Shows
The Other 50%EP 234: Emily BestI caught up with Emily Best, the founder and CEO of Seed&Spark and also Film Forward, which is an experiential learning platform designed to activate the full potential of today's dynamic and diverse workforce by replacing boring corporate training videos with a cinematic learning experience built around award-winning short films from around the world. I've seen this program, it is so cool, and she's going to tell us about it. One of the things I love about this business, and I guess about life, is getting to see how people's careers develop and how they grow...2023-11-071h 00
Catch A Break PodcastEP 411: The Composer and the Sound Designer This is the last episode in our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. I hope you’ve enjoyed this series as much as we have. If you want even more, you can go to our website at catchabreakpodcast.com for pictures and transcripts. We’re already working on season 5 and we have some very interesting episodes lined up for you, so be sure to subscribe so you won’t miss an episode. For this final episode...2023-07-251h 08Catch A Break PodcastEP 410: The Post Production Process We are getting close to the end of our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping new episodes every day, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. For this penultimate episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with Erica Djafroodi, the post supervisor, and Byron Wong, the editor. We talked about how this was different from other jobs they've done and how it was working with a director who...2023-07-241h 06Catch A Break PodcastEP 409: The Production Sound Mixer and Video Assist Operator We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping new episodes every day, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. In this episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with Savanna Peters who is a video assist operator & Sara Glaser who is a production sound mixer. Both of these women are in very male dominated positions and departments and they share how they’ve navigated that, along...2023-07-2146 minCatch A Break PodcastEP 408: The Costume Designer and Hair Stylist We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping new episodes every day, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. In this episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with Rhonda O'Neal, the hair stylist, and Rahimah Yoba the wardrobe designer. Let's just say, it’s a miracle they even took this job, considering the phone call from the UPM seemed very suspicious...but we’ll let the...2023-07-2058 minCatch A Break PodcastEP 407: The Production Department We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping new episodes every day, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. In this episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with UPM Corey Sklov, Production Supervisor Miranda Pacheco and Assistant Production Office Coordinator (APOC) Fiona Widerman. There was a lot to unpack here, with logistics, night shoots, and contending with another production team on the other side of...2023-07-1957 minCatch A Break PodcastEP 406: The Cinematographer and the Gaffer We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping new episodes every day, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. In this episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with cinematographer Andrew Jeric and Gaffer Matt Hadley. These guys are going to tell how they did so much with so little to work with, budget-wise. Basically, technology is your friend. 2023-07-1856 minCatch A Break PodcastEP 405: The Locations, Stunts and Transportation Departments We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping new episodes every day, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. In this episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with location manager Yvette Yurcisin, stunt coordinator Dee Bryant and then later, transportation coordinator Sandra Ninham. These jobs are way more stressful than you might think, and these roles are not typically held by women, but these wom...2023-07-171h 10Catch A Break PodcastEP 404: The Art Department We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping these pretty fast, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. In this episode Julie Harris Oliver sat down with Production Designer, Martina Buckley, Set Decorator, Vince Rodriquez, and Set Dresser, Joel Newton. We learn all about Martina’s philosophy of Method Art Department, along with all of their other budget indie adventures in the art department. 2023-07-1456 minCatch A Break PodcastEP 402: An Actor and Casting Director of Project Greenlight We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter, the film inside of Project Greenlight, and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping these pretty fast, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. For this episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with Jessica Frances Dukes who plays Ayla in the film and Seth Yanklewitz, the casting director. This was such a juicy conversation, full of great advice for actors, it will stick with you...2023-07-1356 minCatch A Break PodcastEP 401: The Director and Producers of Project Greenlight This season is going to be such a special treat. This is the Catch a Break - Project Greenlight season. Hopefully, as a listener of this show, you are also aware of the show, Project Greenlight, and if not, go watch it now on Max. Project Greenlight is a docu-follow show of the making of an independent film by an emerging director. Well, lucky us, one of our founders, Jeanette Volturno was a producer on this season of the film inside of Project Greenlight, called Gray Matter, along with her producing partner and new friend of Catch a Break...2023-07-131h 13
Catch A Break PodcastEP 309: SEND IT TO THE LABHow do the lab, color correction, VFX complete the look of the film? In this episode, we learn more about post-production and how it all comes together in the lab. With us is an award-winning Cinematographer, Toby Oliver, VP of Fotokem’s services division, Jose Parra, and Digital Imaging Technician Oliver Mancebo.2021-11-0256 min
