VENTS Magazine 149th issue

Julia Reilly

We’re very happy to have some time today with acclaimed actress Julia Reilly; greetings and salutations, Julia! Before we dive down the proverbial Q&A celluloid rabbit hole, how is the freshly minted New Year treating you and yours?

Hi! Thank you so much for having me! It has been great so far. I’ve been working and doing a bit of traveling, so it’s been fun!

Major congratulations on your upcoming star turn in the original action-adventure medical drama miniseries County Rescue which is set to premiere this February 23 on Great American Pure Flix, followed by a February 26 premiere on Great American Family! Can you explain to our everinquisitive readers what County Rescue is about and how your featured character of Dani Miller figures into the proceedings?

Thank you! County Rescue is about 3 EMT’s fending for one job opening at the county’s EMT station. Dani is one of the rookie EMT’s who struggles to find her identity in this new line of work and explores how the relationships with those she meets shape her journey to find her calling.

Did you know as soon as you saw the County Rescue script from creator Brian Baugh that this was a production you wanted to be a part of?

Definitely. As an actor, I always try to just have fun with the audition and then move on and forget about it. It was harder for me to let go of this script and character before finding out I got the job. Dani really resonated with me, and I knew it was a project I would love to be a part of. Brian did such a great job writing this series.

What was it like exercising your own considerable acting chops alongside such accomplished thespians in County Rescue as Brett Varvel, Tim Perez-Ross, Riley Hough, Keller Fornes, Percy Bell and Tanya Christiansen?

It was such a gift to work with such talented actors, and on top of that, such genuine and kind people. I was learning from everyone during the filming process, and we all had a lot of fun making the show.

Can you give readers a hint or three as to what they can expect from the five episodes of County Rescue?

You can expect a little bit of everything! We’ve got some action sequences, a little romance, and of course the medical drama elements! Brian Baugh and Lisa Arnold did a terrific job exploring each of the characters in our ensemble cast.

County Rescue is being billed as a miniseries. If the ratings gods smile upon the series, might we see future seasons of the show? Would you be up for reprising your role of Dani?

Yes, I am praying we get to do another season!!!! I don’t know anything for sure yet as far as what the future of the show looks like, but I would love to continue exploring Dani and telling her story.

In your opinion, what differentiates County Rescue from the Distinguished Competition on the 2024 television landscape?

It’s an honor that we get to join the Great American Media family! The core values of this network include sharing uplifting and positive stories. It’s a privilege to be part of something that everyone can watch! I also think having a larger ensemble cast gives viewers a chance to meet many different types of characters in one show! The writing was great, and the entire cast and crew put a lot of heart into making this!

You delivered a fun and neat turn in the fourth season of the pop culture phenomenon known as Stranger Things. Going into that series, were you a card-carrying fan of the Duffer Brothers and the citizens of Hawkins, Indiana?

Yes, I was a fan of the show! That was an amazing experience, and I had the best time on set! Everyone was so lovely!!! And of course, having the 80s hair, makeup, and costume was so much fun! However, I do promise that I can sing better than Tammy Thompson. I try to throw that in when I can so that my voice teachers don’t think they wasted their time on me.

What do you enjoy the most about acting?

Being on set! There are so many moving pieces and people to meet and always something new to learn! A lot of work goes into getting to set, so actually having the cameras roll and digging into the creative process is amazing.

Your first credited work as an actress came in the form of 2013’s Unnecessary Meanness. Any special memories of that freshman production?

That was so fun! At the end of my yearlong acting class, we got to act in that film! I remember getting my makeup done for the first time and thinking it was the coolest thing ever!

Who inspires your own acting?

The amazing coaches I’ve had the pleasure to work with, and there’s so many incredible actors I’ve looked up to for so long! Whenever I’m on set, I get a lot of inspiration from my castmates and directors. I never want to miss an opportunity to learn from others’ experiences as I forge my own path in this industry!

At the end of the day, what do you hope audiences walk away with after watching the upcoming miniseries County Rescue?

I hope that audiences are left feeling good and inspired to look at their own lives and see if they have any new interests or callings to explore- work wise, relationships, hobbies, the list goes on! Stay open to exploring new paths no matter what phase of life you are in.

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - Living In Oblivion, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, Ed Wood, The Player or Barton Fink?

I haven’t seen all of those movies, but I loved Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt made for a great duo, and of course, Margot Robbie is a queen!

Brandon Farris

We’re happy to have some time today with acclaimed actor, comedian and a shining light in the sometimes dark alleyway known as the digital landscape, Brandon Farris; greetings and salutations, Brandon! Before we dive right into things, how is the freshly-minted New Year treating you and yours?

The new year has been amazing so far! I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time with family and have new projects that are exciting for me so it’s been a great start to the year!

Major congratulations on your amazing journey which has seen you face some mighty big lows such as homelessness as well as achieving some very lofty goals such as becoming a respected comic and internet sensation. Starting at the tip-top, can you give our ever-inquisitive readers the E! True Hollywood Story on how you’ve overcome some pretty rough times to achieve the moniker of Imbrandonfarris, hilarious content creator extraordinaire?

I’m flattered! I think it just boils down to the fact that this was something I wanted really bad and was willing to go through pretty much anything to get there. There have been a lot of tough times along the way but if you find something that you want more than the idea of giving in to those tough times then you’ll get it!

For many people out there, being homeless can come with its own share of stigmas and misconceptions. Was this partly why you opted to chronicle your own experiences of being without a home, to add an understanding and humanize this sadly universal issue?

I think I wanted to show people that it doesn’t matter what you have or where you are in life that you can make it. I wanted to video me “making it” so that others could have some sort of a blueprint on how I did it and maybe take some inspiration from it and apply it to what they wanted to do! I also didn’t have anywhere to go so I was partly forced to just film in my car, but I ended up really enjoying doing that. Even after getting an apartment, I would film in my car.

Many people credit your knitting tutorial on Facebook with sending you over the edge towards grabbing the proverbial brass ring. How did you land upon the notion to do that particular video, and were you surprised that it resounded as much as it did?

I think my mom mentioned the idea to me, but I could be misremembering. But I had never done anything like it before where I was reacting to something else or someone else, so it was a new idea for me and I think reactions is where I thrive in my content so looking back I’m not surprised that it did well but in the moment I was blown away! It was just another video from me, but it had a different feel than the others I was making so I think it was just a great eye opener for me to lean into reacting to things more!

You’ve landed no less than 22.1 Million followers and billions of views across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram & Facebook. How integral is the world of social media in getting the word out about everything you’re doing?

It’s the only way I think! Social media sometimes gets a bad rep, but it really is the way to communicate to not only friends and family not close to you but to the world about your ideas or what you stand for and finding likeminded people! It’s a

powerful place and I’m really glad I’m a part of it!

You landed in Los Angeles with a passion for acting and making people laugh. Where does that drive come from, and has it always been present in your DNA?

I think I’ve always had determination when it comes to pursuing something I was interested in. When I made the leap to LA and living in my car it was kind of a last-ditch effort to pursue my dream of doing comedy full time. I told myself that if I didn’t just do it now, I would never do it and that thought scared me enough to drive to a place where I didn’t know anyone or have any place to live just to pursue a dream.

Have you ever considered writing a book about your experiences?

Writing isn’t my strong suit at all. I probably wouldn’t want to write a book personally but to have someone else do it would be an option for sure!

Comedian-wise, who inspires you?

I’m really inspired by Dan Cummins and Brian Reagan. Those two I think have molded me a lot in my comedy throughout the years!

In an era which can sometimes feel downright prickly and very PC, can it be sometimes difficult to produce content online which won’t offend at least someone?

In the beginning of my career yes! I think I was afraid of saying the wrong thing and losing everything. I don’t usually talk in ways that offend people in my personal life so there was nothing I had to “hide” from anyone when making content, but it was still very much in the forefront of my mind in the beginning. I think now people understand that anything I say is either a complete lighthearted joke or just complete ignorance on my end.

You were born in Ohio and grew up in Arkansas. How do those seemingly disparate roots inform you as both an entertainer and as a person?

I think in my comedy I’ve pulled a lot from the people I’ve grown up around and early on I think you can tell that I pulled a lot of inspiration from my roots in Arkansas.

In your humble opinion, what differentiates your form of online entertainment from the Distinguished Competition on the digital landscape?

I think the awesome side of what I do is that you are a bit more connected to your audience and have more of a connection with them since it’s easier to see how they like each video or even when live streaming you can see what they are doing in real time. I don’t think it’s as easy for others to do that.

Wrapping this all up in a pretty red bow, can you give us a hint or three as to some of the exciting things we can look forward to from you in 2024?

I am very narrow focused and right now all I can think of is live streaming! It’s something I really want to put the work in and get good at so if you want to watch me fail a lot while learning come check me out!

Anastasia Olowin

We’re very happy to have some time today with actress Anastasia Olowin; greetings and salutations, Anastasia! Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A celluloid pathway, how is the freshly-minted New Year treating you and yours?

Hello, and thanks for having me! I’ll start by telling you how the last year ended… just as I was starting pre-production for a short film I’ve written (that I’m quite proud of), we found out that the feature we shot in Sri Lanka last summer would be making its world premiere at SXSW! So now I’m just about to start shooting my short and also gearing up to celebrate our feature in Austin this March. I have to say that feels like a pretty great start to the year.

Major kudos and accolades on your beautiful and buzzed about turn in the upcoming new motion picture Ben and Suzanne: A Reunion in 4 Parts! Starting at the tip-top, could you tell our ever-inquisitive readers what Ben and Suzanne: A Reunion in 4 Parts is about and how your character of Suzanne figures into the proceedings?

Thank you, that’s so kind. Well, this is the film heading to SXSW - it’s about a couple reuniting after a stretch of (very) longdistance, navigating their relationship and a lot of factors both in and out of their control. Suzanne is an American NGO worker living in Sri Lanka, trying to balance the responsibilities of her job - which has not quite been the altruistic experience she set out on - with the expectations and needs of her boyfriend Ben, who has come to visit her from the States.

Did you realize as soon as you saw the screenplay for Ben and Suzanne from writer and director Shaun Seneviratne that this was a pretty special project?

This project actually started ten years ago for me! Shaun wrote a short film called Tourists, which I auditioned for and was cast in, which was always meant to be the prelude to a feature. And I will say I could tell from the start that Tourists was a project I very deeply connected to, and as soon as I met Shaun I had a good feeling. We ended up becoming fast friends as well as collaborators, and ended up making two other short films checking in with Ben and Suzanne over the years. Shaun had written a few different versions of the feature between Tourists and when we finally got to shoot Ben and Suzanne last summer, so it was exciting for me to finally get to actualize where these characters ended up.

Ben and Suzanne: A Reunion in 4 Parts is very much a twoperson tour de force, with the titular ‘Ben’ in the film title played masterfully by Sathya Sridharan. What was it like exercising your own considerable acting chops alongside this adept partner?

Again, you’re very kind! Sathya and I have been working together on this series since we shot Tourists ten years ago, so there’s a level of comfort and understanding as scene partners that you don’t often get in a process.

What was your collaboration process like with Ben and Suzanne: A Reunion in 4 Parts director and writer Shaun Seneviratne? Is Shaun what some actors might call “an actor’s director”?

Shaun is very committed to his vision, but there was also a lot of trust on set and ability for us to question if a moment didn’t feel right or if we didn’t quite understand, and it really did feel

collaborative. It’s interesting because of spending so much time with this character and becoming such good friends with Shaun in the process (I was a bridesmaid in his wedding!), we have kind of an intuitive understanding. So this was defintiely a unique actor/ director process for me.

On a personal level, what resounds most significantly for you about Ben and Suzanne?

The first film in this series, Tourists, was about a drive to the airport where one partner was leaving and one was staying behind. I had a moment in my life very similar to that, and that has been my hook into Suzanne from that first short through Ben and Suzanne. There are a lot of things that make sense to me about her, even though I don’t think I would have made the same choices she has. But this character is very special to me.

Ben and Suzanne: A Reunion in 4 Parts is set to make its highly anticipated premiere at this year’s SXSW - Congratulations! On the eve of the premiere, are there any nerves at all, or are you more excited for audiences to finally check out the work you’ve done?

I’m mostly just excited! Just making the feature was a long time coming, so having our world premiere at SXSW is a really special moment for us.

Acting-wise, who inspires your own craft?

I’m always excited by Cate Blanchet, Greta Lee, Julianne Moore; Frances McDormand is a tour de force and comes from the NYC downtown theater scene (I’ve done a lot of experimental theater so I very much admire her career), Carrie Coon and Isabella Rossellini… can I go on?

You’ve also established yourself as a producer, having taken on that function for the short film Dead Dad Road Trip. Is producing something you might like to do more of in the future? What about writing and directing? Are these things you might like to try your hand at, too?

Absolutely - I co-wrote and co-produced Dead Dad Road Trip with my wonderful director Gabrielle Nadig, and I’ve written my latest short Emmanuelle which I’m acting in and producing with the lovely Katie Sue Escher. I am an actor at my core but I also just get excited about good storytelling, so I want to make and facilitate as much as I can.

At the end of the day, what do you hope audiences walk away with after viewing Ben and Suzanne: A Reunion in 4 Parts?

I hope it spurs some interesting conversations about relationships and about belonging - we see this woman who looks out of place but speaks the language and is making a life for herself, and a man who looks like he should belong but is very much an American. And at the end of the day I hope that people resonate with their connection because I think that whatever their trials and whatever the outcome, they care about each other.

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, The Player, Ed Wood or Barton Fink?

Oh Ed Wood, for sure.

We’re very excited to have some time today with singer-songwriter and mental health advocate Catherine Harrison! Before we dive in, how is the New Year treating you so far?

It’s been great, thanks! Full on, actually, a little overwhelming some days - lots going on. So I’m napping a lot and going to bed early these days!

Major congratulations on your upcoming new single LOVE IS NOT A GAME which is set to premiere this coming February 9! What served as the inspiration for this song?

I initially wrote this song at the end of a relationship, as we were unravelling, and it was clear to me that we were an unviable match. Then, as I finished writing it and started playing it more at live shows and in the recording studio, it became more symbolic of love beyond a romantic relationship - a more holistic sense of love and

HarrisonCatherine

its importance to our overall health, especially mental health. We need to feel a sense of agency and power within the context of love and possibility, especially as it impacts our well-being. If we’ve lost or given it away, we must take it back and pay it forward.

You dub LOVE IS NOT A GAME as an “anti-Valentine’s Day” tune. Tell us more about that

Valentine’s Day, as it is now and has been for more than a century, is a simple and superficial commercialized symbol of romantic love. And recently, like many other holidays, it’s just over the top.

As with many holidays, its origins are more straightforward and dynamic - from Roman pagan fertility festivals and then Christian celebrations of St Valentine’s feast - a simple celebration of friendship and love. However, recent calculations estimate people spent $19.7 billion on Valentine’s Day (time.com).

My experience and observation are that getting and giving “expected” gifts on Valentine’s Day is often antithetical to the relationship. It often has nothing to do with more meaningful aspects of love, like respect, support, trust, and quality time together and in the community. People feel pressured to spend money they don’t have on gifts with no real meaning because ‘the system’ tells them to. That stress isn’t good for anyone. We start to evaluate a human’s worth and our worth based on superficial tokens pushed on us by marketing machines.

