Podcasts about sundance fellow

Landon Van Soest is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, Fulbright Scholar, and two-time Sundance Fellow. His work presents social commentary through rich characters and immersive narratives. Landon recently directed the Hulu Original Documentary The Jewel Thief, which was the #1 most viewed movie on Hulu worldwide in the summer of 2023. His previous documentary, For Ahkeem, premiered at the 2017 Berlinale and Tribeca Film Festivals, won seven Best Documentary awards, opened theatrically in ten cities, and is being distributed by The Orchard and Amazon. His first documentary, Good Fortune, was broadcast on the award-winning PBS series POV, where it received an Emmy Award, the Witness Award for Human Rights and the Overseas Press Club's Carl Spielvogel Award. Landon is a founder of the not-for-profit Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective and co-founder of Transient Pictures, where he has collaborated with non-profits and brands including Toyota, UNICEF, eBay, Facebook, 23andMe, Lincoln Center, ABC, National Geographic and PBS. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Landon's introduction to filmmaking (00:02:06) Skateboarding's influence on culture and creative expression (00:04:31)  Landon describes his mindset on approaching his creative projects (00:11:49)  Discussion about Landon's film Light, Darkness, Light and its conceptual roots (00:13:30)  How Landon chooses which projects he wants to work on (00:38:30)  Yoshino and Landon speak about the process of letting go (00:46:48)  Landon recounts the making of The Jewel Thief on Hulu, the story of master criminal Gerald Blanchard (00:49:15)  Yoshino and Landon discuss the importance of starting projects, evolving through them, and staying authentic to one's interests (01:00:51) artistdecoded.com transientpictures.com/ instagram.com/landonvansoest  

This is episode 20 in our second season of The Directors Take Podcast. In this week's episode your hosts Marcus Anthony Thomas and Oz Arshad are joined by Nichola Wong, a Writer and Director who has successfully navigated her way from making short films to directing over 20 episodes of the continuing drama Hollyoaks.  The transition from shorts to TV is one of the most challenging leaps to make as a filmmaker and continuing drama's often come with a very systemic approach to delivering a constant stream of episodes for their audiences, so we brought on Nichola to break that process down for you all.  This chat covers:    -What is directing? -How and why did she want to be a filmmaker? -How did she break into the industry?  -Gaining and losing an agent. -How did she get her first break in TV?  -What were the challenges she came up against in directing continuing drama?  -How have mentors helped her career so far?  -How has that helped her career going forward?   Our wonderful sponsor for this episode is THE NATIONAL FILM and TELEVISION SCHOOL. We've also partnered with SCRIPTATION to offer our listeners an EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT on their software, which you can find on the link below…  http://scriptation.com/thedirectorstake    Nichola's Bio Nichola is an award-winning Writer-Director, Sundance Fellow, BFI NETWORK x BAFTA Crew listed Director, and a graduate of the prestigious NFTS Directors Workshop, supported by Walt Disney. Her 1st TV pilot won All3 Media's New Drama Script award at Edinburgh TV Festival and was one of eight out of 3000+ projects to be selected for the Sundance Episodic Lab. Her short films have screened at film festivals all around the world, as well as on Hulu, US broadcast TV (FX, Freeform) and Film 4/All4.  She is currently developing various TV ideas and her 1st feature film with Ardimages. She has been mentored by Hong Khaou, Nick Rowland, Claire Tailyour and Tessa Hoffe.   She also directs the 2nd unit on high-end TV shows, as well as directing over 20+ episodes of the continuing drama Hollyoaks.   Nugget of the week   Nichola: Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Hague Oz: Song Exploder Marcus: 6 days to air: The Making of South Park   Nichola's Films https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssb7wRrdMOc   Credits Music by Oliver Wegmüller   Socials Nichola Wong: Twitter (X) & Website The Directors' Take: Twitter (X) & Instagram Marcus: Twitter (X) & Instagram Oz: Twitter (X) & Instagram   If you have any questions relating to the episode or have topics you would like covering in future releases, reach out to us at TheDirectorsTake@Outlook.com

Sarah Elizabeth Mintz received her BFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she completed her thesis film Transit, starring Dakota Johnson. After graduating she mentored with filmmakers Cary Fukunaga on True Detective, Joachim Trier on Louder Than Bombs, and worked with Alejandro Inarritu on The Revenant.Sarah was a Sundance Fellow in the 2017 Writer's Intensive and 2018 Sundance Strategic Financing Intensive with her project Good Girl Jane. She completed a short film of the same name starring Rachelle Vinberg (Skate Kitchen, HBO's Betty) and Travis Tope (American Vandal), with cinematography by Jake Saner (Ghosts of Sugar Land).The short premiered at the Raindance Film Festival in London. Good Girl Jane recently wrapped principal photography in Los Angeles starring Rain Spencer, Patrick Gibson and Andie MacDowell. Good Girl Jane is inspired by events in Sarah's own life.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

Step "In the Room" with the brilliant Kelly Williams, the mastermind producer and co-founder of Ten Acre Films!

Producer/Director Tara Westwood (@tara_westwood) will join us talking about her film, TRIGGERED, along with (newly minted Sundance Fellow 2023) Producer/Director Kyra Knox (@kyraknox_) with her film, BAD THINGS HAPPEN IN PHILADELPHIA!! These films shine a light on gun violence and the real world consequences inaction can have on the lives of everyday Americans. Both of these films were screened in our 2023, 5th annual, film fest. Please like, comment, share, or subscribe if you love film fests, movie-making, storytelling and creativity of all kinds. Want to connect more?  .

Mt. SAC History Professor, Professional Learning Academy Coordinator, and One Book, One Campus Coordinator Rita Page talks with our host Sun Ezzell about this year's One Book One Campus winner “Illegally Yours: A Memoir” by Rafael Agustin, Mt. SAC alumni and writer on the hit TV show Jane the Virgin. Called “an alternatingly hilarious and touching exploration of belonging and identity, Illegally Yours revolves around one very simple question: What does it mean to be American?”  We hope you'll join us for this year's One Book, One Campus Great Read!  Resources: Get the book: https://illegallyyoursbook.com/ NPR Feature -“Jane the Virgin' writer recounts growing up undocumented in ‘Illegally Yours'” The Mission of the OBOC Program The goal of Mt. SAC's OBOC program is to unite students, faculty, and staff around a shared reading experience designed to promote discussion and understanding of issues in our campus community and beyond.  The program incorporates curriculum and campus-wide activities that build unity and contribute toward the achievement of the College's mission.  nd the Winner Is... Every year members of the Mt. SAC community vote on a book to read together as part of the OBOC program. The winner of the 2022 - 2023 OBOC election is Illegally Yours: A Memoir by Rafael Agustin. Brief Summary of Illegally Yours About the Memoir: Illegally Yours: A Memoir is a heartwarming, comical look at how this struggling Ecuadorian immigrant family bonded together to navigate Rafa's school life, his parents' work lives, and their shared secret life as undocumented Americans, determined to make the best of their always turbulent and sometimes dangerous American existence. From using the Ricky Martin/Jennifer Lopez “Latin Explosion” to his social advantage in the ‘90s to how his parents—doctors in their home country of Ecuador—were reduced to working menial jobs in the US, the family's secret became their struggle, and their struggle became their hustle. An alternatingly hilarious and touching exploration of belonging and identity, Illegally Yours revolves around one very simple question: What does it mean to be American? About the Author: Rafael Agustin is a Mt. SAC alumnus, and a writer on the award-winning The CW show, Jane the Virgin. He is a Sundance Fellow for his TV family comedy, Illegal, based on his life as a formerly undocumented American. Rafael currently serves as Executive Director of the Latino Film Institute (LFI), where he oversees the Youth Cinema Project, their statewide project-based learning educational film program, and the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF). In 2018, the LA Weekly named Rafael one of the fifty most essential people in Los Angeles. Also in 2018, the United Nations invited Rafael to speak at their 70th Anniversary Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Please join us for One Book, One Campus 2022-23 Great Read meetings 3:00 – 4:30pm: Sept. 21 - pages 1- 94 Oct. 19 - pages 95-188 Nov. 16 - pages 189-284 For questions regarding One Book, One Campus 2022-23, contact OBOC Coordinator Rita Page at: rpage3@mtsac.edu Run Time: 13 min, 35 sec To find the full transcript for this episode, click  HERE

