Hollywood IQ

Summary: In the final, bonus episode of Hollywood IQ podcast season one, host Ri-Karlo Handy and Bree Frank dive into the shifting landscape of media, entertainment, and creative careers. The pair discuss the decline of traditional media, rise of streaming and creator platforms, and ongoing battle for audience attention, while providing practical advice for professionals navigating these industry...

Synopsis: Creative types tend to shy away from economic strategy, writing it off as something for the suits. But in today’s creator economy, knowing your audience and distribution method are as essential as the quality of content you put out. In season one's final episode of the Hollywood IQ podcast, host Ri-Karlo Handy is joined by economist Adam Fowler , a pioneer in studying Hollywood from an e...

Synopsis : In this episode of Hollywood IQ, host Ri-Karlo Handy speaks with Daniel Rosenberg , a leader in the entertainment tech space and master networker. The pair share their secrets to networking and building business relationships that creates opportunities, without feeling forced. They explore a series of touch points that guide us on how to reach out and follow up, matching energy to set t...

Synopsis: In Hollywood, those who work on stagecraft positions (including costuming, lighting, editing, and production roles) typically jump from gig to gig. With such intermittent jobs, there’s no consistent employer to provide benefits like health insurance, sick pay or retirement savings. That’s where unions come in: union membership gives below-the-line workers access to health benefits and re...

Synopsis : Don’t knock a job a the makeup counter — it’s what led to a decades-long career for hair stylist and makeup artist Keshia Smith, who has led hair and makeup departments for television and film productions, among other roles. In episode #110 of the Hollywood IQ podcast, Host Ri-Karlo Handy talks with Keshia Smith , Artist Management x TCA founder and instructor for the Handy Foundation G...

Synopsis : In a special Giving Tuesday episode of Hollywood IQ, Handy Foundation alums Dalia Soto-Beltrán (assistant editor and producer) and Danielle Kim (assistant editor) talk with host, Ri-Karlo Handy, about how they broke into Hollywood with the help of the Handy Foundation’s apprenticeship program — and a lot grit. Danielle discusses a pivot from majoring in business in college to studying e...

In this episode of Hollywood IQ, host Ri-Karlo Handy talks with documentary filmmaker Ryland Engelhart ( Kiss the Ground , Common Ground ) about how he went from a restaurateur and advocate in the wellness and food spaces to a documentarian with three films under his belt and a three-film deal with Amazon. In the episode, the pair delve into the business of getting a documentary film off the groun...

Synopsis: Sick of ghost jobs and unanswered LinkedIn messages? In this episode, Host Ri-Karlo Handy and special guest, Senior Executive Producer (Amazon Studios) and Hue You Know founder Bree Frank , share hard-earned insights on networking. If anyone knows how to crack the code of networking in the AI-age, it’s powerhouse community builder, Bree. In growing Hue You Know from its initial iteration...

Synopsis : In this episode of Hollywood IQ, Host Ri-Karlo Handy speaks with his brother and special guest, Charles Handy , about Charles’ journey from the military to the Hollywood edit bay. The brothers discuss how to recognize when the dream changes — and how to pivot accordingly; the value of a disciplined, military training in Hollywood; and why you have to prove yourself, even after getting y...

In this episode of Hollywood IQ, Ri-Karlo Handy sit with Tamra Goins, Managing Partner & Head of Comedy at Innovative Artists. Tamra's takes us on her journey starting out as a 16-year-old rapper, finding fame early, and figuring where to go from their.  Her understanding of moving through different industries is inspiring and educational. As the Head of Comedy, she gives us lessons on how to...

Want to create social change in Hollywood? In this episode, host Ri-Karlo Handy gets Ashlee’s best advice for how to start and scale a nonprofit — and make the biggest impact. Ri-Karlo and Ashley also delve into the difference between having a passion for making change and pinpointing the specific purpose of your nonprofit; coalition building with other stakeholders (schools, employers, organizati...

In this special episode of Hollywood IQ, we listen to two comedy professionals, Mitchell Marchand and Jay Rich. Interspersed throughout are insights on both of their journeys, and how each person got to where they are today. Mitchell's journey as an actor, turned comedy writer is both hilarious and insightful. Jay's connection with Ri-Karlo is honest, giving us observations to learn from. To top i...

In this episode of Hollywood IQ, Oji Singletary, showrunner of The Braxtons, which drops this week, shares his incredible journey from growing up in Black Hollywood family, to becoming one of the most trusted showrunners in the reality TV business. Oji opens up about his father, and starting as a production assistant, before transitioning later to camera work and directing. Oji and Ri-Karlo talk a...

In this episode of Hollywood IQ, we sit with Amy Woods, Media Arts Teacher at Northview High School in Covina, California. In this episode, Amy breaks down the pre-apprenticeship program through the Handy Foundation and how it benefits students careers after high school. With a background in unscripted and docu-dramas, Amy discusses how her students are gaining real-world production experience and...

In this trailer episode, host Ri-Karlo Handy shares the vision behind Hollywood IQ : a show dedicated to exploring the thought process behind building creative businesses. Whether it's producing blockbuster films or launching a podcast, Handy draws on his experience as a television executive to break down where aspiring creatives can begin. He highlights the difference between being a creative ent...