This week I thought fans and filmmakers should hear from the two men most responsible for RIFF. While RIFF runs on enthusiasm and batteries supplied by many talented staff and volunteers, Director Paul Lewis and Assistant Director Ryan Poe are the visionaries who steered an idea to reality. With RIFF 2010 mere days away, they [...]

Mike Salva, director of the animated short Death Row Diet, graciously agreed to be interviewed this week.  This talented director and Emmy award winner Jonathan Katz teamed up to make a most entertaining film. RIFF audiences will get their chance to see this clever film in a few short weeks TINA: Death Row Diet is [...]

Yep, RIFF’s got ‘em. While several recent interviews and posts have focused on animation and feature films, RIFF 2010 has its share of noteworthy documentaries. Documentaries seem to have become more prevalent the last few years. Popularity of the Documentary Channel is testament to that and certainly they serve to inspire as well as inform. [...]

With the aid of technology and Alejandra Ojeda of Tigre Pictures, I was fortunate to interview Humberto Hinojosa Ozcariz. Hr. Ozcariz is the writer/director of Oveja Negro (Black Sheep) featured at RIFF 2010. I am most grateful for his time and insight into the making of this enjoyable film. Fans will have a chance to [...]

What beautiful scenery. Fantastic talent. Wow, check out the cinematography….Awesome ….. Oh, what’d he say?  I’ve watched my fair share of indie films and judging by the DVD shelf that just crashed to earth, perhaps collected a few too many. So when my movie arrived fresh from purchase I did not expect the sound to, [...]

Many talented filmmakers have contributed their work to RIFF 2010. Fortunately for us, I was able to catch up with Sean Christensen the director of one of our amazing animated entries, The Sandwich Movie. He was most generous with his time. Enjoy! TINA: If my memory serves, I believe Fan Mail was a student entry [...]

Rainy Saturdays are a good excuse to watch old movies. Good Will Hunting proved to be a good choice this weekend. It is also a great example of using a long take to good effect. The long take is not used as frequently as other emotionally manipulative shots but when it is the audience’s attention [...]

With RIFF 2010 approaching fast, I thought it only fair to interview a few more of the animated characters featured this year. Fortunately, I was able to catch up the star of The Mouse That Soared and he was most generous with his time. I hope you will enjoy getting to know him as much [...]

Well, not exactly. The music of Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields defies the conventions of any established category. They create their own. Last night’s screening of Strange Powers, was a good time and educational. I want to clarify that I don’t mean ‘educational’ in the stoic sense that one says, ‘yeah, I learned something’ [...]

I’m really wowed by the animated movies showing at RIFF this year. Some really exceptional talent went into making these films so I thought I’d start by talking to the director of Pigeon Impossible, Lucas Martell. me:  Knock, knock, knock Mr. Pigeon: Yeah, who’s there? me:  Hello. My name is Tina and I’m a blogger [...]