The Weekend Take

On this Quick Take Episode, we are joined by Cinematographer and Digital Image Technician, Sam Gove ( http://www.samuelgove.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/samuelwilliamgove/ ) as we clear the air on some misconceptions of what a Digital Image Technician does and also discuss the medium of film, it's benefits from an image and archival standpoint, but also it's image integrity in a world progressing towards exclusively digital acquisition. We also discuss Sam's current work in furthering the projection and exhibition of media alongside Douglas Trumbull, the man responsible for the visual effects in such classics as Stanley Kubrick's Magnum Opus "2001: A Space Odyssey" and Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner". Aside from the film vs digital discussion, we also discuss Sam's upbringing in the world of film and why a film school curriculum was not in the cards for him. This and so much more on this episode of The Weekend Take!

On this Quick Take episode of The Weekend Take, I am joined by Producer and Director Norman Berns ( https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0076967 and https://www.facebook.com/ncberns ) as we discuss his journey in the film industry leading up to his current project, the feature length documentary "A Place to Dance" about Builder, Philanthropist, and driving force behind bringing the arts to the Capital Region of New York, Lewis A. Swyer. We discuss Norman's beginnings in the industry and how some peer pressure to day play on some passion projects got him hooked on working in film. We also discuss Norman's journey in the documentary world from his tenure with New York Metropolitan Opera (which includes a funny story about sending an Opera legend out to get coffee), to creating documentaries for PBS including "The Human Language" and "The Writing Code" looking at the origins of our spoken and written languages, and also his work in narrative feature films, including a stint under Martin Scorsese and an eye-opening opportunity working on 1971's "The Hospital" under Arthur Hiller and alongside the likes of Patty Chayefsky (who become Norman's kindred pipe smoking spirit), George C. Scott, Diana Rigg, and more. A major point of conversation also tackles the production of "A Place to Dance", exploring and digging to find the story, allowing it to become more than a job and become a personal passion project, and learning all there is to be learned about the pillar of the arts and humanities that was Lewis A. Swyer. All this and more on this episode of The Weekend Take!

On this episode of The Weekend Take, we sit down with Creature Actor for Film and Television, Performer, and Contortionist as seen on America's Got Talent, Troy James (https://www.instagram.com/twistytroy). You may recognize Troy from his audition and performances on Season 13 of America's Got Talent (as well as his appearances on France's Got Talent, Italy's Got Talent, Australia's Got Talent, World's Got Talent, and others), but this once mild-mannered Human Resources employee is also the...

In this second part of a special two-part episode, we sit down with Actor, Writer, and Director Billy Kay (www.billykay.com) to discuss his near 35 year career in the industry, which is exceptional given that Billy is only nearly 35 years old himself. We continue Billy's journey now with his Film Independent Spirit Award nomination for his role in "L.I.E" and moving out to Los Angeles on his own at the age of 16. We talk about Billy's roles on television during his time on the West Coast, including an interesting story of guest starring on CSI: Miami as a serial killer fanatic who collects famous crime scene memorabilia, but ultimately meets his demise by the business end of Lizzie Borden's Axe and how a certain sunglasses wearing (and constantly removing) star made the character's death a bit more uncomfortable. We also discuss Billy's love of the stage as well as the screen and the differences between the two and which he prefers. Most prevalent in our discussion is Billy's decision to step away from acting and return to Long Island to pursue music, writing, and directing, which would lead him to pairing with Lauren Terilli to create the film "Swiped" and what he learned from being on the other side of the camera (and the casting table) for the first time and adding that to his toolbox when he returns to the acting world. All this and so much more on this episode of The Weekend Take!

On this Quick Take episode of The Weekend Take, I am joined by Box Office Analyst and Creator of the Animated Series "A-Men" Jake Karnas ( www.instagram.com/karnas/ and facebook.com/amentheseries ) to discuss what a Box Office Analyst is and does and what it's impact is on the film industry. We discuss Jake's early musings as a child to be an animator for Disney and how that all may come full circle with his animated series "A-Men" which is currently finishing up developing it's pilot...

