Sifter

From June 25-28, the Virginia Museum of History and Culture presented IllumiNATION, an artful celebration of our nation’s 250th that was projected on the 250-foot-long front of the museum. More than 32,000 people showed up on the front lawn to enjoy this truly spectacular, history-defining event (pun intended). Sam Florer, Director of Public Programs at VMHC, is this show’s guest. We discuss:
– The germination of the idea of Sailfest and IllumiNATION
– How they created the outline and sourced the imagery
– Using AI to animate still photos
– The block party and other simultaneous events
– The enthusiast...

Marc Weinberg & Victoria Fraser were on this show talking “Outrage,” the thriller they co-wrote and produced. This show will take them back to their time as writers in Hollywood:
– Getting a nasty letter from Leonard Nimoy
– Pitching a thriller to Dick Clark Productions
– Henry Winkler’s project on dyslexia
– What it means to have a script in turnaround
– Story credits: the difference between “and” and “&”
– The strike and AI

LINKS:
Scene in Virginia screenings at the Byrd
My first podcast with Victoria & Marc

“Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War” features the profiles of four unique individuals who were involved in the creation of our nation. This doc is part of our nation’s 250th anniversary and was produced locally by VPM PBS. Today’s podcast features producer/director Stacey L. Holman and her co-producer Maya Tepler. Our discussion includes:
– Their backgrounds and participation on the project
– How did VPM was involved
– The challenges of using AI to create imagery
– Recording a school class
– Shooting in historic locations
– The score and sound design
– VPM’s new building

LINK...

The 3rd annual Fredericksburg Film Festival runs from June 25 – 28. Today’s guests are Dalton Okolo, President and Executive Director, and Carlos Naranjo, Partnership Director of the festival. Our discussion includes:
– How the festival began?
– How it’s changed in 4 years.
– Working with the community
– This year’s theme
– Extended discussion of “Shallow”

LINKS
Fredericksburg Film Festival
1108 website
Lucas Huff’s website
My podcast with Melody Rocher about “Bird in Hand”
Silent Music Revival at Dogwood Dell
My review of “Obsession”

Jon Burkett started at CBS 6 as a photographer and worked his way up to become known as the “Crime Insider,” reporting on thousands of cases. He recently announced his retirement, which will be official on September 29, marking the day he started 26 years ago. We’ll talk about:
– Getting his start at Wendy’s
– A mistake that took him from radio to TV in the Navy
– Getting the job at CBS 6
– The creation of Crime Insider
– Witnessing executions
– The most unusual fan encounter
– Developing sources
– How crime & reporting has changed
– His next job

LINKS

Filmmaker Sasha Waters was on this podcast in 2022 to talk about her previous doc: “Garry Winogrand: All Things are Photographable.” She returns with her new film, “Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World” about the acclaimed poet. It will air Aug. 26 on the on the PBS series “American Masters.” Our discussion includes:
– Where Pieshake Pictures got its name
– Making short films
– Why she chose Mary Oliver as her next project
– Landing interviews with Steve Colbert, John Waters, Oprah Winfrey, Maria Shriver, Lucy Dacus, Helena Bonham Carter and Steve Busemi
– A new editing workflow
– Deali...

Victoria Fraser & Marc Weinberg are partners in life and work. They’ve written for numerous film and TV projects, the most recent being “Outrage.” It stars Reed Birney as a conservative talk show host who’s being held captive in a basement. They also served as Executive Producers. Our lively chat includes:
– Marc as a film critic for Richmond Magazine
– Victoria working for Disney
– How they met and decided to work together
– Their writing process
– The inspiration for “Outrage”
– Getting hate mail from Leonard Nimoy
– The difference between “&” and “and” for a writer credit
– Types of Exe...

Max Fischer is a Richmond cinematographer who’s worked on numerous commercials, movies and TV shows. In addition to shooting the new thriller, “Saturnalia,” Max also served as Executive Producer. We’ll discuss:
– The film’s idea born out of the strikes
– The meaning of the title & Easter eggs
– Giallo’s influence
– Shooting at Dover Hall & the Pump House
– Music by the best-known giallo composer
– Eating mutton as a vegetarian in Mongolia
– Getting the movie on streaming and beyond

LINKS
Saturnalia website
Daniel’s IMDB page
Podcast with Vivian Owen on being a...

