Samantha Crain talks about new solo album titled "Kid Face"

Samantha Crain is a singer/songwriter set to release her 3rd full length solo album titled “Kid Face”. Samantha describes her sound as a mixture of Folk with some Country elements. Media Mikes had the chance to ask Samantha a few questions about the new album as well as how her background in fiction writing sparked her interest in wanting to perform music.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us a little bit of background on your career thus far?
Samantha Crain: Unfortunately it’s not an incredibly interesting story at all. (Laughs) My dad had bought me a guitar when I was younger however I was never really interested in it growing up. I probably taught myself a few chords on it but that was it. I grew up sort of obsessed with writing stories so when it came time for college I went for writing. A couple of years in to that I had a moment where I wanted to get out of Oklahoma as I was feeling a little crowded. At some point I picked up the guitar again and started teaching myself. I began pairing some of my short stories and poems to music and after a little while I began booking shows for myself. This was sort of a means to travel and see new places. My career really came out of finding a way for me to pay my way around the country. It ended up turning in to something that I really love doing.

AL: Around what time did you become a signed artist?
SC: After writing and touring on my own for some time my first EP found its way to Dolph Ramseur owner of Ramseur Records. We ended up speaking and decided to re-release the EP on his label as a means to reintroduce me to those who maybe weren’t able to get one of the handmade copies. Things really came out of being out there and playing a lot of shows.

AL: How does your latest album “Kid Face” compare to your previous work? And did you try anything different this time around?
SC: With my background being in fiction writing I really held on to that with the first two records. As I have gotten older and been able to experience more things I have been able to shift my writing from being fiction based to being more autobiographical. That’s probably the main difference between my new album and my previous releases. As far as differences go this time around I went back to more of my folk roots. Some of my previous songs had a rock feel to them but I moved away from that and back to how I started. This album is definitely a softer folk/country album.

AL: Does your background in writing tend to lead you to start with the lyrical aspect a song or do you start with instrumentation first and write around that?
SC: When I first started writing songs I had a lot of material lyric wise to work with so I started there. Music was sort of the afterthought. However the longer I do this it seems the songs are less apt to come to me. I have to be really smart about catching inspiration when it comes. I generally collect words or ideas in a notebook.  When I have time to work on songs I will lay all these notes out and try and put them together to form a song.

AL:  Do you have any tour plans set up in support of the new album?
SC: We have a few album release shows scheduled that will feature the entire band that played on the album. Those shows will take us up until the start of the South By South West festival. After that for the full tour we will probably scale the band down some as it is easier to travel that way.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, crain, face, kid, samantha, solo, ...

Rachael Ma talks about her role in "Robot & Frank"

Rachael Ma stands at just under 5 feet and can currently be seen in the role of the robot opposite Frank Langella in “Robot & Frank”. If you have seen the film you know that Peter Sarsgaard is the voice of the robot but as Rachael puts it “people…literally think the robot IS a robot”. Thanks to Alterian, which is the company behind the LED helmets worn by the electro duo Daft Punk, Rachael gives wonderful life to this role. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Rachael about the film and what she has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you get started acting, singing and dancing?
Rachael Ma: My mom owns a dance studio in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and was a dancer herself. I was born into it. Being a dancer first, it was very easy to channel physicality into acting and singing. Movement tells a story.

MG: How did you get involved with the role of the Robot in “Robot and Frank”?
RM: The whole process was very quick; from my first casting (interview) to the first day of shooting was, only 2 days. Originally, the robot was supposed to be performed by another girl, a friend of the director, and the suit was specifically built to her body specifications. But the first time she tried it on in its entirety, she had a claustrophobia and refused to go back in it. I was a replacement and was brought in mostly because I fit the costume (and was willing to have claustrophobia).

MG: Tell us about the costume itself; was it different to act in?
RM: The heat, lack of vision and immobility of the parts made bringing the robot to life difficult. The robot is all-encapsulating in two layers: the first layer is a thick, rubber unitard that covers everything- head to toe, and then a delicate, fiberglass shell of body parts, including non-ventilated helmet lined in mesh and foam. No breathing room, no A/C, no fans. Just sweat. And wow, it was hot! We shot 12 hour days, outdoors, during a heat wave in the summer for 5 weeks. I was constantly dehydrated, nauseous and fainting. The helmet was another challenge because it was lined with a thick mesh and decreased my vision by about 70%. When we shot at night, I did everything in the blind. The robot joints are clunky and bulky which also made mobility a challenge. As a dancer, I have a fine understanding of controlling movement and to deliver a robot that appeared smooth, grounded and with precise comedic timing in its gestures, was no easy task. I rehearsed and analyzed its walk, its head quirks and wanted to develop certain nuances that made the robot lovable.

MG: Was there any particular scene that sticks out to you?
RM: In one scene I was supposed to catch a mimosa flute that falls off a table- it was no movie magic- I caught that glass out of thin air 13 takes in a row! Clunky robot hand and all! It was miraculous.

MG:Tell us about taking the show “Nutcracker: Rated R” to Tokyo?
RM: I’m in my 4th season of “Nutcracker: Rated R” and am so excited its going to Tokyo. My friends tell me Tokyo is like being in a city in the future, which is kind of funny because I feel like I’ve already been to the future with “Robot and Frank”.

MG: How do you feel that stage differs from film and TV?
RM: Acting for the stage is a whole different beast. Its film/TV acting on steroids. Shifting between stage and screen takes adjustments in my mindset and body, but I always approach whatever work I’m doing thinking of the audiences perspective. It helps me focus on what needs to be seen.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2013?
RM: In 2013 you can expect to see me in New York City’s Broadway/off-Broadway shows, in Tokyo with the raucous ‘Nutcracker: Rated R’, and the occasional film/TV/commercial stint.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: frank, ma, rachael, robot, role, talks, ...

Milo Ventimiglia talks about Executive Producing and Starring in Crackle's Newest Original Series "Chosen"

Milo Ventimiglia is the executive producer and star of Crackle’s newest original series “Chosen”. Milo is know for his work in TV with his playing Peter Petrelli on the NBC television series “Heroes”. In “Chosen”, Milo plays Ian Mitchell, a husband, father and lawyer who awakens one morning to discover a mysterious box on his doorstep containing a loaded gun and a photo of a stranger he must kill within the next three days. Ian quickly learns that if he doesn’t kill this man he will be killed himself along with his daughter who is being held hostage. A heart pounding thriller, Chosen features six 30 minute episodes which premiered on Crackle.com and all Crackle platforms Thursday, January 17. Media Mikes had a chace to chat with Milo about this new series and what we can expect with his character.

Mike Gencarelli: How you got involved in this project?
Milo Ventimiglia: I got a script from Ben Ketai and it was great. It was awesome. And I was a huge fan of his and I worked with Crackle before developing stuff and I was just like, these guys are great. And I kind of – into the digital space and what it affords creative types and what we get to do and play around with space and then enjoy its reach. So cool story, cool release, great character, yes, I’m in.

MG: What do you love about the viability in potential shows on the internet like Chosen and how that differs from TV or film?
MV: Man, I love the reach, you know, I’m just so excited about digital because of the reach. The actual releases sometimes some countries don’t get movies. Sometimes, they’re in and out of theaters, TV — maybe you don’t have the channel, maybe you don’t have pay cable. Maybe, you live in a remote part of the world that just doesn’t have what the network is showing or studio is putting out. Digital I kind of feel like anybody can access it, anybody can get to it. And for me being a part of projects like Chose, you know, working with Crackle and just being a guy who’s been in the digital space for kind of a long time now. I know it’s something that I’m going to continue to do and hopefully as it builds and the profile builds and people understand that, look, you’re going to get the same quality on digital as you can in a movie theater if you actually have a bandwidth for it then great, you know. So I love digital, I’m in to digital.

MG: What were some of the initial acting challenges steeping into the Ian role?”
MV: Wow. The initial challenges? I mean, first being a father. Like I’m not a dad myself yet, you know, I’ve got a lot of good friends with kids and a nephew and, you know, that’s all cool and exciting but I think that kind of real life – that weight of real life of having a daughter, having somebody you care about so much like they’re you’re blood. You and a woman created them and that fear of if they are gone, if they are taken, if they are missing. I think that was kind of the – the very first and foremost in my mind was Ian’s connection to his daughter and how strong that is and how much that propels him through the situation that – of the game of what he has to go through. As well as, you know, here’s a guy who works in a an office and he’s told to kill someone for sport, for a game. And it’s like how do you – you know, it’s a question that kind of comes up throughout the course of the show, I know Deidrch’s character asks it, Ian asks it. It’s like how can someone expect you to do that. So I think that – really connecting to that idea of the reality of it, just how much human beings really don’t have that instinct or want to do. That was something that I was trying to tap into like the reality of the situation and believe it and live it as much as I can.

