SIFTER for the Ear presents:

TAPAWINGO was shot in Virginia and features Jon Heder, best known as Napoleon Dynamite, in the lead and Amanda Burse as his mom. She’s had an extensive career as an actor and director, most notably as Marcy D’Arcy for 11 seasons on Married With Children. They’re joined by director Dylan K.  Narang to talk about this unique film that’s showing at this year’s Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF). Our discussion includes:
– The name for the production company Foggy Bottom Pictures
– Responding to the inevitable comparisons to Napoleon Dynamite
– Why shoot it in Virginia
– Editing the film long distance
– Amanda: Her suggestions for script changes
– Amanda: Her first movie role in 40 years
– Amanda: Acting with John Ratzenberger
– Jon: Enjoying Richmond
– Jon: Working with Gina Gershon & Billy Zane

LINKS
Richmond International Film Festival
Podcast with Rex Teese
Rocky Horror Picture Show tour with Patricia Quinn

    SIFTER for the Ear    August 22nd, 2024

Posted In: Local, News

SIFTER for the Ear presents:

This is the first of 3 interviews featuring films at this year’s Richmond International Film Festival (Sep 24 – 29).

Nelson Tracey wrote and directed Breakup Season, about a couple whose relationship ends on a Christmas family visit. The boyfriend is played by Chandler Riggs (best known as the son on The Walking Dead) and his girlfriend was played by Samantha Isler (Teen Molly in Molly’s Game and one of the daughters in Captain Fantastic). My interview is with Nelson, as well as the 2 actors who played Chandler’s siblings, Carly Stewart and Jacob Wysocki. Since they provide much of the comedy in this drama, their interview is lots of fun, including:
– The fascination with La Grande, Oregon (NOT La Grange)
– Inspiration for trains, vegetarianism & hatchet throwing
– Chandler and Samantha’s “love scene”
– Creating the Tik Tok dance
– Those Christmas PJs

LINKS:
Richmond International Film Festival
The Ashland Theatre
My Ashland Theatre podcast

    SIFTER for the Ear    August 15th, 2024

Posted In: Local, News

Installing TV facilities from LA to NYC presents:

Alex Martin is founder and CEO of Digital Video Group, an industry leading supplier and system integrator of broadcast and production systems. Our lively discussion includes:
– How he ended up in the biz
– His band and where they played
– What exactly DVG does
– How big is the company
– Some of the coolest installations in LA, NYC and DC
– How tech has changed the business
– Getting involved with Shockoe Records and Shockoe Sessions

LINKS
Digital Video Group
Shockoe Records
Shockoe Sessions Live
This Room Sounds Great (Shockoe Sessions Live Podcast)
RVA Documentary Group

    August 9th, 2024

Posted In: Local, News

SIFTER for the Ear presents:

Mike Taylor started his career as a producer in LA, but ended up back on the East Coast, where he started his own production company. Eventually, he ended up back in Richmond, where he decided to write and direct his first feature, There Is a Monster. We’ll discuss:
– Working “swing gang” for a Steven Segal film
– What he did for Disney
– The award-winning shorts he produced for Showtime
– When he decided to create his own feature
– Finding the locations
– Creating the visual effects for the “monster”

LINKS
Mike Taylor’s website
There is a Monster website
804 Day

NOTE: I said 804 Day is is Saturday, but it’s Friday 8/2.

    SIFTER for the Ear    August 2nd, 2024

Posted In: Local, News

What Wakes Me Up/Moccasin Tracks presents:

This episode of What Wakes Me Up is particularly compelling.  Consider these guests and what they have to tell. Noon Wednesday, August 21

  • Dawn Flores, artist, educator, installation designer and passionate historian who documented the strife over police violence, as well as the destruction of a forest. Her recent project The Atonement Flag tells the story of Monument Avenue and the world as it burned with change after George Floyd’s murder struck the match.
  • Dan Mouer, artist, retired archeologist and professor, was called in to explore the well in which human remains, taken from graves in an African burial ground, had been tossed after being used as cadavers at the medical center.
  • Paul DiPasquale, artist, builder, monumental sculptor, was called in to help remove bronze monuments to the Lost Cause of upholding the right to own and enslave people and perpetuating Jim Crow laws.

As is best practice in a situation like this, I say little while Dan, Dawn and Paul tell their history, their work and thoughts about these matters. Settle in to WRIR.ORG at noon Wednesdays for a compelling hour of news, history and music. You may even want to take notes.

