MediaMaker Spotlight

In this conversation, filmmaker Chance McClain sits down with host Candice Bloch and shares his journey from a diverse creative background to founding Heritage Films, a company dedicated to creating personal legacy documentaries. He discusses the importance of storytelling, connecting generations, the emotional impact of capturing family histories, and the production process involved in making the...

In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with three WIFV members about their independent feature film, THE OTHER YOU, and how the movie went from an idea during the pandemic to its premiere during the DC Independent Film Festival in March 2025. The surreal comedy sheds light on how a wife and mother tries to find time to work on her writing when a portal in her closet shows her another version of...

Host Tara Jabbari interviews editor Dustin Elkin who has worked in Los Angeles and Chicago for clients such as CBS, Mattel, Hallmark, and Bally’s. During their conversation, Dustin shares the importance of networking, his work ethic, and why he is a fan of utilizing AI for his work - including for his own podcast, The Video Editing Guru Podcast. Connect with Dustin: https://www.dustinelkin.com/ Th...

In this celebratory 100th episode of MediaMaker Spotlight, our three hosts - Candice, Sandra, and Tara - reflect on their journey, the evolution of the podcast, and the impact of Women in Film & Video. They discuss the transition to video content, the diverse range of topics covered, and the importance of networking within the industry. The conversation highlights notable guests, achievements,...

In this episode, host Candice Bloch interviews William Fay , a seasoned producer and motion picture executive, discussing his extensive career in the film industry. Bill, known for producing and executive producing many notable projects through the years such as Independence Day, The Patriot, 300, The Hangover, The Town, and more, elaborates on the multifaceted role of a producer, his journey into...

In this second episode of a special two-part series, host Sandra Abrams chats with Maxine Peake about her portrayal of Anna Politkovskaya, a Russian-American journalist, in the film Words of War. Maxine shares what it was like to play the real life reporter, wife, and mother of two who risked her life to uncover the truth about the Chechen War. Anna was assassinated on October 7, 2006, the same da...

In this first episode of a special two-part series, host Sandra Abrams chats with Mark Maxey , WIFV board member and producer of a new geo-political thriller, WORDS OF WAR. The film tells the story of Russian-American journalist, Anna Politkovskaya, who was assassinated on October 7, 2006 for uncovering the truth about the Chechen War. The film opens in theaters on May 2, the day before United Nat...

Ahead of Earth Day, host Candice Bloch interviews Kat Friis , an Emmy award-winning producer and founding member of Green the Bid , a grassroots, non-profit industry organization that aims to shift the media production industry to zero-waste, minimal carbon, sustainable and regenerative practices. The two discuss the importance of sustainability in the production industry, educating and advocating...

Host Tara Jabbari has a conversation with Catherine Haigh and Hannah Congdon to explore the journey of creating their documentary, Women Behind the Wheel , which focuses on women's empowerment in remote communities. They highlight the importance of research, language, cultural challenges, and community support as they share their experiences connecting with local women, the complexities of ge...

MediaMaker Spotlight, the official podcast of the DC-based non-profit, Women in Film & Video , features conversations with industry professionals on a range of topics of interest to screen-based media makers. It's a must-listen resource for filmmakers of all interests and experience levels! Through fun and inspiring interviews with award-winning creators, you’ll learn all about what goes...

Dr. Paul Heinzelmann of the documentary feature, Safe Sets, and Becky Morrison of the production company, The Light, sit down with host Candice Bloch to discuss humane production practices. They explore the systemic issues affecting health and safety on set, alarming statistics regarding mental health, and the historical context of production practices. The conversation highlights the importance o...

Host Sandra Abrams chats with publishing trailblazer Regina Jones and Soraya Sélène , one of the co-directors of the new documentary, “WHO THE HELL IS REGINA JONES?” The film tells the remarkable story of Jones’s journey from being a financially struggling young mother of five to witnessing the Watts Rebellion in 1965 to creating and running SOUL newspaper. SOUL became a nationwide publication, sc...

In this episode, host Tara Jabari interviews actor Carl Lumbly , known for his roles in Captain America, Alias, Doctor Sleep, and more. They discuss Lumbly's portrayal of Isaiah Bradley in the latest Captain America: Brave New World , a character rooted in historical injustices faced by African Americans, and the thematic elements of love and sacrifice in the Marvel Universe. Lumbly shares in...