MG: How Ian changes or evolves as the story progresses?
MV: Ian starts out a bit mild mannered. He’s a guy that works in a law office. He holds a pen. He wears a suit and tie and he kind of devolves and evolves into this man who has to act a little bit more on physical instinct given situations that come his way. If a guys coming at him with the silenced gun he’s got to run. If he gets shot he has to kind of fight back. As well as he still has to play that chess game with the people that are involved with the watchers — these watchers that are in control the game. I think it’s kind of a testament to who Ian is a human being where he is a rational, functioning in society man but at the same time he’s able to switch to an instinct that is maybe a little unnatural for people that are, you know, living in a world of suits and ties and writing with pens all the time and legal society. So I think for me it was an awesome arch that Ben gave me as an actor to turn into – to become this man who is really wholly trying to just protect his family by any means possible, you know. It’s like his discomfort at the contents of the box when you first meet him and then kind of throw a little comedy slant at how comfortable he is with the contents of the box, you know, a little later on in the show, so. Yes, I think for me it’s the evolution of who he becomes.

MG: How you go into the mindset of the paranoia?
MV: Wow. You know, a few years ago my mother asked me – I did this movie where I played a really, really deplorable person. The movie’s called The Divide. And afterwards my mother asked me if something happened to me as a kid that she didn’t know about. I said, “What do you mean Mom?” She said, “Well you were such an evil, horrible person, how – did something happen to you that we don’t know about?” I’m like, no, not at all Mom, I’m an actor, like that’s what we do. We just act. So I think the paranoia is it’s just kind of a like a matching your worst fears and playing to them. You know, I like to say let the wheels come off, see what happens, just go for it. I think at times actors are standing a bit naked with our emotions and we have to. We have to be able to stand there and deliver anything, you know, happiness, sadness, paranoia, fear, victory, you have to be able to allow those things to just kind of flow out of you. For me it was no different. The paranoia, I think is just like, all right, I don’t want to act paranoid. I’m just going to be paranoid, how’s that?

PHOTO CREDIT: Sony Pictures Television

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: chosen, crackles, executive, milo, newest, original, ...

Dokken’s George Lynch talks about new album with T&N called "Slave to the Empire"

Guitar legend George Lynch is probably best known for his work with the popular eighties hard rock band Dokken. After the break-up of the band in 1989 George continued to be successful with his group’s Lynch Mob, Souls of We and T&N which along with George also features former Dokken members Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown. T&N has just released a new album titled “Slave to the Empire” and Media Mikes had the chance to talk with George about the release as well as some of his new signature guitar products.

Adam Lawton: What led to the decision of revisiting the T&N project and to also recording a new album?
George Lynch: The idea of me, Jeff, Mick and maybe even Don Dokken playing together again has always been there. The thing is with everyone being in different bands these days and being busy it’s kind of hard to all get together.  You almost have to have a reason or an avenue to make that happen. We had been trying to put the Dokken thing back together for a few years and it never really happened. Eventually Mick, Jeff and I decided to do this without Don. We did ask him to join us however he declined. When you play with the same group of guys for a number of decades those experiences never go away as its part of your life.

AL: Where there at any time reservations about the project and getting back together?
GL: No. Mick has really been coming back in a big way over the last few years. He has gone out on a couple Lynch Mob tours, he played on this album of course and he will most likely end up being the drummer when we take T&N on the road. Jeff and I have been constantly trying to find ways to work together. We live down the street from one another and really our relationship has never changed. We still inter-act the same as we did in the early Dokken days. We might be 30 years older but when we are sitting in a room playing music together it’s like that time never went by.

AL: What was it like writing new material together and also revisiting the old material?
GL: Those were two completely different animals. Re-doing the old stuff was relatively easy. It didn’t require a lot of brain power as we know the songs really well. That allowed us to have fun with them and change/add in some new parts. With the new material it was more as if we were in a laboratory. A little more thinking was required. Thinking is work for me these days. (Laughs) We did a lot of the writing by the seat of our pants. That’s what’s wonderful about writing with Jeff. I love the trust we have and we have a certain style of writing. There has never been an issue with Jeff and me productivity wise. There is sometimes an issue though when it comes to picking a direction. We may write a trippy acid song one time and a blues song the next. We have to sort of bring ourselves in when it comes to that type of thing.

AL: Has there been any discussion about touring in support of the release?
GL: We intended to go out last year during the fall. We had a really great slot at the Loud Park Festival and there were a few European shows and a few shows in the states booked however due to a number of business reasons things didn’t pan out. Things for this coming year are looking really good and our intention is to get out there.

AL: Being a huge horror fan I have to ask how Dokken got involved with the “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise?
GL: We had a wonderful manager at the time by the name of Cliff Bernstein. At the time he was probably one of the biggest rock managers and still actually could be one of the biggest today. If I had to credit one person with the success of Dokken I would have to credit him. He brought that opportunity to us. Being involved with that film really propelled the band in to a lot of people’s consciousness. Jeff and I wrote “Dream Warriors” when we were living together in Arizona. For us it was a huge deal even though we didn’t really make any money at it. (Laughs) We were persuaded by our managers to take a buy out on the song. We received a small piece for the song and that was it. It worked for us though.

AL: Were you guy’s fans of the previous films?
GL: I personally was. When the first one came out I thought it was pretty mind blowing. I was in to horror films growing up and I like a lot of the classics. Prior to the movie though I had sort of evolved out of liking the genre but when we did the song for the film it renewed my interest in horror films.

AL: Do you have any new signature guitar gear coming out this year?
GL: I have two things that I can think of off of the top of my head. The first one is a pedal I have been working on with the Cusack Company. The idea is for the pedal to combine everything I think is crucial in a pedal board in to one unit. Over the years I have found running a number of pedals can cause impedance issues. This pedal is being designed so that everything matches up perfectly and all your signals are balanced. The other thing I have been working on is a signature acoustic guitar through ESP. They have come out extremely well and even better than I expected. We worked hard on the project to make a guitar that sounded good and was affordable. Everything on these guitars looks and sounds great!

AL: Do you have any other projects in the works that you would like to mention?
GL: I have a project that we just decided on a name for the other day. It’s titled KXM. The letters stand for Korn, Kings X and Lynch Mob. The lineup is Ray Luzier of Korn, Doug Pinnick of Kings X and me so that’s where the KXM comes from. We went in to the studio not knowing what we would sound like. Things could have gone a number of different ways but what it ended up being is a very dark sounding record with some funk elements. We actually just finished it up. I don’t think there is anything unexpected on the record but it is dark. We have some interesting ideas of how we are going to be releasing the material so people will want to be watching for that. I also have something that is still in the project stage called The Infidels. It features the rhythm section of the band WAR. We are doing some very ass shaking, groove type material that is just instrumental at this time as we are still deciding what we want to do with everything. Lastly is a documentary film titled “ShadowTrain”. On the surface the film appears to be about music and Native Americans but it is really an exploration of human nature. The film is philosophical, historical, musical and spiritual. This is something I have never done before but thankfully I have people working with me on this that know what they are doing. There is also a band involved with this as well that recorded a record. The record is the soundtrack to the film and is mostly improvisational. What we did was to go around to Native American reservations and play music that was completely improvisational. We had no idea what we were going to do. We just would start with a beat or a riff and see where it would take us. People interested in finding out more about the film can visit the official website at www.shadowtrainmovie.com 

 

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, called, dokkens, empire, george, lynch, ...

Dark New Day’s Will Hunt talks about new album "Hail Mary"

Will Hunt is a hard rock drummer who plays or has played with everyone from Evanescence and Black Label Society to Tommy Lee’s Methods of Mayhem and Static-X. Hunt is also a part of the rock super group Dark New Day consists of Brett Hestla (Virgos Merlot), Troy McLawhorn (DoubleDrive), Clint Lowery (Sevendust) and Corey Lowery of Stereomud. The group is set to release their 3rd full length studio album titled “Hail Mary” in February and Media Mikes had the chance to ask Will about his work on the record and how he juggles working with so many different bands at the same time.

