• Director Talks with Mollie Leivars
    Feb 6 2023

    Today in conversation with a talented young filmmaker from Kent, UK Mollie Leivars. She is the founder of Spirit Production Company. She has been making short films since 2019, mostly surrounding youth issues, that have been used in schools and colleges as an educational resource in partnership with local police forces. Whilst filming 'Brooke' in February 2020 she was interviewed by BBC Oxford about her experience of bullying and passion behind filming. In March 2020, she was interviewed by the Abingdon and Witney College marketing team about my films and working with the police. In March 2020, she was featured on BBC South where my interview with BBC Oxford was shown. In March 2020, I she interviewed by Kat Orman live on BBC Radio Oxford in the studio, about her experience with bullying, filmmaking and the Trauma films. In June 2020, she was part of the BBC Radio Oxford's 'Pause for Thought' which was aired during their breakfast show. 

    Highlights of the Show:

    Experience as a young film maker

    Filmmaking related to sensitive topics on youth - Bullying, School Violence, The Importance of Consent

    How does Mollie tackle trolls and negative talk

    Sessions and talks on youth subjects in colleges, schools and working with the Police to create awarness'

    Spirit Productions filmmaking class and acting sessions

    Final Message 

    Episode sponsor- Newsly App - Download now https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.newsly.app&pli=1

    Follow us @filmsmorart 

    #podcast #entertianment #filmmaker 


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    17 mins
  • Director Talks with Phil Hawkins
    Jan 16 2023

    Today in conversation with maverick film director Phil Hawkins. He rose to fame with multiple award winning sci-fi fan film Star Wars: Origin Pitched to Universal and made the heart warming Christmas story - Prancer A Christmas Tale starring Oscar-nominee and Emmy award-winning legend James Cromwell (LA CONFIDENTIAL, BABE). We talk about his phenomenal journey as a filmmaker. 

    Synonpsis - Ten-year-old Gloria and her recently widowed grandfather Bud befriend a mysterious reindeer when the family gather for Christmas. Bud comes to believe that Prancer may actually be magical, but Gloria fears his theory will send him straight to a retirement home.

    Phil has directed six rather eclectic feature films including a comedy satire (shot in just two days), a psychological thriller with a horror legend and even an YA adaptation of a Philip Pullman novel. The movies have been released by the likes of Sony Pictures, Lionsgate and Netflix.

    Episode Highlights:

    Beginning as a filmmaker

    Star Wars Obsession and Making of the Star Wars: Origin fan film

    Filming in the Sahara Desert

    Pitching Prancer A Christmas Tale to Universal 

    Managing Live Animal on the Sets and CGI 

    Future Projects

    Advice to future filmmakers

    Episode sponsored by Newsly App - Download Now! - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.newsly.app&hl=en_IN&gl=US&pli=1


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    28 mins
  • Director Talks with John Mossman
    Nov 30 2022

    Today in conversation with actor, director and writer John Mossman about his new #film Good Guy with a Gun. We discuss the controversial #guncontrol and #gunviolence in the US. The film is an intense drama/thriller and provokes the question "what side of the aisle does the film land on?" 

    A rural noir thriller following a boy and his mother’s arrival into a small town where their fractured relationship is widened by his deepening journey into gun culture. Amidst the increasingly dangerous path he finds himself on, he and his mother struggle to repair their fractured family. But at what cost?

    John is a well-known Chicago-based actor/director who connection to the Chicago theater community runs deeps - so there are many familiar faces in this film. Producer Kevin Cooper is a military veteran, served active duty as an army interrogator.  As an executive in Hollywood, he helped make other movies about the military:  Men of Honor, Thin Red Line, Armageddon.  He has other films in development that revolve around the military and Veteran issues. He has written and directed numerous award-winning films, including the acclaimed Feature Into The Wake, winner of the Industry Choice Award at Dances With Films. His work has screened at the DGA, the Egyptian Theater as part of the American Cinematheque Series, and has won top awards at fests worldwide. His groundbreaking documentary on teen mental illness, There's No Such Thing As Crazy, received Telly and Voice awards.

