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 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.

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. 

Episode 30: Kelli Konop, Production Executive

Kelli Konop is the EVP of Physical Production at Good Universe.  Kelli jumped into this industry as a producer.  Mostly because she read a book and knew she could.  And she did. (Lean in, sisters!)  Her credits include: Juno, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, the Harold and Kumar series, Whip It, The Switch...just to scrape the surface.  She has produced all over the world and learned it all on the job - with the help of Lisa.  Everyone needs a Lisa.

She also has a great story about becoming a mother.

Speaking of stories, she has some great Tales from the Trenches.  Coming soon...

Kelli also has some great Tales from the Trenches.  It pays to know Frankie. Have a listen....

Episode 28: Nadja Rutkowski, Distribution Executive

Nadja is Senior VP, Sales, Marketing & Operations at Terry Steiner International. As such, she places films on airplanes and with the military. A worthy endeavor indeed, and yet perhaps the least interesting thing about her. She grew up in a divided Berlin and is still dealing with her immigration issues after being in the US for more than 20 years. She has a valuable perspective on immigration and on our current political climate.

This was recorded a couple of weeks after the election, but I don’t think much has happened since to assuage her concerns. Let me know what you think.

Episode 26: Lydia Dean Pilcher, Producer

Lydia is an Executive Producer and is the Founder and President of the production company Cine Mosaic. Her many credits include Queen of Katwe, Here One Minute, The Sisterhood of Night, You Don’t Know Jack, Amelia, The Darjeeling Limited, Iron Jawed Angels, Hysterical Blindness, just to scratch the surface.

Lydia is also a member of the Producers Guild of America and started their Women’s Impact Network.  She was key in producing the Ms. Factor Tool Kit which serves to debunk the many myths around the notion that female-driven content is not commercially viable. She also teaches a class at NYU that sounds so juicy, I may re-enroll.

She defines “badass” as this: not being afraid to be effectively subversive.  May we all be badasses.