SIFF Stories with Megan Leonard: Picking the Best Flicks
Exploring Washington State with Megan Leonard: Film, Karaoke, and Festival Insights
Are you ready to dive deep into the world of film festivals, short films, and the art of movie selection? Meet Megan Leonard, a programmer for the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). Grab your popcorn, (Megan prefers Red Vines) settle in, and let’s explore the captivating world of film with Megan Leonard.
Discovering Megan’s Film Journey
Megan Leonard takes us on a journey through her film career, from growing up in Olympia, Washington, to her role as a programming coordinator at SIFF. After initially studying engineering, she followed her passion for film and landed a programming intern position at SIFF, paving the way for her current career. Megan shares insights into her upbringing, her switch to film at Seattle University, and her progression within SIFF, giving us a glimpse into her profound love for movies from a young age.
Programming Films: A Puzzle and Game of Tetris
Lets delve into the intricacies of programming films for a festival, much like a puzzle and a game of Tetris. Learn about the challenges of accommodating the preferences of multiple programmers, finding suitable venues for each film, and creating the best viewing experience for audiences and filmmakers. Megan’s expertise shines as she explains the process of scheduling films to maximize the impact of each screening and enhance the overall festival experience.
Festival Insights: Submissions and Selection Process
Megan enlightens us about the Seattle International Film Festival’s annual submission process, which entails receiving over 3,000 submissions, each of which is viewed at least once. She explains the meticulous process of sorting submissions on the Film Freeway platform and assigning them to programmers who have an interest in a particular cinema type. This provides every submission with the opportunity to shine, showcasing the inclusive and dedicated approach of the festival’s programming team.
Episode Transcript
Scott Cowan [00:00:04]:
Hello, friends, and welcome to the exploring Washington State podcast. My name is Scott Cowan, and I’m the host of the show. Each episode, I have a conversation with an interesting guest who is living in or from Washington State. These are casual conversations with real and interesting people. I think you’re gonna like the show. So let’s jump right in with today’s guest. I am sitting down today with Megan Leonard. Megan is a programmer for SIFF.
Scott Cowan [00:00:31]:
Now, to me, that sounds like a computer language and you’re sitting in a cubicle with, you know, but SIFF is the Seattle International Film Festival, and I’m guessing that programmers are the people that select the movies for the festival. Am I am I right?
Megan Leonard [00:00:47]:
You’re you’re absolutely right, though. Admittedly, it’s a common misconception when I tell people that I’m a programmer. All of a sudden, they’re like, oh, you must be great with computers.
Scott Cowan [00:00:55]:
And you’re like, and CIFF, is that a language? I haven’t heard of CIFF before. It’s like
Megan Leonard [00:00:59]:
Java. Exactly.
Scott Cowan [00:01:00]:
Yeah. Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:01:01]:
Yeah. That’s a different kind of binary code or something. Well but yeah. No. I I watch a lot of movies and, help the team here select which films are gonna play at, this year’s edition of the festival.
Scott Cowan [00:01:14]:
Alright. That’s today, but let’s go back in time. How how what’s your what give us a little bit of your backstory, and really what I really want to know is how on earth does one become a programmer for a film festival? Not that I want the job. I’m just like, it’s an interesting it’s an interesting concept to me. So where are you from? Where’d you grow up? Where’d you go to school? And what else should we know about you?
Megan Leonard [00:01:44]:
Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, programming is definitely not a job that I thought existed when I was a kid. And if I had known, I probably would have been aiming exactly for it. Mhmm. But I I grew up in Olympia, Washington, so just an hour south of Seattle where I am now. My my parents are both, in, like, the the biology world and science. And so that that’s kind of where I grew up is very much out in nature.
Scott Cowan [00:02:12]:
Mhmm.
Megan Leonard [00:02:14]:
But, you know, we were always going to the movies every night. We would be turning something on, the TV. So they they got me started young even if they weren’t realizing it. And I I ended up going to college at Seattle University, where I, initially, I thought I was gonna be an engineer. That did not happen. And, like, as I changed my major to film, I saw a position open to become a programming assistant, programming intern at the Seattle International Film Festival. And I, like, read that description. Like I said, it said, you’re gonna watch movies.
Megan Leonard [00:02:53]:
And I was like, oh, well, well, well. Finally finally, the path that I’ve been looking for my whole life is is opening up before me. And so I I worked as an intern for for 3 years, watching movies, tracking films from around the world. You know, I I graduated from Seattle University with a degree in film studies, but I would really say that my film education happened when I started working at SIFF.
Scott Cowan [00:03:21]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:03:21]:
You know, I think I think when I first started working there, I thought that I was a movie buff. And then I quickly realized that I knew about Hollywood, and I knew about actors. And, like, I had no idea what was really out there in the independent film space and also, like, the international space. So it just, like, really opened up my eyes to what was out there.
And, you know, as as the kid who always just loved to watch, watch, watch, I you know, they gave me a closet, and I set keys where I could walk in, and there were just DVDs lining the shelves. So it was a total dream come true for me. And I just I refused to leave. I told them, you know, I’m I’m coming back next year, and I’m gonna come back next year too.
Megan Leonard [00:04:08]:
And is there anything I can do over the summer? Like, this is, like, my my mecca. Mhmm. And so I yeah. I mean, the idea of working my way up through the world of programming was, pretty exciting to me. And, so, yeah, when I graduated from college, I, ended up getting hired full time as their programming coordinator. So the person that receives all the submissions and response to everybody’s emails and organizes all of the I mean, back then, it was, like, DVDs that we were getting. So organizing everybody’s DVDs and physical materials. Mhmm.
Megan Leonard [00:04:49]:
And, you know, again, like, through through that, I got to start traveling to other film festivals and learning more about, like, the the larger circuit that’s out there, which, again, another eye opening experience to just seeing the greater industry at large, and just how how this whole thing works and how how the movies come to us and, you know, the different players out there as well. But, yeah, I I was in that job for, like, 3 or 4 years, and then I, since after that, I I’ve been a programmer on the team, focusing on shorts and new American cinema, since 2017.
Scott Cowan [00:05:28]:
Okay. So I have some questions based on all of that. First off, let’s, let’s go back to your childhood. You said, you said watch movies all the time as a kid. What’d you like? What were some movies from your childhood that you go, you know, oh, I remember, and I enjoyed whatever. Fill in the blank for me.
Megan Leonard [00:05:47]:
Oh, yeah. I mean, my my all time favorite movie is still one from my childhood that was, like, my favorite movie, which is Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I like, it was a movie that, like, when I was really little, terrified me, with, like, the eyes popping out and, like, the melting. Like, it totally freaked me out. And then as I’ve gotten older, revisiting it, it’s one that has so much more depth to it than I ever could have understood when I was a kid. Okay. Like, both both in terms, like, of themes, but also just in terms of the technical elements and how they pulled it off. And then, again, there’s, like, I learned more.
Megan Leonard [00:06:28]:
It’s, like, the the idea of, like, Disney and Warner Brothers characters on screen at the same time, and, like, how that’s something that could never happen anymore. And, you know, there there’s just, like, both, like, such a legacy, but also just, like, you know, it’s a it’s a one of a kind Okay. Type movie.
Scott Cowan [00:06:44]:
I’m gonna I’m gonna flip the question on you now, though, and and this might this, honestly, I’m prepping you. This may make you uncomfortable. But what’s a movie from back in the day for you that was super popular that you think is overrated that just doesn’t work for you?
Megan Leonard [00:07:03]:
Oh, gosh. I I have to think about this. My my my, like, personal problem is I I have a soft spot for things that are bad too.
Scott Cowan [00:07:12]:
Well, it’s okay. I mean, it’s but what’s one that just, you know, like,
Megan Leonard [00:07:18]:
I Like, I’ll tell you more. It’s harder to think of.
Scott Cowan [00:07:19]:
I’ll just give you one for me. Yeah. Yeah. I I just I still don’t think I don’t get Titanic. Like, it just doesn’t I mean, it was a blockbuster. Everybody talks about it. I watched it, and I went actually and another one? No. This shows you how much older I am than you.
Scott Cowan [00:07:39]:
I never saw the original 3 Star Wars movies in the theater.
Megan Leonard [00:07:43]:
Woah. Woah. I okay. I’ve I’ve thought of mine. Okay.
Scott Cowan [00:07:46]:
I’ve thought
Megan Leonard [00:07:47]:
of mine. One that I thought was overrated and not even for any particular reason, Armageddon.
Scott Cowan [00:07:54]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:07:54]:
I just
Scott Cowan [00:07:55]:
It just didn’t work.
