Alfred Spellman

Last updated
Alfred Spellman
Producer Alfred Spellman.jpg
Spellman in 2015
Born (1978-11-15) November 15, 1978 (age 44)
Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
OccupationFilm/TV Producer
Years active2000-present
Known for Cocaine Cowboys , The U , 537 Votes

Alfred Spellman is an American film and television producer who co-founded the media studio rakontur. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Early life

Spellman was born in Miami Beach, Florida on November 15, 1978. He graduated from North Miami Beach Senior High School.

Filmography

Related Research Articles

<i>Street Fight</i> (film) 2005 American film

Street Fight is a 2005 documentary film by Marshall Curry, chronicling the 2002 Newark mayoral election which pitted upstart Cory Booker against the incumbent Sharpe James for Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. Other credits include Rory Kennedy, Liz Garbus, Mary Manhardt, Marisa Karplus, and Adam Etline. Street Fight screened at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival and was later aired on the PBS series P.O.V. on July 5, 2005, and CBC Newsworld in Canada on May 7, 2006. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

<i>The U</i> (film) 2009 American film

The U is a 2009 documentary film about the University of Miami's football program produced by Miami-based media studio Rakontur and directed by Billy Corben.

<i>Cocaine Cowboys</i> (2006 film) 2006 documentary film

Cocaine Cowboys is a 2006 documentary film directed by Billy Corben, and produced by Alfred Spellman and Billy Corben through their Miami-based media studio Rakontur. The film explores the rise of cocaine dealer Jon Roberts, described by prosecutors as "The Medellin Cartel's American representative". The film chronicles his role in the Miami drug war. The producers of Cocaine Cowboys use interviews with law enforcers, journalists, lawyers, former drug smugglers, and gang members to provide a first-hand perspective of the Miami drug war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Griselda Blanco</span> Colombian drug baron (1943–2012)

Griselda Blanco Restrepo, known as the Black Widow or Cocaine Godmother, was a Colombian drug lord who was prominent in the cocaine-based drug trade and underworld of Miami, Florida, during the 1970s through the early 2000s and has also been claimed by some to have been part of the Medellín Cartel. She was shot dead on September 3, 2012, aged 69.

Aurin Squire is an African-American playwright, screenwriter, and reporter. He has written numerous plays, while his reporting has appeared in The New Republic, Talking Points Memo, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, and ESPN, among other outlets.

Max Mermelstein was an American drug smuggler for the Medellín Cartel in the late 1970s and early 80s, who later became a key informant against the organization. In the words of James P. Walsh, the U.S. Attorney for Los Angeles CA, Mermelstein "was probably the single most valuable government witness in drug matters that this country has ever known." He became a "weapon for the government." Reputed to have smuggled 56 tons of cocaine worth $12.5 billion into the United States, Mermelstein was described by his attorney Tom Johnston as "just a nice Jewish guy who got into the wrong industry."

rakontur is a Miami-based media studio founded by Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman in 2000.

<i>Cocaine Cowboys 2</i> 2008 American film

Cocaine Cowboys 2, also known as Cocaine Cowboys II: Hustlin' With the Godmother, is a 2008 documentary film sequel to Cocaine Cowboys (2006). Directed by Billy Corben and Lisa M. Perry and produced by Rakontur, the film "stars" Charles Cosby, Nelson Andreu, and Jorge "Rivi" Ayala and features the Colombian-born "Cocaine Godmother", drug lord Griselda Blanco.

Limelight is a 2011 documentary film that charts the rise and fall of New York City club king Peter Gatien. Produced by Gatien's daughter, Jen Gatien, it was released in special markets throughout the United States and Canada on September 23, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Corben</span>

William Cohen, better known by the stage name Billy Corben, is an American documentary film director. Along with producing partner Alfred Spellman, he is co-founder of the Miami-based studio Rakontur, which has created films such as Cocaine Cowboys, Dawg Fight, The U, and The U Part 2.

Square Grouper: The Godfathers of Ganja is a 2011 documentary by director Billy Corben and produced by Alfred Spellman and Billy Corben through their Miami-based media studio Rakontur. The term square grouper was a nickname given to bales of marijuana thrown overboard or out of airplanes in South Florida in the 1970s and 1980s.

Evan Rosenfeld is a film and television producer born in Miami, Florida.

Mickey Munday is an American former drug trafficker and former associate of Colombia's Medellin Cartel during the growth phase in cocaine trafficking, 1975–1986. Munday was featured in the 2006 Rakontur documentary, Cocaine Cowboys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drug barons of Colombia</span> Colombian crime bosses

Drug barons of Colombia refer to some of the most notable drug lords which operate in illegal drug trafficking in Colombia. Several of them, notably Pablo Escobar, were long considered among the world's most dangerous and most wanted men by U.S. intelligence. "Ruthless and immensely powerful", several political leaders, such as President Virgilio Barco Vargas, became convinced that the drug lords were becoming so powerful that they could oust the formal government and run the country.

