Episode 52: Lane Allison, Actor, Writer, Producer, Director

Lane is an actor, writer, producer and director. First, let me tell you she is in a play that you should go see – Welcome to your Alternative Reality.  Here’s the link. I went last weekend and loved it.  Theatre in LA is alive and well.

Lane just wrote, produced, directed and starred in a pilot called After Pluto.  Watch it here.

Here’s the thing: more and more women are now writing complex female characters for themselves and are producing the shows and putting them out there. I think it’s an incredible revolution.

Risk, fail, risk again.

Lane leaned in big time. And she is a delight.  And if you happen to cast for animation, have a listen to this voice!

And as I have oft suspected, there is something to marrying your college sweetheart.

Episode 51: Bri Castellini, Writer, Producer, Director, Actor

Bri is an award-winning indie film and web series writer, producer, actress and director.  And her day job is as the Community Liaison at Stareable, a web series community. She is of the generation that is creating their own content, putting it out in the world, and getting lots of accolades and attention. I gotta say, I love that.  It’s ballsy and brave.

We talked about faking it until you make it, finding real confidence, and embracing your femininity.

And show business is mostly jazz hands.

You can find more about Bri here.

Episode 50: Jennie Yamaki, Producer, Production Executive

Jennie is a Producer and Production Executive who has worked on such films as Napoleon Dynamite, Juno, and Harold and Kumar.  She has also done a lot of work in digital content with PopSugar, Mattel and Lionsgate. 

We talked about this new world of branded content, monetizing web content, and being your own advocate. And she has an announcement.

Episode 49: "Group," the writer, director, and actors

Group is a play that explores people participating in group therapy for sufferers of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).  I was joined by (pictured left to right) Marjorie Lewit, the director (who we met on Stronger than Pretty), Lesley Gouger, the writer,  Barbera Howard and Jasmine Pierre, both actors.  It was such a joy to spend time with this group.  We had a real talk about some real things.  We laughed a lot, we cried a little, and they were fearless in sharing with me.

The play opens this Friday, June 16th, at the Avery Schreiber Playhouse in North Hollywood. Click here to find out more and buy tickets: http://www.defiancetheatrecompany.com. I will be there, and I hope to see you, too.

Episode 48: Kate Hearst, Film Historian, Professor, Writer

Kate is a filmmaker, historian, writer and professor.  After earning her Ph.D. in History and M.F.A. in film, both at Columbia University, she has been teaching film history at Sarah Lawrence College, the Fierstein Graduate School of Cinema, and at Brooklyn College.  Currently, she is working on several projects about women: a book on the cinema of Barbara Kopple, and a history of Phoebe Hearst and the Coming of Age of San Francisco, 1860-1919. She also writes reviews for Film International, and serves as a juror and moderator at the Middlebury Film Festival.

We talked a lot about how women are left out of the canon in film schools.  And for young people in school, they need to start questioning why there aren’t any women on the syllabus.  It’s probably not conscious exclusion, it’s just the way it’s always been.  Let’s change that.

You can find out more about Kate on her website here: www.khearst.com.

Episode 47: Ayser Salman, Writer/Editor/Producer

Ayser is an Editor/Producer/Writer. She is also a Muslim, Arab, immigrant woman living in America.  Apparently, all of those things together add up to an interesting set of experiences. So much so, she is writing her memoir.  After hearing her interview, you will want to read her book, The Wrong End of the Table: an Immigrant Love Story.

She told me lots of stories, such as when her sister was born in America and was nearly named Amanda, except Ayser was NOT HAVING THAT. In recent years, she has discovered that saying your real name to the barista is actually a radical political act that, though risky, is worth it. It is important to be seen and not hide in the shadows.

And no matter what, even at her own party, she always seems to find herself at the wrong end of the table.  Who doesn’t?

You can learn more about Ayser and read some of her work here:  www.aysersalman.com.

Episode 46: Stronger Than Pretty, Jaret Martino, Pat Branch, Marjorie LeWit

Stronger Than Pretty is a film about Jaret’s mother. She took her three children out of an awful situation and created a life for them all, despite everything she was expected to do as a nice Catholic girl in New York in the 70’s. In addition to that extraordinary tale, it is remarkable that her son recognizes the strength of her story and has created a piece to celebrate it. 

Jaret Martino is an actor and producer, with 10 films already under his producing belt, most of them with distribution. He is committed to hiring female crews on his projects to help counteract the dismal statistics for women in the industry.  He is a true feminist and is leading by example.

Pat Branch is a comedian, writer and teacher, and wrote the script for this project, with passion, humor and empathy.

Marjorie LeWit is an actor and director, who directed this film and the companion project Inner Warrior, which they tell us all about.

