Miles Elliot plays the role of Billy Connors in “The Amazing Spider Man”, the son of Spider-Man´s arch nemesis, Dr. Connors aka The Lizard. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Miles about the role and what it was like behind the scenes of the film.

Adam Lawton: How did you become interested in acting?
Miles Elliot: I had done some work with a music theater group where we put on “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat”. I was just part of the ensemble but I started talking to other people in the production who had appeared in various films and television shows. I asked them how I could start doing that and then I asked my parents about it. They told me if it was something that I really wanted to do I could go ahead and do it. I have been acting now for about two and a half years.

AL: What was it that interested you in auditioning for “The Amazing Spider Man”?
ME: At first I didn’t even know what film the role was for. The movie was only listed as a teen action film. I did a scene where my characters dad gets mad at me. After that we found out they were casting for “The Amazing Spider Man”. As things got bigger and bigger I realized that I had gotten into a really big movie. Things just kept getting more exciting as they went on.

AL: What was the audition process like?

ME: I had to do a couple auditions. After the first one the lady who was running it chased me down after I left and asked me if I would talk/meet with another casting person. When I went to meet with this other lady she was on the phone and told me we would have to meet a different time. I said “that went well”. When I went back I ended up reading with director Marc Webb and I got the part.

AL: Can you tell us about your character?
ME: I play Billy Connors who is the son of Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard which is played by Rhys Ifans. I have about 3 scenes in the film and I am just your normal everyday kid whose dad is a lizard.

AL: What was it like working on the set?
ME: When I got there I thought everything was really big. There were just trailers all over the place. I was amazed that there was even one for me. This was my first time ever experiencing that. Even the catering was big. I remember one night they had lobster, crab and there was even an ice sculpture. I got to meet Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone which was also really great.

AL: What was it like being able to watch such a great group of actors work?
ME: It was cool! On one of the nights I got to watch them shoot a scene where Spider Man jumps off a parking garage. They had all this stuff going on to make the scene happen and it was great to be able to watch that. Another night I was on set they had a bunch of green scenes set up to shoot Andrew swinging back and forth.

AL: Can you tell us about some of your other work?
ME: I recently finished a project in May titled “Camp”. The film is about a camp for troubled kids and my character Eli gets paired up with a reluctant counselor who is there just for the money. It was a fun shoot as we shot in the Sequoya National Forrest for three weeks. I will also be on an episode of Disney’s “Austin & Ally” as well as “The Mentalist”.

Darren Lynn Bousman is known best for his work on the “Saw” franchise and to cult fans of “Repo! The Genetic Opera” and “The Devil’s Carnival”. Darren recently took out some time to chat about his remake of the classic 1980 Troma film “Mother’s Day”.

Mike Gencarelli: What can you tell us about your version of “Mothers Day”?
Darren Lynn Bousman: We wanted a film that paid homage to the original without copying it. We wanted this film to be its own thing. We didn’t want to make a carbon copy because the film already exists. We tried to make something that had similarities to the first film while keep it independent.

MG: When did you join the project?
DLB: I was there from the beginning. Brett Ratner approached me about it and then him and another friend and I developed and wrote it.

MG: How did you know you had your mother with Rebecca De Mornay?
DLB: After our first phone call she was so particular about everything. She was particular about everything single aspect. To me that showed she cared. There was no bullshit and she got it. I knew we had her at that point.

MG: What are you most excited about now that the film is released?
DLB: I am glad people are finally going to get to see the film. Once a director turns in their movie you never know what’s going to happen. We tested high and thought this movie was going to be a big hit. The film then ended up sitting on the shelf for a few years. Now that it’s finally out I hope it finds an audience. I hope people will see it and support it.

MG: How does this film compare to your other films?
DLB: Every movie I have done has been completely different. This movie is more along the lines of a “Saw” film but more adult. You can’t compare it to something like “Devil’s Carnival” which is completely out of the box. “Mother” is more of an adult thriller/drama.

MG: What do you have planned next?
DLB: “Devil’s Carnival: Episode 2”!

Terence Bernie Hines plays Gary in the upcoming Ben Stiller film “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Terence recently about the film and some of his other upcoming work.

Adam Lawton: What was it that interested you in auditioning for your role in “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”?
Terence Bernie Hines: “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” was a movie that originally starred Danny Kaye and is considered a classic movie that is at or near the top of all time great movies from that period. I had wanted to work with Ben Stiller for some time and when the opportunity presented itself with this great project, I jumped at the chance. When I read the script, I knew this could really be something special. It has pretty much everything: a great storyline with action, adventure, humor and more. Auditioning for Ben, who is also directing, was interesting because he is very particular about whom he casts in his movies. He goes out of his way to really make sure you are the one for the part.

 AL: How was it working with people like Ben Stiller and Shirley MacLaine?
TBH: Ben is a really cool guy who knows what he wants and knows how to go about getting it in a shot. You may have heard this before, but great actors who are also great directors have a better understanding of what it’s like to be on camera more than most. It’s well known that Ben is one of the most successful actors in Hollywood. He is also one of the most underrated directors in Hollywood. His last 3 movies have grossed over $350 million dollars worldwide. It’s an honor to work with someone at the top of their game as an actor and director. He told me that making a great movie starts with casting. And he, along with the CD Rachel Tenner, found the best talent they could for this movie:  Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine, Adam Scott, Patton Oswalt, Sean Penn, and myself, among others. He really knows how to get great performances from the cast too. I try to learn from every movie I do and this has been a chance to learn and work with some of the best!

AL: Can you tell us about your work on the film “Rushlights”?
TBH: “Rushlights” is a murder mystery drama starring Beau Bridges and Aidan Quinn that begins in Los Angeles and ends up in Texas. I play “Joe,” a cook in a small town diner named coincidentally: “Joe’s Diner.” I’m basically the go-to guy for the Sheriff (played by Beau Bridges) to find out about some not-too-savory characters that have suddenly come to town. It was fun to play, and I got a chance to spend quite a few hours with Beau and his son Jordan, who is also in the movie, talking about the business, their showbiz family and life in general. Murder, mystery, intrigue, more murder – and somewhere in there you find out who done it and why. It’s a cool movie.

