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Episode 179: Jessie Levandov and Nina Reyes, Co Founders & Directors of Mala Forever

September 24, 2019 by Julie Harris Oliver in Diversity, entertainment, entrepreneur, women, activism, gender equity, advancing women, acting, Directors, Editorial, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Independent Film, Producer, Writers, business, Studios, documentary, Comedy, composers, music, Music Videos, Commercials, DGA, family films, horror film, PGA, WGA

This episode is brought to you by:

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Jessie Levandov and Nina Reyes are the Co-Founders & Directors of Mala Forever. Mala Forever is an award-winning, women-run film and digital studio based in LA and NYC.

They develop and produce films, new media, and commissioned work that centers unheard voices. They are redefining the future of filmmaking through equitable production practices, and their growing community-based platform is a cultural hub for the radical femme revolution. 

Jessie is an award-winning community-based filmmaker, creative director, and educator. Her queer documentary series Signified was presented by the Guggenheim Lab, and her short film The Greggs won the Spirit Award at Slamdance. Her work has been featured in publications such as Teen Vogue, Huffington Post and Them. Jessie is committed to storytelling as a tool for social justice, and served as the longtime program director of Youth Documentary Workshop at New York’s Educational Video Center.

Nina is a countercultural filmmaker and creative director whose work is grounded in her point of view as a mixed-race first-generation Mexican-American and Jewish woman. Her feature-length screenplay La Paz was a finalist for the 2017 Latino Screenwriting Project; her short films, Organism and Invisible Men, have won press and played at festivals around the world including Outfest, Frameline, and HBO: New York Latino Film Festival. They both are fellow NYU alums with BFA’s from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts – go violets.

You can follow them on the social media @_MalaForever_

September 24, 2019 /Julie Harris Oliver
culture, gender equality, gender advocacy, women in film, Studios, female filmmaker, female director, indie film
Diversity, entertainment, entrepreneur, women, activism, gender equity, advancing women, acting, Directors, Editorial, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Independent Film, Producer, Writers, business, Studios, documentary, Comedy, composers, music, Music Videos, Commercials, DGA, family films, horror film, PGA, WGA
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Episode 178: Natalie Metzger, Writer, Director, Producer

September 17, 2019 by Julie Harris Oliver in Diversity, entertainment, entrepreneur, women, activism, gender equity, advancing women, acting, Directors, Editorial, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Independent Film, Producer, Writers, business, Studios, documentary, Comedy, composers, music, Music Videos, Commercials, DGA, family films, horror film, PGA, WGA

This episode is brought to you by:

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For this episode, I spoke with Natalie Metzger, who is the VP of Development and Production for Vanishing Angle. Natalie is a Spirit Award nominated producer whose credits include Jim Cummings’ newest film THE WEREWOLF, GREENER GRASS (Sundance, SXSW), THUNDER ROAD (Grand Jury Award - SXSW), THE ROBBERY (Sundance), MATPAT’S GAME LAB (Streamy Award), Lil Dicky’s FREAKY FRIDAY (over 506 million views), HYDRANGEA (Vimeo Staff Pick), THE ARRIVAL (Jury Award - Napa Valley Film Festival), THE STOP (Vimeo Staff Pick), virtual reality miniseries GLOBAL GAMER, among numerous others. 

Her directing credits include AT&T original documentary ALONE IN THE GAME (AFI Docs, Frameline, Outfest); healthcare documentary SPECIAL BLOOD (Best Feature Documentary - CWFF); PSA “Topless Women Talk NFL” (featured in Washington Post, Huffington Post, Vice); and numerous award-winning commercials and short films. 

Also an accomplished writer, Metzger won the Gold Prize at the Page International Screenwriting Awards for her sci-fi script IMMORTAL.

Metzger holds a Master of Fine Arts from California Institute of the Arts and a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University

September 17, 2019 /Julie Harris Oliver
culture, gender equality, gender advocacy, women in film, Studios, female filmmaker, female director, family films, indie film
Diversity, entertainment, entrepreneur, women, activism, gender equity, advancing women, acting, Directors, Editorial, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Independent Film, Producer, Writers, business, Studios, documentary, Comedy, composers, music, Music Videos, Commercials, DGA, family films, horror film, PGA, WGA
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Episode 177: Susie Singer Carter, Writer, Director, Producer, Actor

September 10, 2019 by Julie Harris Oliver in Diversity, entertainment, entrepreneur, women, activism, human rights, gender equity, advancing women, acting, Directors, Editorial, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Independent Film, Producer, Writers, business, Studios, Coaching, documentary, Comedy, composers, healthcare, music, Music Videos, songwriting

This episode is brought to you by:

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Susie’s website bio says this: “If you asked five-year-old Susie what she wanted to be when she grew up, she’d have placed her hands defiantly on either side of her pink tutu and said, “Everything. Duh!” And that is what she has done. She’s a writer, producer, actor, musician. She sat down, we became immediate friends, and talked about everything – marriage, divorce, parenting, daughtering. She recently made an autobiographical short film about alzheimer’s called My Mom and the Girl, starring the great Valerie Harper, which she’ll tell us all about, and you can see her dancing hip hop on facebook all the time. She has the media company called Go Girl Media.