Oualid talked about his feature film debut, "1982."Oualid Mouaness is an award winning director, writer and producer. His work traverses narrative and documentary features, music films, music videos and commercials. He is a Sundance Fellow and completed his undergraduate studies in journalism and theatre in Beirut, and holds an MFA in film from the Florida State University college of Motion Picture Arts. His first feature film as director, 1982, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019 where it won the NETPAC Award and went on to win the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize at El-Gouna Film Festival in Egypt. The film was selected to represent Lebanon for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards 2020. It has since received much critical acclaim and won multiple awards at film festivals including France, China, Qatar and the United States.Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Edited by: Ramzi RammanTheme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/About Movie Night: Movie Night is an interview series that calls for afikra community members who are interested in movies and films to spend time watching along with the entire community. Movies will be announced on afikra's watching list. This interview series will host filmmakers and actors who are featured in the announced movie. Community members will be asked to watch the film on online streaming platforms or online film festivals before the series and join the conversation with the creators of the film. Movie Night is an opportunity for members to ask questions about the plot, behind the scenes, themes, and information about the movie.Following the interview, there is a moderated town-hall-style Q&A with questions coming from the live virtual audience ‎on Zoom.‎ Join the live audience: https://www.afikra.com/rsvp   FollowYoutube - Instagram (@afikra_) - Facebook - Twitter Support www.afikra.com/supportAbout afikra:‎afikra is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region- past, present, and future - through conversations driven by curiosity. Read more about us on  afikra.com

Oualid talked about his feature film debut, "1982."Oualid Mouaness is an award winning director, writer and producer. His work traverses narrative and documentary features, music films, music videos and commercials. He is a Sundance Fellow and completed his undergraduate studies in journalism and theatre in Beirut, and holds an MFA in film from the Florida State University college of Motion Picture Arts. His first feature film as director, 1982, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019 where it won the NETPAC Award and went on to win the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize at El-Gouna Film Festival in Egypt. The film was selected to represent Lebanon for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards 2020. It has since received much critical acclaim and won multiple awards at film festivals including France, China, Qatar and the United States.Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Edited by: Ramzi RammanTheme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/About Movie Night: Movie Night is an interview series that calls for afikra community members who are interested in movies and films to spend time watching along with the entire community. Movies will be announced on afikra's watching list. This interview series will host filmmakers and actors who are featured in the announced movie. Community members will be asked to watch the film on online streaming platforms or online film festivals before the series and join the conversation with the creators of the film. Movie Night is an opportunity for members to ask questions about the plot, behind the scenes, themes, and information about the movie.Following the interview, there is a moderated town-hall-style Q&A with questions coming from the live virtual audience ‎on Zoom.‎ Join the live audience: https://www.afikra.com/rsvp   FollowYoutube - Instagram (@afikra_) - Facebook - Twitter Support www.afikra.com/supportAbout afikra:‎afikra is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region- past, present, and future - through conversations driven by curiosity. Read more about us on  afikra.com

Sarah Elizabeth Mintz received her BFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she completed her thesis film Transit, starring Dakota Johnson. After graduating she mentored with filmmakers Cary Fukunaga on True Detective, Joachim Trier on Louder Than Bombs, and worked with Alejandro Inarritu on The Revenant. Sarah was a Sundance Fellow in the 2017 Writer's Intensive and 2018 Sundance Strategic Financing Intensive with her project Good Girl Jane. She completed a short film of the same name starring Rachelle Vinberg (Skate Kitchen, HBO's Betty) and Travis Tope (American Vandal), with cinematography by Jake Saner (Ghosts of Sugar Land). The short premiered at the Raindance Film Festival in London. Good Girl Jane recently wrapped principal photography in Los Angeles starring Rain Spencer, Patrick Gibson and Andie MacDowell. Good Girl Jane is inspired by events in Sarah's own life.

On this week's show, the start of season two, we're setting up Pia Wilson, a playwright and writer of the new fiction podcast, If I Go Missing, the Witches Did It. She is the recipient of dozens of awards and fellowships, including being a 2015 Sundance Fellow, receiving a 2020 Newark Creative Catalyst grant, and being playwright in residence at Marshall and Middlebury Colleges. She recently loved Circe and Whatever Happened to Interracial Love?, but is put off by books that are too violent toward women. She's a self-proclaimed romantic, who is studying Italian and is a snob about coffee, bourbon, and hotel rooms. She loves when people can tell long funny stories and effortlessly host, like Ina Garten. The guest: Pia Wilson The picks: From Scratch by Tembi Locke Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec My Monticello by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil Sankofa by Chibundu Onuzo Where to find us: Find our show online at blinddatewithabookpod.com and @bookmeetcute on Twitter and Instagram. Please follow and tell us all the books you've fallen in love with recently.

Raquel and Jennifer sit down with the lovely Ava Davis (aka The Duchess of Grant Park) to discuss her journey and experience as a trans woman, as well as her amazing creative work. Ava Davis is a Sundance Fellow, a trans actress, producer/filmmaker, and writer living in Atlanta, Georgia. She is also an advocate for increasing trans and queer representation, especially that of black and other minorities. She is also madly addicted to jellybeans and gummy bears, and fully participates in Jellybean Season. #crownyourselfTo find out more about Ava Davis:IG: @the_ava_davisTwitter: @the_ava_davisTikTok: @theavadavisWebsite: www.theavadavis.comTo find out more about The Duchess of Grant Park:IG: @duchessofgrantparkWebsite : www.duchessofgrantpark.comWatch at www.vosgesfilms.com (The code for our listeners for 50% off is MADNESS22.)To find out more about The Waltz:IG: @thewaltzfeaturefilm Website : www.thewaltzfilm.comLet Raquel and Jennifer know what you think about this and other episodes of Madness Cafe on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at madnesscafepodcast@gmail.com,And don't forget to rate and review the show wherever you listen!Thanks for listening and responding!

