Catch up now with this episode of #BTLRadioShow and our guest writer/director/DP/editor TRIP JENNINGS talking about his new documentary ELEMENTAL: REIMAGINE WILDFIRE. Plus, you’ll hear our exclusive interview with CASPER VAN DIEN talking about his new film HUNT CLUB.
One of the most interesting and educational documentaries you will see this year is ELEMENTAL: REIMAGINE WILDFIRE, especially for those living in the Western United States and fire-prone areas. Bringing us the foremost experts on wildfire, as well as the most recent science from a firefighting aspect, preventative aspect, and ecological aspect, ELEMENTAL examines the history of wildfires and firefighting in the United States, opening our eyes to the ever-changing approach to combating wildfires in an effort to prevent whole communities like Paradise, California from being eradicated. Delving into everything from how fire is needed for the ecosystem to controlling and preventing fire and punctuated with some stunning cinematography as well as cell phone videos taken by those fleeing the catastrophic wildfires of the past few years, ELEMENTAL is a powerhouse doc.
Listen as Trip dives into his five-year journey into making this documentary, from his own educational standpoint, as well as from a filmmaking perspective. Passionate about the subject, you’ll hear that in Trip’s voice as we discuss his path to finding experts and electing to take them out into the environment as they walk and talk about their particular areas of expertise, shooting footage before a wildfire and then revisiting the same site after destruction. And you’ll hear Trip talk about the joy of Mother Nature and the rebirth that comes after a fire, much of which he captures on camera over an extended period of with time-lapse photography. Narrated by David Oyelowo, Trip talks about getting David involved and how seeing the film impacted his own life in the remodeling of his home.
And then you’ll hear my exclusive interview with CASPER VAN DIEN discussing his new film HUNT CLUB along with a look at BATTLE FOR SAIPAN and HEART OF A CHAMPION. You’ve known him and loved him for years going back to one of his earliest films, “Starship Troopers”, and over the years Casper has flourished and become a fixture onscreen tackling diverse and eclectic roles. (For a real Casper Van Dien experience, just watch these three most recent films and you will see his emotional range with these characters.)
Listen as we discuss at length his work on HUNT CLUB and playing opposite Mickey Rourke and Mira Sorvino, the female empowerment and POV of the film, not to mention the appeal and challenges of his character of “Carter”, and more. And as we take a look at his other recent films, we dig into his approach to acting, selecting roles and the eclectic and diverse nature of them, directing, and what’s on the horizon. A man with a great sense of humor, effervescent, and a pure joy, I think you’ll like hearing from Casper as much as I enjoyed speaking with him.
