Renée Wynter is a powerhouse singer-songwriter and her brand new single, Speak, is now available on Spotify. She is also the founder of Wynterland, a fully integrated music production company which she founded with her family. Find more about her new song below!

Hello Reneé, congratulations on your new single, SPEAK. What was behind your vision for this new song and what compelled you to write it? 

Hello, thank you so much I appreciate it! The vision behind Speak was to get people to have a conversation when you’re having issues in a relationship. Instead on sending a subliminal message on social media, pick up the phone. It’s interesting how many people expect their partner to be a mind reader.

Reelworld is Canada’s most diverse film festival festival and each year, they put the spotlight on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) content creators. Actor and founder, Tonya Williams spoke to Defective Geeks about the festival, the films and creators, and her insight into the industry.

Hello Tonya, thank you for taking the time on answering our questions. Tell us about the Reelworld Film Festival and about some of the programming, filmmakers and films you showcased. What are the highlights from this year? 

Thank you for the opportunity to chat! This year was the 19th Reelworld Film Festival and for the first time ever, the festival showcased 100% of its festival films created by Canadian BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) filmmakers. For 2019, our programmers picked films with stories about finding a home in the community, in culture and in people. Some of the films that are part of this year’s lineup includes “Farewell Regent,” a documentary which charts the complex canvas of the Toronto neighborhood Regent Park, and puts a human face on the unique tensions and fellowships of the country’s most infamous social housing project. The closing film “Becoming Labrador,” explores the story of a whole generation of Filipino men and women who have traveled halfway across the world to work in Labrador, leaving behind families and friends as they struggle to adjust to a remarkably different climate and culture in Canada. It was a great festival this year and we are already excited and in the planning stages for next year!

Emily Piggford is a rising star, and you can watch her on compelling web shows like That’s My DJ and on the popular Netflix series in The Umbrella Academy. She is back on the blog to talk about her new show, Warigami, a fantastical and action-filled adventure series on The CW. Read more about it below.

Hi Emily! Thank you for talking to Defective Geeks again! I watched the premiere of Warigami and loved it. Can you tell our readers all about it and about the character you play, Wendy Ohata? 

Thanks for having me back and for loving Warigami!! Warigami is an action-fantasy digital series that follows Wendy Ohata, her long-lost twin brother Vincent (Kai Bradbury) and his best friend Mark (Akiel Julien) as they face down a secret organization called the Akuma, armed with paper. Wendy and Vincent are descendants of an ancient bloodline called kami-jin who have the ability to turn paper into a weapon with a touch. The Akuma are also kami-jin and they want something the Ohata family protects. In a short amount of time, Wendy and Vincent have to figure out how to use their newfound ability and together with Mark prepare for some super-powered showdowns with a formidable enemy. 

Award-winning TV writer, Karen Moore, premiered her first short film, Volcano, at Toronto International Film Festival this year. Karen has had an extensive career in television, writing and producing for shows like Mary Kills People (Hulu) and Workin’ Moms (Netflix/CBC). Find out more about her journey to directing in our interview below!

Hello Karen, congratulations on your short film, Volcano! Can you tell us what your movie is about? What inspired the story?

Thank you! Volcano is about two old friends– Jess and Hannah– who meet up for drinks at a tiki bar and are struggling to connect on this particular night. The film is a funny tug-of-war conversation between the two of them that goes off the rails, revealing a darker underbelly. The story is inspired by my experiences with female friends and one particular romantic relationship. 

Victoria Dunsmore stars in the movie, The Last Porno Show, which has just premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival this year. The film is unique and challenges the audience, and Victoria talks to us all about it. Read more below!

Hello, Victoria, thank you for talking to Defective Geeks! Tell us about your upcoming movie, The Last Porno Show, and how did you get involved with the project. What about it appealed to you the most and what can people expect when they watch it? 

The Last Porno Show follows aspiring actor Wayne, who inherits a seedy, run-down porn cinema from his estranged father. Initially wanting nothing to do with the building, he attempts to sell it, but has a change of heart after auditioning for an art film. On a whim, he bases his character on the persona of his late father, which is what ultimately wins him the lead role in the film. He then falls down a method actor rabbit hole, reenacting memories from his childhood (all set in the old porno cinema), and it all gets pretty crazy from there. 

Rosie Mae and Pastel Supernova, collaborate to launch Burlesque Uni, a fitness studio designed to teach the art of burlesque dance. The school is a 10-week program for students looking to further their dance and
performance skills, but also welcomes students of all-levels. Read more about what inspired these women to start their own studio below.

Thank you so much for taking the time and answering my questions. Tell us more about Burlesque Uni and each of yourselves as dancers. What was the story behind the two of you opening up this studio? 

Rosie and Pastel: Burlesque Uni is a studio designed for dancers to explore the world of showgirls through the art of burlesque and various dance and fitness classes. The studio was opened as the city was lacking a space that not only focused on burlesque but also included extensive dance training that could lead to working showgirls. 

With Shadowhunters coming to an end, our favorite seelie, Jade Hassouné, takes on the music world as J4DE. His new single, “Insta Story” debuted this month and is now available in Apple Music, Spotify and several other platforms for streaming. Learn more about his music below!

Welcome back to Defective Geeks, Jade! Or shall we say, J4DE? We’re so excited for you and your debut EP. How are you feeling about releasing your music to the world? 

Hi! Thanks so much! Makes me very happy. I feel so excited about this new phase in my life. I won’t lie, it was quite the vulnerable feeling when I put my music out there, I felt unsure about how it would be perceived. It’s one of the first time I’ve put anything that was completely mine out there into the world, especially something so personal and where I made artistic choices that were very bold like the super pop-y style of music and the auto-tune vibe of the song which to me represents the filters of instagram. I do love me some auto-tune though but some people judge it. And since they have nothing else to compare it to, it might seem like a mistake or trying to make myself sound good. But I had a vision and I stuck to it, and the response has been very positive! Besides, the fans is who I am doing this for anyway. This is just the beginning and it is picking up momentum which I am very happy to see! 

Actor and creator, Vasilios Filippakis, talk to Defective Geeks about the brilliant origin story of the title his new series, FAK YAASS– and if you wanted to find out what his dream project would be, keep reading below!

Hello, Vasilios, thank you for talking to Defective Geeks! FAK YAASS looks absolutely hilarious and heartfelt. What inspired the title and how does it tie-in with the themes of the show?

Hey there! Thanks so much for taking the time to ask me some questions about the show. I love shows that are exactly that, have heart but make you laugh out loud. I was serving a table at my night job and I happened to serve these wonderful Greek ladies and their mother. We got chatting, I told them about the show and how I wanted a title with a pun. I tossed the ideas of something with gyro, or souvlaki but still couldn’t figure it out. Later when I got back to the table, they said “what about FAK YES!” So that’s how I get the title! Fakes– pronounced “fah-kehs”– is an authentic Greek lentil dish. We put a play on the words and created our title FAK YAASS. I owe those ladies a free dinner.