interview Archives - Page 6 of 35

Bob Odenkirk talks about new pilot “Let’s Do This!”

Bob Odenkirk is known best for his role in “Mr. Show” and “Breaking Bad”. Bob has recently released his new pilot on Adult Swim called “Let’s Do This!”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Bob about his new pilot and it’s chances to have the show turn into a series.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you originally come up with the idea for “Let’s Do This!”?
Bob Odenkirk: I played Robert Evans on “Mr. Show” and also on “The Bill Maher Show”. I loved his air of confidence and swagger. I find that guy funny and I like playing him. I think there is more life to a guy like him. This guy is a hybrid of him and some other people I have played. The other inspiration I had was from a movie I love called “American Movie”. I love people making movies especially those small companies with not much money but with a dream where people are sort of giving their time freely. It’s easy to discount or write those people off but the fact is everybody in Hollywood is on a continuum with those people. It’s not like there are legitimate people in Hollywood and then illegitimate people. We are all illegitimate. We are all just making it up. Even the people with lots of money and big companies behind them are doing that. Look at that film “John Carter”. That film was a massive bust! There was a very respected director driving that thing. He is a really smart guy who was working really hard. I am sure probably having years to work on it and think about it he thought it was going to be great. I am sure he had to tell lots of people, lots of times that this film was going to be great. Who is he when you compare him to Cal Gold? He is the same! In this case his dream is just as looney.

MG: Can you tell us about the road to getting it aired on Adult Swim?
BO: We made the show and while doing so it evolved. During the course of editing we found that the real fun lay in the crew that I put together. This included Fortune Feimster and John Ennis. The real fun was back stage shooting the movie. That part of the show was kind of improvised and put into a later edit. I don’t know how Adult Swim feels about it as a show? Obviously it didn’t go to series. Well at least not yet. We sat and thought about it for awhile and I just wanted them to show it to people and give everyone a chance to watch it. What happened was we showed the short at a benefit and there were kids in the audience. We showed just the Harry Potter film and not the story around it and, they loved it! Watching it with the audience I thought people would really like it. I called Mike at Adult Swim and asked if he would run it and he said yes. What happens next? I don’t know. Mike Lazzo remains the coolest executive in Hollywood. I am not just saying that to kiss his ass. Most executives wouldn’t show the show if it didn’t go. They would not want people to see it because if they liked it then they would look bad for not ordering it to series already. There would be this embarrassment factor. Mike said to just let people see it. I don’t know what will happen next.

MG: Is there anything fans can do to help?
BO: I don’t know. Maybe just continue to like the show and talk about it. They could write a comment about wanting more to be made. I don’t know how often they read comments like that. I think that positive feedback helps and will probably make the executives at Adult Swim see that there is maybe life in the show. The other part is my job. I want to do the character again as I really like him. I started tweeting as Cal Gold. Honestly I really think the next part is for me to approach Mike Lazzo and Adult Swim with some ideas of what we could do next if he wanted to. I want to approach him with something more interesting than just a series. I would to give him some really specific episodes of what we would like to prank on and what movies are coming out in the next year. I want to give him a really targeted idea of what we want to do then allow him to make a decision from there.

MG: Do you currently have any other scripts written?
BO: We do. We have a lot of stuff we have written. This is all part of a process that I am discovering. This show was basically set aside as we thought that we had done it and it didn’t make it on the air. Now we are starting to see that there might be other things we could do with the show. I don’t know if we would go back to the scripts that we had so much than to think of new ways to make the most of it. The thing I keep getting comments on is the scene where we are shooting in a parking garage and Paul Rust has to lose the car and, he is kissing my ass. People really liked that part. I think I would look to create episodes that would allow us to create and make that crazy stuff happen. Watch the show, give it a lot of hits and if you like it say so. That’s all anyone can really do. It’s up to me to pitch a journey for it.

MG: Have you ever considered doing the show as a web series?
BO: Yes! I absolutely would. I have “Breaking Bad” starting up so there is that aspect to things as well. I don’t have maybe as much time as other people to do shows. I have to have something that is within my abilities to do. That will be part of me re-thinking things now that it has been shown. I am thinking a show an episode would have Cal talking to the camera and we get out with the crew shooting. Then we would have a trailer for something. I really want to have fun with movies that are set to come out.

Click here to view Bob’s latest pilot “Let’s Do This!” on AdultSwim.com
To follow Bob’s character Cal Gold on Twitter go to @CalGoldberg

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: bob, interview, odenkirk

Interview with Kim Evey

Kim Evey has produced five seasons of Felicia Day’s hit series “The Guild” as well as “Dragon Age: Redemption”. Kim is working with Felicia Day on this latest project called “Geek and Sundry”, which is a premium YouTube channel that is going to include six new original series. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kim about create this channel and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: You’ve worked with Felicia Day now on “The Guild” and “Dragon Age”, tell us about your latest project: “Geek and Sundry”?
Kim Evey: It is a YouTube Premium video channel, which is set to premiere on April 2, 2012. It is going to include six new original series. We have been working really hard and are really excited for its launch.

MG: Tell us about the lineup of six new original series premiering on “Geek and Sundry”?
KE: Felicia Day is doing a new vlog show called “The Flog”, which is airs every Monday. It is like a basic vlog where she checks out quirky hobbies and just shares her experiences with her fans. Since it is on premium channel, Felicia wanted to take it one step further. She actually has been filming this little adventures which she has been filming the last few months. On Tuesdays, we are airing season 5 of “The Guild”, which has never been aired on YouTube. In part with that every Thursday there will be a behind the scenes look at that week’s episode as well. Next there is Dark Horse Motion Comics, which airs every Wednesday. Basically that is a series where our favorite comics are brought to life by some amazing artists. There is also some new content from Dark Horse as well that they wanted to include. Every other Friday, we have a show with Wil Wheton called “TableTop”. It is a really cool idea where he will invite other geeks, TV talent and YouTube personalities to play various tabletop games with him. Think “Celebrity Poker” meets “Dinner for Five”. It is a really cool idea because if you are a fan of the games, you would be most likely a fan of the people on the show also. It also gives people that do not play these games a look into them and gets a chance see how the rules are setup. On the other rotating Friday, there will be a show called “Sword & Laser”, which is already a podcast but is going to be a show hosted by Veronica Belmont and Tom Merritt. It will focus on science fiction and fantasy books with reviews and author interviews. They are hoping to setup a book of month part of the show also. I am also working on a show myself called “Written by a Kid”, where we get real kids ages 4-9 to submit stories and they have them animated or made live-action. It is really cool and will be premiering on July 18th. Lastly we have a show premiering in the Fall called “Learning Town”, which will feature the nerd music duo Paul & Storm.

