MediaMaker Spotlight

Media directly impacts how people see themselves in the world. In this episode, host Candice Bloch has a conversation with Madeline Di Nonno , the president and CEO of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media . They chat about the Institute’s mission, the valuable research and data they collect, and how that data is used to help reveal bias and create more equality. While it began with a focus...

Season three wraps up with another of our specials! Once again, all three of our hosts - Tara, Candice, and Sandra - come together, this time to chat all about summer blockbusters . Learn some history and fun facts while also hearing our hosts share funny memories and insights into which big screen theater movies each is looking forward to this summer 2023.  During our season break, we’ll be shari...

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...

Abby Greensfelder has an instinct for developing not only iconic cable shows such as, “Say Yes to the Dress,” but also documentaries featuring icons Megan Rapinoe and Alicia Keys. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with the indie filmmaker and native Washingtonian, ahead of the World Premiere of UNCHARTED at the Tribeca Film Festival in June. The doc, from her company, Everywoman Studios, i...

Social media success story and entertainer Austin Maguire sits down with host Candice Bloch in this episode all about creating constant short-form content that we view mostly from our phones. Austin began their self-titled TikTok channel (@austin_maguire) in 2019 and quickly rose to digital fame, creating content that’s mostly satirical characters and funny observations. Currently sporting 645k fo...

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...

In this episode, host Tara Jabbari sits down with actor Shimmy Isaacs on location in Cape Town, South Africa to talk about her Netflix hit crime thriller, Unseen .  They discuss the show, Shimmy's acting journey in drama and comedy, her writing process, her time in the USA, and how the arts is a universal language. You can follow Shimmy for the latest on her work on Instagram: https://www.ins...

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...

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...

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...

Whether footage, images, or audio, third-party archival materials are often needed to fill out a story on screen. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with archival producer Sarah Katz about the rewarding work of sourcing archives for documentaries. Learn more about the process and permissions needed and why it often pays to bring in an expert. You’ll also hear some fun stories from Sarah’s c...

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...

Script DC is a unique series of panels and classes from Women in Film & Video (WIFV) for anyone who loves filmmaking. It brings Hollywood-level resources to the DMV (District-Maryland-Virginia) for actors, producers, screenwriters, editors, and directors. Whether you are beginning your career or working on your third script, there are speakers and workshops to expand your skills, knowledge, an...

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 fellow podcaster and freelance storyboard artist & illustrator, Jim Penola . They talk about his start in his career working in short films, features, commercials, music videos, and documentaries. They also bond over how they got to know each other through his podcast, shared passions over the film, “The Invitation” and more.  You can follow Jim here:...

Ahead of this year’s Academy Awards (airing on March 12th), host Sandra Abrams chats with WTOP’s entertainment reporter and award-winning movie critic, Jason Fraley , to discuss the front-runners of the Oscars race. Will the multiverse prevail with Everything, Everywhere All at Once or will the beautiful cinematography of All Quiet on the Western Front be the winner? Our guest is considered one of...

Media directly impacts how people see themselves in the world. In this episode, host Candice Bloch has a conversation with Madeline Di Nonno , the president and CEO of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media . They chat about the Institute’s mission, the valuable research and data they collect, and how that data is used to help reveal bias and create more equality. While it began with a focus...

In our season 3 premiere episode, host Tara Jabbari speaks with Sandi Harding , the General Manager of the very last Blockbuster in the world located in Bend, Oregon. They talk about the history of Blockbuster, its influence, and how the community of Bend as well as fans have helped keep this Blockbuster open. Enjoy listening to the memories, the business side of managing Blockbuster, and Tara gee...

Ahead of the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, board member Sandra Abrams sits down with two amazing women to discuss Oscar’s history on nominations of women in non-actor categories. Our guests are Dr. Rosanne Welch , Executive Director of the MFA in TV and Screenwriting Program at Stephens College, and Leslie Combemale, a syndicated film critic known as Cinema Siren, and the creator and host...

While so much of the effects we see on screen can be CGI, there will always be a home for the physical, tangible art of special effects. In this episode, host Candice Bloch sits down with Ben Eadie , an experienced special effects designer, prop maker, fabricator, and multi-talented inventor and creator. Ben has worked on such projects as Star Trek Beyond, Arrow, The Predator, Ghostbusters: Afterl...

C. Marie Taylor is the founder and president of Equity Through Action , a consulting company that helps organizations create equitable practices, policies, and mind shifts. In this episode, host Tara Jabbari talks with C. Marie about inclusion and diversity, films that have caused controversy, and the practice of examining the diversity in your own life. They discuss how people - from behind the s...

Clothes can make or break a scene without a character saying a word. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with Screenwriter and Costume Designer, Alexandra Olivia Engelson . She shares her approach to putting together a wardrobe for independent films with small budgets, and what it means to be a wardrobe coordinate on big budget television shows such as Quantico and The Equalizer. To learn mo...

While simply making a film is a passion project and can take years of work, getting your finished movie into a film festival can be nothing short of a miracle. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams takes a deep dive into film festivals and how to navigate the festival circuit for maximum exposure and a possible ticket to Hollywood. She  speaks with Heather Waters , who is the founder and producer of...

Ken Zemke is an Emmy-award winning film and television editor whose career spans over 50 years, working all over the world.  In this episode, host Tara Jabbari sits down with him to talk about his career - from his mentor, Michael Kahn (the editor that Steven Spielberg works with), to his work as supervising editor overseeing a young Martin Scorsese’s edit for an Elvis music documentary, to why he...