Azie Tesfai was on track to become a lawyer until a breakup led to an audition and a new career in acting, writing, and producing. She’s appeared on JANE THE VIRGIN, MATLOCK, and DC’s SUPERGIRL, where she starred as The Guardian and became the first Ethiopian and Eritrean person to portray a superhero on screen. She also wrote an episode of SUPERGIRL, working with mentor and executive producer Greg Berlanti. On IN PROXIMITY, she talks with host Paola Mardo about navigating rejection, reframing, and the "tiara syndrome", transitioning from acting to writing and producing, sliding into DM’s (for work!), and bringing her Eritrean-Ethiopian heritage into her storytelling. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

(00:00) Brutal audition, tiara syndrome, another first

(01:27) Voice Memo from 2 Chainz

(03:15) Growing up first generation Eritrean and Ethiopian American

(08:45) How a college break-up led to an acting audition

(10:30) First acting job working on Wicked Wicked Games with Tatum O’Neal

(12:17) Building a career in acting, telling immigrant parents

(15:30) An awful audition story, remembering why we make art

(17:58) Advice for actors today

(19:16) Being the first Ethiopian and Eritrean person to play a superhero on screen as The Guardian on SUPERGIRL

(23:30) Writing an episode of SUPERGIRL and navigating grief, the pandemic, and racism

(27:20) Supportive community + trauma = art

(28:42) Lessons in writing and asking for help, working with Greg Berlanti

(29:39) Superhero power poses

(30:42) The tiara syndrome and sliding into DMs for work

(33:45) Process for being a multi-hyphenate

(35:20) Writing a DC comic kids book

(36:30) Why it’s important to infuse her culture into her work

(39:08) Photos from the set of SUPERGIRL

(42:11) Prox Recs

IN PROXIMITY
Now playing in video on YouTube and in audio on all podcast platforms.
For transcripts and more information: ProximityMedia.com

PROXIMITY MEDIA
Follow us @ProximityMedia on Instagram and TikTok.

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, Brittani Brown, Ken Nana, A.J. Calomay

Production Assistants: Isabella Miller, Collin Gaja
Sound Production Assistant: Isabella Miller

Post-Production Coordinator: Celine Mendiola

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Production Intern: Jun Sawada

After a family tragedy landed her in foster care, Angelica “Angie” Nwandu turned to writing and poetry. Her first screenplay, NIGHT COMES ON, co-written with director Jordana Spiro, made her a 2014 Sundance Fellow where her mentors included Quentin Tarantino and Kasi Lemmons. The film starred Dominique Fishback and premiered at the festival in 2018 where it won the NEXT Innovator Award.

But even as a Sundance darling, she faced setbacks including getting fired from two writing jobs. Today, Angie is the founder and CEO of The Shade Room, a leading media platform covering Black culture, entertainment, and news, with over 30 million followers and 43 billion annual impressions. Dubbed by The New York Times as “Instagram’s TMZ”, TSR is no stranger to controversy.

On IN PROXIMITY, Angie joins host Paola Mardo to share her side of the story, opening up about the failures that shaped her, the role of faith and purpose in overcoming rejection, and her journey from aspiring screenwriter to media mogul. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

(00:00) From shame to “Instagram’s TMZ”

(02:00) Voice Memo from Dominique Fishback and filming NIGHT COMES ON

(07:56) From poetry slams to co-writing the screenplay for NIGHT COMES ON

(10:45) 2014 Sundance Lab and advice from mentor Quentin Tarantino

(12:25) The life-changing phone call before going onstage at Sundance

(14:25) Getting the $5,000 writing grant and pursuing her passion

(15:28) From Sundance grant to The Shade Room origin story

(17:50) 3,000 followers in 3 days

(20:30) “I’m about to be the biggest media company!”

(21:21) Being the 23-year-old CEO of what The NYT called “Instagram’s TMZ”

(23:00) George Floyd, audience feedback, investigative journalists, politics, social justice

(24:20) Pressure and what keeps her up at night

(26:00) A humbling writing career: “I’m done in this town!”

(32:00) Proximity and TSR, HURRICANE KATRINA: RACE AGAINST TIME

(34:00) “It took me a long time to get to a place where I was proud.”

(35:15) Celebrity reactions and crazy (scary) stories

(38:50) Depression, vices, finding God

(39:35) Relationship to “gossip” and pop culture news

(41:00) The good and the bad of TSR

(42:32) Prox Recs

IN PROXIMITY
Now playing in video on YouTube and in audio on all podcast platforms.
For transcripts and more information: ProximityMedia.com

PROXIMITY MEDIA
Follow us @ProximityMedia on Instagram and TikTok.