The Other 50%EP 208 Stephanie SanditzStephanie Sanditz is a writer, director, actress and producer from BROKEN HEART, MO - the name of her feature screenplay that won a Tribeca Film Festival All Access Award for New Voices in Screenwriting. She recently optioned feature film DANCE PARTY, a body-positive dance comedy she co-wrote, with Queen Latifah set to star. Recently, Stephanie wrote, starred and produced her pilot, THE HIGH LIFE pilot, starring opposite Amy Landecker, Linda Purl, Ron Perkins and Jesse Garcia then won BEST PILOT and BEST ACTRESS in the IMDB Independent Shorts festival, and the We Make Movies International and Hollywood...2020-10-0640 min
The Other 50%EP 207 Deborah SullivanAs The-Artery’s Managing Director and Executive Producer, Deborah Sullivan channels her extensive background in advertising, production, design, and visual effects into each and every project that she brings to life. Formerly at DDB New York, FCB New York, Berlin Cameron & Partners, RadicalMedia, as well as PeepShow Post Productions (to name a few), her global body of work spans throughout feature films, television programs, commercials/branded content, and music videos. Since joining The-Artery and helping to lead their team of artists, Deborah has partnered with some of the world’s leading brands including Pepsi, Under Armour, Verizon, Skyw...2020-09-2934 min
The Other 50%EP 206 Prathi SrinivasanFor this episode, I spoke with Prathi Srinivasan. Prathi is a talented writer and actress, known for “iZombie,” “A Girl's Guide to Her Early 20s,” and “Wasted.” As an immigrant who grew up in the bustling city of Chennai, India, moving to America was a culture shock for Prathi that resulted in her passion for characters who are stuck between where they come from and where they are going. She is the co-creator of “Bollyweird” as both an immigrant story and as a complex and rich LGBTQ story, and, alongside frequent writing partner Joshua Levy, their credits include “Titans” (DCUniverse/Netflix...2020-09-2247 min
The Other 50%EP 205 Michelle AmorMichelle Amor is a screenwriter and professor and last year she sold her show called THE HONORABLE to CBS. A one-hour drama about the city’s third elected Black mayor, a family woman of integrity, and a novice to politics, who rises from childhood poverty to the most powerful seat in the most politically corrupt city in the nation. Her other credits include PLAYIN’ FOR LOVE, OF BOYS & MEN, and TUPAC SHAKUR: BEFORE I WAKE, and this was all before finishing her degree. She is also a passionate Clinical Assistant Professor of screenwriting at Loyola Marymount University, and she was hon...2020-09-151h 21
The Other 50%EP 204 Dr. Nidhi GuptaFor this episode, I spoke with Dr. Nidhi Gupta. Nidhi is a medical doctor with England’s NHS service and a filmmaker. After working in the covid unit, she contracted covid herself and she is still recovering. At the same time, she is a filmmaker and is directing a documentary for which she is currently crowdfunding with the backing of funding platform Greenlit, which will examine the history of pandemics in interviews with scholars, activists and political figures. You have a few more days to contribute so go https://greenlit.fund/project/start-stop-repeat and chip in.2020-09-1156 min
The Other 50%EP 203 Sonya JF BarnettFor this episode, sat down with Sonya JF Barnett, Canada’s only IPA-Certified Intimacy Coordinator. Sonya has been working in the field of sexuality for over ten years. She founded Toronto’s esteemed Keyhole Sessions as a safe and welcoming community for artists to experience the union between sex and art. In early 2011, she co-founded SlutWalk as a way to combat victim-blaming and sexual profiling, for which she was named one of UTNE Reader’s Top Visionaries. She recently completed a specialist degree in Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto, and is pursuing her Master’s degree in Counsel...2020-09-0857 min
The Other 50%EP 202 Felischa MaryeFor this episode, I got to meet Felischa Marye, a graduate of the MFA screenwriting program at UCLA, who transitioned into the film industry after a successful career in public relations/integrated marketing in Chicago, where she was born and raised. While still in film school, she sold her first comedy pilot to HBO. She most recently created and produced a raunchy friends comedy series, set in Atlanta, called “Bigger,” for BET’s new streaming service, BET+, with Will Packer producing. Bigger Season 2 is currently in development. Felischa also wrote on two seasons of the hit Netflix series “13 Reasons Why.”2020-09-0153 min
The Other 50%EP 201 Lesli Linka GlatterFor this episode, I was lucky enough to meet Lesli Linka Glatter. Lesli is a director of film, network, and premium cable television drama, with both pilots and episodes to her credit. Lesli’s TV work includes Homeland, The Newsroom, The Walking Dead, Justified, Ray Donovan, Masters of Sex, True Blood, Mad Men, The Leftovers, The Good Wife, The West Wing, NYPD Blue, ER, Freaks and Geeks and Twin Peaks. Lesli has also directed numerous pilots including Gilmore Girls, Pretty Little Liars and SIX. Her films include Now and Then, The Proposition and for HBO, State of Emergency. Lesli is cur...2020-08-2554 min
The Other 50%EP200 Saraswathi (Vani) Balgam For this very auspicious episode, I sat down with my friend Saraswathi Balgam, aka Vani. She is a writer, director and creative producer with several award winning shorts and documentaries to her credit. She is currently developing a slate of animation and live action projects based on her original stories. Under the banner of her production company, Dancing Atoms, Vani is also overseeing several hand picked projects conceived by creatives in the USA and India. Previously, Vani served as the Head of Creative Management for DreamWorks Animation in Shanghai, where she championed Chinese storyboard artists to tell a...2020-08-1850 min
