BELOW THE LINE PODCAST

“Hatching”, a successful Finnish horror film currently streaming on Hulu, is a good case study for exploring the differences between European filmmaking and the U.S. studio system. I’m joined today by the Producer of “Hatching”, Mika Ritalahti, and two Executive Line Producers from Mistrus Media Film Production, Gints Grube and Elina Gedina. While the film is from Finland, principal photography was conducted in Riga, Latvia, and my panel shares how this entertaining movie came together.

“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” was released in theaters early this year and is now streaming on multiple platforms. Tyler Cordova, Co-Visual Effects Producer, is here to explain how practical effects and visual effects work together to create the magic of the film. And for the first time on the podcast: we’re discussing specific scenes in real time! Let us know if it works.

“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” wrapped earlier this year after four seasons on Amazon Prime, and Production Designer Derek Hill is here to offer behind-the-scene insights for a team that was based out of Budapest but filmed across Europe, from Greece to Croatia to the Canary Islands. Oh, and COVID: there was COVID.

Costume Designer Liz Vastola talks about her work on “Twisted Metal”, the comedy/action video game adaptation currently streaming on Peacock. I’ve never played the video game, but co-host (and fellow podcaster) Gianni Damaia brings some hard-won expertise to our laugh-out-loud discussion of the series.

Score Composer Andrew Lockington talks about his work on Taylor Sheridan’s “Special Ops: Lioness” (currently airing on Paramount+), and co-host Louis Weeks (composer, recording artist, and friend of the podcast) provides another layer of insight to our conversation. We discuss Andrew’s work on multiple levels, from the intention behind specifics pieces of score to the larger themes that inform the overall arc of the story.

My guest is Daril Fannin, CEO of Kino Studios. We talk about how Daril’s experiences as an army veteran, writer and executive producer led to the founding of Kino, with the goal of making Hollywood more open, equitable, efficient and diverse. Kino also runs a robust behind-the-scenes program which emphasizes - you guessed it - the contributions of Below the Line talent (www.kino.studio).

2022’s “The Menu” was an intriguing film that defied genre expectations. WIth 14 principle cast members and a tight shooting schedule, it was also a logistical challenge of epic proportions. First Assistant Director Gary Goldman takes us behind the scenes with stories about the cast, the supporting background, and the food. I mean, the FOOD: it was another character, both on and off the set.

“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” - now in its second season on Paramount+ - continues to make the familiar franchise new again. Director of Photography Benji Bakshi talks about how cinematography contributes to the genre-uniqueness of each episode, and we talk in detail about the recently-aired, first-ever Star Trek musical episode. 

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” - in theaters now - is both a cutting-edge computer-animated feature and a really enjoyable film. Head of Cinematography Kent Seki and Art Director Arthur Fong share how an emphasis on the “teenage” element of the title characters informed every aspect of the filmmaking over a course of production spanning more than three years.

The “Hellraiser” film released late last year on Hulu was a creative reimagining of Clive Barker’s 1987 original. Production Designer Kathrin Eder discusses the challenge of rebooting a 35-year-old horror classic, Director David Bruckner’s reliance on practical effects wherever possible, and bringing all of these elements together while filming in Serbia.