This week, we're on-stage with Keith Overton, editor of Big Words and assistant editor of VICE NEWS Tonight, for a special LIVE episode recorded during our launch party! Back in September, we hosted a meet-and-greet/party/podcast recording at The Dugout in the Bronx, with food from La Cueva Fonda and guests from all across the borough. Once everyone had a plateful, we chatted with Keith about the difference between film and literature, the best (and worst) editing softwares, and the future of podcasts. Be sure to watch Big Words on Amazon Prime and check out VICE NEWS Tonight here!

Keith is an editor with technical prowess and a creative approach to post-production: he reads footage like prose. He edited Big Words, a Slamdance Selection and New York Times Pick that has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Keith is currently in LOCAL 700 and works full-time as an assistant editor for the Emmy Award Winning VICE NEWS Tonight, which won a 2021 Peabody Award and 2021 Emmy for OUTSTANDING NEWS CAST. Among Keith’s credits are live performance concerts and non fiction television shows for MTV, VH1, Bravo, Lifetime, The Learning Channel, History Channel, TV One and VICE News.

On this final episode of our first season, we're chatting with Jorgy Cruz, the director of Funny Pains. Jorgy's been a storyteller since childhood, when he discovered Kaliman comic books, El Chavo del Ocho (a TV show from Mexico), and “The Goonies." But for the past thirteen years, he's been telling stories through film: his production company, Longwood Media, brings media to life, from pre- to post-. Funny Pains, produced with Longwood, follows NYC comedian Wendi Starling in pursuit of her stand-up dreams. We asked Jorgy what advice he can give to new directors, how he balances all his projects, and why documentarians should prioritize reality over a beautiful shot.

This is the last episode of season one, but don't worry! We'll be back in a few weeks with a special LIVE episode...

Jorgy Cruz remembers the day he fell in love with stories through the Kaliman comic books, El Chavo del 8 tv show from Mexico, and “The Goonies”. His passion for listening to crazy stories from his dad or uncles took him on a trip every time. Later in life, he found a new love, filmmaking. To his luck, his two loves went together like butter on warm toast. He successfully ran a production company called Grupo 7 and taught screenwriting for short films. He's constantly in his head or writing trying to come up with ways to share his stories and other people’s journeys via video production. After many years of directing projects in Latin America and New York, he made Boston my home. Aside from being obsessed with storytelling, he's a decent cook, a lifelong martial artist, and the proud dad of a beautiful little baby girl named Ella Hope.

This week's episode is with two Co-Founders of Bronx Film 48, a community organization created to increase the number of filmmakers in The Bronx through networking events, workshops, and an annual 48-Hour Film Challenge. Bronx Film 48 was founded in 2019 by our Host Gregory Hernandez, along with filmmakers Ayaris Perez, Edwin Torres, and Christine Garmendiz. Ayaris and Edwin now run the organization with the help of a wonderful group of volunteers and partners. We talk about what it's like to be a person of color running a nonprofit, what the Bronx really needs to solidify its cinema culture, and what Bronx Film 48 is up to next. Be sure to follow them on social media, attend their next event, and participate in next year's 48-Hour Film Challenge!

Ayaris Perez is a queer filmmaker and teaching artist from the Bronx, her teaching artist work is rooted in social justice pedagogy supporting youth in finding their voice through various art forms. She believes film is a form of resistance and healing, that we need to capture our stories to reclaim our narratives and transform Black and Brown voices, in order to affect social change and liberation. Ayaris has worked on various projects from promotional videos to documentary film. Her goal is to foster a safe space for uptown creators, to share their stories as a means of healing and archiving our stories for future generations to come, that is why she co-founded Bronx Film 48.

Edwin Torres has directed several short video projects, and directed music videos and other multimedia projects. Edwin has a theater background working with other actors and acting himself in several community theater productions. He started out participating in student projects as a boom operator and Grip/Electric. He is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts in Film/Video. He has participated in a highly competitive internship with HBO's original series, "The Deuce", where he got to assist various departments on set, and worked with assistants of co-creators Nina Noble and David Simon. He has worked as an additional Production Assistant on several television and film productions such as John Wick 3, Joker, and Ray Donovan. Edwin supports advocacy groups in the Bronx such as the North West Bronx Community Clergy Coalition. Edwin is also a video game enthusiast, and teaches a Media Production on Gaming class at Dreamyard's Bx Start space in the Bronx.