Mike G and I get asked a lot of questions when we talk to people about our site. The main one: “How much money do you make?” The answer…not a dime. Usually the next question is “Why do you do it then?” There are plenty of good answers but the one I give the most is that sometimes, when the planets align themselves just right, you’ll get to talk with someone that you really admire. This week that someone was Ms. Beverly D’Angelo.

I first spotted her in Clint Eastwood’s “Every Which Way But Loose,” where she played the very lovely Echo (“what’s you name?” Echo. “What? “ECHO!”). But it was her next film, the musical “Hair,” where I was smitten. I could see why John Savage’s Claude Bukowski would go to the ends of the earth to be near her. She followed up “Hair” with a stunning portrayal of Patsy Cline in the Oscar winning “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” In the three-plus decades since she has carved out a career as diverse as any actress of her generation. From comedies like “Paternity” and, of course, the four “Vacation” films to dramas as powerful as “American History X” and the television presentation of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Ms. D’Angelo has continued to grow as an artist.

“You made me join the Army,” I tell her over the phone. When she asks why I tell her it’s because I wanted to find my own Sheila, which makes her laugh. We then talk about her latest film, “I Heart Shakey,” her music and the latest on the (possible) next chapter in the “Vacation” series.

MIKE SMITH: What attracted you to “I Heart Shakey?”
BEVERLY D’ANGELO: The story. I’m a mother and I love family entertainment. It’s a very sweet story with great values.

MS: What can you tell us about your character?
BD: I’m one of the baddies. The family has to check Shakey into a dog hotel. But it turns out that, even though the facade of the hotel is quite fancy, I stick him into what is almost like a back storage area…from which he promptly escapes!

MS: You did a few musical parts early in your career, including “HAIR” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” Did you ever give thought to recording and releasing an album?
BD: I did have an album deal in the 80s. There was a time when the music industry didn’t regard actresses as someone that could have a successful recording career. It was an entirely different approach. They wanted singers who had a very definable identity and of course, being an actress, you don’t really want to be labeled as one persona so strongly. I had a deal with A & M. I recorded it, didn’t like it and was very blasé’ and decided I wouldn’t release it. Of course now that I’m older I say to myself, “was I an idiot.” (laughs) A lot of the recordings I’m on are all soundtracks. I’m on the soundtrack of a movie I was in called “In the Mood.” I sang “Stardust” in a film that Neil Jordan wrote for me called “The Miracle.” I’ve written source music for films and television…a guy walks into a bar and the song is what’s on the jukebox. I wrote the song I sang on“The Simpsons”…”Finally Bagged Me a Homer.” And there is some stuff on YouTube of me singing at the Viper Room. But as far as being able to say, “Here’s my CD, go buy it now,” nope…don’t have it.

MS: You’ve done all kinds of films…comedies, musicals, dramas. Do you have a preference?
BD: I approach everything the same way, whether it’s a comedy or a drama, as far as what I do as an actress to prepare. The genre’ doesn’t make that much difference as to what I do to prepare. You enter a certain kind of state of mind for each project that you do. Hopefully you can sync yourself up stylistically to the script, the director and, most importantly, the actors that you’re working with.

MS: When we know we’re going to talk to someone we often ask our readers to submit a question they’d like to ask. And the majority want to know if there’s another “Vacation” film in your future?
BD: (laughs) There is a company that is doing a remake…they’re calling it a re-boot. There have been a few articles out discussing a re-boot which would feature Rusty, now in his forties, taking his family across the country to Wally World. There has been a lot of flirting in the press with the producers saying, “we have a role for Chevy andBeverly…we really hope to get them on board,” but Chevy and I agree that they’re going to have to come to us. Chevy and I want to work together. We want to do something.

MS: What do you have coming up?
BD: I’m starting a film called “The Bounty Killers.” It’s a post-apocalyptic look at the future where the media stars and cultural stars are the Bounty Killers who systematically hunt down and get rid of the CEOs that have caused the demise of the economy and culture. And in January I’m doing a film called “The Arranged Marriage of Moonbeam,” which is based on the life of the film’s writer/director (Mollie Englehart). If you can imagine “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” but here the family is a communal one. Here the young woman is a lawyer who can’t seem to find a husband so she returns to where she grew up, where her mother decides that the best marriage is an arranged one.

