This week I talk to Emmy and Peabody award-winning filmmaker GEETA GANDBHIR about two of her latest documentary projects: "Eyes on the Prize III," which is streaming now on MAX, and "The Perfect Neighbor," which just won best directing for a U.S. documentary at the Sundance Film Festival. Listen as Geeta describes her early inspirations, working with the great Spike Lee and the esteemed Sam Pollard and how those experiences shaped her into the filmmaker she is today.

Geeta explains the importance of MAX's six-part civil rights-focused docu-series, "Eyes on the Prize III," at this moment in our nation's perilous history and why her independent doc, "The Perfect Neighbor," about Florida's controversial "stand your ground" law is exactly the type of story streamers need to make more of. Geeta also provides some terrific advice for young filmmakers that is definitely worth listening to. You can find the episode anywhere you get your podcasts, including on YouTube. Links to my website and YouTube channel are below. Thanks!

My Website

My YouTube Channel

Adolescence Behind the Scenes

Brent Freeburg's GoFundMe for his recovery after a stroke

GoFundMe for Jessica Honeycutt to help her fight against cancer

GoFundMe for documentary filmmaker Tracy Droz Tragos

GoFundMe for producer Laura Korkoian

GoFundMe for editor and producer Buzz Chatman

GoFundMe producers Dustin and Erin Rubin

GoFundMe for producer/director CJ Russo

for Black Families Impacted by LA Wildfires

Fundraisers for Hollywood Crew Members Affected by LA Fires

Wildfire Relief Fund 2025

Los Angeles Fire Department

Other organizations to donate to

This week, I chop it up with filmmaker ALEXANDRA LACEY, the writer and director of "The Twister: Caught in the Storm," a coming-of-age NETFLIX documentary about the devastating 2011 tornado in Joplin, Missouri, told from the perspective of a group of young people, who encounter the extreme power of a rare EF-5, mile-wide monster tornado on high school graduation day. This catastrophic event ravaged Joplin, and yet its community overcame, rebuilt, and became an enduring symbol of hope. The film features adrenaline-inducing real-life footage, filmed by people in Joplin, taking us into the eye of the storm. Here is the The Twister: Caught in the Storm trailer

Listen as Alex explains the painstaking effort that went into creating the sound and look of this epic documentary, so the audience can truly appreciate what the people of Joplin experienced on that fateful day, which changed all of their lives forever. Alexandra also details why she chose a group of then teenagers as her main participants in the documentary and how resilient the citizens of Joplin are. Stream the doc now on Netflix and watch my interview with Alex on my My YouTube Channel or just listen to it anywhere you get podcasts

Thanks!

Adolescence Behind the Scenes

Brent Freeburg's GoFundMe for his recovery after a stroke

GoFundMe for Jessica Honeycutt to help her fight against cancer

GoFundMe for documentary filmmaker Tracy Droz Tragos

GoFundMe for producer Laura Korkoian

GoFundMe for editor and producer Buzz Chatman

GoFundMe producers Dustin and Erin Rubin

GoFundMe for producer/director CJ Russo

for Black Families Impacted by LA Wildfires

Fundraisers for Hollywood Crew Members Affected by LA Fires

Wildfire Relief Fund 2025

Los Angeles Fire Department

Other organizations to donate to

This week, I chat with the adventurous National Geographic Explorer, TV host, and wildlife filmmaker MALAIKA VAZ, the co-founder and CEO of Untamed Planet, a production company dedicated to making incredible environmental documentary films and nonfiction series that will impact and educate the public. Malaika was named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 list and won Best On-Screen Talent at the 2024 Wildscreen Awards. Malaika's amazing work has taken her across some of the most hostile terrain on all seven continents - including hiking across glaciers in the Antarctic, filming undercover with criminal syndicates and diving with tiger sharks. Listen as we discuss how she got started making films at such a young age, why she has chosen to focus on wildlife and the environment with her films, what it means to be a National Geographic Explorer, and how she goes about telling environmental stories differently than celebrities like Al Gore and Leo DiCaprio. You can also watch the show on YouTube.

Below are some links to GoFundMe pages for folks who have lost their homes as well as some other ways to donate to people or groups in need due to the wildfires. I've also included a link to a GoFundMe for a camera operator I worked with named Brent Freeburg. A few weeks ago he suffered two strokes. If you are able, please give these folks a few bucks. Thanks!

Brent Freeburg's GoFundMe for his recovery after a stroke

State of Create Report

GoFundMe for documentary filmmaker Tracy Droz Tragos

GoFundMe for producer Laura Korkoian

GoFundMe for editor and producer Buzz Chatman

GoFundMe producers Dustin and Erin Rubin

GoFundMe for producer/director CJ Russo

for Black Families Impacted by LA Wildfires

Fundraisers for Hollywood Crew Members Affected by LA Fires

Wildfire Relief Fund 2025

Los Angeles Fire Department

Other organizations to donate to