The Other 50%EP 199 Katica RoyKatica Roy is a gender economist and the CEO and founder of Denver-based Pipeline, an award-winning SaaS company that leverages artificial intelligence to identify and drive economic gains through gender equity. Pipeline launched the first gender equity app on Salesforce's AppExchange. The Pipeline platform was named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2019 and Fast Company’s 2020 World’s Most Innovative Companies. In 2017 Katica was named a Luminary by the Colorado Technology Association, in 2018 a Colorado Governor's Fellow, and in 2019 a Top 25 Most Powerful Woman in Business and a Stevie Entrepreneur of the Year, Gold Award. She is...2020-08-1148 min
The Other 50%EP 198 Eva DoležalováFor this episode, I sat down with filmmaker Eva Doležalová who was riding out the quarantine in Prague. Eva Trained as an actress, filmmaker and writer , but stepped behind the camera as an act of pure will. Her debut film Sound of Sun—starring herself, Suki Waterhouse and Sean Penn—is a dreamlike telling of what she calls her personal “tale of revelation” beckoning her to film. She purposefully brings a female point of view to filmmaking, creating vibrant experimental works of women’s empowerment such as Somino, Samice and Escape. Her campaigns for French fashion brands are lush examples...2020-08-0400 min
The Other 50%EP 197 Lorena GordonLorena is an award-winning writer-director. Hailing from Queens, Lorena began her journey working on sets at the age of eighteen with directors such as: Martin Scorsese, Sam Mendes, and Ben Stiller. The stories Lorena is most passionate about telling are about the human condition and the complicated facets of life. Lorena feels it’s her responsibility as someone who is a woman, Latina, and gay to be a voice to the disenfranchised. She has directed and produced short films: including Fallen Hero, The Uninvited, The Cure, Alone, and Times Like These. Most recently, Lorena wrote and directed th...2020-07-2838 min
The Other 50%EP 196 Paige Henderson and Nicole MurrayFor this episode, I got to catch up with Paige Henderson and Nicole Murray. Together, they have Svelte Dog Productions, under which they wrote, produced, and star in the webseries called Dead Friends. They both are from the Seattle area and graduated from the University of Washington, and by a weird coincidence moved to LA at the same time, and became roommates and collaborators. We had a great time doing this, maybe because we recorded this last January, before the world went completely mad.2020-07-2150 min
The Other 50%EP 195 Naomi McDougall Jones Part TwoI caught up with Naomi McDougall Jones to hear about what she's been up to since we last spoke. She has written a book called THE WRONG KIND OF WOMEN: INSIDE OUR REVOLUTION TO DISMANTLE THE GODS OF HOLLYWOOD, and toured with her movie called BITE ME. She's also teaching online filmmaker classes that you should check out: naomimcdougalljones.com/class 2020-07-1442 min
The Other 50%EP 194 Courtney Hope Therond Courtney Hope Therond is an award-winning director whose films feature an unapologetically female perspective. She has screened short films at several film festivals and her latest short Rehearsal, which tackles the grey areas of consent, premiered online on Short of the Week and received a Vimeo Staff Pick after playing over a dozen festivals internationally. Her film The Dress You Have On won multiple awards including two jury prizes and is distributed by Revry TV and Seed & Spark. Courtney’s digital series Comedic Timing was recently acquired by WhoHaHa and the screenplay for her digital series Between Us Girls was a fina...2020-05-1942 min
The Other 50%EP 193 Sophie MaxSophie Max is an actress, writer and producer based in London and trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. She is the writer, executive producer and lead actress in the film The Whole Truth and previous film work includes writing and starring in the award-winning Callie. As an actress, Sophie has been seen across theatre and film in New York and the UK. Sophie is also a poet and her book, lost and found, was published in January 2018 and is available on Amazon worldwide. Sophie is a proud advocate for womxn in the film industry...2020-05-0531 min
The Other 50%EP 192 Tanny Jiraprapasuke and Melissa CenterFor this episode, I got to speak with Melissa Center, an award-winning filmmaker & actress, and Tanny Jiraprapasuke, a mindful coach, practitioner, & scholar, who met by chance in Los Angeles, at the National Women’s Political Caucus Summer Spritz event. As women in support of other women: they discovered a mutual desire to shift the moral paradigm around closing the gender pay-gap, reevaluating hiring practices, and transforming organizations’ cultures. Melissa and Tanny decided to combine their talents, aligned values, and full dedication to affecting change for good. They are not trying to dismantle “systems,” but rather to interrupt the stat...2020-04-2157 min
The Other 50%Introducing Catch A Break Season 2Catch a Break has launched season 2. Here is the first episode of season 2 to get you started, featuring Todd and Earl Richey Jones, who got their start on In Living Color.2020-04-191h 04
The Other 50%EP 191 ASHLEY SHELTON Ashley got her start starring in the critically-acclaimed film, Something, Anything. She was also featured on 2015 IndieWire's year end critics poll best lead actress list. Ashley is a graduate inTheatre from the University of Tennessee and is passionate about telling stories from the heart. Her goals include bringing to life stories that give light to social issues and connecting with people through cinema. In 2018 her writing and directorial debut came to life with MAGNOLIA & CLEMENTINE that was featured in Amazon Prime's first ever film festival. We spoke remotely, before social distancing was the new normal.2020-03-3132 min
The Other 50%EP 190 Gabriela Ledesma and Callie SchutteraFor this episode, I got to speak with the founders of the production company Poison Pictures: Gabriela Ledesma and Callie Schuttera. The pair met in 2015 and have since written and produced countless projects together including comedy specials, feature films, live events, commercials, and documentaries. Their work has been featured and acclaimed by Film Pulse, CherryPicks, Film Threat, Film Inquiry, and more. We talked about their journeys, both before each other and together, and their film Blue, which you can find on Amazon Prime. 2020-03-1853 min
