TALK DOC TO ME: Recent Episodes
Talk Doc To Me
Let’s talk about mental health and documentary filmmaking.
Max Karpman is a filmmaker who was born in New Jersey, but spent most of his childhood in Moscow, Russia. He is a recent graduate from Chapman University and is the director of “Did You Forget Mr. Fogel?” a short documentary about American hostage Marc Fogel who was a teacher at Max’s school in Moscow.
Max, Matt & Leah discuss how he found the story & the exact steps he took to create a student film from start to finish.
In this interview you will learn…
- About Marc Fogel, why his story matters & how to help
- What Pre-Production, Production, and Post-Production looked like for this film
- The importance of reference films for your own films
- Insights into balancing sensitive topics
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
1:13 - Who is Marc Fogel?
3:35 - Marc Fogel vs. Brittney Griner
7:17 - Growing up in Russia
9:59 - Finding the Story
Episode Resources & Links:
Free Marc Fogel Website - https://www.freemarcfogel.net/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/freemarcfogel/
Follow the Documentary IG - https://www.instagram.com/marcfogeldocumentary/
Talk Doc To Me is presented by Sundoc Studios
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Connect with Leah on LinkedIn
Learn more about Documentary Producing
Ebony Gilbert & Adisa Septuri are Co-Directors of Ifine, a short documentary set in the Kono district of Sierra Leone, that captures the beauty of blackness through the lens of the youth coming of age amid a skin-bleaching epidemic.
Leah discusses with them their narrative backgrounds, how they prepared to capture everything in 6 days, and what goes into a successful Co-Directing relationship.
Learn more about Ifine here:
https://www.ifinedocumentary.com/
Connect with Adisa:
http://adisasepturi.com/
https://www.instagram.com/adisafilms/
Connect with Ebony:
https://www.dirt-stainedroses.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ebony_gilbert_one/
Talk Doc To Me is presented byUnreel Stories
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Join our Doc Club? Apply here
Leah chats with Monica Medellin, Executive Producer of Surf Girls Hawai'i, a four-part docuseries that follows the next generation of Native Hawaiian female surfers as they compete to earn a coveted spot on the professional surfing WSL Championship Tour.
The series was produced by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine in partnership with TOGETHXR and follows rising stars Moana Jones Wong, Ewe Wong, Maluhia Kinimaka, Pua DeSoto, and Brianna Cope.
Watch on Amazon Prime:
https://www.amazon.com/Surf-Girls-Hawaii-Season-1/dp/B0BZRSCZ1Y
In this episode you’ll learn how Monica transformed her original docuseries into her first TV Show, her take on directing small indie doc sets vs. large TV sets, and tips for pitching your film to a major streaming platform.
See Monica’s Work
Follow Monica on IG
Talk Doc To Me is presented byUnreel Stories
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Join our Doc Club? Apply here
Leah chats with Emily Stoker, London-based Director and Producer. They discuss how Emily got her start making travel videos on YouTube, how she landed her first TV credits, and some insightful tips for how to set your ethical boundaries as a filmmaker.
Emily Stoker is a London-based director and communications consultant. After working abroad in digital communications, she built her production company. Today she has produced projects with clients, commissioners and funders including National Geographic, BBC, and the European Commission.
Emily’s documentary work spans into broadcast with Sheffield International Documentary Festival recognizing her as an “up and coming talent” in broadcast. Her credits include shooting and producing documentary films in several continents for National Geographic, BBC Studios, Channel 4,and more.
From films that help to raise six-figure project funding, to communication plans that gain national media coverage, to digital videos accumulatively totaling over 1 million views. Emily is experienced in producing films and communication plans that optimise her clients’ impact.
