Episode 150: Amanda Blumenthal, Intimacy Coordinator

This episode generously sponsored by:

Today we have something new - new for the podcast and new for the industry. I sat down with Amanda Blumenthal who is one of a handful of people working in the new position called “Intimacy Coordinator.” She is currently working on the HBO show called Euphoria. She breaks down for us what that job really entails, how her unique background, education and work history prepared her perfectly for it, and the real need for this position on a set. It makes total sense and it’s one of those things that makes you hit your forehead with your palm and ask why haven’t we always had this!? You can reach Amanda via her website here: intimacycoordinator.com.

Episode 149: Jenny Buccos, Director, Producer, Explorer

This episode generously sponsored by:

Jenny is a multi-award winning director and producer of the long running program called Project Explorer, and the founder of Project Explorer.org. which is a free multimedia website designed to educate kids about global cultures and histories. She has explored six continents, in over 500 episodes, and has met incredible people and seen amazing places.

She is currently working on a television show to bring this programming to an even wider audience. Jenny is incredibly purpose driven, an explorer, an entrepreneur, and is living her mission every day. I am very inspired by her and I’m sure you will be too.

Episode 148: Ayser Salman, Author

This episode generously sponsored by:

Today I interviewed my friend, Ayser Salman, for the second time, because her book, The Wrong End of the Table: A Mostly Comic Memoir of a Muslim Arab American Woman Just Trying to Fit in is coming out on March 5th, so I wanted to have her on to talk about it. She was previously on episode 47, so that was awhile ago and if I am remembering correctly, it was hilarious, and maybe because we were having wine and cheese. So, if you want to hear her entire story, go listen to that episode, or more relevantly, buy her book. Which you can order here.

Get the book

Episode 147: Matt Birch, Agent

This episode generously sponsored by:

I took a detour into male ally-ship and spoke with Matt Birch. Matt is a partner at the Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) and is a co-head of the physical production department. He came up through production, reluctantly became an agent in 2009, and makes sure to bring a little something different to the art of agent-ing.  I met Matt while recording for the soon to launch podcast called Catch A Break – which is the insider’s guide to breaking into and navigating Hollywood (which you’re going to want to know about, click here to subscribe so you will be notified when it launches.)

During that interview, Matt mentioned he was on the men’s committee of #TimesUp, which as you can imagine made my ears perk up and I immediately booked him for this show to dig a little deeper. This corresponds with the feeling I have been having that it is time to start bringing men into the conversation and engaging them in the process toward equality. And Matt is one of the men who are actively evolving and trying to be part of the solution. We talked about #MeToo/TimesUp and harassment, hiring practices, the wage gap, how men are talking to each other, and a little bit about how men can hold each other accountable in ways that will be effective.

Episode 146: Allie Boettger, Sound Mixer

I was lucky enough to pin down Allie Boettger. Allie is a sound mixer. And I don’t mean the kind of sound mixer who works on a stage, although she can do that too. Allie is the kind of sound mixer that goes around the world on the Amazing Race, goes to Alaska in winter to shoot Alaskan Bush People, hikes to the top of a mountain and then rappels down it. She is super badass. And she is quite the storyteller, so this episode was really fun.

As a bonus, she taught me how to wrap my own audio cable, which I had been doing wrong for three years, but am happy to report I now take the time to do it correctly every time.

Episode 145: Eden Young and Catherine Natale, Creators

I got to speak with the creators of the webseries called All About Manos – Eden Young and Catherine Natale. Eden is an actor and stand-up comedian turned creator and Catherine is also an actor and writer turned creator. They will tell us all about the show and how they came to do it. You can find All About Manos at allaboutmanostv.com and on a bunch of digital platforms including Amazon Prime. They are killing it on the festival circuit also.

We recorded remotely, and it must have been during Mercury Retrograde, because it took us several tries on several platforms before we got something to work. So, the audio quality could be better, but this conversation couldn’t be. They are a delight.