Adam Lawton: What type of approach did you take with your playing on the new album “New Tradition”?
Will Hunt: We were going for a little more of a structured sound this time as opposed to what can be heard on “12Year Silence” where everything is just sort of thrown in. The drum parts on this record were more composition than improvising. I played knowing that I wanted the drums to sound huge, and the way to do that is to give them room to breathe and leave space for that in the parts. Corey Lowery and I wanted the bottom end to be ridiculous.

AL: How does this album compare to the previous releases from Dark New Day?
WH: Like I said, we were going for a more structured sound and that’s what we got. We were really experimenting, which in some ways was liberating, in other ways we now know what we wouldn’t do in the future! (Laughs) All though, we’re very proud of the experimentation and what we got from this album.

AL: Does the band have any plans to tour in support of the release?
WH: No touring plans for this release. I’m not saying there won’t be a couple of shows here and there if our schedules can line up. We obviously would love to rock some shows together, but there no concrete plans at this time

AL: Personally what do you find to be the most difficult thing about working with multiple bands and projects at the same time?
WH: It’s like air traffic control! (Laughs) You just have to make sure to get all the projects in line and land them without crashing!( Laughs) Sometimes it works, sometimes not, but I love it! I can’t play and write enough.

AL: Can you tell us about any of your other projects that are in the works as we speak?
WH: Yes. I am officially a member of David Draimen’s new band, DEVICE. Our 1st single “VILIFY” is hitting radio in February, and the self titled album will be released in April with a tour to follow. Our 1st show is going to be at SXSW in Austin. I’m really excited about this band, I think people are going to freak on how bad ass it is. The music is absolutely amazing, and I can’t wait for people to hear it! I’m also going to record the new Soil album which I’m really looking forward to. That will be a good time making music with some old friends!

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, dark, days, hail, hunt, mary, ...

Reinhold Heil talks about co-composing the score for "Cloud Atlas"

Reinhold Heil is one of the three composers behind the stunning score for the film “Cloud Atlas”, along with Tom Tykwer and Johnny Klimek. They have worked together on numerous films including “Perfume”, “The International” and “Run Lola Run”. The trio of composer also got nominated recently for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score for “Cloud Atlas”. Media Mikes had a chance to pick Reinhold’s brain about this wonderful score and also what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: You co-composed the “Cloud Atlas” score with Tom Tykwer and Johnny Klimek, tell us about that collaboration?
Reinhold Heil: We have been working together now for 16 years on many different films. The only major film that Tom Tykwer directed that we didn’t work on was “Heaven”, which he did in 2001. All the others starting with “Winter Sleepers” in 1996, we have all worked together. Tom isn’t necessarily amazing with the computer programs but he is an excellent musician. Composing is such an integral part of the filmmaking process. He starts thinking about the music in the screenwriting process. He sends the screenplays to us then and we get together and try and conceive what we think the sound would be like. Once the screenplay is done, the music is already starting to emerge and then gets nurtured all the way through post-production. We have this old tradition of setting up two work stations, one for Johnny and one for me and Tom alternates between the two. From conception of an idea it is instantly shared, so all three of us end up working on every aspect of what is being done. I have more of a classical background, so if it falls into that area I would take on more of a role. But what has established over this 16 year relationship is that all three of us have really grown and we developed this overlapping skill set. We each could score our own movies and we have in the past and will again in the future but we enjoy collaborating together.

MG: Some of my favorite tracks are “The Atlas March” and “The Cloud Atlas Sextet for Orchestra”; tell us about where you got the inspiration this score?
RH: With the “Sextet” it has this specific problem that is mentioned and even described in the novel. The way it is described it has this avant-gardist chamber piece from the first half of the 20th century. At the same time it continues, it gets forgotten for decades and then gets slowly unearthed towards the end of the century and then in the future it becomes this ubiquitous piece that everyone knows and has this quasi-religion aspect. There is even a holiday for the piece called “Sextet Week”, so if you read the book it is even crazier than in the film. So being confronted with this task of actually having to write this piece that has all these qualities is very daunting. We wanted to keep it true to the aspect that it is a 20th century chamber piece but it wasn’t as important as to give it this main theme sound that works and has this beauty to it. We just followed our inspiration and wrote this piano piece that could have been done during that period. With the arrangement, we tried all sorts of things. We tried chamber, choir, string orchestra and even full orchestra. That is where our crazy method comes through that we overwork something and only a fraction of it gets seen. The songs theme is really everywhere, almost in every cue somehow. The same goes for “The Atlas March”. The idea for that was that we needed something that was emotional, simple, uplifting and that it can build from almost nothing to this big orchestral piece. We worked all the cues in a way that these two melodies were reprised throughout the whole score. The opening titles, for instance, was a totally different piece originally. It had acoustic guitars and other melodic elements but it ended up just including the “Atlas March” melody and the “Sextet” melody. The same goes for the next track “Travel to Edinburgh”; you have all three main themes combined there. It is based on the “Sextet” but doesn’t have the “Sextet” melody instead it has “The Atlas March” melody. It also has the “Eternal Recurrence” melody built in together. The idea for that piece “Eternal Recurrence” is used to have something that gives the feeling of faith playing itself out and propelling the story forward. These are the main building blocks of the score.

MG: What was the timeline of the score from the moment you came on this project to completion?
RH: We were in Berlin for the first time in late March/early April of 2011. We knew the film was going to – or hoped it was going to happen – as far back as the summer of 2008. Of course we read the book back then and started thinking about what it would sound like in advance. We listened to a lot of John Adams. Though, I do not necessarily think that you will find that much inspiration from John Adams in the score but that was our first idea behind it. The real decision for the music always comes after the rough cut comes and you start slapping much on to see what works and what doesn’t. So during that time we worked for about two and half weeks and had already came up with ideas for “The Atlas March” and “Eternal Recurrence” themes. The “Sextet” was not there yet, but we were charging ahead with that and we still trying to give it a more “arty-fartsy” direction. We went back home to LA and then came back in June/July of 2011 and had a six week explosive creative session. At that time Tom was also struggling with the financing of the film. There was no studio behind it and it was the most expensive independently financed film ever, which made it more complicated. So I think for him personally coming back to the music studio in the late afternoon to spend a few hours with us was a therapeutic thing for him and taking a break. Tom was really explosive with ideas throughout the process though. With the orchestra session it was a challenge since the volume of music we generated was getting out of hand. Luckily one of our assistants, straight from USC, we brought along jumped it and we had two orchestras working their asses off. We did four day orchestra sessions and since the only way we could do that was since it wasn’t an experienced film orchestra otherwise the music budget would have been out of control. The people were though super motivated and tried very hard. We ended up recording unbelievable amounts of music. It was a giant post production since we had to play with various little snippets of music. Then we ended up having to go back and forth from LA to Germany in early 2012 while the film was being cut. I was also working on a TV show at the time and putting in about 14-16 hours at day. It was just an amazing amount of work. When you work with Tom, he doesn’t do anything half-assed. So in all, we are talking about 15-16 months from the first conception to the delivery. Even after delivery though, there is always still little tweaked here and there.

MG: How does that timeline compare to some of your other projects?
RH: The other project that we did together that took a very long time was “Perfume”, which started in 2004. We knew it had to have a full symphonic orchestra score, which we didn’t have a lot of experience with. We had to do a lot of experimenting since it was a new aspect for us. We then recorded choir in 2005 and then wrote a whole bunch more before the film was even shot. Then we pieced it all together and it was crazy work. I believe it also took longer than “Cloud Atlas” but it also included a lot of a learning curve for us. Looking back it was more of a two year process. We also did “The International”, where we did the same thing. It had a six week writing session before the film was shot then three months of developing that material and then five months of post-production. So those are some of our larger scale projects.

MG: You are working again with Johnny Klimek on “I, Frankenstein”; is that your next project?
RH: Yep that is next. It is also pretty much done. We started working on it in July of 2012. We might have some changes in the coming months but as of right now it has been written and recorded already. We recorded in Sydney, since it is an Australian production. It was really a very impressive experience. The scoring sessions were very professional with great staff that has done this before many times. It was quite different than “Cloud Atlas”, where it was all new for them. I hope that with the growing respect that we have received from “Cloud Atlas” – I know it is not a huge blockbuster, but it did just receive a Golden Globe nomination – hopefully we will get new projects were we can record here in Los Angeles. I would love nothing more than to record with Los Angeles musicians.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: atlas, cloud, cocomposing, heil, reinhold, score, ...