The Other 50%EP189 Mary MontiforteMary Montiforte is the Vice President of Physical Production at Endeavor Content. She originally came up through production accounting and producing as a freelancer, then moved into staff positions in production finance and physical production. Her longest stint was as a staff production controller for NBCUniversal before moving on to Lionsgate and now Endeavor Content. Some of her credits include 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Santa Clause 2, Thirteen Days, Air Force One and a crowd favorite The Commitments - just to barely scratch the surface. Amongst everything else, we talked about the tenacity it...2020-03-0535 min
The Other 50%EP 188 CAROLINA GROPPACarolina is a Brazilian born Emmy nominated producer living in Los Angeles. She produced the award winning and 2017 Emmy nominated documentary AUTISM IN LOVE, which explores how adults with autism find and navigate romantic relationships. Her narrative feature films include MISS VIRGINIA, starring Uzo Aduba, the Netflix Originals GIRLFRIEND'S DAY and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. She co-produced THE FEMALE BRAIN, Whitney Cummings' directing debut feature film, and also produced SYLVIE'S LOVE which had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. She also has her own podcast that you should check out – it’s called Life with Caca – It’s a p...2020-02-1842 min
The Other 50%EP 187 Becky Morrison The production process when it comes to film, television, and advertising has lately been seen as outdated and needs to be simplified to be able to adhere to society’s needs for more diverse creators and stories. When Becky Morrison founded The Light, a production studio in Brooklyn, NY, she did it with a simple mission: change the culture of production, overhauling an outdated model in favor of one founded on values of equality, transparency and inclusion. She aims to create a system that prioritizes people, profit and the environment, responding to the ever-evolving economic landscape of the advertising in...2020-01-1443 min
The Other 50%EP 186 EDITH MUDGE Edith is a composer and music producer. To date, her music has been placed in 790 episodes of 259 series. Due to her rigorous 3-year training at Hans Zimmer's Remote Control Productions and Bleeding Fingers, and 2 years of full-time composing at Jingle Punks, Edith has acquired a comprehensive set of musical, technical, and collaborative skills. Her composing credits include YouTube Premium series Step Up: High Water, Saturday Night Live, and Showtime's The Circus, as well as a plethora of reality TV series, including Queer Eye, Project Runway, and The Real Housewives franchise. She currently composes for TV, film, podcasts, live theater and more...2019-12-1045 min
The Other 50%EP 185 KATE CHAMURISKate Chamuris is a producer and director who recently won a Gold, Student Academy Award and a BAFTA student award for producing the American Film Institute short film MILLER and SON. She also produced the AFI thesis films, BALLOON and IF THIS IS WRONG. For the AFI Directing Workshop for Women, Kate produced UNSPEAKABLE and BLOCKS. Her directing work includes the comedic short A SARI FOR PALLAVI (winner, Best Comedy Short at Rhode Island International Film Festival). Prior to narrative filmmaking, Kate worked as an advertising account manager for ROLEX Global at J. Walter Thompson. W...2019-11-2036 min
The Other 50%EP 184 Thérèse PlummerTherese is an actor and award-winning audiobook narrator working in New York City. She has recorded over 400 audio books for various publishers. She won the 2019 Audie Award for her work on the multicast, Sadie by Courtney Summers for Macmillan Audio, and was nominated for the Multicast, Any Man, by Amber Tamblyn for Harper Audio and her solo narration for The Rogue: Planets Shaken by Lee W. Brainard for Podium Publishing. The American Library Association (ALA) awarded her work on Sourdough by Robin Sloan as part of the 2018 Listen List: Outstanding Audiobook Narration for Adult Listeners. Thérèse h...2019-11-1248 min
The Other 50%EP 183 MARY RACHEL GARDNERMary Rachel Gardner graduated from USC in 2013 with major studies in Acting, Business and Film Production; she also spent a semester abroad studying at a theatre conservatory in London. Mary Rachel gained hands on experience and knowledge working at production companies, such as Steve Carell’s Carousel Productions and agencies such as William Morris Endeavor. She also worked as a PA on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where she learned about the production and operation elements of running a live television show. Since graduating from USC, Mary Rachel founded her own film company Kalliste Zoe Productions to explore...2019-11-0547 min
The Other 50%182 Elizabeth Blake-Thomas and Isabella Blake-ThomasFor today’s episode, there was a happy miscommunication. I was meant to interview Elizabeth Blake Thomas, a director, via the internet, as I assumed she was in England. Well, she also assumed I was in England. Once we were on the phone, we realized we were actually down the street from each other. So, I jumped in my car and ran down to the Hollywood film festival, where I got to interview both Elizabeth, and her daughter Isabella Blake-Thomas. A very lucky two-fer! Together, Elizabeth (Director) and Isabella (Actor, Singer) have the production company Mother & Daughter Entertainment, whose film...2019-10-2235 min
The Other 50%EP 181: HEIDI NELHeidi previously served as the head of The Raben Group’s Impact Entertainment division where she provided pro‐social consultation to leaders in media, entertainment, and philanthropy. Clients included the American Film Institute, The Fledgling Fund, One Community, PBS, Sony Pictures TV, and YouTube, as well as independent filmmakers, artists, and change makers. With nearly two decades working in entertainment, advocacy, strategic communications, and public engagement, Heidi is a leader in the social impact field, with unique insight and expertise in advancing cultural and policy change through stories and film. Her issue‐area expertise includes criminal justice reform...2019-10-1546 min