Episode 144: Susanne Preissler, Executive Producer

Susanne is the Owner and Executive Producer at renowned production company Independent Media. She has been in the entertainment and advertising industries for over 15 years and worked with some of the feature filmmaking world’s biggest names. This success has also built a knowledge and awareness around the massive gender biases and struggles intertwined within the female entrepreneurial world.

We talk about her journey, the world of commercials, and the ongoing struggle for gender equality in the business.

Episode 143: Lisa Ebersole, Talented Multi

This episode is brought to you by:

For today’s episode I sat down with creator Lisa Ebersole. Lisa created and stars in the webseries called “37 Problems,” which you can find on Amazon Prime and Who Ha Ha. The series is a comedy about a woman facing the end of her fertility and what she is going to do about it.

She is also a playwright, whose plays have been produced off-broadway and regionally, and a screenwriters coach. We talked about what it takes to raise the money and produce a webseries and get distribution. It’s a whole thing.

check out the BRIC Foundation Summit here: https://bricfoundation.org/2019summit/

Episode 142: Laura Maria Censabella, Playwright

This episode is brought to you by:

This is my month for playwrights, and today I have another very special episode with playwright Laura Maria Censabella. She wrote the play, Paradise which was commissioned by Ensemble Studio Theatre and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and was a runner-up for the 2016 Saroyan/Paul Playwriting Prize for Human Rights. And lucky for us in LA, the West Coast premiere of Paradise, presented by Viola Davis’ and Julius Tennon’s  JuVee Productions and American Oasis,  is opening at the Odyssey Theatre, January 26th at 8pm and running through February 17th. You can get tickets at www.plays411.com/paradise.

Laura is an award winning playwright, a daytime Emmy winning screenwriter and teaches
playwriting and new play development at the New School for Drama, where she has been honored with the Distinguished University-Wide Teaching Award. She graduated from Yale University and is currently writing the screenplay for Paradise.

check out the BRIC Foundation Summit here: https://bricfoundation.org/2019summit/

Episode 141: Kim Gruenenfelder, Author

This episode is brought to you by:

For episode 141 I sat down with Kim Gruenenfelder. Kim is a bestselling author known for writing romantic comedy fiction novels. I have read most of her books and had so much fun talking with her. Her debut novel, "A Total Waste of Makeup", has been published in six languages and eight international editions to date, and is followed by a sequel, "Misery Loves Cabernet". "Keep Calm and Carry a Big Drink" is a sequel to 2010's "There's Cake in My Future." Her fifth published novel, "Love The Wine You're With", which details the adventures of a group of friends who open a wine bar, was released in 2017. Her current novel "Hangovers and Hot Flashes", available now, follows the lives of protagonists in their forties. Who knew that writing a book about women in their 40’s would be controversial, but turns out it is. She will tell us all about it.

Apologies in advance to fur parents of fur babies.

check out the BRIC Foundation Summit here: https://bricfoundation.org/2019summit/

Episode 140: Jill Gilbert, Head of Creative Affairs

This episode is brought to you by:

I sat down with Jill Gilbert, who is Head of Creative Affairs at Luma Pictures, a visual effects and original content company. Jill has had an amazingly interesting career coming up through development, animation, theme park development, and producing. She has credits that range from Disney animated titles to Grandma’s Cats Are Trying to Kill Her and a Spongebob movie. This episode is full of good advice, interesting stories, and a career well built.

Her career is an example of take the opportunity – you never know where it will lead.

Check out the BRIC Foundation Summit here: https://bricfoundation.org/2019summit/

Episode 139: Anne Kenney and Lane Allison, Writer and Director, Last Call

This episode is brought to you by:

Anne Kenney, a television writer known for Outlander and Switched at Birth among many others has written a play. It’s called Last Call and it’s being put up at the Open Fist Theatre company, directed by Lane Allison, who you will remember from this podcast, episode 52. I was lucky enough to have them both in studio to talk about it. And by in studio, I mean at my dining room table. We talked all about the play, and Anne’s career as a tv writer. This is a goodie.