So the narrative is about challenging conventional notions of love as solely romantic. Love is the foundation of connection, care, and compassion. And these traits are critical for our individual and collective well-being.

There’s a lot of wonderful and multi-layered things going on in your recording of LOVE IS NOT A GAME, one of the key things being that of mental health. Why was that such an important subject for you to touch upon?

It’s no secret that mental health is a necessary and hot topic globally these days. It also is an area of my professional focus. I just finished research for my MA Psych, looking at the physical, mental, and social well-being of young professionals in the workplace. I just launched a mission-driven mental health company and actively advocate for mental health in the Canadian music industry. Love is at the core of mental health - compassion (for self and others) and meaningful connections with friends, family, neighbours, and peers. Changing the narrative about love fits with the broader need to change the narrative about mental health. Culturally, we look at these things in such black-andwhite, either/or terms - narrow, rigid definitions. Shifting our mindsets and cultivating a sense of agency and freedom is critical to love and mental health.

Proceeds from LOVE IS NOT A GAME will be donated to the Unison Fund. For anyone not in the know, can you explain what the Unison Fund is and why it is important to you on a personal level?

The Unison Fund is a registered, non-profit music industry charity that provides counselling, emergency financial support, and other resources to the Canadian music community. Created and administered for the music community by the music community, Unison helps professional music workers in times of hardship.

The prevalence of mental health challenges among Canadians is significant. In any given year, 1 in 5 Canadians experiences a mental illness or addiction problem. By the time Canadians reach 40, 1 in 2 have or have experienced a mental illness. The music industry is no exception. Research confirms that the rates are 2-3 times higher in the music industry. That’s why investing in promotion, prevention, and early intervention is essential to help improve and maintain mental health.

I know many people who have received support and guidance from Unison over the years, and I currently volunteer on the Board of Directors. Music industry professionals often don’t have social and organizational support like benefits and extra disposable income to take care of their mental health. And there are a lot of cultural norms in the industry that are barriers to creating and sustaining a healthier lifestyle.

We touched upon mental health a couple of questions back and, along that note, you’re the founder of Revelios, which is a mental health strategy company. What inspired you to create this company?

A few years ago, during the pandemic, I wrote a book with a strong thread of mindfulness, curiosity, communication, and the psychological and emotional needs humans have to thrive. As we moved through the pandemic and the global discussion around mental health was amplified, I decided to get involved and contribute to the solution. I went back to school, got an MA in psychology, and started Revelios to improve mental health literacy and individual and collective agency, as well as support organizations wanting to make a meaningful difference

in their employees’ daily experience. We need to understand mental health better, and we need to move beyond the current check-the-box EAP programs, one-way content seminars, and digital apps. We need to learn how to connect and communicate better and learn how to talk about disruptions in mental health, for ourselves and with others.

Who inspires you, musically speaking?

That’s such a tough question to answer - it’s like the desert island game of which album you’d take - can’t do it!

Off the top of my head, and in no order, and for sure I’ll look at this later and say ‘doh’!!!, here are a few:

Jeff Buckley, Joni Mitchel, Gordon Lightfoot, Muddy Waters, The Beatles, The Stones, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Sub Bionic, Sheryl Crowe, The White Stripes, Peter Gabriel, The Odds, Mark Lalama and bandmates (Davide, Rich, Amanda), Miles Davis, Buddy Holly, The Everley Brothers, Serena Ryder....it goes on and on!

With the release of LOVE IS NOT A GAME, can fans look forward to a possible EP or LP release from you in 2024?

Yes, we are in the final throes of finishing a few more tracks and will release the EP later this year.

As a singer and songwriter, which generally comes first for you during the creative process: The lyrics or the music?

Usually, the music. I sit down and start playing a simple chord progression or rhythmic pattern. It usually represents a mood or a catalyst of some experience or feeling. Then, playing the piece repeatedly, I start saying stuff out loud and writing down keywords or phrases that fit the mood. I often write autobiographically, but I also make up stories and sing them in the first person so they seem autobiographical. What’s most interesting is that I write differently depending on the instrument I first use - piano, guitar, bass, or percussion. They all have a personality and vibe that sets a foundation.

Any final thoughts which you might like to share with readers?

I would encourage readers to set aside time to reflect and consider their views on love and mental health.

Do they feel a sense of connection, community, creativity, comfort, and agency? In what aspect of their lives do they feel this - personal, professional, community, family, other?

Do they have at least one relationship rooted in trust, respect, sharing, and support?

I encourage them to learn more about mental health literacy, mental health first aid, and psychological safety and how they can be ambassadors for greater well-being in the music industry.

If you don’t know where to start, reach out and connect with me. (info@revelios.com or IG thecatherineharrison)

If you’re struggling and need support, contact Unison, or call Wellness Together Canada Line for immediate counselling.

Call 9-1-1 if you or someone you know is in immediate danger.

Call or text 9-8-8 if you or someone you know is thinking about suicide.

Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Laetitia Sam

We’re super-happy to be speaking today with acclaimed Swiss-born singer, songwriter, and body-positive plussize model Laetitia Sam; greetings and salutations, Laetitia! Before we dive down the proverbial Q&A musical rabbit hole, how goes the freshly-minted New Year for you and yours?

First of all, a big thank you for having me in Vents Magazine! It’s a real pleasure to answer your questions.

This new year announces only positive news already with the release of my first album which was produced in Los Angeles,and also for all the projects closely or remotely related to it. A year full of rebounds is coming!

Your music is a beautiful mix of genres. For those newcomers to your music, how would you describe your unique sound?

Thank you so much! I would definitely define it as Pop Country music but if I wanna be more precise it’s a mix between Shania Twain and Carrie Underwood songs :)

Major congratulations on your deeply moving new single My Turn which premiered February 13th! Starting at the top, what inspired this beautiful new power-ballad?

Thank you, yes I’m so excited about it!So behind the song “My Turn”, there is a real message, which is to be an international singer and bring people happiness and share with the world all my life stories. My Turn is for people who are going through difficult things to know that they are not alone and they can say “it’s my turn to be happy and live a better life!”

My Turn is off of your forthcoming new album. What makes this gem of a ditty the perfect choice to lead off the charge for the new LP? Do you feel that tonally it represents the new album?

Yes, I really do and I’m convincedof that. It’s a perfect song to enter in the Country Music industry. I like a song with powerful rhythms and energy. We can definitely say”My Turn” represents every little detail in my new album!

Speaking of that new and upcoming album, can you give fans and readers a hint or three as to what they can expect from it once the needle hits the vinyl?

They can literally discover my deep emotion, my authentic universe and all about me. This song is a very personal song like the others but it’s the first one and the first song the people can discover who I am today and how I feel.

Your producer on the upcoming LP is the rightly lauded Hayden Maringer who has worked as the musical director for such luminaries as Jennifer Lopez, TLC and many others! What was your collaboration process like with Hayden while working on the new album?

To be completely honest, I don’t think I quite realize yet the immense opportunity of having been able to collaborate with such a talented artist. Hayden is extremely human with a sensitivity that matched mine perfectly. We had a huge artistic connection and that’s why we managed to work quickly and efficiently together. We created an album in 3 months, and we can really be proud of what we managed to come out of this collaboration. For the process, given that I live in Switzerland, we started with writing sessions via zoom and then we continued upon my arrival in the USA at the studio between two recording sessions.

You were born in Bern, Switzerland. How do those roots inform you as an artist and as a person?

So, to be born in Switzerland makes my personality so conscientious about my work. I’m perhaps a little bit of a perfectionist and love doing things right. And you can be sure about one thing, I will be 30minutes early to attend an appointment :)

In your opinion, what differentiates My Turn from the Distinguished Competition on the 2024 music scene?

I think it’s about the mix we’ve created with Hayden between old songs sounds like Shania Twain Style and modern ones, but with my voice it’s a very special song. And I can say that just the 3 or 5 first notes you can definitely say you haven’t heard a sound like this in a while :)

Who inspires you musically?

With no surprise, Shania Twain! But also Carrie Underwood, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez! Love their performances and energy on stage.

As a singer and songwriter, which generally comes first for you: The lyrics or the music?

It’s very funny because when I was younger it was the music first and then the lyrics. Now it’s clearly the opposite. With the release of your new single and the upcoming premiere of your LP, can fans look forward to catching you on the touring/performing circuit in the coming weeks and months?

I’m currently preparing something about performing on stage :) Stay connected on my social media and website! I can’t wait to share this news with you and everyone!

At the end of the day, what do you hope listeners walk away with after giving many-a-spin to your gorgeous new single My Turn?

I hope that I bring them happiness, words they can relate to their own life and be a little dream and break in their routine. I just wanna bring joy and cool moments to the listeners.

We’re very happy to be speaking today with acclaimed LGBTQ+, Latinx actor Brandon Delsid; greetings and salutations, Brandon! Before we dive down the proverbial Q&A celluloid rabbit hole, how is the freshlyminted New Year treating you and yours?

Thank you so much for asking! I have to say it’s been one of the most epic starts to the year ever. Genuinely. My boyfriend Grant and I celebrated New Years in Joshua Tree under the stars and then shortly after, all the press and excitement sort of revived up for “This is Me… Now.” Joshua Tree was a great place to relax and daydream before all the anticipation. This was my first major project of this scale, and it didn’t disappoint. Every single part leading up to it was incredible. It electrified me in a way where, I feel, more than ever, anything is possible in life. Bet on yourself all the time. Everyday.

Brandon Delsid

Major congratulations on your upcoming bravura turn in the new Amazon Prime musical film This is Me…Now which is set to debut on February 16! Starting at the tip-top, can you tell our everinquisitive readers whatThis is Me…Now is all about and how your character of “The Lover” figures into the proceedings?

Thank you. It’s really unlike anything you’ve ever seen. It’s an epic musical odyssey that follows the journey of Jennifer Lopez’s love life the last 20 years. It’s a journey through time and space and honestly, I believe it is going to redefine the modern movie musical. An iconic undertaking. I get to play her gay best friend “The Lover” and voyage through the different partners and sagas with her. Seeing your friend through the ups and downs is one of the wildest parts of being a best friend. We get to help her through it all and in the end, we all get to be together. In the epic finale we all realize how the most important thing in life is self-love. Radical self-love every day.

Did you know as soon as This is Me…Now crossed your desk that this was a production you wanted to be a part of?

I mean does it get more iconic than JLo? To get to think of being a part of her world and filmography was overwhelming. Like something you dream about but you never could imagine how you get there. It was a dream 20 years in the making from when I started acting as a kid. The power of daydreams. It came true. I knew that I could bring something special to the role and I’m happy Jennifer and the team saw that too. She also had a say in choosing us, and I’ll forever be proud to call it my big break.

Ostensibly This is Me…Now is being described as a “visual reimagining” of actress and music sensation Jennifer Lopez and a very specific time in her life when she had first met and was dating fellow actor and future husband-to-be Ben Affleck. How aware were you of that period of time in her life before you read the script for This is Me…Now?

I knew tidbits about their history, but I think what makes “This is Me…Now” so special is it’s filled with new secrets the world doesn’t know. Love letters of hers are even shared. It’s truly a side of Jennifer the world hasn’t seen. One of her most dazzling chapters yet. She’s strong, she’s empowered, and she has a story to tell. It’s inspired by moments in Jennifer’s life but also has dramatized mythological stories that add a layer of fun and fantasy.

The director of This is Me…Now is the very talented Dave Meyers. What was it like working with Dave on the set of the film? Is he what some actors might call “an actor’s director”?

I can’t say enough nice things about that man! He is a visionary. He can see other worlds. I think he and Jennifer dreamt up something that will be iconic in 100 years and beyond. I loved how playful he was. He’d let us riff off each other in scenes with Jennifer and just improvise lines! You’d be shocked how much of that made it into the film!

You work with such a brilliant cast in This is Me…Now: Jennifer Lopez, Fat Joe, Trevor Noah, Kim Petras, Post Malone, Keke Palmer, Sofia Vergara, Jenifer Lewis, Jay Shetty, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Sadhguru, Tony Bellissimo, Derek Hough, Trevor Jackson, Paul Raci, Bella Gagliano, Ashley Versher, Malcolm Kelner, Alix Angelis, Danielle Larracuente, Matthew Law and - WHEW! - Ben Affleck. What was it like exercising your own considerable acting chops alongside this group of thespians?

When I re-read the cast list sometimes, I still pinch myself. I mean, what a lineup! Nobody disappoints. Everyone brings something so uniquely them to the film. I think we all get chances to shine and spread our wings. It’s truly a genre bending film that I think is the shakeup the industry needs. It’s everything. You get the drama. You get the comedy. You get JLo. You get massive dance numbers on huge soundstages. It’s got everything. To get to work alongside such legends still takes my breath away. It was a masterclass I’ll never forget.

You have another film which is set to entertain moviegoers very soon, June and John; kudos! What is June and John about?

It’s sort of a Bonnie and Clyde modern day escapade! Very action based and fun. It’s from the legendary director Luc Besson who helmed ‘The Fifth Element” and the “Taken” franchise. He was so interesting to learn from in such a fast-paced environment. I have a fun scene I’m in with the leads. It’ll be fun to see the finished product because we shot it about two years ago.

Acting-wise, who inspires you?

I have always been inspired by Lucille Ball. I’d still say she’s the performer who I learned the most from. I’d watch her everyday growing up in fourth and fifth grade. I asked for the DVD boxed sets

for Christmas and would pretend to be sick to stay home and binge the episodes. The original Netflix and Chill before it was a thing. She just had such a way about her. She understood the beats of everything in a scene. Comedy gold! I’ve always been inspired by strong, glamorous, and powerful women. Cue Lucy and The Real Housewives. Lucy was all that and then some though. She was also the first female to run a movie studio with her husband, they called it Desilu Studios. I’d love to have a massive career like hers.

Your first credited work came in the form of 2013’s Underclassmen: Lee Roy Soames and the Drama Boy. Any special memories of that freshman production?

Oh boy! The main thing I remember is my character had an Irish accent. Which is so funny to me now. I played an actor within the movie who was in a play! It was all very meta, but I remember I studied and studied because I wanted to get the Irish accent right! Then the moment came. I remember I had a TON of lines also because the character was the lead in the play within the film. So that was overwhelming. Lots at stake. I do remember feeling like I nailed it, and that felt nice.

You originally hail from Fresno, California. How do those roots inform you not only as an actor, but also as a person?

I’m so proud of being from Fresno, CA. You know the thing that sticks out to me about Fresno is the beacon of theater it truly is. The arts are bountiful there. I grew up around so much talent. I grew up performing at a dinner theater called Good Company Players where the casts would be all ages from 15 to 70. That was amazing. Learning from friends of all ages. I tried to soak up everything I could. They helped a lot in training me.

Along with being an accomplished actor, you’re also an advocate for gender fluid and queer rights and environmental issues. Can you talk a little about these two passions and why they mean so much to you?

I try to support causes that have to do with environmental issues and LGBTQIA+ rights every single chance I get. Being a part of a marginalized community, I’ve seen first-hand how people turn a blind eye to things that don’t have to do with them. It’s imperative to care and to challenge people to get involved. I’ve always tried to live my life outside of the lines. Always. Never prescribing to one way of life. Why shouldn’t I be able to wear makeup? Why can’t I wear a train? I want to help people realize you have one life and should sparkle the whole way through.

Any final thoughts you might like to share with readers about This Is Me…Now?

I hope people walk away loving themselves more than ever. Radical self-love as I call it. You should be your own best friend. I think that’s Jennifer’s ultimate message with this film. That you are the greatest project you’ll ever work on. She’s been through the storms. She’s come out on the other side. She’s better than ever. The best is yet to come if we truly believe it. I think it will surprise people in the best way, just like life can. Buckle up.

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, The Player, Living In Oblivion orEd Wood?

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood would be the winner! What a cast. It’s truthfully a love letter to Hollywood and its ghosts of the past. It reminisces on a wild and edgy time in Los Angeles. One of my favorite restaurants ‘Casa Vega’ serves as a regular spot they go to in the film. I love the timeless and glittery backdrop of the city of Hollywood behind it all. It’s so imperfect and dramatic and glamorous in the best way.

Host of the Month

Sir Daniel Winn

We’re very happy to be speaking today with internationally recognized blue-chip artist, fine-art curator, awarded entrepreneur, highly respected philanthropist, humanitarian and — WHEW! — filmmaker, Sir Daniel Winn. Welcome to Vents, Sir Daniel! Congratulations on all of your recent success in the medium of film! What prompted your move into the world of cinema with the amazing short film “Creation”?

Being a major sponsor for the Asian World Film Festival for the last three years, and with the continued support for them, I created the Snow Leopard Award as well as four other awards that they present to their winners annually.These awards are the Asian community’s equivalent of the Golden Globes or the Oscars. The president of the Asian World Film Festival, Georges Chamchoum, an Emmy award-winning producer, was intrigued when I wanted to do a short film about my two sculptures. So, we created the short film “Creation” with his guidance, as well as director Angel Vera and cinematographer Jordan Schulz.We feel it turned out exceptionally well and has since won many awards after being officially selected to numerous short film festivals. We are now in the works on a feature-length version of “Creation,” expanding it from 18 minutes to 80 or 90 minutes for the cinema. It was not my goal to go directly to film. It all happened by coincidence but very serendipitous.

For anyone reading this that may not have had the good fortune as of yet to check out the film, can you give us a summary of what “Creation” is about?

It’s about my artistic style, which I call Existential Surrealism, which is a visual language that aims to convey universal truths about life, our purpose, and how we are created. “Creation” explores the circuitous nature of life, exposing us to the unseen wonders beyond what the naked eye can see. There have been countless attempts to uncover the meaning of life through film, yet not by this approach as through the analogy of the creator. It tells the story of an artist from another realm driven to construct two figurative sculptures in an otherwise lifeless world. It purposely tells the story through cinematic language, allowing the message to be seen, felt and heard. The lack of dialogue is a bold artistic move, relying on the purely visual nature of cinema. The avant-garde style of the film makes use of a wide array of cinematography, art, music, dance, light and shadows. Through vivid visuals, we bring the main character’s emotions to life on an intimate and human level.

The director of “Creation” is the talented Angel E. Vera. What was it like to collaborate with Angel on this ambitious production?

I don’t usually collaborate with other artists in my paintings or sculptures, due to our different artistic mindsets. And the same applies when it comes to cinema. However, working with Angel as a filmmaker was not as hard as I’d anticipated. While we did have different visions, I focused on the artistic aspects and he on filmmaking. It turned out to be a natural fusion of artistic expression using two differing mediums.

We’re real cinephiles here at Vents and, as such, we couldn’t help but see some loving nods to such great directors as Stanley Kubrick in “Creation.” Was Kubrick and his oeuvre an inspiration to you and Angel E. Vera when working on the film?

Yes, Stanley Kubrick and Christopher Nolan were both inspirations for us. I’ve always loved Kubrick’s unique approach to filmmaking, especially in “2001: A Space Odyssey.” And Nolan’s deep and artistic flair in his films influenced our creative process too. During production, I had discussions with Angel as well as the DP, Jordan. I conveyed that I wanted the film to have a mood or feel in the style of Christopher Nolan while also embracing the visual philosophy akin to Stanley Kubrick’s depth. We definitely drew inspiration from these two great film directors while working on the project.

Have you been surprised by how quickly “Creation” has been embraced by the film world, particularly at various and sundry well-known film festivals such as the Venice Shorts Film Festival and the Montreal Film Festival?

I’ve been pleasantly surprised considering this is my first attempt using film. I did not expect the overwhelming positive response to this unique and avant-garde approach. Its selection in numerous prestigious short film festivals, including recognition for best film and cinematography, speaks volumes about its ability to provide viewers with a deeper artistic perspective on universal truths and our perception of the world. What’s even more surprising to me is how quickly and profoundly viewers grasped the film’s message, despite its lack of dialogue. Cinephiles have astutely embraced the visual communication that transcends the boundaries of language

and connects on a deeper, almost spiritual level. Witnessing the viewers’ unique interpretation and takeaway has been incredibly rewarding for me.

What was your experience in shaping “Creation” versus your acclaimed work in the world of art? Is it fair to compare the two, or is it a case of “apples and oranges”?

The worlds of film versus three-dimensional sculptural art are vastly different. Paintings and sculptures offer a tactile experience; you can touch, see, and even sense the materials in front of you, like the smell of oil on the canvas or the scent of oxidized bronze. It’s an interactive experience as well where you can walk around and observe the canvas or sculptures in real life. But film immerses you differently, engaging your senses primarily through audio and visual elements. Having experienced both realms now, I can attest that you cannot compare one with the other. Both forms serve as channels of artistic communication for viewers; both communicate in different ways through emotion. Another key difference is that possessing a sculpture or painting in your living space means constant exposure, whereas a film offers a distinct experience in its limited duration. Despite their differences, both can evoke profound emotions, each in their unique way adding to the richness of artistic expressionthat each person can understand internally.

As an artist, what challenges did you face in presenting the story of “Creation” without dialogue?

It was fairly easy since I use visual language in my paintings and sculptures. With the film, I wanted the audience to embrace their own interpretations and emotions, just like when they look at my artworks. The challenge of creating a film without dialogue was intentional. I wanted to allow the viewers a profound experience without having to rely on verbal language and its restrictions.

Do you feel that “Creation” is an extension of your philosophy on Existential Surrealism?

Yes, absolution. “Existential Surrealism” is a term I coined to encompass my artistic style, philosophy, and conceptual designs in both paintings and sculptures. Through this artistic expression, I aim toexplore the meaning of life, our purpose, and the essence of the universe. “Creation” serves as a chapter in anessay, allowing me to share my vision with the world. It’s a visual representationthat bridges the gap between my artistic works and my exploration. It adds depth to my philosophy and further enriches the narrative I seek to convey through my artworks.

What are the plans regarding extending “Creation” into a fulllength film? And do you feel what works in an 18-minute story can be properly fleshed out into an hour-and-a-half run time?

We’re already in production to extend “Creation.” We’re looking to create an immersive experience in the 90-minute movie like we did with the short. Our goal is to keep viewers entertained and anticipating each minute of the film in a way that does not feel like a 90-minute runtime, but rather a captivating and fulfilling experience. Outside of “Creation,” can you give our ever-inquisitive readers a hint or three as to what else you have coming up in the near future?

I have many exciting projects in the works. One of them is the monumental sculpture of Bruce Lee, which will be presented to Culver City where he used to live. They’re going to be calling the area “Bruce Lee Alley.” I created an award for the Bruce Lee Foundation that was recently presented to Tony Ja for excellence in cinematic martial arts. I’m also creating a new series called “Ectropy: From Chaos to Order,” a continuation of my Quantum mechanics-based artworks. Additionally, a biopic movie entitled “Scarcity,” based on my life as an orphan in Vietnam escaping to the US to become a successful artist, will be produced and will feature notable directors, producers, and actors. These are exciting times and I look forward to sharing my artistic life’s journey to the world.

At the end of the day, what do you hope moviegoers walk away with after checking out “Creation”?

My hope is that viewers will be enlightened, entertained, and feel a sense of self-worth. I want them to embrace their existence and leave with a better understanding of universal truths and my philosophical concepts. I hope they will have a better sense of my take on universal truth and feel that there is meaning to their own existence on this earth, and that there is another realm waiting for us when we depart this world.

Blowfuse

We’re super excited to have some time today with the acclaimed Punk rock band Blowfuse; greetings and salutations, gang! Before we dive into the proverbial Q&A mosh-pit, could each of you say ‘hi’ and introduce yourselves to our ever-inquisitive readers?

Hi punkers, this is Sergi, Blowfuse guitarist; Richard here, twin number two, hitting drums; Oscar on the vocals & stage diving, and Henry, playing bass.

Major congratulations on your sizzling hot new single “Wish” which premiered on January 26 and is burning up record charts even as we speak! Oscar, can you take us behind the scenes and talk about how this infectious and funky gem of a ditty came into being?

Oscar: I wrote this song a long time ago, like the vast majority of the songs you will hear on “The 4th Wall’’, starting March 1st. This one, in particular, was always one of my favorites and when I showed the idea to the twins, they loved it. You never know where inspiration can be found. We all listen to so many different bands and genres: here the funk influence is obvious, but there’s dozens of other choices I unconsciously made!

The video came much later. Once the album cover was done, we needed a simple idea that could fit the tight schedule we had. We thought “Wish” would be the right song to represent the album soul, so with that, we decided we were shooting in the setting used for the cover photo. From there, ideas started to flow naturally.

Another one for you, Oscar: “Wish” was mixed by Descendents’ Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room. What was it like having someone of Jason’s caliber working on the new single?

Oscar: Actually, it was Jason Livermore, not Bill, who mixed the album. They’re both the owners and main mixers at Blasting Room Studios. We were very happy with our previous single “State of Denial” that we wanted to mix a whole record with them. The result is the closest we’ve ever been to our ideal sound, so no complaints here haha.

“Wish” is the sophomore single off of the forthcoming Blowfuse LP “The 4th Wall,” which is set to rock the house down with its premiere on March 1; kudos and accolades! Richard, musically what can fans look forward to with this fourth album from one of the very best Punk Rock bands on the music scene?

Richard: First off, thank you very much for the compliments! Well, I’ll start by breaking your schemes a little haha. It won’t just be Punk Rock what you’ll find. Ever since the beginning of the band, we’ve been playing around different genres. For this record, our goal was to serve the songs and be true to ourselves. There are bands that never change their formula, and it is totally fine, but we just can’t help it. We need new stuff that inspires us to create something fresh. It has nothing to do with fame or boredom; it’s more like we listen to so much stuff that it’s just inevitable to get little pieces from everything. If I had to label ourselves though, I guess it’s mainly powerful punk rock music led by both fast or groovy rhythms, if that makes sense. Melody and energy are the common points, but you’ll hear both darker and lighter songs on it.

Sergi, who was the producer on “The 4th Wall” and what did the collaboration between the band and the producer look like in the studio while working on the LP?

Sergi: We produced it ourselves. It is undeniable that we learned a lot from our first producer, Darian Rundall (Pennywise), on our first album “Into the Spiral”, as well as from Arnold Lanni (Simple Plan, King’s X), for our previous album “Daily Ritual”. Mainly, they have always been able to make us see things invisible to our eyes, thanks to a much more objective external vision.

But over time, we have realized several things: It is truly very difficult for a producer, whoever they are, to understand what you want without having previously worked on the project, without knowing the band beforehand and hiring them with such short notice; realistically, you can expect little from them. On the other hand, we understand each other very well and there is a lot of talent in the band. We have learned that many times trusting yourself is the best thing you can do, and an example of this is “Couch,” our 2014 EP, with which we are very happy with the sound and the songs. We have always been musicians who knew what we wanted, but it has taken us years and experience to know how to reproduce it.

So for this album, we decided to save money and time and find a way to make the better version of the songs. Personally, I think we made the right choice!

Henry, “The 4th Wall” marks the fourth LP release from the everprolific Blowfuse! How is the new album similar to 2019’s “Daily Ritual”? How is it different?

Henry: You can see “The 4th Wall” either as the heir to our last album or a much more mature “Daily Ritual”. As Richard was previously saying, ever since we started the band we’ve been getting inspiration from so many genres. There’s a clear progression towards a more open-minded style in each of our albums. We don’t want to limit ourselves and we’re just not afraid

to experiment with whatever comes up. Whatever we do, it’s gonna be a Blowfuse album, that’s for sure. Rage and energy are our trademark. Both are similar albums, but I believe it is with “The 4th Wall” that we rounded the formula. I’d say it’s the cleaner and more straightforward version of “Daily Ritual,” better sounding and more dynamic. It took 3 other records to get to where we’re at right now, and I feel so blessed to have gotten the chance to keep doing what I love the most.

Oscar, “The 4th Wall” will be released under several international labels like SBÄM Records, HFMN Crew, Epidemic Records, and Infected Records. What do each of these labels “get” about your music that makes them the ideal homes for the music of Blowfuse?

Oscar: We have always released our records with smaller labels who believed in our project and dug our music. This is key for us. To be honest, nothing has really changed, as in, we are only working with people who we mutually trust and believe in the band. Our buddies from HFMN CREW (Spain), Infected Records (Italy), and Infected Records (Portugal) are putting out the album across their respective territories. We’ve also signed with Sbäm Records (Austria), who is already helping a lot in spreading the word around Europe, Canada, and the US.

Richard, on the heels of the March 1 release of the new LP, Blowfuse will be embarking upon a whirlwind European Tour; congrats! Can you give readers the details of when the tour kicks off, how long it will run through, and some of the venues Blowfuse will be playing in?

Richard: The tour starts on March 17th around Spain and Portugal until mid-April. Several European festivals confirmed, and we’re already pulling strings to book more shows around Europe and Japan. Keep an eye on our social media, we’ll be announcing some of them shortly!

Sergi, what differentiates “The 4th Wall” LP from the Distinguished Competition on the 2024 music landscape?

Sergi: With the little we’ve had so far from 2024, the future looks bright for punk rock: new releases from bands like Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes, Alkaline Trio, Sum 41, FOD, Green Day, Slope, Ken Yokoyama… great bands. I believe what differentiates us is the energy and overall playfulness of the songs. We contribute with lyrics that take a look at a deeper level of the mind we might not be used to.

Henry, what did the creative process look like among Blowfuse while working on “The 4th Wall”? Did everyone throw in creatively for the new LP?

Henry: Although I joined the band later, I was able to take part in the composition, recording, and in the post-production process.

Sergi: Creativity is something that cannot be forced, and the clear example of this was when at the end of the pandemic, we wanted to write again, but it didn’t work... The composition process is the one that takes us the most time. Oscar writes the basis of the songs and brings them to rehearsal, where we all choose the ones that we think can work best and we start working on them. Some songs took years to finish, others literally days.

Oscar, any final thoughts you might like to share with fans about the new single “Wish” and the upcoming March 1 LP “The 4th Wall”?

I hope you like it as much as we do and I hope to see your faces soon!

We’re very happy to have some time today with acclaimed Los Angeles, California Hardcore Powerhouse band extraordinaire, ‘92; welcome to Vents Magazine, gang! Before we dive down the Q&A musical rabbit hole, could you each say ‘hi’ and introduce yourselves to our ever-inquisitive readers?

Hello, I’m Brillo, and I am the vocalist for the band.

I’m Cole and I play guitar

Hi! I’m Nick and I play drums

Hey I’m Quinn and I play bass

What up, I’m Brando and I play guitar

Major kudos and accolades on the upcoming February 23 release of your self-titled debut EP,

‘92

‘92! Jabril, starting at the tip-top, what inspired this seamless fusion of hardcore with gangster rap and G-Funk?

We embarked on a project aimed at amalgamating our diverse musical tastes into a unified sound. Drawing inspiration from the turn of the 90s G-funk era in hip-hop, which has resonated with each of us over the years, we sought to replicate the intensity and rebellion akin to punk rock while staying true to the essence of Southern California culture. This fusion deeply resonated with us, particularly due to the exceptional musicianship displayed in ’92, evident in the drum beats and strings, which seamlessly complemented my lyrical flow.

Brandon, backtracking just a bit, can you share the VH1-Behind the Music story on how the band came into being? What is the secret origin story of ’92?

Nick and I had the idea back in 2016 with only two songs we wrote (Sold Out/Above The Law). Sat on them for a few years due to our other bands at the time and revisited them during the pandemic. Originally a four piece with me playing bass. Couldn’t find any other confident bass player wanting to play what we wrote, until Quinn came into the picture. We didn’t play as a full band as of recently this past February

Cole, ‘92’s premiere EP will be released on February 23 by Rude Records. What makes Rude the perfect home for ‘92 and their music?

Honestly Rude Records is a sick label and a pleasure to work with, it’s a trip to see some of the bands they’ve worked with are such pivotal bands for my musical upbringing!

Quinn, we’re big admirers of the tune Above The Law which is off of the upcoming EP and is also the lead single! What made Above The Law the first and only choice to receive the single release treatment? Do you feel that the song perfectly represents the sound and energy of ’92?

Above the Law is like the ultimate stylistic culmination of the EP. I think it really shows off what each individual in the band brings, musically. This song also has the catchiest riff, in my opinion.

Nick, who was the producer on the upcoming ‘92 EP and what did the collaboration between band and producer look like in the studio while working on the new music?

Alex Estrada from The Pale Moon Ranch produced the E.P. His studio is outside of LA in the desert, deep in Juniper Hills. It’s out there. Since we only had about 16 hours to track the 5 songs (not even joking), we were all in overdrive mode the whole time. But oddly, it was also relaxed. Alex is a master producer, but you need to come ready to work. He let us drive pretty much the whole thing and made it all come to life. Oh and his cat is the sweetest.

A question for all of you: Who inspires you musically?

Quinn: My 2 biggest bass inspirations are probably Brian Ritchie of the Violent Femmes and Billy Gould from Faith No More.

Brando: All my homies who are also in dope bands

Nick: I would have to say I become inspired to write by events going on in the world. If something makes you stir inside, you can channel that into art.

Jabril, as we pointed out at the top, ‘92 hails from the City of Angels, Los Angeles. How do those roots inform the sound and energy of the group?

Our self-titled EP draws significant influence from the tumultuous events of the 1992 LA riots. While not all of us hail directly from Los Angeles, many of us have familial ties to individuals either involved in or deeply affected by the riots. It’s noteworthy how this event left an indelible mark not only on the city of Los Angeles but also on one of its most profound expressions of art—music. Despite the passage of years, its impact continues to reverberate profoundly with many.

Brandon, in your humble opinion what differentiates the upcoming ‘92 EP from anything else on the current day music scene?

I think what differentiates us from other bands is the groove, funk and accessibility the music provides

Cole, what does the touring/performing dance card look like for ‘92 in the coming weeks and months? Does 2024 promise to be a busy year for the band?

So we got a couple shows coming up all throughout Southern California hoping to get more locked in once the EP is finally released. I also think we’re aiming to tour this summer at some point it just gets tough scheduling wise because all of us are in other projects that are active as well but I think ‘92 has some good opportunities coming.

Quinn, with the release of the rousing new EP ‘92 on February 23, can fans look forward to an LP release from the band in ’24?

I definitely think an LP is in the cards for us. We have lots of song ideas floating around that are keeping us excited about writing new stuff.

Nick, any final thoughts you might like to share with fans about both the new single Above The Law and the upcoming EP ’92?

Well, some time has passed since we are bad at responding on time, but while there are many different themes about the band as discussed by my bandmates, I want to drive home that music alone can’t bring about physical change to the world around us; only by taking real action collectively in every day life can we make this world a better place. Free Palestine.

Joe McGowan

We’re happy to be speaking today with acclaimed Americana singer and songwriter Joe McGowan; greetings and salutations, Joe! Before we meander down the Q&A musical pathway, how is the freshly-minted New Year treating you and yours?

Haha…doing well here, and thank you for asking! Winter is a great time for songwriting. Especially when it’s cold and wet outside, I love getting on the piano and creating.

Major congratulations on the recent release of your brandspankin’ new single Silhouettes and companion music video! Starting at the top, can you talk about what inspired this beautifully emotional gem of a ditty?

Well, it’s definitely a breakup song….one that was based on a previous chapter of my life. Music and, more specifically, songwriting, has always been a form of therapy for me, so writing this song as well as conceptualizing the music video certainly helped with

my own healing. But I wanted to present an evocative musical and cinematic experience to help others heal from loss. Usually a highly sensitive and emotionally aware person, it was surprising to me how numb and vacant I felt….and so I used an empty silhouette to capture this. However, Silhouettes is also very much about the power of perspective and our capacity to transform shadows and healing spaces through self-confrontation.

In your humble opinion, what differentiates Silhouettes from the distinguished competition on the 2024 music scene?

I would say that piano ballads by male vocalists aren’t too frequent, and particularly, those that present gay relationships between two men. In terms of my sonic landscape, we’ve layered in some bass strings in a subtle way to provide a fullness and depth. I like creating music videos that almost seem like short films to provide a cinematic experience for listeners. I consider my music

to be sort of “Indie Cinematic Pop” in terms of both imagery and acoustics. While Silhouettes is a piano-only production, many of my songs to come will feature orchestral arrangements.

Your companion music video for Silhouettes is just as compelling as the single itself - Kudos! How involved were you in nailing down the aesthetic for the visulas in the music video?

Actually, I am very blessed to have met the very talented and insanely creative Juan Manuel Brest, my music video director and videographer, who has now successfully captured the aesthetic I wanted to present in three music videos. We are about to begin filming the fourth. I think that because the process of filming can be tedious, with long hours, multiple re-records, which can become monotonous, it is because of Juan’s perfectionism, understanding of light/shadows and dedication to capturing the aesthetic I want to present. For this I am truly grateful. I have been very specific and up-front with Juan before each shoot about certain visual and thematic elements I want to convey. For Silhouettes, Juan and I both visualized a black-and-white production and wanted to convey Silhouette motifs by creating “eclipses” using light to cast shadows…..that being said….I was absolutely blown away with Juan’s brilliant way of accomplishing this using smoke machines, projectors, mirrors and a lot of other cool props. We interposed certain thematic elements to present the story as told by the lyrics and I think that Juan did a fantastic job.

How is Silhouettes similar to your last single, The Good Life? How is it different?

I would yes it is very similar since both are piano ballads, at slower tempos, focusing on breakups and new beginnings. Both are meant to be intentionally evocative of an old-school sentimentality and melancholia. The Good Life was written first and we wanted to capture a vintage, Frank Sinatra-esque production, including orchestral strings. However, an undercurrent arpeggiated piano looms in the background. I am not ashamed of my love for intentionally sad, mournful tunes because it creates a beautiful way of commemorating people, things, or events that we need to let go of….While it’s important not to stay in a sad place, I am personally not afraid to embrace somber vibes that can really be AMAZING for songwriting (hahaha). There is a profound beauty in sadness and my realization of this has helped me overcome my fear of sadness; heal from certain chapters of my life; and achieve a certain authenticity in my songwriting. That being said, I am ready to work on an upbeat, happy tune for my next project ;)

Who was your producer on Silhouettes and what did the collaboration between artist and producer look like in the studio while working on the new tune?

My producer is none other than the insanely talented Michael Lewis Levey and recorded at his studio in Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY. Mike immediately heard my demo and knew that it immediately “declared” itself as a piano-only production. Mike and I have worked together for over 10 years now and this is our third album. I think there’s a certain connection that exists between music makers in collaboration that almost becomes a sort of sixth sense. I think we’ve learned so much from each other, what we want to convey, how to work together, how to elevate music with production elements/motifs. Many times we have started with ideas of larger productions that end up being minimalized by the end in order not to overshadow that organic, raw, imperfect and sometimes dissonant quality that makes it special. Mike did a fantastic job capturing this simplistic arrangement, raw vocals and used string overlays with bass/cello to provide depth and resonance.

In the wake of the release of Silhouettes, tell us when fans can look forward to your full album release in 2024? What can they expect?

There will be more cinematic, soulful ballads, including 1982— which is my homage to Steven Spielberg’s and John Williams’ E.T.—and Euphoria, as well as American Requiem—a musical

commentary on present-day sociopolitical upheaval. Who inspires you musically?

So many to name I don’t know where to begin. But let me start with Joni Mitchell….the legend….my hero….what an insanely humble powerhouse!!!! In my opinion the best songwriter of all time….I will be releasing a cover of Joni’s “Both Sides Now” on this album as a surprise! (Well I guess I spoiled it).

I was a classically-trained concert pianist in a previous chapter, so I listen to a ton of classical music and my favorite composer/composition is Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 played by the legendary Martha Agerich.

I have to say the vocalists that have provided most of my inspiration are mostly female, and Whitney Houston is like a supreme being that will remain legendary forever. She is another one of my heroes, as are Barbra Steisand, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Alicia Keys and Lady Gaga. Also a huge fan of Tori Amos. Not surprisingly, I am a huge fan of artists who are pianists and Tori is one of the best pianists out there.

Of the male artists that have inspired me most I would say Ray Charles, Elton John, Billy Joel, Lewis Capaldi and Bruce Hornsby.

When you’re not turning the world on its proverbial ear with your beautiful musical alchemy, you’re also a skilled and highly respected surgeon! Is it difficult to balance these two seemingly different lifestyles, or does one passion sort of inform the other?

It’s interestingly more similar and less of a dichotomy than you’d imagine. I see both music and medicine uniquely complimentary forms of healing and thus can provide a sort collaborative counterpoint and interplay. Each seems to inform the other and vice versa, and that way I stimulate both sides of my brain concurrently. It’s just the way that I am, ya know? What can I say….I am a Gemini…. we gotta keep it interesting.

What does your touring/performing dance card look like in 2024?

Honestly, I haven’t done much performing but would love to! I just always seem to enjoy the creative part of the process that performance hasn’t been something that I have created space for….but I am open to it! I actually think that I would love it so much that it makes me afraid! hahaha

As a singer and songwriter, which generally comes first for you: The lyrics or the music?

Melody always comes first for me. Lyrics are a direct result of melody and cadence analysis. I often just meditate on a melody and rhythm for hours….then contemplate what sort of mood seems to be vibing….then the lyrics can come organically with time. I change things up ALL the time…..makes my producer crazy! Hahaha…. but songwriting is such a dynamic process it’s almost sad when I finally release a track because the edits stop.

Any final thoughts you might like to share with our ever-inquisitive readers about your beautiful new single Silhouettes?

Well I feel like I may have already said too much….sorry if I was verbose I would say that I am just deeply grateful for your interest, thoughtful questions and for your time. I think that the bottom line for this track and video is that it was a way for me to embrace my authentic voice and use music to heal myself….and hopefully others. I love the creative process more than anything and especially have become aware of how much I love pairing music with videos to create a truly multi-dimensional cinematic landscape for storytelling.

Thank you so much once again and let me know if you need anything at all from me – have a great day!

Christophe Zajac-Denek

We’re extremely happy to be speaking today with acclaimed actor Christophe Zajac-Denek; greetings and salutations, Christophe! Before we meander down the proverbial Sasquatch-themed Q&A pathway, how is the freshly minted New Year treating you and yours?

Hey! Thanks for having me. 2024 is going well. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind with press and premieres for Sasquatch Sunset. Outside of that, I’ve been connecting with friends and family, going on long walks in my neighborhood by the beach, and I’ve been able to check out some great live music. I knew things would be ramping up this year with the release, so I’m trying to take things in stride. I also have been perfecting my homemade hummus recipe. I haven’t learned the limit of how much garlic is too much.

Major kudos and accolades for your much-buzzed about new major motion picture, the upcoming Sasquatch Sunset! For anyone not in the know, can you talk about what this new film is all about and how your character figures into the proceedings?

Thank you for the kind words. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one fascinated by the secret lives of Bigfoot when I was growing up. Sasquatch Sunset is pretty well explained by its tagline: A year in the life of a singular family. I know the line could sound vague, but the film essentially shows what Sasquatches are up to during the course of a year. It’s a never-before-seen deep dive into the lives of these majestic and glorious creatures. My character is the child of the bunch. He still shows some childlike behavior in his playfulness and reliance on Mama Sasquatch. But you can see glimpses of him starting to take on some adult respon-

sibilities. In addition to the ridiculous happenings and feral behavior of all the Sasquatches, I feel like this film is an opening for discussions about relationships, modernization, and fighting for your place in this world. Don’t get me wrong, all of the grunting and barking is in there, but you’ll also see the family navigate joy, confusion, and loss. Often in the most absurd ways.

Did you know as soon as you read the script for Sasquatch Sunset from writer and co-director David Zellner that this was a production you wanted to be a part of?

100%! I was hooked five pages into reading the script. I was laughing and I felt like I immediately understood the tone. It is a real story about a family living in and interacting with their environment. The script was written to be authentic and heartfelt. The comedy and drama come because of the absurdity and truth of the situations and the real reactions of the Sasquatches. It’s about them authentically living their lives. It’s safe to say that I fell instantly in love with the script.

Speaking of the directors of Sasquatch Sunset - David and Nathan Zellner - what was your collaboration process like in working with them while on set? Are they what some actors might call “an actor’s director”?

David and Nathan are very much collaborative directors, absolutely, they always sent us references on the movements and behaviors of the Sasquatch. Plus, we had a beautiful script of scenes and action. As we began moving and embodying our Sasquatch characters in the wild,

each of us would constantly be coming up with ideas for how to live our own Sasquatch lives. David and Nathan were very receptive to our thoughts and a lot of what we found made it into the scenes. I enjoyed their collaborative nature. It was a refreshing experience and they made me feel comfortable to share what I was discovering.

You co-star in Sasquatch Sunset with amazing thespians Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough. What was it like exercising your own considerable acting chops alongside these two accomplished actors?

At first, I was intimidated because they were both so talented and accomplished actors. However, they are the kindest people I’ve worked with. I can’t say enough great things about Jesse and Riley. Jesse is hilarious and he couldn’t have been more comfortable to be around. Riley is a sweetheart and it was stunning to watch her work. I had a scene with Riley where I was just looking into her eyes. They were so emotive that I won’t ever forget it. Jesse was always curious and constantly coming up with incredible ideas. It felt like I had a four-week clinic with two of the best actors in the business.

What sort of prep work did you do in advance of the shooting of Sasquatch Sunset in order to get into the mindset of a Sasquatch? Did you do a lot of reading up on the voluminous literature that’s out there on these creatures which may or may not exist?