Megan Leonard [00:07:55]:
I just did not
Scott Cowan [00:07:56]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:07:57]:
I just didn’t get it. It wasn’t for me. I, you know, I I refused to see it for many years Okay. Just out of, like, a personal protest, and it just wasn’t for me. But then, additionally, I will say, like, on your note of not seeing the original Star Wars, I’ve never seen any of the Indiana Jones.
Scott Cowan [00:08:14]:
Oh, okay.
Megan Leonard [00:08:16]:
See. Yeah. It’s a Yeah. It’s a big blind spot.
Scott Cowan [00:08:19]:
So so I I watched the Star Wars the first three Star Wars movies when my kids were little on VHS, you know, on a small TV. And it was like, yeah, it’s okay. And then when they re released them, I don’t know, 25 years ago or so whenever it when they first were rereleased,
I went to the theater. And back then, there was a theater up at Northgate. And, you know, it was like, I I think my biggest memory is there’s two folds. Number 1 is that the the seat that I was sitting in in the theater had a spring that was very uncomfortable. And number 2 is, like, these just didn’t age well to me. Now I know that I’m probably gonna have people, you know, telling me that I don’t know what I’m talking about, and that’s fine.
Scott Cowan [00:08:57]:
If you liked star wars and that’s great. I appreciate the, I appreciate the, franchise that it is. Let’s put it that way, but just not mine. Okay. The other question I have is, when you were a coordinator, you mentioned you were responsible for the submissions getting, you know, and all that. So on an annual basis, how many submissions does the Seattle International Film Festival receive?
Megan Leonard [00:09:25]:
Oh my gosh. I mean, I think we’re getting over 3,000 submissions at this point. Yeah.
Scott Cowan [00:09:30]:
That’s, like, 10 a day. 3. Every I mean, it’s
Megan Leonard [00:09:33]:
It’s pretty significant. You know, and we we have a team of about 30 programmers, you know, split over shorts and features at the festival. So we have a pretty large team of people that are are watching those and and, you know, making cuts and
Scott Cowan [00:09:51]:
Sure.
Megan Leonard [00:09:51]:
You know, the yeah.
Scott Cowan [00:09:53]:
If we just work with the number 3,000, and that’s just
Megan Leonard [00:09:56]:
Yeah.
Scott Cowan [00:09:56]:
Plus or minus whatever, it doesn’t matter. We’re I’m not not holding you to it. Are you telling me though that those 3,000 submissions are being watched by someone? Does every does every submission get at least a viewing?
Megan Leonard [00:10:13]:
Oh, yeah. Wow. Absolutely. Okay. Absolutely. Wow. No. Every everything is getting viewed at least once.
Megan Leonard [00:10:19]:
You know, many things getting viewed more than once as well. And I and I think the thing, like, you know, I tell this to a lot of filmmakers is, like, you know, I think the thing to understand is, like, all of us as programmers, if we see, like, something in a film, like, we want to give it its best chance.
Scott Cowan [00:10:36]:
Mhmm.
Megan Leonard [00:10:36]:
Like, so, like, when I see something and it’s, like, it’s not really my taste. Like, I can see that there’s something in this, but it’s just not really the kind of movie that I personally like. I give it to my, another programmer on the team that I know Yeah.
Scott Cowan [00:10:51]:
K.
Megan Leonard [00:10:51]:
Yeah. That’s just more interested in that type of cinema.
Scott Cowan [00:10:54]:
Got it.
Megan Leonard [00:10:55]:
Like, I’m I’m I’m admittedly not, like, a huge slow cinema person. Okay. So it’s, like, you know, I give it to, like, one of our programmers that’s a little bit more patient with that kind of Okay. Pacing. Mhmm. Or, like, if it’s, like, you know, a slasher, I give it to my colleague, Dan. You know? Because I know he’s gonna really get into that. Or, alternately, he’s gonna be the one that’s, like, you know, it’s actually kind of derivative, and, you know, I’ve seen that kind of thing before.
Megan Leonard [00:11:20]:
So, actually, no. Okay. So, you know
Scott Cowan [00:11:23]:
So so second thing. I didn’t k. Welcome to the rabbit hole. So Yeah. Let’s can can we, for the sake of a few minutes, can we take a a a hypothetical submission from landing in the mail room Yeah. To being on the 2025 film festival screen. How how does that process what’s the internal workings of that? So I mailed you my film. Yeah.
Scott Cowan [00:11:52]:
Here. Poof. It’s in the mail room. It’s assigned to you. What’s next?
Megan Leonard [00:11:58]:
Yeah. So admittedly, at this point, there’s no mail room for it. You know Look
Scott Cowan [00:12:03]:
at me. I’m old. There’s still mail. I mean
Megan Leonard [00:12:05]:
I’ve well, I mean, my well, that’s what I was saying. Like, when I when I was coordinator, like, it was male. Like, I was just we were getting, like, butt like, those mail bins, like, just over and over again just ripping past
Scott Cowan [00:12:16]:
I’m sending my film in on super 8, by the way. So, you you know, I’m I’m going I mean, it’s no. I’m kidding. Alright. So so further back.
Megan Leonard [00:12:23]:
Is so the yeah. So the these days, there there is now a platform called Film Freeway. And so filmmakers will submit their films via this platform, Film Freeway. And everything is, like a Vimeo link or some some other kind of, like, auxiliary link where we can access it.
Scott Cowan [00:12:43]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:12:44]:
And so the process is the filmmaker, they send it to us. Someone on our administrative team gets it checked in and make sure, like, they paid submission fees. Like, we have all the necessary materials. K. And then that film is in a pile, like, a a digital pile. Yeah, a digital pile with all of the other submissions waiting to get viewed. And, you know, I think each of us have, like, a different method in terms of how we select what to watch. Mhmm.
Megan Leonard [00:13:17]:
I think a lot of us are actually pretty random about it in many ways. It’s like, what letter of the alphabet do I feel like today? Or, you know, it’s they’re like, I’m just gonna, like, search the word cat and see if something comes up. K. Like, that that’s gonna be my my selection process today. But from from that, like, a programmer’s gonna go in on the backside and see that list of films, make a click, and and there pops up all of the information. You know, the screeners right there, a little synopsis, director bio. But I think for the most part, a lot of us like to go in pretty blind, and not read too much and just kinda let it play and let the movie speak for itself.
Scott Cowan [00:13:58]:
Okay. So,
Megan Leonard [00:14:00]:
you know, that that’s on its first watch. And then, like, you know, our team will put in I’ll I’ll type in a grade and a comment, you know, a a 1 to 5 grade, and that will be, like, kind of the first, like, signal of of kinda where where it stands.
Scott Cowan [00:14:17]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:14:20]:
From from there, it’s a matter of is it gonna make it to a second programmer or Scott? And so it’s like, you know, depending on that grade, you kinda make a decision as the person who viewed it. Like, okay. Do I wanna try and pass this along to somebody else and really start advocating for this?
Scott Cowan [00:14:39]:
Mhmm.
Megan Leonard [00:14:39]:
Or is this one that I wanna cut?
Scott Cowan [00:14:42]:
So you, as the programmer, can become the advocate of the of the of the film. So, Megan, you’re gonna say Scott film warrants being looked at by somebody else on the programming team. So you say you guys are you know, here’s here’s Scott’s film. You should look at it. Another another programmer looks at the film, kinda does the same thing you’d you do with their style. They may wanna read all the stuff, but they’re ultimately gonna view the film, give it a grade, and then do they decide, Like
Megan Leonard [00:15:18]:
Well, so then we we do the selection process by committee. Okay. So, like, every every other week through January, February, March, like, we we are meeting as as a committee to go through every film that we have in consideration.
Scott Cowan [00:15:33]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:15:34]:
And and, like, we we have to look at it very holistically, because we only have a certain set amount of films that we can program.
Scott Cowan [00:15:42]:
Mhmm.
Megan Leonard [00:15:42]:
And a lot of the programmers have different specialties kind of as I mentioned with myself, I watch the American films and short films, but we have other programmers on the team that are advocating for different sections and different parts of the world, and, like, different, like, genre specialties.
Scott Cowan [00:15:57]:
Right.
Megan Leonard [00:15:59]:
And so it’s like we we each have, like, a set number of films that we can program in those areas. And so it’s like, okay. I like this one film, but now how does this one film, like, track with everything else that we’re looking at? Like, does it hold up against, like, these 3 other ones that I already invited? Like, do I must I have this one as well? Mhmm.
Or is there something else? Like, you know, I think the the big thing too is, like, looking at, like, okay. Is this movie already like something that I’ve programmed? Would it be better to get something get a sci fi film when we don’t have sci fi already represented in the program? Like because I think our goal as a festival, like, we we consider ourselves an audience festival. So for us, like, we really are catering to, like, our audience’s wants, and we want there to be something for everybody. Okay. Like, there there should be, like, something that hits every marker for for audience.
Megan Leonard [00:17:00]:
And so we are pretty thoughtful in terms of making sure that that variety, is there along with, like, the diversity within, like, the international element, like, documentary, short film like that that
Scott Cowan [00:17:14]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:17:15]:
Sort of variety as well.
Scott Cowan [00:17:17]:
So how long well, I guess it would depend on when I submitted my film for consideration. You just said you you’re meeting every other week, January, February, and March to finalize the, in this case, we’re talking 2024. I pushed out a year, but so okay. 2024. So you, as a group, you sit down, you make the decisions and ultimately the films were selected for the film festival. This year in 2024, do you know how many films in total have been, selected for the the film festival?
Megan Leonard [00:17:53]:
There are 207 films.
Scott Cowan [00:17:56]:
I was a little disappointed. I was hoping for 208, but okay. 207 films.
Megan Leonard [00:18:03]:
That’s I know.
Scott Cowan [00:18:04]:
A lot of okay. So first, the audience that doesn’t know the Seattle International Film Festival is held on multiple at multiple venues. So
Megan Leonard [00:18:15]:
It is. Yeah.
Scott Cowan [00:18:16]:
What venues are the this year’s film’s gonna be shown at?
Megan Leonard [00:18:21]:
Yeah. So, Sif, we we have, 4 theaters now that we operate year round. And so we will be operating out of all 4 of those. And so the those theaters being the SIF Cinema Uptown over in Queen Anne, which we bit which we, yeah, have, owned for quite a while now, as well as the SIFF Film Center on the Seattle Center campus, where our offices are located. And then we have the SIFF Cinema Egyptian up on Capitol Hill, which is, always a favorite of mine.
And then the newly minted SIFFCinema downtown, formerly known as the Cinerama, which is, to me, like, I when I was told that we were gonna be using that theater for the festival the entire time, my mind was blown. I I’m I’m very excited for people to get to watch festival movies on that screen. Like, that’s just such a one of a kind experience.
Scott Cowan [00:19:20]:
No. I I know next to nothing about well, I know less about film than you did when you were a kid probably. Cause I think of Hollywood. Scott to me, the, the cinemas screen is massive. Is that Scott maybe always the best choice for certain, I mean, would certain films be lost on that on that real estate?
Megan Leonard [00:19:46]:
Definitely. Like, that that’s that’s actually a big conversation that we have, during the scheduling process. You know, I think you’ll find this funny, Scott. Like, we we actually do the scheduling very analog still. Okay. While everything else has been very digitized, the scheduling element, like, we get, like, a physical poster board, and we have titles of movies on little slips of paper that are color coded for programs. And we are, like, putting them up with thumbtacks on the wall and slotting them into each of these different screening slots. But that is, like, the conversation that we have is, like, oh, okay.
Megan Leonard [00:20:20]:
Like, should we try and put this one at Scott downtown? And it’s, like, no. Like, that’s not the kind of movie that’s going to, like it’s not going to service that movie properly to play on that screen. Right. Like, there there are movies that are, like, just so visual that you want to have that kind of experience at Siv Cinema downtown. But others, like, it, yeah, it it doesn’t it doesn’t quite require that kind of song and dance.
Scott Cowan [00:20:45]:
So so not only do you have to to to select from 3,000 to start with down to 207, you know, so let’s say from 3,000 to 200. Okay. Let’s just easy ground math. So you’ve Scott to, you’ve got to whittle it down to 200. Then you have to take those 200 and move them around the board to best serve in, in a perfect world to best serve the venue that is appropriate for this title. And then but we gotta work that in around the 199 other titles that we gotta get going. And, so it sounds like a giant game of Tetris to me.
Megan Leonard [00:21:23]:
A 100%. Okay. Yeah. It’s a it’s a massive puzzle, you know, and Beth and I, when we were Beth Barrett, our artistic director at Ziff, we were looking at the puzzle and, you know, I’ve I’ve I’ve done the scheduling session with her many a time over the years, and I I just popped in for a a celebrity, slotting, moment this year where I just came in, and I took all my American movies and just Scott putting them on the board, like, left and right. Like, I gotta find the best Scott, because, you know, I think also as, us programmers, you know, we get very, connected to these movies that we program. Like, they like, we feel a type of ownership over each of these movies that we selected, and we want them to play in the best possible way.
Scott Cowan [00:22:12]:
Mhmm.
Megan Leonard [00:22:12]:
And that’s not to say, like, the best possible way is, like, they all need to be at SIP downtown. It’s like, no. Actually, I’d like this to be in, like, the SIP Uptown house 3. Like, that’s that’s the house that it will work best in. Like, so yeah. Like, some sometimes, like, like, a smaller environment is just gonna feel better for a movie and, you know, you you just want especially, like, if filmmakers come in, you want them to have, like, that, like, that nice audience experience.
Scott Cowan [00:22:38]:
Right. No. This is this is, yeah, better you than me. Yeah. But that’s that’s cool. So you you you kind of you kind of indicated that there’s about 30 programmers. Is that
Megan Leonard [00:22:50]:
Yeah. Yeah. Just about.
Scott Cowan [00:22:51]:
So about 30:30 of you, 30 different personalities, 30 different focuses of interest, if you will. Like you you said, you don’t wanna do slasher movies, so you’ve you know, you you you respectfully give that off to you search you said earlier you were searching by cats and you came up with a cat movie and found out it was a slasher movie and you just you just, like, off it goes.
Megan Leonard [00:23:13]:
I just hand
Scott Cowan [00:23:13]:
that over.
Megan Leonard [00:23:14]:
Yeah. Okay. Mhmm.
Scott Cowan [00:23:17]:
So I’m gonna I’m gonna stop and because I’m gonna ask you a very specific question about you now.
Megan Leonard [00:23:26]:
Okay.
Scott Cowan [00:23:26]:
As as a movie enthusiast, as someone who watches movies as a part of your life, you know, your income job, when you get to go and not watch it on a computer screen, you know, from the Vimeo thing and you get to go into a movie theater, where do you like to sit? Like, where’s the best seat in the house to watch a movie? Yeah.
Megan Leonard [00:23:53]:
I mean, it definitely depends on the theater.
Scott Cowan [00:23:56]:
Okay. Well, let’s let me put you on the spot. You like the Egyptian earlier. Let’s let’s go to the Egyptian. Where’s the best seat?
Megan Leonard [00:24:03]:
The Egyptian, I like so there there’s, like, a front part and a and a further back part there and, like, a little split down the middle. I like the 2nd row back in the after the split Okay. On the aisle on preferably on the left side. Preferably on the left side. That’s just that’s that’s my my zone. Mhmm. Like because it usually, you can get away with, like, nobody tall sitting in front of me, which is I’m I’m quite Scott, so that’s a problem for me.
Scott Cowan [00:24:29]:
So you don’t want me sitting in front of you. I’m I’m the bane of your existence.
Megan Leonard [00:24:33]:
Yeah. Exactly. Like, I I’m always looking for the spot where nobody’s gonna be sitting in front of me, and I also I love to sit on an aisle. Like, I I think that that’s something that comes from programming too and, like, going to film festivals. Like, you need to have your exit. Like, I need I need to be able to get out fast. So, you know, just in case.
Scott Cowan [00:24:54]:
So, you know, 40 to 60 percent of the way up the, up the, from the screen, you’re not sitting in the back row. You’re not sitting in the front row. You kind of want to be, you know, in that middle area of it, if you will. You want you want an aisle. I like because you wanna make your escape. The pro And
Megan Leonard [00:25:11]:
I and I don’t like to be I don’t like to be too close to the screen either.
Scott Cowan [00:25:14]:
Right. Now I haven’t been to the Egyptian in so many years that I can just say I don’t remember anything. But the way you described it, that front row or that first row on the Cowan section is where I’m going to sit because it’s got leg room. And so I’m, and I, and I like the aisle on the left side too, so I might be that, you know, you know, like I’m that person on the airplane who puts her seat back type. You don’t like none of us like that person. And I don’t do that, but you get the idea. I’m going to probably ruin your cinema experience. If I sit in front of you,
Megan Leonard [00:25:46]:
I’m gonna be tapping on your shoulder.
Scott Cowan [00:25:47]:
Probably. And I’m gonna probably turn around and give you a dirty look and go leave me alone. Okay. All right. On a, on a completely fun note here. So you’re sitting in your preferred seat at the Egyptian theater and you’re watching a film that you haven’t seen before. So it’s something you’ve been looking forward to. Are you the type of film goer who’s eating movie food? Are you sitting there quietly? Do you have to have a beverage? What’s the give us more of your movie watching experience.
Scott Cowan [00:26:19]:
You know? What’s it like?
Megan Leonard [00:26:21]:
Yeah. I mean, I I ate too many popcorn meals in my twenties, when I was extremely poor working as an intern for the festival. Wait.
