In each episode, the C.E.O. of WILDsound, Matthew Toffolo, chats about all things storytelling and film. Conversations with talented individual from all around the world.
WEEKEND RELEASE, 1min., UK
Directed by Susanda Wolf
A woman waits for her son to pick her up from the police station, but he isn't coming.
http://palmanda.com/
Get to know the filmmaker:
Motivation was a really good actress, Barbara. I worked with her previously and wrote it for her. Start to finish it took around an hour to film, a couple of hours to edit and less than hour to write so probably about half day.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
WARRIORS OF THE WORLD, 10min., USA
Directed by Gary McMillan Jr.
In a war that will decide the galaxy’s future, the greatest warriors from across the globe join forces to take down the dark forces of Death-Is-Fun-Gary and restore peace to the cosmos.
https://garymcmillanj611.myportfolio.com/
Get to know the filmmaker:
My love for Power Rangers and Mortal Kombat, I also wanted to play a villain. I had written the outline of this when I was a teenager, once I got to college I was able to structure and begin the process to film it. I’d say 3 years, I filmed 5 episodes and this was the cold opening that I showed.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
THE BRIDGE, 85min., USA
Directed by Evan Jackson Leong
Fifty years ago, our country grappled with widespread discrimination. In Los Angeles, neighborhood leaders challenged these barriers by establishing a community-focused bank, aiming to deliver the American dream to all. The East West Bank Foundation commissioned director Evan Leong to create The Bridge, which explores the struggles, perseverance, and successes of this remarkable journey.
http://www.thebridge-film.com/
Get to know the filmmaker:
As a 6th generation Chinese American I've been fortunate to tell the stories of my community. The Bridge is a story about a humble Chinatown bank that not only grew the community but became a global influence furthering our place in society. For me, I'd be happy to tell these stories for the rest of my career. I was not only inspired but blessed to collaborate with the East West Foundation and Dominic Ng.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
LAST STAND: SAVING THE ELWHA RIVER’S LEGACY FORESTS, 23min., USA
Directed by Dan Herz
When a large, ecologically sensitive legacy forest in the heart of the Elwha River Watershed was identified for harvest, the Earth Law Center, Keystone Species Alliance, and Center for Whale Research began using all legal means possible against the Washington State Department of Natural Resources in an attempt to halt the impending clear-cut. Through breathtaking cinematography and intimate interviews, witness the profound beauty and ecological significance of the watershed, as well as the dire consequences of unchecked deforestation.
Get to know director Dan Herz & Star Elizabeth Dunne
Dan: I met a woman named, Missy Lahren, at an event in San Francisco and she told me about the legacy forests up in Washington state and how she and the law firm where she worked – Earth Law Center, were trying to prevent the state from auctioning off legacy forests for timber harvest. After she explained about the Elwha River, the undamming, the healing of the watershed, the salmon coming back, etc., and how logging could damage the watershed, after spending hundreds of millions of dollars to remove the dams, I felt that it was a story that needed to be told.
Elizabeth: I want people to understand the imminent risk to our last remaining older legacy forests in the Elwha Watershed and Washington state, and really throughout the Cascadia Bioregion. My hope is that through watching the film people will understand what is happening to our forests and why it is important; that they will take action – including by voting for Dave Upthegrove, who was featured in the film, to be the next WA Public Lands Commissioner; and will feel empowered to bring people together in their own communities to protect the places they love.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
YOUR EVERYDAY HEROES OF COSTA RICA, 25min., USA
Directed by Hernán Salcedo
Your Everyday Heroes traveled to Costa Rica and searched for inspirational everyday people who are changing the world. Jeremy, Tracey, Vernon and Che are clearly all examples of what it takes to be a Hero, and we’re proud to share their stories with you.
