Black Media Matters

Episode #24 - Welcome to another COVID film list Feature & a short Black Media Matters which focuses on the importance of black voices within the film industry and how diversity within the cinema space benefits the art form. For so long black talent has been suppressed within the industry but when a diamond shines so bright, one can’t help but notice it in the rough; Paul Robeson who began making films in 1925 with Body and Soul. Josephine Baker who was the first black woman to star in a film in 1934 with Zouzou. And perhaps one of the most influential black filmmakers, Spike Lee who made his mark as a staple director with his first feature film, She’s Gotta Have It.

With so many gifted black filmmakers & actors, it can be hard to narrow it down to a mere listicle; but in this episode Justin Joseph Hall and Laura Davi hone-in on some of their favorite films which also happen to focus on stories that revolve around black lives, experiences, and issues. (Spoiler alert: Spike Lee is mentioned more than once on the feature films list and throughout the podcast.)

Short films discussed include Hair Love, Child of Resistance, 3 Brothers: Radio Raheem, Eric Garner and George Floyd, Dock Ellis & the LSD No-No, and Halfway Home: A Father’s Story.

To donate to the Connecticut Children with Incarcerated Parents, please check out their website here.

Feature films include The Butler, 13th, If Beale Street Could Talk, Malcolm X, Pursuit of Happyness, and Do the Right Thing.

And perhaps just as important as the filmmakers themselves are the actors & actresses that help bring the craft to life. These artists, plus additional filmmakers mentioned by Brian Trahan during this episode, are as follows:

Charles Burnett (Director) - Nothing but a Man

Viola Davis (Actress) - Fences

Jordan Peele (Writer/Director) - Get Out

Oprah Winfrey (Actress) - The Color Purple

Thandie Newton (Actress) - Crash

Melvin van Peebles (Writer & Actor) - Classified X

Debbie Morgan (Actress) - Eve’s Bayou

Thanks for tuning-in! Stay safe.

Credits for podcast:

Produced by Fourwind Films

Host: Justin Joseph Hall

Contributor: Laura Davi

Brian Trahan - Sound Mixer, Additional Music

Theme song of Season 4 is Loopster by Kevin MacLeod.

Contagion Films

Episode #23 - Welcome to a totally COVID kind of Feature & a short. Fourwind Films has decided to dedicate a podcast to talking about the best of the contagion films seen by our accountant Laura Davi, and your host, Justin Joseph Hall who has been called a movie encyclopedia. We redirect our documenting of our small film events to bring you our second film list episode!

The definition of an epidemic an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population. We are doing this episode because our lives have been stagnant and we’re looking for ways to cope.  Films are a quick way for humans to process other people’s minds.  So what will this list do for you?  If you watch these films, you may help understand the conditions of contagions in society through the medium of film.  These are the films we think are the best at communicating what life might be like during the time of a contagion.

First we discuss the BEST SHORT and FEATURE FILMS since STAY AT HOME ORDERS March 22nd in New York 

Tusalava

This animation film appears all over YouTube.  A great few minutes to take a step back and reflect.

The Shawshank Redemption

Frank Darabont watched Goodfellas (1990) every Sunday while shooting this film and drew inspiration from it, on using voice-over narration and showing the passage of time. 

Place Beyond the Pines

Compelling two part story about family and mystery with hunky lead actors, Bradley Cooper and Ryan Gosling.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

We loved this film so much we actually watched another film from Céline Sciamma’s earlier work as she’s been making films over the past two decades.  The real similarities I noted in her style is her use of music.  The absence of a score until the music is so utterly embedded in the moment or feeling of the film.  The silence let’s the music drive emotion more when it is present and Céline has mastered this art in Portrait of a Lady on Fire.  Also, best title ever.

BEST CONTAGION FILMS - Movies that teach us about possible scenarios of human spread contagion

Fast Spreading Contagion Films list

Philadelphia

TriStar the studio actually felt there was a need for this film, not so much about the disease, but to have Jonathan Demme have a homosexual main character was essential in the director and studio’s eyes.

