Reel Wisdom with Derek Diamond

Derek takes a look back at a fun interview from 2016 with Jason Robbins and Wally Phelps, the co-writers of the horror comedy film “Monsters Anonymous”!  (NOTE: This originally aired as Episode 101 on May 5, 2016) Podcasters/filmmakers Jason Robbins and Wally Phelps chat with Derek about how they met, the days of message boards, the process of making their short film ...

Actors Jaqueline Fleming and Jeremy Holm join the show to chat with Derek about how Covid-19 has affected their career, what made them want to become actors, and how working in theater helped transition to careers in film and television. They also talk about their time on set of their latest film “Don’t Look Back”, fun on-set stories, and advice for aspiring filmmakers. Hosted on Acast. See acast....

Since the days of Edgar Allen Poe, audiences have been fascinated by the horror genre. And that popularity has grown even more since the inception of horror films. Derek kicks off Halloween Horror Month with a special Facebook Live podcast to discuss his new appreciation for the genre and how he overcame his long-standing anxiety for it. He also lists his Top 5 Horror Films, and reads the lists of...

Actor Danielle Deadwyler joins the show to chat with Derek about how Covid-19 has affected her career, the culture of her hometown of Atlanta, and what made her want to become an actor. She also talks about why she wanted the role of Lemon Cassidy in “The Devil to Pay”, why it felt empowering to her, her time on set of the “Watchmen” TV series, and advice for aspiring filmmakers. Hosted on Acast....

Film festivals have become more prevalent with the rise of independent filmmaking. Paige McCay and Java Moody join the show to chat with Derek about what made each of them want to become filmmakers, and the creation of their production company “321 Productions”. They also talk about why they wanted to create the Mountain Tales Film Festival, the challenges of changing the festival due to Covid-19,...

Back to the Future has been regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made. Filmmakers Steve Wise (Sur’vi) and Jessie McCormack (Piss Off, I Love You) join Derek to discuss their memories of being introduced to “Back to the Future”, why it’s considered a “perfect film”, and the underrated performances of Lea Thompson and Tom Wilson. They also talk about some of their favorite...

Derek is joined by filmmakers Kevin and Nikki Del Principe to discuss how the pandemic has affected their career, why you don’t have to live in Los Angeles to be a filmmaker, and what made them want to work in the industry. They also talk about the value of having a strong filmmaking community, the process of making their first feature “Up on the Glass”, some of the film’s emotional moments, advic...

Derek is joined by writer/director/actor Jessie McCormack to discuss how the pandemic has affected her work, their mutual love of 80s films, and how she fell in love with the entertainment industry at an early age. She also talks about transitioning from acting to writing, the inspiration behind her webseries “Piss Off, I Love You,” the importance of having a good cast and crew, advice for aspirin...

DC Fandome, Warner Bros and DC’s virtual Comic-Con, garnered 22 million live viewers and gave us a glimpse into the future of the DC films. Derek hosts a special Facebook Live podcast to recap the massive amount of news from the event, including the incredible trailer for “The Batman,” the possibilities of future DC films exploring the multiverse, and how DC can catch up to Marvel Studios. Derek e...

Derek is joined by writer/director/producer Ben Rehki to discuss how the pandemic has affected his career, what may happen with the movie theater business model, and what the “new normal” could possibly be for the entertainment industry. Ben also talks about discovering his love of filmmaking at an early age, learning a wealth of knowledge on the set of “O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?,” the challenge...

The impact of Covid-19 has affected everyone and has changed the world in many ways. Film producer and psychotherapist Rebecca Day joins the show to chat with Derek about why she wanted to work in the film industry and the role of a producer. She also talks about what made her want to pursue a career in psychotherapy, the importance of “work-life balance”, the creation of her therapy practice “Fil...

The epicenter of all great films can be narrowed down to a few common things. A great story is one of those things. Filmmaker, screenwriter, and award-winning author Tom Deschenes joins the show to chat with Derek about their mutual love of pro wrestling, the use of characters in storytelling, the three act structure and how it applies to trilogies, how he got involved with the documentary “One Te...