Today at 1pm Shaandiin Tome is our guest!! She talks about her award-winning film Mud, her time as a Sundance Fellow, and what it means to be a local filmmaker here

A conversation with Landfall director Cecilia Aldarondo, with an introduction and moderation by Patricia Montoya. Through shard-like glimpses of everyday life in post-Hurricane María Puerto Rico, Landfall is a cautionary tale for our times. Set against the backdrop of protests that toppled the US colony's governor in 2019, the film offers a prismatic portrait of collective trauma and resistance. While the devastation of María attracted a great deal of media coverage, the world has paid far less attention to the storm that preceded it: a 72-billion-dollar debt crisis crippling Puerto Rico well before the winds and waters hit. Landfall examines the kinship of these two storms—one environmental, the other economic—juxtaposing competing utopian visions of recovery. Featuring intimate encounters with Puerto Ricans as well as the newcomers flooding the island, Landfall reflects on a question of contemporary global relevance: When the world falls apart, who do we become? Cecilia Aldarondo is a documentary director-producer from the Puerto Rican diaspora who makes films at the intersection of poetics and politics. Her feature documentary Memories of a Penitent Heart (Tribeca 2016) had its World Premiere at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival and was broadcast on POV in 2017. She is a 2019 Guggenheim Fellow, a 2017 Women at Sundance Fellow, two-time MacDowell Colony Fellow, and recipient of a 2019 Bogliasco Foundation Residency. In 2019 she was named to DOC NYC's 40 Under 40 list and is one of Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces of Independent Film for 2015. She teaches at Williams College. - This event was co-presented by the Massachusetts Multicultural Film Festival and the UMass Amherst History Department's Feinberg Family Distinguished Lecture Series. More Info: https://blogs.umass.edu/feinberg/landfall/