Scott Cowan [00:26:32]:
But movie popcorn’s not cheap. You could have gone out for a really nice dinner on what you paid for movie
Megan Leonard [00:26:37]:
popcorn. Well, you know, one of one of the amazing perks of of working for a film festival is they they really allow you to have free popcorn. I know.
Scott Cowan [00:26:46]:
How generous of them. Sorry.
Megan Leonard [00:26:48]:
I know. I know. Hey. Hey. Listen. SIP members also get free popcorn. So, you know, that’s just just, you know, just a little plug there. Just a quick plug.
Scott Cowan [00:26:55]:
That’s for the cost
Megan Leonard [00:26:56]:
of members. Exactly. I know. It’s actually a really great deal. You get a little punch card for popcorn.
Scott Cowan [00:27:02]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:27:03]:
But, yeah, I I overate popcorn, and now it it makes me feel a little sick because of it. Like, I I was having popcorn candy eater during the movies. Okay. You know? I I love a peanut M and M. That’s kind of my my, like, personal go to. K. And in a more divisive choice, I love red vines.
Scott Cowan [00:27:31]:
We’re done here. No. Just kidding. Red vines,
Megan Leonard [00:27:35]:
Alright. Yeah. I love a red vine.
Scott Cowan [00:27:38]:
Oh, you’re fine.
Megan Leonard [00:27:38]:
That’s fine. I Well, especially, like, Egyptian, you can you can get, like, a rainier and and some red vines. They go well together. You can think about that.
Scott Cowan [00:27:49]:
No. I already have. And and and here’s the thing. And we okay. So one movie that’s coming out this year is, the Rainier Beard the movie, which is a a re well, the guys that did the movie, I’ve had them on the podcast before. And, you know, they they they were able to find the the archive of all the original Rainier beer footage. Okay. Even when I was under 21 and shouldn’t have been picky about what beverage options were available to me, I couldn’t drink Rainier.
Scott Cowan [00:28:22]:
I never liked it. I just no offense to those guys. I love the commercials, the marketing. It oh my god. But the beer, no. Don’t hard pass. I will, I will, I will drink room temperature, flat water, before I drink a Rainier. And on a
Megan Leonard [00:28:42]:
completely It’s so funny.
Scott Cowan [00:28:43]:
On a completely other note though, the other day I saw there’s a Rainier beer shortage. There it’s What? Yeah. There is Rainier beer. Some of the restaurant, some of the bars, and they’re serving it on tap are running out. They can’t get enough Rainier beer. So Yeah. Be be careful. Your Red Vines and Rainier, you might have to switch to, you know, something else.
Megan Leonard [00:29:06]:
Oh, no. I mean, for a while, I was this and this is actually worse, but I was drinking, like, rose and red vines.
Scott Cowan [00:29:18]:
Okay. I
Megan Leonard [00:29:19]:
know. The the this is, like, the the trashy movie theater scene that I enjoy.
Scott Cowan [00:29:24]:
That’s I mean, no. No. There’s I’m not judging why I’m judging you. Let’s be honest. No. But oh, man. I’m trying to imagine putting myself alright. I always ask the hard questions.
Scott Cowan [00:29:33]:
I think, honestly and I don’t like wine. I would drink Rose and Red Vines before I drink Rainier and Red vines. That’s that’s no offense, guys. I know people love Rainier. Not for me. More for you, less for me. That’s all good.
Megan Leonard [00:29:48]:
I’ll I’ll I’ll, I’ll own up to one more bad movie theater each, which is, we so I I didn’t Wenatchee. We we also are playing at the AMC downtown at Pacific Place. Mhmm. And when I’m there, I get the pretzel bites with, like, the nacho cheese. Ugh. They’re so bad and so good.
Scott Cowan [00:30:13]:
Rainier is the beverage of choice to wash that one down too?
Megan Leonard [00:30:16]:
They don’t they don’t they don’t have
Scott Cowan [00:30:18]:
any See, it’s a good theater then. No. Just kidding. Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:30:20]:
Yeah. Yeah. But in in which case, I get a Coca Cola.
Scott Cowan [00:30:23]:
A Coca Cola. See, whenever Yeah. I I’m I’m Scott no Pepsi. That’s Pepsi products.
Megan Leonard [00:30:31]:
Every night.
Scott Cowan [00:30:31]:
Maybe I mean, I’ll drink if I have to, but, Coca Cola. Alright. So we’ve dissected where you like to sit and your dietary habits while at the movie.
Megan Leonard [00:30:41]:
Yes. They’re not good.
Scott Cowan [00:30:43]:
No. No. They’re not. But that’s okay. There’s there it’s it’s it’s all good. It’s, we we we aim to get through, you know, and and get our guests to share something of great significance. And so Rainier and Red Vines is of great significance.
Megan Leonard [00:30:59]:
Yeah. Would recommend. And you can even bite both sides of the Red Vine and drink your beer with a little Red Vine straw. So just keep that in mind. Yeah. Note note that for later.
Scott Cowan [00:31:15]:
I’m act okay. I’ll tell you later what’s gonna happen there.
Megan Leonard [00:31:19]:
Okay.
Scott Cowan [00:31:21]:
Alright. And we’ll just do this, and we’re back. Okay. So red vines as a straw, I actually kind of admire your ingenuity, so I do.
Megan Leonard [00:31:36]:
Alright. Thank you.
Scott Cowan [00:31:38]:
This let’s talk about this year’s film festival. What, because I don’t have this up right in front of me so admittedly. What are the dates for the for the Salem International Film Festival in 2024?
Megan Leonard [00:31:50]:
Yeah. So the festival this year is May 9 through 19.
Scott Cowan [00:31:53]:
K.
Megan Leonard [00:31:54]:
And those are our in person dates. And then the week following, there will be a selection of films that are available on the SIF channel virtually as well.
Scott Cowan [00:32:03]:
Okay. And there’s about 200 and not not about there’s 207 films this year. Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:32:12]:
207 feature films, a 115 short films.
Scott Cowan [00:32:16]:
Oh, wow. Okay. So one question I didn’t ask earlier. I didn’t Yeah. You said approximately 3,000 submissions annually. Approximately how many of those are shorts and how many of those are features ish?
Megan Leonard [00:32:31]:
I would I would say a significant portion are shorts. Okay. Like, again, I’m I’m just ballparking off the top of my head here, but I would say, like, probably, like, 2 thirds
Scott Cowan [00:32:42]:
of those are
Megan Leonard [00:32:42]:
are shorts.
Scott Cowan [00:32:43]:
Okay. Yeah. So alright. That’s makes the work a little less time consuming. I mean, you know, sitting down through a whole, you know, hour 90 minutes or, you know, an hour 90 minutes, well, that’d be 2 and a half hours. But, you you know, you get the idea of watching something. Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:32:58]:
I will I will tell you, though, while you would think that watching shorts would be simpler, the the resets that it requires, to watch short films is actually much more challenging mentally, I find.
Scott Cowan [00:33:14]:
What do you mean resets, like, clearing the slate?
Megan Leonard [00:33:18]:
You have to yeah. Like, you’re you’re starting over a new story, like, every 15 minutes. Okay. So it’s like, okay. Like, you have to you have to be, like, so locked in to every, like, every minute. Like, there’s no, like, looking away. Otherwise, it’s like, oh my gosh. The movie’s over.
Megan Leonard [00:33:32]:
Mhmm. So you you have to be like, okay. We’ve got 3 new characters. Like, we were like, this is the language we’re speaking. Like, this is what this is about. Like and now, like, okay. Now we write that up. Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:33:43]:
Now next next film. Like, because we’ll I mean, we’ll watch, like, maybe, like, 25 shorts in a row. And so it’s just, like, a lot of different, like, stories and characters, like, all swirling around in your brain.
Scott Cowan [00:33:55]:
That’s alright.
Megan Leonard [00:33:57]:
Yeah. Yeah. Like, I I find that after after, like, a lot like, after, like, the heavy viewing period, I start to lose track of, like, did I watch that in a movie? Did I dream that? Was that a conversation that I had? Like, where where am I, like, pulling things from anymore? Right. Like, I everything starts to become a little bit of a blur.
Scott Cowan [00:34:18]:
Yeah. That I hadn’t thought about in those terms. Okay. Yeah. Let’s talk about the films that you programmed this year. I’m on your, your, your bio page, if you will, from the film festival. And, why don’t you share with the audience some highlights of some of your films and ones that you are, I’m not asking you to pick favorites, but, you know, particularly, like, think are worthy of people checking out this year.
