About

Hi there!

Welcome to my personal website. My professional career has developed along two distinct paths: the practice of law and independent filmmaking. My primary professional focus is legal practice, while filmmaking remains an important part of my creative work.

Here, you can learn more about my legal background, filmmaking activities, and directing philosophy.

Legal Practice

Ernest Goodman is an American attorney based in Los Angeles, California. His primary professional focus is federal appellate litigation, immigration law, intellectual property law, and civil litigation.

He is the founder of the Law Offices of Ernest Goodman, representing clients in immigration proceedings, federal appellate matters, intellectual property disputes, and civil litigation. His practice includes petitions for review before the United States Courts of Appeals, immigration appeals, federal habeas corpus proceedings, constitutional and procedural issues, and trademark and copyright matters.

Goodman is admitted to practice law in New York, before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and before the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

He holds three master’s degrees, including graduate degrees in law and information technology. He previously worked in cybersecurity consulting and taught information security management at UCLA Extension.

For more information, visit www.ernestgoodmanlawfirm.com.

Filmmaking and Directing

In addition to his legal career, Ernest Goodman works in independent filmmaking as a producer, director, and screenwriter. He is the founder of Goodman Directing & Acting Studio and the owner of Ernest Goodman Studio.

He is the author of The Art of Directing Actors, a book exploring one of the most important yet frequently misunderstood responsibilities of a film director: directing actors.

The director’s primary job is directing actors. Nobody else on a film set performs this responsibility. Cinematographers handle cinematography, production designers oversee visual design, and editors shape the final cut. But working directly with actors, guiding their performances, developing characters, and ensuring that their behavior serves the story is the director’s responsibility.

Yet many aspiring filmmakers concentrate on cameras, lighting, equipment, and visual techniques while neglecting the essential skill of working with actors.

The Art of Directing Actors examines character development, psychological motivation, communication between directors and actors, and practical techniques for creating believable, emotionally engaging performances.

Goodman’s approach draws upon the acting traditions of Konstantin Stanislavsky, Michael Chekhov, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, and other influential teachers.

He continues to develop independent film projects as a producer, director, and screenwriter.

The Art of Directing Actors is available through Amazon.

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