Michael & Phil tackle the subject of agents and managers and what new screenwriters need to do to attract representation. They also discuss pitch fests and screenplay contests.Show NotesMichael's Screenwriting Course - https://michaeljamin.com/courseFree Screenwriting Lesson - https://michaeljamin.com/free@DavidHSteinberg will read your script - https://twitter.com/davidhsteinberg/status/1430195753373167623Sarah Cooper is a comedian who grew famous for valuable content she put out on her own. - https://sarahcpr.com/A behind the scenes look at pitch fests - https://twitter.com/ChrisAmick/status/1420501613572022275?s=20Results of screenplay contests - https://twitter.com/EricHaywood/status/1422615678436003842?s=20Screenwriting contest from a Pro's perspective - https://twitter.com/matthewfederman/status/1422615672215900164?s=20Film Festival and Screenplay Contest submission software - https://filmfreeway.com/The Nicholl's Fellowship - https://www.oscars.org/nichollThe Sundance Labs - https://www.sundance.org/applyThe Black List main website - https://blcklst.com/The Black List evaluations and script hosting - https://blcklst.com/register/writer/Writer's Guild of America Dispute with Agencies Explained - https://www.vulture.com/article/wga-hollywood-agents-packaging-explained.htmlTranscriptMichael: (00:00)Whenever I hear a writer, saying they're typing, they're working at Starbucks. I always laugh, come on, man. It's so cliche. I don't do that. It's very rare. Most people who work in Starbucks who are tapping on their computers, please in LA, right? They want you to think that they're a writer. "Look at me. I'm a writer." But if you are real writer, in my experience, it's like, you're not working in a coffee shop. You're working on a show. Michael: (00:28)Hey, welcome back everybody. Today. We're going to be talking about agents and managers. Oh, that's a good one. Phil. Don't you think? Phil: (00:35)I think it's probably the most vital thing for anybody to know about how to become a screenwriter. Michael: (00:39)All right. Um, what are we going to do? Well, I guess everyone wants to know how to find an agent or a manager. What would the reason why you kind of need one is so first of all, you can't submit. I people often say to me, what can I give you? My screenplay? It's just, just so I get some notes or just so you can, you know, whatever, keep me in mind for something in the future. And the answer is absolutely not because I have to me and every other working writer in the industry, we have to protect ourselves. Like, let's say you, you have a talking dog cartoon and you say, Hey, I want you to read my talking dog cartoon. And I, and I get it or whatever. I open it up. I opened up the file like, oh, because now I haven't talking dog cartoon. Michael: (01:17)We all have talking dog cartoons. It's not an original idea, but because I looked at yours now, now if I get mine on the ear, you're going to sue me because we both have terrible clammy ideas. And so naturally I stole yours and that's not the case. It's just like, these are ideas out there. And the same thing with like a joke or an area. So most TV writers will protect themselves. We will not read unsolicited scripts. We just will not do it. Even if you sign a waiver or not gonna do it. Like I, you know, it's just too risky. Phil: (01:45)It's really interesting. So I just saw two cases of this. There's a showrunner who just on Twitter for his birthday announced, "Hey, I will read your script." You have to, he's a lawyer, by the way, you have to understand his, his career was "lawyer". And now he is a writer. Also he has a waiver, you have to sign and you have to agree to, and he gave very specific parameters to get your script to him. And then I, I just retweeted another showrunner today. And she's like, as a reminder, I will not read any unsolicited scripts because I have to legally can't cause I have to protect myself. Yeah. Right. So I'm funny. So, so the case where you're seeing it, you have to keep in mind, like, I mean, they are attorneys or in the case of other people who do you know, the return page counts of your scripts, they have attorneys who have drafted documents to protect them. Michael: (02:31)Yeah, yeah. Right. I don't, I'm not an attorney. I'm not going to do it. Um, but so that's why it has to come through an agent for some reason, when it comes through an agent, you have a layer of protection, but a little bit of the, uh, you know, and that's what the Ford you. So, and I will only read a script by the way, through an agent when it's, when there's something in it for me. And by that, it means like if I'm staffing for a TV show, I need to hire people and then I'll read the script, but I'm not going to read it as a, as a personal, you know, my pastime, you know/. Phil: (03:00)Well, right. And so obviously my, my response to you was a little facetious here. I was, I don't actually think that getting an agent or a manager is the most vital thing to your career. I think that anyone who's listened to any of the podcasts episodes so far understand the Michael Jamin answer to this is be a better be a good writer. Yeah. Right. Whatever. Yeah. Not even a good writer to be a great writer, be so good. I can't ignore you. Michael: (03:22)Yeah. Right. Yeah. That's, that's another episode. We will talk about the future. I want to go into that in great depth, but, but right. And so often when you get made, if you have an agent that means you've, you've surpassed, you've gotten over the first hump, which is like an agent feels like you're good enough. Um, and then, then I'll read a ton of scripts. All the scripts that I read from new writers are they've already cleared that first hurdle. They're good enough to get an agent, but that doesn't mean they're good enough to get a job. Right. And so, you know, you have to be a, you have to have a great script. And if it's like, well, I don't have a great script. Well, I'll find somebody else who does, there's somebody out there who has a great script. Phil: (04:00)Right. Right. So this is an interesting thing, because I think I put an overwhelming amount of emphasis on this question when I was first learning how to be a writer because you on forums and in screenwriting books and on websites, people say, well, you got to get an agent to sell something. And I think, well, I have an idea and I want to sell it. Thus, I need an agent. And the truth is, um, you have to be so good that the agent thinks he can sell you. Right? Yeah. It goes back to our conversation on our last episode about sales it's they are selling something and they were getting a commission for that. And they are not going to waste their time or energy on something, unless they think they can sell what you have, because you are a commodity. Michael: (04:43)Yeah. And if you had, I guess, say an agent, it's someone, there's a couple of things I want to explore. One is if you're up for it, you want to get a staff writing job. You're not competing against other people on the outside who've never written before. You're also competing since staff writers who have already worked, who are willing to do another, do another year as a staff writer. So now you're competing against people who've never done it and people who have done it well, or, and then maybe you're competing as story editors, which is the next level up from staff writer who are willing to take a bump down in salary because they want to work. So now you're competing against people who have one year of experience and two years of experience. So you must be great. You have to be great. And then the agent who's going to sign you. Michael: (05:22)They have a handful of clients and they're have, they have to service all those clients. They're already trying to get those clients work. So if they're going to bring on somebody new that person, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to sell you because they're don't, they already, you know, they got plenty on their plate. And so one way to make it easy is to have a fantastic script, not just a good enough script. And in other way is, uh, if you have a built-in, uh, Beltman, uh, marketing market arm, like you're already very sellable. For example, there was a woman named Sarah Cooper and she blew up during the pandemic because she used to make a viral videos of, of Trump, where she put Trump's speeches. And then she would kinda, uh, lip sync to them. But she wasn't just lip sinking. Michael: (06:04)She would also add little comic touches to them and she'd edit it really clever. I, she put a lot of work into one and they were really quite, they were next level. It was next level stuff. And it blew up on Twitter or one of the social media platforms. And, um, it became so big that she became known... she was an unknown before this. She was, uh, an aspiring actor, comedic actors. She couldn't get, she couldn't get arrested. And because she did all this work on her own and she blew up on her own suddenly it was like, well, it was a no brainer for every agent to sign her. She's already got a built-in platform. She already has a built-in marketing engine. And so she had made it very attractive.Phil: (06:45)This is, So this is an interesting thing where I think, you know, again, my perspective on this stuff kind of comes from a capitalistic perspective because my business and marketing background, but we're talking about audience here and we're talking about, you know, attention. It's really what we are, what we're offering people is something to gather their attention and they have to be willing to trade their time and energy and focus for that type of thing. So when you're writing a script, you're basically have to write something so good that someone is willing to sit through commercials or pay a monthly subscription to be entertained. Right. And that's what they're looking for. And so what this girl has done is she has brought some value to the table because she already has interest. She's provided free entertainment to people. And so those people want to see more of what she does. She has that audience. So I think it kind of speaks to what we're seeing now, which you've experienced recently with your book that you want to do. These people care a lot about, do you have an audience because you're bringing interested people with you. Yeah. Michael: (07:50)Right. And she also did... Sarah Cooper along with others who did the same thing. She did all this for free. She wasn't putting up her content and saying, Hey, someone paying you for my Trump impersonations. Right. You know, this was, she put a lot of work in it for free and expected, nothing in return and got something in return for it. You know? So she was smart. And by the way, she was just as talented before she started doing these videos as she was afterwards. So it's the same person. So talent isn't quite enough. You know, Phil: (08:18)That's an interesting note, right? Like, yeah. Like, and I'm trying to think of the exact saying on this, but talent. There are lots of talented people who go nowhere because they don't have the work ethic behind it. Michael: (08:30)Yeah. Yeah. And they don't have right. They don't, they're not, they're not then actually not seeing the problem from the end of the, the, the perspective of the buyer. What is the buyer one? And let's say the agent is your buyer. The agent is the person who want you, you know, you want them to buy you. Well, what's in it for them. They don't want to work that hard. They want to find a new client who is, requires the least amount of work on their part because they have, you know, they got plenty to do. And if they find with a, with a built-in marketing engine and is super talented and you don't have to convince someone to buy, you don't have to beg and plead and cold calling favors. You know, they don't have to hustle. No one wants to know Adrian wants to hustle for you. They want someone who's like a slam dunk. They want that person to hustle for them. Phil: (09:10)Yeah. Yeah. That's an interesting take. So, well, let's just assume then that I have the talent and I've got the goods. Like I've got the energy and maybe I haven't, for whatever reason hit it. I haven't gone viral. I don't have the following yet. And I want to get an agent. So I'm just going to run a couple of situations by, and you tell me if you think these are good places to get an agent and you may not, you may not be able to answer these, but I think you were so, yeah. So, uh, number one, pitch fests. Michael: (09:38)Yeah. So I didn't, that wasn't even a thing when I was coming up. And then when I found out the pitch fast, I was like, what is that about? That doesn't make any sense to me. I I'm gonna have to say no. I actually, I ran on Twitter, someone Tweeted out, well, I let my agent or whatever. I sold the project to a Pitch Fest. But for, I, for every one person who says that like 10 others say what a waste of time. They don't even send people. It's just like our, I think it's just a racket, honestly. You know? Cause why would, if you were a producer and you wanted to get in touch with, um, a talented writer for a project you're working on, like, why in the hell would you go to a pitch that you go to an agency you've called talent agencies say, Hey, I got an idea for a project. Uh, I need writers. And they, within 10 minutes, there'd be a dozen writers outside the door saying, yes, let's do this. Like, you wouldn't go to some unknown. You wouldn't say, give me someone who's never done it before at a pitch fast. And maybe you'll say, okay, well maybe they don't have much money. Well, if they don't have much money, how are they going to raise money for this movie? Or this TV show? Like, what's that about? You know, it seems, it just seems shady, shady, AAF. Phil: (10:44)Didn't I send you a tweet