Free Forum Q&A – LOUIE SCHWARTZBERG, filmmaker of WINGS OF LIFE; CHIP TAYLOR, monarchwatch.org
Written on July 16th, 2013Aired: 07/14/13
Our life on earth depends on a most unlikely love affair – one between flowers and the bees, butterflies, birds and bats which enable plants to reproduce. The brilliant colors and exotic perfumes of flowers are designed to lure their pollinators into an intricate dance of seduction, a dance on which more than one third of our food crops depend, a dance without which we could not survive.
If you’re lucky and observant, you’ve witnessed the visits of bees and those marvels of engineering, hummingbirds, to the plants around you. But now, for the first time, you have a chance to watch that magnificent dance of pollinators and plants in the far corners of the globe and in the darkness of night. WINGS OF LIFE, the latest documentary from remarkable cinematographer and director, LOUIE SCHWARTZBERG, is now available on DVD. More than beautiful – which it is – the film carries an important message about the threats to pollinators and in turn, the threat to life itself.
I’ll be joined by LOUIS and CHIP TAYLOR a Monarch butterfly expert.
Q&A w/ DIRECTOR, ROBERT GREENWALD and TWO WHISTLEBLOWERS
Written on May 28th, 2013Aired: 5/26/13
How difficult is it to be a government whistleblower these days? A dozen years after 9/11, with a former constitutional law professor in the White House, the sad news is that to expose government negligence or illegality is to jeopardize one’s career and life savings.
The newest documentary from producer and director ROBERT GREENWALD and Brave New Films, WAR ON WHISTLEBLOWERS: Free Press and the National Security State highlights the stories of four individuals who felt compelled to reveal acts of government illegality and violations to the U.S. constitution in the military industrial complex in the years following 9/11. In the film, whistleblowers, journalist and experts share what happens when the government punishes those who stand up to demand accountability and defend the constitution. Such actions and the atmosphere they engender has a chilling effect on the speech rights of citizens and the free press. This week I speak about all of this with GREENWALD as well as with two of the courageous whistleblowers featured in the film, THOMAS TAMM and FRANZ GAYL.
www.waronwhistleblowers.com
www.bravenewfilms.com
Q&A: FREDRIK GERTTEN, BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS and LINCOLN BANDLOW, Attorney
Written on July 31st, 2012
Aired 07/29/12
I talk with FREDRIK GERTTEN, whose new film BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS documents the efforts of food giant Dole to keep his previous film BANANAS from ever being seen. We’ll be joined by his attorney, LINCOLN BANDLOW. The first film told the story of Nicaraguan plantation workers successful suit in Los Angeles against Dole for the health effects of its use of a banned and dangerous pesticide.
FREDRIK GERTTEN is an award winning director and journalist based in Malmo Sweden. Before founding his production company WG Film, he worked as a correspondent and columnist for radio, TV and press in Africa, Latin America, Asian and Europe. His films include Belfast Girls; I Bought a Rain Forest; Bananas; and his latest, Big Boys Gone Bananas.
LINCOLN BANDLOW specializes in litigating media, First Amendment, intellectual property and other entertainment related matters in the motion picture, television, publishing, broadcasting, internet and advertising fields. In addition to practicing law, Mr. Bandlow has been a visiting professor at the Annenberg School of Journalism at the University of Southern California since the Spring of 1995. In 2012 he was named one of the Top 100 Entertainment Power Lawyers by the Hollywood Reporter.
Q&A: ROKO BELIC’S, documentary – HAPPY
Written on February 2nd, 2012
Aired 01/29/12
HAPPY. Are you happy? What makes you happy? Does money make you happy? Kids and family? Your work? Do you live in an environment that values and promotes happiness and well-being? Do you expect you’re going to get happier? How?
ROKO BELIC’S documentary HAPPY explores these sorts of questions. It weaves the latest scientific research from the field of “positive psychology” with stories from around the world of people whose lives illustrate what we’re learning.
The basic approach to the pursuit of happiness taken by many of us and by society in general isn’t delivering. We know more than we ever have about what science can tell us about happiness. And we have access to more diverse models and worldviews than ever before. This is a good time to ask some basic questions.
Q&A: Steve Stockman, writer/director, author, HOW TO SHOOT VIDEO THAT DOESN’T SUCK
Written on January 4th, 2012
Aired 01/01/12
I’ll be joined by writer-director STEVE STOCKMAN whose new book HOW TO SHOOT VIDEO THAT DOESN’T SUCK has a great deal of smart things to say – not just about shooting videos of your kids’ parties or your company’s new products, but also about the essential role of story in the movies you see in theatres. Stick around. I believe you’ll learn something no matter who you are.