What started as a humble independent movie site has blossomed into an entertainment outlet, featuring interviews with the industry’s biggest stars such as Michael B. Jordan, Amy Schumer and Michael Cera.
Screen Radar was founded by three UB alumni: Nick Berg, Kevin Schadel and Jeff Heller. Berg had met Schadel at Buffalo State University, and introduced him to Heller. The trio attended UB from 1998 to 1999.
Originally, Jeff Heller didn’t even consider journalism as an option.
“My original ambitions were to go into animation, so I went and got an art degree,” Heller said in an email. “However, I realized that it wasn’t quite for me, so I shifted into film.”
And after graduating UB, the three went their separate ways. Heller himself had spent time scouting the film and television industry in Buffalo but there wasn’t much traction in that area. Berg spent time in New York, doing various assistant directing jobs, and Schadel moved to Florida to work as a videographer.
“We were all experiencing various levels of success, or lack thereof, in the industry,” Heller wrote.
Eventually, the trio had moved back to Buffalo one by one and had come to the idea of making a film website.
Originally named “Film Dumpster” in 2011, Screen Radar had started as an unpolished and muddy looking website, Heller said. There was a variety of content from comedy-sketches, reviews, podcasts and compiling news stories from other sources.
Eventually the team was able to secure their first real contact: Crispin Glover.
“Charlie’s Angels” and “Back to the Future” star was to be in Buffalo in (DATE) and Heller directly reached out to him on Facebook, and Glover had agreed to an email interview with the trio.
“That interview, along with our work covering news, which we did eventually start writing ourselves, and our reviews, was enough to get media credentialing for Fan Expo Canada in Toronto.” Heller continued, “There we scored interviews with celebrities like Sean Patrick Flanery, Lou Ferrigno, and Tony Todd, among others. After that, it just started to snowball.”
Eventually the team was able to secure their first real contact: Crispin Glover.
The “Charlie’s Angels” and “Back to the Future” star was seen to be in Buffalo back in 2012 and Heller directly reached out to him on Facebook, and Glover had agreed to an email interview with the trio.
It was that interview, along with everything else, that boosted the trio’s careers.
“It just started to snowball,” wrote Heller.
Actors Sean Patrick Flanery, Lou Ferrigno and Tony Todd were the next stars on the website.
Screen Radar has remained a part-time gig for Heller, Berg, Schadel and other contributors to the site. The website is coming to its 15th anniversary this year.
Over the last 15 years, Heller stated he developed a love for journalism, being able to conduct interviews with over 300 celebrities and industry professionals, continually fascinated by the craft.
Screen Reader is certainly proof that the joy of journalism isn’t the numbers or the grand paycheck, it is being able to share and connect with real people.
The arts desk can be reached at arts@ubspectrum.com.