John Hyams talks about directing "Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning"

John Hyams is the writer and director of “Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning”, officially the fourth film in the series. John breathed new life into this franchise with “Universal Soldier: Regeneration” also reuniting Dolph Lundgren and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with John about this franchise and the latest film.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us where “Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning” fits in the franchise?
John Hyams: When I first became involved with the Universal Soldier franchise in 2009 (with Regeneration) the idea was to focus on the broad mythological themes while ignoring specific storylines from the previous films. Although it was an action movie, I immediately responded to the Frankenstein myth elements, which kept one foot firmly planted in the sci-fi and horror genres. I felt that a movie made 20 years after its predecessors should be a stand alone film, while at the same time pay respect to the mythology of the first movie. With Day of Reckoning, the idea was to embrace the very same challenge – to make a movie that picked up where Regeneration left off, from a mythological standpoint, but could also stand alone as a unique interpretation of the material. This time we focused more on the psychological horror elements. We aimed to create a subjective, often hallucinatory experience, punctuated by moments of explosive action and violence. So, to me it fits right next to Regeneration, where they both can stand together or alone.

MG: Tell us about working with and also reuniting Dolph Lundgren and Jean-Claude Van Damme?
JH: Regeneration served as a more formal reuniting of Dolph and Jean-Claude, since that movie pitted the two against each other, and allowed for a dramatic showdown more reminiscent of the scenario from the first movie. This time, their characters served a different function – as obstacles standing in between our protagonist, played by Scott Adkins, and his goals. As for working with them, I know them better this time around and we have a comfortable working relationship. I like them both as people and collaborators, but they’re very different from each other and present unique challenges. Jean Claude is emotional and leads with his heart, whereas Dolph is more analytical, and thinks in more technical terms. We all had a good time working on this one.

MG: What made take on the role of writer, as well, this time around?
JH: It’s always better to be involved with a story from the ground up. By coming up with the story and writing the script I could take part in the evolution of the mythology, and take it into directions I’d like to see it go. Ultimately, it leads to a much more interesting, challenging experience.

MG: After four films in the franchise, tell us about turning the hero Luc Deveraux into the villain?
JH: Regeneration ended with Luc Deveraux escaping. Day of Reckoning answers the question of what happened to him after he escaped. In order to facilitate this story, it was necessary that we introduce a new protagonist, whose journey was to find Luc Deveraux and, in this case, attempt to kill him. Therefore, Luc is the antagonist of the story… however, whether or not he is actually the villain is the central idea the film seeks to explore.

MG: Tell us about the decision to shoot “Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning” in 3D and was it a challenge?
JH: It wasn’t my decision to shoot in 3D, the producers sold it that way oversees, so it was part of the deal. 3D is a huge challenge because, quite simply, it costs more money and takes longer. So, on a budget as low as ours, it leaves you with less shooting days and less hours each day to work with. Therefore, the fact that it was going to be shot in 3D directly affected the content of the story. In essence, the decision to focus on subjective, horror thriller elements instead of large scale spectacle was informed by our budgetary constraints, due in large part to working in 3D. From an aesthetic standpoint, we used 3D to create an immersive environment. Since the perspective of the movie is very subjective, we felt that 3D could help enhance that feeling of being in the room with the characters while they interact. Conversely, we avoided the ‘comin-at-ya’ gimmickry often associated with 3D. The goal was to make the film work just as well in 2D as 3D.

MG: How did the productions differ from “Regeneration” To “Day of Reckoning”?
JH: Regeneration was shot in 2D, had a bigger budget and was shot in Sofia, Bulgaria, whereas Day of Reckoning was shot in the US. Therefore, Regeneration had a shooting schedule of almost 47 days, vs Day of Reckoning, which was shot in 29. So, Regeneration was larger in scope, involved more group battles, and was more of a straight action movie. Day of Reckoning, because of it’s schedule, became a much more intimate movie, though in some ways I think we achieved some even better action this time around.

MG: With 2012 being 20 years from the first film, how do you feel this franchise has evolved?
JH: I feel like the first Universal Soldier film was a product of its time, when movies like Terminator and Robocop had inspired an interest in bio-mechanical ideas. That coupled with the tongue in cheek nature of action movies from the 80s and early 90s, led to an aesthetic that was very much of its time. It did not take itself too seriously, and, in fact, embraced the comedic aspects of the story. For Regeneration and Day of Reckoning I took my cues from films like Alien, Sorcerer, The Terminator, as well as films by John Carpenter, David Cronenberg, among others, to create an aesthetic that took the mythology seriously, and tried to create a believable aesthetic. That idea led to the dark, serious tone that ended up dominating the proceedings.

MG: How was it getting to bring this series back to theaters after going DTV?
JH: I feel a sense of accomplishment that we took a franchise that had long been forgotten and reintroduced it in a way that created renewed interest. From the discussions I’ve had with people, whether during interviews, film festivals or on Facebook, there seems to be an appreciative audience out there that Is pleased with the direction we’ve taken things.

MG: Now that you have life back to “Universal Soldier”, do you see yourself continuing with this franchise?
JH: I have been developing a concept with the producers that we imagine as a larger scale production. If we are able to raise the budget necessary to execute these ideas, than I’d be interested.

MG: Can’t wait to see what you have planned next, any ideas?
JH: In addition to Universal Soldier, I’m developing a potential action franchise with a renowned sci-fi writer, as well as finishing an original screenplay of my own. Other than that, reading scripts and meeting with producers. Truth be told, I’m itching to get back in the trenches. When I’m not making a movie I feel like Captain Willard — drunk, naked and bleeding in a Saigon hotel room, just waiting for a mission.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: day, directing, hyams, john, reckoning, soldier, ...

Composer Marco Beltrami talks about recent scores and working with Jerry Goldsmith

A fan of both film and music, Marco Beltrami decided to incorporate both loves while attending the Yale School of Music.  An internship at USC with Oscar-winning composer Jerry Goldsmith started him on the illustrious path he has found himself traveling down.  His more popular scores include “Scream,” “I, Robot,” “Hellboy,” “The Flight of the Phoenix,” and “The Woman in Black.”  He earned Academy Award nominations for his scores for “3:10 to Yuma” and the Oscar winning Best Picture “The Hurt Locker.”  This year he scored no less then five films, including “The Sessions” and “Trouble with the Curve” and his music will be heard in 2013 in such anticipated films as “Carrie,” “World War Z,” “A Good Day to Die Hard” and “The Wolverine.”  Mr. Beltrami took a few rare moments away from his work to talk with Media Mikes about Jerry Goldsmith’s advice, his favorite film genre’s and his very busy 2013.

Mike Smith: What led to you pursue a career in composing?
Marco Beldrami: A moment of madness, I guess (laughs). Since I was very young I’ve always been into music. When I was younger I remember watching the early “Spaghetti” Westerns and being very influenced by both the films and the scores. How they related to each other. I went to school and I actually got a liberal arts degree in geology and then in urban planning but I later realized that music was what I wanted to do. I went to the Yale School of Music and that’s when I realized that some of the most exciting things that were happening in music were happening in film. Film music doesn’t really have any limits on it. It embraces the new technology as well as the classical orchestra. To me there is something powerful about putting music to image. I became hooked. I came out to California to do an internship with Jerry Goldsmith at USC and from that point on I was hooked. (NOTE: Readers, Jerry Goldsmith was one of the greatest film composers EVER. Popular scores of his include the original “Planet of the Apes,” “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” and the original version of “The Omen,” for which he won his only Academy Award).

MS: When you’re hired to score a film do you begin to draw ideas by reading the script or do you wait until you have actual footage to look at?
MB: To me the script is a horrible way to start working on a film’s score because it can be deceiving. You really need the image. A script can be treated in so many different ways and the music is all about nuance.

MS: You mentioned that your mentor was the great Jerry Goldsmith. What’s the best piece of advice he ever gave you?
MB: To be as economical as possible…to say as much as possible in as few notes as possible. To write as simply as possible for the orchestra. Coming from the background I came in there was a pride in being able to embrace simplicity, which is one of the most important things I learned from Jerry.