David and Nathan did their homework to prepare us. First of all, the lookbook was incredible, I loved the intricate details of the costumes. It just made so much sense to see these hairy, half-ape/half-man creatures set against the redwood forest. They also sent us video references of apes so we could practice getting some primate-like movement into our heads. It was an evolutionary leap backward for sure. We also worked with movement coach Lorin Eric Salm. He worked with us on how to get into the bodies of these creatures that have lived their lives outside of modern society. For instance, what would a Sasquatch do if it were to encounter a shoe? How would it explore the shoe? Would it ever end up putting it on its foot? These were the things we contemplated. We had a blast turning the production office into a veritable Sasquatch nest during our rehearsal days. Raspberries, smoked salmon, nuts, and ferns were strewn everywhere. I’m pretty sure the carpet needed to be replaced after we were done. We all learned together how to approach the characters and their relationships. It was a riot.

Along a similar line, how instrumental was the makeup for you as an actor in order to get into character for Sasquatch Sunset?

Being a little person, I’ve worked many times in creature costumes. From my experience, when the costume goes on it really can push you over the edge into being that character. It’s transformative. It’s pretty difficult to sit in makeup for two hours every morning, then put on a musculature suit, a fur suit, hands, feet, and teeth and not feel like you really are a Sasquatch. Plus, I had carte blanche to be a rascal all the time. I wanted to embody the soul and spirit of a child or adolescent, and I feel like the costume took me there. Steve, Whitney, Kayla, and Yvonne at AA FX in Toronto went above and beyond for us. The suits were gorgeous and they were also flexible. We could emote through the prosthetics, which can sometimes be a challenging task. They had us dialed in though.

Word ‘round industry campfire has it that you’re a Zen Guru of surfing…Were you able to implement some of the physicality required in surfing such as stance and incorporate it into your role in Sasquatch Sunset?

Being an actor, I’ve had plenty of days off in the past, and I’d surf as much as I could. I love being in nature, in water, and riding waves is one of the greatest feelings I’ve experienced. It’s a personal accomplishment as well. Being physically disabled doesn’t usually lend itself to participating in lots of sports. I’ve had to overcome a lot just to learn what works best for me to surf. Because I’m an avid surfer I’m in decent physical shape. That physicality did help me to be comfortable in the Sasquatch suit. I felt like I could move, be active, and be playful. I hope it comes across like I’m a rambunctious child Sasquatch!

In your opinion, what differentiates Sasquatch Sunset from the Distinguished Competition on the 2024 movie landscape?

I’m bummed that I didn’t have time to check out more films at Sundance. It was a whirlwind experience for me with press, premieres, Q&As, and parties. I did see Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain. I was laughing and crying. It was amazing to see his incredible work get a

well-deserved standing ovation from 1200 people. I’d only be guessing, but I think Sasquatch Sunset stands to be in a class by itself. Because there’s no dialog, no humans, and it’s all practical special effects, to me, that puts it in a world all on its own. Much like the Sasquatch itself.

2024 looks to be an amazon year for you, work-wise; congrats! Can you talk a little about some of your upcoming work in productions such as The Role-play of Life, Trust in Love, Broken Dreams and Astral Plane Drifter? — Standing On Water..

I’m stoked for 2024. Tommy Corey produced, directed, and edited a 10-minute documentary about my life, surfing, and dwarfism. It’s a part of a film series in which he highlights people doing things who don’t look like they should be doing those things. The film is called Standing On Water and it’s screened at over a dozen film festivals. It’s won awards both nationally and internationally. Astral Plane Drifter was a really fun project I shot at the end of 2023. It’s a wacky, psychedelic trip that pulls a lot of influence from drugged-out desert excursions in 1969-1970. The Role-Play of Life was a real pleasure to work on. I mentioned earlier about how I’ve worked in a lot of costumes in my career, this is mainly because of my physical ability as a dwarf. Role-Play was a leading role that allowed me to showcase what life is like as a person of short stature. It’s a short directed by Pietro Barba and I play a judge with a fully fleshed-out backstory. I feel like playing authentically representative theatrical roles like these is the best way for people to be exposed to little people. For the record, I’m very proud of Sasquatch Sunset and I wouldn’t have taken the job if I thought it wasn’t something I wanted to be a part of. That being said, I’m pleased to also now be getting more roles in which my face is actually shown.

Your first credited on screen work came in the form of 2002’s Dead/ Undead. Any special memories of that freshman production?

Oh man, you did your digging! Dead/Undead was such a hoot. I had no clue what I was doing when I shot that. I play a redneck character who gave a huge monologue about a mythical beast that haunted the woods surrounding a nearby cabin. It was incredible because the production shot 90% of an 80-minute feature in four days. Scenes were meticulously scheduled because they had four directors shooting at a time. They shot day for night and the film premiered seven weeks after wrap. We shot a pickup shot in my mom’s front yard one night. In the scene, a knife was being plunged into my head. Needless to say, several panicked drivers stopped to check and see what we were doing, shooting a bloody mess in the grass at midnight. Ah, filmmaking!

When you’re not acting, what do you enjoy doing?

I’ve always got my eyes on the wave forecast so that I can get out and surf. I also like reading, writing, cooking, and traveling. Anything that keeps me physically or mentally stimulated. I would love to explore Alaska for my next trip.

Who inspires you, acting-wise?

Peter Dinklage is a huge inspiration. The first time I saw someone authentically represent a character who looked like me in a film was in The Station Agent. It was life-changing. My jaw was on the floor. Dwarfism is a tough existence and seeing someone who looks like you can be a game-changer and a massive self-esteem boost. I felt so seen after watching that film. I respect Peter’s supreme talent and sheer tenacity. It takes a lot of guts to turn down the one-dimensional money roles that Hollywood often offers little people and hold out for the opportunities that accurately depict the life of someone with dwarfism. They’re pretty rare. He’s got my full support and I trust that he will keep pushing that positive representation for our community.

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - Living In Oblivion, The Player, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Barton Fink or Ed Wood?

Oh, man. These are all incredible movies. I have to go with Living In Oblivion. It’s got comedy, amazing personalities, and Peter Dinklage. For him to give a monologue about the role of dwarfs in a film in 1995 was groundbreaking. I mean, Tiptoes didn’t even come until seven years later! And that movie is a whole other discussion of absurdity. I think Living In Oblivion holds up thirty years later. The characters are so authentic and I love how the film captures the delicate balance of hurry up and wait in filmmaking

C. Kim Miles

We’re very excited to have some time with rightly acclaimed cinematographer C. Kim Miles; greetings and salutations, C. Kim! Before we meander down the proverbial celluloid pathway, how is the freshly-minted 2023 holiday season treating you?

So far so good! One week to go on the first block of photography on Dallas Jenkins’ movie “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” for Lionsgate here in Winnipeg. Looking forward to the break for a trip to Palm Springs with the family, then back here to Winnipeg again to finish up the show for three weeks in January.

Major congratulations on the massive success and well-deserved accolades for your work on the recent Netflix series Lost Ollie for which you received a lauded 2023 ASC Award nomination! What is it that resounded about Lost Ollie?Did you have a hunch when you took this project on as DP that this was something special?

Thank you. The show always felt special. I try to be selective with the projects with which I involve myself and “Lost Ollie” checked every

single box in terms of criteria; a project that meant a great deal to C. Shannon Tindle, our creator, and Peter Ramsey’s (“Into the SpiderVerse”) first live-action project. The story itself is heartfelt and relentlessly bare in terms of the honesty and frankness with which it deals with the challenges that come along in life, and is told in a way so unusually unique that I couldn’t put the scripts down. Of course, one of the earliest conversations was with Hayden Jones at ILM London to begin to lay the roadmap we needed to bank on to achieve the incredibly complicated visual effects sequences of the show. The ASC nomination was humbling, but more so are the ten nominations the series garnered at the Children and Family Emmy Awards coming up in December. I’m so pleased that the heartfelt efforts that went into the show did not go unnoticed by the Television Academy.

You’re less than one month away from the January 4, 2024 premiere of another very special Netflix series for which you served as cinematographer, The Brothers Sun; congrats! For anyone not in the know, can you explain what this dark action comedy is about?

“The Brothers Sun” centers on the story of the Sun family, whose footprint spans from Taipei, where father Big Sun (Johnny Kou) and

first son Charles (Justin Chien) helm the Jade Dragons, a powerful Triad clan, to Los Angeles, where Mama (Michelle Yeoh) and second son Bruce have been living an unassuming life. An attempt on Big Sun’s life by a rival clan exposes the family to unforeseen danger and Charles heads to LA to protect Mama and Bruce from any eventualities.

As we noted, The Brothers Sun is a series. As a cinematographer who has gone back and forth between film and television, do you have a preference of one over another, or is it all apples and oranges?

There are parallels, and there are contrasts. As premium limited-run episodic streaming gains momentum, different narrative opportunities present themselves in the form of longer character and story arcs, and budgets are continually increasing, which tends to strip away a lot of the limitations associated with traditional network episodic. I love making eight- or ten-part series, especially ones with committed, original, uncompromising writing. It’s the best of both worlds, in many ways. That being said, I also love the concise demands of telling a story in a theatrical environment, in which you only have ninety or a hundred minutes to get the point across. I love also the romance of cinema and the demands it puts on audiences in terms of eliminating distractions and really immersing oneself in the story. So, do I have a preference?

I think I do prefer the more singular focus of theatrical storytelling; the longer schedules allocated to fewer story pages that really allow you to perfect each moment of the picture instead of constantly being pressured by the shooting schedule.

You worked hand-in-hand with fellow Malaysian Michelle Yeoh to establish extraordinary stunt sequences and action choreography on The Brothers Sun. Can you talk about what that particular collaboration process was like between the two of you?

It was fantastic. We Malaysians are very proud indeed of Michelle, the First Lady of Cinema in Malaysia. Her success and acclaim are deeply revered. We bonded instantly, and, as Malaysians tend to do, we tended to fixate on occasions to share meals. Some of my fondest memories of the time we spent doing “TBS” revolve around cooking Malaysian comfort food in Michelle’s kitchen and sharing those meals with our cast and crew. Michelle has a gravitational pull over people and her genuine goodness and love of everybody was the foundation for the truly profound sense of family we shared on and off set during the show.

Who in the field of cinematography inspires and informs your own work?

I used to answer this question with the usual suspects; Deakins, Toland, Storaro and so on but that’s evolved. As I’ve become more involved with the fostering of cinematography through the American Society of Cinematographers, the work I see in membership candidates, awards submissions and student films now inspires me the most. Never has so much opportunity presented itself to cinematographers and filmmakers in general with the advent of digital technology, and the results are truly spectacular. So, I guess you could say that I’m inspired by the future of cinematography and by the endless imagination of so many different people.

You directed two episodes of the belated fan-favorite series The Flash. Is directing something you want to do more of in the future?

Not necessarily. If the right independent project comes along, I’d be delighted, but I’d have to say that the Network TV environment is not one in which my personality would allow me to draw satisfaction from directing.

You’ve got a slew of upcoming projects. What can you tell us about The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Dear Santa and Can I Get A Witness?

Eighteen years ago, I made a small film entitled “The French Guy” with an incredibly inspiring director named Ann Marie Fleming. The movie wasn’t appreciated for its value, but this last spring, Ann Marie reached out to see if I wanted to make another movie with her, which I jumped on immediately. Because “Can I Get a Witness” had Canadian writers and cast and no studio involvement, we were able to continue production during the recent WGA and SAG job action. In fact, had it not been for that job action, I would likely have been on some studio project and unable to make the time to do a little Canadian indie. I’m so grateful for my luck because the film is really special. I’m not certain I’m allowed to divulge much about it but it tells a somewhat utopian story centered on environmental accountability and the human condition. “Dear Santa” from Paramount Pictures is a reunion with director Bobby Farrelly, with whom I’d worked on “Champions” a couple of years ago. It’s the story of a kid who grudgingly writes a letter to Santa to assuage his mom’s fears that he’s growing up too quickly, but the letter goes astray and chaos ensues in a Jack Black kind of way… “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is the Lionsgate movie with which I’m currently involved. Based on the beloved book by the same title, it’s a story that reminds its audience to look beneath the surface and try to rediscover the true essence of humanity and community, and revisit the true meaning of family, life and love. Director Dallas Jenkins has had monumental success as the creator, producer and director of “The Chosen” and this story is one that he’s spent fifteen years fighting for the opportunity to tell. Being given the opportunity to help him realize that dream is incredibly rewarding and I can’t tell you how excited I am about the quality of the footage we’ve captured so far.

Your first credited cinematography work was for a 1999 TV short entitled Eterne Sangui. Any special memories of that freshman production?

Ha ha ha boy you dug deep in the IMDb. That was a Bravo!FACT short film centered on a dance performance choreographed by a rather eccentric but incredibly inspiring Swedish man named Sven Johansson. We shot film, we delivered in black and white, and it was one of, if not the first projects that I shot in Canada. Until then my experience had all been in Malaysia and South East Asia. Director Jason Bourque has gone on to great success in TV and Canadian Indies. I have a lot of fond memories of that show, and it seems like a lifetime ago. It was a bit of a regression for me, as I’d come from some rather high-end commercials in Asia, so shooting a short art film was a voyage in narrative filmmaking that was the beginning of my evolution into Longform storytelling.

As a cinematographer, which types of lenses and cameras are you partial to using when given a choice?

I tend to prefer the Arri Alexa family of sensors; I understand them, I trust them and I know how hard I can push them when the chips are down. The cameras that house them come in three formats, the physical characteristics of which I tailor to each project.

Each individual story I help to tell has its own narrative complexion, logistical demands, and visual identity, of course, and I use combinations of lensing and LUT treatments to adapt the bedrock-stability of the Alexa platform to each.

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - Living In Oblivion, Ed Wood, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood or The Player?

“Oblivion”. Always. But I do have to say, now that I’ve spent an extended period of time in LA, the love letter that “Once Upon a Time” composes to Hollywood is that much more profound. While I don’t know necessarily that I love living in LA, I do know that I miss it dearly when I’m not there…

Luisa Omielan

We’re super-excited to be speaking today with acclaimed comedian and BAFTA luminary extraordinaire, Luisa Omielan; greetings and salutations, Luisa! Before we meander down the funny bone Q&A circuit, how is the freshlyminted holiday season treating you?

Very happy to be in the new year and looking forward to the days staying brighter for longer! I miss the sun!

Major congratulations on your forthcoming 2024 UK comedy tour, which is entitled Bitter! Starting from the tip-top, can you give fans a hint or three as to what they can look forward to from this new stand-up tour?

New jokes, a new show, it’s a very real and authentic show and I think it taps in nicely to how people are feeling right now!

When planning such an expansive stand-up tour such as Bitter, is it a bit like planning for D-Day? How much time before anything is even announced goes into things such as trying outand sometimes discarding - possible stand-up routines?

I am promoting this show as well as performing it. SO I started working on the routines about a year ago and have been locking in a tour since September, so its takes a lot of work, a lot of practice. And a lot of back and forth with material to hone it and get it right and properly funny!

How is the upcoming Bitter tour similar to some of your past stand-up tours? How is it different?

My previous shows which are all available on youtube, are very uplifting and empowering, this one is a reality check. Haha

Can fans look forward to a possible one-on/oneoff Bitter comedy special to air on television, similar to your self-produced special God is a Woman?

I have invested in all of my work and its an expensive process, if fans can support and pre order, I can hire a team to help me film!

What (and/or who) makes you laugh?

The funniest people I know are the ones who work in regular jobs, in the NHS actually, they have the

wittiest outlook on life and its appreciated.

Considering the seemingly never-ending parade of strife and rancor which seems to exist at full volume in society today, is it more difficult to tackle stand-up than it has been in the past?

