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.

Posts tagged writer
June 23, 2023 - Screenwriter Dan Fabrizio (ENDURE)

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

65 years from now, humanity is at the edge of extinction.
Countless countries have crumbled under the weight of a rapidly collapsing global economy. Many of the largest cities of our time have been wiped out by great wildfires or swallowed by rising seas. An unending heat stroke chokes all living things that remain; vast droughts, punishing plagues and forced migrations have ignited global conflict on an unprecedented scale. As our descendants fight for dwindling resources, children born during this time enter a shadow world of our own…inheriting a new Dark Age. But deep in the darkness, a lone ember of hope burns…

Get to know the screenwriter:

Endure is ultimately about humanity’s final fight for survival on an uninhabitable Earth. At the story’s center is a protagonist who we watch come-of-age on a planet and in an American society that is quickly decaying and collapsing in on itself. He’s the product of two parents who, on the surface couldn’t be any different – his mother is a champion of idealism and enduring hope while his father is a pragmatic isolationist who’s been forever traumatized by the atrocities he’s witnessed as soldier. But they have one very strong bond in common – and that is their deep love for their son – who they struggle to raise as society seems to be falling apart around them. Our hero ultimately grows up to embody both the best and worst aspects of his parents’ personalities as he follows in his father’s footsteps and becomes a loyal and lethal soldier. In the name of his country, he’ll commit his own atrocities – but later be given a chance at ultimate redemption as humanity’s last hope for survival.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

June 23, 2023 - Screenwriter Dan Fabrizio (ENDURE)
Matthew Toffolo
June 14, 2023 - Writer/Producer Xochi Blymyer (HEY ALEXA)

HEY ALEXA, 10min., USA, Fantasy
Written by Produced by Xochi Blymyer
Alexa is helpful, she’s funny, she’s kind, she’s a friend, who is she? A day in her life…with us.

http://gottagrinpictures.com/
https://www.twitter.com/xochib
https://www.instagram.com/Xochib

Get to know the writer/producer:

I had always been curious when Alexa and all the other AI helpers were created – what would she look like and how does she actually get all this information. From the first time we all discovered she would tell you where to bury the dead body (that changed later!) to telling us good night like a friend.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

June 14, 2023 - Writer/Producer Xochi Blymyer (HEY ALEXA)
Matthew Toffolo
June 3, 2023 - Screenwriter Suzy Stein, Fernando Perez (HOW NOT TO WRITE A ROMANCE NOVEL)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBx4Pzw5KvM

The world’s greatest romance novelist has given up on love due to long-standing grief, but will his blossoming relationship with a younger man lead to a new chapter or the same tragic ending.

Get to know the writers:

Our screenplay is hilarious and emotionally charged. It combines the classic romantic comedy elements with more serious themes related to AIDS and grief. And certainly more diverse stories from more diverse voices are needed.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

June 3, 2023 - Screenwriter Suzy Stein, Fernando Perez (HOW NOT TO WRITE A ROMANCE NOVEL)
Matthew Toffolo
June 1, 2023 - Screenwriter Matthew Domingos (THE UNINVITED)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL7az_cO2hg

When two American soldiers go on a mission to an abandoned house in the Iraqi desert, what they find there makes them question reality itself.

Get to know the writer:

My screenplay is essentially about human conflict. I wanted to express how uniquely strange and traumatic the experience of being in a warzone is for all those involved. It is an environment of extremes and one that, in my opinion at least, can only be expressed visually.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

June 1, 2023 - Screenwriter Matthew Domingos (THE UNINVITED)
May 28, 2023 - Screenwriter Aaron James Sutch (SERIOUS LAUGHS)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYF0RrNcRfg

A struggling stand up comedian must literally and figuratively kill when a zealous heckler takes a comedy club hostage; threatening the lives of fans, comedians, and comedy itself.

Get to know the screenwriter:

My screenplay on the surface level is about a hostage situation in a comedy club. But on a thematic level, it’s really about all forms of comedy being held hostage and people not knowing which jokes cross which lines, if there are any lines. This is debated in every scene in the screenplay.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

May 28, 2023 - Screenwriter Aaron James Sutch (SERIOUS LAUGHS)
Matthew Toffolo
May 27, 2023 - Writer/Producer Jean Maye (THE ADVENTURERS DIARY)

THE ADVENTURES DIARY, 15min.,

An elderly woman full of adventure takes one final journey.

