Happy Friday, Dear Listener!

I recently learned that my pal Uzo Aduba’s new Netflix comedy The Residence was shot entirely in Los Angeles. The show is mostly set on a stage and was shot over the course of 143 days at the historic Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. The Residence brought a significant economic impact to the state, employing thousands of talented cast and crew members and utilizing hundreds of local vendors.

Netflix and the California Film Commission took it up a notch by co-hosting a screening at in Sacramento followed by a panel discussion moderated by the Commission’s Deputy Director. We love to see it! Special shoutout to Sara Fischer below, the brilliant Head of Production at Shondaland.

Moving on!

We’ve reached an exciting milestone on the pod and I’m thrilled to launch a brand new segment called The Sun Dial with Rebecca Sun. ☀️ An acclaimed journalist, cultural critic, and former Senior Editor at The Hollywood Reporter, she is a guiding light in media commentary, so we are lucky to have her on the show!

I’ve been endlessly impressed with her beautiful brain and astute observations. I was stunned to learned she was laid off from The Hollywood Reporter, along so many other brilliant journalists.

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.

With Rebecca on board as a guest contributor, there will be many hot takes and sun puns, so prepare to bask in her insightful radiance.

Please meet Rebecca and delight your self as we explore the current inflection point, where we go from here, and if any of it is worth it.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHT

Handmaid’s Tale took audiences by storm when it premiered on the platform. The Hulu adaptation arrived at a politically charged moment in 2017 when many viewers saw alarming parallels between the show's dystopian world and real-world political developments.

The iconic show, now in it’s sixth and final season, also cemented Hulu as real player in the streaming wars.

Parting is always such sweet sorrow, but the time has come to bid adieu to the show and for Yvonne Strahovski, to say goodbye her character, Serena Joy Waterford.

Season after season, the cast delivers exceptional performances. Yvonne brings remarkable complexity to what could have been a one-dimensional villain. Her Serena is simultaneously cruel and vulnerable, powerful and oppressed within the system she helped create.

The transition from acting to producing is increasingly common as performers seek greater creative control and career longevity. For someone with Strahovski's talent and industry experience, producing is a natural evolution that leverages her existing skills while developing new ones.

Most recently, inspired by the New York Times bestselling novel, Stinger, Yvonne starred/executive produced Peacock’s new horror series, TEACUP, which released on October 10, 2024.

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.

Coming up, Yvonne will take the screen as lead and EP for the adaptation of the bestselling novel, A WOMAN 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.

As always, thanks for doing this life thing with me!

PRODUCER’S CORNER

• READ | Protecting Us? - Senators Reintroduce “No Fakes” Bill Taking on AI Deepfakes - Link

• INSPIRE | The Tyler Perry of YouTube - Kinigra Deon is building an empire.  Link

• GROW | The Physics of Rainbows - Circles not arcs! Link

• WATCH | Daddio - Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn make the dream duo in this compelling debut by buzzy new director Christy Hall. The script, which plays out almost entirely inside a taxi, is a verbal tennis match between two total strangers – pivoting between pleasantries, heartbreaking revelations and their deepest secrets. Streaming on Netflix!  Link

UPCOMING HAPPENINGS

Budgeting Workshop - Thank you to all who attended our first ever short film budgeting workshop! It was a hit, lots of fun learnings, and I can’t wait to do it again.

Interested? Email us to join the waitlist

The Reel Champs - Next Gen Diversity Mentorship Program is looking for a few more producer mentors to fill the last few spots to mentor newer WOC & NB POC that are looking for mentorship/guidance as newer producers. Ideally producers that have lead produced a feature or have experience working with studios/networks. The program starts next week & goes for a year and main requirement is connecting with your mentee once a month for a min of 30 min either in person, zoom or phone call.

Email [email protected] if interested!