine hygiene and de-stigmatize menstruation. Along with the film’s release, the Period team co-founded the non-profit “The Pad Project” to fight the stigma of menstruation and improve feminine hygiene worldwide. Period double-qualified for the academy awards in 2018, winning Jury and audience awards at Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival and Cleveland International. The film also took home Jury and audience awards from AFI Fest among many others and won the Oscar in the Documentary Short category of the 91st Academy Awards®.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: Where Rayka went to film school, and how she was approached to direct her short documentary “Period. End of Sentence.” right out of film school How Rayka’s first film festival in high school shaped her interests in filmmaking, and how she found purpose and community in filmmaking Rayka shares the experience of losing her father while she was attending USC film school, and how she felt pulled in different directions Rayka discusses her Iranian-language short film Madaran and why filming it helped her feel connected to her father and her Iranian heritage How Rayka was approached to direct “Period. End of Sentence.” while she was in her senior year at film school, and why the subject matter was a reality check for her Why “Period. End of Sentence.” was a powerful and necessary story to shine a light on an unspoken issue, and how Rayka directed it to be organic and authentic What impact filming “Period. End of Sentence.” had on Rayka personally and emotionally, and how she was inspired by the women she filmed How Rayka and the filmmakers got involved with and launched the Pad Project, and how the film has exploded and created global awareness of this issue How Rayka and her team turned forty hours of raw film footage into a 25-minute short documentary What challenges Rayka faced in getting visibility for her film, and her thoughts on when she realized the film qualified to be submitted to the Academy Awards What it was like accepting her Oscar, and what Rayka has planned for the future going forward -
Bryan and Jason discuss highlights from 2021 and recap Bryan's interviews with Naomi Grossman, Justin Connor, Keith Thomas, Niki Pilkington, Sue Ennis, Moby, Mark Pickerel, Tommy Chong, Al Di, Jeff Fielder, Onur Tukel, and Justine Bateman. Throughout the interview Bryan and Jason play clips from these interviews, reflect on lessons learned from each guest, and preview what to expect in early 2022.
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Bryan and Jason discuss takeaways from Bryan's interview with director and screenwriter Tim Sutton, whose most recent film, The Last Son, starring Heather Graham, Sam Worthington, Machine Gun Kelly, and Thomas Jane, premiered on December 10. They also talk about the upcoming end-of-the-year recap, and preview Bryan's upcoming coverage of the Sundance Film Festival in late January.
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Tim Sutton is the screenwriter and director behind five critically acclaimed films, including Funny Face, Donnybrook, Dark Night, Memphis, and Pavilion. His most recent film, The Last Son, which premiered on December 10, stars Sam Worthington, Heather Graham, and Machine Gun Kelly.
What you will learn:
How the screenplay for The Last Son came to him during the pandemic, and how themes in the film reflect the state of the world during such an unprecedented time. [0:00-7:52] How Tim juxtaposed natural, beautiful light in The Last Son with the dark themes of fearing the unknown and existentialism. Tim also reflects on his views on the power of minimalism in film and in storytelling in general. [7:52-15:56] What Tim is working on next, including an adaptation of a Tobias Wolff novel, The Chain, why he never thought he would make a western, and how he approached gun safety on set. [15:56-21:12] What it was like working with Machine Gun Kelly, Sam Worthington, Heather Graham, and Thomas Jane on The Last Son. [21:12-30:09] Tim reveals his screenwriting process and the logistics of writing lingering scenes with no dialogue in a script, while still keeping producers and potential investors invested in the story. [30:09-35:36] Tim’s experience with obtaining financing for indie films and the importance of finding your audience. What Tim has planned for 2022. [35:36-43:52]Resources:
Tim Sutton’s: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn -
Bryan and Jason discuss takeaways from Bryan's interview with film composer Roman Molino Dunn, reminisce about Stephen Sondheim, who passed away last week, talk about Bryan's return to the upcoming 2022 Sundance Film Festival as a member of the press, and preview Bryan's upcoming interview with film director Tim Sutton, whose western starring Sam Worthington, Heather Graham, and Machine Gun Kelly, premiers on December 10.
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Roman Molino Dunn is a Billboard-charting music producer and an award-winning film and television composer. His film and television work includes scoring HBO Max’s Huracán, Ru Paul’s Drag Race, Snakehead, and music producing The Card Counter, starring Oscar Isaac, directed by Paul Schrader, and executive produced by Martin Scorsese. Roman has also worked with popular brands such as Burger King, Michael Kors, NBC, and Clinique, among many others, and is the co-founder of Mirrortone Studios in NYC.
What you will learn:
Roman reflects on his long journey to working on acclaimed films and television shows, starting with a classical music education as a child, learning the "language of music," and ultimately studying music theory at university. [0:00-8:02] How formal music education has benefited him as a film composer and music producer. Roman also breaks down the distinction between film composers, music editors, music producers, and music engineers. [8:02-17:33] Getting technical, Roman reveals the computer programs he uses for scoring and what that process is like, from making musical “sketches” based on an early read of a script to the nitty gritty of payment for his services, including payment on “the backend” of a film or recording. [17:33-28:56] The benefits of collaboration when co-running his recording studio Mirrortone. How Roman got the opportunity to work with Paul Schrader on The Card Counter and what working with such acclaimed directors is like. [28:56-36:12] How film directors and music supervisors work together, and the research that goes into choosing musical instruments, sounds, and tones for each project. Roman also shares his go-to harmonies and instruments for particular types of scenes, depending on the emotions the director wants to evoke in those moments. Roman further elaborates on his trajectory in becoming a film composer. [36:12-47:28] Finally, Roman touches on the difference between the work performed by film composers vs. sound designers on films like Mad Max: Fury Road. [47:28-52:23]Resources:
Roman’s: IMDb, website, Instagram, Twitter (Roman Molino Dunn), Twitter (Electropoint), Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn -
Bryan talks about postponing (until January of 2022, due to some cool upcoming promotional events) the launch of his interview with artist manager, concert promoter Ken Kinnear, who is also the creator and developer of the iconic Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington.
Happy Thanksgiving folks! - Näytä enemmän
