MediaMaker Spotlight

Making a career pivot after 15 years in one job takes guts and some financial planning. Then add to the mix several disabilities and it sounds impossible. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams talks to filmmaker, advocate, and podcaster, Ariel Baska . Ariel shares how she made the leap to a new film career in a niche genre: Queer Horror, and founded the Access:Horror film festival. Ariel explains wh...

Host Tara Jabbari sits down with influencer Nikole Eva, aka Evasive on YouTube, for this episode. After studying film, gaining experience as an editor, and working towards being a comedy writer, Eva started her YouTube channel to get her name out there… and it has been working! Tara and Eva talk about the start of her YouTube channel, how to make money through the videos, copyright issues, the imp...

In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with the creative team behind the hit indie TV show, ‘Sexpectations.’ Writer Jenna St. John and Director Kevin Good shed light on how they took the series from story concept through production, post-production, and eventually out to audiences on major streaming platforms. They talk about their multi-year journey including self-funding, casting, the show’s...

Call Me Dancer is a multiple award winning feature documentary that follows Manish Chauhan , a charismatic street dancer from Mumbai, who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer despite his parents misgivings. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with the filmmakers behind this inspiring film: director and producer Leslie Shampaine , co-director Pip Gilmour , and editor Jennifer Beman . They share...

Horror invades holiday in a genre mashup comedy! This episode, host Tara Jabbari speaks with director Tyler MacIntyre about his new horror-comedy, It’s a Wonderful Knife. Described as “It’s a Wonderful Life by way of Scream,” they discuss how story elements of the classic holiday film were infused into this killer thriller. Starring Jane Widdop, Jess McLeod, Joel McHale, Katharine Isabelle, Willia...

Screen-based media by its very nature, relies on visuals. And as stories unfold on set, the art department is key in not only building those sets, but making them look the part for the world being created. In this episode, host Candice Bloch sits down with Betsy Zuck , an experienced Production Designer, Set Decorator, Lead Person, Set Decorator, fabricator, and beyond. They discuss not only those...

People with disabilities have been historically underrepresented in the entertainment industry. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with U.K.- based actress, writer, and disability advocate, Melissa Johns . Johns explains how she landed the role as the brainy Miss Scott in the British detective series, Grantchester , where her disability (born without her right forearm and hand) is a non-fac...

When it comes to creating a story, where that story is told is very important. In this episode, host Tara Jabbari speaks with Kelly Stuart , a location manager for projects such as the award-winning film, Everything Everywhere All at Once , and television shows like True Blood, The Catch, and American Auto. In their conversation, Kelly talks about what her job entails, what she looks for in a loca...

You’ve only got one chance to get it right when the broadcast is live. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with Remote Operations Manager, Pam Chvotkin all about the fast-paced and intense world of live event coverage. Pam has years of broadcast production experience ranging from professional sports, to concerts, competitions, awards shows, and more. In the conversation, Pam shares her knowl...

It's time for our season four special! All three hosts - Candice, Tara, and Sandra - come together in this episode to chat about fall television. You’ll hear some background on fall “sweeps,” the origin of the term, and some information on how they impact advertising rates. The hosts also share their thoughts about some of the 2023 fall lineup for both broadcast and streaming, taking into acc...

What is the difference between a cinematographer, camera operator, and director of photography? Has there been more gender diversity behind the scenes? What is the difference between filming on digital versus film? These questions and more are covered in this episode as host Tara Jabbari speaks with the award-winning South African cinematographer and camera operator, Pascale Neuschafer .  To learn...

The choice of who is cast in a role can make or break a performance. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with casting director Anne Chapman all about the art and business of casting a project. Anne draws on her decades of professional experience casting projects of all sizes and styles as they discuss the methods and evolution of the process, the importance of chemistry, the difficulties of...

In this episode, host Tara Jabbari speaks with two online travel personalities, Gabby Marcellus of Remote Ear and Ashley McDonough from Melanin on the Map . They share their personal journeys, tips on how to make it as a travel influencer, and the importance of creating relatable, engaging content. You’ll learn about the bond between social media influencers and their audience, practical safety ad...

