2025-10-19 Mitch Yapko

Dive into this LA neo-noir film as we discuss the sleepless nights and disjointed schedules, teasing out their character's inner darkness, and how a little hope, a lot of trust, and a dash of madness, coalesced into this gloriously sinister piece of indy magic. From the irresistible writing, to the oppressive cinematography, from the foreboding soundtrack, to the vicious performances, The Novel draws you in, pulls your strings, and sucker punches your sanity.

This cinematic masterpiece doesn’t just pay homage to Film Noir, it is true to the genre in ways I can’t fully express. The shadow play, the high key lighting, the excruciatingly deliberate pacing, the sound design that felt like another character, the surreal sets that surrounded you in another world, and the masterfully distinct performances all came together with a script full of innuendo and symbolism. Mateo Garimberti presents a master class in filmmaking that sucks you in and transports you to a timeless era, and he was gracious enough to join us in the studio with his lead actor Javier and costume designer-turned-art director Virginia.

Jared Sprouse and Ainsley Seiger discuss their dark comedy feature film "Party USA" as well as their take on all things acting and directing, the struggle to keep it all together in a chaotic world, and how this whimsically macabre feature came together one fortuity at a time.

John and Noah discuss their feature film “Reunion”, a film about a man lost in life and searching for meaning who suddenly finds himself the center of attention in an unexpected and hilarious way.

Mitch takes us on a journey across time as he describes the unexpected inspiration for his latest short film as well as his burning need to write, shoot, edit, repeat.

Sarah dives deep into her experiences directing the youngest of generations, striving for relevance in a relentless industry, and keeping her sanity on set.

Alexis tells us about the story of tragedy and triumph he felt called to direct, his personal story of self-doubt and perseverance, and the on-again off-again relationship he's had with filmmaking.

Serena and Julia discuss their wild quest to tell an unorthodox tale about the orthodox Jewish community and the worlds they've been creating together since college.

Connie speaks with us about her work, her passions, and the challenges of making low budgets, green directors, and a-list talent mesh to create cinematic gold.

Bella reflects on her journey through the audition process as an actor with autism and the struggle to be seen beyond the stereotype of her neurodiversity