The Mighty Dragon podcast

Patrick Wirtz

Patrick Wirtz has been on my radar for some time for an interview for The Mighty Dragon. His work with past The Mighty Dragon interviewee, director Deborah Richards, is truly an epic glimpse into the life of a producer. After speaking with Patrick, I have so much more appreciation for this role. Naive me, thought that this role was mostly financial. How wrong was I?! I joked to Patrick that a day in his life would give me a heart attack, I wasn’t wrong!

Patrick shares his experiences working alongside Deborah on her first feature, Move Me No Mountain. We touch upon how projects develop from concept to completion. Patrick offers insights into social media strategies, industry trends and how the role of a film producer will evolve in the future. This, of course, ventures into the world of AI, scary for some, whereas others are embracing this technology.

With their next movie, Scissor Mouth, coming out soon it was a great time to catch up.

#poltergeist #carolanne #cursed #cursedproduction #stevenspielberg #joBethWilliams #skeletons #horror #horrormovies #conspiracies #haunted #ghosts #scarystuff

#rosemarysbaby #cursed #romanpolanski #johnlennon #dakota #newyork #horrorstories #miafarrow #conspiracies #sharontate #horrorfilm

Exorcism: The Hidden Truth - here I look into the real story behind The Exorcist. That of a young boy called Roland Doe who was exorcised at age 14.

Why did Kubrick leave the USA? I explore some of the reasons why on this podcast.

Fernando Piloni

Fernando Piloni is a Brazilian actor who has truly travelled the world. His dream of acting picked up and put back down a few times, till he conquered his fears and ended up working on the hugely successful, A Haunting in Venice.

Acting in Brazil, Spain and now London, he’s an actor who has mastered his art with skill and dedication – absorbing and revelling in the the different training methods in those areas.  He has overcome obstacles to propel him even further ahead and open opportunities, specifically in theatre.

He’s recently appeared as Vincenzo Di Stefano in A Haunting in Venice which sees Kenneth Branagh at the helm as Poirot. I was keen to chat with Fernando about this experience – what did he learn from acting alongside Kenneth Branagh?

Christian Svensson Swedish actor Christian Svensson joined me on The Mighty Dragon recently. With Career Opportunities in Murder & Mayhem in post production, it was a great time to catch up to discuss his career, his British start in life, the characters he likes to portray, Swedish rats and so much more. Christian is a multi-talented actor. Not only is he multi-lingual (Swedish, English, French and Spanish!) but he boxes and specialises in Brazilian Ju-Jitsu too, it was interesting to hear the focus his training has given him in his acting life. I always think it speaks volumes about a person when they pay tribute to their family as being the backbone of their success. Christian credits his wife and children as being his rock, for grounding him.

Jeppe Beck Laursen

The Last Kingdom - what a truly, brilliant series and now a truly brilliant film (The Last Kingdom`: Seven Kings Must Die - released last month on Netflix).

With anticipation, well, to be frank DREAD, of this wonderful storyline coming to an end. I watched absolutely spellbound as the final part of the story unfolded. What a great ending too, what way do you think Uhtred chose?

In the end scene, I spotted one of my absolute favourite characters (and all-time greatest baddie), Haesten, feasting in Valhalla - I knew I had to reach out to see if I could interview the man behind this dark, intriguing character - Jeppe Beck Laursen.It was an absolute pleasure to chat with Jeppe not only about Haesten but how he got into acting, his life, hopes and ambitions.

We of course talk about The Last Kingdom and a deep dive into the enduring fascination of Viking drama.I meet Jeppe's dog too cutely named Han Solo - something us 1972 kids have in common is Star Wars.

Will we see Jeppe in a future Star Wars series? Tune in to find out...

Physical:100, the smash hit South Korean Netflix series kept me and my family glued to the sofa.

We couldn’t blink or breathe as the gruelling challenges pitted contestants against each other, all with a chance to win a huge sum. But, to me, it wasn’t the cash prize that drove these contestants but the endorphins as the game progressed and challenges got harder.

If you haven’t seen it, athletes such wrestlers, MMA, gymnasts, Olympians and influencers competed in this show all with different abilities, strengths and focus.

One contestant, Dustin Nippert, an American baseball player forged ahead in the series. I’m so thrilled he agreed to a podcast for The Mighty Dragon. We talk about what expectations he had about the show, the types of contestants who would navigate the challenges the best and how this show would be perceived elsewhere.

We touch upon South Korean culture too, I was moved by the respect the contestants held for each other and interacted. Let’s just say I can’t wait for the second series!

Big thanks to Dustin for this opportunity and for the Orlando baseball recommendations! I’ll go and see my first baseball match(?) or do you say game?!

“Action! Cut!”

Last weekend I was delighted to catch up with Australian director Phillip Noyce. Phillip was last on the blog in 2018, so it was a great opportunity to see what he’s been up over the past few challenging years in the industry.

From a cold, blustery evening in England to the sunny climes of LA where Phillip is based, we spoke about his illustrious career which spans from the 60’s to the present day!

Surprised and heartened by his answers to my questions, I am in no doubt that Phillip Noyce is a true professional and a genuinely kind person to work with.

A team player on a production, he has remained open to emerging technology for story-telling and supporting up and coming filmmakers. He discusses how he learns from everyone on set. This flexibility in his work ethos has kept him at the top of his game, and long may it continue.

I was especially touched when he recollects about his movie Rabbit-Proof Fence. This is a lesson that passion projects born from the heart are the ones that stay with you the longest.

He recalls his time visiting The Last Emperor set in Beijing and witnessing 4,000 people on set under the command of Bernardo Bertolucci. His friendship with Federico Fellini and some unforgettable advice he was given.

Questions posed:

You were my 20th interview for The Mighty Dragon back in 2018.  What have you been working on since?

What would you say is your favourite film of yours, or most memorable piece of work.

As audiences have moved to streaming, have you had to adapt to how you work for changing audience habits?

Do you stick to the script, or do you often go off script while on a shoot?

If you were to shoot any of your films again, what would you change?

What has been the biggest challenge to you as a filmmaker?

Are there any special memories from any of your films that you’d like to share?

Which actor have you most enjoyed working with, and why?

What are you currently enjoying – tv series or film?

Next year, I will be looking at the work of Stanley Kubrick for this blog. What do you enjoy most about his style of directing.

It was an absolute pleasure to chat with Beijing based actor Pierre Bourdaud today on The Mighty Dragon podcast.

With over twenty years of experience working in Beijing as an actor, stunt performer, and director Pierre is incredibly humble about his achievements.

Multi-lingual, he has worked with Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville, Sebastian Vettel, and many others. It seems no one day is the same as another – he could be dubbing films in Mandarin or working with Mike Tyson.

With the lockdown squeezing in China how is that impacting the booming Chinese film industry?

Actor Galen Howard joined me on The Mighty Dragon podcast recently to talk about his work on The Book of Boba Fett.

A lifelong Star Wars fan, Galen shared his thoughts on the Star Wars legacy and how it's endured for so many years. Star Wars is a family affair for Galen, he remarks how his father worked on Return of The Jedi, so it felt like it was meant to be when he secured the part on The Book of Boba Fett.

We talk about the secret world of Star Wars casting and storyline, the highs & lows of an actor's life, his preferred genre to work in, plus what draws him to certain characters.

I also took the opportunity to speak to Galen about his work in music videos, specifically the video for Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop The Feeling!'.

Deborah discusses her career from flair bartending to Dark Lights, which was released last year.  A huge success, this horror short was awarded Best Cinematography, Best Special Effects and Best Horror Short at the Stranger Days Independent Film Festival.  Deborah wears multiple hats during the filmmaking process, something which she does again for Move Me No Mountain, her first feature, out this summer.  We spoke about the challenges and rewards of being in control of all these elements (writer, director, VFX, camera etc) and how this has impacted her script-writing.  

After the interview I was left in complete admiration of Deborah's achievements and drive. A strong, vocal champion of women's filmmaking (not to mention picking up the NW Woman Filmmaker of the Year award), Deborah's star is rising.  Not only this, but she has done so with grace and respect for those she has worked with.  Thank you for this opportunity Deborah, may I wish you all the best with your future projects.  Podcasts and interviews with filmmakers the world over.   

Check out my special "The Mandalorian" & Mindhunter interview series,  a unique behind-the-scenes experience of these hit shows.  Want to learn tips and tricks from those who have succeeded? My YouTube page hosts podcasts and supporting videos with filmmakers, actors, producers, directors, and more. It showcases my own research as an amateur screenwriter/animator in creating my own stories for release here.  This channel heavily supports the importance of Indie film not only in the UK but worldwide. See how Indie filmmakers are engaging with their audience to deliver unique content from shorts to features and what drives their process.  It may help you start your own?  

SOCIAL MEDIA - Come and say hello :) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themightydragonblogTwitter: https://twitter.com/BertieChan55Blog: https://themightydragon.blog

The Book of Boba Fett lands on The Mighty Dragon blog and I am delighted to have actor Carey Jones as part of my The Book of Boba Fett interview collection.

We know Carey as the bounty-hunting Wookiee, Black Krrsantan, in The Book of Boba Fett, and I must say this character, “Santy” was, for me, one of the outstanding performances of the series. If you look into the fascinating history of Santy, you can see this Wookiee was trained as a gladiator, bears a scar from Obi-Wan’s lightsaber, worked for the Hutt’s, Vader, and finally now, as part of Boba Fett’s legion.

Carey chats to me about his time on The Book of Boba Fett set and how physically challenging and rewarding portraying Santy is. We also speak about how he got into the industry and his route into Twin Peaks, The Walking Dead, Mare of Easttown, Predators, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and so much more.

After this interview, I was left with admiration for Carey’s work ethic, drive, and determination. He truly deserves all the success, but it wasn’t without grind and grit on his part.

I truly hope we see more of Santy (please Disney, give him a spin-off series)!

Recently I caught up with Independent filmmaker and regular on The Mighty Dragon, Andrew Froening.   Based in the US, Andrew is currently working on two features. One being a mob film based in his home area (and Sopranos base) New Jersey. He talks about his projects this year and also reflects back on 2021 - how has the pandemic changed his work ethic.   It seems features are now the future for Andrew, and as ever, I wish him the very best of success.

Flicking through the huge amount of festive films on Netflix the other night, I wondered which one I could call my favourite, my absolute “gun at head” favourite. After all, Christmas films are such an integral part of the festive season, can you imagine if we didn’t have a fave?

Is your favourite a tear-jerker, a rom-com, a classic or something entirely different. Something that stirred memories from childhood, possibly?

While I pondered this myself, I decided to throw the question open to some of my previous interviewees. Their recommendations may inspire you to put on something that you may not seen before.

HUGE THANKS to the contributors:

• Andrew Froening
• Phillip E. Hardy
• David Silverman
• Bryan McClure
• Bernard Bullen
• Kelly Schwarze
• AV Turner
• Nicole Russin-McFarland
• Mike Leeder
• Arne Venema
• Alejandro De Hoyos
• Lee Anthony Smith
• Paul Zeidman
• Joe Fiorello
• Carla Roda
• Gareth Williams
• Yeniffer Behrens

Hopefully you will find some festive film inspiration here.

Thank you for supporting The Mighty Dragon throughout 2021.

The Mighty Dragon will return

The Mighty Dragon kicks off interview season with filmmaker and music producer @joeblackshadow.
Joe talks about  life in NYC, HK memories, CFK Radio and thoughts on the Chinese and Hong Kong film industries. I even got a legendary Joe Fiorello HK story 

The Mighty Dragon back in busineSS  #podcast #chinesefilm #hongkongfilm #musicproducer #themightydragon #musicproducerlife #nycproducer

#seanbeanTIME #stephengraham #tvrecommendations #whatsonNetflix 

Here we discuss our thoughts on BBC's TIME and Netflix's LEVEL 16. We will be back next month discussing Ted Bundy.

Joining me on the podcast today is author AV Turner for one of our regular "Allie & Vikki" catch-ups.  Here we discuss Jim Carrey, Dumb & Dumber and the side of Jim we have seen on YouTube giving phenomenal speeches about life creativity and the Universe.  

Jim famously said on Oprah that he wrote himself a cheque for $10million and attracted this to happen to him. An example of the law of attraction some would say - this was his paycheck for Dumb & Dumber.  

Welcome to the first part of my Mindhunter Special. Join me in this new series where I interview cast members about Mindhunter, but also their backgrounds and prep for their characters.

From Washington to Pittsburgh

First up is Cotter Smith, he played one of my favourite characters, Unit Chief Shepard, in Seasons 1 and 2. It was interesting to hear how Cotter’s acting career started in theatre in Washington. He talks to me about his journey of moving to New York to pursue his dream before moving onto screen.

We also discuss his favourite roles throughout his career, which include X-Men and You Don’t Know Jack, where he played opposite Al Pacino, an unforgettable experience he states.

We of course talk about his time on the Mindhunter series. How he prepared as Unit Chief Shepard and what it was like to work with David Fincher and his special behind-the-scenes memories from this phenomenal series.

In this podcast author AV Turner (Allie) and I discuss our April favourites. For me, its Mindhunter and Allie, Ratched.

Securing this interview I felt that I had hit the Star Wars Universe jackpot!I am so honoured to feature actor Jake Cannavale in this special The Mandalorian series. We know him as bounty hunter Toro Calican, but I wanted to dig a little deeper into what makes this actor unique.

Jake comes from a large acting family, so it was pretty much imprinted in his DNA from day one. His parents, actors Bobby Cannavale and Jenny Lumet, encouraged him as he carved out his unique presence centre screen. His step mother, Rose Byrne, being a guiding, positive influence too.

Of course, this conversation was focussed on all things The Mandalorian.  Jake recalls his special behind-the-scenes moments, specifically a moment with Obi-Wan, Ewan McGregor. He also touches upon his role in Nurse Jackie too, and how he felt working alongside his father.  

I tried to guess his favourite Star Wars characters but failed miserably, his answer was a total shock! Jake, you were right. I would never have guessed it. 


I am honoured to have him here as part of The Mandalorian interview collection.


Thanks to Jake and the folks at Framework Entertainment for this opportunity.

This is the fifth interview for The Mighty Dragon in its special The Mandalorian series. Tune in for more interviews from this epic, fan favourite series made for all Star Wars fans.

Starring in The Mandalorian was certainly one of his career high points, but I feel this is only the start for him.  To sum it up, there's more to this actor than we have seen already, I just hope he is back on The Mandalorian soon. After all, no character dies really.....

The Mandalorian Special continues...

When I interviewed Tait Fletcher I felt like I'd known him for years, that's probably because he's been in everything I have seen! 

From Breaking Bad to The Mandalorian, Jumanji and John Wick to name just a few. Tait has been in some of the most memorable films and TV series in recent years.

We know Tait as Alpha Trawler and Paz Visla in The Mandalorian. He shares with me how he prepared for these characters, his experience with George Lucas's linguist and some behind-the-scenes memories with Carl Weathers. 

His favourite Star Wars character surprised me at the time, but now reflecting back on our conversation can see how that all fits in.

Breaking Bad

Of course, Tait joined me to talk about The Mandalorian, but we touched upon his time as Lester in Breaking Bad too. Also how he broke into the industry from his MMA fighting days. Tait's journey doesn't end anywhere as we find out, he is constantly progressing.

The Mandalorian goes from strength to strength and so does Tait. He is a truly introspective, inspiring actor. His phrase "Never let your memories become bigger than your dreams" struck a chord with me. 

In conclusion, there is no way this actor is resting on his laurels any time soon. I am honoured to have him here as part of The Mandalorian interview collection.

Thanks to Tait Fletcher and the folks at KMR Talent for this opportunity.

This is the fourth interview for The Mighty Dragon in its special The Mandalorian series. Tune in for more interviews from this epic, fan favourite series made for all Star Wars fans.

I had the pleasure this week of catching up with The Mandalorian actor Miguel A. Lopez to discuss his role as a Tusken Raider on The Mandalorian series (Disney+).  As a matter of fact, Tusken Raiders are my second favourite being from Tattooine, Undoubtedly menacing, they first appeared in A New Hope where they encounter a young Luke Skywalker.
Miguel shares with me his behind-the-scenes memories of being part of the Star Wars Universe as one of the Galaxy's sinister Tusken Raiders. Particularly interesting to note that Miguel was one of the first to learn on set The Child's, Baby Yoda's... wait...Grogu's name. You can hear his passion for Star Wars as he recalls his experiences.  In fact, as a lifelong Star Wars fan himself Miguel's favourite Start Wars character is.... well, you'll just have to tune-in to get that titbit ;)
Furthermore, Miguel also speaks about his time working on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D too and what inspired him to become an actor. Lastly, he also teaches me some Spanish (apologies to all Spanish speakers for my pronunciation) and tells me what opportunities being a bilingual speaker has brought to his career.

This is the second interview for The Mighty Dragon in its special The Mandalorian series. Tune in for more interviews from this epic, fan favourite series made for all Star Wars fans.