Composer Will Bates has composed original scores for a myriad of filmmakers including acclaimed directors Mike Cahill (Another Earth; I Origins; Bliss), Alex Gibney (We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks; Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief; Zero Days; The Forever Prisoner), Ry Russo-Young (You Won’t Miss Me; Nobody Walks) and Fisher Stevens (Mission Blue; Bright Lights). 

Bates’ upcoming projects include Dark Sky Films’ Blackout, directed by Larry Fessenden and starring Marshall Bell, which hits theaters (limited run) on March 13th. Notable credits include Craig Gillespie’s Dumb Money; FX’s Class of ’09; AMC+’s Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches; Dean Craig’s comedy film The Estate; Michael Mohan’s thriller The Voyeurs; Michael Tyburski’s drama film The Sound of Silence; Starz's Sweetbitter; and the drama/sci-fi series Away; Netflix’s Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated mini-series Unbelievable; and the thriller limited series Devil in Ohio; SyFy’s hit series The Magicians; the George R.R. Martin produced series Nightflyers; Hulu’s series The Path; Chance; and The Looming Tower; NBC’s Rise; and more. Bates’ recent score for Michael Mohan’s Immaculate, starring Sydney Sweeney, premiered at SXSW on Tuesday, March 12th and hit theaters on March 22nd.

In an interview with Will Bates after the festival, here is what he had to say:
 

Can you tell us about your music background and what led you to film scoring?

WILL: I’ve always wanted to be a film composer. I think I was about 6 or 7 when I sang the entire score of Star Wars to my parents one morning. And once I realized that one man was responsible for all the tunes I’d been humming in my head, I decided I wanted to be John Williams when I grew up. I started playing the saxophone and at about 12 or 13 I got very into jazz. I had a rethink and thought maybe I’d like to be Cannonball Adderley instead. With my buddy Quentin Collins, I started playing in jazz clubs and bars around London from the age of about 14, masquerading as an 18-year-old, wearing my dad’s oversized suits. Then I discovered electronic music and released some obscure dance music on tiny London labels. I later moved to New York and became the lead singer of an Indie Rock band called The Rinse. We toured the US, opened for some big bands, and had a record released in Japan. But generally, we somehow dodged success like skilled ninjas. But all through that time, my lingering first love of scoring remained. The only way I ever learnt to support myself was by scoring commercials, first in London, and fi

The short film SHOTPLAYER (2024), directed by Sam Shainberg, screened in the Documentary Short Competition at this year’s SXSW. SHOTPLAYER is an impressionistic journey into the mind of Wilfred Rose, one of New York City's most notorious pickpockets. As he returns to the subway for the first time in many years, he reflects on a life of crime in a society that has left many of its citizens behind. SHOTPLAYER asks the question: When is it ok to push back against that society? This is Sam’s second year presenting a film at SXSW after last year’s narrative title, ENDLESS SEA (2023).

In an interview with Sam about the inspiration behind the film, here is what he had to say:

Can you tell us your background and what led you to filmmaking?

SAM: I grew up in downtown New York and I have filmmakers on both sides of my family, so the influence was always there. That, combined with New York being both cinematic as hell and the best cinema viewing city in the world, I think it was fated that I make films myself. I studied history initially in college and then realized that historians tend to focus on only one time period, and one story for the bulk of their careers whereas I wanted to learn many, many stories. When I came to this realization, I looked at my courses and realized I was already on track to major in filmmaking... and the rest is history. 

What have been your greatest influences? 

SAM: My family and friends have been my greatest influences. Particularly all my amazing filmmaking friends- Luca Balser, Rachel Walden, the Safdie Brothers, J. Daniel Zuniga, and so many more. If you're asking about cinematic influences then I would have to say the Italian neo-realists- Scorsese, Bresson, lots of verité documentary stuff spanning from Hands on a HardBody to Don't Look Back, the Maysles Brothers, D.A. Pennebaker, and then to more stylized stuff like Wong Kar-Wai and Park Chan-wook. I just love movies, so this kind of answer inevitably becomes a ramble. My film SHOTPLAYER was also heavily influenced by still photographers like Bruce Davidson. 

