• Home
  • Filmmaker Interviews
    • INside Scoop: a conversation with writer/actor Monique Carmona
    • An Interview with uber-producer Cassandra Cooper
    • The Inside Scoop: Writer-Director Carl Seaton
    • An FSC interview with “Friend Me” actor Kaci Hinds
    • A conversation with “Back to the Front” writer Jason Lambert
    • Filmmakers and Yankee die-hards – Bradd Bowden and Josh Feinman
    • Salvation Release writer/director – Nikol Hasler
    • An FSC Interview with writer/director Teddy Gyi
  • About the Series
  • The Creative Team
  • Episodios en Español
    • La historia de mi vida
    • Cada 15 Días
    • ¿Qué vas a decir los niños?
    • Me Aceptáron
  • Set Life
    • Set Gallery
  • FSC Gallery
  • Contact us
  • All Episodes

front seat chronicles

  • Home
  • Filmmaker Interviews
    • INside Scoop: a conversation with writer/actor Monique Carmona
    • An Interview with uber-producer Cassandra Cooper
    • The Inside Scoop: Writer-Director Carl Seaton
    • An FSC interview with “Friend Me” actor Kaci Hinds
    • A conversation with “Back to the Front” writer Jason Lambert
    • Filmmakers and Yankee die-hards – Bradd Bowden and Josh Feinman
    • Salvation Release writer/director – Nikol Hasler
    • An FSC Interview with writer/director Teddy Gyi
  • About the Series
  • The Creative Team
  • Episodios en Español
    • La historia de mi vida
    • Cada 15 Días
    • ¿Qué vas a decir los niños?
    • Me Aceptáron
  • Set Life
    • Set Gallery
  • FSC Gallery
  • Contact us
  • All Episodes
Menu

Copyright © 2012. All Rights Reserved.

Tag Archives: fsc

blog post, Episodes |

February 21, 2015

| Sowelle

One hundred and Fifty-Six

A father confronts his son about skipping school, only to be devastated upon learning why.  With honest portrayals by Esquire Duke and Myron Maurice Parran, this episode was written by Cassandra Cooper, and directed by Allen L. Sowelle

Share this:

achievement gap, allen l. sowelle, bigotry, bullying, cassandra cooper, divorce, esquire duke, fsc, myron parran, parenting, prejudice, racial inequality | Comment
blog post, Episodes |

February 25, 2014

| Sowelle

La Garde (subtitled)

A woman arrives at a crossroads about her marriage.  Directed by Allen L. Sowelle, and featuring wonderful performances by Caroline Amiguet and Helene Cardona, this episode was adapted by Laurent Chardin-Rischmann from Alejandra Okie-Hollister’s “Story of my Life.”

Une femme arrive à un carrefour de son mariage.  R´ealis´e par et doté de magnifiques performances par Caroline Amiguet et Hélène Cardona, cet épisode a été adapté par Laurent Chardin-Rischmann d’Alejandra Okie-Hollister de “Histoire de ma vie.”

Share this:

allen l. sowelle, caroline amiguet, child custody, divorce, front seat chronicles, fsc, helene cardona, josh feinman, laurent chardin-rischmann | Comment
blog post, Episodes, Episodes |

February 6, 2014

| Sowelle

1st Grade Picture

Written by Cam Montgomery Jr., and featuring Ginger Marin and Brandon Espy, this episode deal’s with a mother’s fear of losing the child she raised.

Share this:

allen l. sowelle, brandon espy, cam montgomery jr., devon k. lee, front seat chronicles, fsc, ginger, josh feiman, lgbt, marin, peter cirino, transgender | Comment
Episodes, Episodes, Video |

February 6, 2014

| Sowelle

“See you in Court.””

In this episode, directed by veteran actor Paula Jai Parker, a same-sex couple gets served child custody papers on the eve of their wedding.  Written by, and featuring Paula’s real life husband, Forrest Martin, this episode also introduces their son, Onderful Martin.

Share this:

allen l. sowelle, forrest martin, fsc, homophobia, josh feinman, marriage equality, onderful martin, paula jai parker, same-sex | Comment
Filmmaker Interviews |

October 29, 2012

| Sowelle

An FSC Interview with writer/director Teddy Gyi

Teddy Gyi, wassup man? How you living?


I’m good! Always savoring life. Thanks for having me on the program!

We’ve known each other a while, but it’s the first time we’ve ever collaborated on anything. For those who don’t know, share how you got involved with FSC, and how you came about the topic.


When I first saw “FSC,” I instantly fell in love with it. All of us have experienced those life-defining moments while conversing in a car, so it’s easily relatable for the audience. It also reminded me of all the great car moments in cinema history, like Brando in “On The Waterfront.” I’m a huge fan of those types of scenes. No tricks to fall back on – just pure, raw dialogue between human beings. It’s a true writer’s arena. So when “FSC” approached me to write an episode, I jumped at the opportunity.
 I originally came up with about a dozen plot ideas and submitted them to the producers. Of all the ones I came up with, they asked me to go ahead with “Not a Mistake.” I was a bit nervous about writing this scene because I knew I’d have to really dig deep into my imagination to come up with character cores and a dialogue that was both interesting and believable. But it all worked out, and you guys did an amazing job filming it.

