Telling stories through film and conversation.
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WILDsound's The Film Podcast

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.

Posts in Independent Film
EP. 1628: Filmmaker/Musician Daron Hagen (I HEAR AMERICA SINGING)

The conventions of documentary, musical theater, and magical realism are combined and subverted to address issues of personal, national, and artistic identity through the eyes of a composer desperate to pull off one final backer’s audition whilst hounded by a disdainful documentarian named Charon.

Feature Film: Musical, Meta-modernist, Documentary, Meta-fiction, Bardo, Opera, Musical Theater

https://instagram.com/americasinging

https://www.americasinging.art/

Director Statement

This film is the final installment of a project called "The Bardo Trilogy," which begins with "Orson Rehearsed," and continues with "9/10: Love Before the Fall." In the trilogy of features I explore, from the stance of an auteur composer-director-screenwriter-editor, the concept of "operafilm" -- a fusing of the procedures and tropes of lyric theater and cinema in a comprehensively correlative fashion in order to achieve a new form of "gesamtkunstwerk.,

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EP. 1621: Filmmaker Matt Jenkins (VAPOR TRAILS)

Vapor Trails, 11min., USA

Directed by Matt Jenkins

Mandy has just given Jethro an ultimatum, quick vaping or else. His friend Chuck thinks its going to be easy to quit.

https://www.instagram.com/misfits_of_film/

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EP. 1619: Filmmaker/Artist Meredith Adelaide (CHANGE - KRAMON Music Video)

Change - Kramon - Music Video.

The unconscious self and conscious self meet.

EP. 1615: Filmmaker Ted Clark (ALL EYES ON YOU)

ALL EYES ON YOU, min., UK

Directed by Ted Clarke

Paranoid couple Adam and Claire move to the peaceful countryside for a fresh start, but quickly become unsettled by a series of sinister interactions with their new neighbours, putting their trust - and relationship - to the test…

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EP. 1612: Filmmaker James Rigby (VERSIPELLIS)

Versipellis, 26min., UK
Directed by James Rigby
In this spine-chilling horror film, a young girl, Sophia, faces the dilemma of choosing whom to trust when an imposter infiltrates her home.

https://www.instagram.com/versipellis_film

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I wanted to challenge myself by making my first horror film. I was curious about how to approach the story, its themes, and the craft of building fear in an audience. I researched the genre, studied other films, and asked myself: what do I personally find scary, and why do I react that way? That exploration shaped the direction of the film.

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

The script was originally written and pitched during my time at Arts University Bournemouth. After taking a short break from it, I came back with fresh eyes, refined the concept, and pushed it forward. With the support of people around the world, we successfully crowdfunded £1,500, which allowed us to bring the project to life.

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EP. 1611: Filmmaker Amy Louise Pemberton (FOR LUCIE)

FOR LUCIE, 12min,. UK
Directed by Amy Louise Pemberton
When a devastating family secret comes to light, Nick and Liz must confront painful truths that will change their lives forever.

https://www.instagram.com/missamypembs/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Pemberton

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EP. 1610: Filmmaker Daniele Catini (DIFFERENTLY WATER)

Differently Water, 8min., Italy
Directed by Daniele Catini
Two Arab women meet underwater to express their love. The sea becomes an accomplice to a secret in which their eyes reveal that desire hidden from a world that cannot understand

.https://www.instagram.com/daniele_catini21

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-differently-water

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EP. 1607: Filmmaker Adam Wakeling (The Inga Tree Model 2025)

The Inga Tree Model 2025, 10min., Honduras

Directed by Adam Wakeling

The Inga Alley-Cropping pilot is in year 13 in rural, northern Honduras and has impressive results for carbon sequestered and avoided--876,000 tons in 12 years--trained and assisted by an all-Honduran team, 500 smallholder families have planted over 3 million native, nitrogen-fixing trees on steep, highly degraded land. The clearing/burning stops when a family plants their alley (a process that destroys 200,000 acres a day).

