Filmmaking Conversations Podcast with Damien Swaby

Lauren Sowa is a New York-based actor and filmmaker. “MARISOL” 15-MIN. DRAMATIC SHORT, 2019 A narrative short film about one young mother’s experience as an undocumented immigrant in NYC. Premiered at the San Diego Latino Film Festival, March 2019. Currently available on HBO, and being developed as a series. Watch Marisol (2019) on HBO Latino, HBO GO & HBO NOW: https://www.hbo.com/movies/marisol D...

In this episode I get to once again interview Crystal Waters. We discussed: Being on a unhealthy set. You’ve got to know when you’re having those “Why am I doing this?’ moments, and you need to have a good answer. The ramifications of working outside of 9-5 and keeping relationships with family and friends. The business being worst for actors and more. If you liked this podcast, shoot me an e-mail...

It was amazing for me to interview Yvonne and Jason, Lagralane Group. Yvonne Huff Lee Yvonne Huff Lee is co-CEO of Lagralane Group. She is an actor, creative investor, philanthropist and mother to three with her husband and co-founder Jason Delane Lee. Yvonne is inspired by the female experience and seeks to elevate both female-driven narratives and women’s perspectives. Through Lagralane, Yvonne...

Sonja O'Hara is a multi award winning actress and filmmaker. She is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA. Sonja was featured as one of INDEPENDENT Magazine's “10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2017”, chosen by a jury from MovieMaker Magazine, the Sundance Institute and Austin Film Festival. Sonja created and stars in the series DOOMSDAY (The Spectator's "7 Series To Binge Watch."), which qualified for the...

Amy Adrion is a director and writer whose work has screened at the Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca and Los Angeles Film Festivals, been broadcast on PBS and MTV, and won numerous awards. HALF THE PICTURE, Amy’s debut feature, celebrates the groundbreaking work of women film directors and had its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018. HALF THE PICTURE won the #WhatNext Award at Sundance: Lon...

In this episode I get to talk to one of the most honest and upfront out of work cinematographers on social media. Crystal Waters was so upfront on the is podcast, part 2 of this podcast is already in the bag! Based in New York, she made me think. Do female cinematographers get a hard time? If you think they do, shoot me an e-mail at filmmakerswaby@hotmail.com ! Also, you can check out my documenta...

Antonio Pantoja is a Hispanic-Italian horror filmmaker and fine art photographer focused on creating ethereal imagery, stories that break stereotypes, and use the film medium to teach socioeconomic values. Pantoja has garnered nearly 100 awards in his efforts in film and photography and has a passion for community outreach by offering free classes and workshops in photography and film. Here is a l...

Robert Luketic started making short films as a teenager and went on to study at the Victorian College of Arts – School of Film and Television (VCA). He first attracted Hollywood's attention with his award-winning short film Titsiana Booberini. After screening to much acclaim at several festivals within Australia, Titsiana Booberini became a hit at many internationally renowned festivals including...

Chris G. Parkhurst is co the founder of The Documentary Life. He came from a film and video production background - commercial and corporate gigs and narrative feature films - but for some time now he has been focused on making our documentary films and helping others do the same. Originally from the USA he loves to travel, especially to Asia. He is currently living in Siem Reap, Cambodia with his...

JAMESON PARKER Director, Production & Development Jameson Parker is a producer and director who currently serves as the Director of Development for Brightlight Pictures. Most recently he produced the feature film SUMMER OF ’84 starring Rich Sommer (MAD MEN), was directed by the acclaimed directing trio RKSS (TURBO KID) and premiered in the Midnight Section of Sundance ’18. His first feature film P...

James Cameron is the Director of award winning films Titanic, Avatar, Terminator. "Just do it. Just pick up a camera and start shooting something." In total, Cameron's directorial efforts have grossed approximately US$2 billion in North America and US$6 billion worldwide. Not adjusted for inflation, Cameron's Avatar and Titanic are the second and third highest-grossing films of all time at $2.78 b...

Luckily I got to speak to Bill Duke! Film director and actor Bill Duke was born on February 26, 1943 in Poughkeepsie, New York and is the son of Ethel Douglas Duke and William Duke, Sr. After earning his A.A. degree from Dutchess Community College, Duke became interested in the performing arts while attending Boston University, although he initially enrolled as a pre-med student. He eventually maj...

