The Filmmaker's Life (Joanne Butcher)

Our guest this week is Michelle Malley Campos. Michelle talks about what it's like to work at an Assitant Director in the busy Puerto Rican film market. She also talks about how she applied for a grant for her feature film "Foreigner" from the Puerto Rican government and was awarded $1.288 million dollars!

Michelle is NYU Tisch alum and WIF/GM Latina Acceleration Grant recipient, Puerto Rico native Michelle Malley Campos is an award-winning writer-director with almost two dozen short films and music videos under her belt and over 15 years of experience as a DGA assistant director. She is the founder and president of Viento Films, with two feature films in development, founder of the community cinema project Cinema Paradiso en la Loiza, directs podcasts for cultural center La Goyco and is on roster as a commercials director at production house Nostrom in Puerto Rico. To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com

To Register to be part of the live recording of future The Filmmaker's Life sessions please visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .

Our guest this week was Michael Lees, a documentary filmmaker who documented his 6-month challenge to live in the forests of Dominica and ended riding out a Category 5 Hurricane in a palm leaf and bamboo hut.

Michael graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2015, where he spent the first half of his college career studying business at the Kenan-Flagler Business School, later switching his major from business to communication studies with a focus on media production. In 2019, Michael released his debut documentary, Uncivilized, which led him into the forests of Dominica, where he would face Hurricane Maria alone in a palm leaf and bamboo hut. The film premiered at the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival 2019 and went on to screen at festivals including the Brooklyn Film Festival and The Pan-African Film Festival in LA. It won the Caribbean Spirit Award in 2020 at the Barbados Independent Film Festival and the Villa Romana Award at the African Diaspora Cinema Festival in Florence, Italy. Michael has written, shot, and edited for a range of clients including Billboard, UNICEF, and National Geographic. He has exhibited his film & photography work across the Caribbean, US, UK, and is a proud member of the Waitukubuli Artist Association. Michael runs a video production company in Dominica called One Off Productions.

Watch Michael's film "Uncivilized" here https://uncivilizedfilm.com/

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home

Our guests this week was self-taught filmmaker Joy Marzec. Joy has always liked fairy tale, mythical, ghost, and surrealistic stories. These influences can be easily recognized in her films. Upon making her first feature film in 2007, she discovered she loved every stage of the filmmaking process. Her second feature "I am That" can be seen on Amazon Prime and Tubi. Joy co-owns a production company that specializes in Ashtanga Yoga. She's constantly working on projects whether for the production company or in the narrative space. Her third feature film, "24 Frames Lalla" recently played at the Santa Fe International Film Festival.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .

If you'd like to learn more about the podcast host Joanne Butcher, visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/ or if you'd like to talk to Joanne about your filmmaking dreams, schedule a 30 minute Breakthrough Session at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/book-a-call #filmbusinesscoach #latinafilmmaker #femalefilmmaker #womeninfilm #filmpodcast #joannefilm #independentfilmmaker #indiefilmmaker #indiefilmmaking #independentfilmmaking

Our guest this week was documentary filmmaker Walter Schlomann. Walter tackled the topic of teenage suicide in his film "Ezra: May His Memory Be For a Blessing" and his last film "Hidden Court" was a feature length documentary about a group of 11 men from Northern Westchester, NY who, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, found a sense of community and camaraderie by playing 'prohibition basketball' on a hidden outdoor court.Here's a link to the page fo "Ezra: May His Memory Be For a Blessing" https://www.ezrasfilm.com/Here's a link to the film website for "Hidden Court" https://thehiddencourt.com

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-home

Walter Schlomann is documentary filmmaker and founder of Heritage Media Group, a boutique company that produces video biographies depicting the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. His recent documentaries “Ezra: May His Memory Be For A Blessing” (2021), and “The Hidden Court” (2023) received numerous awards at domestic and international film festivals. Walter has worked in film since the 1980s and filmed around the world, extensively in South America and Australia. Rock stars such as Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), Rob Zombie, and Cyndi Lauper have collaborated with him as an editor on long form projects and music videos. In 2024 Walter published a book about his legacy video work:Transmitting Wisdom: The Art of the Video Biography. https://www.amazon.com/Transmitting-Wisdom-Biography-RECORDING-EXTRAORDINARY-ebook/dp/B0DNY331KL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3UAJVIAUR1XX6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ayZeU2Vo8SvJTHJ1hXd4PQ._bEIpwxC9qmM5yHYjizqjiKz6xHe3RxSmqbtS1D5Wvg&dib_tag=se&keywords=Transmitting+Wisdom%3A+The+Art+of+the+Video+Biography.&qid=1741712363&sprefix=%2Caps%2C268&sr=8-1He is just beginning pre-production on his third feature documentary, a film about the history of the Star of David, from mystical origins through contemporary significance.If you'd like to learn more about the podcast host Joanne Butcher, visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/ or if you'd like to talk to Joanne about your filmmaking dreams, schedule a 30 minute Breakthrough Session at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/book-a-call#filmpodcasts #filminterview #filmproducers #filmbusinesscoach #documentaryfilmmakers #joannefilm

Our guest this week was Brandon Morson. Joanne talks to Detroit-native Brandon about his beginnings as a filmmaker in Michigan and how he got his films made and distributed on various platforms.

The Detroit native, Brandon Morson has built a strong reputation as a film producer and director by breaking new talent in tv, film and web. After studying film at Western Michigan University, Brandon has gone on to win several film festivals including Best Picture and Best Director.

Brandon then moved to Los Angeles to continue telling dynamic and compelling stories by producing such films as "Passenger C", "Sister Code", "The Night They Came", "You Married Dat", "Run Nixon", "What Are You Afraid Of" and more. He has since gone on to produce and direct commercial and social content for Amazon, NBC Universal, Capitol Records, and Viacom. "Another Love Story" was Brandon’s first feature films as a Director, he hopes the film will bring more awareness to domestic violence and mental illness.

