Episode 61: Ava DuVernay

With a firm background in journalism and publicity, Ava seamlessly transitioned her marketing expertise into crafting compelling cinematic narratives spanning documentary, television, and feature films. Ava DuVernay is a versatile Director best known for ‘Origin’, ‘When They See Us’, ‘Selma’, and ‘Queen Sugar’. In this special New Year's Day episode, Pete is joined by Ava as they discuss discovering the magical power of storytelling, the intentions behind her Array community, the intimate relationship between publicity and filmmaking, transitioning from indie films to television production, appreciating the limitless experience while creating “Origin’, and more…(00:00:00 - 00:03:50) -- Podcast Intro (00:03:50 - 00:08:00) -- Understanding The Power Of Storytelling(00:08:00 - 00:11:11) -- Growing Up In Compton(00:11:11 - 00:13:00) -- Attending UCLA and Pursuing Journalism(00:13:00 - 00:18:30) -- Interview Preparation(00:18:30 - 00:23:00) -- Working In Publicity(00:23:00 - 00:26:00) -- Discovering Magic On The ‘Collateral’ Set (00:26:00 - 00:31:00) -- Remembering Her Early Short Films(00:31:00 - 00:36:12) -- The Importance Of Giving Back and Creating Community(00:36:12 - 00:42:10) -- First Time Directing For Television(00:42:10 - 00:43:20) -- “Transitions: A Director’s Journey + Motivational Handbook” Promo(00:43:20 - 00:47:00) -- The Origin Of ‘Origin’ (00:47:00 - 00:56:25) -- Life On The Set Of ‘Origin’ (00:56:25 - 01:07:40) -- ‘Origin’ Transitions, Organized Principals, and Post (01:07:40 - 01:14:40) -- Director's Approach and Stand Out Moments (01:14:40 - 01:17:35) -- Post ‘Origin’ Expectations(01:17:35 - 01:20:20) -- Lighting Round Question(01:20:20 - 01:23:20) -- Podcast Outro

Directors Anya Adams, Carl Seaton, and Jeff Byrd make their return to the pod as we welcome Morenike Joela Evans and Daniel Willis for our first ever Director's Round Table with Pete! These multi-faceted television Directors have a diverse portfolio spanning various genres including The Flight Attendant, Snowfall, Yellowjackets, The Blacklist, The Neighborhood, Grey’s Anatomy, and more. In this special season finale, Pete is joined by his peers as they discuss signs of bad directing, their welcome to the DGA moment, how to rekindle their fire and push through hard times, expectations as they make a return to the Directors chair, and more…(00:00:00 - 00:07:10) -- Podcast Intro (00:07:10 - 00:10:05) -- Meet Pete Chatmon(00:10:05 - 00:12:40) -- Meet Morenike Joela Evans(00:12:40 - 00:15:15) -- Meet Daniel Willis(00:15:15 - 00:18:05) -- Meet Carl Seaton(00:18:05 - 00:25:45) -- Meet Jeff Byrd(00:25:45 - 00:30:55) -- Meet Anya Adams(00:30:55 - 00:41:10) -- Signs Of Bad Directing(00:41:10 - 00:48:00) -- Rekindling Your Fire(00:48:00 - 01:13:50) -- Appreciating Your Village(01:13:50 - 01:15:00) -- “Transitions: A Director’s Journey And Motivational Handbook” Promo(01:15:00 - 01:40:30) -- Welcome To The DGA Moments(01:40:30 - 01:57:20) -- Returning To The Directors Chair Post Strike(01:57:20 - 01:59:40) -- Podcast Outro

In 2017, Bola wrote, starred in, and directed the short film ‘The Water Phoenix’ which quickly became her calling card. It also helped her identify her voice and tone as a Director. Bola Ogun is a first-generation Nigerian American Director best known for ‘Queen Sugar’, ‘The Witcher’, ‘Raising Dion’, and ‘Are We Good Parents?”. In this episode, Bola and Pete dive into the benefits of shadowing Directors and activating your network, crowdfunding for independent films, understanding the meaning and power of the word “no”, production assistant anecdotes, the importance of raising your words instead of your voice, and more…(00:00:00 - 00:13:23) -- Podcast Intro And Mail Box Questions(00:13:23 - 00:21:05) -- Introduction To Storytelling(00:21:05 - 00:29:30) -- Transitioning Into Film Directing And AFI Workshop(00:29:30 - 00:33:40) -- Raising Money For ‘The Water Phoenix’ (00:33:40 - 00:35:20) -- Self Discovery From Bali(00:35:20 - 00:39:20) -- Shadowing Directors And Activating Her Network(00:39:20 - 00:43:00) -- Directing An Episode Of ’Queen Sugar’ (00:43:00 - 00:46:00) -- Planting Her Feet In Episodic Directing(00:46:00 - 00:47:30) -- Having A Faithful Approach(00:47:30 - 00:55:00) -- Production Assistant Anecdotes (00:55:00 - 01:00:05) -- Director Anecdotes(01:00:05 - 01:01:20) -- “Transitions: A Director’s Journey And Motivational Handbook” Promo (01:01:20 - 01:04:45) -- Staying True To Your 100% Self(01:04:45 - 01:12:45) -- The Many Layers Of Filmmaking(01:12:45 - 01:19:40) -- MidJourney And Strike Hobbies(01:19:40 - 01:24:00) -- Lightning Round Question(01:24:00 - 01:26:15) -- Podcast Outro