The Other 50%EP 180 KATHLEEN COURTNEYKathleen has enjoyed working in the film and television industry for over 30 years. She has worked “on location” most of that time, shooting across this country as well as internationally. Over her career, she has served as Producer, Production Executive, Production Manager and Production Coordinator on feature films and most recently on TV. She is currently working on the Netflix hit 13 Reasons Why. Previous credits include Chance, Steve Jobs, San Andreas, The boy Next Door, and Because of Winn-Dixie. At one point, she was the head of production at a company called The Film Department. We talked all a...2019-10-0852 min
The Other 50%EP 179 Jessie Levandov and Nina ReyesJessie Levandov and Nina Reyes, 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 A...2019-09-2445 min
The Other 50%EP 178 NATALIE METZGERNatalie Metzger 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...2019-09-1733 min
The Other 50%EP 177 SUSIE SINGER CARTERSusie Singer Carter'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, which she’ll tell us all about, and you can see her dancing hip hop on faceb...2019-09-101h 03
The Other 50%EP 176 ELINE METSEline 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 th...2019-09-0329 min
The Other 50%EP 175 MARQUETTE JONES For today’s episode, I had a bit of serendipity. I went to the Produced By conference this summer and happened to sit down next to today’s guest. Marquette Jones is a filmmaker, an attorney, a professor, and she hosts a podcast called Directing Magic, where she interviews female filmmakers. As you can imagine, we had a lot in common, so I invited her to come to my table and have a conversation. Not only did I learn a lot about her and her career, but we also talked about podcasting and what drives us to do this, and...2019-08-271h 05
The Other 50%EP 174 LESLIE BELZBERG Leslie is a producer, most notably working with John Landis, on all of your favorite things, such as Three Amigos, Beverly Hills Cop III, Coming to America, Trading Places, Thriller, Sliders, Dream on, Blues Brothers 2000, Honey I Shrunk the Kids series, Crazy Heart and the list goes on and on and on, before she transitioned to being a production executive in house. At the time of this recording, she was at Gaumont, but has since transitioned to the Head of Production for Imagine Entertainment. She has always worked toward diversity, even an...2019-08-201h 03
The Other 50%EP 173 ELEANOR WELLSEleanor was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was a lover of film, writing, and storytelling from an early age. She has written and directed several short films, including Feature Presentation, about three lonely people in need of connection who find it at the movies as well as Tales from the Airwaves, a Mercury Theater-esque radio drama. She fell in love with the classics as a teenager, and is especially interested in portraying other eras. She firmly believes storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to empathize with and understand the lives of others. She t...2019-08-1338 min
The Other 50%EP 172 JEFFERY TOBIAS HALTERI originally interviewed Jeffery for episode 13, which you probably have to find on the website, since the podcast apps only keep the last 100 or so up. This was before #metoo and TimesUp and we were just exploring unconscious gender bias in the workplace. As a quick bio – Jeffery Tobias Halter is a gender strategist and the President of YWomen, a strategic consulting company focused on engaging men in women’s leadership advancement. Jeffery is the former Director of Diversity Strategy for The Coca-Cola Company. He is the author of two books including WHY WOMEN, The Leadership Imperative to A...2019-08-0638 min
The Other 50%EP 171 ANA LAKE AND JENNIE NYSTRÖMI sat down with Ana Lake and Jennie NystrÖm about their webseries "Tracy Buckles." A Los Angeles-based actress originally from the Central Coast, Ana Lake has been immersed in a love of film since childhood. She made her public debut in the short film Finding Home, For Now that she wrote and starred in. The film had its world premiere at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival in 2017. She plays the title role in Tracy Buckles. A graduate student of Clinical Psychology at Antioch University, Jennie Nystrom is an accomplished producer who enjoys co...2019-07-3038 min
The Other 50%EP 170 EMILY AGUILARFor today’s episode, I spoke with the prolific filmmaker, Emily Aguilar. She’s been out of college for about five minutes and has already made and sold three feature films. Emily is an award-winning film director in Los Angeles known for creating emotional impact for her audience in narrative films. She is the director and producer for The MomentEM Productions and has films distributed by Bridgestone, Pure Flix, The Dove Foundation and Amazon Prime. She is the founder of the 5th annual Global Impact Film Festival held in Washington, DC every August. A Washington DC native of Latino h...2019-07-2338 min
The Other 50%EP 169 LORNA LANDVIK Lorna is the author of twelve novels, including the best-selling Patty Jane’s House of Curl, Oh My Stars, Best to Laugh, Once in a Blue Moon Lodge, and my very favorite, Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons. She has also performed as a standup comedian and actor, and annually does her one woman show, Party in the Rec Room in Minneapolis. She serves margaritas to the audience while doing improv for the whole show. She’s a riot and this was fun. Her brand new novel: Chronicles of a Radical Hag (with R...2019-07-1637 min
The Other 50%EP 168 KAT ROSENFIELDKat is the Edgar nominated author of two young adult novels, and most recently collaborated with Stan Lee on his final project, the Audible Original Stan Lee’s Alliances: A Trick of Light. The title is one of Lee’s final collaborations and most innovative works created and finished in his lifetime, and I’m delighted I got to speak with his co-writer, Kat, about working with Stan Lee on this one-of-a-kind audio storytelling experience. Kat is a gifted writer who understands the complexity of youth culture and owning one’s voice when it comes to storytelling. Narrated by t...2019-07-0921 min
