The Filmmaker's Life

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 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 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 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 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 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

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-HomeIan'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 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 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 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

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

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 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

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=uVQvmXEk5swTo 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 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=8Y6GeqiOIugTo 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 AwardMike's currently in post-production on the documentary "Brown N White: The Heart of Bona’s Basketball" and in development of several other projects.