Telling stories through film and conversation.
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WILDsound's The Film Podcast

In each episode, the C.E.O. of WILDsound, Matthew Toffolo, chats about all things storytelling and film. Conversations with talented individual from all around the world.

EP. 1678: Filmmaker James Boss (GUNS IN PARADISE)

Guns in Paradise is a South Korea–set short film that blends fantasy, action, and romance through a metafictional lens. Trapped in routine, a DVD store clerk imagines a violent, passionate love story between two doomed assassins — unaware that the fantasy she’s creating might hold the key to rewriting her own life.


Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

In my recent projects, I’ve been deeply hands-on, taking on nearly every imaginable role within the filmmaking process. Over time, I’ve worn almost every hat—except one: set design. That gap stayed with me. Wanting to push myself further and expand my visual language, I decided to build a set for the first time.

This wasn’t just about learning a new skill. It was about deepening the knowledge I’ve accumulated over the years and becoming a more complete filmmaker. While I don’t intend to keep doing everything myself forever—I’m very aware that this approach isn’t sustainable long-term—I do believe strongly in understanding every department at a fundamental level. That understanding is what allows meaningful collaboration. When I work with seasoned professionals in the future, I want to communicate my vision clearly, elevate their strengths, and create work that feels unified rather than fragmented.

That creative momentum was amplified when I acquired a dream camera: the Canon C700 shooting RAW. I’ve been a Canon user my entire life, and finding an affordable C700 at auction felt like a sign—fuel added to an already growing desire to create something ambitious and uncompromising in quality.

At its core, this project is a love letter to cinema itself. It reflects my personal relationship with movies—the inspiration they’ve given me, the hope they still represent, and the quiet sadness I feel about the current state of the medium. It’s both a tribute and a reckoning, born out of admiration, concern, and an enduring need to create.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

This project took two years to make. In general, my short films come together in about two months, featurettes take closer to two years, and full-length features require a minimum of four years.

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EP. 1677: Filmmaker Dylan Randall (REACH FOR THE STARS)

Reach for the Stars, 22min., Australia

Directed by Dylan Randall

After her mother’s passing, young Madeline is struggling with coming to terms with her grief. One night, when a small spacecraft crashes in her backyard, she meets B3R1, a stranded visitor from the stars.

https://www.instagram.com/outatimepictures

Director Statement

Reach For the Stars is a project that I hold very close to my heart, as the idea came after the passing of my Grandad, and how my family and I dealt with the grief that followed.

My film aims to be a light-hearted, wonder-filled adventure with emotional undertones that helps us explore the idea of how different people deal with loss, and how that can be overcome.
When bringing this story to life, I was heavily inspired by the wonderful work of the ‘Industrial Light and Magic’ studio and the puppets created for the original Star Wars, and I began to wonder how I could incorporate these techniques into my story. The emotional weight of this film is carried by B3R1, our little robot friend, while also bringing wonder to your screens. B3R1 acts as an emotional bridge for our audience to connect them to the story and to act as a sense of hope that people may need.

Reach For the Stars is a heartfelt, nostalgic, science fiction tale that I hope brings you joy, wonder, and lets you know that it is okay to miss somebody, because that means you really loved them.

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EP. 1676: Filmmaker Michael Blake Hudon (AFTER SUNSET)

After Sunset, 7min., USA
Directed by Michael Blake Hudon
A man, reeling after a serious breakup, reflects on his past relationship and finds a new perspective.

https://www.instagram.com/aftersunsetfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I’ve loved movies for as long as I can remember. I finally decided to purse my passion and enrolled in The Los Angeles Film School’s online Digital Filmmaking program in 2021. I was entering my final six months with the school and had to produce my final project. Writing has always been therapeutic for me, and I was going through a breakup at the time. I don’t necessarily think I sat down and said let’s make a movie out of it but I believe it was a more subconscious thing and I was searching for answers.

From the idea to the finished project, how long did it take for you to make the film?

