The BraveMaker Podcast

Actor and CEO of SamSkape Productions Inc., Samantha Labrecque is making her  filmmaker debut this year with short film "Trying". The film serves as a  gateway to removing stigmas around neurodivergence in media, telling  the story of a woman with ADHD and created by an all-woman production  team. Sam serves as the film's writer, creator, and star, working  alongside numerous millennial women artists with ADHD to bring the film  to life through heart, humor, and a handful of expletives. A proud member of SAG-AFTRA, her acting work has been seen on streaming  platforms and national stages alike, and she looks forward to  collaborating with even more likeminded creatives in the coming year to  tell stories that matter.

More info on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/sluhbrek/

https://www.instagram.com/samskapeproductions

https://www.instagram.com/@trying_movie

or at www.thesamanthalabrecque.com and www.samskapeproductions.com.

https://www.instagram.com/thefawz/

Meet DIRECTOR Fawzia Mirza (she/they) is a queer, South Asian Muslim director/writer who  believes in the power of comedy to tackle divisive topics and breakdown  stereotypes. They were named a White House ‘Champion of Change’ in Asian  American Art & Storytelling, a ‘Top 10 Creative’ (Indiewire), '10  Filmmakers to Watch' (Independent Magazine), and an alum of Tribeca Film  Institute’s All Access Program. She co-wrote/produced/starred in  SIGNATURE MOVE, wrote on CBS series THE RED LINE, from Greg Berlanti  & Ava Duvernay, wrote and directed on the award-winning TikTok  series HIDDEN CANYONS, and wrote/the CBC produced short, NOOR &  LAYLA. Mirza wrote/will direct the feature film ME, MY MOM &  SHARMILA in 2022, and is part of the 2021/2022 cohort of the Canadian  Academy Directors Program for Women.

https://www.syedfamilymovie.com/

AND:

Kausar Mohammed

ACTOR, WRITER AND PRODUCER

https://www.instagram.com/kausartheperson/

Kausar Mohammed (she/her) is a Bengali-Pakistani writer, actress, and comedian  born in San Jose, California. She is a writer/performer in the  distinguished all-South Asian comedy troupe, The Get Brown, and in the  2021 CBS Diversity Showcase. Kausar plays series lead in Paul Feig's  (“Bridesmaids”) dramedy, “East of La Brea”. She also has worked  alongside Taraji P. Henson on the film “What Men Want” (Paramount), Issa  Rae on the film “Little” (Universal), and has additional credits on  shows such as “Silicon Valley” (HBO), “Black Lightning” (CW), and  “Carol’s Second Act” (CBS).  Kausar also voices series lead characters  on both Spielberg's Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous and the hit anime  show, Great Pretender.⁣​ Currently, you can see her starring as a  recurring character on the CW's 4400.

https://www.instagram.com/syedfamilyxmasevegamenight/

Meet Taylor Lambert, the founder and owner of Aura Casting. 

https://www.instagram.com/aura_casting/

He started his industry career in 2011 in San Francisco. He’s worked as an accomplished actor, model, brand ambassador, host, director, production coordinator, producer, webinar moderator, entrepreneur, and now casting director. He virtually casts talent in national commercials, social media spots, and print campaigns for producers and ad agencies throughout Northern California and the nation.

www.auracasting.com

Brave Faves: 

Meet My Agent 

and 

Colin in Black and White on Netflix

Weekend Read (App)

Krystina and Tony give a TOP 12 list of CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS for filmmakers, actors and other Hollywood hopefuls. 

Use: https://smile.amazon.com and select BraveMaker as your nonprofit of choice. Every purchase Amazon will send us a percent of your shopping that goes back into supporting our work. 

Support the dreamers, makers and storytellers in your life. This kind of support is life changing and affirming to the goals they set to achieve. All of these ideas can go a long way to showing you value, love and want to help your friend, spouse, or family member do great things. 

Got ideas for us?

Email [email protected] or comment/DM us at : https://www.instagram.com/bravemakerorg/

The BraveMaker podcast is edited by Barnell Amos of https://www.speakmediaservices.com/ and produced by Alixandra Todd with support from our social media manager Kerri Alley and our intern Emerson Morely. 

https://www.instagram.com/emilyladau/

Meet Emily Ladau a passionate disability rights activist, writer, storyteller, and digital communications consultant whose career began at the age of 10, when she appeared on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate kids about life with a physical disability. She's the Editor in Chief of the Rooted in Rights Blog, co-host of The Accessible Stall Podcast, and author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.

Buy here book here:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/.../demystifying.../

Her BraveFace is: THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS on HBO MAX. 

