John McPhail is an award-winning writer and director known for crafting bold, heartfelt, and hilarious stories that connect with audiences on a deeply emotional level. A firm believer that laughter and tears go hand in hand, he specializes in high-concept comedies that balance absurdity with genuine heart. A lifelong horror fan raised on a steady diet of John Carpenter and Stephen King, John has a deep love for genre storytelling, often fusing horror, comedy, and heartfelt drama in unexpected ways. His films thrive on contrast, the ridiculous and the real, the hilarious and the heartbreaking because, as he sees it, the best way to make someone laugh is to first…
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Interview…Jeff Russo Brings Method and Mythology to Noah Hawley’s ‘Alien: Earth’
A few weeks back, we got to share an exclusive “first listen” of composer Jeff Russo‘s themes for Alien: Earth. It really set the stage for what Noah Hawley and the rest of the team would give us with this stunning addition to the Alien universe Ridley Scott built. Now that the show is out in the world, fans and those new to the franchise are loving every acidic drop of the expanded mythology. You can credit a lot of the success to the auditory component. We’re not talking about the ooey-gooey sound engineering, but the deft and complex sound palette Russo assembled. Russo is used to scoring varied and…
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Interview…Director Sean Ellis on the Physical and Psychological Anguish of ‘The Cut’
How far will you go to get something you think you want? At what cost do you keep pushing? And do the obsessive ends justify the means? These are some of the heavy and impacting building blocks of Sean Ellis‘ latest film. And coming from the man whose career is built on movies where characters make life-changing sacrifices, this might be the crown jewel in his CV. The Cut is an exploration into what drives someone. With nothing but training and instincts to lean on, it’s easy to imagine how much weight a boxer carries in their minds each time they enter the squared circle. After all, the mind is…
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Exclusive First Listen: David Fleming’s Score to ‘Americana’
Composer David Fleming seems to get to the heart of a film better and quicker than any one else in the business. The way he looks at the story and crafts his sound is as inspired as it is innovative. Take a listen to what he did with Damsel and you’ll get an idea of how much his work influences and elevates the picture. Fleming is no stranger to down home music palettes – he did some earnest and emotional pieces for Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy as well as the epitome of red, white and blue with James Gunn’s Superman. With Americana, Fleming embraced country and western music with his…
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Interview…Writer/Producer Erik Bork on ‘The Elephant in the Room’ – Finding Common Ground and Emotional Narratives
As human beings, we have a real tough time seeing eye to on a lot of issues: sports, food, fashion, politics, etc. In fact, the list goes on and on. But what can we agree on (or at least understand and put up with) to be able to share a country, a state, an office or even a relationship with? Can we disagree and still connect? Such is the idea behind writer/director Erik Bork‘s new film. The cleverly named The Elephant in the Room gives audiences Nora Ephron–style political rom-com that is both funny and thought-provoking. Leah is a smart, driven social media strategist reeling from the 2020 election. Vincent…
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Exclusive First Listen: Ruth Barrett’s Theme From Prime Video’s ‘The Terminal List: Dark Wolf’
Hey, film friends, have we got a treat for your ears! Our friends at Prime Video & Lakeshore Records have let us share an EXCLUSIVE track from Ruth Barrett‘s score to The Terminal List: Dark Wolf. This is the prequel series to The Terminal List and follows Ben Edwards’ journey from Navy SEAL to CIA operative. Emmy Award-nominated composer Ruth Barrett is one of the UK’s most sought-after film and television composers. Her music is unmistakably original and eclectic, spanning feature films and high-end TV drama. And this new series is no different. For your enjoyment, grab some headphones and dive back into the world this world. Lakeshore Records is…
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Interview…Composer Stuart Michael Thomas Digs Deep For ‘The Cut’
Life-long musician and composer Stuart Michael Thomas has amassed over 100 feature film and television credits during his time in Hollywood including international blockbusters such as Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1, Iron Man 3, and The Dark Knight. He was also one of the featured guitarists on Top Gun: Maverick. Imagine getting to shred out that theme for the world to enjoy. Yeah, that’s just one of Stuart’s many super cool stories about his “day job” working on these sensational projects. Over his 20-year career he’s developed a unique and versatile style blending elements of Classical orchestration with modern techniques resulting in a sound that is both timeless and…
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Interview…Tina Romero, Erin Judge and Natalie Metzger on Scripting, Sculpting and Shooting the Social Commentary of ‘Queens of the Dead’
This year, the world was treated to a rebirth, or an extension rather, of the Romero ‘of the Dead‘ universe. Tina Romero makes her feature debut with something that is in line with what her legendary father started nearly sixty years ago, but she and co-writer Erin Judge put their spin on it. And, we’re talking about some serious spin. To be honest, it’s been spinning in our head since we finished our glowing review of it. The film, produced by Vanishing Angle (spearheaded by Natalie Metzger and Matt Miller), is not your father‘s zombie movie, but in a way, it actually is. This feature is a dyed-in-the-wool Romero joint…
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Interview…Composer Jeff Danna on Strings and Texas-sized Tension in ‘The Hunting Wives’
Here at GoSeeTalk, composer Jeff Danna‘s music has a history of living rent-free in our heads. From TV to films, projects whimsical and fun to those with a very heavy-handed subject matter, his unique approach to melody and themes never ceases to amaze us. Moreover, it’s his selection of instruments that takes those compositions to another level. He first popped up on our radar all the way back in 1999 when he crafted a gritty and driving sound to a tale about two Irish brothers. The supercharged music helped Troy Duffy’s The Boondock Saints reach legendary cult status. Over the years, Jeff has paved his way in entertainment circles, and…
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Fantastic Fest Celebrating 20 Years with Epic 2025 Feature Programming
It’s that time of year, dear friends. The season of Fantastic Fest will soon be upon us, and in just over a month we’ll be rubbing elbows with genre film fans and filmmakers in Austin, TX. This year marks twenty years of the world’s largest genre film festival. While it gets bigger and bigger each year, it still maintains a small-scale, boutique feeling. Sure, they can bring in the likes of Tim Burton and Keanu Reeves, but they put film at the forefront and this no frills festival sets the standard for what others can only hope to achieve. Add to that the fact it is set in the Alamo…
