Episode 197 | Sound Design and AI w/ Sound Designer of Citizen Sleuth - Part 2
Release Date: 05/26/2023
Episode 223 | Documenting the $40 Billion Industry of NFTs
Documentary First
In this episode, Christian Taylor interviews Nicholas Bruckman, the director of the documentary film 'Minted'. They discuss the film, which explores the world of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and the artists who have embraced this new technology. Bruckman shares how he discovered the story and gained access to the artists involved. The film follows digital artists on their journey of navigating the rise and fall of the NFT market. Bruckman also reflects on the challenges of documentary filmmaking and the importance of telling meaningful stories. The conversation explores the challenges of...
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Episode 222 | The Crazy World of "Mad Props"
Documentary First
In this episode, Christian provides an update on company developments and announces the upcoming trailer for our next documentary, "Heroes of Carentan." She gives an exclusive about the limited theatrical release of "The Girl Who Wore Freedom." Special guests, Tom Biolchini and Juan Pablo Reinoso, producer, director, and writer of "Mad Props," delve into the origins of "Mad Props," detailing its evolution from a TV show concept to a full-fledged documentary. Juan shares insights into his career and how his reunion with Tom sparked their collaboration on this project. The discussion explores...
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Episode 221 | Meaningful Stories w/ Alex Ivany of Ifine: Beauty
Documentary First
In this episode, host Christian Taylor interviews Alex Ivany, a visual storyteller, about his journey in the documentary filmmaking industry. Alex shares his passion for social and racial justice, which led him to work on projects that shed light on marginalized communities. He discusses his role as a producer and editor on the film "Ifine: Beauty", which explores the issue of skin bleaching in Sierra Leone. Alex also provides tips for aspiring filmmakers, emphasizing the importance of networking, continuous learning, and finding a mentor. The episode concludes with a call to support the film...
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Episode 220 | Directing Going to Mars
Documentary First
In this episode, Christian Taylor interviews Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson, the directing duo behind the documentary "Going to Mars, the Nikki Giovanni Project." They discuss their background in filmmaking, the founding of Rada Studios , and their dedication to telling stories of the Black Diaspora. The conversation also covers their award nominations and recognition, the cinematic beauty of "Going to Mars," the challenges of making the film, and their favorite documentaries. Takeaways: • Movies and storytelling have always inspired Joe Brewster, leading him to pursue a career in...
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Episode 219 | Editor Extraordinaire Yvette Amirian
Documentary First
In this episode, host Christian Taylor interviews award-winning editor Yvette Amirian about her journey from documentary to narrative editing. Yvette shares her experiences working on various projects, including "EXmas" and "It Takes a Village". She discusses the differences between editing documentary and narrative films, emphasizing the challenges and rewards of both. Yvette also offers valuable tips for breaking into the film industry, highlighting the importance of building relationships and being kind to others. She shares her perspective on being a woman in the editing industry and the...
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Episode 218 | Getting Distributed w/ Joe Amodei Part 2
Documentary First
In this conversation, Christian Taylor interviews Joe Amodei, CEO of Virgil Films and Entertainment, about the film distribution industry. They discuss the changes in the industry, including the consolidation of companies and the impact of streaming services. Joe emphasizes the importance of collaboration between filmmakers and distributors, as well as the need for filmmakers to be involved in the marketing and distribution process. He also explains how distribution expenses affect the release of a film and the challenges of advertising in the current landscape. The conversation concludes with...
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Episode 217 | Award-Winning Cinematography w/ Laela Kilbourn
Documentary First
In this episode, Christian and Chad interview award-winning cinematographer Laela Kilbourn. They discuss her work on the documentary film Girl State, which premiered at Sundance 2024. Laela shares her experiences working with directors and the importance of trust in the DP-director relationship. She also explains the role of prime lenses in cinematography and how they can create a more cinematic look. Laela shares her journey in the film industry, from starting as a film loader to becoming a cinematographer. She discusses the challenges of advancing in the industry and the need to take risks...