MS: Jerry Goldsmith won his only Oscar for his score for “The Omen.” How important of an assignment was it to you when you were picked to score the 2006 remake? (NOTE: Readers, Jerry Goldsmith was nominated 18 times for an Academy Award, not only for the scores mentioned above but others including “Chinatown,” “Poltergeist,” “Hoosiers” and “L.A. Confidential.” Next to John Williams he is my favorite composer).
MB: I found it to be a great honor and also quite daunting. Speaking of simplicity, Jerry’s score to “The Omen” pretty much consisted of three notes that everything branches off from. And I tried to keep that spirit of a minimalist state…not a minimalist style but a minimalist state…of writing in my score. I was very aware of his presence.

MS: You’ve done a few scores of film remakes – “Flight of the Phoenix,” “3:10 to Yuma” – as well as some film sequels. When working on those films do you feel an obligation to work in some of the original film’s score in your score as a nod to fans of the original film?
MB: Usually no, unless there’s a reason to in the picture. In the case of the new “Die Hard” I am trying to keep the flavor because I am very much aware of the fans of the films. It’s different then on a film like “3:10 to Yuma,” which just stands on its own and isn’t part of a franchise.

MS: Do you have a favorite film genre’ to compose to?
MB: Not really. The only thing I’m not real keen on, and that’s probably because I’m not excited about them, is romantic comedies. I don’t have much desire from them. They’re just not interesting to me musically.

MS: Clint Eastwood fancies himself a composer occasionally. Did he offer you any tips for your score on “Trouble With the Curve?”
MB: (laughs) No, he left that job up to the director.

MS: You have no less than six films being released in 2013. Do you often work on several different scores simultaneously?
MB: It sometimes seems that way. The film industry is in a constant state of flux so sometimes projects often overlap. It sometimes works out as a nice change of pace to go right from one film to another. Sometimes it can get a little hectic but that’s the nature of the business.

MS: The last film on your schedule is “The Wolverine.” Anything planned after that?
MB: I have a new Tommy Lee Jones picture called “The Homesman” which will begin filming this spring.

MS: Is there a fellow composer working today whose work you really enjoy?
MB: There are quite a few people. The most recent score I really liked a lot was Fernando Velazquez’s score for “The Impossible.” He did a great job on that score.

MS: Has there ever been a film you would have liked to have written the score for? And have you ever just sat down and written music for a film that’s already been released –not an entire score but maybe a theme or two?
MB: That happens quite often. You see a film and you say, “oh shoot, I wish I had done that!”

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: beltrami, composer, goldsmith, jerry, marco, scores, ...

Julia Davis talks about documentary "Top Priority: The Terror Within"

Born in Russia, Julia Davis seemed to have a fairy tale life. She met and fell in love with filmmaker B.J. Davis while he was making a film in her hometown, emigrated to the United States and, armed with her educational degrees, found a job in one of this country’s most important agencies – the Department of Homeland Security. However, the fairy tale took a horrific twist when Ms. Davis reported to her supervisors what appeared to be a security breach of top priority. Rather then investigate her report the agency, and others within the U.S. Government, set out to discredit her, as well as subjecting her family and friends to unimaginable harassment. It took almost a decade but the truth has finally come to light. With the DVD release of the whistle-blowing documentary film of which she is the subject, “Top Priority: The Terror Within,” Ms. Davis graciously took some time out to talk with Media Mikes about her life since the film was released and her plans for the future.

Mike Smith: What made you choose to go into a career with the government?
Julia Davis: Since my childhood, I always had an interest in police work and investigative matters. After 9/11, I felt the need to serve our great nation, helping to safeguard it from any future terror threats. Since I speak multiple languages, I thought that my abilities could be put to good use by the federal agencies responsible for protecting our national security.

MS: Do you believe that all of the retribution towards you was brought on because you simply embarrassed the government?
JD: I’ve often wondered whether the reason for such unprecedented magnitude of retaliation was embarrassment or corruption. Customs Service is historically the most corrupt federal agency. Even the former Port Director of the San Ysidro Port of Entry where I worked (which is the largest and busiest land border crossing in the U.S. and in the world), Daphiney Caganap was caught red-handed for accepting bribes to allow drugs and illegal aliens to cross the border. It is certainly not outside the realm of possibility that someone intentionally allowed 23 subjects from terrorist countries to enter the U.S. without following proper procedures, in exchange for a bribe or because of another sinister motive.

MS: How were you able to obtain the various taped testimonies and video surveillance footage that appears in the film?
JD: In retribution for my whistle-blowing disclosure, my husband and I were twice maliciously prosecuted and falsely imprisoned. We eventually prevailed against the Department of Homeland Security in those legal proceedings and were declared factually innocent. At that point we filed a lawsuit against the DHS to hold them accountable for their outrageous, unconstitutional actions. Discovery procedures provided an opportunity for us to depose the Defendants, videotaping their testimony. The Blackhawk helicopter raid of our house was recorded by our neighbor, Mathew Judd. Shortly after giving us the tape and his statement, this healthy 25-year old man was found dead. Over the years we were subjected to extensive surveillance by fixed wing airplanes, helicopters, vehicles and agents following us on foot. We’ve been meticulously documenting what could be described as living in the movie “Enemy of the State”. The documentary contains 517 video, audio and document image inserts. Since the magnitude of the case is so unbelievable, we were determined to illustrate every fact with irrefutable evidence. Director Asif Akbar and Editor Paul Robinson labored tirelessly to make an enormous amount of evidence available to the viewing audiences. I can’t say enough to praise their dedication to getting the story told in a way that leaves nothing to speculation. What is shown in a film is not an allegation or contention, but facts, accompanied by audiovisual proof.

MS: Since the film was made have you been able to find anything that might further link this case with the deaths or Brittany Murphy or her husband?
JD: I’ve requested and obtained an extensive number of records from the Department of Homeland Security/ICE, which contained the evidence that Brittany Murphy and Simon Monjack were about to be prosecuted for alleged “immigration marriage fraud” shortly before Brittany died. As a matter of fact, Britt’s death is the only reason the prosecution didn’t go forward. I find it highly suspicious that the same agency (DHS/ICE) was utilizing exactly the same methods (helicopter and vehicular surveillance, entertainment industry work interference, investigations, etc.) to pursue my husband and I, just as they did to Britt and Simon after she became a witness in my case. Brittany and Simon exhibited numerous symptoms of acute poisoning prior to their deaths (including vomiting and abdominal pain), but neither their hair nor tissues were ever tested for toxins, poisons or heavy metals. Brittany’s father, Angelo “AJ” Bertolotti is continuing his fight to get his daughter’s hair and specimens finally tested by an independent laboratory. He is now represented by George Braunstein, Esq. – an esteemed attorney who was involved in securing a proper autopsy with respect to the death of Sylvester Stallone’s eldest son Sage. We are determined to find out Brittany’s and Simony’s true cause of death, which will start with proper medical testing of their specimens.

MS: You often appeared on television as an anti-terrorist expert before this happened. Are you still able to do this or has this case maybe scared off the networks?
JD: I still write for the Homeland Security Examiner and appear on network television as an anti-terrorism/immigration expert, but my case is undeniably too controversial for the mainstream media. Amongst other things, the documentary explores the connections between our government agencies and the MSM. It is disappointing, but no longer surprising.

MS: Were you able to take any action against the police departments that falsely stopped you?
JD: We’ve made a report to the San Diego Police Department that addressed the unlawful actions by the officers of their motorcycle traffic division (including Officer Steve Webb, who conspired with the Department of Homeland Security in conducting an illegal traffic stop). Much like the DHS, they took absolutely no action to hold anyone accountable.

MS: You have a Masters Degree in Aviation and Spacecraft Engineering. Any desires to pursue that field again?
JD: I studied engineering to follow in my parents’ footsteps, particularly because my father was an ingenious, award-winning inventor in that field. While I still love technology, I believe that creative expression in its various forms is my true calling. There are many important stories that need to be told and I intend to do my part in making that happen, as a Director, Producer, Screenwriter and an Investigative Reporter.