Project Links

Conversation with creator Jean Maye, on the making of this very personal film.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

May 27, 2023 - Writer/Producer Jean Maye (THE ADVENTURERS DIARY)
Matthew Toffolo
May 22, 2023 - Screenwriter Jim Falletta (REVOLVING DOORS)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWEgSvNfDz0

Two down-on-their luck wannabe musicians moonlighting as karaoke “stars” at a bar that caters to senior citizens must overcome a host of obstacles on their road to music stardom, including their overbearing landlord, a divorced parent who moves in unexpectedly, and most importantly, their own propensity for failure.

Get to know the screenwriter:

Revolving Doors is about two down-on-their luck wannabe musicians moonlighting as karaoke “stars” at a bar that caters to senior citizens who must overcome a host of obstacles on their road to music stardom, including their overbearing landlord, a divorced parent who moves in unexpectedly, and most importantly, their own propensity for failure.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

May 22, 2023 - Screenwriter Jim Falletta (REVOLVING DOORS)
Matthew Toffolo
May 13, 2023 - Screenwriter Richard Redlo (GOOFY FOOT)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/goofy-foot-screenplay

Eliot Glassman, 15, openly gay and precocious, becomes emancipated from his suburban parents and friends, following incidents of physical abuse. Freed from his troubled suburban origins, he navigates (often on a skateboard) the dangers and delights of his new urban surroundings. Through it all, Eliot remains a positive life-force -– the ultimate wise ass, the enemy of poseurs, the ironic (often unreliable) narrator of his own amazing story.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Geoff Mays
Eliot: Sean Ballantyne
Alison: Hannah Ehman
Ms. Benton: Elizabeth Rose Morriss

Get to know the screenwriter:

Along with my three other completed (and refined) pilots, it should be produced to tell the truth about LGBTQ lives, without the offensive stereotypes that usually appear on network tv. It also is an attempt to show the myriad of pitfalls faced by teenagers, whether LGBTQ or straight, in a society that uses fear and misrepresentation to label people (e.g., urban skateboarders).

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

May 13, 2023 - Screenwriter Richard Redlo (GOOFY FOOT)
Matthew Toffolo
May 8, 2023 - Writer/Actor Krista Barzso (PERSISTENCE)

PERSISTENCE, 12min., Canada, Drama
Directed by Neil Schell
Persistence is a story about what happens when romantic intentions cross over into stalking. The ?lm explores what happens when trusts are broken but laws aren?t, and just how much damage can be done to someone’s life in that space between.

https://www.persistenceshortfilm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/PersistenceShort
https://instagram.com/persistenceshortfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:
This project has kind of taken on a life of its own. Initially, I just knew that I wanted to make the most out of quarantine life by taking that time to write and produce my first short film. I was always raised with the principle that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing well, so I knew that whatever I chose to do, I would throw myself into it completely. That made me really take the time to consider what story I would want to devote that kind of energy to.

Persistence is based on my real life experiences with stalkers. When I came up with the idea, I had a visceral reaction to the mere thought, so I knew there was more there that I needed to explore. I initially thought I was just doing it as a therapeutic exercise for myself, but the more people I spoke to about it, the more people approached me with their own similar stories. Understanding that I wasn’t alone in what I went through was heartbreaking and also so encouraging. From that moment, I started to realize that there is a bigger purpose to telling this story; to start important conversations and hopefully help others feel less isolated as well.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

May 8, 2023 - Filmmaker Krista Barzso (PERSISTENCE)
Matthew Toffolo
May 6, 2023 - Screenwriter Janna Jones (SHELTER)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfPdZKEVV2s

A smart, but indecisive movie theater owner is about to lose her husband, movie theater and her family’s legacy, but when two forces of nature sweep into her life–a violent tropical storm and a gorgeous and compassionate man–she finally jumps into action to get what she wants.

https://www.facebook.com/janna.jones
https://instagram.com/drjannajones

Get to know the screenwriter:

Shelter is original, funny and sweet. It is truly a love letter to cinema, and it is full of funny, quirky and three dimensional characters who live on a cool, funky island off the coast of Florida. In some ways, it also flips the script of the romantic comedy–because at the end of Shelter, we see the woman chasing after the man; in this case, by way of skateboard and golf cart!


You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

May 6, 2023 - Screenwriter Janna Jones (SHELTER)
Matthew Toffolo
May 5, 2023 - Screenwriter James W. Gould (MOTHER SUPERIOR)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6lx36tTrjE

In 1350s Florence, an insecure nun unwillingly becomes the Mother Superior after the Plague kills the leaders of her nearly bankrupt convent. To save her convent, she must find the strength to confront the male dominated Church, Guilds and civil authorities, and her own demons.


Get to know the screenwriter:

While set in the past, Mother Superior has great modern-day relevance. The Plague foreshadows the disruptions of our Covid epidemic. Today’s struggles of women with a male dominated Church and civil society, and with their own faith, echo those of the protagonist.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

May 5, 2023 - Screenwriter James W. Gould (MOTHER SUPERIOR)
Matthew Toffolo
April 9, 2023 - Screenwriter/Novelist Sara Collins (THE CONFESSIONS OF FRANNIE LANGTON)

The Confessions of Frannie Langton, 1 hour TV Series

Directed by Andrea Harkin

Written by Sara Collins

A beautiful and haunting tale about one woman's fight to tell her story, The Confessions of Frannie Langton leads you through laudanum-laced dressing rooms and dark-as-night back alleys, into the enthralling heart of Georgian London.


You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

April 9, 2023 - Screenwriter/Novelist Sara Collins (THE CONFESSIONS OF FRANNIE LANGTON)
Matthew Toffolo
December 29, 2022 - Screenwriter Kimberly Butler (THE ELECTRIC EYE)

A middle aged woman finds herself convicted of murder in the 1930’s. She is sent to an all male prison in deep Southern Illinois to await her fate for a crime she may not have committed. Based on true events.

Watch the Best Scene Script Reading of THE ELECTRIC EYE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8SolAV87Mk

From Kimberly Butler:

The life story of a woman in the 1930’s who finds herself convicted of murder. She is sentenced to the death penalty, and sent to an all male prison to carry out her sentence. This story is based on true events.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

December 29, 2022 - Screenwriter Kimberly Butler (THE ELECTRIC EYE)
Matthew Toffolo
December 22, 2022 - Writer/Producer/Star Caryn Ruby (VADGEVERTISING)

VADGEVERTISING, 8min., USA, Comedy
Directed by Kate Peterson
Shortly after the release of his controversial “Healthy Boy Toothpaste” ad, Leo Mann gives Satirical News Magazine, Nitecap, an exclusive behind-the-scenes interview of his new intravaginal advertising agency, and shares his philosophy behind “Vadgevertising.”

Get to know Writer/Producer/Star Caryn Ruby

Kate (my co-writer) and I were so disgusted by Tom Ford’s sexualized perfume ads, that we thought, “what could possibly be next?!” and we joked that they would have to advertise inside of vaginas to make it worse. So we laughed and then wrote it.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

December 22, 2022 - Writer/Producer/Star Caryn Ruby (VADGEVERTISING)
Matthew Toffolo
December 14, 2022 - Writer/Producer/Star Danny Abrahms (THE THIRD)

THE THIRD, 4min., USA, Comedy
Directed by Jonathan Kehoe
Making friends is hard.

From Danny Abrahms:

I wanted to make something fun with my actor friends that we could all add to our reels. I wrote it in January, we filmed it in May, and had a final cut by September. There was plenty of downtime in between, but from start to finish was about eight months. We ran into some technical issues in post that were very annoying and slowed the process down. We probably would’ve finished it a month or two sooner otherwise.


Interview conducted by Matthew Toffolo

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service today! You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

December 14, 2022 - Writer/Producer/Star Danny Abrahms (THE THIRD)
Matthew Toffolo
December 2, 2022 - actor/writer/producer Kaitlyn Farley (CLOSURE)

CLOSURE, 9min., USA, Action
Directed Gui Agustini
A detective. A mercenary. Of course it didn’t work out but when a relationship ends messy, can you ever really have Closure?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt13954882/?ref_=nm_knf_i2
https://www.instagram.com/nycstagecombat

From Kaitlyn Farley:

This project began as part of a stage combat summer intensive with the goal being to create new opportunities, help actor-combatants put to use their trained skills and create a space for the crew to play and gain experience in the world of action. Personally, I began producing to create strong female leads and opportunities to play complex characters in the action world.

Interview conducted by Matthew Toffolo

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook


December 2, 2022 - actor/writer/producer Kaitlyn Farley (CLOSURE)
Matthew Toffolo
October 21, 2022 - Screenwriter Addie Dobson (The Legend of the Mermaid Tree)

‘The Legend of the Mermaid Tree’ is a romance period piece bridging the past to the present on St. Simons Island. Joshua, a goal driven analyst, finally gets the opportunity for a promotion, but has to return to the island after hearing of his grandfather’s untimely death. As he packs his grandfather’s belongings, he comes across a journal and a map that details a love story with a mysterious woman, Colleen. After seeking help from a local waitress, Joshua will have to reevaluate his desire in life. A goal or a home.


Interview with writer, plus best scene screenplay reading - audio version.

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

October 21, 2022 - Screenwriter Addie Dobson (The Legend of the Mermaid Tree)
Matthew Toffolo
October 8, 2022 - Screenwriter Will Macduff (ORIGIN)

“An alien-girl with memory loss attempts to thwart a space predator from invading Earth while uncovering the shocking truth about her own origin.”

Watch the screenplay reading: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/origin

Conversation with writer Will Macduff, followed by the audio version 1st scene script reading of ORIGIN.

Sign up to the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

October 8, 2022 - Screenwriter Will Macduff (ORIGIN)
Matthew Toffolo
August 27, 2022 - Director Natalya Mykhaylyuk & Writer Jack Smithies (SOUR)

SOUR played to rave reviews at the Toronto Comedy Film Festival. Conversation with the creative team of the short film.

SOUR is a dark comedy horror exploring one woman’s experience of lockdown whilst isolating with a sourdough starter!

Project Links

Director Statement

Directing and co-writing SOUR has been an absolute pleasure! I was inspired by the originality of the premise and its fresh perspective on the madness of lockdown. Drawing inspiration from films exploring the anxieties and fears of suburban modern life such as Swallow (Carlo Mirabella-Davis, 2019), American Beauty (Sam Mendes, 1999), Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986) as well as the iconic TV series Desperate Housewives, I wanted to make a film that would not only make people laugh and smile during this difficult time but also provide a somewhat cathartic experience. Aside from being a comedic exploration of the effects of isolation, I see SOUR as a cautionary tongue-in-cheek tale about what happens when reality fails to live up to expectation and we upset the balance between the organic and the human!

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

August 27, 2022 - Director Natalya Mykhaylyuk & Writer Jack Smithies (SOUR)
Matthew Toffolo
August 24, 2022 - BABA short film team (Anya Chirkova, Meran Ismailsoy, Maziyar Khatam)

BABA is a multiple award winning short film from a talented filmmaking team based in Toronto. Interview with co-director Anya Chirkova, co-director Meran Ismailsoy, writer/star Mariyar Khatam.

https://www.instagram.com/funnybonepictures/

“A middle-aged Iranian man makes a desperate bid to keep his apartment, as his relationship with his son unravels.”

Director Statement

Baba is a fever dream dark comedy that focuses on a father accelerating down a path of narcissism and toxic masculinity. It’s a character study of a middle-aged man whose lifestyle crumbled after an agonizing divorce, leading him into a downward spiral of avoiding consequences. At its core, the story deals with an immigrant who hasn't fully integrated, is constantly dealing with language barriers and is being parented by his own son.

The film aims to examine the aftermath of an individual who escaped from an oppressive society and unwittingly over-indulged in the freedom of his newly found culture.

The shortsightedness of the father’s nature informed us to have the film take place in real-time, fueling horrifyingly awkward moments.

The film's intimate and heartbreaking story comes from the screenplay by Maziyar Khatam, whose real-life father was the core inspiration. Maziyar also portrays the son in the film. This project is a collaboration of three individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds, navigating the psychology of a desperate immigrant father.

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

August 24, 2022 - BABA short film team (Anya Chirkova, Meran Ismailsoy, Maziyar Khatam)
Matthew Toffolo