AL: When you are looking at roles what is the main thing that you look for or interests you?
TBH: A good actor should be able to make any story interesting or great, but call me lazy. I want to like the story! I like to believe in what I am doing and the story I am telling. I look for parts that inspire me and give me a chance to inspire others with what I do in those roles. I’ve been honored to have worked with some of the best in the business and I would like to say that I have held my own. So I would say that I love working with great actors. I found that greatness is contagious.

AL: Can you tell us about any other projects you are currently working on?
TBH: “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” is still in production. I wrap that up soon and then it’s back to the grind. I do have some future projects in the works but none that are ready to be announced just yet. The future looks quite bright though.

Garrett Brawith is the producer/director of the upcoming film “FDR: American Badass!”. It is a hysterical comedy starring Barry Bostwick as FDR, as his battles Nazi werewolves. Sounds crazy right? Well it is! Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Garrett about this film and what we can expect from the Blu-ray/DVD release this Fall.

Mike Gencarelli: What was the craziest experience you had working on “FDR: American Badass!”?
Garrett Brawith: The whole shoot was crazy! But there was a day where Bruce McGill and William Mapother had to play an entire dramatic scene standing over a naked man with a squirrel sticking out of his rectum. We’d all agreed not to look because frankly, dead rodents and back balls in your face can be distracting. They pulled it off like pros, but I hear they’re both in therapy now. Talk about dedicated.

MG: How did you get such an amazing cast lined up for this film like Barry Bostwick, Lin Shaye, Bruce McGill, Ray Wise and Kevin Sorbo?
GB: Our amazing casting directors, Dean Fronk and Don Pemrick helped talk them in to it, but with our movies “Poolboy, Drowning Out The Fury” and “Darnell Dawkins, Mouth Guitar Legend” coming out, they knew what they were getting in to; no-holds-barred insanity. And to their credit, they were all for it. Even actors of their caliber enjoy coming to set and just letting loose.

MG: So we got werewolves, Nazis and over-the-top racism is anything safe in this movie?
GB: No. On purpose. But I did wear a condom the entire time. Does that count?

MG: The film crosses over onto Jim Abraham/David Zucker ground via “Airplane!”, tell us about your decision to take the film that way?
GB: It often feels like everything has been done. “The Airplane” and “Naked Gun” series changed all of that by taking normal comedy and going way too far with it. I wanted to go even further. No apologies, no pulled punches, I’d like to kick the planet in the nuts and make them salute the flag at the same time. God bless America.

MG: How did this experience differ for you than your film “Poolboy”?
GB: “Poolboy, Drowning Out the Fury” was an experiment in mass comedy. We wanted to fill every second with something to make you laugh and honestly, I think we did it. FDR is a classier, stylized version, but without the class. The film looks great but it’s anything goes. We took the same philosophy as “Poolboy” and just went bigger.

MG: Tell us what we can expect from the upcoming DVD/Blu-ray release?
GB: We wanted to do something nice for the audience so there’s a special feature, 26 minute music video of me peanut butter wrestling the cast in lifesaver thongs. Because we care. Comes out September 25th, so look for it!

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Media Mikes had a chance to interview the director Tony Zierra, producer, Elizabeth Yoffe and star, Chad Lindberg of the documentary “My Big Break”. Check out what they had to say below and support the film!

Click here to read our review of “My Big Break”

Premise: This controversial documentary follows five roommates trying to make it in Hollywood who face the unexpected consequences of fame. When Tony Zierra, an aspiring filmmaker with no money, stars or crew, resorts to filming the lives of his four struggling actor roommates, he never imagined the incredible twists of fate he would end up capturing on camera. Things take an amazing turn when three of the actors, Brad Rowe (Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss, Shelter), Chad Lindberg (October Sky, The Fast And The Furious) and Wes Bentley (American Beauty, Ghost Rider) defy astronomical odds and quickly hit it big. Meanwhile, the fourth actor, Greg Fawcett, is nearly driven insane watching the others get famous. It doesn’t take long for the unsettling reality of stardom to set in. Lindberg’s hope of becoming a leading man is crushed when he s repeatedly told he doesn t have the right look; Rowe ends up typecast as a pretty boy and can’t break past his uncanny resemblance to Brad Pitt; while Bentley, who has the most explosive career launch in decades, uneasily retreats from his sudden, overwhelming fame. As the actors struggle with life in the public eye, Zierra deals with constant obstacles while he tries to complete his film – including being scrutinized and blocked by the actors’ nervous agents. While popular shows like Entourage offer a fun, fictionalized view into the workings of the film industry, My Big Break shows the good times along with the darker side of becoming a celebrity. The documentary is a rare, raw look at life in Hollywood that reveals what can happen if your dreams unexpectedly come true.

Elizabeth Yoffe is the producer on the recent documentary “My Big Break”, directed by Tony Zierra and follows the early careers of Wes Bentley, Chad Lindberg, Brad Rowe and Gregory Fawcett.  Elizabeth took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about producing a documentary like “My Big Break”.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your involvement with documentary “My Big Break”?
Elizabeth Yoffe: Years ago, I was involved in a much smaller capacity with Tony’s documentary, “Carving Out Our Name”. When I saw that completed film in Toronto, I was completely taken with his abilities as a director and felt grateful to be part of it. Although there was a painful outcome for “Carving”, I believed that if Tony decided to start over and create a new project from his original footage it would result in something powerful and unique. I’ve been part of the process of making “My Big Break” from the beginning. My goal has been to be a partner in all aspects of it and to support the filmmaker’s creative vision in every way that’s needed. That covers a broad range of tasks and activities, from paperwork to marketing, creative input – when called upon, hiring additional crew, finding composers around the world, dealing with releases, research, financing, distribution decisions, marketing. It’s extremely hands- on and exhilerating because we’re completely independent.

