Episodes

This week’s show is a triple feature. 1. Jasmine Elmore from Oakwood Arts talks about their documentary workshops and monthly film society 2. Director Dave Hobbs and actor Chris Korkalo discuss their new indie film THE MARDI GRAS MAN, which was just at Movieland last weekend (and has upcoming viewings in other areas of the state) 3. VPM’s new docuseries is called LIFE IN THE HEARTLAND and we’ll talk with Director Lysandra Petersson and Executive Producer Mason Mills LINKS: Oakwood Arts Emai...

Andy Umberger was born in Portsmouth, went to VCU and ended up in New York on Broadway before moving to LA, where’s he’s appeared in more than 100 movies and TV shows. Our lively discussion includes: – His Broadway credits including City of Angels, Passion & Company – His wife played Christine in Phantom of the Opera – His first gig on The Drew Carey Show – The difference between a Guest Star & a co-star – All the makeup as D’Hoffryn in Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The hilarious story about ...

Richmonder Rex Teese has worked in the editing department for major films and TV series. We discuss: – How a fateful car ride turned into his career – Starting as a projectionist – Creating videos for Carbon Leaf – Post producer on The Bronx is Burning – Working for Ridley Scott & getting a personal narration – How Director’s cuts came about – Editing on the AMC series Kevin Can F*ck Himself – Dailies supervisor on Walking Dead: World Beyond LINKS Rex’s IMDB page Carbon Leaf website Ki...

Richmond native Caroline Aaron is best known for her role as Shirley Maisel in Amazon’s Primetime Emmy Award-winning series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (which enters its 4th and final season on April 15). She’s also the featured speaker at the Adolf-Adams JCC Forum on March 16. This 2nd episode of our 2-part discussion includes: – A look at her mother, Richmond icon & activist Nina Abady – Getting cast in Maisel thanks to her daughter’s love of Gilmore Girls – Wearing a girdle and garters as Sh...

Richmond native Caroline Aaron is best known for her role as Shirley Maisel in Amazon’s Primetime Emmy Award-winning series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (which enters its 4th and final season on April 15). She’s also the featured speaker at the Adolf-Adams JCC Forum on March 16. The first episode of our 2-part discussion includes: – Shooting the Wonder Wheel sequence and funnel cakes – Getting in teen trouble with her best friend – Losing her Southern accent – Auditioning for Robert Altman with...

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline was to run from West Virginia to North Carolina thru Virginia, but was cancelled in 2020 thanks partly to the opposition from localities affected by it. This year’s Richmond Environmental Film Festival will feature a video about Nelson County’s response. We’ll discuss: – How it was started – Why the approach to the doc is so basic – What well-known Virginians wrote and performed the theme song – More about the festivals free screenings LINKS: RVA Environmental F...

Steve Lack is a sound designer, mixer, engineer and composer. He started his career in LA for shows like Seinfeld and Who’s the Boss and later moved to DC to work on documentaries, including How It’s Made, Myth Hunters, Shark Week and the Puppy Bowl IX. He now makes his home in Richmond and has great stories to tell, including: – What is a re-recording mixer and a dialogue editor – Being the music production director on Seinfeld – Creating “soundalikes” on Who’s the Boss? – Running into Tony...

John Mitchell Jr. founded The Daily Planet in 1904 to chronicle life in Richmond’s Black community. This week’s show features people behind the making of BIRTH OF A PLANET, a documentary about Mitchell and his newspaper: Sylvester Tucker, the Director and Jack Nester, the Producer. The doc will air on VPM Feb 28 at 9pm. We discussed: – What is Tilt? – How this project started as a mural – Challenges of stock photos and film – Choosing Daniel Jones for the VO – Premiering for the Mitchells a...

Michigan Hell House debuts February 19 on the Travel Channel and streaming on Discovery+. This house has one of the most documented and violent paranormal cases in history and we’re featuring 4 people who were involved in the re-enactments that were shot here: director Kevin Hirshberger and 3 actors: Kera O’Bryon, Brian Landis and Chris Korkalo: We discuss: – The history behind the house – How this gig came about – If they believe in ghosts – Creating their characters – Getting into the 70...

Virginian Gene Poe spent most of his career as an extra in movies and TV. In this second episode he covers: – Working on Ellen, including the famous “coming out” episode – Standing in for Anthony Hopkins on Thor – Kenneth Branagh climbed onto his chest – How he got seats for extras on sets – Being in bed with Ann Margaret – Sneaking in to meet Lucille Ball – Working on numerous soap operas – Being pregnant on Alien Nation – Playing Audie Murhpy in Raging Bull – His pursuit of painting ...

Virginian Gene Poe spent most of his career as an extra in movies and TV. He recounts numerous experiences including: – Posing for Playgirl Magazine – Being a hand model on 1000+ commercials – Being in a porno…or not – Getting cast in the first Star Trek movie by Robert Wise – Playing an American hippie in Fellini’s “Roma” – Being Corin Redgrave’s dresser in London – Spending 2 weeks with Andy Warhol after meeting him on “The Love Boat” Part 2 will feature additional stories about workin...

Andy Edmunds, Director of the Virginia Film Office, kicked off the first podcast last year and he’s back to look at productions in 2022 and what’s coming up, including: – How “super tourists with a payroll” worked during COVID – Movies, TV shows & commercials shot here in 2022 – The Golden Globes – Two interns who went on to great things – Two incredible stories about the making of The New World – Making Donnie Darko a hit – Building a Ukrops Grocery Store in Boston – Shooting an HBO ser...

