Shows
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastSpecial Live Episode: Terry Washington, Music & Visual Content Executive, Zane Ryder ManagementFor this episode, Randi and the SeriesFest team traveled to Berkeley, California for a special live taping on the University of California campus. Our special guest, Terry Washington, brought his unique perspective on both the television and music industry to the students, staff, and audience. This special program is presented in partnership with Xfinity.Having grown up in the industry, Terry Washington inherently has a passion for music and entertainment. That passion has led him to manage and oversee tours around the world with platinum recording artist like Chris Brown, Eric Benét, and The Fugees. He h...
2022-01-2555 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E13: Jessika Borsiczky, Writer/Director & Executive ProducerOn the season finale of Breaking In, Kaily sits down with Writer, Director & Executive Producer, Jessika Borsiczky. Jessika talks about her industry path, upcoming projects, and the unique challenges she faces as a creator.Jessika Executive Produced ABC’s "Flash Forward," and has run television programs including Showtime’s "House of Lies," starring Don Cheadle and Kristin Bell—where as Executive Producer, she both wrote and directed on the series. She Executive Produced and directed season four of Hulu’s critically acclaimed "UnReal, and in addition she has directed on Marvel’s "Cloak and Dagger," Netflix’s "Lucifer," an...
2021-12-0747 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E12: Krista Vernoff, Showrunner/Exective Producer, "Grey's Anatomy," "Station 19" with Special Guest: Jay HaydenIn a special SeriesFest Insiders episode, Kaily chats with Krista Vernoff about how she came to Shondaland, and the challenges of showrunning for both "Grey's Anatomy" and "Station 19." Actor, Jay Hayden also joins the conversation as a special guest.Krista was Head Writer and Executive Producer of “Grey’s Anatomy” for the first seven seasons and returned as Showrunner in season 14. She currently serves as the Showrunner and Executive Producer of both “Grey’s Anatomy,” and "Station 19." Prior to that, Krista served as a Writer and Executive Producer of Showtime’s “Shameless” for five seasons, and has written for...
2021-11-3028 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E11: Chris Wagner, Founder/CEO, White Label ProductionsToday, Kaily and Randi sit down with Chris Wagner, Founder and CEO of White Label Productions. Chris chats about the void he found in the industry for creating his own production company and some of the popular shows he produces, including "The Masked Singer," and "Savage X Fenty Show, Volume 3."With 20 years of experience, Chris has overseen more than $2.5B in TV budgets and has helped run companies, as well as starting three of his own, focusing on production services. As the Founder & CEO of White Label Productions, Chris has overseen series such as "The Masked Singer" f...
2021-11-2336 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E10: Schele Williams, Musical Theatre Director, Hidden Figures, AidaOn today's episode, Kaily sits down with renowned musical theatre director, and founding member of Black Theatre United, Schele Williams. Schele breaks down her industry path, as well as her latest projects, including the children's book, Your Legacy: A Bold Reclaiming of Our Enslaved History.Profiled as "Variety's 2020 Top 10 Broadway to Watch," Schele is a director committed to cultivating new musicals and devised work with authentic representation onstage and off. She has directed at regional theaters and festivals across the country and has a long history of work on Broadway in Rent, Aida, and Motown: The Musical...
2021-11-1646 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E9: Sarah Burgess, Head Writer & Showrunner, "Impeachment: American Crime Story"On today's special SeriesFest Insiders episode, Randi discusses "Impeachment: American Crime Story" with Head Writer, Showrunner & Executive Producer, Sarah Burgess.Sarah is a New York playwright and screenwriter. Her play Dry Powder won the 2016 Laurents Hatcher Prize, was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and was nominated for an Olivier Award in London. It premiered at the Public Theater in a production directed by Thomas Kail, starring Claire Danes, John Krasinski, Hank Azaria and Sanjit De Silva. Burgess’ additional plays include Kings (Public Theater world premiere) and Camdenside (Ground Floor selection, Berkeley Rep), and she ha...
2021-11-1045 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E8: David Person, Director of Original Programming & Production, IFCOn today's episode, Kaily sits down with David Person, Director of Original Programming & Production at IFC. David talks about his interesting path through the industry and the fine art of pitching projects.David currently co-oversees IFC TV’s linear originals in development and current programming, and he recently joined AMC Studios where he develops, packages, and strategizes selling original television shows to the marketplace. Before venturing into television, David produced documentary feature films, several dramatic narrative feature films, and animation projects for Brain Zoo Studios like Microsoft Screensavers and LEGO Star Wars commercials. David was on our Se...
2021-11-0248 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E7: Tamir Muhammad, Producer Of Film & Television, Founder of PopulaceToday Randi is sitting down with Tamir Muhammad, producer of film & television, and Founder of Populace. Tamir discusses his fascinating career while also talking about his love for working with new stories and artists.Tamir previously oversaw OneFifty at Warner Media (formerly Time Warner Inc.), including developing & producing the original slate. Under his direction, OneFifty incubated several boundary-pushing projects before positioning them in the company’s divisions (Warner Bros., HBO, & Turner). Prior to joining Warner Media, Muhammad was VP, Content Development, for Tribeca Enterprise's Digital Studios, overseeing development. He also previously served as VP of Film, TV an...
2021-10-2642 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E6: Claire Taylor, Director of Programming, SeriesFestThis week, Kaily sits down with SeriesFest Director of Programming, Claire Taylor. Claire talks about exciting opportunities at the nation's premiere episodic festival as well the important value festivals still hold for content creators.A proud member of SeriesFest since 2015, Claire currently serves as the Director of Programming where she oversees all programming for the annual festival, including the independent series competitions, as well as all of year-round initiatives and professional development opportunities. Before joining the SeriesFest team, Claire focused on applying her passion for storytelling through producing theater and television for Triptyk Studios based in New...
2021-10-1951 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E5: Nick Morton, Producer/Comedian, Whitewater FilmsOn today's episode, Randi chats with Producer/Writer/Comedian Nick Morton. Nick lets us in on the process of creating and shopping two independent pilots, while also maintaining a career as a comedian and podcaster.Nick Morton is a writer, producer and stand-up comedian. He wrote the recent pilot “Cooper’s Bar” which stars Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul) and Lou Mustillo (Mike and Molly) which premiered at SXSW and SeriesFest: Season 6 in 2020 and was picked up by AMC Networks this spring. He also wrote the Sundance pilot, "Halfway There," that stars Matthew Lillard and Blythe Danner that w...
2021-10-1246 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E4: Lisa Ammerman, Partner & Executive Producer, Treefort MediaOn this episode, Kaily & Randi are speaking with Lisa Ammerman, Executive Producer and Partner at Treefort Media. Lisa discusses her path through the industry, from late night television to embracing the unique and new challenges in the world of podcasting and audio storytelling.Lisa Ammerman has more than 20 years of experience as a producer, journalist and booker. As a senior producer at "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," she earned a Peabody Award for a special featuring Archbishop Desmond Tutu. More recently, she was vice president of talent booking at CBS Entertainment, where...
2021-10-0538 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E3: Sherwin Shilati, Director, "Lucifer," "Trinkets," "Riverdale"Today, Kaily chats with television and film director, Sherwin Shelati. Sherwin carves a unique path through the industry by helming one of the very first successful webisodic series', leading him on a path to directing episodes for "Lucifer," "Trinkets," and "Riverdale."By the age of 23, Sherwin had worked on hit television series, "Lost" and directed the award winning comedic short film "I Kicked Luis Guzman in the face," and went on to direct the award winning web series "merrime.com." Sherwin’s feature film debut, People You May Know was released by The Orchard in...
2021-09-2844 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E2: Emily Best, CEO & Founder, Seed&SparkOn today's episode, Kaily and Randi sit down with the Founder & CEO of Seed&Spark, Emily Best. Emily shares her unique story of becoming an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry.Seed&Spark’s platform and national education program have helped thousands of bold storytellers raise millions to bring to life entirely new stories, and Seed&Spark delivers those stories into workplaces for employee training, engagement, and intelligence through their proprietary Impact Screening Platform. Prior to Seed&Spark, Emily produced and acted in theater in New York, which led to producing her first feature fi...
2021-09-2147 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastS2 E1: Katie Lowes & Adam Shapiro, Actor/CreatorsIn the season two premiere, Kaily sits down with actors, Katie Lowes & Adam Shapiro. The real-life couple discuss navigating the challenges for young artists trying to break in, and creating work that reflects who you are as an artist.Best known for starring as Quinn Perkins on the ABC hit series “Scandal,” Katie is a force on stage, screen and behind the mic. She has guest starred on other hit series such as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice,” and “The Sopranos,” she made her Broadway debut in the Tony Nominated Musical Waitress, and she is currently airing the fourth season o...
2021-09-141h 11
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastE10: Jacqueline Pereda, Creator/Actor, "Generation Por Que?"Today, Kaily chats with Jacqueline Pereda, creator of the HBO Latino short pilot "Generation Por Que?" Jacqueline talks about the challenges of being an independent creator and the path to her first TV pilot being picked up by HBO.Jacqueline has written, directed and produced over 20 comedic shorts and musical parodies in NYC and on her YouTube channel. Including her weekly satirical news show, The Ethnically Ambiguous News Hour. Her comedy has also appeared on TruTV, Funny or Die, Mas Mejor, WhoHaha, Brown Girl Magazine, the Women in Comedy Festival and Brooklyn Comedy Festival. She is a...
2021-07-2730 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastE9: Ian Duff, Actor, New Amsterdam, The Republic of SarahOn today's episode, Kaily and Randi talk with actor, Ian Duff. Ian discusses his education, philosophies on acting and the road that's led him to his roles on hit television series'.Ian Duff is an actor and Neighborhood Playhouse Graduate. He recently completed a recurring arc on NBC's hit show "New Amsterdam" and appeared on the big screen in Shaka King's Oscar-nominated film Judas and the Black Messiah. He currently can be seen starring as a series regular in The CW's "The Republic of Sarah," which debuted on June 14th. Ian joined as back at SeriesFest Season 3 w...
2021-07-2040 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastE8: Tom Verica, Senior Creative Production Advisor, ShondalandOn today's conversation, Kaily chats with Shondaland's Senior Creative Production Advisor, Tom Verica. Tom discusses his unconventional path to directing television, as well as his desires and strategies for championing new directors into the industry.At Shondaland, Tom aids in the creative vision and production for all series' or films produced and acts as a liaison for talent and new showrunners. As an actor, you’ll recognize Tom from his work playing Jack Pryor in the NBC drama "American Dreams" and Viola Davis’ husband Sam Keating on ABC’s "How to Get Away with Murder;" among others. As a d...
2021-07-131h 07
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastE7: Sarah Adina Smith, Writer/Director, Everything Is EverythingOn today's episode, Kaily sits down with writer, director, editor, and producer, Sarah Adina Smith. Sarah discusses her pathway into the industry, and the differences between helming films, original TV pilots, and established episodic series'.Sarah Adina Smith has helmed multiple feature films including Buster's Mal Heart, which gave Academy Award winner Rami Malek his first lead role in a feature. Sarah also has directed pilots and episodes of television for Amazon, Hulu, HBO and FX. Currently she is in post-production on a feature from a script she wrote called Birds of Paradise for Amazon Studios, and a...
2021-07-0649 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastE6: Austin Winsberg, Creator/Executive Producer, "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist"In this special live broadcast, as part of SeriesFest Insiders, Kaily and a creative audience chat with Writer/Producer, Austin Winsberg, creator of "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist." Austin gives the live audience key insights on pitching, show-running, and how he broke into the industry.Winsberg’s other television credits include "Gossip Girl" and "Jake in Progress," where he served as a creator and executive producer—the youngest showrunner in ABC history. Winsberg is the book writer of the Broadway musical “First Date,” which began its run at the Longacre Theatre on Broadway in 2013. He currently has multiple active projects...