MG: What is the most difficult task of producing a documentary?
EY: Raising its profile. It’s an interesting time for documentaries. There’s more and more interest in them and far more platforms and outlets to have the work seen than ever before – which is great. But, because there is so much content out there you’re also competing for audience interest, so marketing and raising awareness of an independent project can be challenging – as is monetization. But, all in all, I’d say this is one of the best times for indie docs-if you’re willing to put in the hands-on, intensive work.

MG: Where can everyone view or purchase this film today?
EY: Thanks for asking! The best way to view and purchase “My Big Break” is through our site www.mybigbreakmovie.com.There, you’ll have the option of streaming or downloading the movie or you can purchase the DVD through us or through Amazon.com.

MG: The special features are located on the website, tell us about this decision?
EY: We have so much footage that we want to include in the special features and making them part of a DVD limits the ability to change and add different features from time to time. This way, we have complete control over keeping the special features fresh.

MG: Have you ever considered this type of film with another group of actors, perhaps a series?
EY: No, because what makes “My Big Break” really one-of-a -kind is that fate had such a big part in bringing together that specific group of people and what they experienced – the struggles, the success, the spiral into frustration can’t possibly be duplicated. There’s plenty of fake reality out there now – too much – but the reality in “My Big Break” makes it unique and that much more interesting. If Tony wanted to do it, I know that he’d bring his unique creative eye to it, so that’s the only thing that would make me interested but without that – no. Although, I should add, it might intrigue me is to see how a group of young women handled a similar situation because the pressures on females in Hollywood is that much more intense and unsettling.

MG: What are currently working on next?
EY: I’m working in partnership with Tony on a fascinating documentary about Stanley Kubrick- I’m very excited about that, and also offering a certain level of technical support on his book, which tells a truly epic life story – talk about a film project! That’s the one story I’d consider going back to Hollywood to get done – if it could be done the way it should be. Who knows.

Tony Zierra is the director of the recent documentary “My Big Break”, which follows the early careers of Wes Bentley, Chad Lindberg, Brad Rowe and Gregory Fawcett.  Tony took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about its 10 year journey to the public.

Mike Gencarelli: How do you feel that “My Big Break” has finally be released to the public?
Tony Zierra: Relieved. One of the great gratifications a filmmaker has is to see their work done and to know that it has a chance to find its audience I’m always deeply touched when I hear someone has seen “My Big Break ” and was affected by it and understood what it’s about.

MG: Was it worth it for the 10 years it took to make and release?
TZ: Was it worth it? Yes. Did I want it to take 10 years? No. Absolutely not. The one thing that I can say is that the length of time it took to take the movie gave me a deeper understanding of the business, the life of the celebrity, the reality of filmmaking and allowed me to convey that in the film. It would be impossible to grasp that in two or three years. As annoying as it is to take that long to do something, when it’s done you really do appreciate all the hard work. That kind of lengthy process creates layers that you can only accomplish with time. Also, time allowed me to follow what would happen to each individual, including myself, before during and after “their break” and created a natural arc for the characters and the film.

MG: What do you think was the most difficult aspect in this road?
TZ: Resources and people’s commitment or lack thereof to the project, and the industry’s fear of exposure.

MG: Do you still keep in contact with Wes Bentley, Chad Lindberg, Brad Rowe and Gregory Fawcett?
TZ: Yes, but in varying degrees.

MG: Ever consider doing another documentary in another 10 years to follow-up on their careers?
TZ: I might, but if I wouldn’t do it if I were them. it’s very difficult for actors or any celebrity to put themselves in that position.This type of “real” reality, not the constructed reality we see on television, is too intense and revealing for them to willingly take part in. Probably the only reason they agreed to do it originally was because they were unknown.

MG: How does “My Big Break” compare to the tossed documentary “Carving Out Our Name”?
TZ: “My Big Break” is more revealing, layered and truthful. “My Big Break” is storytelling and “Carving” was filmmaking. “Carving” was honest to a certain degree, very visual, with a sense of “show-off” because I was hoping that it would be my ticket to working as a filmmaker in Hollywood. I was playing the game to get into the system. When you’re making a film in the business you’re already thinking about your next film so there’s a self-conscious aspect to it. True storytelling, though, is not affected by any of that. You’re only focused on the truth of the subjects as characters in the story. Also, “Carving” had a lot in it aboutrelationships each guy had with their then girlfriends and their friendship with each other but ‘My Big Break” is purely about the each one of us in relationship to the business. There was no narration in “Carving”, I never appeared in it at all. I put my story into “My Big Break” because I felt it was only fair to the actors to expose my own pain, vulnerability and disappointments if I was going to do that to them

MG: What are you currently working on? Ever plan on directing again?
TZ: I’ll always be interested in storytelling and there are different ways to do that outside of the system. For example, I’m working on a documentary about Stanley Kubrick but I don’t really see it as “making movies” in a standard way – I’m telling a story. I’m currently writing a book about my experiences that include, but are definitely not confined to, my time in Hollywood. And there are always other projects in the works.

Britt Ekland is known best for her roles in 1973’s “The Wicker Man” and playing Bond girl in “The Man with the Golden Gun”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Britt about her film work and her experiences working with Christopher Lee and Roger Moore.

Mike Gencarelli: How was the experience working on the film “The Wicker Man”?
Britt Ekland: It was very difficult as I discovered during shooting that I was pregnant. I couldn’t understand why my dress suddenly felt so tight. So, took the night train to London on my day off and went to the doctor for a test. He confirmed that I was pregnant. We had a lot of exterior shooting and, of course, it always had to look sunny and warm, but we worked in October and November so it was quite cold and windy in Scotland. There were a lot of exterior shooting and a lot of walking!

MG: Can you reflect on the cult status the film has developed over the years?
BE: I don’t think any of us, at the time, thought about it, for me it was just another movie and one I hadn’t been very happy doing. But I guess it was the first time, on screen, someonewasn’t saved in the end and I think that had a big impact on the audience.

MG: What did you like most about playing a Bond girl in “The Man with the Golden Gun”?