MG: “Geek and Sundry” looks to be the ultimate channel for geeks, what is the hardest task in developing this YouTube channel?
KE: I think the hardest part is just getting it all done. We have all the different aspects of this channel and we just want to get it out there to the fans. We are really trying the best possible content to the channel and please our fan base.

MG: Besides YouTube channel, “Geek and Sundry” also has a great website for fans to interactive, tell us about that?
KE: We just want people to feel like they are part of the show. We want them to be as interactive with the fans as Felicia is. That is why “The Guild” has been so successful is because Felicia as been in touch with her fans on the show. I just want to give a shout out to our designer, Luisa Lie, she designed our logo and the website. She is fresh out of school and loves coding. She has really been amazing.

MG: When can we expect new seasons of both “The Guild”?
KE: Right now we are still negotiating if season six is going to happen for “The Guild”. Right now [laughs], we are just trying to get back next week and this launch.

Click here to visit the website for “Geek and Sundry”

Interview with Shadows Fall’s Brian Fair

Brian Fair is the lead singer of the metal group Shadows Fall. The band has released 6 full length studios and is set to release their as yet titled 7^th album sometime in 2012. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Brian about the upcoming album and the bands tour plans for this year.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the upcoming album?
Brian Fair: The band always tries to cover a good amount of ground with each record and we have a wide variety of influences. I feel this album is a further extension of us. We are getting more comfortable with putting all those influences into great songs. There are songs on the album that are on the real heavy side, some that are more classic metal and some that are full on thrash tunes. We try to cover a variety of styles without sounding schizophrenic.

AL: Do you guys have an album name and release date set?
BF: Everything is still being wrapped up. We have just started getting the mixes. Until everything is really mastered and finalized all of our release dates are just hopeful. Everything is best case scenario. (Laughs) It’s looking like by early May we should have the album out.

AL: Did you guys take any different approaches to the recording process this time around?
BF: Yes. It was a real different approach. We recorded with Adam D. of Killswitch Engage for the first time. That was a new experience in general bringing him in. Adam was involved from the demoing stages. He wasn’t helping us write or anything but he helped with the structuring and editing of the tracks. It was cool to have him involved and suggesting different twists and turns. With Adam on board we could step back and look at the songs as a whole. He was very easy to work with. Adam is like a comedian so it was really fun working with him even though we were there for hours at a time.

AL: How do you guys go about the writing process for your material?
BF: Usually Matt or Jon will have sort of a frame work of riffs that they are working on. They will put together a general song structure. From there we start jamming on it and add each of our own tweaks and suggestions. We will make a rough recording and then take it from there. Some songs fall together within the first few practices. Some take shape over the course of a month or so. The last song on the new record we wrote on the spot in the studio. That has never really happened before so it was kind of cool. Once there is a general idea for the song is when I start writing lyrics. I usually don’t get to that point until the music is about 80 percent there. Once I see where the songs going I can start to add lyrics.

AL: Can you tell us about the upcoming Australian tour?
BF: It’s going to be sick! This will be our third time doing the Sound Waves festival. It’s always unbelievable. This year the line features bands like Slipknot, System of a Down and Hatebreed. It’s going to be like summer camp. We also will be doing some off dates while we are there with Machine Head and Chimaira. I can’t wait.

AL: Are you going to be playing any songs from the upcoming album during those shows?
BF: We have one new song that will be in the set. We have really only had time to rehearse that one new track. We were thinking about slipping in another one but we are only playing short festival sets. We don’t want to spend a lot of time playing songs people don’t know yet but, we do want there to be a preview of what’s to come.

AL: Are there any plans in the process for more shows in the states?
BF: Yes. When we get back we will have a lot of set up and promo type stuff for the new album going on. We then will be taking a break from shows until about mid-April when we have some shows booked in Mexico City with Anthrax. Right after that we will be starting our own tour. Everything will start to be announced in the coming weeks after things have been confirmed.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: brian, fair, interview

Interview with Paul Bunnell

Paul Bunnell is the writer and director of the new film “The Ghastly Love of Johnny X”. The film is tribute to the 50’s B&W sci-fi genre. It recently premiered at the Cinequest Film Festival. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Paul about his film and it’s road to the big screen.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about the origin behind “The Ghastly Love of Johnny X”.
Paul Bunnell: “Johnny X” came about after a few failed attempts to get other projects off the ground. Time had been ticking away and I felt too much of it had been wasted since the completion of my previous film, “That Little Monster”. I wanted to make a movie that would be completely original and fun — a movie with all the things I love: drive-in theaters, diners, movie palaces. It was kind of like my life all rolled into one movie. It’s who I am.

MG: How did you manage to pay homage to the 50’s B&W sci-fi genre without spoofing it entirely?
PB: By simply being sincere and true to the things that I love and what the characters in the movie love. It’s their world. They (the characters) aren’t making fun of the things in their universe. I had the actors play every line of dialogue with the utmost sincerity. That’s the key. Believability.

MG: How were the songs in the film created and were they difficult to shoot?
PB: The songs began as an afterthought to the story. I wasn’t always happy with parts of the script. I felt it either needed to be trimmed or rewritten. I decided to try out one song, which Scott Martin wrote. I loved it so much that I started combing through the script to find other places to switch out dialogue with a musical telling of the story. This became the rule: the songs had to move the story forward or they would not be in the film. Period. The only time where a song does not move the story forward is when Mickey O’Flynn (Creed Bratton) sings, but he is performing the song in concert. The songs in Johnny X were not any more difficult to shoot than the rest of the movie. One thing was certain, the crew seemed to be having fun whenever we had a song to shoot. So if anything, they were a breeze.

