First Time Go Director's Club

I talk with South African filmmaker Lola Aikins, who is currently crowdfunding for her film NALEDI on Kickstarter through May 27, 2024.

Lola is a one of a kind artist -- literally, I mean, 1 out of 7 billion type artist -- who is blazing a trail in independent film in the medium of animation and bringing people along with her. In this conversation, we talk about her start; how she looks for representation in front of AND behind the cameras; her challenge to Christopher Nolan; how the next big filmmaker for a studio project should be African; animation in film; the role of short films in her career; how she comes up and develops new ideas; and when you can expect to see NALEDI.

I don't think you can aurally tell the difficulties we had in recording this episode -- Riverside kept wanting me to refresh -- but that's because Lola is the ultimate game time filmmaker; she didn't miss a beat.

You should be able to tell easily, though, how excited I was to hear her story. I think you will be, too.

Lola's Indie Film Highlight: Uzo Ngwu (https://uzongwu.com/)

Links:

NALEDI's Website (https://www.naledimovie.com/home)

NALEDI Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aosv/naledi-animated-short-film)

NALEDI's Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/naledifilm/?hl=en)

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Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: 5 TO 7 (2014)

Director: Victor Levin

Written by: Victor Levin

Cast: Anton Yelchin; Berenice Marlohe; Olivia Thirlby; Glenn Close; Frank Langella

SYNOPSIS

A young writer (Anton Yelchin) begins an affair with an older woman (Bérénice Marlohe) from France whose open marriage to a diplomat (Lambert Wilson) dictates that they can meet only between the hours of 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Watch The Indie Film Highlight On YouTube: https://youtu.be/E1ZHf2geN2M

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Peter Kimball is an inspiration for many reasons -- and not just for what you might think. For me, it's helping people feel seen -- some of his films, for instance, feature an all-Deaf cast and are entirely in American Sign Language -- without explaining why. Because it doesn't need explanation. It's bold only because more people aren't willing to do it, but I'm lucky enough to talk with one guy who is.

We talk about how he got his start; the state of documentary and independent film; how an academic career is a way forward for filmmakers and what he thinks the strengths (and weaknesses) of current students are; and how (and why) he makes such original, bold choices.

Peter's Indie Film Highlight: STAY AWAKE (2022) (https://boxd.it/w7zg) dir. by Jamie Sisley; THE KILLING OF TWO LOVERS (2020) (https://boxd.it/oiN8) dir. by Robert Machoian

Links:

Don't Matter Media (https://www.mybrotherisdeaf.com/home)

Peter's Faculty Profile (https://www.american.edu/soc/faculty/pkimball.cfm)

Washington, DC's Filmmaker of the Month February 2024 (https://entertainment.dc.gov/release/fotm-february-2024)

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I talk with filmmaker Jason Adam Maselle, the graduate winner of the 2024 First Run Film Festival. The First Run Film Festival is hosted "by the Kanbar Institute of Film & Television at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. It is the longest continuously running film festival in New York City, dedicated to showcasing the advanced work of NYU graduate and undergraduate film students."

His award-winning film, PUNTER, is phenomenal but so is his own story -- growing up in South Africa and betting on himself by applying to NYU Tisch. The bet paid off, with his films being shown in as diverse locations as SNY and now taking home the top prize at his school's film festival.

PUNTER is a great film for several reasons: he establishes his characters within two minutes, the place of South Africa soon after, and the story is free from the stereotypical portrayals that we are all so used to seeing.

In this conversation, we talk about Jason's journey; what it's like to win at the First Run Film Festival; how best to describe South African cinema; the ruthlessness required to create a wonderful short film; the role of stereotypes in film; casting kids in film -- and getting the absolute best performance out of them; what the process of shooting in South Africa was like; the role of short films in independent film; and what's next.

And we both agree -- chess is a sport. What a fun time.

Jason's Indie Filmmaker Highlight: Oliver Hermanus (https://letterboxd.com/director/oliver-hermanus/)

Jason's Indie Film Highlight: About Elly (https://boxd.it/18Ry), dir. by Ashghar Farhadi.

Links:

Jason Adam Maselle's Website (https://jasonadammaselle.com/)

PUNTER on First Run Film Festival's Website (https://tisch.nyu.edu/first-run-film-festival/more-2024/Punter)

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT DYING (2023)

Director: Rachel Lambert

Screenplay: Stefanie Abel Horowitz; Kevin Armento; Katy Wright Mead

Cast: Daisy Ridley; Dave Merheje; Bree Elrod; Megan Stalter

SYNOPSIS

A lonely and socially awkward woman tries to make a connection with a friendly new co-worker who takes her out on a date..

Watch The Indie Film Highlight On YouTube: https://youtu.be/OEChI8H7Sp8

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In the first First Time Go live episode -- it streamed on YouTube -- I talk with the creators of 'A THOUSAND SUNS'. I was joined by:

MacGregor (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2021435/)

Tim Hyten (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2719211/)

Ruairi Robinson (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1099711/?...)

Tyson Wade Johnston (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4098234/?...)

We talk about how this series and model got started and the authentic nature of the films; the role shorts play in a director's career and whether this can be a new model; AI in filmmaking; episode specific questions; and what's next for these ultra-talented filmmakers. If MacGregor is to be believed, expect them to be living in Iceland and making 200 more.

Those kind of jokes made this a fantastic way to record an episode. I look forward to having more live episodes.

To watch on YouTube, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=851mSkRXRis&t=611s

Tim's Indie Film Highlights: BURNING (2018) https://boxd.it/hHUa; THE DEATH OF DICK LONG (2019) https://boxd.it/kIoA

Ruairi Robinson's Indie Film Highlights: TANYA'S ISLAND (1980) https://boxd.it/2dbE; COME TRUE (2020) https://boxd.it/iG90; THE WAILING (2016) https://boxd.it/9fLy

Tyson Wade Johnston's Indie Film Highlight: LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL (2023) https://boxd.it/zo6G

Links:

1K Suns Website (https://www.1ksuns.com/)

Blackmilk Studio (https://www.blackmilk.studio/)

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content