Let's Shoot! with Pete Chatmon

- Season 1

(2020)

Welcome to the premiere episode of Let's Shoot. with Pete Chatmon. Pete sits down to chat with his NYU buddy Theo Travers, a writer on season 6 of Showtime's "Billions" where he also serves as an executive producer. They chop it up about the state of things in America...in Hollywood...and discuss how storytelling, or the lack of it, affects perception in our culture.

Season 4 of "Insecure" may have just come to an end, but you can still hear from one of the most exciting voices on the scene on Episode 02 of the pod. Amongst many topics in a wide ranging conversation, Pete chats with Issa about making the impossible leap from webseries to premium cable, mistakes directors can avoid (at least on her show), and who might play her in the biopic we all know is coming in 2045 (and...yes, Pete would like to direct it).

Dorian Missick is one of those actors that directors and cast members alike look forward to seeing on the call sheet. Most recently, he delivered a brilliant performance as Jamal on ABC's "For Life", but before that you may have seen Dorian in "SouthLAnd", "Brian Banks", "Jinn", "Two Weeks Notice" -- or for the real fans -- as "Cool" in Pete Chatmon's debut feature "Premium". Pull a chair up and listen to two friends chop it up over the entertainment industry, the hustle to build a career, and whatever else pops up along the way.

We're keeping it in the family on Episode 04 of the pod. Simone Missick currently stars as Lola Carmichael on CBS's "All Rise", making her the first Black woman to be a dramatic lead on the network. Before the industry shutdown, Pete was preparing to direct the season finale of her show, so we invite you to join them as they catch up and discuss why representation matters, how waiting tables and doing commercials builds character, how a career in entertainment is like a yacht looking for a dock, and more.

Emmy and DGA award-winning director Michael Spiller shares nothing but the truth on Episode 05 of the pod. From his start as a cinematographer on Hal Hartley's "The Unbelievable Truth", to directing more than 175 episodes of television ("Scrubs", "Modern Family", "Sex and The City", "The Mindy Project"), including many as producing-director, Pete and Spiller talk about how to find yourself in the story, always be learning, and more.

Writer/Creator, Producer, Director, and Actor Rob McElhenney joins Pete for Episode 06 of the pod. With "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" entering its record breaking 15th Season on FXX and "Mythic Quest" preparing for season two on Apple TV+, they sat down to discuss how writing can be terrifying, the importance of creating your own opportunities, why receiving a director's cut that's 30-40% of what hits the airs is a job well done, and more.

Netflix's "Atypical" may be in the season four writer's room, but Robia Rashid, creator, and Mary Rohlich, executive producer put the plot aside for a few to chat with Pete. They navigated a three-person Zoom call to discuss why Mary is the first person Robia sends scripts, the beauty of working with people you love, the value of empowering your assistant, and more..

Actor, Writer, Producer, and Director Romany Malco joins Pete for Episode 08 of the podcast. As Romany shares his non-linear journey from rapper to jingle writer to actor, the two discuss the benefits of "wearing multiple hats", accepting your own identity, the making of "Tijuana Jackson: Purpose Over Prison," and more.

You may know Keith as an actor from NBC's "30 Rock," but as Creative Professionals are prone to do, he wears many hats and is best described as a Storyteller. Pete and Keith discuss the journey from Wendy's and Starburst commercials to television, graduating from "Lynn Redgrave University," how growing up with 4 Black women made him a well-rounded storyteller, and more.

In our first ever fully focused Craft Episode, we've dedicated the entire podcast to a conversation around directing television. Pete is joined by fellow directors Erica Watson and Tahir Jetter for a lively discussion centered around Pete's personal principles for success in episodic television.

In a special crossover episode, Pete Chatmon joined the "Just Shoot It" podcast with Matt Enlow and Oren Kaplan for a conversation about the technical aspects of directing TV shows like HBO's "Silicon Valley", ABC's "Grey's Anatomy", and "Black-ish". Pete also shares his approach to nurturing relationships without being a burden, and how that could turn into some pretty incredible opportunities.

Cinematographer Paula Huidobro has made your favorite films and tv shows look awesome, including "Grownish", "Insecure", "Little America", and "Barry". Pete and Paula discuss the importance of being driven by story and character, emotionally connecting to material, shot listing, and more.

Actress Aya Cash (like many) got her start on "Law and Order" which led her to roles in shows like FX's, "You're The Worst" and Amazon's, "The Boys" (season two coming Friday). Pete and Aya sit down to discuss the battle between control and vulnerability, why she prefers TV roles over film, her experiences behind the curtain as it relates to the BLM movement, and more.

Today, he's directed countless episodes of television including "Homeland", "Entourage", "Raising Dion", and "#FreeRayshawn", but there was a moment in time when Seith didn't know what he wanted to do. In this week's episode, Seith sits down with Pete to discuss attending an historically black college, navigating network television to premium cable, making time to create your own personal projects, and more.

After bursting onto the scene with multiple short films in Canada, Molly directed the feature film "Mary Goes Round" before transitioning into television and landing a role as Producing Director on ABC's "Bless This Mess". Pete and Molly discuss the delicate process of delivering notes from video village, the do's and dont's when reaching out for advice, the importance of financial support for artists, and more.

She's directed hundreds of music videos and episodes of television, including "P-Valley", "30 Rock", "Insecure", and "The Flash", but before things took off she was a passionate, hard worker trying to find her path in a male-dominated industry. Pete and Millicent talk about the importance of trusting your gut as a director, transitioning to a digital workflow, the crazy backstory behind her first feature film, and more.

After cutting films like "School Daze", "Do The Right Thing" and even Madonna's "Truth or Dare" documentary, it wasn't until "Malcolm X" that Barry finally considered himself a film editor. In this episode, Barry sits down with Pete to talk about his editing process, how his new film "Son Of The South" tackles the importance of being part of the solution, tips on how to communicate properly with your editor and more.

From working as a researcher for Shonda Rhimes to writing the "Scandal" and "How To Get Away With Murder" crossover episode, Raamla has found success at all levels of writing in Hollywood. On this episode, Raamla joins Pete to talk about the hierarchy in a writer's room, the importance of finding your strength and being dedicated to the hustle, how Kerry Washington prepared a place for her on "Little Fires Everywhere" and more.

From attending New York University, to winning the Sundance Jury Award for her short film "Lucia, Before And After", becoming a Director was always the objective for Anu Valia. In this episode, Anu joins Pete to discuss how she meshed her love for comedy with drama, why it's important to learn and adjust quickly while on set, the art of blocking and more.

After losing a local upstate election, Jeannine Hamilton pays a surprise visit to her father, Wesley's, palatial estate. She unexpectedly finds herself at a celebratory brunch surrounded by his duplicitous comrades as they engage in a dangerous game of political horsetrading, leaving Jeannine to make a life or death decision before dessert can be served.

On this special episode of the podcast, Pete passes the microphone to journalist Soledad O'Brien to lead a discussion about his latest directorial effort, "Wednesday Morning", a 2020 Election Podcast Event. Join the creators and the stars as Soledad gets into the story behind the story [recorded as part of a private zoom premiere prior to the release of the podcast].