How Leaving LA Led to a 40 Theater Release With a First Script

·1 hr 2 min·5 clips

A first-ever script written 20 years ago about the opioid crisis is now releasing in 40 theaters worldwide.

The episode opens with host Gigi Hawkins introducing two film interviews focused on heavy topics told with heart. The first interview is with the team behind 'Hazard,' an indie film set in a mining town during the opioid crisis, following a hesitant drug dealer named Will. Writer-director Eddie Mensor explains that this was his first script written 20 years ago, which he brought to LA but couldn't get made until now. Mensor shares his journey of leaving LA after development hell, moving to Georgia, and leveraging Kentucky's tax credit to make micro-budget films. He discusses casting with Adrienne Stern, including Alex Rowe, who auditioned while in character as Pat Garrett for another project. Actors Alex Rowe and Dave Davis talk about going against type, with Rowe playing an addict and Davis a complex cop. They describe on-set dynamics, including improvisation and staying in character to deepen performances. The conversation covers the film's themes of moral gray areas and community. The second interview features director Mark Saltarelli discussing 'Studio One Forever,' a documentary about Studio One, a gay club in West Hollywood that operated from the 1970s to 1990s. Saltarelli explains the club's history, including how it inspired Studio 54 and served as a sanctuary during the AIDS crisis and gay rights movements. He shares the film's four-year production, challenges like funding music rights, and emotional interviews with club patrons. Saltarelli details editing in Final Cut X, using found dance footage, and the film's festival reception, including sold-out screenings. Both segments emphasize the importance of persistence, personal storytelling, and independent filmmaking outside traditional systems.

As heard by us

A first script, a dark indie set, and the stubborn joy behind getting a personal film into theaters.

Hazard gives this episode a sturdy center: Eddie Mensor's first script, brought to LA more than 20 years ago, has become a film made fully outside the studio system.

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Why you'd press play

You can hear a first script carried for 20-plus years become an indie film where a heavy story still leaves room for joy.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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