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Actor, writer and director Max Azulay leveraged his obsession with filmmaking to create unique, irreverent films armed with his comedic sensibility. The influence of the legendary Mel Brooks seeped in early on in his Suburban upbringing, which happened to take place 40 minutes from New York City, and helped inspire his young creativity. Finding his community of like-minded comedic cinephiles led to several short films which channelled his interests. He moved to Los Angeles to attend Occidental College, after transferring from Sarah Lawrence, his parents’ alma mater, and made a number of short films which led to 5 Doctors, his first feature film. Robert Altman would be proud of the film’s tone, which captured fundamental aspects of Max’s own life, including his high school, a thematic undertone of anxiety, and members of his family. He co-directed the film with frequent collaborator, Matt Porter. In addition to starring in the film, the pair wrote the screenplay alongside Phil Primason for an ensemble cast, including Bobby Moynihan, Jeremy Shamos, Peter Friedman and Eddie Pepitone among several others. In addition, Max has directed and written several short films with his collaborators, including Xander; Lenny; One Mutual Friend; and Carmen & Moony, the latter starring his partner Kate Adams, with whom he is developing his next feature. In our conversation, we discussed growing up near the big city; the influence of Borscht Belt comedy; the path towards his first feature; kleptomania; WiFi; and the through-line of family which runs through his catalogue.
Opening Credits: John Lopker - Embryo Murder I CC BY 4.0 DEED; Caleb Lemon - A Road in the Country I CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED; Jangwa - Jupiter Czar I CC BY 4.0 DEED; Closing Credits: Piki - Clear Blue I CC BY 4.0 DEED.
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Elisha Lawson has acted in a number of projects through the years, including Boardwalk Empire, Shades of Blue, NCIS: New Orleans, and Group. In addition to his work on television, he has worked on several plays such as productions of A Raisin in the Sun and To Kill A Mockingbird, where he first met fellow Group cast-member, Ezra Barnes. His latest play, Syncing Ink, was created by playwright NSangou Njikam and will begin performances May 7, with an official opening set for May 19, at the Apollo Theater in New York City. In our conversation, we discussed his German upbringing; the importance of faith in his life’s journey; his improvisational roots as part of Chicago City Limits; the influences of Denzel Washington and Marlon Brando; working with Kara Young on his latest project; and exploring the naturalism of his performances facilitated by meticulous preparation.
Opening Credits: Masteredit - Contemplation I CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED; Masteredit - Reverie I CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED; Closing Credits: Nangdo - Intro I CC BY 4.0 DEED
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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Jazz is not only a second language for vocalist, composer and SiriusXM radio personality, Andromeda Turre — it’s her mother tongue. She grew up in a world raised by two of the finest Jazz OGs, world-renowned cellist Akua Dixon and legendary trombonist Steve Turre, and formed formative relationships with Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach and Wynton Marsalis (a.k.a. the Jazz Pilgrims). Formal piano instruction with the phenomenal Sonelius Smith began at age four. Next emerged Andromeda’s training as a dancer in the cultural renaissance of Harlem (or Washington Heights), before she shifted to the medium of theater (The Boston Conservatory) and later, vocal performance, at Berklee College of Music. While at Berklee, Andromeda performed at the 2003 commencement concert with Dianne Reeves and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, and recorded on Michael Justiz’s film Cafe and Tobacco." Soonafter, Ray Charles hired Andromeda to be the last Raelette, and she toured with him until his untimely passing. In 2007, Andromeda starred in the acclaimed Off-Broadway musical based on Woody Allen vignettes, “Murder Mystery Blues." She reigned as the "Queen of the Blues," at Tokyo Disney and headlined a plethora of music festivals before releasing her debut album, Introducing Andromeda Turre, in 2008, which featured an array of jazz standards, latin flavors, Japanese tributes and originals “Let Me” and “Lonely Holiday.” Shine followed in 2018 which opened with her cover of the seminal Monk standard, ‘Round Midnight. She started Growing Up Jazz, a powerful keynote that teaches Black history through the lens of Jazz, for which she was awarded the 2022 Women of Distinction Award from New York State Senate. Andromeda latest album, “From The Earth,” will be released on July 19, 2024 and aims to shed light on the disproportionate impact of climate change on BIPOC and connect communities. Andromeda hosts her own show on SiriusXM on Real Jazz every Saturday and Sunday from 12pm-5pm EST. In our conversation, we discussed the chaotic underpinnings of Shine; Billie Holiday; her SNL daycare; and the recent trip to Iceland which inspired her latest work.
