Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa

Latest Episodes:

Ilana Peña - Executive Producer and Showrunner of "Diary of a Future President" Feb 23, 2023

Show notes

📣This episode is brought to you by Arc Studio Pro, a well-designed screenwriting software that is quickly growing to become the new industry standard. Head to ArcStudioPro.com to get started for free! 📣 Go to arcstud.io/carolina for $30 OFF!

Our latest and greatest episode features Ilana Peña, my fellow South Florida sister. We grew up near each other, hanging out in the same mall (when that's what the cool kids used to do) and we only pieced all of this together decades later after meeting here in LA.

So yes Ilana holds a special place in my 954 heart.

She is the creator, showrunner, executive producer, and director of the critically-acclaimed, Emmy-nominated "Diary of a Future President" on Disney+. The two-season series has been called a "must-watch" by Parade, "wholly charming" by The AV Club, "consistently sweet, authentic and humorous" by Remezcla, won "Best Latinx Show" from the Latino Media Awards in 2021, and was nominated for a GLAAD Award in 2021 and 2022.

She was named as a 2020 recipient of Forbes 30 Under 30: Hollywood and Entertainment, and honored in Variety's 2021 Inclusion Impact Report. Wow! 🤩

Ilana is continuing to develop projects through her overall deal at CBS Television Studios and is writing features for Universal Studios, Disney+, and 20th Century Studios, where she is penning the reboot of the 1988 film Working Girl produced by Selena Gomez.

Gems from this episode include:

➡️How she became one of Hollywood's youngest showrunners

➡️How she drew inspiration and authenticity from her 12-year-old self

➡️The importance of community

🎧Tune in now via link in bio

#producer #filmproducer #latinafilmmakers #documentary #documentaryproducer #docproducer #TVproducer #theaterproducer #Broadwayproducer #filmpodcast #filmmakingpodcast #producerlife

Rocío Jadue - Producer of Sundance Films ETERNAL MEMORY and SORCERY Feb 02, 2023

Show notes

At this year's ☀️ Sundance festival ☀️, I met a wide array of talented people. Among them is Rocío Jadue, a Chilean producer that runs the Latin-American film division at Fabula. She is best known for the film A Fantastic Woman (2018), directed by Sebastián Lelio, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. 🎞

Special shoutout to Maylen Calienes, founder of Latino Filmmakers Network for graciously hosting AOP at her Sundance case. Gracias amiga!

Rocío's career at Fabula dates back to 2012 when she executive produced Pablo Larraín's No, the first Chilean film nominated for the Academy Awards. She has now worked on 20 films, such as Neruda and The Club, that have premiered in festivals like Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Sundance.

Rocío had two incredible films premiering at this year's festival; Eternal Memory, winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary directed by @MaiteAlberdi and director @ChristopherMurray's dark and decolonial coming-of-age tale, Sorcery.

Gems from this episode include:

-Rocío's luck in landing her first big project, Pablo Larraín's "No," which was nominated for an Academy Award

-Coming up in Chile's limited film industry

-Reclaiming what it means to be a producer

Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor - Producer of BLUE STORY Jan 17, 2023

Show notes

📣 Helloooo 2023! Happy New Year Beyond excited to kick off the new year with my chat with UK producer Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor. A true multi-hyphenate, she produces, writers and directs.

She runs Joi Productions, a company focused primarily on Queer, Black and female work. In 2019, she produced the hit Blue Story, which became the top grossing film of its genre. In 2020, she was named a Screen International Star of Tomorrow and a BAFTA Breakthrough, as well as Joi Productions receiving a BFI Vision Award.

Yaaaapp, she's very impressive!

At the end of 2021, she produced Aml Ameen's debut, Boxing Day, the first all-Black Christmas film out of the UK 💪🏿💪🏾💪🏽More recently, Joy produced Champion for BBC and Netflix. In 2022, Ringside Studio acquired a stake in Joi Productions.

Speaking with Joy was especially wonderful because she has such a unique background. Her origin story formed her incredible perspective and give her a clear vision for the kind of stories she wants to bring to life.

We will dive deep into:

➡️How getting her start outside of the industry's mainstream helped benefit her work

➡️How being kind and treating people well gets you further

➡️How challenges, such as seeking asylum and being homeless, drove her to succeed in her work

Special Minisode with Herman Phillips and Heather Wagner of Cinapse Nov 29, 2022

Show notes

Very excited to share my chat with Herman Phillips (COO) and Heather Wagner (Co-Founder/Product Architect). They are two of the brains behind Cinapse, our sponsor for the last 3 episodes.

Cinapse is an app that streamlines workflows for film and television crews, cast members, and studio employees.

By digitizing the background voucher system, a painful process that usually requires a TON of forms, data entry, and frustrated individuals, Cinapse is revolutionizing production at large.

It's one of those unsexy time sucks in production that ADs, production and accounting deal. It's time that could be spent more wisely.

