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Atlas Shrugged Part II: Behind the Scenes

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 11:00:00 EDT

ReasonTV visited the set of Atlas Shrugged Part II, the second installment in the new film adaptation of Ayn Rand's epic 1957 novel. The movie is set to hit theaters on October 11, 2012.

About 1.30 minutes. Shot by Sharif Matar and Tracy Oppenheimer and edited by Joshua Swain.

Read Brian Doherty's account of the filming here.

Check out Reason's ever-growing playlist of videos related to Ayn Rand and the continuing interest in her life and work. The videos feature interviews and commentary from Nathaniel Branden, Barbara Branden, Yaron Brook, David Kelley, Robert Poole, biographers Anne C. Heller and Jennifer Burns, and many more.

Read Reason on Ayn Rand.

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Fan Fiction vs. Copyright - Q&A with Rebecca Tushnet

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 00:00:00 EDT

"It takes a big studio to make The Avengers, but it doesn't necessarily take a big studio to write a piece of Avengers fan fiction," says Georgetown University law professor and fan fiction advocate Rebecca Tushnet. "Big content companies largely recognize that fan activities are really good for them because they engage people."

The growing popularity of fan fiction, a genre in which fans create their own stories featuring characters or settings from their favorite works of popular culture, raises thorny copyright issues. "Given how broad copyright is now, it's now possible to say fan fiction is an infringing derivative work," Tushnet explains. "In order to deal with that...we now talk about fair use, which allows people to make fair, limited uses of works without permission from the copyright owner."

As a member of the Organization for Transformative Works, Tushnet works to defend fan fiction creators caught in the legal debate between protected intellectual property and fair use.

Nick Gillespie sat down with Tushnet to discuss copyright law, fan fiction, and why media companies should embrace fan-created works.

Approximately 7.34 minutes.

Interview by Nick Gillespie. Camera by Meredith Bragg and Joshua Swain. Editing by Swain.

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LYNCHING CHARLIE LYNCH Director Rick Ray Discusses His New Film

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EDT

In 2006, Charlie Lynch opened a medical marijuana dispensary in Morro Bay, California. He was such a stickler about following California state law that he called all the legal authorities he could. The ribbon-cutting for his shop was attended by local pols and chamber of commerce types and his shop flourished due to his outgoing personality, dedication to customer service, and strict enforcement of all laws related to medical marijuana.

In 2007, his dispensary was raided by the Drug Enforcement Administration and local sheriffs. Thus began a legal nightmare from which Lynch - and the country - has yet to awake. Placed under house arrest, threatened with an effective life sentence, and stripped of his income, Lynch became one more casuality in the war against medical marijuana.

Eventually, Lynch was tried in federal court, where the Kafkaesque proceedings meant his defense was not allowed to tell jurors that medical marijuana was legal under California law. Eventually, Lynch was sentenced to a year and a day, and was allowed to be free pending an appeal that seems unlikely to ever be fully resolved.

Lynch's ordeal - and the country's - is the subject of Lynching Charlie Lynch, a new documentary made by Rick Ray, who helped produce Reason.tv's original coverage of the Lynch case as it unfolded.

Alex Manning and Zach Weissmueller talked to Ray about his movie, which opens today at iTunes, Amazon, and other online and on-demand venues via Brainstorm Media .

About 7 minutes long.

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Watch ReasonTV's coverage of Charlie Lynch here .

Atlas Shrugged: Part II Greenlighted, in Theaters This Fall

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EDT

"It's a poetic moment that today [February 2, 2012] Ayn Rand was born 107 years ago and we are greenlighting Atlas Shrugged: Part II," announced producer John Aglialoro at Reason Weekend 2012, which was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Aglialoro was joined by his partner Harmon Kaslow in making the announcement.

Filming is set to begin in April and the movie will hit theaters this fall, before Election Day. "In October," said Kaslow, "hopefully we'll have people from Reason, from FreedomWorks, people who believe in what this book represents, [standing] in front of the...theater to tell people not only how important the movie is but what they're going to do in November and hopefully effectuate some positive changes."

The official Part 2 trailer is online here.

About 3.30 minutes. Filmed by Anthony Fisher and Joshua Swain; edited by Swain.

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For Reason's playlist of videos about Ayn Rand (including five behind-the-scenes docs about the filming of Atlas Shrugged Part I and exclusive interviews with Nathaniel and Barbara Branden), go here.

Margaret Thatcher, Meryl Streep, & The Iron Lady: Fact vs. Fiction

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

"When I first heard of this movie," says John Blundell, "I immediately was a little worried because of Meryl Streep's own ideas and polices and so on that are very distinctly not Thatcherite."

As a longtime Margaret Thatcher ally, few people are in a better position than John Blundell to assess the veracity of the Oscar-nominated bio-pic, The Iron Lady. The former head of influential free-market organizations such as The Institute of Economic Affairs, The Institute for Humane Studies, and the Atlas Economic Research Foundation , Blundell is also the author of Margaret Thatcher: A Portrait of the Iron Lady (2007) and the new Ladies for Liberty: Women Who Made a Difference in American History .

On the eve of the 2012 Academy Awards ceremony, Blundell sat down with Reason.tv to discuss the controversy surrounding the film (which depicts its titular character in the throes of demenita), Streep's widely praised performance, and the continuing power of Thatcher's social and political legacy.

"I must admit," he says, "to being pleasantly surprised. I think overall Margaret comes out of this process with her reputation enhanced and, of course, Meryl Streep's reputation hugely enhanced."

About 5.30 minutes. Produced and edited by Meredith Bragg.

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Kurt Loder on Film: The Good, the Bad, & the Godawful

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 07:01:00 EST

"As Keith Richards says, 90 percent of everything is crap."

Kurt Loder, who reviews movies for Reason.com and Creators Syndicate, quotes the legendary Rolling Stones guitarist to explain why most of the reviews in his new book, The Good, The Bad and The God-Awful: 21st-Century Movie Reviews are negative. Loder says he loves movies, but because of the constant demand for new product, the bad movies will inevitably outnumber the good ones.

In this interview with Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie, Loder offers up a few examples of some recent underrated cinematic gems, some god-awful big-budget fiascos, and tells why he devoted an entire chapter to the enigma that is Nicolas Cage's movie career.

Runs about 4.19 minutes.

Shot by Meredith Bragg, Jim Epstein and Anthony L. Fisher. Edited by Anthony L. Fisher.

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Creating a Libertarian "Wall-E" with "Silver Circle" Director Pasha Roberts

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Tough question: How do you create a libertarian Wall-E, an animated film that packs a wallop of a message?

Tougher question: How do you create a film about monetary policy and still get the kids to watch it?

If you're Silver Circle auteur Pasha Roberts, you frame your animated feature within a larger science fiction story of "tyranny, explosions, monetary mayhem, romance and rebels." And you go easy on the lecturing. As Roberts explains, "There is no 78-page John Galt speech."

Reason's Nick Gillespie sat down with Roberts at FreedomFest 2011 to talk about Silver Circle and the political and technological developments that inspired it.

Held each July in Las Vegas, FreedomFest is attended by around 2,000 libertarians and advocates of limited government. Reason.tv spoke with over two dozen speakers and attendees and will be releasing interviews over the coming weeks. For an ever-growing playlist, go here now.

Approx. 2:50 min

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Author and Filmmaker J. Neil Schulman Discusses His Work

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:00:00 EDT

At FreedomFest 2011, Reason's Nick Gillespie sat down with author and filmmaker J. Neil Schulman to talk about some of his most recent projects.

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Shikha Dalmia Discusses Bollywood on The Agenda with Steve Paikin

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:00:00 EDT

Reason Foundation's senior policy analyst Shikha Dalmia discusses the history of Bollywood and the powerful impact it has had on individuals and cultures outside India.

The original link.

Air Date: June 24, 2011.