MG: How did you get Will Keenan, Kevin McCarthy and Reggie Bannister involved?
PB: Will Keenan was suggested to me by filmmaker Ramzi Abed. I saw Will’s reel on YouTube and decided to get in touch with him for an interview. I was not familiar with his work prior to meeting him but I brushed up before we met and screened a few of his “classics” like “Tromeo and Juliet”. He was an interesting fellow and had the exact look I wanted for the role, so I gave him the job. Kevin McCarthy was a guest at Cinecon, a classic film festival I attend every year with my wife. I introduced myself to Kevin and told him about my new project. After several phone calls and meetings he finally decided to take a chance on Johnny X and said he would do it because he “didn’t want to disappoint my wife.” As for Reggie Bannister, he appeared in my 1994 film, “That Little Monster”. I wanted to continue the tradition and offered him the role of the dead rock star, Mickey O’Flynn (that Creed Bratton plays). But he didn’t want to do that. He really liked the King Clayton character, so I gave him that role and boy is he great!

MG: You wore a lot of hats in this film, what was the most difficult task?
PB: Wondering if I was ever going to find the money to finish the movie. Six years of wondering! The planets aligned and a very good friend stepped forward and gave me the money. “Miracle” is not a word I use lightly, but in this case I think it applies.

MG: What is the release schedule for this film?
PB: For now, The Ghastly Love of Johnny X is having its world premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California on March 3rd, 2012. There are two other screenings at Cinequest on March 6th & 10th. For tickets go to: http://www.cinequest.org/event_view.php?eid=1623

MG: I am sure people would love a soundtrack released, any plans?
PB: As a matter of fact, yes! “Kritzerland” is releasing it on their independent label in a few months. Stay tuned for more news.

MG: What do you have planned next?
PB: A little sleep and then on to the next project! It’s kind of top secret at the moment but if you’re a fan of fantasy and Victor Hugo, I think you will enjoy it.

Interview with Scott Shuffitt

Scott Shuffitt is one of the minds behind Lebowski Fest, which is a traveling tribute gathering to celebrate “The Big Lebowski”. The fest has been going strong for over 10 years and is only growing and getting more popular. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Scott during their recent visit to Orlando, FL to chat about the fest and what else we can expect for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: After going over 10 years what do you do to keep the Lebowski Fest fresh every city/every year?
Scott Shuffitt: There are new challenges in each city and we are still learning and growing so that helps to keep it fresh. Of course new achievers are still discovering the fest. I ask the crowd at the House of Blues Movie Party how many where at the fest for the first time and it seemed to me that at least 40% were first timers.

MG: Tell us how long it takes for you guys to setup an event like this?
SS: What’s kind of hard to say but basically I start working on a fest about eight months or longer before. A lot of it depends on if is a return to the city or new to us.

MG: What is the craziest thing that has happened at Lebowksi Fest over the years?
SS: Our first event outside of Louisville was in Vegas and everyone was super pumped about it. There was a guy wearing a rug as a costume, he cut a hole in it and put it over his head. After the fest he laid it out in the parking lot and a bunch of dudes piss on it.. Kinda gross, def crazy. We’ve seen plenty more, probably none as gross though.

MG: Tell us your favorite line in the film if you had to choose one?
SS: I like “Darker than a black steers tookus on a moonless prairie night” a lot but there are plenty of others. I kind of like how when the Dude muddles his words like in the back of The Big L’s limo.. What in God’s name are you talking about?

MG: Why do you think fans resonant with this movie for through it’s cult status?
SS: At its core it is a great comedy, all the actors really nail the characters, and it is great visually. Add that to the fact that its kind of anti-establishment and that it isn’t really a film that has wide appeal and you can’t stop quoting it, I think that is what makes it a cult film. Seemed to work on me at least.

MG: You have expanded this fandom from the fest to a book, what’s the next goal for you?
SS: Not really sure, we would like to take the fest to some new cities, including Canada and maybe even some European stops, but that kind of depends on the Dudes budget, you know.

MG: What can we expect from the Lebowski Fest for the rest of 2012?
SS: More party!

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: fests, interview, lebowski, scott, shuffitt

Interview with Elfar Adalsteins

Elfar Adalsteins is the writer/director of the amazing short film “Sailcloth”, which stars John Hurt. Elfar was able to tell an amazing story through this short without any dialogue. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Elfar to chat about the short and what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about the origin of the short “Sailcloth”?
Elfar Adalsteins: The idea presented itself couple of years after my grandfather passed away and revolved around the bedsheets transforming into the sail that allow the old man to go on a last great journey. I guess it you can say it’s my farewell vignette to him.

MG: How did John Hurt become on board?
EA: I simply sent his agent the script with a personalized note to John stating why I thought he would be perfect for the role. A week later his agent called and told me John wanted to meet to discuss the script. That was surprising and scary in equal measures but that soon passed after meeting him as I could feel we were on the same page. After talking things through John said “Elfar, let’s go make a film” and we did.

MG: The short is wordless, yet it says so much, tell us about that?
EA: There wasn’t any need. The Man wants to go unnoticed, to vanish without a trace. The only bump in his road is when he sees the young boy on the beach. But he swallows hard and keeps going. It’s one of my favourite scenes in the film, so wonderfully portrayed by John and my son.

MG: Tell us about the wonderful score in the short?
It was written by Richard Cottle, a close friend of mine who I had worked with on numerous occasions. He was on board from the offset and as soon as the rough cut was ready we began testing things out. I wanted an accordion, double bass and cello, which was our starting point. Richard plays dozens of instruments and played the piano on the soundtrack along with masterfully conducting the string section. He was pure joy to work with.

MG: Where you involved with the cinematography in the film?
EA: The relationship between the director and DP is probably the closest on set. I had story-boarded the script so Karl had a good idea of what we were aiming for. He has a great eye and offered up some interesting angles. Shooting is like everything else in filmmaking, it’s a collaborative exercise.

