Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa

Latest Episodes:

Game-Changing Acquisition: Zello & Cinelease Partnership Explained Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

Kicking off August with a very special episode with the the brilliant minds behind Zello and Cinelease.

They just announced a game-changing acquisition that's bringing our industry back to its roots - where crews are empowered and things get done without red tape.

As someone who's filmed in LA most of my career, I know Hollywood's real magic isn't what's on screen—it's the thousands of passionate people behind the scenes. Cinelease has been one of those constants for me. No matter the scope or budget, they always found a way to make it work.

What makes this deal special? The timing is everything. After strikes, productions fleeing overseas, and endless layoffs, while others consolidate into massive corporate machines, Zello is taking Cinelease private and back to its entrepreneurial roots.

This isn't just business—it's about people. Some Cinelease employees have been there 35 YEARS. That tells you everything about how they treat their team. Now with Zello's network backing them, they're expanding that family culture into new markets and creating more opportunities for all of us who make this industry run.

Tune in for this exclusive deep dive on how this acquisition came to be and what it means for the future. Spoiler: it's bright ✨

Special Crossover with Daddy Dailies To Tackle The Chaos of Entertainment Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

This is a very fun special crossover of AOP and Daddy Dailies with host Vika Stubblebine.

She actor, writer, director and stand up comedian who most recently wrote on CBS's S.W.A.T.. She is a co-founder of Not Your Daddy's Films, a social impact organization dedicated to empowering and educating women and nonbinary filmmakers through events, screenings and podcasts.

The community they've built is truly remarkable. When you find your people - the ones who share your wavelength and want to build something meaningful together - the chaos becomes creative fuel rather than overwhelming noise.

Both our shows are doing essential work highlighting the voices and experiences of those often overlooked in the industry. This crossover was a perfect example of what happens when we can come together to share knowledge rather than hoard it.

Enjoy xx

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Steve Papazian - Part 2 - Hollywood Icon & Former President of Worldwide Physical Production at Warner Brothers Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

Earlier this week I shared part 1 of my conversation with Hollywood icon Steve Papazian. He is the former President of Worldwide Physical Production at Warner Bros. That chat was recorded back in April of 2019 and chronicles his rise from the mailroom to The Matrix.

If you missed part one, I highly recommend you hit pause and go check that out.

To refresh your memory, he started in the mailroom and rose the ranks over the course of almost 50 years at Warner Brothers at Universal. YEARS!

His impressive filmography includes some of cinema's most defining moments: The Matrix, The Hobbit trilogy, and the Harry Potter films. He's been the trusted production partner for visionaries like Clint Eastwood and Christopher Nolan across multiple projects, helping bring their creative visions to life on an unprecedented scale.

After witnessing the seismic shifts that have rocked our industry—from studio consolidations to the exodus of productions from California—I knew I had to reconnect with Steve for an unfiltered conversation about what we've lost and whether there's still time to save Hollywood.

So today, we dive into the Death of the Star-Making Machine Hollywood, how California's Policy Failures are not setting us up for success, and why the Solution Requires Going Back to Basics.

Steve Papazian - Part 1 - Former President of Worldwide Physical Production at Warner Brothers Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

Delighted to share a truly remarkable conversation I had back in April 2019 with Steve Papazian - a Hollywood executive whose career spans nearly five decades and reads like a masterclass in entertainment industry evolution.

When you look at his filmography, you're looking at some of cinema's most defining moments - The Matrix, The Hobbit trilogy, the Harry Potter films.

He's been the trusted production partner for visionaries like Clint Eastwood and Christopher Nolan across multiple projects, helping bring their creative visions to life on an unprecedented scale.

Steve takes us inside one of the corporate transformations that shaped modern Hollywood - the Warner Brothers-Lorimar merger, his strategic move to Universal - and reveals the sophisticated decision-making that goes into shepherding these cultural touchstones from concept to screen.

Beyond the business acumen, Steve has a deep reverence for the craft itself. He speaks with genuine passion about Hollywood's golden era and offers profound insights into what it means to maintain creative integrity in an industry often driven by competing interests and immense financial pressures.

Part two was recorded last week and drops in two days!

But first, let me take you back to April 2019 for this essential conversation about what it truly means to be an exceptional producer in Hollywood - and how one builds a legacy that spans generations of filmmaking.

Sanne Wohlenberg - Executive Producer of "Andor" May 27, 2025

Show notes

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of hosting a panel at UTA for a screening of ANDOR - the Star Wars spinoff series from creator Tony Gilroy. It was there that I met today's guest, executive producer, Sanne Wohlenberg.

Check that out here: https://youtu.be/mGe1Ec3nhv8

Sanne is a German-born television producer working primarily in the United Kingdom. After working on multiple episodes of the critically acclaimed series BLACK MIRROR, she went on to win an Emmy Award in 2019 for Outstanding Limited Series as the producer of CHERNOBYL, followed by a Producers Guild of America nomination for The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of a Limited Series the following year.

In 2022, Sanna joined ANDOR as a non-writing EP and lucky for us, helped breathe fresh new life into the franchise.

During our conversation, Sanne and I discussed pivoting from law to entertainment, choosing talent over credits, and why you don't have to be a STAR WARS fanatic to fall into the target audience for ANDOR.

Sev Ohanian - Producer of Ryan Coogler's SINNERS and Founder of Proximity Media May 15, 2025

Show notes

What happens when you combine the brilliant mind of Ryan Coogler and a bunch of blood-thirsty vampires? You get SINNERS, one of the most original and entertaining films of the year.

