Richard Hankins graduated from VCU and designed sets for Richmond theatre before heading to New York, where he won 2 Emmys for his work on daytime dramas. Afterward, he moved to LA, where he continued to be a production designer for primtime shows like “NYPD Blue” (10 years). That includes:
– His Richmond theatre experience
– Breaking design ground for Guiding Light (and winning an Emmy)
– The challenges of daytime dramas
– Working with Holly Hunter on Saving Grace
– Making LA look like New York City for NYPD Blue
– Designing for 2 seasons of Private Practice
– Creating how own art & painting graffiti for fun
– His personal cinema in Wilmington, NC

LINKS
Richard Hankins’ website
Virginia Film Festival

“Hunky Jesus” is the name of an event and a documentary about an Easter celebration that’s been taking place in San Francisco since 1995. The film looks at the legacy of the event’s founders, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a global, secular order of queer and trans “nuns” who combat guilt, shame, and exclusion through joy, humor, activism, and irreverence. It’ll be playing at this year’s Virginia Queer Film Festival (Oct 2 – 4 at the University Theatre on the campus of ODU). Director Jennifer Kroop and I had a lively conversion (as you might imagine), including:
– The inspiration for the opening animation
– Her other docs on “gay geezers” like Armistead Maupin and George Takei
– A background on the Sisters
– Since they’ve been around since the 70s, why a doc now?
– There’s not much about the Sisters’ personal lives
– Shooting the big event and in churches
– When and why Foxy Mary was added
– Using “Do Lord” and “The Vatican Rag”

LINKS
Virginia Queer Film Festival
Hunky Jesus doc website

RIFF podcasts
Edward Burns “Beneath the Blue Suburban Skies”
“Last Shot”
Heather Waters before RIFF
Andy Edmunds talks about “The Cashier”

“Last Shot” is about a 12-year-old basketball prodigy who lives in LA (Dylan Freedman). His life is upended with his father dies (Michael Rappaport) and he has to go live with his estranged mother in Nashville (Jamie Presley). This film will be featured at this year’s Richmond International Film Festival 7pm 9/26 at the Byrd Theatre. This discussion includes the film’s director Andy Palmer & producer Warner Davis:
– Where the film originated and and how you got involved
– Casting Laraine Newman
– Michael Rappaport’s challenge as the dad
– Working with the kids for acting AND basketball
– What NBA all-star Baron Davis brought to the film
– Jamie Presley’s contribution as a producer
– Shooting haze in the gym
– Making each game look different
– Using only one visual effect

LINKS
Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF)
RIFF Screening of LAST SHOT (7:30, 9/26 at the Byrd Theatre)
“Last Shot” website
My podcast with the creator of Swagger

Edward Burns has been a leader in indie filmmaking since his debut feature “The Brothers McMullen” in 1995. He’s amassed an impressive career as a writer, director and actor. This new film “Beneath the Blue Surburan Skies,” was actually shot a few years back, but wasn’t released until the current festival circuit, including this year’s Richmond International Film Festival (Sep. 22 – 27). Burns stars along with Jennifer Ehle as parents of two adult children, who live at home and aren’t making much out of life. Burns will be in attendance with producer Aaron Lubin at the screening at 5:45pm, 9/25 at the Byrd Theatre. Our discussion includes:
– How this film got started in 2019
– Why it’s finally being released
– Are these folks related to the McMullens?
– The title is “Blue” but the film is in black and white
– Casting Jennifer Elle
– The inspiration behind the static camera and other filming conventions
– Learning from Steven Spielberg
– The new indie world coming from YouTube

LINKS
Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF)
The screening of “Beneath the Blue Surburban Skies”
My video tour of VPM

Heather Waters came to Richmond 15 years ago and founded the Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF), running this year from September 22 – 27. Although she’s been on the show as a surprise guest promoting the festival, we’ve never heard her talk about herself. This podcast focuses on:
– How she got into acting and singing
– Singing at the Grand Old Opry with Barbara Mandrell and others
– Her degrees from Georgia State University in a surprising major
– Working as a model
– How she ended up in Richmond
– Starting and growing RIFF
– One of her other projects: Creative World Awards
– The new project: Lightmakers

LINKS
Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF)
Creative World Awards
My podcast with Kirk Schroder

The GenreBlast Film Festival is entering it’s 10th year, where they screen independent, cult, niche and underground films that aren’t easily accessible. The opening night film is “The Black Hills Night Hike,” a horror anthology about myths and legends in the Maryland area. Three of the filmmakers are interviewed: Nickolas Jackson, creator of the anthology and director of title segment and “Snallyghaster,” Clark Kline, co-creator/producer of the anthology, and Brian Pennington, who directed “Upper Melinda Witch Fest.” Our discussion includes:
– Where the idea originated
– How the stories came together
– Creating a vintage videotape look for “Snallycaster”
– Visual effects for sawing a woman in half in “Upper Melinda Witch”
– How the order of shorts was determined
– Celebrating the festival’s 10th year

LINKS
GenreBlast Film Festival
Trailer for “Black Hills Night Hike”
Nathan’s film “Worst Laid Plans”

This new documentary was originally made for the visitor’s center at Shenandoah National Parks, but has now been expended to a one-hour version. It will also be shown on the big screen at the Byrd Theatre as part of “Scene in Virginia” on September 14. Co-director Elizabeth Crowl of Orange Frame Productions talks about:
– The unfortunate loss of the original director
– The fun story behind the name of Orange Frame Productions
– The patience of shooting bears, salamanders, butterflies & eels
– Finding blind hiker Mary Wilson

LINKS
“Scene in Virginia” screening on 9/14 at the Byrd
Shenandoah on VPM
The Shenandoah National Park Trust
The screening in Charlottesville on 10/15
Orange Frame Productions
My podcast with editor Rex Teese
My podcast with the directors of “Daughters” (and Netflix link)

If you were a movie fan from 1985 to 1995, you probably went to video rental stores to find new and old videos to watch at home. Today’s show features two new ones that are located in downtown Richmond. Holly Wright has Rewind Video (108 N. 7th St) and Cody Denzler just opened Monster Video in July (207 N. Third St.) We talk about:
– Their own experiences with video stores
– Starting their collections
– Opening a store
– Why people want physical media
– What age group is into it
– The quality of VHS
– Most unusual sale: jock straps

LINKS:
Monster Video Instagram
Rewind Vintage Instagram