Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa

Danielle DiGiacomo is the Head of Content at Utopia Media, where she leads acquisition, development, and packaging for incoming content and IP.   She is one of the coolest, realest ladies in the biz who has learned how to trust her gut to distribute the most exciting and daring films around. She's open like a book and reads the industry like one, and we have the distinct pleasure of being privy to...

Laura Brown is the Editor in Chief of InStyle, one of the world's most successful fashion media brands. I've been, stalking, I mean following her on IG for quite some time. I simply adore how authentically herself she is and it made me curious to know what is it like to produce a new magazine issue month after month, year after year. So, in my true caca form, I found her well via her inbox, and lo...

Laura Brown is the Editor in Chief of InStyle, one of the world's most successful fashion media brands. I've been, stalking, I mean following her on IG for quite some time. I simply adore how authentically herself she is and it made me curious to know what is it like to produce a new magazine issue month after month, year after year. So, in my true caca form, I slide into Laura's DMs and low and b...

Mary Rohlich is the Head of TV and Film for Priyanka Chopra Jonas' Purple Pebble Pictures.   She came into my life thanks to the lovely Sarah Anthony, doc producer/friend/hero ho was also a guest many episodes ago.   At the time of this recording, which it baffles me to say was at the end of 2020, Mary was transitioning from being a free agent to her new position at Priyanka's company.   She is a...

Michelle Satter is the Founding Director of Sundance Institute's Feature Film Program, the inaugural program of the Institute. She's passionately ushered the world of independent film to new heights since 1981 as a founding member of the Sundance Institute. Many consider her the fairy godmother of independent film; the hidden hand shepherding, developing and nurturing many filmmakers who've likely...

Kirsty Bell is a sensational human. She is also a producer, artist, director, and CEO of Goldfinch Entertainment, a production and finance house based in the UK. She launched Goldfinch Entertainment to prove that investment in independent filmmaking was viable and opened up new possibilities within the arena for creative visionaries. She has funded over 200 Film and TV projects in the last four ye...

Mollye Asher is an Academy Award winning Producer who takes on bold and sometimes risky projects. We are lucky to be catching her at time when those risks have paid off in a big way. "Nomadland", her third collaboration with writer/director Chloé Zhao was the big winner at this year's Academy Awards. The film took home Oscars for best picture, best actress for Frances McDormand and best director f...

Lynette Howell Taylor is an Academy Award and Emmy nominated producer and founder of 51 Entertainment. She produced Bradley Cooper's directorial debut A STAR IS BORN, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Lynette served as Executive Producer on Derek Cianfrance's HBO limited series I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE starring Mark Ruffalo, which is based on the best-selling no...

**A special episode!** Matt Enlow and Oren Kaplan are directors and hosts of JUST SHOOT IT podcasts and I am honored to be episode #259. When I was flirting with the idea of starting AOP, I frequently returned to their show. They've been at it for 6 years, which is mad impressive. Enjoy this chat about my journey, all things producing, and the lessons I've learned in almost two years of doing my o...

Jolene Rodriguez is the President at Broken English Productions, the newly launched film finance arm of Grandave Capital. They launched last June with a focus on movie and TV projects centered on Latinx stories, told by Latinx filmakers. Previous to this new role, she was development and production executive art Sony's Screen Gems' for over a decade. During her tenure, Jolene leveraged her positio...

Paige Simpson is the Head of Development and Production at Rachel Brosnahan's production company, Scrap Paper Pictures , which has a first look TV deal with Amazon Studios. They recently produced YEARLY DEPARTED , is a one hour comedy special hosted by Phoebe Robinson starring Rachel Brosnahan, Tiffany Haddish, Patti Harrison, Natasha Leggero, Sarah Silverman, Natasha Rothwell, and Ziwe. The speci...

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 I...

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 w...