MG: How long did short take to complete from script to finished product?
EA: It was a good six months, mainly because there was a couple month delay before I got an editor. The editing process was quite arduous for such a short film, because the scenes on the ocean were hard to assemble. But after a few sleepless nights we eventually got there.

MG: Was the short a success during its festival tour?
EA: Rhode Island International Film Festival put us on the map by awarding us with the Grand Jury Prize for Best Short. That automatically qualified us for the Short Film Oscar where we progressed to the last ten, or the Oscar Shortlist. Unfortunately we didn’t make the final nominations, so no tuxedo this year. We also got a Cinematic Achievement Award at the Thessaloniki Short Film Festival, so I’m really pleased with how well the film has done.

MG: We have had inquires of where people can see “Sailcloth”, any plans of releasing?
EA: It will be distributed for TV to begin with, then released as a download on iTunes or similar in a year’s time. I’m happy to hear that people have been asking for it. Hopefully it will secure us a few downloads next year.

What do you have planned next? Any features?
I’m finalising my first feature script that I’m attached to direct, backed by a US based prodction company. It’s still early days so I don’t want to say to much… I’ve probably jinxed it already.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: adalsteins, elfar, interview

Jaleel White talks about “Dancing with the Stars” & Syfy’s “Total Blackout”

Jaleel White known best for his role of Steve Urkel on “Family Matters” though 2012 is shaping up to be one spotlight year for him. He is one of the contestants on season 14 of “Dancing with The Stars”, dancing with Kym Johnson. He is also the host of the upcoming SyFy’s reality show “Total Blackout”, which premieres April 25th. Jaleel took out some time to chat with Media Mikes again about his work on “Dancing with the Stars” and to encourage his fans to vote for him at 1-800-VOTE4-12.

Mike Gencarelli: So tell us how you got involved with “Dancing with the Stars”?
Jaleel White: They never formally asked me before until this past year. ABC’s casting department got in contact with my manager properly and asked for a meeting. [laughs] I didn’t want to take the meeting but my manager let me know it was the right thing to do. So I did the meeting and everyone was very nice. After that it was just a the process of working on me. I am not going to lie, there was tremendous trepidation since it is one thing to learn how to dance, that was daunting enough, I had to commit to practice four hours a day and put my ambitions of being a writer to the side. My mom though just keep working on me and here we are today.

MG: Any fun behind the scenes stories so far?
JW: Oh yeah! I got a good one with Tony (Dovolani), one of the pro-dancers, who is dancing with Martina (Navratilova) this season. The couples got gathered together with the producers and they told us the rules and things they expect on show night. Tony raises his hand and said “I got one thing I want to share with all of you, ok?!, no matter how you dance is going you don’t leave your pro out there on the stage. You don’t walk off on them. If you get lost in your dance, you look into your dancers eyes and we will guide you through it.” I love Tony, he is a great guy. I guess he had some problems in the past with people freezing up on him. I thought that was particular funny. I come from a performers background and I know you never run off the stage.

MG: First week of the show you tie for the top spot, does that create and pressure going forward?
JW: Actually I really don’t. I tell everybody, I still see life in five day sitcom blocks. So if you give me five days to learn something, I should be proficient enough to shoot it. That is just the way I see preparation in general. The first episode for me was just such a validating experience. You put in the work and you can deliver the performance based on your work. Kym and I ran that dance into to the ground, as we must have done it at least 523 times. We weren’t just in there chit-chatting. We worked until we had to change our shirts and take two showers.

MG: You seemed to really feel natural on the dance floor, Any prior dance experience?
JW: I have zero dancing experience. Other than dancing as a kid during parties, school dances, church and camp. I just listed all my dance experiences there.

MG: What do you like or fear most about being out on the dance floor?
JW: At this point, my fears are slowly starting to go away. My biggest fear though is injury. I want to keep my body in good shape. I can feel certain areas getting tighter and I can feel my body adjusting. Every dance has it own personality and hopefully you can gel with that personality of the dance. Some people try to fight against that but I just go with it. Luckily for me, when I dance I smile naturally. Some people just have this perpetual panic on their face while they are dancing. I am exactly the opposite. As soon as I start moving I am smiling away [laughs]. The more I get into the dance the more I start enjoying it and that’s when the rehearsal process kicks in.

MG: How does it feel to be compared to a young Gregory Hines by one of the judges?
JW: I mean that is huge man, really. It is a long stretch from being compared to Steve Urkel [laughs]. It is nice to be able to show people that I can do different things. Growing up I never understood the importance of being different. I thought I would just excel at whatever job I was given. I didn’t know at the time that if people only thought of you in one way they will only give you one job. Everything about this experience with “Dancing with the Stars” has been so positive for me, so far.

MG: Do you and Kym Johnson have any special dances planned for the show?
JW: I definitely have a dance that means a lot to me. I obviously need to survive the eliminations to get to it. I told you though I obey the dance, I do not force anything. As much as I love music, you have to understand that not every song works for the dance. I think though the dance I have in mind could make some real noise…if I can nail it. But you have to vote for me though if you want to see the dance. It’s 1-800-VOTE4-12. We are team #12.

MG: Besides “Dancing with the Stars”, you are also hosting “Total Blackout” on Syfy this April, what can you tell us about that experience?
JW: It was a great experience. They are actually still tinkering with the show right now. I have been going in and doing some last minute tweaks and changes. The SyFy people have been over the moon about me participating with “Dancing with the Stars” also. People are really going to love this show. I am calling it ‘guinea pig TV’, it is that thing that you are flipping through and you find yourself watching two episodes back to back without even realizing it. I also think it would be a really fun show to do on the road.

MG: What do did you enjoy most about hosting a show?
JW: The best thing I like about hosting is that this stuff is not happening to me in the dark [laughs]. I am serious. I have test contestants in foam rubber suits, I give my instructions and then go back to my dressing room, watch the live feed and eat some Doritos [laughs]. They can have the tarantulas crawling up their hands. I am all set.

