Shawn Eastridge chats with producer Natalie Metzger about her work on Thunder Road with writer/director/actor Jim Cummings and the upcoming comedy Greener Grass, which was written and directed by (and starring) Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe, and just won the 2019 Atlanta Film Festival award for Best Narrative Feature. 

Twitter: @metzart
Instagram: @nataliemetzger
Website: rarefatal.com 

Learn more about the Atlanta Film Festival at atlantafilmfestival.com.

Shawn sits down with writing/directing duo Lane and Ruckus Skye to discuss their excellent feature debut Reckoning, which won the Best Georgia Film award at the 2019 Atlanta Film Festival. 

PLOT SYNOPSIS

After the disappearance of her husband, a struggling farmer in an isolated Appalachian community fights to save her son when the cold-hearted matriarch of the oldest family on the mountain demands payment of a debt that could destroy a decade's old truce. (Via IMDb)

Learn more about the Atlanta Film Festival at atlantafilmfestival.com.

Shawn had the amazing privilege of sitting down with filmmaker Stanley Nelson, director of the new documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool. They discuss Stanley's love of Miles Davis, the process of getting the film to the big screen and the importance of not shying away from Miles' more controversial personality traits. 

To learn more about this amazing film and to sign up for release updates, visit milesdavismovie.com.

To learn more about Stanley Nelson, visit firelight media.tv.

Follow Stanley Nelson on Twitter: @stanleynelson1

Follow Firelight Media on Twitter: @firelightmedia

Follow Miles Davis on Twitter: @milesdavis

FILM SYNOPSIS

Miles Davis: Horn player, bandleader, innovator.  Elegant, intellectual, vain. Callous, conflicted, controversial. Magnificent, mercurial. Genius. The very embodiment of cool. The man with a sound so beautiful it could break your heart.
 
The central theme of Miles Davis's life was his restless determination to break boundaries and live life on his own terms. It made him a star—it also made him incredibly difficult to live with, for the people who loved him most.  Again and again, in music and in life, Miles broke with convention—and when he thought his work came to represent a new convention, he changed it again. Miles's bold disregard for tradition, his clarity of vision, his relentless drive, and constant thirst for new experiences made him an inspiring collaborator to fellow musicians and a cultural icon to generations of listeners. It made him an innovator in music—from bebop to “cool jazz,” modern quintets, orchestral music, jazz fusion, rock ‘n’ roll, and even hip-hop.   
 
Featuring never-before-seen archival footage, studio outtakes, and rare photos, Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool tells the story of a truly singular talent and unpacks the man behind the horn.

Shawn had the chance to sit down with actor turned director Joseph Cross and producer Audrey Tommassini to discuss their upcoming film Summer Night, which made its world premiere at the 2019 Atlanta Film Festival. 

The film follows a young, tight-knit group of friends who fall in and out of love over the course of one intoxicating, music-filled summer night. It features an amazing ensemble cast that includes the likes of Ellar Coltrane, Justin Chatwin, Analeigh Tipton, Lana Condor and Hayden Szeto (who makes a special appearance in this episode).

Topics discussed include:

- Challenges of being a first-time director and producer

- How assembling a great team can make or break your movie

- Putting together the incredible ensemble cast

- The importance of the female perspective

- Directing actors as an actor

- The amazing Georgia crew that raised the funds to finish the film when financing fell through

Summer Night will be available on streaming platforms and in a limited theatrical release on July 12. Follow the film on Instagram for updates: @summernightmovie.

With Tim Burton's remake released this weekend, Shawn's wife Sarah decides to show him the original Dumbo for the first time. Along the way, they discuss Shawn's struggles with enjoying Disney animated movies and also venture out to see Burton's version. 

FAIR WARNING: We totally forgot to throw up a SPOILER tag when we started talking about the 2019 Dumbo. Beware!

HOSTS
Shawn Eastridge
Sarah Eastridge