    John Mossman is a hunter (aka “responsible gun-owner”) and an ardent Democrat. Enclosed is John's director’s statement, which I think says a lot about how he’s tackled this subject:

    “Families have always had their challenges. Teenagers will rebel. Parents will split. Loved ones will die. Together we worked through the problems and the grief. But the new political landscape has driven a steel wedge between loved ones and the issues that families have dealt with for decades are now magnified by politicians and a media eager to profit – the result being an inability to connect with some of the most important people in our lives. A type of jet fuel being added to this fire is the emotionally charged issue of guns, which combined with stoked elements of masculinity, fear and frustration,  has created an explosive new cocktail pouring through the veins of our nation; one that unfortunately shows no sign of abating as we witness the continued radicalization of young men and the polarizing nature of the gun debate. Despite the blowback they might face, many responsible gun owners are ready to acknowledge the sickness of gun worship and the fallacy of the apocalyptic "Good guy with a gun" world-view that has gained so much traction of late.

    With this film I hope to explore the danger and at times the appeal of going down this path, and the extraordinary difficulty of turning back - and ultimately the enduring power of family to see us through dark times.”

    AMAROK PRODUCTIONS (Kevin Cooper & DeAnna Cooper) is pleased to announce the world premiere of A John Mossman Film GOOD GUY WITH A GUN at the Dances With Films Festival (DWF). Mossman is a DWF alum having won the Industry Choice Award for INTO THE WAKE. " GOOD GUY WITH A GUN will play on Friday, December 2, 2022 at 9:30 pm as part of the festival at Regal Union Square (850 Broadway, NYC 10003).

    Website: https://amarokproductions.wixsite.com/goodguywithagun

    http://mossmanfilms.weebly.com/

    Episode sponsor: https://www.newsly.me/ Now not just read but listen to trending news! 

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    25 mins
  • Director Talks with Cynthia Breed
    Apr 8 2022

    #filmfestivaledition Today in conversation with the talented #producer of the #shortfilm Under a Bad Moon Cynthia Breed. Under a Bad Moon is #officialselection for the #MCFF - MorArt Creative Film Festival and will be streamed on the ROKUTV channel - Creative Entertainment Network. Cynthia is a school teacher and she discusses the exciting part of her journey as a producer for the film. She shares stories about the cast and the crew, what happened while the filming and how they managed to make a film during the #pandemic. Cynthia has been the number one #cheerleader for the MorArt Creative Film Festival and we love her enthusiasm as she constantly supports us on the social media. 


    Synopsis of Under a Bad Moon: (#crimethriller)

    A thirty five year old woman resigns as a county deputy due to an emotional breakdown after finding her life partner  murdered in their home. With the perpetrator still at large, she has chosen to live in her great grandfather’s vacant cabin deep in the #Florida woods on the Withlacoochee River, away from everything and everybody. The sound of a #bullet echoes through the night and wakes her from a deep sleep. Hearing distressed voices in the distance, she goes out to find the source. She stumbles upon a #crime in progress and has to make an instant decision, one that will make her face her worst fears.

    Highlights of the Episode:

    • Cynthia talks about her work and how she got into producing a film 
    • How is the film inspired by a #truecrime scene 
    • How did director Steve organize the shoot during the pandemic
    • Funny anecdotes related to the filming
    • What challenges did they face while filming
    • Favorite character from the film and why
    • Parting note 
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    10 mins
  • Director Talks with Louise B Andersen
    Apr 6 2022

    Today in conversation with a talented #filmmaker Louise B Andersen. She has professionally studied filmmaking at New York - NYU School of Professional Studies. She has worked on several projects worldwide and today we discuss about her new #book on #remotefilmmaking. Remote Filmmaking is availbale worldwide on Amazon. The book has incredible information about how a #film can be made remotely with minimal crew. Louise has drawn inspiration through her personal experiences in the book, she is one of the few #filmdirectors to make a #scifi #shortfilm The Pill remotely during the #pandemic. A group of #members known as "The Masterminds" initiated from a #Facebookgroup called "The Entertainment Industry Collaborators Group", #founded by #Hollywood #filmeditor and industry #mentor, Tina Imahara, came together to create "The Pill" - a Sci-Fi, drama short film. People from all over the world - Hollywood, Miami, Holland, India, and Barcelona to name a few - got united to bring to life to this important story. All Pre-production, including meetings, casting, rehearsals, and preparations, were done 100% remotely on #zoom by individuals who had never met in person and was eventually filmed in Barcelona, Spain. 

    Remote Filmmaking includes a foreword by seasoned Hollywood writer/producer/director Kevin Lee Miller, an introduction by Hollywood editor and mentor Tina Imahara, mini-interviews with various industry professionals from around the world. Louise also hosts a podcast named - Changing the Narrative. It showcases the stories about incredible women who have gone against the odds in the society to survive. 