by someone who basically was like, yeah, my first day or my first week on the job, I was sent to represent the company in a pitch Fest. And I wore a suit and tie to try to make myself look older. Cause I was like 21 and fresh out of college. Michael: (10:58)Yeah. And so all these people were paying money to pitch this guy. It was his first week on the job. And he was like right out of college. How do you think that's going to go? Phil: (11:07)Okay. All right. So that's a really so similar screenplay contests.Michael: (11:12)There. And I didn't even know that was a thing until you told me about it. And I was like, oh, that's a thing. Um, Phil: (11:17)Well, we see a lot of members of your course submitting to screenplay contests and pitch fests and interesting. It's interesting. Michael: (11:24)And some like, from what you've told me, there are two big ones, right? There's the Nichols, which I was like, but now I am aware of.Phil: (11:29)That's through the academy. The academy does that. And they pick like 10 or 12 different screenplays specifically features that they think have what it takes and they give them a grant to just be writers to finish that script. Right. So it's a big deal.Michael: (11:42)And then, and then it's on it's Phil: (11:45)Right. So Sundance has a script and that's a little bit different because you're submitting information to join the, the, to become a fellow, a Sundance fellow. So you're joining either the director's lab, the writer's lab, the editorial lab, the documentary labs. And that's changed recently. And I've had, you know, fortuitously I've been able to attend to those. I've been a Spanish English translator for three years at the, at the screenwriting labs and one year at the director's labs. So yeah, definitely worth it. And that's an interesting thing too, for anyone sitting there, you know, they told me they're not just looking for a good script. They're looking for someone with a body of work. They're looking for a creative, with a specific vision or a specific story to tell and famous people like Tika Waititi who's blowing up right now. Uh, Ryan Coogler, they're all Sundance Fellow. So it's a legitimate, um, no, that's not even a competition now. It's, you're applying to be a fellow. Right. Michael: (12:43)The other Phil: (12:43)Ones that there are a couple of like, there's big, Big Break and like Final Draft and stuff like that. They, they have their own competitions. And I think there's some value in those because they do have actual industry professionals showing up to judge those and be involved. Does that make sense? Okay. Okay. But, but I definitely, you know, from my background in the independent world, I have seen the other side of this, where you go on different, um, screenwriting contest or film festivals, and you submit to win awards at these competitions. And it's basically like one or two guys, maybe a group of five to 10 people. And they're doing it as a way of bringing culture to their town or their small town. And a lot of time, what I've seen is that it's a money grab. It's a way to. You're making money and I'm making a living because every single person who submits on Film Freeway, and there's a couple others they're paying like 40 bucks a submission for these. Michael: (13:40)Maybe we shouldn't mention any names.Phil: (13:41)Yeah. Well, film the Film Freeway is the software where you say, okay, it's not an actual film festival. Okay, good. Right. So I, I, you know, I've been to some great film festivals and I think it's a lot of the networking that I have has come from attending film festivals because there are a hungry filmmakers who attend those things.Michael: (13:59)But, but not as like a contest, not yet.Phil: (14:03)Exactly. But they do have a screenwriting contest portion where you can submit your screenplay and you just pay a nominal 20 to 40 bucks for us to review your screenplay and enter the competition. Right. Michael: (14:15)But it's not like, you know, I think the best case scenario you can hope for any of these is like maybe an agent will find you. Right. I mean, it's not like you're going to the network is, would say let's put it on the air. Phil: (14:26)Hopefully someone there. And what I've seen is typically the experts who are sitting on the panels and attending and watching films or judging those things, they tend to be some of the better contacts you get out of those events. Okay. But from your perspective, like, it doesn't really seem like you find much value in a screenplay contest. Michael: (14:43)I didn't even know they were a thing and I've been doing this for 26 years. So, but maybe that's just my ignorance. Um, you know, so it's not like the winner's live land on my lap when I'm hiring, they don't land on my lap. Maybe they land, maybe if the big contest lands on an agent's lap and the agent will submit... submit it to me, that might, that might work, you know, but it's not, it's not a direct pipeline to success and I'm the guy doing the hiring. Phil: (15:05)Right. Right. So that's interesting. Okay. Lastly, um, and I, you know, we've never really had a conversation about this, but um, how familiar are you with The Blacklist? Michael: (15:16)Um, I remember helping my partner. I sold a screenplay a couple screenplays years ago. It was, we were hoping, cause it never got, we didn't get me, but most screenplays for theatricals don't they do not get made. And so we were praying that it would get on The Black List just because it would be an honor. And it would be that kind of, it helps to market yourself, Hey, look, I'm on the black list and it's hard to get off of The Black List to get produced, but occasionally it does happen. Um, but I, you know, it didn't happen. We didn't, we didn't make The Black List for, I don't know. Yeah. I don't, I think it's like a bunch of industry. People have to read it and they have to unanimously think that, Hey, this is really good. I don't think it made it. It was ours was even that widely circulated. So I don't think it was even an option. Phil: (15:56)There's two sides to it. So yeah, you can be put on The Black List and this is, again, this could be wrong. So if you have more information for watching this on YouTube comment below or let us know, and we'll address this in a future podcast, but my understanding is it is, um, industry professionals basically submit you and vote and say, these are the best screenplays that were unproduced this year and films like Arrival who come off The Black List and been made. Right. Um, yeah, but then there's the other side of it where you can submit your screenplay and get feedback from industry insiders. Michael: (16:28)Right. And now, you know, I'm not even, I'm not on the feature end, I'm in the TV. So I don't The Black List. They don't really take pilots. Do they... It's more Theatrical? Phil: (16:37)Uh, I don't know. I think they take pilots. I think you can submit to television as well, but it definitely definitely theatrical focused. So yeah. That's another thing. We'll look at it too, but if anyone knows just comment and let us know. Michael: (16:48)Yes. It's an honor to get on it and I know it's hard to get off of it, you know, to get produced, but uh, yeah. I don't know much about it. Okay. How much in the honor game, I just want to get money. Right. Phil: (16:58)Okay. All right. So, so what do you think it is then? How aside from the Michael Jamin answer of be a great writer... how do you get an agent? Michael: (17:07)Well, it's really, it's really what, what do you bring to the table? And it's not your willingness to work as a, as a writer, as a screenwriter. That's not anything, you know, like I said, if you bring to the table, your connections, if you are already on a show as, as, as a PA or the staff or a writer's assistant, and you're this close to popping and breaking in, and the showrunners was like, you, they want to hire you that you're bringing a lot to the table. You're already getting that first job basically. Or if you have a, like Sarah Cooper, if you already have a built-in marketing platform with a billion followers on Facebook, whatever the hell is on, you know, you, that you have that audience. So it's much easier. And it's, it's, it's sad, but that's just how it goes these days. It's not so much about talent. It's also about what do you bring to the table? Michael: (17:53)Hi guys, it's Michael Jamin. I wanted to take a break from talking and talk just a little bit more. I think a lot of you, people are getting bad advice on the internet. Many of you want to break into the industry as writers or directors or actors, and some of you are paying for this advice on the internet. It's just bad. And as a working TV writer and showrunner, this burns my butt. So my goal is to flush a lot of this bad stuff out of your head and replace it with stuff that's actually going to help you. So I post daily tips on social media, go follow me @MichaelJaminWriter. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook and TikTok. And let's be honest, if you don't have time, like just two minutes a day towards improving your craft, it's not going to happen. So go make it happen for me at @MichaelJaminWriter. Okay. Now back to my previous rant. Phil: (18:39)I guess here's the next question. What's the difference between an agent and a manager? Michael: (18:43)Let me know. And I have both, um...Phil: (18:46)I, I have an external perspective of what I've learned from trying to get these over years, but...Michael: (18:52)What are they telling you? Phil: (18:53)Yeah, so, so the agent's job is legally to sell the script. Like they, they're the only one qualified to sell a script. They cannot, managers cannot make deals, but managers bring people on and basically work through and support the project, give notes, provide feedback, and build relationships for that writer. Michael: (19:13)Yeah, they do that in the beginning. You know, I was kind of being a little glib, but our agent, you know, our agent was the one who got us, our first job. And so yes, agents submit and they get you that job. And then as we rose up through the ranks eventually become high. So high that it's actually kind of hard to get a job on a staff. The next step is basically have your own show. And so you're either going to be a showrunner or maybe the second in command. And so to be a showrunner, or to get your, to sell your show, you often need to sell your project with talent. And so a manager can usually hook you up with talent. There are other clients, and that's how it's worked in the past. We've done, um, we've sold shows with, uh, like comedians, like mostly big name comedians that they pair us up with their other clients. And so that's what a manager can do is cause more of a long-term thing, but they don't. Yeah, you're right. They can't make deals. They can't really submit you stuff like that. And, and they also, a manager can own, not that this is a plus, but they could own a percentage of your project. They can, they can help you produce it. Whereas a manager or agents can't do that. Right. Phil: (20:16)But, but, and so this is an interesting thing. So, um, do you know what the current, what the rate is for a manager versus an agent? Michael: (20:24)Uh, well, our agent takes 10% and so does our manager. Phil: (20:27)Yeah. And I have heard of instances where managers isn't taken up to 15%. Michael: (20:31)Yeah. Yeah. And then there's nothing left for the writer. Phil: (20:35)And then you have your attorney fees. Right. Which is like 5 cents.Michael: (20:37)That's 5%. Yeah.Phil: (20:38)So right out of the gate, you're between 25 to 30% of your income. Yeah. Plus taxes after that. Right. Yeah. But, but this is an interesting point. I've again, I come from a sales and capitalistic background of I have goods and I'm trying to sell goods. And so are there a lot of people who don't have that background who say, well, why would I want to give away 10% of my project and my responses will, 10% of zero is still zero that's. Right. Right. So if your manager can make the introduction and provide the asset to get the job done, right. Making connection with that actor who will go in and you can pitch that project with them and the agent does the job of closing that deal and getting you the best deal they can then that's money well paid because you're now getting 70% of whatever you sold instead of 100% of nothing.Michael: (21:28)Yeah. And there was only recently, like about a year ago, it'd be writers, Guild, uh, severed ties with all, all agents. So you had to drop your agent because, uh, the deal was, you know, there was, there was some shenanigans going on. So, uh, the writers had to kind of sever tires. And so we had to rely on our manager for work during then. And then of course it's been, it's been settled, but yeah, now we have an agent and a manager and a lawyer.Phil: (21:54)Awesome. Okay. All right. So what do, what, so we've talked about like we understand what to expect from them. Um, what else do you think, what else do you think is important to know about an agent and a manager? Michael: (22:04)Well, an agent, this is kind of important, but agents, you know, I think that most people think, well, my agent would go and get me a job. They'll they'll hustle like the agent. That's not really the accurate, the agent's job is more like to field offers. So when the phone rings, "Hey, we need a writer," or, "Hey, we want to hire Michael Jamin and Sivert Glarum, his partner." And they, then the agent was stepping. They feel the offers. They're not going to hustle and fight too much because they have other clients, they have to maintain relationships. And if a deal goes south, like if, like, let's say, uh, you know, I, we have a pilot and it goes south, how hard is my agent gonna fight for me? I don't know. I, I suspect not