BEHIND THE LENS is back for its SEVENTH YEAR and what a show we’ve got for you to start the New Year and Year Seven!
First up, is our exclusive interview with the incomparable JASON ISAACS talking about his explosive new film, SKYFIRE, an action-disaster film which finds Isaacs playing an entrepreneur named Jack Harris who has built a luxury resort on a volcano located in the “Ring of Fire”, aimed at delivering the ultimate up close and personal travel experience. Adding to the mix is a young team of scientists led by a volcanologist named Meng who has developed an early warning system in the hopes of preventing the kind of loss she suffered at the mouth of a volcano – the death of her mother when Meng was only about 8 or 9 years old. Needless to say, things go horribly wrong when the volcano erupts and Harris has ignored Meng’s warnings of volcanic instability.
Take a listen as Jason talks about SKYFIRE, the development of his character of Jack Harris and the importance of redemption, the joy of working with Simon West and being on a Simon West shoot, plus some thoughts on his career, and two more of Jason’s films available in January 2021 – Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets which is available now, and Mass which makes its virtual world premiere at Sundance Film Festival.
And then take a listen to our prerecorded exclusive interview with one of the best (and a personal fave) action directors, now action-disaster film director,, in town – SIMON WEST – as he goes in-depth talking about the making of SKYFIRE! Covering everything from working with Second Unit Director and stunatman extraordinaire Noon Orsatti, the importance of in-camera action and stunts over CGI, cinematographer Alan Caudillo and designing the visuals and creating a visual tonal bandwidth, working underwater and infusing a romantic balletic element as a contrast to the unfolding volcanic tragedy, casting, research into volcanoes and incorporating science and fact into the film from a visual standpoint – not the least of which is a stunning sequence involving static electricity, the use of color as a metaphor, the importance of “purpose” for the main character, and more.
Then we say a big “Welcome Back” to writer/director BLAYNE WEAVER as he returns to #BTLRadioShow with his latest directorial, GetAWAY. A horror-thriller that is essentially a slasher film within a slasher film within a slasher film, Blayne dusted off an old script and put it into production with a simple premise; a group of college film students has to create a film for their class finals. One such film is a slasher film set in a forested area during a weekend retreat. The gang all comes together to head off for the weekend shoot, however, not without a lot of drama and the pre-departure murder of their teacher. But once at this cabin in the woods, one by one, the cast and crew start disappearing…or dying. It’s not part of the student script so what’s happening? Tapping into recognizable personality traits for his characters, Blayne goes one better and for some of his cast and actual GetAWAY film crew, hires some of his own film students (in his “spare” time, Blayne teaches film). Talk about authenticity!
Take a listen as Blayne talks about the genesis of the story, casting and production staffing, the importance of location, Chad McClarnon’s cinematography, visual decisions when it comes to portraying horrific kills and balancing cost vs visual effectiveness, practical in-camera effects, horror tropes, scoring, and more.
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