The Other 50%

Liz is a Physical Production Executive. She started out in makeup, then moved over to the camera department, until she started producing and working as an executive. Formerly the VP of Physical Production at Alcon Entertainment, she is now working with Sidney Kimmel Entertainment. Her credits include Point Break, Blade Runner, Dear Dumb Diary, Journey to the Center of the Earth and many more.

We talked about how it is to grow up the child of immigrants, and be the embodiment of the American dream.

Maura is an actor, singer, producer, writer and entrepreneur. In addition to her plentiful film, TV, theatre and commercial credits, she has written a musical tv show based on her very tragic life experiences, called Insult to Injury.

If all that weren’t enough, Maura a.k.a, Mo, the Morselist, is also an Integrative Certified Health Coach and professional recipe developer. Maintaining a sustainable, clean, green and MORSELICIOUS Lifestyle-diet is her mission. More: mauramknowles.com and macnmos.com

Lisa is an Executive Producer for unscripted television, and her credits include Married at First Sight, I Used to be Fat, Master Chef, Celebrity Rehab, and The Biggest Loser.

We talked a lot about telling people's stories and how important it is. And about her transition from telling other's stories to telling her own.

Currently, she is producing a documentary about her family, called My Dad, Stephanie. That should be quite a journey.

Mir is the Manager of Operations and Community Engagement at Time's Up. I was first introduced to Mir through a piece she wrote that knocked me out. Mir is an activist, a thoughtful and conscious leader, and possesses a personal power that is expressed through service. Prepare yourself, you are about to be inspired. I mean no pressure, I don’t mean to oversell it. You tell me. (You’ll be inspired.)

Marie Cantin is a Producer and Educator, having worked in independent and studio film and television productions. She was an Associate Dean at the AFI Conservatory, and in 2017 was the recipient of the Frank Capra Achievement Award from the DGA – a very big deal. Some of her many credits include, Torch Song Trilogy, Save the Last Dance, Dante’s Peak, and Things to do in Denver When You’re Dead.

Layne Marie is a Director and Filmmaker in Chicago, the Founder and Executive Director of Women of the Now, a media and production company, and the Co-Founder and Director of Development of the Women’s Film Festival in Philadelphia. And she’s not yet 30. This woman makes things happen.

Monica is the President of Production for ShivHans Pictures and comes from a long line of working women in her family. In fact, her grandmother owned a liquor store and her mother started the First Women’s Bank of Maryland.

Monica produced Bruno, Borat and Zoolander (to name a few), and she was the production supervisor on Private Parts. Check out her IMDB, you will be impressed.

We got real about the business and how to balance self-preservation with ambition in this male-dominated industry.

Tricia is a Canadian film Director, who earned her US Green Card as an Artist of Extraordinary Ability. She has 3 award-winning feature films, 2 webseries and 11 shorts under her belt which can be found on various digital platforms. Meeting Mommy, for example is a moving and powerful film about a father and daughter coping with a life twist they didn’t expect. Find it here.

We talked about finding your voice as a director and an artist, learning to write your own stories, and Tricia’s upcoming project

Sarah is the Director of VFX Sales at Picture Shop and has been a VFX producer for the last decade. She is a wealth of knowledge of that side of the business, which is a side not that many people are expert in. Some of her credits include Veep, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black – basically my streaming queue.

And she taught me the word sanctamom. Talk about descriptive…

Allegra is the Senior Vice President of Physical Production at Paramount Pictures. Before becoming an executive, Allegra was a Producer and Production Manager on four Transformer movies, along with Paranormal Activity 4 and The American President.

We talked about what it took to rise to the top of the production world and how she made the shift to a studio job. What is important? What matters? What factors into your important career decisions?