Jourdan McClure is the director of the recent horror film “Rogue River”.  The film is a great entry into the genre, it doesn’t re-create the wheel but it kicks some major ass.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jourdan about his new film and what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you tell us how you got involved with “Rogue River”?
Jourdan McClure: I had the story but I needed someone with the ability to take the screen play in the direction it needed to go. I turned to Kevin Haskin, who I had known before and he then brought in Ryan Finnerty, who is another talented screenwriter. Together they created this little world of contained nastiness that “Rogue River” became.

MG: How do you feel this horror film differs from others that are out there?
JM: I think the film is a bit more hyper-realized in terms of its color and photography. I really wanted to pay attention to the aesthetics of the film. We knew going in that we weren’t making the most original plot. We really wanted to play with the idea that execution was going to be key. This film relies more on atmosphere and tension.  The thought of something really fucked up happening inside this surreal environment was what we were after. I also wanted the craziness of what was going on to look really pretty. For me this was a great way to start with this being my first film.

MG: What was the biggest challenge on the shoot?
JM: Pre-production was very short on the film combined with this being my first movie made things a little difficult, but we were just running on adrenaline. The weather was pretty tough as we had a stretch of days that the temperature was about 9 degrees. I felt bad for the actors who had to be out in that working while I watched wearing a parka.

MG: What do you enjoy most about the horror genre?
JM: The horror genre incorporates everything. You can throw drama, comedy and or action into these types of films. I love when a movie tries to just be a movie. It takes you to a place you may not necessarily be able to go while adding in some real life elements. I like the idea of stylized fiction. Horror is great because you can be thrown in to hell and at the end of the film you can walk out. It’s like when someone cuts you off while driving and you want to stab them in the face. Being a horror directo,r I can write a scene like that, have it acted out and not get arrested. (Laughs)

MG: What other projects do you have coming out?
JM: I have a film titled “Children of Sorrow” which stars Bill Oberst Jr. The film involves a girl who loses her sister to a cult. The film is a POV movie. So you will see the story from each of the characters. It’s not a found footage film, but it takes aesthetics from that. This is a much more sinister film than “Rogue River”.

Zachery Bryan is known best for his role in the TV series “Home Improvement”.  He is currently spending his time working on his production company, Vision Entertainment Group. Their latest film is titled “Rogue River” and is a excellent entry to the horror genre.  Media Mikes had a chance to discuss the film with Zachery and find out what Vision has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you become involved with producing “Rogue River”?
Zachery Bryan: I was a child actor for quite a few years and then made the transition into adult acting. My producing partner, Adam Targum, and I were at a Dodgers game talking back and forth about what we wanted to be doing and we were a little frustrated with the creative side of our business. We decided to start Vision Entertainment Group. Right off the bat, we found a script that we attached a director to and sold that project to Lionsgate. We were not very involved on the physical side of that project. For the next project, we raised the money and produced it ourselves. We found a phenomenal investor and we started looking for scripts. “Rogue River” was one that came very quickly to us. We liked this script for a few different reasons. The price point of the film was pretty reasonable as we didn’t want to start with a large budgeted film. We actually filmed it in the Rogue River area of Oregon. We also liked it because it was a script that wasn’t reinventing the wheel from a plot stand point. There were some original set pieces however. This had all the “it’s” that we needed. We are really excited for the film to be coming out.

MG: How would you categorize the film?
ZB: It is definitely horror genre. Our log line would be that the lead character has lost her father and takes his ashes to spread at the Rogue River. Things ultimately go wrong and she ends up being held captive. The film has quite a few twists and turns.

MG: What do you like most about working in the horror genre?
ZB: It’s good from a business sense as there is a great demographic out there. Horror has an extremely strong and dedicated fan base. The film will make its way out there and people will hopefully see it.

MG: What was the biggest challenge of working on the film?
ZB: From a production stand point, I would have to say the weather. We filmed from November in to December in Southern Oregon…and it was freezing. We had things breaking all the time due to the weather. Other than that things went really smooth.

