Grace Fraga is an award winning Latina actress, comedian, writer, podcaster and producer was inducted into the National Comedy Hall of Fame in 2020. Grace has appeared on national television on NBC, A&E, CBS, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, VH-1, Court TV, Univision, Galavision and Telemundo. Some of her guest star roles include, "The Steve Harvey Show", "Gene Simmons Family Jewels," "Comedy Cage Match," "FBI Files," "Mystery ER," "Killer Outbreaks," "The First Time" and "North Mis...
David Fuhrer[1] is an American inventor and entrepreneur. David Fuhrer has licensed more than 300 toys, games and household products including toys such as Aqua Doodle, Nerf Vortex Football, and Twisty Petz. He is the recipient of numerous toy industry awards. Brand Week Magazine (February 2009) refers to Fuhrer as "one of the more successful rainmakers in the toy industry" in an article written about his license of Guitar Hero Air Guitar Rocker.[2][3] In January 2020, Fuhrer was named by Moj...
Chaitra Vedullapalli is a renowned entrepreneur and a Go-To-Market (GTM) expert, revered for her proficiency in coaching tech founders. Her skills have guided hundreds of tech companies to leverage cloud market places that have built million-dollar practices. She is the mastermind behind the 4P Cosell GTM Method, a groundbreaking framework designed to develop strategic GTM plans with Microsoft and Google. This method capitalizes on her 20+ years of corporate experience and her success in laun...
Discover the ultimate framework for crafting stories that captivate and convert. In this episode, we break down the essential elements of a "bulletproof" storytelling structure, showing you how to engage your audience, build emotional connections, and deliver a message that sticks. Whether you're crafting narratives for a podcast, a business pitch, or a corporate video, this proven structure will help you communicate with clarity and impact. Tune in for actionable tips, real-world examples, a...
Brian Patacca helps actors get what they want without all the struggle. He’s helped 724 actors find representation and is even known as “The Representation Whisperer”.Through his wildly popular online courses (Audition Magnet® and #agentgoals®) and entertaining podcast, Brian teaches actors how to market themselves authentically, use gratitude to open doors, and book the roles they were born to play.His coaching clients include Tony Award-winners, Broadway stars, Series Regulars, filmmakers, ...
Meet the unsung hero of the Hollywood hustle: Xaque Gruber, the assistant who went from scheduling star-studded brunches to writing the screenplay everyone is buzzing about. In this episode, we spill the tea (and probably a few too many cappuccinos) on how navigating the land of demanding divas, impossible deadlines, and snack-fetching missions led to a script, a wild tale of scripts, stars, and the sweet revenge of a screenplay gone right!
Lina Suh grew up in Seoul, Korea, the American Midwest, and New York. She received an MFA from the University of Southern California in film production, and previously a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in Dramatic Writing. Lina produced award-winning fiction shorts in New York and Los Angeles, and directed a short humanitarian documentary FLOW ON THROUGH in Cambodia that was in a World Bank-issued “Water and Sanitation” guide distributed to NGOs in developing countries. Lina has taugh...
Join us as we celebrate the standout winners of the 2024 LaFemme Film Festival! In this episode, we’ll dive into the inspiring stories and creative journeys behind the winning films that took center stage at this year’s festival. From groundbreaking narratives and innovative directing to powerful performances and meaningful themes, discover what made these films shine. We’ll also hear from some of the filmmakers themselves, sharing insights into their processes, challenges, and triumphs. Whet...
Danielle Beverly's latest documentary is Qatar Stars. It is touring the festival circuit, including a screening at the 2024 LA Femme International Film Festival.Beverly began her career at Chicago’s PBS affiliate and has directed and produced content for PBS and cable since 1999. Beverly was field producer for the longitudinal documentary REBIRTH over its ten-year production (Sundance World Premiere 2011; Showtime broadcast; George Foster Peabody Award; screened at The White House, US Departm...