2021-06-2946 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastSeriesFest: Season Seven | Where the Hell Am I? Q&AWhere the Hell Am I?Where the Hell Am I? is a paranormal adventure comedy podcast where Chelsea takes her best friend Tenea to an undisclosed haunted location to spend the night, learn the history, and investigate the current paranormal inhabitants. Tenea never knows where she is until she is in the recording chair and asks, "Where the Hell Am I?".Q&A features Director of Programming for SeriesFest, Claire Taylor, creator, Chelsea Bryan & co-host, Tenea Intriago
2021-06-2314 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastSeriesFest: Season Seven | Where the Hell Am I?Where the Hell Am I?Where the Hell Am I? is a paranormal adventure comedy podcast where Chelsea takes her best friend Tenea to an undisclosed haunted location to spend the night, learn the history, and investigate the current paranormal inhabitants. Tenea never knows where she is until she is in the recording chair and asks, "Where the Hell Am I?".
2021-06-2355 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastSeriesFest: Season Seven | Three's Company's Adventure Department Q&AThree's Company's Adventure DepartmentTom, Yaz, and Michael have been making theatre together since they were children and, despite still not making any money from it, they are determined not to give up their childhood dreams. Their latest venture is to record a serious theatre podcast, to get them respected in the industry, but this is unfortunately interrupted each episode by a call to go on an adventure. These adventures take place in a different genre in each episode. Following the success of their first mission, they decide to continue adventuring as a way to keep their...
2021-06-2311 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastSeriesFest: Season Seven | Three's Company's Adventure DepartmentThree's Company's Adventure DepartmentTom, Yaz, and Michael have been making theatre together since they were children and, despite still not making any money from it, they are determined not to give up their childhood dreams. Their latest venture is to record a serious theatre podcast, to get them respected in the industry, but this is unfortunately interrupted each episode by a call to go on an adventure. These adventures take place in a different genre in each episode. Following the success of their first mission, they decide to continue adventuring as a way to keep their childhood...
2021-06-2342 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastSeriesFest: Season Seven | The Seriously Darkest Timeline Q&AThe Seriously Darkest Timeline In the year 2124 things are as bad as they've ever been: robot sex tapes are headline news, the pacific garbage island has just declared independence from the United States, and worst of all, lava bubbling up in L.A. has made traffic a real nightmare. The Earth's richest citizens are all packing up and immigrating to the Mars colony, and everybody else is left scrapping over insect burgers. Massively powerful corporate entities are the douchebags calling the shots as they struggle to maintain an image of normalcy for an increasingly unstable public. Vee Kingston...
2021-06-2311 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastSeriesFest: Season Seven | The Seriously Darkest TimelineThe Seriously Darkest Timeline In the year 2124 things are as bad as they've ever been: robot sex tapes are headline news, the pacific garbage island has just declared independence from the United States, and worst of all, lava bubbling up in L.A. has made traffic a real nightmare. The Earth's richest citizens are all packing up and immigrating to the Mars colony, and everybody else is left scrapping over insect burgers. Massively powerful corporate entities are the douchebags calling the shots as they struggle to maintain an image of normalcy for an increasingly unstable public. Vee...
2021-06-2321 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastSeriesFest: Season Seven | Feminist Foremothers Q&AFeminist Foremothers Q&AFeminist Foremothers explores the complicated lives and surprising pop culture legacies of notable "foremothers" — the influencers of their time. Which social platform would suit them best today, and should you follow, unfollow, or press pause?Q&A features Director of Programming for SeriesFest, Claire Taylor, and creators Emily Christensen & Lela Meadow-Conner
2021-06-2316 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastSeriesFest: Season Seven | Feminist ForemothersFeminist ForemothersFeminist Foremothers explores the complicated lives and surprising pop culture legacies of notable "foremothers" — the influencers of their time. Which social platform would suit them best today, and should you follow, unfollow, or press pause?
