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well all the public defenders in the film
were part of this Gideon's Promise training's program
so from the very first day of filming
I saw all these like energetic young people
and then I just asked for volunteers for people who might be
willing to be interviewed
and all of them raised their hands
and then I actually started following 5 people
and one was in New Orleans Louisiana
but I couldn't get access to court they wouldn't let me film in court
so I thought we can't really tell enough of her story
and another one was in Mississippi where we had June
and June's story kinda came together a little more quickly
and by then HBO had already bought the film
and they were like five people are too many so pick your three
and June's was kind of a little further ahead
I didn't have a grand plan you know and then when I asked them
to participate I don't think they thought I would be filming for three years
so they were very patient with me
I was certainly nervous about a lot you know I film so much with them
that I thought they have to be disappointed because
I have like 600 hours of footage for over three years
but they never like second-guessed anything
I mean they're probably really unique people
you know when you make a documentary film it's a very intimate relationship
and you know the biggest gift that our characters could give us
is to allow that intimacy
and so you know you really spend a lot of time with them
I mean I remember distinctly like
winding up and I would go shoot and then go home for a few weeks and then go back
so it wasn't unusual for me to
say okay I'll see you next time and then there came a time
and Brandon she was like, this is it! you're not coming back?
and I think it's hard for them too
they're like oh I'm gonna do this great thing on Tuesday
I'm like, we're done, we're not filming any more
but I'm still in touch with both of them... all of them actually
June's coming today to American (University) she's gonna be here
I spoke to Travis on Saturday
I'm brandy's... I'm the godmother of her daughter
so they will always be...
I feel very close to all of them
I'm glad about that and I'm glad they're in my life
you know what's interesting is none of them asked to see
any footage during the filming we never really got cold feet
they never... so finally two-and-a-half years into it
I had something I really wanted to show Brandy just because I liked it
and it was the first time she ever
saw anything and she was like, Dawn Porter I think this is a movie!
but she didn't see it until Sundance
the whole movie
so I think that that was a pretty great way to see it
and Travis also saw it on big screen
and they all love it and
I'm proud of them and they're proud of it
they go to speak now
Brandy got a job offer like as a result of the movie
you know I think Brandy gave me the best compliment, they all have
they said, you really captured our feelings about our job
and you know I'm really happy