Franklin Martin was an American documentary film director, producer, screenwriter and actor best known for his sport documentaries '' Walking on Dead Fish'' in (2008) and '' Long Shot: The Kevin Laue Story'' in 2012. He founded and ran the production company Dutchmen Films based in Los Angeles. He died of

glioblastoma Glioblastoma, previously known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive and most common type of cancer that originates in the brain, and has a very poor prognosis for survival. Initial signs and symptoms of glioblastoma are nons ...

in New York on December 1, 2018.

Career

Martin studied in

Hofstra University Hofstra University is a Private university, private research university in Hempstead, New York, United States. It originated in 1935 as an extension of New York University and became an independent college in 1939. Comprising ten schools, includ ...

and was a four-year letterman on Hofstra's Division I basketball team wearing the 22 jersey and graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree. He continued at

Tennessee State University Tennessee State University (Tennessee State, Tenn State, or TSU) is a public historically black land-grant university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1912, it is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennes ...

where he additionally coached and graduated with a master's degree.Franklin Martin - On transitioning from sports to filmmaking, etc.
/ref> Martin started his film career as an actor taking roles in a number of films and TV series under the name Frank Martin, notably in ''

Above the Rim ''Above the Rim'' is a 1994 American sports drama film co-written and directed by Jeff Pollack in his directorial debut. The screenplay was written by Barry Michael Cooper, adapted from a story by Benny Medina. The film stars Duane Martin, ...

'' where he befriended

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur (; born Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor, regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all tim ...

. Starting 2005, he moved on to writing, producing and directing documentaries. He founded Dutchmen Films, his own production house. The name is a tribute to his

alma mater Alma mater (; : almae matres) is an allegorical Latin phrase meaning "nourishing mother". It personifies a school that a person has attended or graduated from. The term is related to ''alumnus'', literally meaning 'nursling', which describes a sc ...

, The Flying Dutchmen. His debut film as director was ''Walking on Dead Fish''Backseat productions: Variance Films Launches
/ref> (full title ''Hurricane Season: Walking on Dead Fish'') about the tiny town of LaPlace welcoming New Orleans residents in the wake of

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

and the huge changes when the town's East St. John football coach declared all positions open (even those held by ESJ seniors) which put their scholarship chances, for many, their only chance at a college education, in jeopardy. But rather than fight or turn bitter, these young men banded together in the face of tragedy to create a team. He followed that up with '' Long Shot: The Kevin Laue Story'', another sports documentary, this time about a one-handed basketball player Kevin Laue who aspired to become a college basketball player.

Filmography

Director

*2008: '' Walking on Dead Fish'' (Documentary) - also writer *2012: '' Long Shot: The Kevin Laue Story'' (Documentary) - also writer

Producer

*2008: '' Walking on Dead Fish'' (Documentary) *2012: '' Long Shot: The Kevin Laue Story'' (Documentary) *2012: ''Children Rise'' (Documentary) (post-production)

Actor

*1991: ''Haunted-ween'' as Farris *1994: ''

'' as Bombers & Birdmen *1994: ''Hard Vice'' as Dave *2001: ''Peroxide Passion'' as Mormon Bob *2002: ''Ed'' (TV Series) as Pat Mahoffey *2004: ''El segundo'' as Matt *Also brief roles in ''Law & Order'', ''All My Children'' (1996), Guiding Light (2003), ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' (2004) and ''Kiss Me Again'' (2006)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Franklin American documentary film directors American film producers Year of birth missing 2018 deaths Hofstra University alumni