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72 WHAT’S UP, DOC?

Lauren Neustadter shares the path that led her to Reese Witherspoon and her advocacy for women’s narratives.

Lisa Cortés, Simon Kilmurry and PJ Raval scan the current state of the documentary landscape in a wide-ranging roundtable discussion.

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A DAY IN HER LIFE Gloria Calderón Kellett somehow finds time for everything.

DEPARTMENTS 31 TOOL KIT Tommy Oliver’s go-to hardware, software—and coffee maker.

36 IF I KNEW THEN Gigi Dement advises her younger self.

40 A DAY IN THE LIFE Gloria Calderón Kellett spills the secrets of her work/life balance.

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103 MARKING TIME Producers of films who earned the p.g.a mark share their experiences.

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“SER OUSLY HEARTWARM NG NG. A distinct message of love and what it means to be a family — no matter what else is going on in your life.”

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TOOL K I T

KIT FOR THE JUGGLING ACT Award-winning FILMMAKER Tommy Oliver shares what he keeps in his orbit to make him the most efficient and informed producer.

F

rom the Sundance-winning film Kinyarwanda to the celebrated OWN docuseries Black Love, which he created with his wife Codie Elaine Oliver, Tommy Oliver has a way with storytelling that has flourished since the inception of his career.

Most recently, his documentary Juice WRLD: Into the Abyss, which spotlights the titular rapper and the impact he had on the world before his untimely death, won the Audience Award for documentary at the 2021 AFI Fest.

He also directed the acclaimed documentary 40 Years a Prisoner, which chronicled one of the most controversial shootouts in American history, as well as the 1978 Philadelphia police raid on the group MOVE and the aftermath that led to a son’s decades-long fight to free his parents.

With his production company, Confluential Films, he has built a library of inclusive content spanning across mediums, genres and platforms.

All of Oliver’s projects have bolstered his storytelling skills to put shine on narratives that reflect overlooked social issues and celebrate the strength of marginalized communities. Oliver is also chairman of the media company Black Love, Inc. and is a photographer whose protest photography is currently part of the permanent collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

From computers to cold brew, Oliver shared with Produced By the must-have items in his tool kit to help him stay organized, efficient, informed—and caffeinated.

FEEDLY I’m a total information junkie and Feedly has been my go-to source for years for news from the places I like to read every day.

December | January 2022

31

TOOL K I T

FRAME.IO At this point, just about everyone knows what Frame.io is but I’m pretty sure we’ve been using it since the day it came out of beta—which is why we’re still grandfathered on a very old pricing plan—and it’s been absolutely vital to our post workflow.

KYNO For Juice WRLD: Into the Abyss we got dumped almost 500 hours of footage spread across 8,000 clips coupled with a request from HBO for us to lock picture in about eight months. So in order to have a prayer of meeting that deadline, we had to develop a way to categorize, rate, name and label every single clip so that my co-editor and I could move as quickly and efficiently as possible in the edit. Kyno was a piece of software that plugged in well with FCPX and helped us get there.

2019 MAC PRO, iPAD PRO WITH STYLO, iPHONE 13 PRO As a person juggling a lot, speed matters, and as such, I’m all for anything that will give me a bit of my time back—hence a Mac Pro specced out with 384GB of RAM, internal 32TB NVMe SSD raid, dual GPUs, etc. I also love that I can make notes on my iPad and then they’re instantly available on my other devices.

COFFEE BEAR COLD BREW COFFEE MAKER Brewing my own cold brew coffee is one of life’s simple pleasures, and for $20 from Amazon, it’s a steal.

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OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

– T V Fanatic

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CHANGE IS POSSIBLE Fact: You have options when facing a lung cancer diagnosis.

Learning all that you can about a diagnosis and what options are available can bring more than just hope. It can be the key to accessing treatments that help make long-term survival possible.

Lung cancer clinical trials may be the right option for you or a loved one.

For more information on lung cancer and cancer clinical trials, visit

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Fact:

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

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Over 25,000 Black Americans were diagnosed with lung cancer in 2019 alone.

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This Public Service Announcement was made possible by a charitable donation from Stand Up To Cancer is a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

– AV Club

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IF I KNEW T H E N

HUSTLE ≠ HAPPINESS Producer Gigi Dement reminds everyone to practice self-care, take risks, and know your worth.

Written by Dino-Ray Ramos

I

n the drama Lingua Franca, filmmaker Isabel Sandoval tells the love story of an undocumented Filipina trans woman and a man in Brooklyn. The film premiered at Venice Days during the Venice Film Festival in 2019 and went on to be acquired by Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Releasing before it was released on Netflix in 2020.

As an executive producer of the film, Gigi Dement says that it showcased the kind of stories she wants to tell.

Dement’s love for storytelling dates to when she was a 7-year-old insomniac. She would sneak downstairs and watch movies on TV like A Clockwork Orange, Looking For Mister Goodbar, The Tin Drum, The Elephant Man, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Red Balloon.

“Honestly, the films from these early memories were terrifying,” admits Dement. “The list is endless, and one more inappropriate for a child than the last. While I didn’t quite understand what I was watching, those films made an indelible mark on me emotionally and visually.”

They may have not been kid-friendly, but these inventive, off-the-beaten path and wildly unconventional stories help sculpt Dement into the storyteller she is today.

“I knew I wanted to create incredible and sometimes

36

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fantastical worlds with stories to match,” she says. “I wanted to be able to draw in an audience and not only entertain them, but make them feel whatever the characters were going through.”

With her childhood movie watching experiences as a foundation, Dement talked to Produced By about how she would navigate her career if she knew then what she knows now.

Gigi Dement and a scene from Lingua Franca (below).

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

– AV Club

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IF I KNEW T H E N

IF THERE WAS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE YOURSELF WHEN YOU WERE COMING UP AS A PRODUCER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

NEW MEMBERS A SPOTLIGHT ON SOME OF THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE PRODUCERS GUILD AND WHAT MAKES THEM TICK

I would tell myself that it’s not necessary to do everything all at once.

That it’s possible to get everything done and done well if you focus on one task at a time. This doesn’t just apply to physical producing, but in every phase and every aspect of filmmaking or content creation. I would also tell myself to not succumb to the allure of “the hustle” at the expense of my mental and physical health. Putting oneself last isn’t sustainable, and in the end, will not yield happiness or your best work.

Also, I’d tell myself to make sure I’m paid what I’m worth. I teach this to my students, but find it difficult to achieve personally. Most producers don’t make a sustainable living, and that really needs to change considering the amount of work put in and the years invested in any given project.

WHO GAVE YOU WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER YOUR FIRST BIG BREAK THAT HELPED LIGHT A FIRE UNDERNEATH YOU AS A PRODUCER? I think I’m still waiting for my big break! But seriously, it wasn’t so much a fire that needed to be lit, but permission to take risks. I had taken several years to raise my two daughters, and one night before I started NYU graduate film school, my now ex-husband told me to “take risks.” I interpreted that as not waiting for things to happen for me, but to make them happen by putting myself out there.

I really leaned into the collaborative process and my innate strengths and began pursuing projects to produce. I worked hard and often and made sure people knew I was good at what I did.

NOW THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW NOW, HOW DO YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR CAREER— AND WHAT KIND OF STORIES DO YOU WANT TO TELL? I became a producer when I realized that I loved telling stories that didn’t just spring from my own imagination. Firstly, I’m going to work my way back to writing again. One of the best parts of being a producer is helping shape a film’s arc along with its characters. I’ve been practicing story structure and character development for years on the films I produce, and I’m ready to apply it to some of the stories I’ve been kicking around for a while now.

The second part of the plan is to try to go in-house somewhere where I can work on projects already financed and maybe even have distribution in place.

Don’t get me wrong—I love independent filmmaking, but I think I’d make more impact if my projects weren’t faced with financial uncertainty and if the films I made didn’t take quite so long to get to the screen.

As for the types of stories I want to tell, I’ve been trying for years to get more Asian American or Filipino American films made. I have one that takes place in Manila which is on hold for the time being, but I guess that’s where the writing comes in, doesn’t it? I’ll always be drawn to telling stories that are glaringly absent in the current crop of content, whatever it happens to be at the time. Stories not being told, with characters who don’t get enough screen time. It’s amazing to be able to escape into fantastical worlds in blockbuster films, but the more humanity that comes to life on screen, the more indelible the story on the viewer and the annals of film.

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Jeremy McGovern McGovern fell into producing by accident. He volunteered to help a friend on a no-budget pilot as a PA in the art department.

The line producer noticed how hard he was working.

She became his mentor and they worked together for the next 10 years.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about producing?

The most valuable tool you have as a producer is an honest, respectful relationship with your crew.

Above all else, your first job is taking care of them—and they should know that.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

– The Hollywood Reporter

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

GLORIA CALDERÓN KELLETT The With Love creator and producer stays busy and productive as she takes PRODUCED BY through her daily routine.

Gloria Calderón Kellett has been on quite a journey since her days

7:30 a.m.

of writing for the CBS Emmywinning sitcom How I Met Your Mother as well as honing her skills on shows like Rules of Engagement, Lifetime’s Devious Maids and The CW’s iZombie.

Her star started to shine brighter as she became a Latinx storytelling trailblazer with the remake of Norman Lear’s iconic sitcom One Day at a Time.

With Calderón Kellett and Mike Royce at the helm, the sitcom focused on a Cuban American family as it tackled pertinent, timely topics including immigration, cultural identity and LGBTQIA+ issues.

One Day at a Time quickly garnered acclaim and support as it showcased Latinx experiences through a fresh, authentic lens. As it moved from Pop to Netflix, it continued to flourish, and ended after four seasons in June 2020.

Calderón Kellett continues to be an advocate for marginalized voices as she stays booked and busy with her GloNation Studios production banner.