How did you come across Wilfred's story? 

SAM: A colleague of mine, Willie Miesmer, brought me an article about the dying art of pickpocketing and the piece focused on Wilfred. Reading the article really moved me and stuck with both of us so we went in search of Wilfred. 

How did you go about shooting the film? And how long did it take you?

SAM: While the project was in the works for years, going back to 2018, the shoot itself took about four days. The way we went about it was, in a word, brazenly. We just did it. We were certainly worried about getting shut down at every turn, but we just went forward and did it and luckily New York opened its arms to us and just let it all happen. 

What do you hope people will take away from the film?

SAM: My hope is that people can put themselves in Wilfred's shoes for a moment or two. That the audience can feel what it's like to have to commit crimes to survive and support your family and then to feel what that does to a person. Perhaps the audience can carry Wilfred's burden with him for a moment. I also want very much for the audience to see Wilfred clearly as the complex man that h

RESYNATOR is a feature documentary film and synth resurrection project started by director Alison Tavel in 2014. The true story centers around a resurrected synthesizer (aka the RESYNATOR), that was invented by Alison’s late father Don Tavel in the ‘70s, which she dug up from her grandmother’s attic twenty-five years after his passing and has been on a mission to share it with the world ever since. RESYNATOR had its world premiere at SXSW on March 10th, 2024, and won the Documentary Feature Audience Award.

In an interview with Alison about her filmmaking journey, here is what she had to say:

Can you tell us how the seeds for Resynator began and at what point you decided to turn it into a film?

ALISON: Originally, I was just looking to document the resurrection of the synthesizer that my late father had invented. I didn’t have a background in filmmaking, but I thought it was an interesting enough story to be able to share with my friends on tour. I worked for Grace Potter on tour at the time and met so many musicians and touring crew members who were interested in learning more about the Resynator, so I felt I should make a short doc about it. From there it snowballed into a personal narrative that was much deeper than I had originally intended, and I learned how to make a film as I embarked on this journey.

What do you love about docs that features cannot do?

ALISON: I think the great thing about documentary storytelling is the run-and-gun nature (at least with my film), and the genuine reactions of discovery that show up. There were so many times in this process where I just brought a camera person into a situation, made sure I had sound rolling and what unfolded was not planned, such as my conversation with my dad’s old friend (and founder of Musician Magazine) Gordon Baird. I came to him wanting to know about the synth, and the ads I found in his magazines, and all he wanted to talk about was my dad and the events surrounding his death. My reaction on screen was genuine shock and I could never recreate that feeling. 

Docs are a long and laborious venture. How long did this film take you to make?

ALISON: This film took me ten years! Being that this project was self-funded, and I had no background in filmmaking, I had to figure a lot of stuff out as I was going through it, and that took time. But also, the story developed over time. With every new person I met with, a new piece of the puzzle unfolded. It took me three years to contact Peter Gabriel. And it took me six years to contact Jon Anderson and Average White Band! I didn’t find out about the Paul McCartney story until eight years in! So, with that patience came a much more complex and dynamic story. 

How did you go about finding musicians like Peter Gabriel and Gotye in your film?

ALISON: Although I've worked in the music industry for over a decade, I'm not a musician myself, so I needed help understanding what the Resynator was capable of. I was looking for a variety of musicians who all played different instruments and who I thought would have an appreciation for my dad’s technology. I reached out to people like Fred Armisen, Gotye, Money Mark and more directly, explaining the project and proposing a connection to demo the Resynator. I’m so grateful that so many musicians were interested and down to experiment. Everyone’s experiences were unique

Olmo Schnabel's directorial debut PET SHOP DAYS screened as a Festival Favorite at SXSW, 2024. The film stars Jack Irv, Darío Yazebek Bernal, alongside Willem Dafoe, Peter Sarsgaard and more.

Impulsive black sheep Alejandro (Bernal) and pet store employee Jack (Irv) enter a whirlwind romance that sends them down the rabbit hole of depravity in Manhattan’s underworld.