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Episode 216 | Getting Distributed w/ Joe Amodei Part 1
Documentary First
In this episode, Christian Taylor interviews Joe Amodei of Virgil Films Entertainment about the changing landscape of film distribution. They discuss the role of distributors in acquiring and selling the rights to films, the rise of streaming platforms, and the challenges faced by filmmakers in finding trustworthy distributors. Joe shares his insights and experiences from his 20 years in the industry and offers advice for filmmakers considering self-distribution. Takeaways The role of distributors is to acquire and sell the rights to films, including digital platforms, TV channels, DVD,...
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Episode 215 | Honoring WWII Veteran George Ciampa (Ep. 115 Re-release)
Documentary First
On this very special podcast, we honor George Ciampa as Christian shares the news of his recent passing. George Ciampa, a World War II veteran and filmmaker, came on our podcast many times and can be heard on episodes #116, #117, #120, #121. He was born in 1925, served in the Graves Registration Service during WWII, and became a filmmaker in his 80's. You can visit George's website: to learn more about his story. Our first recording with George Ciampa was released in May 2021 and plays after a short introduction by Christian Taylor and Jason Rugg.
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Episode 214 | Entertainment Blogging w/ Josh Sharpe
Documentary First
In this episode, Jason and Christian provide a year-in-review and updates on their documentary films. They also introduce guest Josh Sharpe, a film/entertainment/theater journalist. Josh shares his background in reporting for cinema and offers tips for conducting interviews. The importance of reviews for filmmakers is discussed, along with the different types of interviews and the process of film reviewing. In this conversation Josh Sharpe discusses the world of movie reviews and how it has evolved with technology. He talks about how some reviewers start their own movie review websites or...
info_outlineWe're picking up right where we left off from the last episode, talking about AI and how it relates to sound design with Nathan Ruyle. Nathan Ruyle - IMDb
Nathans Company “This Is Sound Design” website: This is Sound Design
00:12 - Right out the gate Christian, Jason and Nathan discuss AI vs. good live sound recordings. We discuss that “the tools are only as good as the material you're feeding it.” There is no way around in achieving greatness unless you are investing in quality material.
03:30 - The AI discussion leads to asking about location sound and its challenges. Location sound is very different from sound design and final mix. Hear how Nathan unpacks these differences in reference to his movie “Citizen Sleuth”.
04:29 - Nathan shares how he used spectral tools to identify sounds in his documentary; yet due to use of camera audio and limited crew, there were still challenges in parsing them out. Even big budget films face audio challenges, which further highlights the nature of the industry.
07:42 - Nathan discusses how narrative and documentary filmmaking informs each other. In both narrative and documentary films, the use of Foley is essential to capturing the complete soundscape. Even with high-quality sound recording, certain details like footsteps or subtle moments may be missed. Therefore, techniques like Foley are crucial in both types of films to enhance the overall experience.
09:36 - Christian points out there is a difference between Foley and sound effects.
12:28 - History of Jack Foley & Foley experiences
16:32 - The legalities and clearance for the music
18:16 - Foley and music for the HBO Documentary called “United Skates”.
22:52 - Christian explains some terms, such as what are “stems”?
24:07 - Christian asks on behalf of new filmmakers who are still working in lower budget independent films. Do they have any ability to hire Nathan and his team at all? She asks him to give some sort of budget spectrum that they work on for all kinds of different films? And what does the look like in terms of rates.
Nathan gives an overview of what his team can provide. They have an ultra low budget rate sheet, where it kind of breaks down three budget options in great detail where you can see all the different parts of the process.
27:08 - Nathan’s company “This Is Sound Design” recently released “Joyland”.
IMDB: Joyland (2022) - IMDb
If you're in LA or want to come to LA and need help for a movie, they would be more than happy to have you visit for a tour.
31:04 - DocuView Déjà Vu
Jason: “Citizen Sleuth” (2023), 23 mins, IMDB: Citizen Sleuth (2023) - IMDb
Currently in the film festival run, check out the Instagram for film festival details. Keep an eye on Nathan's website for an announcement as to when its going to be released to see for the public. https://www.instagram.com/citizensleuthmovie/
Christian: “King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones” (2022), 99 mins, IMDB: King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones (2022) - IMDb
This movie too, is in its festival run; so it can't be watched, save for at film festivals.
Nathan: “United Skates” (2018), 89 mins, IMDB (Available on HBO Max): United Skates (2018) - IMDb