Do you think a development executive turned screenplay writer might have some good advice? Then this episode is for you. Leslie sits down with Garrick Dion from LA-based management/production company 5X and the conversation is FIRE!!! More about Garrick: Having started his career as an intern for THE MATRIX producer Joel Silver, Garrick Dion has over 25 years of experience in the Film & Television industry. After a decade of working as a studio development exec for WB, New Regency and Artisa...
Jan 11, 2022•44 min
In this episode Leslie dives deep with Co-founders of Dances with Films to discuss what film festivals are looking for and how to improve your chances as a filmmaker to get your film accepted. LESLEE SCALLON & MICHAEL TRENT // Co-Founders A Regent Scholar at New York University, Michael Trent began his career as one of the youngest stage managers to receive an Equity production contract with Broadway and touring credits includ- ing the Julliard based Acting Company (touring arm of the Kenned...
Jan 04, 2022•41 min
Leslie and Deborah Gilels discuss the real truths about marketing your Indie film from a PR Professional in Hollywood. Now, not every Publicist is a marketing person and not every marketing person is a publicist. In this episode, they also discuss promoting vs selling a film using a press release, niche marketing, social media, pitching to trades and much more. More About Deborah: Deborah Gilels has run a successful PR/Media Consulting company for the past 16 years, assisting writers, filmmakers...
Dec 28, 2021•39 min
How do you get your indie film made and distributed? Ilyssa Goodman says build your rolodex and know your market. In this episode Leslie and Ilyssa talk about writing, production and casting to make your project sellable to studios and distributors. More About Ilyssa: Director, producer, writer and distribution strategist Ilyssa Goodman has worked with many of Hollywood’s top young and established stars, and with her latest film, “#FBF”, in which Goodman wrote and directed for Timur Berkmambetov...
Dec 21, 2021•40 min
Joelle began her writing career as an advertising copywriter, creating award-winning campaigns for brands like In-N-Out Burger, Kleenex and Lexus. Since making the jump to screenwriting, she's written several romantic comedy and family telefilms including Hallmark Channel's Paris, Wine and Romance. Other films include Love on the Vines and Diagnosis Delicious, each of which aired on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, Win Lose or Love, and Change of Heart for PixLTV, as well as Reluctant Nanny which ...
Dec 14, 2021•45 min
From good sound design to proper formatting on deliverables, Leslie and her guest Megan Huggins from Gravitas dive deep on exactly what distributors are looking for in your film. Megan Huggins is the acquisitions coordinator for Gravitas Ventures, the largest indie all rights distributor in North America. In her time with Gravitas she has negotiated hundreds of feature film deals across VOD, theatrical and worldwide distribution. Megan is a dual Australian/American citizen who worked in corporat...
Dec 07, 2021•37 min
Are you interested in being a creator of animation? In this information packed episode Leslie and Marlene discuss, global development of Animation in Japan, merchandising in Animation Crossover content and trends in animation, the market for boys at specific ages, an animation market for girls, the difference between selling your show and producing your show, Web-comics and the new content creation platforms of Tapas and WebTune. More About Marlene Marlene Sharp is a creative and business-savvy ...
Nov 30, 2021•42 min
The first question to ask when you're preparing your pitch is, what do you want them to understand? Next is what's your hook, your personal story that will get and hold their attention. In this powerful episode, Devo Cutler-Rebenstein answers these questions as well as discussing how to get buyers to want to work with you, gap financing, digital marketing tools and more. Devo Cutler-Rubenstein's passion for storytelling and artistic expression brought her to California Institute of the Arts wher...
Nov 23, 2021•44 min
How do you transition from directing commercials to directing features? Are the structures similar? Are the skills transferable? In this episode, Leslie talks with a young director named Justing Bertrand about the differences between directing in France and directing in the US, the Me Too movement, sexism in the French culture and film industry, Justine's process as a director and much more. www.lafemme.org
Nov 16, 2021•27 min
Sometimes you just have to do it yourself ... as long as it's in conjunction with someone else. In this episode, Leslie talks with Actress/Writer/Director Kathryne Isabelle Easton about developing her own horror franchise, her award winning short film Borrelia Borealis, how to navigate Hollywood as a woman and still stay true to your vision, pay inequity and much more. More about Kathryne: Kathryne Isabelle Easton attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City after studying...