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, Brittani Brown, Ken Nana, A.J. Calomay

Production Assistants: Isabella Miller

Sound Production Assistant: Isabella Miller

Post-Production Coordinator: Celine Mendiola

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Production Intern: Ben Caloza

When Ryan Coogler needed someone to track every detail on SINNERS – including Michael B. Jordan playing twin brothers Smoke and Stack – he called Steve Gehrke, the veteran script supervisor and longtime collaborator of Christopher Nolan. With credits that span MEMENTO, INCEPTION, THE DARK NIGHT, OPPENHEIMER, and the upcoming THE ODYSSEY, Gehrke shares what a Nolan set is like, how he keeps time straight in “Chris Nolan world,” meeting Coogler and working on SINNERS, what a scripty actually does, and why he still takes notes with an old school pencil. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

(00:00) Meeting Christopher Nolan in 1989 for MEMENTO

(02:09) Voice Memo from producer Emma Thomas

(04:06) Why Steve “doesn’t care” about the words in a script

(05:10) Time and continuity in Chris Nolan world and MEMENTO

(06:57) “Every movie that we do makes you think”: INCEPTION, DUNKIRK

(07:55) Meeting Christopher Nolan (continued) and getting hired on the spot

(08:20) Process for collaborating with Nolan as a script supervisor

(09:42) THE ODYSSEY and the 25-year relationship

(11:14) What a Nolan set is like

(12:10) Preparing for a film, reading TENET

(14:04) Breaking down a nonlinear script and making “paper dolls”

(17:22) Story order vs. script order

(18:44) Why the script supervisor is the on-set editor and keeping track of kisses

(21:48) Continuity mental list, issues, eyelines

(24:29) Meeting Ryan Coogler and working on SINNERS

(28:11) Steve’s script supervisor toolkit and keeping it old school

(30:46) The Script Supervising Process: Smoke & Stack Scene

(35:03) The squiggles

(35:33) How Steve learned the job

(37:11) Prox Recs

IN PROXIMITY
Now playing in video on YouTube and in audio on all podcast platforms.
For transcripts and more information: ProximityMedia.com

PROXIMITY MEDIA
Follow us @ProximityMedia on Instagram and TikTok.

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, Brittani Brown, Ken Nana, A.J. Calomay

Production Assistants: Isabella Miller, Devin Saddler
Sound Production Assistant: Isabella Miller

Post-Production Coordinator: Celine Mendiola

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Production Intern: Jun Sawada

What’s a crafty run? Why wear a chest vest? What would you do if you lost your boss’ ID? Ammar Mohamed – assistant to Ryan Coogler, SINNERS associate producer, and filmmaker – joins IN PROXIMITY host Paola Mardo to share what it’s really like supporting one of Hollywood’s busiest directors today. From locking in on set to hard lessons learned on the job, Ammar takes us behind the scenes of SINNERS and BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER, while sharing his career journey and offering his perspective and thoughtful advice for other assistants. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

(00:00) One of the things about Ryan

(02:00) Voice Memo from Hannah Beachler

(09:30) Working on BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

(11:00) Becoming Ryan Coogler’s assistant

(12:27) Everyday was like climbing Mt. Everest

(15:12) Scary moment on the job... a.k.a. ID story part 1

(19:30) The bag… and ID story part 2

(21:25) Advice for assistants

(24:17) Learning from Ryan and Hannah

(25:56) Working on SINNERS

(30:40) Understanding the moment, locking in, and being in step or a step ahead

(32:46) Locked in SINNERS scenes

(34:25) Craziest thing he saw on set

(36:03) Prox Recs

IN PROXIMITY
Now playing in video on YouTube and in audio on all podcast platforms.
For transcripts and more information: ProximityMedia.com

PROXIMITY MEDIA
Follow us @ProximityMedia on Instagram and TikTok.

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, Brittani Brown, Ken Nana, Ben Caloza

Production Assistant: Isabella Miller
Sound Production Assistant: Isabella Miller

Post-Production Coordinator: Celine Mendiola

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Production Intern: Jun Sawada, Ben Caloza

Are you a Hollywood assistant a.k.a. a rockstar with thick skin able to work in a fast-paced environment?! This is the episode for you! Assistants vs. Agents creator Warner Bailey joins IN PROXIMITY podcast host Paola Mardo to share how he turned his viral meme page into a community empowering the next generation of entertainment power players, and a business with a newsletter, job board, podcast, events, merch, creative projects, and partnerships with brands like Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, Apple TV+ and more. He also provides actionable tips for assistants and bosses alike, and reveals how he built a business that is helping redefine what success looks like in Hollywood today. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

(00:00) The email he caan’t believe was sent

(01:58) Voice Memo from Kirk Sommer, WME Global Co-Head of Music

(06:15) Warner’s assistant journey at WME Music

(09:25) Building Assistants vs. Agents

(14:10) The Assistants vs. Agents business model

(15:30) Tools for young creatives and people breaking into the industry

(16:30) Is the assistant path still the way?