    Highlights of the Episode

    • Early works of Louise 
    • How did she get inspired to write a book on remote filmmaking?
    • Challenges faced while filming the short film during the pandemic?
    • How does remote filmmaking differ from commercial filmmmaking?
    • Advice for filmmakers who want to explore the ideas of filming with minimal crew and remotely
    • Important pointers for the director while making a film remotely

    #podcast #filmindustry #remotefilmmaking #hollywood 

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    28 mins
  • Director Talks with Mal Williamson
    Mar 28 2022

    #filmfestivaledition #directortalkspodcast Today in conversation with maverick #filmmaker and #director Mal Williamson. Mal is an experienced independent filmmaker from UK. He has directed and executed many projects including #shortfilms, #minidocumentaries and #featurefilms. He is also a certified #therapist. Here we discuss his feature film Under the Weather which has been submitted to our MorArt Creative Film Festival. 

    Under the Weather was shot without any working #crew over the weekend. Mal believes - By removing a crew there is only one "system" operating in the room - artists working together. Under the Weather is based on #mentalhealth technique of #changetherapy. The essential element of Changework Therapy is... change. Let's change the thing that is happening so you don't feel that bad thing anymore. Now you are flexible to choose how you want to behave, or what you think about something. Your brain is back on your side - often in one session. Actor Gordon Meredith is one of the leading actors in the film. His performances include a number of short independent films and features, historical videos and stage plays. He also writes and produces his own historical theatre productions ‘Folk Theatre’ as well as online comedy short films which can be seen on Shift Key Theatre’s YouTube page. Mariana Barbera stars as the leading actress. She is a professional actress and writer living in Beverley. Her theatre credits include Lupe Lu in The Twilight Radio Show (Shift Key Theatre Company), Mariana in MissCast (She Productions), Mrs. Bedwin and Nurse in Oliver Twist (dir. Mike Friend), Dinner Guest in Sparrow (dir. Mike Friend), She in Leaving, Life and Love (dir. Richard Avery), Shakespeare’s Spanish lover in I Am Will (dir. Richard Avery). 

    Highlights of the Episode:

    • Mal's early life in filmmaking
    • Why he shifted to feature film making?
    • His inspiration to making Under the Weather.
    • How does Under the Weather address the mental health issue and about Change therapy?
    • What is change therapy?
    • How does independent filmmaking differ from commercial filmmaking?
    • Final advice to filmmakers and writers 

    #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #filmpodcast #podcastinterview #filminterview #podcastshow #film

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    29 mins
  • Director Talks with Dean Simone
    Mar 25 2022

    Today in conversation with actor, producer, writer and filmmaker Dean Simone. Dean is a veteran film and television actor. He has starred in many of TV’s greatest series including FACTS OF LIFE, #NYPD BLUE and #GOLIATH to name a few.  Dean has also appeared in countless films, working with many iconic and #Oscarawardwinning actors like JON VOIGHT, MICKEY ROURKE, BILLY BOB THORNTON and PATTY DUKE, directors, MICHEL GONDRY and JOHN HILLCOAT and DPs like Oscar winner, HOYTE VAN HOYTEMA. To go along with his numerous #commercial credits, including prominent roles in #SuperBowl spots for the last two years, Dean has been #JIMBEAM, the face of the world famous bourbon since 2018.

    Here we discuss about his recently released film #gameday in which he has starred - Game Day Dean has co-written the script and it is partially inspired by his life. He has also co-produced the film along with John Paul Rice. The film is directed by Latino writer/director Edgar Bravo, Mr. Bravo has been credited with the feature I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER... TONIGHT, which won national rave reviews including the L.A. & N.Y. Times. The project co-starred THOMAS JANE (BOOGIE NIGHTS, MAGNOLIA, 61*,  DREAMCATCHER). Phaedra released the film nationally. Mr. Bravo's film MI HERMANO  was viewed by Columbia-Tri-Star and Telemundo and led to his first directorial stint in television. Mr. Bravo shot an hour-long episode of REYES Y REYY, a popular police drama based in a fictional Latino border town. The episode received such high ratings that he was contracted to direct two episodes of their other co-production ANGELES, a #Latinoversion of CHARLIE’S ANGELES.

    Game Day is a sports drama with an all #Philly cast and crew. It's an unflinching look at an Italian-American family watching an Eagles-Cowboys game and the drama that erupts. The plot is honest, funny and brutal. GAME DAY is newly released and available on Amazon Prime.