MG: Just recently you also appeared on “Psych” again, is Tony going to be seen again soon?
JW: Who knows man. I always have such a blast with the “Psych” boys. It is one of my favorite shows that I have ever guested on. James (Roday) and Dulé (Hillare) are excellent actors and we get in some good trouble. I have been on two episodes…so hey, why not make it three.

MG: So after you win “Dancing with the Stars”, what you got planned next?
JW: Right now, I need some votes for team #12 on Dancing with the Stars, it’s 1-800-VOTE4-12. Supposedly you can’t text votes in unless you have AT&T, so a lot of people don’t know that. There is also the option to vote online at http://vote.abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars/vote. This is going to be a fantastic season for sure.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Featured, Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: dancing, interview, jaleel, stars, white

Interview with Nathan Baesel

Nathan Baesel plays the lead character Leslie Vernon in the cult horror classic “Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon”. Horror fans will hopefully get to see Nathan play the fantastic role about soon in the planned sequel. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Nathan about his iconic role in the film and its sequel plans.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with “Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon”?
Nathan Baesel: I got the script from my agent and, given that I hadn’t had that much professional acting work at the time, attending the audition was a foregone conclusion. I was very excited however when I began reading the script because everything clicked for me and I was able to envision the whole world very clearly. Scripts usually have at least a few moments where you’re left thinking, “I’ll have to fix this because it just doesn’t work”. The script for BTM didn’t have any of those moments! In addition, I’ve always enjoyed playing characters who are completely self-revolving, where “it’s all about me”. Those characters are a huge source of fun playing but also poking fun at. Like the way Jack Black or Will Ferrel play ego maniacal asses. Leslie thinks enough of what he’s doing that he has a camera crew following him around documenting his every move for Pete’s sake! I saw a lot of potential humor in making Leslie so serious that he’d be the last guy to see how absurd he is.

MG: Tell us about working with Scott Glosserman?
NB: I can’t say enough good about Scott. From the audition till now he’s been a laugh waiting to happen and I always felt as though I could do no wrong because it seemed as though the laughs kept coming. As long as he was pleased the path seemed clear. And he’s really easy to please! Scott is also the most industrious person I know. He’s never at rest, always with an eye on the next task at hand. That’s a priceless commodity when you’re the producer, director, co-writer and even actor (though his scenes didn’t make the final cut unfortunately). Scott was endlessly cheerleading us all on and reinvigorating the cast and crew whenever energy or enthusiasm dipped. He put so much of himself into making the film that by the time the shoot had completed he was sick and exhausted. You know how mushy your brain gets when you’ve stayed awake for 2 days? I don’t think he got more than 4 hours sleep a day during the 5 or so weeks we were shooting. Scott completed the shoot as a laughing, smiling, mushy-headed mess!

MG: Leslie Vernon has now become a horror icon himself, tell us about how it feel to play that icon?
NB: It’s incomprehensible to me that people have responded as well as they have. I was just running around, having fun, playing hard and thrilled to be payed for it. Leslie was the most fun I’ve had as an actor, the closest I’ve come to realizing the value of actors in our culture and the most fully lived-in character I’ve had the opportunity to play. I don’t think I’ll ever have another opportunity like it so in a real way I feel like I’ve done what I set out to do in my career and can leave Leslie behind as my legacy.

MG: How was it working with horror legends Robert Englund and the late Zelda Rubinstein?
NB: Both Robert and Zelda were so gracious both to me and to the movie. They lent not just their talent but their legends built with their blood, sweat and tears. People may sometimes have wanted them in their films because of the associations they brought with them but in our case we NEEDED those legendary associations to make our film work in important academic ways. Yes, they gave great performances but their presence alone makes it possible for some BTM fans to pause the film mid-view and say, “Holy shit, my mind has just been blown!”

MG: Tell us about the film’s prequel/sequel “Before The Mask: The Return of Leslie Vernon”?
NB: I don’t know how much about B4TM I can say but I’ll tell you that what I’m looking forward to most, besides getting the band back together, is exploring all of the ways that Leslie’s path and mine continue to intersect. He’s chosen a rough road to go down but it’s one of integrity. There’s a million reasons why he didn’t hit the big time and there’s a million ways that he could have sold out to try to make it happen anyway. But he stayed true to himself and his friends and he’s going to take another stab at making a legend the old school way. That’s about as close to an autobiography as a film is going to get for me.

MG: What can fans do to assure that this film get’s made?
NB: Look, even if you’re not a hard-core fan and just enjoyed BTM and would enjoy watching another film like it you can make it happen for less than the price of a ticket to the theater. We’re taking pledges on our Before The Mask Facebook page and in exchange for a commitment of whatever dollar amount you choose you’ll get in return a poster, a DVD of the new film once it’s released, a Blu-ray, the opportunity to get killed off in a scene of B4TM. If everyone who has “liked” the page committed $10 we’d be able to start shooting within a couple months! Behind The Mask has had the life that it’s had only because of the love, support and enthusiasm of the fans. This sequel fundraising is continuing with that dynamic. Check out the Facebook page. Surf around. There’s a number of fun things to explore and a ton of information about how people can help B4TM get made. And you can even come away with some pretty sweet swag.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: baesel, interview, nathan

Interview with Kristanna Loken

Kristanna Loken is probably best known for her role as the super sexy Terminator in “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”. Media Mikes had a chance recently to talk with Kristanna about the upcoming DVD/Blu-Ray release of her latest film titled “The Legend of Awesomest Maximus”.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about your character in “The Legend of Awesomest Maximus”?
Kristanna Loken: I play Hottessa. The character is very loosely based on the character Lady Macbeth. She is a princess who will use her powers of female manipulation to get what she wants. Ultimately she wants to be queen. She is a crafty character whose prince is played by Mr. Will Sasso. The film came about from me wanting to do something different. A broad spoof was something I had yet to really tackle. I have done comedy in the past but nothing like this type of spoof. Since then I have done some other comedy work and have really enjoyed it. I thought the script was really funny and that it would be great working with Jeff Kanew.

