Coming to us from across the pond, Marcus J. Freed has delivered many comedic gems through his intellectual, musical parodies. A seasoned actor, prolific author, and ardent filmmaker, he has leveraged a career out of tapping into the zeitgeist and crafting stories around Jewish culture and traditions. In celebration of his latest lyrical venture, The Hebrew Hamilton, we took a peek inside the mind of the entertaining educator.       

WMM: Where are you from, what is your background, and how do you think that informs what you do as a filmmaker?  

MJF: I’m from Watford in England (where the Warner Bros studios are located, and where they shot Harry Potter). I'm a conservatoire-trained actor (Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London), and a grad of English Literature & Drama/Theatre Studies. I think it informs me as a filmmaker in many ways. Really depends on the film in question. For ...

From facilitating a structured, community approach around the filmmaking process (through our Lab Pipeline), educating filmmakers (through professional tutorials, industry workshops and webinars, and Smartphone Studio programming), and providing affordable production and post-production resources (like insurance and other services), WMM has firmly established itself as a presence in the indie film community. With these facets of the film collective and production company thriving, CEO Sam Mestman, President Aubrey Mozino, and constant collaborator and member Steven LaMorte, are bringing the same community-minded, budget-conscious, quality-driven spirit to the newest division of the WMM family - WMM Creative Services.

Meet Robert Philipson of Shoga Films, a former professor of African-American studies, published author, and Harlem Renaissance historian. His work encompasses the intersectionality of race, music, & sexuality, through the unique lens of a queer Jewish man. An accomplished filmmaker of multiple award-winning films, Philipson has carved out a niche space for himself and his collaborators. WMM had a chance to catch up with him, in anticipation of his latest short film, Smoke, Lilies, and Jade.

WMM: Where are you from, what is your background, and how do you think that informs what you do as a filmmaker?  

RP: I grew up in Pasadena and pretty much lived in California (undergrad at UC Santa Cruz) until I went to Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 1974-77. As a result of that experience, I worked towards a degree in Comparative Literature with a specialty in Black and African literature. Unable to get a tenure-track position, I left academia in the early 90s...

In anticipation of the We Make Movies Creative Services launch, we thought we would chat with its Creative Director, Steven LaMorte. A director at heart, who enjoys empowering other people, and producer by trade, who produces like a director, Steven has made a name for himself as a special effects artist through his company Sleight of Hand Productions. He teamed up with WMM to teach mobile filmmaking to students of all ages all over the globe, and discovered the culture and values around filmmaking we embrace match his own sensibilities. He wishes to be the producer that he wishes he had while learning to make films, and considers himself to be "like mom and dad - I want you to have the sun, the moon, and the stars, but also be aware of budget." Welcome aboard, Steve!

SL: I'm originally from Staten Island, New York. Growing up as an only child,...