Brandon then went on to direct his second feature film "Hope Street Holiday". He takes pride in maintaining a positive spirit and finding creative ways to bring people together.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home.

Our guest this week was actor Logan Stanzione. Logan Stanzione is an actor who starred in the faith based feature film "12 Steps to Recovery," a role in which he has won 4 awards at different film festivals. Four of those awards were for "Best Acting Debut."
Here's the more info and the trailer for "12 Steps to Recovery" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28681475/ You can learn more about Joanne Butcher and her business at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com

The guest this week was Joanne Butcher and the guest host was Emily Smart. Joanne is a film business coach and consulting producer with over 180 films under her belt. With a wealth of experience in fundraising and distribution, Joanne has a proven track record of facilitating the sale of numerous feature films and participating in the distribution of 21 features.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .

Our guest this week was R.S. Veira. Joanne talks to R.S. about he made the leap from Division I basketball to being a filmmaker.

R.S. Veira, born Raphael Sylvester Veira, is an author, filmmaker, orator, and self-proclaimed dreamer. Veira, the son of Jamaican parents, was raised in Cleveland, Ohio, and has been a storyteller for as long as he can remember. Featured on Yahoo! News, Veira co-founded Dream With Me Productions in 2018 where he brings films showcasing diverse voices to life. To fuel the written side of his storytelling work and uplift other authors, Veira also launched RSV Ink, a publishing imprint, and is the author of five published books. Most recently, Veira wrote, directed, and produced his award-winning debut feature film "Meeting Ms. Leigh".

Before moving to LA, Veira graduated cum laude from Cleveland State University, where he played Division I basketball and won the Horizon League Sportsmanship Award in 2014. Veira is often invited to speak to audiences about his journey and has been a keynote speaker at high schools, colleges, conferences, and business luncheons across the country.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home.

Our guest this week was Jimi Okubanjo. Jimi produced the documentary "Arise Firebird", which exposes the toxic work environments, at the corporate level, senior female leaders of color often face in the workplace through her own first-hand experience, as well as through the stories of a few other women.

Here's the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcP1XnOWzW8 . To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home . Jimi Okubanjo has a 20-year career working in leadership roles with Global Fortune 100 corporations, delivering transformations in 14 countries and four continents with over 200 leaders. After a wide variety of traumatic experiences, which ranged from having her credentials minimized to being harassed and told that "they should have hired a white man to do your job" and placed in physically dangerous situations; Jimi decided to take charge of her own life and use her experiences to benefit others. Jimi produced the documentary "Arise Firebird" highlighting her first-hand knowledge of what senior and experienced female leaders of color often face in the workplace. The film being shown globally at corporations, conventions, and featured on podcasts.

Our guest week was documentary filmmaker Karen Reese. Karen Reese is a documentary filmmaker who was contacted by the community of Tulsa to share their story of survival and rebuilding after the 1921 Massacre in her film, "Greenwood Ave. Project." To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home . Karen Reese is a filmmaker and sports enthusiast. Not only that but she owns her own tax business. Karen has been in production since 2017, when she produced her first documentary series called “Path to the Draft: 7 DeSoto U Players” and she is currently produces a sports talk show called “Can We Talk Sport”. To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com

Our guest this week was filmmaker Jacquil Constant. Jacquil is a Haitian-American Filmmaker who screened his documentary film "Haiti Is a Nation of Artists" at the Pavillon Afriques at Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival. He also started the Haiti International Film Festival in Souther California.

Here's the trailer for the film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVQvmXEk5sw
To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .
Jacquil Constant's career in the independent filmmaking industry spans over twenty years. He's worked with networks such as MTV, BET and VH1. In 2006, he established his own production company, Constant Production. Back in 2015, he founded the Haiti International Film Festival in Southern California. His award-winning documentary "Haiti Is A Nation Of Artists" was made with the focus of depicting Haitian artists creating transformational art to uplift the nation of Haiti after the devastating earthquake in January 2010.
Jacquil is a Cinema Professor at Pasadena City College, teaching Cinema Production. Promoting the beauty of Haitian culture is his passion and he has curated multiple Haitian art shows in Southern California.
#filmmaking #podcast #filmpodcast #filmmakers #indiefilmmaking #filmbusinesscoach #haitianfilmmaker

Our guest this week was Anthony Hand. Anthony is a Filmmaker Success graduate who recently completed his feature length animated film "Maxxie LaWow: Drag Super-shero." For more information about film screenings check out https://www.maxxie.com/ .

Here's a link to the Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViV8m8jdo48

Anthony Hand is a product designer and former entrepreneur based in Silicon Valley who is leveraging his 20+ years of experience to embark on a creative journey in telling compelling stories that celebrate the LGBTQ+ experience. He previously served as President of the Board for the Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus and recently finished his first feature film, the independently produced animation "Maxxie LaWow: Drag Super-shero." Anthony looks forward to turning "Maxxie" into a series while supporting a growing number of queer films.

#filmmaking #podcast #filmpodcast #filmmakers #indiefilmmaking #filmbusinesscoach #queerfilm #queerfilmmaker #dragqueen #dragqueenfilm

The guest this week was Sound Engineer, Production Sound Mixer, Post-Production Sound Mixer/Editor Cedric Smart. Cedric has worked on TV commercials, various TV and films productions within the Caribbean and with crews from US, UK, Canada and Europe.