Two years, which I’m not proud to state, but I’ve sure learned a lot. Most of that time was post-production. It’s a really long story and we’d be all day but from pre-production through production, was four months.

How would you describe your film in two words?

Compassionate and reflective

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Gosh, so many. I’d say the answer would have to be the same that all filmmakers face- the money. Like many others before me, this project was almost entirely self-financed.

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EP. 1675: Filmmaker Kiarra Moore (The Town Without Laws)

A rag tag trio of criminals are tasked by the devil, to hunt down an outlaw trying to outrun his debt.

https://www.instagram.com/nightielightie/

https://kmoore304.myportfolio.com/

What motivated you to make this film?

This was my college thesis, and my passion project I have been working on for several years. What motivated me was the characters I crafted along the way, and ths wonderful preformances the Voice actors gave to the characters.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

It took me around 10-11 months of work.

How would you describe your film in two words!?

Questionable Protagonists

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

My biggest challenge was making time on top of other classes. As a transfer student my senior year I was doing 3-4 animation classes on top of my Thesis. So time management was super hard when you have to do over hundreds of frames for different projects.

There are 5 stages of the filmmaking process: Development. Pre-Production. Production. Post-Production. Distribution.

What is your favorite stage of the filmmaking process?

That’s difficult to say, as I love the whole process. But if I had to, I really enjoyed the pre-production, and the production. Once I get my idea I love to tweak and edit it. Polishing and getting all the assets and characters done. I want to say once I got the ok by my professor, I just ran off leash. Made tons of work for the pre-production book, as well as completing the backgrounds.

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EP. 1674: Creative team of REMINISCE (writer/actor Ashna Sharan, actors Wayne Jay, Roger Gutierrez)

Conversation with writer/producer/actor Ashna Sharan & her acting team Wayne Jay & Roger Gutierrez on the making of the award-winning film REMINISCE.

As Monica gets ready to host her older husband’s college classmates, a phone call from her estranged sister puts her mind at unease. With the age gap and her questioning the one sacrifice she made for love, she feels like an outsider in her own home. As the evening continues, tensions run hot as truths come to light. After the friends leave, she questions the perfection of her marriage and the power imbalance as her loving husband struggles to rein her in.

Project Links

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Get to know Ashna Sharan:

What motivated you to make this film?
The original idea was for a feature film drama so I wrote a short film version in order to be able to get funding / show investors what the feature film would be about. The film is loosely inspired by my own life. I’m married to someone ten years older in real life. My husband and I both got judgment for the age gap, but we ended up deciding to move forward anyways. Having realized that it affected some of my friendships and relationships with others, I can only imagine what a large age gap like 25 or 30 years would do so that’s why I exaggerated the age. 

As for the professor-student relationship, my grandparents met in a student-tutor capacity so I tied that into the love story of Reminisce. Power imbalance and a generational gap amidst the #metoo movement added an interesting dynamic to the story. 

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

I had written it towards the end of 2023. We began casting in the spring and ended up doing a crowdfunding campaign over the summer. We shot it in October 2024 over two days in Los Angeles. Post-production was done by April 2025. So all in all, about a year and a half. 

How would you describe your film in two words!?

Layered and Lovely

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Casting for this was particularly tricky so Leslie Morris (the director) and I spent a lot of time with that. I was playing Monica and I had written the role of Brian for Wayne Jay. Since Diana and Patrick were Brian’s friends from college, we had to cast people who looked like they could have gone to college with Wayne, but also had the chemistry of long-time friends. We received a lot of submissions so we did self-tapes, virtual callbacks and then an in-person chemistry read. Elisa Nixon and Roger Gutierrez were cast and they did a tremendous job. 

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EP. 1673 (Actors Podcast #21): Guðsteinn Fannar (BELONG TO YOU)

BELONG TO YOU, 6min., Iceland
Directed by Ísak Magnússon, Óliver Sólberg
Belong to you follows a swimming pool employee who thinks about his relationship with his coworker on a quiet night.

