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The Invisible Pilot: Stranger than Fiction

The Invisible Pilot: Stranger than Fiction

FromFactual America


The Invisible Pilot: Stranger than Fiction

FromFactual America

ratings:
Length:
43 minutes
Released:
May 6, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

The Invisible Pilot is an HBO Max Docuseries that captures the incredible story of Gary Betzner, an Arkansas crop duster who died under mysterious circumstances. Or did he? The mystery around this man's death would be more than enough for a compelling doc. But that is only the beginning of a story that proves that truth is most definitely stranger than fiction. Given the unlikeliest of events set against the backdrop of 1970s and 80s America and Reagan's war on drugs, the docuseries is Forrest Gump meets American Made meets All the President's Men. Emmy-winning filmmakers Phil Lott and Ari Mark, co-directors and executive producers of The Invisible Pilot, share how they discovered this amazing story and how their investigative journalism led to the creation of a compelling 3-part documentary.  Watch the full episode at https://factualamerica.com/the-invisible-pilot "Just because it’s a documentary and not a feature, it doesn’t mean it’s solely educational or intellectual - it can also entertain." - Phil Lott  What is Covered: 00:00 - The trailer for The Invisible Pilot. 03:05 - The synopsis of the docuseries. 06:18 - How Phil and Ari came across this story. 08:40 - What makes documentaries sometimes more exciting than feature films. 12:10 - What the US government was up to in 1980s. 18:20 - What Gary Betzner’s relationship with the government was while serving his sentence. 21:30 - The investigative journalism Ari and Phil had to undertake to create this docuseries. 24:50 - What Gary and his family’s reactions were to the documentary. 27:40 - How Phil and Ari approached and shaped The Invisible Pilot. 34:30 - What it was like to work with Gary Betzner. 37:30 - Upcoming projects for Phil and Ari. Resources: The Invisible Pilot (2022) Ample Entertainment MovieMaker Magazine Innersound Audio Alamo Pictures Connect with Phil Lott:  IMDb LinkedIn Twitter Connect with Ari Mark:  IMDb Instagram Connect with Factual America: Facebook Instagram Twitter Connect with Matthew Sherwood: Facebook LinkedIn Twitter More From Factual America: Detainee 001: The American Taliban John Walker Lindh The Phantom: The Case of Carlos Luna 40 Years Later White Boy Rick: A Call for a Better American Justice System
Released:
May 6, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Factual America examines America through the lens of documentary filmmaking. Guests include Academy Award, Emmy and Grammy-winning documentary filmmakers and producers, their subjects, as well as experts on the American experience. Find out more about the current and upcoming documentaries on Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Sky Documentaries and other platforms directly from the creators. Whether we discuss true crime, music, burning social and political topics, history, or arts, Factual America is your #1 documentary film podcast. Factual America is produced by Alamo Pictures, a London- and Austin-based production company that makes documentaries about the US from a European perspective for international audiences.