Richmond native Steve Segal started animating as a young boy and his first major project was “Futropolis” (my podcast about the movie with him and co-director Phil Trumbo is linked below). After he left Richmond, his career included:
– Creating animations on early computers
– Getting to meet John Lassiter
– Scenes he animated on “Toy Story”
– Being a scene planner on “A Bug’s Life”
– Working on animation for “Pee-wee’s Playhouse”
– Directing “It’s Tough to be a Bug” at Disney World
– Controversy teaching History of Animation
– What’s next (maybe even AI)

LINKS
Steve Segal’s website...

Brandon Shillingford started Exposure Cinema in 2024 for people to explore, watch, discuss and connect through film. There have been several screening events with the next one coming up this month, “One for the Money,” which he’ll describe in this interview. We’ll also discuss:
– Why he’s in Rome
– Taking film class in high school
– His previous jobs at NPR, CNN and VPM
– Why he started Exposure
– His podcast on cinema
– The event coming up

LINKS:
Exposure Cinema
My podcast with Hard Light Cinema
My podcast with Cinema Niche
My...

Phil Trumbo was born and raised in Virginia and he started his career as an animator here with the movie he co-produced with Steve Segal, “Futropolis” (podcast with them about the movie is linked below). After he left Richmond, Phil’s career took him “careening” in several directions:
– Not getting accepted in VCU’s art program
– Being in bands, including The Orthotonics
– Working on national commercials & MTV spots
– Animating the opening and dinos for “Pee Wee’s Playhouse”
– Designing for “Doug” and other TV shows
– Creating the official video game of the 1996 Olympics
– Video game design for 100+...

Julian Glander is an accomplished designer, illustrator and animator who’s first feature, “Boys Go to Jupiter” is showing at this year’s Richmond Animation Festival (April 25 & 26). Julian will be here for the screening on April 26 at the Byrd and the animated shorts will show on the 25th at Studio Two Three. Julian has lots of cool things to say:
– Reciting the alphabet backwards on “Jepordy”
– Desiging for Disney, Cartoon Network & Nickelodeon
– The inspiration for “Boys Go to Jupiter” & what the title means
– Starting the film with a Dionne Warwick quote
– Animation using Blender
– Getting an impress...

VCU’s Institute of Contemporary Art (or the ICA) opened in 2018 and has continually shown films in their auditorium. Amber Esseiva, Senior Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, and Mimi Luse, Head of Program Production, join me to talk about the numerous offerings that are available including:
– Why cinema programs at the ICA?
– Films from The Kadist Foundation
– The New Richmond Filmmakers Series (featuring Surprise Guest Ken Brisby’s film)
– Community Media Center Film Workshops
– Exposure Cinema Series
– First Friday Film Events

LINKS
The ICA website
To apply for the Community Fi...

VCU’s Institute of Contemporary Art (or the ICA) opened in 2018 and has continually shown films in their auditorium. Amber Esseiva, Senior Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, and Mimi Luse, Head of Program Production, join me to talk about the numerous offerings that are available including:
– Why cinema programs at the ICA?
– Films from The Kadist Foundation
– The New Richmond Filmmakers Series (featuring Surprise Guest Ken Brisby’s film)
– Community Media Center Film Workshops
– Exposure Cinema Series
– First Friday Film Events

LINKS
The ICA website
To apply for the Community Fi...

University of Richmond professors Anthony Russell and Sonja Bertucci are the guiding forces behind the Italian and French Film Festival that’s running at the University from March 27 thru April 3. We discuss:
– Their early film inspirations
– Her documentary
– How this festival come about
– Why the French/Italian combo?
– What we can expect in addition to screenings

LINKS
Italian and French Film Festival
First podcast on the French Film Festival
Second podcast on the French Film Festival

Steve Segal and Phil Trumbo co-directed “Futuropolis” a zany animated sci-fi adventure that was released in 1984. It’s being screened at the 32nd annual James River Film Festival (March 29 – April 4). Steve went on to work at Pixar on the first two “Toy Story” movies and Phil won an Emmy for his work on “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” but we’ll save those discussions for future podcasts. This show is about “Futropolis:”
– The VCU inspiration for the movie
– Their expectations and the results
– Being influenced by Red Grooms and Max Fleisher
– Shooting stop motion with people
– Drawing animation on the actual fi...

