Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa

We are trying something a little different for the next two months and will be bringing you weekly minisodes to compliment the monthy guest drops. This week, host Carolina Groppa and Associate Producer Sarah Bockian dive into the Oscars, the RUST verdict, and whether Hollywood is still in a steady decline or simply at the end of Act II. Articles Referenced: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/01/opinion/oscars-hollywood-extinction-event.html https://deadline.com/2024/03/rust-movie-armorer-guilty-shooting-death-1235847983   LISTEN HERE angleonproducers.com spoti.fi/2XwATdT apple.co/3dGscbf    SAY HI instagram.com/carolinagroppa instagram.com/angleonproducers tiktok.com/@carolina_groppa    SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER! bit.ly/aop_newsletter    

Mynette Louie is an Emmy-nominated, multiple Spirit Award-winning producer. A few of her movie credits include: Heidi Ewing’s I Carry You With Me (Sony Pictures Classics, Winner of Sundance 2020 NEXT Innovator & Audience Awards, New York Film Festival selection) Carlo Mirabella-Davis’ Gotham Award-nominated Swallow  Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour's Black Box (Amazon Studios/Blumhouse) Karyn Kusama’s The Invitation (SXSW 2015, Drafthouse/Netflix) Knowing no one in the film industry, Louie began her film career by producing three NYU Tisch graduate thesis films–all written and directed by women–though she did not attend the school. She also worked at the Hawaii Film Office, where she authored the state’s production tax credit, oversaw the $7.3 million renovation of the state-owned film studio, and developed programs to foster local independent filmmaking. Mynette is on the Board of Directors for Film Independent and serves as an advisor to the Sundance Institute, SXSW, Tribeca, and IFP. She was named one of Business Insider’s “12 Movie Producers at the Top of Their Game to Watch in 2020 and Beyond,” Ted Hope’s “21 Brave Thinkers of Truly Free Film,” and Indiewire’s “100 Filmmakers to Follow on Twitter.” Mynette won the 2013 Independent Spirit Piaget Producers Award and is a member of the executive and diversity committees of the Producers branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. A native New Yorker, Louie graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard University, where she studied Chinese literature and film. @carolinagroppa @mynettelouie www.angleonproducers.com

DeMane Davis is a television director and producer. She wears many hats. In fact, her mother would say “she doesn’t have enough heads for all the hats that she wears.” A special thanks to Women in Film for inviting me to host this lovely event. Our time together filled with me, and certainly the participants, with immense joy, as her positive energy is absolutely infectious. DeMane vibrates on a wavelength of gratitude and possibility. She believes in manifestation. So, it’s no surprise that years ago, Ava DuVernay slid in her DMs and invited her to direct two episodes of the second season of her groundbreaking TV series Queen Sugar which airs on OWN.  The magical and powerful Ava has changed the landscape by only hiring female directors and specifically hiring first-time female directors. She asked DeMane to be the producing director of season three where she also go to director. Ava's done a ton of heavy lifting, but we agree that all of us must do your part to achieve gender parity on set. Last year, Davis produced and directed the last two episodes of the four-part Emmy-nominated Netflix limited series “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam CJ Walker.” The period drama starred Octavia Spencer, Blair Underwood & Tiffany Haddish.   She is a co-executive producer and will direct the two-part season finale of the highly anticipated 2021 series, “Clarice.” The show shares the untold personal story of FBI Agent Clarice Starling as she returns to the field in 1993, one year after the events of “The Silence of the Lambs.”  Oh, and DeMane managed to get her start by directing her first two features while holding down a full time job as a copywriter in advertising. She leaned into all of those contacts to help manifest those projects. One of which became LIFT, starring Kerry Washington in her first leading role. Both of her films premiered In Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival and internationally at Edinburgh.  She’s truly unstoppable. I absolutely adored this conversation and hope you also take away golden nuggets like: -How a producing director differs from a showrunner -The importance of doing it with joy -How to fill your own well to keep your soul alive in the hustle   Beijos, Carolina