MG: How was it working with Roger Moore and Christopher Lee (again)?
BE: When I did the “Wicker Man”, I always found Christopher Lee very quiet and distant, but when we did the Bond Film, I met his Danish wife and we all got on very well together. But he is a very serious man. Roger on the other hand was very friendly and open and great fun to be with, always looking for ways to make us laugh. Roger had his wife and children with him on location. I also had my 2 children, Victoria and Nicholai, with me.

MG: How did you feel being dubbed in the role?
BE: Yes I was dubbed in the “Wicker Man”n even though I did my own dubbing in a Scottish accent, obviously they didn’t like it. As an actress I think that is probably the worst thing that can happen to you and I was very unhappy about it.

MG: Can you reflect on your experience in the show “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!”?
BE: I was asked 2 years earlier to do the show but I wasn’t mentally ready to do it. It takes a lot of strength to “just be yourself” and not act. I also have a one-woman show and I wanted the exposure that a show like Get Me Out… gives. Even young boys on their bikes knew who I was, when I came out, amazing! To actually be in the show was quite boring as there is nothing to do all day, unless you have a task, and the rainforest set is quite small and you weren’t allowed to go outside it!

MG: You’ve done quite a bit of theatre, how can you feel it differs? Do you prefer?
BE: I went to drama school as a young woman and my first engagement was touring Sweden with a Variety show for many month, but then i was discovered by 20th Century Fox and my stage career ended. I went back to stage work in the early 90’s and had to learn all over again what it’s like being on stage. I had horrid stage fright in the beginning but slowly over the years, it doesn’t seem so frightening anymore. I very much enjoy being on stage and I love the interaction with the audience. I think you come to a certain age where your choices are limited and I now feel comfortable on stage.

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Kevin Cooper has worked various jobs in Hollywood and has lent his talents to such films as “Armageddon” and “Secondhand Lions.” A Midwest boy at heart, after graduating from NYU Cooper made his way west, working his way through the ranks of both independent film making and the studio system. Cooper recently got behind the camera, writing and directing the new family film, “I Heart Shakey.” The film is currently available via Video on Demand and will open in theatres nationwide later this month. Kevin took a few moments out of his schedule to talk about his new film with Media Mikes:

Michael Smith: You’ve worked on many films in many various roles yet this is the first time you’ve added writer and director to your resume’. What made you decide to take on this film at this time?
Kevin Cooper: I’ve been in this business for a long time and I’m always looking for something “new” to attempt. My wife, who ended up producing the film, and I were talking one night and we said to ourselves, “we know how to make movies…we have relationships with distributors and talent…what’s stopping US?” And we decided that if we were going to go into the battle we should focus on a subject that means something to us. And this film is ultimately about loyalty…about family. So we chose to pursue this project. It had been sitting around for a long time. In a way it’s loosely based on my life. I graduated from NYU film school, which is where I met Steve Lemme. I moved to L.A. When I got there I rented an apartment. And only after I had been there for a week did I learn that I would be able to keep my dog. So the film brought up a real challenge. What do you do when you have to get rid of your dog…to in a way tear your family apart? Of course I had just got to Hollywood so I thought, “Shit, I’ll just give away the dog!” But every time I gave the dog away to a prospective owner….basically the next day they were calling me and saying “come get your dog…he’s way too rambunctious for me!” He was such a fun and crazy dog. And ultimately, after about three or four months, I realized that the dog wants to stay with ME. And it was really one of those life lessons about loyalty. So that inspired a really early first draft. But the project just sat there. I wasn’t really a development guy, I was a studio guy. I was constantly working on other peoples projects. So when I got back to the Midwest I decided to find a project that’s personal…one we could dive into. My directing work had been in comedy. When I lived in New York I directed and produced all of Broken Lizards early sketches. They had a live show in New York City and between sketches, when they had to set up different props or change wardrobe, my video sketches would play while they did their changes. And the film is also a great way to come back together with friends. With dear friends, actually. I mean they came up with “Super Troopers” on the way to my wedding! We go way back, those guys and I.

MS: Why did you decide to add the extra burden of shooting in 3D to your first feature?
KC: (laughs) That’s a great question. One of the things we knew early on was that, for the film to succeed, we had to give ourselves every advantage. It was less about how the audience would receive it and more about our perception of where 3D was headed. I ran James Cameron’s company for six years and some of my best friends are technologists and industry leaders. Now for 100 years the industry has really kept people like you and me out. You really had to be a wealthy guy or come from money…you had to have some kind of connection generally speaking. Nepotism ran rampant in this industry for many, many years. But our production budget was $235,000. And we asked how much it would cost to use 3D. We found a camera house here in Chicago that was willing to foot the bill for it so it didn’t really cost us a ton more…at least not in production. In post it did end up costing us a little bit more money. I explored what it meant, artistically, to make a film in 3D. And it really opens up new worlds and frontiers. Hollywood is such a competitive place. We thought why just do a regular film…why not give yourself every advantage you can? It was important for us to know that we were out front like that. Some of our best friends are indie filmmakers. And I would say that seven or eight out of ten of them don’t get their feature films distributed. So our idea was to do everything we could to make this film appealing. That was our thinking. And once you’ve committed to that you really have no choice. When you grasp onto technology there is really no backing out. Our distributor is very committed to the film. They’d put it out in 2D. But they’re very committed to putting it out in 3D. And you ask about the difficulty of working with 3D…you can say the same thing about working with dogs…working with kids. I teach film at Columbia and I was sort of breaking all of the rules (laughs).

MS: Ironically my next question was: was it difficult to work with the animals?
KC: It was hard! (laughs) There’s a great supplemental bit on the DVD for “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” where they talk about how they rescued all the dogs. It seemed very logical and possible that we could do the same thing here in Chicago with one dog. So we found a rescue dog and trained with him for months. And it just didn’t work. We ended up having to call all over the United States. And eventually we ended up with a dog that was pretty good. Most films use a purebreed dog because it’s easier to find a double. But I wanted to use a mutt. We found a double but he was hard to work with. I would say that animals in general take a lot more time. In some cases we didn’t get all the things we wanted the dog to do. One thing I’m proud of is we came up with ways to further some of the sequences in the film with animation…almost like a representation of the girl’s imagination. Originally it was just a crutch but when we tested the film we found that our target audience loved the animation! It’s interesting how what appeared to be one of our problems turned into one of our strengths.

