Episode 58 · Aug 21, 2025
Breaking into Producing with Mike Orion Downing
Highest 2 Lowest, AIR, Bolt from the Blue
From Paramount lot clerk to a development and producing career.
- Runtime
- 01:14:18
- Released
- Aug 21, 2025
- Guest
- Mike Orion Downing
From Paramount lot clerk to a development and producing career.
Michael Orion Downing is an LA-based, Alaskan-raised producer and Director of Development at A/Vantage Pictures, with credits spanning Netflix, Mandalay, A24, and Apple projects alongside independent films on Tubi. His work includes Ben Affleck’s AIR, Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, and Sundance award-winning Under Darkness, as well as producing Maika Monroe’s directorial debut short at TIFF.
Today we dive into how he went from a Paramount lot clerk to producing and developing major films, while constantly creating independent projects and seeking out new filmmaking collaborators.
IG: @mike_orion