We are facing a crisis in the producing community.  Regular listeners of the show are well aware of this fact because I talk about it incessantly. The challenges that make the producing career path unsustainable are now undeniable...and they were only exacerbated by a global pandemic, two back to back strikes, a market contraction, and the technological advancements and disruption of AI. Producers Heather Rae, whose latest film, "Fancy Dance", starring Lily Gladstone, drops on Apple in June, and past podcast guest Joy Gorman Wettles, who is behind amazing shows like "13 Reasons Why" and "Unprisoned" starring Kerry Washington, stop by to explain why they, along with other prolific career producers who make up about 90% of Hollywood's biggest independent, studio, and streamer producers at the top of their game, have come together to work towards change for us all. The group is called the Producers United and it's a grassroots collective of 86 career producers who are committed to fight for issues that impact sustainability for the next generation.  There are many worthy issues, but the two main ones are: 1) Basic rights, which means payment for services rendered while they are being rendered and 2) Healthcare contributions during prep, production and post periods. At the end of the day, it really comes down to education. It's imperative to educate the industry on what the producer does and how our jobs are inherently different from the important contributions of our multi-hyphenate partners. Actors, writers, directors, financiers, these individuals bring so much value to the process, howevr, unlike career producers, their revenue stream is not soley tied to projects.  The wellbeing of our entire industry depends on producers not only surviving, but thriving. Together, we can continue to support artist and be a part of the magic that is storytelling.  Head over to producersunited.com for more info. Become a Patreon! patreon.com/angleonproducers  

This week, host Carolina Groppa and Associate Producer Sarah Bockian wrap their minds around CBS' recent annoucement to no longer participate in the traditional pilot season of Jan-May, the blow that could be a strike at Cannes, and two movies that recently brought us tremendous joy.   Tune in!

We often talk about how the path is not linear, and today’s guest reminds us to stop and smell the roses on the way to wherever we are headed! The lovely Tara Miele is a filmmaker originally from Long Island. Her widely acclaimed film, WANDER DARKLY, starring Sienna Miller and Diego Luna, premiered in competition at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was distributed by Lionsgate. Currently, Tara is writing and is attached to direct a Carol Burnett biopic that Tina Fey is producing. Most recently, Tara directed two episodes of LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY, one of my fav shows of last year, for which she was nominated for a DGA award!  She is also well known for her 2016 viral video, MEET A MUSLIM, which she created to combat Islamophobia and has garnered 45 million views. Tara is a Co-Chair of the Women's Steering Committee at the Directors Guild of America, where she helped launch the DGA's first peer-to-peer mentorship program for women, The WSC Squad.  I’ve been eager to open up the aperture and invite other accomplished professionals onto the show so we can hear from them, “What makes an exceptional producer?” In this episode, we dive into her unique path, producer red flags, and how she’s been able to balance her impressive body of work with her most rewarding job thus far - being a mother.  

This week, host Carolina Groppa and Associate Producer Sarah Bockian dive into the fun world of short film financing, budgeting and producing. Hot tips! Do's and Don'ts! And why production insurance is #sexy. Tune in!

This week, host Carolina Groppa and Associate Producer Sarah Bockian debate Reese Witherspoon's controversial comments on AI, and "Airhead", a short made using Sora that still required many humans. Links Discussed:   thewrap.com/reese-witherspoon-artificial-intelligence-morning-show-paleyfest/ nofilmschool.com/sora-ai-filmmaker-interview youtube.com/watch?v=NXpdyAWLDas&ab_channel=MarquesBrownlee    

Thrilled to share this inspiring and electric convo with Dr. Rachel Raimist. Rachel is an episodic television director and college professor who’s recently directed episodes of the family fantasy THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (Disney+), the musical UP HERE (Hulu) and the soapy drama SEX/LIFE (Netflix). She has also directed beloved episodes of THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS (HBO Max), WU-TANG: AN AMERICAN SAGA (Hulu), FANTASY ISLAND (Fox), and DIARY OF A FUTURE PRESIDENT (Disney+). We are opening up the aperture and hearing from other disciplines on what they think makes an exceptional producer, so tune in! Her journey is a masterclass in rolling with the punches…and her resilience is inspiring to say the least. She’s one of those people you can talk to for hours and never run out of things to say. I hope you enjoy and get as much out of our conversation as I did. Takeaways! The importance of a supportive community So much of the directing process happens before you set foot on set The environment you foster on set is just as important as your talent and skill  

This week, host Carolina Groppa answers listener questions! Tune in as we breakdown: How to set up contracts with directors for short films and not get pushed out of projects How to networking intentionally and effectively Pros and cons of the indie vs assistant route to producing SAY HI instagram.com/carolinagroppa instagram.com/angleonproducers tiktok.com/@carolina_groppa  SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER! bit.ly/aop_newsletter

We are trying something a little different for the next two months and will be bringing you weekly minisodes to compliment the monthy guest drops. This week, host Carolina Groppa and Associate Producer Sarah Bockian celebrate Women's History Month, Carolina takes us behind the scenes of her panel discussion with Melinda Gates and we explore how AI could empower women and people of color.