It’s time for another all-hosts special! Hosts Sandra, Tara, and Candice chat all about romantic comedies ahead of Valentine’s Day. We discuss some of our favorite films, actors, and tropes within the ubiquitous rom-com genre, while also sharing some fun facts. You’ll love hearing the banter about meet-cutes and steamy scenes, and you may even discover some classic movies to cozy up to with a spec...

Documentary filmmaker Melissa Davey sits down with host Candice Bloch in this episode to discuss her filmmaking journey and her latest film, Climbing Into Life. The film is about the remarkable story of Dierdre Wolownick, an accomplished writer, artist and musician who got into rock climbing later in life and, at age 66, became the oldest woman to ascend Yosemite’s famed El Capitan. The two also t...

In this episode, host Tara Jabbari speaks with Zhanna Ozirna , a Ukrainian filmmaker whose first feature film premiered at the Venice Film Festival. They talk about the inspiration behind her film, the importance of art showcasing challenges like war, winning the Biennale Cinema Competition, plus much more. The film, Honeymoon (English title) is about a couple, Taras and Olya, who just bought an a...

In this episode, host Candice Bloch has a brief chat with Director Tim Fehlbaum and actors Leonie Benesch and Ben Chaplin of the film September 5. They talk about some of what went into producing the film, which unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today. Set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, the film follows the ABC Sports broadca...

In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with Monda Raquel Webb , former EVP of WIFV (and still a board member), and winner of the 2024 Trailblazer Award from the African American Women in Cinema of New York City. Webb is a book author, filmmaker, and performance artist. As an independent storyteller, she is dedicated to telling stories hidden in the crevices of history's pages through her p...

During a virtual press junket for 2024’s summer blockbuster, Borderlands, actor Benjamin Byron Davis spoke with host Tara Jabbari to discuss his role in the film, plus his experience working in over 50 projects ranging from Gilmore Girls to Guardians of the Galaxy. They talked about what makes a successful and worthwhile colleague in the film industry, his friendship with James Gunn, plus his advi...

VFX editor and DC native, Anedra Edwards sits down with host Candice Bloch to give us a peek behind the curtain of visual effects magic. Anedra shares her knowledge from over 15 years of experience in VFX and picture editing for film and TV, working with world’s biggest entertainment companies including Marvel, Netflix, HBO, BET, Discovery, NatGeo, NBC, Disney, ABC, and beyond. You’ll learn what a...

In this episode, host Sandra Abrams sits down with another of WIFV’s 2024 Woman of Vision honorees, Sylvia Bugg . As the Chief Programming Executive and General Manager of General Audience Programming for PBS, Bugg shares insight into why she is a life-long learner, how her previous experience at Discovery and CPB shaped her, and what leadership skills she brings to  her position. She also explain...

Today, we’re sharing a special episode from our friends at PBS’ Webby Award-winning podcast American Masters: Creative Spark. Join host Joe Skinner as he speaks with Oscar-nominated actress Minnie Driver about how she took on the role of one of the most powerful women in history. She talks about the joy of acting in period pieces, and reminds us to “never underestimate the power of dressing up,” e...

Host Tara Jabbari talks all about visual effects with Leah Orsini , a VFX Producer with over 20 years of experience. Leah shares how she started in production and moved to be a VFX Producer, and talks about projects she worked on such as The Gilded Age, Blindspot, Mr. Robot, Falling Skies, and Split, among others. You’ll learn about the difference between special effects and visual effects, how mu...

Great sound is the mark of a quality project. In this episode, host Candice Bloch has a conversation with Charlie Hewitt of Mirror Studios to discuss all things audio post and sound design. From the difference between audio mixing and audio mastering, to layering in all the right sound effects at all the right levels, to the new frontier of fully immersive audio, you’ll leave this episode with a g...

The What Went Wrong podcast series brings you behind-the-scenes of films from massive flops to record-breaking blockbusters to shed a light on what it really takes to make a film. The show’s hosts, Lizzie Bassett and Chris Winterbauer speak with Tara Jabbari about what they learned about what it really takes to make a film, why James Cameron punched his diver in the face, the long road to get the...