What does it take to “land the plane” on one of the most ambitious shows in modern TV and still keep it feeling human?

In this episode, VFX Supervisor Betsy Paterson pulls back the curtain on joining Stranger Things for its final season and stepping into a world where every sequence is a high-stakes puzzle. Betsy walks us through the reality behind the spectacle: a long prep period shaped by constant planning, storyboards, and pre-vis, followed by a full year of shooting and an equally massive post-production push. Her north star is always the same, ground the visuals in reality so the emotion and performance stay front and center.

We dive deep into how the team approached Vecna with a hybrid practical/CG solution designed to preserve Jamie Campbell-Bower’s performance while reducing the brutal hours in the makeup chair. Betsy also shares the craft (and chaos) of collaboration, working hand-in-hand with special effects, stunts, wardrobe, and cinematography, whether that means building rigs for falling “goo” or problem-solving a stab-able Demogorgon stand-in with… flower foam.

Listen to learn:

- What a three-year VFX timeline really looks like

- How Vecna was redesigned with a performance-driven hybrid approach

- Why the best VFX starts with practical, on-set reality

- The behind-the-scenes teamwork that makes big creatures believable

- Where AI is (and isn’t) actually helping VFX pipelines today

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

#InHerWordsPodcast #WomenInEntertainment #BetsyPaterson #StrangerThings #VisualEffects #VFXSupervisor #Vecna #TheUpsideDown #Netflix #Weta #ILM #Maya #Houdini #JamieCampbellBower #DufferBrothers #JamesGunn #Peacemaker #PostProduction #Filmmaking #CGI #PracticalEffects #AIInFilm

What happens when preparation meets opportunity — and suddenly you’re standing on set with legends? In this episode of Women in Entertainment, Kayla Wallace opens up about the life-changing experience of starring on Landman and finding her footing inside the expansive world created by Taylor Sheridan.

Kayla shares what it felt like arriving on set in season one, from filming alongside private jets to working opposite icons like Billy Bob Thornton and Sam Elliott, and why those moments never stop feeling surreal. She dives into the popularity and virality of Landman, the grocery-store recognition that followed, and the balance between gratitude and overwhelm as her career reaches a new level.

The conversation also goes deeper: Kayla reflects on her theater roots, the transition to film and television, and the years of auditioning that tested her patience and belief. She speaks candidly about imposter syndrome, overthinking, and the mental discipline required to play a character like Rebecca Falcone — a woman defined by strength, control, and carefully guarded vulnerability. Plus, she shares her approach to character prep, the joy of exploring romance onscreen, and why staying curious is her guiding principle.

Listen to learn:

- What it’s really like working inside the Taylor Sheridan universe

- How Kayla approaches playing powerful, guarded women

- The mental side of acting, from prep to imposter syndrome

- Why virality can feel both thrilling and overwhelming

- The advice she’d give her younger, auditioning self

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

#KaylaWallace #Landman #WomenInEntertainment #InHerWordsPodcast #TaylorSheridan #ActorsLife #ImposterSyndrome #WomenOnScreen

They may be called “YA queens,” but Julie Plec and Candice King know the truth: the stories that stick don’t belong to one age group. They belong to anyone who’s ever felt everything all at once. In this episode, Julie (the powerhouse behind The Vampire Diaries universe) and Candice (forever Caroline Forbes, now stepping into adulthood as Bess Sinclair in We Were Liars) reunite to talk about what it really takes to build characters audiences grow up alongside and grieve, binge, and re-binge for years.

With warmth, candor, and plenty of laughs, they revisit the early magic of casting Caroline, the craft of making “the mean girl” human, and the industry pressure that still haunts leading women: that relentless likability note, now delivered through streaming data instead of network standards. They also dig into how shifting conversations around agency and consent changed the rules of genre storytelling in real time, and why We Were Liars was a decade-long fight worth winning: a story built to wreck you, heal you, and keep you talking.