After years of theater directing, Allison made the transition into television bringing a keen understanding of performance and stagecraft to the small screen. Allison Liddi-Brown is a Director best known for ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, ‘CSI: Miami’, ‘The Good Doctor’, ‘Scandal’, and ‘The Secret World of Alex Mack’. In this episode, Allison joins Pete to discuss tips and tricks when directing the untrained actor, the importance of deep collaboration, the art of blocking and movement, tone meetings and finding moments to elevate a scene, removing your fears and ego, navigating personal politics and more…(00:00:00 - 00:15:30) -- Podcast Intro And Mail Box Questions(00:15:30 - 00:22:20) -- Transitioning From Theater To Filmmaking(00:22:20 - 00:24:35) -- Directing The Untrained Actor(00:24:35 - 00:32:50) -- Earning Trust And Respect(00:32:50 - 00:35:00) -- Growing Up In Los Angeles And A Start At Nickelodeon(00:35:00 - 00:38:30) -- CSI Experience(00:38:30 - 00:39:40) -- Navigating Personal Politics(00:39:40 - 00:42:15) -- The Moment It Clicked(00:42:15 - 00:46:45) -- The Art of Blocking(00:46:45 - 00:52:30) -- The Art of Collaboration(00:52:30 - 00:53:42) -- “Transitions: A Director’s Journey And Motivational Handbook” Promo (00:53:42 - 00:56:55) -- Transitioning From Children’s Programming To Drama(00:56:55 - 01:00:20) -- Communicating With Your DP(01:00:20 - 01:10:40) -- Tone Meetings And Finding Moments To Elevate A Scene(01:10:40 - 01:12:10) -- Securing New Opportunities(01:12:10 - 01:17:00) -- Producing Director Vs. Episodic Director(01:17:00 - 01:30:44) -- Removing Ego And Fears(01:30:44 - 01:32:50) -- Post-Strike Ambitions(01:32:50 - 01:36:30) -- Characteristics To Make It As A Director(01:36:30 - 01:38:05) -- Podcast Outro

With a focus on identifying the best way to tell a story, Jonathan showcases a diverse skill set that enriches the visual, technical and narrative aspects of a production. Jonathan Judge is a television director best known for “Blues Clues'', “LazyTown”, “Young Sheldon'', and “The Really Loud House''. In this episode, Jonathan sits down with Pete to discuss the undeclared responsibilities when working in children’s programming, the Unreal Engine and how it compares to the Volume technology, live taping and multicam fundamentals, his introduction to green screen, booking sitcom pilots, and more…(00:00:00 - 00:17:30) -- Podcast Intro And Mail Box Questions(00:17:30 - 00:24:20) -- Enhancing Story Elements(00:24:20 - 00:28:19) -- Growing Up In Long Island, NY(00:28:19 - 00:32:55) -- Attending NYU And Having A Story To Tell(00:32:55 - 00:37:00) -- Film School Takeaways(00:37:00 - 00:41:50) -- Transitioning Into Television Directing(00:41:50 - 00:45:20) -- Working In Children’s Programming(00:45:20 - 00:48:50) -- Reflecting On NYU Interview(00:48:50 - 00:51:15) -- Introduction To Green Screen(00:51:15 - 00:58:15) -- Directing LazyTown And Unreal Engine Breakdown(00:58:15 - 01:02:08) -- Understanding The Volume(01:02:08 - 01:03:21) -- “Transitions: A Director’s Journey And Motivational Handbook” Promo (01:03:21 - 01:09:00) -- Tosh.0 And Kid’s Choice Awards(01:09:00 - 01:12:05) -- Diversifying Your Skillset(01:12:05 - 01:24:00) -- Transitioning Into Drama And Hour Programming(01:24:00 - 01:29:15) -- Live Taping And MultiCam Fundamentals(01:29:15 - 01:36:45) -- Post Strike Predictions (01:36:45 - 01:45:40) -- Lightning Round Questions(01:45:40 - 01:48:00) -- Podcast Outro

