DoubleDownFilmShow

Winter break is over and the new semester is in full effect which can only mean it's time for another season of The Double Down Film Show! Season 3 kicks off with the return of our very first guest, indie filmmaker, Jameel Saleem. On that debut show, Jameel was trying to raise $$$ for his first feature film, "The Good, The Bad, and The Movie." Since that January 2009 interview, the financing fizzled out and Jameel left L.A. to move back home to Baltimore, almost giving up on filmmaking -- ALMOST. A year later he triumphantly managed to get a feature film financed and to the finish line, but it wasn’t "The Good, The Bad, and The Movie" ... ... it was his new project "CREAM SODA"! There is no magic formula for financing or finishing and every indie filmmaker’s journey to final cut is unique. Jameel will walk us through his journey from project fizzle to indie film sizzle. > What common problems plagued his first feature effort? > How did he land the money and make a new film in less than a year? > What did he do different the second time around? > Why didn’t he just quit like so many others? The answer to all these questions, plus more filmmaking inspiration and education on the next Double Down Film Show. Real problems. Real answers. By filmmakers. For filmmakers.

On the next Double Down Film Show we’ll be breaking down the real skinny on working as a P.A. with our special guest, 2nd A.D. Jason Altieri, who will be sharing some of the many tips he learned the hard way in his self-formulated “P.A. Manifesto”. Whether you want to be a D.P., cameraman or producer, your first job on a professional set will probably be as a production assistant. Film school basics and knowing how to coil a cable may get you on the set, but it’s takes a whole lot more knowledge and understanding to rise above the dregs of grunt P.A. and onto your desired career path in the world of filmmaking. What types of P.A. jobs can you get? How do you break in as a P.A.? What offenses will get you fired on the spot? How can you ingratiate yourself to the crew? What are walkie talkie best practices on set? What answer should you never give? Tune in and move up the production ladder faster with the answers to all these practical questions and more on the next Double Down Film Show. Raw answers to real filmmaking questions, every Wednesday night. Listen and learn.

On the next Double Down Film Show, we’ll be going over film festival survival tips for indie filmmakers with our special guest, Chris Gore. Chris is the founder of the Film Threat magazine and website and also author of the wildly popular film book, "Chris Gore's Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide", which has just been released in a new and updated fourth edition. • What are the best film festivals that you’ve never heard of? • How should you network at a festival event? • What should you be prepared to do the moment you’re accepted? • Which festivals do distributors attend? • What should be in your festival press kit? The insider answers to all these questions and more will be laid bare in our no-holds-barred interview with the very frank (and funny) Chris Gore. We give you straight answers to pressing questions, for filmmakers by filmmakers, every Wednesday night…Listen and learn. WARNING: This particular conversation contains some adult language not suitable children under 18.

On the next Double Down Film Show we’ll celebrate the DVD release of the summer blockbuster, Star Trek, with a special encore of our interview with rapidly rising star, and friend of the show, Zoe Saldana. From a slate of indies including, Co-host, Pete Chatmon’s debut feature, PREMIUM, Zoe has gone on to star in mega-films such as STAR TREK and James Cameron’s soon-to-be released 3-D mega-movie, AVATAR. Find out why she still loves working on indie films, her do’s and don’t’s for first-time directors and her candid real-world advice for aspiring actors. Plus we’ll be giving out more golden nuggets with a special segment entitled 5 Eye-Opening Revelations for Film Students. If you’re dropping $20,000 - $50,000 on a film school education and just blindly following the curriculum, you’re only getting half of what film school has to offer. Get our best tips for maximizing the film school experience and building a solid filmmaking career while still in film school. We learned it all the hard way so you don’t have to.

On the next Double Down Film Show we’ll rap to Assistant Director, Greg Staley, who has helped to shepherd a dozen plus independent films through production over the years. One of the unsung heroes on any set is the A.D. Hiring a good and experienced Assistant Director can be the difference between making the day and busting the budget or the difference between a well-functioning crew and a chaotic set. Few positions on set can have the impact to make or break a production the way the A.D. does, so understanding their role is vital to your project’s success. What little production secrets do A.D.’s know that you don’t? What type of temperament does an A.D. need? Who’s on the typical A.D.’s team? What type of logic goes into scheduling a big day? When should you bring an A.D. onboard and what can do they do for you? …The answers to these pressing questions and more will all be revealed on the next Double Down Film Show. Straight answers to real filmmaking problems from some of the best artists and craftspeople in the industry delivered straight to your ear every Wednesday night. Listen and learn.

