Head Above Water - A Filmmaking & Mental Health Podcast

Today's episode we chat with filmmaking duo Jack Gravina & Diliana Deltcheva. Separately, they've been successful filmmakers working for Discovery Channel and marketing/branding production company Framework Studio, and together they're a powerhouse couple running Gravina Films, their own production company.

This conversation took place before Covid, so while we don't discuss the effects of a global pandemic had on their creative endeavors, but we do get down to the nitty gritty of how they, as a married couple, work both together and apart, what success means to them, how to handle the stress of work, and how family planning impacts their professional plans moving forward.
Follow both Jack & Diliana - and Gravina Films - on Instagram:
@gravina_films
@diliana_deltcheva
@jackgravina

Gravina Films Official Web Site
https://www.gravinafilms.com
Diliana’s Free The Work Profile
https://freethework.com/profile/ksnoHt8zz8ntQYs3Vo4g

Welcome to Season 3 of Head Above Water!
We have lots of big plans for our third season, and we open with a very special episode! Today we talk with actor and producer Tanna Frederick, star of the new film Two Ways Home, available to watch now on VOD (links below).
Two Ways Home is very unique in that its portrayal of mental illness and mental health issues has been approved by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI's mission is to remove the judgment and stigma associated with mental illness.
Tanna talks with us about collaborating with NAMI, and how important it was to her and her team to portray the characters' struggles with compassion, empathy and authenticity.
You can watch Two Ways Home now at iTunes or Amazon Prime, and you call follow the film on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram!

Greetings friends, and happy holiday wishes to you all!
We're bringing season 2 to a close with a fantastic conversation with microbudget indie director, Evan Kidd! Based in North Carolina, Evan has been on the cutting edge of microbudgets for a while now, culminating in his current feature, Panda Bear It, which cost only $500 to make and is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video right now!
Making a feature film for such a limited budget can be creatively freeing, but it can also be the source of a lot of stress and sleepless nights. Evan talks openly and honestly about those challenges with us, and it was a great conversation!
You can watch Panda Bear It on Amazon Prime here:
https://www.amazon.com/Panda-Bear-Damien-Elliott-Bynum/dp/B08FFJ1SX7/
Or some of Evan's older films:
Son of Clowns - https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B01M610AXS/
Run of the Picture - https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07R59WV8B/
Also be sure to follow Evan on Twitter and visit his official production company website, RockSet Productions!

On today's episode, we talk with Alex Ferrari (IMDb), filmmaker, entrepreneur, and creator of Indie Film Hustle, one of the premiere destinations anywhere for information, advice and encouragement for independent filmmakers all of all kinds.
Alex has blazed a path in independent film that saw him running his own post studio, starting the YouTube film tutorial phenomenon, writing two books, and directing two features, both after the age of 40! He provides inspiration and motivation to independent filmmakers around the world, and he joins us for a frank and honest conversation about his own mental health. We talk about how his own mental roadblocks have hindered his development in the past, how he overcomes them, and how his definition of success and happiness have changed over the course of the last 20 years as a working filmmaker.
Check out his two books:
Shooting for the Mob
Rise of the Filmtrepreneur
His two features, both available to watch now on Amazon Prime!
This is Meg (IMDb)
On the Corner of Ego & Desire (IMDb)
And don't forget his other filmmaking endeavors:
Indie Film Hustle
Filmtrepreneur
No intro/outro this week, our conversation was Alex was so amazing, we ran super long, and I'm pushing to get these down to as close to an hour as I can get 'em! I know your time is valuable, so we appreciate you all and your continued support!

Greetings friends!
On this week's episode, we talk with Liz Manashil, writer & director of Bread and Butter and Speed of Life.
Liz has worked with some the industry's finest acting talents, including Ann Dowd (The Handmaid's Tale), Jeff Perry (Scandal) and Allison Tolman (Emergence). She is active in the independent film community, specifically microbudget films, and is as knowledgeable and talented a filmmaker as I've spoken to in this series.
And yet, in this new day and age, as we find ourselves often struggling to cope, Liz's expertise in the industry gives her a unique perspective on our mental health, specifically as it pertains to maintaining a sustainable career and navigating the film festival scene. So ultra-low budget filmmakers, this is the show for you!
But wait, there's more! We also speak with Liz's partner Sean Wright, with "his side" when it comes to working closely with your significant other and how to best play to each other's strength and keep the a positive working atmosphere! Be sure to check out Liz's official site at lizmanashil.com!
Join us next week as we'll be back with another seasoned veteran of the indie film scene, Alex Ferrari from Indie Film Hustle!