(19:00) Providing resources for a career roadmap in entertainment in today’s job market

(20:20) Being the boss

(24:08) Hard lessons learned about managing people

(27:56) Responsibility to the AvA community

(28:52) Crazy assistant stories and DMs

(29:40) Laughter, group therapy, community, and feeling like we’re not alone

(30:14) The Ari Emanuel story (a.k.a. the email you caan’t receive)

(32:12) The process a.k.a. the manila envelope that inspires AvA

(35:14) Prox Recs

IN PROXIMITY
Now playing in video on YouTube and in audio on all podcast platforms.
For transcripts and more information: ProximityMedia.com

PROXIMITY MEDIA
Follow us @ProximityMedia on Instagram and TikTok.

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, Brittani Brown, Ken Nana
Production Assistants: Isabella Miller, Devin Saddler
Sound Production Assistant: Isabella Miller

Post-Production Coordinator: Celine Mendiola

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Production Intern: Jun Sawada

How did a documentary and Ryan Coogler’s Chinese family ancestry lead to a role consulting on the blockbuster film SINNERS? Journalist, documentary filmmaker, and SINNERS cultural consultant Dolly Li joins IN PROXIMITY podcast host Paola Mardo to talk about her work on SINNERS, her documentary THE UNTOLD STORY OF AMERICA’S SOUTHERN CHINESE, and why Remmick’s (Jack O’Connell) iconic lines about licking to Grace Chow (Li Jun Li) were so integral to the story. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

(00:00) These lines about licking

(01:30) How Dolly started working on SINNERS

(06:15) The Delta Chinese community's reaction to the film

(08:00) How the Delta Chinese felt about the grocery stores in the film

(08:35) Working with production design

(09:10) The role of Chinese-owned grocery stores in the segregated south

(09:50) What it was like for Dolly to see the film

(12:00) These lines about licking (the full story)

(14:36) Grace Chow (Li Jun Li) and the internet discussion around her role

(21:30) The Mississippi Delta Chinese and Dolly's documentary with AJ+

(29:42) Asian American representation in film today

(31:08) Voice Memo from Jun Stinson Yamagishi (journalist, supervising producer)

(35:06) The Process: "Are You Ornamental? Are We Always Foreigners?"

(40:14) The Process: Chinese in Mississippi in 1960

(41:55) The Process: Visual art, watercolor, and motion graphics

(45:21) Shifting from producer to on-camera host

(47:57) Prox Recs

IN PROXIMITY
Now playing in video on YouTube and in audio on all podcast platforms.
For transcripts and more information: ProximityMedia.com

PROXIMITY MEDIA
Follow us @ProximityMedia on Instagram and TikTok.

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, Brittani Brown, Ken Nana

Production Assistants: Isabella Miller, Devin Saddler

Sound Production Assistant: Isabella Miller

Post-Production Coordinator: Celine Mendiola

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Production Intern: Jun Sawada

How do you get a manager? What’s the difference between a manager and an agent? James Swoope, talent manager at M88, breaks it all down with IN PROXIMITY podcast host Paola Mardo. From Cleveland to Hollywood, Swoope has built a career managing talent like Dominique Thorne (IRONHEART), actor and singer Coco Jones, designer and entrepreneur Jeff Staple, and athlete and podcaster Matt Barnes. In this conversation, he shares his journey from casting intern to working on JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH with Charles D. King and Ryan Coogler, his approach to talent management, what artists should really be working on, why it’s important to “have something to manage,” and why Swoope calls himself a unicorn. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

(00:00) How does one get a manager?

(01:34) Voice Memo from Charles D. King (Founder & CEO, MACRO)

(05:25) Swoope’s unique sense of style and why he’s a unicorn

(08:06) From casting intern to working on JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

(12:55) How to get a manager

(14:35) What artists should be working on

(16:25) “I’m the 10%. You’re the 90%.”

(19:18) What does a manager do?

(21:31) What’s the difference between a manager and an agent?

(23:45) Rapid-Fire Questions and Advice

(25:20) Show & Tell: 3 NINJAS and FORREST GUMP

(30:07) Prox Recs

IN PROXIMITY

Now playing in video on YouTube and in audio on all podcast platforms.