This is a master class in purpose driven content – purpose driven life. Their kindness, empathy and desire to bring people together drives their work and their lives. It is a joy to hang out with them, if only for an hour.

Remember this:  money is not what makes art.  Although, feel free to send the money anyway.  Strongerthanpretty.com.

Episode 45: Kat Coiro, Director

Kat is a Film, TV and Commercial Director.  For this, I call her a unicorn. She started as an actor but started to realize she wanted to have more influence on the final product. Kat went on to make a short with Funny or Die, where Janeane Garofalo told her to "stop f**&^%ing apologizing!" Oh, to have Janeane Garofalo yell at you!

Later she wrote and directed a beautiful film called And While We Were Here.  You can find it on Hulu.  It really is gorgeous. And she did it with no money. In Italy. While pregnant.  That is badass.

Currently, she is directing television - all your favorite shows, The Mick, Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce, and Alone Together.

She tells us her journey in directing, the state of women in the business, and what inspires her.

And, it turns out you can get big female stars to show up for your tiny shoot if you just ask them to act in a scene with another woman. With dialogue. This is the revolution.

And of course...preparation, preparation, preparation.

Episode 44: Jennifer Freed, Owner/President Trevanna Post

Jennifer is the Owner and President of Trevanna Post.  Trevanna is a post production accounting firm focusing on film and television, with offices in New York and Los Angeles.  She tells us her story from being the young blonde out of Stanford who “would never make it in Hollywood” to having a successful and thriving business for more than 20 years. Take that, naysayers. 

She talks about the importance of her mentor, working hard and learning as much as you can, and balancing a thriving family life – for herself and for her employees. And for the artists out there, we can’t emphasize enough how important the business and accounting side of this business is. It helps to make better creative decisions.

Episode 43: Taj Paxton, Filmmaker, Executive

Taj is the VP of Documentary Films at Logo. She is an award-winning producer, writer and filmmaker. As one of few Black and openly LGBT film executives, Taj proudly stands on the front lines of diversity and representation.

She started on Wall Street and became a filmmaker and executive.  Along the way she produced films, ran Forrest Whittaker’s company, wrote and sold a pilot, traveled, worked as a production executive, served on the Board for Outfest, and became a yoga teacher. As you do.

And from her bio, which I cannot state better: Taj interests lie at the intersections of art and social change. Her journey is filled with life lessons that cannot be confined to the boxes of gender, race and sexual orientation. She hopes her work will continue to shape the conversation around the kinds of stories we tell and that those stories become a tool for greater cultural understanding and cohesion.

We talked about loaves and fishes, redefining masculinity, and your gut perception of a woman as competent. And can we replace "minority" with "underrepresented?"

Episode 42: Baked Goodes

Five women, Erin Dooley, MacKenzie Horras, Molly Reynolds, Anna Mehle and Caryn Ruby got together to put on a show, and it became the webseries called Baked Goodes, which debuted on 4/20. Caryn was unable to join us this day, as she was out of town, but I had the rest “in studio.”

These women are go-getters.  They wanted to work, so they created it.  What struck me as so unusual about this bunch is that they worked by consensus. They really made the effort to reach consensus every step of the way.  Their process sounds unusually pleasant, collaborative, and efficient. They did a lot of work very quickly with very little budget.  It can be done.  They are badass.

Watch Baked Goodes here and tell all your friends.

Episode 41: Cady McClain, Director/Producer/Artist

Cady is an actor/producer/director/writer/musician….maybe it’s just easiest to call her an artist.  I know her best from playing Dixie Martin on All My Children.  If I couldn’t marry Tad, I’m glad it was she.

More recently, she directed Seeing is Believing: Women Direct – a documentary series that profiles female directors.  It premiers a week from today at the Newport Beach Film Festival.  You can get tickets here.  She is also directing and acting in Venice: The Series.

We talked about her journey as an artist, the heroine’s journey in life, and how women can uplift and support each other.  It was the very juicy talk of an artist.

You shouldn’t have to go deep into the woods, wearing a floral maxi skirt and smelling of patchouli in order to see and celebrate women’s contribution in storytelling. Although that's fun too.

Episode 40: Carole Angelo, Digital Creative and Producer

Carole is a Digital Creative and Producer at TBS/TNT.  She came up through the digital world at NBC when digital was barely a thing, and she helped create it.  Along the way, she launched some obscure series you’ve never heard of, like “Friends” and “Seinfeld.” And her digital work with “The Office” launched the writer’s strike.  Yup.  She is patient zero.  But, it all got worked out in the end.

We talked about growing up at a studio, negotiating (or not), and would I please stop bringing that up?!  This was a really fun interview, even though I’m pretty sure she drove off with my parking pass.

