Let's Shoot! with Pete Chatmon

- Season 2

(2023)

After spending three seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver, Matthew was able to identify the skills learned, and apply them throughout his journey into the entertainment industry. In this episode, Matthew A. Cherry joins Pete to discuss the time he used his lunch breaks to write over 120 music video treatments, being mentored by three of the biggest Directors in the game, the creation of his Oscar award winning animation "Hair Love", and more.

After putting together fun family performances at a young age, it didn't take long for Nzingha Stewart to realize that she could turn her favorite pastime into a full-time career. On this episode, Nzingha sits down with Pete to discuss how she got her start as a music video director for artists including Jay-Z, the importance of not only branding yourself but also doing the work, going from guest director to producing director in television, breaking into feature films, and more.

Directing may seem like a simple task at first glance, but understanding the behind the scenes work that goes into mastering a creative position is a major step when it comes to success in the craft. In this special Business Episode, Pete Chatmon discusses what Directors make, the expenses Directors incur in order to present themselves professionally, a day in the life of a Director, and more.

In an industry built upon long hours and cramped quarters, one of the most important things you can do to prepare for your career is to become the ultimate "dinner guest." On this episode, Mike joins Pete to talk about how he got his first credit as a cinematographer (in the days before "Mythic Quest" and "You're The Worst",) the logistics that go into shooting with a crane, the difference between working on an already established show vs. a pilot, and more.

Originally from Chicago, Carl Seaton learned lessons as an indie filmmaker that have become his biggest superpower as a television Director ("Snowfall", "Batwoman", "The Chi", and more.) On this episode, Carl and Pete get together to discuss their most memorable Murphy's Law moments, the keys to shadowing a Director on set, the importance of reinvestment, being an eternal student and more.

On this special Craft Episode, Pete reviews a presentation he put together in 2011 that describes the five stages of production and their guiding principals. With commentary based on what he's learned over the past ten years, Pete discusses the demands on Directors, being honest and using motivation driven direction with talent, recommended readings, and more.

Spencer Garrett may have "grown up in the green room" but he is still perfecting his craft with each new performance from "Star Trek" and "Insecure" to "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood". On this episode, Spencer joins Pete to discuss his most memorable turning points, the challenge of manufacturing moments when auditioning, why you should always be over-prepared, the "breakdown" process and more.

Writing "The Russian Specialist" for Dolph Lundgren was a great break, but it wasn't until Bryan began writing novels and comics like "7 Days From Hell", "Batman and The Outsiders", and 'Chariot' that his career took off. Just this week came the announcement of his "Bitter Root" adaptation, to be directed by Regina King. On this episode, Bryan joins Pete to talk about the challenge that came with being a Black man breaking into screenplay writing, the importance of rebranding and understanding the "why?", the pitch process, lessons learned from working with comics, ...

Our last episode was in May of 2021 but we're back to update you on a helluva year and just what Pete's been up to. We've also got the complete breakdown on Pete's new book, "Transitions: A Director's Journey + Motivational Handbook." Season 2 will continue with new episodes coming soon.

DGA Award-winning Dan Attias is one of the most accomplished and respected Directors working in television today. You've likely marveled at his creative choices on episodes of "Homeland", "Billions", "The Wire", "The Americans", "The Sopranos", and more. He's also written the book, "Directing Great Television: Inside TV's Golden Age". On this episode, Dan joins Pete to talk about facing the blank page, taking responsibility for being the storyteller, acknowledging the many ways you can approach a story, his guiding principals for each stage of filmmaking and more.

Geeta Gandbhir got her start working as an Assistant Editor for Spike Lee films like "Malcolm X", "Clockers", and "Bamboozled". It wasn't until post 9/11 that she transitioned from narrative films to documentaries. On this episode, Geeta joins Pete to talk about the role of an editor and what makes them good, her process when it comes to selecting scenes in post, her transition into directing, and the making of her HBO miniseries "Black and Missing".

Crystle C. Roberson is best known for her work on OWN's 'Greenleaf', 'All American' on the CW, and ABC's 'Queens'. Inspired by a scene from Spielberg's 'The Color Purple', Crystle went from photography to producing director. On this episode, Crystle joins Pete to talk about merging photography with motion picture, shooting short films over the weekends, the do's and don'ts of directing television, a day in the life as a producing director, and more.

Kelly Edwards has made her mark at more than a dozen studios and production companies over her 30 year journey. From inside the network ranks to her recent producing deal with HBO, Kelly is currently living out her dream as a writer on Fox's "Our Kind Of People". On this episode, Kelly joins Pete to talk about the importance of having a support system and fighting fear, overseeing emerging artist diversity programs, developing HBO access, the creation of her book "The Executive Chair: A Writer's Guide To TV Series Development", and more.

On this special Craft Episode, Pete answers a handful of questions given to him by listeners like you. Pete discusses the importance of blocking a scene in preparation for rehearsals, redefining your expectations when executing a project, the benefits of putting together a web-series, directing actors, and more. The episode concludes with a live reading from the "Introduction" of his new book, "Transitions: A Director's Journey And Motivational Handbook", available now.

Sera Gamble is a writer and producer, best known for her work on "Supernatural", "The Magicians", and Netflix's hit series "You". In this episode, Sera sits down with Pete to talk about her 10,000 hour long journey from poetry to screenplays, television screenwriting's chain of command, writing a story through the eyes of Joe Goldberg, social media's influence on storytelling and more.

On this special craft episode, Pete highlights the importance of "blocking" when shooting scenes for television. Pete talks in depth about understanding which character has the most important entrance, identifying which angle provides the most meaningful coverage for the characters, how blocking can help communicate the subtext of a scene, doing your research on a show's "typical" style, and more.

Kaley Cuoco is an actress, best known for her work in "8 Simple Rules", "Charmed", and "The Big Bang Theory". After discovering the unreleased novel while scrolling through Amazon, "The Flight Attendant" became Cuoco's first project as a producer. In this episode, Kaley joins Pete to discuss the lessons learned from working with John Ritter, landing her role as "Penny Hofstadter" in 'The Big Bang Theory', transitioning out of sitcoms, mastering the art of multitasking, and more.

This week we have a special crossover podcast with the good folks over at JUST SHOOT IT. Pete sat down with Matt Enlow and Oren Kaplan for a second time to chat episodic directing television and how he's been bringing his unique vision to projects since they last talked in August of 2020. When three directors get together things go super in depth, up, down, and sideways. Enjoy.