Delighted to share this very special episode with the incredible lady that is Judalina Neira. I’ve been lucky to call her a friend for many years. We met during the early days of our LA journey and now she’s a very impressive Emmy nominated writer/producer known for her work on critically acclaimed shows THE BOYS, DAISY JONES AND THE SIX and THE FLASH. She is currently bringing BEWITCHED back to life on our TV screens in the not-too-distant future. Judalina is also a proud alum of the ABC/NBC/National Hispanic Media Coalition’s TV Writing Program, NBC’s Writers on the Verge and the WGA Showrunner Training Program. Judalina is a Governor Emeritus for The Television Academy's Writers Peer Group. One of the things I love most about her is how she continues to give back…case in point, she is also the co-founder of La Lista - a Latina TV Writers’ brunch broup in LA. Xoxo cg SAY HI instagram.com/carolinagroppa instagram.com/angleonproducers tiktok.com/@carolina_groppa SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER! bit.ly/aop_newsletter

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/AOP to get 10% off your first month of online therapy which you can do from the comfort of your home!** Over the moon to share my chat with Grammy® Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning actress, singer, author and producer, Cynthia Erivo.  She is set to star as Elphaba in Universal’s highly anticipated film adaptation of the hit musical WICKED. But before we get to see her all in her green glory, I highly recommend catching her in DRIFT, a project that also happens to be her producorial debut. DRIFT follows a young Liberian refugee named Jacqueline (Erivo) who has barely escaped her war-torn country to a Greek island. The film World Premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews. It’s a beautiful character piece and Erivo delivers a nuanced performance that’s truly unforgettable. It’s playing in select theaters across the US. Check out showtimes at drift.film Cynthia was on our dream list of 2024 guests. We knew inviting her would be a reach and were fulled prepared for a firm “no thank you” but we got an excited “yes!” just days later, we couldn’t believe it. Thrilled to now be able to share the product of that dream with all of you…which is fitting since one of the key takeaways of this episode is dream big.

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/AOP to get 10% off your first month of online therapy which you can do from the comfort of your home!** Delighted to share my chat with the inspiring, delightful, and Emmy nominated Coco Francini. An LA native, she began her career as a development intern, eventually becoming Quentin Tarantino’s assistant in 2011 on Django Unchained They formed a solid working relationship and she eventually returned as associate producer on The Hateful Eight.  She spent a season of her career as the VP of Activision Blizzard Studios where she led the creative development and production of film and TV content for the world’s largest video game and interactive media company, shepherding projects including the iconic Call of Duty game franchise. Shortly after producing MRS. AMERICA for FX, she became a  partner at Dirty Films, alongside Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton.   On top of her prolific producing career, Coco is also one of the brilliant brains behind the Proof of Concept Accelerator Grant, a collaboration between Dirty Films, Netflix, and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. The grant is designed to accelerate the path for directors who give voice to the perspectives of women, trans and non-binary people. Eight filmmakers will receive $50,000 in funding to create short films that can act as springboards to feature films or TV series. Link in bio for me as the deadline is Friday 2/16. Can't wait to hear your takeaway! Beijos, cg  

Happy New Year, everyone!  Hope you’re back rested and energized for 2024! We are kicking off new beginnings with an old friend…the prolific film and television producer, Monica Levinson.  Some of her impressive credits include BORAT, BRUNO, ZOOLANDER, DODGEBALL, Larry David's CLEAR HISTORY, Tara Miele's WANDER DARKLY, David Oyelowo's THE WATER MAN and Aaron Sorkin's THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7. Starting her career in broadcast news in her hometown of Washington, D.C., Monica transitioned into narrative storytelling by working with visionary directors including Alan J. Pakula and Sidney Lumet. She most recently produced OLD DADS, the Netflix comedy written, directed and starring Bill Burr which did really well on the platform when it dropped last October.  On top of a busy producing career, she is also an executive board member of AMPAS, PGA, DGA, and on the leadership team for the Women's Production Society.  Mentorship is very important to her and she certainly walks the walk. I count myself lucky to know her as an ally and a mentor. She's constantly giving back and she drops lots of gems during out chat, such as: Jobs that aren’t exactly what you want to be doing can provide a foundation for the jobs you want Filmmaking is a collaboration - be prepared but remember you’re not alone Working in production is still creative! Happy listening! -cg