CLICK THE POSTCARD BELOW TO GET TICKETS:

Episode 138: Julia Camara, Filmmaker, Writer

This episode is brought to you by:

To kick off this year, I sat down with writer and filmmaker Julia Camara. Originally from Brazil, Julia has made several award-winning shorts. She has also written the feature films Area Q, Open Road, and Occupants. She recently released her experimental feature film called In Transit, which won Best Experimental film at the Glendale International Film Festival and is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video.

We talked about her career, her films, and spent a minute unpacking the Kavanagh hearings, as we recorded during that week. Somehow, we kept our sense of humor, because we laugh a lot about the absurdity of gender inequality.

Episode 137: Paulina Lagudi, Filmmaker

This episode is brought to you by:

Paulina Lagudi is a filmmaker who just released Mail Order Monster, which is available on all the streaming services. I gotta tell you, this woman is an inspiration. She’s an artist, a savvy business person, and a force to be reckoned with.

We talked about her film and its distribution, female empowerment of the “right kind,” setting boundaries, martial arts and growing up the only girl in a family of men with a single father and how instrumental her step mother turned out to be.

Episode 136: Megan Woeppel, Showrunner, Producer, Director, Writer

This episode is brought to you by:

Megan started out as a cinematographer and then transitioned to being a producer and a writer. She is currently the Showrunner on Gears Pro Circuit All Access, and is gearing up to shoot her feature film called Nightmare Mansion which is set and will be filmed in Kansas city.

She shares some amazing tales from the trenches, including barreling down a road in the Republic of Georgia at 100 miles an hour while being forbidden to wear a seatbelt. Honestly, it’s a miracle she’s alive.

Episode 135: apparentlyjack, Jacqueline Legan and Katie Koeblitz

This episode brought to you by:

Jacqueline is a veteran Director of Video Production, and currently the Founder and Executive Producer at apparentlyjack. Jacqueline’s background spans almost every aspect of the filmmaking process from development to delivery, in both the branded and Independent film spaces with films and commercials starring well known Directors and Talent.    

With over ten years producing Independent Film, Katie is currently the Head of Independent Content at apparentlyjack. Katie’s production background includes work on both narrative and documentary feature films. Most recently, Katie produced documentaries G-Funk, A More Civil War, and The Untitled MMW Documentary. On the narrative side, Katie co-produced The Land, Galveston, and also had a hand in the coming-of-age film The Kings of Summer, which premiered at Sundance.                      

After many years in the advertising and film  industries, Jacqueline decided to go out on her own to form the content studio, apparentlyjack. apparentlyjack’s mission is to bring cinematic storytelling and storyline driven content to brands and independent film in a variety of formats.               

apparentlyjack champions equality, diversity, and inclusivity both behind and in front of the     camera. They have dedicated a portion of the company to empowering and mentoring other   women in entertainment and are working with various organizations to reach gender parity   by 2020.  For more information about apparentlyjack, visit www.apparentlyjack.com.     

Episode 134: Julia Lynn Huffman, Storyteller, Filmmaker, Coach

This episode is brought to you by:

Julia started out in broadcast journalism and acting, and then transitioned to working behind the camera. Having worked in the television industry for over two decades and cutting her teeth as a coordinator, writer, producer, shooter and editor for companies like E! Entertainment, Steven Bochko Productions and HGTV, Julia went on to direct, write and produce her own feature film and become one of a handful of female directors to win multiple awards in the film festival circuit and secure world-wide distribution for her first feature film, endorsed by Dr Jane Goodall, Medicine of the Wolf.

Julia just finished her short film WOLF SPIRIT starring world renowned National Geographic photographer Jim Brandenburg and will be using the film as a tool for education about the value of wolves and their necessary place on the north American landscape.

We talked about her passion projects, tenacity in the business, and the state of women in the world. As we do.