The Other 50%EP 167 FARHOUD MEYBODIAs EVP of Creative at Wayfarer Entertainment, Farhoud Meybodi sets and executes Wayfarer’s overall creative vision across feature film, documentary, series, and commercial content, further strengthening the company’s mission to create entertainment that compels social change. At his core, Farhoud is passionate about storytelling that entertains, educates, and inspires. He also believes in the transformational power of empathy and shared human experience to heal the political-social divide of the present day. Mostly recently, Farhoud directed and executive produced several episodes of Wayfarer’s flagship series, My Last Days. He received a Television Academy Honors...2019-07-0259 min
The Other 50%EP 166 MARIA MEALLAMaria was born in Bolivia and raised by storytellers that encouraged her to pursue filmmaking, a path which eventually led her San Francisco. She ventured into movie-making in 2010 and learned the craft through work trade by collaborating with other talented filmmakers on their projects. She has since written, produced and directed the feature film Women and Cigarettes, a collection of romantic short films titled Business Affairs, and a handful of shorts on lower-middle class millennials. She is the chapter leader of the SF Cinefemme Director’s Collective as well as an active member of Film Fatales. Her most recent fi...2019-06-2527 min
The Other 50%EP 165 LISA HAMMERLisa Hammer is a film director, writer and musician. She is best recognized as the voice of Triana Orpheus on the Adult Swim cartoon The Venture Bros. She has written/directed independent dark comedy feature and short films such as Pox and Pus$bucket, and the CMJ Film Festival winner The Invisible Life of Thomas Lynch which she co-wrote and co-directed with James Merendino (SLC Punk). Lisa's films have won awards from dozens of festivals including: the CMJ Film Festival, Telly Awards, Hugo Awards, It Came From Kuchar Film Festival, the Chicago Underground Film Festival, Canada International Screenplay Festival, Ontari...2019-06-181h 02
The Other 50%EP 164 SIGRID GILMER Today I talked with Sigrid Gilmer. Sigrid makes black comedies that are historically bent, totally perverse, joyfully irreverent and concerned with issues of identity, pop culture and contemporary American society. Sigrid burst onto the national theater scene with her play Harry and the Thief, an action film/historical/time travel play about a thief who is blackmailed into traveling back in time to deliver a cache of arms to Harriet Tubman. It has since been produced across the country, including runs at the Pavement Group (Chicago), the Know Theatre (Cincinnati), and the Skylight Theatre (LA). Additional select...2019-06-1140 min
The Other 50%EP 163 ANGELA COHENAngela is a writer and an actress with a degree from Emory University in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. In 2012, Angela founded Charley Bear Productions Inc, with a vision to affect change through art, showcasing the female perspective in front of and behind the camera. Charley Bear produced the dramatic short film, Without Grace, starring Angela alongside award winning actress Ann Dowd. It is wonderful and you should watch it. In fact, you should watch it today, as it is in the All Voices Film Festival on Amazon through June 17th. Finalists are based upon the numbers of v...2019-06-0450 min
The Other 50%EP 162 STAVROULA TOSKA AND ELENI YIOVAS Today I got to speak with Stavroula Toska and Eleni Yiovas about their award-winning series SWITCH. Switch is the story based on Stavroula’s experiences of going undercover and working as a dominatrix in New York City. Now before you pre-judge this, as I did, let me tell you, you have never heard anyone describe the BDSM world before in this way. Stavroula is the creator, writer, actor – coming from a long career as a filmmaker, and Eleni is an Executive Producer and actor. The series features no less than Olympia Dukakis, John Lindstrom, and Cady McClain, and episodes were...2019-05-281h 01
The Other 50%EP 161 LEE BRODALee is an Israeli-born poet who writes about the beauties – and uncertainties – of life from a distinctly observant perspective. Her first book of poetry; Whispers From the Moon is available now and she reads some of it for us. Lee is also a celebrated actor and producer, and is the founder of LB Entertainment, which develops, finances, and produces major independent films, where she has shepherded over thirty films to success. Additionally, Lee is the founder of the group Women Creating Change, an organization that bridges, empowers, and creates opportunities for female writers, directors, producers, and actor...2019-05-2133 min
The Other 50%EP 160 LORRAINE DEVON WILKELorraine is a writer, an actor, a musician, and activist - but today we talked mostly about the writing. In 2010 she launched her “arts & politics” blog, Rock+Paper+Music, and from 2011 to 2018 she was a popular contributor at HuffPost typically focused on politics and social issues. A produced and awarded screenwriter, she’s spent more recent years working in longform fiction as well. Both her award-winning novels, After the Sucker Punch and Hysterical Love, are available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Her latest, The Alchemy of Noise, contemporary literary fiction that digs deep into issues of privilege, profiling, an...2019-05-141h 02
The Other 50%EP 159 PAMELA DOUGLASPamela is an award-winning writer with numerous credits in television drama. She consults internationally with professional TV writers and producers, and has lectured in Africa, Europe, and throughout the US. She was awarded the Humanitas Prize for Between Mother and Daughter on CBS, and she has garnered multiple Emmy nominations and American Women in Radio and Television Awards for her other dramas. Her book “Writing the TV Drama Series” just came out in it’s 4th edition, and we talked about what is in the book and how to make it as a TV writer. She is also a...2019-05-0754 min