Coffee and Language Independent Film — Personal, Controversial, Uncompromising 

www.coffeeandlanguage.com 

Kim Jiang Dubaniewicz (Jean) grew up in Northbeach, Chinatown and The Mission District of San Francisco, where she loved watching indie films. She studied Theatre at SOU in Ashland, Oregon, as well as in NYC with William Esper. She starred in the multiple award-winning feature film TIE A YELLOW RIBBON, that played on national TV / PBS, and internationally at festivals. Her other film credits include "BLiP", "Jackson Arms", "Anamnesis" and the award-winning short "Only Child". As a director, she made the short film "Gilpin's Nightmare" starring Carl Lumbly and also directed him on stage in THE EMPEROR JONES. She now lives in Mill Valley.

 Erin Mei-Ling Stuart (Joni) is an actor, director, dancer, choreographer, and occasional musician. She fled Fresno for San Francisco 28 years ago and has lived here ever since. Erin is a proud company member of Shotgun Players and Detour Dance. Upcoming projects include choreographing and performing in "The Truer History of The Chan Family", a live vaudeville turned digital (coming in June 2021), and co-directing the West Coast premiere of "Natasha And Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812" at Shotgun Players in Winter 2021. GIRL IN GOLDEN GATE PARK is Erin's first feature film. More info at www.erinmstuart.com 

Allison Ewing (Chris Moore) has been living in the Bay Area for 12 years and is originally from San Diego. Her feature film credits include lead roles in PLAYA (in post-production), 21 SUNSETS (shoots this Spring) and STOCHASTIC (shoots this Fall) along with supporting roles in DISRUPTED, now streaming on Amazon Prime and AppleTV (recipient of the audience choice award at Cinequest and other film festivals awards), E-14 now streaming on Amazon Prime, and CONFESSIONAL (in post production). She has also starred in over a dozen short-films including “Metropolitan Crush” now streaming on YouTube (with nearly 2 million views). Allison has gravitated toward films that illuminate important social issues impacting local communities and beyond. She is an acting teacher and student at First Take, in the Bay Area. 

JP Allen (writer/director) has made ten feature films, eight filmed in San Francisco, including GIRL IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. His first feature film, COFFEE AND LANGUAGE (a love story about writers in a San Francisco coffeehouse), premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival where it was nominated for the Golden Starfish Award and for Best Screenplay. He wrote, produced and acted a lead role in the film STEPHANIE’S IMAGE starring Academy Award Winner Melissa Leo. His other films include GAMBLING, BELIEF, Meeting with Chekhov (doc short), SEX AND IMAGINING (based on his play produced in NYC and LA), CENTAUR, LOVE AND DEMONS, REVISIONS, THE FILMMAKER (based on his novel) and GIRL IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. JP is from Texas, but has lived in San Francisco for over thirty years and has devoted most of his work to making films about characters in SF, and about The City itself. His production company is called Coffee and Language.

 More info at www.coffeeandlanguage.com and https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1135119/. 

Cathy Montosa (producer) has produced four Coffee and Language Films, LOVE AND DEMONS, REVISIONS, THE FILMMAKER and GIRL IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. She is also a registered nurse, a Psych Nursing Clinical Instructor at Santa Rosa Junior Collee, and the author of the children's book, "How Do You Know?"

http://www.coffeeandlanguage.com/

Join Krystina Wray Jackson and Tony Gapastione as they discuss the necessary skills required to live like an artist and banter about plans for the future of BraveMaker.

https://www.instagram.com/tonygapastione/

https://www.instagram.com/krystinawrayjackson/

https://www.1946themovie.com/

Sharon “Rocky” Roggio

Rocky  Roggio is an independent filmmaker and production designer (credits  include House of Cards, Red Dawn). Rocky is also a member of the  LGBTQIA+ community, and moved out of her home after coming out to her  conservative, religious parents. Rocky’s father, Sal Roggio, is a  non-affirming pastor and preaches that the LGBTQIA+ lifestyle is sinful.

Listen to our archived show with Executive Producer Daniel Karslake: 

https://anchor.fm/bravemaker/episodes/26-Filmmaker-Daniel-Karslake-Living-in-Berlin-Germany-e5e0pg

Podcast edited by Barnell Amos of SPEAK MEDIA SERVICES

https://www.speakmediaservices.com/

Want to learn how to PITCH A TV SHOW? Want to learn how to PITCH LIKE A BAD ASS? 

Meet EVETTE VARGAS.

Content Creator • TV Writer • Director • Producer | The Writers Room 5050, Founder | NEW HOLLYWOOD Clubhouse, Founder

www.writersroom5050.com

https://www.instagram.com/theevettevargas/

https://www.ballisballfilm.com/

Meet filmmaker KAYLA ROBINSON

https://www.kayla-robinson.com/

and learn about her current film: BALL IS BALL.

Inspired  by the life experience of writer/director Kayla Robinson, Ball is Ball  is a narrative short film about the lasting impact and complicated  nuances of sexual assault.

The  story follows Robin Coleman, a high school basketball star who’s caught  the attention of her dream college — and her crush. While sharing the  excitement, she misplaces her trust in a friend and soon learns the  ill-intention of another unsuspected admirer. When a basketball star’s hard work finally pays off, a former teammate with fading glory proposes an impromptu night off that takes an unforgettable detour.

Back her project!