Be sure to support Hill’s latest book, THE CONVERSATION, in stores September 7th! And become a fan of The Double Down Film Show HERE!

Summer break is over, the leaves are turning and the buzz of a new school year is in the air, which can only mean one thing…Time for the new season of The Double Down Film Show! On Wednesday, September 15th @ 9pm we’re gonna kick off the 4th season with an uplifting conversation about acting and managing a career in the industry with actor/author Hill Harper (CSI:NY, Premium, Lackawanna Blues,etc.). Hill took a most unusual route to acting, first earning a law degree from Harvard and a Masters from The Kennedy School of Government, before leaving it all behind and gambling on his newfound passion – acting. It turned out to be a good bet that paid off with roles in many tv shows, plays, indie and studio features. Today Hill is reprising his starring role as Dr. Sheldon Hawkes for the sixth year on CSI:NY and just completed his third book, The Conversation.

· Why did he pursue acting despite having a Harvard Law degree?

· What do great actors do that others don’t?

· Why does the best actor not necessarily get the job?

· What’s the most important thing you can do to last in Hollywood?

· What do you do if you don’t have access to great roles?

All this and more will be revealed on the 4th Season premiere of Double Down Film Show with CSI New York’s, Hill Harper.

Check out the promo from my buddy Jameel Saleem’s upcoming indie feature “Exit Strategy”. Jameel’s been a guest on The Double Down Film Show twice already. Hear how he’s made it happen HERE.

Peep the note below to The Double Down Film Community. If you didn’t get the message directly, hurry up and Become a Fan of Us on Facebook! Read the note after the jump!

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Entre Nos – Trailer from IndiePix on Vimeo.

Check out the trailer and tune in to Wednesday’s Double Down Film Show to hear from writer/director/star Paola Mendoza. You know how we do. Information and Inspiration.

*** THE DOUBLE DOWN FILM SHOW — EPISODE 48 ***
WEDNESDAY, May 5th @ 9pm EST

Listen in LIVE from your computer HERE or from your phone @ 646-929-1956

On the next Double Down Film Show, we’ll close out our 3rd season with an uplifting interview with Paola Mendoza the triple threat actress/writer/director of the new indie film, Entre Nos. Winner of multiple film festival awards, Entre Nos is a timely and personal drama about the hot-button issue of immigration based on the true story of Paola’s own mother. Beginning as an actress, Paola crossed over into filmmaking with the award-winning documentary, Autumn’s Eyes, before writing, directing and starring in Entre Nos. The film was co-written/co-directed and edited by Gloria La Morte who also edited Autumn’s Eyes.

· How did she shoot a feature with 2 child leads in 18 days?

· What’s the most important thing she does as a director every night?

· How did they find convincing non-actors as her child leads?

· What perils of tapeless shooting did the crew overcome?

· How can you get a community involved with your film?

All will be revealed on the next Double Down Film Show with our special guest, Paola Mendoza. Paola’s new film Entre Nos will be opening in New York City on May 14th and appearing on HBO later in the Fall.

We’re taking the summer hiatus to get our own filmmaking jones on, but will be back this fall with Season #4 and more practical wisdom and advice for filmmakers! Join us for the season finale Wednesday, May 5th @ 9pm EST!

*** THE DOUBLE DOWN FILM SHOW — EPISODE 47 ***
WEDNESDAY, April 28th @ 9pm EST

Listen in LIVE from your computer HERE or listen in from your phone @ 646-929-1956

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On this Double Down Film Show co-hosts Anthony Q. Artis and Pete Chatmon will be running down their list of 20 Things Filmmakers Should Never Do. We all know that there is no specific magic formula for success in filmmaking. Those that have achieved their goals have done so using a wide range of tactics and by taking a variety of paths. However, there is a very clear and specific list of things NOT to do that can hinder your filmmaking, bust your budget, or even completely derail your career in the industry. Unfortunately, most of us compile our personal list of things not to do through expensive and morale-busting trial and error. Listen in with pen in hand as we share with you our candid observations of what NOT to do. The more of these things you know and learn the easy way – from someone else’s mistakes – the closer you will be to finding out your own path to filmmaking success. It’s just another classic episode of The Double Down Film Show. No B.S. and no holds barred, just straight talk and practical advice from the grimy trenches of indie film from our lips to your ears…not just for your film, but for your film career.

*** THE DOUBLE DOWN FILM SHOW — EPISODE 46 ***
WEDNESDAY, April 21st @ 9pm EST

Listen in LIVE from your computer HERE OR listen in from your phone @ 646-929-1956

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The next Double Down Film Show will be a special double-header with not one, but two hot up-and-coming directors discussing their first feature films out this year.

