Behind The Lens

This week on BEHIND THE LENS, I've got an interesting and fun interview for you as I talk with director KEVIN MACDONALD about his new film, the psychological thriller THE RUNNER.  Plus, it will tease you a bit before THE RUNNER releases on September 2nd on Prime Video!

But before I get started, how many of you hit the theatre this weekend to see BUDDY? If you haven’t, run, don’t walk to the nearest theatre for thi...

It’s a fun show this week on BEHIND THE LENS, thanks to director ALICIA MacDONALD talking about her new film opening on Friday, FINDING EMILY, and writer/director CASPER KELLY discussing his new film BUDDY, which also opens in theatres this Friday!

First up, we’re going to Manchester, England with FINDING EMILY.

Directed by Alicia MacDonald and written by Rachel Hirons, FINDING EMILY is the story of a lovesick musicia...

I’m very excited to bring you this week’s BEHIND THE LENS Radio Show and my exclusive conversation with director BEN GREGOR talking about THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE, a film, like the book on which it’s based, that keeps the child inside of us alive with fun and fantasy and good storytelling that speaks to family, imagination, and risk and is a shared language to us all.  I’ve been under embargo on this one ...

Sorry we didn't have a BEHIND THE LENS show for you last week, but some unforeseen circumstances prevented it.  But I'm back this week with a fun interview with a very affable, engaging, funny, and talented director, writer, and actor, REED ARNOLD, as we talk about his feature directorial debut DO US PART.  

A fun, fun rom com, filled with a lot of heart, terrific performances, and some great physical comedy, DO US PART ...

It’s finally here!  It’s SHARK WEEK 2026!  And who doesn’t love SHARK WEEK?  I know I do!  To celebrate this time-honored tradition, this week we're talking sharks and shark movies with director JESSE V. JOHNSON and his new film ABOVE & BELOW.

But first, a little background for you on Shark Week!  

Starting as a programming experiment on July 17, 1988 on the Discovery Channel, S...

Get ready for a fun interview today on BEHIND THE LENS as I talk with writer/director and composer ERIC OWEN about his latest film IN A COLD VEIN.  While we dig into the making of IN A COLD VEIN, we also have a lot of fun talking cats, duct tape, and blood.  And my regular readers and listeners know how much I love talking duct tape and excessive use of blood in films.

IN A COLD VEIN is Eric’s sophomore directorial...

A new filmmaker for you today on BEHIND THE LENS!  BRITT BANKHEAD - director, co-writer, producer, and lead actor joins me talking about his narrative feature directorial debut, THE TOWN THAT TAKES.

How many of you remember some of your elementary school lessons about the early settlers of the colonies? I know I do, and so does Britt, and he is bringing us an interesting and entertaining film that blends the legend of CROATOA...

It’s another entertaining and enlightening episode of BEHIND THE LENS thanks to director/co-writer ANTHONY FRITH and his documentary MOCKBUSTER.  

Now, MOCKBUSTER isn’t your typical documentary.  This is a documentary directed by Anthony Frith concurrently with his directing of another Asylum B-movie classic, THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT.  I know you know The Asylum, the studio responsible for the SHARKNADO...

Surprise!  It’s a bonus edition of BEHIND THE LENS!  

So many terrific interviews of late with some very energetic and enthusiastic filmmakers, and all rather lengthy, that I can’t fit them all in on our weekly Monday show.  And because of the fun and enthusiasm of these filmmakers, I want you to hear and enjoy that enthusiasm rather than read a written feature.  So you’re getting some bo...

Another fun week on BEHIND THE LENS!  Another terrific film and filmmaker!  That's right!  This week, it's all about THE GET OUT with director/co-writer DERRICK BORTE.  But first. . .

Dances With Films has come to a close in Hollywood. Some fantastic films this year. You’ve heard some of my interviews the past couple of weeks with DWF filmmakers, and I still have a few more that you’ll be reading an...

It’s another week of BEHIND THE LENS shining a spotlight on DANCES WITH FILMS and a couple of the wonderful films and filmmakers in this year’s festival, namely HEKLA and w/d MICHAEL GLOVER SMITH and THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGG and w/d DOUGLAS BREMNER.

First up - MICHAEL GLOVER SMITH and HEKLA!  HEKLA is a comedy/drama about the emotional cost of pursuing a creative life. Set over one hectic day in Chicago,...

Last week was all about Tribeca Film Festival and some wonderful animated short films that had their premieres there.  This week it’s all about Dances With Films, which starts this week on June 18 and runs through June 28 at the TCL Chinese Theatre complex in Hollywood.  And there are some great films for you to look forward to seeing, starting with the opening night film - the world premiere of YALE from director J...

It's a fun week on BEHIND THE LENS as we’re talking animation and the Tribeca Film Festival!  And not just any animation, but world premiere animation shorts - DEAR UPSTAIRS NEIGHBORS and ROAR, both animated gems led by filmmakers with a Pixar pedigree - animation editor SARAH AFFLECK and writer/director JESSE WEGLEIN, respectively.

First up, we’re gonna roar with writer/director/editor/dp/and songwriter JESSE WEG...

Welcome back to a new week and a new month of BEHIND THE LENS!  Glad to be back after the Memorial Day holiday.  Hope yours was fantastic!  I've got a terrific show for you today, thanks to actor and producer KATIE CASSIDY and director JON KEEYES talking all things SPEED DEMON!  And what a film it is!

A runaway train.  A demon named Asmodeus.  A nun called upon to perform an exorcism.

On pa...

This week on BEHIND THE LENS, we turn our attention to the Miami art world and first-time feature director Jing Ai Ng with her film FORGE.  I thoroughly enjoyed this film from a story perspective and from a directorial and production perspective.  As I’ve been seeing in quite a few films of late from first-time feature directors, once again, production values are high, but story and character are at the center of it...

What a terrific show I’ve got for you this week on BEHIND THE LENS as I get to introduce you to a wonderful British filmmaker, writer/director JOHN MICHAEL KENNEDY, who makes his narrative feature directorial debut with the mystery thriller, AN ENEMY WITHIN.  Not only is this John’s narrative feature directorial debut, but as I found out, this interview that you are about to hear was his very first interview, somet...

I’m very excited about this week’s BEHIND THE LENS because I get to talk about RENNY HARLIN and his new film DEEP WATER! 

After 33 years of chatting with Renny and talking about his films, he truly is not only one of my favorite filmmakers, but one of my favorite people.  His intelligence, his skill, his dedication to the craft of moviemaking and storytelling, his directorial vision, and his kindness.  I...

As promised, this week on BEHIND THE LENS is all about director DAVID MACKENZIE and his new explosive film, FUZE.  

Directed by David Mackenzie and written by Ben Hopkins, FUZE boasts an amazing cast - Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Saffron Hocking, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Elham Ehsas, and Sam Worthington.

Executed with razor-sharp precision, FUZE is a tightly coiled, high-wire heist thriller that unfolds like a cinematic shell ...

This week on BEHIND THE LENS, it’s all about tension and terror, blood and brutality with writer/director ANTON SIGURDSSON’s psychological thriller/mystery,  REFUGE.

Four estranged friends reunite on a fishing trip, but a missing child and a desperate father's accusation turn the reunion into a deadly reckoning.  Brutal, bloody.....lots of duct tape involved.  Terror-filled.  A twisted ending that w...