Most people don’t know that a Jewish family owned Monticello for 89 years (after Jefferson’s death). Director Steven Pressman is bringing his doc to this year’s Israeli & Jewish Film Festival (Jan 19 – 29 at the WJCC and several other venues). Before he comes to town, Steven and I talked about: – Transitioning from being a print journalist – The 2 docs he’s directed about the Holocaust – How he found this film’s subject right in front of him – The conflicts of religious freedom and slavery ...

Wildcat is one of the top films streaming on Amazon Prime Video. It follows a young British Afgan war vet who travels deep into the Peruvian rainforest where he works to reintroduce ocelots in the wild. This documentary was created by Richmonders Melissa Lesh & Trevor Frost. We talk about: – Their backgrounds and meeting on the James River – The mental health issues beyond the animal rescue – How they found Harry – Shooting in the rainforest: getting power, good sound and other challenges –...

Here’s a list of favorite films and series from 2022: Guest Reviewer NATHAN LIVELY Everything Everywhere All At Once The Banshees of Inisherin Nope X Barbarian The Northman Top Gun: Maverick Bodies Bodies Bodies The Batman Jackass Forever Honorable Mentions Prey Violent Night JERRY’S MOVIES DOMESTIC (in no particular order) Confess, Fletch John Hamm as an investigative journalist on a murder case is wonderfully amusing with his sly delivery and off-kilter reactions. The funniest m...

Joe Masher is the Chief Operating Officer of Bow Tie Management, which owns and operates Bow Tie Cinemas in 6 states. On the previous podcast, Joe discussed the origins of the family that started and still owns the chain, as well as the evolution of Movieland in Richmond. Subjects this time include: – How streaming affects movie theaters – His collection of thousands of vinyl records – Meeting John Waters & his guest – Getting an apology from Madonna – Upcoming movies he’s excited about LI...

Joe Masher is the Co-Owner/Operating Partner of Bow Tie Management, which owns and operates Movieland in 6 states, including right here in Richmond. Our discussion includes: – Magic In The Dark: The origin of the Bow Tie name (It’s actually a place in NYC) – Why the chain moved to Richmond – What’s going on with the Richmond property, including a drive-in and new luxury theaters NEXT WEEK’S DISCUSSION CONTINUES with Part 2 We’ll address streaming, his record collection, star encounters and ...

The Richmond Film Network also includes a Short Film Series that started in November. Lisa Giles, who created the network, explains what the network is and how the series evolved. The Virginia Video Network is an affiliate of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, but the videos they produce go beyond the newspaper. Creative Services Director Matt Pochily talks about their approach and more. LINKS Tickets to Anything Goes Richmond Film Network Short Film Series Facebook event page Virginia Video Networ...

The Dominion Energy Christmas Parade is celebrating it’s 39th year and we went behind the scenes to talk about what’s involved in running the parade and getting it on TV. Guests are CBS 6 anchor Cheryl Miller, who’s co hosted the parade for many years, and Beth Karrer, who’s been the parade director for 9 years. Topics include: – The parade’s history – How CBS 6 preps for the broadcast? – The biggest challenges – Grand Marshall stories, including Paul Simon’s music video – The balloons that...

Mary Sader is a successful Richmonder in the TV biz. Her work as a set designer includes a number of high profile shows (see below). She talks about: – Whether theatre or art came first – Power shopping for a shoot – Designing for: HBO hits Succession, Rap Sh!t, Westworld & Big Little Lies CW’s All American and All American: Homecoming Netflix’s You LINKS Mary’s website The Women in Film Edition of the Indie short Film Series (12/3 at Vinegar Hill Theatre in Charlottesville) Review of Ra...

Since Duke Lafoon moved to New York, he’s been in big-name TV series, movies and the lead in an Off-Broadway musical. We talk about: – His stage and screen origins in Richmond – Playing the President in Clinton, The Musical – The appeal of doing commercials – Director David Fincher’s multiple takes in Mindhunter – Being a father in FBI: Most Wanted – Meeting Mia Farrow while working on The Watcher – Getting eaten alive in Let the Right One In LINKS Duke’s website Let the Right One In (my...

Constance Wu grew up in Richmond before moving to LA and becoming the star of the sitcom Fresh Off the Boat and the hit movie Crazy Rich Asians. We chat about: – Shooting a video with Jerry in middle school – Why she wrote a book despite her English teacher trauma – Her book’s unabashed approach to sex – Memories of Richmond theatre – Spitballs – Spending summer in a Buddhist monastary – Her “passion for fashion” – Using an accent in Fresh Off the Boat – Why Randall Park is her gold sta...

Kirk Schroder has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of entertainment law and he lives right here in Virginia. Even though he’s worked on numerous local movies and TV shows, his practice draws entertainment and arts-related clients from around the world. We discuss: – How he discovered entertainment as a specialty – Why IPs have they become so important – Some of his most memorable deals – Advice for new or aspiring artists – His book The Essential Guide to Enterta...

Picturing the Obamas was produced by Richmonders Hannah Brown Ayers & Lance Warren for the Smithsonian Channel. It follows the portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama from the National Gallery on a tour of 5 cities throughout the country. This the latest of several compelling documentaries they’ve created. We discuss: – How they met and how it evolved into a partnership – How they got the assignment and how they prepared – Getting an interview with the Obamas – How they found the stories for ...