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)

Martin Luther King, Jr. visited Richmond several times and the documentary “Echoes of a Dream: MLK’s Legacy in Richmond, Virginia” is playing around the state to celebrate his connections to our city. The film’s director is Tyrone Nelson, Jr., who’s the Founder and CEO of Newviews Agency, a local creative agency and production company. Our discussion includes:
– How he got noticed by Adidas
– The Newviews Agency explained
– How his former jobs for VCU sports & Dominion Energy prepared him
– What inspired Echoes of a dream?
– Tyrone what’s background and how did u start agency (16):
– Varina HS video got noticed by Adidas
– How jobs for VCU sports and Dominion Energy prepared him
– What inspired “Echoes of a Dream”
– Using motion graphics to increase interest
– The premiere at RIFF

LINKS
Newviews Agency
Echoes of a Dream: MLK’s Legacy in Richmond, Virginia
Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia
Podcast on Training actors to become Thespian Equestrians

Ward Howarth produces promotional videos for the Lockwood Broadcast Group. Lockwood is a television, digital and advertising company that owns and operates 13 television stations and programs 33 channels in eight markets. Our chat includes:
– How he started his career with skate videos
– Being a “dub cub”
– A creepy Halloween spot from “Family Feud”
– Challenging and cool aspects of his job
– Deciding to write novels
– Winning awards from Richmond Magazine and VMFA

LINKS
Lockwood Broadcast
Ward Howarth’s website
Community Authors Expo at the Fairfield Library
VPA State of the Industry 1/29

Nicholas Kleczewski is a Richmonder who edited the documentary “Song Sung Blue,” which inspired the current film of the same name starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. He’s had a varied career as an editor and director. Our discussion includes:
– Starting with extreme sports docs
– Two years creating videos for Beyoncé
– Getting the “Song Sung Blue” gig via Craigslist
– Comparing the Hollywood version to the original doc
– How Eddie Vedder saved it at Sundance
– Meeting Hugh Jackman at the premiere
– An immigration challenge in Zimbabwe
– Creating content for Audi

LINKS
Nick’s website
Song Sung Blue doc (free)
My review of Song Sung Blue (the Hollywood version)
James River Film Society Short Film Showcase

Walid Chaya is an actor, director, writer and teacher who worked in Richmond before moving to Los Angeles. He’s acted in TV shows and movies, as well as directed shorts and taught acting classes. Our lively discussion includes:
– Getting inspired as a child in Lebanon
– How he got to Richmond
– Moving to LA
– Being cast in stereotypical Middle Eastern roles
– Working on “Madam Secretary”
– Getting burned to death by Neo-Nazis
– Working with a dialect coach on “Blacklist: Redemption”
– Sitting in a makeup chair for 3 hours
– His shorts and upcoming feature

LINKS
Walid’s website
Driving Ms. Saudi
Darn It Darla
Crazy Rich Arabs
Lights, Camera, Conversation podcast
My podcast with Constance Wu