Nov 09, 2021•43 min
What is it like to find love during a Worldwide pandemic? In this episode Leslie talks to the co-creators of the award winning web series "Love in 2020" about what it takes to create and film during Covid 19. Eirinn Disbrow I am an LA based director and editor who is passionate about telling women's stories. Credits include working in editorial on Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters (Sony), Jonathan Levine’s Snatched (FOX) and Long Shot (Lionsgate) as well as David Fincher’s Videosyncrasy (HBO). I edited t...
Nov 02, 2021•31 min
In this very special episode Leslie brings you just a sample of the filmmakers that were featured at this year's LaFemme Film Festival. There was such a wonderful representation of fantastic projects driven by passionate women to choose from that we had to share them with you.
Oct 26, 2021•31 min
Kathleen Rowell wanted to be a novelist and ended up writing a huge film (none other than the Outsiders) as her first feature. How did this happen? In this episode, Leslie and Bridget dive into the reality of being a working Scriptwriter in Hollywood. There are some great tips in this episode.
Oct 19, 2021•27 min
In this very special episode, Leslie is on the hot seat as she answers questions from Producer Phil about everything from the origins of LaFemme to how filmmakers should properly submit to a festival, common mistakes, what to expect at a festival, networking tips, how and why films are chosen, how the right festival can launch your career and much more. More About Leslie: For the past fifteen years Leslie La Page has produced, directed and line produced for Film, TV, Music Videos, commercials an...
Oct 12, 2021•35 min
Streaming and the pandemic are inextricably linked, so let's jump on the bandwagon! In this episode Leslie and Bridget dive into developing a storyline for streaming networks, trends in television, the rise of Sci-fi and women, finding your way into a pitch and behind the camera, ageism in Hollywood (ignore the elderly at your peril), made for TV movies, Ed Asner AND MUCH MORE! Bridget Terry has produced, written or directed a variety of award-winning television, including productions honored wi...
Oct 05, 2021•40 min
Ellen Gerstein is an award winning actor/filmmaker. She is a member of: Women In Film, The Alliance of Women Directors, LA Film Team, Film Independent and is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio. As an actor Ellen has worked with talented directors including Martin Scorsese, Mark Rydell, Mimi Leder, Rob Marshall and Danny DeVito to name a few. She was honored with the Robert Proski Character Actor Award and the Roy W. Dean Screenwriters Grant. Ellen can be seen on the acclaimed FX show, Better...
Sep 28, 2021•33 min
Julie Janney has been a working actress for more than 30 years in film, television, and theatre. She has trained with world renowned producers, directors, and educators like Lee Strasberg and Nikos Psacharopoulis. She has also acted as Meryl Streep’s stunt double on seven feature films, and has performed on Broadway. Ms. Janney is a member of the several acting guilds and organizations and has taught acting and choreography for more than 30 years. In this episode, Leslie sits down with Julie to ...
Sep 21, 2021•37 min
Contract negotiations got you down? Listen in as Leslie talks to Entertainment Attorney Nina Ameri the founder of the highly respected boutique law firm Ameri Law. Together, they discuss the ins and outs of drafting and negotiating talent agreements, Copyright law, development production and distribution deals, story rights and intellectual property, corporate selection and formation, investor agreements and much more. More About Nina The entertainment industry is in my blood. My father was an e...
Sep 14, 2021•34 min
Janeane Bernstein is a writer, speaker, radio host/producer at KUCI 88.9fm, and host of the new series, OUTSIDE THE BOX . She earned a doctorate from Boston University in Educational Media & Technology and graduated from Syracuse University with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Education & Communications. She is a 2021 Age Boom Academy Fellow with the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center in partnership with Columbia Journalism . She first started writing at age 15 when her creati...
Sep 07, 2021•35 min
How do you get Hollywood interest in you script? Leslie's guest Attorney and Literary Agent Paul S Levine says, one very interesting way is to reverse engineer a book from your script, get it published creating the IPO and then go to the studios and distributors. The best part about it is that you get paid multiple times instead of just the $100K as a first time independent script writer. Leslie and Paul also discuss how and why to set up a writing partnership, necessary legal agreements to avoi...