MG: Having grown up in the TV business with “Home Improvement”, how do you compare from producing?
ZB: They are both so different. Acting is much more emotional. Producing is long hours and you are with the project from start to finish and sometimes even longer. I like producing because I like making decisions. I look at it as you are the painter not just the paintbrush. You get to work on every aspect of the project not just one specific part.

MG: What do you have planned next to produce?
ZB: Our next film titled “The Grief Tourist” is not horror at all. This film is a very art house type film about a guy obsessed with following serial killers. The film stars Michael Cudlitz and Melanie Griffith.

I recently had the privilege of sitting down with actress Linda Harrison. Ms. Harrison is best known in the Pop Culture world for her work in the first two Planet of the Apes films as well as Ron Howard’s Cocoon and its sequel. She is also a fountain of behind-the-scenes knowledge thanks to her marriage to Oscar-winning producer Richard Zanuck. Ms. Harrison was also originally slated to play the role of the police chief’s wife in Jaws. As Mr. Zanuck relates on the extended behind-the-scenes version found on the Jaws boxed laser disc set, Ms. Harrison was offered the role. However, Universal Studios president Sid Shienberg had offered the part to his wife, actress Lorraine Gary. According to Mr. Zanuck, to smooth things out, Shienberg picked up the telephone and called the producer of the upcoming film Airport 1975, William Frye. “Bill,” Shienberg said, “you’ve got another passenger on your airplane.”

Born in Maryland, Ms. Harrison was the first runner-up in the 1965 Miss USA pageant. In November of that year, she signed a seven year deal with 20th Century Fox. Her television debut came in back-to-back episodes of Batman in 1966. She was then cast as Nova in Planet of the Apes and its sequel, Beneath the Planet of the Apes. She has also appeared in the above-mentioned Airport 1975 (she is billed as “Augusta Summerland”), Cocoon, Cocoon: the Return, and had a cameo in Tim Burton’s updated version of Planet of the Apes.

Now divorced from Zanuck, she is the proud mother of two sons, Harrison Zanuck and DeanZanuck, who both work in the film industry. Interested fans are encouraged to check out her web site, www.LindaHarrison.com. Still as strikingly beautiful in person, Ms. Harrison sat down with me at the recent Planet Comicon in Kansas City.

Mike Smith: It’s been our four decades since the original Planet of the Apes was released. Did you ever think while filming that you were creating something that would be, and still is, regarded as a true classic?
Linda Harrison: I think somewhere in my mind I may have thought that. I saw it as an unusual film and went on from there to do other things.

MS: Including the recent Apes film, in which both you and Charlton Heston have a cameo, you’ve appeared in 6 major films. Heston is in 4 of them. Coincidence?
LH: I know. It’s just incredible how much I’ve worked with him. Things just seem to fall that way.

MS: If Beneath the Planet of the Apes had ended on a happy note, with everyone alive, who do you think Nova would have ended up with: Taylor (Heston) or Brent (James Franciscus)?
LH: Taylor! (laughs) No hesitation!

MS: Are there any outtakes of you laughing hysterically when Heston goes into his “you maniacs!” speech at the end of Planet of the Apes?
LH: (laughs) No, I don’t think I laughed hysterically. It was a pretty, I won’t say somber set, but we were dealing in new territory that had never been done on film. So everybody was really at attention, wondering what the next shot was going to be. It was pretty unusual to be sitting there with apes!

MS: My favorite film is Jaws. I was so taken by the film and the performances that I ended up starting Roy Scheider’s official fan club and helped run Richard Dreyfuss’s. Had Sid Sheinberg not outranked Dick Zanuck, you would have been bombarded with mail from me YEARS ago! Did you know from reading the script that Jaws wasgoing to be special?
LH: I remember when Dick was reading the galleys (which is basically the book before it’s published) that he had a really great instinct that this would be a great picture. He knew it would be tough trying to make a 25 foot shark, but he pulled it off. It’s that really classic horror film that still surprises and scares you (mimics a shriek) when you’re not expecting it.

MS: Please tell me that had you done Jaws you would have passed on Jaws: the Revenge?
LH: Oh, sure!

