BTL Radio Show - 03-17/2025 with special guests NIC COSTA and ROB TAYLOR

Hilarity ensues this week on BEHIND THE LENS thanks to director/co-writer/actor ROB TAYLOR and co-writer/producer/actor NIC COSTA as they discuss their wild and wacky new comedy film RAGING MIDLIFE in this exclusive interview! And what a wild and wacky ride it is!

RAGING MIDLIFE is the story of Mark and Alex (wonderfully played by Matt Zak and Nic Costa, respectively), two fanboys who are on a quest to recover a cherished 80s wrestling tank top worn by their idol, "Raging Abraham Lincoln," after Tyler, a grieving daughter determined to fulfill her late father’s wish to be torched in the shirt, outbids them in an online auction. Hilarity ensues as Mark and Alex will stop at nothing to find and retrieve this beloved tank top they lost as children, except maybe romance, as sparks fly between Alex and Tyler, forcing Alex to choose between love and the ultimate piece of wrestling memorabilia, not to mention his lifelong BFF Mark.

As you will quickly hear, it’s not just RAGING MIDLIFE that’s wild and wacky, but so are its creators NIC COSTA and ROB TAYLOR who bring so much laughter to this exclusive interview. Listen as we break down the entire film starting with its inception back in 2002 and the decade-long process to bring it into the present of 2025. Highlighting its unique blend of nostalgia and pop culture references, RAGING MIDLIFE features a large cast and approximately 20 different locations. Something that you may not hear any other filmmakers talk about are the challenges involved with securing a federal courthouse as a shooting location. Nic, who is also an attorney (although it didn’t really help him in getting the courthouse) gives all the ins and outs and hoops he had to jump through for this important location. Rob dives into the cinematography and working with cinematographer Eric Macey and developing a visual grammar inspired by 1980s filmmakers. Similarly, composer Lisa Molinaro’s score and the 1980s-influenced needledrops featured licensed tracks and original compositions which Nic discusses in terms of licensing challenges and costs. Another interesting topic that we touch on is film tax credits and their impact on productions, especially with lo budget/no budget/micro budget indie films. Of course, we spend quite a bit of time talking about casting and character development, most notably with Paula Abdul’s Mary Todd. BTW, Paula delivers a really strong performance that is far different from “cameos” she has had in other films. And Star Trek fans will be tickled to hear what Nic and Rob have to say about Trek legend Walter Koenig and his role in RAGING MIDLIFE.