AL: How was it working with such a diverse cast?
KL: The group was very eclectic and diverse. Ian Ziering was in super great shape and really dedicated to his role. Will was awesome! He is just so quick and funny. Everyone had a really great time. We shot the film in Salt Lake City, Utah which was a really unlikely place. It was fun!

AL: What was it like behind the scenes of the film?
KL: We all stayed friendly after making the film. Will likes to throw parties where we all would convene. It was nice that we were all able to keep in touch. A lot of times you are not able to do that but, Will really made an effort to get everyone together.

AL: What other projects of yours can we be watching for?
KL: I started a production company with a couple of partners called Loken Man Productions. One of those partners is my father. He wrote a script called “Love Orchard” and another partner Farhad Mann who I worked with on “Painkiller Jane” and I collaborated on this film which is inspired by actual events. The film deals with the immigration crisis in America. Bruce Dern plays my dad in the film. We are really looking forward to getting the film out. We hope to get it into some of the larger film festivals. I will also be back for the new season of “Burn Notice”.

AL: Is it hard working with family members?
KL: It’s been a really amazing experience. The project is something that is very close to all of our hearts. I grew up on the farm where we shot the story. My parents have had this farm for 43 years. It was an amazing opportunity to go back there and to the town where I grew up to shoot this film.

AL: How was the experience of working on “Burn Notice”?
KL: It’s a fun show to be a part of and Miami is a great city. The people involved with the show definitely know what works and what doesn’t. The show has had a lot of success and is going into its 6^th season. It’s a well oiled machine. I had fun being a part of the cast.

Interview with Sid Haig

Sid Haig has been appearing in over 100 films since the early 1960’s. More recently he has appeared in the new Fred Andrews film titled “Creature”. Media Mikes had a chance to speak with Sid recently about his role in the film as well as his role in the upcoming Rob Zombie film “Lords of Salem”.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about your role in the film “Creature” and how the role came about?
Sid Haig: I play a wacked out, maniacal religious type fellow by the name of Chopper. My character worships this “Creature” who lives out in the middle of a swamp and is well fed. Someone stumbles across our path and decides they are going to come check things out. It’s your pretty standard formula for when people start to run into creature. (Laughs) I became involved with the project through the most simplest of ways as my manager submitted me for the role. The people running things said “Hell Yes!” and away we went.

AL: How was it working with Fred Andrews?
SH: Working with Fred was very cool. Fred has been in the business for a long time and has gotten to observe how different things are done when it comes to making a film. He really had a good idea of how he wanted things with this film which made the situation very easy to work in.

AL: Can you tell us about your work on Jesse Dayton’s film “Zombex”?
SH: I’m not too sure what the status of that project is right now however, I have seen some poster work for the film on the internet. It’s kind of strange sometimes when people want me to do a film but they feel they can’t afford me. I often will get brought in for a day and end up doing 3 days worth of work. I was in a number of scenes very briefly with people like Malcolm McDowell and Cory Feldman. We pretty much did our thing and got out. Jesse gave us an idea of what he wanted and we just went from there. There was quite a bit of improvisation work which I very much enjoy. Everything went smoothly.

AL: How does working on recent independent films compare to working on independent films from earlier in your career?
SH: When I first got involved in films around 1961 there was a lot more time as the budgets sort of matched the scripts. Nowadays a lot of films have been written that have more to them than the budget will allow. You often will be racing through stuff. It’s very similar to television where you have to do 20 plus set ups a day or your dead. You really don’t get time to interact with most of the cast. You are working with a small number of people for just a day or two. You often times will not know what happens before or after your scenes take place. I am usually just given the pages of the script that I am involved in. In my earlier films everyone got a full script. That just doesn’t happen that much anymore.

AL: What can you tell us about Rob Zombies new film “Lords of Salem”?
SH: I am sort of in the dark on that. I went in and worked on my scenes and that’s all I really know about the film. I didn’t get the immersed story but I have a feeling it’s going to be something very special. The entire look of the film is very different. There is a much more gothic look to everything. The section of the film that I was involved in could be considered the prologue.

AL: Can you tell us about any of your other upcoming projects?
SH: I have a variety of projects that are all in different stages of production. I have been a very active boy. My publicist who is also my wife keeps a lot of the stuff about me on the internet updated so if you see my named attached to a project the chances are pretty good that things are under way. She has a good lock on that stuff.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: haig, interview, sid

Interview with Fred Andrews

Fred Andrews is the writer/director of the horror film “Creature” which stars Sid Haig, Mehcad Brooks and Serinda Swan. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Fred recently about the upcoming DVD release of the film.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the upcoming DVD release of “Creature”?
Fred Andrews: Right now I don’t know a lot about the specifics of the release. The intention has always been to release it on Blu-Ray and DVD but I don’t know what the distributor’s plans are. I am pretty excited about it being released in these formats as it will allow a lot more people to be able to see the film and enjoy it.

AL: Did you find it hard both writing and directing the film?
FA: This was a story that had been with me in many different forms since the early 2000’s. The hardest part was probably going through the revision process with the producers when we were still in the scripting phase. There was quite a bit of back story and some other situations that we had to work on. As far as being on set we never had to wait if we wanted to re-write some lines so that was pretty convenient.

AL: What was the casting process like?
FA: Having a very young and attractive cast was something that I wanted to do from the beginning. I had a fantastic casting director by the name of Kelly Wagner who brought in a lot of great people. The people she brought in all had great energy and experience. Having Amanda Fuller, Serinda Swan and Mehcad Brooks was just great. Aaron Hill was another person that was really great to have in the film as well. I was also lucky enough to have Sid Haig and some other great character actors to be a part of the film also. I was very fortunate but a lot of that credit goes to Kelly Wagner.

AL: What did you find to be one of the more difficult aspects of the project?
FA: The post side of things I think were for sure the most difficult. Once you get in there and deliver your directors cut there is then a producers cut of the film. We then had to submit it to the MPAA which was something I had never done before. There was quite a lot of cinematic stuff that tripped the film up with the MPAA. We had a lot of back and forth with the people there. We actually had to submit the film over 6 different times to the MPAA. It was very frustrating. To get to the finished project there was a whole series of compromises.