MS: What are your plans for the future?
JD: As they say, “People plan and God laughs”. My main goal and objective is to do my best to make this world a better place, one day at a time. I plan to continue making movies, writing books and news articles/investigative reports. I also plan to continue with my ongoing efforts to ensure that meaningful whistleblower laws finally get enacted, which would include jury trials and protection for national security whistleblowers.

MS: Finally, what would you say to someone who finds themselves in the position you were in and knows of what extremes others will go to prevent the truth from coming out?
JD: I would tell them to hold on tight, as they’re in for a wild ride. Most importantly, I would implore them to never surrender, never lose hope and never stop telling it like it is (even when it seems like no one is listening). Truth, justice and the American way is about doing the right thing, no matter the price.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: davis, documentary, julia, priority, talks, terror, ...

Vlad Yudin talks about directing the long-awaited follow up to "Pumping Iron" titled "Generation Iron"

Photo Credit: Bobby Quillard

Growing up in Russia, Vlad Yudin took advantage of his countrymen’s love of movies by seeing pretty much everything he could.  Be they action films from America or the more “art” films of Europe and Asia, each time he left the theatre he could envision himself making movies one day.

After a successful series of documentaries on rap artists like Big Pun and Twista, he turned to features.  His first film, “Last Day of Summer” earned good reviews and can currently be seen on the various Showtime cable television channels.  His next project is “Generation Iron,” a revisit to the world of professional bodybuilding that was made popular in the 1977 documentary “Pumping Iron,” the film that introduced Arnold Schwarzenegger to the world.  What was intriguing about “Pumping Iron” was not the actual body building contest but the mental contest played between the participants.  In one segment Schwarzenegger senses that Lou Ferigno is not mentally ready to compete and slowly begins to attack him.  By the time Ferigno took to the stage he was already a loser in his mind, enabling Schwarzenegger to win his 7th consecutive Mr. Olympia title.  The film also serves as an early example of the sheer willpower that Schwarzenegger has to achieve whatever his goals may be, from Mr. Olympia to Hollywood star to Governor of California.
While in post-production on “Generation Iron”, Mr. Yudin took time out to talk about his inspirations, the benefits of bootlegging and his upcoming projects.

Mike Smith: As a young man growing up in Russia what inspired you to try your hand in the film business?
Vlad Yudin: As a young boy I enjoyed going to the movies…all kinds of movies. Living in Russia gave me access to films from all over the word. European films, American films, Asian films…I used to watch everything. I would watch a film and think about what it would be like to make one. So that’s where the interest came from and I kept that interest growing and growing and growing and little by little I got into it.

MS: We’re there a lot of western films available to you?
VY: In Russia in the early 1990s there was a lot of bootlegging going on. You could get almost anything on VHS tapes. So we would buy them and trade them with each other. That gave us a chance to see everything from action films to horror films.

MS: Addressing “Generation Iron.” What made you want to revisit a film like “Pumping Iron” and update it?
VY: Well first it’s important to mention that “Pumping Iron” was a monumental film. Not only as a documentary, but as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s introduction to the world. It changed the entire fitness industry and introduced body building to the world. In the 35 years since it’s been released the fitness industry has gotten huge…it’s big all around the world, but the sport of body building is still relatively unknown. It seemed like a great sport to revisit and to try to introduce some characters who just happen to be body builders. I think that’s what made the first film so interesting and fun to watch. The guys were just so colorful. So to me it made sense to revisit it.

MS: Besides the present day body builders will there be any appearances by some of the original “Pumping Iron” stars, like Schwarzenegger or Lou Ferigno?
VY: (laughs) I will only tell you that there are a lot of cameos. And that fans of the original “Pumping Iron” will not be disappointed.

MS: The competition aside, to me the best parts of “Pumping Iron” were the behind the scene looks at the various competitors and their lives. Will “Generation Iron” continue that theme?
VY: Definitely. That’s what really made the film. The great access I had to these guys behind the scenes…how they prepare. I mean, the most important thing is the preparation. In body building, when you go on stage and pose you’re showing off what you’ve been working on for the last year. Dieting…working out…your lifestyle…pushing your body to its limits every day. This is all of the stuff that takes place off stage. This film is about how much these guys want to win and how seriously they take it.

MS: A lot of your work to date has been documentaries. Do you hope to branch out and create fictional feature films?
VY: Absolutely. I would love to work in both directions. To me it comes down to making an interesting film…be it a documentary or a narrative feature. As long as the film is interesting to watch.

MS: Do you have a project planned after the release of “Generation Iron?”
VY: A few projects. “Generation Iron” is scheduled to come out this summer. Then we have a graphic novel being developed called “Head Smash” which will then be developed into a feature film. The graphic novel will be unveiled this year at the San Diego Comic Con. We also have a horror film in post production called “Catskill Park,” which should be ready by the end of the year.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: directing, follow, generation, iron, longawaited, pumping, ...

Hollis Wilder talks about cupcakes and her new book "Savory Bites: Meals You Can Make in Your Cupcake Pan"

Hollis Wilder is the owner of Sweet! by Holly, which is a cupcake shop located in Orlando, FL. She is also a two-time Winner on Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars”. Besides running a successful business she also does a lot of motivational speaking and is releasing a cookbook in May 2013 called “Savory Bites: Meals You Can Make in Your Cupcake Pan”. Media Mikes had a chance to ask Hollis a few questions about cupcakes as well as her new book.

Mike Gencarelli: When you opened your store, Sweet! by Holly, did you ever think you would be where you are today?
Hollis Wilder: Absolutely not! But in truth I did not plan most of the incredible things that have happened in my life, personally or professionally. What I have gotten far exceeds what I was hoping for!

MG: How does it feel to rank in the The Daily Meal’s Top 50 Cupcakes in America this year?
HW: Always great to get recognition from media sources, but the most important confirmation comes daily from regular customers who like what we are making and keep returning to buy more.

MG: Besides cooking you also deliver motivational talks and presentations to colleges and companiesabout empowerment, success and personal growth; tell us about that side of you?
HW: I speak about how we all need to find our own, “cupcake,” whatever that might be. Trust your inner voice and not the white noise around you. Food is a vehicle for me to communicate what is of value to me and how I try to give back to my community. I try to share the information that I have collected during my own personal journey. I love nothing more than helping others find their own excellence and develop the courage to pursue it.

MG: How did you decide to become an author with “Savory Bites: Meals You Can Make in Your Cupcake Pan”? Can you give us a sneak preview as to what we can expect from the book?
HW: I was pursued by one of the top publishers in the country, Abrams. Savory meals all prepared in a cupcake pan. It’s all about creating homemade culinary experiences without sacrificing convenience. also, I promote what I call, living life in portions. Instead of dishes that have no beginning or end, like a casserole, I put meals in the perfect portion of a traditional cupcake pan. I am promoting use of the savory bites in our new concept potluxe dinners, a reconstruction of old-fashioned potlucks but with a cutting edge perspective on ingredients and portions. Lots more to come on this as we approach release of the book in May.

MG: What else do you have planning in the cards for 2013?
HW: If i think about all the wonderful projects on my plate for 2013, I get totally overwhelmed. I’ve learned to stay in the moment and do what’s in front of me and things work out. I wrote the cookbook while running a growing business and managing a family with two small children, so basically I was creating meals and testing recipes while everyone was sleeping. This year will no doubt bring more challenges, successes and failures, but in the end I am grateful for all the incredible opportunities I have been given to challenge myself to be the very best Hollis I can be!

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Filed Under: Author Interviews, Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: bites, book, cupcake, cupcakes, hollis, meals, ...

Hollywood Undead’s Johnny 3 Tears talks about new album "Notes From The Underground"

Johnny 3 Tears is the vocalist for the rock/rap group Hollywood Undead. The group is set to release their third full length studio album via A&M/Octone Records in early January titled “Notes From The Underground”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Johnny recently about working on the album as well as what it was like shooting a video for the song “We Are” with Slipknot percussionist “Shawn “Clown” Crahan directing. Be sure to check out our review of Hollywood Undead’s latest album “Notes From The Underground”, here.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us a little bit about the groups writing sessions for the new album?
Johnny 3 Tears: Some of them were fun and some of them sucked! (Laughs) It’s always an up and down process with moments of glory and moments of pure panic. I enjoy writing records in general because all of the moods and things that happen during that time. We usually work with more than one producer which adds a little bit of flavor to things. We always try to keep things that way as it’s very easy by the 10th or 11th song to get repetitive. Recording 3 or 4 songs with different guys keep us honest and working hard. It was a lot of fun and writing is my favorite part of being in the band.