And here are all the links:

MY MOM AND THE GIRL

TRAILER - https://vimeo.com/183072790

AMAZON VIDEO - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NDQPGXL

ITUNES - https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/my-mom-and-the-girl/id137275414

GOOGLE PLAY - https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/My_Mom_and_the_Girl?id=P6LORPD00no

Women writer documentaries

Women Who Wrote The Way - https://vimeo.com/207360299/bbbf9385e6

Breaking Good - https://vimeo.com/266981218

Music Video

Bad Dreams in Hollywood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF00Et4vHxE

September 10, 2019 /Julie Harris Oliver
culture, gender equality, gender advocacy, women in film, Studios, female filmmaker, female director, Alzheimers, family films
Diversity, entertainment, entrepreneur, women, activism, human rights, gender equity, advancing women, acting, Directors, Editorial, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Independent Film, Producer, Writers, business, Studios, Coaching, documentary, Comedy, composers, healthcare, music, Music Videos, songwriting
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Episode 176: Eline Mets, Writer, Producer, Motocross Racer

September 03, 2019 by Julie Harris Oliver in Diversity, entertainment, entrepreneur, women, activism, human rights, gender equity, advancing women, acting, Directors, Editorial, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Independent Film, Producer, Writers, business, DGA, PGA, Studios, theatre, Coaching, documentary, WGA, Action films, Comedy, Immigration, Stunts, webseries

This episode is brought to you by:

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Eline Mets is creating a series about women in motocross. She got tired of waiting for someone else to do it, so like a real badass woman, she’s doing it herself. Originally from Estonia, Eline is a motocross champion and the first woman in Canada to jump her dirt bike onto an airbag. Passionate about motorcycles and filmmaking, Eline is dedicated to telling stories of badass women. With a background in creating non-fiction content for years, Diaries of Badass Chicks is her directorial scripted series debut. She started a crowd funding for a webseries, and then realized it’s much bigger than that when she received videos and encouragement from women all over the world.
www.badasschicks.tv

September 03, 2019 /Julie Harris Oliver
culture, gender equality, gender advocacy, women in film, Studios, female filmmaker, female director, women in motocross
Diversity, entertainment, entrepreneur, women, activism, human rights, gender equity, advancing women, acting, Directors, Editorial, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Independent Film, Producer, Writers, business, DGA, PGA, Studios, theatre, Coaching, documentary, WGA, Action films, Comedy, Immigration, Stunts, webseries
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Episode 175: Marquette Jones, Filmmaker, Professor, Podcaster

August 27, 2019 by Julie Harris Oliver in Diversity, entertainment, entrepreneur, women, activism, human rights, gender equity, advancing women, acting, Directors, Editorial, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Independent Film, Post Production, Producer, Writers, business, DGA, NYU, PGA, Politics, Studios, theatre, Coaching, Comedy, cooking, documentary, WGA

This episode is brought to you by:

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Marquette Jones began her filmmaking journey in her hometown, Youngstown, Ohio. Marquette is an alumna of New York University’s Film and Television Production graduate program. Before becoming a filmmaker, Marquette was a public interest attorney and social entrepreneur in Oakland, California.  

Her feature film screenplay, AFTER THE JUMP, http://www.afterthejumpmovie.com/, which is currently in development, was recently selected for the Athena Screenwriting Lab in Los Angeles and was a finalist in the Vancouver International Women in Film Festival, Broad Humor Film Festival as well as a semi-finalist in the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition. It was also selected to participate in the Women in Film/ Sundance Institute’s Film Financing and Strategy Intensive.

Her directing work includes FORGIVING CHRIS BROWN, ROUND ON BOTH SIDES, TUNK, HEROES WANTED and STREETS 2 SUITES (lensed by Bradford Young).  Her films have been featured on Amazon Video, PBS, Showtime, KweliTV, Aspire TV, BET, IFC, StreamPlix and other broadcast & digital outlets. She has also directed several commercial spots, which led to both a Telly Award and Aurora Award for excellence in storytelling.