AL: Do you see yourself doing more writing or directing in the future?
FA: I think I will continue to do both. I do however have a project coming up in the fall that I didn’t write. I will just be directing that one. I feel very fortunate to do whatever I can to tell stories. I am not opposed to doing both or one or the other.

AL: Is the horror genre a place where you feel most comfortable?
FA: I have always been a big fan of the horror genre. It has had a huge influence on my art. I am more of a monster fan than a slasher fan. I am very comfortable in the genre and it is one of the places as a director/film maker that you can take more risks. Comedy and horror for me are what I enjoy most. The mind set of those genres are very similar.

AL: What other projects do you have coming up?
FA: I am currently working on an animation piece that is sort of like a dark comedy. That project is in the pilot stage right now. I am also still working as a production designer.

AL: Is there a dream project out there that you want to work on someday?
FA: There is a book titled “A Choir of Ill Children” by Tom Piccirilli that I would love to make into a film. Even though I don’t have the rights to the book yet I think that is a project that is very close to my heart. There is also a script I wrote a few years ago that I would really like to see get made. That script has more of a horror/crime vibe to it.

Interview with Sanctuary’s Robin Dunne

Robin Dunne is the star of the SyFy hit series “Sanctuary”. The show recently completed it’s fourth season. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Robin about the season, his first effort directing and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: You star in “Sanctuary” but what made you turn to directing this season?
Robin Dunne: I have always had this approach to the business, which is to diversify. Some actors just want to be actors and I am a little jealous of them sometimes. I have always wanted to act and write and I have done both now. So I thought the next natural step for me was to direct. Working on “Sanctuary” was the best possible place to get my feet wet, everyone knew each out and works so well together. I have never been more prepared for something in my life. My only fear on directing was to not let my whole team down. I am really happy with the way the episode came out. The whole crew and team really wanted me to succeed.

MG: Who is the better director you are Amanda (Tapping)?
RD: [laughs] I think Amanda is more experienced at it. It is interesting because every director has style and approach. I didn’t even know what my style was going to be until I got out on the floor and started directing. Amanda tends to be more of a technical director then me. She is very specific and uses cranes for different shots. I am not quite there yet. But let me tell you that directing is a blast.

MG: Any future plans to direct more episodes?
RD: I would love to direct more. Should we get a season five, I would love to take on a few more episodes.

MG: On a production side of the show, it doesn’t seem like there is as much CGI as there used to be; can you reflect?
RD: It on scale actually. There are some episodes that are very heavy in CGI and others are very little. The reason for that is because there is such a time crunch that we are under to deliver the show to the network. The visual effects company gets so bogged down. There is a delicate balance of keeping all the visual effects in the show as possible without but also not hurting ourselves that the episodes won’t be ready in time. In terms of directing, the visual effects was also another great educational process. I learned that during certain shots, if I put the camera in one spot then this (pointing) whole section by the window is going to need visual effects. You might want that though, but if it is not entirely necessary you can move the camera over slightly away from the window and not need all that effects done. When we started the show, it was only a two hour pilot, so we could spend a much time as we needed on the effects.

MG: Have you ever considered crossing over into other Syfy shows?
RD: I have thought about directing an episode of “Warehouse 13” just to give them the hardest time ever [laughs]. I would love to bust Eddie (McClintock)’s chops. It is one thing to walk on a set that you have been working on for years but it is another thing walking on a set that is brand new to you. It would be a whole different challenge.

MG: What is your favorite episode from season four?
RD: You know, I really like the episode that I directed, episode six titled “Homecoming”. I think my favorite episode of the season, actually of the whole series to date, is episode eight titled “Fugue”, which is our musical episode. It was such an amazing thing to do. It took all of us out of our comfort zones. Being in the recording sessions were great. Being on stage with the little ear piece playing that music that only you can hear, while trying to sing and act at the same time. It was such a challenge but such a fun episode. There is something about singing that brings out a certain emotional level in people. It works so well into the story that the audience is barely going to notice the music. They are not going to be able to notice when we are breaking into song. It definitely has to be one of my favorites.

Interview with Stephen Nemeth

Stephen Nemeth is the CEO of Rhino Films. He has produced films like “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and the recent documentary “Under The Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Stephen about his films and what we can expect from him in the 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you got involved with Kevin Tostado and “Under The Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story”?
Stephen Nemeth: I was speaking a film event in San Diego and he and Craig (Bentley) were there and mentioned what they were doing and it totally peeked my curiosity!

MG: Tell us about getting Zachery Levi to narrate the film?
SN: We all discussed who might be right and for a myriad reasons, Kevin wanted to approach Zach. I know his manager well and reached out to her and we made a deal.

MG: How does process of producing a documentary differ from feature films?
SN: It’s two totally different worlds. In making a feature narrative, you are sliding down a slippery slope if you begin without a finished/tight/strong script. In the doc world, some of the best ones typically begin as an exploratory journey where you just start shooting and the onion gets peeled and you discover something you perhaps didn’t even imagine/can catch lightning in a bottle etc. You also typically do not have the scheduling restraints you have in the feature world.

MG: “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” is one of my favorite, tell us about producing this film?
SN: This is a book deal in itself, really, I was offered a book deal in and around the making of this film but ultimately passed for many salacious reasons. ‘Nuff said but an overall amazing experience.

MG: How was it working with Terry Gilliam?
SN: It’s the best and the worst news to get as once he comes on board. You really do need to cede control because he has tunnel vision/very specific ideas of how it will all shake out. He’s a genius, so you sort of just need to let that happen!

MG: I am a big Philip K. Dick fan, tell us about “Radio Free Albemuth”?
SN: I’m really proud of this as its one of if not the only PKD adaptation made in the fiercely independent spirit of the author. It is very raw and authentic…not slick and so delicious for the purist!

MG: What do you generally look for in a project, when approached to produce?
SN: Is there a reason to make it/will anyone care!

MG: What else do you have planned for 2012 and Rhino Films?
SN: So much!! Prepping “Snake and Mongoose” shooting next month. I have many films on deck and seven documentaries in production. Also, “The Surrogate” gets released by Fox Searchlight in October. So we will have the next seven months promoting that special film properly!