Cedric Smart began his sound engineering career in 1991 as a studio assistant at the Engine Room recording studio. Within a year he became a studio engineer where he produced commercial recordings for radio and television, as well as tracked and mixed recordings for local. Since 2001, Cedric has worked as a freelance audio engineer and sound recordist. He has recorded several albums for various artists and has worked on hundreds of television and radio commercials. He has also worked on many regional and international film and television productions. Some of the TV commercials he’s worked on are Malibu Rum’s “Mister Moon”and “Lady Sunshine” and British Airways’ “Go Caribbean”. Cedric has worked on many regional and international TV Series including “Turn of the Tide”, “Westwood Park”, “The Reef”, BBC World News Series “Collaboration Culture” (S1 E5), Discovery Channel’s “Locked Up Abroad” (S7, E10), Discovery Channel’s Planet Green “Blue August 2011” series focus on Leatherback Turtles Featuring Ian Somerhalder, and the Netflix “FIFA Uncovered” series. He has worked with various accomplished filmmakers, including the ground-breaking Horace Ové on the “Ghost of Hing King Estate”, Ian Harnarine with his Genie Award-winning short film “Doubles with Slight Pepper”, James Van De Pool on Sky TV’s “Michael X: Hustler, Revolutionary, Outlaw” and Maria Govan with her “Play the Devil”. He’s also produced two short films and is producing a feature film “Shadow Legacy” that is currently in development. In addition to working on-set, Cedric also does post-production sound work and teaches Production Sound at the University of the West Indies - St. Augustine Campus.

You can follow Cedric Smart on Instagram @csaudio3

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home

Our guest this week was the award-winning, Vermont-based independent filmmaker Michael DiBiasio-Ornelas .Michael recently signed a distribution agreement for his fourth feature film the comedy/horror "The Yorkie Werewolf."

Michael DiBiasio-Ornelas is an award-winning Writer and Filmmaker with eclectic taste, and the co-founder of Vermont-based Fair Share Films. In addition to his current campy Horror/Comedy, "The Yorkie Werewolf", he is the Writer/Director of "The Sleepless" ("Best U.S. Feature", 2020 New York Independent Cinema Awards) and "The Videoblogs" (called "a provocative indie" by RogerEbert.com).

Our guest this week was Marci Krown a filmmaker/actor who recently finished a feature length documentary called "The Power of Sports for Amputees." She's a graduate of Filmmaker Success and lives by the mantra, "You don't need permission to create. Look for companies, people to help you achieve your dreams and go for it." Marci Krown first got involved with film and tv back in 2012 when she started acting, landing roles in commercials, web-series, music videos and films. In 2016, she jumped behind the camera after receiving the advice "if you want to become a better actor, produce a film.” She produced several short films and her first feature film documentary "The Power of Sports for Amputees" will be at the Palandino d’Oro Sport Film Festival in Italy in November 2024 To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com #filmmaking #podcast #filmpodcast #filmmakers #indiefilmmaking #filmbusinesscoach #documentaryfilmmaker

The guest this week is Jon Silver. Jon talks about being a filmmaker in Chicago and the influence comedy has in his work.

Jon is an independent filmmaker based in Chicago. He comes from a comedy background. He's the Co-Founder of ShowPup Productions and the former Managing Director of The Annoyance Theater. Jon has worked with Second City and other theaters to produce comedy sketches, short films, web series, TV pilots, and his first feature "The Civil Hoax", was called 'Can't Miss Indie Cinema' by the Chicago Tribune. His second feature is a pirate adventure he made during COVID called "The Scarlet Pirate". He's currently in development of his next feature film.

To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home

Our guests this week was Filmmaker Success Graduate, filmmaker Delores Flynn. Delores tells stories about women/children that shed light on complex relationships and raise awareness, such as domestic violence, postpartum depression and interracial relationships.

Here's a link to her latest film "The Unfaithful One" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmYjLTm_seI

If you haven't joined us for The Filmmaker's Life before, please register for a Zoom link at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home After taking time off to raise her family, Delores Flynn is making her mark in the film industry as a writer/director. Her short films “The Color of Hate” (an interracial love story set hours before the 1967 Detroit riot), and “mama” (a tale about woman suffering from postpartum depression who leaves her family - streaming on Tubi), have been selected in multiple film festivals and earned 24 awards. She shot her latest short – “Why Me!?” about domestic violence awareness in 2021 with support from Haven, that helps victims and survivors. She directed the project "The Easy Path" in 2022 produced by The Yunion, about a young man trying to get his life together with support from a man he robbed. This film is part of a school mentorship curriculum. If you'd like to learn more about the podcast host Joanne Butcher, visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/ or if you'd like to talk to Joanne about your filmmaking dreams, schedule a 30 minute Breakthrough Session at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/book-a-call #filmbusinesscoach #blackwomenfilmmakers #femalefilmmaker #womeninfilm #filmpodcast #joannefilm #blackfilmmaker #independentfilmmaker #indiefilmmaker #indiefilmmaking #independentfilmmaking

Our guest this week was Documentary Filmmaker Sandi DuBowski. Sandi's latest production "Sabbath Queen" was in the works for 21 years and it's not only taken film festivals around the world like Tribeca, IDFA Best of Fests, DOK Leipzig, Rio Film Festival, Palm Springs, Woodstock, Hamptons, Zurich,  and Berkeley by storm but it continues its global tour with select theatrical runs and film festival screenings.Here's the film's website complete with trailer and screening times https://www.sabbathqueen.com/

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-homeSandi DuBowski began his foray into media work back in the 1990s with Planned Parenthood. Since then, his award-winning films have screened at Sundance, Berlin, Tribeca and Toronto, theatrically released in 150 cities, and broadcast on ZDF/Arte, BBC, Channel 4, PBS. He's the Director/Producer of "Sabbath Queen" and "Trembling Before G-D", Producer of "A Jihad for Love" and Co-Producer of "Budrus". Sandi spearheaded a groundbreaking impact campaign with the award-winning "Trembling Before G-D", personally conducting 850 live events, for over 250,000 people, which changed the lives of countless individuals, their families, and religious leaders around the world. From 2009-2016, DuBowski worked with over 125 of the world’s best social justice documentaries as the Outreach Director of Doc Society’s Good Pitch. He is Co-Founder of The Creative Resistance, a collective of media makers who create award-winning political ads and design. In 2020, he became a member of the Documentary Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He's currently touring alongside the theatrical release of his film "Sabbath Queen" and holding live Q&A sessions after the film.#independentfilmmaking #podcast #filmpodcast #queerfilm #lgbt #documentaryfilmmaker

Our guest this week was Robert Dumond, a Film Producer, Actor, and Marketing Specialist based in Newfoundland, Canada.