MS: So, what are you doing now?
LH: Actually I’m now what they call a convention celebrity. I try to do one show a month, some do more. I’m also concentrating on my web site.

MS: Are the fans very receptive?
LH: Very. More then I ever imagined.

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Verne Troyer is known best for his role of Mini-Me in the “Austin Powers” franchise. He has also worked with Terry Gilliam on two film and even worked on “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”. Verne took out sometime to chat with Media Mikes to discuss his films and what he has planned upcoming.

Mike Gencarelli: You are recently appeared at Spooky Empire convention in Orlando FL, what do you enjoy most about attending conventions and meeting fans?
Verne Troyer: Well I think what it comes down to, is that if it wasn’t for the fan I wouldn’t have a job. I get to come down meet them and be able to chat and have some physical reactions with them.

MG: Tell us about appearing on the TV series “Celebrity House Hunting”?
VT: It is show on Bravo. I went to three houses I was interested on buying in Michigan, where I am from. I put in an offer on one but it just didn’t end up working out. But it is a good show.

MG: What do you enjoy most about doing reality TV?
VT: It is not necessarily that I enjoy doing it. I would like to focus more on film work. But you also need to pay the bills, you know.

MG: Tell us about your upcoming film “Keith Lemon: The Film”?
VT: I went to Belfast in Northern Ireland, UK, which is where we shot it for two months. The best way I can describe it is just to go to YouTube and type in “Celebrity Juice” and you will see the character that this film is based on.

MG: How was it working with David Hasselhoff?
VT: [laughs] I have been friends with him for a long time, so it was really great!

MG: How was it working with Terry Gilliam on “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” & “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”?
VT: Definitely when people ask me about Terry, my best description is really ‘crazy cool’ [laughs]. He is just amazing. Having him want me to do “Imaginarium” is such a great honor. As far are working on it, it was tough because in the middle Heath passed away and somehow we went back and finish it. I am sure for everyone including myself, that it was one of the hardest things I had to do. He was there one day and gone the next.

MG: Looking back on the “Austin Powers”
franchise, what did you enjoy most about playing Mini Me?
VT: I think it would have to be the chemistry that me and Mike (Myers) had. i never in my wildest dreams thought I would have chemistry with a comedy guniess. He makes it fun. We improved all the time and just had to try and react off of him. It was fun.

MG: Any word about “Austin Powers 4”?
VT: That is what everyone is asking me. I do not know. I hope so. If they do I definitely want to me apart of it again.

MG: What do you have planned next?
VT: I want to let the fans know I have a tour planned in Australia coming up. They can follow me and see my updates on Twitter. It is traveling to all the cities and I will be there for two and half weeks. I will be posting pictures and try and make it fun and interactive.

Joe Turkel is known best for his role of Lloyd the Bartender in “The Shining”.  Joe also played the iconic role of Dr. Eldon Tyrell in Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner”.  Media Mikes had a rare chance to chat with this amazing actor, courtesy of C & V Promotions, to discuss his iconic roles and tell some great stories.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you originally get invovled with Stanley Kubrick on “The Shining”?
Joe Turkel: That was the third picture I did with Stanley Kubrick. He first saw me in a little picture I did called “Man Crazy”. He liked the work I did and said he would like to use me in a picture he did called “The Killing” in 1956. He said it was a little role but he had something better coming up. Little did I know then but he was talking about “Paths of Glory”. He changed my life.

MG: Having worked twice before with Kubrick; did his style change over 20 years later on “The Shining”?
JT: He took a lot of time then but a lot of time on “The Shining”. He had a lot of attority and he wasn’t afraid to use that attority. Like with “Eyes Wide Shut”, he had a rule that anyone like producers or related to the film will not be permitted on the set. He just had this attority.

MG: How did you prepare for this unique role of Lloyd the Bartender in “The Shining”?
JT: It was just another part for me. I approached it like I would any other and that was it.