Opening Credits: Thomas Paul - The Name Of The Star I CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED; Jangwa - Wigs I CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED. Closing Credits: Giacomo Forte - Country fields (Ispiration, Emotional, Sentimental, Folk, Acustic, Soft, Calm) I CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED.
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Todd Louiso has acted in several notable projects over the years, such as films which include Scent of a Woman, Apollo 13, The Rock, Jerry Maguire, and Thank You for Smoking. He has made guest appearances on television shows like Fraiser, Silicon Valley, House, Angie Tribeca and Married. While his presence on-screen has always made sense, Todd’s freedom of expression behind the camera can be felt through his palpable, strong character-driven films. Love Liza, starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman, is among them — a gripping, subtle portrait of grief through the eyes of an emotionally vulnerable man — which won the Waldo Salt Best Screenplay Award at the Sundance Film Festival. After writing and directing the high school singing-themed satire, The Marc Pease Experience, starring Ben Stiller, Jason Schwartzman and Anna Kendrick, he explored the effect of depression, the complications of connection and being understood in Hello I Must Be Going, which his wife, Sarah Koskoff wrote, and starred Melanie Lynskey in what ended up being one of her most pivotal roles as a leading woman. For his directorial efforts, Todd was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. He co-wrote the film adaptation of Macbeth, which starred Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, and recently acted in the dramatic film, Raymond & Ray, with Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke. In our conversation, we discussed the origins of The Fifteen Minute Hamlet, which he adapted through a chance encounter with Tom Stoppard; how Martin Breast and Stephen Frears informed his approach toward acting and directing; a unique meeting with Chris Farley when Todd was interning at Saturday Night Live; and collaboratively building emotionally-raw character pieces from the ground up.
Opening Credits: Viscid - Closed Loop I CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED; Jangwa - Regola I CC BY 4.0 DEED. Closing Credits: Thomas Paul - That Thing I CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED.
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Mark Pellington’s pioneering influence on music videos as a modality to convey emotion, story and feeling will never be forgotten. From Leonard Cohen to Linkin Park, Michael Jackson to Public Enemy, Foo Fighters and Alice in Chains to Chelsea Wolfe and Bruce Springsteen, MP had penultimate foresight in constructing some of the most memorable portraits of love, war, loss, spirit and activism. His feature films each brought a tenet to the medium of storytelling. From 1997’s Going All The Way (Ben Affleck, Jeremy Davies, Rachel Weisz, Rose McGowan), to the Grand Prix/Saturn Award-nominated Arlington Road (Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack, Hope Davis); to The Mothman Prophecies, an intriguing parapsychological adaptive tale starring Richard Gere and Laura Linney; the dramedy, Henry Poole is Here; a story of friendship and loyalty in I Melt With You (Jeremy Piven, Thomas Jane, Christian McKay, Rob Lowe); the subtle poetry of grief, The Last Word; Nostalgia, with Catherine Keener and Jon Hamm headlining an ensemble cast; and the dance-expanse, The Severing, in 2022. His latest book, The Visualist, is an essential memoir surveying 40 years of shape-shifting filmmaking experiences. In our conversation, we discussed his approach towards film and music videos; his journey to New York City; the significance of archive; and his recent Director’s cut release of Going All the Way.
Opening Credits: M33 Project - On y va I CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International; Jangwa - Losing Ground I CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International. Closing Credits: M33 Project - Orange Blues I CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
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Jonathan Parker writes, directs and produces films which blend together the aspects of art he gravitates toward, including architecture, music, storytelling and intricate attention to detail. The Northern California native grew up in an artistic family, and studied English at Stanford. It was when he joined a New Wave band, and directed their first music video that he discovered film’s nature of acting as a matrix for his artistic interests. After directing several short films, Jonathan wrote and directed his first feature film — Bartleby —an adaptation of Herman Melville’s short story: Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street. The film marked the first of several feature film collaborations with Catherine DiNapoli, with whom he co-wrote the screenplay. He included a satirical bent relevant to his time and place (just as Melville did in the 1850s) in his adaptation, which starred David Paymer, Glenne Headly, and Crispin Glover playing the eponymous character. He continued this philosophy as he embarked on his next film — The Californians — an adaptation of Henry James’s The Bostonians. The film, which starred Noah Wyle, Ileana Douglas, Kate Mara and Keith Carradine, premiered on Showtime and surveyed the conflicted love-triangle between an idealistic real estate developer (Wyle); his environmentalist sister (Douglas); and the protest folk singer who comes into their lives (Mara). Jonathan’s own experience as a real estate developer informed the film’s scenic undertone, the characters’ diverse perspectives and their motivations. This theme of incorporating personal experience into narrative film carried into his next project — (Untitled) — which starred Adam Goldberg, and followed an experimental musician’s plight into the New York City art scene; and in The Architect, starring Parker Posey, Eric McCormack and James Frain, which explores the confluence of a couple who’s vision of “the perfect home” is in diametric opposition and an eager, theoretically-motivated architect as he attempts to construct their dream home. The former was scored by David Lang, who won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Music. His latest work is the documentary film Carol Doda Topless at the Condor, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in 2023 and navigates the rise to fame of an influential San Franciscan topless dancer in 1964. Jonathan co-directed the film with Marlo McKenzie, while Lars Ulrich serves as a producer. The film analyzes Doda’s impact on the sociocultural narrative of feminism, free speech, fashion and politics in the United States. In our conversation, we discussed Jonathan’s journey into music and film; imbuing each of his projects with his own personal experiences; and the unique story of Carol Doda’s plight in San Francisco.
Opening Credits: 1st Contact - Cavemen I Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0); The New Mystikal Troubadours - A Cinematic Influence I Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US). Closing Credits: The Agrarians - Hey, Augusta I Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).
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Dito Montiel’s upbringing in Astoria was filled with so many unique characters which affected him on a lot of different levels. His memoir, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, is a collage of these visceral experiences and how they shaped how he sees the world through music, writing and film. He wrote and directed the seminal film adaptation of his novel which won the Dramatic Directing Award at Sundance and received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Screenplay. Since then, his directorial efforts and ensuing filmography have expanded to include a number of interesting films including Fighting, Man Down, Empire State, The Clapper — based on his novel — Son of No One, featuring performances from Al Pacino and Ray Liotta; and Boulevard, starring Robin Williams in his final film role. In our conversation, we discussed the process of conceiving Saints and how the film was developed; being part of the New York Hardcore scene, particularly as a member the bands Major Conflict and later, Gutterboy; the influence of the Sundance Institute on his directing and writing techniques; and collaborations and friendships with Channing Tatum, Robert Downey and Tracy Morgan.
Opening Credits: Jan-Michael Hökenschnieder x Fachhochschule Dortmund - Driving I Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0); Lemon Knife - Girl With the Cat Eyes I Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Closing Credits: by 22 - Windy Dazed Days (ALIENBOYYYMUSIC) I CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication.
