From Reel to Deal: Everything You Need to Create a Successful Independent Film and Career , serves as a comprehensive manual for indie producers.
Famous faces who looked to him to understand the mechanics of production. The "Dov-ism" Philosophy dov simens wikipedia
Simens has taught a wide range of students who have gone on to significant commercial and critical success. His former students have collectively grossed over $14 billion at the global box office and have received numerous Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, and selections at major festivals including Sundance, Cannes, and Toronto. Students associated with his courses include: From Reel to Deal: Everything You Need to
As the lore goes, Simens owned a bookstore in Westwood, Los Angeles. He frequently audited film courses at UCLA and USC. He realized that while the professors were discussing French New Wave theory and auteurism, they weren't teaching the practical mechanics of how to actually make a movie: how to light a set, how to schedule a shoot, or how to negotiate a deal. His former students have collectively grossed over $14
First Lieutenant during the Vietnam War (1968–1969), an experience that later influenced his disciplined, "boot camp" style of teaching
After returning from Vietnam, Simens settled in Carmel, California, where he used his army severance pay to open a used bookstore. He sold the business in the early 1980s and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry.