Summary: On the next Double Down Film Show, we’ll be talking to Mark Benjamin the co-executive producer and co-director of the riveting and popular Sundance Channel documentary series, Brick City, which has been described by TV Guide as “A real-life version of The Wire”. This gritty documentary series follows the inner workings of the city of Newark, NJ alternating between the storylines of Mayor Cory Booker, the police department, local Blood and Crip gangs, the city council and the school system. Mark is partners with documentary filmmaker Marc Levin (Slam, White Boyz, etc.) , Apart from Brick City, Mark is also the director of Gang War-Banging in Little Rock and Jails, Hospitals and Hip-Hop. What attracts him to such GRITTY subject matter? What’s his secret to gaining unfettered ACCESS to subjects? Why does Mark also SHOOT the projects he directs? What’s the SHOOTING RATIO for this documentary series? Why did they shoot everything CINEMA VERITE w/ no interviews? Get the answers to these questions and more when we talk to veteran documentary director/cameraman Mark Benjamin on the next episode of The Double Down Film Show. Filmmaking Reality Starts Here.