I think it’s easier, there is so much to look at and parody and mock.

Your show Politics For Bitches spawned a BBC3 series which more than resounded with listeners thanks in no small part to some brilliant laughs intermingled with some equally brilliant observations and sage thoughts. Looking back on that series now, what do you think its ultimate legacy is?

I am disappointed that series did not run and run, there is so much more to explore, with a lot more depth. I would like to explore that kinda show with the freedom to shine a light on the reality of things for many people. I’d like to try and make that happen with Bitter.

You’ve become renowned for your annual Valentine’s Party, a tradition which has been going on for over ten years. Any thoughts on what the Valentine’s Party will look like for 2024?

Yep I am excited, it’s my only London tour date, and after taking the show to Manchester last year,we are back in London. It’s a prosecco reception, with my comedy show and I will play some tunes afterwards, you’ll be back in bed before midnight, the perfect mid-week Valentines!

At the end of the day, what do you hope folks attending your 2024 Bitter tour walk away with?

An inclination to riot.

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite comedic duo: Vivian Vance and Lucille Ball or Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon? Tamone and pumba?

FOR TICKETS:

www.luisaomielan.com/shows

Clapham Grand Valentine’s Day Show:

www.claphamgrand.com/event/luisa-omielanbitter-valentines-special/

Joel D. Montgrand

We’re happy to have some time today with acclaimed indigenous actor, podcaster, and all-around good guy, Joel D. Montgrand; greetings and salutations, Joel! Before we meander down the proverbial celluloid Q&A pathway, how is the freshly-minted New Year treating you and yours?

It’s been a wild year so far. Life keeps coming at you with the ups and downs in addition to the fact that I’ve been to LA for the first time in my life for a red carpet event. Leslie Jones hugged me! My partner stole the show with her dress, I got to see my friends again after a year. Also, wow, LA is a huge place. I’m loving the adventure.

Major congratulations on your star-turn in the hit HBO series True Detective: Night Country! For anyone not in the know, can you explain what this new season of True Detective is all about and how your character of Eddie Qavvik figures into the proceedings?

Oh yeah, my character, Qavvik is living in the cultural crossroads of this town where the story takes place. The crossroads being his burger joint he runs and sells illegal booze out of. He’s a play by his own moral code kind of guy, but it’s nice that his moral code is one that a lot of people won’t take much umbrage with, because he’s cool, capable, and loves his SpongeBob toothbrush in addition to the woman that’s captured his affections. She’s investigating the killing of 6 scientists and the mysterious circumstances that surround that while also dealing with her own personal demons that haunt her and her family.

Did you know as soon as the script for True Detective: Night Country crossed your path that this was a production you wanted to be a part of?

Let me be real, ANY script that was coming to me, chances are I wanted to be a part of it because that meant work and I’m a struggling actor. But

this was a DREAM role, the production, the character, the layers, for someone who was doing one-liners, side gigs, and theatre to pay the bills, getting a shot at this was incredible. I was finally given a chance to show a bigger audience what I’ve been doing for 20 years and the story... when I read the scripts, I tore through them in one sitting and fully cried at the end. It all came together and as an actor, you want to feel that. That you’re in something that connects so well.

The insanely talented Issa López served as showrunner, writer, and director of True Detective: Night Country. What was it like working with Issa on the series? Is she what some actors might call “an actor’s director”?

She really is!! She has this ability to talk to you the way you need to be spoken with as an individual and as a captain of the ship. I’m pretty to the point, I don’t like speaking in metaphors when I’m working and my first scene, my first take was a sex scene, the orgasm actually, her first note after she says “Cut” was “Joel, that was shit”. It immediately took the pressure off and I laughed because I knew what she meant. We had a good shorthand already from our work with the scenes and intimacy coordination and the next take nailed it, no pun intended.

Speaking of insanely talented, you share the screen in True Detective: Night Country with some of the best actors and actresses in the business! What was it like exercising your own considerable acting chops alongside the likes of Jodie Foster, Kali Reis, Fiona Shaw, Finn Bennett, Isabella Star LaBlanc, John Hawkes, and Christopher Eccleston?

First of all, thank you so much. It is nuts to just be in the company of these people, secondly, I just enjoyed the feeling of getting over being star-struck initially, they are all lovely and kind and human. And holy moly, what a feeling to take a step back outside of myself and realize I was delivering on this stage, with this company, and I earned my place there. I had a moment with Christopher, whom I have admired for decades, and in a no bullshit way, he told me my work was amazing. That’s a huge badge of honor for me. As an actor I’m always hard on myself so I always want to be better, but to hear someone you respect say that gives me a full tank to keep rolling.

The new season of True Detective was shot in - BRRR! - Iceland! What was it like shooting there versus Los Angeles or New York City?

I can’t speak for New York, that’s still a dream for me to visit, and my experience in LA is very limited, but I did rooftop dine there and I guess it was too cold for anyone else because the place was empty, but all that is to say I’m from Northern Canada so I loved Iceland, it’s actually a bit warmer than where I’m from so I felt happy. There’s something about a chill breeze on your face when you’re bundled up that makes you feel alive. I ran around by myself in snowy mountain passes on my days off. It’s such an incredible country.

Along with your bravura performance in True Detective: Night Country, you have another eagerly anticipated production set to see release from Netflix on February 22: Avatar: The Last Airbender. Kudos and accolades! For those late to the party, can you describe what this new series is all about and what attracted you to it as an actor?

You’re talking about Hakoda! Yeah, he’s the dad of two of the main characters and I am pumped about the series. He originally wasn’t in the first season of the cartoon it’s based on and I’m not a big part unless it makes it to season 3 so I really hope it’s a success, but since it stems from one of the biggest cartoons of all time, the fanbase is so eager to tear into it. It’s about a group of kids in a world where 4 different nations can control the elements of nature. I personally think it’s going to be dope, but I haven’t gotten to see much of it, although I ran into Gordon just yesterday at the mall, he plays Aang, and he says

it’s great. So there’s that.

You’re the creative force behind the widely acclaimed podcast Actors and Ancestors; congrats yet again! For the uninitiated, what led you on the journey to start this long overdue and very much needed podcast?

It really came about because I was looking to listen to this show, I just assumed in the wide world of podcasting that something like it would be out there, and much to my disappointment, there wasn’t. I chatted with my partner and decided that we were in a place where we could make it happen. I think it’s important that we as indigenous people uplift each other and celebrate each other’s wins because our success as a whole is what will help all our communities. I am not in a position to work on many issues that affect us, but I can help show that we’re passionate, funny, and creative folks that have survived the worst and are still here to flourish.

Going forward on Actors and Ancestors, what can listeners look forward to in future podcasts?

I hope more and more people that need to have their stories heard and even if the audience isn’t indigenous they will be inspired by them as well. I would like to do more episodes more often, as of now we release about once a month, but that’s determined by how much time we can put into it.

Who inspires you acting-wise?

In life? So many, I can gesture wildly to the cast of True Detective and pick anyone, but for people, I don’t know one is Keanu Reeves, he’s a global superstar, he’s never making bad headlines and you can say what you like about his acting ability, but even the biggest critic has to admit that any production he is in is made better by his presence. I go see his movies. Also, superstardom hasn’t made him a jerk in any way, he always seems humble and gracious and I always aspire to err on the side of humbleness if I can. It’s part of our way as Cree people, we are supposed to stay humble. I’m not perfect, but I try and learn from my mistakes.

Your first recorded bit of acting onscreen took place in 2011’s TV movie La Fontaine. Any special memories of that freshman production?

That was a wild time, I was living in a smaller town, Kelowna BC and the acting community was thrilled a pilot was being made with locals. I can’t remember how it came about, but it was from a time of more innocence when I was thrilled to have any footage of me, so it was all volunteer. We were mostly theatre people and It didn’t land anywhere but it had a lot of pluck and taught me a lot about what to expect when I went into film life in a professional manner. Funny enough the character I played in that was a cop named David K. And my own father is a now retired cop named David K.

When not working, you hang your fedora on the ancestral lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations in Vancouver, BC. How do those roots inform you and your style of acting?

Thankfully I no longer have a fedora, but I admit I did in my wilder youth. I do often wear a cowboy hat though and I like the idea of a cowboy Indian. As for where I am, since I am here in Vancouver I am aware that I am a visitor and this isn’t my ancestral land, for either of my lineages. So I don’t let myself get too comfortable and make a mess like I own the place. It’s important to take care of where you’re visiting.

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - Living In Oblivion, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, The Player, or Ed Wood?

Once Upon A Time. Tarantino is a legend and only makes hit after hit. There’s no writer like him in Hollywood.

Solnedgang

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Thanks, it’s been going really well since the release of the first single! The response has been exclusively positive, which is really encouraging.

What can you tell us about the title and meaning behind your most recent release?

The single is called ‘Nornir’, and the aim of the track is to take the listener on a journey inspired by Norse mythology. The different parts represent the nornir/ norns (‘weavers of the world’) and the valkyries who choose which fallen warriors should go to Odin’s Valhalla and Freyja’s Folkvangr. Being an instrumental track I would be amazed if anyone got that from just listening to it, but that’s the meaning behind it at least!

How was the recording and writing process?

It was very fluid overall. I’ve been working on several tracks simultaneously, so if I got a bit stuck on one track I’d work on another one for a while. For ‘Nornir’ I decided to keep it quite simple in terms of structure, so that made it a bit more straight-forward than some of the other tracks. Generally, I tend to just sit down and start playing, and it’s usually the first thing I play

when I pick up the guitar that will end up in a new song. It almost always starts with a simple riff, or just a few notes that sound interesting. I’ll work on that until I’m happy and I’ll then record that and improvise over it. The song tends to grow organically from there.

Where did you guys find the inspiration for the song and lyrics?

For the debut album the main source of inspiration –conceptually speaking – has been Norse mythology, and specifically the afterlife. Musically, I take inspiration from loads of different artists, but the key ones to mention would be Mono, Explosions in the Sky, The Ocean and The Cure.

Will you be hitting the road this year?

Unfortunately not, I’ve got no plans to play live at all – at least not yet.

What else is happening next in your world?

Just working on getting the album ready for release later this year, and I’m planning another single before that. Writing and recording for the album is mostly done, but there are still some things to finalise before mixing and mastering.

atomic agent

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Thank you, my pleasure! It’s been unbelievably busy doing interviews lately while not making music (or doing my day job). The PR guy is keeping it pretty hectic here, ha-ha.

What can you tell us about the title and meaning behind your most recent release?

Secret Society as an album title to me refers to the corridors of power, and what happens in the shadows, really. It’s not meant to boost any batshit crazy conspiracy theories, just a calm reference to how the world elite – be it political or financial – make deals happen and affect our ordinary peoples’ lives. On the title track the lyrics are about an old-fashioned cult, inspired by those cool old horror movies. You know, with all the hoods, daggers, chalices and so on.

How was the recording and writing process?

Songs had just started piling up during the last few years and I felt that now was the time some of them got published. Some of the songs are a few years old, some are very recent, so I just needed to make sure the cohesion was there, sound-wise. It meant refreshing the older ones a bit. Atomic Agent had like 60 songs or so, and some of them were staples for the debut but the iffier ones I just ditched for later and wrote replacing stuff that made the album better as a whole. Some fast and furious, some slow and calm, some lighter and some heavier… Better dynamics all in all, so it all wouldn’t feel like it was carved from the same piece of wood.

Where did you guys find the inspiration for the song and lyrics?

For the music the inspiration can come from many different things. It can be a compelling drum or a bass pattern, a mesmerizing guitar melody, a cool vocal line, anything really. And the same goes with the lyrics, the inspiration can pop up from anywhere. Iusually just get an idea of a new story, that needs to be told, but it can also be something that has happened to me or my close ones, something I’ve read in a book or seen on TV.

Will you be hitting the road this year?

I sure hope so. It’s been a solo project so far as I’ve done everything myself, but at the moment I’m forming a full line-up in order to perform live. I already have a drummer and seems like I might also have a rhythm guitarist. Anyway, the first Atomic Agent rehearsals will take place in the beginning of March this year, and I have a good feeling, that we might make it for some autumn gigs with this. I do have a very active metal band too, so things might need some scheduling, but Atomic Agent needs to get out there too.

What else is happening next in your world?

I’m writing new music of course, so I’m planning on a couple of singles and music video releases first, then a new EP closer to the summer, and later this year the sophomore album. I also need to promote this thing really hard to gain attention. Oh, there is also a small collaboration with another fine artist in the works too.

Lost Dogs of Ultimo

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Hi thanks for chatting with us today we are good enjoying the summer here in Australia

What can you tell us about the title and meaning behind your most recent release?

iVoid is that latest release that came out on the 15th February and is our reaction to the leaders and decision makers that are out of control in our community locally and on the international stage

How was the recording and writing process?

When I write its usually very minimal but straight to the point of what’s on my mind I don’t have an edit button in My divergent brain so i can eliminate a lot of bullshit. The recording process is a little longer I usually spend hours getting samples and sounds right with effects on instruments then mixing and mastering is an easier process with organising levels

Where did you guys find the inspiration for the song and lyrics?

I hate lying politicians that exploit us and good people keep getting ripped of in their deceit the lyrics “ Dont piss on my head and call it rain “ is a direct reaction to that and I’m saying you can’t fool me anymore

Will you be hitting the road this year?

I think we have some shows scheduled in the second half of the year waiting on a few of the other collaborators to finish off their own projects then we can confirm our schedule

What else is happening next in your world?

We are currently writing and heading into the studio to start recording our 4 song EP to be released in June through FTG Records

https://lostdogsofultimo.bandcamp.com/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/0XwoN8qkF3CNq5aQo Yf3EC?si=hAvYaIkDSduhUB_5UeyRnA

https://www.facebook.com/people/Lost-Dogs-ofUltimo/100077331099830/

https://www.instagram.com/lost_dogs_of_ ultimo_/?hl=af

Follow Me Dark

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

So good. It’s been a wild few years so you caught us at a bit of resting point as our new album enters the mixing stage. Catching our breath before we launch into full album release mode later this year.

What can you tell us about the title and meaning behind your most recent release?

Our new single “Acid Desert”, and its accompanying video, were released recently and are the first taste of the new album which is called “Far From Any Shore”. The album is a concept album based on the Hero’s Journey, which kind of boils down all the different initiation stories from all the mythologies into a series of steps that all of us have to undertake in order to depart and transcend our egoic selves. Light stuff, good for rock and roll!

“Acid Desert” charts the hero’s decision to leave home and enter the realm of unknown dangers. The video we shot tries to capture that spirit of adventure and danger, we shot it in 7 different locations around Nevada County, California with the help of about twenty awesome creative friends.

How was the recording and writing process?

We actually weren’t planning on doing another album yet. Our first one came out in late 2020 and we did a follow-up EP in 2022. We met Chris Tabarez that summer and he wanted to work with us, and we jumped at the chance. He was kind enough to let us move in to his recording studio. We spent about six months jamming, developing ideas, and creating the structure of the album. Chris was insistent that we really get the songs “lived

in” so we spent a lot of time on the rehearsal stage, so that we could record mostly live as a full band. We ended up doing many of the songs in a take or two, then would just go back in and punch in some guitar overdubs and do the vocals.

Where did you guys find the inspiration for the song and lyrics?