This year’s Indie Short Film Festival runs from March 20 – 22 in Charlottesville. Two directors from the festival talk about their films.
Jamal Hodge has 2 films: “Take it to the Grave” and “Mourning Meal”
Kelsey Nerrie is premiering her first short “Repurcussion(s)”
They’ll give us insight into their backgrounds, their inspirations and the challenges for their projects.

LINKS
Indie Short Film Festival
Jamal Hodge website
Kelsey Nerri’s social media link: @repercussionsfilm2025
The doc on Terry O’Neill of Penny Lane Pub

Andy Edmunds, Director of the Virginia Film Office, is back for this 5th year to talk about the activity in Virginia’s production industry last year. This also includes a discussion of the film that Andy wrote and directed here.

LINKS
Virginia Film Office
“The Cashier” on Insta
“The Cashier” on Facebook
The Byrd Theatre

Previous podcasts mentioned
Griffin in Summer
Bird in Hand
Daphne Reid
Bunt Young
Rex Teese

This year’s RVA Environmental Film Festival runs from 2/21 to 3/7 in venues all over town. Today’s show features 2 locally made docs. CATCHING PINECONES tells the story of Jan and Herb Conn, who were pioneering rock climbers, cavers and nature preservationists. Director Chad Heddleston discusses:
– The 10-year journey to get this made
– Inspiration from the lives of the Conns
– The meaning of the title
– Using jaunty jump cuts instead of pan and zoom
– Jan’s music in the soundtrack

ALL FORWARD profiles an intensive training program for river rafting guides in Richmond, which has the na...

Patrick Michael has been acting since the 3rd grade. His big break came from “Travelers,” an early reality series that ran on the Discovery Channel from 1996 to 1998. He was one of the hosts who visited cities around the world to experience the culture. He later went to Hollywood where he worked in TV shows and movies before returning back here. We’ll cover:
– His real name
– What is “Travelers” and how he got the gig
– Some of the most unusual experiences on the show
– Working on “Beverly Hills 90210”
– Partying at the mansions of William Shatner and Aaron Spelli...

Martin Luther King, Jr. visited Richmond several times and the documentary “Echoes of a Dream: MLK’s Legacy in Richmond, Virginia” is playing around the state to celebrate his connections to our city. The film’s director is Tyrone Nelson, Jr., who’s the Founder and CEO of Newviews Agency, a local creative agency and production company. Our discussion includes:
– How he got noticed by Adidas
– The Newviews Agency explained
– How his former jobs for VCU sports & Dominion Energy prepared him
– What inspired Echoes of a dream?
– Tyrone what’s background and how did u start agency (16):

Ward Howarth produces promotional videos for the Lockwood Broadcast Group. Lockwood is a television, digital and advertising company that owns and operates 13 television stations and programs 33 channels in eight markets. Our chat includes:
– How he started his career with skate videos
– Being a “dub cub”
– A creepy Halloween spot from “Family Feud”
– Challenging and cool aspects of his job
– Deciding to write novels
– Winning awards from Richmond Magazine and VMFA

LINKS
Lockwood Broadcast
Ward Howarth’s website
Community Authors Expo at the Fairfield Library
VPA State of the Industry 1/29

Nicholas Kleczewski is a Richmonder who edited the documentary “Song Sung Blue,” which inspired the current film of the same name starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. He’s had a varied career as an editor and director. Our discussion includes:
– Starting with extreme sports docs
– Two years creating videos for Beyoncé
– Getting the “Song Sung Blue” gig via Craigslist
– Comparing the Hollywood version to the original doc
– How Eddie Vedder saved it at Sundance
– Meeting Hugh Jackman at the premiere
– An immigration challenge in Zimbabwe
– Creating content for Audi

LINKS
Nick’s websit...

Walid Chaya is an actor, director, writer and teacher who worked in Richmond before moving to Los Angeles. He’s acted in TV shows and movies, as well as directed shorts and taught acting classes. Our lively discussion includes:
– Getting inspired as a child in Lebanon
– How he got to Richmond
– Moving to LA
– Being cast in stereotypical Middle Eastern roles
– Working on “Madam Secretary”
– Getting burned to death by Neo-Nazis
– Working with a dialect coach on “Blacklist: Redemption”
– Sitting in a makeup chair for 3 hours
– His shorts and upcoming feature

LINKS
W...