Episode 39: Beatriz Mascaro, Co-Executive Producer

Beatriz is a Co-Executive Producer on Teen Mom OG.  What’s OG?  She’ll tell us.  Her other credits include Say Yes to the Dress, Teen Mom, What Not to Wear, and A Wedding Story. She is producing Teen Mom while being knee deep in raising two tiny humans – one of them is less than a year old. She is a big team player, both at work and at home. 

We talked about raising the next generation of workers – and seriously, why is there so much parenting required at work? Here is the advice:  work hard every time.

I will warn you, the audio on this episode is not awesome.  I think her interview is worth it though, so try to stick with it.

Episode 38: Olivia Baptista, Multi-hyphenate

Olivia is the co-creator, writer, co-star and producer of Here We Wait, a new Indie web series drama available on YouTube and already getting a lot of attention, and a co-founder of the aptly named Multihyphenate Productions.  She already has several films under her belt, all of which seem to find homes at festivals and distribution.  She’s not messing around.

We talked about creating diverse projects, how sick Americans in Bosnia lose their appendixes, and how important it is to say YES! when the agent calls from LA and you’re sitting in New Jersey eating and bemoaning your fate.

Episode 37: Erin Dooley, Writer/Producer "A Way to Forgiveness"

Erin is a screenwriter and producer. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, she is now living and working in Los Angeles. She has written, directed, and produced two feature films, a number of shorts, and two web series as well as a feature documentary called "A Way to Forgiveness". 

We talked about her journey walking across Spain on the Camino de Santiago as a way to heal and find forgiveness as she dealt with the end of her 12-year marriage. She discusses forgiveness, the impact the film is having on people, and being an indie producer.

And as it turns out, forgiveness is not a one-time thing.  It’s a daily practice.

After listening to this, you will want to know more about Erin, buy her film and/or introduce her to Roma Downey.  You can reach her here:

"A Way to Forgiveness" website: http://awaytoforgiveness.weebly.com/

D.A.S.H. Entertainment website: www.dashentertainmentllc.com

Episode 36: Diana Chang, Producer

Diana is a Producer in the world of short form and social media. She currently works at the Food Network as a video producer for their Snapchat Discover channel.  At the time of this interview, she was at Mashable, creating Snapchat and social media content every single day.  As she said, the internet lived in her office. The pace is fast and furious and creativity is constant.  So fast, there doesn’t seem to be much time to discriminate.  That’s the good news.

This is a quick episode, but mostly because we talked really fast.

Episode 35: Jennie Lew Tugend, Producer

Jennie is a Producer. She has produced and co-produced some of the industry’s most memorable franchises:  Free Willy, Lethal Weapon and HBO’s Tales from the Crypt.  As she continues to develop and produce today, she is also sharing her experience by teaching film production at UCLA Extension and Columbia College Hollywood, and in 2016, she joined the faculty of AFI as a producing mentor. 

This episode jumps right into class and she talks about what makes a creative producer and what is the process of developing a film - it takes longer than you think, and sometimes the actor with a script in his back pocket turns out to be an amazing gift.

We eventually circled back to her history and how she came up through the ranks, all the way to a studio deal. Spoiler, she took a detour through a saloon.

And this: it’s not just who you know, it’s who you know and what they think of you.

Episode 34: Kirsten Schaffer, Executive Director WIF

Kirsten is the Executive Director of Women in Film, Los Angeles. Prior to WIF, she was the Executive Director of Outfest, the LGBT film festival and media arts organization. She tells us about her history as a student at Evergreen, working at film festivals in Seattle and Olympia, and juggling her life as a mother and wife in this busy city and this business.

Kirsten walks us through the work of Women in Film, as well as the initiative called Reframe - in conjunction with the Sundance Institute, aimed at improving gender parity in entertainment.  If you have been curious as to where all the gender chatter is culminating in action – this is it.

Episodes 31 &33: The Women of Brothers and Sisters

This was my first panel, and I loved it.  I sat down with the following women who ran the show Brothers and Sisters which aired on ABC for 5 years:

Sarah Caplan – Executive Producer

Suzanne Geiger – Unit Production Manager/Co-Producer

Cynthia Pusheck – Cinematographer/Director of Photography

Sally Sue Beisel-Lander – 1st Assistant Director/Co-Producer

Denny Dugally – Production Designer

Ida Lee Henderson-Williams – Production Accountant

Melina Root – Costume Designer

We talked about everything from what it was like to work on a female team, the changing landscape of the business, sexual harassment, salary negotiation, and getting the band back together.  They were very forthcoming and I really felt like they let me in on something special.

And Sarah baked us a cake.  As you do.

It will be presented in two episodes.