AL: What type of steps do you take personally when writing?
J3T: I always write a hook or a melody first. Often I will have words to the melody as well. Typically I think a lot of people write a guitar part and then sing to it. People think I am weird because I do things the other way around. I have just always done things that way especially since I can’t play guitar worth a crap. Songwriting I think is very individualized.

AL: Did you guys try anything out of the box during the sessions that maybe you have tried before?
J3T: We get pretty extreme during our sessions. It is not uncommon for us to have a 48 hr. recording session where we don’t sleep. Guys start to get to the point where they are starting to lose their minds. For me those are break through moments where you are so off your rocker that you try something you would never do with a sane mind. Producer wise some of them will do whatever we want and are willing to go deep in to the project. Other guys have other priorities and don’t want to live that life. We sometimes will have to be at the studio at 10am instead of 10pm drinking Starbucks instead of Jack Daniels but it works. The power is very balanced out.

AL: How was it working with Danny Lohner again?
J3T: We worked with him on first record but weren’t able to on the second as our schedule’s didn’t match up. Lohner is one of those outside the box guys like us and we love working with him because of that. He is more of a friend than a producer to us now as we have become really close. I am a huge Nine Inch Nails fan so when we first started with him I was a little gun shy. Once we got to know him we saw he’s a really cool guy. Danny brings some great ideas to the table.

AL: Can you tell us about the two version of the album that are being released?
J3T: With a regular record you are allotted a certain number of songs. If it was up to us we would have 30 songs on every record but I understand how things work. The deluxe version of the album is a chance for us to get more material out. It has 3 more songs than the standard version and for me it is the complete record that should be there. We always try to do different things that allow fans to get tracks that don’t make it on to the album. The deluxe album is one way and also if you buy the album off of ITunes you get a track that is exclusive to there.

AL: Can you tell us about working with Shawn Crahan on the video for “We Are”?
J3T: The video came out a few weeks ago and it turned out really cool. Working with Shawn was really awesome. I had no idea what the guy was going to be like when we first met. Slipknot is one of those bands that are more of a movement than a band as they represent a lot. You just don’t know what to expect. When we finally met Shawn we found he is one of the most down to earth, cool, creative guys you will ever know. We have done a lot of videos with other people who are strictly video directors but it was cool to work with a guy who has been in a band as well. I think he understood the other side of things and he really made us feel comfortable. It was a very smooth and fun process.

AL: What are the tour plans for the coming months?
J3T: January 8th we start a major market 12 date tour. It’s a promo tour where we will be playing some smaller venues that will allow us to get back to the basics of where we started. The shows will be intimate gatherings for people who have listened to us since we started. After that I think things will be pretty non-stop.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: 3, album, hollywood, johnny, notes, talks, ...

Reginald VelJohnson talks about his role in “TRON: Uprising”

Andrew Evans / PR Photos

Reginald VelJohnson is best known for his role of Carl Winslow in “Family Matters”. Reginald is currently voicing the role of Able in Disney XD’s “TRON: Uprising”. In recent episodes, his character Able had a big reveal and has become a key factor of the show. Reginald took out sometime to chat with Media Mikes about his role and reflect on TV values since “Family Matters”.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to the role of Able in “TRON: Uprising”?
Reginald VelJohnson: I’ve always appreciated the animation and when I got the opportunity to audition for the role, I made sure that it was something that I was going to be attracted to. It’s the kind of role I usually play, the father figure and mentor to the programs in the grid. It’s essentially the character that drew me to the project.

MG: Can you reflect on the intrigue that is behind the “TRON” series?
RVJ: I think Tron is one of the first video games so it’s like the grandfather of the video era. Tron represents this everyman and comes across as something so powerful, like the computer. He lives through this world, and I guess people are fascinated by that concept, living inside this computer generated world.

MG: What do you enjoy most about Beck and Able’s relationship on the show?
RVJ: He’s the father figure and Able really thinks of all the individuals in the garage as his children and he cares for them and that’s what I think is lovely about the relationship between Beck and Able. It’s like a father and son type of relationship.

MG: In upcoming episodes, we find that Able has this unknown relationship with a powerful figure on the Grid; can you tell us about that reveal for you?
RVJ: Well, it was interesting to me to find out that he has an outsider relationship with this powerful character, and I think this relationship makes him more interesting.

MG: What is the most rewarding aspect of doing voice work?
RVJ: The hours; you go into the studio whenever you want to. You sit in a booth and do your job and you go home – it’s wonderful. I like that it gives you a chance to really explore your craft with your voice.
Have you completed the recording for the first season yet?
I believe we have, I think I did one last episode. I think the new season begins pretty soon but I think we’ve finished off all the episodes of the season.

MG: Also sticking with TV, you are recurring on “Hart of Dixie”, what do you enjoy most about playing Dash DeWitt?
RVJ: Well, he’s sort of a flamboyant character; he’s kind of elegant in a way. He has this cane and bowtie and he walks around the town getting into everybody’s business and telling everyone about the business. He’s a fun character so I enjoy playing that.

MG: After working on a show like “Family Matters” for so many years, how do you feel that TV values have changed?
RVJ: Wow. That’s an interesting question because I think that things have definitely changed since I did “Family Matters.” I think TV with all the reality shows and the hip-hop generation doesn’t focus on the meaning and feeling of a family – the real relationship between people. I don’t think people are too ready to sit down and watch that. I just hope that it comes back because personally, I think that the reality genre needs to die a slow death. I hope that the family type shows come back because I enjoy watching people share family values and loving relationships between each other. I miss that.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: reginald, role, talks, tron, uprising, veljohnson, ...

Richard Riehle talks about playing Santa Claus, “Office Space” and “Texas Chainsaw 3D”

Richard Riehle is best known for his cult favorite role of Tom Smykowski in “Office Space”.  He has played Santa Claus more than five times, including films like Disney’s “The Search for Santa Paws” to “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas”.  Besides comedies, he has also broke out in the horror genre with films like “Hatchet” and the upcoming “Texas Chainsaw 3D”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Richard about his amazing career to date and his love for what he does.

Mike Gencarelli: After playing roles in over 150 films and over a 100 TV series; what keep you drives and keep you inspired?
Richard Riehle: I love it because every project is a new experience and adventure. You go from playing Santa Claus one day to a serial killer the next. It offers all sorts of opportunities to try new things. Whether it is for a physical or psychological role. It is just great.

MG: Since it is the Holiday season, I have to ask what do you enjoy most about playing Santa Claus five times now, most recently in “A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas”?
RR: They are all different. It ranges from “The Search for Santa Paws”, which is a family film with talking dogs, to “A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas”, where I am a bong smoker [laughs]. I just love it.

MG: Can you tell us about how you got involved with “Office Space”?
RR: “Office Space” was just an amazing experience. Mike Judge spent a long time casting it, partly because he wanted a group of people that enjoyed hanging out with each other. I think that aspect really shows in the film. We got down to Austin and he told us flat out that we are going to be working some long hours but that every night he would take us out to the clubs or dinner. We just had a great time. It was a 26 day party.

MG: Can you reflect on the cult following that the film and your role Tom Smykowski has developed over the years?
RR: It has been absolutely amazing. When it first came out it wasn’t in theaters very long. We were excited about the good response it got and our work in it but we figured that it was done with. But about six months later, people were stopping me in the streets and asking me to quote the film. It just so happened at the time, I was doing a show for Fox, so I ran into Mike and he said it just came out on VHS and cable and has developed this whole new life. The most amazing part for me is that it has continued still through today. People are still quoting the film and spreading the word to their friends that haven’t seen it. It is just great.

MG: I have the “Office Space” stapler on my desk [laughs]
RR: [laughs] I will tell you a fun story about that stapler. I was at a cigar place in Beverly Hills. We were about to leave but my friend said that Sammy Hagar just called and said he was coming in and always brings a bunch of really beautiful girls. So we ordered another round and waited. Sure enough he came in with all these beautiful girls. Before we left my friend said he wanted to show me his humidor, which was right under Arnold Schwarzenegger’s. So as we were leaving two of Sammy’s girls where heading to the bathroom and they stopped me and said “Oh you were in “Office Space”, can we have an autograph?” I said “Sure” and they asked me to put down the line about the stapler. I said that actually wasn’t me and that was my buddy Stephen Root…but I was in the film. I asked them again if they still wanted an autograph and they said “Yes, please…and can you put down your line about the stapler?” [laughs].