Listen to learn:

- Why Caroline Forbes worked: vulnerability as the ultimate character unlock

- How YA became “nine to 72” (and why it’s still misunderstood)

- What changed from Vampire Diaries to We Were Liars in writing women

- Why eight-episode seasons can’t replace the “holiday episode” era

- How “hyper emotionality” became the secret sauce for lasting fandom

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

Find us on:

Instagram: ⁠ / inherwords_...⁠

Facebook: ⁠ / inherwordspodcast ⁠

Twitter: ⁠ / inherwords_wie ⁠

Tiktok: ⁠ / inherwords_wie

#JuliePlec #CandiceKing #InHerWordsPodcast #WomenInEntertainment #TheVampireDiaries #CarolineForbes #WeWereLiars #BessSinclair #YAStorytelling #Showrunner #TVWriting #FemaleProtagonists #StreamingEra #Fandom #BookToScreen

What happens when discipline, instinct, and lived experience collide? In this episode of Women in Entertainment, Diane Kruger joins us for a thoughtful, deeply honest conversation about the evolution of her artistry and herself.

From her early training as a ballet dancer to discovering acting through theater school in Paris, Diane traces a nonlinear path into the industry, shaped by curiosity, risk, and resilience. She shares how working with Quentin Tarantino transformed her approach to character-building, teaching her to fill in the unseen emotional spaces that bring roles to life. As her career expanded across languages, countries, and formats, Diane explains why she refuses to limit herself to one lane, embracing art-house films, studio projects, and the demanding pace of television alike.

The conversation turns especially personal as Diane opens up about motherhood and her powerful role in Little Disasters, discussing identity loss, fear, guilt, and the quiet struggles many women face after becoming parents. She also reflects on collaboration, the importance of female directors, setting the tone on set, and why learning to ask for help became one of the most important breakthroughs of her career.

Listen to learn:

- How Diane’s ballet training shaped her emotional discipline as an actor

- Why backstory matters, even when it never appears on screen

- What Little Disasters revealed about motherhood, fear, and identity

- The power of vulnerability and asking for help on set

- How women-led stories and female directors change the creative process

The Women In Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

Find us on:

Instagram: ⁠ / inherwords_...⁠

Facebook: ⁠ / inherwordspodcast ⁠

Twitter: ⁠ / inherwords_wie ⁠

Tiktok: ⁠ / inherwords_wie

#DianeKruger #WomenInEntertainment #InHerWordsPodcast #ActorsLife#MotherhoodAndCareer #FemaleCreatives #WomenInFilm #Storytelling #CreativeProcess#LittleDisasters #ArtHouseFilm #WomenSupportingWomen

What happens when a father and daughter, both navigating the entertainment industry at very different moments, decide to talk openly about the highs, the setbacks, and everything in between?

In this episode, Tony Goldwyn and Anna Musky-Goldwyn reflect on working in Hollywood across generations, from early career momentum and inevitable slowdowns to finding creative confidence outside traditional paths. Anna shares what it was like to come out of film school with early success, face uncertainty during COVID and industry strikes, and ultimately release the shame around career pauses. Tony offers a parent’s perspective shaped by decades in the business, reminding us that instability isn’t failure, it’s the job.

Together, they unpack the evolving creator economy, the myth of networking, and why creative relationships, not industry schmoozing, are what truly sustain long careers. The conversation is candid, grounded, and deeply human, offering lessons that extend far beyond entertainment and into any creative life.

Listen to learn:

- Why career ups and downs are not detours, but essential training

- How shame and comparison can quietly derail creative confidence

- Why “creative networks” matter more than traditional networking

- How the industry has shifted toward entrepreneurial self-creation

- What legacy really means when art—not fame—drives the work

"In Her Words" presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

Find us on:

Instagram: ⁠ / inherwords_...⁠

Facebook: ⁠ / inherwordspodcast ⁠

Twitter: ⁠ / inherwords_wie ⁠

Tiktok: ⁠ / inherwords_wie

#InHerWordsPodcast #WomenInEntertainment #TonyGoldwyn #AnnaMuskyGoldwyn #FarFromTheTree #CreativeCareers #HollywoodStories #CreatorEconomy #CareerResilience #FamilyAndWork

At just a few years out of high school, Isabella Esler has already lived a theater-kid fantasy: going from an open-call audition to booking her first professional job as Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice, then carrying the role on a two-year national tour before landing on Broadway. In this heartfelt conversation, Isabella shares how one audition as a senior changed her life, leading to representation, community support, and ultimately the career she’s nurturing today in New York City.