About 58 minutes

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The Truth About Fracking

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EDT

Hydraulic fracturing - or "fracking" - is a fast-growing source of natural gas used to create electricity, heat homes, and more. It involves forcing water, sand, and chemicals into super-deep wells and then recovering the gas released during the process.

Fracking is also highly controversial, with viral video hits such as "The Fracking Song" and the 2010 documentary Gasland contending that the process leads to polluted drinking water, home explosions, and worse.

Fracking has been around for more than 60 years and over 100,000 gas wells are dug per year, most of them in sparsely populated areas in the western U.S. With the discovery of the Marcellus Shale in the eastern part of the country, fracking is increasingly common in populated parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York, leading to heightened tensions between drillers and environmentalists. Indeed, the attorney general of New York has called for a moratorium on the practice in the Empire State.

Is fracking safe? And what are the potential benefits that will be forfeited if the practice is ended? Reason's Nick Gillespie sat down with science correspondent Ronald Bailey to learn the truth about fracking. Bailey reports that the cases of contaminated water supplies were the result of poorly designed wells that had nothing to do with fracking itself. As important, he notes that the gas generated by fracking would not only massively increase American energy supply, it would do so with a relatively clean and cheap fuel.

Shot by Jim Epstein and Josh Swain; Edited by Swain.

Approximately 5:34 minutes.

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Free or Equal?: Johan Norberg Updates Milton & Rose Friedman's Free to Choose

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 EDT

Swedish economist Johan Norberg is the host of the new documentary Free or Equal, which retraces and updates the 1980 classic Free to Choose, featuring Milton and Rose Friedman. Like the Friedmans, Norberg travels the globe to look at the conditions under which prosperity and freedom flourish - and under what conditions they wither and die. Made by the same producer who created Free to Choose, Free or Equal will be appearing on PBS in 2011. For more information, a clip of the new documentary and the entire Free to Choose series, go here.

Norberg is the author of numerous books, including In Defense of Global Capitalism (2002) and Fiscal Fiasco (2009), a look at how the U.S. government's policies contributed to and have exacerbated the length and intensity of the Great Recession.

Reason's Nick Gillespie sat down with Norberg to discuss how the changes in the world since the Friedmans' earlier documentary effect their basic argument that individual economic freedom is a building block for a prosperous and open society. Overall, says Norberg, the Friedmans' basic insights hold true and some of the places they celebrated - such as Hong Kong, then under British protection and now part of the People's Republic of China - are still flourishing. But in countries and regions that continue to constrain economic and political liberties, reports Norberg, fear and privation still dominate.

About 6 minutes. Shot by Jim Epstein and Joshua Swain; edited by Swain.

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For an earlier Reason.tv interview with Norberg (about his book Fiscal Fiasco), go here.

Bollywood vs. Bin Laden: Why radical Islam fears pop culture

Mon, 02 May 2011 18:00:00 EDT

Even before Osama Bin Laden was killed by U.S. soldiers, his brand of anti-modern, anti-pleasure Islam was under attack by Bollywood, India's pop culture juggernaut that boasts a global audience of 3 billion people.

As Reason Foundation Senior Analyst Shikha Dalmia explains, Bollywood movies and videos appeal to young men and women in Muslim and Arab countries because they dramatize the sorts of tensions between traditional and modern ways of living. "Who should decide who one should marry - is it the parents or is it the boy and girls themselves?" asks the Indian-born and raised Dalmia. "In the West, in Hollywood movies, it's not even an issue. But it's a huge issue in that part of the world and all of Bollywood movies deal with that one central question."

Dalmia also notes that Muslims are among the most popular - and sexually suggestive - performers in Bollywood productions. "When you have Muslims succeeding in Bollywood as Muslims, it makes them feel, well, we don't have to give up our religion in order to be modern," observes Dalmia. "That's very, very subversive...of Islamic demands and Islamic extremism....If you can have a good time in this world...and still be religious, why do you have to strap suicide bombs to your chest and blow yourself up?"

Approximately 4,30 minutes. Produced and edited by Hawk Jensen; camera by Paul Detrick.

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For further reading, check out Dalmia's article "Bollywood vs. Bin Laden" and "Look Who's Rocking the Casbah: The revolutionary implications of Arab music videos" and "In Praise of Vulgarity: How commercial culture liberates Islam - and the West," both by Charles Paul Freund.

Who is John Galt? Behind the Scenes of Atlas Shrugged

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Atlas Shrugged Part 1, see it in theaters April 15th!!!

"Who is John Galt?"

On the week Atlas Shrugged Part 1 hits the theaters, Reason.tv goes behind the scenes to speak with the people both on and off the silver screen to explore the mysterious question that haunts the world of Ayn Rand's epic, Atlas Shrugged.

Approximate length 3 minutes. Produced by Hawk Jensen, Senior Producer Ted Balaker, Camera by Alex Manning, Zach Weismueller, Austin Bragg. Edited by Hawk Jensen.

Music by Jason Shaw @ Audionautics.com

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To see Reason.tv's exclusive behind-the-scenes video of Atlas Shrugged Part 1 go here.

To see Reason.tv's exclusive behind interview with the producer and screenwriter of Atlas Shrugged Part 1 go here.

To see all our Ayn Rand videos go here.

To see the original Atlas Shrugged Trailer go here.

To Surly, With Love: Are Teachers Overpaid?

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST

Public school teachers are at the forefront of protests against state budget cuts and restrictions on collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin, New Jersey, Ohio, and elsewhere.

Teachers have a lot to lose. According to Department of Education statistics, in 2007-2008 (the latest year available), full-time public school teachers across the country made an average of $53,230 in "total school-year and summer earned income." That compares favorably to the $39,690 that private school teachers pulled down.

And when it comes to retirement benefits, public school teachers do better than average too. According to EducationNext, government employer contribute the equivalent of 14.6 percent of salary to retirement benefits for public school teachers. That compares to 10.4 for private-sector professionals.

Those levels of compensation help explain why per-pupil school cost have risen substantially over the past 50 years. In 1960-61, public schools spent $2,769 per student, a figure that now totals over $10,000 in real, inflation-adjusted dollars. Among the things that threefold-plus increase in spending has purchased are more teachers per student. In 1960, the student-teacher ratio in public schools was 25.8; it's now at a historic low of 15.

Among the things all that money hasn't bought? Parental satisfaction, for one. Despite public teachers' much-higher salaries, parents with school-age children in public schools report substantially lower satisfaction rates than parents with children in private schools. In 2007, the percentage of parents with children in assigned public schools who were "very satisfied" with the institution was 52 percent. For parents whose children attended public schools of choice, that figure rose to 62 percent. Parents sending their children to private schools, whether religious or non-sectarian, were "very satisfied" 79 percent of the time.

It's little wonder that parents with little or no choice report the lowest-levels of satisfaction (about 90 percent of K-12 students attend public schools). Despite all the extra resources devoted to public school teachers and students, student achievement has been absolutely flat over the past 40 years. The National Assessment of Educational Progress is "the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas." When it comes to 17-year-old students (effectively, high-school seniors), nothing has changed since reporting began in the early 1970s. In 1971, 17-year-old students averaged 285 points (out of 500) in reading. In 2008, that had risen to 286. For math in 1973, the average score was 304 (out of 500). In 2008, it was 306.

Public school teachers make about $14,000 a year more in straight salary than private school teachers; when you add in benefits, the gap widens even more. They teach fewer students than ever before and taxpayers at all levels spend increasing amounts of money on education. Yet for all that, the best you can say is that we're spending more than three times as much money as we were 40 years ago for exactly the same outcomes.

The National Governers Association says that states are looking at $175 billion in shortfalls over the next two years. Local governments are in the red too. As legislators look for places to cut or reduce spending, there's no question that public school teachers have a lot to lose in terms of compensation.

