The Palmer band 3000-21 describe themselves as a cartoon robot band from outer space. In 2022, they released a full-length album “Across The Metaverse.” Last year, they put out an EP of new music called “Interdimensional UFO.”  In March of this year, 3000-21 took human form and stopped by the ATMI studio to chat with producer Ormund Alaois. They talked about their songwriting process, the inspiration for their band’s identity, and their roots in the Alaska music scene.  Hosted by Grace Fujimoto. Music by Kendrick Whiteman and Devin Shreckengost. Click the links to see 3000-21 perform ..read more

Emilio Miguel Torres is a filmmaker who was raised in Ketchikan, Alaska. As a kid, Torres got involved with the local community theater, First City Players, where he was exposed to directing and storytelling. He spent high school in Seattle before attending NYU film school.  Since graduating college in 2021, he has made a handful of short films, including “The Ladder,” which tells the story of an aging Alaskan fisherman who must decide between accepting old age and restarting his life through a futuristic procedure. It was shot in Ketchikan with the help of many of the individuals who hel ..read more

The Alaska Filming Initiative is a group of local filmmakers dedicated to reigniting the success of our state’s film industry. They hope to not just create movie making opportunities, but to foster a thriving, diverse, and sustainable economic environment across the state. One of the ways they are exploring to achieve this, is by bringing a film tax incentive back to the state.  Some Alaskans might remember the movies Big Miracle and The Frozen Ground filming up here over a decade ago. At that time, there was a sizable film tax incentive in place that attracted those productions. But it w ..read more

In this episode we’re talking about the new movie Wonka, based on the beloved Roald Dahl character Willy Wonka. The movie turns the clock back to when Wonka was a young man, before he had his famed chocolate factory and stars Timothee Chalamet as the chocolatier to be.  A group of our ATMI producers sat down in our studio to discuss the movie, and snack on a few chocolatey delights too. They talk about how Wonka compares to the other two adaptations of Roald Dahl’s source material, its lack of promotion as a musical, and whether the movie left them with a sweet or bitter taste. Roundtable ..read more

Rosie Rush is a singer/songwriter from Anchorage, Alaska. If you’ve been listening to our other recent episodes with local musicians, you may have already heard of her. She sings back-up vocals on a song from Zane Penny’s debut album. And Ashley Young mentioned putting together some tour dates with her this spring. Starting this May, Rosie will be opening for the band Medium Build at shows throughout the US and Canada.  In December 2023, Rosie stopped by the ATMI studio to speak with producer Roey McCowan, and to play some of her music. She talked about collaborating with other local musi ..read more

In recent years there have been a handful of new Godzilla movies produced in America. But Godzilla Minus One was made in Japan, where the franchise started, and its story brings audiences back to the genesis of the monster: the aftermath of World War II. Godzilla Minus One focuses on Koichi Shikishima, a kamikaze pilot who, after opting not to fulfill his military responsibility, returns to his home in Tokyo. After learning his parents died in the bombing of Tokyo, Koichi meets Noriko, a young woman who is taking care of an orphan child named Akiko. Together they try to start a new life and le ..read more

Ryan Tester is a freelance filmmaker based in Anchorage, Alaska. After taking the Video and Audio Production course at King Tech high school, he went on to produce his original movies with friends, work on commercial shoots, and start his own production company: Confine Light Films. He is currently in pre-production on the feature length film Stranger, serving as one of the film's cinematographers. In a previous episode, we spoke with Stranger’s writer/director Jinn Chang and producer Bright Chang. ATMI producer and fellow King Tech alumni Maria Koop sat down with Ryan Tester in our studio to ..read more

Bethlehem Shalom is an artist of many talents: music, fashion, drawing, photography. In 2022 she was an artist-in-residence at the Anchorage Museum, showcasing her eclectic clothing design. This year, she is opening for the band Medium Build at the Bear Tooth Theater on January 26th. It’s part of a series of three shows by Medium Build, all of which sold out in days. Bethlehem stopped by the ATMI studio to speak with producer Madison Dooley about her art, and play a few songs. She talked about creating music videos for her songs on her own, collaborating with other local musicians, and much mo ..read more

Quantum Cowboys tells the story of two hapless drifters in search of an elusive musician. The film utilizes a mix of live action and multiple styles of animation as the characters traverse the American west, as well as space and time.  Its cast includes Golden Globe winner Lily Gladstone, Kiowa Gordon, David Arquette, and Gary Farmer. It was co-written and directed by our guest, Geoff Marslett. This isn’t Geoff’s first rodeo with ATMI. He moderated the Q&A for our youth film screening After School Special, at the 2022 Anchorage International Film Festival, where he was also screening ..read more

In November 2023, siblings Jiin and Bright Chang launched a crowdfunding campaign for a feature film to be shot in Alaska. This spring, they plan to shoot “Stranger.” Jinn is the writer and director of the movie. Bright serves as its producer. Stranger tells the story of a runaway man returning to Alaska to visit his ailing mother. When he gets entangled with the homeless community, he discovers a long-buried family secret that threatens to upend his entire life. ATMI producer Jordan Kehl sat down with Jiin and Bright in the ATMI studio to talk about their upcoming film, the challenges to crow ..read more