Her inclusive storytelling is shown in her newest original Amazon Prime Video romantic dramedy With Love as well as her upcoming projects such as serving as EP on The Horror of Dolores Roach and Shakespeare-themed high school drama Verona. In an addition, she has a pair of animated series: Glowing Up, a musical series based on the graphic novel Mismatched; and Dating the Lopez Ladies, a contemporary take on Jane Austen’s Emma.

On the feature side, she is currently

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producersguild.org | PRODUCED BY

12:00 p.m.

2:00 p.m.

9:30 a.m.

For Your Consideration

OUTSTANDING PRODUCER OF THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES Lorenzo Mieli, p.g.a. and Paolo Sorrentino, p.g.a.

“ONE OF THE BEST PICTURES OF THE YEAR. A romantic, loving portrait of a time and place.”

VOGUE

“A SUBLIME MASTERPIECE. Epic and intimate.”

AWARDSWATCH

WINNER

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

2021

GRAND JURY PRIZE

A Film by

PAOLO SORRENTINO Academy Award Winning Director of ®

THE GREAT BEAUTY

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“★★★★★

A SOPHISTICATED PIECE OF WORK.

It has a stylistic linearity and an overall feeling that’s rare in modern movies.”

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

“MOVING.

An incisive lens on a gray area of racial identity rarely spelled out in contemporary cinema.”

HARPER’S BAZAAR

“AN ABSOLUTELY ABSORBING,

BEAUTIFUL AND TIMELY WORK OF ART.“ COMINGSOON.NET

F O R

Y O U R

C O N S I D E R A T I O N

OUTSTANDING PRODUCER OF THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES NINA YANG BONGIOVI, p.g.a. & FOREST WHITAKER, p.g.a.

MARGOT HAND, p.g.a.

REBECCA HALL , p.g.a.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

the ’80s coming-of-age We Were There Too at HBOMax, which she will write and produce with Insecure’s Natasha Rothwell. Set in John Hughes-inspired Chicago, the film shifts the focus to the Brown kids, the LGBTQ kids, the Black kids, and the real outsiders who aren’t much featured in the popular Brat Pack genre.

Needless to say, Calderón Kellett is a busy woman.

Even so, based on the daily routine she shared with Produced By, the talented producer makes navigating a life-work balance effortless.

6:30 a.m.

6:30 a.m.

I wake up, drink some Café Bustelo coffee and make the kids breakfast before packing their lunches. Then off they go to school!

7:30 a.m.

I arrive at Activ8 for a workout with my trainer, Kris. I go two times a week.

9:30 a.m.

After my workout I arrive at the office and shower before I go over emails and start the writers room on Zoom.

12 p.m.

On this particular day, I had to get ready for the With Love virtual press junket. I start getting glam with one of my makeup artists, Grace Phillips, and hair stylist Joseph Chase—all while the writers room Zoom is still going in the background. I also multitask and eat my lunch.

2 p.m.

Once I’m made up, I change my outfit to start the virtual press junket with the cast. There’s a constant rotation of interviews via Zoom, some lasting four minutes, others as long as 40 minutes.

4 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

After the junket, I hop into a virtual photo shoot. It all happens on an app where the photographer is on one end directing me and snapping pictures from my phone camera.

6:30 p.m.

I arrive home, and after cooking dinner for the family, we play Sleeping Queens at the dinner table before bed!

11:30 p.m.

After the kiddos are asleep, I usually hop back on and get caught up with emails, do some reading—outlines, scripts, etc.—before lights-out at 11:30!

December | January 2022

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I N C L U D I N G

OUTSTANDING PRODUCER OF THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES Adam McKay, p.g.a. & Kevin Messick, p.g.a.

RAZOR-SHARP OUTRIGHT

WITTY AND

HILARIOUS. IT’S ADAM DOING WHAT HE DOES BEST McKAY

KNOCKING SATIRE OUT OF THE PARK. VARIETY

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ght

HELLO SUNSHINE PRESIDENT OF FILM AND TELEVISION LAUREN NEUSTADTER TALKS ABOUT HER JOURNEY TO REESE WITHERSPOON’S COMPANY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CELEBRATING WOMEN’S NARRATIVES. Written by Dino-Ray Ramos photographed by monica orozco

December | January 2022

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RAY OF LIGHT

In January 2021, Lauren Neustadter was promoted to the coveted position of president, film and TV of Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoon’s media company that spotlights diverse narratives centering on women.

Neustadter joined Hello Sunshine in 2017 as head of film and television and worked on critically acclaimed series such as The Morning Show on Apple TV+ and Little Fires Everywhere. She was also the supervising producer on the second season of HBO’s Big Little Lies.

She and Witherspoon quickly developed a working relationship that clicks—so much so that she helped Hello Sunshine nab 18 Emmy nominations in 2020.

However, before she began producing phenomenal stories centered on women, Neustadter wasn’t necessarily looking to be a producer.

“Since I was a child, I thought I wanted to act,” Neustadter says on

the set of her latest project, Your Place or Mine, Hello Sunshine’s upcoming rom-com directed by Crazy Ex-Girlfriend alum Aline Brosh McKenna and starring Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher.

“I loved being a part of a production,” she adds. “I loved being in plays. I loved being on movie sets. It was the feeling of camaraderie and the idea of bringing a story to life.”

She gravitated to storytelling, and always thought that she wanted to be in front of the camera. But when she came to Los Angeles for college and started auditioning, she realized acting wasn’t necessarily the direction she wanted to go.

From there, she worked in publicity and enjoyed being part of a production office—but this was in the unscripted space. “I realized that what I missed was that sense of telling a great story.”

A friend of Neustadter insisted she interview to become an assistant to a producer, which she did. “This extraordinary producer basically said

that if I didn’t have agency experience, I would need to be the assistant that did the travel and the gifts. And while certainly I would’ve been excited about that opportunity, I chose to go get a job at CAA. I became an agency assistant.

And from there I happened to land on the motion picture lit desk.”

That’s where Neustadter’s storytelling career really began to take shape. She started reading scripts, and her curiosity in how movies were made started growing. She would eventually find a formative mentor in Keri Putnam, who at the time was executive vice president at HBO Films.

When she left HBO, Putnam went on to Miramax and brought Neustadter with her. “She made me an executive and I became, through that time, very well versed in the executive side of things,” says Neustadter.

She laughs, “To be honest, I didn’t know how to be a producer and also a mom— and that was always the thing that made

“I got a call out of the blue saying, ‘Have you heard about Reese’s new company, Hello Sunshine? And do you want to come run film and television?’”

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RAY OF LIGHT

me inclined to stay on the executive side.”

When Neustadter went to then-20th Century Fox to work on the feature movie side, she met Witherspoon and served as an executive on the action rom-com This Means War. This would prove to be another benchmark in her career.

“I made that movie with her, but in a larger sense, what I was noticing was, the more character-driven stories were being told with greater frequency on a smaller screen, so I moved over to television,” she says.

“I went over to Fox network, and I had the privilege of working on The Mindy Project, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, 24, and the Lethal Weapon series. It was a range of shows where I got to really be in the thick of it with these incredible creatives that I loved.”

When Neustadter was about to sign another deal— and seven and a half months pregnant with her second child—she received a call.

OUT OF THE BLUE

“I got a call out of the blue saying, ‘Have you heard about Reese’s new company, Hello Sunshine? And do you want to come run film and television? Reese remembers you.’ I was completely floored and flattered.

I said, ‘Does Reese know that I’m seven and a half months pregnant?’ And the answer was, ‘Yes, she does.’

And I said, ‘Well, does she care?’”

They responded, “No, she wants to meet with you.

She wants to talk to you.”

And when Reese Witherspoon wants to talk, you accept.

Neustadter says that it was incredibly flattering to have Witherspoon remember her. She recalls that the conversations that followed between the two of them were very inspiring. Witherspoon wanted to build a company filled with incredible women—and men, too. But women would be at the center. What excited Neustadter the most was that she would be a partner and very involved in helping build Hello Sunshine.

“I feel very proud of what we’ve been able to do,” says Neustadter. “Each of the projects, in its own way, is another one of our children, and we really care about

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them. It’s been gratifying to get to build all of this together with her. Our team is unbelievable, and to get to build all of this together from the ground up has been extraordinary.”

When Neustadter became president of film and TV at Hello Sunshine, she felt privileged to have the opportunity to continue to build on what Witherspoon and Bruna Papandrea started with Gone Girl, Wild and Big Little Lies.

As the company grew, Neustadter and the team began to develop a sixth sense as to what to prioritize for Hello Sunshine. The team began to understand what stories felt right and exemplified the mission of celebrating stories for, about, and made by women.

“Now, nearly five years in, we can shortcut that conversation, and say, ‘You know what? This one feels like it’s a bit too dark’ or ‘This one feels like it’s a bit too sad,’ or whatever.”

INCLUSIVITY OF STORYTELLING

The relationship between Neustadter and Witherspoon has flourished, and since launching, Hello Sunshine has become a touchstone of representation and inclusivity of storytelling similar to companies like Charles D. King’s MACRO and Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY. Neustadter says that she welcomes the industry’s dramatic shift toward representation of people of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, women, and other marginalized voices.

“The thing I think is extraordinary and unique about Hello Sunshine is that the ways women treat each other have changed in ways that I think are important— and that feels encouraging for the next generation,” Neustadter points out.

She adds, “I think when we started Hello Sunshine, it was really singular. One of the things that is exciting is that it isn’t entirely singular anymore.People are making a concerted effort to create a representative room, whether it’s a representative room of executives, or representative writers room or representative crew.”

For Neustadter, it’s not just about checking boxes or tokenism. It’s about making a shift in the industry that’s

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NEW MEMBERS A SPOTLIGHT ON SOME OF THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE PRODUCERS GUILD AND WHAT MAKES THEM TICK

Sacha Ben Harroche Cinema has always been in Harroche’s future, but as he consumed movies, he didn’t exactly know where in the industry he fit in. To figure that out, he took an honest look at himself and what he wanted to do with his skill set. Since he was a teenager, Harroche was an entrepreneur, and with that in mind, becoming a producer was the obvious choice.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about producing?

