The Atlanta Sci-Fi Film Festival celebrated its sixth year in 2023. The goal of the fest is to shine a light on talented, hungry, and up-and-coming filmmakers who are trying to get their name out in the world. The ASFFF shines a light on noteworthy (or otherworldly?) short films from directors/creatives who have something special to say. These creatives can use the short from format as vehicles for TV pilots, proof of concept, or a chapter/snapshot in a larger story. The fun part about Science Fiction is that anything goes, and things are never one-note. Bits of this and that are thrown into the mix in whatever amount the writer…
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Interview…Alden Ehrenreich and Natalie Metzger on ‘Shadow Brother Sunday’
One of the most enjoyable perks in film journalism is getting to talk to creative individuals about their work. On this site we’ve been fortunate enough to meet with numerous storytellers; we love taking deep dives with the talent at hand to find what inspires them. Some of the best interviews are ones that yield behind-the-scenes stories, triumphs and lessons learned. All in all, the road to bring any production to the public is a long one – but it can certainly be fun. And that’s why people in film consider the work an all-or-nothing pursuit. Last week, we had a kitchen sink discussion with Alden Ehrenreich. He’s been working…
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Interview…Eugenio Derbez and Christopher Zalla on the Honesty and Connections in ‘Radical’
Take a minute to think about this question: who inspires you? For many, there are different answers and several of you can probably cite a laundry list of individuals who fit the role. No matter who helps motivate you – be they real or fictitious, young or old, familiar or not – just one small change can affect the trajectory of our life. It’s probably safe to say we all are and have been inspired by someone in a special or important way. In an era where superheroes dominate pop cutlure, there is another kind of hero we are happy to call attention to in this post: teachers. There are…
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Interview…Producer/Director Natalie Metzger on Film, Fun and Charting Her Own Course
When you meet someone who is passionate about their work, you tend to see them coming a mile away. Two very good examples are writer/director/producer Natalie Metzger and her husband/producing partner Matt Miller who founded Vanishing Angle. Their production company nurtures the freshest voices in the independent film community with award-winning films and series, taking projects from script through distribution. We first got to meet them at Fantastic Fest in 2022 and were blown away by their unsettling family drama, Spoonful Of Sugar. We knew we needed to keep any eye out for anything they did in the future. And they’re also a super fun team to chat with. Today,…
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Interview…Composer Doyle Donehoo Talks Big Scares in Space with ‘Aliens: Dark Descent’
Doyle Donehoo is a rocker-turned composer who gets to live out one of his greatest scoing gigs to date. He grew up with the Alien franchise and that certainly made an impact. Starting with Ridley Scott‘s masterpiece – which he saw in the theater – he’s lived in this world. Ask his about his memorabilia and that would start quite a conversation. Years later, like a kid in a candy store, he gets to expand the palette established by Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, Elliott Goldenthall and others while adding his own spice to the mix. The difference in his efforts here is that his music is crafted for a video…
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Interview…Kilamanzego on Identity, Electronic Sounds and ‘Black Weirdo’
If you’re on the hunt for new music, and are open to a palette expanding paradigm shift, you can’t do any better than Kilamanzego [“kill-a-man’s-ego”]. The moniker for Kay Oko (an experimental electronic music producer, vocalist, and visual artist based in Philadelphia) becomes her performer name – which initially was almost “Kilimanjaro” to pay homage to her African culture – that playfully and confidently makes a bold statement of women’s empowerment as a unique force in the electronic scene. We first heard her work on Bandcamp and were instantly hooked. After per-ordering her newest work, the pull-no-punches album called “Black Weirdo” has been playing non-stop in the car, my headphones…
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Interview…John Powell Composing the Score to ‘Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie’
While technically Canadian, Michael J. Fox is one of America’s most beloved actors. Fueled by an inability to be still, he’s been moving since the day he was born. That tenacity propelled him through his childhood and, years later, the difficult and nebulous waters of Hollywood. Rejections would have sent many young hopefuls packing…but not Mike. Perseverance and attitude prevailed and Fox was rewarded with film and TV work that charted an unparalleled course few actors have been able to replicate or even follow. One of the best words that could describe this pint-sized Canuck is “joyful” – his delivery and smile elicits a laugh every single time. Fox may…
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Interview…Composer/Music Editor Robinton Hobbs on Score Production and Joy House Music
These days, regardless of the industry, we all need a little help. Whether that is outsourcing entire productions or a few hours of assistance and consulting, we can all use a support system. As the world grows ever more hungry for entertainment, the talented tradespeople making movies/shows, games, and music are in a flurry trying to deliver what’s needed. So to help with that project flow, Joy House Music has helped plenty of features and shows get the musical attention needed to finish the job. JMH is a woman-lead business working towards innovating the world of score production with a commitment to community, diversity and equality. Their company is a…
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Interview…Composer Alex Heffes on the Fun, Feverish and Flavorful Score to ‘Mafia Mamma’
Alex Heffes is a Golden Globe, BAFTA and 3 x Ivor Novello nominated composer who has scored over 70 feature films and TV projects. He has worked with many of cinema’s top filmmakers including Kevin Macdonald, Steven Frears, Catherine Hardwicke, Mira Nair, Tim Burton & J J Abrams. His unique ability to collaborate with artists from different cultures has been been a trademark of his style. He collaborated closely with Burton on his screen adaptation of Sweeney Todd and Heffes’ solo album, FACE TO FACE, features collaborations with artists such as the late Ryuichi Sakamoto, Regina Spektor and Yasmin Levy. Notable TV projects include the 2016 award-winning reboot of TV…
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Sweet Trailer…’The Flash’
DC has been on a roll for a while and their time in the sun is now. How awesome does this grand cinematic adventure look?? We get multiple Batmans, multiple Flashes, time travel, and Michael Shannon’s Zod?! What’s not to love? However, it’s not just tons of fan service. This film looks to contain incredible reverence for what the Tim Burton classic has done for comic adaptations and cinema in general. While Michael Keaton is clearly the hook – the nods to the ‘89 film make the 9-year old me smile – this story is something that will stand beyond getting our old heroes back on the big screen. And…
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Sweet Trailer…Guy Ritchie’s ‘The Covenant’
If there’s one director we will constantly stand behind, it’s Guy Ritchie. He won us over long ago with his cockney criminal capers and since then has capably handled the worlds of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Norman Felton/Sam Rolfe and even Disney, but now he’s trying something completely different. Take a look at his latest filmic venture where Guy grabs another Hollywood star (following RDJ and Will Smith and Matthew McConaughey) and puts them through the lens de Ritchie…and this time around he trades his trademark quips and quotes for bullets and booms. All things said, this looks stellar and what’s also great is that this will be here in…
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Interview…Fest Friends: Natalie Metzger, Joe Badon, Tiffany Kimmel, Dawn Luebbe and Margaret Miller
Fantastic Fest 2022 was one of the very best – it’s certainly tops in my book for all the years we’ve covered and attended. One take away that is more impactful and enduring than seeing some gonzo foreign film, sitting for a secret screening or getting in on the ground floor for the next big genre spectacle is the people. Whether it’s the fans, the festival staff (including those hard-working volunteers!) or the filmmakers, there is a certain kind of magical haze that only exists on the festival circuit. Moreover, I fondly (and sometimes fuzzily) recall the conversations, chance encounters and unexpected friendships that have emerged from being in the…