MG: How was it working with Jack Nicholson?
JT: Jack Nicholson is just the greatest. I’ll tell you a story about Jack. I am responisble for his career. In 1961 he has just come out from the East Coast and I had been there for ten years. He was broke most of the time. One day I was at the race track with a friend of mine and I hit a daily double for $4,400 dollars. Now that is a lot of money in those days. As I was getting the money settled, my friend saw Jack and I told him what just happened. Kenny, my friend, told me he owed Jack $800 bucks. So I told him to pay him and I gave him the money. Jack said to me “You know something Turkel, I was going to go back to New York but it is too fucking cold. I will take this money and it will get me through the winter.” But during the winter, he got lucky got a role and the rest is history.

MG: With a role that is consists of two scenes, how can you reflect on the impact they had on the film?
JT: I was suprised they had such an impact. Stanley and I were talking on set about how good it was and I told him “Stanley, thanks but I don’t want to wait 25 years between pictures”. We were both New Yorkers so we had this special bond. He told me we would work together again but that was the last time I saw him.

MG: Since the films are so different; did the productions of “The Shining” and “Blade Runner” differ much?
JT: Ridley Scott three times during my filming and asked me how I thought Stanley Kubrick would approach certain scenes. He was completely enamored with his work. Steven Spielberg said he was “the grandmaster of filmmaking”. So for Ridley Scott to come over and ask me for suggestion it was amazing.

MG: How did you prepare for the such an iconic character, Dr. Eldon Tyrell?
JT: Well I mad it that way [laughs]. I played it that way. It was a nice role and I did well. I have had better roles. I have had worse roles. Everything I have done has been unique from the fucking ruler of the world to a bartender. They were all crazy. I also like to do
comedy, which I have done over years in television.

MG: How do you feel about Ridley Scottworking on a sequel after all these years?
It is not going to be as good as the first. Sequels never are. The first one is always the one looked at.

MG: What do you like most about meeting your fans at conventions?
JT: It’s amazing. Just amazing. They are so gratitous. They are so happy to meet me. When I did a Q&A, the house was completely packed. They were asking questions about Kubrick and “Blade Runner”. I was taking pictures at the bar in full costume as Lloyd The Bartender from “The Shining”, so that was really cool as well.

Takashi Miike is know for his controversial Japanese filmmaker style. He is know for directing ultra-violent films like “Ichi the Killer” and “Audition”. His last film was the amazing “13 Assassins”, a remake of Eiichi Kudo’s 1963 film. Takashi took some time to answer some questions about his new film “Hara-Kiri” and shooting in 3D.

Q: What was your inspiration for choosing “Hara-Kiri” as your next film?
A: It just so happened that this kind of epic film was my next film after “13 Assassins”. I don’t plan to make only films like this. The touchstone benchmark is quality over quantity. By quality, I mean what kindles your heart or whether or not it makes you feel free as you devote yourself to the filming. Next fall, I will shoot a TV drama for late night television that is ruinously low-budget. But with low-budget works comes an excitement that can only be relished through low-budget.

Q: How do you compare your film to the original from 1962?
A: What excites me about resurrecting this film from the past is being able to feel first-hand the existence of the universal human suffering which “Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai” depicts at its core as it transcends time, genres and countries. My new versions share everything in common with the old films yet everything is a little off. Since things like originality or being finicky about some worthless triviality were thrown away a long time ago, one cannot compare two works by lining them up next to each other. They are only connected in tandem as part of the flow of time in which they were created.

Q: Tell us about your experience working with Ebizo Ichikawa and Koji Yakusho? A: Ebizo Ichikawa is the real deal when it comes to being the prize of kabuki. He is the king of traditional performing arts in Japan. He is a man without a net challenging frontiers with a great deal of curiosity. He made the set a fun, stimulating place day after day. I am looking forward to even more exciting things from him. Koji Yakusho is a living treasure in Japanese film. He always seams up the frayed edges in my clumsy directing in an artful way. He is a living treasure of modern Japanese film who leads you into the special world of filmmaking. He always teaches me Japan’s unique virtue of humility. Also, his wife is a lovely lady filled with elegance.