Growing up with a lot of sisters, do you think parents have an easier time having “ the sex talk” with girls than they do boys? Or is it just a difficult conversation for a lot of people period?


It becomes a difficult conversation when no forum of truly open communication exists between parent & child. Unfortunately, culture and religion can sometimes create serious roadblocks to honest communication. “Not a Mistake” is the conversation I wish my mother or father would have had with me when I was a teen. But my parents’ cultural and religious background made any sort of open, candid conversation about sex virtually impossible. It was basically boiled down to “don’t have sex until you’re married, because it’s bad.” And that was the end of it. In my opinion, this is the most ineffective stance in existence. I never really understood the approach of criminalizing sex. Good people have sex every day. It’s a normal function of nature.

Instead of pointing fingers and preaching orders, we should really focus on teaching young people to respect both themselves and their partners. In my opinion, this is what matters most. In “Not a Mistake,” Claire has had her fair share of bad experiences and bad relationships. Marvin’s father is an absentee. He should take these kinds of things into consideration in handling his relationship with Shelly. When Marvin finally understands that his mother was also once that girl, going to her first dance, that’s where a mutual understanding is reached.

I know you’re not an expert on the subject, but you do have experiences. when you were growing up where did guys get information around dating?


In school, they taught us the pure biological aspects of “reproduction.” I don’t remember being taught anything beyond that, such as how sex applies to dating and the dynamics of interpersonal relationships. Nobody wanted to honestly address the fact that teens have sex. Teens have had sex since the beginning of time. But the topic was swept under the rug. 
So growing up, we got most of our information from our own experiences and from our peers. We were all left to our own devices. We had to learn on our own, like so many generations before us, clumsily experimenting and fumbling our way through the process until we felt we had some sort of handle on dating and sex. 
Nowadays, it’s a lot different. There is so more information available to young people. They’re more willing to talk. And they’re much smarter and savvier then we were at their age. If they need information, they can just Google it. But I don’t think that’s enough. As adults, we have wisdom to offer as a result of our experiences and the mistakes we made when we were younger. All we need to do is communicate.

You’ve worn many hats throughout your adulthood, how did you arrive at filmmaking?


My “arrival” at filmmaking was actually a return to my beginning. As a child, I wrote a lot of novels and books. My older siblings all moved out of the house when I was still very young, so I basically grew up as an only child. As an only child, your imagination becomes your best friend by default. You end up inventing and playing with these “imaginary friends.” Luckily for me, I got into the early habit of putting those adventures down on paper.
At age 12, my father bought me my first VHS camcorder. I immediately applied my imagination to the camera. I’d get all my friends together in my backyard, and we’d make all kinds of movies: martial arts, action, Shakespeare…you name it. This continued on throughout my middle school and high school years. I had so much fun during that time. I got more equipment and studied drama and acting. Those were golden years for me.
But my life took a terrible turn when I hit my 20s. I became addicted to drugs, and seriously lost myself for many years. I sold all of my gear for dope…it was a very dark period in my life. Thankfully, I was able to eventually recover from that lifestyle. Afterwards, I pursued a career in music for several years. Then, one day, I started writing fiction again. It was the best feeling I had felt in a long time. I managed to re-tap into a part of my brain that I thought was lost forever. I wrote my first feature-length screenplay, “Refuge,” and decided to abandon all other pursuits to turn my filmmaking vision into a reality.
I finally came to the realization that writing and directing was where I needed to be. It’s a very fulfilling experience, and I’m quite fortunate to be able to do what I do. I sit in front of my computer, let my imagination run wild, and let the words flow. I’m still that same little kid, playing with my imaginary friends and putting our adventures down on paper. I think all writers are, to some degree.

Well let me congratulate you Teddy on doing the thing – getting “Refuge,” your insightful first feature shot by any means necessary. It’s inspiring to a lot of young artist. What else we can look for in the coming year?


Thank you so much! It’s been a harrowing journey, but I’ve been blessed with the most talented and dedicated team. We’re very excited about this picture. “Refuge” will continue to be my main focus through 2014. Most people don’t realize when you make a feature film, you’re usually signing 2-3 years of your life away.
But I always manage to find time to work on new and interesting projects. In addition to “Refuge,” you’ll see some music videos, narrative shorts, and high-concept pieces from me. I also have half a dozen new scripts in development, and I’d definitely look forward to writing/directing for “FSC,” if you guys would have me again!

dig it. Thanks brother.


Thank you. Peace and blessings!

Share this:

allen l. sowelle, front seat chronicles, frontseatchronicles, fsc, josh feinman, one economy, pic, teddy gyi, teen pregnancy | 1 Comment
Episodes, Video |

October 29, 2012

| Sowelle

This mom’s timing for the “sex talk” couldn’t be worse.