And there's no question that, even if there were no budget emergencies, the nation's public school system is failing to return much of anything on an ever-growing pile of tax dollars.

"To Surly, With Love" was written and produced by Nick Gillespie and Meredith Bragg. For data sources, go to http://reason.com/blog/2011/03/03/to-surly-with-love-are-teacher

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Why It's So Hard to Make a Movie: Q&A with Filmmaker Joe Gressis

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST

This Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony will be held in Hollywood as usual, but it's increasingly common for Hollywood films to be produced outside California or even outside the United States.

Filmmaker Joe Gressis isn't surprised when Hollywood productions leave the Golden State. He's surprised when they stay. “The fact that we remain here is kind of ridiculous," says the three-time Emmy-nominated Gressis.

Reason.tv’s Tim Cavanaugh sat down with Gressis, a founding partner of Secret Handshake Productions, to talk about runaway film production and the headaches of making movies in California (or anywhere else, for that matter).

Topics include: tax incentives, the benefits of shooting in Hong Kong, and why Gressis admires Michael Bay.

Approximately 10 minutes.

Shot by Zach Weissmueller, Paul Detrick, and Alex Manning. Edited by Detrick.

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Behind the Scenes of Atlas Shrugged the Movie

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST

Reason.tv presents exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage of the movie adaption of part I of Ayn Rand's epic and hugely influential novel, Atlas Shrugged, which tells the story of a United States crumbling under the weight of government intervention and the "men of the mind" who fight against their collectivist exploiters.

This sneak peek offers a glimpse into the post-production process as well as portions of a never-before-viewed scene from the movie.

***SPOILER ALERT*** This video contains portions of a scene and actors discussing the actions of their characters.

This pivotal scene features James Taggart (played by Matthew Marsden, Black Hawk Down, Transformers), the weak-willed, conniving brother of the film's heroine, Dagny Taggart, as he conspires with the likes of corrupt lobbyist Wesley Mouch (Michael Lerner, A Serious Man, Barton Fink), shady businessmen Orren Boyle (Jon Polito, Miller's Crossing), and Paul Larkin (Patrick Fishler, Lost, Southland), to bring down the successful steel magnate Hank Rearden. They view Rearden's supposed threat of monopoly over the steel and railroad industries as on obstacle in the path to success for wealthy playboy Francisco D'Aconia, with whom they're investing their money, though James Taggart is suspicious (perhaps rightly so) of D'Aconia's trustworthiness and business acumen.

Atlas Shrugged Part 1 hits theaters April 15.

Produced by Hawk Jensen and Ted Balaker. Camera by Alex Manning and Jensen, who also edited.

Special thanks to Harmon Kaslow, Mike Marvin, and John Orland.

Approximately 2.5 minutes.

To see our exclusive behind interview with the producer and screenwriter of Atlas Shrugged Part 1 go here.

To see all our Ayn Rand videos go here.

To see the original Atlas Shrugged Trailer go here.

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Adapting the Epic: The Making of Atlas Shrugged the Movie

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST

"The whole theme of the movie is, really, human evil," says Brian O'Toole, the screenwriter behind Atlas Shrugged Part I, the feature adaptation of Ayn Rand's influential novel. "And human evil springs from good intentions."

O'Toole and producer Harmon Kaslow tell Reason.tv what viewers can expect to see in the movie, which covers the first of three sections in Rand's novel.

"This movie really comes across as a very empowering movie for women," says Kaslow. "It's about a woman who takes on a lot of forces working against her."

The movie is set in a dystopian near-future, and the story follows Dagny Taggart, a railroad executive who faces a crisis when one of her trains is derailed. While Dagny tries to improve the railway by collaborating with Hank Rearden, an entrepreneur who's developed a new kind of metal, her brother James Taggart conspires with government officials and crony capitalists who are bent on taking Rearden down.

"To me, this was the underdog story," says O'Toole.

Atlas Shrugged Part 1 hits theaters April 15.