She talks candidly about growing up without a creative family background, discovering musical theater at age six, and feeling deeply shaped by San Jose’s vibrant arts community. Isabella also reflects on how different it feels to return to Beetlejuice now, more grounded, more confident, and more aware of the emotional demands of playing Lydia night after night. From mishaps on stage to conserving her voice between shows, she reveals the unseen rituals and resilience that live theater requires.

Looking ahead, Isabella shares her excitement for film and television, her commitment to authenticity in auditions, and the grounding practices helping her navigate rising visibility while still doing her own social media.

Listen to learn:

- How an open-call audition led Isabella to Broadway

- The emotional and physical realities of touring versus performing in one home theater

- Her approach to staying grounded, silent, and centered between shows

- What Beetlejuice taught her about vulnerability, focus, and grace

- Her best advice for young performers chasing their first big role

In Her Words presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

Find us on:

Instagram: ⁠ / inherwords_...⁠

Facebook: ⁠ / inherwordspodcast ⁠

Twitter: ⁠ / inherwords_wie ⁠

Tiktok: ⁠ / inherwords_wie

#IsabellaEsler #BeetlejuiceMusical #LydiaDeetz #WomenInEntertainment #InHerWordsPodcast #Broadway #ActingJourney #TheaterKids #SanJoseArts #BroadwayLife

Actress Jessy Schram has lived many lives on screen: iconic princess, brilliant doctor, and rom-com heroine. In this episode, she brings listeners inside the moments that shaped them all. She reflects on the early days of Once Upon a Time, when no one knew if the ambitious fairytale world would work, and the vulnerability of stepping into a beloved character while helping redefine her. Jessy also traces her path from Chicago kid making homemade SNL-style sketches to a teen landing her first Hallmark role and eventually circling back to shoot Chicago Med in her hometown.

With humor and honesty, Jessy talks about the evolving television landscape, the rare gift of long-form character development, and how Hannah Asher’s storyline grew through genuine collaboration with the show’s writers. She also shares her love of rom-com comfort watches, the reality shows she treats like “cultural studies,” and why Hallmark fans mean more to her than she ever expected.

Listen to learn:

- What it was really like joining Once Upon a Time before anyone knew it would be a hit

- How Chicago roots and early creative play shaped Jessy’s career

- The unexpected twists that brought her back to Chicago Med

- Why Hallmark’s joyful storytelling matters now more than ever

- Jessy’s favorite shows, reading habits, and how she protects her creative spark

In Her Words presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

Find us on:

Instagram: ⁠ / inherwords_...⁠

Facebook: ⁠ / inherwordspodcast ⁠

Twitter: ⁠ / inherwords_wie ⁠

Tiktok: ⁠ / inherwords_wie

#JessySchram #ChicagoMed #OnceUponATime #Cinderella #HallmarkMovies #WomenInEntertainment #ActingJourney #RomComs #Storytelling #InHerWordsPodcast

Candace Bushnell has spent decades writing women into the center of their own stories—and in this conversation, she brings us back to the electric New York City that inspired it all. From the early days of Sex and the City to the cult-favorite brilliance of Lipstick Jungle, Renee and Joss revisit the impact her work had on their own lives as young women finding their footing in Manhattan. For Candace, the city was once a real-life character: intimate, unpredictable, and endlessly social in a pre-cell-phone era where friendships were lifelines and privacy still existed.

Candace opens up about the real inspirations behind her iconic characters, the friend who became the blueprint for Samantha, and why the original column was never about shock value—it was about power, status, and the reality of dating in New York. She reflects on the cultural shift that made Sex and the City a phenomenon, the Gen X women who embraced singlehood and career ambition, and how today’s hyper-connected world has altered the intimacy that once made the city feel like a private club.

