Articles by filmumentaries

For this episode I have a conversation with VFX guru Craig Barron. Craig started his career in the effects industry as a young man at ILM. You’ll love his story about how he got there. […]

For this episode, number 45, February 2022, I have another film legend, Garrett Brown. If that’s not a name you recognise, you will know his work. Garrett invented the steadicam. He also operated it over […]

For this episode number 44, I have documentary director Frank Pavich. Frank appeared along with Dan Lanigan and Soby on episode 39 in November 2021, in which we discussed the purchase of the Jodorowsky’s Dune […]

  If you are in your late thirties or early to mid forties it’s hard to remember a time when Jabba the Hutt didn’t exist. Since his first screen appearance in Return of the Jedi […]

For this episode, number 43 I spoke with documentary director Jon Spira. I became aware of Jon’s work in 2015 with the release of Elstree 1976. A broad look at the men and women who […]

My friend and colleague Jason Henry, director of Disney+’s Prop Culture, suggested that he should interview me for my own podcast. A “getting to know Jamie Benning episode” he said.   I was reluctant at […]

Bonus episode. I released episode 40 today (15th Dec 2021). My conversation with author John Glennie. But as it’s close to Christmas, I thought “what the heck”… lets put out episode 41 too. Both are […]

I love movie books. I own a lot of them. I have owned more than I now have. Some favourites include Alan Arnold’s Once Upon a Galaxy – The Making of The Empire Strikes Back, […]

This is the second episode in a matter of two days. I only just released episode 38 with Howard Kazanjian yesterday.  BUT I felt the need to get this episode and it’s story out there […]

For this episode I’ve got well known producer Howard Kazanjian. Its name I’ve been familiar with for many decades now having seen it on the credits of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of […]

For this episode, number 37, November 2021, I have a real treat.  You will not have failed to notice that Denis Villeneuve’s Dune has finally arrived.  Back on episode 16 interview sound designer Mark Mangini […]

So for this episode, I went out into the wide world and actually did an in-person interview. I reached out to editor Sean Barton via IMDB Pro. Actually my first time using the site. So […]