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The Quidditas Factor

Author: Michael J. Arbouet

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The most captivating, informative and revealing stories from professionals in the arts and beyond.
116 Episodes
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Brad Jones is the creator of the The Cinema Snob and The Bruno Mattei shows, which are popular on You Tube. His love for exploitation films led him to produce several exploitation films: "Midnight Heat", "Cheap", "Freak Out" and "Game Boys". The last three can be found on his website and the trailers for the rest of the movies can be also found there.The Cinema Snob is a show inspired by the 1980s review of "Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter" by Siskel and Ebert. In it, Siskel seemed to get on a soapbox and saw the movie for more than what it really was by calling it the be all, end all for teenage entertainment. And that " it does nothing but teach young people that life is not worth living because you'll just die in the end." In the end, Brad simply said it was just a slasher flick and decided to write and edit his own videos.Brad also thought that just the very idea of very pretentious film snobs attempting to review any form of exploitation cinema was always very funny to him. So, being an exploitation fan, that's what he based the character on. Even though some films that are exploited, he likes.Brad also produces a podcast called "Radiodrome" where he and his friend Jerrid Foiles talk about diverse exploitation-related subjects in an informal way.Support the show
The last couple of years has been exciting for The Quidditas Factor! Some episodes enriched our lives while others helped us mentally recover from the traumatic pandemic years we’re all still trying to forget. Several episodes gave great advice on how to make it in the entertainment industry while other episodes helped us improve our relationships with those around us. We learned together from others’ experiences and we  overcame the weaknesses and imperfections that hold us back. Support the show
John D. Hancock is an American stage and film director, producer and writer. He is perhaps best known for his work on Bang the Drum Slowly, Weeds and Prancer.  Hancock's theatrical work includes direction of both classic and contemporary plays, from Shakespeare to Saul Bellow.  He also directed several films with his wife actress and screenwriter Dorothy Tristan.  Hancock worked closely with Tristan on a number of projects including the aborted first version of Jaws 2 in 1977 (which Tristan co-wrote with Howard Sackler) as well as California Dreaming, Weeds, A Piece of Eden, Suspended Animation and The Looking Glass. Dorothy Tristan passed away on  January 8th 2023.Support the show
Lynda Riess entire career has been a 25 year master class in prep, production, finding rapid solutions to last minute requests and most importantly how to remain calm when the crap hits the fan. As a Property Master she was on set behind the camera for years, working with every department, developing character with actors, back story with directors, and adding texture and layering with Costume and Production design. She know who does what and what is possible.  She  took this expereince and made two award winning short films. The first one, technically, was an exploration into visual detail, cinematography and timing.  Story wise it was exciting to be able to delve into the darker themes and find a way to make a story about death, age and loneliness entertaining. She made  audiences laugh cry and jump all in nine minutes. This short got her into the Sony Pictures Diverse Directors Program, and was also Oscar eligible in 2019. The second short was made to show she could direct television drama. More characters, larger in scope. Lynda would be bringing her years of experience working on shows like True Detective, Stranger Things.  She has done stuff, been places and seen things…..all this means she has a unique rich deep pool of life knowledge that she will bring to projects she will direct. Born in New York, raised in the UK she have the accent of one and the attitude of the other.  If you need a director with a lifetime of production experience, or just someone fun to be on set with in the rain at 3am, then please reach out to her.Support the show
Claudia Myers was named one of "10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2015." by Independent Magazine. Most recently Claudia wrote and directed Above the Shadows, a supernatural drama starring Olivia Thirlby, Alan Ritchson, Jim Gaffigan and Megan Fox. The film opened the 2019 Brooklyn Film Festival where it won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature. Above the Shadows was released theatrically by Gravitas Ventures. Prior to this, Claudia wrote, directed and produced the dramatic feature Fort Blissstarring Michelle Monaghan and Ron Livingston. The film won several festival awards and top critics for The Washington Post and Philadelphia Inquirer both cited Fort Bliss among the best films of 2014. Claudia also wrote and directed Kettle of Fish starring Mathew Modine and Gina Gershon. The movie premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was released theatrically in 2007. She has directed two award-winning short films, including the Sundance short Buddy & Grace.Outside of narrative fiction, Claudia has worked with veterans and active duty soldiers to make a number of films about the military community. She produced and directed the documentary The Long Road Back, about soldiers who were severely injured in Iraq. The film won two Telly Awards, an Aurora Award, and was nominated for a regional Emmy. In 2010, Claudia produced and directed Women At War, a documentary about the evolution of women’s roles in the military. She also wrote and directed the interactive role-playing feature, Outside the Wire for use by the U.S. Army, which won a Codie Award and a Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Award. The film pushes the boundaries of traditional narrative by melding fiction film, gaming, and educational training. Claudia subsequently wrote The War Inside another large-scale interactive, role-playing feature that deals with the psychological impact of war and aims to build resilience in soldiers.As a screenwriter, Claudia has won numerous awards, was twice a finalist for the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, and is an alumna of the Hamptons Screenwriters Lab. Andy Tennant directed her script Wild Oats, starring Shirley MacLaine, Jessica Lange and Demi Moore, which was released in 2016. Claudia is currently in development on a drama series about women in Special Operations.Claudia studied literature at Yale then received her MFA in film at Columbia University. She is an associate professor in the Film & Media Arts division of American University’s School of Communication in Washington DC.Support the show
Jim Meskimen is an accomplished actor, improviser and voice artist whose work is well-known to TV and film audiences. He appeared on the British series Whose Line Is It Anyway? several times, and was a recurring character onThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air  for two seasons. He has worked with director Ron Howard on five of his films, including The Paper, Apollo 13, Edtv, How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Frost/Nixon. He has also worked in two films by director Paul Thomas Anderson.  A professional artist, Jim exhibits and sells his realist oil paintings. As a designer/cartoonist, he created dozens of characters, weapons and vehicles for the original "Thundercats" animated series. Jim continues to dazzle audiences with his improvisational skills and appears regularly on L.A. stages. Meskimen is married to actress Tamra Meskimen and they have a daughter, Taylor Meskimen. His mother is Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actress Marion Ross of Happy Days and the critically-acclaimed series, Brooklyn Bridge. Support the show
Keith Coogan was born Keith Eric Mitchell on January 13, 1970 in Palm Springs, California. The grandson of legendary character actor Jackie Coogan, Keith began his acting career doing TV commercials -- his first gig was as a stand-in in a McDonald's TV spot -- as well various TV shows and made-for-TV movies. Coogan did the voice of Young Tod for the charming animated Disney picture "The Fox and the Hound." His first on-screen role was the smitten Brad Anderson in the delightful teen comedy cult favorite "Adventures in Babysitting." Keith gave a very funny and engaging performance as Christina Applegate's stoner layabout brother Kenny in the equally enjoyable "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" and was impressive as Jonathan "Snuffy" Bradberry in "Toy Soldiers." Among the television programs Coogan has made guest appearances on are "The Love Boat," "Eight Is Enough," "Mork & Mindy," "Knight Rider," "CHiPS," "Starman," "21 Jump Street," and "Tales from the Crypt." Keith graduated from Santa Monica High School and attended Santa Monica College, where he majored in Drama and minored in English Literature. He also attended Los Angeles City College, where he majored in Java Programming. Coogan resides in Los Angeles, California and continues to act with pleasing regularity. In his spare time he runs a couple of blogs.Support the show
Bennett Yellin is a professional screenwriter, he has honed his skills at crafting a strong story and communicating it with precision and passion. His credits include both the original Dumb and Dumber (1994) as well as its official sequel, Dumb and Dumber To (2014.) Bennett is applying his expertise to the world of themed entertainment. Whether it's a feature film, a television show or an amusement park experience, everything begins with a strong story. Known for Dumb and Dumber (1994), Dumb and Dumber To (2014) and Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003). Support the show
Jeffrey Gurian is a “Renaissance Man”, because he’s involved in so many things. He’s a comedy writer, performer, director, author, producer, radio personality, motivational speaker and doctor, and not always in that order.    As a comedy writer he’s worked with and written for legends like Rodney Dangerfield, Joan Rivers, George Wallace, Phil Hartman, Richard Belzer, Jerry Lewis, and Andrew “Dice” Clay, among many others plus new superstars like Nick Kroll, and John Mulaney.   Jeffrey has performed stand-up comedy at most of the big clubs in NY and L.A. was a regular on Sirius XM radio for two years with Ron Bennington, and was Patrice O’Neal’s co-host  on The Black Phillip Show on XM radio.   As a comedy journalist he’s been covering the comedy scene since 1999,  and has also written for MTV, National Lampoon, Weekly World News, The Weekly Humorist and was the main writer for many Friars Roasts for 12 years.  His Comedy Matters TV, You Tube channel has over 500 A-list celebrity interviews and almost 2 ½ million views, with everyone from Jimmy Fallon, to Amy Schumer and Bill Burr, to Tracy Morgan and D.L. Hughley, and he’s produced shows starring Kevin Hart and Susie Essman.  According  to Paul Provenza, and Nick Kroll  Jeffrey is known by everyone in comedy. Support the show
Steven Adam Renkovish resides in Easley, South Carolina. He is the director of the short films, A Beautiful Silence, Fugue, and 401 Rogers. In 2021, his first feature film, The Awakening of Lilith, entered the festival circuit. Garnering much critical acclaim, the film has won several awards, including Best Feature Film and Best Actress.Support the show
Laura Willoughby was born on October 9, 1963 in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA. She is a producer and casting director, known for 8-Bit Animal Playhouse with Jason Mewes(2013), Aliens vs Scarecrows vs Zombies and Pet Sematary (1989). She was previously married to Harry Lee Glaser and Robert Richard Gross.Support the show
Nick Taber has an obsession with making the entire world healthy. He grew up with cerebral palsy issues and in the late 80s and 90s and a lot of folks counted him out and making him feel that he was limited in what he could do. With help he worked through 99% of the physical and emotional issues over the years. Nick became a certified personal trainer specializing in training children, teens and adults with reducing and getting rid of anxiety and depression through physical fitness. Nick is nationally certificated by National Association of Body Fitness (N.A.B.F.) He serves greater areas of Southcoast MA and RI.  He loves helping people overcome obstacles and get stronger. He wants everyone to reach their highest potential. He loves being married and loves American History and is a huge fan of Leonardo DaVinci and the band Postmodern Jukebox. Check out his podcasts Real Talk with Sensei Nick and Movie Theater Time Machine. Support the show
Ricardo Aviles was born, raised and educated in Puerto Rico who moved the mainland United States in 2008 to serve in the US Army. After his time in the military Ricardo began training Brazilian jiu jitsu under Brian Stuebner and continues to train. He has worked heavily in the interpreting world helping child trafficking survivors with his language skills that have earned him the nickname Language Ninja. With all his skills and love for others he started the Rico Podcast in 2021 with one of his best friends Eric McElroy. Rico loves cigars, anime, languages and family.Support the show
Jeremy James Miller is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Ben Seaver on Growing Pains and its two reunion movies. He also was the voice of Linus in Happy New Year, Charlie Brown and Snoopy the Musical.Miller was first cast in a McDonald's commercial and then began to land multiple guest roles in Charles in Charge, Different Strokes, Punky Brewster, and Pryor's Place. He was cast in the NBC mini series Deceptions with Barry Bostwick, Stephanie Powers, and Fairuza Balk before landing the role of Ben Seaver, the youngest son on Growing Pains. Miller was supposed to be a part of the cast of the PBS show Ghostwriter. The creator wanted to make him a mentor to the younger Ghostwriter members, but the producers decided it wasn't a good idea for the show to have an older ghostwriter team member and Miller was not invited back after shooting the pilot. As an actor, probably his most recognizable trademark is the "Ben Seaver Scream", which can be heard and seen in any number of Growing Pains episodes and during the closing credits of the movie Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.After Growing Pains, Jeremy co starred as "Jake" in the TV movie Based on an Untrue Story with Morgan Fairchild, Robert Goulet, Rikki Lake, Dan Hedeya, Victoria Jackson, and Harvey Korman.He then decided to take a break from acting and attended the University of Southern California for a year where he studied drama. Soon after he began to pursue his passion for cooking and enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at Le Cordon Bleu which he left just short of graduating. Jeremy started his own catering company called "No Small Affair" as well as freelanced as a chef for multiple LA based catering companies. He also teaches private cooking classes and group cooking parties. Jeremy continues to pursue acting and went to Shanghai (where he enjoys a huge popularity and following) to co star in the film Milk and Fashion, He starred in a commercial for McDonald's "Dollar Menunaires" promotion shot as a parody of the VH1 series Best Week Ever. He has also been spotted in Boys and Girls Guide To Getting Down. He can be seen in four movies in 2009: Ditching Party, Never Have I Ever, The Fish and Tar Beach. He will also be co-starring in the upcoming horror film Awakening as well as two new shows; One a recurring role in the comedy - The Comeback Kids and one as the lead in the Paranormal Suspense Drama - 3rd Eye.Support the show
Marc Sheffler used to work as a stage actor for off-Broadway theater. His only film role is of the teenage Junior Stillo in the low-budget Last House on the Left (1972). Since then, Sheffler decided to pursue a career into television writing and production rather than acting.His credits include episodes of "Sister, Sister", "Harry and the Hendersons", "Who's the Boss", and "Charles in Charge" to name but a few. He's also been involved with all kinds of pilots, made for TV movies, and television specials, including the failed "The Little Shop of Horrors" pilot, "The Happy Days Reunion Show" and "The Best of the Hollywood Palace" specials. He also worked with Mel Blanc, the voice of Warner Bros. cartoons, as the writer of How Bugs Bunny Won The West (1978).Support the show
Kristina Klebe is an American actress, director, producer and writer who came to prominence for her portrayal of Lynda Van Der Klok in Rob Zombie's Halloween.  Her other film roles include Proxy, Neil Marshall's Hellboy, and Two Witches, the last of which she also co-wrote.Tina Krause is an American film actress, producer, director, and model. Tina worked as an artist and graphic designer prior to embarking on an acting career after being discovered by director/producer Gary Whitson at a spring Chiller Theatre horror convention in New Jersey in 1994. Besides acting primarily in horror films, Krause has also worked as a model and continues to work as a graphic designer in between acting assignments. Tina directed her first movie in 2001. Joseph Zaso is an American actor and filmmaker. He is a b-movie regular and has been involved in the low budget science fiction and horror industry since 1990. Zaso, an avid bodybuilder, is usually cast as husky villains.Support the show
Mary Sean Young was born in Louisville, Kentucky. She is the daughter of Lee Guthrie (née Mary Lee Kane), an Emmy-nominated producer, screenwriter, public relations executive, and journalist, and Donald Young, Jr., an Emmy award winning television news producer and journalist. She has Irish, English, and Swiss-German ancestry. She grew up with an older brother Donald Young III and a sister Cathleen Young in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended Cleveland Heights High School, and then transferred to and graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy. A trained dancer, she studied at the School of American Ballet in New York City, and did some modeling. Sean Young began a promising film career by acting in a Merchant-Ivory film Jane Austen in Manhattan, She followed that up in the comedy hit film Stripes. Soon, important directors were casting her in their films, such as Academy Award nominee David Lynch in Dune and Ridley Scott's film BladeRunner. Oliver Stone cast her in the hit film Wall Street. However, her other hit film No Way Out, which involved a famous steamy scene in the backseat of a limousine with Kevin Cosner, gave her star status. She was at the height of her fame, which led to her being cast as Vicky Vale in Batman. She had an accident while she was training for the film. As a result, she lost the role to Kim Basinger for what turned out to be the biggest hit of 1989. Young put on a brave face and gamely moved on to do comedies Fatal Instinct and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, the latter's box office success made Jim Carreya star, who immediately landed the role of the Riddler in the Batman sequel. Mary Sean Young is living in Austin, Texas. She created a new business venture called Austin Film Tours. It is Austin's first and only film location tour.Support the show
Flynn is a native of Nashville, TN. At a young age he was enthralled with cartoons and acting. Growing up he acquired 8 years of concert, jazz & marching band experience. In 2007, Flynn became an Independent Professional Wrestler & Sports Entertainer, performing in 13 states and working for WWE, including appearing on Pay Per View in 2022. In 2014, he got married and started a family, and in 2018, took some time away from wrestling. However, upon returning in 2022, he immediately laid claim to the UCW Southern States Championship, along with starting a pursuit of the UCW Ultimate Championship. He also created the “I Know You Hear Me!” Title, to remind fans he’ll always be a champion. During his time away from wrestling in 2018, he still had the urge to continue performing and pursued voice acting. While following that dream, he got the chance to learn from so many of the voices of his childhood, developed a love for improv, and also got involved with Shakespeare and live performance (both on stage and on camera). In 2022, Flynn was asked to join the American Immersion Theater & he is also versed in 13 dialects including Southern “Tidewater,” Elevated British, Irish and several more. In August of 2021, he started the “I Know You Hear Me!” Podcast, which is available on iTunes, Spotify and many other platforms.When Flynn isn’t acting, auditioning, or podcasting,  he loves spending time with his family – binge watching shows with his wife, watching his oldest play baseball, playing with his 2 rescue cats. He’s also big into exercise – he converted his garage into a home gym. Flynn is also involved in his church, helping out with security among other things. Flynn’s bucket list projects include working in the Dragon Ball Franchise, Star Wars, South Park, and Archer.Support the show
Steven Jay Rubin is the founder and president of Fast Carrier Pictures, Inc., a Los Angeles-based motion picture and television production company. He made his producing debut for Showtime in 2001 on the baseball comedy classic Bleacher Bums, starring Peter Riegert, Brad Garrett, Wayne Knight and Charles Durning. In 2002, for the Hallmark Channel, he produced the true World War II drama, Silent Night, starring Linda Hamilton, which was nominated for four Canadian television academy awards. Rubin was the executive producer of Archie’s Final Project, a teen dramedy which starred David Carradine, Mariel Hemingway, Joe Mantegna, Nora Dunn, Tony Hale, Harry Shearer and amazing newcomer, Gabriel Sunday – a film that won 19 Best Picture awards around the world, including the Crystal Bear for Best Picture in its class at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival. Additionally, Rubin wrote, produced and directed the feature documentary, East L.A. Marine: The Untold True Story of Guy Gabaldon (Virgil Films). His upcoming film projects include a number of comedies he wrote with top television writer Billy Riback (Home Improvement, The Suite Life of Zach and Cody), including The Line Kings, about a group of rabid Star Wars fans determined to be the first to see the latest film in the series. He’s also the executive producer of The Coolest Guy Movie Ever, a documentary produced and directed by Chris Espenen, that takes viewers to the locations where The Great Escape was shot in 1962, and which features one of the few interviews with Steve McQueen on record. Recognized around the world as an expert on the James Bond movies, Rubin previously wrote The James Bond Films: A Behind the Scenes History (Arlington House, 1981, Crown Publishers, 1983), and The Complete James Bond Movie Encyclopedia (Contemporary Books, 1990, 1995, McGraw Hill, 2003). His latest books include The Twilight Zone Encyclopedia (Chicago Review Press, 2017), and the upcoming children’s picture book, The Cat Who Lived With Anne Frank (Penguin/Philomel, 2019), which he co-authored with David Lee Miller. Rubin also frequently writes for CinemaRetro magazine, where his cover stories have included heavily-researched behind-the-scenes studies of Rocky and The Bridge at Remagen. He recently interviewed actor Kirk Douglas for a retrospective look at the actor’s favorite film, Lonely are the Brave. As a film historian, Rubin was nominated for Best Classic Commentary in 2004 by the DVD Exclusive Academy for his hosting work on the Special Edition DVD release of The Great Escape, a film he also covered in a documentary that debuted on Showtime in 1993. As a marketing executive, with a specialty in publicity and promotion, Rubin worked on the publicity campaigns for over 150 movies and television series. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Elisa, daughter Jaymie and son Darren.Support the show
John Bukowski has been a practicing veterinarian, a public health researcher, and a medical writer. But through it all has been his love of books. Like you, He has always loved to read. And like you his tastes have changed over time from Jules Verne and Tolkien to Hemingway, Steven King, and Michael Crichton. Likewise, his writing has changed from consumer handbooks and website content to fast-paced thriller novels, which are a lot more fun.  Just as great chefs have distinctive styles, every good author has a distinguishing “voice” that both labels and defines their work. Read a couple of pages of Hemingway and you won’t have to be told that Papa cooked the bouillabaisse. His voice diverges a bit between novels and short stories. As a child of the Twilight Zone, his short fiction deals mostly with quirky situations and surprise endings, usually with a touch of humor to leaven the bread. His novels, on the other hand, start out with a thrilling roux of “what if,” then add two cups of violence, a tablespoon of humor, and a hefty dash of spicy sex. He hopes you like what he has been cooking up for you.Support the show
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