A theatrical feat at the box office, it's grossed over 285 million dollars since its April 16th release. It was my absolute pleasure to talk to producer Sev Ohanian about how this monster movie gem came to fruition.

Sev is a homie and we go way back to our baby producer days, so it is really special for me to reconnect with him after so many years. Our meet cute story is also one for the books!

Sev is Armenian-American screenwriter, producer, and founder of Proximity Media alongside Ryan and Zinzi Coogler. He co-wrote and produced (alongside his wife and producing partner Natalie Qasabian who was on the podcast back in 2019!), SEARCHING, released by Sony Screen Gems in 2018. The film grossed $75 million worldwide and sparked the sequel, MISSING.

Ohanian also co-wrote and produced RUN for Lionsgate, which became Hulu's most-watched film upon its premiere.

During our time together, we talked about his first foray into filmmaking - an $800 micro-budget film shot on his dad's home video camera, how his working relationship with Coogler came to be, and the trials and tribulations of shooting on location in the swamps of Louisiana.

Christine Davila Is Revolutionizing Hollywood One Authentic Story at a Time May 06, 2025

Show notes

Christine Davila is a trailblazing TV executive and producer with an unexpected passion—she knows all the words to the musical CABARET.

From her early days at prestigious film festivals like Sundance and Tribeca to building the vibrant Latina Squad community, Christine's journey is a masterclass in resilience, vision, and the power of authentic narratives.

This Mexican-born industry leader is also a dear friend and the founder of The Latina Squad, a peer group of accomplished TV/Film executives across studios, networks, and production companies.

What began as a way for Latina execs to find each other and share space has blossomed into a community of more than 130 talented women who collaborate, commiserate, and form lasting friendships.

During our conversation, Christine shares insights from her path as a programmer for major film festivals, discusses the financial challenges of the producing world, explores the future of filmmaking through works like "Emilia Perez," and advocates passionately for the full breadth of humanity to be represented on screen.

Minisode - Maximizing Tax Credits with GreenSlate's Michele Miller Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

In celebration of tax day here in the US, as if there is such a thing, haha, today's episode of Angle on Producers Podcast dives into the sexy and crucial world of production tax incentives.

If you find yourself intimated by the jargon, confused by the process, or unsure of where to start, then look no further!

Michele Miller is the VP of Production Tax Incentives and Accounting Services at GreenSlate. With over a decade of experience, Michele uses GreenSlate's innovative tools to help producers, new and seasoned, navigate the tax incentive maze and keep more money in our projects.

Buy her coffee. Or wine. Make her your best friend!

Tune in as we break down the differences between tax rebates, refundable tax credits, and transferable tax credits.

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Yvonne Strahovski Says Goodbye to "Handmaid's Tale" and Hello to Producing Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

There's nothing Hollywood loves more than putting people in boxes. Comedy or drama. Actor or director. But with the fall of the old studio system and the rise of the indie, we're seeing more blurred lines than ever before. Everywhere you look today you can find genre blends and multi-hyphenates in every aspect of the industry, and our next guest is no exception.

The oh so lovely Yvonne Strahovski garnered critical acclaim for her role as Serena Joy Waterford in Hulu's Emmy and Golden Globe winning original series, THE HANDMAID'S TALE, for which she has netted an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress,a Golden Globe nomination, and two Screen Actors Guild nominations. The series is releasing its sixth and final season tonight, April 8.

Yvonne recently starred/executive produced Peacock's horror series, TEACUP. She also made her directorial debut with VLOG, a short film for which she also wrote and stars in. Her husband, Tim Loden served as a producer and her two sons acted alongside her. The film was shot in their home and took place when she was pregnant with her third child, which made it an almost part-documentary, part-narrative film.

Up next, Yvonne will star and produce an adaptation of the bestselling novel, A WOMEN OF INTELLIGENCE.

During our chat, we talk about making art from scratch, the importance of being a good judge of character, and the very real fear that comes with turning down a job.

xx Enjoy!

Introducing: The Sun Dial with Rebecca Sun Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

Today's episode marks an exciting milestone as we launch a brand new segment called The Sun Dial with the brilliant Rebecca Sun.

An acclaimed journalist and cultural critic, she is a guiding light in media commentary, so we are lucky to have her on the show!

There will be MANY hot takes and sun puns, so prepare to bask in her insightful radiance.

A sundial is often used metaphorically to represent time's passage, permanence contrasted with change, or natural rhythms versus human-made schedules.

So much of life, of success, is about the perfect balance of kairos meeting chronos; things happening when they are meant to instead of when we want them to. It's quite fitting as we are exploring the evolution of all things…from the show to the industry.

A little bit of her impressive bio…

Rebecca was the inaugural recipient of the Trailblazer Award at the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment's salute to women and nonbinary people in Hollywood. Her reporting has won both National Arts & Entertainment and Southern California journalism awards from the Los Angeles Press Club as well as a GLAAD Media Award nomination.

She began her career as a writer and editor at Sports Illustrated, and her bylines have also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Esquire China and New York. Most recently, she was the senior editor of diversity and inclusion at The Hollywood Reporter.

Rebecca has graciously agreed to give us her hot takes on the top stories in our industry as they flood our inboxes, and, if it weren't obvious enough from that list of credits, there's no one better for the job.

Tune in xx

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