Kate was also one of the panelists at a SXSW 2019 producers roundtable. Some of the things we discuss in this episode include

• How to build relationships at film festivals and other industry events
• Smart things that Disney does to keep their IP relevant for generations
• How filmmakers can partner with Crypt TV to build long-term careers
• What a compelling monster movie involves

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More of my videos are here.

Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com

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Related Episodes

CFX is a special effects and silicon mask-making company in Baton Rouge that has made masks and props for films like 2 Guns, Treme, and Twilight. I got to interview some of their team and put together this video of their mask-making process.

The post On Monsters & Disney Magic: Crypt TV’s Kate Krantz appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.

Richard Matson is the vice president of theatrical distribution at The Orchard, the distribution company behind the Oscar-nominated films Cartel Land and Life, Animated. The Orchard’s commitment to transparency stands in stark contrast to an industry-wide inclination to obscure distribution numbers, and they demonstrated that commitment by making the revenue streams for Cartel Land publicly available. Recently The Orchard made entertainment headlines again by spending $5 million to purchase Louis C.K.’s latest film, I Love You, Daddy, at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Prior to his current role with The Orchard, Richard worked for Gathr, a theater on demand company, and his own distribution company, Matson Film where he worked with the likes of Participant Media, Kino Lorber, and The Orchard. Those experiences have shaped how he handles the distribution campaigns he currently oversees.

I interviewed Richard a few weeks before TIFF, so I didn’t get to ask him about I Love You, Daddy, but since we initially met at South by Southwest, our discussion does include some festival strategies and a brief overview of The Work. That’s a documentary set in Folsom Prison which The Orchard acquired at SXSW. The film is scheduled to open in mid October.

We also discuss the approach behind the releases of The Hero, the Sam Elliot picture they acquired at Sundance; The Music of Strangers, a documentary about Yo-Yo Ma’s efforts to bring together a global assembly of musicians, and Cartel Land.

Other films distributed by The Orchard include Blue Jay and What We Do in the Shadows, and we briefly touch on the release of those films as well.

Some of the other topics that we discuss include

• When it make sense to do a theater on demand screenings
• How The Orchard brings transparency into their collaborative partnerships
• What to think about when considering a film-festival strategy for a project
• How filmmakers can leverage The Orchard’s music library and expertise for their projects
• The key release windows for a film after it screens in theaters and how to manage them

After the interview concludes, I share some of my takeaways from a few of The Orchard’s films and how they influenced my thoughts on art and inspiration.

Films Mentioned

• 11/8/16
• Blue Jay
• Braveheart
• Cartel Land
• The Hero
• Hunt for the Wilderpeople
• I Love You, Daddy
• Life, Animated
• Lord of the Rings
• Manhattan
• The Music of Strangers
• Trophy
• What We Do in the Shadows
• The Work

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The post Distribution Done Right – The Orchard’s Richard Matson appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.

Blayne Weaver has acted alongside of actors like Tommy Lee Jones and Don Cheadle. He’s also the current voice of Walt Disney’s Peter Pan in the various films, shows, and theme park segments that feature the animated character. Recently he teamed up with Mindy Bledsoe, Chris Lyon, Rob Senska, some of his colleagues in Shreveport, Louisiana to put together Cut to the Chase, his latest feature film. The four of them together form what Blayne calls the brain trust, and they worked closely throughout the production process to bring the film to life.

Cut to the Chase is a Southern film noir written and directed by Blayne. He also stars in it and does his own stunts. Some of the supporting actors in the film include Erin Cahill (Power Rangers Time Force), Lynne Greenwood (Sleepy Hollow, the TV series), and Lance Hendrickson (Aliens).

Blayne came on the podcast to share some of his filmmaking insights. Some of the things we discuss include

• The value of building a strong team
• How he landed the job of voicing Peter Pan
• What he learned from working with Don Cheadle
• What a good fight and chase sequence involves
• The inspiration he found in working with Matt Damon
• Ways to make fight scenes and car chases compelling on a limited budget
• Whether there is a role for cynicism in today’s media landscape
• Tips for ensuring that stunts go according to plan

After the interview I examine how the film compares with two film noir classics, Maltese Falcon and The Big Sleep.#

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Listen to the Episode

• Big Sleep
• Cut to the Chase
• Maltese Falcon
• Manic

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• Importance of Being Earnest
• Picture of Dorian Gray

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If You Liked the Show

The post Filming Car Chases & Fight Scenes for Film Noir with Blayne Weaver appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.

A few months ago I  interviewed writer-director John Lee Hancock about his work on The Rookie, The Alamo, The Blind Side, and Saving Mr. Banks. We also spoke about his latest film The Founder, which stars Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc, the business man who turned McDonald’s into a world-wide brand. The film was about to come out when I first did the interview, but the release got pushed back a few months. It had a limited release in December and opened nationwide on January 20.

I recently watched The Founder, and it made enough of impression that I decided to re-release the episode. For one thing, I believe that the film was snubbed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It didn’t get a single nomination, but in my humble opinion it is at least worthy of consideration for best picture, best director, best actor, and best production design.

The film also has some striking parallels to the story of Donald Trump’s rise to power.  In the concluding comments that I added for this episode, I elaborate on why I believe it is a film worthy of award consideration and why it relates to the Donald Trump story. Those comments start about 50 minutes into the episode.

Some of the topics that come up in the episode include

• John’s shooting approach on The Rookie, The Alamo, The Blind Side, Saving Mr. Banks, and The Founder
• How John convinced Nick Saban and other SEC football coaches to be in The Blind Side
• How far some people will go in pursuit of success and the impact that has on society
• Weathering the ups and downs that come along in a filmmaking career
• The research that goes into portraying historical figures on screen
• Why the anti-Disney bias from certain cultural elites is not fair
• When it is appropriate to include a sense of faith in a story
• Why The Founder relates to Donald Trump’s presidency

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Listen to the Episode

• The Alamo
• The Blind Side
• The Founder
• The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence
• Meet John Doe
• The Rookie
• Saving Mr. Banks 

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Book Mentioned

• Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

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If You Liked the Show

The post The Founder with Director John Lee Hancock, A Timely American Film appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.

John Lee Hancock is the director of films like The Rookie, The Blind Side, and Saving Mr. Banks, films that pleased both audiences and critics. One of his early hits came from writing A Perfect World, which was directed by Clint Eastwood.  His upcoming film The Founder stars Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc, the business man who turned McDonald’s into a world-wide brand. Recently, the Weinstein company pushed the release of the film from August to the middle of award season, suggesting that they feel good about the film’s prospects.

John came on the podcast to talk about the film and some of his past projects.

It’s not about getting them to say yes. It’s about making it impossible for them to say no.“ – John Lee Hancock

Some of the topics we discuss include

• Working with actors to trim down dialogue
• The research that goes into portraying historical figures on screen
• How to stay true to the essence of real people while portraying them in a dramatic way
• How John convinced Nick Saban and other SEC football coaches to be in The Blind Side
• The legacy of Walt Disney, and John’s experiences working with the company
• Handling feedback and failure on a big studio project

Listen to the Episode

The post Writer-Director John Lee Hancock on Legends, Walt Disney, & the Drive to Succeed appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.