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Film, television and theatre are each modalities in the performing arts Ezra Barnes has been directly immersed into, both as an actor and director. Using performance as a curiosity valve for the preservation of ideals, such as imagination and spirited curiosity, are an important element of Ezra’s foundational goals as an actor. Since joining a secret film club in fourth grade, Ezra instinctively knew he was going to be an artist. And going to the theatre starting from an early age, with encouragement from both of his parents, who were heavily invested in the arts, helped lay some of the groundwork for the ideals Ezra became drawn to as a performer. Some of his notable theatre productions as an actor include Fraser Grace's Breakfast With Mugabe, which he also produced; To Kill a Mockingbird, as Atticus Finch; and several productions of the Shakespearean canon. He has directed productions of The Diary of Anne Frank; One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; Julius Caesar; As You Like It; and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In the meantime, Ezra has appeared in several film and television projects, including Bored to Death; Law & Order; Jessica Jones; Orange is the New Black; and Motherless Brooklyn, opposite Edward Norton. Additionally, he runs the Young Actors Workshop in Brooklyn to inspire the next generation of theatre. In our conversation, we discussed the origins and film adaptation of Group, the group psychotherapy series in which he plays Frank, and its relevance to the present day; the influence of Count Basie on his idea of performance; directing theatre; inspiring curiosity from knowing the script, but not actively thinking about it in the moment; and how height influences the perception of life. His upcoming projects include Birth/Rebirth, the Sundance/IFC horror film which will be released in theaters, and available to stream on August 18; as well as Can’t Let it Go, a comedic film on the emotional hangover in the aftermath of the 2016 election starring Mario Cantone.
Opening Credits: Plaga de baile - I WAS A MOD (pero ya no) I Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US); HoliznaCC0 - April Showers I CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication. Closing Credits: Cousin Silas / Black Hill - Black Hill - South I Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
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As a versatile producer and assistant director, Dana Kuznetzkoff has worked on legendary projects which include Forrest Gump, 2 Days in the Valley and The Wire. Dana wears several hats in the film industry, and her approach toward selecting projects has a lot to do with the value of the collaboration to take place. The Bronx native was in the midst of taking a significant role in the world of advertising when a chance encounter, one that didn’t go so well, veered her off onto a different path in a different industry — Film and Television. And through the years, Dana moved up the ranks from DGA trainee, when she worked on Jonathan Demme’s Something Wild, to being head of the first unit. Along the way came important experiences on The Equalizer, Law & Order and Ron Howard’s Far and Away. 1993 saw the first of several collaborations Dana has had with Robert Zemeckis, which, in addition to Gump, included Death Becomes Her; and Flight, the latter on which she was First Assistant Director. In television, Dana has worked as unit production manager of shows like Fringe, This is Us, and Monk, and has produced shows like The New Yorker Presents and the Steven Spielberg executive-produced Smash. In the non-fiction world, Dana has produced several impactful documentaries with a social activism bent; these include Thread, which surveys the life of female entrepreneurs in Afghanistan; and Tolerance and Acceptance, which takes place in the context of educating inner city kids in South Central, Los Angeles and East London. She serves on the Producers Council of the PGA, and is a member of NY Women in Film and Television and the DGA. Dana also recently taught at Columbia School of the Arts as an Assistant Adjunct Professor of Film. In our conversation, we discussed the climate of movie theaters and streaming; the WGA strike; the freelance film and television lifestyle; her favorite Jonathan Demme film; and why you should visit the Bronx Zoo. We also discussed her new documentary, Omara, about the surviving Cuban lead female vocalist of the Ry Cooder-produced Buena Vista Social Club.
Opening Credits: Plastic Flowers - Lucy I Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0); A Banda de Joseph Tourton - #3. Closing Credits: So Cow - Front Row Seats I Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).