Hannah Ehman chats with actor Guðsteinn Fannar on the making of the award-winning film. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gudsteinnf/

Follow Interviewer Hannah Ehman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ehmanhannah/

Watch Hannah’s commercial spots: https://www.ispot.tv/topic/actor-actress/bP8/hannah-ehman

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EP. 1672: Filmmaker Carling Ernstzen (The Last Rehearsal)

Inspired by true events. Faced with terminal cancer, a beloved acting teacher rallies his favourite students one last time to stage his final play.


What motivated you to make this film?

It began with a group of close acting friends in London who wanted a project to work on together, purely for the joy of acting together again.

The story itself is rooted in the loss of a dear acting teacher and mentor who passed away while we were rehearsing a play he had written for our troupe. At the time, none of us knew it would be his final work. When he died, what I felt most sharply was not only grief, but a creative rupture. He was someone who gave language to us as artists, and suddenly that voice was gone.

I wrote The Last Rehearsal instinctively in response to that absence. It came from a simple question: who carries the work forward when a guiding voice disappears? The film became a meditation on unfinished work, mentorship, and artistic inheritance. It is inspired by true events, but it is not a literal retelling. A small number of my mentor’s words to me appear as voiceover, used sparingly and with intention, not as explanation, but as presence.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take you to make this film?

The script was written around seven years ago, at the very beginning of my writing journey. At the time, it was deeply personal, so I kept it private.

About two years ago, a group of my acting friends and I were talking about wanting to collaborate again. One of the actors who went on to play the protagonist remembered the script clearly and strongly encouraged me to return to it. He championed it as the project we should make together, and that recognition became the catalyst for bringing The Last Rehearsal back to life.

From there, the process moved very organically.

We shot over five days, wrapping principal photography at the end of November 2023. We went into post-production in January 2024, and the film was completed in March 2025. From shoot to final delivery, the process took roughly a year and a half.

How would you describe your film in two words?

Unfinished inheritance.

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Stepping fully into directing.

I come from an acting background, and directing was not something I initially set out to do. It required trusting my instincts while holding the emotional and creative centre of the work. What made it possible was the generosity and trust and skills of the cast and a brilliantly supportive seasoned crew, who approached the material with care, intelligence and belief.

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EP. 1671: Filmmaker Joe Bartone (My Movie Starring Paul Dano)

The famous actor comes to Herman in a dream, convincing him to make his feature “Bear Naked Amazonians from Mars.” If he makes the deadline, the film will take Best Feature at South by Southwest, making Herman an international celebrity.


What motivated you to make this film?

I was inspired by No Wave film  –  a movement from  NYC 1976-1982. In this style, you shoot it now. Before you even have a complete understanding of the story. You blast your way into the production and trust instincts. I thought this would be a great departure from my first narrative film, in which I was much more careful. I think in the future I will return to a more traditional, methodical plan, having learned what I needed in the process of making a No Wave inspired film. 

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you  to make this film?

18 weeks and two days from the first day of writing to the last shot of principal photography, then 18 months of editing and graphics, VFX, etc. 

How would you describe your film in two words!?

Hope High

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Other than time and money? Personalities. If even one cast member is not doing an indie film for the love of it, but rather from the money or career advancement it might bring, the whole cast and crew gets infected with negativity. 

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EP. 1670: Filmmaker Richard Hamilton (BuddhaMachine=HMA)

Music Video made entirely in Unreal Engine 5 for the song “BuddhaMachine=HMA” and based off of the short story “Rain Drops”

The plot of the music video pulls and expands upon the short story, whose plot is as follows: a worn out detective in future Beijing attempts to solve a series of bizarre murders that involve a street drug called ‘Rain Drops’, that purports to send people directly to heaven after use.

What motivated you to make this film?