“Bad Shabbos” is a comedy about family that gathers for the traditional Shabbos dinner, when the son brings his new Catholic girlfriend. That’s just the beginning of what happens before it takes a surprising turn. Zack Weiner co-wrote this film with his director Daniel Robbins. It will be the first film playing at the 17th annual Israel and Jewish Film Festival at the Weinstein JCC. There will be a Red Carpet Opening Night Premiere Party on January 8 with Zack attending. Today, Zack will talk about:
– Starting his work relationship with director Daniel Robins
– Creating a BDSM video to r...

Hard Light Cinema is run by 8 cinephiles who screen independent and international films in various venues around Richmond. Since founding last November, they’ve screened 35 films. They have 3 slated for January and the first is Frederick wiseman’s 1968 documentary “High School” (free at the Richmond Public Library Main Branch, 1/4, 2pm). For this interview Lewis Peterson, Warner West & Syd Miller join me to talk about:
– Who they are and how they got into cinema
– Hard Light’s beginning
– How it’s grown in 2 years
– Deciding what films to show
– Slow cinema
– How they finance the screenings

LI...

Charles D. Thompson Jr. is a prolific author and director. His most recent documentary is “Rock Castle Home,” which is about this unique community in the Blue Ridge Mountains and how it evolved and later vanished. It’s being screened as part of a series of programs at the Library of Virginia that highlight stories of displacement in Virginia communities, “House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History.” Charles will be in attendance on Fri, Dec 12 at 2pm. We’ll discuss:
– His Virginia connection
– Why his personal background inspired his books & documentaries
– Becoming interested in “the little man”
– Going f...

WRIC’s “Showcase” started a few years back, but was updated to a full one-hour show, when it launched September 8 with co-hosts Amie Carter & Melissa Chase. We had a lively discussion which includes:
– Their backgrounds and how they came to this show
– Melissa at Hamaganza
– Amie’s namesake
– Shooting in studio and on location
– Why it’s on mid-afternoon
– Planning their wardrobe
– The most interesting or unusual story
– How it’s different from other local news shows
– A character named Melissa Chase on Disney

LINKS
Showcase on WRIC
Showcase Facebook p...

David Crank is a Richmond-based film Production Designer. He was Oscar-nominated for “News of the World” in 2021 (there’s a link to that podcast below). His latest project was for “The Lost Bus (Apple TV),” which stars Matthew McConaughey as the bus driver who got a bus full of school children thru the horrific Camp Fire in 2018. We discuss:
– The origins of his last name
– Re-creating the interiors & exteriors
– Using 7 busses for the shoot
– Safety precautions for kids
– Working with McConaughey
– The real people who lived thru the fire
– Meeting Bad Bunny

LINKS
David’...

Joey Clift is a Los Angeles-based comedian, TV writer, director, Emmy-nominated producer and member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. His film “POW” is an animated short about a young native kid trying to charge his video game console at a powwow. He’s one of the featured directors at this year’s Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival (11/20-23), that presents projects from indigenous filmmakers from all over the world. We talk about:
– Where the Cowlitz Indian Tribe is
– How he got into storytelling
– Using 3 different animation styles
– Designing characters with different skin tones
– The community of native comedian...

Andrew D. Kaplan has made several documentaries about 19th century writers and “In Search of Edgar Allen Poe” is his latest. This extensive 3-hour doc is now streaming on PBS. We’ll talk about:
– His PhD in mass communications
– Acting as the on-camera narrator
– Touching up historical portraits
– Determining Poe’s accent for the voiceover
– Using Stephen Foster’s songs
– The Golden Age of illustration
– The mysterious man at his grave on Poe’s birthday

LINKS
In Search of Edgar Allan Poe on PBS
East Rock Films website
RONSTERBALMER Video...

Daniel Poler comes from Venezuela and Panama and his new film is coming to this year’s Virginia Film Festival (10/22-26). ESPINA is the film he made about and starring his best friend, Jonathan, who’s confined to a wheelchair. The movie explores the subject with an upbeat attitude. We discuss:
– How he got to the states
– When his filmmaking career began
– Creating fashion videos for designers like Prada, Carolina Herrera, Jason Woo and Saks
– Graduating from a doc to narrative
– The title’s meaning
– The surprise after the credits

LINKS
The Virginia...