MS: You have a very solid cast, including Steve Lemme, Steve Guttenberg and Beverly D’Angelo. How did you get them interested in the project?
KC: Hollywood is a funny business. My first job out of college was working at CAA (the Creative Artist Agency). One of my best friends is now running the Motion Picture Talent Department at CAA. Not that he helped me get the cast…it’s just that Hollywood is a very small place. You know everybody one person removed if you’ve been there a few years. And it’s important to understand the mentality behind the talent agent. So a guy like Guttenberg…he wants to get paid. He wasn’t paid a lot but he got paid. Three days of work for several thousand bucks. You make him an offer. “Hey, do you want to come out here for three days?” And he’s also a big fan of Steve Lemme and Broken Lizard, so that helped. And having Steve involved…he doesn’t have a huge fan base but the fan base he does have is very loyal to him. In certain circles he’s a major rock star! If you’re a 45 year old lady you’ve probably never heard of him. But if you’re a 22 year old guy, you’ve probably memorized all of his lines from his films. So having Steve on board was definitely an asset to the project. And then we got Alfonso Arau. Now maybe he doesn’t have a lot of fans but he lent a certain level of legitimacy to the project. He directed films like “Like Water for Chocolate.” And his comic role in “The Three Amigos”…El Guapo…you won’t find a comedian who doesn’t consider that performance one of the top five or top ten…everybody loves that role. We didn’t get a “Prometheus” size push with the talent involved but, like a said, for under a half-million bucks…it was enough to get the investors to support the film. So it certainly helps to know the psychology behind a Hollywood talent agent.

MS: So, in a sense, making this film was your own El Guapo?”
KC: (laughing) Exactly! You know it, man. It was a plethora of fun and problems all at the same time.

MS: Finally, once the film is released and behind you, what are you working on next?
KC: I’m working on a project with Steve Lemme called “My Sky.” It’s a script written by Alex Torres and it’s about a guy with Tourette Syndrome. It’s a very different tone…in the vein of “Awakenings.” It’s something that we can really control the tone of…we can dig in deep and roll up our sleeves. I don’t know if you were suggesting this earlier or not but, if you were, you were right on the money. Making a film with all these attributes…3D and kids and dogs…are definitely harder for sure. Unless I have a lot more money I’m not going to be doing that kind of film for a long time. Not so much that I needed money…it’s just that you need more shooting days…you can acquire more takes. “My Sky” is such a gem of a script that we want to do it justice. A lot of people have said to Steve, “you’re sort of this generation’s ‘Cheech and Chong, what with his films with “Broken Lizard.” But it will give us a chance to make a film that’s really cool.

MS: Thank you for your time.
KC: It was a pleasure to talk with you. I should also add you have a very neat site. I think it’s awesome. You guys do a really great job of working in and outside of the systems. Keep up the good work!

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Steve Lemme is known best for being a member of the comedy troupe Broken Lizard.  He has co-star in “Super Troopers”, “Beerfest” and “Club Dread”.  He is taking the lead role in the upcoming 3D family film “I Heart Shakey”.  Steve is also currently touring comedy clubs with Broken Lizard co-member Kevin Heffernan.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Steve about his new film and also his current comedy tour.

Mike Gencarelli: “I Heart Shakey” looks like sweet family film and a sharp right turn from your work with Broken Lizard, what did you enjoy most about it?
Steve Lemme: Actually, I can honestly say it was the best acting experience I have had. When we made the Broken Lizard films, it’s been an ensemble. Right off the bat, we got to the set and I got to rehearsals and realized I had 90 pages of disalogue to learn. Suddenly I had a much greater responsible because I was “the guy”. It then became aware to me that I would be acting with only a 9-year old girl and a dog. The conversation I had with the director was that I was going to have to be pillar of strength and experience here. In someway, I think I grew up a little bit. With the Broken Lizard movies, you always have to be improving and acting on your toes. I think you have to be more so with this film. You find yourself right in the middle of your lines and all of the sudden the dog pulls you off in a different direction. You have to put a greater amount of focus into this. It is also harder not to do comedy certain times. Overall it was just a great experience.

MG: As a new parent yourself, did that contribute to your playing J.T. O’Neil?
SL: The truth is we did the movie before my baby was born or my wife was pregnant. So some people have said that this experience gave me the desire to be a dad…and I wouldn’t deny it. The girl that play my daughter in the film, Riley, after a week or two I became very naturally protective of her. We were spending 14 hours a day together and we bonded. So the running joke is she made me want to be a dad.

MG: You’ve known director Kevin Cooper since college and collaborated with Broken Lizard, how was it reuniting?
SL: We met when he was in NYU film school and Broken Lizard has just started. I acted in his first two student films. He went to Hollywood then and worked for Michael Bay and Jim Cameron. He then moved back to Chicago and became a professor of film production at Columbia College. When we were kids we always talked about making our careers about working together and makings tons of movies together. We just bonded in that way. He called me up a few years ago and sent me the script for “Shakey” and asked me to play the lead. It is a kids movie and so far from the stuff I have done. Overall it was a great experience for me and also a challenge. It was a low-budget feature being shot in 3D and with a dog.

MG: How was it shooting your first film in 3D?
SL: I had mixed feeling about it honestly. In terms of the distribution of the film, since 3Dmovies are so popular right now. But what we are finding it is actually hindering our distribution. Then people are thinking to themselves it was going to cost much more to market and cost the audience more as well. You are then going to be competing with the Pixar movies for 3D screens and be bumped in a heartbeat. On a shoestring budget, shooting 3D is such a time constraint. You are really at the mercy of the 3D cameras.

MG: Was it exciting to work 80’s legends Steven Guttenberg and Beverly D’Angelo?
SL: Well I only got to work with Beverly for one day. In the film her character and my character don’t get along, she doesn’t like me. So I think she was a method actor…so in between takes she would just sort of glare at me [laughs]. So I didn’t enjoy my day with Beverly very much. But Guttenberg and I, we had a great time shooting together. We are both very immature guys. He was in “Police Academy” movies and I was in “Super Troopers”. We really had a blast working together.