I never had the chance to have a real mentor in the industry, but I would say that the piece of advice that was forced on myself was to put your ego on the side when you are producing. You don’t work for you nor anyone else— you work for a vision.

very organic and heartfelt. “I think it impacts the stories that we’re telling,” says Neustadter in regard to inclusivity.

“It impacts the storytellers, the teams that are assembled and casting. Truly, I feel like there is a magnificent awareness and a genuine desire for inclusive storytelling across the industry now.”

Hello Sunshine definitely delivers when it comes to inclusive storylines that reflect our current social landscape, from the #MeToo movement parallels in The Morning Show to the racial and class tensions in the suburban saga of Little Fires Everywhere based on the novel by Celeste Ng. Despite the sunny sound of the company’s name, Neustadter states that they aren’t afraid to dive deep into the heart of things. Even though things do get dark in shows like Little Fires Everywhere, Neustadter says that they don’t want to leave their audiences depressed or bereft; they want to leave them with hope. For instance, the main characters of Elena (Witherspoon) and Mia (Kerry Washington) go through so much during the course of the series, but they can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“We aim to make content that brings people into conversation,” she says. “Everybody’s going to have their own point of view and their own opinion, but the goal is never to have people opposing each other and arguing about something. Rather, when you watch Big Little Lies, hopefully you’re having a conversation about all of these different things that are under the surface and the issues that are being addressed on that show.”

A BIGGER CANVAS

As Neustadter thrived with Hello Sunshine, people began to take notice—including the private-equity giant Blackstone Group. In August 2021, Hello Sunshine was sold to Blackstone as part of a new venture run by former Walt Disney Co. executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs.

Witherspoon and CEO Sarah Harden will join the board of the unnamed company and will continue to operate Hello Sunshine. This poses the questions: What does the acquisition mean for Hello Sunshine?

“Not one thing has changed,” states Neustadter. “I think they acquired us because they love what we’re doing and they want us to keep doing it. It allows us to dream even bigger, to paint on a bigger canvas. Kevin, Tom, and everybody at Blackstone have been amazing to us, and just

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Lauren on the set of Your Place or Mine

incredibly encouraging.”

That big canvas is painted with an abundance of projects including the aforementioned Your Place or Mine

as well as a limited series adaption of Tembi Locke’s best-selling memoir From Scratch starring Zoe Saldana; an Amazon series based on the Taylor

“Truly, I feel like there is a magnificent awareness and a genuine desire for inclusive storytelling across the industry now.”

Jenkins Reid ’70s-set romance Daisy Jones & the Six; the Apple series The Last Thing He Told Me starring Jennifer Garner; and the reality competition series My Kind of Country, which is also at Apple. In addition, Hello Sunshine has Daisy Edgar-Jones starring in a feature adaptation of Delia Owens’ Where the Crawdads Sing; Something From Tiffany’s starring Zoey Deutch; and Apple TV+ series Surface starring Gugu MbathaRaw. Needless to say, Hello Sunshine is not short on content.

“Romance is an area where we’re leaning in, and I want to continue to lean in,” says Neustadter. “But I also think about other arenas where we have the opportunity to continue to grow into.

I often think, ‘How can we be making

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RAY OF LIGHT

NEW MEMBERS Lauren Neustadter and team attend a Little Fires Everywhere press brunch. Back row: Celeste Ng, Neustadter, Pilar Savone and Liz Tigelaar. Front row: Gavin Lewis, Jade Pettyjohn, Lexi Underwood, Megan Stott and Jordan Elsass

A SPOTLIGHT ON SOME OF THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE PRODUCERS GUILD AND WHAT MAKES THEM TICK

Kaley Cuoco Big Bang Theory alum Kaley Cuoco never wanted to produce unless she found the perfect project to make her own. This is when The Flight Attendant entered her life. The acclaimed HBO Max series inspired her to finally produce—and it worked out in her favor. The Flight Attendant earned her an Emmy nomination as both a producer and lead actress in a comedy series.

great shows that moms can be watching with their kids?’ I watch a lot of family content with my kids, and a lot of times a lot of the stories are centered on little boys. It’s getting better, but there’s real opportunity to tell stories that young girls and their moms can watch and experience together.”

She adds that she wants Hello Sunshine to continue to work with great collaborators and to stretch their wings in genres like comedy.

There are opportunities to continue to move in the lanes that Hello Sunshine drives in right now while also traversing new ground.

“I just hope that we are able to continue to tell stories that challenge and inspire us. I hope we get to tell even more of them. I think we’re really lucky that our team continues to grow, so that the scope of what we’re able to do can continue to grow in tandem.”

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What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about producing?

Sarah Schechter once told me there are no dumb questions and to ask about anything, always, no matter what.

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As a pandemic forced Hollywood to change, the crucial role of a line producer has evolved. Pavlina Hatoupis talks about her journey and adapting to the new normal.

Written by Sara Merican

he job of a line producer is a careful dance and a sacred balance. One must have the sharply organized mind of an operational leader, yet also the freewheeling flexibility of a creative professional. A line producer has to carry an unshakable firmness tempered by unwavering empathy—to come down hard on budgets and timelines, yet also constantly remember that film is ultimately a human business.

Hired early in the journey of a project, a line producer is fully involved on the ground in every aspect of production: handling and distributing the budget, employing crew, liaising between abovethe-line and below-the-line staff, and making sure that filming runs smoothly and safely. Recent events like the COVID-19 pandemic have cast a considerable spotlight on a line producer’s critical role and responsibilities.

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“A MARVELLOUSLY COLOURFUL AND EMOTIONAL ADVENTURE, ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ compellingly argues that the world is a dark place —but THE ONLY WAY TO HEAL IT IS TO HOLD ONTO HOPE.” –TIM GRIERSON, SCREEN DAILY

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WALK THE LINE

NEW MEMBERS A SPOTLIGHT ON SOME OF THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE PRODUCERS GUILD AND WHAT MAKES THEM TICK

Quand C Robinson Thomas After studying broadcast journalism in college, Thomas gravitated to the role of producer when she was working on her talent reel. She loved setting up stories, working with photographers, researching and collaborating.

She describes producing as solving a new jigsaw puzzle every day. With a million different ways to put the pieces together, her job is to figure out the best way to create the most compelling picture.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about producing?

The best advice I received was from a college professor.

If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. In this business, failing is way more expensive than succeeding.

“LEARNING TO LISTEN IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT— AND I MEAN REALLY LISTEN. HAND IN HAND WITH THAT GOES EMPATHY AND FLEXIBILITY.” PANDEMIC DEMANDS After the initial shock of production shutdowns in March 2020 gave way to cautious restarts, production costs increased due to COVID testing, safe distancing and mask-wearing protocols.

As the key person in charge of allocating and approving budgets for each production department, line producers have come under significant pressure to juggle financial, health and creative priorities. According to an analysis released by the California Film Commission in November 2021, COVID-19 protocols created an increase of around 5% in production costs.

With the information provided by project applicants receiving California state credits, the report showed that approximately 40% of COVID-related expenditure was applied to labor costs, while the remaining 60% was applied to materials. Productions with budgets more than $20 million typically plan to spend between 5% and 6.5% of their total budget on COVID-related costs, with lower-budget films and TV series spending a smaller proportion.

There is also impact beyond the bottom line, with the pandemic fundamentally altering the nature of rapport-building and teamwork on a project. “It’s much harder to establish comfortable working relationships because of all the precautions we need to take,” says Pavlina Hatoupis, executive producer of Emmy-winning TNT limited series The Alienist and Showtime’s ongoing production The First Lady. “It has also created a lot of additional anxiety in general and has been extremely difficult for everyone involved.”

Yet one can also see how adapting and finding solutions to unexpected problems are exactly the skills in a line producer’s toolbox. Describing the best line producers in the business, Hatoupis shares, “They are good listeners. They are protective of the creative. They are great at balancing the needs of the artists they are working with and the needs of the studio and network— and deeply caring about their cast and crews.”

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WALK THE LINE

Pavlina Hatoupis at one of her favorite project locations, the Sahara Desert.

UNEXPECTED JOURNEYS Many do not aim to be line producers from the start, but gradually fall into the role. Hatoupis made several short films while an undergraduate at Yale in the late 1990s and juggled multiple side gigs to stay afloat in New York after graduation. Realizing that she could not piece together a living there, she moved to Los Angeles and worked as an assistant director on short films and commercials.

When the financial crisis hit in 2007 and 2008, the flow of jobs on commercials dried up. Out of work, a producer friend of hers, Chris Stinson, asked if she wanted to line produce

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an independent film that he was not available to do.

Meeting talented independent filmmakers and picking up the ins and outs of line producing on the job, Hatoupis later transitioned into unit production manager work for a few television pilots under 20th Century Fox. There her eyes were opened to the difficulties and joys of working on an overseas-based project, as she was attached to Hieroglyph and Homeland in Morocco.

“You are completely out of your comfort zone and have to quickly understand and adapt to the ways things get done in places where you do not

speak the language and are culturally different to what we are used to in the U.S.,” says Hatoupis, who also grew up in Greece and holds both U.S. and Greek passports. “The most rewarding aspect of filming abroad is learning the ropes and starting to feel at home in places you wouldn’t have dreamed of living

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NEW MEMBERS A SPOTLIGHT ON SOME OF THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE PRODUCERS GUILD AND WHAT MAKES THEM TICK

Rey Cuerdo Inspired by the “golden renaissance of cinema” of the ’70s—films such as The Godfather, Star Wars, Jaws, Enter the Dragon, The Sting, Dirty Harry and The Exorcist—Cuerdo became a producer with a goal of achieving longterm sustainability. Out of all the films he watched, it was Cinema Paradiso that lit a fire underneath him to become a producer.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about producing?

Develop, develop, develop the story and collaborate!

in. My favorite part is meeting new people and gaining new perspectives on the world.”

