INTERVIEWS
Conversations with creatives.
In Conversation: 'All I've Got & Then Some' Co-directors Rasheed Stephens and Tehben Dean
All I’ve Got & Then Some (2024) is an autobiographical feature inspired by the life and events of star and co-director Rasheed Stephens. I had the opportunity to speak to Stephens and Tehben Dean—his talented co-director, co-writer, and cinematographer—about the filmmaking process, dreams, and what it means to tell a story so uncut and personal.
In Conversation: ‘Crumb Catcher’ Director Chris Skotchdopole
Crumb Catcher works with an absurd premise—what if a business pitch went really, really wrong?—and pushes it as far as it’ll go. I spoke with Chris Skotchdopole about the inspirations for his debut feature film, writing from a place of character, and what goes into a great car chase scene.
In Conversation: 'Chuck Chuck Baby' Director Janis Pugh
Chuck Chuck Baby is a musical comedy that centers on working-class women and their friendship and love. I had the chance to sit down with director and writer Janis Pugh on her first feature, set in Pugh’s hometown in Northern Wales.
In Conversation: ‘DÌDI (弟弟)’ Star Izaac Wang
Chris, played by 16-year-old Izaac Wang, is an everyman—or rather everyboy—awkward and trying to find where he fits in this big and scary world. We talked to Izaac Wang about Chris, the adolescent anxiety of not fitting in, and Asian American cinema.
In Conversation: Director Ian Ebright and the Cast of ‘The Way We Speak’
I had the chance to hear from Ian Ebright, Patrick Fabian, Diana Coconubo, and Kailey Rhodes about the inspiration for this complicated story, the detailed performances, and the best bits of filming a feature-length film in only 18 days.
In Conversation: Justinian Huang on His Debut Novel and Industry Trends
I had the opportunity to speak with Justinian about his personal and creative inspirations behind The Emperor and the Endless Palace, as well as his plans for the rest of the series. We also discussed how some of the ongoing trends in the film industry relate to the publishing industry.
In Conversation: ‘The Queen of My Dreams’ Director Fawzia Mirza
The Queen of My Dreams (2023) is the full-length directorial debut of Fawzia Mirza. The film follows the emotional journey of queer Muslim grad student Azra (Amrit Kaur) as she visits Pakistan after her father’s (Hamza Haq)’s sudden death. I had the opportunity to speak to Fawzia about her own artistic journey and filmmaking process.
In Conversation: The Cast and Crew of ‘Ben and Suzanne, A Reunion In 4 Parts’
The film was shot in Sri Lanka over fifteen days, almost 9000 miles from home, and through the chaos and uncertainty of the SAG-AFTRA strike. It is a testament to the joys of bringing a story—loved and cared for—to life through film and sound.
In Conversation: Stop-Motion Artist Pomkozi
Dawon Kim, known online as Pomkozi, is a South Korean stop-motion artist. Born in Seoul, Dawon spent her youth moving between South Korea, the United States, and Hong Kong. She eventually completed her academic journey in 2020 at the Rhode Island School of Design. In 2022, I spoke to Dawon about her background, process, influences, and dreams for the future.