Erin O'Malley is one of the coolest, raddest ladies you will ever meet. She's a five-time Emmy nominated television and film producer and director. More importantly, she also has a healthy obsession with Broadway musicals. Which I am not mad at. If you recall the famous character Molly Shannon created on SNL, Sally O'Malley, you'll know why I saved Erin to be episode 50! As you'll hear me gush, Er...

Constanza and Domenica Castro are sister filmmakers from Mexico City and founders of 271 Films, a creative production company based in Los Angeles. Collectively, their worked has garnered over 2 billion views and they've produced numerous award-winning videos, short films, and commercial content that have been featured on MTV, Billboard, The New Yorker Screening Room, Nylon, Vice, Vimeo Staff Pick...

Ross Dinerstein spent his childhood immersed in the magical world of Blockbuster videos shelves and darkened movie theaters. Born and raised in Houston, his love for story ultimately led him to the big apple and in 2001 where he began his career in acquisitions at Miramax Films. And yes, he did cross paths with Harvey Weinstein. If you listened to episode 45 you may be thinking, "wait didn't you a...

Lizzie Nastro Adler is currently the Head of Development for King Bee Productions, the production company created by Emily Mortimer and Alessandro Nivola. King Bee has a first look TV deal with eOne Entertainment. She most recently produced I Am a Town , a documentary feature directed by artist Mischa Richter, shot on 35mm, which premiered at MoMA Doc Fortnight 2020. She produced Skate Kitchen , a...

Laverne McKinnon is a film and TV producer with more than 20 years of experience. She was the Executive Producer of the Netflix series GIRLBOSS starring Britt Roberson (who was also on the pod!) She has spent a significant part of her career as Senior VP of Drama Development at CBS . She was Head of Television at Charlize Theron's production company, Denver and Delilah . And now, she runs K&L Prod...

Ross Girard is Executive Vice President of Production at Campfire, a film and tv production company, where he oversees physical production for a slate of premium scripted and nonfiction projects. A graduate of Emerson College, his background spans music videos, commercials, scripted and nonfiction features and series, with premieres at both the Sundance and Tribeca Film Festivals. Ross recently pr...

Rachel Winter radiates with warmth and wholeheartedness. While we joke that her lighting during the interview was less than ideal, it wasn't enough to dim her inner glow. She is the Academy Award®-nominated producer of the acclaimed film "Dallas Buyers Club." Based on a true story, the powerful film earned six Academy Award® nominations including best picture, winning three of them including lead...

This week, I sat down with indie film producer Arsalan Asli. He is a friend. As a fellow film lover. As one of my producing partners. He is a true mentor and source of inspiration to me and anyone lucky enough to collaborate with him.  Arsalan Asli was born in Iran and raised in Canada and the US. He began his career in investment banking and real estate development through his family's business i...

Eli Ash loves things that most people hate: spreadsheets, organization, planning, and budgeting. As Head of Production at Mustache Agency, she is tasked with the tremendous responsibility of juggling multiple projects and managing various production and post teams daily. Eli came into my world when I was hired to produce a commercial for Secrets Resort & Spa in the Dominican Republic last summer....

Michelle Purple is a classic movie lover who also happens to own a production company with her close friend, Jessica Biel. They met on the set of STEALTH and became fast friends, bonding over watching films in Jessica's trailer. When Jessica poked her to start a production company together, Michelle was hesitant. She was nervous to work with her friend and running an actor based company. She event...

Jesse Baker is an award-winning journalist and producer who most recently led a large team of creative makers as Audible's vice president of original content. At Audible, she produced and developed a number of the company's most successful original series, including West Cork and three seasons of Esther Perel's Where Should We Begin ? As a huge fan of the iconic couples therapist Esther Perel, I w...

"I firmly believe that you can't fail if you never quit. I wholeheartedly subscribe to that." - Jermaine Johnson Jermaine Johnson is a manager and producer at the Beverly Hills-based 3 Arts Entertainment. A fellow scorpio, he is and has always been unapologetically himself. I would know since we met during the early days of our LA journey. Originally from New Jersey, he moved to Los Angeles for th...