Friday, January 22, 2016

Festival Beat: DocLisboa and CPH:DOX

My CPH:DOX coverage is now available (to those of you with a digital or print subscription to Filmmaker magazine, that is!)

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Director Sydney Freeland on Trans-centric Web Series “Her Story”

A web series about a couple of Los Angelenas discovering love when they least expect it sounds less “groundbreaking” than stereotypical indie pitch. Yet “Her Story,” which debuts its first six episodes on its website (for free!) on January 19th is anything but your average hipster cliché. The series, co-written by Jen (“I Am Cait”) Richards and directed by Sydney Freeland (whose rez-set feature film “Drunktown’s Finest” made a splash at Sundance a couple years back) also features trans women in the lead roles. Meaning the talented ladies both in front of and behind the lens are all part of the transgender community. Recently, I had the opportunity to catch up with series director Freeland – who I last interviewed prior to the “Drunktown’s Finest” 2014 premiere – to learn more about “Her Story,” and her own story about the process of portraying a once marginalized, increasingly visible population in a realistic light.


To read my interview visit Global Comment.

Monday, January 11, 2016

A Chat With Vice Media Canada CEO Michael Kronish

While RIDM, Montreal’s contribution to the fall doc fest tsunami, might not be as big and well known as many of its November competitors, it does have one thing the others mostly lack: a homegrown tech talent pool to tap into. And tap into this pool RIDM did during its most recent edition. In addition to showcasing the numerous mind-blowing VR projects being shepherded by the risk-taking NFB, RIDM featured none other than homeboy Michael Kronish as the speaker at the festival’s Vice/Versa Opening Breakfast. Kronish may not be a household (or even film world) name, but the former executive producer at Montreal-based production-company Zone3 now heads up Vice Media Canada’s $100 million web and mobile content studio. In other words, he’s the guy to go to if one wants the scoop on what’s happening globally as well as up north, both online and off. I was fortunate enough to chat briefly with the busy CEO post-fest.


To read my interview visit Hammer to Nail.