With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility with Rowen Mutt

In this episode, host Edward Frumkin (he/him) and contributor Sean Naughton (he/him) analyze how the Marvel Cinematic Universe became a force to be reckoned with. Then, filmmaker and cinematographer Rowen Mutt (he/him) discusses the purpose of making films and the things that come out of a collaborative partnership with Edward. Finally, in today’s concluding thought, Edward shares his favorite hobbies in New York City. Guest Bio: Rowen Mutt (he/him) is a filmmaker and writer. He makes fiction (Peppermint) and nonfiction narratives (My Canvas), as well as commercials through his production company Facade Images. His upcoming film “Nay Nay and The Diabolical Bumpkin,” a “hybrid film” that follows Rowen’s cousin Nathan making a fiction film based on events of his adolescence and Rowen documenting the filmmaking process behind the scenes, will make its world premiere at 2022 Stronger Than Fiction Film Festival, the annual showcase of thesis films from the respective year’s graduating class at MU’s Jonathan B. Murray Center for Documentary Journalism. His film credits include being a cinematographer on “Gifts from Our Father,” (a short doc that played at 2021 First Look Film Festival at Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, NY, and 2021 St. Louis Film Festival), and a colorist on “Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way” (feature bio doc of the eponymous HIV/AIDS activist and Real World star that played at 2021 Out on Film Atlanta Film Festival and 2022 Miami Film Festival). Time Codes: 1:02 - Edward’s Introduction of the MCU 4:32 - How MCU is Affected through Disney’s acquisition of Fox 9:30 - Analyzing MCU’s Selection of Directors 15:00 - Post-MCU Careers for Directors such as Russo Brothers 18:43 - Comparing and Contrasting DC & Marvel films 22:00 - Why is Spider-Man: No Way Home the 1st Pandemic film to Make $1 billion at the Box Office 25:38 - Rowen’s Introduction to Film 31:10 - Rowen’s First Ever Attempt at Making Films 36:23 - How Rowen’s First Experiences Lay the Blueprint for His Process 40:50 - Rowen’s Approach to His Cinematography in Peppermint 49:50 - Edward’s Criticism of Making Graded Films by Himself 52:12 - Rowen’s Cinematography Breakdown in My Canvas 56:30 - Rowen’s Non-fiction Collaboration with Sara in My Canvas 59:50 - The Power of Speaking Truths in Documentaries 1:00:55 - Rowen’s Upcoming Film Nay Nay and The Diabolical Bumpkin 1:07:00 - Nathan’s Interest in Making Films with Rowen 1:15:15 - Rowen’s Recommendations: Stranger Than Fiction (2006) & High Life (2018) 1:19:00 - Concluding Thought: Edward’s New York Hobbies