The Chair

2014

The Chair

7.7 | NR | en | Documentary

This documentary series follows two first-time film directors, Shane Dawson and Anna Martemucci, who are given the opportunity to direct separate films adapted from the same original screenplay. The series documents the creation, marketing, and theatrical release of both films, and through multiplatform voting, the audience will ultimately determine which director will be awarded $250,000.

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Seasons & Episodes

EP10 Outside The Bubble

Nov. 08,2014

In the season finale, the winner is revealed after Shane receives surprising news, while Anna deals with test-screening questions, and both filmmakers turn their attention to marketing and distribution

EP9 The Test

Nov. 01,2014

Anna and Shane begin the lonely process of editing. Both filmmakers fight to stay true to their vision as they receive critiques of their work.

EP8 Two Martinis

Oct. 25,2014

Shane and Anna enter their final days of production. Shane shaves his head, a sign that he is moving on from his famous You Tube persona. Anna fights for her own style of directing.

EP7 Making Your Days

Oct. 18,2014

Fatigue impacts filmmakers as tension develops between Shane and his producing partner, and Anna deals with both directing and acting.

EP6 Moving On

Oct. 11,2014

Anna has problems managing her time on set, while producers are concerned that Shane is playing it safe.

EP5 Picture's Up

Oct. 04,2014

With producers hovering, Anna and Shane feel the pressure of the first day on set.

EP4 The Ramp Up

Sep. 27,2014

As the teams head into their final week of pre-production, casting dilemmas loom for Anna and Shane. Table read lead to concerns about whether their individual scripts are ready for filming.

EP3 Mentionable is Manageable

Sep. 20,2014

For Shane, raunchy script content complicates casting and costs him a location. Anna blocks the producers from her casting session only to experience growing pains as a first-time director.

EP2 Dollars & Decisions

Sep. 13,2014

Securing financing proves to be challenging as Shane searches for crew and locations, while Anna wrestles with time-management and receives some unexpected news about a key hire.

EP1 The Experiment

Sep. 06,2014

Starting with the same screenplay and budget, two first-time directors from very different backgrounds, Shane Dawson and Anna Martemucci, struggle to shape the script into their own vision.

7.7 | NR | en | Documentary , Reality | More Info

Released: 2014-09-06 | Released Producted By: Before the Door Pictures , Media Farm Country: United States of America Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website: https://mediaroom.starz.com/series/the-chair/overview

Synopsis

Stream Online

The tv show is currently not available onine

Cast

Chris Moore , Shane Dawson , A. M. Lukas

Director

Tony Sacco

Producted By

Before the Door Pictures , Media Farm

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Cast

Chris Moore

as Himself

The Chair

Shane Dawson

as Himself

Bob Thunder: Internet Assassin The Chair Not Cool Smiley

A. M. Lukas

as Herself

Periods. Hollidaysburg The Chair

Reviews

ottawa-2 Past is prologue. Hard to believe Zachary Quinto didn't foresee that Shane Dawson would stay true to his creative style and do what he's been very successfully doing for many years - raunchy, juvenile comedy. Maybe the producer of American Pie, Chris Moore, did anticipate Quinto's reservations and thought it ramped up the tension??? For anyone interested in the process of filmmaking, this series is fascinating to watch. Personally, if I were executive producer, I would want to give a high profile directing opportunity to someone trying to dignify the art of filmmaking. Fart jokes and endless potty-mouth humor hardly elevates the craft. Having said that, American Pie spawned three theatrical sequels (plus four direct to video releases) and made over $1.5 billion. What do I know?

BronxLens The documentary is OK, so if you want to see/learn of the behind the scenes dynamics of doing a movie production, go ahead. Of the two full length movies that came out of this, Hollidaysburg by Anna Martemucci and the other by Shane Dawson, Anna's has clearly the heft of an attempt at making a 'real' movie. Shane's feels like a long YouTube video. The delivery timing of pretty much all dialogue is obviously by inexperienced actors (nobody's fault except the genius that decided to shoot in Pittsburgh - this created the problem of having a very limited pool of acting talent as addressed by many on the documentary). BTW, I am not dissing Pittsburgh; I love the way the city is portrayed, so it is now on my travel bucket list, true that! To restate a point made by another reviewer here, "They both retreated to their comfort zones, Shane made a 90-minute YouTube sketch and Anna made a 90-minute student film." My only consolation is that I got to watch this by borrowing the DVD collection from my public library. Had I paid for this, buying or renting it, I would have thrown in my own mouth, to borrow a topic often heard of in one of the movies.

heatherleefox When this show first came on, I DVRed it (like 4 episodes before I actually watched it), expecting to just watch the show when I had nothing else to watch. Boy was I underestimating the lure of "The Chair."I find myself eagerly awaiting the next episode and I have never really been interested in the behind-the-scenes type stuff (some exceptions would be high fantasy movies with lots of special effects) nor am I interested in reality TV. I find myself rooting for both directors, knowing "there can be only one" winner of this competition"The Chair" is one of the best shows on TV right now and i can't wait to see the 2 movies that come out of it.

lindsaysfnm Most of my life I've just been a passive viewer. But as I find out what it takes to make a movie or TV show, I am increasingly fascinated and in awe. This series is an inside look at the details, the personalities, and the challenges. Two very different first-time directors have the same initial script and same budget - and get to make their movie! They both bring strengths to the work - and those very strengths sometimes work against them. Shane Dawson is used to creating YouTube videos, as the creator, star, and everything. He has a huge following among a very specific audience. His challenge is to work effectively with all the people involved - production crew, executive producers, the voices of experience - to create something that will appeal to a larger audience. Anna has a broader base of experience, not only as screen writer but also as a part of a group creating videos and a movie. She knows the world of indie film making and knows how to work with others creatively. Her challenge is to take charge for her own vision, being the primary decision-maker for a change. Both directors have excellent coaching from more experienced producers. The commentary from Corey Moosa of Before the Door is especially insightful. For anyone thinking they would like to make a movie, this series will be a riveting lesson in the creative chaos. For observers like me, the series adds to the appreciation of the movies & TV shows.