Happy Tuesday! It’s November 21st, my favorite day of the year because it's my birthday! It’s a treat to share this episode with 3Pas CEO, Ben Odell with you as I celebrate another revolution around the sun.  Ben grew up in the U.S. before packing up and moving to Colombia in his 20s. After finding success as a writer, his producorial pursuits led him back to the states where he joined forces with the legendary Mexican director and comedian, Eugenio Derbez, to create 3Pas. Their film, RADICAL, winner of the 2023 Sundance Festival Favorite Award, is in theaters now. The film, inspired by a Wired Magazine article by Joshua Davis, follows the 6th grade students at Jose Urbina Lopez Elementary in Mexico, who are among the worst performing students in the country. Everything changes when teacher Sergio Juarez (Eugenio Derbez) arrives with an outside-the-box approach, opening their minds and changing their hearts forever.  Here are my top 3 takeaways from this conversation. What are yours?  A good marketing plan is just as important as a good story The Latinx market can’t be put into a box Diversity and inclusion are imperative, but what does thoughtful inclusion actually look like?  

Hiii everybody. This week on the show we are flipping things on it's head a little bit. I'm often asked about my story, my journey, my advice...so I figured it could be a fun opportunity to have my associate producer, Sarah Bockian, take the reins as interviewer and put me in the hot seat. Sarah joined the team six months ago at the start of the writers’ strike, and has been working behind the scenes with me to help bring these episodes to life. She comes from the world of development and writers’ room support staff, having worked on comedies and dramas for both broadcast and streaming.  As this is her formal introduction on the show, she’d like the listeners to know two things: 1) she’s available for staffing (and also Showrunners’ Assistant and Writers’ Assistant positions), and 2) she was super congested during the recording of this episode, and she’s 90% sure her voice normally sounds less annoying. In this episode, we cover everything from my immigration to America, to egos at work, and the one set experience that still haunts me to this day.  Key Takeaways: -Make your own opportunities, don’t wait for them to find you -The most valuable business relationships are about depth, not quantity -The importance of holding on to your spark Thanks for doing this life thing with me! -C

Elated and relieved that a tentative deal has been reached between the WGA and the studios. In between rejoicing and celebrating, I found myself wondering what impact, if any, this new contract will have on my fellow indie producers? Producers Laura Lewis and Brent Emery were recently interviewed by IndieWire on what role producers play in the AMPTP. It compelled me to invite them on to explore why there’s a change.org petition floating around to remove that second “P” from the acronym and the need for the Producers Union, which is currently 300 members strong. Fun Facts:  The PGA is a non-profit trade organization that does not have collective bargaining power, despite a long history of lawsuits and lobbying in an effort to be recognized.  No independent producer had a seat at the table or was involved in ANY of the negotiations with any of the unions this past summer.  Hollywood has changed tremendously in the last 50 years. Labor unions have forced studios to keep up with the times and protected the interest of its members. Indie producers have no protections. It’s time to change that.  Support the Change.Org petition by visiting the link in bio!  

Thrilled to share my chat with the inspiring and nimble Noelle Green, Director of Physical Production at Netflix on the Original Series.  Prior to Netflix, Noelle was a VP in Physical Production at Legendary Pictures and oversaw such projects as Kong: Skull Island and Krampus. The majority of her career was spent freelancing as a production supervisor or coordinator. She eventually began working as a line producer in the 90s where she was often the only woman of color sets of 500 or more people. This experience planted a seed that eventually led her to be one of the founders of the Producers Inclusion Initiative, a joint effort between Netflix and Shondaland to help bring up more underrepresented people in the line producer path. It’s truly important work that I cherish as she’s helped create opportunities for many. In this episode, Noelle takes us through digging into her grit to go from struggling single mother to a Netflix exec, speaks on the importance of inclusion in the workplace and shares her wisdom on how she dealt with the frustratingly impermeable boys’ club. Key Takeaways:  Be nimble and flexible, but never compromise yourself. Lean into frustration Know what you bring to the table and then bring it to the table.

Delighted to share my chat with the inspiring writer/producer Gabby Lugo. We met at a networking event for the Latinx community and were quickly magnetized to each other. We bonded over the various parallels in our path and I simply had to share her story with you.  After finding major success as a line producer on projects like the original short for Damien Chazelle’s film "Whiplash" and the anomaly indie hit that was the feature "Palm Springs", she was faced with making a decision that would have most creatives shaking in their boots: should she continue on the lucrative line producing path, or turn down her financial safety net and pursue her true passion for writing?  In this episode, you'll get the real-real on how Gabby navigated the high stress and high stakes of a journey that begins with immigration from Nicaragua and arrives to present day with the recently-sold reboot of "16 Candles" alongside powerhouse latinas, showrunner Tanya Saracho and the one and only Selena Gomez.  Spoiler Alert: Gabby’s writing it.