Robert previously worked as a Content Acquisitions Manager for a You-Tube Movie Trailer Channel that had over 1.4 million subscribers and held the title of Vice President of Acquisitions for a Los Angeles based production company. His journey through the film industry has been marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence and a fervent dedication to helping others realize their dreams. If you haven't joined us for The Filmmaker's Life before, please register at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com

The guests this week were Jian Hennings and Sophie Walcott. They first met in film school on Jian's short film turned feature "Back to Freeport," and Sophie was the editor. Since then, they have collaborated on film projects and commercials. They are not only partners in film but partners in life.

Having completed his Film Production/Film Studies Degree in 2017, Jian Hennings spent the following two years developing screenplays for film and television while working as a camera operator, producer, and director on several corporate video projects and commercials. In 2019, he was awarded the Take One Film Grant by the Trinidad and Tobago government, an initiative that allowed first-time directors an opportunity to produce a feature-length film. This project resulted in "Grace & Saleem", a romantic comedy that explored the relationship between a Muslim man and a free-spirited woman over three distinct time periods. "Grace & Saleem" received film festival screenings throughout the world, and was honoured with the ‘Audience Award - Feature Narrative’ and ‘Best Feature’ prizes at the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival and the Caribbean Tales International Film Festival.

Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Sophie Walcott started her film career editing the student film "Back to Freeport". Since then Sophie has worked as an editor and assistant director on numerous commercial and television projects. In 2019, Sophie produced the feature film "Grace & Saleem". Sophie is now a Director for Sandpaper Pictures, which aims to create culturally relevant artistic films and Southbound Media, which aims to develop TV and web projects centered around Trinbago culture and themes.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home

We'd love to see you there!

Our guests this week were mother/daughter producing team Martina Webster and Dalea Faulkner. They recently released a Christmas film called "Hashtag Blessed".

Martina Webster is a producer with passion for making "Movies with Meaning" and to bring more film industry into the Arizona White Mountains. She runs the Show Low Film Festival with her daughter Dalea. Some of Martina’s past projects include former Moody Blues frontman Justin Hayward's Music Video "The Wind of Heaven" and features "Hashtag Blessed The Movie" and "Turnover". Martina currently has several films in pre-production in various genres.

Dalea Faulkner is a producer, writer and author among many other things. Her most recent film was "Hashtag Blessed: The Movie" which was released Dec. 1st, 2023 . She has 3 more features in various stages of development: a screen adaptation of her YA Fantasy novel, “The Christmas Witch” and two Family Films. To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .

Our guest this week was Tameka Citchen-Spruce. Tameka is an award-winning filmmaker, who also is an activist that champions the cause of equality, not only in terms of race and gender but also for those who are disabled.

Tameka Citchen-Spruce formed her production company Be Influential Film to tell stories that feature unrepresented communities in an authentic, thought-provoking and engaging way. She won an award for her narrative short film "Justifiable Homicide" and went on to produce the documentary feature film "My Girl Story" and an episode of the TV Series "ADA Lead on Presents Black Future Month: Legacy Present and Afro-Futurism".
Tameka's activism not only shows up in her films but also in her everyday life. Currently, she's the co-director of LEAD, a leadership development program for BIPOC disabled individuals and their parents for the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition and has been recognized for her activism by several organizations. In the Fall of 2022, she was selected to participate in Unlock Her Potential Mentorship, a program for women of color in entertainment. Her mentor is the social political comedian and TV Executive Producer W. Kamau Bell.

To get more information about Tameka's latest projects at http:www.tamekacitchenspruce.com

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .

Our guest this week was Nicolás Rojas Castro. Nicolás is an award winning Chilean filmmaker. He has two features under his belt, one a narrative film "Distancia" (2015) and the other a documentary film "Sonar Rock City: Seattle" (2019), which looks at the evolution of music in the city since it became known for the Grunge movement. He's currently working on his third feature film "Tiempos Decentes". You can watch the film "Distancia" on Amazon Prime.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home

Our guest this week was Linda Palmer. Linda Palmer, an award-winning independent writer/producer/director who has over 25 years in the industry.

Linda formed her production company , Runaway Productions when she wrote, directed and produced a campaign of public service announcements for "Children of the Night," the non-profit organization which looks after teenage runaways on the streets of Los Angeles. Since then, she has produced numerous commercials, documentaries, series, and feature films; including "Last Call at Murray's", "Turnover" starring CSI's Paul Guilfoyle, and "Sienna's Choice".

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home

Our guest this week was Academy Award-winning filmmaker Nani Sahra Walker.

Nani is a graduate of Filmmaker Success and a 2024 Oscar-winner. She executive produced the acclaimed short documentaries "Kylie" (Sundance, 2023), "Merman" (Tribeca, 2023) and "Last Repair Shop" (Telluride, 2023), which won the 2024 Academy Award.

Watch "The Last Repair Shop" here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xttrkgKXtZ4 .

Her upcoming feature narrative film "Shakti " is set in Nepal and backed by the ARRI International Support Program.

Nani is an alum of the Asia Project Market, Cine Qua Non Lab, SFFILM FilmHouse Residency Program and BAFTA. She is an adjunct professor at UC Berkeley’s renowned documentary program and mentors filmmakers at American Film Showcase and Global Media Makers.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home . Enter your name and email address at the bottom right of the page to register. You will then receive a welcome email with the relevant Zoom information.

To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com

Our guest this week was filmmaker Joshua Caldwell. Joshua's latest film "Mending the Line" just premiered on Netflix in the #1 spot! Joshua began his feature filmmaking journey with a film he made for $6000. He talks about all of that and so much more!

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home . Enter your name and email address at the bottom right of the page to register. You will then receive a welcome email with the relevant Zoom information.