Dallas Buyers Club

This is one of those “based on a true story” that isn’t quite accurate but is more of a conglomeration to express the mood of the times.  Based off of the man Ron Woodroof, but the film budget was incredibly low and they shot the film on twenty-five shoot days.

High on Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell

Everyone knows the crack epidemic.  Wordlwide 585,000 people died as a result of drug use in 2017.  COVID-19 is 232,180 at the moment.  This story is visceral, not only is my favorite film by Episode 21 guest, Jon Alpert who was a producer and cinematographer on the film.   Jon and the team with Downtown Community Television captured Christian Bale’s character Dicky Eklund.  It’s only an hour and packs an unbelieveable wallop

Thriller

The death count of zombies is unknown and presumed to be zero.  But this metaphor for disease and/or stupidity is a favorite in the film genres.  This film is my short, very closely followed by One Cut of the Dead that Thomas introduced me to in our 2010’s Fresh Air Award Episode.  Director of Blue’s Brother’s SNL spinoffs, John Landis spent half-a-million dollars in the 1980’s making this 13 minute film.

Requiem for a Dream

Based on a book written by Hubert Selby, Jr. in 1978.  Greeks, Egyptians, Sumarians, Chinese, Americans, Germans all have encountered this seemingly endless contagion in our society.  Darren Aronovsfy makes this disease live through music and compression of time.  He orchestrates everything you may notice in drug use, especially heroin use.

These are our top Contagion films, please write us at info@fourwindfilms.com or shout out to us on social media for the films we overlooked @fourwindfilms

Host, Justin Joseph Hall

Credits for podcast:

Produced by Fourwind Films

Host: Justin Joseph Hall

Contributor: Laura Davi

Brian Trahan - Sound Mixer

Theme song of Season 4 is Loopster by Kevin MacLeod.

Christian Felix: Book Club, Blue Collar

Episode #22 - Christian Felix is an actor from Chicago now based in New York City. He now regularly does a specific kind of acting in diversity training, which is one of the coolest jobs you’ve never heard of previously. No matter what you say about Christian, he is definitely a professional storyteller. On top of him expressively recounting amazing adventures , he’s a spectacular listener. This is what makes him successful throughout his years and his willingness to be professional in all setting yet still have fun. The exact person you want on any filmset.

Christian’s theme for the episode is how film sets can be fun and funny or incredibly contentious and still create great works of art. The short film Book Club by VARIETY SHAC Christian brought is a film where he was a background actor with hilarious comedians (Chelsea Peretti and Fred Armisen to name a couple) where his main job was not to laugh. He talks about other television sets such as the show Blacklist that were more stressful and lead us directly into his feature choice Blue Collar.

Blue Collar had three lead actors who were in a tif during the time of shooting. Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, and Yaphet Kotto were all told they were the lead and drugs and feuds lead to a rough set life as Christian explains in descriptive detail. The story centers around worker’s unions and the fight of the worker against the larger system is a story that continues to be retold and relived throughout the test of time.

If you want to hear more of Christian, please check out our podcast We Don’t Even Know where he co-hosts with Shonali Bhowmik.

Credits for podcast:

Produced by Fourwind Films

Brian Trahan - Sound Mixer, extra music

Theme song of Season 4 is Loopster by Kevin MacLeod.

Jon Alpert: When Life Hands You Lemons, Papa

Episode #21 - This episode features Jon Alpert, Oscar-nominated and Emmy-award winning documentary journalist. Prestigious award ceremonies aside, Alpert has been making films for over forty years and has stories for DAYS. Highlights include the story of how he was chosen as the director for the first Sundance film by Robert Redford, and another dives into how he and his partner Keiko Tsuno managed to get breaking footage in Vietnam during the war. As a co-founder of DCTV he shares how the Chinatown documentary incubator offered film equipment to anyone who wanted to tell stories about the community. Alpert’s career was birthed out of supporting his community, and he continues to prioritize doing so to this day.

The films he curated for the episode are both extremely personal. The short film by Jasmine Barclay is called, “When Life Hands You Lemons.” It tells the story of how she was houseless for all of high school without most people in her life having any idea. For the feature, Jon chooses his most personal documentary, “Papa.” Jon also shares how this film got made by working with documentary legend Sheila Nevins

Jasmine was part of the DCTV program “ProTV.” The free school teaches underprivileged high schoolers how to make film. Link to donate.