Emily’s work is featured in the Byline Times and she has been interviewed by theEuropean Activism Incubator about her impact in documentary filmmaking. She is available to work in multiple language and speaks Italian, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
Connect with Emily:
Check Out Emily's Work
Subscribe to her YouTube channel
Talk Doc To Me is presented byUnreel Stories
Follow on Instagram & TikTok
Watch on YouTube
Join our Doc Club? Apply here
Leah sits down with Lucas Cardoso, Director and DP of Estorias Co. They discuss how Lucas transitioned from a corporate job into starting his own production company, his exact lighting setup for interviews, and the importance of sharing your work.
Follow Lucas on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lucasacardoso98/
Check out Estorias:
https://www.estorias.co/
Talk Doc To Me is presented byUnreel Stories
Follow on Instagram & TikTok
Watch on YouTube
Join our Doc Club? Apply here
Don’t miss out on this couple’s roundtable where we discuss what it takes to own a documentary production company.
Matt, Leah, Mark & Carrie go in detail about how to set up different streams of income as a filmmaker - from community screenings, to landing sponsorships, to partnering with nonprofits.
Follow Mark & Carrie’s work at Burning Torch Productions.
Guest Bios:
Mark Pedri is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and writer from Southwestern Wyoming. His character-driven style of storytelling is reminiscent of his equally unique upbringing in Wyoming.
Mark’s journey has been guided by the stories he tells. His thirst for truth and storytelling go hand in hand, which has given him the opportunity to make films in some of the furthest corners of the planet. In addition to his own writing and directing career, Mark also has a special interest in supporting new voices within the film and television industry. During his tenure at Sundance Institute in the Feature Film and Episodic Programs, he focused on ushering underrepresented artists into the industry by helping them hone their craft and develop their own personal stories. Mark holds an MA in Communication & Journalism from the University of Wyoming and an MFA in Producing for TV and Film from the University of Southern California. Mark splits his time between Los Angeles and Wyoming.
Carrie McCarthy is a scientist turned producer. She got her start working as a scientific film consultant before going on to earn a PhD in Materials Chemistry from the University of Southern California. Funded by the National Science Foundation, her research has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences worldwide.
Carrie has produced two feature documentaries and several short films. She is driven by her endless curiosity to hunt down engaging stories with a unique perspective and has a critical eye for detail in the true-life stories she develops. Carrie is currently based in Los Angeles developing and producing documentary, feature, and episodic content.
Talk Doc To Me is presented byUnreel Stories
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Join our Doc Club? Apply here
Intro Summary:
Are you an aspiring DP? If so, this episode is for you 🎥🎬
Leah and Matt sit down with San Diego based Cinematographer Luis Lopez to discuss the role of a DP, how to find crew and projects that resonate with you, and how to capture emotion.
Guest Bio:
Born and raised in San Diego, Luis Lopez is a Mexican-American Director of Photography for documentaries, narrative films, and commercials. His most recent work “Dear Philadelphia” was an official selection for Sundance Film Festival 2021 and won the 2021 Vimeo Staff Pick Award at BlackStar Film Festival. His artistic approach to cinematography is intimate and emotional, capturing the raw essence of each character poetically. Through his craft, he aims to give voice to the voiceless and tell coming-of-age stories from underrepresented communities.
Episode Resources & Links:
See Luis’s work:
https://www.luislopezdp.com/
Follow Luis on Instagram Luis Lopez (@theluislopez) • Instagram photos and videos
Talk Doc To Me is presented byUnreel Stories
Follow on Instagram & TikTok
Watch on YouTube
Join our Doc Club? Apply here
Unlock the secrets of directing branded documentaries with filmmaker Jen Sommer! We peel back the curtain behind storytelling for brands. We discuss challenges, creative hacks, and lessons learned. If you're into filmmaking and crave insights on making creativity work for brands, this one’s for you ! 🎬✨
Jen Sommer Bio:
A multifaceted filmmaker, Jen works as a Director, DP, and Editor. Her stories span documentary, narrative, and branded spaces, attracting clients such as Google, Dropbox, Airbnb, Robinhood, Timberland, and Milkbone.