The Other 50%EP 158 INGRID KLEINIGIngrid is a stunt performer and stunt coordinator. She grew up in Australia and fell into the world of stunts while performing 140ft above the arena in the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games. Having toured the globe with renowned physical theatre company Legs on the Wall as well as the Sydney Theatre Company, she had formed a wealth of physical, technical & artistic vocabulary across multiple fields including directing & rigging that lent itself precisely to the stunt industry. Ingrid hails from a long line of professional drivers so vehicles became an early niche. She was one of...2019-04-3051 min
The Other 50%EP 157 T.L. QUACHT.L. is an independent filmmaker based in Los Angeles after studying Film Studies at UC Berkeley and working in production on major TV and Films in New York City. Her short films have been all over the festival circuit and her short film, Rule of Threes, won an Award of Merit for Women Filmmakers at the Accolade Global Film Competition and an Award of Merit at One-Reeler Film competition. She is currently developing a new screenplay and also producing her first screenplay, Crave, into a feature film. Which she will tell us all about.2019-04-2347 min
The Other 50%EP 156 LIZ JENKINSLiz is the Chief Financial Officer of Hello Sunshine, the media brand founded by Reese Witherspoon. She tells us all about the company, their mission, and their culture. It’s as good as you imagined. Liz was formerly the senior vice president of corporate development and strategy at Media Rights Capital. While there, she worked on the deal to bring House of Cards to Netflix, which was then written up as a Harvard Business Review business case, and she talks it about it here as well. Liz is very much one of the best and brightest, and I’...2019-04-161h 10
The Other 50%EP 155 KAILI HOLLISTERKaili is an actor with The Actors’ Gang in Los Angeles. Her debut was in October Sky, and she has been acting on stage and in film ever since. We talked about her reluctant yet guided journey into acting, meeting Tim Robbins and joining The Actors’ Gang, and living every day with the responsibility of an artist. And this - it can be a long journey in your body to joy. And, she has a beautiful love story. This is episode is little long. But, trust me, as long as I am moved to tears, I’m...2019-04-091h 19
The Other 50%EP 154 MELINDA MCLAUGHLINMelinda is the Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme Reach. You may notice that Extreme Reach is the sponsor of this podcast, so that’s how I met her, but I would have interviewed her regardless. She tells us a bit more about the company, and we talked a lot about her journey in her work life. How important it is to be authentic, how self-awareness is key to leadership, and how knitting might be the key to everything. And how highly paid executives will still tackle each other when something is being given away for fr...2019-04-0259 min
The Other 50%EP 153 MARI MEYERMari is a writer, journalist, filmmaker and actor. She holds a BA in Journalism and completed the 3 Year Conservatory program at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York. As a journalist, she has over ten years of experience in news, art and entertainment journalism, both in the Netherlands and in the U.S. She is producer and director of VAGILANT, a short documentary film about the Women's March on Washington and was the lead producer on music video project A Whole New World. She co-wrote, produced and starred in The Soothing System, an award winning...2019-03-2653 min
The Other 50%EP151 MICHELLE SALCEDOToday I got to speak with Michelle Salcedo. Michelle directed a gorgeous short film called Piel Canela, that she shot in Cuba and which is screening at several film festivals this week. It will be premiering at the San Diego Latino Film festival March 23, as well as the Chicago Latino Film Festival March 29, and 31st, with a Miami screening happening first weekend in April at the Indie Pasión Film festival! So, if you are anywhere near any of those places, make a point of going to see it. I have seen the trailer and it is gorgeous. You c...2019-03-2156 min
The Other 50%Ep 151 JUDY JEAN KWONToday I got to speak with Judy Jean Kwon. Judy is a creative multi-hyphenate. She’s an actress, a comic, a writer, producer, podcaster, creator…she does all the things. Her webseries, MILFriend will be screened on March 22nd at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres at the Golden State Festival. She is about to tell us all about it, along with her very interesting personal story and being perfectly poised to have great success during the United Colors of Benetton advertising era.2019-03-1942 min
The Other 50%EP 150 AMANDA BLUMENTHALToday 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 a...2019-03-1247 min
The Other 50%Jenny BuccosJenny 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 wi...2019-03-0552 min
The Other 50%EP 148 AYSER SALMANToday 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 bo...2019-02-2838 min
The Other 50%EP 147 MATT BIRCHI 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...2019-02-261h 08
The Other 50%EP 146 ALLIE BOETTGERI 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 wr...2019-02-1952 min
The Other 50%EP145 EDEN YOUNG AND CATHERINE NATALEToday 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 se...2019-02-1243 min
The Other 50%EP 144 SUSANNE PREISSLERSusanne 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.2019-02-0555 min
The Other 50%EP 143 LISA EBERSOLEFor 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.2019-01-2944 min
The Other 50%EP 142 LAURA MARIA CENSABELLAThis 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, and there i...2019-01-2544 min
The Other 50%EP141 KIM GRUENENFELDERKim 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. H...2019-01-2259 min