MG: You also reunite in this film with Philippe Brenninkmeyer from “Super Troopers”; planned or not?
SL: They were looking for local German actor, who has a good sense of humor. I told them I knew a guy but they were going to have to bring him down from Los Angeles. He showed up on set and just nailed it. He is one of the best characters in the movie. Of course awesome to work with again.

MG: Tell us about your currently comedy tour with Kevin Heffernan?
SL: Broken Lizard started off as a stand-up comedy group. We wanted to do more of that with sketches and that culminated a few years ago with a Comedy Central special. Kevin and I decided afterwards that we liked it so much that we wanted to do more. The problem with the Broken Lizard tour is that we each only got like ten minutes of time. I felt I had a lot more to say and Kevin felt the same. Jay wanted to get back to directing TV. Paul was going off to direct a script he did. Eric was focusing on doing motivation speaking. Kevin and I decided to put together this show and have been touring for the last year and a half. We are going to shooting this show as well for a special during our stop in San Francisco. We are having a blast.

MG: What do you have planned next either solo or with Broken Lizard?
SL: Kevin and I have been writing a lot together. We just sold a show to NBC for us to act/write in. On the side, when the group is not together, Kevin and I have taken it up to write a new Broken Lizard script. Our agent is telling us we are going to hit every comedy club in the country. So after a year and a half, we still haven’t been to the same place twice. So we are just building our stand up reputation and really enjoying it.

Alexander Newton stars in the upcoming independent film “Justice/Vengeance”. Media Mikes had a chance to speak with Alexander recently about the film and what it’s like working with his father, Joshua Newton.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the film “Justice/Vengeance”?
Alexander Newton: The film is a revenge/thriller set in two different time periods. One of those periods is today and the other is in the 1940’s. My scenes are during the flashback portions of the film as I play the younger version of the lead character. I think the film is quite important as it speaks out against racism. It is sort of a morally questioning movie. It’s one of those what if? stories. When my dad wrote the story he asked himself what if his dad found the man that killed his family during the holocaust and what would he do. There is a lighter side of the story as it has some romance set in the 1940’s. The movie definitely will appeal to a wide variety of people.

AL: Can you tell us a little more about your character?
AN: My character escapes the execution of his village and becomes sort of a freedom fighter. He spends the rest of his time in Europe fighting the Nazi’s. He eventually moves to New York where he becomes a police officer. This is where you see the older version of my character Joseph played by Roy Scheider.

AL: What was it that drew you to this role?
AN: It’s such a powerful story. It is heartbreaking as well. I felt like this was a role that was really important to do. It was great working with my dad on the film as well. I really trust him and I think he did a great job directing the movie.

AL: Do you ever find it difficult working with a family member?
AN: I don’t really think so. I find it very rewarding. We are both very comfortable with each other. I don’t think we are ever afraid to say anything to each other. (Laughs) It’s fun and we work very easily together. We haven’t ever had any problems on set. We get along really well. He is a cool Dad.

AL: Can you tell us about your song that is featured in the film?
AN: The song is called “Lost in Forever”. It is played over the end credits of the film. We also did a music video for the song. The song has not been released yet as we are still waiting for the right time to release it. Everything is all ready to go we just have to find the right time to put it out there.

AL: Did you write this song specifically for the film or was it written beforehand?
AN: We set out to make a song for the film. This song is separate from the others that I am doing as it is about the story in the film.

AL: Can you tell us about some of your other music?
AN: I dabble. (Laughs) I am working hard at the moment on a couple interesting projects. Separate from when I am acting and auditioning several times a week I am making music. I am writing with other artists and producing other artists. I also am writing for my own material as well. I am pretty busy and it’s all been cool. You will definitely be hearing my stuff this year.

AL: Do you find one of the arts to be more difficult than the other?
AN: Not really. Like anything that you put enough work into it’s worth it. I love both of them so I don’t really see either as difficult. I just see them as things I do.

AL: Do you have any other projects going on?
AN: I have a small load of projects that I am working on. I have a movie that we are going to make this year that is a comedy. That will actually be the second film I am doing with my Dad. I also will be doing a film in Texas that will be a lot of fun.

Jonathan Sadowski is the star of the recent Oren Peli produced “Chernobyl Diaries”. Jonathan also star last year in TV’s short-lived “Bleep My Dad Says”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jonathan about his new film and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to the “Chernobyl Diaries”?
Jonathan Sadowski: Starting from the audition process the project had a mystique about it. I didn’t really know anything about it as everyone was being very secretive. I did however figure Oren Peli was behind everything. The script was very improv based and we just let our characters run during the audition process.  Bit by bit we told more about the project and by the time screen testing started I knew what the film was about. Brad Parker is an actor’s director. He is very open to working with you. I had no idea the movie was going to be what it turned into.

MG: What did you like most about your character in the film?
JS: My character is the black sheep of the family. Everything that happens in this film is because my character decides to take these people on a tour of this abandoned city.

MG: Were the shooting locations challenging at all?
JS: We shot in a few different locations.  We were in Serbia as well as a few different cities outside of Budapest. There was a big language barrier there so communicating was extremely difficult. Trying to eat in restaurants there was really tuff.

MG: What was it like working with Oren Peli and first time director Brad Parker?
JS: For Brad being a first time director he is a pro. I can’t say enough about what he did with the film. He gave us tremendous liberties. Oren was on set every day and was also there during the audition process. The script really came out during rehearsals as it was very improv based. They actually taped the rehearsals and turned it into a script format. Oren was the first person to speak up if something wasn’t perfect. He was really amazing.

MG: Do you enjoy working in a more open environment?
JS: I love it! There are really no rules so you can push the envelope. They can always pull it back but at least you have the liberties to go further with your character.

