A terrific and quite energetic #BTLRadioShow this week thanks to director/editor BOB ROSE and his new documentary INSTABAND, plus the love fest for THE OUTPOST continues with our exclusive interview with TAYLOR JOHN SMITH.
I’m still trying to figure out how director Rod Lurie ended up with not only such an incredibly talented cast on THE OUTPOST, but one filled with truly outstanding, respectful, nice young men. Obviously, like attracts like. Over the past few weeks on BEHIND THE LENS you’ve heard our exclusive interviews with Rod Lurie talking about the making of THE OUTPOST, as well as CALEB LANDRY JONES who delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as Medal of Honor recipient SSgt Ty Carter talking about finding his way into SSgt Carter through Ty Carter himself as well as insight from Jones’ brother who is a Marine. Paramount to telling this story was a common goal of not only authenticity, but to do justice and show reverence to the soldiers of Combat Outpost Keating, all men and women in arms, and to the Gold Star families. And now we continue to showcase THE OUTPOST in this exclusive interview with TAYLOR JOHN SMITH who echoes those sentiments, while going into great detail as to his preparation for playing Distinguished Service Cross recipient, Lt. Andrew Bundermann. Listen as Taylor talks about auditioning, the role he thought he wanted, his extensive reading material to help understand a soldier’s mind and battle, keeping a copy of Jake Tapper’s book with him while filming, watching Defense Visual Info Distribution Service videos (DVIDS) of Bundermann being interviewed by the military only two weeks after the Battle of Kamdesh, his own conversations with Bundermann, working with cinematographer Lorenzo Senatore and Lurie’s long take “oner” style of filming THE OUTPOST, and more. And you’ll also hear plenty of humor and an easy-going affability and playfulness that speaks volumes as to “who” Taylor is.
And then we switch gears into high octane energy as director/editor BOB ROSE joins us live talking about INSTABAND. This is an absolute “Must See” documentary for anyone and everyone breaking into the music industry in today’s streaming world. Structured akin to the award-winning “Dummies” books that tell you how to do anything and everything, and chock full of even more info, with INSTABAND, Bob Rose breaks the industry down into its myriad of parts, providing not only an educational experience but an entertaining one. Focusing on middle-tier artists like Paul McDonald, Stealing Oceans, Infamous Her, and Sam Tinnesz, just to name a few, we not only hear from the artists themselves, but follow them through their experiences with merchandising, live performance, signing with a major label/breaking from a label, marketing versus music, the mandatory personal connection with fans, using social media as a tool, branding, the importance of maintaining one’s artistic aesthetic, owning your masters, licensing for tv/films/commercials, the Music Modernization Act, and so much more. Listen as Bob Rose talks about his initial approach to the documentary and how that changed once he started talking with the various artists, being fluid in his vision and adding different aspects of the music game to the throughline of the film as he learned more from each artist, editing editing editing as the energy and entertainment and informational fun comes from Rose’s editing (which is exemplary), how many aspects of succeeding in this middle tier approach to the music industry are equally applicable to the indie film world, expanding his own filmmaking voice in this sophomore directorial, and so much more. I can’t encourage musicians and filmmakers enough to see this film! If you want to rock, you’ve got to learn how to roll. . .
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