Indie Beat Talks With 'Excursions' Director Daniel Martinico [Podcast]

Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention? The latest Indie Beat is here!

On this episode, we interviewed Daniel Martinico, a filmmaker living in Los Angeles.

Daniel’s first feature, “OK Good,” premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2012 and went on to play Sydney, London, Boston, and many other locales. This lo-fi character piece follows a struggling actor going through a string of dismaying auditions while also participating in a fairly intense performance workshop. Think of those many, many acting troupe scenes from “Out 1” then throw in Michael Haneke’s harrowing “The Seventh Continent” and you’ll be on the right wavelength for this potent film. Check out the trailer below and you can rent/purchase the film via iTunes or Vimeo on Demand. You won’t see anything like it.

That is… until you see Martinico’s latest film “Excursions.” Reuniting with a couple of the players from “OK Good,” this movie follows two couples on a spiritual weekend retreat, but it’s less Headspace iPhone app enlightenment and more aggressive, cult-like physical rituals. Carnal is a good word for this extremely visceral and disturbing piece — it’s a movie both rhythmic and alienating; chances are that you won’t hit the credits without feeling at least a little transformed. Check out the trailer below and, if you’re living in or around the New York City area, come to our screening at Spectacle Theater in Williamsburg on September 21!

Smash that play button on the podcast to hear us talk to Martinico about his films, plus his musing on how he comes up with projects, getting a publicist for your film, and the festival route in general.