Director Nick Tomnay and actors David Hyde Pierce and Clayne Crawford chat about plots twists and characters in their new film, “The Perfect Host.” This thriller tells the story of a bank robber (Crawford) on the run who cons his way into a dinner party where he finds the party’s host (Hyde Pierce) is more dangerous and unstable than he could have ever expected. Crawford and Hyde Pierce talk about the experience of portraying such layered and complex characters and the unique opportunity it provides for actors. Hyde Pierce, who hosted the awards ceremony at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, explains his attraction to the script and how it toys with the audience’s expectations of the characters. Tomnay describes how he got the actors on board for this film, which was based on a short film he directed several years ago. Tomnay also describes his generation of Australian filmmakers and the new possibilities for Australian cinema.
 

No newcomer to Sundance, “Skateland’s” A.J. Buckley talks about experiencing the audience’s reaction to his film and his previous visits to the festival. “Skateland” — Anthony Burns’ directorial debut — is the story of a 19-year-old named Ritchie who works at a skating rink in a small town in Texas in 1983. As the skating craze dies out before his eyes, Ritchie struggles to grow up, letting his youth fade into the past like the rink where he works. Buckley discusses how he relates to the movie’s soundtrack and the memories it evokes. A regular on TV’s “CSI,” he talks about his eagerness to work on “Skateland” and having to overcome scheduling conflicts between the shoots – and what he liked about the different type of character he plays in the movie. Buckley relates the varying types of fan encounters his different roles engender. He talks a little about Anthony Burns’ directing style, and his own experience in the director’s chair for the “Ghostfacers” Web series he just finished shooting.
 

Director Gurinder Chadha and actor Sendhil Ramamurthy talk about making their new comedy, “It’s a Wonderful Afterlife,” and the stories it tells. “It’s a Wonderful Afterlife” is a dark comedy about a mother who will take any means necessary — even murder — to find her daughter a husband. Chadha has built a reputation as a voice for British-Indians, with films such as “Bend it like Beckham” and “Bride and Prejudice.” She discusses her desire to portray Indians in new and refreshing settings and to show the more diverse side of Britain that is not always seen in mainstream media. Ramamurthy, best known for his role as Mohinder Suresh in the television show “Heroes,” talks about how fun and easygoing it was to work on the film’s set and what preparing for this role taught him about other parts of Indian culture. Chadha also gives her opinion on how to maintain energy on a set and her philosophies on creating the right atmosphere for her actors.

Filmmaking pair Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores, known as The Butcher Brothers, share some insight on their latest horror flick, “The Violent Kind.” This latest film of insane, exploitation horror follows two members of a biker gang who arrive at a secluded cabin party that goes horribly awry. Altieri and Flores, known for the cult hit “The Hamiltons,” attempt to define their unique brand of horror and provide some commentary on the vast world within the horror genre. Most of the “The Violent Kind” cast has worked with the directors before, and Altieri describes the comfort this lends him while on set. Flores muses on the experience of watching horror movies in a theater and communally suffering through a twisted tale. Finally, the duo hint at a possible future project and also discuss their admiration for David Lynch, who they cite as a major influence on their work, and recount meeting the director.

Matt Bush and Sean Marquette explain how their film “HIGH school” is more than your average stoner movie. “HIGH school” is a story of two boys – Henry Burke, the high school valedictorian, and Travis Breaux, a stoner – who are on a quest to get the whole school high in order to save Henry from expulsion. Bush and Marquette discuss how different the final product was from what they’d envisioned. They describe how it felt to work with Adrien Brody, and Marquette talks about how much he admires Brody in “The Pianist.” They open up about the general mood on set and working with director John Stalberg – and the list of films he wanted them to see. As the two talk about the film’s surprising soundtrack, Marquette discusses playing the guitar with other cast members, and shares what he learned from co-star Michael Chiklis when he joined their impromptu jam sessions.

Director Adam Green and actors Shawn Ashmore, Kevin Zegers and Emma Bell of the film “Frozen” describe challenges of shooting this suspense-thriller. The film is about three skiers (Ashmore, Zegers, Bell) who are stranded on a chairlift and must figure out how to escape or risk freezing to death. Green is well-known for his thrilling premises, having helmed the horror film “Hatchet.” He explains how chairlift operators in Park City, Utah, a popular skiing town, were displeased with the fact that “Frozen” would be screened at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Ashmore, Zegers and Bell share what it was like to shoot in the snow since Green was insistent about not using any green screens or fake snow. The actors also describe what it was like for each of them to watch the finished film with an audience and how pleased they were that the final product had the intended effect on viewers. Ashmore and Zegers joke about their competitions with one another about who could endure the cold the longest, while Bell candidly describes how about being the only woman on set for most of the time made her want to prove she could handle the cold just as well. 

Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady share the story of their latest work about a pregnancy center and an abortion clinic across the street from each other. The documentary, “12th & Delaware,” captures the intimate stories of the women who pass through this unique street corner of a small American town. The filmmaking duo, known for their documentary “Jesus Camp,” explains how they found the location and why they chose this particular corner over others. They also talk about the personal effect the process had on each of them and whether or not it changed their own views on abortion. Grady reflects on the lack of mainstream U.S. media discussion on abortion and the joy of having HBO agree to screen their film. Ewing also sheds light on their philosophy of approaching docu subjects and gaining their trust, and remarks on the strange relationship that builds between a documentary filmmaker and her subject.

Documentary filmmaker Lixin Fan discusses the social realities of the Chinese family he followed for three years in his film “Last Train Home.” The film, a directorial debut for Fan, tells the story of a family who, like millions across China, moved away from the countryside to pursue factory jobs in big cities. The movie illustrates how, as the family struggles with being separated, China’s position as world power soars. Fan explains how internal immigration and urbanization in China is very common and for many, the only opportunity for work and a better life is to leave the picturesque rural landscapes and their loved ones behind. He describes how his intent was to show how his country’s economic policies affect the individual, placing it in the context of a nationalist trend in China. Although Fan did not know the family before he began shooting the documentary, he talks about now keeping close ties with them.

Director John Stalberg and actor Michael Chiklis come together to talk about the casting and collaboration on the new comedy, “HIGH school.” The film, the feature-film debut for Stalberg, tells the story of a high school valedictorian who gets high the day before a surprise mandatory drug test and his attempt to get his entire school baked so everyone will fail the test along with him. Chiklis discusses the development of and inspiration for his role as the uptight and authoritative Principle Gordon, who instates the mandatory test. Chilkis, best known for his role in the Fox television drama “The Shield,” reflects on his turn in this comedy and the relaxing sense of play and improvisation on set. Stalberg recounts how some of the cast members got on board for the movie and how each actor challenged him to be a better filmmaker. The two also share some light-hearted stories from the set and preproduction.

Andrew Dickler, Drake Doremus and Ben York Jones chat about how their movie “Douchebag” came to be and how they feel being called by that name. They contemplate the various concepts of what makes the titular character a douchebag. In the movie “Douchebag” Sam (played by Dickler) is about to get married, but his brother Tom (played by Jones) is not coming to the wedding. When Sam’s fiancée forces a reunion of the two brothers, Sam finds out that Tom has been in love only once and that was with his fifth grade girlfriend — and this leads to a quest by the brothers to find her. Dickler and Jones discuss their characters and what it was like to make the film. The trio banter about their experiences working together since high school and whether it jeopardizes their friendship. Director Doremus — who was at Sundance in 2009 for his film “Spooner,” which he also made with Jones and Dickler — talks about his unexpected decision to put Dickler in front of the camera for this film.