http://www.youreverydayheroes.com/
https://www.facebook.com/youreverydayheroes
https://twitter.com/YEDHeroes
https://www.instagram.com/youreverydayheroes/
Get to know producer Albert H. Crane:
One of our film crews traveled to Costa Rica to film Jeremy Levine at Wild Sun Rescue of an episode of season two. Once they arrived, they kept meeting amazing people who were involved with their own non-profits, so we decided to feature all of them in a longer documentary in an effort to draw attention to their causes. To make this film? This production has many legs… Each hero ended up being featured in their own episode, then we decided to combine the 3 animal rescues and recut it from scratch, so to get this far has taken just about a year. That is why you see Che in the after credits, as he was the 4th hero we filmed in Costa Rica, but didn’t hit the theme of this story.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
MITOTE – SMOKEY MIRROR, 9min,. South Korea
Directed by Jana Sturmheit
In today’s world us humans have developed a complex social system of rules and expectations. Children are taught from the day they are born on how they are expected to behave. They are told what is right and wrong, what is possible and what not. That is, by the standards of the children’s parents and other people in their surroundings, in other words the society they grow up in.
https://instagram.com/jaystorm24.mov
Get to know the filmmaker:
It was not a graduate requirement to make a film in my department of video content design, but I felt like it would be the perfect opportunity to create my first work as director and choreographer. I have choreographed stage performances before but never a video and I wanted to portray the vision that I had inspired by the opening excerpt from the book “The Four Agreements” by Miguel Ruiz talking about Mitote – the smokey mirror.
When I have a dance vision, it plays like a movie in my head, rather than a stage performance. Often I find dance visuals intensely focused on the movement rather than the cinematic aesthetics and depth that different camera angles, movement and shot size and cuts add on the final film. I find one of the decisive factors are the intimate closeness that you can create through a camera that is impossible in a stage performance. A second factor is that the camera can move in between the dancers, which a spectator of a stage performance can’t either in most cases.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
SURVIVING TO THRIVING, 106min., Australia
Directed by Karin Isabelle Ochsner
As a fearless explorer with a disability, surfer and surf coach Karin Ochsner immerses herself in the raw beauty of nature. Her remarkable healing journey unfolds in the face of adversity.
http://www.surfingtosurvive.com/film2
https://www.instagram.com/surfingtosurvive/
Get to know the filmmaker:
This film is the sequel to a documentary about my health challenge, which has been organised by my friends. The purpose was to help me in my incredibly difficult struggles to survive with my countless severe allergies. During the filming, I was very sick and wasn’t able to put the messages in the documentary which I really wanted to pass on, hence I decided to do a second one to do so. The first documentary gave me so much support from my community and clarity in how to manage my disability, it improved my situation so much that I then could focus on filming my own story.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
HORNED, 4min,. USA
Directed by Jerrod D Brito
When a cocky cam boy jokingly live-streams a creepypasta dare, he inadvertently summons an ancient demon who craves more than just his soul.
Get to know the filmmaker:
Funny story. I attended Dan Savage’s HUMP Film Festival, a traveling film fest that features short films of an adult nature, and though they had many diverse films, I didn’t see any strictly horror movies. I felt there might be an opportunity there, so I tried to come up with a way to merge horror—my signature genre—with sex. I just started jotting notes and tried to find a way to combine them both, but be fair to both, too, and then I added a little humor. Those were the ingredients for “Horned.” But I really wanted to make sure it stood alone as a horror story, with a beginning, middle, and end, and as much character development as I could squeeze into a short in under five minutes of length. So I cut it two ways—a more explicit version for HUMP with thirty more seconds of content and a better punchline to the film (it was selected, by the way—it tours this fall), and the somewhat censored version we were lucky enough to screen at Horror Underground.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
FIRST GRADE HEADACHE, 13min., Canada
Directed by Jajube Mandiela
A burnt out first-grade teacher finds herself in a night from hell when a group of vindictive parents break into her home.
Get to know writer/producer/star Jacqueline Godbout & director Jajube Mandiela
Jacqueline (writer): I was wanting to make a horror film next, but it seems whenever I start writing anything remotely dark, it always becomes a dark comedy. I’m leaning into it now. Growing up, my mom was a teacher and I also work part time as a music teacher so there were likely some thoughts from that world floating around in my brain when daydreaming ideas. One day, I was just doing my favourite activity of playing around with loglines (no joke) when I came up with the logline of First Grade Headache. Right away, it was very clear to me that I wanted… needed to make this film now.
