Filmmaker and author Greg Sestero joins me for this episode of Salt Lake Dirt. Greg wrote The Disaster Artist which is about his friendship with Tommy Wiseau and their experience making the cult classic film The Room . The book is one of the best film memoirs out there in my opinion. And of course, The Room speaks for itself. There is a reason why after 20 years the film resonates with a worldwide audience. Greg will make his first Salt Lake City appearance on Saturday May 27, 2023. The Salt Lak...
May 12, 2023•23 min•Season 3Ep. 119
On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt we flip the format. Author C.E. Hoffman has an incredible podcast called Scribbles & Spills . I was a guest on the program a few months back. I had such a good time that I thought I would share our episode. So on this episode C.E. interviews me, Kyler Bingham. I hope you enjoy! Thanks for listening! Kyler --- Author Bio: C.E. Hoffman is a recipient of a Silver Honourable Mention from the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award, and winner of the 2022 Defu...
May 09, 2023•59 min•Season 3Ep. 118
Today on Salt Lake Dirt I speak with actress Grace Truly . Grace appears in the new film Book Club: The Next Chapter (Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen). Grace has appeared in several short films and has also appeared in Downton Abbey: A New Era. I had an amazing time talking with Grace about Book Club as well as her interests in vintage clothing, sewing, photography, and classic film. Grace is definitely someone to keep an eye out for. I can't wait to see more of her wo...
May 08, 2023•20 min
I'm absolutely thrilled to welcome Gary Lassin to the show. Gary is the president of the Three Stooges Fan Club and the author of the new book A Tour De Farce : The Complete History of the Three Stooges on the Road. The fan club and ultimately Gary, are responsible for my love of early era comedians and classic Hollywood. I joined the club in my early teens. It was amazing being able to connect with him after nearly all these years. The book is an epic work of meticulous research (Over 700 pages...
May 08, 2023•44 min•Season 3Ep. 115
Today I welcome author John Derderian to the show. I became aware of John's work through Stephen Jay Schwartz . If Stephen recommends something, I know it's going to be good. That was definitely the case with John's short story collection Starbucks Must Die and Other Stories . Great book, great chat! I'm looking forward to reading his next collection of short stories entitled Schrödinger Scat and Other Tales . Thanks for listening! Kyler --- Episode Links: PURCHASE on Smashwords PURCHASE on Amaz...
May 01, 2023•47 min•Season 3Ep. 114
Today I welcome back Michelle Bossy to the show. I first talked to Michelle back in 2021 when her film Under the Lantern Lit Sky played at the Brooklyn Film Festival. That film was one of my favorites from 2021 so I was thrilled when I heard that she had two short films currently playing the festival circuit. In this episode we discuss Early Retirement and Antisemite - two powerful films that you’ll want to keep on your radar. Great films, great chat! I look forward to having Michelle back on in...
May 01, 2023•30 min•Season 3Ep. 113
Annette Bochenek joins me to talk about her book Hometowns to Hollywood Volume 1 . Annette is a film historian, professor and creator of the Hometowns to Hollywood blog where she travels all over the country to explore the hometowns of Hollywood greats like Ava Gardner, Jimmy Steward, and Orson Welles. Great book, great chat! Thanks for listening. Kyler --- Episode Links: HometownsToHollywood.com FB: @home2hollywood Twitter: @home2hollywood PURCHASE Hometowns to Hollywood Volume 1 (Hardback, pap...
Apr 24, 2023•41 min•Season 3Ep. 112
Today I welcome back author Chip Jacobs to the show. We talk about his 2016 book Strange As It Seems . Incredible book, check it out! Thanks for listening! Kyler --- Synopsis: "The life of Gordon Zahler was simply so miraculous that it might as well have been science fiction. Born into an entertainment family in suburban Los Angeles in the mid-1920s, Zahler was a lovable prankster and class clown, exasperating his parents with his endless teenage feats of derring-do. But Gordon Zahler's promisin...
Apr 11, 2023•51 min•Season 3Ep. 110
CLICK HERE for a Full TRANSCRIPT of the Episode Today I welcome back filmmaker Cameron S. Mitchell . We talk about his new short film Kryptonite which is currently a part of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge . I'm a big fan of Cameron's and was thrilled to be able to talk with him so soon after this year's Slamdance Film Festival. Great chat, great film! --- Logline : "Old flames Imani and Alex reconnect after being estranged for over two years. Imani has news that will change Alex’s lif...
Apr 11, 2023•18 min•Season 3Ep. 109
This week I welcome filmmaker Dan Katzir to the show. Dan and Ravit Markus (co-director/producer) brought their documentary film American Pot Story to the Slamdance Film Festival where it won an Audience Award. Great chat, great film! Thanks for listening! Kyler --- LOGLINE : American Pot Story: Oaksterdam tells the unknown origin story of the underdogs who took a huge risk in order to revolutionize current cannabis policy. --- Episode Links: AmericanPotStory.com Twitter: @thepotstory Instagram:...
Apr 02, 2023•30 min•Season 3Ep. 108
Today I welcome Brad Listi to the show. His latest novel is called Be Brief and Tell Them Everything . I really connected with this book. It's high on my current recommendation list. Check it out. He is also the host of Otherppl with Brad Listi , which has become one of my favorite literary podcasts as of late. Thanks for listening! Kyler --- Book Synopsis: "A darkly funny meditation on creativity and family, Be Brief and Tell Them Everything tracks the life of a middle-aged author who is strugg...
Mar 27, 2023•52 min•Season 3Ep. 107
Lauren Badillo Milici joins me today to talk about her new book Sad Sexy Catholic . We talk about the Scream franchise, the Mothman of West Virginia, and how she approaches writing poetry. Great chat! I'm a huge fan of Lauren's now. Thanks for listening! Kyler --- Book Synopsis: SAD SEXY CATHOLIC follows the journey of a young twenty-something as she navigates the already difficult task of existing made even harder by trauma, body dysmorphia, a personality disorder, and leftover guilt from a rel...
Mar 19, 2023•59 min•Season 3Ep. 106
Today I welcome bandleader and composer Skip Heller to the show. We talk about his new album Dark Passages by the Hollywood Film Noirchestra ( Killer Kern Records ) and how the project came into existence. We also chat about Louis Armstrong, Jerry Stahl, and his love for classic film. I had a blast talking to Skip. I was scrambling to write down his recommendations and interests! He is like the cool older brother that turns you onto art that will change your life. You can find the new album over...
Mar 04, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 3Ep. 105
Today I welcome Joseph Fasano to the show. His latest novel The Swallows of Lunetto came out on Maudlin House this past November. It’s the story of a young couple's escape from Italian fascism at the end of the Second World War. An incredible book and beautifully written! If you have a book club this is a novel that I think would spark some fascinating conversations. If you go to the Maudlin House website to purchase The Swallows of Lunetto , you can enter in the promo code saltlake to get 10% o...
Mar 04, 2023•56 min•Season 3Ep. 104
Abbey George (director/producer) and Maddie Lucas (producer/actress) join me to talk about their short film Jesus Would Have Loved Punk Rock which will have its world premiere at the 2023 Mammoth Film Festival (March 2-6, 2023). I stumbled upon the film's poster somewhere online and it completely grabbed my attention. I absolutely fell in love with it once I had the chance to see it. Sign up for their mailing list to keep up to date. I'm excited to see more work from Maddie and Abbey in the futu...
Feb 26, 2023•30 min
D.T. Robbins joins me to talk about his new collection of short stories Birds Aren't Real . Absurdist, funny, dark... everything I love in a book. Use PROMO Code: saltlake to get 10% off your purchase of Birds Aren't Real on the Maudlin House website . --- Book Synopsis: "Meeting minutes from a Satanic cult. Werewolves with orgasmic origins. Homemade puzzles made from human body parts. A family trapped inside someone’s leg, hurling toward oblivion. Gaslighting birds. Bicycle tours through hell i...
Feb 24, 2023•53 min•Season 3Ep. 102
Stephen Jay Schwartz returns to Salt Lake Dirt for our 100th episode. Stephen was actually our guest back on episode one so I'm thrilled he could return for this special episode. I asked Stephen back in 2020 to be on the show because I’m a huge fan of his work. I love his novels Boulevard and Beat (Hayden Glass LAPD detective series). His nonfiction collection Hollywood vs the Author is not to be missed if you're interested in how some novels are adapted for Hollywood. His new book is called Sto...
Feb 21, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 100
Rounding out our coverage for the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival is the film Sweet As . Filmmaker Jub Clerc talked with me about the making of the film and its close autobiographical ties. Wonderful performances from an incredible, young cast! Check it out. Thanks for listening! Kyler @saltlakedirt --- SYNOPSIS : Sweet As (Australia, 2022) "Everyone and everything is a story, but what about finding the right words? This is something that fifteen-year-old Murra discovers while travelling...
Feb 20, 2023•17 min•Season 3Ep. 101
Today I speak with filmmaker Zhi Wei Jow . His new film Tomorrow is a Long Time has been playing at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival this past week. I really enjoyed the film. It is visually stunning and hits on some heavy themes including family and survival. Plus, there is a great Bob Dylan Easter Egg! Check it out! Thanks for listening! Kyler @saltlakedirt --- SYNOPSIS : Tomorrow is a Long Time "Acts of violence bring regret and repercussions for widowed pest exterminator Chua and ...
Feb 20, 2023•16 min•Season 2Ep. 99
Today I welcome filmmaker and novelist Sonja Heiss to the show. Her new film When Will it be Again Like it Never Was Before has been playing at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival [Berlinale] . I absolutely loved the film! It's one of the best movies I've seen in awhile (film festival or otherwise) - set your Google alerts! Thanks for listening! Kyler @saltlakedirt --- FILM SYNOPSIS: When Will it be Again Like it Never Was Before "The household Josse grows up in hardly corresponds to the...
Feb 20, 2023•17 min•Season 2Ep. 98
Today on the show I welcome two incredible writers and artists. They go by the monikers Fortunus Games and Tete DePunk . Fortunus Games is the host of the podcast The Nuts and Bolts of Writing and is the creator of the graphic novels Sam in New York and The Book of Joel . Both are all available for free online. Tete DePunk is a writer who has an epic novel in the works called 70 Fierce Years . The novel "follows the life of (as narrated in his own voice) Andrei Danilovich Novokshonov, a Don Coss...
Feb 13, 2023•55 min•Season 2Ep. 97
Today I welcome actor, filmmaker, playwright, and novelist Tim Blake Nelson to the show. Tim is one of the great character actors of our time. Like a lot of people, I first became aware of him in the Coen Bros film O Brother Where Art Thou . Tim’s novel is called City of Blows and it just came out on Unnamed Press . It didn’t click with me that Tim was actually the writer of this incredible book until I saw his picture on the promo materials. When I read the synopsis, I knew it was my kind of bo...
Feb 08, 2023•40 min•Season 2Ep. 96
J.D. O'Brien is on the show today. His debut novel Zig Zag comes out 2/7/23 on Schaffner Press. I absolutely loved Zig Zag. It's high on my recommendation list this year. A big thanks to Duncan Birmingham for making me aware of it. Thanks for listening! Kyler -- Synopsis for Zig Zag: Capri Dall has a foolproof plan to knock over the marijuana dispensary where she works. But when her boyfriend botches the heist, the two of them end up in a stolen car with a trunkful of rare high-end weed–and an u...
Feb 07, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 95
Today I’m very excited to welcome a guest I’ve been wanting to have on the show for awhile now. Arthur Dark is a filmmaker and the host of Hollywood Graveyard. If you haven’t come across his YouTube channel, check it out. If you are a fan of my show, chances are Arthur’s films and videos will interest you. Arthur Dark created Hollywood Graveyard as a way to keep the memory of the world's greatest entertainers alive, by visiting their final resting places. His "Famous Grave Tour" videos take us o...
Jan 29, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 94
We are continuing our 2023 Slamdance coverage with a hilarious episodic film. Who's Annie? creator/director Sophia Peer and co-writer Annie Sicherman join me to talk about the film. I highly recommend you keep an eye out for this one, I know I will. Screenings: Sunday Jan 22 at 9:45pm (Episodes) Thursday Jan. 26 at 11:30am (Episodes) -- LOGLINE: After jail-time, 12-step programs and five marriages, Annie begins her acting career in her mid-fifties with the help of a young director she met at a B...
Jan 22, 2023•21 min•Season 2Ep. 93
Today on the show I welcome writer, director and puppeteer Emily Morus-Jones . Her short film Diomysus is playing at the 2023 Slamdance Film Festival . I absolutely loved this film. I've never seen anything like it! There will be two screenings of Diomysus at the festival. Friday the 20th of January between 3pm and Monday the 23rd at 3pm. If you are not able to get to Park City you can find Diomysus and all of the festival's programming on the Slamdance Channel between January 23 and the 29th. I...
Jan 22, 2023•14 min•Season 2Ep. 92
Today I welcome filmmaker Brendan Geraghty to the show. His documentary film Motel Drive is playing at the 2023 Slamdance Film Festival and will premiere at the Treasure Mountain Inn Sunday Jan 22 at 1:15PM. A Second Screening will take place Thursday Jan 26th, 2:45 PM. Motel Drive is one of my top picks this year from both Slamdance and Sundance - I encourage you to check it out. If you are not able to get to Park City you can find Motel Drive and all of the festival's programming on the Slamda...
Jan 22, 2023•24 min•Season 2Ep. 91
Today I welcome filmmaker Peter Kimball to the show. Peter’s short film Millstone will be playing at the 2023 Slamdance Film Festival. Millstone is made with an entirely deaf cast and is shot completely in American Sign Language. One of the most interesting things about it is that the story has absolutely nothing to do with deafness. The film plays as part of the Slamdance Unstoppable . Wed, Jan 25th, 5:10 PM @ The Student Union Theater @ University of Utah Thu, Jan 26th, 10:00 AM @ Treasure Mou...
Jan 19, 2023•12 min
2023 SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL Today I welcome filmmaker Cameron S. Mitchell to the show. Cameron’s documentary short film Elsa will be playing at the 2023 Slamdance Film Festival . Elsa is about a deafblind fencer and author. It's an incredible film. I did an interview with Cameron a couple of years ago when his film The Co-Op played Slamdance 2021. The Co-Op was one of my favorite shorts from that year and I was excited to hear that he had another film playing Slamdance. Great chat, great film! ...
Jan 18, 2023•29 min•Season 2Ep. 89
Today I welcome filmmaker Jillian Corsie to the show. Jillian’s short film Tooth will be playing at the 2023 Slamdance Film Festival . I loved this film even though it gave me nightmares after I watched it. It’s amazing. I even hear there will be human sized teeth walking up and down Main Street in Park City letting people know about the film. Forget the celebrities, come up to Park City to see the teeth! TOOTH plays Sunday January 22 at 5:30pm and on Wednesday the 25 at 5:30pm . Between January...
Jan 17, 2023•18 min•Season 2Ep. 88