Derek is joined by artist and filmmaker Ryan Brookhart to discuss growing up in Ohio, recreating films as a kid, their thoughts on those that are critical of creative mediums, their mutual love of movie posters, and his time as Art Director of Full Moon Entertainment. They also talk about what could happen in the creative world after the pandemic, why he directed his latest film “Two Ways to Go We...

Derek is joined by filmmaker Kyle Couch to discuss his small town roots, how that played into his love of storytelling, and becoming a filmmaker. Kyle also talks about why it’s a good thing for filmmakers to “wear many hats” during the process, what he loves about editing and writing, working on his first feature film “The Tent,” and advice for aspiring filmmakers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p...

Writer/director/producer Steve Wise joins the podcast to discuss all things screenwriting. We discuss the lessons Steve learned during his time at the University of Central Florida, how to get started with your script, character development, and dialogue. We also talk about things to avoid doing in a screenplay, getting critical feedback, and what to do with your screenplay once it's complete. Hos...

Writer/director/actor Mike Mayhall joins the show to chat with Derek about how Covid-19 has affected his work, wanting to be an actor from an early age, and performing in Disney and Universal stage shows. He also talks about the transition to film and television, why he became a writer/director, being nominated for an Emmy as part of his “Bronx SIU” series, doing stuntwork for “Bill & Ted Face the...

To celebrate the release of the Hamilton film on Disney +, Derek is revisiting the Hamilton-themed episode of the podcast! (NOTE: This was originally released as Episode #195) Hamilton has become one of the most well-reviewed musicals in modern history, and we're talking about it on the podcast! Adam Waldron, Joey Truncale, Luke Thompson, Anna Striano, and Jake Hall join Derek to discuss how they...

Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world, known for its lemurs and unique biodiversity. But the real Madagascar is much different than the world imagines. Former lawyer turned documentary filmmaker Cam Cowan joins the show to chat with Derek about why he made a career change, the inspiration behind his documentary “Madagasikara,” the most challenging aspects of making it a reality, and...

Filmmakers Jen Bagley and Mary Hewey join the show to chat with Derek about how they met, what gave them the idea to make a documentary, learning Jack and YaYa’s stories, the challenges of making the documentary with no crew, how it emotionally affected them, and the impact they hope it has on the transgender and LGBTQ communities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are we fascinated by villains? There have been multiple occasions in film and television where the villain is more interesting than the protagonist. This week, Derek hosts a live edition of the podcast and talks about why he’s drawn to these types of characters, lists his Top 10 Villains in Film and TV, and also reads the lists of the viewers and listeners! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...

Actor/writer/director Miles Doleac joins the show to chat with Derek about growing up in Mississippi, the rise of creative arts in the southeast, encouraging words for aspiring filmmakers, what made him want to pursue a career as an actor, and reflecting on himself as an artist. He also talks about his time on set of “Son of a Gun,” his latest feature film “The Dinner Party,” and his advice for as...

During the pandemic, we’ve been looking to movies and television for a distraction. One genre that rarely fails to serve as a distraction is comedy. Derek lists his top 10 comedy films, and also reads the lists of the viewers and listeners! (0:14) Finally, actress/writer Victoria Vertuga joins the show to chat with Derek about how she’s handing the pandemic, working in the business side of enterta...

From the archives of unreleased episodes comes a fun panel from the inaugural Pensacola Indie Fringe and Comedy Festival! Panelists Scott Warner, Marianne del Gallego, Clayton Habecker, Connie Morris, Kip Hayes, and Rodney Whatley join Derek to discuss why they got into writing, the challenges of writing comedy, how they address critiques, and take questions from the audience! Hosted on Acast. See...

One of the most important film genres of Derek’s childhood is science fiction. His love of classics such as “Star Wars” and “Back to the Future” helped shape his taste in movies. On this week’s podcast, Derek talks about his love of the genre, his Top 10 Sci-Fi films, and also reads the lists of the viewers and listeners! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since seeing “X2” in theaters back in 2003, Hugh Jackman has been one of Derek’s favorite actors, and this week he’s bringing his Jackman fandom to the podcast! Derek hosts a special Facebook Live show to talk about why he’s a big fan, some of his favorite Hugh Jackman roles, why he thinks Jackman is an underrated actor, the diversity of the characters he plays, and what he hopes to see from Hugh...