After I finished my album, I planned on writing short stories for each of the songs. At the same time my fascination with the workflow and possibilities of Unreal Engine 5 started to grow. I work in film production and have seen people implement it before, but it never crossed my mind that I could do it. So one day the need for a music video crossed with the desire to learn a new skill/program, and I decided to embark on my Unreal Engine journey. I tried to keep it simple at first, use premade assets, touch them up here and there for specific shots. But mostly my goal was to learn the camera and rendering system and see if I could make something compelling and interesting with it.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

It took longer than I hoped! My day job is a sound mixer/designer and composer for film. I think from idea conception to final exports and uploads it took me about 9 months. I could only work on it in my spare time however so it took a while.

How would you describe your film in two words!?

Meditative Cyberpunk

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Besides learning a whole new workflow (I’ve never worked with a 3D rendering system or video game engine for that matter), I think the hardest part was understanding and utilizing UE5’s complex rendering engine. It took many many tries in some cases to get it to pump out the shots I needed. Many YouTube tutorials were watched and many a coffee was drunk.

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EP. 1669: Filmmaker Govind Chandran (SAFE)

When a compassionate helpline counsellor begins to grow concerned for the safety of one of her clients, she’s forced to decide whether to trust her instincts or follow protocol. Safe is a tense, quietly powerful drama about the weight of responsibility and the courage it takes to listen.


Get to know the filmmaker:

hat motivated you to make this film?

Honestly it started with the concept of showcasing our lead actress (Kelsey Cooke) and her talent – holding the audience attention and emotions as the sole person on-screen (supported by some incredible voice actors of course). Once we had the concept and decided how to approach it thematically, it became all about bringing authenticity to such a heavy topic and trying to do so in a way that did not feel exploitative but felt, informative and considered. I wrote the film alongside Kelsey Cooke who brought such depth to everything that we did.


From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

We had the concept in November 2024, but commitments on other projects meant we agreed to only start working on it at the end of January 2025. We wrote between February and March, applied for the Arts Council of the Isle of Man Short Film Fund and were awarded that in April. Location scouting on the isle took place shortly after with production in June and post production in July-August. 

How would you describe your film in two words!?

That’s tough – and I think all of us will have different words for it but for me as director it would be: Vulnerable. Honest. 

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EP. 1668: Director Katya Mokolo & Writer Thomas Schmitt (BARTOGAY LAKE)

An old man crosses the boundless Kazakh steppe, driving alone. Haunted by memories of a lost love, he stops by Bartogay Lake, flowers in hand. But as he tries to step out, his car door refuses to open, trapping him between past and present.

https://www.instagram.com/kitsuney/

Answers from filmmaker Katya Mokolo:

What motivated you to make this film?
It was made from opportunity, I was in Kazakhstan for another project and seeing the country I couldn’t miss this chance.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Scattered 5 weeks
2 weeks for the script
1 day of filming
1 week of editing
1 week of music 
2 days of color grading
2 days of VFX
1 day of master and finalisation

How would you describe your film in two words!?
Melancholic hope

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Actually none, for once everything was smooth and all stars were aligned.

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EP. 1667: Filmmaker Timothy Bradley Reinhold (DISCIPLE: EPISODE I OF THE HARMONY SAGA)

ACT 1 - DISCIPLE: EPISODE I OF THE HARMONY SAGA, 26min., USA

Directed by Brad Reinhold

The first act, reinterpreted by the director, of the award winning feature film Saga screenplays. Disciple; Episode I of the Harmony Saga is set 80,000 years after the disappearance of Earth. A Galactic Church rules the galaxy, enforcing dogma. Freedom fighters seek liberation. Samantha Sacre, a disciple of the Church, encounters something that will change the course of history forever, and must reconcile what she has learned with how she was taught and raised. This is only the beginning, and, as Sam says, "The best is yet to come." This mythopoetic journey into the far future challenges us to look beyond the surface of our realm, through the lens of a future civilization, and ask, "what does it all mean?"

