Monica Levinson - Producer of OLD DADS, BORAT, and ZOOLANDER

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/AOP to get 10% off your first month of online therapy which you can do from the comfort of your home!**

Over the moon to share my chat with Grammy® Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning actress, singer, author and producer, Cynthia Erivo. 

She is set to star as Elphaba in Universal’s highly anticipated film adaptation of the hit musical WICKED.

But before we get to see her all in her green glory, I highly recommend catching her in DRIFT, a project that also happens to be her producorial debut. DRIFT follows a young Liberian refugee named Jacqueline (Erivo) who has barely escaped her war-torn country to a Greek island.

The film World Premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews. It’s a beautiful character piece and Erivo delivers a nuanced performance that’s truly unforgettable. It’s playing in select theaters across the US. Check out showtimes at drift.film

Cynthia was on our dream list of 2024 guests. We knew inviting her would be a reach and were fulled prepared for a firm “no thank you” but we got an excited “yes!” just days later, we couldn’t believe it. Thrilled to now be able to share the product of that dream with all of you…which is fitting since one of the key takeaways of this episode is dream big.

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/AOP to get 10% off your first month of online therapy which you can do from the comfort of your home!**

Delighted to share my chat with the inspiring, delightful, and Emmy nominated Coco Francini. An LA native, she began her career as a development intern, eventually becoming Quentin Tarantino’s assistant in 2011 on Django Unchained They formed a solid working relationship and she eventually returned as associate producer on The Hateful Eight. 

She spent a season of her career as the VP of Activision Blizzard Studios where she led the creative development and production of film and TV content for the world’s largest video game and interactive media company, shepherding projects including the iconic Call of Duty game franchise.

Shortly after producing MRS. AMERICA for FX, she became a  partner at Dirty Films, alongside Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton.  

On top of her prolific producing career, Coco is also one of the brilliant brains behind the Proof of Concept Accelerator Grant, a collaboration between Dirty Films, Netflix, and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. The grant is designed to accelerate the path for directors who give voice to the perspectives of women, trans and non-binary people. Eight filmmakers will receive $50,000 in funding to create short films that can act as springboards to feature films or TV series. Link in bio for me as the deadline is Friday 2/16.

Can't wait to hear your takeaway!

Beijos,

cg

Happy New Year, everyone!  Hope you’re back rested and energized for 2024! We are kicking off new beginnings with an old friend…the prolific film and television producer, Monica Levinson. 

Some of her impressive credits include BORAT, BRUNO, ZOOLANDER, DODGEBALL, Larry David's CLEAR HISTORY, Tara Miele's WANDER DARKLY, David Oyelowo's THE WATER MAN and Aaron Sorkin's THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7.

Starting her career in broadcast news in her hometown of Washington, D.C., Monica transitioned into narrative storytelling by working with visionary directors including Alan J. Pakula and Sidney Lumet.

She most recently produced OLD DADS, the Netflix comedy written, directed and starring Bill Burr which did really well on the platform when it dropped last October. 

On top of a busy producing career, she is also an executive board member of AMPAS, PGA, DGA, and on the leadership team for the Women's Production Society. 

Mentorship is very important to her and she certainly walks the walk. I count myself lucky to know her as an ally and a mentor. She's constantly giving back and she drops lots of gems during out chat, such as:

1. Jobs that aren’t exactly what you want to be doing can provide a foundation for the jobs you want

2. Filmmaking is a collaboration - be prepared but remember you’re not alone

3. Working in production is still creative!

Happy listening!

-cg

Happy Tuesday! It’s November 21st, my favorite day of the year because it's my birthday! It’s a treat to share this episode with 3Pas CEO, Ben Odell with you as I celebrate another revolution around the sun. 

Ben grew up in the U.S. before packing up and moving to Colombia in his 20s. After finding success as a writer, his producorial pursuits led him back to the states where he joined forces with the legendary Mexican director and comedian, Eugenio Derbez, to create 3Pas.

Their film, RADICAL, winner of the 2023 Sundance Festival Favorite Award, is in theaters now. The film, inspired by a Wired Magazine article by Joshua Davis, follows the 6th grade students at Jose Urbina Lopez Elementary in Mexico, who are among the worst performing students in the country. Everything changes when teacher Sergio Juarez (Eugenio Derbez) arrives with an outside-the-box approach, opening their minds and changing their hearts forever. 

Here are my top 3 takeaways from this conversation. What are yours? 

• A good marketing plan is just as important as a good story

• The Latinx market can’t be put into a box

• Diversity and inclusion are imperative, but what does thoughtful inclusion actually look like?

Hiii everybody. This week on the show we are flipping things on it's head a little bit. I'm often asked about my story, my journey, my advice...so I figured it could be a fun opportunity to have my associate producer, Sarah Bockian, take the reins as interviewer and put me in the hot seat.