Part of why I (Stephen) liked the Hero’s Journey approach was to give each song a clear identity and part of the story. Some of the song lyrics came out in a sitting, others took months and months and I would be literally still writing the lyrics in the minutes before I had to jump into the vocal booth. It was actually a big responsibility to have lyrics that conveyed the material honorably and also uniquely. Reading Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero with a Thousand Faces” was a seminal moment for me because his perception of larger truths mirrored my own experiences after taking mushrooms and traveling a lot in my early twenties. It was encouraging to know that my own spiritual journey had been charted before, and often, by people all over the world, in the form of mythology.

Will you be hitting the road this year?

We are eyeing a west coast tour in fall 2024 if we can make it work.

What else is happening next in your world?

Expect the next single “Hounds of Heaven” to drop shortly! We are editing the video for it as we speak.

Machine 85

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Hey Guys! Jokke Here from Machine 85. Its been great. Second single out and the response has been great. We are a brand new band so I couldnt be happier.

What can you tell us about the title and meaning behind your most recent release?

Its titled 20 Days. It was written 20 days before we hit the studio in Nashville. It tells my story pretty good. My life has been filled with anxiety, depression and self doubt. Until I learned to use it as a power. The song is about using that stuff to push yourself forward. Get your shit together and just do it. Use it to write music. Great therapy. I only write songs that means something real. No fiction. Cant sing that.

How was the recording and writing process?

Well I wanted to create my dream band. With my dream lineup. And rent a great spot to record it. As much live as possible. I wanted it to be organic. An really present us as a band and players. I had been working on the demos for a while before. So we flew to the US, rehearsed for one day, went into Soundemporium studio B in Nashville and cut the whole record in 3

days. No clicktrack, no bulshit. Just pure fun, beer and music.

Where did you guys find the inspiration for the song and lyrics?

I find inspiration in the everyday life. My life. As mentioned before, I cant sing nonsens, it has to mean something to me.

Will you be hitting the road this year?

I REALLY hope so! We just signed with our very first management. Deadfall. Great guys. Cant wait to dig into the world with them.

What else is happening next in your world?

We just finished the recordings of our next video. For our third single that will land asap.

Check us out while you wait! All the links you might need are on our website, www.machine85.com

Hook us up on instagram and FB, Just search, you will find us!

Thanks for having me!

exPorter

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Destin Cavazos (exPorter): Hello VENTS! Hello VENTS’ readers. So good to be back chatting with you all!!!

What can you tell us about the title and meaning behind your most recent release?

Destin Cavazos: Well, we’re still promoting our debut album (NoBrakesNoBrakesNoBrakes) and have a couple more songs we’re getting out there off that. The latest one is “Grace and Forgiveness of the Idle of Venus” that’s the one we’re pushing right now. Like most exPorter songs it’s got to be about unrequited love, I think that’s become a prerequisite to any of our songs.

At the core it’s about fumbling a grade A10/10 baddie cause you don’t have enough chill to handle a grade A 10/10 baddie….that’s the cool theme behind the song. It was also just an excuse to get a long Pete Wentz-y title on the album somewhere.

It just represents that overindulgent energy of a lot of emo music, and I think the song plays to that idea as well.

How was the recording and writing process?

Destin Cavazos: Venus, as we call it, came out pretty easy actually. A lot of our songs will take shape pretty quickly, Alec (brother Alec Cavazos – guitar/vocals) or I will usually bring parts or ideas of a song and then we’ll kind of work through them until we get the final bits. For Venus I just kept having this theme pop back into my brain and this idea of a chorus around “drown me in the holy waters”…or similar and I just couldn’t not write the song around that.

Where did you guys find the inspiration for the song and lyrics?

Destin Cavazos: Like I said, most of our songs will end up being about a girl right, it’s the classic theme in rock and roll. But the reality is, how we get to the song or what inspires it can absolutely come from anywhere or anything in our life. It’s a trap I think to try and write something so specific so Alec and I just sort of take the inspiration from wherever and then flesh out the song as is. I wrote a song about a couch I had in college and while it may sound like it’s about something else, it’s about that couch. Inspiration comes from all over the place and we just try to be true to that.

Will you be hitting the road this year?

Destin Cavazos: Absolutely! exPorter loves playing live shows and we’ get out wherever and whenever we can. We’ve done a few local shows in SB (Santa Barbara) and we just did a show at this brewery down by Disneyland. Such a fun show, great crowd, awesome vibe. It was so much fun that we’re changing our Spring planned shows to revolve around playing different breweries. Really. Our Summer shows will be more of a real tour we think but regardless we just want to get out and play!

What else is happening next in your world?

Destin Cavazos: Well I mentioned we’re still promoting NoBrakes but we’re actually pretty stoked to be working on new stuff. Alec and I are both on a lil’ vacation but we have studio time booked when we get back. So stay tuned for new exPorter tunes!

SWEET CRYSTAL

Name Of Act: SWEET CRYSTAL

Year you started: 1974 (!)

Band Members:

MarQ Andrew Speck (Q) – lead vocals, anything with keys (interviewed here)

Bill Blatter –vocals, anything with strings

Steve Wieser – anything hit with sticks

Martin Kuchar – vocals, anything bass

Latest

‘WHATEVER IS NEEDED, WHATEVER IT TAKES’ (Single)

DIRECT SPOTIFY LINK

https://open.spotify.com/album/2mjF0LUQIZL31FqL4Agibo

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Greetings from Detroit! Things are definitely sweet here at Crystal Quarters. 2024 is our official Golden Jubilee year meaning the core band has been together for 50 years! Does it get old after 5 decades together?Absolutely not! We just get better with age.

What can you tell us about the title and meaning behind your most recent release?

The new single is ‘Whatever Is Needed, Whatever It Takes’, and it’s the first song from our upcoming ‘8’ release, slated for later in 2024. As we looked around at the rubble and trouble in the world, this Bible verse came to mind:

‘We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.’

1 Timothy 6:7

We can look forward to leaving all these trials and tribulations behind one day... but in the meantime, it’s up to all of us to stay ready to help each other with whatever is needed, whatever it takes.

How was the recording and writing process?

I (Q) am the main source of starting songs. I have musical and melodic ideas that I present to the guys at every rehearsal (and we still rehearse after all these decades pretty much every week at our private studio) and then they all add their input and expertise to make every song a real band production. We constantly record every rehearsal and jam session because you never know when a new riff will open up the creative juices. The final song arrangements are usually dictated by the lyrics (verses, choruses, etc.), which I pretty much exclusively write. We also play a lot of freeform jams at our rehearsals and out of those jams, we pick melodies, chord patterns and themes that just seem to be…sweeter to our ears. It really is a full band thing on each song.

Where did you guys find the inspiration for the song and lyrics?

This new song ‘Whatever Is Needed, Whatever It Takes’

continues where last year’s ‘7th Heaven’ release left off: it’s a song of hope and inspiration, reminding us of what we need to do while we are here in this life and at this time in history. It still features our signature guitar sounds, wall of synth melodies and pads, straight ahead drumming with a crowd joining in on the choruses thrown in for good measure. Being a Christian rock band here in the Motor City, of course we get a lot lyric inspiration from the Bible. But we are also here to reach out to a world with songs of hope and inspiration; a musical light at the end of every dark tunnel you might be going through because chances are good – we’ve gone through those very same tunnels ourselves and definitely have found a way out. It’s those experiences in our lives that have come out successfully that give us the ideas for the songs.

Will you be hitting the road this year?

Detroit winter weather keeps us inside warm and cozy recording new songs here at Nightcrier Studios (lovingly labeled Crystal Quarters). Live shows will start back up in the spring and already looking into accepting invitations for festivals this summer in the Midwest. In the meantime, take a look at any of our live show videos over on our YouTube channel and you can see the passion and polish that we bring to every SWEET CRYSTAL show:

YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/c/SweetCrystal

Best bet is to sign up for our email blasts to keep right in touch with where we are going to be…because we will always try and save you a seat.

What else is happening next in your world?

What are we hoping to happen next? More new songs are in preproduction for our next full release ‘8’. This time around we will be featuring more lead vocals from Bill (guitarist), which will make it even sweeter. Looking for even more ways to get our music, message, mission and ministry out into an increasingly dark world looking for hope and light! With 26 Detroit Music Awards under our belt, we think it’s time to aim for some Dove and Grammy Awards. Basically, we plan to remain exactly who we are for as long as can.

WEBSITE: www.sweetcrystal.com

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/sweet_crystal

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/SweetCrystalBand

YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/c/SweetCrystal

SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/sweet_crystal

REVERBNATION: www.reverbnation.com/sweetcrystal

SPOTIFY: http://tinyurl.com/y76vcpqg

The Delicate Cycle

How did you first get involved in acting?

I was the lead in a two-hour Christmas play when I was 7 years old. I knew everyone else’s lines as well and was completely at home on the stage and singing my heart out in front of the large audience. Later, I dabbled in the acting scene in the Washington, ,D.C. area where I’m from, and finally decided to make the move to Los Angeles. Back home you can have nice, dependable government jobs-I’m much more at home in this creative city!

Going on from that, how did that lead into writing/directing?

Directing has been a natural evolution for me as an artist as I gradually have gained confidence in my storytelling abilities. It’s a wonderful thing to be selected as an actor for a production, but you are dependent on someone else’s creative and personal whims. Also, I’ve seen a lot of badly written audition material and even final scripts, not to even mention two-dimensional or very limited roles for women that I could play, so I decided to “be the change I wanted to see in the world”. I’ve always written stories and poems and such from a very young age-I won my second grade school writing contest! So although I moved to LA for acting, I started writing scenes and then full scripts to create good material for myself and my friends-honestly, it was an afterthought. I took for granted my writing ability, like a mechanic just knows how to fix a car and get it on the road. I was just trying to “get things on the road”but then I kept getting asked to write for other people and also it was an

easier door in for a project. I quickly discovered that as far as supply and demand goes, having the self-discipline and creative ability to write was like getting on a highway, compared to just being “another actor”. I also hate to mention this, but I experienced my share of “metoo situations” as an actress/model/singer, and putting on a more studious, intellectual personna as a writer feels more shielding and empowering. Suddenly you are calling more of the shots instead of being ‘chosen’, which can have complicated dynamics for women.

I come from a theater background, so I was delighted to also write and produce (and at times co-direct or direct) five plays, a brand new one every year, from 2015-2019. People got to expect this from me and would ask what my new play was going to be this year. I discovered that I had zest for casting, and thoroughly enjoyed building talented, amazing casts to bring my writing to life. Most of what I’ve learned has come out of necessity-the best way to learn. I learned a lot about producing and having a great team. And when there was no one else to direct, I directed. I’m very proud of those plays, many of which have original music that I also wrote and taught to all the cast. I directed the last play before the pandemic “Horny, the Musical”. Yes, I was playing to my audience at the Hollywood Fringe, which finds the risque appealing-honestly. who doesn’t? But it’s actually a thoughtful piece on self-acceptance, using Greek mythology, sexy outfits, comedy and singing-very much my style. I like to hide my deep message in silliness. I actually had the privilege of having Apollo Levine in that cast, who was already cast in MJ the musical and was so kind and dedicated to my little play. These are the kinds of amazing, talented people that have been in my casts. I don’t know how I’ve gotten so lucky with all the performers I have had.

With the pandemic this just pushed me even harder into screenwriting, since everyone suddenly wanted to write a script, and apparently had me on speed dial as someone who can process an idea and turn it out into developed characters and good dialogue pretty quickly-at least I hope that was the case. I was certainly very busy with various projects, developing everything from pitch decks to feature-length scripts. Like I said before, this was a highway. Besides that performing was shut down anyway. Also, as much as I am glad to grab a microphone or get in front of a camera, I really don’t mind another role of being kind of a mule or a workhorse serving a production in the development process. I somewhat sadistically relish the grunt work of chiseling out an idea into a cohesive story behind closed doors,and I find that work ethic has served me well in having a steady stream of projects. I will give away a little secret to success as an (emerging) writer-people are way more interested in their own ideas! Just go with it and you can cut your teeth on it.

Meanwhile, I was influenced by a conversation I had with a PR agent-I wanted to see if I could capitalize on the traction I was getting as a writer, and she said, sadly people don’t care as much about the writer. They want to talk to the actors and the director about their creative process. That’s when I decided, ok, fine I’ll be the director then! Besides, then I can try my hand at controlling the storytelling, instead of handing that off. I’d already directed plays and just needed to get used to directing a film set. So on The Delicate Cycle, I discovered that bossing people around comes really naturally to me! And I had such a great team that supported me so well, not to mention great actors.

Where did the idea for The Delicate Cycle come from?

I rode my bicycle past a certain laundromat for years, and I would think about that location for a story and how strangers are in close quarters with each other, doing a quite intimate chore of washing and folding their clothes together. I was also doing a lot of reflecting and observing of the boys and men in my life, how they relate to each other, their speech patterns, the way they joke off their emotional pain, and how the women in their lives deeply affect them, despite living in a culture where we are all told that men are impervious main characters and women are irrelevant side characters. And this is in the time of a growing awareness of that in general, and people now writing more female and diversity characters, which I love, but now everyone’s doing it. Being a creative, you always have an impulse to try and find something new. And I thought, wouldn’t it be interesting to tell a story of male characters, but from my female perspective? I called it The Delicate Cycle, because it’s a great double meaning of a setting on a dryer, and what I see as an extremely delicate cycle of Boy to Man where support, love, guidance or lack thereof as well as success or failure in relationships with women can really define a man’s future wellbeing, despite us being told the exact opposite, that these things are of little importance. Of course, all of this is told lightly, comedically and while doing laundry and playing video games. So maybe you’ll just think it’s a quirky, odd friendship in a laundromat. That’s fine, too.

What were the cast like to work with, and what did you want to see from the dynamic between all of them?

It’s so crazy how sure I was of who I wanted to cast. I’m generally a kind of soft-handed personality, but I see that in my projects a clear vision just comes right out for me and I’m very sure of what I want. Everyone sent in self-tapes first and then I put my top choices in together for an in-person audition. Everyone else was great in the audition too, but I already saw my three characters come to life in the first round and that was it. I have to tell you the story of Fred Mancuso-he lives in Oklahoma and was apparently just in town for an acting gig, and reached out to me directly by email. He was even physically different from my original idea of the character, but I was just like, oh, this is Lance. He was cast, we shot within a few days, and he literally extended his plane ticket for that. It was completely serendipitous. Then Dean Norris, Jr,...I was like, oh this exactly my character, a kind of old-fashioned looking boy with an innocent spirit, just taking it all in-and he and Fred had the perfect dynamic together. In the audition I had them throw a football around-in my female mind the quintessential male experience, haha-and they were so goofy and great. I’m the kind of person that’s so unobservant of celebrity stuff-I had no idea his dad was Dean Norris. I just loved him for the part. I was actually even ethically against something like that on principle, as it’s no fun as an actor, and I just wanted whoever was right for the role. I remember there was someone with a bit of a name going out for the role of Lance, and I was like no, I just want to go off my creative instinct. And I got that bonus anyway! And Yassmin-again she fit perfectly in the first audition-she had to do a comedic fall and strike up a flirtatious note with Lance and she nailed it. As for working with them-they were exactly the same when actually filming. Not only that, but extremely kind and patient with the all-night shoots and the whole indie film running out of time to shoot. Thank goodness I was working with such great actors. It was sort of a creative choice and sort of a desperate practical choice, but we started doing long and very few takes, more similar to a play where you can’t mess up your lines. I’m used to that myself. but I know a lot of film actors are used to having a lot of cuts and takes so it’s not that much dialogue at once and you can redo it. Well, the long takes were no problem at all for these stellar performers-they delivered their lines flawlessly and came through, and all of this at maybe 4am.