Most recently, Jen worked on the Google award-winning series, Search On, capturing people using everyday Google technology to do extraordinary things for their community. In her latest project, she directed the film of an uncharted scientific expedition to discover three new Blue Holes across the Great Barrier Reef.
Her films are powerful, unconventional, deeply human, and rooted from her background in music and her strong connection to nature. Her work has been recognized by PR Week, D&AD, and The One Club.
Episode Resources & Links:
Jen’s Work
https://sommerfilms.com/
Follow Jen on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/bluecauliflower/
Talk Doc To Me is presented byUnreel Stories
Follow on Instagram & TikTok
Watch on YouTube
Join our Doc Club? Apply here
Interested in making a documentary about an artist?!
Leah chats with Sam Vladimirsky, a director, artist, and the founder of Whimsy - a creative studio committed to celebrating game-changers and culture-shifters in the world of art & design through original documentaries, brand storytelling, and creative marketing campaigns. They talk about the importance of being your subject's greatest advocate, his experience working at Breakwater Studios, and the power of cold emails.
Sam is the founder & Chief Creative Officer of Whimsey and currently based in London and New York. He makes stuff about people who make stuff, and his work has been featured in Vogue, PBS, and the Museum of Modern Art. His company was conceived as an alternative to an entertainment industry oversaturated with “content” and an arts industry lacking a vision for bold storytelling. Most recently, he was the creative marketing director at the Academy Award®-winning Breakwater Studios, where he ran Oscars® campaigns, headed up the marketing department, and cut teasers, trailers, and social content.
See Sam's work.
Follow Sam on IG.
Talk Doc To Me is presented by Unreel Stories.
Filming in another country, but don’t have the budget to travel there yourself? Leah chats with Sandro Kakabadze, a Georgian Documentary Filmmaker who she recently hired for a shoot in Brazil. They discuss best practices for how to collaborate globally, the difference between journalism and documentary, and his feature documentary “On the Edge of Gold” about illegal mining in the Amazon.
Sandro Kakabadze is a Georgian Documentary Filmmaker living in Brazil. He worked as a journalist for three Georgian TV channels and made approximately 500 reports. He covered wars, politics and social issues. He traveled to more than 20 countries in his reporting and worked as an international correspondent in London and Moscow. Sandro combines an investigative and curious spirit with a sensitive eye that guarantees stories told with a unique visual language.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
:50 - How To Find The Best Local Crew Abroad
7:00 - How To Prep your Local Crew for Success
12:20 - How Our Shoot in Brazil Went
22:00 - Sandro’s Background as a Journalist
25:55 - Journalism vs. Documentary Filmmaking
31:43 - Illegal Gold Mining in the Amazon
44:40 - Big Media Outlets vs. Independent Filmmakers
47:40 - Working with Vulnerable Populations
49:50 - Balancing Family with Filmmaking
52:45 - Giving Back to the Community You Film
55:50 - Outro
In this interview you will learn…
- How to Remote Produce & Hire Local Talent
- The difference between Journalism and Documentary Filmmaking
- What it’s Like Filming Illegal Mining in the Amazon for 45 Days
- How To Build Trust with Vulnerable Communities
Episode Resources & Links:
Follow Sandro on IG
See Sandro's Work
Talk Doc To Me is presented byUnreel Stories
Follow on Instagram & TikTok
Watch on YouTube
Join our Doc Club? Apply here
Have you ever wondered what it's like to film for the NFL? Brandon shares his journey from a college football player to a Director and Photographer based in Los Angeles. They discuss how he began filming for NY Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, how he shot the album cover for Sada Baby, and how he stands out as a creator.