Megan Leonard [00:34:49]:
Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, there there are a ton of films this year that I’m I’m really excited about. You know, I’ll kinda do it more in, like like, weekend order here. So, you know, like, over over the first weekend, the movie Stress Positions, Theta Hamill’s feature, that premiered at Sundance is a wild comedy. Like, I have to tell people, like, it is not for the fate of heart. It is definitely polarizing, but it is like a queer comedy Well of that’s set during the pandemic that is very, like, toxic gays.
Scott Cowan [00:35:34]:
So I’m gonna
Megan Leonard [00:35:35]:
Capitol Hill crowd will love it.
Scott Cowan [00:35:36]:
I’m going to read your description on your on your profile page. It’s 3 words Uh-huh. And they are toxic, gay, shit. That sums up everything you just said more eloquently, but I really like the the brevity of the description here. Okay?
Megan Leonard [00:35:52]:
Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. No. I’d I’d I try and get down to brass tacks.
Scott Cowan [00:35:56]:
You you are any of them other your descriptions I think that is the shortest one.
Megan Leonard [00:36:03]:
Yeah. I think so. That that one really I I saw it.
Scott Cowan [00:36:07]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:36:07]:
You know?
Scott Cowan [00:36:08]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:36:09]:
I mean,
Scott Cowan [00:36:09]:
there’s a couple other let’s see. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. There’s one with 6. Okay. Anyway, go on. I’m I’m hijacking you. Please continue. Sorry.
Megan Leonard [00:36:15]:
I know. I’m not well, and I’m not I’m not looking at my notes, so I’m, like, I’m just going off of my my head. So I if I I’m not having my short and sweet eloquent little line.
Scott Cowan [00:36:25]:
That’s that was just excellent brevity. Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:36:29]:
Thank you. On that same night on Saturday, May 11th at midnight, the screening of Rats, that movie is so wild. It is so emo, like, emo music. Oh, I’m sorry. Hold on one second. My ear my thing fell out of my ear. How should I just restart that?
Scott Cowan [00:36:49]:
Nope. Go ahead. She just Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:36:53]:
Yeah. So, I mean, with, like, rats is just, like, the most emo, like, disgusting, weird, like, cult movie humor.
Scott Cowan [00:37:04]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:37:04]:
Like, I it it kinda reminds me of a Gregor Rocky movie in many ways. It’s, like, so bright and colorful, and the actors just it’s, like, the weirdest delivery of lines. Like, they they just I’m excited because the filmmakers are coming out, and I just have questions to ask them. Like, I need to know about certain things.
Scott Cowan [00:37:25]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:37:26]:
But it is foul. Again, not for the faint of heart. I’m really starting you with, like, the weirdest of the boobies on my list. That’s okay. You know? Like, it it’s it’s such a great time. Like, people are people are gonna lose it over that one. Continuing down my list. Oh my gosh.
Megan Leonard [00:37:42]:
Okay. This movie, good one. India Donaldson’s debut feature. This movie is so Pacific Northwest coded. Like, it looks like it was shot in the Pacific Northwest.
Scott Cowan [00:37:55]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:37:56]:
And and by that, I mean, they’re going on a hike. They’re going backpacking, and I’m like, oh my gosh. It’s like home. But it was all it was all shot, on the East Coast. It’s in the Catskills. But it’s about a young woman who is going on a back packing trip with her father and his friend. Like, his friend’s son is supposed to be joining them as well and, like, refuses to join them last minute, and so it’s just the 3 of them. And, you know, I just really shows the depths of what it’s like to be a young woman
Scott Cowan [00:38:34]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:38:35]:
And be being around men that are experiencing their midlife crisis. A lot happens just on the main actress’s face.
Scott Cowan [00:38:50]:
Like
Megan Leonard [00:38:50]:
so it’s one that, like, you you really have to be, like, locked in for. Okay. You know, I I watched I watched it at, during Sundance, and I I actually watched it during their virtual portion. And the the director said, very specifically, like, this is one, like you know, I know that you’re watching it at home. Like, make sure that you put your foot your phone down. Like, this is not one that you can second screen
Scott Cowan [00:39:17]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:39:17]:
Because you’re just you’ll you’ll miss Right. You’ll miss the movie Okay. Because it is really a quiet film.
Scott Cowan [00:39:23]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:39:24]:
But, yeah, I love that one so much. Okay. There’s another movie playing opening weekend called So Unreal. This is a documentary, and I, you know, I think I told you early on, documentaries are not really my section.
Scott Cowan [00:39:39]:
Right.
Megan Leonard [00:39:40]:
But this film, is by director Amanda Kramer, who made a couple of movies. I mean, she’s made a few movies, over the last, decade. But she had a couple in the last few years, one called Please, Baby, Please and another called Give Me Pity, that I absolutely adored. And those were both narrative films. So this is a bit of a departure for her. But this is a it’s more of like a video essay that is talking about what we thought the Internet was going to bring us in the future. Like, what we thought, like, hackers were, like, tapping into and, like, you know, using movies of, like, the eighties nineties of, like, where we predicted the Internet was gonna take us and, like, looking at where we are now and how how accurate it was and Mhmm. You know, what was right and what wasn’t.
Megan Leonard [00:40:42]:
But it’s done so stylishly with, like, a really nice, like, synth score to just kinda keep you, jiving through it. And then, Debbie Harry is doing all of the voice over narration.
Scott Cowan [00:40:57]:
Harry, a a blondie is is the is the is the voice talent for that. Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:41:04]:
Yes. Yes.
Scott Cowan [00:41:05]:
Interesting.
Megan Leonard [00:41:06]:
But it’s it’s a very kinda trippy movie, and it’s one that we we are planning that at SIP Downtown. That one will look very cool
Scott Cowan [00:41:14]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:41:14]:
At, at on that big screen.
Scott Cowan [00:41:16]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:41:17]:
Excellent. So, yeah, very very excited about that one. Let let’s see what else. Oh, I mean okay. I I have some more regular movies that I’ll talk about too, but I have to talk about this one other just absolutely absurd screening that we are doing, which is we are playing Harmony Korine’s Agro Drift, at SIFF Cinema Downtown. This movie is shot entirely on infrared cameras. It will make you go blind watching it on this theater. Like, again, like, before, like, epilepsy warning, like, if you get, like, migraines too easily, don’t go to this.
Megan Leonard [00:42:02]:
But if you’re a psycho like myself and want to just, like, immerse yourselves in a chaotic experience, this is the place to be. We’re only screening it once. Like, they have not really been playing it, very much at festivals. They’ve actually been screening it, like, in LA and New York at strip clubs. Yes. It it’s truly a wild movie. I mean, anybody that’s familiar with Harmony Korine’s work, won’t be terribly surprised by it, and how outlandish it is. But, like, we we decided that we wanted to play it in the most outrageous way possible.
Megan Leonard [00:42:46]:
So that that’s gonna be a really fun one off event that we’re doing, at 9:30 on, May 17th at SIFF Cinema Downtown.
Scott Cowan [00:42:56]:
I’m gonna I’m gonna add a little bit. I’m on the SIFF page for that film,
Megan Leonard [00:43:02]:
and Yeah.
Scott Cowan [00:43:03]:
I think you could have summed it up with this. It looks like and I don’t want that distraction. But, visually, it’s very bizarre to me. Like, visually, I’m like, woah. Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:43:24]:
I mean, it’s it’s very arresting. I mean, it it’s just also a movie that feels like, you know, Harmony was doing a lot of experimentation, with the camerawork and just, like, people he’s hanging out with, it seems.
Scott Cowan [00:43:38]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:43:39]:
But, I mean, there’s just, like, so much that’s layered on in VFX, and just, like, all these added elements. It’s it’s very dreamy. Like, it it it’s it’s a very unusual like, barely a movie, but just such an experience.
Scott Cowan [00:43:59]:
Okay. Yeah. Pretty well. Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:44:01]:
Yeah. What what else you got
Scott Cowan [00:44:03]:
for me?
Megan Leonard [00:44:05]:
Alright. I also have the Black Sea is one of my favorites out of South by Southwest. This is from director Crystal Moselle, and she is paired up this time with, Derek b Hardin, who’s co directing the movie with her. And he also stars in the film, And it’s a fictionalized account of an experience that he had, where he and now this is the movie and not the real life story, but he flies to Bulgaria, to meet up with a woman, to have some adult time and make some some cash. But when he arrives there, the woman has died, and he’s now trapped in Bulgaria with no money, no one to pay him. And he, like, gets robbed and his passport is taken, and so he’s, like, truly trapped there. And so he’s just in this coastal Bulgarian town, and he’s the only black man there, and has to hustle to try and find a way home. Like, everyone back at home in the states is like, we’ve given you money before.
Megan Leonard [00:45:17]:
We’ve helped you so many times. Like, you’re on your own. Like, you have to just figure it out this time.