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Janet Grillo’s latest directorial effort — The Warm Season — is a testament to being conscious in a changing time. It is true the landscape of film has evolved over the years; however, it’s the consistency of Janet’s track record as a multifaceted filmmaker which exudes the contrast between black and white; open or closed; and aware vs. uncertain. After graduating from Wesleyan and NYU-Tisch, the New Jersey native joined the Playwright’s Workshop Lab at the Circle Repertory Company, where she continued to develop her eye for taste as Assistant Literary Manager. She joined New Line Cinema in the mid-eighties, where she rose through the ranks from Story Analyst to Senior Vice President of East Coast Production and earned her reputation as a force in the world of film production and development. From discovering director Reggie Hudlin (Marshall; Django Unchained; Sidney) and developing the game-changing House Party franchise with him (the first of which grossed $25M and received the Audience Award at Sundance); to producing and developing hip hop classics like Hangin’ with the Homeboys (John Leguizamo’s film-lead debut which received the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award), Pump up the Volume, and the directorial debut of Ted Demme — Who’s the Man — Janet sensed the sentiment she was feeling on New York City subways and helped give a voice to hip hop culture using the medium of film. A chance encounter with David O. Russell at Sundance led to a flurry of incredible film projects, including Spanking the Monkey, his feature film directorial debut which won the Audience Award at the same festival; Flirting with Disaster; Three Kings and I Heart Huckabees, the latter of which she also acted in. Other filmmakers Janet developed include Seth Tsvi Rosenfeld (Brother’s Kiss), Alan Taylor (Palookaville), Myra Paci (Searching for Paradise) and the intriguing Frank Whaley in his writing and directing debut — Joe the King. Janet’s impact as an activist for autism awareness can be traced to her role as Executive Producer of the esteemed documentary Autism: The Musical, the subject of which was entitled “The Miracle Project.” The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2007; was subsequently picked up by HBO, and led her to win an Emmy Award for Best Non-Fiction Feature the following year. It can also be seen in her feature film directorial debut, Fly Away, starring Ashley Rickards and Beth Broderick; and Jack of the Red Hearts (AnnaSophia Robb; Famke Janssen; Taylor Richardson). We discussed living in upstate New York; her approach toward developing some of the most incredible filmmakers in Hollywood; translating personal experience into her own directorial projects; and the state of independent film in the landscape of streaming.
Opening Credits: The Underscore Orkestra - Blue Draggish I Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US); Dee Yan-Key - Aimless I Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0); Closing Credits: The Underscore Orkestra - Versipelllis I Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).
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Alfredo de Villa directs films which layer complex characters onto the backdrop of vibrant emotions; irreverent humor and interweaving narrative themes which take the lead. They carry the weight of strong characters as they brace themselves for the reality they’re immersed in after not realizing the fact until someone, or something or their own voice rises to the surface and informs who they really are. His first film, Washington Heights, is a testament to that reality. Alfredo accompanied the juxtaposition of art, comics, familial love and respect with the culturally-diverse eponymous New York City neighborhood which acted as his canvas. The film, which Alfredo co-wrote with Pulitzer prize-winner Junot Diaz, starred Tomas Milian and Manny Perez, and featured Bobby Cannavale and Danny Hoch in supporting roles, and was released at the Tribeca Film Festival where it was acquired by Lionsgate. He next directed the dance-centered Yellow, which featured Roselyn Sanchez, Bill Duke and D.B. Sweeney on which he had mixed experiences; however, it allowed him to finance his third film - the seminal Adrift in Manhattan, which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival in Dramatic Competition. The film featured riveting performances from Heather Graham, Victor Rasuk and Dominic Chianese alongside Elizabeth Peña, William Baldwin and Marlene Forte. His next film Nothing Like the Holidays, brought him back to his stylistic roots in terms of form and humor, and was made for Overture Films. It featured an ensemble cast helmed by Alfred Molina, Debra Messing, Luis Guzman, Freddie Rodriguez, Jay Hernandez, Melonie Diaz and reunited him with Elizabeth Peña, who played the matriarch of a Chicago, Puerto Rican family in Humboldt Park. Then came the comically-hilarious Fugly, based on John Leguizamo’s one-man show, Ghetto Klown, starring Leguizamo opposite Radha Mitchell, Rosie Perez and Griffin Dunne. He is also a prolific commercial director, and graduate of Columbia’s MFA program. In our conversation, we discussed his Mexican upbringing; mental health undertones in his work; films which influenced his diverse cinematic palate; and showing his son Pulp Fiction for the first time.
Opening Credits: HoliznaCC0 - Sick With Love I CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication; Crowander - Sloopy I Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0); Closing Credits: Siddhartha Corsus - The Fire of Your Peace I Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).