http://www.ingafoundation.org/

https://www.instagram.com/ingafoundation/

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EP. 1605: Filmmaker Daniella Meggoe & Benson Jackson (TALE & BONES – DARK PRINCESS)

Tale & Bones – Dark Princess, 3min., USA
Directed by Daniella Meggoe, Benson Jackson
Dark Princess is a psychological short highlighting the unique relationship between a grandmother and her grandchild. The innocent yet menacing ques are overlooked as something mysteriously dark is brewing.

http://www.sistastalk.org/talebones
https://instagram.com/Nellamovieproduction

Get to know filmmaker Daniella Meggoe:

What motivated you to make this film?
I love horror and creating. I enjoy being challenged, after creating my first short film in 2021 I decided to a horror film.

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

How would you describe your film in two words!?
Thriller Suspenseful

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Understanding angles and finding the right filming crew

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Excitement and joy, it’s interesting to see different perspectives on the film.

When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
Since I was 8 years old, my vision and creativity is pretty broad. I grew up watching movies from various genres and wondered “how did they do that” how did they make that look so real? I’m an avid story teller so I’m developing my creative side.

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EP. 1604: Filmmaker Brandon Katcher (Resonance in the Castle)

Resonance in the Castle, 17min., USA

Directed by Brandon Katcher

A mysterious castle breathes with light and color, drawing all who enter into its shifting embrace. Stained glass spills vivid hues across ancient stone, golden reflections dance over strange artifacts, and ethereal performances flare up like living paintings. Surreal, electric, and unbound by space or time. Musicians, dancers, and performance artists bring their visions to life, each performance casting a ripple, before fading into the ether. A place of mystery and spectacle, this living museum exists only in the moment it is seen, leaving behind only echoes. Here, the castle is not a place but a state of mind, a dream in motion, inviting us to lose ourselves within its walls.

https://www.lostsummitfilms.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

The opportunity to make Resonance in the Castle came at a key moment in my life, when I felt directionless and depleted. I had just wrapped a grueling, two-year documentary production, and like so many filmmakers, I found myself in that fog of burnout and uncertainty. What’s next? And then, pure coincidence gave me the opportunity to join an artist residency in a century-old castle in Italy. I traveled there with only a few basic ideas, the glimmer of a story. But through collaboration with musicians, dancers, sculptors, and actors from around the world, a film was born through the freedom of creating without expectation.

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

Not knowing what to expect from the location or the artists involved, I arrived in Italy with only basic ideas and visuals in my head. Once I was able to see the castle in person and meet the artists, those ideas became collaborations, and the scenes took shape. Each artist had a plan for their live performance, which we adapted for each room and scene. The actual filming took place over two days and became an improvisation as I learned to “dance” with each performer. During the week in the castle, we also performed live in front of an audience and filmed a documentary of the event. Once I returned home, the editing process took about two months.

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EP. 1603: Screenwriter Amy Kolquist (BEASTIES)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORLXdXShdAk

Desperate to escape her abusive, Christian Nationalist family, a teenage girl finds an unlikely ally when a female werewolf from a pack dead set on killing her family lands in her home, and the attraction they develop for each other forces them into a fight for their very survival.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?
Beasties is a coming of age, horror story, about Mara, a late teen girl living on a remote ranch in Montana with her abusive, Christian nationalist family with dreams, but no means, of escaping. Her life changes when Lilly, the daughter of an equally toxic werewolf clan traveling through Montana, ends up saving Mara’s life and consequently lands in Mara’s family’s home during an extreme winter storm. As Lilly’s family descends on the farm to retrieve Lilly, Mara’s family realizes that Lilly and Mara have formed a romantic connection, going against the very roots of their family moral system. With Lilly’s family hell bent on destroying Mara’s, and Mara’s family hell bent on destroying Mara and Lilly, the two girls find themselves in a desperate battle for survival that forces them to each question their own moral compass if they are to win.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Horror and coming of age