Guided by her faith and persistence, Princess Monique Filmz has engaged in a diverse range of creative pursuits, forging a unique path for her Director’s journey. Princess Monique Filmz is a Director best known for “The Goldbergs”, “Grand Crew”, “BMF” and her award winning short film, “The Call”. In this episode, Princess sits down with Pete to discuss how she transformed her personal journals into a 15 chapter autobiography, the importance of being resourceful and finding out what you don’t know, the technical differences between hour long dramas and half hour comedies, how to enhance long standing shows, navigating through push-back, and more…(00:00:00 - 00:09:50) -- Podcast Intro(00:09:50 - 00:14:20) -- Growing Up In Cleveland(00:14:20 - 00:17:00) -- Films That Made An Impact(00:17:00 - 00:23:50) -- Writing A Book(00:23:50 - 00:25:40) -- Majoring In Business Management(00:25:40 - 00:29:50) -- Assisting Chip Fields-Hurd And Navigating The Industry(00:29:50 - 00:32:45) -- Transitioning From Acting To Directing(00:32:45 - 00:36:20) -- Directing A Feature Film Vs. Short(00:36:20 - 00:39:00) -- The Writing Process And Collaboration(00:39:00 - 00:40:15) -- “Transitions: A Director’s Journey And Motivational Handbook” Promo (00:40:15 - 00:49:50) -- ABC Directing Program And Directing Greenleaf(00:49:50 - 00:55:00) -- 1hr Drama vs. 30 min Comedy (00:55:00 - 00:58:00) -- Navigating Through Push-Back(00:58:00 - 01:05:20) -- Enhancing Long Standing Shows(01:05:20 - 01:07:30) -- Self Reflection Post Covid(01:07:30 - 01:09:40) -- Wishlist And Setting Intentions(01:09:40 - 01:12:30) -- About The Real Black Unicorns(01:12:30 - 01:19:25) -- Lightning Round Questions(01:19:25 - 01:21:00) -- Podcast Outro

Fascinated by the magic of filmmaking at the age of 8, Maurice became a committed matinee moviegoer. Mo Marable is a Television Director best known for ‘Veep’, ‘Brockmire’, ‘’Woke, and ‘Grand Crew. In this episode, Mo joins Pete to discuss the process of designing a main title sequence, battling with logistics and budgeting hurdles, relationship building and taking care of your team, technical presentations vs. emotional presentations when booking for a pilot episode, the importance of being obsessed with your industry, and more….(00:00:00 - 00:08:50) -- Podcast Intro(00:08:50 - 00:15:45) -- Being A Young Moviegoer And Film Inspiration00:15:45 - 00:23:10) -- Military Influence And Mindset(00:23:10 - 00:27:15) -- Director Vs. Filmmaker(00:27:15 - 00:32:20) -- Dropping Out To PA With Spike Lee In New York(00:32:20 - 00:36:20) -- Transitioning Into Show Promotion At HBO(00:36:20 - 00:40:40) -- The Grind Lifestyle(00:40:40 - 00:47:05) -- Transitioning Into Title Sequence Design(00:47:05 - 00:48:20) -- “Transitions: A Director’s Journey And Motivational Handbook” Promo (00:48:20 - 00:59:00) -- Transitioning Into TV Directing From Commercial Work(00:59:00 - 01:06:20) -- Planting His Feet In Television(01:06:10 - 01:10:00) -- Logistics And Budgeting Hurdles(01:10:00 - 01:12:10) -- Takeaways From Executive Producing On ‘Brockmire’(01:12:10 - 01:23:15) -- The Process Of Booking A Pilot(01:23:15 - 01:28:50) -- Takeaways From Pilot Directing(01:28:50 - 01:37:30) -- Lightning Round Questions(01:37:30 - 01:38:55) -- Podcast Outro

