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.
The Rich Kid Rules (Ep. 1: 362 Rules of a High School Dropout), 59min., USA
Directed by A.L. Pruitt, Makenna Perkal
A new kind of coming-of-age crime drama series with horses, dance, a dysfunctional family, and an upstairs/downstairs romance with a reverse Cinderella story twist.
http://therichkidrules.com/
https://www.instagram.com/therichkidrules
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COOP, 19min., USA
Directed by Moriah Doepken
After sustaining a bad injury, a stubborn retired sheriff must learn to talk with his estranged son as they build a fence together, or risk losing the relationship.
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I love Western films and one day had the idea of “What happens to the sheriff of the town after he’s retired and the town no longer needs him?” And working with the brilliant writer Jeffrey Hein, we expanded this idea into what you see now. We both loved the idea of a man stuck in the past and whose toxic masculinity could be the basis of a lot of problems for him in a more modern world.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I loved seeing people take all sorts of interpretations away with them after watching it, because what x, y, and z may represent to me comes across totally differently for each viewer, which is so cool. And I want there to be discourse on if the characters made the right choice or what the coop itself represents!
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Rock Island Prison 1864, 7min,. USA
Directed by Joy Shannon
Guarding Confederate POWS in a Civil War prison, a runaway slave now Union soldier, desperately fights for power, or faces returning to slavery.
https://www.rockislandprison.com/
https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-rock-island-prison
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Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrJ8KUPyDZ8
A young oceanographer discovers her gradfather’s plane – part of the Lost Patrol – and is thrust into an emotional journey with a rebellious reporter as the government tries to cover up what really happened that night in 1945. The duo uncovers an extraordinary truth of how water, our most precious resource, has a will and consciousness of its own and is an active, seemingly invisible, participant in its own survival from human destruction.
Get to know the writer:
What is your screenplay about?
In LIFESOURCE, well known historic events (the disappearance of 5 war planes we’ve come to call the lost patrol in 1945), a government cover-up, mysterious deaths and a romance, all come together when humanity’s killing of its life source (all of Earth’s water sources) reaches a tipping point and humanity and water are out of harmony.
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
It speaks to what humans are doing to the water sources on our planet and the value systems we’ve chosen to embrace and at the same time it stands on its own as a fun ride while creating awareness.
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CATABASE FIRST PART: AD LOVE. 97min., France
Directed by Nicolas Pereira
Two lovers fall into madness.
https://www.instagram.com/nicolaspereiratheater/
What motivated you to make this film?
Honestly, I can’t say exactly why. By 2021, it had been four years since I had last directed a fiction film. In the meantime, I had worked as a screenwriter, script doctor, producer, cinematographer, and even as a content creator for Fashion Week. Yet, despite these experiences, all my personal projects had ended in failure.
2020 and 2021 had been particularly difficult years, both professionally and personally. Everything I tried to build seemed to collapse before it could even take shape. I had reached a point where waiting no longer made sense. If I wanted to make a film, I had to do it now, with whatever means I had.
It all started in November 2021, almost by accident. After a night of working in a nightclub, I was driving home when I got stuck in traffic. On a whim, I took out my iPhone and filmed a few shots inside my car, by pure instinct. Once home, I edited the footage to a piece of music by Wojciech Kilar and color-graded it in the style of a film noir. It wasn’t a calculated decision, but a spontaneous urge—as if I were finally allowing myself to do something I had always been told to avoid by client or the global industry.
And then, without fully realizing it at the time, something happened. These images were already telling a story I had yet to write.
Bit by bit, the film took shape in my mind: the story of a couple who love each other deeply but, despite everything, should not be together. As they struggle, they wear themselves out, burn out, and inevitably age—metaphorically.
Driven by this intuition, I kept filming, alone: a hand hovering over a lit stovetop, a snow globe in the shadows, a flickering lightbulb, an empty room where I smoke a cigarette. Then, I edited a teaser and sent it to Olivia Rose, a fellow acting student whose talent had always left me in awe. I asked her if she wanted to turn this into a film—a short, maybe a medium-length, perhaps even a feature. Less than five minutes later, she agreed to join me.
