The Broken Projector Movie Podcast (director interviews)
A movie podcast that isn't boring.

This week on the show we're talking with Dear Mr. Watterson director Joel Allen Schroeder about the universal love for Calvin and Hobbes as well as the long, strange trip the Kickstarted movie took to find theaters.

Plus, Vanity Fair's Katey Rich and I debate whether The Hunger Games should be criticized for being a rip-0ff of Battle Royale and Geoff waxes philosophical (and structural) about the right way to approach foreign remakes.

You should follow Katey Rich (@kateyrich), the show (@brokenprojector), Geoff (@drgmlatulippe) and Scott (@scottmbeggs) on Twitter for more on a daily basis.

And, as always, if you like the show (or hate it with seething fervor), please help us out with a review.

Direct download: brokenprojector-episode41.mp3
Category:Director Interviews -- posted at: 9:05am EDT

Scott C Goonies

On today's show we explore the most obvious cultural trend of our time -- the infusion of geeky stuff into the mainstream. We'll talk with Zero Charisma directors Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews about getting geek culture right in their fan favorite film portraying a D&D-like gaming group and their fragile leader.

Plus, Great Showdowns artist Scott Campbell (see above) explains why he puts smiley faces on everything and shares his towering movie passion.

And since I'm feeling overwhelmed by the amount of capes on the big screen, Agents of Geek founder Jim Napier drops by to lift my spirits by offering an optimistic outlook on the future of geek film properties.

You should follow Scott C. (@scottlava), Jim Napier (@jim_napier), the show (@brokenprojector), Geoff (@drgmlatulippe) and Scott (@scottmbeggs) on Twitter for more on a daily basis.

And, as always, if you like the show (or hate it with seething fervor), please help us out with a review.

Direct download: brokenprojector-episode38.mp3
Category:Director Interviews -- posted at: 8:48am EDT

Ferris Bueller

It's the time of year when children head back to campus, but even if you've already graduated, it's still easy to get into the trapper keeper mindset with movies. Beloved culture commentator Matt Patches joins us to celebrate and dissect the greatest movies about school (and escaping it) as we attempt to pinpoint the film that best encapsulates all the feelings we had waiting to be saved by the bell.

Plus, Lords of Salem director Rob Zombie joins us to explain making bad career choices as a viable career choice (including his forthcoming hockey movie), we deliver the news in only 3 words, and then we leave the kind words at home for the giant kind of shouting debate that Ben Affleck's Batman casting deserves.

You should follow Rob Zombie (@robzombie), Matt Patches (@misterpatches), the show (@brokenprojector), Geoff (@drgmlatulippe) and Scott (@scottmbeggs) on Twitter for more fun stuff on a daily basis.

And, as always, if you like the show (or hate it with seething fervor), please help us out with a review.

Direct download: brokenprojector-episode31.mp3
Category:Director Interviews -- posted at: 7:03am EDT

Standing Up

Awkward as a nerdy kid at summer camp, we've built an episode focused on young people who are much, much stronger than they appear (and only some of them wear spandex). First up, an Interrogation Reviewification treatment of Kick-Ass 2 with Neil Miller. He's seen it and lived to the wipe bodily fluids off his shirt in the theater parking lot. 

Then we've got a candid interview with D.J. Caruso, whose family-friendly film Standing Up sees two young kids finding friendship in the midst of intensely cruel, mosquito-covered bullying. 

From Hit-Girl crushing skulls to coming-of-age on the lam, it's bound to be an adolescent-minded show. 

You should follow Neil (@rejects), the show (@brokenprojector), Geoff (@drgmlatulippe) and Scott (@scottmbeggs) on Twitter for more fun stuff on a daily basis.

And, as always, please send us your feedback.

Direct download: brokenprojector-episode29.mp3
Category:Director Interviews -- posted at: 5:02am EDT

A Double Shot of Movie Drunks

Randy Quaid Independence Day

It's high time we celebrate the on-screen boozer who saves the day, adds some comic relief, falls into spiraling depression or a combination of all three. To do that, we've invited on Alamo Drafthouse Ritz programmer Tommy Swenson -- the man behind a tipsy August lineup in honor of The World's End -- who knows more than a thing or two about movie drunks.

