Behind The Lens

debbie lynn elias
  • 5.0 (6)
  • TV & FILM
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Join noted film critic debbie lynn elias and a line-up of talented co-hosts and informed guests each week as she goes BEHIND THE LENS and below the line with in-depth looks at films and filmmaking with the movers and shakers and up and comers of the industry, along with movie reviews, interviews, box office round-ups, awards, festival coverage, specialty segments like Tech Talk, Legalese and Classic Corner, and more every Monday at 11am PT/2pm ET - only on Adrenaline Radio!

  1. JAN 26

    BEHIND THE LENS #507: Featuring Tom Botchi

    Welcome back to another week of BEHIND THE LENS! I'm excited about today's show and my exclusive interview with my special guest, director/writer/editor TOM BOTCHII, talking about his new film RELENTLESS. RELENTLESS starts as a seemingly straightforward home invasion robbery but quickly becomes a sustained chase between two men—Teddy, a homeless drifter, and Jun, a successful businessman—layering the pursuit with ideas drawn from what Tom calls the "Twitter mentality." Not Twitter as a platform, but as psychology: rage without listening, guilt assigned without process, justice declared without context. A two-hander that stars Jeffrey Decker as Teddy and Shuhei Kinoshita as Jun, Tom wanted multiple journeys within the same film. The first is visceral: survive the pursuit. The second is moral and psychological: are we even right about who's guilty? In this exclusive interview, Tom discusses the inspiration and creation of his film RELENTLESS, emphasizing its brutal and primal nature. As the film progresses, violence becomes bloody and brutal, increasing in that brutality until it reaches a savage, even barbaric level of primal ferocity. Then keep listening for some fun, noteworthy tidbits about this year's Oscars and the little Golden Boy himself. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    53 min

  2. JAN 19

    BEHIND THE LENS #506: Featuring Paul Schwartz, Josh Tate and Salvatore Sciortino

    Welcome back to BEHIND THE LENS! This past weekend was Dances With Films NY and from all accounts, it was a blast. You all know how much I love to champion indie films, which makes DWF one of my fave fests. And how lucky are we to not only have DWF in Los Angeles later in the year, but also an abbreviated version in NY! First up, let's take a look and a listen at STOP TIME and my exclusive interview with writer, director, editor, and cinematographer PAUL SCHWARTZ. STOP TIME tells the intertwined stories of Peter de Vries, a photographer, and Adrianna Maier, a theatrical lighting designer. Both are carrying heavy burdens of sadness: burdens that mutual friends of theirs believe each could lighten for the other. Over the course of 24 hours in New York City, their lives circle, until they meet at the opening of Peter's gallery show, which leads them both down an unexpected path. Written and directed by PAUL SCHWARTZ, STOP TIME stars Nelson Avidon, Tara Westwood, Patty McCormack, Kelly Deadmon, Christina Toth, Catherine Quirico, and Daria Karic. Now, let's switch gears with a film that I was riveted by. ROOF. That's it. One word. ROOF. It's a human thriller, a nail-biter, it has some wonderful cinematic nods to beloved films of the past few decades, boasts strong performances, creativity, and, in all honesty, is a Must See Film. The premise is simple and effective. When a catastrophic blackout leaves two strangers, Dev, a trader who just lost the company millions, and Mary, a pregnant woman with nowhere to turn, trapped on a rooftop in downtown L.A. over July 4th weekend, survival becomes a brutal waiting game. With no water, no exit, and the city oblivious to their cries for help, the heat and hunger push them to the brink, both physically and mentally. As desperation sets in, a bond forms between them, blurring the lines between fear, trust, and something deeper. But as their bodies weaken and the ledge starts looking like the only escape, they must decide: wait for a rescue…or take fate into their own hands. Directed by SALVATORE SCIORTINO with script by JOSH TATE, ROOF stars Asif Ali and Bella Heathcote. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    1h 17m

  3. JAN 12

    BEHIND THE LENS #505: Featuring Steven Grayhm

    We're looking at another emotional film this week on BEHIND THE LENS as I chat with writer/director and actor STEVEN GRAYHM in this exclusive interview about his latest film, SHEEPDOG, one of the most important and powerful films you will see this year. SHEEPDOG is the story of decorated U.S. Army combat veteran Calvin Cole, who is court-ordered into treatment and into the care of a VA trauma therapist in-training. Things become even more complicated when Calvin's father-in-law, a retired Vietnam Veteran, shows up on his doorstep having just been released from prison. As Calvin's plan to run from his past becomes even more challenging, he learns through the support of his community: tough love and compassion, that he must put himself back together again for his family – and for himself. Written and directed by Steven Grayhm, SHEEPDOG stars Vondie Curtis-Hall, Virginia Madsen, Lilli Cooper, Dominic Fumusa, Matt Dallas, and Steven Grayhm. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    44 min

