Hollywood Confessional

“The only thing that works to take down abusers is Mo Ryan writes something about them."

If we weren’t already on fire to talk with the author of Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood, this quote from a confessor would have set us aflame. This week we get our chance, as entertainment journalist Maureen “Mo” Ryan steps into the confessional booth.

Mo is a Contributing Editor at Vanity Fair, and has written for Entertainment Weekly, the New York Times, EW, Salon, GQ, and Vulture.  She has spent much of the last decade writing in-depth pieces on matters of inclusion, misconduct and abuse in Hollywood -- and on efforts to make the industry better.

Join us for an eye-opening conversation as Mo unpacks the complex web of power dynamics in Hollywood, the need for a safe and empowering space for marginalized voices to be heard, and what makes her hopeful for the future of the entertainment industry.

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Check out some of our favorite shows:

• Screenwriters' Rant Room
• Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss
• It Happened in Hollywood
• The Secret History of Hollywood

Hollywood Confessional is a Ninth Way Media production, produced by Meagan Daine and J.R. Zamora-Thal.

Sound Effects and Music provided by Zapsplat and Pixabay.

Keywords: filmmaking podcast, film podcast, screenwriting podcast, entertainment podcast, Hollywood, filmmaking, writerslife, actorslife, setlife

"I love writers. But if there's one thing my mom taught me, it's if you love something make it suffer."

With that tweet, the parody account that slayed with truth and laughs during the 2023 Hollywood labor strikes was born. And so was the question, "Who is Fake Carol?"

This week, the writer behind @itsmecarolamptp joins us in the booth to give us an answer. From their initial inspiration to the account going "Hollywood viral," they share how their satirical portrayal of the studios' lead negotiator caught fire, and even managed to fool a few journalists during the strike. 

Our guest also opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of being "Fake Carol" while struggling in their real life. Through their personal journey, they highlight the profound importance of community and hope in sustaining a creative career.  Join us in the booth for laughs and inspiration as we relive this cultural moment through the words of the real-life person who made it happen.

Connect with us:

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Check out some of our favorite shows:

• Screenwriters' Rant Room
• Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss
• It Happened in Hollywood
• The Secret History of Hollywood

Hollywood Confessional is a Ninth Way Media production, produced by Meagan Daine and J.R. Zamora-Thal.

Sound Effects and Music provided by Zapsplat and Pixabay.

Keywords: filmmaking podcast, film podcast, screenwriting podcast, entertainment podcast, Hollywood, filmmaking, writerslife, actorslife, setlife

Scam artists steal dreams. We're finding ways to get payback.

In this incendiary episode of the Hollywood Confessional, we hear from an aspiring writer who pursued a seemingly great opportunity: taking a class from a mentorship program, the stated goal of which was to help underrepresented voices get into the industry. The first thing they learned? Some so-called "mentors" can't be trusted.

Red flags abound in this story of a dream gone wrong... but so do glimmers of hope. Ultimately our confessor realizes they've been conned out of their intellectual property, but is it too late to do anything about it?

Join us for a discussion on industry scams, how to avoid them, and what you can do if you find yourself caught in one. Spoiler: The answer is definitely NOT slashing tires.

Connect with us:

• Instagram
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• Twitter
• Website

Check out some of our favorite shows:

• Screenwriters' Rant Room
• Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss
• It Happened in Hollywood
• The Secret History of Hollywood

Hollywood Confessional is a Ninth Way Media production, produced by Meagan Daine and J.R. Zamora-Thal.

Sound Effects and Music provided by Zapsplat and Pixabay.

Keywords: filmmaking podcast, film podcast, screenwriting podcast, entertainment podcast, Hollywood, filmmaking, writerslife, actorslife, setlife

To be or not to be... naked?

That is the question faced by our confessor this week: an up-and-coming actor who had to make a difficult decision about his career. 

Join us in this week's episode of the Hollywood Confessional as we hear from this fearless creative who was up for anything... until "anything" became a bit too much.