https://www.instagram.com/brad.reinhold

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EP. 1666: Screenwriter Ed Moran (The Octopus's Garden)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj9bGNUIFdY

A delightful blend of adventure and emotional depth, reminiscent of films like “Finding Nemo,” where the bond between characters drives the narrative through perilous waters. I thought of “The Shape of Water” as well, with its unique exploration of relationships between humans and extraordinary creatures, creating a sense of wonder and connection. Additionally, “A Monster Calls” came to mind, as it beautifully intertwines fantastical elements

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

The screenplay is about Gilly, a decades old, extremely intelligent Giant Pacific Octopus who lives in the Mermaid’s Cave in Oahu where she has been gifted an information hub by her marine biologist friend. As time passes, Gilly enhances her ability to shape shift and learns how to communicate. In present day, she saves a government agent who is drowning in the ocean. Their relationship is at the center of the character driven story which unfolds like a chaotic, humorous, fast paced rollercoaster. It climaxes with Gilly and her new found friends saving the Arizona Memorial from attack from North Korea’s marine biology program.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

My story fits the following genres: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Thriller, Comedy, with slight traces of Horror. It is suitable for all ages. It can be animated, use live actors, or be a combination of both.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

I have received extremely positive feedback from multiple industry evaluators. I will use the review by the International Screenwriters’ Association to answer this question. “The project presents a distinctive blend of science fiction and emotional drama, anchored by the unlikely relationship between Slip, a disillusioned former agent, and an intelligent, shapeshifting octopus named Gilly. Their connection provides both the narrative’s emotional center and its conceptual novelty, exploring trust, survival, and empathy in an unconventional yet interesting context.

The tone operates in a deliberately hybrid register, merging high-concept science fiction with a light, often self-aware humor. In its best moments, this tonal elasticity creates a sense of discovery and curiosity, it allows for levity in scenes that might otherwise risk melodrama. The concept itself, an intelligent, shapeshifting octopus that engages with humanity, is imaginative and commercially distinctive, particularly in a cinematic landscape with familiar properties. What makes it notable is not simply its novelty but its potential for visual and tonal contrast, the serene oceanic imagery juxtaposed with covert operations, and the organic intelligence of a sea creature contrasted with human technology.

Overall, this screenplay’s originality and emotional core position it as a distinctive and engaging piece with strong cinematic potential.”

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EP. 1665: (Actors Podcast #20) Kage Yami (Wukong Couriers)

Wukong Couriers, 15min., USA

Directed by Peter Gabriel Gagnon

An unwitting bicycle messenger is chosen as the mystical hero to save the city from an ancient horror.

www.instagram.com/wukong_couriers

Hannah Ehman chats with actor Kage Yami on the making of the award-winning film. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kageyami11/

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Watch Hannah’s commercial spots: https://www.ispot.tv/topic/actor-actress/bP8/hannah-ehman

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EP. 1664: TRIpolar Film Team: Rogelio Robles (dir.) Paul Fisher (actor), Matthew Miller (dp)

A broken home, a broken mind. Will love overcome the difficulties Alyssa and Richard face?


Conversation with the Film Team of the Horror Film “TRIpolar”

Director Rogelio Robles, Actor Paul Fisher, DP Matthew Miller

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EP. 1663 (Actors Podcast #19): Mindy Smith (MARA)

MARA, 18min., USA, Horror/Thriller

After years spent recovering from a botched exorcism, Jake prepares to reintegrate into society. However, the mounting pressures of everyday existence trigger a harrowing regression back into madness. Conversation with filmmaker Ben Harl

https://www.instagram.com/scompassstudios/

Hannah Ehman chats with actress Mindy Smith about playing Dr. Andi Howell in the award-winning Horror Short Film MARA.