    We also discuss my #shortfilmfestival - Morart Creative Film Festival which is now open for submissions. The episode is being #sponsored by Newsly - a revolutionary an Audible News & Podcast mobile application. Newsly gathers the most #trendingarticles on the web in the U.S, Canada, United Kingdom, Brazil and Columbia, 24/7. This includes current world news that ranges from Covid-19 updates to the latest Black Friday deals. Newsly uses AI technology to read content in a natural human voice. Newsly also allows users to listen to popular podcasts from around the world. Newsly was created to allow people suffering from dyslexia, visual impairments, and the general public a new and better way to consume content. Download Newsly now!

    Highlights of the Episode:

    • Dean's early life in the industry
    • Writing process involved for the scripting the Game Day film
    • Fav character from the Game Day film and why
    • How does he cope with writer's block and what is his natural writing process 
    • How was it possible to shoot for Game Day amidst the pandemic
    • Advice 
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    21 mins
  • Director Talks with Doug Stebleton
    Mar 24 2022

    Today in conversation with multi-talented musician, filmmaker and producer Doug Stebleton. He came to Hollywood at age 19 and has lived and worked in southern California since then. His expertise is music publishing for #film and #television. His company owns a catalog of songs that are licensed to film and television studios and to independent productions. Some of the company’s credits include #BloodDiamond, Borat, Little Miss Sunshine, #Zoolander, Big Bang Theory, Blue Bloods, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, #TheSopranos, Ugly Betty, #CSI, Scrubs, and ER.

    Doug is also a film producer. His first film was a documentary titled Mother of Normandy: The Story of Simone Renaud. His next film, I Want Your Money, was released in over 500 theaters across the nation in 2010. In 2014, Doug produced and directed Reagan at Normandy, a short film for the Airborne Museum in Normandy, France, and in 2017, he produced Heroes of WWII: The European Campaign. Other projects he is producing include a cable TV show on film and TV cars called Kars & Stars and a feature film, Big Life. Doug has a love for history and hopes to keep making films and documentaries that are inspiring, informative and educational. His passion for Hollywood films and time travel inspired him to create The #HollywoodTimeTravelSeries. It’s a Wonderful Time is his debut novel, which he coauthored with Reinhard Denke. 

    Reinhard Denke, a native of Texas and graduate of USC Film School, got his start in 2009 with his spec script Sex, #Greed, Money, Murder and Chicken Fried Steak about the Cullen Davis murders in Fort Worth, Texas. The script was optioned by Johnny Depp’s infinitum-nihil company and chosen for the prestigious 2009 Hollywood Blacklist. In 2013, he wrote Far Below for David Oyelowo, and was hired to rewrite 2015’s Captive, starring Oyelowo, Kate Mara, and Michael K. Williams. He also wrote a TV pilot and series entitled Golden Gate about 1960’s era San Francisco that has been optioned by Demarest Films, and wrote the limited TV series Vanished for Straight Up Films and Truly Original Entertainment.

    Reinhard adapted The Lives of Beryl Markham for Rock Island Films; it is now entitled Undaunted. He wrote the screenplay Ackia for the Chickasaw Nation and award-winning director Nathan Frankowski. Also for the Chickasaw Nation, Reinhard wrote The Chickasaw Rancher, which is to be released in 2021. He adapted The Madman of Music, a bio of composer George Anthiel and movie actress Hedy Lamar. He wrote Moonchild, the story of Linda Kasabian and her ordeal with the Manson Family, for director Marcus Nispel and producer Adam Krentzmann. Reinhard also co-wrote Mizmoon, about the Patty Hearst kidnapping, for director David Brown and Clear Horizon.

    The Hollywood Time Travel Series is a compendium of novels that revolve around a young time traveler named Evan West. Evan lives in present-day Hollywood, California, a typical millennial working in the entertainment industry as a #filmtrailer editor, a job he does not particularly relish. Evan dreams of one day becoming a successful screenwriter and Hollywood film director, climbing to the top of the very slippery pole called success. He has the typical problems in his life – never can find a girlfriend who appreciates him and always at odds financially. But he lives, breathes and exists for everything film, his heart beats at 24 frames per second. He's an expert in film #history as well and a stickler for detail.

    Highlights of the Episode:

    • Doug and his early journey
    • What was his inspiration behind the time travel series
    • Who is his favorite character
    • How did he escape the writer's block 
    • Why write an old Hollywood inspired plot
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    31 mins