Credits:
Photography - Justin Joseph Hall, Piper Werle, Laura Davi

Host - Justin Joseph Hall

Location - Downtown Community Television Center

Production Assistant - Laura Davi

Production Company - Fourwind Films

The 2010's Fresh Air Award

Episode #20 - Welcome to a totally different kind of Feature & a short. Inspired by the podcast format of Filmspotting’s Best of episodes and award shows, Fourwind Films has decided to dedicate a podcast to talking about the best of the 2010 decade. We’ve picked a panel of four people who love films to discuss their favorite films of the decade. At the end the group will be begin a Fourwind tradition giving out the Fresh Air Award for the film that pushed cinema forward the most as an art form during its decade.

The four cinephiles in the panel to discuss films from 2010-2019 are Justin Joseph Hall, Thomas Kelsey, Jasmine Szympruch, and Elizabeth Yoo. They all are New York based cinephiles. For each below category each panel member presented 5 films. The group chats movies around a table in a normal New York apartment, heaters, fridge noises, sleepy dog and all.

First the panel discusses the best shorts of the decade. To prevent spoilers below is the link to all the nominations. Read the description to see who nominated them:

Best shorts of the 2010

Second the panel jumps to discuss the best features of the decade. Below is the link, read the description to see who nominated them:

Best features of the 2010’s

Third the panel is giving away our first Fresh Air Award for the film that pushed cinema forward the most as an art from. We plan to give away a Fresh Air Award each year for our final episode for the entire following decade. This is our way to honor commercially successful experimenting in film. Below is the link, read the description to see who nominated them:

2010’s Fresh Air Award Nominees - Letterboxd list

Justin Joseph Hall nominees

Get Out (2017)

Wawd Ahp (2014)

Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

The Lobster (2015)

Over the Garden Wall (2014)

Thomas Kelsey nominees

"This Is America" - Childish Gambino (2018)

Nanette (2018)

One Cut of the Dead (2017)

Kick-Ass (2010)

Black Swan (2010)

Jasmine Szympruch nominees

The Artist (2011)

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

World of Tomorrow ~Short~(2013)

The Act of Killing (2013)

I Am Not Your Negro (2016)

Elizabeth Yoo nominees
Lemonade (2016)

Under the Skin (2013)

A Separation (2011)

Get Out (2017)

World of Tomorrow (2015)

To find Fresh Air Award winner click on this link!

Hope you enjoy, please share with us your lists, comments, arguments, and for sure films that we left out via social media @fourwindfilms

Thanks for listening, Season 4 to come shortly!

Credits for Season 3 podcast:

Produced by Fourwind Films

Hosted by Justin Joseph Hall

Brian Trahan - Sound Mixer

Theme song of Season 3 is Johnny's Tune In Waltz by Salitros Ridin’ Rainbow

Interlude music by Sun Nectar

Thank you to Laura Davi, Daria Huxley, and Thomas Kelsey for helping throughout Season 3 of the podcast. Thank you to Cisco Bradley & Jennie Romer by hosting us at New Revolution Arts for one podcast.

Piper Werle: Veronica, The Last Unicorn

Episode #19 - Piper Werle is a writer and producer who loves the genre of fantasy in films. Her script’s dialogue always tickles your ribs and catches you off-guard. She uses the themes of fantasy and integrates them with accessible progressive ideas.

Piper’s short she contributed was her first film she had written and produced for the silver screen after many years writing for the stage. The short is called Veronica after the lead character’s name. It’s about the descendants of the mythical Greek Sirens. Piper uses practical effects and movie magic to bring the audience into the fantasy realm. The story is about dating a topic nearly anyone can relate to.

The Last Unicorn, the feature Piper brought, has a star studded cast including Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, Jeff Bridges, & Alan Arkin. It follows the story of a unicorn alone in the world who travels through the forest and to different kingdoms. It is also a fantastical story and has lots of hints at being created in the 1980’s. The animation style really has beautiful depictions of nature and its script includes funny names and silly quotes throughout the entirety of the movie.