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Actress and writer Angela Zhou stars in the upcoming Hulu show, Death and Other Details (formerly Career Opportunities in Murder & Mayhem) which is set to premiere this year. She previously starred in AMC’s Hell on Wheels, opposite Anson Mount, playing a character trying to make a fresh start while carrying an important secret. The show was shot in Canada, and took place during the time following the Civil War, and laid across the backdrop of the construction of the first transcontinental railroad across the United States. Throughout her journey, she’s guest-starred on several television shows, including Supergirl, MacGyver, and NCIS: Los Angeles and performed with SGCNZ's Young Shakespeare Company at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London. In our conversation, we talked about her experience writing and acting on her new Hulu show; growing up in New Zealand; the best food in all the places she’s lived; our experiences at Duke University; and a pivotal class decision which essentially affected the course of her entire life story.
Opening Credits: 300€ - Demoiselle Döner I CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication; Invisible Ink - Lemon Knife I Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Closing Credits: Hey, Augusta - The Agrarians I Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).
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Unique experiences affecting disparate individuals, from the marginalized to the privileged, form the template for the types of stories filmmaker Jesse Gustafson conveys in his projects. After graduating high school in Florida, Jesse enlisted in the US Army at age 17, and was deployed on a peacekeeping mission to post-genocide Bosnia-Herzegovina. Considering the possibility of remaining in the military, Jesse decided to study theater, studying scenic design at the University of Florida and graduating with a BFA degree in stage acting and directing from UC Santa Barbara. After college he moved to Bangkok, Thailand where he directed and performed for an English-speaking theater company. He went on to work in theaters across the US, including Playwrights Horizons in New York, the American Reparatory Theater in Boston and the Magic Theater in San Francisco. He has an MFA in Film from Columbia University, where his thesis film, DAY 39, was a finalist for the Student Academy Award. He has directed the camp-cult action film, Black Site Delta, starring Cam Gigandet; and his other short films include The Starlight; Riches; and Double Header. He also produced frequent collaborator Laurence Vannicelli’s feature, Vera, as well as his short film, The Young Housefly starring Alex Karpovsky. In our conversation, we discussed life in the military; the relationship between trauma and empathy; and my involvement in his next film which features a psychiatrist.
Opening Credits: selfpity - Always Feel the Cold I Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0); In De Nadfin - Encontré I Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US); Closing Credits: A Crooked Pulse - Dark Spots I Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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Screenwriter Topper Lilien has a lens shaped with extraordinary life experiences, which have a symbiotic relationship with his diverse array of film projects. In other words, the two feed off of each other, and push forward the creation of something truly unique. The New York native has seen it all when it comes to the development, production, release, and perhaps most importantly, the collaborative aspects of film. He wrote one of the seminal jazz films about the colorful life and career of jazz pianist Joe Albany, Low Down, told through the perspective of his daughter, Amy-Jo, who served as co-writer. Directed by Jeff Preiss, the Sundance release surveyed their experiences in Los Angeles in the 1970s, and starred John Hawkes, Elle Fanning, Lena Headey, Glenn Close and Flea; the latter of whom served as executive producer along with bandmate Anthony Kiedis. In the late 90s, Topper wrote Paul Newman’s second to last live action film, Where the Money Is, with E. Max Frye (Something Wild; Foxcatcher) and Carroll Cartwright. Produced by Ridley Scott, the film co-starred Dermot Mulroney and Linda Fiorentino, and journeyed the plight of a professional thief who experiences a stroke and is “forced” into a nursing home. Topper’s other notable collaborators include James Cameron, Michael Bay, Quincy Jones, Steve Golin and Robin Williams. In our conversation, we discussed the process of writing on a typewriter; trial by fire in Hollywood; working on the ill-fated Dungeons and Dragons, which starred Jeremy Irons and Marlon Wayans; and collaborating with Fisher Stevens, Elmore Leonard the late Willie Garson.