As a producer, Marquette’s credits include Andrea Williams’ SPOONFUL OF SUGAR, Alrick Brown’s ADVENTURES OF SUPERN*GGER, and Tamika Guishard’s JACKIE. Her past filmmaking-related awards include: New York University’s Warner Bros. Production Award, Panasonic‘s “P2 for a Cause” Grand Prize Winner, Fotokem Film Processing Grant, Woods Hole Film Festival, Best Short Screenplay Winner for “Free’s Rain”, ProMotion Pictures / Heineken Branded Entertainment Shorts Competition Winner, Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival Best Short Narrative, and First Run Festival’s Producing Award.

When she is not busy writing, producing or directing, Marquette hosts the Directing Magic podcast,http://www.directingmagic.com/, and teaches creative media at The University of Alabama.

August 27, 2019 /Julie Harris Oliver
culture, gender equality, gender advocacy, women in film, Studios, female filmmaker, podcasting, female director
Diversity, entertainment, entrepreneur, women, activism, human rights, gender equity, advancing women, acting, Directors, Editorial, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Independent Film, Post Production, Producer, Writers, business, DGA, NYU, PGA, Politics, Studios, theatre, Coaching, Comedy, cooking, documentary, WGA
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Episode 101: Kayden Phoenix, Filmmaker, Writer, Director, Producer

May 01, 2018 by Julie Harris Oliver in Diversity, Digital content, entertainment, entrepreneur, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, horror film, Independent Film, women, Writers

Kayden is a filmmaker – Writer, Director, Producer. Kayden is a native Angelino, Chicana, activist, storyteller. She is all about diversity and inclusion. A passionate and prolific filmmaker (6 shorts just last year), she hires female crews, and believes in a rising tide raising all boats.

Kayden is currently working on a series of films about Latina superheroes, which sounds like something you have not seen before. She’s not describing her characters as "strong" female leads because that should be inherent.

I know I say this a lot, but Kayden is another one you should be watching.

And here are more ways to reach Kayden:

IG: @kaydenphoenix

FB: /phoenixkayden

aphoenixrises.com

May 01, 2018 /Julie Harris Oliver
women in film, writers, women of color, latina, chicana, female director, producer, storyteller, indie film
Diversity, Digital content, entertainment, entrepreneur, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, horror film, Independent Film, women, Writers
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Episode 94: Heidi Philipsen, Actor, Writer, Director

March 13, 2018 by Julie Harris Oliver in DGA, entertainment, film festivals, Film & TV, hollywood, Independent Film, PGA, Politics, PTSD, theatre, WGA, women, Writers

 

Heidi is an actor, director and producer, and is currently releasing her feature film called “Darcy,” that is making its rounds on the film festival circuit and will be screening at the Socially Relevant Film Festival in NYC as the Closing Night Film on Thursday, March 22nd, 8 p.m.

Heidi has a very interesting story that takes her to Germany after college, where she got her start in television before coming back to the United States. Now a gentle word of warning. We do talk about adult themes in this episode in the #metoo genre, so if you usually listen in the car with your kids, perhaps you listen with your headphones in.

To find out more about Heidi:

www.heidielizabethphilipsenmeissner.com

www.personaeentertainmentpictures.com

March 13, 2018 /Julie Harris Oliver
indie film, independent film, women in film, SAG, PGA, NYWIFT, UPWIFT, AWD, Directing, Alliance of Women Directors, female director, me too, act, acting
DGA, entertainment, film festivals, Film & TV, hollywood, Independent Film, PGA, Politics, PTSD, theatre, WGA, women, Writers
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Episode 91: Christina Kallas, Director, Writer, Professor

February 27, 2018 by Julie Harris Oliver in DGA, Digital content, Diversity, Editorial, entertainment, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Immigration, Independent Film, PTSD, theatre, webseries, WGA, Writers, women

This episode is brought to you by...

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Christina is a Writer, Director, and a Professor. Her latest film The Rainbow Experiment recently debuted at Slamdance to much acclaim. Her first film, 42 Seconds of Happiness won numerous awards, including Best Feature Film at WTxFF in Texas, Best Ensemble Cast at Harlem IFF, Indie Spirit Award and Best Ensemble Cast at Princeton IFF, just to scratch the surface.

She has been teaching at Columbia University’s and Barnard College’s Film Programs since 2011, and is the author of six books, including Creative Screenwriting: Understanding Emotional Structure and Inside the Writers’ Room (Palgrave/Macmillan, 2010 & 2014).

She has a unique perspective on the writing process, actors, and multi-protagonist filmmaking. She has the voice of an artist.