Scott Cowan [00:45:21]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:45:22]:
And he and he just has so much charisma. Like, Derek b Hardin, I’m saying it now, like, this man is a star. Like, he just oozes oozes charisma on screen.
Scott Cowan [00:45:34]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:45:35]:
So I I cannot recommend that one enough. Like, I I just think it’s so, so well done. And Crystal Moselle, she she’s been at the festival a couple of different times with her previous films, The Wolfpack, which was a very bizarre documentary, as well as Skate Kitchen, which was turned into the criminally canceled after Wenatchee season HBO show Betty, which I absolutely adored. Okay. Yeah. So I I love that one. Let’s see here. Also, one of the highlights in the new American cinema section is Bob Trevino Likes It.
Megan Leonard [00:46:20]:
And this one also is out of South by Southwest and won both the narrative jury prize and the audience prize there.
Scott Cowan [00:46:26]:
Mhmm.
Megan Leonard [00:46:27]:
And it’s just such it’s such a crowd pleaser. I mean, it it stars, Barbie Ferrera, from Euphoria, as a young woman who has a really complicated relationship with her family. You know, her her and her dad is have a very tumultuous relationship. So she turns to the Internet. She turns to Facebook, and searches for a new father on Facebook. And so her dad’s name is Bob. Her dad’s name is Bob Trevino, and so she just searches Bob Trevino in Facebook, finds another man named Bob Trevino, adds him as a friend. He accepts, and they just start creating this relationship that I think you might think would be very catfishy and bad, but is actually very heartfelt.
Megan Leonard [00:47:21]:
And, like, there is, like, a true connection that forms between these two people over the Internet. And so the the Bob Trevino over the Internet is played by, John Leguizamo, and he just gives a fabulous performance. I mean, I I always love him.
Scott Cowan [00:47:37]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:47:37]:
But I’m yeah. A fabulous, fabulous debut film that, yeah, audiences are just going to to love.
Scott Cowan [00:47:43]:
Awesome. Alright.
Megan Leonard [00:47:45]:
Yeah.
Scott Cowan [00:47:47]:
You’ve got we got more. Yeah. We got more, but we’re
Megan Leonard [00:47:50]:
gonna I I can keep going.
Scott Cowan [00:47:51]:
We’re gonna we’re gonna put a link in the show notes to everything. So there’ll be more. But, so let’s last kind of let’s wrap up SIF because I wanna I wanna jump to something else here. But Yeah. What else does the audience need to know about this year’s SIFF Festival?
Megan Leonard [00:48:13]:
Oh my goodness. I mean, gosh. I I don’t know if I have anything super specific. I think I think some, some notes to make for everybody this year. The part the closing night party this year is on Saturday instead of Sunday, which is going to be amazing. We’re celebrating with the movie Sing Sing, which is gonna be fabulous. But we will be back at the MOHAI for that party as we usually are, but this year, again, Saturday, May 18th. K.
Megan Leonard [00:48:47]:
That’s gonna be such a fun celebration. I’m also really looking forward to Jean Smart coming out to the festival. That is just so cool. I mean, I’ve I have watched her on my small screen for many, many years in so many different television shows. So I’m really excited for her to be coming out for hacks. Yeah. I mean, this this year is is gonna be a really incredible festival. I like, what I will say to you is, like, the last couple of years, I think we have have felt the impacts of pandemic filmmaking and the smallness that people have had to adapt to, in those years.
Megan Leonard [00:49:29]:
And this is the 1st year I feel like movies are back.
Scott Cowan [00:49:33]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:49:34]:
Like, the the the lineup is just so stacked. Like, they’re like, I mean, I only mentioned a few films, but, oh my gosh, the strength of this program. Like, there there’s a lot that I’m excited to personally watch.
Scott Cowan [00:49:47]:
Alright. Yeah. So you’re you’re noticing as a person who screens 100 of films, you’re noticing I hope what I’m about to say is accurate. You’re noticing a movement away from pandemic focus life to more, I don’t know how to articulate that.
Megan Leonard [00:50:15]:
It’s it’s more of just, like, the pandemic the pandemic was very restrictive in terms of what kinds of movies that people could make. Mhmm. You know, it was a lot of, like, 2 people in a room, you know, like, just, like, for out of safety, but also just, like, the budget constraints that were existing in that time were very limiting. And I think now we’re just starting to see some bigger movies come back, you know, and, like, more, like, larger scope being able to return to film. Okay. So I and I and I hope that I hope that continues. You know, I think it’s it’s a hard time in the film industry right now, but I I’m I’m hoping that more singular voices, start getting the resources that they they should.
Scott Cowan [00:51:02]:
Now this is where I’m going out on a limb hoping my memory is correct because I don’t have my notes in front of me. This is gonna be really awkward if I’m wrong, but you also make film?
Megan Leonard [00:51:15]:
I do. I do. You’re you’re not
Scott Cowan [00:51:18]:
wrong. I was getting a little getting in my head there. So let’s talk about your your filmmaking career for a second. What’s going on and how did you, I mean, did you get the bug to do this at Seattle U, or was this from the childhood? Or or how did how’d you go?
Megan Leonard [00:51:40]:
I mean, I I think when I was in, my film film program at Seattle U, I I was I’ve always been a very pragmatic person, so I don’t think I really thought that it was possible for me to make movies. Like, I I was certainly doing things on a small scale just in class. But I I never really felt, like, the itch to be a director or a writer, really. Mhmm. And I didn’t have a full and
Scott Cowan [00:52:16]:
I didn’t have a full understanding of what the jobs were outside of that,
Megan Leonard [00:52:17]:
until a little bit later. But I just was making projects with a friend of mine. And, that director, Peter Edlund, like, we we came up together through Seattle University, and then, I mean, we were making shorts every summer while I was working as a coordinator at SIF. Mhmm. And, you know, in in that time, it’s like spoiler alert. I have a couple of shorts that are playing at SIFF this year.
Scott Cowan [00:52:42]:
Oh, nice.
Megan Leonard [00:52:43]:
But at that time, yeah, at that time, I I was, like, submitting my shorts and getting verbal rejections, you know, in person rejection letters, from my boss who would come around the corner and be like, Cowan, it was, it was really nice. You know, you did a really good job. Like, you guys are really coming coming a long way. It’s not gonna make the cut this year. So, you know, it it I definitely gained a thick skin, through that period. But that was also a period where, like, I I was producing, and I didn’t even know what producing was. I didn’t think I could be producing if I didn’t have any money. But it turns out if you’re the one that’s organizing everything and telling everybody what to do and where to be when, you are the producer.
Megan Leonard [00:53:34]:
So after a while, I kind of took in took on that role a little bit more a little bit more seriously.
Scott Cowan [00:53:40]:
Alright. Well, I got okay. I’m gonna interrupt you. Oh, because you you slipped something in, and and we’re gonna I know.
Megan Leonard [00:53:45]:
I did.
Scott Cowan [00:53:45]:
We’re gonna, we’re gonna come right back. So you have a couple of films this year at SIFF.
Megan Leonard [00:53:51]:
I do.
Scott Cowan [00:53:52]:
Did you champion them? I’m kidding. Did you champion them through? Did you say, I don’t know who this is. Same name as me. Just don’t know. No.
Megan Leonard [00:54:00]:
That’s it’s crazy. You wouldn’t believe it. It’s the it’s the best
Scott Cowan [00:54:04]:
thing I’ve ever seen. Who who made this? So how did you is this your first year having films at TIFF? Is this the first time?
Megan Leonard [00:54:13]:
It is not.
Scott Cowan [00:54:14]:
Okay. So it’s not.
Megan Leonard [00:54:14]:
It is not. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I’ve I’ve actually had a number of shorts play at the festival over over the years at this point. Okay. And so, you know, with with a a variety of different directors. And so I I’m always in the the producing chair on these.
Megan Leonard [00:54:31]:
And, you know, as as far as, like, that the conflict of interest goes, you know, we I have, like, a very clear, like, line in the sand for myself Mhmm. Which is, like, I I don’t watch anything from the local community in, like, the submissions period.
Scott Cowan [00:54:45]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:54:45]:
Like, that I I leave to another set of programmers on our team Mhmm. Who can decide, like because we we have a very specific, Northwest Connection section at the festival Mhmm. That’s devoted to all the local films, things are made in Washington. And so I let those programmers deal with me, like, as a producer, so that I don’t have to, like, worry about, like, you know, any any sort
Scott Cowan [00:55:12]:
of Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:55:13]:
You know
Scott Cowan [00:55:13]:
So you’re
Megan Leonard [00:55:14]:
not issue
Scott Cowan [00:55:14]:
that going in and and, and bill the programmer, you know, you know, the bill likes donuts. So there’s a thing from top pot there for him to, you know, Hey, check this out. No. I’m kidding. I’m totally kidding.
