Filmmaker Karen Lam is a bundle of delicious incongruities in human form. On one hand, Karen is a master of highly stylised horror. Films like The Curse of Willow Song, Evangeline, and Mrs. Chang’s Perfect Teeth are terrifying and thoughtful, gruesome and evocative – and you wouldn’t be faulted for thinking that the writer-director behind these films is a spooky word-slinger. But on the other hand, Karen is whimsical. She loves knitting and sewing, cats and Muppets, and does Manitoba proud with everything she does. She’s the least Karen Karen you’ll ever meet – and her latest film Armageddon Road might be the most unapologetically Karen Lam film she’s ever made.

Armageddon Road is a darkly comic supernatural road trip set in 1976 Las Vegas where ambition, myth, and apocalypse collide. Steve, an ex-con with big dreams of building a theme-park empire from a desert parking lot, takes a simple job: driving Delilah, a mob boss’s girlfriend, through the Vegas night. But after a party spirals into chaos, Delilah dies—only to return possessed by one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. What follows is a delirious descent into prophecy and paranoia as Delilah—now something far older and far less human—commands Steve toward a predetermined rendezvous that will trigger the end of days.

In other words: Armageddon Road is a helluva lot of psychedelic fun, which is appropriate, because so is Karen.

Armageddon Road had its official Canadian premiere on August 5, and begins its cross-country tour in Toronto on September 3 – and it’s got some other screenings in other countries, too. Karen Lam joins Sabrina in the YVR Screen Scene Podcast studio to talk 1970s nostalgia, why Gen X reigns as the survivor generation, the giddy glee she experienced working with miniatures, and what she and her team found in Nevada when they went in search of that distinctive neon-drenched Vegas vibe.

YVR Screen Scene is a division of Fish Flight Entertainment.

Daniel Bacon has amassed a long list of credits: more than 150 credits in film and television and more than 20 in the theatre. He played Bonecruncher, one of the man-eating giants, in The BFG – which was directed by an up-and-coming indie director – maybe you’ve heard of him – Steven Spielberg. He appeared in The Smashing Machine and Secrets of a Marine’s Life. He’s guest starred on shows like The Irrational, Motherland Fort Salem, Limetown, and The Good Doctor. He played in all three seasons of Paranormal Solutions Inc., including an episode where his character – an injured member of the PSI team – is injured and nursed back to health by Sasquatch, played with the gentle touch of a Wookiee on Life Day by Dave Collette. He’s appeared in dozens of Hallmark Movies, and was mayor in at least eight of them. And all this, after getting his start in a boy band and touring malls across Canada (like contemporaries Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, and Robin Sparkles).

All that is to say that Daniel has a lot of experience in the entertainment biz, and a lot of knowledge to share. On Wednesday, August 12, he’ll teach his very popular online workshop called “Own Your Audition” for The Drama Class, which you might remember is run by friends of the pod Cat Lough Haggquist and Bronwen Smith. Daniel’s class helps actors develop a process and a confidence in how to make choices that help your audition stand out – which, in this new era of self tapes, is especially important.

In this fascinating and contemplative episode, Daniel talks about his boy band era, his time with Sasquatch, and how actors can make an impact with their self-tapes, and also shares his still-unfolding adoption story (which should be a movie all on its own).

YVR Screen Scene is a division of Fish Flight Entertainment.

Philip Granger returns to the #YVRScreenScenePodcast to discuss Backrooms, the feature-length horror film that enjoyed the biggest global opening weekend in A24’s history. Based on Internet lore, Backrooms takes place beyond a hidden doorway discovered in the basement wall of a failing furniture store, in an endless, unsettling dimension populated by office corridors, warped furniture, and echoes of reality. The film is a phenomenal depiction of liminal space, and conveys the thrill and the horror of places in transition. And the fact that the film is set during an especially liminal year – 1989, when the analog world would soon be replaced by a rapidly globalized digital one – and that we in the audience exist at yet another liminal threshold (post-pandemic and hurtling towards a world where AI will exercise even more sway over our lives) makes Backrooms even more thrilling and horrifying. Phil appears in a memorable role as the Meterman, a grounded character who, in Phil’s honest and compassionate hands, has garnered fans and inspired artwork around the world.

In this fascinating and far-reaching conversation, Phil discusses his journey to and through Backrooms, including working with the exceptionally talented 20-year-old director Kane Parsons. Phil – who is head of the acting faculty at New Image College –also contemplates the changes sweeping the film and television industry, and offers some advice for actors who want to get unstuck. Also: honesty in acting; the importance of enduring friendships; the kids are actually alright; the unexpected lessons of the pandemic.

YVR Screen Scene is a division of Fish Flight Entertainment.

Genre-hopping actress Jennifer Spence returns to the pod to discuss the third season of Canada’s spiciest workplace comedy, The Trades. Set in a blue-collar community where the high stress of working in a refinery is balanced by the comedic antics of its plant workers, The Trades centres around general foreman Todd Stool (Robb Wells), and his sister and roommate, Audrey (Anastasia Phillips), who follows in her big brother’s footsteps pursuing a career in the trades. Jennifer shines as Chelsea, an ambitious young executive from head office who arrived in the first season and worked damn hard to become an essential part of the family. The third season premiered in early spring and in the season finale, Chelsea and Conch Industries as a whole are (no spoilers!) poised for real change.

The Trades airs on Crave and is currently in the running for a whopping eight trophies at this week’s Canadian Screen Awards. On the eve of the CSAs, Jennifer (who was recently nominated for a Leo Award for her work as Chelsea) joins us to reflect on her adventures in television comedy, how her adventures in Chelsea’s shoes have impacted her adventures through this exceptionally fucked up world, and her adventures singing “Born to Be Wild” in a very special third season episode.

