It’s a trifecta of festival films this week on BEHIND THE LENS and all three are “MUST SEE FESTIVAL FILMS” with “Must Meet” Festival Filmmakers at the upcoming Dances With Films film festival in Hollywood – THE PICKUP, THE EXPOSED, and TIM TRAVERS AND THE TIME TRAVELER’S PARADOX. It’s an episode of #BTLRadioShow that you don’t want to miss, especially all of you first-time/indie/festival filmmakers!
As different as night and day, these are unique films in subject and in filmmakers. Two films are shorts making their World Premieres at DWF (THE PICKUP and THE EXPOSED) and the third is a feature that will blow your mind with fun and the mind-bending idea of time travel. And a first for BTL – we’ve got husband and wife filmmakers joining us with each writing and directing a different film and in competition at the same film fest!
First up, take a listen as husband and wife filmmakers NICHOLAS ACOSTA and XENIA LeBLANC join us in talking about their respective films, THE PICKUP and THE EXPOSED. While Xenia wrote and directed the thriller, THE EXPOSED, she also starred in Nick’s action-heavy film THE PICKUP. Both shorts are superb with THE PICKUP packing in action and humor while THE EXPOSED turns on a dime with a shocking reveal – and in only 5 minutes! Listen as each talks about their approaches to each of their films. Xenia gets into the minutiae of crafting THE EXPOSED and the practical filmmaking limitations imposed on the production while finding visual and emotional tonal bandwidths. Nick also digs deep into the production of the slick and sleek THE PICKUP, shooting on the streets of LA during the pandemic lockdown, using practical effects, including miniature cars,to create some of the very cool stunt sequences, directing Xenia and co-star Adam McArthur who did their own stunts and driving, overall casting, finding the humor, and more. Plus, Xenia and Nick also talk about the DWF submission process.
THE EXPOSED makes its World Premiere at Dances With Films on June 22nd at 11:45pm PT as part of the Midnight Shorts Block 1.
THE PICKUP makes its World Premiere at Dances with Films on June 25 at 5pm in the Fusion Shorts Block.
And then get ready for writer/director STIMSON SNEAD and his feature film, the fabulous TIM TRAVERS AND THE TIME TRAVELER’S PARADOX! A visual delight. A storytelling joy. Science is key. Visuals dazzle. And how can you go wrong when you’ve got Danny Trejo, Joel McHale, and Keith David popping up along with the Herculean efforts of Samuel Dunning who will have you seeing double, uh, triple, uh, twenty-something! This film is some of the most fun you’ll have at the movies, be it at DWF or other film festivals or in theatres or at home when Stimson gets a distribution deal. Listen as Stimson dives into the genesis of TIM TRAVERS, his tonal approach, homage to the past, and his time-traveling approach that avoids the “typical” emotional metaphors of human discovery. He really explores the concept of a paradox (notably “The Grandfather’s Paradox) and asks the questions that roll around in one’s mind when you think of time travel, but he does it in a fabulous fun fashion. But what Stimson also discusses is how finding “stuff” for Vincent DeFelice’s brilliant production design is what helped dictate part of the story. Talking casting and performances, particularly Samuel Dunning as approximately 26 “Tim Travers”, Stimson gives kudos where kudos are due with his DP Bryan Gosline and Editor/SFX Coordinator Jason McKee and the 540 visual effects shots in the film. WOW! Plus, Stimson has some great film festival tips, including licensing music rights and some suggestions that might save you when your film gets distribution, and more.
TIM TRAVERS AND THE TIME TRAVELER’S PARADOX screens at Dances With Films on June 25th at 9:15pm PT.
DANCES WITH FILMS is once again at the TCL Chinese Theatres 6 in Hollywood from June 20-30, 2024!
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