There were also moments in production work that gave her pause, reflecting on the film world’s unique ability to capture beauty and magnificence. Hatoupis says, “Watching the sun rise over the Sahara when I was scouting for a project in Morocco, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, I would have never experienced this if I wasn’t in this line of work.’”

“IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT NO ONE KNOWS EVERYTHING, AND THINGS CAN CHANGE. OUR INDUSTRY HAS EVOLVED IN MANY WAYS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.” These efforts eventually led to producing for the Emmynominated FX series Tyrant. “None of this would have been possible if I hadn’t met some extraordinary individuals who were willing to give me a shot and help me along the way.”

Responsible for budget, manpower and the daily operations of production, a line producer can have one of the biggest impacts on the safety of a set. They must uphold the importance of factoring in time for safety briefings and protocols, ensure that only qualified crew are hired, and build a strong safety culture on productions.

“I think that learning to listen is extremely important—and I mean really listen. Hand in hand with that goes empathy and flexibility,” Hatoupis says regarding what she has learned over the years. “Filmmaking is a team sport from top to bottom. No one can do it alone.”

Reflecting on the wider role of line producers in managing relationships and keeping people safe, Hatoupis adds, “It’s important to stay as open as possible to people’s perspectives and try to understand where they are coming from. It’s also important to remember that no one knows everything, and things can change. Our industry has evolved in many ways and will continue to do so.”

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Lisa Cortés, Simon Kilmurry and PJ Raval talk the good and the bad of the current landscape of documentaries.

INTERVIEW by Dino-Ray Ramos

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D

ocumentary filmmakers Lisa Cortés, Simon Kilmurry and PJ Raval have made waves—and strong cultural statements—in the documentary film space with awardwinning projects. Emmy winner Cortés, who previously worked on narrative films The Woodsman and Precious, helped make a significant impact on the 2020 election with the Stacey Abrams-fronted All In: The Fight for Democracy. Kilmurry, who has also won an Emmy, worked as an executive producer of PBS’s indie documentary showcase POV and produced the Yance Ford-directed, Oscar-nominated Strong Island. Until recently, he served as executive director of the International Documentary Association (IDA). Raval, who previously worked in the narrative space, has become a strong documentary filmmaker as the director and producer of the award-winning docu feature Call Her Ganda, which tells the story of the murder of Filipina trans woman Jennifer Laude by U.S. Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton.

Each filmmaker has told impactful stories, but under a volatile U.S. presidency, racial reckoning, and a global pandemic, documentary filmmaking has shifted in the past four years—from diversity and inclusion to the execs making the decisions to the so-called “golden age” of documentaries. Produced By sat with Cortés, Kilmurry and Raval for a roundtable discussion about their experiences in the industry and a mélange of topics in the evolving documentary space.

WHAT WAS YOUR FORAY INTO THE DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING WORLD? Simon Kilmurry: When I moved to New York from Scotland in 1987, New York still had a lot of old, second-run and repertory theaters. I remember going to Film Forum and seeing a movie called Brother’s Keeper by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, and being blown away by a form of documentary storytelling I’d never seen on British television. It was this verité film about three older brothers on a farm in upstate New York, and I was mesmerized by it.

In 1988, a series called POV started on PBS, and I became a fan. I remember seeing films like Silver Lake Life and Tongues Untied, and was lured into this world. I was working in a nonprofit at the time, fundraising and on the business side. A friend told me a job was opening up there (at POV), and I applied for it and I got a job as managing director. That was my entree into the documentary world. I was there for 16 years, and after a few years, I got more and more involved in the editorial side of the work.

DOCUMENTARIES WILL PULL YOU IN NO MATTER WHAT. EVEN THE WORST DOCUMENTARY IS STILL GOOD IN ITS OWN WAY BECAUSE YOU WALK AWAY LEARNING SOMETHING. SK: I agree in a lot of ways. There was something about the films I was watching, and even if I felt that there were flaws in their structure or how they were filmed, it was opening up my world in a way that few other art forms were doing at the time.

Lisa Cortés: Yeah, documentaries allow us to be an armchair traveler: to sit in your home and to visit and experience the lives of people around the world.

As a young child, it was especially important for me because I grew up in this multicultural African American, Colombian household, and I needed to find ways to access my culture beyond what my family was giving me. Film became a very important source of feeding my imagination, allowing me to travel, and to not only read about but to actually see what my communities were doing in these various places.

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WHAT’S UP, DOC?

DO YOU REMEMBER THE POINT IN YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU WANTED TO MAKE FILMS? LC: When I went to college, I had a wonderful professor, a gentleman named Michael Roemer. He’s really well known for a beautiful film he did called Nothing But a Man, a narrative film with Ivan Dixon and Abby Lincoln. What is amazing about this film in the early ’60s that was shot in black and white about an African American couple in the South, dealing with race and class, is that it was made by a documentary narrative filmmaker, and he put such an interesting lens on their lives.

He also wasn’t American, so all of those things came into play as I started to think about representation— whose stories get told. What has always been the connective tissue is finding community and seeing the multidimensionality of how lives are lived. Film was that way that could allow me to travel and to access.

After graduating, I got a call from Jennie Livingston when she was working

on Paris Is Burning. I helped with that film. So even before I fully stepped into documentary, I was intrigued by the humanity that could be brought to telling the stories of communities that would be called marginalized by some people, but who I saw as family.

PJ Raval: Yeah. Lisa, it’s interesting that you mentioned Paris Is Burning, because I often cite that as one of the first films I saw that happened to be a documentary where I saw representation of a different type. I got interested in filmmaking through art and photography.

My background is actually fiction and narrative filmmaking. So when I did study film, I made short narrative films.

I started working professionally as a cinematographer. I shot independent narrative features, narrative short films.

HOW WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU WORKING IN THE NARRATIVE SPACE? PR: I started getting a bit disillusioned by the film industry because I was working

“SOMETIMES I WATCH A DOCUMENTARY AND GET CONFUSED WHO ARE THE GOOD AND THE BAD GUYS. THE STORIES I LOVE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SO COMPLEX THAT THEY TURN THINGS INSIDE OUT FOR ME. THEY MAKE ME REVISIT MY IDEAS ABOUT POSSIBILITY.”

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in a lot of independent (projects). This is in the early to mid-2000s. I feel like the independent film scene at the time was, and still very much is, rooted in this kind of commercial and capitalistic practice. So many of the films were rooted on which star was going to be attached. How do you even start thinking about the value of a film based on who’s in it?

Meanwhile, I was very interested in making films that were coming from a queer lens—from an Asian American BIPOC lens, and there weren’t a lot of outlets for that. Even on the queer side, unless it was really heteronormative and a romance with sexy young guys, it was not really considered as something.

Which is why for me films like Paris Is Burning, which presented different stories and identities, were interesting to me.

PJ, DID YOU, LIKE LISA AND SIMON, HAVE A BENCHMARK THAT MADE YOU DIVE INTO DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING? PR: It wasn’t until I started filming some documentaries that I started understanding the power of documentary and nonfiction. Specifically, I filmed Trouble the Water for Tia Lessin and Carl Deal. That was a big documentary training experience for me. Before that I had worked on some films that were much more improvisational in terms of the camera work. Suddenly it went from a very structured, controlling world to something more reactive and intuitive.

Meanwhile, starting to work on Trouble the Water, I filmed another film called Dirt for NFB and ended up filming a lot in India, which was amazing.

I also filmed a (narrative) film in Palestine called Habibi. But what I loved about documentaries was that they were highly reactionary. Something was happening; you saw the filmmakers go out there, grab a camera, start filming. Meanwhile, I saw the scripted narrative filmmakers waiting for years to get funding.

In the narrative side, it was very much repackaging these stereotypical and trope

WHAT’S UP, DOC?

narratives, just at various budgets. Like if you had a big budget, it was because you had a big actor. If you had lesser famous actors and lesser experienced crew, it was a smaller budget—but they’re all trying to do the same thing. So I immediately gravitated toward documentary.

LC: I think it’s really interesting that we both have this narrative background. I still love narratives and I love the films that I make. Woodsman and Precious are unique vistas on characters who are rarely seen. However, I agree that most of the other stuff was formulaic and there was no space for revelation. Sometimes I watch a documentary and get confused who are the good and the bad guys. The stories I love are the ones that are so complex that they turn things inside out for me. They make me revisit my ideas about possibility.

SK: What you’re saying, Lisa, has always attracted me to this form of storytelling.

I most enjoy films that challenge my preconceptions about the world, that reveal something unexpected and surprising and where I’m not always clear on who the hero is and who the villain is. Life’s complicated and not black and white. It’s nuanced and gray, and there’s good and bad in everything.

When I go into a movie, I want to come out with as many questions as I had going in, but the questions might be different, or they’ll be reshaped, or my assumptions about the world will have been challenged in some fashion. That’s what documentaries do so well, because they’re dealing with the real world.

IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WITH NARRATIVE FILMMAKING YOU HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH SO MANY MORE HOOPS THAN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING IN ORDER TO GET AN AUTHENTIC STORY TOLD. WITH THAT IN MIND, ALL THREE OF YOU HAVE MADE SOME VERY IMPACTFUL FILMS IN THE PAST FOUR

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Lisa Cortés (inset) spotlighted Stacey Abrams in the documentary All In: The Fight for Democracy, focusing on Black Americans’ long struggle to participate in democracy.

YEARS—AND ALSO A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS. HOW DO YOU THINK THIS DOCUMENTARY LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED? LC: The last four years were really challenging politically for me. How to make work that had impact or provided solace occupied a lot of my attention because of the brutality that we were being exposed to.

I think documentary films lend themselves in a way that narratives don’t.

Some have campaigns. If you see a certain film and are inspired, the film tells you what you can do. All In had an extensive campaign that was used by stakeholder organizations as a tool for mobilizing and engaging people. The cumulative effects were incredible.