Episode sponsor: Fish Flight Entertainment

Vertical dramas originated in China in the late 2010s, and they’ve only grown in popularly since then: in 2024, revenue from vertical dramas in China surpassed traditional Chinese film box office receipts. Worldwide, they’re an $11 billion dollar industry, and the industry is only growing. Shot in 9:16 (specifically for phones) for apps like ReelShort and DramaShort, episodes of these serialised dramas are one to two minutes long and pay-as-you-go; in order to get to the end, viewers need to buy credits. The stories themselves rely on very specific genre tropes, including werewolves, forbidden love affairs, and secret identities, and have titles like Found a Homeless Billionaire Husband for Christmas, Fated to my Forbidden Alpha, and Married for Green Card, Stayed for Love (which are all real titles).

Vancouver has become a go-to destination for the filming of these vertical dramas. However, even though vertical productions employ many of the same artists who work on independent film productions, content-wise, there isn’t a lot of crossover between the two. Is it even possible for indie filmmakers to leverage the vertical space to tell their stories?

According to Julie Bruns, there is indeed space for indie filmmakers in the world of vertical dramas. Julie is an award-winning indie filmmaker and actress (including Ada, about 19th-century genius mathematician Ada Byron King), a veteran of 25 vertical dramas, and the force behind Beneath Crimson Sails, which recently premiered on the vertical streamer Muvpix. Beneath Crimson Sails is a fully independent fantasy pirate vertical series filled with treasure, magic, sword fights, ships, stunts, and nary a trope in sight. In this fascinating and informative interview, Julie speaks with Sabrina about the world of vertical dramas, and what a project like Beneath Crimson Sails tells us about what’s actually possible in that space.

Episode sponsor: Fish Flight Entertainment

Actress and filmmaker Nat Boltt (Penelope Blossom on Riverdale) returns to the YVR Screen Scene Podcast to discuss Holy Days, her feature film directorial debut that screened at the venerable Toronto International Film Festival and is currently wowing crowds around the world. Based on the acclaimed novel by Dame Joy Cowley, Holy Days is a joyful adventure about faith, friendship, and the courage to take one last leap of belief. Three unconventional nuns embark on a last-ditch road trip across New Zealand on a journey to fight for their independence. Along the way, they form an unlikely bond with a young Māori boy on a deeply personal mission of his own. Holy Days was written and directed by the Vancouver-based Nat and stars a trio of legends: Academy Award nominee and Emmy, Golden Globe, and BAFTA winner Judy Davis, BAFTA winner Miriam Margolyes, and two-time Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver; the young Māori boy is portrayed with stunning depth by rising star Elijah Tamati. Holy Days is moving, whimsical, funny, wildly entertaining, and beautiful. Recently, Holy Days has enjoyed screenings across North America (and will return to Vancouver’s Park Theatre on April 25), and will soon be available on VOD. In this fascinating and episode, Nat Boltt reflects on the wild ride to bring this rollicking feature film directorial debut to the screen. It’s a fun one!

Episode sponsor: Fish Flight Entertainment

Next week, Family Law takes its final bow after four critically acclaimed seasons on Global Television and Stack TV. The Lark Productions comedy-drama series – which follows a group of flawed family members who reluctantly work together at their father's law firm in Downtown Vancouver – was the brainchild of showrunner and award-winning author Susin Nielsen. Susin is an exceptionally gifted storyteller, and she’s got the awards, accolades, and stats to back it up: more than one hundred hours of television; author of seven best-selling young adult novels, some of which have won the Governor General’s Literary Award, the UKLA award, and over a dozen young readers’ choice awards; recipient of the Writers’ Trust Vicky Metcalf Award for her body of work, which now includes a book for adults, Snap (about three people who meet in a court-mandated anger management class).

In this compelling conversation with Sabrina Rani Furminger, Susin discusses what she learned about storytelling and this crazy biz in her four years at the helm of Family Law, the time Family Law star Jewel Staite gave her the middle finger for real, and turning real-life rage into comedy gold in Snap – and she also takes the time to say goodbye to Family Law’s viewers, crew, and cast.

Episode sponsor: Fish Flight Entertainment

Filmmaker Corey Payette swings by the YVR Screen Scene Podcast to talk about Starwalker, his critically acclaimed movie musical about drag queens in East Vancouver. Starwalker is the story of Star, an Indigi-Queer Two-Spirit call boy, who becomes entranced by the House of Borealis, a popular drag house in East Van. Blending drag performance with their grounded cultural spirit, a new, powerful persona emerges on stage: Starwalker.

Corey – a renowned writer, lyricist, composer, producer, interdisciplinary storyteller, and director in theatre and film – is the force behind the critically acclaimed stage musical Children of God, about the echoes of residential schools. On the film front, he directed film festival favourites Stories That Transform Us, Guide My Way, and Les Filles du Roi.

Corey’s next stage project is On Native Land, and it has its world premiere in April at the York Theatre – but not before Starwalker screens seven times in Vancouver at the Vancity Culture Lab.

Corey’s work is searing, life-affirming, and abundant with soul-stirring indigeneity and what the Hollywood Reporter once described as “joyful rebellion.” In this wonderfully entertaining episode, Corey and avowed “musical theatre girlie” Sabrina riff on joyful rebellion, musical theatre as a vehicle for social change, their admiration for previous podcast guest Andrea Menard, and all things Starwalker.

Episode sponsor: Fish Flight Entertainment