In Proximity

From Stage to Screen: Playwright & Filmmaker Aleshea Harris


Listen Later

Playwright Aleshea Harris made her feature film directorial debut with IS GOD IS, adapted from her Obie Award-winning play of the same name. On the day her film opened in theaters, Aleshea sat down with host Paola Mardo to talk about her jump from playwriting to writing and directing a film with an all-star cast including Kara Young, Mallori Johnson, Vivica A. Fox, Sterling K. Brown, Janelle Monáe, and Erika Alexander. She also talks about how she worked with producers Tessa Thompson and Janicza Bravo to bring her play to the big screen, how the story subverts genre expectations, and how her roots in spoken word poetry and theater sharpened her writing style. 

SHOP OUR PROX BOOKS RECS ON BOOKSHOP.ORG

LEARN MORE AND READ THE TRANSCRIPT AT PROXIMITYMEDIA.COM

WATCH/LISTEN TO IN PROXIMITY
YOUTUBE
APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY

FOLLOW PROXIMITY MEDIA
INSTAGRAM
TIKTOK

(00:00) A revenge thriller with humor

(02:21) From theater play to feature film debut 
(11:24) Making the film with Tessa Thompson and Janicza Bravo 
(16:12) Casting and directing the twins in IS GOD IS 
(19:03) Vivica A. Fox as God and Sterling K. Brown as The Monster
(22:14) Working with the music composers
(32:37) Her origins in theater and spoken word poetry
(36:24) Aleshea’s writing process
(40:14) How Rihanna inspired IS GOD IS
(41:56) Her playwriting vs. filmmaking process
(44:48) Prox Recs

IN PROXIMITY IS A PRODUCTION OF PROXIMITY MEDIA

Host, Director, Producer: Paola Mardo
Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian
Theme Song and Additional Music: Ludwig Göransson
Co-Director and Director of Photography: Patrick Epino
Sound Designer and Mix Engineer: Ken Nana
Editors: Patrick Epino, Ken Nana, Ben Caloza
Associate Producer and Sound Recordist: Celine Mendiola
Production Coordinator: Joy Woo
Production Assistant: Ben Caloza
Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana
Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

In ProximityBy Proximity Media

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

191 ratings


More shows like In Proximity

View all
The Read by Loud Speakers Network

The Read

27,362 Listeners

Scriptnotes Podcast by John August and Craig Mazin

Scriptnotes Podcast

2,433 Listeners

The No Film School Podcast by No Film School

The No Film School Podcast

425 Listeners

The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast by Directors Guild of America

The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

747 Listeners

IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit by Chris O'Falt

IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit

108 Listeners

The Questlove Show by iHeartPodcasts

The Questlove Show

1,963 Listeners

The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna by Meg LeFauve & Lorien McKenna

The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna

977 Listeners

Team Deakins by James Ellis Deakins, Roger Deakins

Team Deakins

1,122 Listeners

Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay by The Ringer

Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay

11,468 Listeners

Script Apart with Al Horner by Script Apart

Script Apart with Al Horner

205 Listeners

My Momma Told Me by Big Money Players Network and iHeartPodcasts

My Momma Told Me

1,500 Listeners

The Ringer-Verse by The Ringer

The Ringer-Verse

3,216 Listeners

The Town with Matthew Belloni by The Ringer

The Town with Matthew Belloni

1,121 Listeners

The Bald Brothers Podcast by The Bald Brothers Podcast

The Bald Brothers Podcast

712 Listeners

Legacy Talk with Lena Waithe by Hillman Grad & Lemonada Media

Legacy Talk with Lena Waithe

80 Listeners