Produced by Hawk Jensen and Ted Balaker. Camera by Zach Weissmueller and Jensen, who also edited.

Approximately 3.5 minutes.

To see our exclusive behind the scenes sneak peak of atlas shrugged go here.

To see all our Ayn Rand videos go here.

To see the original Atlas Shrugged Trailer go here.

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Hollywood Hates Capitalism - Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps Edition

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Oliver Stone's uber-villain Gordon Gekko is back in the new film, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, which (surprise!) features greedy capitalists behaving badly. It might remind you of Avatar, Mission Impossible 2 or roughly a zillion other films in which capitalists destroy the environment, concoct killer viruses, harvest organs, and cover up murder in order to feed their lust of profit. Even when capitalism isn't the primary target, the representatives of commerce are often flat-out repulsive (think Jabba the Hutt).

Perhaps it's ironic that Hollywood filmmakers practice what they preach against. Sure he palls around with socialist dictators Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, but there's no doubt Oliver Stone hopes to rake in obscene profits with his new flick.

Approximately 1.35 minutes.

Written and produced by Ted Balaker; Associate Producer: Paul Detrick; Post Production Supervisor: Hawk Jensen

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Related: Killer Chic: Hollywood's Sick Love Affair with Che Guevara

Director of School Choice Documentary "The Lottery" - Madeline Sackler

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EDT

Should the future of lower-income children be determined by their ZIP codes? By public school bureaucrats?

Reason.tv Editor in Chief Nick Gillespie sat down with Madeline Sackler, director of the critically acclaimed documentary, The Lottery, which follows four students in New York vying for a coveted slot at Harlem Success Academy. Entry to the school is by drawing and the odds are long: Only one in seven applicants gets in. The reason so many people want to attend? The charter school boasts having 95 percent of students at grade level, compared to 56 percent at other city public schools

Sackler's film does more than brilliantly dramatize the heartbreaking results of each year's application lottery. It showcases how school choice can radically improve education for the poorest of students. "I'd been hearing that problems in public education where poverty based or culture based or because certain parents didn't value education, and yet, what I saw was totally contradictory to that," explains Sackler.

Approximately 8.30 minutes. Shot by Dan Hayes and Jack Gillespie. Edited by Dan Hayes.

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The Sons of Perdition Filmmakers on Warren Jeffs' Polygamist Church

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Should the government intervene in polygamist communities like the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS)? What if the polygamy involves under-aged girls?

This week Warren Jeffs, the FLDS leader found guilty of facilitating the rape of one of his 14-year-old followers, was granted a new trial by the Utah Supreme Court.

A new documentary, The Sons of Perdition, profiles three teenage boys who are exiled from Jeffs' compound in Colorado City, AZ. Directors Tyler Measom and Jennilyn Merton follow the boys as they face the challenges of living without family support, assimilating into a new society, and trying to get their other siblings out of the FLDS compound. (View the film's trailer here.)

Reason.tv Editor in Chief Nick Gillespie sat down with Merton and Measom to discuss freedom of religion, the making of the film, and what the future holds for these exiled boys.

Approximately 9 minutes. Shot by Dan Hayes and Jack Gillespie. Edited by Josh Swain.

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On the Set of Atlas Shrugged: 53 Years in the Making

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Many actors and producers have talked about adapting Ayn Rand's classic Atlas Shrugged for the big screen, but 53 years after its publication no one has dared tackle the ambitious project—until now.

Reason.tv heads to the set of Atlas Shrugged Part One to offer viewers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of this most anticipated film.

Director Paul Johansson (One Tree Hill) and Grant Bowler (Lost, True Blood, Ugly Betty), who plays Henry Rearden, discuss the perils, pressures, and pleasure involved in telling the epic tale of a society where the "men of the mind" go on strike and refuse to contribute to a collectivist world.

Produced by Ted Balaker and Hawk Jensen. Camera by Austin Bragg and Hawk Jensen. Production support by Sam Corcos.