Jenifer Westphal founded Wavelength Productions to develop, fund, and produce films that tell great f**king stories. Wavelength Productions works tirelessly to find and support talented and exciting filmmakers in all stages of production on projects that resonate with broad audiences. Sundance 2019 films included In Association and Executive Producer on Matt Tyrnauer’s Where’s My Roy Cohn?, Execut...

On this episode of The Filmmakers Podcast I talk about the future of the podcast and we have an inspiration talk from Mark Duplass. SOON ON THE FILMMAKERS PODCAST! Wavelength Productions, the finance and production company behind the best doc I've seen this year! https://www.youtube.com/watch ? v=_wGZc8ZjFY4&t=1s Cinematographer Roberto Schaefer, he shot one of my all time favorite films to name a...

Michael Starrbury is a screenwriter and actor known for the film The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete (2013), which starred Jennifer Hudson and Anthony Mackie, and the animated series Legends of Chamberlain Heights which has run for two seasons on Comedy Central and for which Michael voices one of the characters. In 2014, First Lady Michelle Obama screened The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete...

Julian Galea is an award-winning film director and founder of boutique studio Galea Pictures based in Sydney, Australia. With a focus on narrative-driven content, Julian consistently pushes the creative envelope to explore each unique story and direct fresh, engaging and impactful cinematic stories across all modern media platforms and formats. Following a series of short films and music videos, J...

Colin MacDonald is an editor at Clerisy Entertainment, and head of Foster Avenue Productions. A full service 4k and HD video production and post production company located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Foster Avenue specialize in narrative and documentary film, music videos, promotional content. They have produced the award winning short film Presence as well as the award winning music video If We’re D...

CHRISTINA RAIA In Her Own Words: Filmmaking & Community Leadership I am now a New York City based Writer/Director and the Founder and Team Leader of CongestedCat Productions, LLC. I shot my first feature film, SUMMIT, a Horror-Drama, in 2013. It premiered at the 2015 Manhattan Film Festival and was awarded Best Horror Film. I won Best Director for the film at the 2015 Flickers: Rhode Island Intern...

A 1985 American Film Institute Masters Seminar Q&A audio recording with writer-director John Hughes.

An incredibly illuminating, relatable and one of the most inspiring commentaries you’ll hear. Linklater talks about his twenties, and the 9 years he self-educated himself in filmmaking. The fact that he has become a success on a worldwide level, is all the more inspiring. Richard was among the first and most successful talents to emerge during the American independent film renaissance of the 1990s...

This episode of The Filmmakers Podcast is about Will Smith's personal transformation and how a transformation doesn’t just happen. It takes a plan and a support system. Will Smith is an American actor, producer, rapper, comedian, and songwriter. Smith has been nominated for five Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards and has won four Grammy Awards. I hope this episode helps you move towards yo...

Naomi McDougall Jones is an award-winning actress, writer, producer, and women in film activist. She grew up in Aspen, Colorado and attended Cornell University before graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA). Naomi wrote, produced, and starred in the 2014 indie feature film, Imagine I'm Beautiful, which took home 12 awards on the film festival circuit including 4 Best Pictures...

James L. Neihouse was born in Paris, Arkansas, he graduated from Paris High School in 1973, he then went on to receive his bachelor's degree from Brooks Institute of Photography in 1976. Soon after his graduation Neihouse worked on his first IMAX film which was directed by Graeme Ferguson, one of the co-founders of IMAX. The film was Ocean and was the first underwater film made in the format. Sinc...

Alex has been in the film industry for over 20 years and have worked on well over 1000 feature films, shorts, commercials, music videos, network promos, documentaries, and webisodes. His personal films have been screened in 600+ film festivals around the world. Many filmmakers have walked through my doors over the years and Alex has had the pleasure of a front row seat to see how all these project...

I was very lucky to speak to Noam Kroll on The Filmmakers Podcast. He is a LA based film director with a very hands on approach to cinematography and color grading. He also has a commercial production house called "Creative Rebellion", and runs a filmmaking blog here - www.noamkroll.com Check out the trailer to his new feature film on iTunes and Vimeo On Demand called Shadows On The Road, here is...