From Passion to Paycheck

Executive producer Craig Siebels launched his television career on the hit series BURN NOTICE, where he began as art director and production designer before fully transitioning into what he is most known for today, as producing director on TV series that have blown up on a global scale. His decades of work include shows like Fox’s Marvel series THE GIFTED; CBS's BLOOD & TREASURE and his latest work directing and executive producing Amazon Prime Video’s massive crime thriller CROSS. Along the way he constantly developed his craft and technical expertise, but also philosophical beliefs about how to be a good human in an industry that can challenge that ability on a constant basis. After all, it’s not just what you do, but who you become along the way.

Joe Passarelli, DP, has been working as a cinematographer in Hollywood for over two decades on projects including the Oscar-Nominated stop-motion Charlie Kaufman written film ANOMALISA and the upcoming action film SCORPION starring Aaron Eckhart; TV series such as ULTRA CITY SMITHS and FRANKENHOLE; and music videos for artists including THE WEEKND —- his work has brought him all over the United States and to cities abroad where he learned to definitely navigate language, cultural, and Covid obstacles with a sense of humor that even kept him going after breaking a rib on set!

Tri-lingual multi-hyphenate Director, Writer, Producer and Actor, Jason Gurvitz spoke with us previously - but in this episode we get way more in-depth about his extensive work producing independent films in Columbia with his two partners via their production label wild House.

With a slate of four upcoming Columbian co-productions, and years of previous work both in the U.S. and Columbia — not to mention other international regions we will not cover today — Jason’s perspective straddles both countries with a cross-border sensibility that is unique, laser-focused, and entertaining.

Alec Engerson spent four years as a development executive for Emmy-winning director and executive producer, Anthony Hemingway, where he helped develop and produce shows like GENIUS: ARETHA and LA LAW before talking his way into the writers' room — first as Showrunner's Assistant to Matt Nix on TRUE LIES (CBS), then as writer's assistant on the new BAYWATCH reboot. Along the way, he has adapted two novels for Voyage Entertainment, has a horror procedural in development with Korean Studio BOUND Entertainment, and I’m willing to bet that if you challenge him to a duel on film knowledge, he might just whoop your ass.

When her most recent hit show ACT YOUR AGE garnered a nomination for the Humanitas Prize, TV Showrunner and Creator Alyson Fouse had already been cranking out badass comedy for decades - with work on projects including A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS, SCARY MOVIE 2 and the one that launched her career: THE KEENAN IVORY WAYANS SHOW. And the only reason this happened is because she heard something she thought she could do and she had no examples in her own inner circle, and she did it anyways.

TV Director, Editor and Producer, Doug Hannah, got his start on unscripted shows like AMERICAN IDOL and then worked his way up through scripted shows, including BURN NOTICE, WHITE COLLAR, CODE BLACK and MAGNUM PI to where he is now on the new reboot of BAYWATCH. He successfully made the transition from editor to director and also included producing duties into his skills set. He has the wonderful combination of both humility and extreme drive and his journey is an example of how far above and beyond people go to establish careers in television and film.

Some directors come up through film school. Geoff Browne came up with a camera in places most people never reach. He’s lived in a cave village in China, filmed monks in Tibet, worked in the Arctic, crossed the Atlantic on a small Russian freighter — and made documentaries on a serial killer in Vancouver, drug dealers in LA, cartel members in Mexico. He’s been solo on shoots or worked with large crews, always real people in real places. And he’s poured all of it into his own scripted films. He went alone to a village in Nigeria and wrote, directed, and shot a dramatic short called Godpower — which has its world premiere in competition at Dances with Films, at the TCL Chinese Theatre, June 20th at 2pm. 

Jordan Mitchell-Love is an Actor, Casting Producer, Host, 1st AD and Stunt person here in LA. As a Casting Producer, Jordan mainly works in unscripted television on some of the biggest shows in the world including Beast Games on Amazon; Wipeout on TBS; The Wall on NBC; and Extreme Makeover Home Edition on ABC.

He also served as the host and master of ceremonies for the LA WebFest, the world‘s largest and oldest festival for web based content, founded by Emmy award winner, Michael Ajakwe Jr.

And if that wasn’t enough, listen to the end to hear about his athletic endeavors because Jordan’s extracurriculars are yet another example of his intense work ethic.

Steven Esteb is a WGA screenwriter who's sold TV and film projects to places like MGM and RKO Pictures, directed 6 feature films, from an AIDS documentary to a political comedy starring Beau Bridges and Judd Nelson, even a gangsta rap cult favorite for Cash Money Records starring Lil Wayne, Birdman, Juvenile.  And he created and hosted the totally insane Journalista Podcast for iHeart Radio, which might just be on a streamer in the near future.  With all that he's a popular script consultant and screenwriting coach, even taught screenwriting and film production at Loyola University in New Orleans.  He's the ultimate survivor, still writing and still pitching, and when the shit hits the fan, he'll be the last man standing.  

This is a fun conversation with the badass Kevin Clark-Ryan who recently released VIPERS, the short film he co-wrote and shot in LA, and who is currently a TV Showrunner’s assistant. With extensive experience in both New York and LA as a production assistant, driver, writer, director and bringing the deeply appreciated paychecks to set - Kevin’s point of view, coming directly from the trenches, is both wise and entertaining. He even let me ask him about the best time to take bathroom breaks - an essential topic in many a writer’s life.