Episode #10: Gabriela Cowperthwaite And "Blackfish"

In this special bonus episode, Andrew and Monica have a casual interview with author, activist and film critic Gareth Higgins about life, movies and his new book, Cinematic States. In the book, Higgins examines American cultural myths through the lens of its movies, going state-by-state throughout the U.S. and exploring what films set in those states reveal.  They discuss the process of writing the book, the state of film criticism, the inherent morality of art, the need for non-violent forms of conversation, why The Lone Ranger is the best film of the year, and a lot more!

ABOUT OUR GUEST: Gareth Higgins is an author, speaker, non-profit director, and festival curator. His latest book, Cinematic States, explores American myths through films set in each of the 50 states. He is also a co-host of the podcast The Film Talk, the best film podcast not on Film Geek Radio.

SHOW NOTES:

0:22 - Intro
3:34 - A conversation with Gareth Higgins
44:40 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com or leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

Everybody loves SeaWorld, but what if that's just because we're being fed a bunch of lies? In this episode, Monica sits down with Gabriela Cowperthwaite, the director of the new documentary Blackfish, which uses an attack by a killer whale in captivity to explore just what exactly goes on behind the curtain. Is there anything about the SeaWorld experience that's authentic? What was the most painful thing to learn? And how did her perceptions change as she got further into her investigation? Tune in to find out.

NOTE: This episode arguably contains mild spoilers for Blackfish.

SHOW NOTES:

About Our Guest:

Gabriela Cowperthwaite is a documentary filmmaker who has directed, produced and written a variety of real life stories, including City Lax: An Urban Lacrosse Story and Blackfish, the latter of which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. She has also produced content for ESPN, National Geographic, Animal Planet, Discovery, and History Channel.

The Episode:

0:26 - Introduction
2:04 - What inspired you to investigate this?
4:38 - Was it hard to find the trainers?
6:16 - How did you approach crafting the narrative?
9:10 - Did you ever feel nostalgic? The trainers' love for the animals is authentic.
14:10 - Had you ever considered fact-checking SeaWorld's claims before making the film?
15:45 - What was the most difficult thing to learn? Was anything cut?
19:08 - What has been the response from SeaWorld and from audiences?
14:06 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact us by emailing letsgetreel@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Richard Rowley talks to Monica Castillo about his new documentary Dirty Wars. The film is loosely based on the book of the same name and follows investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill around the world as he investigates a side of the War on Terror most media outlets rarely cover: drone strikes, assassinations, U.S.-backed warlords, and more. Rowley talks with Monica about the three-year process of making the film and what changes he hopes to inspire.

SHOW NOTES:

About Our Guest:

Richard Rowley has made multiple award-winning documentary features including Fourth World War and This Is What Democracy Looks Like. His shorts and news reports are also regularly featured on leading outlets including Al Jazeera, BBC, CBC, CNN International, Democracy Now!, and PBS. Rowley is a co-founder of the Independent Media Center and has been a Pulitzer Fellow, Rockefeller Fellow, a Jerome Foundation Fellow, and a Sundance Documentary Film Program Fellow.

The Episode:

0:26 - Introduction and clip
2:07 - Was the film inspired by the book, or were they produced at the same time?
4:05 - Have you been surprised by the reception?
5:25 - Are you hoping this leads to more transparency?
8:04 - How were you able to connect the dots?
10:01 - Have you heard anything from the Obama administration?
10:40 - Aren't some of the incidents depicted in the film still under investigation by the government?
13:07 - How would you like to see the wars end in both Iraq and Afghanistan?
14:06 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact us by emailing letsgetreel@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

Greta Gerwig started out as the so-called "queen of mumblecore," appearing in low-budget movies by people like Joe Swanberg and the Duplass Brothers. She’s now one of the most sought-after actresses around, having landed supporting roles in movies like No Strings Attached and Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love. Her latest film, Frances Ha, reunites her with Greenberg director Noah Baumbach. Exquisitely shot in black-and-white, the film follows a young dancer struggling to figure out what to do with her life. Monica Castillo talked to Gerwig on the phone about co-writing the film, real-life experiences that inspired it, and the role dance has played in her life.

SHOW NOTES:

About Our Guest:

Greta Gerwig first rose to prominence as the star of several films considered part of the "mumblecore" movement, including LOL, Hannah Takes The Stairs and Baghead. She previously worked with acclaimed filmmaker Noah Baumbach in his film Greenberg, and she has had supporting roles in movies like No Strings Attached and To Rome With Love.

The Episode:

0:06 - Introduction and clip
2:21 - Did you enjoy making the movie? What was the writing process like?
4:12 - The characters feel very real.
5:45 - Are any of Frances' experiences based on your life or the lives of people you know?
7:16 - Do you want to do more work behind the camera?
7:40 - How did you reach the decision to shoot in black-and-white?
9:10 - Do you have a background in modern dance?
13:36 - Do you have a favorite dance company?
14:46 - How do you feel about being called the "queen" of mumblecore?
15:47 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact us by emailing letsgetreel@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

It's been nearly 10 years since Shane Carruth made a splash on the filmmaking scene with the super low-budget time travel film Primer, which went on to find a cult following. He's now self-distributing his second film, Upstream Color, which follows a relationship across multiple non-linear storylines and also involves pigs and parasites and drugs and kidnappings. He also stars in the film, edited it, and worked on the score. In this episode, Monica Castillo talks with him about the use of symbols, the distinct color scheme, working both in front of and behind the camera, his brief collaboration with Rian Johnson on Looper, and much more.