Q: Can you reflect on the film’s music by Ryuichi Sakamoto?
A: From the bottom of my heart, I really appreciated Ryuichi Sakamoto providing such wonderful music. The souls of the characters in the film squeal in the soundtrack. And these sounds aren’t rammed down-your-throat and don’t really come so far forward. His music fills the theater like air with a certain stillness and quietness yet its sureness and authority remain. Ryuichi Sakamoto is an artist who sees through the deception of the essence of 3D.

Q: Can you tell us was your biggest challenge shooting in 3D?
A: Nothing changed for me shooting a movie in 3D. It was the same on set experience as any other film for me. The only difference was that the speed of shooting was slightly slower than normal. All in all, this film will probably be a welcomed development for those who already pursue stereo spatial visuals in the world of 2D via lighting and camera angles. There was no change to my approach other than I was able to go brag to the director shooting at the studio next door and say, “Huh? Yours is flat and level? Ours is bumpy and convexo-concave.”

Q: With 3D being the big craze, what are your expectations for the audience?
A: I would be most pleased if the audience feels that what can be expressed in 2D can also be expressed in 3D. For the people who are not fans of 3D, I hope they will say, “Wow! 3D works.” It would be perfect if older audiences would say, “How interesting the way this film bursts out and sucks me up.” I guess for the next few years this situation will continue where 3D is just one option for making a movie. And the audiences will probably decide and determine what happens after that. I definitely anticipate making more 3D movies. Next, if I have the chance, I want to have things that shouldn’t come out of our bodies be hurled at the audience.

Briana Evigan is known best for her role in “Step Up 2: The Streets”.  She has also worked with Darren Lynn Bousman on recent films, “Mother’s Day” and “The Devil’s Carnival”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Briana about working with Darren and also her new film “Stash House”.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with working with Darren Lynn Bousman?
Briana Evigan: I think for “Devil’s Carnival” he had already had someone else hired. I don’t know if there were some complications that came up or whatever but he called me last minute and luckily everything worked. This has been probably one of my most favorite jobs so far. I hadn’t read the script or heard any of the songs so I just figured it out as we went along.

MG: How did you first meet Darren?
BE: He had given me an offer for a show titled “Fear Itself”. We met doing that in Edmonton and a couple years passed and a role in “Mothers Day” came up so he gave me that and then “Devil’s Carnival” popped up. We have a great relationship and I think we enjoy working with each other. It’s kind of easy and fun.

MG: Can you tell us about the Ms. Merrywood role?
BE: I am a klepto and I have a problem with stealing. I am a jewel thief that wakes up in hell. I guess it is explained as a sort of shoot out that happens but you don’t see that in the movie. I wake in hell and have to deal with the consequences. I have seen the film once and I thought it was a little bit confusing but I can’t wait to see it again. It’s a journey of everyone trying to get out of hell and into heaven.

MG: Can you tell us about the song you perform in the film?
BE: I have always been a musician. To keep that going I have tried to have songs onsoundtracks and make a little extra cash which is fun. This was really cool because I got to perform a song in the actual movie. Yes you are lip syncing but you still are doing it live. I love the song and I am very lucky.

MG: Can you tell us about your work on “Mother’s Day”?
BE: “Mother’s Day” was very different. To be honest I don’t know if I would want to do another film like that. It was a very dark psychological film. Excuse my language but it was a little too fucked up for me. I really enjoyed it and I actually met my boyfriend on that job. When I watched it back was when I thought that I would try and stay away from movies like this one. It’s a very well done film.

MG: Were you aware of the earlier version of the film?
BE: I was but I hadn’t watched it. I was always told not to watch the originals when working on a remake. It was the same with “Sorority Row”. You can unintentionally start copying people.

MG: Can you tell us about your upcoming film “Stash House”?
BE: I am really excited for this film. Sean Farris and I play a married couple that may have gotten married a little bit too early. Sean’s character ends up buying me a house. What he didn’t know was the house is full of heroin which Dolph Lundgren is clearly in charge of. It was great and super cool to work with Dolph.

MG: Can you tell us a little bit about the training you had to do for your role in “Step Up”?
BE: There was a lot of work that went into that. I originally started off as a dancer/musician so I had a backgroundin that. They threw me in with 20 of the best dancers in the world and it looked like I never danced before. I had a month of training. It was really more of learning the routines. The idea was to have everything down so that when it came time to shoot things would be less stressful. There were a lot of hours put in during that month. I remember having to put ice in my bath tub after some of those trainings. It was one of the best experiences in my life.