Jeff Rathner started his career shooting news at CBS6 right here in Richmond. He ultimately ended up in DC working for 36 years at the PBS Newshour. Our discussion includes:
– A wise mouth anchor at “PM Magazine”
– Sharing a cigar with Fidel Castro
– Covering Bill Clinton as his scandal started
– Putting a mic on Paul McCartney
– Sharing birthdays with Tom Hanks
– Getting a kiss from Baryshnikov
– The most challenging interviews

LINKS:|
Jeff’s IMDB page
The Rocky Horror report on CBS6  (that Jeff shot)
The 48 Hour Horror film Project (Oct 19 & 26)

“The American Miracle” is a docudrama inspired by Michael Medved’s book of the same title. It states that God’s “providential hand” intervened in the founding of the United States. Douglas B. Maddox had a number of jobs on the film, including producer. We discuss:
– Switching from physics to film in college
– How he got involved with this project
– Getting Pat Boone and Richard Dreyfuss
– Shooting in Virginia
– Visual effects to create crowds, snow and cold breath
– Results of the national screenings

LINKS
The American Miracle website
DBM Communications
Pod...

This is the 2nd year for the Inthrive Film Festival, which features the voices and talents of incarceration survivors. It’s coming to Richmond October 3-6 at various locations. We’ll meet the makers of 2 entries about the closing of prisons that take very different approaches. Ashley Hunt’s “And Water Brings Tomorrow” merges poetry and documentary, while Juicebox P. Burton’s short “Space to Breathe” is a futuristic look at life without prisons. Our discussion includes:
– Their backgrounds
– How water inspired the title
– A hybrid between doc and narrative
– Taking a futuristic approach to abolition
– Afro f...

Bunt Young is a Richmond native who started his career as a cinematographer when he was still a teen. He’s worked on TV shows, motion pictures and commercials. We discuss:
– His affinity for impressions
– Differences between A camera, B camera, insert camera and more
– Getting fiery shots in the pit of a big race
– Landing the gig on Terrence Malick’s “The New World”
– Riding in the back seat with Jim Gaffigan
– Working with Mike Henry on a memorable commercial
– Cloris Leachman’s bold move
– Shooting with Amy Poehler before SNL

LINKS:
Bu...

Richmonder Melody C. Roscher wrote and directed “Bird in Hand,” which she shot here. It follows Bird Rowe, a biracial bride-to-be who arrives unannounced at her hippie mother’s home to plan her wedding. The Virginia premiere will be at this year’s Richmond International Film Festival on 9/25 at 7pm at the Byrd. Our discussion includes:
– Her background in Richmond
– Going from wanting to be a zoologist to a filmmaker
– The experience at Sundance for her short film
– Where the idea for “Bird in Hand” originated
– The meaning of the title
– Casting Christine Lahti & James LeGros

Will Turner is the subject of the new documentary “Sierra 914,” which follows his extreme marathon event, where he swam, biked and ran 914 miles as a personal challenge. He’s joined by the film’s director Ryan Dugger. They talk about this incredible achievement and the grueling process for Will and the film crew:
– What started Will running
– How Ryan decided to shoot the doc
– Why it’s called Sierra 914
– How it was financed
– Will’s dedications to friends
– Why Will doesn’t wear headphones while running/biking
– Shooting for almost 24 hours

LINKS
RIFF (Richmond...

Andrea Meyerson formed an online community of fellow lesbians during COVID, Women on the Net. She joined with director Kathryn L. Beranich to produce this documentary about this and the famous guests who were on the zoom group. “An Unexpected Community” will play at this year’s Virginia Queer Film Festival, which will run September 12 – 14 at Old Dominion University in Norfolk. We discuss:
– How the idea for the original show came about
– Shooting interviews all over the country
– Having famous comics and musicians on the zoom
– Funding the production
– Covering the big in-person meetup
– Challenges...

“Griffin in Summer” is a coming-of-age feature about Griffin, a fourteen-year-old aspiring playwright (Everett Blunck). During the summer he tries to bring his ambitious artistic vision to life, while becoming enamoured by his mom’s handyman. It was shot in Virginia in 2023 and stars Melanie Lynskey (as mom) and Owen Teague (as the handyman). It also won the Founders Award for best U.S. narrative feature at last year’s prestigious Tribecca Film Festival. In our discussion we cover:
– How his own youth inspired the project
– Casting and working with young actors
– Finding Everett Blunck aka Griffin
...