We discuss:

• the trouble with setting boundaries in the entertainment industry, 
• how to make the right decisions for your career, 
• how to weigh the consequences when it seems like you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Special shout out to our voice actor Cody Vaughn for chatting with us after the episode, and to all our Hollywood Faithful who are currently facing tough choices. 

Let us know about them in the comments or send us a DM @fessuphollywood! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show and how you feel about the hard decisions you've made in Hollywood.

Connect with us:

• Instagram
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• Twitter
• Website

Check out some of our favorite shows:

• Screenwriters' Rant Room
• Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss
• It Happened in Hollywood
• The Secret History of Hollywood

Hollywood Confessional is a Ninth Way Media production, produced by Meagan Daine and J.R. Zamora-Thal.

Sound Effects and Music provided by Zapsplat and Pixabay.

Keywords: filmmaking podcast, film podcast, screenwriting podcast, entertainment podcast, Hollywood, filmmaking, writerslife, actorslife, setlife

Hello Hollywood Faithful! Today we've got an on the record interview with Liz Hsiao Lan Alper and Alex Rubin of Pay Up Hollywood. 

Pay Up Hollywood began as grassroots movement in 2019, in an attempt to bring attention to the pay inequities, abuses and struggles of many Hollywood assistants. In subsequent years, PayUpHollywood has campaigned for Hollywood studios and companies to pay support staffers a living wage, in an effort to both tear down the paywall that keeps historically underprivileged voices out of the industry and to ensure current support staff can afford to work in their current position. PayUpHollywood aims to provide resources and aid to current entertainment support staffers as well as ongoing data and information about entertainment support staffers to other groups and companies who want to be part of the solution.

You can find more information on their website payuphollywood.com or on their socials, @payuphollywood for X (fka Twitter) and @payup.hollywood on Instagram. 

Connect with us:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Website

Check out some of our favorite shows:

• Screenwriters' Rant Room
• Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss
• It Happened in Hollywood
• The Secret History of Hollywood

Hollywood Confessional is a Ninth Way Media production, produced by Meagan Daine and J.R. Zamora-Thal.

Sound Effects and Music provided by Zapsplat and Pixabay.

Keywords: filmmaking podcast, film podcast, screenwriting podcast, entertainment podcast, Hollywood, filmmaking, writerslife, actorslife, setlife

Imagine you're working your ass off for a thankless 60+ hours a week job on a TV show, and you discover everyone else in your position is making more than you.

PS, they're all men. And you're the only woman.

In this week's episode of the Hollywood Confessional, we hear a confession from an office production assistant who found herself in this very dilemma.

"When I was handed all of the pay cards with everybody's rates on them for
that week, it happened that the card on top was another production assistant.
And when I looked at his card –- not trying to look, but in receiving something, one
must look at it -- I realized he was getting paid $50 more a week than me."

Awareness leads to action in this inspiring story from a PA who found the courage to confront her boss and demand fair pay... despite the very real fear that doing so could end her career.

"I was really scared. I feel scared even just describing this story to you.  Because think about what this guy could do to me, you know? He could make it so I could never work in this town again."

We get into the dangers of taking a stand when you feel like you have no power, and the calculated risks that come with following your beliefs. Finally, we discuss what entertainment industry workers can do to protect themselves in similar pay gap situations. 

Spoiler... sometimes these stories have a happy ending.

Connect with us:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Website

Check out some of our favorite shows:

• Screenwriters' Rant Room
• Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss
• It Happened in Hollywood
• The Secret History of Hollywood

Hollywood Confessional is a Ninth Way Media production, produced by Meagan Daine and J.R. Zamora-Thal.

Sound Effects and Music provided by Zapsplat and Pixabay.

Keywords: filmmaking podcast, film podcast, screenwriting podcast, entertainment podcast, Hollywood, filmmaking, writerslife, actorslife, setlife

We are back! Welcome to season three of Hollywood Confessional. The season opener sets the stage with a gripping narrative from a support staffer, who unveils the emotional rollercoaster of managing a monster boss.

Connect with us:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Website

Check out some of our favorite shows:

• Screenwriters' Rant Room
• Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss
• It Happened in Hollywood
• The Secret History of Hollywood

Hollywood Confessional is a Ninth Way Media production, produced by Meagan Daine and J.R. Zamora-Thal.