Megan Leonard [00:55:28]:
If if anything, it’s funny because, you know, I’ve I’ve known a lot of the programmers on our team for many, many years now. They’ve they’ve known me since I was a fresh intern. And so, like, if anything, they they give me a hard time and and, like, they they joke with me that the movie is not gonna make it in Okay. Before they invite it. They’re like, yeah, you know, it wasn’t it wasn’t really that good. And then they’re like, I’m just okay. Well,
Scott Cowan [00:55:54]:
we’ll wait. So so for 2024, what what what are the titles, and and give us a little bit about your films. Let’s let’s go there too. That’s important.
Megan Leonard [00:56:04]:
Yeah. Yeah. So, I have 2 shorts that are playing. They are both playing in the Sound Visions short film program, that is on Thursday at 6 30 PM at the Egyptian. And so this is a program completely dedicated to shorts made in the Pacific Northwest in Washington.
Scott Cowan [00:56:23]:
K. And
Megan Leonard [00:56:24]:
so I I have a short called The Influencer, that is written and directed by Lael Rogers, that is about a Instagram influencer who is sucking the life out of people through their likes and eyeballs. I I have to make a quick caveat. I know I told you earlier that when I get a slasher, I hand it off. I do also make horror movies, so there’s a little bit of a disconnect there. That’s just slasher, so let’s
Scott Cowan [00:56:54]:
Okay. Alright.
Megan Leonard [00:56:56]:
Okay. So, yeah, it it is a horror short that I called The Influencer that I made with Lael. And and that one, yeah, we we premiered it at Fantasia last summer in Montreal, and it has been playing around the film festival circuit for the last year. So we’ve Scott to travel around quite a bit with that. And then the other one is also a horror Scott, and this one is called Dream Creep. Dream Creep. Okay. Dream Creek.
Megan Leonard [00:57:26]:
Yeah. It’s a it’s about a couple who awaken in the night to a voice emanating out of one of their ear holes, and they have to decide if they’re going to listen to this voice. Interesting. Yes. And so that that short premiered at at Sundance earlier this year.
Scott Cowan [00:57:44]:
So Uh-huh. So Yeah. So the to the to the layman, Sundance is the the name that gets thrown around is kind of the, you know, and these following Hollywood stars where it’s, they caught them at Sundance this year, blah, blah, blah. Like it’s the preeminent thing. What I’m learning, is that there’s a lot of film festivals around, and while Sundance may capture mainstream media, there are lots and lots of other festivals.
Megan Leonard [00:58:19]:
Oh, yeah.
Scott Cowan [00:58:19]:
Yeah. So so kudos to you to on Sundance. That’s that’s cool. It’s it’s, you know, you know, it’s like that’s brand recognition, I guess, if you will to, you know, say Sundance.
Megan Leonard [00:58:28]:
Well, finally, our parents can understand. They’re like Yeah. You did do it.
Scott Cowan [00:58:33]:
You’re right. Yeah. Good. Yeah. There you go. Wow.
Megan Leonard [00:58:36]:
Go figure it out.
Scott Cowan [00:58:37]:
Mom and dad are like, yeah. Sundance. And you’re like,
Megan Leonard [00:58:39]:
okay. Yeah.
Scott Cowan [00:58:40]:
Thanks. Okay. Because you know differently. Then okay. Mom and dad, if you’re listening, be very proud of her. Don’t don’t.
Megan Leonard [00:58:48]:
And they are. They’re good. They’re very excited.
Scott Cowan [00:58:50]:
So so you’ve got so what are you working on? Do you have any projects you’re working on now and that you can talk that you will talk about, but, you know, is there anything that you’re working on?
Megan Leonard [00:59:01]:
You know, I I am personally working on making the leap from making shorts into making features.
Scott Cowan [00:59:07]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:59:08]:
And so with the I I mentioned 3 different directors, since we started chatting. And with all 3 of them, we’re working on developing features.
Scott Cowan [00:59:16]:
Oh, wow.
Megan Leonard [00:59:17]:
So yeah. Oh, Carlos Lopez is the director of Dream Creep. We’re working on adapting that into a feature right now. Lael, she has a completely other project that she’s writing that I I have a script in my inbox that I’m I’m actually gonna try and read today.
Scott Cowan [00:59:36]:
Awesome. Okay.
Megan Leonard [00:59:38]:
Yeah. Very cool. So yeah. Making trying to make believe, you know. I think I think for us, like, we we really wanna try and bring some some interesting features to this Cowan. Like, if if, like, be be the change you wanna see in the world. Okay. Like, we we want some cool movies to get made out here.
Scott Cowan [00:59:57]:
Alright. Very cool. Well, we’re going to dump the collection, shift the gears away from film to what do you like to do when you’re not screening films, when you’re not reading scripts, when you’re not traveling to film festivals, when you’re not drinking a Rainier through a Red Vine straw, What what do you like to do for for recreation?
Megan Leonard [01:00:20]:
I mean, admittedly, I do go to the movies a lot for my personal recreation. You know, I but it’s like I’m like, oh, no. I’m sneaking down to the beacon. You know? I’m going off off my normal circuit. I’m gonna go to the other movie theater. Okay. So I do that. I also sing a lot of karaoke.
Megan Leonard [01:00:38]:
Me and one of my, directors that I work with, Carlos, that’s part of our creative process too. It’s like we we go to a karaoke joint, put a song in, and then talk about ideas until it’s our time to sing. You know, it’s it’s just kind of our our, like, little
Scott Cowan [01:00:56]:
So what’s the what’s the little problem. What’s your go to karaoke song?
Megan Leonard [01:01:00]:
Oh my gosh. I I’ve a lot of different songs that I sing. Right now, though, I’m really into singing Call Me by Blondie. No unrelated to the fact that there’s that, Blondie The yeah.
Scott Cowan [01:01:12]:
The the, movie. Was so unreal.
Megan Leonard [01:01:15]:
But may maybe it is related.
Scott Cowan [01:01:17]:
Maybe subconsciously you made the connection. Yeah. But she’s got an amazing voice. No offense. I haven’t heard you sing, but you know, Deborah Harry’s voice was especially during that era. So and and, you know, if we’re being honest, that was the theme song to a movie is a movie soundtrack song, so it kind of fits into your whole thing. Well
Megan Leonard [01:01:38]:
Okay. Yeah. No. Of course.
Scott Cowan [01:01:39]:
Okay. So call me. What what else is what else is on the like, if if I gave you a chance to go up and you put your best foot forward, if you will, singing a karaoke song Mhmm. What would you what would you go, I got this one?
Megan Leonard [01:01:55]:
I would probably sing an ELO song. I and I don’t I don’t know why like, what what’s up with me and, like, phone calls, but I they have a song called Telephone Line Yeah. That I I love singing that song.
Scott Cowan [01:02:08]:
That’s like your parents’
Megan Leonard [01:02:09]:
age, though.
Scott Cowan [01:02:10]:
That’s like my age.
Megan Leonard [01:02:12]:
I know. Really? I don’t I don’t know what it is.
Scott Cowan [01:02:15]:
I’m looking at you. You know, I’m turning my head. I’m like, ELO. I would not have guessed I would not have guessed ELO.
Megan Leonard [01:02:21]:
Okay. I mean, admittedly, I, I I look young for my age, but it is still not really my era. No. It’s not. You know, I I I love the movie Xanadu, and that, like, took me on a long ELO, like Okay. Rabbit hole, and then all of a sudden I’ve found all these songs. And and, honestly, ELO, they have, like, the perfect vocal range for me.
Scott Cowan [01:02:43]:
Okay. See, that’s so that’s what you’ve you’ve identified that. Okay.
Megan Leonard [01:02:46]:
Yeah. Well, no. I’ll tell you my my one other person I sing. It goes even further back. I sing a lot of Wanda Cowan. So I get I get it’s like rockabilly. You know, she was like, buddies with Elvis. You know? Every now and maybe do do a little yodel.
Scott Cowan [01:03:04]:
Oh my gosh. Okay. Alright.
Megan Leonard [01:03:07]:
You know, I well, the here here’s the thing. Like, we we sing so much, Taylor, me and my my buddy Carlos, that, like, we we get tired of the new stuff. We’re like, ah, it’s played out.
Scott Cowan [01:03:18]:
You’re not gonna you’re not gonna, like You’ve heard play the, the new Taylor swift single. That’s, you know? Yeah. Okay. I applaud this actually. I would be very surprised if you stepped on stage and started playing any of those any of those artists. That would be that would be very surprising to me in a in a good way. Like, oh, cool.
Megan Leonard [01:03:39]:
Nice. We we we like we like to go sing the deep cuts.
Scott Cowan [01:03:42]:
Yeah. Okay. Alright.