Love the movie? Read the book before it’s banned! In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with Kristen Lopez , author of "But Have You Read the Book? 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Films ” in association with Turner Classic Movies. Kristen knows her topic as creator of the Ticklish Business podcast and a film editor with entertainment daily, TheWrap. Film buffs will get the beh...

This episode, host Tara Jabbari speaks with content creator and coach, Chimdi Ihezie . She shares tips that she uses to get her videos seen, how she deals with negative comments, how you can show your authenticity online - and why it matters to be authentic, plus much more!  Chimdi’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTC1vsvogotg9sn2j8s0aZQ   Chimdi’s Business Instagram: https://ww...

The ongoing strikes have rocked the media community throughout the summer of 2023. Host Candice Bloch had a discussion on August 18th with three Mid-Atlantic SAG-AFTRA members and strike captains - Towanda Underdue , Gabriel Kornbluh , and Keith Flippen (bios below) - to learn more about their experiences being on strike. They discuss the current SAG-AFTRA strike which began on July 14, 2023, its...

Season four kicks off with a conversation about the ongoing Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) strike. Host Candice Bloch sits down with WGA member, tv writer, standup comic, and podcaster Robby Slowik on day 112 of the strike to learn more. They discuss the demands, the conditions that led to the strike, solidarity with other unions, and much more. To learn more about the WGA strike, visit https://w...

Expert advisors help ground stories in plausibility, and can be vital sounding boards for crafting projects that pass muster with fans. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with Dr. Erin Macdonald , the science consultant for the Star Trek franchise. Erin Macdonald (PhD Astrophysics) is a public speaker, educator, STEAM advocate, writer, and technical consultant who explains complex physics a...

If you think you need to be in L.A. or New York to have a career as a film producer, think again. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with Sara Elizabeth Timmins , the head of Life Out Loud Films before her trip to the Cannes Film Festival. Sara shares how she has carved out a successful film producer career while living outside of the Hollywood hubs. She also gives tips for fundraising, how...

The ongoing stories of our planet and universe are vast and often highly visual. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with Wade Sisler , the executive producer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and Lori Perkins , a computer engineer for NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS). They discuss the exciting process of bringing amazing science stories to the world, collaborating with engi...

A good script is the foundation upon which great stories are brought to life on screen. In this episode, host Candice Bloch sits down with award-winning writer, director, and producer, Claudia Myers to discuss screenwriting. Claudia brings her knowledge and experience as a successful writer and longtime communications professor at American University to the conversation. Learn about her active fil...

Celebrating Women of Vision honoree, Vonnya Pettigrew ! In this episode, host Sandra Abrams has a chat with Vonnya Pettigrew, founder of Baltimore-based Root Branch Media Group, media mogul, and one of WIFV’s 2023 Women of Vision honorees. Listen to hear more about her journey, great advice about building your own studio space, and more! To learn more about Vonnya and all that Root Branch Media Gr...

In any film, the music score is very important for setting the tone of the piece and supporting the story. Tara Jabbari speaks with Malakoff Kowalski , a Berlin-based musician and composer who has worked with filmmakers from Germany, Sweden, and the United States, to name a few. He shares his process, advice he has for directors on what they need to communicate with composers, and much more.  Lear...

The 48 Hour Film Project (48HFP) challenges its participants to create a short film from scratch on a single weekend. In this episode, host Candice Bloch sits down with Lisa Giles , the city producer for the Richmond 48 Hour Film Project. They discuss how the 48HFP came to be and grow to over 100 cities internationally, the fun details and parameters of the challenge, and more. It just may inspire...

In this episode, Tara Jabbari speaks with Flora Mendoza , a singer and actor, turned political advisor and nomad. She shares her experience of getting her SAG card, being an extra for “Saturday Night Live,” finding agents, and more.  Some websites that Flora recommends for extra work are: https://www.weistbarronryan.com/ https://actorsaccess.com/ Learn more about Flora here: http://floramendoza.co...