Directing Narrative Films, Documentaries and Episodic - A Conversation with Bobby Roth

Big Apple Film Festival

In this episode of the Big Apple Film Festival Podcast, Host Jonathan Lipp ( Big Apple Film Festival Founder/Director) chats with veteran filmmaker Bobby Roth on his career, insights on how the industry has changed over the years, as well as advice for aspiring filmmakers and writers.

BOBBY ROTH grew up in Los Angeles, a block from where he lives today. He studied Philosophy and Creative Writing at UC Berkeley, then got a BA in Cinema at USC in 1972, and an MFA in Motion Picture Production from UCLA in 1975.

For his entire career he has alternated between independent filmmaking and commercial television. In the early eighties he had an overall deal to write, produce and direct for Universal, where he created the series 'The Insiders' for ABC.

His TV directing credits include such hit shows as "Prison Break", "Grey's Anatomy", "Hawaii 5-0", "The Mentalist", "Criminal Minds", "Lost", "Boomtown", "Beverly Hills 90210", "Without a Trace", "Criminal Minds", and many more...

His independent films have now been exhibited in over one hundred film festivals worldwide, five of which have premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where Bobby has also been a judge.

As a feature filmmaker, Bobby's credits include "Pearl" starring Anthony LaPaglia, "Baja, Oklahoma" starring Julia Roberts, "Heartbreakers" starring Peter Coyote, "Nowhere to Hide" starring Roseanne Arquette,

Bobby's recent documentaries, "Under the Ukrainian Sky" and "Good Men" were official selections of the Big Apple Film Festival.

He was a founding member of the Independent Feature Project and also a founding member of the DGA's Independent Feature Committee where he was its first Co-Chairman.