Piper’s laugh is contagious so enjoy! Check out more of her work in our upcoming short Prologue, which she also wrote and worked as the Production Designer.

Piper Werle - Writer/Producer

Host - Justin Joseph Hall

Sound Mix & Additional Music - Brian Trahan

Theme song of Season 4 is Johnny's Tune In Waltz by Salitros’ Ridin’ Rainbow.

Jay Giampietro: the thing that kills me the most!, Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate

Episode #18 - Jay Giampietro is a director and editor who is a huge fan of films and sports. He is super easy to talk to and it seems always maintains a positive vibe towards anything unique. His unique lens really focuses on New York awkward single males and we think it’s safe to call him a true auteur. He is prolific and makes a short film at least once a year. We’ve shown Hernia at our annual Holiday Mixer several years ago.

This time for the short Jay presented his most recent film the thing that kills me the most! Sticking to odd New York area male characters. It is a very pretty experimental film that uses light in a unique way and takes documentary audio and montages it for new experience in motion picture.

Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate is a very 1980’s documentary with minimal soundtrack and tons of intrigue. Jay being a student of film history and the odd that is out there in the world chose to bring this film that captures one’s attention watching nervous men have sex with a young sex therapist for money.

Check out more of Jay’s work through is production company Magic Square Films.

Episode hosted by Justin Joseph Hall.

Jay Giampietro - Director/Editor

Credits:

Host - Justin Joseph Hall

Sound Mix & Additional Music - Brian Trahan

Theme song of Season 4 is Johnny's Tune In Waltz by Salitros’ Ridin’ Rainbow.

Justin Joseph Hall: Wasp, Rock & a Hard Place

Episode #17 - Justin Joseph Hall our owner from Minnesota has been working hard in post-production at DCTV this year. For this episode that was recorded on his birthday he decided to share how vérité documentaries can be made and aspects of using documentary style camera work can be used in narrative filmmaking.

Justin started with Andrea Arnold’s famous short film Wasp. It is entirely shot in handheld form with little or no music. It follows a family in real time evoking well-known vérité cinema techniques brought forth to documentary filmmaking by folks like the Maysles brothers in the 1960’s and beyond. It is a short intense drama about family responsibilities colliding with personal freedoms.

The feature Justin brought forth was Downtown Community Television’s Rock and a Hard Place that they made for HBO Documentaries in conjunction with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. The film is a vérité documentary by the legendary modern vérité directors Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill and was the first documentary Justin Joseph Hall had worked on with DCTV. He began as an assistant editor and many of the montages in the film for editor David Meneses.

To learn more about Justin’s work in conjunction with DCTV, please check out FRONTLINE: Life on Parole and the new series Axios on HBO.

Episode hosted by Daria Huxley.

Justin Joseph Hall - Assistant Editor

Host - Daria Huxley

Sound Mix & Additional Music - Brian Trahan

Theme song of Season 4 is Johnny's Tune In Waltz by Salitros’ Ridin’ Rainbow.

Ace Allgood: Chromium Hook, Network

Episode #16 - Ace Allgood is a producer based in Minnesota who is always down to give advice to up-and-coming filmmakers. He actually advised Fourwind Films' owner Justin Hall to move to NYC!  We went all the way to the Land of 10,000 Lakes to record our first episode outside of Brooklyn, NY, and to learn more about Ace's multi-decade career.

Ace brought The Chromium Hook, a film he produced that “breaks all the rules of short films.” He shares how the film was able to cast a very famous actress, why Minnesota is an amazing place to make film, and what he considers the elements of successful collaboration.

The feature film is the classic 1976 film, Network, which features Faye Dunaway. It won best screenplay in 1976, and Ace believes that it speaks to social issues that are also relevant today.

To learn more about Ace’s work, check out his former production company Channel Z here. You can also visit Channel Z's social media pages: Facebook | Twitter 

Episode hosted by Justin Joseph Hall.

Ace Allgood - Producer

Credits:

Host - Justin Joseph Hall

Sound - Brian Trahan
Location - Dakota Hall’s apartment

Inga Moren: Luz Marina, I'm So Excited!