I look at a documentary like Belly of the Beast by Angela Tucker and Erica Cohen and what that has done for these women who had the agency of their body and their reproduction taken away from them. It’s translated into legislation now, addressing what was done to these women. So you think about (the fact that) people have the power.

SK: I think All In is a great example of a film coming out at a time when we desperately needed hope and impact.

Having Stacey Abrams as a beacon in the distance that we might move toward made a difference for a lot of people.

There’s been a lot of talk that we’re in a golden age (of documentary films). I don’t think we are. I think we’re in a bit of a dangerous place. I stole a quote from

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WHAT’S UP, DOC?

NEW MEMBERS A SPOTLIGHT ON SOME OF THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE PRODUCERS GUILD AND WHAT MAKES THEM TICK

Tracy Ullman Not to be confused with the comedy legend by the same name, UIlman has paved her path as a documentary producer and was inspired to enter the industry out of her desire to tell strong stories.

She is currently transitioning away from documentaries and making a foray into the narrative space.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about producing?

I was on a shoot for Nova/ Horizon for my first producing role about Richard Branson and Steve Fawcett flying around the world in balloons.

We had a crazy schedule.

At one point, I snapped my fingers to ask our camera crew to film something in one of the control rooms, and all of the crews in the area stopped and stared at me. They told me I needed to respect everyone I work with. I made sure I never behaved that way again, and it's proven to be the best way to have smooth shoots.

Marcia Smith from Firelight Media where she talked about being in the Hollywood age of documentary films.

I twisted it a wee bit and said it’s also the corporate age of documentary films.

I’ve been around long enough where the only documentary outlets were public television and HBO, and that’s not good enough. We need many more outlets, and I welcome them, but I’m a bit nervous at the moment. A lot of resources are being concentrated in kind of a 1% of makers, producers and directors. There’s many more voices out there that are not getting access to the resources they need.

There’s also been kind of a counter movement. It’s been great seeing the growth of organizations like Brown Girls Doc Mafia, Documentary Filmmakers With Disabilities, and A-Doc. These grassroots organizations are holding people’s feet to the fire to try to make some change—to be a counterbalance to Netflix, Amazon and all those guys. I love the people that work at those places, but we have to recognize their motivation is profit, and that doesn’t always align with the motivation of the filmmakers.

SPEAKING OF STREAMING SERVICES, THEY HAVE EXPANDED ACCESS TO DOCUMENTARIES AND DOCUSERIES LIKE MY NAME IS PAULI MURRAY AND EVEN TIGER KING. BEFORE THE STREAMING ERA, THESE FILMS WERE ONLY AVAILABLE AT SMALL ART HOUSE THEATERS IN MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS. NOW THEY ARE INSTANTLY AVAILABLE IN HOMES ALL OVER THE NATION. DO YOU THINK THIS IMMEDIATE ACCESSIBILITY HAS PROS AND CONS? LC: I’m always looking at impact. It’s wonderful to have a home that you can direct people to, but you still want to create that bridge to a community

to find this film and use it to make change in your life.

PR: I agree. To Lisa’s point, what’s great about documentaries is seeing social impact. The idea of how documentaries can contribute to cultural change, social change, maybe even legislative change is really amazing. But also to Simon’s point, I agree it’s kind of a dangerous age. What’s happening is, so much of it was rooted in public broadcasting, and this idea of an organization like ITVS, or a platform like POV, where you can have your film shown to 30 million people across the United States and parts of North America—it’s really amazing to have that reach and access.

And then also to have funding you could be eligible for.

But it’s gotten more difficult.

POV can only program so many films per year. ITVS I think is only funding like 3% of all applications at this point. Also there’s been this commercialization, and more cultural acceptance of documentary by the streamers, so you have the Netflixes and the Amazons. With that comes the concepts of binge watching and sensationalism. So when people are thinking of documentaries, I don’t know if they’re thinking anymore of the award-winning POV film, or if they are thinking, “I’m going to go home and veg out to this crime thriller.” It becomes more of the hook and the lure rather than the actual content.

You were asking about change specifically within the four years. I’ve seen this amazing awareness that, yes, we need to have BIPOC filmmakers in the room. We need to have queer filmmakers. We need to have filmmakers of different abilities. But when I look at who are the people who make those decisions, and who are the people who write those checks, who decides if that ends up on something—I don’t see those people.

To give you an example, within the last two years I’m getting a lot

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WHAT’S UP, DOC?

of people talking to me about, “Oh, hey, we’re interested in this project, we’re looking for someone who has connections to the queer community or is Asian American. Let’s talk about this and see if we can bring you on or attach you.” But when I look at the team, the team does not reflect it at all. They’re looking for a director, which is great, but where’s my ability to say, “OK, I want to create a team that’s going to do this, and this is the funding that I’m able to get?”

PJ, your film Call Her Ganda made great impact and we still see its impact. And Lisa, All In helped create change, and as we come toward 2024, I feel that many people are fearing that election anxiety.

LC: How about 2022? Why postpone your

agony to 2024? (laughs) It’s funny: I was looking at some of the stats (on All In), and we had 1.3 billion social impressions for the film, and for the campaign, for the website. It was phenomenal. If you asked me on January 5, I had a lot of joy. Georgia changed, and then Biden was elected. But if you asked me on January 6, it’s deflated. Every day when we see that we cannot pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, that the crazy rhetoric that is being thrown around about the big steal and how that’s being used to justify rolling back access to the vote for the communities who need to have their voice represented, it makes me so disappointed.

I’m hoping that those people who care are continuing to not be deflated

Simon Kilmurry (inset) produced the Oscar-nominated Strong Island (top), and executive produced the Peabody Award-winning My Perestroika (bottom) for POV.

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by what’s going on, because we know what’s coming. There’s no surprises.

What we are doing is we’re still making certain that this film is an available tool. Because when people see the film, the history’s so revelatory. You get the connection between what happened to felons in Florida in the late 19th century and what is happening to returning citizens in Florida now—how there is this targeted approach to communities of color, and the detrimental effect it has in our communities from education to health to other public policy concerns.

SK: I think we need to be a little careful in the expectations of what a singular film can do in terms of impact. Films don’t exist in a vacuum. They exist as part of social movements, as part of groups that have been working toward change for many, many years.

Change often goes forward and moves back—and then goes forward and moves back. I remember the week I was leaving POV, it was the same week as the gay marriage ruling from the Supreme Court.

POV had had a number of films on over the years dealing with LGBTQ issues and gay marriage, none of which were responsible for that ruling. But they were all part of a social, cultural dialogue over any many years.

Impact can often be on an individual level. Someone could have seen Call Her Ganda and have been moved in a way which, PJ, you’ll probably never know about, but it has an impact. I think Belly of the Beast is a fantastic story, but it’s a bit of a unicorn, where the legislation and the movie kind of happened at the same time. These things often happen on a much longer time frame, and as part of a much larger set of social movements, in concert with a movie.

AS WE MOVE INTO 2022 AND AS THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE CONTINUES TO CHANGE AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE, WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING?

CONSIDER FINDING YOURSELF JUST UNDER THE SURFACE

OUTSTANDING PRODUCER OF ANIMATED THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Andrea Warren, p.g.a., Enrico Casarosa “‘Luca’ finds a simple and beautiful metaphor for all those who feel like they need to hide themselves to fit in.”

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©2021 DISNEY/ PIXAR

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WHAT’S UP, DOC?

I KNOW THAT’S A VERY BROAD AND HEAVY QUESTION. PR: Simon, you go first. (laughs) SK: I’m incredibly optimistic about documentary storytelling as a whole, because I know so many documentary filmmakers and I meet a lot of younger people entering the field with great ideas and skills. To PJ’s point earlier, the barriers of entry to documentary are in some ways lower than ever. You can go out and shoot, and as soon as you have something to show people, you can begin to get access to grants and other areas of support. So I’m really optimistic that there’s greater concern about who gets to tell what stories; who gets access to what resources; and who gets to be at the table. It has not changed nearly enough, but it is changing. It’s not the way it was 10 years ago.

LC: I love this space to not only interrogate subjects, but also myself through the process. What are the values that are important to me; what can I bring to the set for my team and also equally for the storytelling?

There’s still the question, as PJ pointed out, of who is making the decisions. You just can’t make a decision off a short list; you have to open up that list to other people, to new filmmakers. When I think of the height of Blaxploitation, all the studios reached out and gave opportunities to Black directors, and then that moment died. I don’t want that to happen for my BIPOC directors and producers in this space. I don’t want us to become victims of a ghettoized approach.

If anything, so much of what I will be doing with my company next year is not just about incubating and telling stories, but also incubating the talent and the next wave of storytellers.

PR: A lot of people are questioning the narratives. Not only what the film is about and who is in the film, but also how it’s made, who’s making it, who will see it. I think that’s pretty exciting,

In Call Me Ganda, PJ Raval tells the story of a young transgender Filipina woman and her murder at the hands of an American soldier.

because it really does put a spotlight on all the aspects that have been overlooked in the past.

As much as I’ve been critical of narrative filmmaking, I think the thing that’s really great about it is how much empathy can be created. I think documentaries are very interested in that as well. In generations younger than myself, a lot of multi-hyphenate identities and personalities are emerging. I’m really enjoying that. I would love to think that we will get to the point where it’s about storytelling, and it’s amazing storytelling coming from this one person.

I do see some filmmakers starting

to do that in interesting ways. We can’t help but look at someone like Ava DuVernay and think about all the things that she’s able to do because people are interested in her, as a person and as a filmmaker, not necessarily just the project. I wish that would be the direction. Not, “Oh, something’s happening in the Asian American community, so who’s the one Asian American filmmaker we’re going to look at to represent this?” It’s more about genuine interest in what people have to make, and that freedom to explore it in all the different ways. At the end of the day, it’s storytelling. That’s the hope we should move toward.

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PGA Create Boosts Mid-career Producers Inaugural Program Bolsters Underrepresented Voices And Showcases the Future Of Storytelling.