MG: How does your experiences on this film compare to yours from previous works?
JS: The thing that was interesting about shooting this film was the whole secrecy aspect of things. Even when we were shooting we didn’t know what was going to happen or what things were going to look like until we were ready to do them. They were constantly pulling pranks on us to get real reactions.

MG: Can you tell us about any of your other projects?
JS: There is one film that I am in talks to do but the script is still being finished. They are also trying to get me to direct the project as well.

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When writer/director James Cameron needed someone to create the native language of his Na’vi characters for the film “Avatar,” he turned to renowned linguist Paul Frommer. Impressed by his work the filmmakers behind the recent film “John Carter” asked Dr. Frommer to develop the Barsoomian language for that film as well. Dr. Frommer is Professor Emeritus of Clinical Management Communication at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. Prior to joining Marshall, he lived and taught in Malaysia and Iran and completed a doctorate in linguistics at USC. He followed that with a ten-year sojourn in the business world as vice president and strategic planner for a Los Angeles corporation. Returning to USC, he joined the faculty of Marshall’s Center for Management Communication, serving as Director of the Center from 2005 to 2008. His teaching at USC included courses in Advanced Writing for Business and Cross-cultural Business Communication for Non-native Speakers. Dr. Frommer is co-author, with Edward Finegan, of Looking at Languages: A Workbook in Elementary Linguistics, currently in its fifth edition. To celebrate the release of “John Carter” on DVD, Dr. Frommer took the time to speak with Media Mikes:

Mike Smith: For “John Carter” was it important to incorporate a lot of the Barsoomian words that Edgar Rice Burroughs had created for his series of novels?
Paul Frommer: Yes, it was extremely important. And that’s what made this assignment unique. In the series of eleven books he came up with around 420 words. There is a large fan base out there that regards those texts as sacred and I wanted to respect that. I wanted to incorporate everything that Edgar Rice Burroughs had done so that therewould be no inconsistencies. That being said there was still a lot of guess work that had to be done. Just because you see the written form of a word doesn’t mean you know the exact pronunciation. For example, he had used “ch” in a lot of the words. But what does it mean? It could be “cha” like “chair.” It could also be “ka” like in “chorus.” It could be “sha” like in “machine. Those were some of the decisions I had to make. When you have “th” is it “thh” as in “thin” or “thuh” as in “then?” They both have different sounds. And even though the words were there, there were still a lot of decisions to be made. In terms of grammar we used virtually nothing from the book…it’s just isolating words.

MS: When you’re creating a language for a film do the screenwriters and director contribute their ideas as to how the language should sound or how it should flow?
PF: Yes. In fact, Andrew Stanton (director of “John Carter”) had come up with a few words of his own and when I could I would incorporate those. I had come up with some possibilities as to how the language would sound when spoken and I past those on to Andrew for his approval. In the initial go ‘round there were certain things he liked and certain things he didn’t. So we played around with things until he was happy with how the language sounded.

MS: Using Klingon as an example, since Klingon’s are outwardly very rough…their language is very guttural. When you create a language do you base how it will soundon the character’s perceived on-screen appearance?
PF: For the Na’vi language in “Avatar” Jim Cameron wanted the language to sound appealing and beautiful but also to sound somewhat complicated. In terms of the Barsoomians, they’re kind of a rougher people and so maybe the language reflects that.

MS: Since you brought up “Avatar” are there any new species you’ll be creating languages for in “Avatar 2?”
PF: Well, I wish I could tell you but I’m as curious as anyone. All I can tell you is that the film has been announced and that it’s slated to come out in 2016.

MS: To close on a humorous note, have you ever had a bad experience at a restaurant where you’ve just lambasted the waiter in Barsoomian?
PF: I haven’t done that yet (laughs) but there are times when I’ve said some things to myself in Barsoomian or Na’vi but I haven’t pulled that on any people yet. I’m sure there are fans in the audience for both languages that have done it and I think that’s great!

Danny Trejo has appeared in over 200 acting roles. Most recently Danny appears in the film “Ranchero” which was directed by Richard Kaponas. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Danny about the film as well as his involvement in the upcoming Robert Rodriguez sequel “Machete Kills”.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about your latest film “Ranchero”?
Danny Trejo: That was kind of a labor of love for me. A good friend of mine Rick Gutierrez and I were in prison together. His brother Roger is in this film and he asked if I could do him a favor and read the script. I told him sure but I couldn’t really promise anything. I read the script and thought it was good and they asked if I had any time I could give them. I had about 3 days and told them if they could make it work I would do it. They made everything work and I am really glad I was able to do the film. Acts of love always come out really well.

AL: Can you describe your role in the film?
DT: I am a badass! The director was pretty sharp because he put me in a wheel chair. He showed that you can be a badass sitting down. The character comes across really well. The whole story is about struggle.

AL: With the film being released straight to DVD will it include any bonus material?
DT: Oh yeah. I think there is going to be a few additional scenes included on the disc. I didn’t take part in that portion of things so I can’t be too sure of what all will be on there.

AL: You just wrapped on a film titled “Dead in Tombstone”. Can you tell us anything about that?
DT: The film is a western and it came along awesome. It was directed by Roel Reine who also directed me in “Death Race 2” and “Death Race: Inferno”. I love his mode of direction as it is very similar to Robert Rodriguez. Those guys shoot everything and I love working like that. There isn’t a lot of down time and things are action packed.

AL: You have quite a few projects in the works right now but when you first started in the film business did you ever envision a career like you have now?
DT: No. I am still scared that someone is going to come along and wake me up for chow as I am still in the joint. (Laughs) It’s just unbelievable.

AL: What do you think has been the biggest change in the movie industry since you started?
DT: I think one of the biggest changes in the industry has been Robert Rodriguez. I think he has hit it and really made an impact. He has done both independent and low budget films. He showed that you can come out of high school, put a little bit of money together and make a film. He made it possible for my kid to make a movie if he wanted to.

DT: I had walked into his office to do “Desperado”. He looked at me and told me I reminded him of the bad kids in his high school. I told him I am the bad kids in his high school. From there we just hit it off.

