On this episode of BEHIND THE LENS it’s time for DINNER WITH THE ALCHEMIST and then a trip into history and the wild blue yonder with THE MILLIONAIRES’ UNIT: THE FIRST U.S. NAVAL AVIATORS IN WORLD WAR I.
Our regular listeners first met writer/director KEVIN GOOD and co-writer/actor JENNA ST. JOHN first hit the festival circuit. With a distribution deal in place and the film now available to all, Kevin and Jenna are back, and this time live in-studio – and with another new production in tow, their 3-month old son Chaucer! Talk about balancing independent filmmaking and family! Jenna goes in-depth into her writing process and the research and historical fact incorporated into this blend of period lushness with alchemy, voodoo, and murder, while Kevin talks cinematography, special effects, taking the feature film leap and more.
At the midpoint of the show, we go back in history with a look at the fascinating documentary THE MILLIONAIRES’ UNIT. The story of a group of Yale students who were the first U.S. Naval aviators first to fly for America in WW1, co-directors RON KING and DARROCH GREER are on hand to talk about their seven-year journey over three continents to bring this piece of history to the masses. From impeccable research to interviews with family descendants and historians to recreations of WWI battles to the importance of including actual aircraft and flight simulations from the day (including a Sopwith Camel on loan from Peter Jackson), our discussion with Ron and Darroch is not to be missed! And an interesting sidebar, many of the filmmakers, including narrator Bruce Dern, have ties to these airmen, many who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.
