Rex Sikes' Movie Beat

Paul Weber, CSA, PT3 is one of Hollywood’s most respected Casting Directors. As longtime Executive Head of Television Casting and Feature Film Consultant for MGM Studios, Weber effectively moved between both mediums with ease. Rex Sikes' Movie Beat is sponsoring a one day casting workshop with Paul Saturday October 13 in Milwaukee, WI and during the show we will discuss what actors need to know to...

Brad Lichtenstein, award-winning filmmaker, president of 371 Productions, from 2003 when he moved from NYC to Milwaukee, WI. His newest documentary is As Goes Janesville. The film will air on the PBS series Independent Lens in October of 2012. Before making his own films, Brad associate produced FRONTLINE’s Peabody award-winning presidential election year special, Choice ’96, and Lumiere Productio...

Marci Liroff, casting director. Her extensive credits as a casting director span more than 50 films. While working at the renowned casting office of Fenton-Feinberg Casting she, along with Mike Fenton, cast such films as Bob Clark's “A Christmas Story” and “Porky’s”; the Academy Award-nominated “Poltergeist”; Steven Spielberg's “E.T. – The Extra Terrestrial” and “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Do...

Xan Aranda, director/producer, an award-winning indie filmmaker is affiliated with documentary powerhouse Kartemquin Films (Hoop Dreams.) She's a consultant, with a hand in dozens of international productions. Xan’s clients h range from national universities,  the U.S. Dept of Ed., to branding companies, advertising agencies, film festivals and emerging filmmakers. Her director debut, Andrew Bird:...

Rick Vaicius PT 2 is director and founder of Flyway Film Festival, Wisconsin's bluff premier destination for independent film as noted by Emmy award-winning blogger Scott W. Smith “ … a festival that should be on your radar” . Founded in 2008 it evolved from the monthly film programming and semi-annual filmmaker events Vaicius proposed and curated at the Lake Pepin Art & Design Center in Pepin...

Steve Anderson is a writer/director/producer based in Santa Monica, CA. He is proud to be in the top ten of the over fifty “Steve Anderson’s” on IMDb.com. Readers of that website seem most impressed with his “Special Thanks” on the indie smash “Napoleon Dynamite” but Steve has plenty of other sweet credits. Most recently he wrote and produced the Sony released feature “The River Sorrow” starring R...

Jamie Nieto, (PT 2) Actor, Producer and 2012 Olympic High Jumper, is no stranger to perseverance, innovation, challenges and achievement.  He made the U.S. A. Olympic Team in 2004, missed them in '08 due to a technicality and came back stronger than ever to earn a spot on the '12 Olympic High Jump Team.   At 35, Jamie is the oldest male high jumper in the history of the U.S. to make it to the team...

Jack Marchetti, director, is loosing his vision and has a dream to direct his feature before this happens. Jack is corwdfunding to make his dream come true. 4 of a Kind is a gritty crime drama that takes place in Chicago. Growing up in Chicago in a rough neighborhood gave Screenwriter Director Marchetti some strong insight in how to best portray and reveal his characters. Now  weeks into his Kicks...

Jamie Nieto, Actor, Producer and 2012 Olympic High Jumper, is no stranger to perseverance, innovation, challenges and achievement.  He made the U.S. A. Olympic Team in 2004, missed them in '08 due to a technicality and came back stronger than ever to earn a spot on the '12 Olympic High Jump Team.   At 35, Jamie is the oldest male high jumper in the history of the U.S. to make it to the team. Jamie...

Sam Christensen, (PT 5) Image Expert, began his 35-year career as a concert promoter then worked as the company manager of the longest running musical of all time, THE FANTASTICKS. Later Sam served as a executive assistant to renowned playwright/screenwriter/director Arthur Laurents. CBS and MTM Productions brought Sam to Hollywood as an independent casting director. Among his many TV and feature...

David Winning, PT 2, director ,14 features, 22 series, over 100 TV credits is mainly known for his work on Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda, MGM’s Stargate: Atlantis, ABC’s Dinotopia and the HBO thriller Exception to The Rule, starring Kim Cattrall, Sean Young and Eric McCormack. At 27, he landed directing gigs on the Canadian-produced Friday the 13th: The Series for Paramount Pictures he received thr...

Patrick Giraudi PT 3 is a pioneer in using digital workstation in sound editing and mixing films. He is a well established Sound Supervisor/Re-recording Mixer in the film industry with over 330 film credits to his name. From music engineer to sound editor, he started to work as a freelance dialogue editor. He quickly became renowned for his professionalism and knowledge of digital technology. In 1...

