Editorials

Mark Stafford BASTARDS’ ROAD : Naples International Film Festival INTERVIEWS; finding a mission greater than his own redemption

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, I talk to the film’s producer and writer Mark Stafford about the gift, as I see it, to be able to see and hear the man, and Stafford’s efforts as the writer for the documentary to help craft a coherent path to tell the man’s story. Stafford also talks about the beauty of documentary filmmaking knowing as you are going in, the different and unexpected directions it can go, and then how a filmmaker’s perspective changes after viewing the first cuts with an audience.

Chris Hansen’s SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE : Naples International Film Festival; unique approach to showing the life of a marriage

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, I talk to Hansen about why he chose to structure the film the way he did to properly portray the “raw, real life junk” that marriages are chock full of. He also discusses how much the actors’ had to shoulder when it comes to delivering a nuanced look at a relationship and how shooting out of order and shooting primarily at night could have complicated that effort – yet didn’t.

Olympia Stone’s ACTUALLY, ICONIC: RICHARD ESTES: Naples International Film Festival; called the “father of photorealism”

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, I talk to Stone about Estes’ exceptionally rare ability to capture not just architecture to a remarkable exactness but to subtly give an artistic life to the images he paints. She discusses the unique pressure and challenges to introducing the public to this artist who was not “asking” for attention in that way, including getting him to discuss, if not open up freely about his life as a gay man, as well as his approach to his art.

Jonathan Wysocki ‘s DRAMARAMA: Naples International Film Festival INTERVIEWS; farewell murder mystery slumber party

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, Wysocki and I talk about being the architect of a film that can be made without depending on extensive financing or support from others, and what the tipping point is to finally kick that into gear. He also gets into the realization of how much a filmmaker will be “living with their film” and how much that determines the film you choose to make.

Lanie Zipoy’s THE SUBJECT: Naples International Film Festival INTERVIEWS; legitimate hit on the regional film festival circuit

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview (which follows a few interviews I have done with Lanie for various outlets as the film has screened at the Bentonville Film Festival, the Harlem International Film Festival, and now NIFF, among others), we talk about how the script for the film found its way to Zipoy, and why the story stuck with her and infiltrated her dreams to the point she needed to make the film. We discuss the director/writer working relationship on an indie film – at least on this one, as well as Jason Biggs’ involvement in the film and participation beyond just playing a role to being a more supportive asset than just being a top lining star.

Alice Gu’s THE DONUT KING: Naples International Film Festival INTERVIEWS; Cambodian force of nature with a donut is the stuff of American legend

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, Gu and I talk about her experience doing the COVID virtual film festival tour and the bittersweet nature of it all. We also discuss the protective nature of film festival programmers toward their filmmakers, my usual rant about filmmakers not delivering good production stills to promote their films, how much the virtual application has affected the connection to other filmmakers and ability to maybe work with them in the future. We finish with a “Thumbs up/Thumbs down” assessment of different donuts.

Hannah Black and Megan Petersen’s DROUGHT: Interviewed at Naples International Film Festival; a road trip that becomes stormy

Hannah Black and Megan Petersen’s DROUGHT: Interviewed at Naples International Film Festival; a road trip that becomes stormy

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, I talk to Black and Petersen about the development process and filming process and how they divided up those responsibilities (since they co-directed, co-wrote, co-produced, co-starred, and co-damn near did everything on the film), and how they would work through “crises” like having their grip truck stuck in the sand. They talk about sensing when they were on or off performance-wise, and the support they had beyond that – on a micro-budgeted production.

Brian Owens from Calgary International Film Festival: Interviews; Regional Film Fests killing it (versus being killed)

By John Wildman 5 years ago

Brian Owens: The swing to ticket bundles, away from single tickets, was pretty incredible. That formed the vast majority of our box office revenue this year. We lowered the cost and set the overall price of tickets to be the same whether you were in the cinema or viewing at home. It made the bundles even more flexible and adaptable in case further in-cinema restrictions were rolled out. More people saw multiple films, and new audiences dove right in without being concerned over a cancellation or postponement.

Nolan Dean talks RAP SQUAD: HOT SPRINGS DOCUMENTARY Film Fest INTERVIEW; hip-hop and spoken word to heal community

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, I talk to Dean about his relationship with director Nathan Willis and what his role as producer entailed on RAP SQUAD. We also discuss the insecurity regarding their own insight and perspective that led to a desire by Dean and Willis, who are white, to find a black editor to work on the film. We also talk about ensuring that you don’t manufacture good guys versus bad guys who aren’t really there.

Yi Chen’s FIRST VOTE: HOT SPRINGS DOCUMENTARY Film Fest INTERVIEWS; electoral process from Chinese Americans perspective

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, I talk to Chen about how she found her subjects and gained their trust and willingness to participate in her film, as well as her approach with her subjects in terms of challenging them on camera when they would make erroneous statements about policy. We also talk about her filmmakers’ focus on getting the shot and the sound, even as an interview subject is propping up an AK-47 on a wall next to herself during an interview like it was a rake or something.