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
This movie works with current and relevant themes that are being questioned in our current political climate. The idea of “beasts” is examined in the film superficially as the werewolves, but more authentically of how we have characterized people as beasts within our society based on our morale beliefs. While Mara’s mom tries to initially save Lilly because it is the Christian thing to do, once she realizes that Mara and Lilly have connected romantically, she moves to kill not just Lilly, but also Mara, as her religious beliefs are so compromised by the thought of her daughter being a lesbian. The script also explores the hypocrisy of using our beliefs to defend our actions. In spite of his strong religious beliefs, Mara’s father kills Lilly’s father early in the script because he feels that Lilly’s father is morally beneath him. The script also explores themes of toxic masculinity and the difference in the rules in our society depending on gender. It’s also a fun horror movie set in a remote, barren setting, that has some good old fashioned fun horror scenes.

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EP. 1601: MARIPOSA film team (DigiPen Institute of Technology)

Mariposa, 5min,. USA
Directed by Brook Vitovsky
Mariposa’s world begins to unravel around her when she finds a mysterious butterfly.

Conversation with director: Brook Vitovsky. producer: Cambria Cheney. composer: Chase Miller. artist/writer: EmmaLeigh Fleck. artist: Kiera Vermeal

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
Growing up, I, Brook Vitovsky, watched my great-grandmother struggle with dementia. From the time I was a toddler until I was thirteen, I saw how the disease slowly affected her mind and spirit. Witnessing that experience firsthand made me realize how deeply dementia impacts not only those who live with it but also their families. My motivation for making this film comes from a desire to honor that experience — to reach people’s hearts and create a sense of shared understanding and connection.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
My team and I worked on this film for over a year.

How would you describe your film in two words!?
Heartfelt and bittersweet

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The biggest challenge we faced was definitely the layout. Matching the perspective from the storyboards to the 3D model in Maya proved difficult, especially when it came to controlling the camera.

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EP. 1597: Screenwriter A.E. Guaaker (THE VILLAGE PHANTOM)

Watch the Best Scene Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew4yxfT2YUA

Fiona Haegerbergh, a journalist for The Metro Standard, arrives in a rural Norwegian town to investigate rising drug use. Officially, she’s there to produce a webcast— but Fiona has her own agenda: uncovering the truth behind the recent suspicious death of a local drug dealer. Fiona’s editor urges her to stay on task, as much is riding on the Metro Standard’s survival—now largely dependent on the recent success of its popular web series.


Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

My screenplay is about a journalist Fiona Haegerbergh, who travels to a remote Norwegian town to cover rising drug use for her paper’s popular web series, but she’s secretly investigating the suspicious death of a local dealer. She’s met with hostility from townsfolk and a wary sheriff, but she gradually earns his reluctant trust as she digs into the community’s hidden drug network. Her search leads to Jenny, a young mine worker with ties to Fiona’s brother, who may have inherited the operation. When Jenny is suddenly found drowned, Fiona’s investigation takes a darker turn and she is faced with a devastating choice: expose what she’s uncovered and risk her own secret being revealed—or stay silent and let the town’s shadows close in.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Thriller, Mystery

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Because it has a good mystery, loveable characters and an unexpected twist.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Powerful forces

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EP. 1594: Filmmaker/Musician Donna Weng Friedman (A SILENT CRY)

“A Silent Cry” is a two-and-a-half-minute microfilm set in the Himalayan Mountains—one of the world’s most vital and fragile ecosystems. The film uses evocative visuals and music to highlight the urgent need to sustain and protect this unique environment, which is essential for countless species and provides life-sustaining resources for millions of people.

