Rex Sikes' Movie Beat

Rocky Wagonhurst’s five-decade journey through the world of media is nothing short of extraordinary. He began in the 1970s as a Universal Studios tour guide and went on to appear on The Young and the Restless, star in national commercials, and play Laertes in a five-hour production of Hamlet.  He was also directed by Steven Spielberg in Minority Report alongside Tom Cruise and once soared 10,000 f...

Derek Pfister, an award-winning cinematographer and editor is the founder of Chair on Stair Films. He holds a BS in Radio-TV-Film with a minor in Journalism from the UW Oshkosh. With over 20 years of experience behind the lens, Derek's built a dynamic career that spans commercial, documentary, and narrative filmmaking. His work has taken him across the Midwest, capturing powerful stories and creat...

Michael Sajbel has written, produced and/or directed over a dozen feature films. His most recent film, Florida Wild, is pending release. The film stars Pierson Fode (Man from Toronto), Elle Chapman (The Madison 2026), Bailey Chase (Longmire), Chandler Riggs (Walking Dead), Mira Sorvino and Lee Majors.  The Mulligan, based on the Ken Blanchard & Wally Armstrong book of the same name, was released t...

Jeff Olm is a veteran colorist, VFX artist, and creative technologist with over 35 years of experience in film, television, and emerging media. He has contributed to more than 100 major studio films—including Titanic, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Harry Potter—and collaborated with leading studios such as Disney, DreamWorks, Marvel, Sony, and Universal.  In recent years, Jeff has expanded...

Rex Sikes' Movie Beat: Conversations with Filmmakers: Is a masterclass in what to do and not do inm content development, production and distribution. Guests this week are Suzanne Jurva is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, and executive known for her impactful work in documentary and narrative storytelling. A former executive at DreamWorks, she supervised and lead the research department on: Am...

Fred Fox Jr, writer/producer wrote spec script for All In The Family with friend Gary Shandling. New Year’s Eve 1975 Fred got a call from Cindy Williams saying she was going to be on a new show, Laverne and Shirley. She asked if he wanted to be her gopher and an apprentice writer. Fred met Garry Marshall and was offered the job that started his lucky run in the sitcom world. He spent a year on Lav...

Fred Fox Jr, writer/producer wrote spec script for All In The Family with friend Gary Shandling. New Year’s Eve 1975 Fred got a call from Cindy Williams saying she was going to be on a new show, Laverne and Shirley. She asked if he wanted to be her gopher and an apprentice writer. Fred met Garry Marshall and was offered the job that started his lucky run in the sitcom world. He spent a year on Lav...

Joshua Brandon, director. In his early 20s, Josh ran a theatre company with his cousin Steven known as CANNED LAUGHTER, which specialized in producing and directing world-renowned plays and musicals. In 2008, after less than two years in the industry, Josh and Steven sold a TV pilot to ABC Family called SINGLE GIRL THEORY. They worked as staff writers on CBS’s FRIEND ME before going their separate...

Writer Director Todd Robinson’s films often explore the boundaries of the human condition as evidenced by his submarine thriller “Phantom”, Ridley Scott's epic, “White Squall” which he wrote and produced and now The Last Full Measure. Sidney Sherman is the founder/CEO of Rosa Entertainment an indie film/television production & management co. He's produced both narrative and documentary feature...

Christopher Lockhart is a Hollywood executive, teacher and producer with over 30 years of industry experience.  Chris worked as Story Editor at ICM, the William Morris Agency and WME. Chris worked with legendary talent agent Ed Limato helping to find projects for actors such as Denzel Washington, Mel Gibson, Steve Martin, Richard Gere, Michelle Pfeiffer, Liam Neeson, Claire Danes, Robert Downey Jr...

Michael Feifer grew up in a show biz family.  His father was Head of Television Research for 20th Century Fox in the late 60's and 70's. After graduating college Mike decided to take advantage of the fact that his father was producing independent films.  After working on only three projects, at twenty-four Mike produced his first feature.  Eventually, Mike began producing films for others and has...

Director David Winning enjoys 38 features, 29 series, and over 150 TV credits. Known for Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda, MGM’s Stargate: Atlantis, ABC’s Dinotopia and HBO's Exception to The Rule, starring Kim Cattrall, Sean Young and Eric McCormack. He's a proven and prolific film and TV director in virtually all genres. He began making movies at the age of ten. He made his first short Sequence at 1...