SHOW NOTES:

About Our Guest:

Shane Carruth is a film director, writer, actor and composer. Before pursuing a career as a filmmaker he studied math and worked as a software engineer. His first film, Primer, won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. His second film, Upstream Color, won the Special Jury Award for Sound Design at the same festival in 2013 and is gradually being self-distributed across the country.

The Episode:

0:26 - Introduction and clip
2:28 - There's a structural change between Primer and Upstream Color. Why did you decide to take your storytelling in this new direction?
6:07 - Do you have "fun" with symbols? Do you ascribe meaning to those symbols or do you intend for the audience to read their own meaning onto them?
8:06 - The use of color is gorgeous. Do you plan it in advance, play with it in post...? What is your method?
11:24 - Do you think you have any cinematic influences?
12:50 - Do you have a favorite storyline or scene in Upstream Color?
14:29 - How were you inspired to use pigs?
16:14 - You take on so many roles in the filmmaking process. What's your favorite part of the process?
17:10 - Would you ever consider working within the Hollywood system?
18:14 - What was your collaboration with Rian Johnson on Looper?
19:47 - How did you approach the editing?
22:05 - Do you like acting?
22:58 - What was the most challenging scene?
23:32 - What's the best part of the festival circuit and the feedback you're getting?
25:55 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact us by emailing letsgetreel@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

Harmony Korine sometimes comes across as nervous or downright bizarre in his interviews with the press, but he was refreshingly candid in this interview with Monica Castillo about his new film Spring Breakers. She asked him about the technical side of the film, working with James Franco and Selena Gomez, and just what he's hoping people take away from it. Spoiler: if you came out of the theater feeling like you dropped acid, that was probably intentional.

SHOW NOTES:

About Our Guest:

Harmony Korine is a filmmaker and author whose movies are often characterized by their non-linear, experimental form and shocking content. He first earned acclaim as the screenwriter of Larry Clark's controversial film Kids in 1994. He has directed the films Gummo, Julien Donkey-Boy, Mister Lonely, Trash Humpers and Spring Breakers, among others. In 1998, he published the novel "A Crack Up At The Race Riots."

The Episode:

0:26 - Introduction and clip
2:52 - What attracted you to the spring break phenomenon?
4:10 - You chose to film at St. Pete Beach in Tampa. Of all the beaches in Florida, why did you choose to film there?
5:10 - Your use of lighting blew my mind. It's very saturated and there are several bright hues. How did you achieve that effect?
6:35 - You don't tell the story entirely linearly. Did you make that decision at the beginning or in post-production?
7:40 - Did you always know that Britney Spears song would be featured?
8:15 - How did you get James Franco and Selena Gomez to join the project?
9:52 - Did you have to cut anything to get an R rating?
10:39 - There's a lot of humor in the movie. How did you find the balance between comedy and the darker subject matter?
11:37 - How did you maintain control on set with all this chaos happening around you?
12:12 - How long was the shoot and what was it like to work with your wife?
13:14 - There are lots of repeated lines and motifs. Why did you choose to do that?
14:00 - Your film covers a lot of heavy themes but neither celebrates nor condemns the behavior. Were you trying to reflect culture back at the audience rather than comment on it?
16:04 - Are you looking to do more "popsploitation" movies?
16:45 - A lot of people who see this film will be unfamiliar with your previous work. What are you hoping they take away from the movie?
17:33 - What was the biggest challenge in making this movie?
18:25 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact us by emailing letsgetreel@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

There’s a new independent horror film being released in select AMC theaters this weekend: the teen cyber-slasher flick Smiley. The movie’s titular villain is a serial killer who can be called on to kill anyone over the internet. But this isn’t your typical slasher -- there’s a pseudo-philosophical subtext to it exploring the power of online anonymity and the internet as an extension of human nature. Michael J. Gallagher stops by to talk about the dark side of the cyberspace and the process of making and distributing an independent feature film.

SHOW NOTES:

About Our Guest:

Michael J. Gallagher is the creator of the online sketch comedy series "Totally Sketch" and the director of the independent horror film Smiley. He has been studying and producing film since he was nine years old.

The Episode:


0:26 - Introduction and clip
3:32 - When did you know you were ready to direct a feature film?
5:33 - You have experience with sketch comedy. Why did you choose to do a horror film? Was it really just for budgetary reasons?
8:07 - The film touches on some pretty dark themes. Was it difficult to return to sketch comedy and that mindset after working on Smiley?
9:18 - You and several of your actors have made names for yourselves through the internet, but your film takes a very pessimistic view of the internet. Is this basically just a 90-minute F.U. to your YouTube commenters?
12:23 - Your group takes a very cynical look at groups like 4chan and Anonymous, and you’ve even been threatened by Anonymous as a result.
14:25 - In the film, Roger Bart plays a professor who theorizes that the internet could evolve into a new type of organism. Did you and your co-writer Glasgow Phillips come up with that? What was the inspiration?
16:50 - Tell me about how you ended up with this unique distribution model.
20:10 - Why did you name your serial killer Smiley? Why not Frowny or Winky?
21:10 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact us by emailing letsgetreel@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

One of the crowd favorites this year at the Toronto International Film Festival was Blancanieves, a silent black-and-white adaptation of Snow White that transports the story to 1920s Spain. It was an endeavor eight years in the making, but director Pablo Berger’s work has paid off - the film is receiving rave reviews and was recently put on the shortlist as a possible contender to be Spain’s submission to the Academy Awards. In this episode, Berger joins Andrew to discuss the inspiration for the film, working with child actors and the decision to transform Snow White from sexual morality tale into religious allegory.

SHOW NOTES:

About Our Guest:

Pablo Berger is an acclaimed Spanish filmmaker. His first film, Torremolinos 73, won numerous awards on the international festival circuit in 2003-2004 and was nominated for four Goya Awards. His latest film, Blancanieves, is a silent black-and-white adaptation of the Snow White fairy tale. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and has been shortlisted as Spain’s submission to the Academy Awards.

The Episode:


0:27 - Introduction
4:20 - Moving from Torremolinos 73 to Blancanieves.
5:30 - Why switch from an adult-oriented film to one aimed at families?
6:28 - Why were you drawn to the tale of Snow White? Why not another fairy tale?
7:42 - You have a great cast, including child actress Sofia Oria. What was it like working with someone so young in the silent cinema style?
9:35 - Did you read the Grimm fairy tale and watch other interpretations of the story in your research?
11:30 - Several interpretations of Snow White treat it as a morality tale about sex. Your film includes a lot of religious imagery. Tell me more about that.
12:51 - Are you Catholic yourself?
14:46 - The religious imagery adds to a very unconventional ending. Why did you decide to end the film that way?
17:26 - Were you upset or happy when you heard The Artist was a huge hit and there were going to be two other Snow White film adaptations this year?
19:25 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact us by emailing letsgetreel@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

One of the films playing this week at the Toronto International Film Festival this week is Thale, a low-budget dark fantasy film from Norway. Silje Reinåmo stars as the titular character, a strange creature from Scandinavian folklore called a Huldra, who is discovered by two unsuspecting forensic agents in a basement.  In this episode, Reinåmo joins Andrew to discuss the mythology behind her character, how she approached her performance, and what it's like to spend the majority of a film shoot in the nude, among other topics.

SHOW NOTES:

About Our Guest:

Silje Reinåmo is a Norwegian actress and musician. She stars in the Norwegian television series "Hjem" (Home) and can most recently be seen as the titular character in the dark fantasy film "Thale" from director Aleksander Nordaas. "Thale" has played at film festivals around the world and is now on DVD/Blu-Ray in Scandinavia. At the moment she is wrapping up production on the film "Patriot Act" directed by Wayne Slaten.

The Episode:

0:27 - Introduction
2:55 - What exactly is a Huldra?
4:27 - How did you approach the emotional extremes of the performance?
5:17 - How were the special effects handled on set?
5:56 - What inspired you to join this project?
7:20 - What was the atmosphere like on set since you're naked for most of the film?
8:47 - How did you approach the idea of having a tail?
10:00 - How do you view Thale's psychology?
12:40 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact us by emailing letsgetreel@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Andrew talks with filmmaker Chris Metzler about his latest film, Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone. The film follows members of the band Fishbone, who exploded the LA music scene in the late 70s and would go on to inspire performers like Gwen Stefani and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Metzler also discusses how he got started as a filmmaker, including his work on B-level horror films and Christian rock music videos.

SHOW NOTES:

About Our Guest:

Chris Metzler has worked on a variety of film projects, from B-level horror films to Christian rock music videos. He is a Billboard Music Video Award winner and the director of the documentary films Long Division: The Next Big Threat to Democracy and Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea, the latter of which played at the Slamdance Film Festival and won the HBO Producer’s Award and the Robert Altman Award. He recently collaborated with Lev Anderson to co-direct Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone, a documentary about the band Fishbone that is currently playing in limited release.

The Episode:

0:26 - Introduction
4:12 - How did you get started in filmmaking?
7:45 - Why didn’t you pursue a career in horror filmmaking?
9:32 - Are you a fan of Christian and country music? How did you end up working with those industries?
11:45 - How do go from your two previous films to this? They seem so different!
13:10 - Why do you think Fishbone agreed to work with you?
14:30 - How did you decide to approach it the way you did?
16:52 - Do you have a particular interview style that gets people to open up?
21:21 - You have to juggle many different elements. Do you ever worry you’re not telling the full truth?
25:21 - What drew you to Fishbone personally?
29:05 - What are the details of the release?
30:18 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact us by emailing letsgetreel@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!