In this first part of a special two-part episode, we sit down with Actor, Writer, and Director Billy Kay (www.billykay.com) to discuss his near 35 year career in the industry, which is exceptional given that Billy is only nearly 35 years old himself. Starting at six weeks old after being discovered at a grocery store with his mother in Long Island by an agent, Billy has amassed an incredible resume spanning three decades that not only includes a number of major musical theater productions, but thousands of print ads, hundreds of national commercials, and an onscreen acting resume with dozens of films and television programs, including Billy's three year stint on veteran soap opera "Guiding Light". That resume also includes a Best Supporting Actor Nomination at the Film Independent Spirit Awards for his work in the 2001 Sundance Film Festival darling "L.I.E" starring Paul Dano, Bruce Altman, Brian Cox, and more. Growing up in a much different time in the film industry pre-smart phones, pre-social media, pre-#metoo, and more, Billy found himself at the age of 16 thrust into the spotlight with his work in "L.I.E" and in the mix of all that the film industry had to offer, both good and bad. From the increased demand to audition and perform to the parties and temptations that Billy weathered and survived, while watching some friends and colleagues succumb to them, like Brad Renfro and more, Billy was living on his own in Los Angeles experiencing it all at just 16 years old. We discuss everything from being "Tonka Truck Tough" and questioning if Dave Thomas stole Billy's chicken nuggets to how cruel school age children can be in the face of their peers succeeding and having opportunities. We also discuss introducing Hayden Panettiere to Eminem's music, stage moms, an actor's life being 99.9% rejection, the actor's mindset performing on film versus digital, as well life lessons learned, living without regrets, and more about what it was like growing up on celluloid on this episode of The Weekend Take.

In this special episode, I sit down with Writer, Director, Producer, Entertainment Attorney, and Columnist for Script Magazine Christopher Schiller (https://scriptmag.com/author/chrisschiller) and Director and Producer of the Medical Documentary "FLOXED" (https://floxeddoc.com/) and Producer of the upcoming Medical Documentary "COVID POV" (https://www.swirl-studios.com/) Michelle Polacinski to discuss the impact the novel virus COVID-19, otherwise known as Coronavirus is having on the film...

On this episode of The Weekend Take, we sit down with frequent contributor to the show Writer, Director, Producer, Entertainment Attorney, and Columnist for Script Magazine, Chris Schiller (https://scriptmag.com/author/chrisschiller) and Box Office Analyst and Creator of the Animated Series "A-Men", Jake Karnas (https://www.instagram.com/karnas/) to discuss our recent "Defend the Crown" Tournament. The "Defend the Crown" Tournament was held on our social media pages for about four weeks...

On this episode of The Weekend Take, I am joined by Cinematographer and Digital Image Technician Sam Gove (https://www.instagram.com/samuelwilliamgove/ ) to discuss the weekend that was at the Box Office. This weekend saw all films across the board taking a 60% or greater loss compared to last weekend in the wake of increasing Coronavirus concerns. In the face of a national shutdown of theater chains across the country, "Onward" managed to cling to the #1 spot for the second weekend in a...

In this episode, we sit down with Actor, Producer, Comedian, and Founder of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge (www.disabilityfilmchallenge.com) , Nic Novicki (www.nicnovicki.com) to discuss the 2020 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge and what it means for both the film industry and for a massive community of under-represented talents both in front of and behind the camera. Roughly 1 in 4 Americans have a disability, yet fewer than 2% are represented in front of the camera in...

Here is a sneak peak of the first episode in The Weekend Take's Patreon Patron Exclusive Series "The Rise (and Fall) of Skywalker". In this first episode, we are joined by our panel of lifelong Star Wars fans which include Cinematographer and Director of Video and Motion for Overit Media (www.overit.com), Solomon Nero and the Creator and Host of "Super Geeked Up" (www.supergeekedup.com), Jeff Burns. We discuss our memories of first impressions of the Prequel Trilogy as a whole and then (in...

