Featuring special guests: ELAINE BALLACE and SHANE MAUSS.
An eclectic BEHIND THE LENS this week filled with intensity and energy thanks to our very special guests, actress ELAINE BALLACE and comedian SHANE MAUSS, plus our exclusive interview with BLAKE JENNER!
But before we get to our live guests, take a listen to our exclusive pre-recorded interview with actor turned screenwriter BLAKE JENNER. Known best for his role as “Ryder” in the smash television series “Glee”, Blake steps up his game and expands his horizons as not only lead actor in BILLY BOY, but the film’s screenwriter and a “creative producer”. An intensely personal and emotionally visceral character study of a young man with potential who is grappling to come to terms with his past, BILLY BOY boasts an emotional rawness that is laid bare through indelible performances. Listen as Blake goes in-depth talking about not only his writing process but character development, working with his fellow castmates, director Brad Buecker, and stepping into the producer’s chair as well.
Then we shift gears with comedian turned filmmaker SHANE MAUSS. Fresh off his win at Dances With Films for the Audience Award for Best Documentary, Shane talks candidly and excitedly about his documentary PSYCHONAUTICS: A COMIC’S EXPLORATION OF PSYCHEDELICS. A winner on the stand-up circuit, Shane has long had a passion for blending comedy and science in his routines and his podcasts, and he does just that with PSYCHONAUTICS. Shane is no holds barred as he talks about using his personal experiences with psychedelics as a starting point for this documentary, working with director Brian Bellinkoff, bringing science and experts into the cinematic mix, as well as his huge learning curve in the editing bay.
And then there’s the effervescence and exuberance of actress ELAINE BALLACE who is on hand to talk about her latest film, and the final film of her dear friend Marvin Kaplan, LOOKIN’ UP. If Elaine doesn’t pack your day with heartfelt positivity nothing will as she is boundless in her energy and affection for Marv, himself a beloved figure to classic film (and “Top Cat” cartoon) fans everywhere, as well as the film’s star Steve Guttenberg. While a love fest for Marv Kaplan, Elaine also talks about her current television series on the Urban Movie Channel, “The Rich and the Ruthless”, an upcoming film project starting to shoot in July, and her take on staying active and vital as an actress over the decades.