Joshua has been in the industry for over 23 years as a writer/producer/director. In 2006, his short film "Beautiful Lie" won an MTV Movie Award. His debut feature film "Layover," a French language film about a young woman stuck in Los Angeles overnight, had its World Premiere to sold out crowds at the 2014 Seattle International Film Festival where it was nominated for the prestigious FIPRESCI New American Cinema Award. His latest film, MENDING THE LINE, stars Golden Globe Winner® Brian Cox (HBO’s “Succession”), Sinqua Walls (The Blackening, White Men Can’t Jump), Perry Mattfeld (“In The Dark”, “Shameless”), Patricia Heaton (“The Middle”, “Everybody Loves Raymond”), and Academy Award Winner® Wes Studi (The Last of the Mohicans, Dances With Wolves) was distributed theatrically by Sony Pictures and is currently on Netflix.
To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com

Our guest this week was Cameron Patterson. Joanne talks to Cam about how he got into writing and production through the world of music.

Besides being a novelist, Cam is also a screenwriter, director and producer for his production company, SoGo Productions. His screenwriting portfolio includes work for Canadian and U.S. producers in both TV and film, and multiple genres from war and thrillers to drama and horror. He has directed feature film, TV series, music videos, commercials, and documentaries. He is also a professional drummer having played on numerous albums and television shows and continues to perform live.

Look at Cam's IMDB here https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2925493

You can find out more about Cam's latest novel at http://theneedtoknownovel.com/

To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home.

The guest this week was Rahul Nath. Rahul is an actor, writer, director, choreographer, and dancer who has found success in both Bollywood and Hollywood.

Rahul has acted in several national campaigns for major brands like State Farm Insurance and Intel, as well as shows  "Adam Ruins Everything", "I’m Sorry", "The Company You Keep" and the Steve Carell led all-star cast in Netflix’s "Space Force".  Rahul has appeared in the Bollywood movie "Happy Ending", the Punjabi movie "Faraar", and the Caribbean movie "Bazodee". He's appeared alongside superstars Saif Ali Khan, Gippy Grewal and Kabir Bedi.

Rahul has written, directed and produced a feature film called "Khazana" which screened at several film festivals worldwide. He's also produced his own travel TV show called ‘Rahul Yatra’s’ which was available for a time on Amazon Prime. He's also in the process of developing two pilots with his production company Nik/Nak Productions.

Here are links to the film and tv projects Rahul has produced and directed. KHAZANA (FEATURE FILM) - https://tubitv.com/movies/572547/khazana?start=true
TREASURED (TV MINISERIES) - https://play.mometu.com/series/details/415876
COMPROMSIE (SHORT FILM) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04kDI1Djf2g
FOREIGN (SHORT FILM) - https://therokuchannel.roku.com/watch/224bd30501085aa9803ec8fe2f4f229f

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .

Our guests this week was co-producers and co-writers Hafiz Farid and Shelley Grodner Seidenstein. Who talk about their latest documentary "The Two Suns of Georgia - The Untold Story," the story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. meeting with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. They also discuss their documentary "Maya Angelou: Reflections of a Blessed Soul," which was filmed just before her death. For more information and the trailer of the film visit https://www.twosunsofgeorgia.com/ As a powerhouse team, Shelley Grodner Seidenstein and Hafiz Farid have co-produced and co-written the multi award-winning documentaries "Maya Angelou: Reflections of a Blessed Soul", "DARFUR: Too Dark Too Far", "The Presumption of Guilt:Race", "Class", and "Crime in America" that is based on the book by the revered Harvard Law Professor, Charles J. Ogletree. They are poised to release their latest feature documentary "Two Suns of Georgia-The Untold Story".

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home

#documentaryfilmmakers #filmbusinesscoach #documentaryfilm #documentaryfilms #documentary filmmaking #blackdocumentary #blackstories #blackfilms #filmpodcast #filmbusinesscoach #joannefilm

Our guest this week was documentary and narrative filmmaker Deborah Richards.Deborah's first feature film, the narrative "Move Me No Mountain" is on Amazon prime and her second feature film, the documentary "Shaken & Stirred - The Story of Flair Bartending" will have its premiere in Las Vegas at the Beverly Theater and is currently available for sale.To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-home________________________________________________________Watch "Move Me No Mountain" on Amazon Primehttps://www.amazon.com/Move-Me-Mountain-Cat-Lellie/dp/B0B6MSMKC5Order "Shaken & Stirred - The Story of Flair Bartending"https://flairdoc.vhx.tv/checkout/shaken-stirred-the-story-of-flair-bartending/purchase________________________________________________________While still in film school in 2015, Deborah Richards won four Southwest Production Emmys® for her science fiction short, "Boy Meets Girl," and has since directed over 200 national TV commercials and promos.In 2022 she was crowned the Nevada Woman Filmmaker of the Year by the prestigious Nevada Women's Film Festival, and in 2023 her debut feature, "Move Me No Mountain," was released on Amazon Prime. In 2025, she completed her second feature, "Shaken & Stirred" and is currently gearing up for its 2025 festival run and release.Deborah Richards owns her own production company, based in Las Vegas, and is also a founding member of 1905 Films, a boutique film studio focused on feature film development and production. Deborah is currently in development of her third feature film - "Scissor Mouth."#filmpodcasts #filminterview #filmproducers #filmbusinesscoach #documentaryfilmmakers #joannefilm #femalefilmmaker #womeninfilm

Our guest this week was Kopal Goyal. Kopal is changing perspectives about women in India with her films while using her skills as a rock climber. On one of her first films, she belayed while filming athletes, even when monkeys attacked the camera setup. Host, Joanne Butcher, talks to her about the journey of combining her love of climbing with her love of storytelling! To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .

Kopal Goyal is an adventure documentary filmmaker and rock climber based in India. One of her first films Ganesha 8b+, is about India’s hardest sport climbing route, which was distributed by climbing magazines around the world including Rock and Ice, Climbing, and UKC magazine on their platforms.