During our chat, we dive into the story behind how the idea came about, why producers should know about it and how this the technology it provides will positively impact the process of making a film for everyone involved---from crew to accountants.

To book a demo of Cinapse, got to www.cinapse.io/book-a-demo. Fill out a brief form, and a Cinapse representative will be in touch to schedule a Zoom call!

Beijos,

Eva Price - Tony Award Winning Broadway Producer of Jagged Little Pill, Oklahoma!, & Many More! Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

**This episode is brought to you by Cinapse. Cinapse is an app that streamlines workflows for film and television crews, cast members, and studio employees. What they are building is truly game changer and I'll be doing a deep dive with them in the upcoming weeks. Follow @cinapse for more.**

_______

Here we are, the final episode of 2022! I can't believe how fast the year has flown by, can you? As we wind down and cozy up into this season of rest and reflection, I hope you truly take the time to celebrate your wins, learn from your blindspots, and continue to do your best daily. Wise people tell me that's what life is all about.

Eva Price is a prime example of betting on yourself. She is a three-time Tony Award-winning producer with over 18 successful Broadway plays, musicals, and concerts under her belt. Notably called "Broadway's Powerhouse Entrepreneur", some of her award-winning shows include Oklahoma!, Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill, Dear Evan Hansen, Peter and the Starcatcher, Colin Quinn Long Story Short (directed by Jerry Seinfeld.

Eva grew up in Boston and earned a degree in Political Communication at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. After five years as an assignment editor in ABC News, Eva quit her prestigious and lucrative job to pursue her dream of becoming a Broadway producer. A decade later, she's now produced multiple Tony, Olivier, and GRAMMY Award-winning shows on Broadway!

Currently, Eva is producing an upcoming Broadway show & Juliet which opens on November 17. Eva is also preparing for a new important musical opening in Los Angeles in May 2023, called Transparent.

Gems from this episode include:

Navigating the exhausting but fulfilling world of theater
The importance of humility despite being a successful producer
How producers empower their communities through art

Xoxo

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Barbara Whitman - Producer of the Tony Award Winning Musical "A Strange Loop" Oct 17, 2022

Show notes

***This episode is brought to you by Cinapse. Cinapse is an app that streamlines workflows for film and television crews, cast members, and studio employees. What they are building is truly game changer and I'll be doing a deep dive with them in the upcoming weeks. Follow them @cinapse for more.***

Barbara Whitman is a theater producer who made her Broadway debut producing A Raisin in the Sun, starring Sean Comb and Phylicia Rashad,

An impressive lady, she has won multiple Tony and Drama League Awards for producing musicals like Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Fun Home, The Humans and of course, A Strange Loop, which I was lucky enough to see on Broadway back in August.

In 2021, she established the Barbara Whitman Award at Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, SDCF for sure. The award will be given annually to a female, trans, or non-binary early career director.

Currently, Barbara is producing Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Doug Wright's new play, GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR, starring Sean Hayes. The play will open on Broadway Spring 2023.

A native New Yorker, Barbara attended NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study and received an MFA in Theatre Management and Producing from Columbia University. With roots in the theater, it's no surprise that's she's built a career around this art form. She has a deep passion for story, and especially for outlier stories that live outside the more commercial broadway fare.

Gems from our chat include:

How the definition of a producer has evolved
The importance of introducing audiences to live theater
Tips on how to get started producing theater

Xoxo

Elizabeth Cantillon - Producer of PERSUASION and Principal at MRC's Bisous Pictures Sep 27, 2022

Show notes

***This episode is brought to you by AOP's first official sponsor, Cinapse. ***

Cinapse is an app that streamlines workflows for film and television crews, cast members, and studio employees. What they are building is truly game changer and I'm stoked to partner with them. Check 'em out @ cinapse.io.

Thrilled to share my chat with the fierce Elizabeth Cantillon. She is a producer and principal of Bisous Pictures, a romance label under MRC Film. She most recently produced an adaptation of Jane Austen's PERSUASION starring Dakota Johnson which is streaming on Netflix.

An LA native, Elizabeth has extensive experience working as a studio executive and a producer. She also had a brief stint at UCLA where she taught screenplay development for producers. She recommended a few excellent books and resources that I highly recommend you check out. Links are in the show notes on

angleonproducers.com

She previously served as EVP, Production at Columbia Pictures. During her tenure there, , she oversaw Academy Award winners THE SOCIAL NETWORK, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO and the last four installments of James Bond movies CASINO ROYALE, QUANTUM OF SOLACE, SKYFALL and SPECTRE.

Overall, the films she has worked on as a studio executive have garnered more than $300 million at the box office worldwide.

In 2014, Elizabeth left Columbia Pictures to go back to her first love of producing with a first look deal at Sony under, "The Cantillion Company."