AL: What can we be expecting from the much anticipated Machete sequel “Machete Kills”?
DT: June 14^th we start shooting. The film is going to be over the top and bigger than the first film! “Machete Kills” is going to put a new coat of paint on action.

AL: Having played the role of Machete a number of times now; have you been allowed to give any input towards the role?
DT: Robert has always let me give input. In fact the line “Machete don’t text” came about because I was trying to get a hold of Robert before Comic-Con and he wouldn’t answer his phone. When I finally got a hold of him I asked why he would answer my calls. He told me that every time I tried calling him he was either in a meeting or shooting something. He said the best way to get a hold of him was to text him. I told him “Machete don’t text” and he just laughed. When I saw it was in the script I couldn’t believe he remembered it from when there was 20 thousand people around us at Comic-Con. The guy is a genius and remembers everything.

James J. Sullos Jr. is the President of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. and Cathy Wilbanks is the Archivist of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. They took out some time to chat with Media Mikes to discuss Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic novel “A Princess of Mars” – the first novel in Burroughs’ Barsoom series and Disney’s film “John Carter”. Both James & Cathy also helped create the bonus feature on the “John Carter” Blu-ray called “100 Years In The Making.”

Mike Gencarelli: What`s the best part of working on Mr. Burroughs’s Legacy?
Jim Sullos: Mr. Burroughs wrote over 70 novels and 40 short stories. There is no end to the literary content that he created. I continually read material that has not been published for quite a few years and yet the storyline are still exciting. That why his legacy is never ending.
Cathy Wilbanks: I really enjoy working with the archives because every day is an opportunity to find treasures. The archives are filled with amazing artifacts from the past and I have the pleasure of discovering each and every one.

MG: What do you think Burroughs would have thought of this adaptation of “John Carter”?
JS: Burroughs would have been pleased that the movie accurately portrayed much of what was in his first novel “A Princess of Mars”. And he would have been amazed that current technology could finally do justice to his vivid imagination which was not possible until CGI was developed.

MG: What scene did you most enjoy in “John Carter”?
JS: It is very difficult to select just one scene that I most enjoyed because the whole movie was an incredible joy to see. Andrew Stanton was a genius in bringing visualization to the entire storyline that had never been seen before. As I watched the movie I could feel the passion he devoted to each segment of the film. Picking one scene would not be fair to so many successful portrayals of this timeless story.
CW: My favorite scene in the movie would have to be when John Carter saves Dejah during the marriage ceremony. My favorite character would have to be John Carter, but Woola is a close second!

MG: This big adaption of “John Carter” was 100 Years In The Making, what was the biggest challenge to get it right?
CW: The biggest challenge was finding an actor to portray Edgar Rice Burroughs. We were able to talk John Burroughs, ERB’s grandson, into taking on the part. When I saw the film for the first time, I was amazed to watch John interact in the background because he resembles ERB so much. It was like ERB was back with us again.

MG: How do you feel that the film “John Carter” interpreted the novel “A Princess of Mars?
JS: I think Andrew Stanton, the fabulous Director, who read all of the 11 Mars books as a youngster gave Dejah Thoris an added dimension as both a scientist and an accomplished fighter, greatly expanding her role with positive effects.

MG: What do you think makes the book “A Princess of Mars” so unique?
JS: At the time this book was written in 1911-1912, the scientific knowledge of planet Mars was limited and scientists had to guess as to the makeup of the surface of the planet. Mr. Burroughs novel gave a vivid description in detail of Mars that persisted for decades as the imaginary life that might exist on any planet in the universe.

MG: What were Burroughs’ sentiments toward filming his works in general?
CW: Edgar Rice Burroughs moved from Chicago to the San Fernando Valley in 1919 so he could be closer to the Hollywood scene. He was very excited and realized that he wanted to move in that direction. However, once filming started, he realized that he had to give up some of the control of how his characters were portrayed. Burroughs was mostly frustrated with the portrayal of Tarzan. He wanted his TARZAN to be portrayed as an intelligent, insightful heroand did not like the line “Me Tarzan, You Jane.”

MG: Can you give us some examples of the artifacts you worked with in the treasure trove of ERB material?
CW: The archives at Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. are filled with historical treasures. I have had the pleasure of holding in my hands many first edition books, a huge variety of comic books, toys, merchandise from around the world, movie props like a pterodactyl, and of course, original art. But some of the most meaningful artifacts include the handwritten TARZAN Of THE APES manuscript as well as the A PRINCESS OF MARS manuscript and personal letters signed by Edgar Rice Burroughs himself.

MG: Despite being a hundred years old, the characters of ‘John Carter’ and the Barsoom series are still relevant and don’t feel the least bit dated. Why do you think that is?
CW: Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote the story focusing on human conditions such as love and conflict. He understood that to have a successful story, he must include factors that would have a wide appeal. The ‘John Carter’ character was developed with characteristics like humor, intelligence, emotion and strength. John Carter (Taylor Kitch) is very ‘relate-able’ which makes the story current in today’s world.

MG: We wouldn’t have Star Wars if it wasn’t for Princess of Mars, do you think pop culture gives Burroughs the credit he deserves for being such an influence?
CW: No, I don’t believe pop culture gives Edgar Rice Burroughs enough credit. He was a gifted, prolific writer and unfortunately has not been recognized for his contributions.

MG: Do you think there should be a sequel to John Carter movie? If you had to choose another adaption of Burroughs to be made into a feature, which would it be?
JS: I definitely think a sequel should follow. First, I would hope that the planned sequels will be produced because they will show the path that John Carter took to become the “Warlord of Mars”. There are 11 ‘Mars’ books that can be drawn on to create several more exciting movies. But in addition Mr. Burroughs wrote many other science fiction novels and particularly intriguing is the Venus series which portrays the hero Carson Napier who planned to fly his spaceship to Mars but miscalibrated and ended up on Venus to discover an unknown world.

MG: Will there other movies on the books of Edgar Rice Burroughs?
JS: At the present time Warner Bros. has in development a Tarzan live-action. And Constantin films will release its first Tarzan 3D animated film in 2013. We are currently in discussion with several producers who are looking at other Burroughs novels for potential new films.