too hard because he wants to make, he still wants to keep his relationship with the network or the studio, a good one because he has other clients to serve. Michael: (22:50)So if you become too much of a squeaky wheel, if you become with your, when you have your agent and you start crying all the time, like in the movies, you'll see, oh, this happens all the time. Like, uh, you'll see a STR, a writer calling his agent what's going on. And I, and the agency I agents handholding. And then don't worry about me. I'm promising, I'm working hard for you like that. Does that call doesn't exist? I don't bother my agent with that kind of nonsense because you know, he's not a babysitter. And if I make myself too much of a nuisance, uh, he's not going to work for me. He's going to find somebody else to work for. Phil: (23:22)Right. Makes sense. Makes sense. Okay. Yeah. Michael: (23:27)All right. I wish I was a big, if I was a real big shot, then I could do that. But, um, you know, Phil: (23:32)Okay, well, which, so which one do you think is easier? Like if I, if I'm a new writer, which one do you think is the easiest to get and where should I put my time and energy? Michael: (23:39)I think it's probably easier to get a manager. I think there are, uh, yeah, I think in the beginning, and by the way, there, there are four big, as you mentioned, there are four big talent agencies in Hollywood. There's ICM, CAA, William Morris Endeavor, and UTA, United talent agency, and then are much smaller there are next tier, you know, Paradigm and APA there... and then there's some small boutique agencies coming out of the gate. You are not going to, no new writer is going to land it at UTA. Michael: (24:07)Yeah. Unless you're in a situation right. Where you're an overnight success like this girl right who. Right. It's like, is that it's like CAA is like, okay, you, we have a rare opportunity here to capitalize on an audience, so we should take her on.Michael: (24:21)And, and so you, you most likely to start at a small agency and that's so fine, your agent will give you attention. That's good. But there's an advantage to being a big one, which is, for example, when more staffing on a show, the first call I make is to my agent. And I say, Hey, um, I need, we need writers. Submit me your writers. I need young baby writers. And so that's how it works. They like the first call is my agency to send me his, his writers. And those are the first ones I'll read. And if there's a good one, I'll hire that one. Why? Because I'm trying to make good with my agent. I'm trying to keep him happy. So, you know, but if there's no one that's right for the show, then I go to the next agency, you know? Um, that's how that works.Phil: (25:04)Got it. Got it. But a manager would be the easiest way to approach this. Michael: (25:08)The manager will help... a good manager will help you land an agent too. Phil: (25:12)Because they may have connections, right? Yeah. Right. They are a matchmaker. All right. That makes a lot of sense. So, but this all being said, you know, I shouldn't even bother writing until I have one or the other. Right. Because ultimately I need these things to sell myself. Michael: (25:26)Yeah. No, you got to start. You have to always write. You have to always, right. I, um, you know, uh, the, there are, I can't remember what the numbers are. I ran the numbers, but there are slightly more active players in the NFL, including the practice squad. Yeah. There's slightly more working TV writers than there are at players in the NFL. Just a little bit more. I think it's like 2200 versus 2,800. It's not a lot of people. So if you were going to be in the NFL, do you know if your goal is to be in the NFL? Do you work out once a week or do you work out every single day? You know, Phil: (26:02)Uh, I was, uh, I was just listening to a Joe Rogan podcast this morning. And he's talking about this UFC fighter, Conor McGregor, which I don't know if you know who he is. He's kind of Conor McGregor recently was in a fight with a guy named Dustin Porier and it was round three was their third fight. And Connor broke his shin in the middle of the fight. Yeah. Shattered it. And people were like, oh, he's old. And, and he should give up. And ultimately Joe Rogan made this point. He's like, that dude is a Savage because it was a known injury. It had it scanned. He already had a broken leg when he went in and he still went in, he still fought. And he was still kicking with that, leg, right. And he went in balls to the walls at the beginning, swinging as hard as he could try and to knock Dustin Poirer you out because that's who he is. Phil: (26:45)And you have to keep in mind, this man has half a million, half a billion dollars in the bank. Oh wow. Because of other fights he's won sort of fight with that intensity to be that dedicated to your career, proves the level of integrity of energy and effort you need to be in. And they made this point. They said, you know, if I'm a professional athlete, you can be a good boxer and learn, takedown defense. You can stop someone with jujitsu or wrestling and you can get pretty far, but to be an elite level champion, you have to know jujitsu and you have to be really good at it. You have to know boxing, you have to know wrestling. You have to go to the cardio gym and you have to be working on all these facets of your craft to be a world champion. And, and it's, it's something most people are not willing to, to do. Michael: (27:31)No, they just say, I have a script. Can't you get me work. Yeah. You know? Phil: (27:35)Yeah. What can you do for me is I think the attitude I see a lot. Michael: (27:39)Yeah. Yeah. Um, it's the other way around. It's what, you know. Yeah. Phil: (27:45)The point, like, if you're playing, like if you consider that NFL analogy, it's it's you are playing at the elite level. Like how many high school athletes don't make it to division one football. Yeah. How many division one football players don't make it to the NFL combine, let alone get drafted, let alone play. Michael: (28:06)And you're coming after my job. You think I'm going to let you have my job. Yeah. Right. Yeah. So, and I've been doing this for, for 26 years. I'm the NFL player who you, you haven't heard of, but man, that guy's still kicking around? Yeah. He's still on the team. Wow. Good for him. Yeah. That's why. Yeah. Phil: (28:22)Yeah, because you put in the work, right. It's you know, and not, they're not people who work at coffee shops. Right. Or right at coffee shops, but something you told me when I first moved to LA is, you know, real writers are too busy to spend time at coffee shops. Michael: (28:34)It's every time I, whenever I hear a writer friend saying they're typing, they're working at Starbucks. I always laugh. Like, come on, man. Right. It's so cliche. Don't do that. It's very rare. Most of the people who are working in Starbucks who are tapping on their computers, at least in LA, right? Yeah. They want you to think that they're a right. Look at me, I'm a writer. But if you are a real writer in my experience, it's like, you're not working in a coffee shop. You're working. Phil: (28:54)And I'm sure that that's what we call "seamers" where I come from. They seem like they're doing the job, right? Yeah. Michael: (29:01)Yeah. They want you to think that they're doing work. Like I caught me, I got a terrible, my opinion is a terrible place to work. It's not comfortable. The seats are hard. Phil: (29:10)There's no whiteboard. Michael: (29:12)Yeah. In a whiteboard. Like why would you work at a coffee shop of all places? Phil: (29:15)Yeah. All right. So ultimately it comes back to the same thing we've been saying the whole time is ultimately you have to be good at your craft and not just good. You have to be great. I think that was one of the most helpful notes that you gave me. Uh, we talked about the spec script that I wrote or was, uh, a spec Mr. Robot for my TV writing class and... And you read it and he gave me a great note. You said is obvious. You're a competent writer and this is really good. The bad news is it's not great. Yeah. And that has stuck with me for two years. It's like, it has to be great to stand out. Michael: (29:48)Where you're constantly working on it. So, you know, you have an advantage over people. You already have a huge advantage over everybody else. And that you are now an industry insider because you are working on the TV show. And because of that, you are around scripts and you're reading scripts and you're, you're around other writers and you're learning, you know, that's a huge advantage that you will, but that was because you made a sacrifice. You moved here. Phil: (30:09)Yeah. Well, and it's, it is expensive and it is hard. And I could be living a very, completely, a completely different lifestyle if I lived anywhere else but California or in LA. Um, I think I read recently that the, the ave... The average income in America, is like is $36,000, but LA county considers the average cost of living your $53k.Michael: (30:29)A year. And that sounds low. Phil: (30:31)Yeah. Like, like it's, it's a crazy expensive town, but you know, I will say that one of the benefits of busting my butt as a writer's PA and doing my best to provide as much value as I could in that position is they brought me back on to be a, an office PA, which was a position I'd already had. And then I also got brought in to be the post PA. And I've been working on the same show for two full seasons now nonstop because they like you. Yeah. But the cool thing is I get to see how you guys break the story. I get to read every draft. You can see how it changes. I get to go into production. I get to see how they shoot the show. I get to see what changes happen, the day of shooting. And then I get to go and post and I get to watch the showrunners, make that final cut of their show and make those decisions. And I've learned far more being a PA than I think I've ever learned in film school. Michael: (31:25)Right. Are you sitting in on the mix Phil: (31:27)Too? I probably could if I asked that this point, um, but I make it very clear that I don't, I'm not trying to get anything from anyone. So, I I've been invited and I probably could at any point, but you know, I'm here to run tapes around LA, right. That's my job. And I'll do it and I'll do it as fast as I can. Michael: (31:46)All right. So good attitude. It's got a good attitude. Phil: (31:50)Cool. Michael: (31:52)All right. That's a good, that's a good episode of the podcast. Phil: (31:55)I think. Very helpful. Yeah, absolutely. Michael: (31:57)All right, everyone, thank you for listening. And we got more coming up, so, uh, you know, I don't know. What do you gotta do? So you gotta subscribe to podcasts. Is that what you do? Phil: (32:04)Yeah. Make sure you subscribe, make sure you leave a review at this point. Give us that five stars. It helps with our rankings. Uh, make sure you share it on your social media. If there's something you find valuable. And then I would also encourage everyone to follow you on social media. Michael: (32:17)Yes, please do. Uh, yeah. I'm at, especially Instagram @MichaelJaminWriter. I post daily tips on Instagram. So Coco. Phil: (32:24)Yeah, absolutely. The right thing to go fall in there. I think that, um, the members of your course specifically who said that the content you're putting out on social media or their gems of information, and they've already been through your course, Michael: (32:38)It's funny that they say people, I, people will say that it could, this is gold. And I'm like, I, I might, when I post on my social media posts, well, this is gold. I'm like, no, Michael: (32:46)Dude, the gold is in the course. I wouldn't give you the gold. This is really, this is just really good. They're really, really good stuff. Isn't it? Is in the course.Phil: (32:53)Yeah. So it's good stuff. So check out the course again. And um, you know, I think one of the students in your course, you said, you know, if you can save up the money, it will be the most transformative course you'll ever take and he's taken multiple courses just like I have. And you know, I could talk all day about how much I love the course, and I'm glad it's there and you know, grateful that it's improved my writing. So thank you. Thank you. Okay. And we'll see everyone next week. Michael: (33:18)Very good. Bye-bye now Phil: (33:32)This has been an episode of Screenwriters Need to Hear This with Michael Jamin and Phil Hudson. If you'd like to support this podcast, please consider subscribing leaving a review and sharing this podcast with someone who needs to hear today's subject. If you're looking to support yourself, I encourage you to consider investing in Michael's screenwriting course at MichaelJamin.com/course. I've known Michael for over a decade. And in the past seven years, I've begged him to put something together. During the global COVID-19 pandemic. Michael had time. And I have to say, I wish I'd had this course 10 years ago. As someone who has personally invested in most online courses, earned a bachelor's degree, and actively studied screenwriting for over a decade, this course has been more valuable to me than most of the effort I've put in because it focuses on something noone else teaches: story. In his course, Michael pulls back the curtain and shows you exactly what the pros do in a writer's room and that knowledge has made all the difference for me. And I know it will for you too. You can find more information at MichaelJamin.com/course for free daily screenwriting tips. Follow Michael on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @MichaelJaminWriter. You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @PhilAHudson. This episode was produced by Phil Hudson and edited by Dallas Crane. Until next time, keep writing.