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EP. 1662: Screenwriter Nick McCabe (THE LONELY WISH)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz6Xi_bkTbE

When a troubled teen’s wish to make everyone disappear comes true, she risks losing them permanently and must rely on an unlikely ally to save her town – the school bully.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

It’s about a teenage girl who gets bullied at school and is in a very dark place at the beginning of the story. She gets in a fight with her mother and in the heat of the moment, she wishes everyone would disappear. Little does she know that her wish instantly becomes true. She has to navigate through her new world and come to terms with herself and the other people in her life before she can move on.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

coming of age, fantasy, drama

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

I think a lot of young people can relate to the feelings of isolationism, grief, and trauma early in life that this movie presents. The lead character also deals with a lot of loneliness. Sometimes that loneliness is desired and wanted and sometimes it makes her wish for someone to be with her. It shows that our feelings are changing on a daily basis and don’t evolve in a neat linear pattern. I think ultimately what this movie expresses is that having these feelings is normal and takes time to sort out. Hope is around the corner even in our darkest hour.

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EP. 1661: Filmmaker Johnny Thames (ALWAYS AND FOREVER)

Always and Forever, 22min., USA
Directed by Johnny Thames
An obsessive, controlling teenager kidnaps her boyfriend to play a bizarre, self destructive game. But things become complicated when the boy demands a stop. The film comments on how trauma if not confronted and resolved will lead to co-dependent and potentially destructive results, while providing enough empathy toward accountability.

https://www.instagram.com/alwaysnforever_film

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

In all honesty, it was a couple of things: the main reason was the way we perceive trauma survivors and the way media depicts these types of stories. We either view them as calm and composed or emotional messes.

Additionally, many stories often depict survivors as infantilized victims needing help or as inherent monsters. The point of the film was to show it’s not black and white, it’s usually somewhere in the middle of all of this.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

From development to post-production, about a year and a half on and off.

How would you describe your film in two words!?

Empathetic critique

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

The biggest obstacle was the casting of Jennifer Baufour as Janice: When I first saw her tape, it stood out to me; I thought she understood the character, so I opted to cast her. The only issue was that the role wasn’t fully realized.

In response, I wrote the epilogue that plays over the credits, leaning into the nuance the film was going for. Writing the monologue was almost instantaneous, showcasing a woman who had gone through the effects of unresolved trauma and was now trying to make up for the consequences while being the parent she should’ve been years ago.

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EP. 1660: Filmmaker Hunter Wayne (Buddha Was A Rich Boy)

After a concert flyer turned paper airplane lands into the laps of two kid sisters, they infiltrate the venue to find a mindless mosh crowding a supernatural bathroom. Music video for ‘Buddha Was A Rich Boy’ by That Handsome Devil


What motivated you to make this film?

We all have friends that have ideas for films they want to direct. My friends not acting on their ideas after years of me cheerleading them led me to saying, “fuck it”, and maxing out two credit cards to make two music videos with That Handsome Devil in one weekend. There’s no lead-up to our death. It’s just going to happen one day to all of us. Anyone wasting the time we aren’t guaranteed drives me crazy. 

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

To keep up with the release of their album, Exploitopia, there were maybe 5 months tops on the calendar. In that 5 months, maybe two weeks of it was spent putting this baby together. 

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EP. 1659: Filmmaker David Dulev (DON’T FORGET TO SMILE)

Don’t forget to smile, 8min., North Macedonia
Teacher that’s teaching kids to smile in a post a dystopic school.

Get to know filmmaker David Dulev:

What motivated you to make this film?

The initial motivation for this movie was the fact that i needed to graduate college and a short film was part of the final exam, that aside i felt like i wanted to give my thoughts on the pandemic and human emotions in general and i got lucky that my friend Onur had a script with that idea already built.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

Technically 3 and a half years since the first time i heard the idea, although a solid one and a half year was idle spent just thinking about it because of both me and Onur being busy with work, after that we discussed possible ideas for the final script for a couple of months and finally brought up the idea with
the rest of the crew. After a few more months in pre production we were finally ready to shoot.

How would you describe your film in two words!?

Absolute Cinema! =)

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