Julian Glander is an accomplished designer, illustrator and animator who’s first feature, “Boys Go to Jupiter” is showing at this year’s Richmond Animation Festival (April 25 & 26). Julian will be here for the screening on April 26 at the Byrd and the animated shorts will show on the 25th at Studio Two Three. Julian has lots of cool things to say:
– Reciting the alphabet backwards on “Jepordy”
– Desiging for Disney, Cartoon Network & Nickelodeon
– The inspiration for “Boys Go to Jupiter” & what the title means
– Starting the film with a Dionne Warwick quote
– Animation using Blender
– Getting an impressive cast including Sarah Sherman, Cole Escola & Janeane Garofalo
– Animated frontal nudity
– Being nominated for a John Cassavetes Independent Spirit Award

LINKS
Richmond Animation Festival
Julian’s website
Podcast with Dash & Jane about “Cryptozoo”
Podcast with the director of “Griffin in Summer”
Marvels of Media Festival website
Marvels of Media at the Byrd Theatre (Ap 1 – 4)

VCU’s Institute of Contemporary Art (or the ICA) opened in 2018 and has continually shown films in their auditorium. Amber Esseiva, Senior Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, and Mimi Luse, Head of Program Production, join me to talk about the numerous offerings that are available including:
– Why cinema programs at the ICA?
– Films from The Kadist Foundation
– The New Richmond Filmmakers Series (featuring Surprise Guest Ken Brisby’s film)
– Community Media Center Film Workshops
– Exposure Cinema Series
– First Friday Film Events

LINKS
The ICA website
To apply for the Community Film Project
The Trailer for “Mom, I’m on Drugs”
My review of “The Zone of Interest”
My podcast with Yossera Bouchtia
My podcast with Vivian Owen
My podcast with the directors of “Futropolis” (James River Festival this weekend)

University of Richmond professors Anthony Russell and Sonja Bertucci are the guiding forces behind the Italian and French Film Festival that’s running at the University from March 27 thru April 3. We discuss:
– Their early film inspirations
– Her documentary
– How this festival come about
– Why the French/Italian combo?
– What we can expect in addition to screenings

LINKS
Italian and French Film Festival
First podcast on the French Film Festival
Second podcast on the French Film Festival

Steve Segal and Phil Trumbo co-directed “Futuropolis” a zany animated sci-fi adventure that was released in 1984. It’s being screened at the 32nd annual James River Film Festival (March 29 – April 4). Steve went on to work at Pixar on the first two “Toy Story” movies and Phil won an Emmy for his work on “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” but we’ll save those discussions for future podcasts. This show is about “Futropolis:”
– The VCU inspiration for the movie
– Their expectations and the results
– Being influenced by Red Grooms and Max Fleisher
– Shooting stop motion with people
– Drawing animation on the actual film
– Silent movie tributes all over Richmond

LINKS:
James River Film Festival
A news report from the premiere at the Biograph
Steve’s website
Phil’s website

This year’s Indie Short Film Festival runs from March 20 – 22 in Charlottesville. Two directors from the festival talk about their films.
Jamal Hodge has 2 films: “Take it to the Grave” and “Mourning Meal”
Kelsey Nerrie is premiering her first short “Repurcussion(s)”
They’ll give us insight into their backgrounds, their inspirations and the challenges for their projects.

LINKS
Indie Short Film Festival
Jamal Hodge website
Kelsey Nerri’s social media link: @repercussionsfilm2025
The doc on Terry O’Neill of Penny Lane Pub

Andy Edmunds, Director of the Virginia Film Office, is back for this 5th year to talk about the activity in Virginia’s production industry last year. This also includes a discussion of the film that Andy wrote and directed here.

LINKS
Virginia Film Office
“The Cashier” on Insta
“The Cashier” on Facebook
The Byrd Theatre

Previous podcasts mentioned
Griffin in Summer
Bird in Hand
Daphne Reid
Bunt Young
Rex Teese

This year’s RVA Environmental Film Festival runs from 2/21 to 3/7 in venues all over town. Today’s show features 2 locally made docs. CATCHING PINECONES tells the story of Jan and Herb Conn, who were pioneering rock climbers, cavers and nature preservationists. Director Chad Heddleston discusses:
– The 10-year journey to get this made
– Inspiration from the lives of the Conns
– The meaning of the title
– Using jaunty jump cuts instead of pan and zoom
– Jan’s music in the soundtrack

ALL FORWARD profiles an intensive training program for river rafting guides in Richmond, which has the nation’s only class III/IV urban whitewater. Director Justin Black returns to talk about his new short:
– An update on “Headwaters Down”
– Being a raft guide
– Using a GoPro in his mouth
– Things that went wrong

LINKS
RVA Environmental Film Festival
Catching Pinecones website
Chad’s Mockumentary “Almost Alpine”
Headwaters Down website
Podcast with Justin Black about “Headwaters Down”
The Richmond Film Network (upcoming meeting)
My podcast with the creator of the SONG SUNG BLUE documentary

Patrick Michael has been acting since the 3rd grade. His big break came from “Travelers,” an early reality series that ran on the Discovery Channel from 1996 to 1998. He was one of the hosts who visited cities around the world to experience the culture. He later went to Hollywood where he worked in TV shows and movies before returning back here. We’ll cover:
– His real name
– What is “Travelers” and how he got the gig
– Some of the most unusual experiences on the show
– Working on “Beverly Hills 90210”
– Partying at the mansions of William Shatner and Aaron Spelling
– Landing a small part in “Star Trek 6”
– Being the TV spokesperson for Haley Auto Group

LINKS
Travelers on the web
Patrick’s IMDB page
Betty Bodine podcast
Exposure: Nu West film series at the ICA
My review of FALLOUT (includes a foto of Richmonder Annabel O’Hagan)