From that moment on, there was no turning back. Tired of waiting for a project to finally materialize, I decided to do everything myself: film alone with my iPhone, with no budget, no crew, and most importantly, no creative restrictions.
Filming began in January 2022 and spanned eight months—forty days of shooting filled with doubt, setbacks, and improvisation.
But above all, without intending it, this film became a catharsis. A raw, unfiltered reflection of my state of mind at that time. It wasn’t planned, yet perhaps that’s what makes it beautiful. Because it was born out of a deep, personal, and artistic necessity—out of urgency.
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My Block My Hero, 25min., USA
Directed by Gina D'Onofrio
Jahmal Cole is the founder of My Block My Hood My City, a Chicago-based non-profit with a mission to inspire youth and empower local communities. He has been shot twice in his day-to-day life, an unfortunate reality that the teenagers and communities he has dedicated the organization to uplifting face on a daily basis in the murder capital of the United States. By leading community-driven efforts, Cole has made it his goal to build a better world one block at a time, while positively impacting the lives of the teens who grow up there. Through the Explorers program, My Block My Hood My City enables youth from Chicago’s divested neighborhoods to discover the world beyond their blocks, by taking them on enriching experiences across the city and the country that open the doors to new possibilities. In their latest adventure, the Explorers went behind the scenes at the Shedd Aquarium to learn how researchers are working to preserve the world's endangered coral reefs.
http://www.youreverydayheroes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/youreverydayheroes/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
Jahmal Cole is doing amazing work with teenagers through My Block My Hood My City in Chicago, where I'm also from, and I've read quite a few articles about him. When I was tasked with finding a "hero" who was really impacting the community, asking if he was willing to participate was a no brainer.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Around a year and a half. There was a lot of coordination between MBMHMC and the Shedd Aquarium, where they allowed us to film the teenagers on an Exploration that involved going behind the scenes and propagating coral. The editing process afterwards was also lengthy.
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Space Trash, 9min,. USA
Directed by James Jarosz
Short film and first installment of web series. A galactic garbage collector picks up a seemingly innocuous piece of space junk but it turns out to be more than he bargained for. This sci-fi action comedy will have you laughing, entertained and wanting more.
https://www.instagram.com/jimbrokenreelpics
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
Back in the mid 90s I read an article about space junk and how difficult it was going to be for shuttles and rockets to launch without hitting orbital debris. I was also very interested in the idea of taking an ordinary blue collar job and making it the most dangerous job in the future. The marriage of those two ideas along with my love for 70s and 80s sci fi films became the seed for Space Trash.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was very pleased. It was great to hear what people outside of the project thought of the film and that they very clearly understood the world I was trying to create. I'm glad that the humer landed and that overall people found it entertaining.
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FAN LETTER, 15min., Belgium
Directed by Zeb Daemen
Set in the glamorous 1950s, Fan Letter follows Ricky, a renowned singer at the height of his fame. One evening, before another sold-out show, Ricky receives a letter from someone he thought was lost to time—his first love, whom he hasn’t heard from in years. Attached to the letter is a phone number.
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
The idea for Fan Letter started when I came across old images of Elvis reading fan mail. There was something captivating about those moments. This massive star, adored by millions, yet sitting alone with handwritten letters, connecting with fans in such a personal yet distant way. That led me down a rabbit hole, researching actual fan letters from the time, and what struck me was how deeply emotional and devoted they were. These young women poured their hearts into these letters, idolizing someone they’d never truly know.
At the same time, I’ve always been fascinated by the 1950s. The music, the culture, and especially how it was marketed almost exclusively to a young female audience. But beneath that glossy, dreamy surface, there was a much harsher reality, especially for artists. Around this time, I also watched the documentary on Tab Hunter, and his story really stuck with me, the pressures of fame, the sacrifices, and the hidden truths behind these carefully curated public images.
Once this idea took hold, it became my passion project. I kept thinking about what it would be like for an artist to look back at a life built on a bargain they couldn’t fully understand at the time, what they gained, but more importantly, what they lost. Ricky’s story grew from that, and I knew I had to tell it.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Really sweet! Nice to hear that people have a good reaction to the film.
