Year: 2020

Interview with Filmmaker Shantel Hansen (HER TURF)

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HER TURF played to rave reviews at the February 2020 Documentary Festival in Toronto.

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

Shantel Hansen: This started back in 2014 when I conceived of the idea of filming women in male dominated sports. Here in the United States, this wasn’t a topic talked about or filmed that often until recently there are more conversations over all about women in male dominated spaces in sports, professionally, and workplace. When I discovered women in football officiating, I knew that there had to be stories to uncover, document, and share. What I didn’t know was how I was going to do it. As a first time director and producer, it took over four years to make this documentary come alive. There have been a lot of ups and downs. A lot of highs and low moments. Looking back, I can’t express how grateful…

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Interview with Filmmaker Sarah Baptist (STARTING LINEUP)

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STARTING LINEUP played to rave reviews at the February 2020 Documentary Film Festival in Toronto.

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

Sarah Baptist: I went to the overflow area of Jurassic Park for Game 1 of the Raptors playoff. I instantly became friends with the two men behind me in line. There was something really unique about the community. Strangers were friends. The next time I went back, I brought a camera and I tried to capture it.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?

It took two months.

3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?

Basketball community!

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

The lineup was right beside a highway. The audio really needed to be

5. What were your initial reactions when watching…

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Interview with Filmmaker Brenden Dannaher (A QUICK LOVE STORY)

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A QUICK LOVE STORY was the winner of BEST PERFORMANCES at the February 2020 ROMANCE Festival in Toronto.

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

Brenden Dannaher: Another short film that I was lined up to direct fell through. So I decided to produce my own short film myself. I had four different ideas in mind. This idea got the best reaction and also happened to be the cheapest to make.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?

Approximately 10 months from the initial idea to completion of the film. Six months of that was just letting the ideas gel.

3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?

Romantic silliness.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Finding the right actors. It took us a while, but it…

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Interview with Composer Michael Roth (THE WEB OPERA)

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THE WEB OPERA played to rave reviews at the February 2020 Music & Dance Festival in Los Angeles.

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

Michael Roth: Two things, really. First, aesthetic and somewhat practical: whenever I’ve met a writer over the past 10 years or so who’s wanted to collaborate on an opera or music theatre piece — anything like that, even if the idea is a good one — I’ve always felt obliged to state what’s almost obvious: it’s hard, once you get going, to know if it will ever really exist as a fully produced thing. It’s a lot of work and takes a lot of money, and you don’t know where you might be heading and if you will ever have it onstage fully realised and — sometimes just as important — get more than one performance.That’s not a reason to not do something…

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Interview with Filmmaker John J.A. Jannone (SOLDIER ONLINE)

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SOLDIER ONLINE was voted BEST ANIMATION FILM at the January 2020 DANCE & MUSIC Festival in Toronto.

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

John J.A. Jannone: Daniel Munkus, one of the three musicians in the band Old Robes, was my student in the M.F.A. program in Performance and Interactive Media Arts (PIMA) at Brooklyn College. We became friends and collaborated for several years. When Old Robes’ new album The Spider and the Spectator was coming out, Daniel commissioned a bunch of artists to make music videos, and I created this video. The mystery and energy of this song struck me in particular, and I was interested in who the “Soldier Online,” the character in the song, was.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?

I worked on this animation for about a month. Since it…

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Interview with Screenwriter Paul Sargia (THE TATTOOED BLONDE)

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Matthew Toffolo: What is your screenplay about?

Paul Sargia: When incriminating evidence points to Jon, a Connecticut psychiatrist, as the main suspect in a tattoo artist’s murder, his freedom hinges on the one person who knows the truth, a mysterious tattooed blonde who’s been appearing and disappearing in his life.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

A drama with a twisty thriller ending and a touch of romance.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Because it’s satisfying pure entertainment with characters who show a lot heart, despite going through some difficult times. It will leave the audience guessing who the killer is right to the end which adds to the suspense.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Pure entertainment.

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Casablanca — It’s a great story, and also has…

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Interview with Screenwriter Adam Seidel (CALIFORNIA)

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Matthew Toffolo: What is your screenplay about?

Adam Seidel: At it’s core California is about a man who decides to fight for his loveless marriage through taking extreme measures. It’s a piece that examines the way we often go all in on lost causes and how that affects us. Do we come out the other end completely destroyed or do we find a strength and purpose within ourselves we didn’t know was there? I think it can definitely go either way. In the case of this story, our protagonist finds the latter.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

I’d say dark comedy / thriller.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

I think the themes are very relatable to most people, whether they want to admit it or not. I think despite some of the more graphic parts of the story, the end offers a…

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Interview with Screenwriter Robert Tartell (CLEOPATRA’S REVENGE)

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Matthew Toffolo: What is your screenplay about?

Robert Tartell : Cleopatra’s Revenge was really based on a true story. “Ross” and I really did see something sticking out the side of my house and it did vanish from his grasp- to this day I don’t know if Pam really saw a snake or not! (But she did indeed storm out!)

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Genre: Comedy. Farce all the way.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

The world can always use a few more good laughs.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Two-word summary: Screwball comedy. Think I Love Lucy. Or Fawlty Towers.

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

The Third Man and The 39 Steps, one of the few Hitchcock films I really loved. Before I started writing, I read the…

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Interview with Screenwriter Samantha Loney (HUSH)

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Matthew Toffolo: What is your screenplay about?

Samantha Loney: My screenplay is a television pilot about an FBI psychologist who comes back from maternity leave to be tasked with watching over a former special agent to solve the only case that she’s let go cold. They find that a string of child abductions might have connections to a dark government conspiracy.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Procedural, crime thriller, mystery.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

This show has two strong female lead and discusses topics that are relevant to today. Human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of women in America.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Dark, fearless.


5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

The Exorcist.


6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

2 years.

7. How many stories…

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Interview with Screenwriter Andronica Marquis (DARK ANGELS)

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Matthew Toffolo: What is your screenplay about?

Andronica Marquis: Dark Angels is about the struggle we all face to understand the true beauty of our nature despite the distraction of our pain, disappointments and insecurities.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Fantasy


3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

While the screenplay is currently undergoing significant revisions to strengthen and clarify the characters, relationships and theme, it should eventually be made because it’s a dramatic and moving display of both what makes us human and beautiful beyond our mortality

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Powerful and entertaining


5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Terminator 2


6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

Over a year


7. How many stories have you written?

Four short films and three feature films

8. What…

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