2021-06-2350 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastE5: Rachel Myers, Director, Shondaland Women's Directing MenteeOn today's episode, Kaily talks with director, Rachel Myers. Rachel discusses her career, the challenges women face in the industry, and how programs like the Shondaland Women's Directing Mentorship have helped give women like her a seat at the table.Rachel has been creating work, both in front of and behind the camera for over 20 years, collaborating on over 150 film, theater and television productions. Her short film “Wendy’s Shabbat” premiered at the Tribecca Film Festival in 2018 and went on to qualify for the 2019 Academy Awards. As a production designer Rachel has worked on television series for HULU...
2021-06-2249 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastE4: James Lafferty & Stephen Colletti, Creators, "Everyone Is Doing Great"On today's episode, Kaily and Randi are sitting down with multi-hyphenate artists, James Lafferty and Stephen Colletti. James and Stephen discuss navigating the industry as independent creators, crowd-funding their project, and selling their show to Hulu.James Lafferty and Stephen Colletti, best known for their work on the popular television series “One Tree Hill," wrote, produced, and starred in "Everyone Is Doing Great," which screened it’s pilot at SeriesFest Season 4, took home the award for Best Comedy writers and returned Season 5 to premiere their second episode. Colletti and Lafferty crowd-funded the first season of the series, achi...
2021-06-1551 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastE3: Valerie Stadler, Founding Partner, Big Swing ProductionsFor this episode, Kaily and Randi are speaking with producer, Valerie Stadler. Valerie discusses her humble beginnings in the industry, where they led her, and how she has grown into a champion for new storytellers.Valerie Stadler started her career as the co-founder of Fat Chance Films where she developed the play PREY FOR ROCK & ROLL, which was adapted into a feature film. She then went on to produce CAVE-DWELLER for Showtime starring Kyra Sedgwick and Aidan Quinn, LIFE OF A KING starring Cuba Gooding Jr, SUNSET STORIES—which also marked her debut as a screenwriter—and the...
2021-06-0852 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastE2: Emil Pinnock, Director/Producer/Writer, Unleashing Giants StudiosFor our second episode, Kaily sits down with director, writer, producer Emil Pinnock. Emil shares how he sold his original pilot after screening at SeriesFest, and how his production company, Unleashing Giants Studios, went on to develop new projects for Blumhouse Productions, Entertainment Studios, Radar Pictures, Atmosphere Entertainment, and more.Originally from Harlem, New York, Emil has been active in the film industry for over 20 years. As a writer/director, Emil has led over ten projects, including his breakout independent series, "Up North," which premiered at SeriesFest Season 3 and took home a number of significant awards, including...
2021-06-0148 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastE1: Jeremy Gold, President of Production, Blumhouse TelevisionFor our inaugural episode, Kaily sits down with producer and executive, Jeremy Gold. Jeremy shares how his career unfolded from actor to theater producer to executive working in television, and gives his insight on auditions, the development process and pitches.Jeremy joined Blumhouse Television in 2016 and is currently serving as President of Production. Under Gold, the indie studio has produced such projects as "Sharp Objects," "The Loudest Voice," "The Good Lord Bird," and the new docu-crime series "Fall River" on Epix. Before Blumhouse, Jeremy served in leadership positions at Endemol Shine Studios, Twentieth Century...
2021-05-2546 min
Breaking In: A SeriesFest PodcastBreaking In: TeaserInspiring, educating and advising listeners on how to combat what feels like a closed-door system, "Breaking In" is an extension of SeriesFest's mission to champion and empower artists at the forefront of episodic storytelling. Guests include working professionals in television such as executives, producers, agents, directors, writers, actors, and independent content creators who share their insider knowledge.
2021-05-2202 min