Bonus Episode: the 2021 live red carpet Blaze Award presentation to screenwriter-author-advocate-and-Emmy Award-winning actor Jo Vannicola. It was a unanimous decision to present this year’s Blaze Award to Jo. Whether they are in front or, behind the camera or at outACTRAto, they approach everything with integrity and a joyful heart that inspires others to want to create and lead with the same level of passion, vulnerability and drive. We need more Jo Vannicolas in the world!

This week’s episode is a throwback to our Facebook Live WORK IN PROGRESS Panel from last July 2020.The show is about Abby, a forty five-year-old self-identified fat, queer dyke whose misfortune and despair unexpectedly lead her to a vibrantly transformative relationship.Panel Guests include: Abby McEnany (Abby,co-creator), Celeste Pechous (Cambell), Mary Sohn (Susan) and Kate James (Miriam and is a writer for the show).

WORK IN PROGRESS Season 2 is currently airing Sunday nights at 11pm ET/PT on SHOWTIME

Our guest on the show this week is award-winning producer, co-founder of Mosaic Entertainment and the founder and executive director of Girls in Film and Television (GIFT) CAMILLE BEAUDOIN. Camille is mixed blood Cree, Haudenosaunee, Métis, and French Canadian. She is a facilitator for the Whistler Film Festival Indigenous Filmmaker Fellowship, as well as, Edmonton YWCA’s 2014 Woman of Distinction in Arts & Culture and one of Avenue Magazine’s Edmonton's Top 40 under 40!

Our guest on the show this week is superstar producer Marina Cordoni, the founder of Marina Cordoni Entertainment, aka MCE!  This is going to be such a treat because Marina will also be one of the mentors for our Indie Producers mentorship workshop on September 25th! 

She shared exclusively about her journey to sobriety and how this opened up a whole new world of creativity.

Our guest on the show this week is director, writer, producer, TV personality, ASIS SETHI ! Asis is not only an incredible creator whose work is featured on the Reel Women’s Network streaming platform, but is also part of our Firecracker Department Core Team!

Asis has directed, written, and produced a ton of independent projects and founded Fly Away Films, a film company focusing on issues women and communities face that promote a cross-cultural understanding.

Our guest on the show this week is Olympic silver medalist, advocate, speaker, Dotsie Bausch! She won her silver medal in cycling at the 2012 London Olympic Games, as well as two Pan Am gold medals, eight US national championships, AND a world record! She founded the non-profit Switch 4 Good and has been featured in two different Netflix documentaries: Personal Gold and The Game Changers.

Our guest on the show this week is actor, producer, writer, certified Reiki healer, and Firecracker Core Member, EMILY CHURCHILL! AND, Emily also just so happens to be a creator also featured on Reel Womens Network! Emily has trained and performed at Second City Chicago and Hollywood, UCB LA, AND The Comedy Central Stage. She’s been a writer and performer for groups and troupes, plus her series Friends on A Bench! Emily’s been on your screens in Criminal Minds on CBS, in Sydney To The Max on Disney Chan

Our guest on the show this week is filmmaker, actor, and firecracker CORE MEMBER, Anna Jane Edmonds, aka AJ! AJ is an emerging leader in the film industry working as a producer, director, performer and idea creator.

AJ was awarded the Best Canadian Feature for producing the film POOR AGNES, and is one of the co-founders of the amazing POCKET FILM SCHOOL! She’s lived around the world, from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia, to Toronto, Los Angeles, and more.

Our guest on the show this week is transgender writer and stand up comedian, Jeena Bloom! Jeena has performed all over the country, including a headlining tour of the southern United States, shortly before the pandemic. She has performed at the Hollywood Improv, Comedy Store and most NYC comedy venues. Her writing has been featured in the LA Times, New York Magazine and The AV Club. Jeena took over a decade off from filmmaking as a survivor of domestic violence and finally as an out trans woman!

Our guest on the show this week is award-winning actor, producer COLLEEN WHEELER, and her daughter Lily Reynolds! Now, Colleen has performed in over 75 stage productions across Canada, as well as over 50 onscreen roles in film and TV. She voiced Mystique on the animated X:Men Evolution series, was featured in 2018’s Tully with Charlize Theron and Mackenzie Davis, as well as the 2012 feature The Tall Man with Jessica Biel.