  4. JAN 5

    BEHIND THE LENS #504: Featuring Ric Roman Waugh

    Welcome back to another year of BEHIND THE LENS and BTLRadioShow!! I'm excited to be back and kick off Year 12 of #BTLRadioShow and am beyond thrilled to start the new year with a very special guest and talk about the absolute 'Must See' film of 2026. And that guest is none other than my friend of 40+ years – director RIC ROMAN WAUGH – and that film is GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION. Action, deep palpable emotion, practical in-camera action, explosions. His films are always emotionally layered and capture all the shades of grey, both sides of the coin. And now with the next chapter of "Greenland", GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION, Ric tops his own level of excellence with more depth, humanity, and breathtaking action than ever before. Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin are back as John and Allison Garrity, and Roman Griffin Davis steps in as their now 15-year-old son, Nathan. You may remember Roman Griffin Davis from his scene-stealing performance in Taika Waititi's "JoJo Rabbit". Just before Christmas, Ric and I had the opportunity to chat about GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION. Now, any of you who have heard our prior conversations know that we can chat for a long time. LOL! This go round, we were only given about 30 minutes, but we covered quite a bit into Ric’s vision and directorial process for this film. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    33 min

  5. 12/15/2025

    BEHIND THE LENS #503: Featuring Ryan Francis

    It's the last BEHIND THE LENS for 2025! And this week, we shine a light on producer, director, writer, and actor RYAN FRANCIS and his latest film, SPEED TRAIN. I have had the pleasure of knowing Ryan for more than two decades. I reviewed his first directorial short film and multiple feature films thereafter, and interviewed him. And over the years, he has moved from being an actor in front of the camera to going behind the camera into directing and, most recently, also producing. And now he brings us a fast-paced, entertaining futuristic film that posits some interesting questions for us as individuals and a society – SPEED TRAIN. In this very candid, fun, and unfettered exclusive interview, writer/director RYAN FRANCIS discusses his career growth from acting to directing, highlighting his recent film SPEED TRAIN, as well as discussing at length some of his prior films of late in which he only acts or serves an Executive Producer versus directing; notably, "Reverence", "The Jurassic Games: Extinction", "Trail of Vengeance", "The Flood", and "3 Days in Malay". He also discusses two upcoming films he's excited about, "Bruton" and "Bring the Law." As we specifically dig into the making of SPEED TRAIN, Ryan shares the challenges of directing a futuristic sci-fi film in 12 days with a small budget, praising his team, including DP Nico De La Fere and editor Austin Nordell, as well as producer Daemon Hillin and his Thailand team. A large portion of our conversation also discusses the film's themes of AI and human reliance on technology. An interesting aspect of our discussion revolved around the challenges of the film industry, the importance of maintaining a passion for making movies, and the need to bring audiences back to the theater experience. As you'll hear, Ryan speaks with a mix of candor, humor, and hard-earned perspective about a career that has quietly but decisively evolved. Once primarily known as an actor, Ryan has increasingly stepped behind the camera, carving out a space as a filmmaker unafraid of ambition—or of admitting when that ambition nearly outruns the clock. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    1h 6m

  6. 12/08/2025

    BEHIND THE LENS #502: Featuring Adam Volerich and Celia Aniskovich

    Welcome to another week of BEHIND THE LENS and this week it's all about Christmas as I welcome director/co-cinematographer/co-editor ADAM VOLERICH, talking about his feature directorial debut, DRINK AND BE MERRY, and director CELIA ANISKOVICH, who is filled with the Christmas spirit as she talks about her documentary, THE MERCHANTS OF JOY. So, let's get that cinematic sleigh going with Adam Volerich and DRINK AND BE MERRY. At a struggling New York dive bar in the days leading up to Christmas 2019, Chet, a beleaguered bartender in a state of extended arrested development, must balance caring for his misanthropic, aging regulars – who have nowhere else to go, and rely on him for far more than pouring drinks – with his naive desires to muster some Christmas spirit. Neither Chet nor his regulars know if this will be their last Christmas together, but for them, every day is just another day, but under the prettiest of holiday wrappings. And now we move from the warmth of a cozy, nostalgic bar to the hustle and bustle of New York City with THE MERCHANTS OF JOY and documentarian CELIA ANISKOVICH. A funny, heartwarming, and grounded documentary that follows five families who sell Christmas trees in New York City each holiday season, THE MERCHANTS OF JOY captures the cast of characters behind the city's Christmas tree stands– small business owners who bring holiday cheer to the streets each season, along with a healthy dose of friendly (and sometimes not-so-friendly) competition with each other. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    1h 10m