Written by Dino-Ray Ramos

s the landscape of representation in Hollywood continues to shift toward shining a light on people of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, women, the disabled community and other historically marginalized voices, a number of programs have emerged to help amplify inclusivity. With PGA Create, the Producers Guild of America gives these voices a platform—but with a unique twist.

While many existing programs cater toward new voices just entering Hollywood, PGA Create puts the focus

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on mid-career producers and producing teams. They aren’t new to the game, but they aren’t necessarily getting projects greenlit as veteran producers with decades of experience might. Instead, they are in that phase where they have tools, talent and experience, but need someone to give them a megaphone so they can be heard.

PGA Create, sponsored by Google, was held October 25–28 and showcased creative producers and producing teams who are actively developing, financing and packaging both scripted features and scripted series. The program gave

participants opportunities to hone their project pitches as well as attend master classes with experienced producers and build their network.

For its inaugural program, PGA Create selected 10 producers/producing teams (six features and four series).

Produced By had the opportunity to speak with some of the participating producers and producing teams, including Marissa Diaz, creator of series The Real and Magical Diaries of Luna Icaza; Sav Rodgers and Alex Schmider with the coming-of-age comedy I Love

You, Margot Robbie; and Nasir Kenneth Ferebee and Quan Lateef-Hill with the feature Give the Drummer Some.

Marissa Diaz

“My experience with both PGA Create and PGA membership has been beyond my wildest expectations,” says Diaz. “The programming was phenomenal, from learning about guild initiatives to master classes to creative workshops with working producers.

“There was a fun, full-circle moment

in the lab with Peter Saraf in A Master Class on Producing Television. I had the opportunity to share with Peter and my cohort that a few years ago, after a PGA West/East meeting, a mentor of mine, Lianne Halfon (PGA West) connected me to Peter Saraf (PGA East), which led to me landing my first industry job on Girls. In a lot of ways, I have the PGA, its members, and now PGA Create to thank for my entire career.”

A cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and True Blood, Diaz’s The Real and Magical Diaries of Luna Icaza was able

to further develop during the program.

The series follows Luna, a piñata-making Tejana who inherits her grandmother’s magic on the night of her quinceañera.

She uses her new power to tame the ancient Mexican mythological creatures that come to destroy her hometown.

Sav Rodgers and Alex Schmider

For Rodgers and Schmider, they had the opportunity to see their teen rom-com, I Love You, Margot Robbie, come to

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STRONG SEXUAL CONTENT AND LANGUAGE, AND DRUG USE.

PGA CREATE BOOSTS MID-CAREER PRODUCERS

10 selected teams & projects Features

1. Ashley Flores, Writer/ Producer and Sabrina Ehlert, Producer, Madrigal 10 2. Beverley Gordon, Producer, Experience 3. Nasir Kenneth Ferebee and Quan Lateef-Hill, Producers, Give The Drummer Some 4. Gia Rigoli, Producer, The Weight Of Land 5. Sav Rodgers, Writer/ Producer and Alex Schmider, Producer, I Love You, Margot Robbie 6. Rabia Sultana, Producer, Mala Sangre

Series

1. Ken Arquelio and Juan Pablo Arias Muñoz, Writer/ Creators/EP, Desert Rats 2. Rashad Chambers, Writer/ Creator/EP, Outliers 3. Marissa Diaz, EP/Creator, The Real And Magical Diaries Of Luna Icaza 4. Elisha Miranda, Writer/ Producer and Audrey Seda, Producer, The Chronicles Of Eva

fruition. The feature follows teenage transgender boy Felix McNeil’s high school experience. His ordinary life turns extraordinary when a larger-thanlife, supportive imaginary friend in the

form of Margot Robbie falls into his world from a billboard.

“Our time in the program is just beginning, and it has already opened so many doors for us,” says Rodgers, who wrote the feature. “They have already given us a new community, new mentorship, and new opportunities. It’s not every day you get to work on your dream movie, let alone with the full support of an institution like the PGA.” Schmider, who is the rom to Rodgers’ com in the story, points out that producers from underrepresented communities are often overlooked in talent pipeline programs and the industry at large because producing can be such an elusive, though foundational, part of the storytelling process.

“What has become increasingly evident is that Hollywood’s evolution toward authenticity will require not only representation in writers rooms, edit bays, and on screens, but overseeing stories and sets during the full lifespan of a project,” says Schmider. “What sets PGA Create apart from other initiatives in the industry is that it squarely focuses on developing producers, filling a high-demand need and eagerly sought opportunity for those from underrepresented communities to successfully pursue a producer’s path.”

Schmider’s sentiment aligns with PGA Create’s premise: supporting newer generations, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds as multi-hyphenates. They are as fluent in code switching as they are in creative expression across various mediums.

Nasir Kenneth Ferebee and Quan Lateef-Hill Ferebee and Lateef-Hill came to the program with their feature Give the Drummer Some, a coming-of-age story that follows Jasmine “Jazz” Sample, an aspiring drummer at Duke Ellington School of the

pga create mentors

Stephanie Allain (Homegrown Pictures); Corrine Aquino (Artists First); Anne Carey (Archer Gray); Elsie Choi (Rideback); DMA (Planet DMA); Mike Farah (Funny or Die); Lizzie Friedman (Priority Pictures); Donna Gigliotti (Hidden Figures); Sarah Green (Brace Cove Productions); David Hinojosa (2AM); Mel Jones (Really Love); Courtney A. Kemp (End of Episode); Alyssa Lanz (UTA); Tonya Lewis Lee (She’s Gotta Have It); Dan Lin (Rideback); Melvin Mar (The Detective Agency); Lori McCreary (Madam Secretary); Maurício Mota (Wise Entertainment); Ravi Nandan (A24); Benjamin Odell (3Pas); Tommy Oliver (Confluential Films); Theresa Page (Ley Line Entertainment); Tara Roy (STARZ); Robert Salerno (Artina Films); Peter Saraf (Nuclear Family); Shrihari Sathe (DIALECTIC); Gene Stein (Narcos); Mary Jane Skalski (American Animals); Shelby Stone (ID8 Multimedia); Gregory Trattner (Film Finances); Pam Veasey (Long Slow Exhale); Shana Waterman (One Race TV); and Philipp Wolf (DNEG).

Arts in Washington, D.C. Set in the crack epidemic era ’80s, the film depicts Jazz navigating the city at a time when D.C. was both the murder capital of America, but also a city exploding with culture.

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All the while, she tries to overcome the misogyny within the city’s go-go community that conflicts with her dreams.

Ferebee and Lateef-Hill were able to develop and flesh out their project under the guise of the program, which allowed exclusive access to veteran producers.

“These producers vet you and your work, highlight your strengths, and help to improve upon your weaknesses.

In addition to that, we are paired with established producers for an ongoing mentorship. We’ve already spoken extensively with our mentor, and it’s been enlightening to discover what it takes to get to the next level of our careers,” they said in a joint statement.

Notable advisors, mentors and speakers from the industry that participated in the inaugural PGA Create included an impressive roster of names in the industry.

“We’ve definitely learned that becoming a prominent producer requires a level of tenacity, discipline and persistence that goes above and beyond the call of duty,” added Ferebee and Lateef-Hill. “In speaking with the established producers, we learned that the key to building a career of longevity is to be consistently finding, creating and producing quality material, and to also have a clear vision.

This business is a test of endurance, and we’ve learned that from the knowledge imparted upon us during this program from the speakers, mentors and our peers.”

PGA Create is designed to be a touchstone over the span of one year, including an invitation for participants to reconvene during the PGA Create Forum, a new event to be held during the Guild’s signature Produced By Conference in June 2022. In addition, the PGA partnered with Google for an adjacent Short Film Project, providing $50,000 grants to two producers or producing teams. The opportunity is being offered exclusively to recent participants in PGA Create.

“What is most special about PGA Create is its earnest belief in their fellows and inherent ‘can-do’ producorial spirit,” says Diaz. “I said I wanted to make a campy, magical realist Latine teen

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“ W hat has become increasingly evident is that Hollywood’s evolution toward authenticity will require not only representation in writers rooms, edit bays, and on screens, but overseeing stories and sets during the full lifespan of a project.”

procedural set in South Texas, and instead of rolling their eyes, PGA Create said, ‘Great. Here’s how you do it.’

“PGA Create isn’t about convincing its fellows that their ideas are too small, or too big, or not ‘four quadrant’ enough,” Diaz continues. “It is about taking our stories and making them come to life.

Instead of using the lab as an educational exercise, PGA Create’s focus is to use their access and resources, not only to execute a well-rounded week of programming, but, more importantly, to produce the most successful creative producers and their

respective projects. The commitment to building the program so that its fellows can successfully transition into roles as working producers closes the gap for many underrepresented voices in Hollywood.”

PGA Create was developed through the PGA One Guild initiative, which supports inclusive membership, employment, content, and authentic depictions. The PGA Create program is a reimagining of the long-standing Power of Diversity Master Workshop, which concluded its 18th edition in 2020.

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DOLBY: NOW MORE THAN EVER How producers are leveraging the burgeoning technology for immersive storytelling

O

n May 19, 2021, Dolby and the PGA hosted an online, PGA members-only event where we explored how content creators are using Dolby technologies to expand their creative palette and empower immersive storytelling.

With Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos immersive audio continuing to move forward as critical elements of premium entertainment, more and more consumers are actively looking to buy, watch and listen to their content in Dolby. With that in mind, Dolby hopes to make producers aware of this market momentum as they consider their next production.

CONSISTENT PLAYBACK Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos playback is optimized for each device to ensure the consumer gets a consistent, high-quality experience. Consumers experience your movie or TV show exactly the way you intended.

WIDE AVAILABILITY For cinema viewers, there are more than 450 Dolby cinemas and more than 6,900 Dolby Atmos cinema screens. Additionally, hundreds of millions of people worldwide can view Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos content through more than 40 streaming services.