Plus, our big interview this week is with Drinking Buddies writer/director/producer/editor Joe Swanberg who will take us into the craft brewery of his mind. Double plus, Geoff and I talk about intentionally bad movies, and tie it into the overall theme as loosely as possible by drinking a beer beforehand. And after. What? It was a long day. 

You should follow Joe Swanberg (@joe_swanberg), Tommy Swenson (@80s_Lightning), the show (@brokenprojector), Geoff (@drgmlatulippe) and Scott (@scottmbeggs) for more fun stuff on a daily basis.

And, as always, we welcome your feedback.

Direct download: brokenprojector-episode27.mp3
Category:Director Interviews -- posted at: 4:57am EDT

DOMA Movies and the Indie Pains of Online Piracy

Not everyone knows what online piracy has done to indie filmmakers, so this week we have a pair of stories that try to shed some light into dark recesses. First, horror filmmaker Filip Tegstedt outlines the saga of futilely trying to find a distributor for a movie that had already been pirated, and then Cinedigm's Jill Calcaterra explains the company's new distribution partnership with BitTorrent.

Plus, Geoff and I offer up the Top Best Greatest Five Movies with which to celebrate the end of DOMA. Yes, it'll be fabulous.

For more from us on a daily basis, follow Cinedigm (@cinedigm), Filip (@thenorthlander), the show (@brokenprojector), Geoff (@drgmlatulippe) and Scott (@scottmbeggs) on the Twitter.

And, as always, we welcome your feedback.

Direct download: brokenprojector-episode22.mp3
Category:Director Interviews -- posted at: 6:58am EDT

Women of Action

Several studies and reams of statistics show what's obvious at a gut level: there aren't nearly as many women directing movies as men, and there probably aren't nearly as many women directing as want to be. What are we missing out on as a culture as a result? How do we help to fix the problem? Is there even a problem that we can fix, and if so, how do we each define it?

Today on the show we'll speak with writer/director Beth Schacter about her experiences and how she sees things can improve. We'll also briefly highlight Tangerine Entertainment and speak with Filminism columnist Jenni Miller and Movies.com editor Peter Hall about women directors who've earned a bigger spotlight.

For more from us on a daily basis, follow Beth (@bethshax), Jenni (@msjennimiller), Peter (@petershall), the show (@brokenprojector), Geoff (@drgmlatulippe) and Scott (@scottmbeggs) on the Twitter.

And, as always, we welcome your feedback.

Direct download: brokenprojector-episode14.mp3
Category:Director Interviews -- posted at: 8:02am EDT

Jake Gittes Saves the Cat

Films noir, crime novels and detective stories all have a long history of unlikable characters that we cheer for. Bad guys doing good work. Flawed heroes who always know the right line to say and the right time to offer a lady a light. Agatha Christie this ain't, and this week we're getting our hands dirty by talking with Killing Them Softly director Andrew Dominik about violence and "Seduction of the Innocent" author Max Allan Collins about the history of the genre.

He'll offer the best films noir for new fans to start with, and then Geoff and I will discuss how to write unlikable characters with Chinatown in our sites.

For more from us on a daily basis, follow the show (@brokenprojector), Geoff (@drgmlatulippe) and Scott (@scottmbeggs) on the Twitter. And, as always, we welcome your feedback.

Direct download: brokenprojector-episode11.mp3
Category:Director Interviews -- posted at: 7:58am EDT

If you want to sell a movie script, you've got to get in the room. But what do you do once you get there? Geoff answers a listener question by explaining what you need to do when prepping a pitch and presenting it to producers (all of whom are throwing knives at you as you speak).

Plus, we kick off Oscar Month, celebrating the 99th anniversary of Oscar royalty Charlie Chaplin's appearance in film, and Scott engages in an insightful discussion with How to Survive a Plague director David France about his Academy Award-nominated AIDS documentary.

Direct download: brokenprojector-episode4.mp3
Category:Director Interviews -- posted at: 5:18am EDT

We praise Girls, a show we hate, and Kate Erbland helps us understand the genuine love for Lena Dunham's terribly average HBO series.

Plus, Broken City director Allen Hughes talks shooting fast, celebrating 20 years of Menace II Society and why he loves crime dramas, and Geoff explains a truly despicable "management" scam that aspiring screenwriters need to protect themselves against.

Don't get suckered. Listen now.

Direct download: brokenprojector-episode2.mp3
Category:Director Interviews -- posted at: 3:12am EDT