Also a little strange.
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ROSALIND, 32min,. USA
Directed by Veronica A. Hodge-Hampton
Vivian and Rosalind love each other, but after Rosalind was diagnosed with lung cancer she became abusive to her only caregiver, Vivian, for nine life draining years. When Vivian leaves town to see her dying father, a nurse and their close friend, Phoebe, teaches both Rosalind and Vivian a lesson in love they will never forget.
http://www.gloryfilmworks.com/
https://facebook.com/gloryvisionworks
https://www.instagram.com/gloryvisionworks/
Get to know director Veronica A. Hodge-Hampton & writer/producer/songwriter Sandra Hodge-Hampton:
What motivated you to make this film?
Sandra (writer/producer/songwriter): I wanted to show that when a person has limited strength or even a terminal diagnosis their caregivers should let them keep as much independence as they can because in addition to the sadness associated with the illness the person is also dealing with feeling like a burden to their loved ones.
Veronica (director/producer): I wanted to make this film to show that caregivers need to ask for help while they are caring for their person whoever that is, and that it is okay to ask for help when you’re not the one that’s sick.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Sandra: Relieved and thankful! Because I prayed that everything I wanted to convey in the script would translate into a meaningful and thought provoking experience for the audience and their comments proved that we did our job.
Veronica: It made me happy that they understood what we were trying to say. They got the emotion, they understood the stress and strain on both characters and they saw Vivian overcome in the end and be at peace about how she took care of Rosalind.
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HOMEPLANET, 26min., USA
Directed by Andrew Pritzker
Barefoot on a country highway, a Disoriented Man is picked up by Two Local Cops who suspect he may be a space alien.
http://qikfingerfilms.com/
https://www.instagram.com/qikfingerfilmsllc/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I had a funny idea kicking around in my head about two cops picking up guy on a country road because they thought he was a space alien. But when I fleshed out the story I decided it wasn’t really about the cops but the guy they arrested. So the questioned remained, “Who is he and what is he doing there?” When the script refocused it turned from comedy to a character drama. Once I found the emotional thread, I wanted to shoot the film.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was really happy by the response. The reviewers spoke positively about the film and connected to it emotionally. We loved their reactions. They had a personal experience with the film and that’s terrific.
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Watch the best scene reading of HOPPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzN8nTYJLIQ
Get to know the writers:
What is your screenplay about?
Log Line: Struggling with insecurity and doubt about the longevity of their relationship, an American couple travels to Iceland for answers through a unique form of therapy, threatening both their relationship and their lives. Every relationship is a leap of faith.
Synopsis: In the mesmerizing landscapes of Iceland, a disillusioned yet determined American couple, Fawn and Rabbit, embark on a desperate journey for answers to their critical relationship questions through an unconventional couple’s therapy program – HOPPA. Their path leads through a series of harrowing experiences designed to reveal their truest selves while challenging their perception of reality and their beliefs about love and life. As their experiences grow increasingly eerie and nightmarish, they struggle with their inherent differences, relentless lack of communication, and uncompromising needs of each other. Their journey culminates at the edge of a cliff, where a moment of revelation leads to chaos and unfathomable implications from their decisions throughout their HOPPA experience.
What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Psychological Thriller, Horror, Drama
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
The story explores relatable, honest partnership struggles as both parties navigate the possibility of compromising their individuality for a shared life together, and the depths they will go to know if their relationship is worth that risk.
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Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONlg9ToDKoY
“Chrysalis” navigates the story of Deniz, an enigmatic alien who, upon arriving on Earth, assumes the form of a 20-something girl. Driven by loneliness and curiosity, she becomes captivated by the vibrant Turkish culture. Alternating between the euphoria of her love with a Turkish woman, Melisa, and the aftermath of a tragic loss caused by homophobia in modern Turkish society, the narrative weaves subtle hints alluding to Deniz’s true nature, inviting contemplation on whether she is an extraterrestrial or a representation of someone who feels like an outsider within their own country. The story delicately portrays the healing journey of both Deniz and Melisa’s grieving mother within a city so capable of profound love, yet at times challenged to extend that love to others.
Get to know the writer:
What is your screenplay about?