On the second part of this two-part episode of The Weekend Take, we are again joined by Mike Zupan of Byte-Size Impressions and Byte-Size Cinema ( www.bytesizeimpressions.wordpress.com ) and Writer, Director, Producer, Entertainment Attorney, and Columnist for Script Magazine, Christopher Schiller (https://scriptmag.com/author/chrisschiller) to discuss our recent "Bestest Picture" Tournament that was held across our social media platforms over the last 6 weeks or so. In this tournament, we...

On this Quick Take episode of The Weekend Take, we sit down with Creator and Host of "Super Geeked Up" (www.supergeekedup.com) and Writer/Director of the Digital Series "Super Knocked Up", Jeff Burns. We talk about Jeff's path in the film industry, which started with comics sparking Jeff's imagination at a young age, prompting him to write his own stories, and eventually manifested itself as an itch create films towards the end of his college career. From there, Jeff took a screenwriting...

On this episode of The Weekend Take, we are joined by Producer and Director Norman Berns (www.imdb.com/name/nm0076967 and www.facebook.com/ncberns ) to discuss the weekend that was at the Box Office. This weekend saw the opening of "The Invisible Man" from Blumhouse Productions and Universal Pictures as the $7 million budgeted genre horror film opened to $49 million worldwide and the #1 spot. Elsewhere in the countdown, anime favorite "My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising", which wasn't even...

On this first part of a two part episode of The Weekend Take, we sit down with Mike Zupan of Byte-Size Impressions and Byte-Size Cinema ( www.bytesizeimpressions.wordpress.com ) and Writer, Director, Producer, Entertainment Attorney, and Columnist for Script Magazine, Christopher Schiller (https://scriptmag.com/author/chrisschiller) to discuss our recent "Bestest Picture" Tournament that was held across our social media platforms over the last 6 weeks or so. In this tournament, we pitted...

On this episode of The Weekend Take, I am joined by Box Office Analyst Jake Karnas (www.instagram.com/karnas/) to discuss the weekend that was at the Box Office. This weekend at the Box Office saw "Sonic the Hedgehog" repeat a #1 in a close race with the Harrison Ford led "Call of the Wild", the latter of which opened to about $24.5 million against it's $135 million dollar budget. While the opening was above expectations, an avalanche of loss may soon be descending upon Fox. Elsewhere in...

In this Quick Take Episode, we are joined by award-winning composer for film and television Michael Vignola (www.vignolamusic.com) as we discuss his journey in the film industry. From it's beginnings as a young musician, the inspiration of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata", to taking the leap of faith in pursuing a career of music in film, television, and other media and where he is now with upcoming releases on the screen and digitally. We also discuss his passion for creating original music...

On this episode of The Weekend Take, we sit down with Drew Mylrea (www.drewmylrea.com), the Director of the new romantic comedy "Spy Intervention" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DBeCeZd59s), in theaters and available on iTunes and other Digital platforms now. We discuss Drew's journey in the film industry from making films with his mother's VHS camera at the tender age of 10 to searching for true drama making films in high school to his transition to UCLA Theater Directing program to a...

On this episode of The Weekend Take, we are joined once again by Cinematographer and Director of Motion and Video for Overit Studios (www.overit.com), Solomon Nero (www.nero-minded.com) as we discuss the weekend that was at the Box Office. This weekend saw the release of the previously redesigned and rescheduled "Sonic the Hedgehog", which was the topic of discussion with Solomon a couple months back in a Patreon Patron Exclusive Episode about the price tag and potential risk-reward of...

On this episode of The Weekend Take we are joined for the second year in a row by Rob Lumley, Co-Host of The Midnight Boys Present: A Free Podcast (afreepodcast.com) and Forrest Gump Minute (forrestgumpminute.com) as we take a look at 11 of the categories being awarded on Hollywood's Big Night, the 92nd Annual Academy Awards, taking place this Sunday. The Categories we will discuss are: Best Picture Best Director Best Actor Best Actress Best Supporting Actor Best Supporting...