Austin Film Festival's On Story

On this week’s episode, we’re bringing you conversations with filmmakers and television creators behind new releases in film and television.  Actor Natalie Portman and filmmaker Brady Corbet will discuss  their pop culture focused Vox Lux, later writer/director Peter Hedges discusses his heart wrenching addiction drama Ben is Back, and finally creator Justin Marks will discuss his mind-bending espionage thriller series Counterpart which is currently in it’s 2nd season on the Starz network.

Vox Lux is the new film from actor turned filmmaker Brady Corbet. The film follows the rise and turbulent career of a pop star that is catapulted to stardom after surviving a violent tragedy as a teenager. Austin Film Festival’s Senior Film Program Director Liz Mims spoke with writer/director Brady Cobert and star Natalie Portman after a screening of Vox Lux at the 25th annual Austin Film Festival. Trailer of Vox Lux courtesy of Neon &Bold Films Productions, LLC.

Filmmaker Peter Hedges has written as a novelist, a playwright, and screenwriter. His film credits include What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, About a Boy, and Pieces of April. His newest film, Ben is Back, explores the relationship of a mother and estranged teenage son who is battling addiction. The film stars Julie Roberts and Hedges’ son, Lucas Hedges. I spoke with Peter Hedges after a screening of Ben is Back at the 25th annual Austin Film Festival. Clips of Ben is Back courtesy of: Roadside Attractions & LD Entertainment.

Direct download: New_Releases_Vox_Lux_BenBack_Counterpart.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 6:00pm CDT

On this week’s On Story we’ll hear from filmmaker Faraday Okoro, a two-time Austin Film Festival alumni and featured in Moviemaker Magazine’s Screenwriter to Watch List. His first feature film Nigerian Prince was produced for $1 million as part of AT&T’s Untold Stories initiative. And later, we’ll hear from author Christopher Vogler, whose landmark book The Writers Journey has helped countless screenwriters shape their scripts by using the writings of mythologist Joseph Campbell.

31-year-old writer/director Faraday Okoro is a rising talent. Okoro’s first two shorts, Full-Windsor and Blitz screened at several major film festivals including Austin Film Festival and internationally. Okoro’s new film Nigerian Prince premiered at the 2018 Tribecca Film Festival. The film is a coming of age, heist thriller that explores the hidden world of Nigerian email scammers. I recently spoke with Okoro about the learning process behind making his first feature and the thematic elements that tie his work together.

Christopher Vogler is a veteran Hollywood story consultant and author who is best known for his landmark book The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Storytellers. Vogler’s book looked at the writings of mythologist Joseph Campbell and explored the universal narrative structures and character archetypes that all stories follow. As a story consultant for various studios, Vogler worked on The Lion King, Aladdin and Hercules, Fight Club, and The Wrestler. Professor Greg Garrett spoke with Christopher Vogler at the 24th Austin Film Festival in 2017.

 

Direct download: Faraday_Okoro_Chris_Vogler_Podcast.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 5:00pm CDT

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