Jajube (director): It’s quirky, absurd and yet plausible. Looked like a fun script to film, I could relate to it, and genuinely laughed upon first reading it. How to direct it was very clear in my mind, and for a while Jacqueline (writer) and I had been regularly meeting to see how to collaborate on another project together.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
PARROT, 24min,. Canada
Directed by Cameron Faulkner
After forcibly being sold a parrot, Ollie is thrust into a surprise birthday party hosted by his roommates. The night spirals into chaos as he tries to regain control and sort his life out. Based on an unbelievable true story.
https://www.instagram.com/parrotfilmofficial/
Get to know Oliver de la Harpe:
Covid is the short answer. Charles (co-writer) and I were isolated across continents and in many FaceTime conversations we finally started to commit to a film project we had been talking about for a few years. It lived mainly as a script we would work on until Charles showed it to our director Cameron for notes. To which he signed on immediately and said he wanted to shoot. From there the only question was when.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
JACK, 5min., USA
Directed by Julian Curi
An art connoisseur finds himself on the run after he steals a priceless item from a ruthless man in this fun twist on a classic tale.
Get to know the filmmaker:
I’ve always loved adventure films, and this concept had been floating around it in my head for some time when 2020 hit. My co-producer Adam Lau said we should use our time as wisely as possible and start writing. Jack was one of the scripts that came out of that time. I’ve always loved movies that were untouchable by time. As this one is set in the early 1940s with our style, we thought it could be enjoyable for quite some time. And I also wanted to tell a story that was fast and engaging while also being easily digestible.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
HEART WORN OUT & AGAINST THE WALL, 6min., Romania
Directed by Izabella Sandra Alda, Ovidiu Claudiu Moldovan
This short “Heart Worn Out & Against The Wall” is a short movie about loneliness and fear. Fear of losing a loved one, of being superficial, of being unlovable. About the struggles of filling a void that can never be filled and mannerisms used to cope with these feelings. About wanting affection but not being able to deal with human interactions. About feeling disconnected, but never allowing this to be seen, and thus, constantly having to deal with the inauthenticity.
https://www.facebook.com/midoristarsmidore
https://twitter.com/midoristars24
https://www.instagram.com/midoristars/
Get to know director/singer Izabella Sandra Alda:
Ren's music video for "Hi Ren" ahaha. When I saw his video, it really gave me the confidence to make a similar music video, as I already had a piano version of "Against The Wall" and the "Heart Worn Out" spoken word poetry. It was meant to be something really simple, a one-shot type of video filmed from different angles, but while working on the script, it naturally shifted into what it is now.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
GET ME TO 21 – THE JENNA LOWE STORY, 88min., South Africa
Directed by Diana Joy Lucas
The extraordinary story of a young South African girl, her battle to get to 21 and the lasting impact she has had on the world around her. A riveting and inspiring story of advocacy, rare disease, organ donation, courage and hope.
https://www.jennalowetrust.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/710845692340944
https://instagram.com/jenna_lowe_trust
Get to know Executive Producer Gabi Lowe:
PH is a rare, cruel and silent disease and way too many people die from it before even being diagnosed. I know that if I can get Jenna’s compelling story out as far and wide a possible, it will impact thousands of people through earlier diagnosis which equals HOPE for a longer life and better quality of life. But that is not all that this Doccie s about … …illness and suffering aside, there are so many inspirational learnings to be found in this story such as the extreme grace, courage and a fighting yet gentle spirit that Jenna demonstrated that I feel the world can benefit from right now. Finding ways to truly live, make a difference, give back and find meaning even in the face of extreme suffering… now THAT is something we all need to learn and aim for.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
9/10: Love Before the Fall, 58min., USA
Directed by Daron Hagen
The myths of Orpheus and Charon are interwoven with the entirely sung magical-realist story of four friends dining in an Italian bistro who are fated to perish the next morning in the attack on the Twin Towers. At meal’s end, through magical realism, the restaurant’s mysterious strolling violinist is revealed to be Charon, hand extended, awaiting payment. Complying, each reconciles with death, and departs to the sounds of the next morning’s busy signals and the calls of first responders.
