Set in 1979, at the height of the Iran Hostage Crisis, writer-director Jasmin Mozaffari’s Motherland follows a young Iranian immigrant (played by Behtash Fazlali) who calls into question his future prospects in America after he embarks on a trip to meet his fiancé’s parents. But that’s just a small aspect of the greater story at hand. Bobak struggles being a foreigner in a post-Vietnam America, and things spiral into heartbreaking situations of xenophobia, isolation, and desperation. Jasmin Mozaffari is an award-winning Iranian-Canadian writer/director, and her eye for detail and framing are exceptional. There’s so much depth, competence and composition to the short, this seems like it was plucked from the…
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Interview…Composer Benoît Charest on ‘Where Rabbits Come From’ and Living the Dream
Writer/director Colin Ludvic Racicot’s animated story immerses viewers in a dystopian world, weaving a heartfelt tale of oppression and the unbreakable bond between a father and daughter. Where Rabbits Come From features stunning animation and a captivating score, as it follows the widowed rabbit seeking to reignite wonder and magic in his daughter’s life after the mysterious disappearance of her mother. Drawing inspiration from Racicot’s personal journey through fatherhood, this heartwarming film has captivated audiences of all ages during its international film festival tour. The Canadian director and writer has crafted tender and imaginative work that united some of the animation world’s most iconic talents. Animation legend Sylvain Chomet and…
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Interview…Writer/Producer Michael Bickel on ‘Nate & John’
The dream of every creative is to see their idea brought into the world. Yet the process of getting something from starting line to finish line can be anything but a straight shot. Ask an artist, filmmaker, or anyone in entertainment, and they’ll all concur. For a variety of reasons, the process can be drawn out, delayed, very nearly cancelled or worse. But with luck, patience and perseverance, a dream realized is worth all the agony. That brings us to today’s guest. You could say that a fifteen year journey to craft a seven-minute animated short film is a long run for a short slide. But if that was the…
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Interview…Andy Timmons: The World’s Smoothest Guitarist
This year has been a great year for us in terms of interviews. We consider ourselves lucky to be able to talk with so many people we admire, and we’re constantly surprised by the stories our guests share. So before we get started, here’s a question for all you music fans: Who’s your favorite guitarist? The answers will vary for sure, but there are some usual suspects – Clapton, Vai, Slash, Johnson, Mars, Vaughn, etc. Today’s interview is focused on someone who leads the pack because of his playing style, his versatility, but also his consistency. Andy Timmons has a ton of fans, and one thing you’ll see among all…
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Interview…Catherine Grieves on Music Supervision and ‘Baby Reindeer’
Growing up on a healthy diet of No Doubt and ’90s era music, Catherine Grieves was unknowingly charting her course to the field of Music Supervision. Cat was also thinking about music in those terms anyway; she’d always wanted to be the person who chooses songs for Match of the Day, aka the world’s most famous football show. While it didn’t seem a tenable career path, she followed her musical interests (playing flute and piano and singing) before getting a degree in Sound Engineering. The need for music supervision on TV and film in the UK increased, and Cat got an internship at the time more BBC productions were trying…
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Interview…Paul Salfen on Press, Publicity and Walking the Red Carpet of Life
We’ve been running GoSeeTalk since 2009, so, looking at the calendar, we’re in our 15th year…my, time sure does fly. While it started as a hobby blog, things changed in 2011 when we started to get invited to press and industry events – screenings, red carpets, junkets, etc. Over the years, we’ve crossed paths with a great number of local and Texas-based journalists covering film, festivals and more. Whether it is in Big D or elsewhere, we have fun wherever we go, and the circle of people doing this are as enjoyable and personable as anyone you’d hope to meet. Further, we’ve become fast friends with many, and it’s always…
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Interview…Director Parker Croft and Composer Mandy Hoffman on ‘As Easy As Closing Your Eyes’
We at GoSeeTalk really love short films. Why? Well, it’s because we appreciate the art to telling a story in a concise way. After all, it was Shakespeare who famously said, “brevity is the soul of wit.” But beyond entertainment, these projects can serve as a means to tell a larger story, so a short can be a glimpse into that world, or maybe just a proof of concept. Hell, even Encino Man did it that way. Now, more seriously, this hyper-focused look at the important/essential beats showcases the core of the narrative, and why say something in ten words when you can do it in four, right? While that…
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Exclusive: Interview…Kirk “Sticky Fingaz” Jones on ‘Darkness of Man’
While doing press for James Cullen Bressack’s new movie, Darkness of Man, starring JCVD, we had a bucket list opportunity to speak to a musician who popped up on our radar decades ago. Known to the masses as “Sticky Fingaz”, Kirk Jones is part of Onyx, and their explosive music and hard-hitting lyrics have stayed in our head rent-free since 1993. Over the years, they’ve rapped with some of the best including Wu-Tang Clan, DMX and many others. But Jones has expanded his reputation going solo, he’s gotten into acting, and directing films & videos. He’s even played Blade. Yeah, this dude is dope. Sticky has learned a lot over…
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Interview…Director James Cullen Bressack on ‘Darkness of Man’
Doing interviews for this site is a lot of fun. So many of them have stuck in my head for a variety of reasons whether it was the witty banter, unexpected hilarity, great life lessons, or some other unique and intangible takeaway. If luck works out we get a follow-up with any particular creative for their new project, be it a film, show, score, album, etc. So enter one James Cullen Bressack, a young writer/director who is about as self-made and humble as they come. He’s also got a wonderful personality and he sees films from a different perspective. He makes lean pictures, and there is a real fun to…
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Interview…Director William Eubank on Realism, Rawness and Relationships in ‘Land of Bad’
Looking at the calendar, we’re just now into February. But after seeing William Eubank’s latest actioner you’d think we were deep in the Summer season where high-octane films are typically blowing up cinema screens. So that speaks highly of Eubank’s film as well as the state of entertainment these days – no matter where you look, you’re going to find something to surprise you or knock your socks off. Land of Bad is a taut film about drone warfare, but Eubank and co-writer David Frigerio make this more about character than technology. It’s an exercise in ramping up tension. Moreover, it tells the unique relationship between two soldiers working on…
