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On this episode of The Crew List, we sit down with one of television’s most accomplished directors, Kenneth Fink. With more than 200 scripted shows, pilots, and cable films to his name, Ken has left an indelible mark on the industry, as a director, executive producer, and writer. From his early days as an award-winning documentary filmmaker to directing series like Homicide: Life in the streets, CSI, Gotham, Fringe, and Person of Interest, Ken’s career is a masterclass in storytelling and craftsmanship.

We’ll discuss what sparked his interest to begin with, and all the stops he’s made along the way.

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"Welcome to The Crew List, Today, I’m excited to have a conversation with Lawrence A. Mirisch, a seasoned talent agent and film industry veteran whose career spans over four decades. From his early days as a second assistant director on films like 'Grease 2' to founding the Mirisch Agency and serving in leadership roles at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Larry has seen it all. So please join me as I explore his journey, insights, and the evolving landscape of Hollywood.”

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Today, we’re featuring Bill Zabala, a seasoned film editor with a remarkable journey in both film and life.

Born in San Bernardino and raised in Upland, California, Bill is a proud member of the first full television generation and developed a love for movies at just 8 years old. His early passion for cinema led him to explore drama in college, but a career on the stage took a detour when Bill left school to go on tour as a drummer before serving in the Army. After 17 months in Germany and working for the Gas Company, a chance meeting with friends in the television industry led Bill to Universal studios and a career in filmmaking. Bill went on to become a wonderful film editor, helping bring stories to life on screen.

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Mary Seward – Script Supervisor, Producer, and Storyteller

Born in Rapid City, South Dakota, Mary's love for storytelling began in her childhood, nurtured by countless hours spent at her local library. After discovering her passion for drama in high school, Mary pursued a degree in Communication Arts and later an MFA in Theatre. Her journey in the arts led her to Los Angeles, where she co-founded a theatre company. However, it was on film sets where she truly found her calling.

Transitioning from acting to behind-the-scenes work, Mary trained as a Script Supervisor, utilizing her natural organizational and leadership skills. Since joining the union in 1996, she has worked on numerous projects, finding joy in being part of the creative process and storytelling with talented crews.

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Joining me today is Elizabeth Devine, Liz is a writer producer, and before that she was a Senior Criminalist for the LA County Sheriff's Department for 15 years. Liz Has a bachelor's and a master's degree from UCLA. As a criminalist and Crime Scene expert, Devine had a chance to work in the film industry as technical adviser. When after 15 years with LASD she retired from her work as a crime scene investigator, she joined the team for the show CSI : Crime Scene Investigation, first as a technical consultant, and later as writer and co-executive producer. She was nominated for a Writer's Guild award with Ann Donahue, for their Season 1 CSI episode entitled "Blood Drops." In 2004, as one of the CSI producers she was nominated for the Emmy Award in the Outstanding Drama Series category. Recently she was an Executive producer on “James Patterson’s Murder is Forever, and a consultant on the mini series Unbelievable. 

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Welcome to The Crew List, I'm Alec Smight, Joining me is filmmaker, author, and journalist, Sam Irvin. With over 50 movies and TV shows to his credit, including cult classics like "Elvira's Haunted Hills," "Oblivion," and "Magic Island," Sam's has been on quite a creative journey.

His contributions extend far beyond the director's chair. He was a co-executive producer of Bill Condon’s Oscar-winning film "Gods and Monsters" a historical consultant on Liza Minnelli’s Tony Award-winning Broadway show "Liza’s at the Palace,”. Sam has also made his mark in the literary world. Author of the acclaimed biography "Kay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise," Sam's has written tales ranging from children’s book parodies to erotic pulp sci-fi adventures.

With five Rondo Awards to his name, including Best Interview and Writer of the Year. As well as the 2023 Queer Screams Film Festival Career Achievement Award and the 2023 Tod Slaughter Award for Lifetime Achievement in Horror.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy hearing about Sam’s journey, and what the future holds for him.

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I am delighted to welcome Annabelle K. Frost as my guest. Annabelle is a versatile director-producer with an impressive resume, having helmed episodes of renowned series such as "Gotham" and "God Friended Me." Additionally, she has showcased her storytelling skills in the short films "Growing Up" and "Side Show," both of which she not only directed but also wrote.

Her expertise extends to the production realm, where she has made significant contributions as a Producer on notable television shows like "Pennyworth," "Gotham," and "The Royals." Furthermore, Annabelle has served as a post-production supervisor on a multitude of TV movies and shows. Beyond her work in the industry, she shares her passion for film as a teacher at Chapman University in Southern California.

A native of Massachusetts, Annabelle pursued her film education at Northwestern University in Chicago, culminating in an MFA in Directing from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. Today, we delve into the multifaceted roles she plays and explore the intriguing journey that has shaped her career.

https://annabellekfrost.com/

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My guest on the Pod is Riley Rudy. She’s a writer, director and actor. Just out of college. She recently wrote, directed, and starred in her first short film “You Look So Good”, which is currently being submitted to the festival circuit. She is a self professed “Theatre kid” having gone on from high school to study theatre at USC and grad school at Columbia in New York. She’s currently in pre-production on her next short film, which she will also write, direct, and act in. She lives in Los Angeles, CA.

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Joining me today is Mark C Baldwin. He’s a multi faceted filmmaker, having directed and edited network television as well as documentaries. Mark is also a voice over artist and an author. He’s here to share his story with us and talk about how he began his long and storied career. 

His documentary film which he wrote and directed,  “Tropical Iron: The Saga of Minor Keith” is about the construction of the Costa Rican Atlantic Railway in the 19th Century. A seemingly small infrastructure project, laying one hundred miles of track which cost the lives of over 4000 men, and took nearly 20 years to complete, bankrupting a nation. It’s available to stream on Amazon, and his book: “The Biggest Party on the Planet: An American at the World Cup” is also available on Amazon. It’s a fun and informative interview!

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With me today is Deborah Hecht, she’s a vocal and dialogue coach with a career that has spanned teaching, she has taught at Circle in the Square, NY; Yale School of Drama; American Conservatory Theatre; and NYU’s Graduate Acting Program, and currently teaches speech/voice/Shakespeare text at The Juilliard School.  98 broadway shows , Sweeney Todd (with Josh Groban), How I Learned to Drive, Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen, and The Skin of Our Teeth. She also coached the Tony Award-winning Angels in America (both the original and recent Broadway productions as well as Michael Grief’s production at the Signature Theatre), and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and The Ferryman. Deborah’s film credits include All the Money in the World, Kinsey, Under the Skin, John Turturro’s Illuminata, and many others.  In television, Deborah has been the speech and/or dialect coach on the Disney/Hulu limited series, We Were the Lucky Ones, and HBO Max’s Tokyo Vice.  She also coached the first two Live Broadway musicals, The Sound of Music, and Peter Pan.  She has traveled the world working on some amazing projects with some wonderful actors, many of who's names will be familiar to you. She speaks with us about how she got started, and all of the wonderful adventures her career has sent her on.