Hey everyone! I'm BACK with a brand new episode finally! excuse the audio quality, my regular mic wasn't working so I had to use my Airpods. Just pretend you're the third wheel on a phone call and you'll be aight! lol. This episode features my amazing talented friend, and Sundance Fellow, Miss Ava Davis! Actress, writer and all around Goddess, check out what drives, inspires and motivates her as we kiki and reminisce about our first production together, Mariah Carey and everything in between!

Back at the beginning of quarantine, we chatted Jessie Barr. Jessie is a filmmaker and 2020 Sundance Fellow based in Los, Angeles. She is an actor, writer, director and producer with a background in independent film, digital storytelling and theater. She makes her feature film directorial debut with Sophie Jones, from executive producer Nicole Holofcener. Sophie Jones will have its world premiere in competition at the 2020 Deauville American Film Festival in France today, Sept 10th. Jessie is one of the seven first-time directors screening in competition. Additionally, eight of the 15 films in competition are directed by women. Stay tuned for upcoming festival announcements that will include virtual offerings, and in the meantime, enjoy our conversation with Jessie!

Today's episode focuses on the Musical Theater Composition program of the New York Youth Symphony, directed by Anna Jacobs. Her musicals include: POP! (book & lyrics by Maggie-Kate Coleman) ANYTOWN (book by Jim Jack) TEETH (co-book & lyrics by Michael R. Jackson) CAGE MATCH and MAGIC 8 BALL (Prospect Theatre Company; w/ Sam Salmond & Michael R. Jackson) KAYA: TASTE OF PARADISE, a soon-to-be-released movie musical commissioned by the New York Film Academy and featuring Okieriete Onaodowan (screenplay by Jerome Parker, directed by Paul Warner) Anna was recognized for her work as a composer/lyricist with the prestigious Billie Burke Ziegfeld Award. She’s a former Sundance Fellow and Dramatists Guild Fellow, and has been an Artist in Residence at Ars Nova, New Dramatists, Musical Theatre Factory, Goodspeed, and Barrington Stage Company. Anna holds an M.F.A. in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU-Tisch and is on faculty at The New School. www.annakjacobs.com Also featured in this episode are two students in the MT Composition program, Sydney Altbacker and Tate Robinson, along with their new piece "Song for Marilyn" which was written for the class. Follow them on Instagram: Sydney /  Tate Watch the full interview with Sydney, Tate, and two other students on the WINMI YouTube Channel. The New York Youth Symphony, founded in 1963 as an orchestra to showcase the metropolitan area's most gifted musicians ages 12-22, has since grown to encompass programs in chamber music, conducting, composition, and jazz, with performances at world class venues including Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Joe's Pub at The Public. --------------- Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode.   Join the WINMI community by following on Instagram or Twitter as well as reaching out to Patrick with any questions or comments: contact.winmipodcast.com   -------------------------------Intro music and interludes:"Reverie (small theme)" by _ghost2010 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Xavier (@XLNB) a recent Sundance Fellow, mentee of Ryan Murphy's Half Foundation, alumnus of the ABFF HBO Short Film Competition and semi-finalist for the Student Academy Awards, offers insights that deserve ears (aspiring filmmakers take note!). We talk Tina and the Gucci Flip Flop, appropriation of black culture (hear about the back stories of "cash me outside" and "on fleek"), Twitter as the "cornucopia" of his ideas, how societies experience a "spike" in populist assertion during times of political convergence and the potential racist intersectionality of a privileged white dude such as myself interviewing artists. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Producing documentaries sounds alluring or terrifying. It depends on where you're sitting. Today, we're sitting with Sundance fellow and TV producer Amanda Spain. Amanda is one of those rare people who's managed to bring her talents to both the doc and unscripted TV worlds. As a seasoned filmmaker and newly minted Sundance fellow, she has ... Read more The post Producing Documentaries with Sundance Fellow Amanda Spain appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Producing documentaries sounds alluring or terrifying. It depends on where you’re sitting. Today, we’re sitting with Sundance fellow and TV producer Amanda Spain. Amanda is one of those rare people who’s managed to bring her talents to both the doc and unscripted TV worlds. As a seasoned filmmaker and newly minted Sundance fellow, she has […] The post Producing Documentaries with Sundance Fellow Amanda Spain appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