Megan Leonard [01:03:44]:
Yeah. So Yeah. Really surprised the karaoke joints.
Scott Cowan [01:03:48]:
Yeah. That okay. Well, I always ask guests a couple of questions, so we’re gonna get to those right now. Yeah. Number 1 is I’m a coffee fan. I think I told you this on the phone. You know, I need to know where’s a great place to get coffee, in your section of Seattle. Where where do you where do you recommend?
Megan Leonard [01:04:05]:
Yeah. So I’m I’m on Capitol Hill, and my my favorite spot is Vivace. I I’m, like I still more in the, our little pop up stand that is no longer there, but down the street at the brick and mortar, they they still have, like, the best latte in town. I also have gotten really into drinking espresso sodas there, which is like a it’s like an Italian soda, but with a shot of espresso. Interesting. So good. Yeah. Yeah.
Megan Leonard [01:04:34]:
Like like, you know, like a little bubble, but a little espresso. That’s Like a little bit of
Scott Cowan [01:04:41]:
syrup. And there’s very few coffee drinks that I would look at you the way I just did. Like, That actually, that’s really cool. Alright? That
Megan Leonard [01:04:50]:
I mean, I it’s funny. I I went in there. I think, like, I’m making up this new thing, and they’re like, yeah. It’s on the menu. It’s in espresso stuff. I was like, I didn’t make it up. Alright.
Scott Cowan [01:05:01]:
So Great. Alright. So using Capitol Hill as our base of operations, I’m gonna get there around lunchtime. Where’s a great place for me to grab lunch?
Megan Leonard [01:05:11]:
Okay. So maybe a little off Capitol Hill, a little bit more like Central District.
Scott Cowan [01:05:16]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [01:05:17]:
But I am, like, I am obsessed with this place called The Boat right now.
Scott Cowan [01:05:22]:
The Boat?
Megan Leonard [01:05:22]:
It’s a Viet. Okay. Yeah. And it’s in a it’s in a little building shaped like a boat.
Scott Cowan [01:05:27]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [01:05:29]:
Yeah. Like, it’s it’s just one of those weird blocks in Seattle that’s, like, shaped like a triangle. So there’s, like you know you know what I’m talking about.
Scott Cowan [01:05:35]:
So they put a boat a boat shape building document. Okay.
Megan Leonard [01:05:38]:
So there’s a boat, with my gosh. Now now I’m gonna embarrass myself up. I don’t know boats. I was gonna say, like, the bow or the front.
Scott Cowan [01:05:46]:
Yeah. I think you’re right.
Megan Leonard [01:05:46]:
But Yeah. Okay. But yeah. It it’s a really cute little small space, not very many tables, and a really limited menu. Okay. So it’s, like, only there’s only 3 options, and they’re all kind of variations of the same thing.
Scott Cowan [01:06:02]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [01:06:02]:
But it’s like, it’s all, like, Vietnamese food, and it’s like, this, like, fried chicken. There’s, like, a noodle and, like, this broth that comes with it. It’s amazing.
Scott Cowan [01:06:13]:
Okay. Alright.
Megan Leonard [01:06:14]:
But and then they do but and then they do these waffles incredible. The like, something called pandan, pandan waffles. Really? They’re amazing.
Scott Cowan [01:06:23]:
Okay.
Megan Leonard [01:06:23]:
Yeah. Incredible. So I’m I’m very high on that. It’s in the it’s in the same, lot as Pho Bock, which, if you’re not familiar, is, like, one of the best spots for Fuhr in town. It’s the same owners.
Scott Cowan [01:06:37]:
So this is where I admit like the Rainier beer thing, pho is I it’s fine. I don’t, I don’t ever, I never have like, oh, let’s go get pho. It’s like, it just, like, it doesn’t, I like it, but it doesn’t, I don’t ever, I, I know people that are like, you know, mad for it. Like they must must have it. And they’re so I
Megan Leonard [01:06:59]:
mean, that
Scott Cowan [01:07:00]:
So That’s
Megan Leonard [01:07:00]:
how I feel about ramen, personally. I’m not a ramen person, really. Like, the flavors just don’t quite do it for me, but pho on, like, a rainy day See. Or, like, I’m coming back from travel. Yeah. That broth.
Scott Cowan [01:07:15]:
So your your thing with ramen is kinda well, I agree with you. Ramen is you know how you said you had too many meals at a popcorn? Ramen’s that same sort of thing for me. It’s, you know, I didn’t have money for milk or butter, so I couldn’t do macaroni and cheese, so I got ramen, you know? Okay. Alright.
Megan Leonard [01:07:36]:
Yeah. Alright. Yeah.
Scott Cowan [01:07:37]:
As as
Megan Leonard [01:07:38]:
we No. I I understand that.
Scott Cowan [01:07:39]:
As we wrap this up, I got a couple more for you, but Okay. I’m gonna I’m gonna ask you I’m gonna go out of order. Alright. Now this is the hardest question you’re gonna get today, and I’m gonna preface it by saying you must answer it, and you must give me your reason why. Okay?
Megan Leonard [01:07:55]:
Alright. Lay it on me.
Scott Cowan [01:07:57]:
Cake or pie, and why?
Megan Leonard [01:08:05]:
I’m I’m gonna go pie.
Scott Cowan [01:08:08]:
Why?
Megan Leonard [01:08:09]:
I I just like the variety that you can get.
Scott Cowan [01:08:14]:
Well, now we’re gonna make it harder on you. What’s the only you could only have a type of pie. What would it be? You just said variety, so we’re gonna make it hard.
Megan Leonard [01:08:26]:
I’m I’m having trouble deciding. I love a banana cream pie.
Scott Cowan [01:08:31]:
Alright.
Megan Leonard [01:08:32]:
And I feel like for some reason, this is, like, the season for banana cream pie, so it’s, like, on my mind. Okay. You know, any anytime around Easter, my mind thinks about banana cream pie. Okay. Alright. But I I love, like, a custardy pie.
Scott Cowan [01:08:45]:
So custardy pies. Okay. Solid. Alright. Yeah. There’s no wrong answer there. It’s just always fun to watch people, like, Scott, like, oh, what’s it gonna be? And it’s like, anyway, I will say, and I’ve been saying this for a long time and I still haven’t done it, is I need to go back and listen to all the episodes and and get a, get a spreadsheet going of, of cake versus pie. And just, and I do think mathematically, I think pie is in the lead, but cakes had some cake has had some cake has had some supporters lately for awhile.
Scott Cowan [01:09:15]:
It was a runaway pie and cakes, cakes, making, you know, gaining ground. And, but I also want to, you know, I’m also trying to get the guests to narrow it down. So like banana cream, like, so it’s going to be a vote for pie, and then we’re gonna have a vote for banana cream, and then we’re going to try to tally it up and and then publish the list of, you know, guests.
Megan Leonard [01:09:34]:
Oh, yeah.
Scott Cowan [01:09:35]:
Alright. This is the, get out of jail free card, which is what didn’t I ask you that I should have? Question. What didn’t we cover that you wanna let the audience know about?
Megan Leonard [01:09:47]:
The one thing that we didn’t cover that we should let audiences know about is all of the short film packages
Scott Cowan [01:09:54]:
that are
Megan Leonard [01:09:54]:
playing at the festival. In addition to the many, many features that are playing at the festival, there is an incredible selection of shorts. So be on the lookout for those programs that are scattered throughout the festival. If you’re just seeing one shorts program during the festival, I recommend the Shorts Fest opening night, which is on Friday, May 10th at 7 PM at the Uptown. That is like you know, it’s just got a little bit of everything, goes around the world. You just kinda get a little taste of of the different shorts. Okay. If you want to to get a little wilder, if you’re a freak like myself and wanna drink, Rayonier out of a with a Red Vine, I recommend going to the program Eat Your Heart Out, which is, the annual WTF shorts program this year.
Megan Leonard [01:10:48]:
But this year, the shorts, for some reason, there was a lot of weird things going in mouths, and coming out of mouths. And, you know, people want things to go with mouths, and it’s it is gross. It is weird. There is nudity. 4 4 words. 4 words. That’s that that that that is a trigger warning and a promise.
Scott Cowan [01:11:14]:
Okay. Both. Yes.
Megan Leonard [01:11:16]:
Yeah. Alright.
Scott Cowan [01:11:20]:
I think on that note, we’re done.
Megan Leonard [01:11:23]:
Let’s that that’s it. Thank you so much.
Scott Cowan [01:11:25]:
Thank you for taking the time to sit down with me today. Looking forward to, this year’s festival, and I’m looking forward to checking out your work as well. And I really appreciate you taking the time.
Megan Leonard [01:11:37]:
Absolutely. We really appreciate you having me on, and, I hope you get to check out some movies during the festival too.
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