CinematNIC by Nicole Russin-McFarland

For his thriller set most days on a city train, director Kevin Ward sought comedian/actor ("Whose Line Is It Anyway?") Jonathan Mangum for his first dramatic role. The change in his standard material is appreciated, with Mr. Mangum carrying the film beautifully. INTERVIEWED: film writer/director Kevin Ward, cinematographer/producer Harrison Reynolds, film score composer Rob Houle, actor Jonathan Mangum.

What would you do if a witch wearing your neighbor’s skin terrorized people in your area? “The Wretched” delves into that very idea, taking us into trees, summer partying and witchery in one horror feature film. Brett Pierce and Drew T. Pierce spoke with me at their Austin Film Festival screening about casting their lead actress and…their dad, Bart Pierce, a special effects artist on “The Evil Dead,” had to steal the spotlight!

Filmed on Long Island, “Family Obligations” is the story of a single man discovering life outside solitude when he takes care of a terminally ill uncle. The movie’s budget was a mere $16,000! The director Ken Frank and others discussed filmmaking on a tighter budget, making things happen at festivals, their characters, and the importance of strong writing. INTERVIEWED: Kenneth R. Frank, director and writer; Shawna Brandle, executive producer; Chris Mollica, actor and co-editor; Chandler Rosenthal,

Voiceover actress Cristina Milizia has acted in work for Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Netflix, and Disney. Topics covered in the interview: marketing herself as a bilingual actress, lots of tips for newbie voiceover actors, wearing "silent" clothes in the recording studio, and developing a range of character voices.

Sher Bautista and William Jones produced the Filipino film about Delia, an ill-tempered former actress, who has to find family to leave her equally difficult husband with before she dies, forcing themselves back into the lives of people they've hurt, estranged and antagonized.

Desperate to find a subject for his next novel, Ernesto Navarro follows the tracks of a mysterious killer, a man obsessed with drinking human blood and becoming immortal.

After his father's death, a young man, Walt (Andrew J. West), moves to his dad's hometown in order to learn more about who his father was. Walt decides to stay with his awkward aunt and her family, whose denial makes his search nearly impossible. He accepts a job in a local antique mall where his boss quickly offers him the possibility of a management position; however, a mean-spirited co-worker isn't pleased by his new competition and proceeds to sabotage any chance Walt has. Walt then