The 50/50 Podcast

This week, 50/50 Festival WINNER Ali Rosenthal traces her path towards comedic purpose; after cutting her teeth in New York City, she forged her voice as a comedy filmmaker at Stanford, where she made ICE QUEENS a self-described “fiercely feminist fantasy.” We then dive into her breakout short TEEN MARY - making the film at AFI while managing the creative risk of approaching religion from a fresh, comedic perspective—and why that very risk pushed her to make the film in the first place.

From there, we move to bigger questions: why pitching yourself can sometimes be harder than pitching a project, what truly separates a comedic short film from a sketch, and why a strong director’s statement can be essential to articulating your artistic purpose, especially in comedy. We wrap by discussing the project Ali is currently taking out to town and the process of refining drafts with her manager—plus the perennial question: how do you know when a script is actually ready to pitch?

TEEN MARY - Instagram

ICE QUEENS (Stanford Short)

Submit Your Comedy Short

This week, filmmaker Elijah Davis breaks down how he swung big on his debut feature, Three Colors: Pan African — and what it actually took to get it made. We talk about the influence of French cinema on the film’s visual language, and Elijah’s larger mission: creating real authorship opportunities for Black creatives across every department. He shares how funding the first portion of the project as a proof of concept unlocked momentum — and why fundraising proved to be one of the most difficult stretches of the process.

We also discuss representation theory and Elijah’s perspective on the relationship between Blackness and media — who gets to tell stories and who controls the frame. Finally, he opens up about balancing all of this while working full-time as an assistant at WME — and what it means to build a filmmaking career from inside the industry machine.

THREE COLORS INSTAGRAM/TRAILER

THREE COLORS IMDB

THREE COLORS LETTERBOXD

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This week, we sit down with Chris Rutledge, whose knowledge of animation extends far beyond his own work and into the underground, deeply influential network of visual artists shaping the medium from the edges. What stands out immediately is Chris’s ability to recognize artistic movements before they even have names, mapping out how ideas circulate through communities long before they surface in the mainstream. His perspective reframes animation not as isolated projects, but as a living conversation between artists pushing each other forward.

We also break down the fundamentals of various animation software tools and why teaching them has helped Chris re-familiarize himself with the art form, keeping his creative instincts sharp and reinvigorated. The episode traces how he’s organically emerged as a producer, leaning into his natural role as a connector—bringing trusted collaborators into his own projects and opening doors that have led to work on Adult Swim Shorts and even an A$AP Rocky music video. It’s a conversation about community, curiosity, and how collaboration often becomes the most powerful creative tool of all.

HELICOPTER (A$AP ROCKY)

BABY BRECK (w/ Tim Robinson)

STREET RACE (Adult Swim's 'Off The Air')

Chris's Other Work / Insta

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This week, we sit down with director Posy Dixon — currently deep in production on a documentary about cult musician Planningtorock — a project that’s evolved into something far more collaborative than traditional nonfiction. In a rare creative dynamic, Posy's subject is actively writing the film alongside her, shaping a kind of career-long retrospective that blurs the line between observer and participant. We talk about what happens when a documentary becomes co-authored, and how identity sits at the center of Posy’s creative practice.

We also rewind to her early days at VICE — a time she describes as chaotic, formative, and creatively liberating — and unpack what it means to be thrown into the deep end with freedom to experiment. Plus, Posy shares stories from her collaboration with former 50/50 guest Luke Keeling on an Instagram campaign featuring Tyler, the Creator. The shoot was unscripted, high-pressure, and built around A-level talent — requiring a different kind of preparation that Posy navigated with clarity and grace.

POSY'S WEBSITE

LUCA (her prod co)

CREATE ANYWAY - Tyler The Creator Instagram Campaign

Planningtorock (Musician)

BEULAH LOVES DANCING (Planningtorock)

Submit to the 50/50 Comedy Fest

This week, we sit down with David Jacobson, marketing director at Cherry Lane Theatre — freshly reopened under A24 — to talk shepherding one of downtown New York’s most historic stages into its next era. David cut his teeth in sports marketing with the New York Knicks and New York Rangers (not to mention a brief, glorious stint working the second floor of the old times square NikeTown — RIP). Along the way, he adopted a simple philosophy passed down from his dad: the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Ask questions. Meet everyone. Be the “dumbest” person in the room. Remain a fan at heart. 

David stepped into Cherry Lane just months before its reopening, balancing the theater’s deep, rebellious history with A24’s modern indie sensibility. He says that running marketing there feels more like a startup than an institution. It’s a candid conversation about hustle, taste, and parlaying every job into meaningful relationships. 

In classic 50/50 fashion, it's another theatre/film mashup. Buckle your seatbelts! 

YOU GOT OLDER at the Cherry Lane Theatre

The Cherry Lane Theatre Instagram

HENRY WINKLER'S INSTAGRAM (random but relevant)

- COMEDY FEST SUBMISSIONS - 

This week, we sit down with 50/50 writer-director duo Aimee Hoffman and Elinor Howells about building a creative partnership that’s as honest as it is motivating. From their first days meeting at AFI to developing a shorthand that allows them to pitch wild swings and terrible ideas without judgment, they break down how trust — and taste — sharpen each other’s work.