Dawg Fight is a documentary film directed by Billy Corben about the mixed martial arts career and personal life of Bellator MMA fighter Dhaffir Harris aka Dada 5000. The documentary is critically acclaimed for its sobering account of the brutal sport no holds barred fighting and bareknuckle fighting. It was also the last film appearance of Kimbo Slice before his death in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Miami mayoral election</span>

The 2017 Miami mayoral election took place on November 7, 2017, to elect the Mayor of Miami, Florida. The election was officially nonpartisan. A runoff election would have taken place on November 21, 2017, if no candidate had received a majority of votes in the general election. Francis Suarez won the election with almost 86% of the vote and little opposition, thus avoiding the runoff.

Cocaine Cowboys is a 1979 American crime drama film directed by Ulli Lommel and written by Lommel, Spencer Compton, Tom Sullivan and Victor Bockris. It stars Jack Palance, Sullivan, and Andy Warhol who made a cameo appearance. It was actor Tzi Ma's film debut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jorge Ayala</span> Colombian-American gangster

Jorge "Rivi" Ayala-Rivera is a Colombian-American criminal who worked as a hitman for Medellín Cartel leader, Griselda Blanco.

<i>537 Votes</i> Documentary directed by Billy Corben

537 Votes is an HBO original documentary directed by Billy Corben and released on October 21, 2020. The documentary discusses the controversial 2000 United States presidential election in Florida and was released in the run-up to the 2020 United States presidential election. The film premiered at the 2020 GEMS Film Festival.

<i>Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami</i> Documentary on Miami drug pins

Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami is a 2021 six part docuseries chronicling the rise and fall of Miami drug lords Sal Magluta and Willy Falcon. The two were eventually indicted in one of the largest drug cases in United States history, accused of illegally smuggling 75 tons of cocaine into the country. The series is directed by Billy Corben who previously directed three Cocaine Cowboys features.