From running base camp to sitting in the Director's chair, Anya navigates her journey with great communication, intention and leadership. Anya Adams is a Canadian-American director best known for ‘Black-ish’, ‘Ginny and Georgia', ‘Yellowjackets’ and her feature film directorial debut, ‘Prom Pact’. In this episode, Anya sits down with Pete to discuss how she transitioned from Psychology major to DGA trainee, a day in the life of the 1st AD and being the main source of communication, navigating through the realities of being in the Director’s chair, the beauty of world-building in pilot directing, her proudest moments and more…(00:00:00 - 00:08:40) -- Podcast Intro(00:08:40 - 00:15:50) -- Growing Up In Canada and Storytelling Inspiration(00:15:50 - 00:21:30) -- The DGA Trainee Program(00:21:30 - 00:24:50) -- Running Base Camp(00:24:50 - 00:31:00) -- Transitioning Into Directing(00:31:00 - 00:38:00) -- Budgeting For A Short and Leading With Intention(00:38:00 - 00:46:00) -- Landing First Roles As A Director(00:46:00 - 00:47:15) -- “Transitions: A Director's Journey And Motivational Handbook” Promo(00:47:15 - 00:50:00) -- The Importance of Relationships(00:50:00 - 00:54:00) -- Transitioning Into Premium(00:54:00 - 00:57:10) -- The Realities of Being In The Directors Chair(00:57:10 - 00:55:40) -- Reflecting On Her Most Difficult Scenes(01:01:25 - 01:04:05) -- Reflecting On Her Most Proud Episodes(01:04:05 - 01:06:05) -- Directing A Pilot and Creating The World(01:06:05 - 01:11:20) -- Lightning Round Questions(01:11:20 - 01:13:00) -- Podcast Outro

Influenced by the skateboard to surfing pipeline, Garrett hit the waves at the age of 11 after moving to Hawaii. From there he has gone on to travel the world, leaving his name in the sand as the world's preeminent (and record breaking) big wave surfer. On this episode, Garrett joins Pete to discuss how 3 years of footage led to the creation of the multiple Emmy-nominated HBO series “100 Foot Wave”, the powerhouse team behind the series, how to identify a “good” wave, 3 characteristics to make it as a surfer, the importance of discovering your niché, and more…(00:00:00 - 00:07:25) -- Podcast Intro(00:07:25 - 00:14:00) -- Moving To Hawaii And Introduction To Surfing(00:14:00 - 00:16:15) -- Transferring Skateboarding Skills To Surfing(00:16:15 - 00:21:40) -- Participating In Surfing Competitions(00:21:40 - 00:24:50) -- Going Pro And Moving To Japan(00:24:50 - 00:29:20) -- Surfing Precautions And Sponsors, Then and Now(00:29:20 - 00:34:20) -- Pivotal Moments To Success(00:34:20 - 00:40:15) -- Redefining Lifestyle and Reinventing Himself(00:40:15 - 00:43:00) -- Identifying A “Good” Wave(00:43:00 - 00:44:14) -- “Transitions: A Director's Journey And Motivational Handbook” Promo(00:44:14 - 00:52:40) -- Creating “100 Foot Wave”(00:52:40 - 00:55:40) -- Directing Vs. Being The Subject(00:55:40 - 00:58:15) -- The Team Behind “100 Foot Wave”(00:58:15 - 01:00:55) -- Fun Facts About The Series(01:00:55 - 01:03:50) -- Lightning Round Questions(01:03:50 - 01:06:10) -- Podcast Outro

From “Another World” to “A Different World” and everything in between, Reggie has learned the value of being a passionate truth seeker. Reggie Rock Bythewood is a Writer, Director, and Producer best known for “Get On The Bus'', “Notorious”, “Gun Hill” and the Apple TV+ series, “Swagger”. In this episode, Pete is joined by Reggie as he discusses his transition from Staff Writer to Director, the power of connection and safe space, the importance of allowing collaboration to inspire you, moments of surrender during the production of “Swagger”, and more….(00:00:00 - 00:10:25) -- Podcast Intro and Life of TheDirector(00:10:25 - 00:16:25) -- “Another World” and Growing Up In The Bronx(00:16:25 - 00:21:10) -- Inspiration For Storytelling(00:21:10 - 00:28:30) -- Becoming A Staff Writer On “A Different World”(00:28:30 - 00:31:30) -- The Age of Black Programming(00:31:30 - 00:34:20) -- Pivoting From Comedy To Drama(00:34:20 - 00:41:00) -- Hiring Directors(00:41:00 - 00:42:10) -- “Transitions: A Director's Journey + Motivational Handbook” Promo(00:42:10 - 00:45:45) -- From The Writers Room To Director’s Chair(00:45:45 - 00:48:00) -- Raising Money For Independent Films(00:48:00 - 00:56:05) -- Leaning Into Strengths And Collaboration(00:56:05 - 01:03:20) -- “Swagger” Vs. Pandemic(01:03:20 - 01:07:20) -- “Swagger” Vs. Rain(01:07:20 - 01:11:20) -- The Power Of Connection And Safe Space(01:11:20 - 01:17:25) -- Lightning Round Questions(01:17:25 - 01:19:00) -- Podcast Outro