Pull Focus: Dawn Porter

By: Stephanie Brown and Echo Xie

Dawn Porter is a director/producer and the founder of Trilogy Films. Her lastest film "Gideon's Army" follows the personal life of three young public defenders in the deep south, who devote their lives fighting with a broken criminal justice system. "Gideon's Army" premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and aired on HBO Documentary Films. Other Trilogy projects include "Spies of Mississippi" for ARTE Germany and PBS, and a documentary about celebrity Chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli for the Cooking Channel.

Graduated from Georgetown University Law Center, Porter was a practicing attorney at Baker & Hostetler and ABC Television Networks before starting her television and film career.

Porter recently visited the Center to share with us her experience in making "Gideon's Army", her relationship with the characters and the film's social impact. Watch her interview unfold below (transcript available here [1])  and check out the film’s website [2] for more information.

Part 1: Dawn Porter talks about the origins of "Gideon's Army", how she went from lawyer to filmmaker and how the idea of making a film about public defenders comes to life.

Part 2: Dawn Porter talks about how she found the main characters for "Gideon's Army" and how she walked into the life as a public defender.

Part 3: Dawn Porter talks about the social impact of "Gideon's Army", and explains why "there's never been a better time" for change.

Download:

dawnportertranscript.pdf [3]