Jane is a storyteller. Through her company, FilmMcQueen, she has brought numerous shorts and 3 feature films to life, winning 18 awards and another 8 nominations by envisioning strong characters in visceral environments. She has worked in film with actors such as Lukas Haas, David Arquette, Candis Cayne, Wilson Cruz, Theo Rossi and Necar Zadigan, as well as Emmy-winning sound wizard, Andy D'Addario ("Mozart in the Jungle"), Emmy award-winning DP Per Larsson ("The Amazing Race") and musician C...
7 years ago, Jason co-founded Spectrum Laboratory (aka Spec Labs), along with Garth Herberg, and what an amazing wild ride it’s been! Spectrum Laboratory was founded in 2015 with the idea of creating original works of film, music, and animation with autistic and neurodivergent artists looking to gain experience and an education of what it would be like to work in the entertainment industry. Jason and Garth started Spec Labs with the idea of creating professional content with their autistic an...
Cathy’s career as a professional actor span over 3 decades. Her strong comedic ability paired with one of the quickest wits has kept her gainfully employed in the entertainment industry. McAuley considers herself a journeyman actor as she has been able to successfully weave theater, television, film, and voiceover into her ever evolving body of work. McAuley also holds an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the University of Hawaii. Cathy is blessed with the nicest guy on the planet she calls h...
As President of the Orange County Asperger's Support Group, Judy is driving programming to help individuals and families dealing with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's improve their quality of life. In this role, Judy has uniquely developed the use of Toastmasters to help those with ASD improve communication and enhance social interaction. am a co-chair on the Thompson Policy Institute OC Transition Initiative where I am part of the business outreach group. I am currently focused on expa...
Three years ago, Cynthia discovered her deep passion for storytelling in the form of screenwriting, and ever since, her stories have focused on empowering and celebrating the human experience and spirit. Cynthia weaves magic into her stories and characters by using her rich, familial heritage, ancestral faith, and generational resilience.In 2021, Cynthia made her directorial debut with the award-winning film, "Dukkha," a film based on her journey to sobriety that she created as a mentee in th...
The industry has undergone a major shift in Hollywood and the job of Executive Producer and Showrunner is not what it once was. Fortunately, Leslie digs deep with Christian Jean to discuss the state of the industry.
Sam Okun Productions is a film and television development and financing company specializing in the discovery and production of forward thinking content with broad international and multi-generational appeal. In collaboration with other leading production companies, financiers, and film studios, Sam Okun and his team consistently strive to push boundaries with modern adaptations of classic novels by some of the most world renowned best selling authors while also working with young, up and com...
Why are you giving away festival rights to distribution companies? Let's discuss. In this episode, Leslie goes deep into the 5 things that are a must know before signing a distribution deal.
Author of Breaking In: Tales from the Screenwriting Trenches from Focal Press and Getting It Write: An Insider’s Guide To A Screenwriting Career published in 2014, Lee Jessup is a career coach for screenwriters, with an exclusive focus on the screenwriter’s professional development. Her clients include working film and television writers including showrunners and A-list studio writers, writers who sold feature specs, original pilots and pitches to major studios and networks, as well as contes...
Brian Beckmann serves as CFO/COO at Arclight Films, the leading worldwide sales and production company for theatrical, television, and home entertainment media. Beckman’s prolific career includes over 30 years of experience as a CFO/COO, including 13 years at Arclight. He has worked in a variety of industries from film/entertainment, media/advertising, to advanced technology. He is well versed in all aspects of film finance, distribution, tax incentives, and production operations....
Sean joined GFM Animation to develop and expand the slate of 2D and CG animated movies. We not only help finance, pre-sell and distribute films – but also help in setting budgets, tweaking scripts and artwork for sales and production, sourcing studios, overseeing schedules and key milestones.With a 20 year career in animation and VFX, Sean Feeney brings considerable knowledge and extensive experience. His credits include shows produced with Disney, Splash, M2/LEGO, Anima, Mattel, Hasbro and t...