First up is NYU film grad, Hue Rhodes, who wrote and directed, St John of Las Vegas which came out earlier this year. Hue changed careers from software programming to filmmaking at the age of 30 and was one of the oldest students in his graduate film program. His first feature, St John of Las Vegas is a quirky comedy road movie starring, Steve Buscemi and Sarah Silverman.

Next on deck, is our good friend and fellow NYU grad, writer/director Alrick Brown, which many of you may recognize from the IFC reality series Film School which profiled several NYU grad students in their first year of film school.

Well since that time, Alrick has graduated from the program and gone on to establish a reputation as a skilled and provocative director that sometimes leaves his audiences in stunned silence. His first feature entitled Kinyarwanda was shot over several weeks in Rwanda on the Red camera and co-directed by Ishmael Ntihabose.

- How did Hue land not one, but two major stars in his first feature?
- What are the perils (and rewards) of shooting in the Third World?
- What really happens after (and during) grad film school?
- How is shooting on the Red camera different than shooting 35mm?
- What does Alrick do that leaves his audiences speechless?

All will be revealed in tonight’s special first feature double-header. Filmmakers, you are not alone. Listen and learn from the mistakes, successes and hard-won wisdom of your indie film colleagues every Wednesday night.

WEBSITES FOR MORE INFO:
*** http://www.kinyarwandamovie.com/
*** http://saintjohnmovie.com/

On the next episode of The Double Down Film Show we’ll discuss the craft of directing with Writer/Director, Darnell Martin.

Darnell is a D.P. turned director who started out as an A.C. with Spike Lee’s outfit, 40 Acres and a Mule, before launching her own successful directing career. Apart from her most notable films, I LIKE IT LIKE THAT and CADILLAC RECORDS, Darnell has established a reputation as a skilled and efficient director of more than a decade of hit tv shows including LAW AND ORDER, HOMOCIDE, OZ, SAVED, and dozens more.

· What does she always try to do on the first day of production?

· How well did film school prepare her for Hollywood?

· What’s the different about being a Black female in Hollywood?

· What the hardest part of television directing?

· How has motherhood affected her directing?

Find out on the next Double Down Film Show. Plus, we’ll be announcing the prize winner’s for this week’s raffle for early registrants of Indie Film Boot Camp. Join us for another session of film school through the back door.

Listen in live from your computer HERE
or from your phone @ 646-929-1956.

* THE DOUBLE DOWN FILM SHOW — WEDNESDAY, March 3rd @ 9pm EST *

Listen in LIVE from your computer HERE OR from your phone @ 646-929-1956!

On the next Double Down Film Show we’ll have an open conversation with writer/director, Bridget Bedard.

Just five years removed from film school, Bridget now crafts scripts for two of the hottest new shows on the air, the runaway hit, Madmen, and the new series, Men of a Certain Age. Along with her writing colleagues, she recently won a WGA Award for Best New Series and was nominated for an award for Best Dramatic Series for her work on the first season of Madmen.

Bridget is a rare breed: a working female on a hit show in the heavily male-dominated writing segment of the business who didn’t have to work her way up from the bottom rung.

· How did she skip the normal path to the writer’s table?

· How does tv writing differ from feature writing?

· What do managers do for you that agents don’t?

· What did she learn in the “real world” that she didn’t in film school?

· What are the pros and cons of writing in N.Y. vs. L.A.?

Find out the answer to all these questions, plus a whole lot more practical wisdom and advice for aspiring filmmakers as we probe for the formula to a successful television writing career on the next Double Down Film Show.

By filmmakers. For filmmakers. No fluff, puff, or silly stuff…just the real answers you need to succeed every Wednesday night at 9pm. Listen and learn!

*** THE DOUBLE DOWN FILM SHOW — SEASON 3: EPISODE 3 — WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24th @ 9pm EST ***

Listen in LIVE from your computer OR from your phone @ 646-929-1956

On the next Double Down Film Show, we’ll take you inside the head of veteran U.P.M. (Unit Production Manager) and location manager, Jeff Stolow (Ghost Busters, Midnight Run, The Pick Up Artist ). From the 70’s to the present, Jeff has landed some iconic locations in big studio films and solved hundreds of hairy logistical problems.

· What do new filmmakers often not understand?

· What should UPM’s always keep in mind?

· What makes for a “good” location?

· What production red flags should you look for in a script?

· Who is it good to be friendly with?

…Jeff will be giving his answers to all these questions and more. From the firehouse logistics of Ghost Busters to swinging Wesley Snipe’s off a building, Jeff’s been there and done that and has wisdom and revealing anecdotes to spare.

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.

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