Art Film Talk

Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick have been producing high-quality television (My So Called Life, thirtysomething) and film (Legends of the Fall, Blood Diamond) for quite some time. Recently the duo launched Quarterlife, a contemporary coming of age series being streamed on the web along with an integrated social network. A significant aspect of the show is that unlike most television properties today, the producers retain full creative control and ownership. In addition to being available on MySpace and their own web site, they recently made a deal with NBC to air the show next year.

I talk with Herskovitz about the origins of the project, its significance in the context of the writers strike, and what's different about producing for the internet compared to traditional film and television. Related to this interview is "Are the corporate suits ruining TV?," an editorial by Herskovitz which appeared in the Los Angeles Times on November 7, 2007 in which he argues that Network control and media consolidation are wringing the creativity out of entertainment.

Photo credit: Elisabeth Caren/quarterlife, the Art Film Talk theme music was composed by Colin Owens.

 Art Film Talk #23 Marshall Herskovitz [27:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Share This

Zev Berman co-wrote and directed Borderland, which opens today (Friday November 9, 2007) as part of the 8 Films to Die For Horror Fest taking place in 350 theaters throughout the United States. The film, based on true events, tells the story of three Americans on a road-trip south of the border who tangle with a cult practicing human sacrifice. We talk about the origins of the project, genre issues, casting, and the cinematographic techniques behind the look of the film. Borderland is his second feature-length film.

Borderland: Cast: Brian Presley, Martha Higareda, Jake Muxworthy, Rider Strong, Damian Alcazar, Sean Astin; Screenwriter: Zev Berman, Eric Poppen; Producers: Randall Emmett, George Furla, Lauren Moews, Elisa Salinas; Original Music: Andrés Levin; Cinematographer: Scott Kevan; Editor: Eric Strand; Production Designer: Tim Galvin; Set Decorator: Pachilu Moreno; Costume Designer: Monica Araiz.

 Art Film Talk #22 Zev Berman [24:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Share This

Florian Borchmeyer is co-director of Havana: The New Art of Making Ruins (2006, German title: "Havana - Die Neue Kunst Ruinen Zu Bauen") which won the Special Jury Award at the 2006 LA Latino International Film Festival.

This unique documentary traces the reflections and thoughts of a group of Havana residents who spend their days living in buildings on the verge of collapse. There is more to Havanas ruins than the facades romanticized in countless films and documentaries, their beauty resides in the poetry of its ruins and in the stories of the people who reside in them, serving as a metaphor for the gradual collapse of the city and Cuba's political system.

Havana: The New Art of Making Ruins is available from Cinema Guild. Credits: Produced by: Matthias Hentschler, Florian Borchmeyer; Screenwriter: Florian Borchmeyer; Director of Photography: Tanja Trentmann; Editor: Birgit Mild; Sound: Frank Schreiner.Produced by: Matthias Hentschler, Florian Borchmeyer; Screenwriter: Florian Borchmeyer; Director of Photography: Tanja Trentmann; Editor: Birgit Mild; Sound: Frank Schreiner.

Special thanks to Elissa Mintz who edited this episode. Theme music by Colin Owens.

 ArtFilmTalk #21 [16:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Share This