Guest Bio:
Brandon Lawless is a Documentary Director and Photographer based in Los Angeles. He has created content for the NFL, Hypland, ESPN, and Big Sean.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
:50 - Broadcast Journalism class in High School
5:12 - Balancing Film School & College Football
10:14 - First Documentary Film
12:19 - Working with Kayvon Thibodeaux
20:47 - Working with ESPN
28:48 - Filming NFL Draft Day
43:50 - Photographing Musicians & Celebrities
47:23 - How To Stand Out as a Creator
50:12 - The Future & Closing
In this interview you will learn…
~ What It’s Like Being a College Athlete & Film Student At the Same Time
~ What It’s Like Filming at NFL Draft Day
~ How To Stand Out as a Creator
Episode Resources & Links:
Lawless Media - https://lawlessmediallc.com/
Follow Brandon on IG - https://www.instagram.com/brandonlawless1/
Talk Doc To Me is presented byUnreel Stories
Follow on Instagram & TikTok
Watch on YouTube
Join our Doc Club? Apply here
You’ve made a short documentary. But now you decided to make a feature on the same topic. What happens next? So Yun shares her journey directing LIQUOR STORE DREAMS.
This episode was recorded in 2022.
Guest Bio:
So Yun Um is a Korean American Director and Producer born and based in Los Angeles. She explores intimate and challenging stories of marginalized people with piercing humanity and poignant editing style.
Her directorial debut documentary feature film, LIQUOR STORE DREAMS, which is about second generation Korean American children of Liquor Store owners in the LA area, which made its world premiere at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. Her work has screened at Tribeca Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival, BFI London and more.
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
1:10 - Quick Questions
1:55 - How Liquor Store Dreams Started
4:39 - Transitioning from Short to Feature
7:00 - Narration Tips
7:45 - How To Make Your Personal Story Universal
11:30 - Grant Writing
12:36 - Building a Team
17:44 - Finding an Executive Producer
23:22 - Grants & Investors
26:00 - What Makes a Good Sample
31:10 - Trailer vs. Sample
35:10 - How To Have Difficult Conversations
39:15 - Future
In this interview you will learn…
- When So knew she could make a Feature
- How So built a successful team
- What an Executive Producer does
- The difference between a Trailer and a Sample
Episode Resources & Links:
Liquor Store Dreams Website
Liquor Store Dreams on IG
Follow So on IG
Follow So on TikTok
Talk Doc To Me is presented byUnreel Stories
Follow on Instagram & TikTok
Watch on YouTube
Join our Doc Club? Apply here
Intro Summary:
Special Couple’s Roundtable! In this episode, you get to listen in on a candid catch-up between two documentary couples. They discuss the beginning stages of starting a company together, what roles each person plays, and what verite filmmaking really means. There may even be a surprise performance in the middle of this episode…
Guest Bios:
Riani Singgih is a Documentary filmmaker and Cinematographer. Riani thrives to tell stories on topics on mental health, Disability and minority issues. Her Documentary short films in the past has played in over 50 film festivals around the world, shooting in over 10 countries. Her work has been screened in Vice Media, Discovery Channel and PBS Network,
Brahmantyo Putra is a multidisciplinary artist specializing in documentary films, photojournalism, and art installations. Within his career he has collaborated with various international artists to raise social, cultural and political topics through exhibitions in Indonesia and Australia.
Chapters:
00:00 -Introduction
2:10 - Quick Questions with Riani & Brahm
9:45 - How Seven Ten Media was founded
17:04 - Working with Start-Ups
19:36 - Discussing Roles in Making Films Together
24:54 - Do We Argue with Each Other In Front of Other Crew Members???
27:45 - Favorite Apps for Documentary Filmmaking
34:07 - How We Inspire One Another’s Work
42:00 - How To Build a Relationship With Your Character
43:20 - Your Camera Has A Voice
48:00 - What does ‘Verite’ Mean To You?