The Other 50%EP 140 JILL GILBERTI 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.2019-01-1546 minThe Other 50%EP 139 ANNE KELLEY AND LANE ALLISONToday I’m putting a special bonus episode because it is time-sensitive and I know you are not going to want to miss it. 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, and it’s 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. W...2019-01-1200 minThe Other 50%EP 138 JULIA CAMARATo 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 l...2019-01-0800 minThe Other 50%EP 137 PAULINA LAGUDIFor this last episode of this year, I sat down with Paulina Lagudi. She 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.2018-12-2600 minThe Other 50%EP 136 MEGAN WOEPPELMegan 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.2018-12-1800 minThe Other 50%EP 135 APPARENTLYJACK'S JACQUELINE LEGAN AND KATIE KOEBLITZJacqueline 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 narra...2018-12-1100 minThe Other 50%EP 134 JULIA LYNN HUFFMANJulia 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 jus...2018-12-0400 minThe Other 50%EP 133 ALLY ISEMANAlly 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...2018-11-2700 minThe Other 50%EP 132 SASHEEN R. ARTISSasheen 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 Ro...2018-11-2000 minThe Other 50%EP 131 MONIQUE SORGENMonique 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. ...2018-11-1300 minThe Other 50%EP 130 ELLEN GERSTEINEllen is an award-winning writer, director, producer, and actor. She is a member of: Women In Film, The Alliance of Women Directors, LA Film Team, Film Independent, The Actors Studio and SAG-AFTRA. Apart from having a million credits in film, television and theatre, she has also worked as a psychotherapist, and a stand-up comic. Without sounding too biased, this is one of my very favorite interviews. If you have ever studied acting in New York, this will take you back. Ellen is delicious, and prepare yourself, you are about to fall in love with her.2018-11-0600 minThe Other 50%EP 129 SUE OBEIDISue is the Director of the Hollywood Bureau of the Muslim Public Affairs Council or MPAC. Since MPAC’s Hollywood Bureau was launched in 2011, Sue has blended the love of her faith with her love of film, television, and digital series to change and expand the narrative of Islam and Muslims in the entertainment industry. Behind the scenes, Sue engages decision makers and creatives to improve the quality and number of authentic, nuanced, and inclusive presentations of Islam and Muslims so that audiences can see Muslims as vital contributors to creating social and cultural change in America and around the...2018-10-3000 minThe Other 50%EP 128 SHIRLEY DAVISShirley Davis is a film and television production executive, lecturer and speaker. As of this publishing, Shirley is consulting with Imagine Television as they begin to rollout their production arm. Prior to this, Shirley was the Executive Vice President and Head of Physical Production at Alcon Entertainment, where she oversaw projects such as Blade Runner, Point Break Prisoners and Dolphin Tale 1 and 2. In addition to numerous film and television credits, Shirley was Co-Executive Producer for several digital projects for Mark Burnett Productions, MTV Networks, AOL, and Yahoo, where she had an inside view...2018-10-2300 minThe Other 50%EP 127 KRISTA HOVSEPIANKrista is an actor, writer and producer and stars in the webseries she created, “Wholesome Foods I love you….is that OK?” Originally from Canada, she has done many things in her life from synchronized swimming to a masters in visual anthropology. She is a true Californian at heart though, as you will hear in our conversation.2018-10-1600 minThe Other 50%EP 126 NELL SCOVELLNell wrote JUST THE FUNNY PARTS...And a Few Hard Truths About Sneaking into the Hollywood Boys’ Club. This is a hilarious must read. I read it twice and ate it whole. In addition to that gem of a book, Nell Scovell is a television and magazine writer, producer, director and collaborator on the #1 New York Times bestseller Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. She is the creator of the television series Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and her TV writing credits include The Simpsons, Coach, Monk, Murphy Brown, Charmed and NCIS. She has directed tw...2018-10-0900 minThe Other 50%EP 125 JOANNE HARRISJoAnne is a composer, conductor and orchestrator. Among many other credits, Joanne was the composer on the web series Baked Goodes which was also featured on this podcast on Episode 42. She tells me her story from being a choral music education major, to becoming a composer, conductor and orchestrator for film and tv. Like many of us, she has her sexual harassment story, but it also comes with the powerful man in the room who stood up for her and shut it down. More of that please. We talked about her journey, her mentor, and...2018-10-0200 minThe Other 50%SARA LASCHEVER, "WOMEN DON'T ASK"Sara is the co-author, with Linda Babcock, of two groundbreaking books about women and negotiation, Women Don’t Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation—and Positive Strategies for Change and Ask for It! How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want. From Sara’s bio, “Whether they want higher salaries, better career opportunities, or more help at home, women are much less likely than men to ask for what they want. When women do ask, they tend to mimic the forceful, competitive negotiating style favored by men, which often backfires. Sara loo...2018-09-2500 minThe Other 50%CHELSEA RIVERA AND TAYLOR C. BAKERChelsea and Taylor have a series on Seeka TV called Female Friendly, about two unemployed friends who decided to start a female friendly porn production company. They are Writers, Producers and Actors, and we had a great time chatting at my table. They tell me all about their journey finding their way in Hollywood and all the creeps that have offered to sleep with them to help their careers. And spoiler alert, you don’t need to sleep with creeps to make it in Hollywood. You can find their series here: http://www.femalefriendlyseries.com2018-09-1800 minThe Other 50%TERRI EDDA MILLERTerri is a Creator, Executive Producer and Showrunner. Watch her season finale of Take Two tonight on ABC. She was also the executive producer of the award-winning hit ABC series “Castle” for its first seven seasons. Terri is an award-winning writer and director of numerous shorts and documentaries. Her films have appeared worldwide, including top Sundance and International Film Fest favorite “DysEnchanted,” starring Alexis Bledel, Sarah Winter and Jim Belushi. She has developed features and television pilots with DreamWorks, NBC, Disney and ABC. Miller serves on both the executive committee of the board of Young Storytellers and on the bo...2018-09-1300 min