For transcripts and more information: ProximityMedia.com

PROXIMITY MEDIA

Follow us @ProximityMedia on Instagram and TikTok

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, Brittani Brown, Ken Nana, Andrea Walter

Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz

Production Assistants: Isabella Miller, Devin Saddler

Sound Production Assistant: Isabella Miller

Post-Production Coordinator: Celine Mendiola

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Production Intern: Jun Sawada

Writer/Director Justin Tipping (KICKS, THE CHI) joins IN PROXIMITY podcast host Paola Mardo to break down the making of his new film HIM, produced by Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions. He reveals how grief and greatness shaped his bold mix of sports and horror, how Hitchcock and Busta Rhymes inspired the film’s genre-bending score, and how growing up Filipino (Ilocano, Visayan) and Scandinavian (Danish, Swedish) in the Bay Area informed his perspective as a filmmaker. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

(02:14) Being the G.O.A.T.

(04:00) Working with Jordan Peele on HIM

(08:38) How grief and greatness inspired HIM

(14:48) Filming the training scene, football, and body horror

(19:04) The invisible killer

(22:17) HIM Score: Sampling CAT scans and MRIs with Bobby Krlic, Guapdad4000, Busta Rhymes, and Hitchcock

(26:51) HIM Soundtrack: AIGHT? with Carl Angelo

(28:27) Voice Memo from Tyriq Withers: How does being from the Bay set you apart?

(31:12) Editing and setting the tone with a lookbook

(34:17) Prox Recs

IN PROXIMITY

Now playing in video on YouTube and in audio on all podcast platforms. For transcripts and more information: ProximityMedia.com

PROXIMITY MEDIA 

Follow us @ProximityMedia on Instagram and TikTok.

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, Brittani Brown, Ken Nana

Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz

Production Assistants: Isabella Miller, Devin Saddler

Sound Production Assistant: Isabella Miller

Post-Production Coordinator: Celine Mendiola

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Production Intern: Jun Sawada

A voice memo from Ryan Coogler to Paola Mardo – writer, producer, Proximity Media’s head of audio, and the new host of IN PROXIMITY podcast!

Starting Monday, September 22nd, catch weekly episodes with exciting guests pushing the boundaries of film, TV, music, art, and culture. Plus updates on Proximity’s latest projects like SINNERS, IRONHEART, EYES OF WAKANDA, and more. Available in video and audio on YouTube, all podcast platforms, and ProximityMedia.com.
 

IN PROXIMITY
Now playing in video on YouTube and in audio on all podcast platforms.
For transcripts and more information: ProximityMedia.com
PROXIMITY MEDIA
Follow us @ProximityMedia on Instagram and TikTok.

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, Brittani Brown, Ken Nana
Production Assistant: Isabella Miller
Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana
Production Intern: Ben Caloza

From the Def Jam Poetry scene to the set of a major Marvel TV show, Oakland-raised writer, poet, rapper, actor, playwright, and screenwriter Chinaka Hodge knows how to tell an epic story. Her most recent project, the Marvel TV series IRONHEART, released to Disney+ in June. Starring Dominique Thorne, IRONHEART tells the story of “bad girl genius” Riri Williams on a mission to be the greatest inventor of her generation, which she says doesn't mean much without the resources to bring her ideas to life. Riri resorts to alternative means to get said resources, meeting a host of friends and foes, including an A.I. based on her best friend, N.A.T.A.L.I.E. (played by Lyric Ross), and Parker Robins, also known as “The Hood” (played by Anthony Ramos). To give us insights into pitching, writing, and running IRONHEART, Chinaka sits down with IN PROXIMITY host Paola Mardo and her longtime friend, Proximity Media founder and IRONHEART executive producer, Sev Ohanian.

Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

((3:25) Get Reel
(5:31) Chinaka and Ironheart’s Origin Story
(21:14) Writing Ironheart Was Personal
(33:58) SUITS
(40:17) Unmatched Energy On Set and Beyond
(45:54) Into Chinaka’s Office
(48:09) Sev and Chinaka in Film School
(57:05) Chinaka as a Playwright
(1:00:10) The Ironheart Writer’s Room
(1:08:14) Prox Recs

CONNECT WITH PROXIMITY MEDIA:
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. We’re also on YouTube.

Learn more at ProximityMedia.com.

Text PROX to 510-998-3176 or head to subtext.to/prox for updates on new episodes and latest projects from Proximity Media.

CREDITS:
In Proximity is a production of Proximity Media
Ironheart is a production of Proximity Media and Marvel Studios
Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Paola Mardo
Host, Director, and Producer: Paola Mardo
Editor, Sound Mixer, Sound Designer, and Mix Engineer: Ken Nana
Director of Photography: Jonathan Chung
Theme Song and Additional Music: Ludwig Göransson
Production Assistant: Isabella Miller
Design and Social Media: Alexandria Santana
Production Intern: Jun Sawada
Special Thanks: Patrick Epino, the Proximity Media team, and our listeners.