Since then, she's worked on several documentaries that have screened internationally and won awards, such as Kokankada and Durga: Forging A New Trail. Her other film "Free Soul" won the "Best Extreme Sports Film" award at IMF Film Festival 2020. Her story has been featured in Redbull, YourStory, BBC Hindi, The Week, India Today magazine, and various other news portals across the country.

As part of Project Wild Women’s impact, she has founded What Culture and Inspire Crew, a supporting organization and a media platform to identify more people practicing extreme and gravity sports in India, give them an identity, encourage more participation with compassion regardless of age, gender, or social status. To watch some of Kopal's films, please go to:

https://www.inspirecrew.com/adventureondemand

You can also watch "The Rakchham Affair" at https://youtu.be/2Sk-WG5Vh_U To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com

Our guest this week was Ian Harnarine. Ian is an award-filmmaker, with a short film Executive Produced by Spike Lee and Assistant Professor at NYU Tisch.

If you haven't joined us for The Filmmaker's Life before, please register at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home
Ian's short film "Doubles with Slight Pepper" was Executive Produced by Spike Lee and won a Canadian Genie for Best Short Film Drama, which is the equivalent to an Oscar. He's since produced a few documentaries, received an Emmy nomination for one of the dozens of films he's made for Sesame Street and released his first narrative feature film "Doubles" in 2023. To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com

Our guest this week was Colin Bressler. Colin is a not only a Cinematographer but also a Writer/Director/Producer/ Director of several psychological horror films. To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .

Colin received the award for Best Achievement in Cinematography while he attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He worked his way up in the industry working as an assistant to many great DPs. Once he stepped into the role of DP he was nominated for the American Society of Cinematography Award for Best New-Comer. He worked on many feature films, TV series for History Channel and Discovery Channel, as well as on web content for big names such as Sports Illustrated, Essence and Time. When he started writing, producing and directing his own projects, he jumped into the world of horror and has 5 features under his belt within another due to be released next year.

You can watch Colin's latest film "No Promised Land" on Tubi. To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com

Our guest week was award-winning filmmaker Deborah Richards. Deborah Richards recently completed her second feature film, the documentary "Shaken and Stirred. The Story of Flair Bartending " and her next film, a horror, "Scissor Mouth".
Writer/director Deborah Richards has over 30 years experience as a creative visionary and storyteller, working with major brands such as EDC, Walmart, History Channel and Trufusion. She's a former bartending world champion, a four-time regional Emmy® winner, 2022 Nevada Woman Filmmaker of the Year, dog owner, and passionate advocate for the arts.

If you want to join the live Zoom of "The Filmmaker's Life" then register at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-home

Our guest this week was Creative Producer Jonathan Lia.Jonathan's 30 year career has spanned multiple genres across various platforms. Jonathan recently produced "Fly Me to the Moon" with his producing partner Scarlett Johansson under their These Pictures banner for Apple TV+ / Sony Pictures. The film stars Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Woody Harrelson and Ray Romano.Here's the trailer to "Fly Me to the Moon" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW7enw6mFxsJonathan produced music videos that helped define the visual identities of many well-known artists such as Beyoncé, Pharrell, Madonna, Kanye West, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Adele, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, Alicia Keys and Jennifer Lopez. He produced Beyoncé’s "Lemonade" for HBO, "Aziz Ansari: Live at Madison Square Garden" for Netflix. In 2011, he co-founded GOOD COMPANY, a bi-coastal commercial and content production company, www.goodco.tv, which he continues to oversee today. Jonathan joined forces with Scarlett Johansson in 2017 to form THESE PICTURES with the vision of bringing their unique brand of carefully curated film and TV projects to a global audience.In 2021, Jonathan produced "Game Change Game," a feature length documentary on social justice and the paradigm shifting happenings of the early 2020s as seen through the eyes of NBA players during the Covid lockdown. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.Last year, his feature film "Fly Me to the Moon" premiered worldwide theatrically and is currently streaming on Apple TV+. Jonathan just completed "Eleanor the Great," which is the directorial debut of Scarlett Johansson and stars June Squibb, Erin Kellyman and Chiwetel Ejiofor. #filmpodcasts #filminterview #filmproducers #filmbusinesscoach #documentaryfilmmakers

Our guest this week was Documentary Producer/Director Christina Kiely. In her over 25 years in the industry, Christina' s worked for networks like A&E, PBS, ABC News but, currently, she's working on multiple independent projects including the feature length documentary "Coal Country' about the largest coal mining disaster in US history and its aftermath and "Strong Girls: The Sixters" a feature documentary about an all-girl Ukrainian rock band who fled the war and became anti-war ambassadors representing the youth of Ukraine.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-home Christina Kiely has been producing and directing documentaries for over 25 years. She wrote, directed and produced the ABC News’ documentary series, "A Murder On Orchard Street," and co-produced the accompanying podcast to the 7-part series (2018) – which hit #1 on Apple Podcasts. In 2004, she was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the ABC News documentary series "NYPD 24/7." She's also produced for the series "In the Jury Room" and the weekly news magazine "Primetime Mondays." Christina has also produced and directed numerous programs, including the "A&E Biography of Yo-Yo Ma," 12 hours of the TLC series "Code Blue," the PBS weekly news magazine "Rights & Wrongs: Human Rights Television," and various documentaries for the International Labor Organization of the United Nations. #filmpodcasts #filminterview #independentfilmmaking #indiefilmmakers #filmbusinesscoach #joannefilm #documentaryfilmmakers #womeninfilm #femalefilmmakers

Our guest this week was filmmaker Wally Fall. Wally is a Martinican-Senegalese filmmaker who is not only passionate about telling stories from a Caribbean perspective but he's also one of the founders of Cinemawon, a film collective dedicated to showcasing film from Africa and the African-diaspora.
To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home . Enter your name and email address at the bottom right of the page to register. You will then receive a welcome email with the relevant Zoom information.
Wally Fall grew up in Martinique. His first films confront the notions of identity, history and belonging from a Caribbean perspective. A champion of increasing the visibility of stories from Africa and its Diaspora worldwide, he's one of the founders of the Cinemawon film collective. He currently lives in Guadeloupe and shares his time between his filmmaking projects and curating films with Cinemawon. "Dancing the Stumble (Mantjé tonbé sé viv)" is his fourth film.
#filmmaking #podcast #filmpodcast #filmmakers #indiefilmmaking #filmbusinesscoach #caribbeanfilmmaker

The guest this week was Isabel Dréan, a screenwriter who is making a living from her writing and will tell us how she did it!