Sound Effects and Music provided by Zapsplat and Pixabay.

Keywords: filmmaking podcast, film podcast, screenwriting podcast, entertainment podcast, Hollywood, filmmaking, writerslife, actorslife, setlife

Welcome back to the Confessional! We're back for Season 3, and this year we've got more confessions, more interviews, and more producers! It's bigger, badder, and better in every way. 

Join us on March 28th for our season premiere.

Connect with us:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Website

Check out some of our favorite shows:

• Screenwriters' Rant Room
• Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss
• It Happened in Hollywood
• The Secret History of Hollywood

Hollywood Confessional is a Ninth Way Media production, produced by Meagan Daine and J.R. Zamora-Thal.

Sound Effects and Music provided by Zapsplat and Pixabay.

Keywords: filmmaking podcast, film podcast, screenwriting podcast, entertainment podcast, Hollywood, filmmaking, writerslife, actorslife, setlife

We dedicate this episode to @Time Person of the Year Nominee the Hollywood Strikers! 

Getting real for a sec, though -- the Hollywood Strikes of 2023 are officially over, and TBH we're feeling a little uncertain.

A lot of hope and solidarity were born this Hot Labor Summer. Yet despite all the wins and losses, joy and tears, no one really knows what the future holds.

Part of our mission at the Hollywood Confessional is to share untold stories from people working in entertainment so that other folks in the industry know they're not alone. Enter our Season Two Finale, "The Best Worst Strike Story Ever."

In this episode, we hear from a confessor about how their crazy career path led to a crisis during the WGA Strike of 2007-2008. The years of struggle. The short wins and endless losses. The moment when their dream finally comes true... followed by the moment when they realize it's about to be waylaid by forces beyond their control.

Through the ups and downs, we hear how despite all the changes in Hollywood, much remains the same... even the occasional happily ever after.

Join us in the booth for this funny, heartwarming confession that will have you nodding along and feeling that spark we all need to keep our love of this industry alive. If you like the episode, please share and connect with us on socials @fessuphollywood. We'd love to hear your thoughts on how you want to make Hollywood a happier place in 2024 and beyond!

#Hollywood #WGAStrong #SAGAFTRAStrong #Strikes #fessuphollywood

Connect with us:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Website

Check out some of our favorite shows:

• Screenwriters' Rant Room
• Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss
• It Happened in Hollywood
• The Secret History of Hollywood

Hollywood Confessional is a Ninth Way Media production, produced by Meagan Daine and J.R. Zamora-Thal.

Sound Effects and Music provided by Zapsplat and Pixabay.

Keywords: filmmaking podcast, film podcast, screenwriting podcast, entertainment podcast, Hollywood, filmmaking, writerslife, actorslife, setlife

Nolwen Cifuentes and Dyan Jong had an idea. An independent digital platform celebrating the cinematic achievements of actors, screenwriters, and filmmakers with a focus on diverse voices and perspectives. But as they saw the very people they aimed to uplift locked in a grueling labor struggle, they dedicated their first two issues to highlighting the stories, challenges, and concerns of SAG-AFTRA and WGA union members during the current strikes.

Join us in the booth as we talk with Nolwen and Dyan about their inspiration for creating JULY Magazine and how they've pivoted to show support for the artists they aim to celebrate. From inception to publication, we follow their creative journey and hear how they hope to make Hollywood a happier place! 

#WGAStrong #SAGAFTRAStrong  #UnionStrong

@july_mag

Connect with us:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Website

Check out some of our favorite shows:

• Screenwriters' Rant Room
• Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss
• It Happened in Hollywood
• The Secret History of Hollywood

Hollywood Confessional is a Ninth Way Media production, produced by Meagan Daine and J.R. Zamora-Thal.

Sound Effects and Music provided by Zapsplat and Pixabay.

Keywords: filmmaking podcast, film podcast, screenwriting podcast, entertainment podcast, Hollywood, filmmaking, writerslife, actorslife, setlife