Opening Credits: 1st Contact - Wohin I Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0); So Cow - Off Out I Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). Closing Credits: Miss Derringer - He Hung On A Sunday I Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
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As a renowned author and screenwriter, Helen Schulman’s work makes the isolated feel less alone. Her latest novel, Lucky Dogs, is a perfect example in its deep navigation of themes like mental illness, social media, duplicity and betrayal. In her novels and short story collections, which include A Day at the Beach, This Beautiful Life, Come with Me and The Revisionist, she explores topics like tragedy, technology, lost love and escape, affected by the lens of her own unique experiences. She wrote the screenplay adaptation of her acclaimed novel, P.S., which was made into a feature film starring Laura Linney, Topher Grace, Gabriel Byrne, Paul Rudd and Marcia Gay Harden. And she co-edited, along with Jill Bialosky, the anthology Wanting A Child. Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in such places as Vanity Fair, Time, Vogue, GQ, The New York Times Book Review and The Paris Review. Helen is Fiction Chair of the Creative Writing Program at The New School, where she is a tenured Professor. She also serves as Executive Director for WriteOn NYC, a fellowship program that provides free creative writing instruction to underserved New York City school children. In our conversation, we discussed her take on the evolution of New York City throughout the years; her experiences as a student and professor at Columbia, where P.S. was shot, and The New School; being taught by Gordon Lish; the seeds of her new book; and her friendship with Peter Farrelly. Lucky Dogs was published by Knopf/Random House, and will be released June 6, 2023, wherever you buy your books; it is available for pre-order now.
Opening credits: 1in10_Varia - a million ways; Noaidi - angelville. Closing credits: voyageurs - The Distance
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After finding his voice as a columnist for The Stanford Daily, journalist, commentator and podcast host Joel Stein headed off to New York City to begin his career as a fact-checker and writer at Martha Stewart Living. Since then, he has written for publications such as Time Out New York; Time Magazine, where he authored over 20 cover stories throughout a 20 year period; Entertainment Weekly; and the Los Angeles Times. Throughout his career, he has appeared as a commentator on VH1’s I Love the ‘80s; developed television shows like Crumbs and Hey Joel; and taught a course on humor writing at Princeton. His books, Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity and In Defense of Elitism: Why I'm Better Than You and You Are Better Than Someone Who Didn't Buy This Book, have analyzed topics like manhood; populism; and factors which act as a barometer for the word “elite,” and are acclaimed. In 2009, he wrote for the The 81st Annual Academy Awards, collaborating with host Hugh Jackman. In our interesting conversation, we discussed topics which ranged from parenthood to masculinity, and of course, the great Martha Stewart. We also discussed his podcast, Story of the Week, and why he refers to himself as a journalist in quotes.
Opening Credits: Zero V - Friendship; We vs. Death - The Things You Did. Closing Credits: Nafta - Aurora Australis (instr.)
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One of the signatures which differentiates filmmaker Lauren Wolkstein’s work is adaptability through medium. Lauren’s approach toward narrative and storytelling harbors a rare versatility, which allows her to nearly seamlessly transition from film to television; short to feature; thriller to drama; and dystopian commentary to historical narrative. She harnessed her talent and developed her ability as a screenwriter at Columbia’s MFA program, and made short films, like Cigarette Candy, which pushed the boundaries of trauma exploration. Her debut feature, The Strange Ones (Alex Pettyfer; James Freedson-Jackson), which she co-directed with Christopher Radcliff, was based on the short film of the same name premiered at South by Southwest in 2017. One of John Waters’s Top 3 films of 2017, the film, which dealt with themes like obsessive love, sexual abuse and trauma, spoke to her multifaceted ability to combine complex mental health themes with dynamic performances. In television, Lauren has directed episodes of Cloak & Dagger (Marvel); Dare Me (USA Network); and Y: The Last Man, starring Diane Lane, for FX. She directed the finale of the renowned mini-series, A Friend of the Family, starring Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks and McKenna Grace, for Peacock in 2022. And she recently directed episodes of Dead Ringers, a television adaptation of the David Cronenberg classic film of the same name, which is set to premiere on Amazon Prime on April 21, 2023; the series stars Rachel Weisz as twin gynecologists, reprising the Jeremy Irons role in the original film. In our conversation, we discussed the touchpoint we both share in being Columbia and Duke alums; growing up in Baltimore; shooting on film; mental health themes; and the continuity of serving as Producing Director on Queen Sugar for Oprah Winfrey’s network for multiple seasons.