Project Links

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EP. 1592: Screenwriter Nancy Franklin (ALL THE KING’S HORSES)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgCnQQd1mmY

In a 1960s rural community, a young girl navigates her coming-of-age only to discover family secrets of mental illness, love, and loss that change the course of her life.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?
It’s a coming-of-age story about a girl trying to find her place in the turbulent 1960s, a time of women’s rights, civil rights, and gay rights. But what she sees in herself and what others see in her are at odds, and she must navigate mental illness, loss, and the redemptive power of love to find her true self.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Drama and coming-of-age


Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
The most compelling aspect of this movie is its strong connection to “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The story parallels the turbulent ’60s with our political climate today, showing us how far we’ve come and the dangers that await us today if we go back.

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EP. 1586: Filmmaker Heloísa Cardoso (SUBMERGED)

A young woman waits for her lover for a secret trip. However, he does not show up and does not respond to her messages. That’s when strange and inexplicable events begin to happen in her house. She asks for help from her lover, who ignores her. Realizing that she is hopelessly alone, she gives up waiting for salvation and surrenders to her own shadow.


https://www.instagram.com/cardosohelo/?hl=en

Director Statement

"Submerged" is my graduation film from Academia Internacional de Cinema. This short film is an extension of the research I’ve been developing in theatre and literature, proposing a reflection on the tendency to wait, something encouraged in girls from a very young age. The wait for a great love, a hope for something external that will give life meaning. The horror surrounding this waiting evokes the idea of a monstrous femininity: when left alone, the protagonist of "Submerged" unconsciously materializes her shadow, which ultimately consumes her and breaks the cycle of passivity.

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EP. 1584: Filmmakers Cherie Carson & Micha Dunston (SPLIT FOCUS)

SPLIT FOCUS, 6min., Dance/Experimental

Directed by Cherie Carson. DP/Editor: Micha Dunston

"Split Focus" is a captivating dance film that delves into the intricate relationship between self-perception and external projection. Through mesmerizing shadow play, the film explores images of spirit and internal feelings versus outward appearances, prompting viewers to question which aspect demands more attention— the dancer herself or her shadow. Visually poetic, it offers a compelling examination of how we project ourselves into the world and the duality of inner and outer identities.


http://www.upswingaerialdance.org/

https://www.instagram.com/upswingaeriaDirector Statement

I explore the layers of human identity and emotion through movement and visual storytelling.

My choreography and filmmaking are driven by a desire to illuminate the unseen forces that shape our understanding of ourselves and others. "Split Focus" is a dialogue between the physical body and its shadow, using dance and shadow play as a metaphor for the internal and external worlds we inhabit.

I look to challenge perceptions, create imagery that encourages viewers to reflect on the projections, masks, and truths that define us. With a background rooted in both choreography and award-winning filmmaking, I strive to craft immersive, visually compelling narratives that resonate on a visceral level—highlighting the beauty, complexity, and often unseen depths of the human spirit.

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EP. 1580: Filmmaker Ben Harl (MARA)

MARA, 18min., USA, Horror/Thriller

After years spent recovering from a botched exorcism, Jake prepares to reintegrate into society. However, the mounting pressures of everyday existence trigger a harrowing regression back into madness. Conversation with filmmaker Ben Harl

https://www.instagram.com/scompassstudios/

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EP. 1579: Filmmaker/Musician Matt Cargill (Glistening Benevolence)

Glistening Benevolence, 6min., UK, Music Video

Directed by Matt Cargill

https://instagram.com/familydrone

Sly & The Family Drone Unleash ‘Glistening Benevolence’: Take the trip into slime-drenched folk horror and the cosmic unknown. . .

Neo-jazz wrecking-crew Sly & The Family Drone summon forth a new vision of terror and transcendence with the video premiere of ‘Glistening Benevolence’. Filmed at an undisclosed, shadowy music festival in the heart of Hampshire, the visual journey is a macabre ritual of psychedelic sludge, blending live performance footage with ominous vignettes of slime-coated landscapes, cosmic dread, and unholy rites under the moon.

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