Music: "Eu Nao Sabia" by Anamar available from Magnatune Records.

Approximately 5.3 minutes.

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Overdose Director Martin Borgs on the Next Financial Disaster

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:30:00 EDT

In his new film Overdose: The Next Financial Crisis, Swedish director Martin Borgs, using Cato scholar Johan Norberg's book Financial Fiasco as a road map, warns of the "greatest economic crisis of our age—the one that awaits us."

Borgs sat down with Reason.tv's Michael C. Moynihan before the film's Washington premiere to discuss how we got into the current mess and what Overdose prescribes to prevent future calamities.

Approx. 9 minutes.

Shot by Dan Hayes and Meredith Bragg; edited by Bragg.

"The Cartel" Director Bob Bowdon on Education Reform

Tue, 25 May 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Bob Bowdon's new film The Cartel amply documents that waste and fraud in public education. Now playing in select cities, the documentary provokes outrage and action to fix a system that fails precisely the low-income students who most need the benefits of a strong education.

Go here for info and background on The Cartel and Bowdon, who also hosts the PBS show Two-Way Street and appears in videos for The Onion.

Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie talked with Bowdon recently in Washington, D.C. Shot by Dan Hayes and Meredith Bragg, who also edited the piece. Approximately 7 minutes. Scroll down for downloadable versions and subscribe to Reason.tv's YouTube channel to receive automatic notification when new material goes live.

Nathaniel Branden on "My Years With Ayn Rand"

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST

Throughout Ayn Rand's career, no collaborator was closer to her than Nathaniel Branden, whom she once named her "intellectual heir." In Rand, Branden found a fearless advocate of individualism and of man as a heroic being. In Branden, Rand saw her vision come to life in flesh and blood. "She gave people a sense that they could be effective. That if they would persevere, stick by their standards, work hard, you could achieve something you can be proud of. Find that part in you—she would say ‘the hero in your own soul'—and work towards that," says Branden.

After a decade at the center of Rand's inner circle, Branden founded the Nathaniel Branden Institute with the goal of promoting her philosophy. The Institute was largely responsible for the spread of Rand's ideas during the 1960s, but came to an abrupt end when romantic conflict between Branden and Rand tore apart their professional association.

Despite the official and unreconciled split between the two, the 79-year-old Branden has remained true to the spirit of Rand's work during his prolific career as a psychologist of self-esteem. To this day, their legacies remain inseparable and in 2000, Branden authored My Years with Ayn Rand, his second memoir of his relationship to the author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.

Approximately 10 minutes. Nathaniel Branden was interviewed by David Nott, filmed by Alex Manning, and edited by Hawk Jensen and Alex Manning.

This video is part of the Reason.tv series Radicals For Capitalism: Celebrating the Ideas of Ayn Rand. Go here for more information, other videos, and related materials.

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Writer-director Marcus Dunstan on "torture porn," censorship, and his new film Saw VI

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EDT

Reason.tv's Ted Balaker sat down with filmmaker Marcus Dunstan who, along with his writing partner Patrick Melton, wrote the last three Saw films, including Saw VI, which hits theaters October 23. This summer Dunstan made his directorial debut with The Collector, which he and Melton also wrote. (Disclosure: Balaker's wife was a producer on The Collector.)

In this eight-minute interview, Dunstan and Balaker discuss Saw VI, censorship, red band trailers (which cannot be shown on television), how new media outlets like Ain't It Cool News are challenging traditional tastemakers, and whether calling a film "torture-porn" is actually a compliment.

Reason.tv's Marcus Dunstan interview was produced by Ted Balaker. Director of Photography: Alex Manning; Set Designer: Hawk Jensen; Editor: Zach Weissmueller; Associate Producer: Paul Detrick.

Screenwriting for Hollywood

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EDT

At Reason Goes Hollywood, our 40th anniversary bash held November 14-15, 2008 in Los Angeles, Reason.tv's Paul Feine interviewed screenwriters Paul Guay (best known for Liar, Liar) and David H. Steinberg (Slackers, American Pie 2) about what it takes to make it in the entertainment biz, especially when your politics diverge from a very narrow set of acceptable positions.