Isabel Dréan is a produced screenwriter who specializes in romcoms, holiday, and high-concept stories. With a placement in the Nicholl Fellowship with her first screenplay, Isabel first started by exploring themes of women's survival and overcoming the impossible. But during the pandemic gloom, she felt inspired to venture out of that genre and explore the world of whimsical and inspiring stories found in holiday, romcom, and coming-of-age stories. In 2021, she saw two of her scripts go into production with Breakthrough Entertainment (Canada) & Vast Entertainment (USA). 2022 brought more success her way, with three more of her holiday romcoms produced and scheduled to air this next holiday season making a total of five screenplays sold and produced over a fifteen-month period. Isabel's writing versatility and capacity to elevate notes make her an indispensable asset to any production.

Find out more about Isabel’s Masterclass http://21dayscreenplay.com.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home

Our guest this week was film producer Ashlee Wellenreiter.

Ashlee is the co-writer/producer of the feature length documentary film "Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror," which looks at a history of horror through the black point of view and how its evolved to where it is today.

Watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmyueIwsMlo

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .

Ashlee Wellenreiter (nee Blackwell) is a Pennsylvania born independent scholar from the Philadelphia and Delaware County areas. She is the creator of the award nominated Graveyard Shift Sisters, a digital archive preserving the legacy of Black women in horror cinema. She is the co-writer/producer of the award-winning documentary, "Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror" and the host and writer of the Shudder podcast "Horror Noire: Uncut." She also is a podcast producer, editor, and the co-host of" Rhythm & Schooled," a history podcast miniseries about 1990s R&B with screenwriter Robin Shanea. Ashlee is currently producing a micro-budget sci-fi thriller and an adjunct professor of film and television studies who enjoys Fall weather, dachshunds, and cooking.

#femalefilmmaker #blackfilmmakers #filminterview #filmpodcast #blackfemalefilmmaker #blackdocumentary #blackhorror #documentaryfilmmakers #documentaryfilmmaking

Our guest this week was Richard Fung. Richard is a

Trinidadian born, Toronto-based documentary filmmaker, artist and cultural critic, whose films not only explore the lives of LGBTQ+ pan-Asian Canadians but also the subject of identity when it comes to being multiracial.

If you haven't joined us for The Filmmaker's Life before, please register at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home for the Zoom link.

Richard Fung is an award-winning video artist, cultural critic, and a professor emeritus at Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCADU). Born in Trinidad and based in Toronto, most of his work springs from his formation as a gay man of Chinese descent growing up at the cusp of independence from colonial Britain and immigrating to Canada in his late teens. Navigating geopolitical space is at the heart of Richard's practice, whether it's documenting the lives of LGBTQ+ pan-Asian Canadians, retracing the evolution of the recipe for West Indian roti, exploring the roots and branches of his multiracial family, or following a Palestinian Canadian friend as he negotiates his two home cities of Toronto and Hebron. 

Our guest this week was filmmaker Tshego Molete Khanyile.

Tshego is a South African filmmaker who recently was Executive Producer on the Female Filmmaker Programme, focusing on developing mid-career female filmmakers and producing several short film anthology slates and documentaries which are for sale on Amazon.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .
Tshego is a graduate of the EAVE Producers Workshop. She began her film life working as assistant script supervisor on the film "District 9". Since then she's produced narrative and documentary short films. Currently, Tshego is in development on several feature films and high-end series.

Our guest this week was Parris Z. Moore, a film and television producer with over 20 years of experience in the development, production, and distribution of media. He also produced a Sundance winning feature film.

Parris Moore completed his MFA in Film Production in 2021, his MBA in Film, Media and Art Management in 2005, and his BA in Radio, Television and Film Studies at Temple University in 1992. He has held the position of Assignment Desk Editor for FOX News and produced the EMMY nominated show "Profiles". Parris' feature film "Kinyarwanda" won the Sundance World Cinema Audience Award in 2011.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home . Parris Moore is a film and television producer with over 20 years of experience in the development, production, and distribution of media.

To learn more about Joanne Butcher and her company visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/Filmmaker-Success-Home

Our guest this week was faith-based filmmaker Ryan Watson. Ryan's first feature film "12 Steps to Recovery" has been making the festival circuit and has been in the running for awards, including the Christian Family Film Festival where it won the award Best Inspirational Film.Here's a link to the trailer of "12 Steps to Recovery" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK9OxR52oh0

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-home

Ryan Watson loves watching films that change his view of the world by opening his eyes to a new aspect of life. Over the years, he's made several short films that have had life-changing effects on the audience. Reaching success for those films through awards at film festivals, gaining a following and receiving heartfelt messages regarding the impact his film's have had on people's lives, Ryan decided to take the leap of making his first feature film. "12 Steps to Recovery" has been making the festival circuit and the response to the film has been just as positive as his shorts.#filmpodcasts #filminterview #independentfilmmaking #indiefilmmakers #filmbusinesscoach #faithbasedfilm

Our guest this week was Sir Marco Robinson. Marco is an actor, best-selling author, and film producer, who has had TV shows and a film on Netflix and Channel 4.

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .
Sir Marco Robinson is the co-creator, producer and star of the movie “Legacy of Lies”, which debuted at #2 on Netflix USA. Marco has also created a Prime Time TV show on Channel 4 in the UK called “Get a House for Free.” The show was created to address the social housing issues in the world and Marco gave away 3 houses through that show.

