Show notes
Jeffrey Roth has spent his career letting extraordinary people tell their own stories—Apollo astronauts, President George H.W. Bush, and now Dr. Zahi Hawass. In this episode, Christian Taylor inquires about the logistics of independent documentary filmmaking in Egypt: working with fixers, navigating permits, shooting in ancient tombs with one hour of access, and why he withholds narration. Plus: the personal moments that make his films unforgettable.Links:Trailer- The Man with the Hat - Official TrailerThe Man with the Hatinstagram.com/themanwiththehatmovieTiktok: @themanwiththehatmovieSocials:instagram.com/themanwiththehatmovietiktok.com/@themanwiththehatmoviehttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585782550439zahifilm.comDr. Zahi Hawass“41”, 2021, 98 mins, Watch on HBO MAX, IMDB Link: 41 (2012) ⭐ 6.6 | Documentary, BiographyPresident in Waiting, 2020, 77 mins, Watch on Fawsome or Pluto TV or Roku Channel or Tube or Prime Video, IMDB Link: President in Waiting (2020) ⭐ 7.8 | Documentary, HistoryDocuView Déjà Vu:“The Kid Stays In The Picture”, 2002, 93 mins, Watch on Amazon Prime, IMDB Link: The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002) ⭐ 7.3 | Documentary, BiographyTime Codes00:00:00 — Introduction: Jeffrey Roth’s filmmaking philosophy00:03:00 — Filming in Egypt: How Jeffrey connected with Dr. Zahi Hawass00:09:00 — The fixer system: Permits, crew, and equipment in Egypt00:15:00 — Self-funded filmmaking: Creative freedom vs. financial challenges00:21:00 — Character-driven documentary: Why no narration or talking heads00:27:00 — Shooting in tombs: One-hour windows and no scouting00:33:00 — The role of fixers: Language barriers and local crew00:39:00 — Unplanned magic: Discovering five mummies and the family photo moment00:45:00 — Filming during October 7th: 140 miles from Gaza00:51:00 — Making 41: How a screening led to three years with President George H.W. Bush00:57:00 — The Presidential Medal of Freedom: One camera, no audio, and a personal moment01:03:00 — Collaboration in filmmaking: Working with DPs and editors01:09:00 — The business of independent documentary distribution01:17:00 — DocuView Déjà Vu: Jeffrey’s documentary recommendation (The Kid Stays in the Picture)Sponsor: Virgil Films http://www.virgilfilms.com/Support us by buying merch or watching our films: https://documentaryfirst.com/