What was the most rewarding scene in the movie to put together, and why?

Definitely the end scene in the movie, which required a lot of hustle and improv since we had to be outside and had to switch our schedule last-minute due to a rain forecast. Also, I was extremely proud of my phone booth prop, which I insisted on adding to the already great, ‘retro’ aesthetic of the laundromat. Why doesn’t he just take out a cell phone in the scene, I was asked? Now, I’ve definitely learned, trust your creative instinct on details. There’s a reason! It would not be as tangible or grounded or visually interesting. Also, Fred’s performance. It’s a very emotional scene, and Fred came out with so much-it was probably that specific moment when a writer/director was born in me, because it’s an indescribable pleasure to have someone actually make your character jump off of your page and imagination and make it threedimensional, and I watched that happen. Fred is such a nuanced and well-versed actor-only later I discovered he enjoyed this sliceof-life role so much, as he is usually cast as foreboding killers and henchmen due to his large, 6’5 frame. Well, I guess what a perfect casting to make my point that strong or intimidating on the outside is just a container for a whole world going on inside!

What do you want the viewer to take away from watching The Delicate Cycle?

The film’s aesthetic is retro, and you also can’t really do much while you are waiting for your laundry. With that I am doing a callback to earlier times, when people just talked to one another, instead of being “busy” and staring into cell phones. It illustrates how even a brief interaction can make a difference in someone’s life. As far as film goes, it doesn’t have any jump cuts, action scenes or violence. It’s males being relational. Just a gentle suggestion. Also, if you have a broken relationship with someone important in your life, reach out and try again.

What else can we expect to see from you as an actress/writer/ director, in 2024?

I want to keep going on the film festival circuit, sharing The Delicate Cycle. It was so exciting to world premiere at the Chandler Film Festival and win Best Short Film. I’d like to keep doing ,more screenings and am really looking forward to doing one in the LA area. I’d really love to do another short film before the year is out, to continue to stretch my wings as a director-but haven’t decided on an existing script or writing a new one yet. It’s always a question of what resources emerge that direct you into your next project! We are also in preproduction for a show involving my pedicabs-that’s a small business I have here in Santa Monica! And I’m considering directing a documentary as well, which involves the original music I wrote for The Delicate Cycle. I continue to write on other projects and those are in various stages of production. Genre-switching is very appealing to me, as more than anything, I have the impulse to grow as an artist-whatever form that takes and collaborate with likeminded teammates in this wonderful journey!

IG @thedelicatecyclefilm

Katherine King @kattking310

Marc Valentine

We’re very excited to be speaking today with acclaimed British singer and songwriter Marc Valentine; greetings and salutations, Marc! Before we dive into the Q&A mosh-pit, how would you opt to describe your style of music to new listeners? We’ve heard the term ‘power-pop’ brandied around a little; would you agree with that assessment or would you have another way in describing your inimitable stylings?

Hi and thanks for having me here at Vents. Yes I do tend to get labelled as a power-pop artist, and that’s probably an effective and quick description for the songs I tend to write .. it’s hook heavy and melodic guitar type rock n roll. I do think that some of my material possibly has a little more depth and darkness than the normal powerpop genre. I like to write stories from an underdogs point of view, with the awareness of mortality and our human imperfections. There’s usually a faint silver lining though. I guess you could call it sugar coated grit!

Major congratulations on your freshly-minted new single Strange Weather which just dropped on January 26! What’s the scoop on one of the best new musical offerings of 2024? What possible otherworldly things inspired this gem of a ditty?

Thanks, that’s very kind of you. It’s a had a great response so far. This song was definitely inspired by my road trips through the California/ Nevada desert and 80’s movies set in small towns, that were subject to unexplained events and often the arrival of b-movie aliens. I’m a sucker for ufos and they do get a mention here and there throughout my work!

Hot on the heels of the release of the Strange Weather single, you have a full-fledged sophomore LP set for release this March 22 entitled Basement Sparks; kudos and congrats! What’s the VH1Behind the Music origin story on this highly anticipated album? Have you been working on this for some time?

. Yes I’m super excited about the upcoming release of Basement Sparks - I finished the record last year and it’s just been waiting for it’s release schedule, right timing and all that. It’s actually a record that came together very quickly, I wrote many of the songs in a very short period early in 2023 . I had such a buzz and huge lift from the response to Future Obscure, that this record just wrote itself.

Your producer on Basement Sparks is the rightly lauded Dave Draper and this marks the second album the two of you have teamed up for! What was your collaboration process like in working with Dave on the new LP?

Dave Draper and I had already discussed making this next record whilst working on Future Obscure. We were pretty excited to carry on where we had left off. I got the demos of the new songs to Dave over a period of a few weeks . I really love working with Dave as he’s a real wizard and had a knack of tapping into that pop element - we bounce ideas off each other and always have such a blast together in the studio.

In your humble opinion, what differentiates the Basement Sparks LP from the Distinguished Competition on the 2024 music scene?

. I think we’re currently in a really fertile period for new music and I’m privileged to be in the pool with so many other great artists. I hear amazing new records all the time and it does make you wonder if your own record will get lost in the crowd. Hopefully though the strength of the songs on Basement Sparks will shine through and get some recognition.

Basement Sparks will be released via Wicked Cool Records this March 22. What makes Wicked Cool the perfect home for you and your music?

I think Wicked Cool are the perfect label for me, they have a genuine personal vibe and they really care about their artists - they also allow that freedom of expression and input that you don’t often see with labels. I think Stevie Van Zandt has nurtured such a great roster of artists here, and it’s gives me a real buzz to be part of the family.

Can you introduce our ever-inquisitive readers to some of the musical alchemists who lent their performing talents in the studio to ensure that Basement Sparks would hit the proverbial mark, so to speak?

I’ve been lucky enough again to work with some brilliant musicians on this album , including Richard Davies (guitar), Steve Fielding (bass), Denley Slade (drums), Carol Hodge (piano and backing vocals), Emily Ewing (backing vocals) and of course the master himself, Dave Draper (a bit of everything!). Each one of these guys is a true musical gem and they were all so integral in the making of the this record.

Word ‘round industry campfire has it that you will be playing your debut US shows on the East Coast in March - Kudos and congrats! What will this tour look like and when precisely will it begin and how long will it carry on for?

Yes I’m crossing the pond this spring and I’m so stoked to be launching the album with some live shows in the US. Expect crunching guitars, sing-a-long choruses and a bunch of eye-linered hat wearing troubadours! I’ll there for a couple of weeks with a total of 5 shows and possibly a NYC recording session too.

As a singer-songwriter which generally comes first for you during the creative process - The lyrics or the music?

I have a ton of song titles and lines jotted down in a couple of books and my phone. I always use these as my starting point for a song. I usually start on the piano or acoustic guitar and randomly choose a line or phrase that jumps off the page, and I run with that. It might begin life as a chorus or verse and then will get shaped into a song. This is my favourite part of the process and not knowing what exactly is going to evolve.

How is Basement Sparks similar to your first album Future Obscure? How is it different?

I consider Basement Sparks as a companion to Future Obscure and I think they go hand in hand together. They came from the same source, but they are both individual albums in their own right. I think the songs on Basement Sparks may actually be stronger in some ways and kind of a natural progression. There’s probably more existential themes or references in some of the tracks on this record. I hope the fans will find a brand new favourite amongst them.

At the end of the day, what do you hope listeners walk away with after giving many-a-spin to both the new single Strange Weather and your forthcoming LP Basement Sparks?

I think as a songwriter I always hope people will connect with what I write in a way that’s personal to them. There own interpretation or the way they relate to the song. I hope they will enjoy the journey this record takes them on and ultimately want to go back and play it again and again .

The Abstraction

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

I’ve been great thank you! Super busy as usual, but really great to be releasing some music again after nearly 9 years!

What can you tell us about the title and meaning behind your most recent release?

My most recent release is a song called ‘Son’. It’s about the thoughts and feelings of becoming a father and, as a father of 3 myself, is a really personal track to me. Talks about how you watch them grow, protect them and they become your legacy. As the lyrics say ‘You’re etched into my heart, where I end is where you start, and on my last day on this earth, you’ll be my final word’. SIME from Italian band SEVENSENT is the featured vocalist throughout my first EP, and he did such an amazing job with the lyrics and vocal performance. The emotion really cuts through and he’s absolutely nailed what this EP is all about

How was the recording and writing process?

It’s really fun actually. As a solo artist, I have a lot of control over everything. All the instruments are composed, performed and recorded by myself. I then send the tracks over to SIME with themes and ideas and he send back the lyrics and the vocal stems. Then, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Tom Gittins of Monochrome Productions again, who I’ve worked with on previous projects and is a real good friend of mine, who really gets my sound and direction. My favourite part of the process is seeing the ideas in my head come together to the finished product. It’s so rewarding, and it’s been an amazing process to

do something that’s unapologetically me and have such great feedback.

Where did you guys find the inspiration for the song and lyrics?

I wanted to create music that really connects with people and is formed around the thoughts, feelings, trials and tribulations we all face in life. The name ‘The Abstraction’ came from the meaning of the word abstraction which means ‘the quality of dealing with ideas rather than events’. Everything I write is emotive driven, with Son being around fatherhood, Phoenix being a positive song about rising up above adversity and the next song, to be announced, is based around my own struggles with mental health and bi polar disorder, and how that can take ahold of you. The music is written with the theme in mind so it connects with the lyrical content and really resonates with people.

Will you be hitting the road this year?

I am really hoping to! As a solo artist, and the vocalist being overseas, it’s a challenge to put together. But once the EP is complete, my plan is to work closely with Tom to create a complex backing track which will enable me to jump between different instruments and vocals throughout the set and create a really unique live show. And for the EP release show I’m planning, I’m going to look to have some artists come and feature live to make it extra diverse and fun. So absolutely stay tuned for this, as when it’s ready, it’s going to be super fun. I’m so excited for it.

What else is happening next in your world?

Well, following this EP, I’ll be looking to start work on a full album. I am also going to look to get some musicians on board to have a full, touring band around this. This EP is to showcase what I’m really capable of and a stepping stone to getting the right people by my side to do something really different to anything else that’s around at the moment. I’m really excited for the future of The Abstraction and I think there’s going to be some incredible things ahead.

Mitch Ryder

We’re very excited to have some time with acclaimed and legendary rock and roll great Mitch Ryder; greetings and salutations, Mitch! Before we mosey on down the proverbial Q&A musical pathway, how is the freshly-minted New Year treating you and yours?

Great! The only way to make it better would be to play in Brazil this year.

Major congratulations on your two CD set The Roof Is On Fire which just premiered on January 26! What was the inspiration behind the best album release thus far of 2024?

I am always inspired by my live audiences and this CD is a sample of 2 shows from my 75th birthday tour.

Did you know as you began working on The Roof Is On Fire that you were going to have enough material for two discs, or did the number of songs sort of just present themselves organically?

Since my performances are more than two hours long so we had more than enough material for two discs.

We’re big admirers of your rendition of the Dylan ditty From A Buick 6 off of The Roof Is On Fire double-LP! Coming up as a musician, were you also a fan of the tune Milk Cow Blues from which From A Buick 6 is inspired from?

The answer is no. But I was greatly inspired when I was able to attend the recording of Highway 6 Revisited while in NYC. Just having the opportunity to witness Nob Dylan creat in the studio, watching his interplay with the musicians, his attention to detail, the frenetic energy he brought to each song and seeing the myth in the form of a man.

Ruf Records is the home label for The Roof Is On Fire. What makes Ruf the perfect home for both you and your music?

This is our first collaboration…..get back to me in a year or two. No, honestly Thomas Ruf and had long discussions about how we both see my career going forward and we shared the same vision.

With the January 26 release of The Roof Is On Fire, can fans look forward to catching you on the touring/performing circuit throughout 2024?

Currently we are preparing for Europe with another tour there later in the summer. My agent handles my bookings. I show up and sing.

Throughout your own legendary career, you’ve inspired so many musicians. Who inspires you?

James Brown, Little Richard and Hank Williams were the key inspirations from my earliest music experiences. Since then there are too many artists that have impressed me to mention them all.

Is there a specific track off of the double-disc The Roof Is On Fire which you’re particularly partial to and are proud of?

My songs are like my babies, they all have different qualities but I love them all equally.

Can you introduce our-ever inquisitive readers to some of the other talented musicians that performed on the new double LP?

I’ve known most of these men for over 30 years. There are short bios included in the CD. They are certainly worth getting to know.

In your humble opinion, what differentiates The Roof Is On Fire from the Distinguished Competition on the 2024 music scene?

It is raw and you can hear that the band is having fun.

How is The Roof Is On Fire similar to some of your past albums such as Naked But Not Dead or Baby Jane?

First off, The Roof is On Fire is live and the two you mentioned were studio performances. And of course Baby Jane was only a single song and this is a double CD with songs of different emotions that you can bury yourself in for a couple hours. My best analogy is to call my music an airplane. You build the airplane in the studio and you fly it in the live performances.

At the end of the day, what do you hope listeners walk away with after giving many-a-spin to your beautiful and rockin’ new double-album The Roof Is On Fire?

with the same amount of pleasure I had in creating it!

UltimatiUm

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Hi, thanks, we’ve been great, busy and well. It’s freezing out there, -27 degrees as we speak but the sun is shining in this winter wonderland that we call Suomi, Finand

What can you tell us about the title and meaning behind your most recent release?

‘Virtuality’ is, like the title suggests, album about virtual world / gaming incident in near future setting. Four gaming heroes gets trapped in virtual world, because one of them just had to install some unofficial scripts for their virtual gaming chairs to boost the experience. The villain, sang by our drummer Matti Auerkallio, takes advantage of the situation to plot his evil schemes. Album features over 65min on progpower epicness, featuring of course our very own Tomi Viiltola with Jukka Nummi, Emily Leone and Peter James goodman. They all have their unique characters in this progpower opera

How was the recording and writing process?

It was long, needles to say. I think the composition and lyrics writing part took about two years, starting from around 2015 and recording was almost three years. Scheduling all the vocal sessions for five vocalists took quite a while, although the sessions itself were really fun and productive.

Where did you guys find the inspiration for the song and lyrics?

For the lyrics, there’s lots of inspiration from sci-fi movies, shows and games. In the past the inspirations came from everyday life and such, but since then we’ve focused the theme of the band bit more. I’m software developer during daytime, so techy vocabulary and themes comes naturally.

For the songs, I think the inspiration comes from playing instruments, trying our new thinks and lately, trying to fit as many rhythm changes to songs as possible :D I enjoy the challenge of making a complicates songs in a way that it remain interesting, catchy and consistent so that it’s just not one unrelated riff / part next to another.

Will you be hitting the road this year?

Nah, we decided after ‘Vis Vires Infinitus’ that we will not do gigs anymore. Instead we concentrate all our efforts on creating epic and massive albums. That way we don’t need “tone down” the album and ideas for the sake of being able to do the same thing live.

What else is happening next in your world?

We’re creating one more music video for the ‘Virtuality’ and we’re currently working on the new album, which I hope we can soon share some details of.