Consumers can choose from more than a billion Dolby-enabled consumer electronics devices including TVs, laptops, mobile phones, tablets and soundbars.

ENHANCED STORYTELLING HDR and immersive audio provide new ways to tell stories—and not just for big-budget movies and TV shows, but for all levels of production. As Netflix series director Sam Campbell puts it, “HDR is great for high-end productions, but it’s even more useful on an unscripted show like Sexy Beasts.”

FUTUREPROOF Many producers are making one Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos master and then generating versions for all markets and uses, in HDR and SDR, immersive sound Dolby Atmos, and 5.1/2.0, thereby simplifying their workflow and futureproofing their output. Christian Rein, director of photography for Netflix’s epic Tribes of Europa, noted in an interview, “At some point in the development of Dolby Vision magic happened, and now the SDR rendered from the HDR looks better than if you’d mastered it in SDR. The atmosphere carries over in a way you could hardly have built up from scratch in native SDR.”

INDUSTRY SUPPORT With demand growing for Dolby content, gaining a deep understanding of the

tools and workflows is critical. Dolby has worked with leaders in film and TV to develop efficient and agile workflows supported by the industry’s leading tools providers. Our recommended processes ensure you can create all the required deliverables from the Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos masters and produce all the formats required by all broadcasters and digital platforms worldwide.

Says Bill Markham, series producer for Night on Earth, “Everyone’s expecting it now for their more prominent projects. We wouldn’t go back. We couldn’t.”

Together with the PGA, Dolby hopes to provide the education and awareness for producers and their teams so they can leverage this for their productions. You can learn more about how producers have created and mastered in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos here: professional.dolby.com/homeentertainment/produce-in-Dolby.

Stay tuned for the next PGA and Dolby online event in early 2022.

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F O R Y O U R C O N S I D E R AT I O N

Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy

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P G A AT YO U R SERVICE

You asked for the Producers Mark in Television and we got it!

Now it’s up to YOU to get production companies, networks and distribution platforms to submit Televised and Streamed Motion Pictures to the PGA for certification!

IS THE PRODUCERS MARK AVAILABLE FOR ALL TYPES OF MOVIES? No. Historically, only theatrical motion pictures, documentary motion pictures and animated motion pictures were eligible to be submitted for Producers Mark consideration. But we are happy to report that the Producers Guild recently expanded its determination process to include televised/streamed motion pictures.

WHEN I SEE “p.g.a.” AFTER A PRODUCER’S NAME IN A MOTION PICTURE’S CREDITS, WHAT DOES IT MEAN? Regardless of the distribution platform, it means that according to the rules of the Producers Guild’s certification process, that producer performed a major portion of the producing functions on that specific motion picture.

WHY DO SOME MOTION PICTURES CARRY THE PRODUCERS MARK, BUT NOT OTHERS? The Producers Mark is voluntary, and the PGA cannot force any copyright owner to submit for certification. All of the major studios—Universal, Disney, Warner Bros.,

the Producers Mark

ON YOUR MARK

Sony, Paramount and Fox—and nearly all theatrical distributors of independent motion pictures, welcome the PM process.

ARE ALL PRODUCERS ON A MOTION PICTURE ELIGIBLE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE PRODUCERS MARK? No. On theatrical motion pictures, documentary motion pictures and animated motion pictures only those individuals receiving “Producer” or “Produced By” credit may be considered for use of the Producers Mark. On televised/streamed motion pictures, only those individuals receiving “Executive Producer,” “Producer” or “Produced By” credit, whichever is the primary producing credit as supported by the submitted credits, may be considered for use of the Producers Mark.

IF A PRODUCER DOESN’T RECEIVE THE p.g.a. MARK FROM THE PRODUCERS GUILD, WHAT HAPPENS TO THEIR PRODUCING CREDIT? Nothing. The Producers Mark doesn’t control or affect the “Executive Producer,” “Produced By” or “Producer” credit in any way, nor does it invalidate that credit by its absence.

WHAT IMPACT DOES THE PRODUCERS MARK HAVE ON AWARDS? Determinations for the Producers Mark and for producer award eligibility are determined at the same time and via the same process. In addition to AMPAS, HFPA and BAFTA, all rely on the PGA

process to guide their decision making.

However the final selection of nominees is always at the discretion of the organization giving the award. And, while the Producers Mark also is recognized by the WGA, DGA and SAG-AFTRA, the PGA has agreed not to license the Producers Mark for use with any combined credit (e.g., “Directed and Produced By …”).

SO WHAT’S THE PROCESS FOR LICENSING THE PRODUCERS MARK? 1. The process is initiated by the copyright owner of the motion picture.

2. After the post-production process has commenced, but four to six weeks before credits are locked, the owner submits a motion picture for consideration via ProducersGuildAwards.com.

3. Within two to three weeks, the PGA sends out eligibility forms to every producer credited as “Executive Producer,” “Produced By” or “Producer” on the motion picture, depending on the type of production and the submitted credits, and sends confidential verification forms to a wide variety of third parties associated with the production of the motion picture: the director(s), writer(s), department heads, company executives and key crew members.

4. Once forms have been returned, the PGA convenes a panel of arbiters, each of them active and experienced producers with numerous (and recent) credits, typically in the genre or category of the motion picture under consideration. (I.e., if the motion

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P G A AT YO U R SERVICE Because the Producers Mark is brand new for televised and streamed motion pictures, it is incumbent on you to request that the production companies, networks and distribution platforms submit the movies you produce for them to the Guild for processing the Producers Mark. If you are currently producing a televised or streamed movie and are contractually due the primary producing credit, please contact tvpm@producersguild.org for info and assistance on licensing the Producers Mark.

picture is a major studio tentpole, we try to utilize arbiters with considerable experience in making those big-budget studio pictures. If the motion picture is a smaller indie movie, we rely on producers familiar with that type of production. If the motion picture is produced for distribution via television or streaming platform, we use arbiters with that particular type of production experience, etc.) An initial arbitration panel typically has three arbiters.

The arbiters review all materials returned to the PGA by the producers and third parties, with all names of individuals credited on the motion picture redacted, so that arbiters can arrive at a judgment based on the testimony provided rather than the name recognition and perceived reputation of the producers.

5. Following the determination, the PGA staff informs the producers of the decision. Producers who object to the decision have five days to notify the Guild of an intent to appeal. After giving producers the opportunity to add to or clarify their testimony, the PGA will convene a new panel of arbiters. All appellate panels consist of three producers. If the initial decision was unanimous, the appellate panel will consist of one producer from the original panel and two new producers; if the initial decision was not unanimous, the appellate panel will consist of three new producers. The decision of the appellate panel is final.

SO WHEN ARBITERS ARE LOOKING AT THESE FORMS, WHAT ARE THEY SEEING? The eligibility form filled out by producers asks them to indicate their level of responsibility for a variety of produc-

ing functions spanning development, pre-production, physical production and post-production. The form also includes a free-response section for the producer to elaborate more fully on the specifics of the production and their role on the motion picture. The verification forms filled out by third parties typically ask the respondent questions related to the nature of their collaboration with the credited producers.

For instance, the verification form for editors asks the editor to designate which producer(s) consulted with the editor regarding dailies, gave notes on cuts or participated in screenings.

that bias is affecting their judgment.

WHO SELECTS WHICH ARBITERS VET THE CREDITS OF WHICH MOTION PICTURES? That determination is made by the PGA’s Corporate Counsel in consultation with the General Counsel.

ONCE A PRODUCER’S CREDIT IS CERTIFIED WITH THE PRODUCERS MARK, IS THAT CERTIFICATION APPLIED PERMANENTLY TO ALL OF THE PRODUCER’S MOTION PICTURES?

WHAT IF THE PGA SELECTS AN ARBITER WHO (UNBEKNOWNST TO THEM) IS BIASED AGAINST A GIVEN PRODUCER OR MOTION PICTURE?

No. A Producers Mark appended to a producing credit applies to that motion picture only. It represents the nature of the work performed on that motion picture alone and does not carry over to future productions.

The Guild takes proactive measures to prevent that from happening. Prior to convening the panel, the PGA provides all producers with a list of potential arbiters.

Producers are free to strike any arbiter for any reason. Such arbiters will not be empaneled for that particular motion picture. Furthermore, all arbiters are asked to affirmatively state that they have no interests in the motion pictures to be arbitrated that might result in a biased judgment. Even if all of those hurdles are cleared, an arbiter will be removed from the process if they or the PGA administrator (PGA’s Corporate Counsel or the National Executive Director/COO) feels

WHY CAN’T THE PGA BE MORE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE PROCESS? We maintain the strictest confidentiality around the identities of the producers, third parties and arbiters involved because such confidence is the only way we can hope to get accurate and truthful information. Many producers are powerful figures in this industry and this might put pressure on third parties and arbiters to achieve a desired decision. Keeping those identities confidential is the only way to maintain the integrity of the process.

DOES THE “p.g.a.” AFTER THE PRODUCER’S NAME MEAN THAT THE PRODUCER IS A MEMBER OF THE PRODUCERS GUILD? No. A producer does not need to be a member of the PGA to receive the “p.g.a.” designation after their name. In many cases, the sets of initials you see in motion picture credits (such as A.S.C. and A.C.E.) indicate membership in an organization.

The Producers Mark is different. It’s a certification mark; its purpose is to designate that the producer has met an officially recognized standard of performance on that motion picture.

For all the details about the Producers Mark, please go to producersguild.org.

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FROM THE ACADEMY AWARD - NOMINATED DIRECTORS OF ‘RBG’ ®

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ALL CATEGORIES INCLUDING

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

“A MUST-SEE DOC ABOUT A MUST-KNOW SUBJECT”

Directed by

“JAW-DROPPING...