Photo clockwise from seated: Dan Mouer, Paul DiPasquale, Sunny, Dawn Flores. 2nd photo:  Our own Melissa Vaughn

 

    What Wakes Me Up/Moccasin Tracks    July 29th, 2024

Posted In: Local, News

SIFTER for the Ear presents:

This two-parter features Brandon and Brandi:

Part One:
Brandon Adams is the host of the Emmy award-winning series The Life Of A Musician on PBS Appalachia. It features small house concerts and interview with acoustic musicians. We’ll talk about:
– Where the idea come from
– How he finds artists
– Deciding between concerts and interviews
– The short history of year-old PBS Appalachia
– Selecting the venue and crowds
– Attending the Emmy ceremony

Part Two:
Calvin Fields is also know by his drag name, Brandi. This Emporia VA native had a small part in the new film National Anthem (my review). He discusses:
– When he started doing drag
– How he get cast
– Working with Charlie Plummer
– The dress and makeup

LINKS
The Life of a Musician (Brandon’s website)
The Life of a Musician (PBS site)
Calvin “Brandi” Fields on Facebook

    SIFTER for the Ear    July 26th, 2024

Posted In: Local, News

Women & Politics presents:

Deshundra Jefferson and Atima Omara take over Women & Politics today:

THE HONORABLE DESHUNDRA JEFFERSON

Deshundra Jefferson assumed office on January 1, 2024, making history as the first person of color to serve as Chair of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. A single mom, Chair Jefferson lived in a one-bedroom apartment with her young son so that she could save up for her first home. She made that dream come true when she moved to Prince William County in 2015.   Chair Jefferson often refers to Prince William as “a hidden gem,” thanks to its proximity to its nation’s capital, strong school system, and cultural diversity. She ran for office to address the rising cost of living, prioritize education in the county’s budget, and create more opportunities for affordable homeownership.  Chair Jefferson began her career as a reporter, having worked or written for major news outlets such as CNN/Money (now CNN/Business), the Associated Press, and New York Magazine. She is now a strategic communications consultant with over 20 years of experience in public affairs and journalism.  Chair Jefferson sits on the Finance Committee and Governance and Personnel Committee of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) and on the Board of Directors and Transportation Planning Board for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). A graduate of Leadership Prince William, Chair Jefferson also serves on the board of the Virginia Poverty Law Center, a non-profit that breaks down systemic barriers that trap low-income Virginians in the cycle of poverty. She graduated cum laude with a BA in political science from Columbia University and a MA in communication from Johns Hopkins University.

ATIMA OMARA

Named to Ebony Magazine’s “Power 100” list of emerging leaders and Jet Magazine’s “40 Under 40” list, Atima Omara works and leads at the intersection of electoral politics and issue advocacy in the progressive movement. She is a political strategist, advocate, trainer, leader, and speaker with significant political, government, and non-profit experience, and she is a sought-after commentator and strategist. As the President & Chief Strategist of Omara Strategy Group, she provides strategic consulting to progressive candidates and organizations centering women and people of color in their mission and work. She strategizes with candidates and political organizations to win victories for a more reflective progressive democracy. An American-born child of Black immigrants, Atima realized early the importance of catalyzing social and electoral change from both the grassroots and leadership levels—especially among underrepresented communities. She has worked as Special Assistant to then-Virginia Governor Mark Warner, and then went to work as an organizer in multiple states with a union and community organizations on voter registration, ballot initiatives, and get-out-the-vote operations in low-income communities of color and immigrant communities.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Follow our show on our social media on twitter, facebook, and our blog – look for  womenpoliticsva

Follow our host and producer at @sherishannon27  and @carololson

 

    Women & Politics    July 25th, 2024

Posted In: Music, Music Shows, News

SIFTER for the Ear presents:

Deb Freeman is an award-winning writer, specializing in Black foodways throughout America, particularly in Virginia. She also hosts Setting the Table, a critically-acclaimed podcast that explores Black culinary history. Deb is now working on a documentary about famed influential Black chef Edna Lewis. It’s starting as a series of shorts on VPM’s YouTube channel and will evolve into a full-length doc to be released in February. Our topics include:
– Being named a “snailblazer” by Slow Food USA
– How she discovered Edna Lewis
– Being a guest for On Chasing Flavor with Carla Hall
Preparing a dinner to honor Edna at the Roosevelt
– How the full-length doc will be different from the episodes
– Her article “Vegan is the new Black”

LINKS
The first episode will premiere on the VPM Culture YouTube Channel Friday, July 19
Deb’s website
Chasing Flavor featuring Deb (Ep. 4)
Podcast on Picturing the Obamas with Hannah Ayers
Richmond 48 Hour Film Project

    SIFTER for the Ear    July 19th, 2024

Posted In: Local, News

Women & Politics presents:

_________________________________________________________________________________

Follow our show on our social media on twitter, facebook, and our blog – look for  womenpoliticsva

Follow our host and producer at @sherishannon27  and @carololson

    Women & Politics    July 18th, 2024

Posted In: Music, Music Shows, News

House of SWÉ / Just Cause presents:

Whether it’s Hip Hop and Rap music that gets you moving, R&B music that makes you reminisce, or the vibrations of good ol’ soul music that soothes you. Join me every other Sunday from 11pm-1am to listen to all the elements of music.

 

    House of SWÉ / Just Cause    July 14th, 2024

Posted In: Music, Music Shows, News, Website

Tags: ,

« Previous PageNext Page »