Now, with her one-woman show True Tales of Sex, Success, and Sex and the City, Candace steps onto the stage to tell the stories behind the stories—costume changes, real Mr. Big revelations, and all. (buy tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/candace-bushnell-true-tales-of-sex-success-and-sex-and-the-city-tickets-1730710584949)

Listen to learn:

- Why Candace believes Lipstick Jungle was ahead of its time

- How the real New York of the 80s and 90s shaped her writing

- The true origins of iconic characters like Samantha

- What it’s like to step into theater with her one-woman show

- How technology has changed privacy, dating, and urban connection

In Her Words presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

Find us on:

Instagram: ⁠ / inherwords_...⁠

Facebook: ⁠ / inherwordspodcast ⁠

Twitter: ⁠ / inherwords_wie ⁠

Tiktok: ⁠ / inherwords_wie

#CandaceBushnell #SexAndTheCity #LipstickJungle #WomenInEntertainment #InHerWordsPodcast #NYCStories #FemaleFriendship #OneWomanShow #CarrieBradshaw #MrBig #WomenWriters #CulturalIcons

The creator economy is evolving at lightning speed, and in this episode, Spotter Chief Revenue Officer Jodie Stocker Kennedy offers a clear, grounded look at how the industry is changing in real time.

As the company behind nearly a billion dollars deployed to creators - including names like MrBeast, Dude Perfect, GRA Dion, Ryan Trahan, and Colin & Samir - Spotter has rapidly expanded far beyond licensing. Jodie walks listeners through that evolution, from hosting the first Spotter Showcase to announcing a feature film partnership with GRA Dion and Heartbeat, and a creator-led show on Tubi.

Jodie shares why “influencers” and “creators” shouldn’t be used interchangeably, how long-form content is becoming living-room entertainment, and why YouTube has become America’s most-watched platform. She also explains why the creator landscape can feel confusing to brands, how Spotter is helping bridge that education gap, and what authenticity really means when brands want to work with creators.For creators seeking to scale, Jodie outlines what brands actually look for, how integrations are shifting, and why cultural moments from the Super Bowl to March Madness create powerful opportunities when aligned with the right storytellers.

Listen to learn:

- How Spotter has evolved far beyond licensing

- The difference between creators and influencers

- Why long-form YouTube is dominating living-room viewing

- What brands need to understand about the creator economy

- How creators can think about revenue, integrations, and long-term growth

In Her Words presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

Find us on:

Instagram: ⁠ / inherwords_...⁠

Facebook: ⁠ / inherwordspodcast ⁠

Twitter: ⁠ / inherwords_wie ⁠

Tiktok: ⁠ / inherwords_wie

#InHerWordsPodcast #WomenInEntertainment #JodieStockerKennedy #Spotter #CreatorEconomy #YouTube #LongFormContent #BrandIntegrations #DigitalCreators #WomenInBusiness #EntertainmentIndustry

Go behind the scenes of Wicked: For Good with cinematographer Alice Brooks and co-writer/executive producer Dana Fox, who share the emotional, creative, and technical journey behind bringing this once-in-a-generation musical to the screen. From shooting both Wicked films simultaneously to building 17 soundstages, 73 sets, and even a full lake, Alice and Dana reveal how director Jon M. Chu’s vision shaped every frame, every emotional beat, and every choice on set.

Hear how they balanced fan expectations, honored the legacy of Wicked and The Wizard of Oz, and created a visual and emotional arc that spans five hours of filmmaking. They discuss the intense pressure, the highs and lows of a five-year journey, the family sacrifices behind the scenes, and why the film became one of the most meaningful experiences of their careers.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- How Alice and Jon Chu built the visual language for Wicked using emotional “anchor words”

- Why they shot Wicked and Wicked: For Good at the same time — sometimes switching movies within a single day

- The story behind developing new lenses inspired by classic films like The English Patient and Empire Strikes Back

- How the creative team protected the tone, themes, and emotional legacy of the original stage musical and The Wizard of Oz

- The moment a young fan told Alice, “I’m Elphaba too” — and why it changed her understanding of the film’s responsibility to future generations

In Her Words presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

Find us on:

Instagram: ⁠ / inherwords_...⁠

Facebook: ⁠ / inherwordspodcast ⁠

Twitter: ⁠ / inherwords_wie ⁠

Tiktok: ⁠ / inherwords_wie

#WickedForGood #WickedMovie #Wicked2025 #AliceBrooks #DanaFox #JonChu #WomenInFilm #WomenInEntertainment #BehindTheScenes #Filmmaking #Cinematography #Screenwriting #Musicals #Oz