February 27, 2018 /Julie Harris Oliver
women in film, independent film, slamdance, director, female director, film fatales
DGA, Digital content, Diversity, Editorial, entertainment, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Immigration, Independent Film, PTSD, theatre, webseries, WGA, Writers, women
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Episode 87: Chelsea Steiner, Writer/Director

January 30, 2018 by Julie Harris Oliver in Comedy, Digital content, Diversity, entertainment, Film & TV, healthcare, hollywood, Independent Film, investment, LGBT, webseries, WGA, women, Writers

Chelsea is a Writer/Director and is currently producing her webseries called Thank You, Come Again. You can find her (NSFW) Indiegogo campaign here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/thank-you-come-again-sex-lgbt#/  

Chelsea came up as a film and television writer while also being a sex educator and diversity advocate. While working her day job as the Social Media Manager at The Pleasure Chest in West Hollywood, she looked around and realized this was show that writes itself. So, she wrote it and has set out to produce it.

I was admittedly nervous to interview Chelsea, as at heart I am a WASPY girl who grew up in Catholic school and would certainly never discuss sex publicly. But Chelsea is a smart, open, and talented woman who gave a very interesting interview and helped me mature just a little bit more. But, do listen to the episode with your headphones in and don’t play it in the car during carpool.

January 30, 2018 /Julie Harris Oliver
webseries, women in entertainment, women in film, women in tv, women in comedy, writers, female director, sex positive, pleasure chest
Comedy, Digital content, Diversity, entertainment, Film & TV, healthcare, hollywood, Independent Film, investment, LGBT, webseries, WGA, women, Writers
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Episode 83: Selyna Warren and Marissa Read, Producers, Writers, Actors, Directors

January 09, 2018 by Julie Harris Oliver in business, Comedy, DGA, Digital content, Diversity, entertainment, Film & TV, hollywood, webseries, WGA, women, Writers, youtube influencer

Selyna and Marissa are Show Runners/Executive Producers of their YouTube Red show called Foursome. They sold their first show at 24 and they are going strong, making their unique mark in this business. They are prolific writers, passionate actors, and have just added Directors to their resumes.

And they have warned you, steer clear of the common table at Republic of Pie if you don’t want to get caught in their uproar.

January 09, 2018 /Julie Harris Oliver
women in film, women in tv, women in entertainment, youtube, foursome, writers, WGA, female director, director, actor, musical theatre, digital marketing, digital content, YA, multi-hyphenate
business, Comedy, DGA, Digital content, Diversity, entertainment, Film & TV, hollywood, webseries, WGA, women, Writers, youtube influencer
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Episode 82: Rachel Feldman, Director, Writer

January 02, 2018 by Julie Harris Oliver in DGA, Diversity, entertainment, Film & TV, hollywood, Independent Film, women, Writers

Rachel is a Director and Writer. She has Directed many hours of television as well as films, and is currently developing the Lilly Ledbetter story for a feature film that she will also direct. Having been in this business since she was the voice of Lucy in the Peanuts cartoons, she has an important perspective on this business and where we are headed – for women in particular.

She has been directing television since Doogie Howser. And yet, she is asked to shadow before being hired. The hiring criteria for men and women is still different, and we are still operating under the myth that women in general need more training. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of female directors ready to work right now. No more training required. Let’s shift the focus away from more training and onto the people who hire to insist on more inclusion.

And you can sense an artist when you are talking to them.

January 02, 2018 /Julie Harris Oliver
women in film, women in tv, Lilly Ledbetter, DGA, female director, Alliance of Women Directors, filmmakers, film & TV, director, Directing, diversity
DGA, Diversity, entertainment, Film & TV, hollywood, Independent Film, women, Writers
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Episode 78: Jen McGowan, Director

November 28, 2017 by Julie Harris Oliver in AFI, Commercials, Consulting, DGA, Diversity, entertainment, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Independent Film, NYU, theatre, women, Writers

Jen McGowan is a film Director who directed the shorts Confessions of a Late Bloomer and Touch, and the feature film Kelly and Cal, which is a delicious movie that you can see on the streaming platforms. This film won the Gamechanger award at SXSW. She is currently finishing her next film called Rust Creek.

Jen is also the founder of the amazing group for women in this business called Film Powered – which she tells us all about.

If you are in LA in the film community, you have seen Jen everywhere lately. She has a big online platform, she is speaking on panels, she is doing the work. A somewhat reluctant activist, she is paving the way forward for the women behind her.

And this: As long as women don’t get to tell the stories, we will have no control over our destiny.

You can find Jen here.

November 28, 2017 /Julie Harris Oliver
women in film, female director, director, directing, DGA, independent film, indie film, Tribeca Film Festival, kelly and cal, AFI, USC, WIF
AFI, Commercials, Consulting, DGA, Diversity, entertainment, Film & TV, film festivals, hollywood, Independent Film, NYU, theatre, women, Writers
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