MovieMaker

We talk with Benjamin Ree about his documentary 'The Remarkable Life of Ibelin' (2024). The film tells the story of Mats Steen, a young Norwegian man born with a severe form of muscular dystrophy that left him physically isolated for most of his life. Through the online multiplayer game 'World of Warcraft,' however, Mats found connection with a community. Unbeknownst to his family, he had created a second life in the game as his character, Ibelin, building deep friendships with other players while keeping his real identity and health struggles private. When he passed away at just 25 years old, his family mourned what they thought had been a lonely life – until they began receiving an outpouring of messages from Mats' friends around the world.To bring Mats' online world to life, Benjamin collaborated with animators to recreate scenes from Mats' life in 'World of Warcraft,' allowing viewers to experience the exact environment, characters, and activities Mats had been immersed in. These scenes are blended with selections from the extensive video footage Mats' family captured of his life in the physical world.Benjamin Ree is a three-time Sundance award-winning director, known for several documentaries, including 'Magnus' and 'The Painter and the Thief.'Actual Facts is hosted by Eric SteuerSend us a note: actualfactspod@gmail.comOur show's theme music is by Yalls: https://www.dancasey.me/Benjamin Ree: https://benjaminree.com/MovieMaker Magazine: https://www.moviemaker.com/ 

Joining us is Nicholas Ma to discuss his documentary 'Leap of Faith' (2024), which follows twelve diverse Christian leaders from Grand Rapids, Michigan, as they gather for a series of retreats led by Michael Gulker, organizer of a project called the Colossian Forum. Over a year, these pastors—five women and seven men from various denominations and with differing beliefs and approaches—engage in deep conversations on divisive issues, exploring perspectives shaped by their faith and experiences. We witness moments of deep pain and frustration as their views clash, but we're also there for the discovery of surprising points of connection.Nicholas collaborated on the film with longtime partner Morgan Neville; the duo also made the great Fred Rogers documentary, 'Won’t You Be My Neighbor?'. An award-winning director, writer, and producer, Nicholas's work includes the WNBA documentary 'Unfinished Business' and his feature debut 'Mabel,' which was awarded the Sloan Prize. A former DOC NYC fellow and Film Independent Fellow, he also previously worked on global economic policy on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.Actual Facts is hosted by Eric SteuerSend us a note: actualfactspod@gmail.comTheme music by Yalls: https://www.dancasey.me/'Leap of Faith': https://leapoffaithmovie.com/MovieMaker Magazine: https://www.moviemaker.com/ 

We speak with Nick August-Perna about his documentary 'Tell Them You Love Me' (2023). The film explores the complex and controversial case of Anna Stubblefield, a former Rutgers ethics professor who was convicted in 2015 for the sexual assault of Derrick Johnson, a nonverbal Black man with cerebral palsy. Stubblefield, a white woman, met Johnson while working to improve his communication skills using Facilitated Communication, a controversial and often disputed method in which a facilitator helps guide a person with disabilities in typing or pointing to letters. Stubblefield claimed that, through this process, she and Johnson developed a deep emotional bond, which led to a consensual sexual relationship. However, Johnson's mother, Daisy, his brother, John, and ultimately the court argued that Derrick lacked the cognitive ability to consent, accusing Stubblefield of manipulating both his communication and his capacity for intimacy. Nick is an award-winning director, producer, and editor, known for co-directing 'The Oxy Kingpins' (2021) and 'The Swell Season' (2011), among other works.Actual Facts is hosted by Eric SteuerSend us a note: actualfactspod@gmail.comTheme music by Yalls: https://www.dancasey.me/Nick August-Perna: https://www.nickaugustperna.com/MovieMaker Magazine: https://www.moviemaker.com/ 

Ed Pressman was one of Hollywood's most impressive producers — a man who worked on films from American Psycho to The Crow to Wall Street to cult classics like The Phantom of the Paradise and Bad Lieutenant. His son Sam Pressman took over Pressman Films when his father died last year at 79. Sam Pressman has bold ideas about how to keep making daring films, and one of those ideas is turning to a favorite practice of scrappy DIY filmmakers, crowdfunding. But why is a business known for making classics the old-fashioned way turning to online investors? Sam Pressman explains his new approach — and tells us some great stories.You can get details about the Pressman Film at Republic.com/Pressman.And of course, please check out Actual Facts, on this very feed.And visit us all the time at MovieMaker.com.

Clair Titley joins to discuss her documentary 'The Contestant' (2023). The film tells the surreal story of Nasubi, an aspiring Japanese comedian who, in 1998 at the age of 22, was selected for a reality TV show produced by the team behind the popular series 'Denpa Shonen.' Stripped of his clothes and placed in a tiny apartment, Nasubi was tasked with surviving solely on magazine sweepstakes winnings until he amassed 1 million yen in prizes. For 15 months, he lived in isolation, unaware that his every move was being broadcast to millions under the title 'A Life in Prizes,' making him one of Japan’s biggest TV stars—without his knowledge or consent. Clair is a BAFTA-nominated director who began her career making oral history films for the BBC. She premiered 'The Contestant' at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, where it quickly became a favorite at festivals like Camden and Doc NYC.Actual Facts is hosted by Eric SteuerSend us a note: actualfactspod@gmail.comTheme music by Yalls: https://www.dancasey.me/Clair Titley: https://clairtitley.com/MovieMaker Magazine: https://www.moviemaker.com/ 

We talk to filmmaker Elisa Levine about her documentary 'Sweetheart Deal.' The film tells the story of four women—Kristine, Krista, Tammy, and Sara—who navigate life on Seattle's infamous Aurora Avenue, a street packed with traffic, motels, and liquor stores, and known for being one of the city's main hubs for street-based sex work. 'Sweetheart Deal' explores the women’s complex relationships with each other, their families, and a man named Elliott, a self-proclaimed healer who offers the women food, shelter, and a place to detox in his RV. At first, Elliott seems like a savior, but as time goes on, the lines between helper and exploiter begin to blur. 'Sweetheart Deal was shot over several years in vérité style and captures the women’s humanity and resilience as they search for hope amidst the hardships of their daily lives.Actual Facts is hosted by Eric SteuerSend us a note: actualfactspod@gmail.comTheme music by Yalls: https://www.dancasey.me/'Sweetheart Deal': https://www.sweetheartdealmovie.com/MovieMaker Magazine: https://www.moviemaker.com/ 

Micah Khan is one of our favorite people in moviemaking. After years of making shorts and writing his own scripts, he's making his directorial debut on The Weekly World News film THE ZOMBIE WEDDING, the story of the first ever human-zombie wedding, with an ensemble cast that includes Cheri Oteri, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Seth Gilliam, Heather Mattarazo, Vincent Pastore, and many more. We talk with Micah about how he brought his love of visual storytelling, even when time and budget are tight.

Jeremy Saulnier has done it all with Rebel Ridge. It's an action thriller Netflix hit... but also a smart indictment of a law enforcement policy almost everyone hates. And a movie for grown-ups. And a win for the kind of mid-budget movies that aren't supposed to be hits any more.But as we talk about Saulnier's rise as a filmmaker, we see that he's very much paid his dues in the micro-budget indie world.Here is Jeremy Saulnier's very frank 2014 piece on the making of his breakthrough film, Blue Ruin.