You can reach Julia via LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-h-30a7734/

Episode 133: Ally Iseman, Actor, Writer, Producer

This episode is sponsored by:

Ally is an actor, writer, and producer. She has worked on stage in productions like Jekyll & Hyde, as well as on screens big and small including shows like American Housewife, Criminal Minds, and Days of Our Lives. Ally makes an appearance in Nicole Conn's newest feature film Nesting Doll, in Jorge Xolalpa Jr.'s latest feature A Giant Without A Head, and as a lead opposite Ray Wise and Bonnie Bedelia in the feature film Life On The Rocks.

Ally has spoken on numerous panels about gender parity and intersectional, inclusive feminism and does her best to align herself with work that has an eye on advocacy. Her internationally award-winning film Wedlocked, an LGBTQ comedy about gay divorce toured at over 45 film festivals worldwide securing digital, broadcast and theatrical distribution.

Most recently she can be seen in the feature film Solver, hosting the new plant-based food travel show The Road Less Eaten, and in her gender parity comedy series Flip the Script, which is being produced in partnership with Women In Film. 

Ally is driven, fearless, and hilarious. Grab your tea and enjoy some time with us.

You can find out more about Ally here: www.allyiseman.com.

Episode 132: Sasheen R. Artis, Writer/Producer

This episode is brought to you by:

Sasheen is a Writer/Producer with over 20 years of experience in live events, documentaries, talk shows and scripted programming, such as “Fight for $15” and its impact on small business, the school-to-prison pipeline, the plight of New Orleans residents on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and a “one-night only” Prince concert at the Conga Room in Los Angeles. Sasheen also produced the late-night talk show, Tavis Smiley.

Currently, she is in development with several TV and film projects and co-chairs the Producers Guild of America Power of Diversity Master Workshop. 

This summer, she was invited by the Royal Film Commission - Jordan to develop a curriculum and teach a 5-day Workshop to their local filmmakers on how to prepare their projects for the marketplace. The Workshop culminated with the filmmakers pitching their projects for feedback to top Hollywood execs from Sony, Fox, Paramount, Media Rights Capital and HBO. 

We talked about her incredible journey from homelessness to producing, and broke down the business case for diversity. This is a good one.

Episode 131: Monique Sorgen, Writer, Director

This episode is brought to you by:

Monique is a writer and director of TV and film. After graduating from UCLA, Monique worked as a director’s assistant in television dramas and comedies. She then made a short film, Pants on Fire, which garnered international distribution and led to writing jobs such as “Blind Date,” and for variety and alternative shows on Comedy Central, and VH1; after which she landed a staff position at ABC in a development think tank.

Monique has also written the feature films The Babymaker, a Chinese remake of the film Love Stinks, Rock n’ Roll Princess, and All the Way Down. In 2014, she was selected as a finalist for the ABC TV writing program. During this time, Monique also completed her first novel, How Long You Should Wait to Have Sex.

Her most recent directing work includes several music videos, a web series pilot, and 3 unscripted series for the international network Fashion One, which she produced in the Philippines.  

There is more, but I will let her tell it in the interview. Also, she has many stories about being the only woman in a writer’s room. Let’s just say it wasn’t awesome, but it does seem to be getting better.

Now, a brief disclaimer. We conducted this interview outside in a park. So, there is plenty of ambient noise of children, traffic, and an ill-times roofer across the street. Pretend you are on a nature walk and having this conversation with Monique. It will be worth it, I promise.

You can reach Monique here:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/moniquesorgen 

Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/moniquesorgen

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/moniquesorgenlove/

Website: https://sorgenm.wixsite.com/moniquesorgen

New Short Film website: https://sorgenm.wixsite.com/sorrynotsorry

Short film twitter: https://twitter.com/NotSorryFilm 

Book: "HOW LONG YOU SHOULD WAIT TO HAVE SEX" on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Long-Should-Wait-Have-ebook/dp/B00CCH4VIQ