1:00:00 - Documentary Filmmaking in the U.S. vs. Indonesia
1:08:00 - Having a Good Relationship with your Character
1:15:01 - The Future & Closing
In this interview you will learn…
- What kind of clients you can work with as a production company
- How Couples split up roles & navigate adversity
- Favorite apps & tricks to running a successful documentary business
- How to build a better relationship with your character
- Why Your Camera Has a Voice
- The difference between making films in the U.S. vs. in Indonesia
Episode Resources & Links:
Seven Ten Media Website
Seven Ten Media Instagram
Talk Doc To Me is presented byUnreel Stories
Follow on Instagram & TikTok
Watch on YouTube
Join our Doc Club? Apply here
Thinking about crowdfunding for your documentary?
Leah and Jordyn share their exact strategy for how they raised over $10k for their short documentary We Are Like Waves on IndieGoGo. They discuss what types of films are good for crowdfunding, how to utilize social media, and the importance of offering perks to your audience.Jordyn is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, storyteller and creative. She grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Santa Fe, NM where she spent most weekends racing down the Rio Grande or hiking for fresh powder. From this innate need for exploration, her passion for filmmaking was born. She’s created work for brands including Specialized Bikes, GoPro, and Sierra Nevada. Her most recent film, We Are Like Waves, was released with The Los Angeles Times. Her films have premiered at Oscar qualifying festivals, won jury and audience awards, and played in over 20 countries around the world. Through her creative endeavors, she aims to amplify the voices of diverse women in the outdoor industry.
Episode Previously recorded in 2022
In this interview you will learn…
- What kind of films are good for crowdfunding
- How we set our goal & launch date
- Why perks are an important part of crowdfunding
- Why you need a video & what we included in ours
- What elements you need to include in your campaign
- How to utilize social media and your email list
What We Discuss:
00:00 - Intro
2:15 - Quick Questions with Jordyn
5:48 - About We Are Like Waves & How the Story Came About
9:33 - How Jordyn Took Out a Loan
14:37 - Why We Chose to Crowdfund
17:43 - Why We Chose IndieGoGo as our Platform
20:24 - Our Strategy & How Much We Made After Fees
23:57 - What are Perks & How To Use Them
32:32 - Our Crowdfunding Timeline
39:00 - Why We Made a Crowdfunding Video
40:00 - What Elements To Include in Your Campaign
45:09 - How To Leverage Social Media
54:45 - Email List
57:37 - Closing
Our IndieGoGo Campaign
Our Crowdfunding Video
We Are Like Waves Website
Jordyn Romero Portfolio
Follow Jordyn on IG
Jordyn’s Article in IndieGoGo
Talk Doc To Me is presented byUnreel Stories
Follow on Instagram & TikTok
Watch onYouTube
Join our Doc Club? Apply here
In the fourth episode of TALK DOC TO ME, Matt and Leah discuss the much anticipated 10-part docuseries that features Michael Jordan and the ‘97-‘98 Chicago Bulls during their infamous final season with Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman, nicknamed “The Last Dance.”
In the third episode of TALK DOC TO ME, Matt and Leah discuss the 2019 Academy Award nominated best feature documentary, FOR SAMA. This doc is an intimate and epic journey into a mother’s journey during the uprising in Aleppo, Syria. They discuss the ethics of filming during a war, the impact it’s made on their lives, and why this film is a must-see.
In the second episode of TALK DOC TO ME, Matt and Leah discuss the 2018 Academy Award nominated best feature documentary, MINDING THE GAP. This doc is a coming-of-age skateboarding film that follows the lives of 3 young men as they grow up in Rockford, Illinois. They discuss the thick plot that highlights the issues of domestic violence and how it affects adolescent development.
In the first episode of TALK DOC TO ME Matt and Leah discuss the world famous true crime docuseries: Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. They share their honest opinions about the insane 7 episode thriller that has changed the way the world views documentaries forever.
This is the introduction episode for Talk Doc To Me, a fun podcast and place for documentary filmmakers and fans. Hosted by Leah de Leon and Matt Meredith.