Episode #15 - Inga Moren is a joy to have in the edit studio. She’s a vibrant character who knows how to articulate her thoughts and feelings on any subject. She works as an editor, writes, and directs experimental film. She’s also worked on camera crews, post-production processing, and so much more. Originally from Colombia, she currently makes money from Universal Studios.

Inga brought her new film Luz Marina an experimental short that explores the cults of modern day and the popularity of reality television that we have lived with since the turn of the century. The film moves through spaces and ideas rapidly presenting scenes that bridge the audience from idea to idea, almost like a dream in fast-forward.

Afterwards we were pleasured with the viewing experience of a Pedro Aldomovar film, I’m So Excited! A silly, colorful, and melodramatic film. It recounts several characters on a plane voyage. The story jumps in-between from pilots in the cabin, to the stewards, and the passengers. The film is filled with drinking and bold characters.

Inga’s knowledge of film history and unique vision on what the medium can be helped make this episode especially introspective, not only on the films she presented, but also of the possibilities of using film as a storytelling device itself.

Episode hosted by Justin Joseph Hall.

Credits:

Host - Justin Joseph Hall

Production Company & Location - Fourwind Films

Olga Loginova: Volte, Sacred Leaves

Episode #14 - Olga Loginova is an incredible collaborator  and artist who speaks poetically and with no filter. She is a director, producer, and cinematographer who recently graduated from Columbia where she learned to make scientific documentaries. Originally from Belarus with Russian roots, she has chiseled her vision of a storyteller through rigorous training in Germany, China, and the U.S.A., as well as by traveling and reporting across continents.

She chose the stunning short film Volte, a 10 minute coming of age documentary from Poland. Olga talks about how she resonates with the film because “as a child  I danced, and very soon I became too tall. I was lagging behind because I was too big, too big, too big.” This film is made in the Slavic school of teaching “where every shot is perfect.” Olga describes this film as “the difference between trying to document something and art. This is art.” This eastern European documentary that was picked up by the New York Times Op-Docs.

Olga also brought her feature Sacred Leaves The documentary is about the wonders of the Amazon rainforest and the constant destruction it faces for human profit. Olga talks about how her interest in the Amazon grew from how climate change in Brazil changes people’s lives as it does in her own ancestral lands of Siberia. There are countless adventure stories from her seventeen days of shooting, which she covers in addition to discussing characters who come “once in a century,” and what surprised her most. She shot the film before the wildfires hit, and offers insight into the many sources of deforestation that led to the rainforest’s current state. She plans to return to Brazil in the winter to show the film.

Olga herself is a character who comes once in a lifetime, and we were thrilled to have her international talents. Enjoy the episode.

Episode hosted by Justin Joseph Hall.

Olga Loginova - Director/Cinematographer

Credits:
Host - Justin Joseph Hall

Production Company & Location - Fourwind Films

Andi Obarski: Overslept, Thelma

Episode #13 - Andi Obarski is a cinematographer who brings a great mixture of lightheartedness and practical insight to us not only on this podcast, but also on set. She is a hard worker and a team player more knowledgeable than most.

For her short film Andi chose “Overslept” which is part of an internet series called “Countdown.” The unifying element between each short in Countdown is a character dealing with a serious time constraint. Andi describes the series as “scrappy, Brooklyn indie filmmaking at its finest.” She chose this 4 ½ minute short because there is no dialogue which created a welcome challenge for her as the film's cinematographer. The audience talk with Andi about the type of lighting used, bystanders who didn’t know they were on a film set, Andi’s feelings about what ended up on the cutting room floor, and more.

The feature film is Thelma, an LGBTQ supernatural thriller directed by Joachim Trier. Andi chose the film for its stunning cinematography, and also because “it’s kinda gay. I like that. I like gay things.” We do too, Andi. We do too.

RSVP or inquire at info@fourwindfilms.com about hosting Feature & a short or attending one of our podcast viewing parties. 

Episode hosted by Justin Joseph Hall.

Andi Obarski - Cinematographer

Credits:

Host - Justin Joseph Hall

Production Company & Location - Fourwind Films

Mack Williams: Freddie Gibbs - "Michael Jackson's Return to Gary, IN," What About Bob?