1. Ann Chinn, Director, Middle Passage Ceremonies and Portmarkers Project 2. Damani Baker, director, The House on Coco Road A native of the Bay Area, Damani Baker is a Brooklyn-based director and filmmaker. His first feature documentary (with co-director Alex Vlack) about the life and music of Bill Withers, “Still Bill,” opened theatrically to critical acclaim in 2009 and was acquired by Netflix, Showtime, and BBC. Previous work includes “Return,” an award-winning film that explores the genius of traditional African medicine. Damani's career spans documentaries, music videos, museum installations, and advertisements, and he has worked for clients including Rainforest Alliance, Puma, IBM, and Wieden+Kennedy, among others. His current projects include over 10 films for museums in Nigeria and Chattanooga, Tennessee for Ralph Appelbaum Associates, Inc. Damani is a Sundance Fellow and alum of Filmmaker Magazine's “25 new faces in independent film.” In addition to his work, Damani is a professor in the filmmaking, screenwriting, and media arts program at Sarah Lawrence.  

Lily Baldwin is a New York-based filmmaker and dancer that uses movement of the body and unconventional narrative structures to tell human stories. Her short films (Sea Meadow, A Juicebox Afternoon, Sleepover LA, and Swallowed) have played at festivals like SXSW, Berlinale EFM, and the Lincoln Center and been featured on NOWNESS, Short of the Week, Fandor, Filmmaker Magazine, and Vimeo Staff Picks. Lily fell into filmmaking when she was performing as a professional dancer in David Byrne’s two year world tour Everything That Happens Will Happen Today. Lily often writes, choreographs, directs, edits and plays the leading role in her films, seeking to “rip things up” with both graceful and rigid moments and scenes made up of bold, jarring edits. In other scenes, she’s simply another human on the street, walking with the rest of us. Lily is a Sundance Fellow with her upcoming VR project in collaboration with Saschka Unseld, Through You. She’s about to start shooting her first feature, Glass, a stalking thriller based on a real experience about a dancer and an insidious fan in our privacy-gone world. Lily talks about the rigor and commitment of dancers, coming into film as a “second career”, the responsibility she feels as an artist to pull from her own experiences and educate, and “working your buns off” to be the ultimate version of yourself.

Alex Rivera, Filmmaker, Digital Media Artist Alex Rivera has been telling new, urgent, and visually adventurous Latino stories for the past 15 years. Rivera is a Sundance Fellow, Rockefeller Fellow, and was named one of Variety Magazine’s “10 Directors to Watch.” He was born in 1973 to a native of Peru and a native of New Jersey. He’s professionally based in New York, but lives in Los Angeles.

Film and music critic Hardy has been a juror at Sundance and other film festivals around the country.Ernest Hardy writes about film and music from his home base of Los Angeles. His criticism has appeared in numerous national publications and in reference books. He is the winner of the 2006 ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award for excellence and the 2007 "Beyond Margins" award from the PEN American Center. A Sundance Fellow and a member of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, he has sat as a juror for the Sundance Film Festival and other film festivals around the country.His critically acclaimed book Blood Beats, Vol. I was published by RedBone Press in 2006; Blood Beats: Vol II is due out later this year.Recorded On: Wednesday, February 27, 2008