Elizabeth is resilience and patience personified. Gems from our chat include:

The difference between a studio executive's role and a producer's role
How true gender parity in film production can be achieved
The importance of setting boundaries for yourself

Xoxo

Kara Durrett - Producer of HONK FOR JESUS. SAVE YOUR SOUL. Sep 02, 2022

Show notes

Kara Durrett is an independent producer who recently produced Adamma Ebo's HONK FOR JESUS, SAVE YOUR SOUL which premiered at Sundance 2022.

Kara is the reason I was brought on to HONK as a physical producer and in the process of making that film, she became a bud. She is fun to work with, in fact, she is a great time! (direct quote from Kara!)

Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown give phenomenally funny performances worthy of an hour and 42 minute of your time. The film premieres on September 2nd in theaters and on Peacock. So excited for the world to see it! Check it out and tell me what you think!

Kara also produced Celine Held & Logan George's VANISHINGS AT CADDO LAKE alongside M Night Shyamalan, which is currently in Post Production.

Past productions include Floyd Russ's AYAR, which premiered at SXSW 2021, Celine Held & Logan George's TOPSIDE, winner of both Best Technical Achievement at the 2020 Venice Film Festival, the Special Jury Award for directing at SXSW 2020, and Alex Fischer & Eleanor Wilson's SAVE YOURSELVES!, which premiered in competition at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and sold to Bleecker Street.

Upcoming projects are David Craig and Brian Crano's I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU, alongside producer Joel Edgerton; As well as Laurel Parmet's THE STARLING GIRL produced alongside 2AM.

Durrett's short film work has been nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival, and has screened in competition at Sundance Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, New York Film Festival, and in the Narrative and Midnight Competitions at SXSW. Her award-winning short film CAROLINE was short-listed for the 2019 Academy Awards. Watch the short here: https://vimeo.com/295591903

Some gems include:

-Why she loves working with first time directors and the advice she has for them

-The value of learning by making mistakes

-The deep respect we share for crew and how much of themselves they give to bring stories to life

Beijos,

Caca

Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angleonproducers

Amy Baer - President of Landline Pictures and Producer of JERRY & MARGE GO LARGE Jul 19, 2022

Show notes

Amy Baer currently serves as President of Landline Pictures, a label within MRC Film that makes feature films about and for the 50+ audience. Launched in 2020, their first movie, JERRY & MARGE GO LARGE, directed by David Frankel, who did MARLEY & ME, is streaming now on Paramount+.

Starring Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening, the film is based on the true story of a married couple who used a loophole in the Massachusetts State Lottery to win $27 million. I watched it with my dad a few weeks ago and it's incredibly fun and heartwarming.

While Amy grew up in a showbiz family, she still had to carve her own path. One thing was certain: she did not want to be an actor.

During her stint at CAA in 1988 as an assistant to the late Jay Moloney, she discovered the studio executive route.

She eventually became President & CEO of CBS Films. She also spent 17 years at Sony Pictures Entertainment, where she oversaw impressive films such as:

MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING (1997)

ADAPTATION (2001)

S.W.A.T. (2002)

SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE (2003)

THE HOLIDAY (2006)

MONEYBALL (2011)

Amy's entrepreneurial spirit led her to raise seven figure development fund and launch Gidden Media, one of the industry's only female-led, independently financed content incubation companies.

Her first film as a producer was the 2013 hit LAST VEGAS, starring Michael Douglas, Robert DeNiro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline, which grossed $136MM worldwide.

A devoted wife and mother of two, Amy has also found time to be Board President of Women in Film since June 2018.

A few takeaways from our chat include:

Soaking up as much as you can when you are in a job you dislike
How leaving the studio system forced her to develop an entrepreneurial muscle
And how to not take things personally

Jordana Mollick - Co-Founder of Semi-Formal Productions and Executive Producer of THE DROP OUT Jun 07, 2022

Show notes

Celebrating 75 episodes of the show!!!

Jordana Mollick is Semi-Formal's President of Development and Production.

Originally from Milwaukee, she's worked in theater, film, television, and digital media, as well as literary management.

She co-founded Black Sheep Management and Productions, which then merged with Haven Entertainment where she was a partner.

In 2018, she joined forces with Michael Showalter to form Semi-Formal Productions. She produced Susanna Fogel's first film LIFE PARTNERS, NIGHT OWLS by Charles Hood, as well as HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS for which she won the producer's award at the Independent Spirit Awards.

She produced IT STARTED AS A JOKE which premiered at the 2019 SXSW film festival, and THE LOVEBIRDS, starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae, which was released on Netflix in May 2020. Most recently, through Semi-Formal, Jordana Executive Produced THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE for Searchlight, starring Jessica Chastain who took home the Academy Award for Best Actress, THE SHRINK NEXT DOOR starring Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd for Apple TV+, and the critically acclaimed miniseries, THE DROPOUT, starring Amanda Seyfried for Hulu.

This week, we dive into the importance of embracing your firsts, the parallels between producing and motherhood, and how to avoid the traps of self comparison.

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