Episode #12 - Georgia native Mack Williams makes everyone laugh for hours with his stories and film choices. Mack is a graceful director and animator who makes working feel like play. His versatility in the commercial world as well as on creative content is always a notch above the rest. He works on a creative level with a fine knowledge for quality post-production on lower budgets. On top of that, Mack makes an incredible drinking partner. Even if you disagree with his tastes, you can’t help but want to listen to what he has to say. He graces us with his knowledge of animation workflow as well as stories of creating various cartoons for Cartoon Network, Pitchfork, and Showtime.

Mack chooses a short animated documentary that he directed called “Michael Jackson’s Return to Gary, IN.” It’s based off a true story told by Freddie Gibbs for the series FRAMES. For the feature he presents “What About Bob?” Mack discusses Richard Dreyfuss’ role in the film and why he makes it great. For more info on Mack, check out the Facebook page for his company Pig Apple. Additional music credits to Sun Nectar. Theme music by Salitros’ Riding Rainbow.

Credits:

Host - Justin Joseph Hall

Location & Production Company - Fourwind Films

Mack Williams Director/Animator & Simon

Shonali Bhowmik: The Hike, Valley Girl

Episode #11 - In this episode, Nashville native Shonali Bhowmik graces us with her humor and interesting stories. Shonali is one of the most charismatic people you will ever meet and is always working on a bunch of artistic endeavors. An incredibly thoughtful person of many talents, she has a network of friends and collaborators that surround her at all times. She's a frequent collaborator with us for the live podcast she hosts with Christian Felix called We Don’t Even Know, and is the director, lead actor, writer, and producer of Sardines Out Of A Can, a film Fourwind helped make before Fourwind was even a company. You can check out her band Tigers and Monkeys, who recently released a new music video. Shonali is also well known in the internet comedy world for the group Variety SHAC which began as a comedic quartet consisting of Shonali, Heather Lawless, Andrea Rosen, and Chelsea Peretti. During the discussion Shonali celebrates women in film, and sheds light on Variety SHAC’s influences on various comedians in the industry.

For the feature, Shonali brings the Martha Coolidge film Valley Girl. She discusses the casting process for the film that lead to Nicolas Cage playing the lead male. For her short film, she chooses the SHAC’s latest release, The Hike. The episode is a laugh riot and full of references to movie inspired snacks.

Episode hosted by Justin Joseph Hall.

Shonali Bhowmik - Actress/Director/Producer

Credits:

Host - Justin Joseph Hall

Location & Production Company - Fourwind Films

Soundtrack - Salitros Ridin’ Rainbow

Claudia de Candia: New York City Smells, Nights of Cabiria

Episode #10 - Italian born actress, Claudia de Candia, presents New York City Smells, an experimental short shot with an international cast and crew. She shares her experience changing roles the day of the shoot and working with a director who does not speak her language. Then Claudia shares The Nights of Cabiria, a film by Federico Fellini, Italy’s most famous director and one of Claudia’s biggest influences. We discuss the work of Fellini and Italian actress Giulietta Masina, who married Fellini after starring in some of his radio plays, and continued to act in his films throughout her life.

Claudia is a theatre and film actress who will star in the upcoming short film, Prologue. She works in Milan and New York. Follow her life and stories on instagram.

Credits:

Host - Justin Joseph Hall

Location & Production Company - Fourwind Films

Claudia de Candia - Actress

Justin Joseph Hall: Long Distance, The Science of Sleep

Episode #9 - Justin Joseph Hall presents Long Distance, a one-minute short he directed and released in 2016. The short features Isabel Restrepo and himself as a couple in a long distance relationship. He shares his choice behind excluding dialogue (hint: it has to do with him co-starring in it) and the spontaneity of its origins. The feature film is La science des rêves or The Science of Sleep, directed by Michel Gondry. Discussion centers around the use of foreshadowing and dream sequences in the film, as well as Gondry's other work.  

Justin is an independent film director and editor, and the owner of Fourwind Films. He's currently in post-production for his first documentary feature, Frames of Reference, a multi-continental effort that explores localized education across the globe. He is also in post-production for a short narrative, Prologue, and an internet documentary series. Keep up with him and the dogs in his life and other themes on Instagram.