Approximately 50 minutes.

For an audio podcast version of this conversation, go here.

For more video from Reason Goes Hollywood, go here.

Making a Better Batman

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EDT

What happens when guitar legends Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White collaborate on a rock documentary? What's mistake should aspiring filmmakers avoid if they really want to get their movies made? How did longtime adversaries come together to create a better Batman?

Independent producer and consultant Clay Epstein answers these questions and tells reason.tv's Ted Balaker how the the economic crisis will color what moviegoers see on the big screen.

Slumdog Thousandaire

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:00:00 EST

Perhaps the only people who don't like the hit movie Slumdog Millionaire are those who compete against it at awards shows. After all, it's already cleaned up at the Golden Globes, and the BAFTAs, and it's poised to repeat these feats at the Oscars.

The film follows an Indian orphan named Jamal who grows up and hits it big on the famous game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? In important ways, Slumdog tells the story of India itself—a poverty-stricken underdog with its own rags-to-riches tales. British rule ended in 1947, and the economic woes America faces now are nothing compared to the widespread malnutrition and starvation India faced then.

Indians were enthusiastic about self-rule, but "the problem was that the Indian political leaders had this very Fabian Socialist idea," says Shikha Dalmia, a senior analyst at Reason Foundation and native of India. "And that completely thwarted the entrepreneurship of the country."

For decades would-be entrepreneurs staggered under the weight of corruption and bureaucracy. Want to import a computer for your business? You'd have to get permission from a bureaucrat. Want to sell food from a small cart? You'd need all kinds of licenses.

But in the 1990s, India emerged as a high-tech powerhouse. What changed?

"In the 1990s India started liberalizing its economy," says Dalmia, "and it did three things: cut taxes, liberalized trade, and deregulated business." Although they failed to cut the kind of red tape that entangled Slumdog's orphans, the reforms did make it easier for more Indians to start businesses and hire employees.

"One IT company doesn't just employ computer professionals," says Dalmia. "It also needs landscaping services, cleaning services, and restaurants. There was this tremendous spillover effect that allowed people to lift themselves out of poverty."

Since the early 1990s, India has cut its poverty rate in half. About 300 million Indians—equivalent to the population of the entire United States—escaped the hunger and deprivation of extreme poverty thanks to pro-market reforms that increased economic activity.

Yet here in America we're turning away from market reform. Says Dalmia, "It's just this great conundrum that at the same time that deregulation and markets have produced such dramatic results in India, they are falling into suspicion in America." Dalmia's prescription for India is at odds with what politicians have chosen to "stimulate" the United States. "What India needs to do is continue apace with its liberalization effort, but expand it to include the poor. Release them from the shackles of government corruption and government bureaucracy."

"Slumdog Thousandaire" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. The director of photography is Alex Manning.

Go here for an audio podcast version.

Reason.tv at TromaDance: Q&A with the Toxic Avenger's Father

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

While in Park City, Utah, Reason.tv's Ted Balaker sat down with independent film legend Lloyd Kaufman. Kaufman isn't just the father of the campy horror empire Troma Entertainment, the TromaDance Film Festival, and New Jersey's favorite superhero—The Toxic Avenger.

He's also chairman of the Independent Film & Television Alliance and deeply concerned about the future of independent art.

Kaufman discusses the Toxic Avenger, TromaDance, and the South Park connection. He also weighs in on the democratization of film, devil-worshiping international media conglomerates, penetrating the hymen of the mainstream, and his new book, Direct Your Own Damn Movie.

Strike Turns Violent

ted.balaker@reason.tv (Ted Balaker) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:24:00 EST

Think WGA members are too soft to go Teamster on strikebreakers?

Clever clip; thanks to Courtney.

As far as strikers go, these writers are pretty productive. Here's another video.

Hollywood economist Glen Whitman mulls the strike here and here .