On the next Double Down Film Show we have a double-header of filmmaking knowledge. First up is colorist, Eric Alvarado (Sex and the City, Fog of War, Tupac: Resurrection), who’s gonna walk us through the process of color-correction and discuss some of the many ways that a colorist can enhance the production value and visual story-telling on your next project. Exactly what does a colorist do and how can you help them do it better for your project? Eric will break down the answer in living color on the next episode. After that we’ll converse with Tiare White and Camille Landau, the authors of the classic film book, What They Don’t Teach You In Film School: 161 Strategies for Making Your Movie No Matter What. There is a huge catalogue of practical knowledge about the psychology, reality, and delicate daily minutia of filmmaking that you can only be picked up from painful experience or by having the foresight to study a book of wisdom like this (and listening to Double Down Film Show of course). These set-savvy Hollywood producers will share some of the best insights from their popular film book for your ears only. The Double Down Film Show…bringing you “the real” every Wednesday night. Listen and Learn. The back door to film school is now open.

On the next Double Down Film Show we’ll delve into the fine art of Shameless Self-Promotion. If you make a project and nobody knows about it, does it really exist?…Our answer is, No. In order for a project to have a successful launch, the public must first be made aware of it. A project only exists in the public consciousness when someone plants it there. Thanks to the digital age, there are more ways than ever to plant the seeds of your project in the public’s mind and many of them are free or dirt cheap. * How can you establish credibility as an unknown filmmaker? * Why should you brand yourself? * How can you establish and maintain a healthy online presence? * What can you do to partner with like-minded communities? * How can you put your fans to work for you? * Why is networking one of the most important things you can do? Listen in as we break down the answers to these questions and more in a live consulting session with Double Down Film Community member, Hiral Shah, whose new comedy TV series, DeSiCiTi, is a hilarious and timely South Asian spin on love and sex in New York City. Using DeSiCiti as a case-study, we’ll give our specific strategies for establishing a stronger presence online, attracting free promotion, partnering with other people and otherwise making a name for yourself and your project as you launch your first efforts. Every Wednesday night, listen and learn.

Our special guest on the next Double Down Film Show will be notable film producer, Monty Ross. Monty began his filmmaking career as an acting student at Clark Atlanta University where he had the remarkable experience of being classmates with the likes of Spike Lee, Jasmine Guy, Bill Nunn, and Samuel L. Jackson amongst others. During a filmmaking career that spans from the 80’s to present day, Monty was one of Spike Lee’s first producing collaborators who produced She’s Gotta Have It, School Daze, Do The Right Thing, Crooklyn, Malcolm X and more. • How can what you don’t know work to your advantage? • What do talented producers look for when choosing directors? • How can you develop your own “do or die” attitude and methodology? • How can you choose the right project and director to work with? • What are the red flags of a potentially bad filmmaking partnership? Monty Ross will give you his straight-forward advice and candid anecdotes on all of the above in this extended interview on the realities of pushing film projects all the way through from concept to completion with limited resources. Close the gap between filmmaking theory and filmmaking reality every Wednesday night. The back door to film school is now open.

On the next Double Down Film Show we’ll be cracking open the back door to law school to discuss some common legal issues that affect indie filmmakers with our featured guest, entertainment attorney, Andre Des Rochers, whose firm has represented a number of notable indie features, including director Lee Daniel’s hot new project, "PRECIOUS, Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire". • At what point in production should you bring an attorney on board? • How can you protect yourself in a partnership with collaborators? • What is the attorney’s role in feature fundraising? • What are some of the red flags of a bad distribution deal? • How can you stay out of trouble when using music in your film? The “Show” is only half the equation, the other half is the “Business”. Just capturing your vision on the screen is hard enough, but successfully seeing that vision all the way through to full distribution requires the input of a good attorney. Find out what you most need to know to shepherd and protect your vision from concept to premiere…only on the Double Down Film Show!