Aug 31, 2021•43 min
Dr. Rosanne Welch is the Executive Director of the Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting, a program whose goal is to bring more female and underrepresented voices and female-focused stories into mainstream media. Her current books include Why The Monkees Matter: Teenagers, Television and American Pop Culture (McFarland Publishing, 2017) and Women in American History: A Social, Political, and Cultural Encyclopedia and Document Collection (ABC-CLIO, 2017), which she co-edited with her CalPo...
Aug 24, 2021•26 min
"Actors are writers" says Leslie's guest Actor, Writer, Director, Producer, Rebekah Miskin. In this episode, Rebekah discusses her short film "Night Owl" as well as how to create a show bible and then a really strong pitch... and there's a difference between pitching to networks and pitching to streamers. More About Rebekah Actor/Director/Writer/Producer, Rebekah Miskin created the web series, NIGHT OWL which had its World Premiere at SXSW to stellar reviews & sold out screenings. John Doyle...
Aug 17, 2021•43 min
Want to get paid for your Sci-FI or Horror short film? Perhaps you can even get it made into a feature! In this episode, Leslie talks with Sophie Carrol the Senior Manager of Acquisitions at Gunpowder & Sky. She drops some serious knowledge about what this groundbreaking short film platform is looking for from its content creators. Don't forget to have your materials prepared, you just might get tapped for success. Do not miss this episode! Gunpowder & Sky is a fast-growing indie studio ...
Aug 10, 2021•35 min
Do you want tips from someone who's responsible for producing major motion pictures in Hollywood? In this episode, Leslie sits down with acclaimed producer Jennie Lew Tugend to discuss how to secure funding for a film during the pandemic, strategies for an exceptionally strong pitch, how to create the perfect log-line, writing for a budget, trends in the industry, adapting a book into a screenplay, when and how to attract a producer to your film and much more. JENNIE LEW TUGEND has produced and ...
Aug 03, 2021•49 min
Get ready for some incredible Independent film marketing tips as Leslie and Ivana discuss navigating the film circuit, getting your film funded, short film vs. feature film marketing strategies, the structure of filming a documentary and how to create social revolution through filmmaking. Ivana Todorović is a director of short, socially-engaging films in Belgrade and New York City. Her fiction film "When I'm at Home" (2019, Belgrade) won the Best Narrative Short at LA Women's Independent Film aw...
Jul 27, 2021•39 min
From Actor to Writer to Producer, Raeann Giles has done it all... or at least a lot. In this episode, Leslie and Raeann discuss how to find representation, tips to launch on Amazon, how to find your audience, casting challenges and choices, tragedy in filmmaking, leveraging into future projects, the structure of a film, the writing process and much more. Raeann Giles is a multi-ethnic writer/actor, graduate of UCLA’s MFA School of Theater, Film and Television in Screenwriting and the creator of ...
Jul 20, 2021•43 min
There is a massive push for diverse talent at Sony through the diversification and inclusion program run by VP, Creative Programming, Diversity & Inclusion Brett King. If you are trying to break in to Hollywood, this episode is packed with information as Leslie and Brett discuss Sony's Diverse Writers Program and Diverse Directors Program, what types of writers and directors Sony is looking for, mentorship and development opportunities, how to craft a personal narrative and much more... Bret...
Jul 13, 2021•37 min
There is the dream of finding funding for your film and then there's the reality of how it happens. In this episode, Leslie and Sonya break down the process of making a documentary, discuss historical Jewish stories, working in Afghanistan, finding the right editor and much more. SONYA WINTERBERG is an award-winning writer and documentary director with roots in Finland and Germany. For most of her career, her work focused on women and children in armed conflicts and post-war situations. Sonya re...
Jul 06, 2021•35 min
The world was largely unaware that there is a large Indian community in South Africa... until Judy Naidoo. In this episode, Leslie and Judy discuss feature film distribution, the film festival circuit, independent film grants, the virtues of being a proactive filmmaker and much more. Judy Naidoo is a South African independent filmmaker. She holds a Masters Degree in Producing from the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in the United Kingdom. She was the recipient of two scholarships that...
Jun 29, 2021•32 min
How do you convince risk adverse people to fund your film? Some filmmakers go as far as actually shooting a short to use as a proof of concept, In this episode, Leslie and Veronika talk about the best ways to advance your career in film like choosing between big film festivals vs. targeted film festivals, how to work with kids on set, finding the right collaborators, putting story and characters first, how to utilize your editor, the necessity of a script supervisor and much more. Veronika Kurz ...
Jun 22, 2021•42 min