  7. 12/01/2025

    BEHIND THE LENS #501: Featuring Michelle Danner and michael J. Weithorn

    While today's films and filmmakers may not be about holiday movies, they do fit with the love and laughter of the holidays as MICHELLE DANNER joins me talking about her new film, the beautiful and romantic UNDER THE STARS, while writer/director MICHAEL J. WEITHORN is on hand discussing his fantastic film, THE BEST YOU CAN. First, let's turn our attention to Puglia, Italy, and UNDER THE STARS with MICHELLE DANNER. Directed by Danner with a script by Victoria Vinuesa, UNDER THE STARS stars Toni Collette, Andy Garcia, Alex Pettyfer, Eva De Dominici, Rob Estes, and Vincent Riotta. UNDER THE STARS follows a struggling romance novelist named Ian played by Alex Pettyfer, in what I consider to be the best performance of his career, trapped in a lifeless relationship and plagued by writer's block. Hoping to reignite his passion, he travels to Italy for inspiration – only to unexpectedly fall for Ariana, a spirited local who challenges everything he thought he knew about love and himself. And as if that's not enough, how about tossing in Ian's aunt Audrey and Ariana's father Giacomo? Shifting gears but still enjoying the lightness and laughter and life, we turn our attention to writer/director MICHAEL J. WEITHORN and THE BEST YOU CAN. Reuniting Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon on screen for the first time in twenty years, THE BEST YOU CAN is a sharp, touching, and laugh-out-loud exploration of change, losing our bearings, and finding connection in the most unexpected places. This character-driven comedy is a reminder that sometimes the people who understand us best are the ones who are nothing like us. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    1h 4m

  8. 11/24/2025

    BEHIND THE LENS #500: Featuring Marisa Guterman, Keith Gerchak, Zac Moncrief and Jon Colton Barry

    With it already Thanksgiving this week, it's time for BEHIND THE LENS (and all of you) to haul out the holly, put up the tree, fill up the stockings, and grab those dreidels because the holiday season is here! And what better way to kick off the Yuletide than to get into the spirit of the season with #BTLRadioShow, talking about two wonderful films and four fabulous filmmakers. So get ready as MARISA GUTERMAN and KEITH GERCHAK tell us all about their feature directorial debut, the charming and nostalgic LOST & FOUND IN CLEVELAND, while ZAC MONCRIEF and JON COLTON BARRY fill us with the fun and joy of Christmas with the animated delight, A CHUCK E. CHEESE CHRISTMAS. Our first stop today is Cleveland with the wonderfully warm and toasty slice of Americana, LOST & FOUND IN CLEVELAND. A look at the American Dream set in "the best location in the nation", this is a slice of life set over a 24-hour period that follows the personal odysseys of five very different people, whose lives intertwine when America's favorite televised antiques appraisal show comes to Cleveland. A true tapestry of the heart of America, co-directors and co-writers MARISA GUTERMAN and KEITH GERCHAK bring us a tale that shows us what is truly to be cherished in our lives. Boasting an amazing cast with Dennis Haysbert, Dot-Marie Jones, Esther Povitsky, Jeff Hiller, Jon Lovitz, June Squibb, Stacey Keach, Loretta Devine, Mark L. Walberg, Martin Sheen, Yvette Yates Redick, and the scene stealing Benjamin Steinhauser, the film spans the generations and all walks of life, this is a film that has something and someone for every age, every demographic, and fills you with the holiday spirit. Then we dive headfirst into Christmas and Santa and Mrs. Claus and presents and elves and Chuck E. Cheese and his friends with A CHUCK E. CHEESE CHRISTMAS. Written and executive produced by ZAC MONCRIEF and JON COLTON BARRY, and co-directed by ZAC MONCRIEF, A CHUCK E. CHEESE CHRISTMAS is a unique blend of family-friendly animation, songs destined to become holiday classics, and filled with holiday cheer as Chuck E and his pals Helen Henny, Jasper Jowls, Bella Brinca, Munch, and Pasqually create a plan to throw a surprise party to lift Santa's Christmas spirit! But surprising the man who "sees you when you're sleeping and knows when you're awake" won't be easy. Can the gang pull it off in time to save Christmas? http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    1h 9m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Join noted film critic debbie lynn elias and a line-up of talented co-hosts and informed guests each week as she goes BEHIND THE LENS and below the line with in-depth looks at films and filmmaking with the movers and shakers and up and comers of the industry, along with movie reviews, interviews, box office round-ups, awards, festival coverage, specialty segments like Tech Talk, Legalese and Classic Corner, and more every Monday at 11am PT/2pm ET - only on Adrenaline Radio!

Information

  • Creator
    debbie lynn elias
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    501
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Elias Entertainment Network
  • Show Website
    Behind The Lens