The screenplay explores what it means to love in a city like Istanbul- a place that is both beautiful and complicated. Growing up in this country (as with any country), you can find love in every corner within its people. However, there’s also a heartbreaking cycle of hate that seeps through, especially towards the LGBTQ community.
Istanbul is naturally a loving city, but the struggle to embrace all forms of love has persisted for years. This paradox inspired me to create a story that highlights the loneliness and complexity of being part of a community like this in Istanbul. Despite the hate, I believe the city is and will always be filled with love- sometimes, all it takes is a shift in perspective to see that love in its purest form is universal. My love is no different than your love.
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Onámuh, 22min,. Mexico
Directed by Miguel Ángel Vives Ponzanelli
Onámuh, a humanoid marked by past abuses, searches for resources to survive. Árret, a deity of the earth, helps him and takes him to her lair, where Onámuh finds the energy he needed. However, his need turns into an addiction, leading him to abuse Árret and make her his prisoner. As the environment rapidly deteriorates, Onámuh must make a fatal decision due to his accumulated guilt.
https://www.instagram.com/pm.a.v/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
Philosophically, I’ve always loved the ideas Nietzsche had around nature and the way Humans perceive it in terms of an ego out of proportions. We humans tend to try and trap nature in our supposed “reason” but, in that futile attempt, we unleash a destructive force that tries to compensate the shameful fact that we understand almost nothing in the greater scheme of the natural universe. I wanted to portray that struggle with visual metaphors, symbols and allegories.
This brings me to the social part of the motivation to do the film. I’m mexican and, inside my country, we have deep problems concerning the destruction and exploitation of the natural environment. So, I saw an opportunity to try and create awareness of the problem that affects Mexico but also the entire planet as well. A good film can change perspectives and put people into action. Hopefully, this short film generates a bit of that in the audiences that watch it.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I cried. Really, I did. I felt like the film directors that inspired me to do films. My sole purpose has always been to give audiences something worth watching you know? Good quality, good script, performances and attention to detail! The feedback video gave me validation to do more without compromising.
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THE BOSTON BULLDOGS, 96min., USA
Directed by Bryan Cote
“The Boston Bulldogs” is a 90-minute documentary film interviewing 5 people from a running club for addiction recovery, interconnected by one woman’s story from finishing the Boston Marathon after her first full year of sobriety to her relapse 24 hours later, and now her recovery 10 years later. The filmmakers follow Meaghan on a run at the site of her first day with the club in 2014, talk with her sister who saw her addiction at its worst and helped her to recovery, interview Meaghan and her husband Conan about their relationship, their hope for their kids, and Conan’s path, interview Ashley who talks about her low self-confidence on the way to addiction and recovery and how Meaghan saved her life, return to Meaghan and Ashley’s sober living house, and hear why the club formed from its founder. The film is intended to show people in recovery in a positive, hopeful light, providing guidance for those dealing with addiction now, their family and for youth and families dealing with the pressures that come from coming of age in the 2020s.
https://www.thebehavioralhealthhour.com/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film? I
‘m a lifelong journalist and love to tell stories and wanted to work with my son on a project to marry our two interests – mine writing, his more broadcasting and film. This was an easy story to want to tell because addiction affects so many people worldwide and is misunderstood, and the running club is a great way to address addiction and recovery, particularly at a public health level but very much so at a local level. I wanted to try to tell this story in a different way than on paper…
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Rewarding and validating. It was great to hear the reviewers mention things like the questions we asked and how the film impacted them. I also appreciated one of the reviewers acknowleding that the film is long – probably too long – which I get and I agree with candidly….I found it difficult to organize and package the content in a film compared to a written story. Much easier with words. Harder with images, video.