https://www.9-10operafilm.art/
https://facebook.com/burningsled
https://instagram.com/910_operafilm
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
THE SHEPHERD, 14min., USA
Directed by Arie Forma
Struggling with the news of his son’s interfaith engagement, a religious father seeks solace in his estranged brother.
https://www.arieforma.com/the-shepherd
https://www.instagram.com/rosecolored.pictures/
Get to know the filmmaker:
I was motivated to bring The Shepherd to life for a few reasons. The first is that the topic of interfaith marriages is very prevalent in my life. I was confused by the negative reactions to my sister dating a non-Jew. Upon further research, I saw that this issue extended beyond other religions and that there were stories where families could take these reactions a step too far (HINT HINT).”
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
OUT OF THE DARK, 3min,. USA
Directed by Alexa Ruggiero, Ashley Carrizo
A screendance film that portrays how certain relationships in ones life can cause turmoil. The process of letting someone go can be freeing while also being an emotional rollercoaster full of sadness, anger, and relief.
Get to know the filmmakers:
Alexa: To tell a story people can relate and connect to. I’ve always been passionate about dance so l loved using movement verse a script to tell that story.
Ashley: I had always wanted to create my own work on film but didn’t know how or where to start. I was associate choreographer last year on another artist’s project. That experience gave me the inspiration to want to create my own work with cameras and sets verse just creating choreography for stage.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
SYNTHETIC HOPE, 16min., USA
Directed by Chris Hinton
Faced with certain death a young girl unleashes a mysterious AI to help her escape.
https://www.instagram.com/synthetic_hope
Get to know the filmmaker:
Listening to the first 30 seconds of Gravastar by Hybrid when I was sick. It sounds like what a robot would hear when it’s booting up. I thought to myself what scenario could I create to have this in live action. So I wrote a story that created this situation. Unfortunately I couldn’t get Hybrid to let me use the song. I was close though, they were talking to me about it. Also I want to say, recent advances in AI motivated this story as well, there are a lot of unknowns as to how this emerging technology will be used.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
Low Down Larry Versus the Giant Reptile, 7min., USA
Directed by Sammy Verni
In their latest adventure together, Larry and Spike set out in a time machine to be the first to bring a living dinosaur back with them to present day. They’ve already been to the Moon and back, but this time have they gone too far?
Get to know the filmmaker:
Low Down Larry Versus the Giant Reptile is the second in a series of shorts that I have made based on a comic book character I used to draw when I was about ten years old. I see it as a love letter to that time in my life as well as an homage to sci fi b movies, classic stop motion and the Saturday morning cartoons that I grew up with.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
DIPPERS IN THE ALTAI IV; EMERGENCE OF THE CHICKS, 54min., UK
Directed by Andrew Laurie
In the course of his work as a wildlife conservation advisor to the Mongolian government, Andrew Laurie followed up on a childhood fascination with White-throated Dippers on the Teme near Ludlow, by finding out more about their lives in the Altai Mountains. Now resident in Cambridge, Andrew has made four films on Dippers in Mongolia – covering nest-building, incubation, feeding of the chicks in the nest, and this, the most recent one (2023) on the emergence of the chicks and their early lives on the river.
https://www.youtube.com/@andrewlaurie64/featured
Get to know the filmmaker:
Early experience and fascination with the White-throated Dipper in UK as a schoolboy led me to search for its breeding sites in the Mongolian Altai when there on an assignment much later in life – because although sigthings were common, particularly in winter on unfrozen streams, the local ornithologists did not know where it bred.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
BUTTERFLY'S BAQA, 6min., USA
Directed by Abby London, Mariam-Saba Ahmad
This heart-opening dance film Butterfly’s Baqa invites the viewer to drop into their heart and open to an experience of meaningful beauty. Dancers Mariam-Saba Ahmad and Antonio Samayoa move through a European traditional dance, the waltz, to modern American Pop music, expressing ancient Eastern spiritual concepts. The art and music are created and sung by Mariam-Saba Ahmad specifically for this film, to create a cohesive message, a reminder that there is a purpose to the difficulty we all experience, and that freedom and connection we all search for is within our grasp.
Subscribe to the podcast:
https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod
