The DMF With Justin Younts

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting. I'm Justin Younts, and this is the complete interview with casting director Tiffany Little Canfield of Telsey Company — known for her work on Wicked, Mean Girls, and more. All three parts together. Tiffany grew up in Sacramento, got serious about acting early, moved into directing, and eventually found her way to casting — where her back...

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting. I'm Justin Younts, and this is part three with casting director Tiffany Little Canfield of Telsey Company. This one is about something that's been a long time coming — the Academy Awards is finally establishing a casting branch, officially recognizing casting directors for their contributions to film. Tiffany has been part of the...

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting. I'm Justin Younts, and this is part two with casting director Tiffany Little Canfield of Telsey Company. This one gets into the specific casting stories behind some of the biggest films Tiffany has worked on — and she doesn't hold back. We talk about how Cynthia Erivo was cast as Elphaba, how Ariana Grande landed the role of Glin...

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting. I'm Justin Younts, and in this episode I sit down with casting director Tiffany Little Canfield for part one of our conversation. Season 6 is here. Tiffany Little Canfield is the perfect way to kick it off — a casting director who's been on both sides of the table and has a lot to say about what actors are getting wrong. Tiffany&...

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting. I’m Justin Younts, and in this episode I continue my conversation with filmmaker, producer, and author Brent Lindstrom as we dive into the realities of writing, editing, and building a career as an author. Brent shares his journey through writing what he calls “trunk novels” — early works that helped him develop his voice and understand...

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting. I’m Justin Younts, and in this episode I continue my conversation with filmmaker, producer, and author Brent Lindstrom as we explore the intersection of filmmaking, technology, and creative storytelling. We dive into the real challenges filmmakers face during the editing process. Brent shares his experience spending hours editing every s...

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting.  I’m Justin Younts, and in this episode I sit down with filmmaker, producer, and author  Brent Lindstrom  to discuss storytelling, filmmaking, and the business side of building a career in the film industry. Brent shares his journey from growing up in a small town in Utah — where many people doubted his dream of making movies — to buildi...

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting.  I’m Justin Younts, and in this full interview I sit down with Emmy-winning filmmaker and producer  Leif Bristow  to explore storytelling, empathy, and the power of film to connect cultures. Leif shares his filmmaking journey from  Toronto to Alaska and eventually into international film production , explaining how travel and diverse lif...

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting.  I’m Justin Younts, and in Part 2 of my conversation with Emmy-winning filmmaker and producer  Leif Bristow , we dive into the ethical challenges of working in Hollywood and the values that guide his filmmaking career. Leif shares why he made an early decision to avoid projects that glorify violence or rely on exploitative themes. Instea...

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting. I’m Justin Younts, and in this episode I sit down with Emmy-winning filmmaker and producer Leif Bristow for Part 1 of our conversation on global storytelling, film production, and the power of empathy in cinema. Leif shares his filmmaking journey — from Toronto to Alaska and eventually to Hollywood — producing over 40 films across networ...

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting. Justin Younts sits down with award-winning filmmaker Jaze Bordeaux to discuss independent filmmaking, cultural perspective, and storytelling craft. From Brooklyn to Toronto, Jaze shares insights on directing, producing, and bringing original films like  EFC  to life in today’s film industry. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://jazebordeaux.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 00:00:00 -...

Welcome to the DMF! I’m Justin Younts, and in this episode I continue my conversation with filmmaker Jaze Bordeaux as we explore the power of mindset, perspective, and personal growth — both in life and in the creative journey. During our discussion, I share a pivotal story from my own life that reshaped how I approach challenges. I talk about trying out for the basketball team and not making it —...

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting. I’m Justin Younts, and in this episode we explore the evolving landscape of women in film — particularly in non-traditional and physically demanding roles — with filmmaker Jaze Bordeaux . In our conversation, Jaze shares his journey championing stories centered around women in combat sports and mixed martial arts — a concept that, when f...