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ELIZA, 11min., USA
Directed by Bianca Roth
After hitting rock bottom, 23 year old MIA, updates her home AI system to help turn her life around. What start out as small “life improvements” slowly begin to control her.
http://biancarothfilms.com/
https://www.instagram.com/biancaaroth/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I first got the idea to make this film when I kept hearing about everyone using chat gpt… honestly myself included! Obviously this AI helps a lot of people in their day to day life which I think can be a great thing. However, as the uprising of AI technology becomes more and more prevalent I started to think about where the boundary is. How much can AI help until it begins to just do things for us, and then at what point does that begin to take over. This led me to a bigger thought of will AI get so smart it begins to take over…. I hope not! These are some of things I had in my head and I wanted to create a snapshot of one person’s experience during that AI takeover.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was very happy to hear that a lot of the themes and messages I had put into the film came across. I wanted to show the buildup of how AI can start as helpful and pose the question of what can happen if it becomes too much. I am so happy people enjoyed it!
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SEEK, 93min,. Japan
Directed by Shane Kosugi
Kyohei Aizawa, an assassin for a covert non-governmental espionage group in Japan called “???” or “SEEK”, is grieving over the loss of his girlfriend from a tragic plane accident.
https://www.instagram.com/shanekosugi/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
A: I grew up around the movie industry and always had a passion for watching and making films. Furthermore, I love ACTION movies!
. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
A: From pre-production to the final product took about 1 year.
. How would you describe your film in two words!?
A: Kamikaze Action
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
A: With all the action in this film and the limited time to film it in due to cast and location constraints.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
A: First of all, Honored. I was so happy that they thought it was exciting, the action was top notch, and that they found the story to be intriguing. All feedback good and bad will help make my future films to be even better.
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FIGHTERS, 4min., USA
Directed by Sam Hall
A deep space research station is under attack from an overwhelming force. Hope arrives in the form of an elite squadron of fighters.
https://www.instagram.com/samgoingwest/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I've spent most of my life helping make other people's stories and I wanted the chance to do something my way.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I thought it was interesting, especially the reviewer who thought it reminded them of a game of which I'm unfamiliar. Generally I'm just glad it makes sense. That was something I was never quite sure about.
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SCORPION. 10min., USA
Directed by Krstover Luaay
When former gang member Peter’s decision to leave his criminal past behind leads to the ruthless murder of his family by vengeful ex-comrades, he is thrust into a perilous quest for retribution. Fuelled by grief and anger, Peter transforms into the relentless Scorpion, navigating a treacherous underworld to settle the score and confront his past, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown that will redefine his destiny
https://www.instagram.com/director_krstoverluaay
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I have always been drawn to action films, and my first short film, Money Greed, was also an action film. The story itself was a strong motivator for me, as I wanted to create something that resonated with audiences while delivering high-energy, impactful sequences.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience discuss your film in the feedback video?
It was an incredible experience. Seeing people engage with my work and share their thoughts was truly rewarding—I couldn’t stop smiling.
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THE LAST PUFF, 4min., India
Directed by Lorick Jain
https://www.instagram.com/lorick.jain/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I have a personal attachment to this problem. I lost my grandfather to smoking hence I’m making the world aware of its ill effects. However, I wanted to message this to the audience using a non traditional method. I feel an ad, doesn’t have the same impact as a short conveying the message through the horror, thriller, and suspense genre.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
It took me about 3 weeks to complete the film.
How would you describe your film in two words!?
Final drag.
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
I think as a first time filmmaker all aspects of filming were new and challenging to me.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I am truly ecstatic winning the best micro short at the world’s #1 Thriller film festival in the world. More importantly, I think the audience feedback video truly helped me understand how my work can reach people and evoke deep emotions in them.
Subscribe to the podcast:
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Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD7-GJD_6EU
The untold true story of Phil Leonetti, the youngest underboss in mafia history, and how he brought down the mob. Set in one of the most brutal eras of the Philadelphia Crime Family, young Phil Leonetti rose through the ranks to become second-in-command to his uncle, Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo, and eventually turned government witness. His cooperation turned convictions against his own family, John Gotti, Vincent Gigante, and countless others. The downfall of La Cosa Nostra as it was began with Phil Leonetti.
Get to know the writer:
What is your screenplay about?
Philadelphia Crime Family in the 1980s (I’ll expand on this)
What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Crime/Thriller
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
It has not been done before, in any capacity, and there is an audience for this kind of work. It’s an untapped story with incredible potential
How would you describe this script in two words?
Untold and engrossing
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
The Godfather
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