There’s the D.P., Producer, and A.D... but are you familiar with the director’s other right hand person - the Script Supervisor? On the next Double Down Film Show we’ll break it down with “Premium” Script Supervisor, Rachel Connors, who’s helped to keep things on point for dozens of indie features and tv shows through the years. • How can a script supervisor help you make your film better? • How can you make the most of your script super on set? • What do they watch that you don’t? • How can they save you time, money and heartache on-set and in post? All of this and more will be revealed on this week’s Double Down Film Show. Get more practical tips and real talk about working in the film and tv industry every week. The Double Down Film Show...Filmmaking reality starts here.

On the next Double Down Film Show, we’ll rap with director, Seith Mann. After completing NYU’s graduate film program with his award-winning short, Five Deep Breaths, Seith has gone on to direct episodes of some of the hottest shows on television including The Wire, Friday Night Lights, Entourage, Grey’s Anatomy, Cold Case and more! We’ll talk about life after film school, the "do’s" and "don'ts" for aspiring directors on set, TV vs. Film, plus more practical advice and real talk about the things you won’t learn in a classroom...only on The Double Down Film Show. Filmmaking reality starts here!

Summer’s over and it’s time to go back to school. Season 2 of the Double Down Film Show is kicking off with a candid conversation with the Dean of NYU Film School, Sheril Antonio, Ph.D. How can prospective students get into NYU film school? What should be in your portfolio for film school? How can you possibly afford it? What’s NYU’s secret to consistently turning out accomplished alumni such as Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, Karen Kusama, and Oliver Stone? How can you make the most of your film education NO MATTER WHERE you go to school? We’ll ask her all these questions and more! We’re all film students whether we’re in film school or not. The process of learning the craft in this digital age never stops. Get co-hosts, Anthony Artis and Pete Chatmon’s, real-world advice on furthering your film education whether you’re learning in film school or the film school of hard knocks. The back door to film school is open once again.

This Wednesday on the 25th jam-packed episode of the Double Down Film Show we’re going to break down what it takes to create quality music videos on any budget. First on deck is returning guest, D.P. Cliff Charles of The People's DP who shot “When the Levees Broke” as well as Pete Chatmon's new documentary "761st". Apart from collaborating with Spike Lee on several projects, Cliff has shot dozens of music videos and concerts with artists such as Mos Def, R&B singer Joe, Fabolous, and Young Jeezy. His work has been featured on HBO, MTV, BET, and on big screens everywhere. His latest venture is an educational site for cinematographers called TPDP.TV. We’ll discuss style, camera choice, crew and more! Next on deck, is one of the hottest up and coming music video directors you’ve never heard of until now…Benjamin Ahr Harrison. Through his Brooklyn-based production company, Machine Man Inc., Ben has directed music videos by major and indie label artists such as Jake Lefco, Unconscious Logic, and two videos for artist A-Pinks that have gotten more than a million YouTube views each. His rare full package skills as a director, shooter, editor, visual FX artist, and animator have allowed him to consistently maximize production value and creativity on limited budgets. Get another free serving of golden filmmaking advice on a silver platter.

On the next Double Down Film Show we’re gonna get down to the nuts and bolts of production coordinating a feature film. What are the day-to-day considerations of running a feature film set? How do you get and keep two dozen people on the same page day-after-day? What are the most important aspects of the job? How can you hire a good one for your film? We’ll discuss all this and more with our special guest Production Coordinator/Producer, Lynn Appelle, who has worked on the producing teams of such films as Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Empire and was one of the producers of Premium. Most notably, Lynn also won an Academy Award for co-producing the documentary short Thoth.

On the next Double Down Film Show it’s all about the M-O-N-E-Y. We all have a story to tell, but none of us has the money. Using Co-host Pete Chatmon’s indie film, “Premium”, as a case-study, we’ll go through some of the most elusive aspects of the fundraising process and share practical tips for overcoming the biggest obstacle to your first feature film. Your budget and even investor offering plan are only the start of the process. Learn about everything else you’ll need to consider to cross the fundraising finish line only on the Double Down Film Show. We learned it the hard way so you don’t have to. The Double Down Film Show...Filmmaking Reality Starts Here.