Interview with David Grimoire

David Grimoire is one half of the writing duo behind Opera Diabolicus a concept album that combines elements of theater with progressive/heavy metal music. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with David about the concept and the possibility of the album being turned into a live production.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some back ground on the project?
David Grimoire: The idea began about six years ago. I met lyricist Adrian de Crow at a stage performance of Umberto Eco’s book “The Name of the Rose”. By chance we ended up sitting next to each other and we started talking. We both had friends in common and through talking we seemed to have the same preference in music. We decided to meet up at a later time and discuss the possibility of working together.

AL: Was it hard to decide on a direction for the album?
DG: With my back ground in writing music I had a pretty good idea of where I wanted things to go. Prior to this I never really had the opportunity to go in that direction. When you are in a normal 5 piece band with one singer you are very limited. For this project we decided early on that we should not limit ourselves creatively. The music is something I always had in my head. With Adrian’s lyrics there was a story and we blended the two together. Everything was pretty well determined ahead of time.

AL: What do you feel was the hardest part of making the album?
DG: When to stop. (Laughs) This type of writing takes a lot of time and effort. There wasn’t one specific part that stuck out as being more difficult than another. Every part takes time to put together because you want to make it as good as possible.

AL: How did you go about selecting musicians for the album?
DG: I think that part was pretty easy. Depending on the material we knew which type of vocalists we wanted. We wanted Snowy Shaw. I think he is the best drummer in the world for this type of music. Snowy also has a lot of range vocally. Mats Leven has a very characteristic clean voice which I love. Niklas Isfeldt also provided vocals. We handpicked musicians who we thought could make the album happen.

AL: Is there a chance that we will see a stage performance of this material?
DG: Yes. We are in the planning stages right now. There is quite a bit of planning that goes into something of this size. There is going to be a lot of theater involved so we want to make it right. There are a lot of pieces in the puzzle.

AL: What other projects do you have currently in the works?
DG: Working on the stage production is one of the things. We shot a video about a month ago. That took some time but it is out now. We also have been planning for the next album. We have some material written however we don’t know when it will be released.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: david, grimoire, interview

Interview with Norman Greenbaum

Norman Greenbaum is a singer/songwriter known for the classic rock staple “Spirit in the Sky”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Norman about the longevity of the song and his recent reemergence into the music scene.

Adam Lawton: What do you think keeps people listening to your song “Spirit in the Sky” some 40 years after its initial recording?
Norman Greenbaum: I truly believe it’s the beginning riff. That riff goes through you and stays with you. When you hear it you remember how much you liked the song when you originally heard it. The song hasn’t become tiresome like a lot of other older songs. Not to be too critical of myself but I think a lot of the older records sound a little empty and tinny. We recorded “Spirit in the Sky” on two inch tape with a machine that was bigger than your family. We used ancient microphones which I think had to do a lot with the sound of the song. Erik Jacobsen the producer did a wonderful job. I was there with a few little hints and the song really stands up. It still sends shivers down my spine and I wrote it. I also think that as people have gotten older the song has taken on more significance. I receive a lot of mail through my website where people are telling me about how they want the song played at their funeral no matter what! The song has also appeared in 48 different films. All of this amazes me and it just seems to be getting better.

AL: Are you still contacted when someone requests to use the song?
NG: Yes. Every place where it is used there is a network that has someone contact the publisher. In this particular case the same person who owns the rights to the song also owns the master recording as well.

AL: Can you tell us about the song appearing on the “Rock Band 2” video game?
NG: They approached us and I wouldn’t be surprised if a million other people hadn’t contacted them about including the song. They told us they were going to put the song out on the game and that thing has sold billions. I get a lot of good stories through my email and some of them are about how families are getting together and playing the song on “Rock Band”. The song has just taken on all these different lives and it really is so unexpected.

AL: Have you ever played the video game version of the song?
NG: I have not. I think I may have gone into a Sam’s Club once and tried the original version of the game that was on display. I tried to play along and just felt stupid because of all the kids watching. (Laughs)

AL: Can you tell us about the recent updates to your website?
NG: I have had a website for around 13 years. It was slightly stale and had some ramblings here and there. I had it redone and it looks a lot more modern. The site is a lot easier to navigate now. We also updated the store where we sell all the merchandise and music. There is a lot more to see and do on the site now. You can also play the sort of infamous Norman Goat game. (Laughs) My cat Oliver who people seem to love just as much as me also has a ton of photos on there.

AL: Can you tell us about your upcoming live performance?
NG: I have been getting back into playing lately. For awhile my heart just wasn’t in to performing. Now seems to be the right time to try and do some things. We are having somewhat of a reunion. The Stovall Sisters who performed the original background vocals on the record will be joining me for three songs. We are part of someone else’s show but it’s a starting point. We had a rehearsal with the girls and it was like time never passed. We had a few more wrinkles and such but we sounded good.

AL: Do you have any other upcoming projects or plans you can tell us about?
NG: This show is going to be a slight gauge to see how well things go over. People really want to hear “Spirit in the Sky” and other songs by me right now! Something has changed but I don’t know what. It seems that it’s a good time to be looking into things. I am taking things one step at a time. In the back of my mind I am going over how I can go about doing everything. This upcoming show is going to be one of the major steps.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: greenbaum, interview, norman

« sdf

Page 6 of 35

Tag: interview

Bob Odenkirk talks about new pilot “Let’s Do This!”

Interview with Kim Evey

Related Content

Interview with Shadows Fall’s Brian Fair

Interview with Paul Bunnell

Related Content

Interview with Scott Shuffitt

Interview with Elfar Adalsteins

Jaleel White talks about “Dancing with the Stars” & Syfy’s “Total Blackout”

Interview with Nathan Baesel

Interview with Kristanna Loken

Related Content

Interview with Sid Haig

Interview with Fred Andrews

Related Content

Interview with Sanctuary’s Robin Dunne

Related Content

Interview with Stephen Nemeth

Related Content

Interview with David Grimoire

Interview with Norman Greenbaum