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Filmmaker's Stories: Episode 17 - Dan Attias, TV Series Director


This Episode’s Guest - John Gaspard, Low Budget Filmmaker and Author


Dan has shaped such TV shows as The Wire, The Sopranos, Homeland, The Americans, The Killing, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and many more. The list is endless as well as Dan’s experience. We discuss the difference between TV and feature film directing, Dan shares the harsh lessons learned from his earlier career and goes into detail explaining how he breathes life into scenes that may not offer much on the paper.


This Episode’s Guest is Dan Attias - Dan is a television director from California. This episode focuses on:

  • Television series directing.

  • Building trust with your team as a series director.

  • Acknowledging gaps in your knowledge early on.

  • The importance of prep but being open to changes/discoveries on the day.

  • Connecting to the story on a deeper level and trusting your instincts as a director.

  • Realising that you are serving the vision of the show runner as a series director.

  • Drawing on your personal experience as well as audience experience in order to tell engaging stories.

  • Being an effective communicator and collaborator with the departments you are working with.

  • Working to a realistic schedule.

  • The explosion of opportunities in today’s industry.

  • Dan’s latest book, ‘Directing Great Television: Inside TV's New Golden Age.’

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About Podcast Host:

Podcast provided by: JB Audio Post Production

Podcast music by @butesounds

Produced by Georgia Johnson



Must watch films recommended by Dan Attias



The 400 Blows (1959) - https://imdb.to/3Cr6T4p

The Pawnbroker (1964) -https://imdb.to/3Eo1USD

The Verdict (1982) - https://imdb.to/3Gy948H

Witness (1985) - https://imdb.to/3jMheR7

Scent of a Woman (1992) - https://imdb.to/3GFhStI


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