Sam Christensen, (PT 4) Image Expert, began his 35-year career as a concert promoter then worked as the company manager of the longest running musical of all time, THE FANTASTICKS. Later Sam served as a executive assistant to renowned playwright/screenwriter/director Arthur Laurents. CBS and MTM Productions brought Sam to Hollywood as an independent casting director. Among his many TV and feature...

Peter Marshall Pt 20 The Director's Series - The nuts & bolts of directing film and television with Peter Marshall. Peter has had a 35-year career and has worked as a PA, dolly grip, electrician, assistant cameraman, commercial production manager, first assistant director, TV series creative consultant, television producer and director. He has worked on industrial films, documentaries; televis...

Rex Piano, director, PT 4 Upon graduating NYU School of the Arts , Rex worked as a 1st A.D. on dozens of commercials and films until he took a full time position at a NY Commercial Production Company. In 1985 Rex as Head of Production for O’Quinn Productions. he produced numerous videos for Fangoria Magazine. In 1987 Rex became Head of Production for Associated Television International.  Rex wrote...

Jason Brubaker, producer, PT 2, is passionate about helping other filmmakers make their movies and apply proven marketing strategies to reach a global audience through new movie distribution models. He's over a decade of movie making experience, and has produced numerous shorts and THREE feature films including (Special Dead 2006, Rattle Basket 2007 and Toxic Soup 2009). Jason is a contributing au...

Kim Swanson, PT 3, casting director, first two casting projects won Emmsy .  The St. Louis Production community took notice of her ability to locate and spot talent. She became the first Casting Director in Missouri to become a member of the Casting Society of America, and one of the few outside of LA or NYC to be accepted as a member.  She has been responsible for Intern'l Feature Film Projects,...

Peter Foldy, director,  began writing scripts. His second script, a teen comedy entitled "Hot Moves" found it's way into a producer's hands and was quickly made into a feature, enjoying considerable success in the U.S becoming an early pioneer of the teen comedy genre. After directing a short film with then un-know actor, Paul Rudd, Foldy managed a meeting with veteran producer, Menahem...

Kim Swanson, PT 2, casting director, had her first two casting projects won Emmy Awards.  The St. Louis Production community took notice of her unique ability to locate and spot true talent. She became the first Casting Director in Missouri to become a member of the Casting Society of America, and one of the few outside of Los Angeles or New York to be accepted as a member.  She has been responsib...

Peter Marshall Pt 19 The Director's Series - The nuts & bolts of directing film and television with Peter Marshall. Peter has had a 35-year career and has worked as a PA, dolly grip, electrician, assistant cameraman, commercial production manager, first assistant director, TV series creative consultant, television producer and director. He has worked on industrial films, documentaries; televis...

Kim Swanson, casting director, had her first two casting projects won Emmy Awards.  The St. Louis Production community took notice of her unique ability to locate and spot true talent. She became the first Casting Director in Missouri to become a member of the Casting Society of America, and one of the few outside of Los Angeles or New York to be accepted as a member.  She has been responsible for...

Nicholas Tabarrok, producer, is a prolific film and television producer whose company, Darius Films, has offices in Los Angeles and Toronto. Since 1998, he has produced over a dozen features that have received both commercial and critical success. Many of them have premiered at the world’s top film festivals: THE LIFE AND HARD TIMES OF GUY TERRIFICO (Toronto International Film Festival, SXSW 2005)...

Sam Christensen, (PT 3) Image Expert, began his 35-year career as a concert promoter then worked as the company manager of the longest running musical of all time, THE FANTASTICKS. Later Sam served as a executive assistant to renowned playwright/screenwriter/director Arthur Laurents. CBS and MTM Productions brought Sam to Hollywood as an independent casting director. Among his many TV and feature...

Gordon Firemark began his career working behind the scenes in film, television and theatre.  Now, as an entertainment lawyer, that's still what he does.  As an attorney whose practice is devoted to the representation of clients in film, television and theatre, he helps producers, directors, writers, actors and other industry professionals make deals that make sense, and that get their productions...

Rex Piano, director, PT 3 Upon graduating NYU School of the Arts , Rex worked as a 1st A.D. on dozens of commercials and films until he took a full time position at a NY Commercial Production Company. In 1985 Rex as Head of Production for O’Quinn Productions. he produced numerous videos for Fangoria Magazine. In 1987 Rex became Head of Production for Associated Television International.  Rex wrote...