American Filmmaker

In this episode, Josh Hyde talks about the supplements he takes to maintain creativity and balance in 2022.  The supplements include: 2 forms of magnesium, turmeric, USP fish oil, vitamin A and D from cod liver oil, broccoli extract (sulforaphane), CBD, and a regular movement practice like tai chi or walking.

Dick Gregory, Richard Claxton Gregory, (October 12, 1932 – August 19, 2017) was an American comedian, civil rights activist and spiritual leader. His writings were best sellers. Gregory became popular among the African-American communities in the southern United States with his "no-holds-barred" sets, poking fun at the bigotry and racism in the United States. In 1961 he became a staple in the comedy clubs, appeared on television, and released comedy record albums. Gregory was at the forefront of political activism in the 1960s, when he protested the Vietnam War and racial injustice. He was arrested multiple times and went on many hunger strikes. He later became a speaker and author, primarily promoting spirituality. Gregory died at age 84 in August 2017.

Links To Full Dick Gregory Interviews on YouTube.

Full American Comedy Archive Interview from Emerson College

Civil Rights from Dick Gregory Part 1

Civil Rights from Dick Gregory Part 2

Dick Gregory Interview on "The Rock Newman Show"

Dick Gregory Interview on "The Breakfast Club"

The Gender Line is about a transgender rock star, Cidny Bullens (formerly Cindy Bullens) who once sang in Elton John's band. Cidny is fortunate to have been both a wife and husband in the same lifetime. He reflects on having lived both sides of the gender line.

Cidny Bullens is an American singer-songwriter, who is best known for serving as backup vocalist on tours and albums with Elton John and Rod Stewart, as well as providing vocals on the soundtrack of the 1978 feature film Grease.

Cidny Bullens's Music on Spotify.

On this episode, the host/filmmaker, Josh Hyde discusses the failure of set etiquette on the film "Rust", improper Hollywood budgeting practices, and why Alec Baldwin needs to go to jail for murder or manslaughter.

ABC News Article On Alec Baldwin Shooting - Link To Article

Jeffrey Epstein And Alec Baldwin Connected - Link To Article

Court Evidence Linking Jeffrey and Alec - Link To Government Exhibit 52 - The Little Black Book

Another Article Connecting Epstein, Baldwin, and Many More - Link To Article

Sky News Video Showing Harvey Weinstein's Misconduct Before Raping Melissa Thompson - Link To Video

Megan Ponder is an accomplished public policy professional, researcher, and a producer of the Emmy Award-winning documentary The Story of Plastic. Megan’s work is focused on plastic pollution including global recycling systems and the impacts of petrochemical production on communities. She has consulted for global and national plastic pollution campaigns and initiatives and has worked with stakeholders representing government, industry, and community perspectives on plastic pollution and waste management. Megan is Co Director of Peak Plastic Foundation and lives in the Pacific Northwest where she is involved in local issues including forest practices, clean water, and wild fish conservation.

Deia Schlosberg is an American documentary filmmaker and producer. She is the recipient of one Emmy and two Student Emmys. Deia graduated from Washington University in Saint Louis with Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts Degrees in 2003, majoring in Earth and Planetary Sciences and Visual Communications. She attended Montana State University, where she earned a Master of Fine Arts in Science & Natural History Filmmaking.

Schlosberg directed Backyard, a documentary film about hydraulic fracturing. She produced the 2016 documentary How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can't Change. Schlosberg won the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year award in 2009, after spending two years trekking 7,800 miles along the spine of the Andes Mountains, together with Gregg Treinish. Five years later, in 2014, she won the Best Documentary Award and the Bricker Humanitarian Award from the Student Emmy Awards in 2014.

On October 11, 2016, Schlosberg was arrested while filming protesters of the TransCanada Keystone Pipeline in Walhalla, North Dakota. She was charged with conspiracy to theft of property, conspiracy to theft of services and conspiracy to tampering with or damaging a public service. Within two days, film director Josh Fox wrote an open letter to US President Barack Obama calling for her release; the letter was co-signed by thirty celebrities, including Neil Young, Mark Ruffalo, Daryl Hannah, Frances Fisher, and Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Josh Fox commented, “They have in my view violated the First Amendment. It’s fucking scary, it knocks the wind of your sails, it throws you for a loop. They threw the book at Deia for being a journalist.” Subsequently, she co-produced Lindsey Grayzel's 2018 film, The Reluctant Radical, about one of the protesters involved with the protest action. Deia also co-produced the documentary Awake, A Dream from Standing Rock in 2017.

In 2019, Schlosberg premiered the documentary The Story of Plastic, her feature directorial debut created in partnership with the Story of Stuff organization. The film, which addressed misleading corporate narratives surrounding the plastic pollution crisis as well as the damage done at every stage along the life cycle of the fossil fuel product, was picked up by The Discovery Channel to anchor their programming for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2020. The film was awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Documentary in 2021.

Watch the The Story Of Plastic trailer. 

