The Break Breakdown: A Podcast from Queens Bird Films

Jacqui Otaño and I met at a political march, and she is an absolute beam of light. As a creative director, a musician, and a creative coach, Jacqui has traveled the world and forged her own path the whole way around it. In this episode, Jacqui talks about grief leading into a deeper sense of knowing herself, the tension of selfishness in telling your own story, and defying the scripted path at eve...

If you've ever told someone you're an artist and they follow up with something akin to "What have I seen you in?", this episode is for you. So many times we internalize the archetype of the struggling artist to mean there's some sort of internal self-defeat causing us to struggle, often ignoring the reality of the System of which we are a part. In this episode, we chat about the minimum wage, ment...

Kimberly Dodson is redefining what it means to be an arts worker. Having performed in SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Kimberly talks about her life on Broadway, dissects the systemic exploitation of the arts worker, and describes the insidious nature of racism in American theatre. Kimberly has taken her experience to create Everybody Black , an incredible or...

Grace Baldridge has broken out of the matrix. As a documentary filmmaker whose docuseries on Refinery29, State of Grace , was a 2020 GLAAD Media Award Nominee for Outstanding Digital Journalism, and as a musician whose EP Preacher's Kid just released in February only to top the iTunes Charts in Christian music as an indie album with no label, Grace Baldridge is making it happen. Grace is self-desc...

We're back with Season 2 of The Break Breakdown! In this season's first episode, writer/director Courtney Romano breaks down her three rules of The Second Step. Courtney talks about how to keep up your stamina in the down, dark moments of the creative process when you're past the enthusiasm of the beginning but far away from the resolution of the end; and how to think about the invisible, non-Inst...

No film school? No problem. Today's episode covers five principles of directing for film that can help you create your first film when you haven't gone to film school. Courtney breaks down what she needed to know and what she didn't need to know, how she created the particular language of her short film "Screen Test", and why everything in your shot is "Chekov's gun". Sign up for our semi-weekly n...

Today's episode is about reframing the capitalist talking points that make us feel like our art is only as good as its paycheck. Courtney breaks down the difference between capitalism v. democratic socialism, how capitalist thinking clouds our artistic vision, why having a day job is an indicator of success, and how to reframe our approach to our work with a value system that centers people and ar...

QUICK & DIRTY: Q&D episodes are short conversations investigating one singular idea or concept about creativity and breaking through. This week's Q&D is about ideation, the creative process, and figuring out where to start. Sign up for our semi-weekly newsletter where Courtney shares one little bite size piece of courage that can help all of us speak up, be free, and (try and sometimes...

QUICK & DIRTY: Q&D episodes are short conversations investigating one singular idea or concept about creativity and breaking through. This week's Q&D is about The Pancake Theory vs. The Hero's Journey and the fear that your great idea might be a flop.  Sign up for our semi-weekly newsletter where Courtney shares one little bite size piece of courage that can help all of us speak u...

Today's episode is about the myth of writer's block. Courtney breaks down how she approaches the writing process, the resources she's used to self-educate herself on writing, and what makes writing good. She also gets very quote happy. :) This episode is for everyone interested in the writing process: whether you're brand new and looking for a way to start, or a veteran who wants to reinvigorate y...

Today's episode is about getting attention. But not in the SEO-driven, click-baity kind of way. This episode seeks to answer the big picture question, "How can I market my film (or any creative work) in a way that's sustainable, authentic, and impactful?" It's the 30,000 foot view and a good place to start if you're new to marketing or looking to get re-inspired as you implement your own strategie...

What exactly is producing? What is the path into costume design? How do you find an amazing team and wardrobe when you have a $0 budget? Is New York City dead? Our guests today are answering all of those questions and more. Mckinzy Powers and Allison Koehler produced Screen Test (Allison also did the costume design) and in today's episode, they discuss taking non-traditional career paths, the peri...

In today's episode, Courtney talks about her journey with anxiety, how it was manipulated by a "high control" group, and how she learned to work with it (instead of against it) to finish Screen Test during the 2020 lockdowns. She talks about how art serves as a beacon in the middle of darkness, how we use it to deal with the difficulty of isolation, and why it's essential we keep creating (at our...

In today's episode, Courtney talks about the major theme of her short film "Screen Test": social media and the identity it creates for us. She talks about our obsession with consumption, our need for emotional tidiness, our altered personas crafted by these platforms, and how we might start to wake up from the trance. Follow @queensbirdfilms for new episodes of TBB and updates on our film, Screen...

David Gow is an actor's actor. He played the cringey, smiley, try-hard Jason in Screen Test, and he's on the podcast today talking with Courtney about the leaps and risks he took to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. He talks about "getting discovered" at six and then putting away his passion, the artistic discipline he fell in love with, and where he finds his edge.  Find out more about...

Today, actor and dancer LaWanda Hopkins who plays the unshakably confident fitfluencer Devvy in Screen Test, joins Courtney for a chat about finding your authentic path. She talks about the moment that made her realize she had something more to give and working with greats like Chadwick Boseman and Spike Lee. In this episode, LaWanda speaks about success's bigger purpose, bypassing the systems and...

On today's episode, actor and renaissance man Kennedy Kanagawa who plays the belt-your-face-off fitness instructor Kenny in Screen Test, joins Courtney. He talks about about the truth behind success and failure and why they're not exactly what they seem. Kennedy also opens up about the racism he faced when starting out in the industry, how to network without feeling grossed out by it, and his take...

Today on the podcast, Jillian Paige who plays "fitfluencer" Caroline in our upcoming short film Screen Test joins us to talk about breaking through the blocks that keep us from honest expression. Jillian uses and teaches the Meisner acting technique and in this episode, she discusses everything from how she used the technique to prepare for Screen Test to toxic positivity to letting your instincts...

Courtney's joined today by actor and writer Sara States, who stars as Olivia in our upcoming short film: Screen Test . In this episode, Courtney and Sara discuss how she prepared for the role of Olivia, why she left the theatre industry and how she came back to it, and her advice for anyone wondering when they'll get their big break.  Find out more about Sara at sarastates.me Follow @queensbi...

Without experience or film school behind her, Courtney talks about why she decided to direct her film and the principles she used in helping her guide the ship for the first time.  This is a podcast from Queens Bird Films. Follow here: @queensbirdfilms

Today we're talking money. On this episode, Courtney breaks down the four ways people fund independent films, the biggest costs during the filming of Screen Test , how to write a script to keep your costs low, and the guiding principles she used in getting the most out of their small budget.  This is a podcast from Queens Bird Films. Follow here: @queensbirdfilms

No script. No directing experience. No funding. That's how the process of making the short film Screen Test began. In this episode, writer and director Courtney Romano breaks down the very first steps of the process, from having the idea to working with producers. Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen to podcasts.  This is a podcast from Queens Bird Films.  Follow here: @queens...

Maybe your big break is in your own hands. From concept to screening, filmmaker Courtney Romano breaks down how she made her first movie with zero funding. From outside the film industry, she’ll try to answer the question, "Can I give myself my big break?” Starting August 20, 2020.