Welcome to The DMF — Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting.  I’m Justin Younts, and in this episode I sit down with filmmaker  Jaze Bordeaux  to dive into an increasingly important conversation in modern cinema:  film ownership in the digital age. If there’s a movie you truly love and know you’ll want to revisit, should you actually own it? With streaming platforms constantly shifting licensing a...

Welcome to  The DMF with Justin Younts (Discovering Meaning in Film and Acting) . In this episode, host and actor Justin Younts sits down with filmmaker  Jaze Bordeaux  for an in-depth conversation about  film budgets, production costs, and the realities of independent filmmaking . Have you ever wondered why some films — like  Godzilla Minus One  — can be made for a fraction of the cost of Hollywo...

Welcome to the DMF! I’m Justin Younts , and today I had the pleasure of speaking with award-winning filmmaker Jaze Bordeaux . In this engaging conversation, we dive deep into Jaze’s journey from growing up in the United States to ultimately finding his true home in Canada. He shares his experiences moving through different states, the cultural diversity he encountered along the way, and how those...

Welcome to the DMF! I’m Justin Younts , and in this episode I sit down with Alexandra Beller to dive deep into the role of movement in theater and performance. Alexandra breaks down how movement evolves organically through collaboration between actors, directors, and designers. She explains how the actor’s body, the director’s vision, and the text itself all interact to create a fully realized per...

Welcome to the DMF! I’m Justin Younts , and in this episode, Alexandra Beller takes us deep into the role of movement in acting and how it naturally evolves through collaboration between actors, directors, and designers. Alexandra explains that movement isn’t something imposed on a performance—it emerges from the relationship between body language, text, and the energetic exchange between characte...

Welcome to the DMF. I’m Justin Younts , and in this episode, Alexandra Beller dives deep into the four categories of energy: weight, space, time, and flow —and how understanding these elements can radically transform an actor’s process. Alexandra explains that each category exists on a spectrum, and learning to work with them gives actors practical, embodied tools instead of vague direction. She a...

Welcome to the DMF! I'm Justin Younts, and today I’m thrilled to introduce you to Alexandra Beller, an incredible artist, choreographer, and soon-to-be-published author. In this first part of our conversation, we dive deep into Alexandra's upbringing in Queens during the vibrant 80s, a time that profoundly influenced her artistic journey. She shares how the rich diversity of characters and experie...

Welcome to the DMF! I'm Justin Younts, and today I'm thrilled to introduce Christine Lamont, a powerhouse in the film industry. Christine has spent years honing her craft, producing impactful documentaries like 'Ai Weiwei's Turandot' and 'Viva Verde.' In our conversation, we dive deep into her journey, from her childhood in Buffalo, New York, to her experiences working with legendary directors and...

I messed up on these episodes .I am putting out this episode without cuts. The AI, I used has been cutting things off. I apologize. Hopefully, someone else will learn from my mistake. Welcome to the DMF! I’m Justin Younts , and today we’re spotlighting the wisdom and creative spirit of Christine La Monte , who reminds us of the power of one simple word: yes . For Christine, saying yes has opened d...

I messed up on these episodes .I am putting out this episode without cuts. The AI, I used has been cutting things off. I apologize. Hopefully, someone else will learn from my mistake. Welcome to the DMF! I’m Justin Younts , and in this episode, Christine La Monte shares an extraordinary creative journey that began in Rome in 2012 . That pivotal moment marked her introduction to a gifted young film...

I messed up on these episodes .I am putting out this episode without cuts. The AI, I used has been cutting things off. I apologize. Hopefully, someone else will learn from my mistake. Welcome to the DMF! I'm Justin Younts , and today I’m thrilled to introduce Christine La Monte , who shares her inspiring journey through the film industry. Growing up in Buffalo, New York , Christine was surrounded...

Welcome to the DMF! I’m Justin Younts , and today we’re spotlighting the wisdom and creative spirit of Christine La Monte , who reminds us of the power of one simple word: yes . For Christine, saying yes has opened doors throughout her life and career — from directing plays to embracing unexpected film projects. One such opportunity is tied to her husband’s book, Justice Deferred , which was once...