In an interview at SXSW with director Olmo Schnabel, actor Darío Yazebek Bernal, EP Jeremy O'Harris, here is what they had to say:

Can you tell us a little bit about the film? Was it difficult to get off the ground?

OLMO: It was a collaboration among friends, and yes was a difficult movie to make. Obviously when you’re not part of the industry and you’re doing something that might seem challenging or on the periphery of what people will accept, there is a lot of trial and error. It was a kind of search party to find the right producing partner to help me get this movie made. It wasn’t until I met Francesco Melzi d’Eril that I found a producer who was very excited and motivated to put this film together. I think because he’s from another cultural background, he was willing to take some risks. Whereas if you go meet with an agency or head of a studio in the US, they have a mandate to fill that this film didn’t fit into. Someone like Francesco is willing to bet on young filmmakers, and to take a risk. With Francesco I met Jeremy who was very instrumental. He helped me meet other people who were super useful for getting this out into the world. It was important to create a dialogue and have the support system I needed, because it wasn’t easy.

JEREMY: Olmo had worked a long time and garnered a lot of financing before I got involved. It was a real mountain to climb getting the movie made. Francesco is a great champion of Italian cinema and independent cinema. He’s worked a lot with Luca Guadagnino. I think that in Francesco, Olmo found a real partner who could read the universe he was building.  

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the story? Is it based on true events?

OLMO: Jack Irv, the lead in the movie who also co-wrote it, based it off a friendship he had with a friend of ours named Alejandro. In its core it’s based off a relationship he was very excited and surprised about. I believe it’s more of a fantasy of what they could do together than what they weren’t doing together. It’s a mixture between the attraction of a real relationship but also that kind of naïve childlike curiosity of what could happen if they went on this crazy adventure together. And Jack had that kind of spontaneous completely loose and free story that didn’t need to be hyper realistic. It was much more like if something was going to happen, then it’s destiny. Like if you’re going to win the lottery, you’re going to win it; I’m not going to explain to you how the ticket ended up in your hand. Similarly, these two characters literally

Lions of Mesopotamia had its world premiere at SXSW, on Saturday, March 9th. The film is the true account of hope and victory when Iraq’s national soccer team – aka Lions of Mesopotamia – earned the 2007 Asian Cup amid the bloodiest days of Iraq’s civil war. The fairytale story is directed by Emmy winner Lucian Read and produced by Jupiter Entertainment.

In an interview with the film’s producer Patrick Reardon and director Lucian Read after their premiere, here is what they had to say:

Can you tell us your backgrounds and what led you both to filmmaking?

PR – My entire career has been focused on documentary and reality content. Early on I realized that “real-life” storytelling could be just as compelling as the best scripted content. Producing documentaries comes with its own unique challenges, which drew me in as a storyteller. There’s no script, and often you have no idea where the story will take you until you get there. But when it all comes together in a final project, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience.

LR – I began my career as a photojournalist before becoming a news producer working in Iraq and Afghanistan. My first experience in documentary film was as a co-director on a film about the Occupy Wall Street movement. That film, 99%, was selected for the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Around this same time, the rise of the docuseries gave me the opportunity to move from pure journalism, which I had practiced in the past, into in-depth and cinematic documentary projects – particularly the series America Divided, which I created and worked on with Norman Lear. That explains how I moved toward filmmaking; Why I made this move derives from a love of story and image making that goes back to my childhood. I am never happier than when I have a camera in my hand or when I have the honor to have people share their stories with me. This has been true for me from the start.

How did your working relationship begin?

PR – Lucian and I met when we came together to produce Lions of Mesopotamia. His passion and knowledge of the story were immediately evident; it was clear that no one was better suited to bring this story to life. I have no doubt that this experience will lead to a long professional relationship.

LR – We met in the summer of 2022 through our partner Sugar23. It was exciting to pitch the film to Patrick. He immediately understood how special Lions of Mesopotamia could be, and he and Jupiter were incredibly supportive every step of the way.

You tell a story about an Iraqi national soccer team. How did you come across this story and decide to make a film about it?  