Credits:

Host - Daria Huxley

Location & Production Company - Fourwind Films

Justin Joseph Hall - Director/Editor

Bruce Lithimane: Échappé, Postman Blues

Episode #8 - Creative director and cinematographer from Iowa and a film buff, Bruce Lithimane presents at Fourwind headquarters. Échappé was his choice for the short.  It stars Olesya Senchenko and was directed by Allison Mattox.  Bruce was Second Assistant Camera and Steadicam Operator for the short which is a visually incredible Russian ballet story.  Bruce takes us through the struggle with a camera rig and dance with ballerinas.  Next he took us through the Japanese mixed genre feature film, Postman Blues.  It is a funny and sometimes disturbing flick that Bruce wants to rewrite into a modern Brooklyn based adaptation.

Follow Bruce's vision through his lens on instagram.  Also shout out to VidMob who let us borrow Bruce from his normal duties in the office as lead talent acquisition.

Credits:

Host - Justin Joseph Hall

Location & Production Company - Fourwind Films

Bruce Lithimane - Camera Operator/Cinematographer, photo by Daria Huxley

Gary Jaquez: Abuela's Luck, Children of Men

Episode #7 - Gary Jaquez is a freelance Cinematographer based in Los Angeles.  He shoots with Fourwind often.  He was the Cinematographer on our last 2 short films.  Gary chose to present Fourwind's latest release, Abuela's Luck.  He takes us through wearing multiple hats and creative decision making on set.  He also flips the table during the event discussion and asked other people present about their roles in Abuela's Luck.  He then takes us through his hero Emmanuel Lubezki's famous Children of Men and gives us further explanation on why he's an important role model for a Latino in Hollywood.

To follow Gary's future set escapades, check out his instagram for Behind The Scenes shots on his major projects.  The next short film he worked on, Prologue, will be released by Fourwind Films later this year.

Credits:

Host - Justin Joseph Hall

Location & Production Company - Fourwind Films

Gary Jaquez - Cinematographer, photo by Daria Huxley

Gladys Mae Murphy: Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall, Pumping Iron

Episode #6 - An editor who was a part of post-production teams on multiple Oscar nominated documentary shorts, Gladys Mae Murphy, takes us through 2 films linked by her mentor, legendary editor Geof Bartz.  Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall was the first film she presented, which was made by a small film team she was a part of and was nominated for an Academy Award.  Gladys takes us through the director's toils of creating this film about how to handle death in prison.  We then lightened the mood with Pumping Iron, a look into the unique world of body building, a fun film centered around a young Arnold Schwarzenegger in his body building prime.

Gladys is an incredibly hard working editor who dives into her projects for months.  Much of her work, including Prison Terminal, are featured on HBO's streaming websites.  To see the latest by her check out her website.  She is currently working in collaboration on another documentary in conjunction with DCTV and HBO.

Credits:

Host - Justin Joseph Hall.

Location & Production Company - Fourwind Films

Gladys Mae Murphy - Editor, photo by Daria Huxley

Stephanie Gould: Dreaming, Mural Murals

Episode #5 - Originally from Australia, Stephanie Gould, a post-production expert, brought to Feature & a short an impressionistic experimental film she shot in 8mm titled Dreaming. This piece in its debut was projected alongside a live dance performance, but for the podcast Steph replaced the live dance piece with a song by Akiva Zamcheck who performed a live soundtrack on the guitar.  Shortly after a discussion we watched Mural Murals by Agnès Varda and enjoyed some Mexican pastries to accompany the L.A. flavor of the film.

Stephanie does animation, coloring, and editing in a wide variety of films and has had much of her own visual work featured at film festivals and live events.  Along with her film, she captures City Skins in photo formats.  To see more of her visual work visit her website at http://www.stephanie-gould.com/

Credits:

Host - Justin Joseph Hall.

Location & Production Company - Fourwind Films

Live Score - Akiva Zamcheck

Sound - Brian Trahan

Stephanie Gould - Director/Cinematographer, photo by Justin Joseph Hall