 

A single mother has the proverbial “Talk” with her teenage son before taking him to his first high school dance.  Written by the multi-dimensional Teddy Gyi, directed by Allen Sowelle, this tender episode features Rorrie Travis as Marvin, and Lavetta Cannon as Claire.

 

7 methods to talk to my son about sex.

Talking to you kids about sex.

How to talk to your son about sex and values.

Calling all moms of teenage boys.

Talking to kids about sex from Fatherhood.com

 

 

Share this:

allen sowelle, fsc, one economy, pic, sex talk, single parenting, STD, teddy gyi, teen pregnancy, teenage boys | 1 Comment
Episodes, Video |

June 14, 2012

| Sowelle

A couple struggles with infertility.

 

After skipping out on a family function, a couple wrestles with their narrowing options in regards to fertility.

Directed by Allen L. Sowelle, written by and featuring Monique Carmona, and Brien Perry.

 

Share this:

allen l. sowelle, brien perry, fsc, infertility, joshua feinman, monique carmona, pic, pregnancy | 8 Comments
Episodes, Video |

June 5, 2012

| Sowelle

When her daughter gets into college, an immigrant mother’s worst fears come true.

 

In this episode of FSC, directed by Devon K. Lee, written by Allen L. Sowelle, and featuring Karla Zamudio and Gabriela Banus – an immigrant mother is conflicted when her daughter gets accepted to college.

 

At some point our country – a nation of immigrants – will have to have a serious conversation about Immigration.  On one side is a belief that left unchecked we open ourselves to challenges on security, and risk losing our National Identity.  They say that illegal immigration drains our economy as it lowers academic performance and American worker productivity.   The other side posits that our diversity makes us stronger as a nation, and that the US has a long and proud history of opening our arms to anyone seeking freedom and a better way of life.  For them, the focus should be on improving our immigration laws, not demonizing those who willfully do the work, most of us are unwilling to do.

One side points to the billions of dollars immigrants send back to their home countries instead of circulating back into our already weaken economy.  Yet the other side highlights that 40% of the Fortune 500 companies were either created by an immigrant or the child of an immigrant.  And that undocumented immigrants alone paid $11.2 billion in US taxes for 2010, while multi-billion dollar American businesses hide their true earnings.

So do we hold people or their children accountable for breaking our laws, while letting employers and society off the hook for exploiting cheap labor?  Or do we accept the contributions of us all, accept the varying narratives and biographies that have contributed to one of the strongest nations on Earth?

I, for one, believe we can do it all the above.  After all we are the United States of America.  We can secure our borders while also securing a future for those who succeed academically, those who rise above and beyond given extraordinary circumstances.  We can act on a dream of a more prosperous union, where we value Human Rights for all, where we give dignity to all, and where we hold true to the Founding Fathers’ calling “E Pluribus Unum.”  From Many, One.

comments welcomed.

allen sowelle, show creator

 

 

Share this:

allen swell, devon k. lee, dream act, educación, education, front seat chronicles, fsc, gabriela banus, illegal immigration, immigration, karla zamudio, latina, pic, university | 5 Comments

Recent Posts

  • The Inside Scoop: Writer-Director Carl Seaton February 21, 2015
  • The Hate That Hate Made February 21, 2015
  • One hundred and Fifty-Six February 21, 2015
  • Anniversaire (subtitled) February 26, 2014
  • La Garde (subtitled) February 25, 2014
  • Dis Moi (subtitled) February 12, 2014
  • Dis Moi February 8, 2014
  • Meet the Parents February 7, 2014
  • Love U, Mean It February 6, 2014
  • 1st Grade Picture February 6, 2014

Recent Comments

  • C & D on First Date
  • Krissy on First Date
  • solita on First Date
  • Anonymous on First Date
  • Tch on First Date

Archives

  • February 2015
  • February 2014
  • June 2013
  • March 2013
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • November 2011

Categories

  • blog post
  • Design
  • Episodes
  • Episodes
  • episodes
  • español
  • Events
  • Filmmaker Interviews
  • Music
  • News
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Video

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • WordPress.org

Front Seat Chronicles on Facebook

  • Home
  • Filmmaker Interviews
    • INside Scoop: a conversation with writer/actor Monique Carmona
    • An Interview with uber-producer Cassandra Cooper
    • The Inside Scoop: Writer-Director Carl Seaton
    • An FSC interview with “Friend Me” actor Kaci Hinds
    • A conversation with “Back to the Front” writer Jason Lambert
    • Filmmakers and Yankee die-hards – Bradd Bowden and Josh Feinman
    • Salvation Release writer/director – Nikol Hasler
    • An FSC Interview with writer/director Teddy Gyi
  • About the Series
  • The Creative Team
  • Episodios en Español
    • La historia de mi vida
    • Cada 15 Días
    • ¿Qué vas a decir los niños?
    • Me Aceptáron
  • Set Life
    • Set Gallery
  • FSC Gallery
  • Contact us
  • All Episodes

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.