MG: Do you have any other projects you wanted to talk about?
BE: I have a really awesome project in the works but unfortunately I can’t talk about it just yet as everything isn’t closed up. I am also waiting on a few other things that I really want. Everything looks like it’s going to work out time wise so I will be really excited if everything works out.

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With only three feature films to her credit, Lynn Shelton has built a reputation as a writer with a keen ear and a director with a similar eye. Her last film, “Humpday,” earned her multiple awards, including the prestigious John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Awards.

Her latest film, “Your Sister’s Sister,” continues her rise as one of the most talented and respected independent filmmakers of her generation. While promoting the film’s release, Ms. Shelton took time out to speak with Media Mikes about her love for the Pacific Northwest and her even greater love: being behind the camera.

Mike Smith: What was your inspiration in writing this film?
Lynn Shelton: The initial kernel of the film came from Mark Duplass. It was a little different. It was a guy and a girl who were best friends and the guy loses his brother. She sends him up to the cabin to be alone and he meets her mother. Her hot, youngish mother. It was going to be a kind of mother/daughter bed switching comedy. It was something he had envisioned making with his brother, Jay. But because it dealt with a dead brother Mark felt that it might be a little too close to home for them to handle as filmmakers. But he liked the idea still so he brought it to me with Jay’s blessing. And I made a few changes. I set it in the Pacific Northwest, where I set all of my movies. I just finished my 5th filmthere. I live in Seattle and I love to work in Washington state. And I also changed the mom to a sister. I always liked the idea of exploring a sister relationship…I’ve had an incredibly fascinating and rich love/hate relationship with my sisters my whole life and I thought it would be rich territory for a film.

MS: As a writer do you encourage your casts to improvise?
LS: I do. Well, in this case, for sure. My last film, “Humpday,” was 100% improvised in terms of the actual dialogue. I knew what was going to happen in each scene but we would talk before hand. Then we’d turn the camera on and they would find their way through the scene. In this film I actually had most of the dialogue written out. But I asked them to just hold the words loosely in their heads…don’t memorize the lines. It was really a quest for naturalism. I wanted the audience to believe that these people were having real conversations.

MS: You kind of touched on the fact that Mark Duplass is also a talented writer/director. Is it harder or easier to work with someone with that experience? Not to the point that he would second guess you but would he step back and offer advice?
LY: Not really. It’s a very open environment on set and everybody is contributing a lot. All of the actors. And I find that his experiences as a writer and director are really very invaluable. His input is really, really valuable. He never tried to overstep his bounds. He’s always an actor. I like to engage my actors…I like them to bring everything they’ve got to the table. I find it an incredible value.

MS: And as someone who also acts it might be easier to see where they’re coming from in certain situations?
LS: Yes. And that’s why I still like to keep my toe in that discipline. If somebody asks me to do a role and I’m able to…if it’s small and not too time consuming…I like to say “yes” because it keeps me close to that process. It also reminds me how difficult it is and what ittakes to do it. So you’re right. I am extremely empathetic with my actors. I try to create an emotionally safe work environment. That gives them the best chance of giving their best performance.

MS: Since we’re on the subject, have you decided to remain more behind the camera or is there still an acting role out there you’d like to do?
LS: I’ll never say never but right now I’m just so in love with directing that it’s hard for me to imagine taking on any kind of major acting role. But there may be something that comes down the line when I have an opening in my schedule that feels like the right thing to do. So I don’t want to put a total nix on that. But I’ve really just fallen in love with directing so it’s kind of hard to imagine taking acting seriously at this point in my life.

MS: You mentioned that you just finished your next film. Can you talk about it or what else you have coming up on your schedule?
LS: Sure. We wrapped shooting about five weeks ago. It’s called “Touchy-Feely.” My other films have been three character pieces and I wanted to get away from that. This one has an ensemble cast. It’s not a typical “Lynn Shelton” film. It’s a real departure. It was a great deal of fun to shoot.

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.