AN EXTRAORDINARY DOCUMENTARY ”

Betsy West • Julie Cohen Produced by

Talleah Bridges McMahon

amazonstudiosguilds.com

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ALL CATEGORIES INCLUDING

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Directed by

Leo Scott • Ting Poo Produced by

Val Kilmer • Leo Scott • Ting Poo

amazonstudiosguilds.com

“ I T I S , U N D E N I A B LY, A B R E AT H O F F R E S H A I R. A N D I T H A S A L R E A D Y, J U S T B Y E X I S T I N G, C H A N G E D H I S T O R Y.”

F O R

Y O U R

C O N S I D E R A T I O N

O U T S TA N D I N G P R O D U C E R O F T H E AT R I C A L M O T I O N P I C T U R E S

KEVIN FEIGE, p.g.a. | JONATHAN SCHWARTZ, p.g.a.

© 2022 MARVEL

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ALL CATEGORIES INCLUDING

BEST PICTURE

Guy Heeley • Ed Clarke • Adam Ackland • Leah Clarke

“A charming triumph”

amazonstudiosguilds.com

P G A AT YO U R SERVICE

MARKING TIME Producers on two films, one current and the other upcoming, share their experiences of making the projects that earned them the Producers Mark certification.

Certification via the Producers Mark indicates that a producer performed a major portion of the producing functions on the motion picture. The full list of Producers Mark certifications can be viewed at producersguild.org.

Single All the Way

HOW DOES THIS STORY RESONATE WITH YOU?

Desperate to avoid his family’s judgment about his perpetually single status, one man convinces his best friend to join him for the holidays and pretend that they’re now in a relationship. A wrench gets thrown into the plans when his mother sets him up on a blind date with her handsome trainer.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

This story resonates for me as a father of two who works to embrace his children for everything they are, but much like the family in our movie, drives them crazy in the process. As an ex-social worker, I have always aimed to create entertainment that is focused on telling inspiring stories in an accessible way. Muse Entertainment has built its brand on authenticity and representation. Our projects have a unique perspective and a foundational sense of hopeful optimism, and feature characters who deserve to be protagonists of their own stories.

Joel Rice, p.g.a.

THE FILM CONTINUES THE NEW TRADITION OF LGBTQ-CENTERED HOLIDAY STORIES, BUT WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU ENCOUNTERED AND HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO OVERCOME IT? It has always been important to me to tell forward-thinking yet entertaining stories.

I’m proud to produce a story about queer adults that explores romance, friendship and family. It is validating to go from the beginning of my producing career—when people in underrepresented communities were not featured in projects in this way— to meeting the challenge by partnering with writer Chad Hodge and Tonywinning director Michael Mayer to deliver a socially relevant, artistically fun, honest, gay romantic comedy that everyone can relate to.

WHAT SURPRISED YOU THE MOST DURING THE COURSE OF PRODUCING THIS FILM? Despite producing this during the COVID-19 pandemic, I was struck by how much passion, enthusiasm and connection everyone involved in the project brought to the table. I credit that to the fact that everyone was excited by the material and understood that they were signing on to something that could really have an impact. We are proud to have significant LGBTQ+ representation behind and in front of the camera, and the passion came through. It seems to have already made an impression, given the critics’ reception and the audience’s heartfelt reactions to the movie. The reach has been amazing, as out of the gate, Single All the Way was among the top five streaming movies in the world!

Top: Joel Rice on set Bottom: Philemon Chambers (left) and Michael Urie in a scene from Netflix’s Single All The Way

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OUTSTANDING PRODUCER OF THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Matthew Vaughn, p.g.a., David Reid, p.g.a., Adam Bohling, p.g.a. ©2021 20th Century Studios

disneystudiosawards.com

P G A AT YO U R SERVICE

Scream

William Sherak, p.g.a.

Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer dons the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past. Sherak produces alongside James Vanderbilt, p.g.a. and Paul Neinstein, p.g.a. Out in theaters January 14.

HOW BIG A FAN WERE YOU OF THE ORIGINAL SCREAM TRILOGY? All the Scream films have had such a lasting impact on me. Growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, I was the generation that experienced Scream in theaters for the first time. It revolutionized what you could do in the horror genre.

What Wes Craven, Kevin Williamson and that original core cast created was pure magic. Being able to add to its legacy has been a joy.

WHEN YOU WERE APPROACHED TO DO THE REVIVAL, WHAT WERE YOUR INITIAL THOUGHTS? All of us at Project X and Spyglass knew how much fun it was going to be to reinvigorate such a beloved franchise, but a lot of initial thoughts came to mind. We immediately wanted Kevin (Williamson) to return, and we all knew it would only work if he was part of the team. Having him join as an executive producer was paramount to the film and bringing back the legacy cast to pass the torch to a new generation was something we focused on early as well.

Above, left to right: producer William Sherak, director Matt Bettinelli, executive producer Kevin Williamson, director Tyler Gillett and executive producer Chad Villella Right: William Sherak

WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE WITH CONTINUING AN ICONIC FRANCHISE WHILE HONORING ITS LEGACY AND SETTING IT IN A CULTURAL LANDSCAPE THAT IS WILDLY DIFFERENT FROM 1996?

The most obvious challenge in continuing the franchise was the absence of Wes, which was felt by all of us. But Kevin’s involvement on the team helped move everything forward. I also can’t say enough about the returning cast members. They were our North Star through the making of the film, helping us to honor what Wes created at all times.

As far as the cultural difference between 1996 and today, there are always certain rules to follow in a Scream movie.

We believed they could be easily adapted to the current landscape and translated for both old and new audiences to enjoy.

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OUTSTANDING PRODUCER OF LIMITED SERIES TELEVISION

INSPIRED BY THE BESTSELLING MEMOIR FROM THE PRODUCERS OF SHAMELESS AND PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN

“One Of The

Best TV Shows Of The Year.”

VOGUE

“Riveting, Powerful And Emotional.”

FORBES

FYC.NETFLIX.COM

#

P G A AT YO U R SERVICE

MEMBER BENEFITS ■ Access to exclusive programs such as PGA Mentoring (including one-on-one, TV Basecamp and Film Basecamp) and webinars featuring the most experienced producers in the entertainment industry ■ Admission to special PGA pre-release screenings and Q&A events (in person, predominantly in LA and NY, and accessible to all when virtual) ■ Voting privileges in the prestigious Producers Guild Awards, and access to physical and digital screeners during awards season ■ Exclusive discounts on industry services and events

■ Grow your network and find creative collaborators with the PGA’s Member Directory, accessible only to PGA Members.

■ Full access to PGA website, including events, calendar, social networking tools, and extensive members-only video library ■ Automatic receipt of Job Bulletins that match your skill and background through Hire PGA, a concierge service for employers ■ Free access to many PGA events and discounts on programs, such as the Produced By conferences ■ Complimentary subscription to Produced By

PRODUCEDBY June | July 2021

PRODUCEDBY THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE PRODUCERS GUILD OF AMERICA // JUNE | JULY

THE WORKING PRODUCER’S ESSENTIAL TOOLKIT

P BLINDSPOTTING TURNS A NEW CHAPTER FOR STARZ

P THE MYRIAD WAYS TO BRING BOOKS TO SCREEN

P

Jesse collins volume XVII number 3

JESSE

COLLINS

As the world shut down last year, the veteran live TV producer moved quickly to adapt and reimagine awards shows so that COVID would not stop the entertainment.

SEE THE DIGITAL EDITION PRODUCERSGUILD.ORG LET’S GET SOCIAL

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IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF GIANTS

An Oscar Night to Remember Written By AL Ruddy

Clint Eastwood and Al Ruddy share a special moment during one of the most memorable Academy Awards ceremonies.

I

t was Oscar night 1973. We were surprised that The Godfather was even nominated because it had been out for a year already, which was unusual for

Academy voting. but we decided to give it a go anyway.

The night did not start well the for the movie. Bob Fosse beat out Francis Ford Coppola. Marlon Brando surprisingly sent Sacheen Littlefeather to accept his award, and Al Pacino went home empty-handed. As fate had it, Charlton Heston, who was presenting Best Picture, got ill. Clint Eastwood volunteered to present it in his place. As a friend, he winked, and that wry smile assured me I would win. I told him, the only way to assure I would win would be to open the envelope and no matter what it said utter, “The winner is Al Ruddy.” And then eat up the envelope and swallow it. I was stunned that I won and very honored. I thought Clint was full of it and saying my name because he was my friend. It was all the sweeter when we got to win one together decades later for Million Dollar Baby.

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Decades after Ruddy’s first Oscar win, he worked with pal Eastwood on another winner, Million Dollar Baby.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCER OF THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

STEVEN SPIELBERG, P.G.A. | KRISTI MACOSKO KRIEGER, P.G.A. | KEVIN M CCOLLUM

“There are scenes that will melt you, scenes that will make your pulse race, and scenes where you simply

SIT BACK AND REVEL IN THE BIG-SPIRITED GRANDEUR OF IT ALL.” “‘West Side Story’ feels fresh and immediate while still retaining the classic feel of the original.”

“The most gorgeous film of the year.”

“A ‘West Side Story’ for new generations.”

“It’s absolutely ferocious.” © 2021 20th Century Studios

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C O N S I D E R A T I O N

OUTSTANDING PRODUCER OF THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES JANE CAMPION, p.g.a. | TANYA SEGHATCHIAN, p.g.a. | EMILE SHERMAN, p.g.a. & IAIN CANNING, p.g.a. | ROGER FRAPPIER, p.g.a.

“THE

BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR.

AN AMERICAN MASTERPIECE BY ONE OF THE GREATEST DIRECTORS OF ALL TIME.” AWARDS DAILY

“★★★★★ NOTHING SHORT OF EXTRAORDINARY. This is a movie in which everything matters and nothing is wasted.”

THE TIMES

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

WINNER

BEST DIRECTOR

JANE CAMPION

ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINEE

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH

KIRSTEN DUNST

JESSE PLEMONS

KODI SMIT-MCPHEE

A FILM BY ACADEMY AWAR D WINNER JANE CAMPION ®

FILM.NETFLIXAWARDS.COM