Hot Moves helped established Peter Foldy as a writer and before long he also began directing feature films, working with stars such as Paul Rudd, Beverly D'Angelo, Academy Award winner, Louise Fletcher and Eugene Levy among many others. His 2018 feature, Love on Repeat, is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. In 2019 he also produced 2 films, Finding Hannah, directed by legendary director, Sidney...

Writer/Director Todd Robinson — Before working with a cadre of major talent alongside the likes of Ridley Scott, Sydney Pollack, Shakar Kapur, Jan DeBont, Michael Bay and others, Robinson was trained as an actor which has informed his considerable work in film and television.  Robinson’s films often explore the boundaries of the human condition set against the action of large-scale theatrical back...

Lance Kawas, director, has a passion for writing screenplays and directing. Lance spent ten years writing 30 screenplays which earned him 19 national screenplay competition awards and opened the door for him to direct indie films. His films include horror feature Silent Scream, true mob story Street Boss. A children's movie The Deported. His 4th the drama/action Restitution. Recent projects includ...

Michael Sajbel is a feature film writer, producer and Director whose career has now spanned over three decades. Wraith (2018) is his most recent film, shot in Neenah, Wisconsin, starring Lance Henriksen, Jackson Hurst and Ali Hillis. Michael is perhaps best known for The Ultimate Gift, starring James Garner, Brian Dennehy and Abigail Breslin. He also directed, One Night with The King, a faithful r...

Michael Sajbel is a feature film writer, producer and Director whose career has now spanned over three decades. Wraith (2018) is his most recent film, shot in Neenah, Wisconsin, starring Lance Henriksen, Jackson Hurst and Ali Hillis. Michael is perhaps best known for The Ultimate Gift, starring James Garner, Brian Dennehy and Abigail Breslin. He also directed, One Night with The King, a faithful r...

Michael Sajbel is a feature film writer, producer and Director whose career has now spanned over three decades. Wraith (2018) is his most recent film, shot in Neenah, Wisconsin, starring Lance Henriksen, Jackson Hurst and Ali Hillis. Michael is perhaps best known for The Ultimate Gift, starring James Garner, Brian Dennehy and Abigail Breslin. He also directed, One Night with The King, a faithful r...

Rod Lurie wrote & directed the Academy Award & Golden Globe Award nominated thriller “The Contender” starring Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges, Gary Oldman & Christian Slater which was honored by the Broadcast Film Critics with the first-ever Alan J. Pakula Award. Lurie created the TV series “Commander In Chief”  nominated for the Best Drama Series Golden Globe. Geena Davis won the Best Actres...

Dan Davies is an internationally acclaimed and award winning writer/actor/producer. He's co-starred, produced or written feature films that have been nominated for a BIFA (British Independent Film Award), the African Academy Award, AIFI's American Indian Best Film Award, Toronto Film Festival Best Film, Raindance Film Festival Best Film etc., and he has won Political Film Society's Best Film (Huma...

Susan Sherayko, authored 'Rainbows Over Ruins', is a 3-time Daytime Emmy nominated Executive in Charge of Production/Line Producer of Home & Family on Hallmark Channel. She's a member of PGA & Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. She's a Certified psychosynthesist, Empowered Spiritual Life Coach, LifeSuccess Consultant, Power Habits Coach and Afformer.  Susan Sherayko offers life, succ...

Producer, Director, and Finisher Jeff Olm started in the business as a cameraman and editor for Green Bay, WI television stations. He moved to Hollywood to work as Flame/VFX artist on movies like Fifth Element, Titanic, Die Hard, Zodiac, Spider-Man, and Armageddon. He was working as a colorist for Dreamworks where he graded Madagascar 3, Puss in the Boots, How to Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Pand...

Producer, Actor, Author Peter Sherayko makes himself available to colleges and universities to share his 40 years in the business with those who wish a career in entertainment. Peter acts and produces for both film and television, appearing in over 81 films and 200 television and stage shows. Peter was a producer on the film Bone Tomahawk with his longtime friend, Kurt Russell. His last two produc...

To be successful in the movie business you need to known and understand the movie business. It is a profit driven manufazturing process of creative content. You need to know how to find or raise money to make get your projecgs done. You need to know where to go and what to do to get your projects released, distributed to the markets so you can see a return on your investment. If you want to make a...

Michael Feifer grew up in a show biz family.  His father was Head of Television Research for 20th Century Fox in the late 60's and 70's. After graduating college Mike decided to take advantage of the fact that his father was producing independent films.  After working on only three projects, at twenty-four Mike produced his first feature.  Eventually, Mike began producing films for others and has...