Opening Credits: Ketsa - 10 Can-t-touch-me; Ketsa - 01 Test-Case; Closing Credits: Ketsa - 05 Eternal-Funk-Palace
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Selina Fillinger is the playwright behind renowned theatrical works like POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying To Keep him Alive; Something Clean; Faceless; and the Armor plays: Cinched/Strapped. The former marked her Broadway debut at the Shubert Theatre in 2022; was directed by Broadway legend, Susan Stroman; and led to three Tony Award nominations, including Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role nods for both Julie White and Rachel Dratch. She also wrote for Season 3 of the acclaimed Apple TV+ program, The Morning Show (Jennifer Aniston; Billy Crudup; Reese Witherspoon), set to premiere in 2023. In our conversation, we discussed her Oregon upbringing; the juxtaposition of light and dark themes in her plays; juggling multiple projects at once; and her journey to being one of the most unique, talented and versatile artists in the landscape of television and theatre.
Opening Credits: Checkie Brown - Clooney (CB 232); HoliznaPATREON - Feels; Closing Credits: Ketsa - A Little Bit
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The dynamic nature of actor Josh Pais’s approach toward constructing performance; harnessing creativity; and retaining the spontaneity associated with each moment on-screen is part of his signature. With over 100 roles to his credit, the Lower East Side native grew up in a culturally vibrant, evolving environment which led him to cultivate his own unique sense of identity as one of the finest performers in the film and television industry. His remarkable filmography includes memorable performances in Safe Men, in which he acted among contemporaries like Sam Rockwell, Steve Zahn and Peter Dinklage; The Station Agent, penned and directed by one of his best friends, Tom McCarthy; the brilliant Lynn Shelton’s emotional masterpiece, Touchy Feely; Nicole Holofcener’s classically independent, Please Give, with Catherine Keener; and Charlie Kaufman’s directorial opus, Synecdoche, NY, acting opposite Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Along the way came multiyear arcs in television shows like Ray Donovan, alongside Liev Schreiber; and memorable scenes with Joaquin Phoenix in the seminal Joker (Todd Phillips; Scott Silver). You can immerse yourself into the techniques he has developed and experienced throughout his prolific career by visiting Committed Impulse (committedimpulse.com), and find him on his Instagram (@JoshPais). In our conversation, we discussed his documentary, 7th Street, describing the state of culture which governed his Alphabet City upbringing; collaborating with some of the best directors on the planet; and acting on projects which gave meaning to the landscape of film. His latest projects include Nicole Holofcener’s You Hurt My Feelings (David Cross; Amber Tamblyn; Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and David E. Kelley’s upcoming mini series, A Man in Full, with Regina King directing (Jeff Daniels; Bill Camp).
Opening Credits: Bureaucrat & The Conspirators - Yankees; The Rope River Blues Band - Wrist Lit; Closing Credits: POVALISHIN DIVISION - Сестра
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Host of the Tastemade Travel docuseries, India Bites on Apple TV, Chef Shrim Chakraborty transcends the “chop and chat” model by placing her own stamp on the food travel show genre. From being a talk show host, to honing her culinary craft in graduate school in Manchester, to opening her own restaurant, Calcutta Street, in Britain after a series of pop-ups, Shrim uses her versatile talent to shed light on a range of issues like the Indian middle class; the stereotypes present among Indian food; and taking ownership of the cultural narrative. Her food blog, Eat With Me Shrimoyee, features recipes, cultural commentary and a snapshot into the current tastes governing her plate at the time. She has been featured in The Independent, the Financial Times, the Telegraph and Grazia, and her restaurant Calcutta Street has been lauded by food critics across the globe. In our conversation, we discussed her Indian upbringing; growing up with a philosopher/chef mother; pushing boundaries with food; and creating original projects using the media of food and conversation.
Opening Credits: Funky Banane Nightclub MixNeu; Alex Figueira - Silky; Closing Credits: Ketsa - Don't Worry
- Visa fler