References

  1. ↑ Farzad, Roben (August 28, 2008). "Rakontur Films' Marketing Strategy". Bloomberg Businessweek.
  2. ↑ Dyksterhouse, Landon. "Cocaine Cowboys Producer Alfred Spellman talks storytelling and trust in doc filmmaking". Videomaker.
  3. ↑ Valys, Phillip (March 23, 2012). "Rakontur: Storytelling with pulp". Sun-Sentinel.
  4. ↑ "Rakontur: Learn How a Tiny Company Can Produce 5 Documentaries in a Year". Indiewire. April 15, 2011.
  5. ↑ Guerrasio, Jason (August 10, 2017). "How the 'Cocaine Cowboys' filmmakers built a career interviewing Miami's most notorious gangsters". Business Insider.
  6. ↑ "Raw Deal: A Question of Consent". Rotten Tomatoes.
  7. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (February 6, 2001). "Raw Deal: A Question of Consent". Variety.
  8. ↑ "Raw Deal: A Question of Consent". Film Threat. January 26, 2001.
  9. ↑ Barker, Adam (January 27, 2002). "A question of consent". The Guardian.
  10. ↑ "Cocaine Cowboys". Rotten Tomatoes. 27 October 2006.
  11. ↑ Murray, Noel (October 26, 2006). "Cocaine Cowboys". AV Club.
  12. ↑ Catsoulis, Jeannette (27 October 2006). "Cocaine Cowboys (2006) A Culture Built of Guns, Drugs and Blood". The New York Times . Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  13. ↑ "Cocaine Cowboys". Film Threat. October 25, 2006.
  14. ↑ Koehler, Robert (June 25, 2008). "Cocaine Cowboys II: Hustlin' With the Godmother". Variety.
  15. ↑ Duran, Jose (July 29, 2008). "Cocaine Cowboys 2 Takes Its Cues From '90s West Coast Hood Flicks". Miami New Times.
  16. ↑ Alvarado, Francisco (November 18, 2008). "Ego Trippin': Rakontur's Clubland Finally Hits the Web". Miami New Times.
  17. ↑ Tobias, Scott (December 13, 2009). "30 For 30: "The U"". AV Club.
  18. ↑ Levine, Stuart (December 16, 2009). "'The U' sets docu record at ESPN". Variety.
  19. ↑ Deitsch, Richard (August 13, 2017). "Ranking the Best 30 for 30 Documentaries (So Far)". Sports Illustrated.
  20. ↑ O'Hehir, Andrew (April 16, 2011). ""Square Grouper": A hilarious, tragic tale of Florida ganja". Salon.
  21. ↑ "Square Grouper". Rotten Tomatoes. 15 April 2011.
  22. ↑ Catsoulis, Jeannette (September 22, 2011). "Rise and Fall of a Nightclub Impresario". New York Times.
  23. ↑ Weisberg, Sam (September 24, 2011). ""Limelight," the NYC club phenomenon that was". Screen Comment.
  24. ↑ Tobias, Scott (October 2, 2012). "30 For 30: "Broke"". AV Club.
  25. ↑ Martin, Vanessa (September 26, 2013). "Watch 'Collision Course,' Billy Corben's New ESPN '30 For 30' Short On The Murder Of Don Aronow (VIDEO)". HuffPost.
  26. ↑ Williams, Brennan (February 25, 2014). "Steve Stoute Talks VH1 Docu-Series 'The Tanning Of America: One Nation Under Hip Hop'". HuffPost.
  27. ↑ Kluger, Bryan (June 3, 2014). "Cocaine Cowboys Reloaded". High Def Digest.
  28. ↑ Lowry, Brian (December 11, 2014). "TV Review: ESPN's 'The U Part 2'". Variety.
  29. ↑ Rodriguez, Rene (March 6, 2015). "Dawg Fight". Miami Herald.
  30. ↑ Valys, Phillip (March 10, 2015). "Billy Corben's 'Dawg Fight' steps into the ring". Sun-Sentinel.
  31. ↑ Wilson, Chris (March 9, 2015). "Cocaine Cowboys Director Takes on Backyard Fighting". Maxim.
  32. ↑ Rodriguez, Rene (March 6, 2015). "'Dawg Fight'". Miami Herald.
  33. ↑ Montgomery, James (May 15, 2015). "'Dawg Fight' Director Pulls No Punches With His Brutal New Film". Rolling Stone.
  34. ↑ "Watch Miami Beach 100". rakontur.
  35. ↑ "New 'Magic City Hustle' Documentary Brings Jai Alai Back To Life". WLRN. March 1, 2019.
  36. ↑ Rosenthal, Phil (April 1, 2019). "The gang that couldn't shoot up straight: 'Screwball' a comic take on A-Rod's PED scandal". Chicago Tribune.
  37. ↑ Tallerico, Brian (March 29, 2019). "Screwball". RogerEbert.com.
  38. ↑ Gay, Jason (March 28, 2019). "How A-Rod Explains Modern America". Wall Street Journal.
  39. ↑ Schager, Nick (March 23, 2019). "'Screwball': Inside the Damning Steroid Movie Alex Rodriguez Doesn't Want You to See". The Daily Beast.
  40. ↑ Mullen, Pat (September 15, 2018). "TIFF Review: 'Screwball'". POV.
  41. ↑ Mancini, Vince (March 28, 2019). "'Screwball' Is Another Masterpiece Of Insane Floridiana From Filmmaker Billy Corben". Uproxx.
  42. ↑ Rechtshaffen, Michael (March 28, 2019). "Review: Alex Rodriguez and the 2013 MLB doping scandal get the doc treatment in 'Screwball'". Los Angeles Times.
  43. ↑ Abele, Robert (March 26, 2019). "'Screwball' Film Review: Billy Corben's Baseball Doping Doc Is Disreputable Fun". The Wrap.
  44. ↑ McNear, Claire (April 5, 2019). "'Screwball' Is the Bizarro Documentary A-Rod and the Biogenesis Scandal Deserve". The Ringer.
  45. ↑ "Screwball". Rotten Tomatoes. 29 March 2019.
  46. ↑ Roeper, Richard (October 20, 2020). "'537 Votes': How the Supreme Court and irate people in Miami picked a president". Chicago Sun-Times.
  47. ↑ Kroll, Andy (October 22, 2020). "Remember Bush v. Gore — or Be Doomed to Repeat It". Rolling Stone.
  48. ↑ Williams, Trey (September 18, 2020). "HBO to Debut 2000 Presidential Election Doc '537 Votes' on Oct. 21". The Wrap.
  49. ↑ Cohen, Howard (September 18, 2020). "New HBO documentary by Miami filmmakers revisits 2000 election as a 'heist' film". Miami Herald.
  50. ↑ "537 Votes". Rotten Tomatoes.
  51. ↑ Mancini, Vince (October 21, 2020). "Miami Screwed The World In 2000: '537 Votes' Caps Off Billy Corben's Career Documenting 'Florida F*ckery'". Uproxx.
  52. ↑ Lowry, Brian (October 21, 2020). "'537 Votes' revisits Florida election chaos in 2000 as a prelude to 2020". CNN.
  53. ↑ "A&E and WWE Give Fans the Ultimate Ringside Seat in New 10-Week Original Programming Partnership Starting Sunday, April 18". The Futon Critic. February 23, 2021.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.