LR –  The story came to me through my friend and producer on the film Adam Linehan. He had been working in Iraq on a project about US veterans volunteering to fight against ISIS in northern Iraq when someone shared the story with him. I initially was unaware of this story, but I immediately became drawn to it because of the years I spent working in Iraq as a photojournalist. It's an amazing story on its face. It was also an opportunity to film a story about Iraq firmly from the Iraqi point of view where the Iraqis are u

Director Bonnie Discepolo and actress Anna Camp attended SXSW for the premiere of their latest work NEO-DOME (2024), a Sci-fi series pilot set in a post-apocalyptic America where a woman (Anna Camp) travels solo on the road headed for a mysterious dome on the distant horizon; a cautionary tale about trust in a new world where no one can be trusted. In an interview with Bonnie and Anna about NEO-DOME, here is what they had to say:

Can you tell us your background and what led you to filmmaking? 

BONNIE: Ah Nature versus Nurture? On the one hand I’m descended from a long line of Neapolitan musicians. I think story is a natural part of my loud Italian upbringing. But I also experienced ongoing and formative traumas in childhood, those experiences sent me into fantasy and narrative as a means of coping. I think it was a natural progression to film, by putting those images on screen. 

ANNA: I have been acting professionally for years but wanted to start producing to create more exciting projects for myself as well as for the talented visionaries that I have worked with before. 

Is it hard to make an indie film today with streaming and so much content out there?

BONNIE: I think it is a miracle to make any piece of art. It is at once impossible and yet necessary. So, you make it because you must. Finding an audience or a buyer is something different. 

ANNA: Everything has its challenges, especially in indie filmmaking, but you just can’t give up and you must keep creating. So, in that regard, creating is not hard. It’s just finding the money, no joke! 

Do you have a project you have worked on that you are most proud of thus far? 

BONNIE: Great question. I am proud of them all. But the tiny 6-minute short film called "Three-Legged Dog" is probably the one I am most proud of because it was the thing that led to everything else. I co-wrote, directed, starred, and fully funded it using tips that I saved from my waitressing job. The whole film cost $400. But it was honest and my voice. That is the film that Robert Rodriguez saw, and how he chose me to be his mentee on Rebel Without a Crew.

ANNA: I would say I’m very proud of “Neo-Dome” because it was my gritstone time as a real “boots on the ground” producer as well as starring in it as an actress. 

How did your working relationship begin? 

BONNIE: I came to “Neo-Dome” through Anna Camp who was already producing and starring. We became best friends in high school theatre where we collaborated, played, and made believe as children, and we continue through adulthood. When she asked me to come aboard to direct “Neo-Dome” it was an obvious and emphatic YES. She is such a talented actor and kind soul! And as a very successful actor on stage and screen, she knows many wonderful directors, so it is a real honor that she recommended me to the creators Matt and Mark Pfeffer! The whole team is topflight, and it was remarkable to work with Ritual and Summit. All the department heads that came aboard gave us fantastic work from Michael Johnson’s tense score to Carson Nyquist's stunning visuals, Dessie Coale's lighting, and Chloee Crosby's costumes. It was a pleasure to work with everyone. 

ANNA: Bonnie and I have been best frien

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival's genre satellite brings to the audience 3 feature film premieres and Méliès D'Argent Short Film Competition. The side programme consists of special screenings, retro section and fresh Estonian short films. The festival dates are 26.-28. April. 

The premieres of HÕFF Main Programme are:

Chainsaws Were Singing 
director: Sander Maran
Estonia, 2024
World Premiere

This year's opening of HÕFF will go down in history as the most outrageous film of the entire history of Estonian cinema. The director, Sander Maran, calls his debut feature "a shameless action-horror-musical-comedy". The film was in the production for almost 10 years, and it ensures a wild ride with inventive kills, a chainsaw solo, exploding cars, romance, cute animal attacks, and even a supernatural Bukkake fridge. 

Crimson Snout
director: Luu Thanh Luan
Vietnam, 2024
International Premiere
 
Luu Thanh Luan's film draws on Vietnam's tradition of eating dog meat as a delicacy, and the growing debate about ending it. It is the most popular Vietnamese horror film of all time, earning $4.5 million at the domestic box office. The head of a butcher's family, whose butchery sells dog meat, dies in suspicious circumstances. His family, torn apart by internal strife, begins to see ghosts that leave no doubt that there is a curse - karma bites and it hurts!

Hi, EU!
director: Ruslan Akun
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, 2024
International Premiere

Kyrgyz director Ruslan Akun's hilarious comedy was partially shot in Estonia - the capital, Tallinn, has been portrayed as Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, even Paris! 
A Kyrgyz grandfather, Tolembai and the babushka Shaken, hitchhike from Asia to Europe to attend the graduation ceremony of their beloved grandson, Jermek. They could fly, but Tolembai has a heart condition - the only option is a road-trip. On their incredible journey, the two oldsters are constantly caught up in cultural conflicts that only humour can resolve.

Other highlights from the fresh genre cinema around the world:
 

• Two features, The Missing (Philippines, Thailand, dir. Carl Joseph E Papa) and In Flames (Pakistan, Canada, dir. Zarrar Kahn) were picked as the best international film Oscar candidates.
• Festival hits: When The Evil Lurks (Argentina, dir.  Demián Rugna); The Soul Eater (France, dir. Julien Maury, Alexandre Bustillo); Read more

Documentarian filmmaker Bess Kargman's latest opus- “Diane Warren: Relentless” held its World Premiere at SXSW. The film focuses on Academy Award Winning songwriter Diane Warren and features interviews with Diane Warren herself, as well as Clive Davis, Common, Gloria Estefan, Jerry Bruckheimer, Jennifer Hudson, Cher, Randy Jackson, Quincy Jones.

An intimate, captivating and revealing underdog story, providing audiences with a rarely seen glimpse behind one of the most successful, prolific songwriters of all time: Diane Warren. Diane Warren, a prolific songwriter with an unparalleled track record of writing mega-hits for industry giants, emerges as a force to be reckoned with in "Diane Warren: Relentless".

Boasting 15 Academy Award nominations, an Honorary Oscar along with Grammy, Emmy, and Golden Globe Awards, Diane has etched her name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame and is responsible for the soundtrack of our lives. In this intimate documentary, filled with Diane’s signature humor, audiences get a rarely seen glimpse into Diane’s life and underdog journey to where she is today. Marked by a distinctive songwriting approach, unconventional life choices, and an exceptional work ethic with a touch of irreverence, the narrative unfolds, delving into her most remarkable collaborations with first-hand commentary from Cher, Gloria Estefan, David Foster, Jennifer Hudson, Kesha and many more to showcase the creative genius that is Diane Warren. 

In an interview with Bess Kargman about the film, here is what she has to say:

Can you tell us your background and what led you to filmmaking?

BESS: I have been a storyteller for as long as I can remember (ask my parents) but I didn’t know from an early age that I would become a film director. I graduated from Amherst College with a passion for photography, art history and music but it wasn’t until I took a non-fiction writing workshop in New York City that I realized I wanted to shift into journalism and other forms of non-fiction storytelling. I attended Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and initially focused on public radio until, in my final semester, I took a documentary directing class that changed everything.

What do you love about documentary films that separates them from narrative films? And why do you think they are having a comeback?

BESS: There are a few principles that have guided me over the years - “a story is only as good as its characters” and “access is everything.” The first holds true for narrative filmmaking as well, but those characters are shaped in the writer’s room. My job as a documentary director is to not write other people’s stories - it is to capture their stories as an observer, and to not interfere. The best verité films are the ones where subjects seem to forget that a camera is in the room. To answer the question about documentaries making a comeback, to me it feels like the “Golden Age of documentary films” is waning. Just to clarify, the demand isn’t waning (people love true stories), but the outlets that distribute documentaries seem to be shrinking and/or consolidating. I pray that this is not a trend that continues.

You have worked on TV and film. Do you have a project or experience you are most proud of?