On top of being a film and TV producer, Marco is also a bestselling author of two books, “Close the deal & Suddenly Grow Rich” & “The Financial Freedom Guarantee”. He’s currently writing his third book, “How to Be a Hero in Real Life,” a true life account of his own incredible life story, from being a homeless child and teenager to reaching an unprecedented level of success in the world of Business and the Arts all while he nearly lost his life from a heart attack, attempted suicide and survived a Russian spy that was sent to kill him. (yes this is a true story!)

Our guest this week was documentary filmmaker Mike Camoin. Mike produces and co-produces films that focus on untold stories, such as "Benedict Arnold:Hero Betrayed," narrated by Martin Sheen; "Sallie Mae Not" the story of how the US Government set up a system of greed that gutted student loan lending of consumer protections and "The Saratoga Battles DVD" which is a highly popular educational tool found in schools throughout the Northeast. He's currently in post-production on the documentary "Brown N White: The Heart of Bona’s Basketball", the story of the smallest NCAA college basketball program ever to reach the Final Four.

Here's the trailer for "Sallie Mae Not" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MLOnTTRfkI and "Benedict Arnold:Hero Betrayed" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y6GeqiOIug
To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home . Enter your name and email address at the bottom right of the page to register. You will then receive a welcome email with the relevant Zoom information.
Mike Camoin is a documentary filmmaker who has been in the industry for over 30 years. In 1995, Camoin led the independent film movement in northeastern New York co-founding the Upstate Independent Filmmakers Network, a salon of the Association of Independent Video and Film (AIVF). Mike pushed for talks to fuel New York’s first Film Tax rebate program to prevent runaway productions. He studied directing with Judith Weston and has worked various roles on feature films that have screened at Cannes, Toronto and Sundance such award-winning films "As You Are", "We the Animals", HBO Films "Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight" and Derek Cianfrance's "The Place Beyond the Pines" starring Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendez and Bradley Cooper.
Aside from working on other people's productions he's produced and directed several documentaries of his own including "Inside the Blue Line: Leadley’s Legacy," the story of an aging Adirondack woodsman’s hunt to preserve the wilderness which aired on PBS - NORTHEAST and Canada. In 2021, his production company, Videos For Change Productions, produced the documentary "Sallie Mae Not: Exposing America's Student Loan Scam" which won the Whistleblowers Summit & Film Festival's Audience Choice Award
Mike's currently in post-production on the documentary "Brown N White: The Heart of Bona’s Basketball" and in development of several other projects.

Our guest this week was holiday and horror filmmaker LazRael Lison. LazRael's has found success in polar opposite genres horror/thriller and holiday/romance. His latest film, "Finding Faith," is in post-production. It stars Paula Patton, Loretta Devine, Keith David, Stephen Bishop, Demetrius Grosse and Nadine Velazquez.To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/the-filmmakers-life-home________________________________________________________Watch the trailer for LazRael's "Style Me for Christmas" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90d6RMpWCk4________________________________________________________LazRael Lison is a Writer/ProducerDirector with 9 feature films under his belt. His hoilday films, like last year's "Style Me for Christmas," can be seen on BET+ and BET+ Prime Video Channels. His latest Horror/Thriller "#Unknown" starring Judd Nelson, Tom Sizemore and Master P can be seen on Tubi, Plex, Roku Channel and Amazon Prime.LazRael's foray into the creative arts began in junior high school writing and directing plays and short films. He now has his own production company Summer House Pictures and has assembled a team of imaginative creators.#filmpodcasts #filminterview #filmproducers #filmbusinesscoach #joannefilm #blackfilmmaker #blackfilms #holidayfilmmaker

Our guest this week is Catherine Herrera. Joanne talks to Catherine Herrera about how, as an Indigenous woman of mixed ancestry, she uses her documentary films as a way of bridge-building.

Catherine Herrera creates impactful art that inspires dialogue and action by sharing unique stories with broad audiences. Coastal climate change is the focus of Catherine's current public art and documentary project Martins Beach, highlighting today's collaborative California Native Coastal Stewardship programs inspiring hope for mitigation and renewal.

Catherine is a professional documentary filmmaker and photojournalist, with a body of personal art/films/installations reflecting on themes of belonging, identity, memory and notions of 'home,' including: "Bridge Walkers", created on commission and exhibited at the de Young Museum; art installations: "Feast of Beams", "Sitting Ohlone I", "Open Doors to a Healing"; several short films: "Witness the Healing", "Transition", "From the Same Family: An Intimate View of Globalization" and "Alphabet People"; and, her first feature documentary, "Transition".

In September 2023, Catherine will exhibit photographs selected by curator Elizabeth Hawley from Catherine's series, Landless Indians, for a group show featuring contemporary Native American artists. Catherine Herrera is the third generation of photographers in her family.

To Register to be part of the life recording of future The Filmmaker's Life sessions please visit https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .

The guests this week were Howard and Mitzi Allen. Howard and Mitzi are film and life partners that are based in Antigua. They premiered their 5th feature film this year.

Howard Allen and Mitzi Allen are the husband and wife team behind the award-winning production company HaMa in Antigua & Barbuda. They've 5 feature films, 4 TV series and with numerous documentaries. Their first feature film “The Sweet Mango” has been recognized as the first indigenous feature film for the Eastern Caribbean and it is archived in the Toronto International Film Festival Library.

The couple believe that filmmaking can become an integral part of Antigua & Barbuda’s cultural expression especially with the growth in work being created, filmed, written, and produced by Antiguan and Barbudan creatives. HaMa continues to shine a light on Caribbean storytelling through their films, documentaries, tv shows and workshops.

You can get updates about Howard and Mitzi Allen's film on their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/HAMAFilms

To obtain the Zoom link for upcoming live interviews, you must register at The Filmmaker's Life webpage at https://www.filmmakersuccess.com/The-Filmmakers-Life-Home .