We talk about walking into every room with reps, producers, and execs armed with ideas, not just ambition, and why they’re unapologetic about aiming big: studio movies, spectacle, scale. They share the origin and on-set evolution of their acclaimed short DADDA (50/50 Horror Official Selection), including how Elinor’s presence as a writer during production fundamentally shaped the film in real time. Plus, they dive into their upcoming Florida-set feature, and why physically traveling, researching, and living inside a world is essential to writing something that feels active and alive.

DADDA TRAILER

Elinor's Website

Aimee's Website

Comedy Fest Submissions

This week, we’re joined by Arman Yaghmai, a coordinator at Verve, for a candid, nuts-and-bolts look at how the literary side of the industry actually works. We begin with discussing why coverage is such a crucial entry point for assistants—and how to know when you’re ready to graduate out of it. We then pull back the curtain on the inner mechanics of a lit-forward talent agency, from weekly Open Writing Assignment meetings to how information travels internally and jobs get chased. We also dive into what a signing pursuit really looks like, and why many writers land a manager long before they sign with an agent.

Additionally, Arman shares what he looks for in emerging talent, what kind of pitching is most effective, and why the industry’s favorite question—“Why now?”—might be better reframed. We wrap up by defining what makes a great agent (reading, relationships, and genuine passion) and exploring how a shifting industry—and the rise of vertical content—could create new pipelines into traditional entertainment.

VARIETY'S 10 ASSISTANTS TO WATCH

50/50 COMEDY FEST SUBMISSIONS

Before Rotten Tomatoes became a cultural barometer for movies and TV, it was just a silly side project built by someone obsessed with community. In this episode, Patrick Lee traces his entrepreneurial instincts back to early adulthood — from reselling computers to launching what would become one of the most influential platforms in entertainment. He opens up about how close Rotten Tomatoes came to disappearing during the dot-com crash, the realities of downsizing, and why the era of canned tuna and instant ramen remains a badge of honor. It’s a candid look at survival, scrappiness, and building something meaningful without a safety net.

We also dig into the underrated power of networking — how building out an early professional network could have easily doubled the value of Rotten Tomatoes, and how to approach networking without the usual dread. From there, Patrick lays out the two non-negotiable traits for startup success: irrational confidence and ruthless focus. We close with a conversation about his very real fear of AI (and why we should all give WALL-E a rewatch) and why real-world community and human connection may be the most valuable currency we have left.

Patrick's Talk on FOCUS

Patrick's Instagram

VENN

50/50 COMEDY FEST SUBMISSIONS

This week, we’re joined by singer/songwriter Annika Rose and her manager Alice Dabell for a rare  conversation about what it looks like to grow alongside your management as an artist. Their decade-long partnership is a truly remarkable example of trust, evolution, and shared vision—one that began when Alice first discovered Annika through a now-mythical music video cover of Foo Fighters’ “The Pretender” (seriously, we’ve scoured the internet… if you have it, please send asap).

Annika’s early career saw her signing to the Simon Cowell / Louis Tomlinson imprint, followed by years of label deals, hard lessons, and major growth. Now, ten years later, Annika and Alice are fully independent—and happier than ever. Much of this episode unpacks what they’ve learned along the way, and just as importantly, what they’ve had to unlearn in order to build something sustainable on their own terms.

From Alice’s perspective, we dig into how she approaches artist marketing in an increasingly congested digital landscape, and her push toward a more three-dimensional strategy. Both Annika and Alice agree: marketing shouldn’t be an afterthought—it should be treated as part of the art project itself.

On Annika’s side, we talk candidly about personal accountability, why artists need to stop blaming external forces for stalled progress, and how intention changes everything. We also break down the marketing strategy behind Annika’s recent singles “TAKE OFF” and “I’M GOOD. I’M GREAT,” exploring how community-building, calculated rollouts, and a sense of exclusivity—particularly through print media—have fueled both the music’s success and a deeply engaged fanbase.

TAKE OFF Music Video

I'M GOOD. I'M GREAT Music Video

Annika's Instagram

This week, we sit down with Tessa Germaine (21 Laps) to trace her path through the beginning steps of Hollywood — from an early break as a coordinator on The Real Housewives of Orange County to navigating survival jobs, agency life, and the winding road toward producing. Ever wonder how working at Trader Joes can actually HELP you get a job in the biz? Well, you're in the right place. We talk about the power of setting small, incremental goals, embracing fresh starts, asking questions, and learning to walk into new environments without fear.

Tessa reflects on her formative years at CAA, unpacking the stark contrast between year one and year two, and why working in the book department clarified her path toward producing. The conversation widens into the world of literary IP and its role in her current work at Shawn Levy’s 21 Laps, before coming full circle with the phenomenon of Stranger Things — from OG Tessa guarding the Duffer Brothers at Chapman University to now working at the company behind the global hit. 

Tessa attended October's horror fest and we look forward to seeing her again at our comedy fest in May! Welcome to the 50/50 Fam, Tessa!