MG: You not only just play roles comedies, you have a nice range into horror genre like “Hatchet”; what do you enjoy most about switching it up in films like that?
RR: “Hatchet” was sort of my introduction to horror. I have always enjoyed watching them but for some reason I never got cast in them. A buddy of mine, Joel Moore, was played the lead in the film and called and asked if I wanted to fill in for someone that dropped out. I told him “Of course” and that I was waiting to do one. It was just such a great and fun experience. Since you are dealing with these horrific things, it is usually one of the most fun sets to be on – horror films in general. Horror films are also shot all over, so you get to go to all sorts of strange and cool places. I did one called “Growth” and we got to shoot in Martha’s Vineyard, which was terrific and we got to explore the island, which was amazing.

MG: Tell us about your role of Farnsworth in “Texas Chainsaw 3D”?
RR: “Texas Chainsaw 3D”, which comes out January 4th, was shot in Shreveport, Louisiana. I had never been there either. We shot a bunch of it on this old munitions plant from WWII. The film is really a great idea and it works really well. They go back to the original “Texas Chainsaw” from 1974 and start from the last shot of that film with Sally jumping into the pickup truck. Leatherface goes back to his house after his dance of frustration. The local police chief shows up at the house and tries to bring him in but the family will not let him do it. A group of vigilantes show up and level the place and everyone is thought to be dead. 18 years later, the grandmother of the whole group, who is living in a mansion outside of town, dies. I play Farnsworth, her lawyer, and I have to find this girl that supposedly didn’t die during the attack and bring her back and offer her this mansion. But then of course…all hell breaks loose!

MG: Do you have a role that stands out for you’re as most memorable or challenging?
RR: I certainly love Tom Smykowski in “Office Space”. It was a wonderful experience doing it and since then it has lived on. I really like playing Carlson in “Of Mice and Men”, which was a while back. He is the guy that shoots the dog. I also did a TV series on Fox a while back called “Grounded for Life”, which was a wonderful experience as well. The thing is that it goes back to your first question; every role is so interesting and different and each with their own individual challenges. My next role is always going to be my favorite.

MG: What other projects do you have in the cards for 2013?
RR: It is hard to tell. A lot of the projects I do are these little independent films. The greatest difficulty is not so much getting them in the can, as it is finding distribution. I did this Western called “Dead Man’s Burden”, which I really liked. Clare Bowen, who is one of the leads in “Nashville” right now, is the lead in that. It was shot in New Mexico with no time and money. So that was recently shown in an LA film festival and I thought it came out really good. So keep an eye out for that one hopefully soon.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: 3d, chainsaw, claus, office, playing, richard, ...

Director of “Tourist Trap” and “Puppet Master”, David Schmoeller talks about his new film “Little Monsters”

David Schmoeller is the director of such horror classics such as “Tourist Trap”, “Crawlspace” and “Puppet Master”.  David has a new film coming out in 2013 that is a different type of horror film called “Little Monsters”.  Media Mikes had some time to chat with David about his new film and also reflecting on his horror classics.

Mike Gencarelli: You are known for your work with monsters but tell us about how your new film “Little Monsters”, tells the story of a different kind of monster?
David Schmoeller: The horrible crimes of patricide or matricide or any of the cidas (fili, frati, parri) are familiar and fascinating subjects of literature and cinema. But the crime of children killing children, in this case, two ten-year olds killing a three-year old – for no reason at all – and then being released at eighteen with new identities, seemed to me to be a fresh and challenging subject for a movie. The opening of the film – the first four shots of the movie, actually – are difficult to watch, but I thought it important to set the stakes as high as possible: we don’t see the murder itself, but the immediate aftermath, the horrible results of a senseless murder. Because of the unusual subject matter, the only way “Little Monsters” would ever get made is if I financed it myself. So, I did. I’m glad I made this movie. I hope it is appreciated.

MG: Where did you come up with the idea for the film?
DS: “Little Monsters” is very loosely inspired by the circumstances of a real murder case, the Bulger murder in England in 1993. In that case, there was so much outrage when the murderers were given new identities and released when they turned 18, that the government passed laws that it was illegal to reveal their identities. So, we know very little about what happened after they were released. I just thought it would be interesting to write a story that speculated what would happen to child murderers if they were adults – and released.

MG: Tell us about your role of Wakefield?
DS: It’s just a funny cameo I played – a silent bit as the retired cop that Carl lives with. It really started during the Empire International days when we shot our films in Rome, Italy. We could only take a handful of American actors because of the cost – and we would pick up the rest of the actors in Rome. So, the directors – and producers – would sometimes cast themselves in small roles – basically because we could speak English (with no accent). I’m not an actor – but I have been in half-a-dozen movies – but, it has to be a really small part – little or no dialogue. We actually shot the scene with sound – with me actually telling this really corny jokes…and I am so dead-panned, Charles and the crew were cracking up. I’ll put the scene in the DVD extras…it’s so bad it’s really funny.

MG: How can you reflect on creating some of horror most beloved films like “Tourist Trap”?
DS: It’s always rewarding when your work from so many years ago grows in appreciation. So, that makes “Tourist Trap” particularly rewarding – since it was my first film – and my oldest. And in the beginning, it wasn’t immediately appreciated. It had what was then called a “regional” release. The distributor struck 50-100 prints and it went from region to region. There wasn’t much advertising. It was a different time. The film was released onto the world – and the world yawned. It wasn’t until a few yeas after it’s theatrical release that Tourist Trap starting playing on TV and slowly began to make some impact – which came, I think, primarily because it was mis-rated by the MPAA. Instead of the usual R rating that horror films need – and generally receive – “Tourist Trap” was rated PG (or PG-13) or whatever the milder rating was. What that meant was that “Tourist Trap” could play on Saturday afternoon TV. And parents across the country were telling their kids – “I have to do the laundry, go watch TV.” And across the country, seven years olds went into the living room and started watching this crazy movie with screaming mannequins with gaping mouths and baby blue eyes – and it scared them to death. And then they would tell their friends and interest in Tourist Trap began to grow. Earlier this year, Jonathan Rigby released his book: “Studies in Terror, Landmarks of the Horror Cinema and Tourist Trap was one of 130 landmark horror films from the beginning of film to present day. In the year 1978, three films were listed: “Halloween”, “Cronenberg’s The Brood”, and “Tourist Trap”. Pretty good company, I was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Fantaspoa Film Festival in Porto Alegre, Brazil earlier this year. And they screened most of my films. It was very rewarding that every screening was sold out – and that most of the people were YOUNG people – and the screenings were subtitled in Portuguese. “Tourist Trap” (and “Crawlspace”) still screen in 35MM in art houses across the US – even though the prints are starting to fade. [David Schmoeller starts the New Year with a guest appearance at the famous Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Austin where a 35MM print of TOURIST TRAP will screen at 10pm on January 1, 2013. Check it out here]

MG: And how about “Puppet Master”?
DS: “Puppet Master” is a slightly different story. Again, I am happy to make a film that is remembered – or still around for whatever reason. I wrote and directed the first “Puppet Master” – and created some of the puppets. The face of Blade was actually our homage to Klaus Kinski – if you look closely enough. But the concept and original story came from Charlie Band. And the franchise is due almost completely by Charlie. I’ll take all the credit people want to give me for that film…but be aware that it really pisses Charlie Band off when they do. That is why he took my “A Film By” credit off – and put his name – ABOVE THE TITLE – on the new Blu-ray versions of Puppet Master. It is now: “Charles Bands’ Puppet Master” – the classic first film. Charlie is getting insecure in his old age. 😉

MG: How do you feel that horror genre has changed over the years?
DS: The changes in the horror film really reflect the changes in the film business itself: lot’s of remakes and sequels and cannibalizing the past. I suspect the more original horror films today come from foreign countries and – in the US – from indie filmmakers. To make a truly original horror film today, a filmmaker would have to figure out the zeitgeist (global financial worries & problems – not exactly an exciting topic for a horror film) –or whatever – it would have to be something we really haven’t seen or experience – and that would never receive real financing, because it won’t have been tested. Tough times for films…

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: david, director, film, master, monsters, puppet, ...
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