For the past 9 years, Hannah's mission has been to learn firsthand the many languages of filmmaking so she can communicate with her cast and crew and create engaging stories. This challenge has seen her working with a variety of storytelling mediums including live-action, hand-painted and computer animation, stop motion, and puppetry.

Hannah has directed, shot, edited, and animated music videos, fashion films, and award-winning short films. After gaining a Bachelor of Film Production she moved straight into editing and designing live-action and animated television commercials at PostBox Sydney. Since then she has collaborated with various production and post-production companies such as Film Boldly, The Gingerbread Man, and Medium Rare for an eclectic array of clients including Universal Music, 604 Records, Nike, Qantas, Vogue, Coles, Sydney Dance Company, and The Brandenburg Orchestra. Her dedication and reputation for storytelling catapulted her from Sydney to Melbourne, New York, Paris, and Barcelona, settling in Vancouver. Five of her shorts have been selected to screen in international film festivals such as VIFF, Flickerfest, and Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. She has been awarded Best Editing at VWIF, People’s Choice at UK Indie Festival, a Vimeo Staff Pick, the MINT Spirit Award, and the chance to take part in TedX Sydney as well as the Berlinale Talent Development program in Germany. 

Watch Hannah's films, music videos, documentaries, and other creative projects.

Alana Waksman is an Ashkenazi writer, director, producer, and first generation descendant of Holocaust survivors from Poland. She is an alum of the USC School of Cinematic Arts MFA in Film & Television Production, and Connecticut College BA in Theater and English. As an actor, she trained at Shakespeare & Company, Berkshire Theater Festival, St. Petersburg Dramatic Arts Academy in Russia, and The O'Neill National Theater Institute where she studied under Colman Domingo.

While at USC, Alana was chosen as one of ten top directors to co-direct USC’s first feature film, DON QUIXOTE: THE INGENIOUS GENTLEMAN OF LA MANCHA with the guidance of James Franco. The film premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and is now available for streaming on Netflix. Alana has written and directed a number of short films and music videos, most notably BLACKOUT, written by David Haskell, received the Audience Award at the LA Shorts Fest, and Best Actor and Best Cinematography at the Women’s Independent Film Festival.

Alana’s feature debut WE BURN LIKE THIS, which she wrote, directed, and produced, is executive produced by Emmy and Peabody award-winning producer Neda Armian (RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, THE LOVING STORY, MURDER AT MIDDLE BEACH). She is currently in development for her debut feature documentary, also executive produced by Neda Armian, as well as her second narrative feature. Alana is a proud member of Film Fatales.

Watch the trailer for WE BURN LIKE THIS.

The host of the American Filmmaker Podcast, Josh Hyde, is taking a 3-week break to find work, start some new projects, and practice more tai chi.  The first 52 episodes represent 3.4 million hours of human creativity in storytelling, composing music and sound design, drawing comic books, acting, producing news, telling stories, and filmmaking in the world today.  This was calculated by adding up all of the guest's thousands and thousands of hours of creating.  The emerging filmmakers interviewed have around 10,000 hours of experience and the most experienced guests, the "story budhas,"  have around 150,000 hours of creating over 50 years.  Collectively, when you add all of the guests hours of creating together, it's around 3.4 million hours.

Go back and listen to all the episodes to learn directly from the filmmakers and discover new films to watch and filmmakers to follow.  Thank you for listening.  Please subscribe to the podcast and share it with a friend.

Jason DaSilva is a director and writer known for When We Walk (2019), When I Walk (2013), Olivia's Puzzle (2002) and From the Mouthpiece on Back (2008).

In 2006, 25-year-old Jason DaSilva was on vacation at the beach with family when, suddenly, he fell down. He couldn't get back up. His legs had stopped working; his disease could no longer be ignored. Just a few months earlier doctors had told him that he had multiple sclerosis, which could lead to loss of vision and muscle control, as well as a myriad of other complications. Jason tried exercise to help cope, but the problem only worsened. After his dispiriting fall on the beach, he turned to his Mom, who reminded him that, despite his disease, he was still a fortunate kid who had the opportunity to pursue the things he loved most: art and filmmaking. Jason picked up the camera, turned it on his declining body, and set out on a worldwide journey in search of healing, self-discovery, and love.

Actor Mark Metcalf made his reputation playing the "angry white man" as a tightly spun authority figure, most famously in National Lampoon's Animal House and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Now in his 70s, Mark examines his creative journey through theatre, film, tv, dance, and becoming a father in the short documentary film Character by Vera Brunner-Sung.  The short documentary reveals Mark Metcalf's complexity beyond how the film and tv industry pigeon-holed him.

Here is a link to the Twisted Sister music video, I Wanna Rock, where Mark plays the character type he was hired to play in film and tv.

The hosts, Josh Hyde, talks about working with Bruce Lee's nephew for an Elephant Revival music video, his new published script - Los Espiritus, and reflects on the entertainment's industry habit to type cast all of the creative people, behind and in front of the camera.