Sarah joined the team six months ago at the start of the writers’ strike, and has been working behind the scenes with me to help bring these episodes to life. She comes from the world of development and writers’ room support staff, having worked on comedies and dramas for both broadcast and streaming. 

As this is her formal introduction on the show, she’d like the listeners to know two things:

1) she’s available for staffing (and also Showrunners’ Assistant and Writers’ Assistant positions), and 2) she was super congested during the recording of this episode, and she’s 90% sure her voice normally sounds less annoying.

In this episode, we cover everything from my immigration to America, to egos at work, and the one set experience that still haunts me to this day. 

Key Takeaways:

-Make your own opportunities, don’t wait for them to find you

-The most valuable business relationships are about depth, not quantity

-The importance of holding on to your spark

Thanks for doing this life thing with me!

-C

Elated and relieved that a tentative deal has been reached between the WGA and the studios. In between rejoicing and celebrating, I found myself wondering what impact, if any, this new contract will have on my fellow indie producers?

Producers Laura Lewis and Brent Emery were recently interviewed by IndieWire on what role producers play in the AMPTP. It compelled me to invite them on to explore why there’s a change.org petition floating around to remove that second “P” from the acronym and the need for the Producers Union, which is currently 300 members strong.

Fun Facts: 

• The PGA is a non-profit trade organization that does not have collective bargaining power, despite a long history of lawsuits and lobbying in an effort to be recognized. 

• No independent producer had a seat at the table or was involved in ANY of the negotiations with any of the unions this past summer. 

Hollywood has changed tremendously in the last 50 years. Labor unions have forced studios to keep up with the times and protected the interest of its members. Indie producers have no protections. It’s time to change that. 

Support the Change.Org petition by visiting the link in bio!

Thrilled to share my chat with the inspiring and nimble Noelle Green, Director of Physical Production at Netflix on the Original Series. 

Prior to Netflix, Noelle was a VP in Physical Production at Legendary Pictures and oversaw such projects as Kong: Skull Island and Krampus.

The majority of her career was spent freelancing as a production supervisor or coordinator. She eventually began working as a line producer in the 90s where she was often the only woman of color sets of 500 or more people.

This experience planted a seed that eventually led her to be one of the founders of the Producers Inclusion Initiative, a joint effort between Netflix and Shondaland to help bring up more underrepresented people in the line producer path. It’s truly important work that I cherish as she’s helped create opportunities for many.

In this episode, Noelle takes us through digging into her grit to go from struggling single mother to a Netflix exec, speaks on the importance of inclusion in the workplace and shares her wisdom on how she dealt with the frustratingly impermeable boys’ club.

Key Takeaways: 

1. Be nimble and flexible, but never compromise yourself.

2. Lean into frustration

3. Know what you bring to the table and then bring it to the table.

Delighted to share my chat with the inspiring writer/producer Gabby Lugo. We met at a networking event for the Latinx community and were quickly magnetized to each other. We bonded over the various parallels in our path and I simply had to share her story with you. 

After finding major success as a line producer on projects like the original short for Damien Chazelle’s film "Whiplash" and the anomaly indie hit that was the feature "Palm Springs", she was faced with making a decision that would have most creatives shaking in their boots: should she continue on the lucrative line producing path, or turn down her financial safety net and pursue her true passion for writing? 

In this episode, you'll get the real-real on how Gabby navigated the high stress and high stakes of a journey that begins with immigration from Nicaragua and arrives to present day with the recently-sold reboot of "16 Candles" alongside powerhouse latinas, showrunner Tanya Saracho and the one and only Selena Gomez. 

Spoiler Alert: Gabby’s writing it. 

This week on the show we hear from the energetic Nicole Tossou who lives by the mantra:  If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.

A child of immigrant parents and proud native of Washington D.C, Nicole’s career began in the NBC Page Program in New York, working on iconic programs such as THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON, TODAY, and SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.

She worked at A+E Networks & A+E Studios for five years before heading west and landing at Springhill Entertainment, where she was deeply involved with the development of scripted and unscripted content including Netflix's SELF MADE: INSPIRED BY THE LIFE OF MADAM C.J. WALKER starring Octavia Spencer.

Loved this show, btw. If you have not seen it, highly recommend checking it out.

Nicole is currently the Head of Television at Project X Entertainment and is an EP on Netflix’s, “The Night Agent.” The show premiered in April and was in the top 10 list of the streamer’s most popular shows ever.

I adored our our chat and as you’ll hear, I was in a funky moment the day we recorded. She really lifted my spirits and as much as I do the show for you and our community, oftentimes these conversations become free therapy for me.

Here are the key takeaways:

• Learning to set boundaries
• Stepping away to enjoy things outside of the industry to reinvigorate your spark
• How to feel whole and define yourself outside of your job

Resources:

Carolina on IG - instagram.com/carolinagroppa

AOP on IG - instagram.com/angleonproducers

Subscribe to my newsletter - eepurl.com/gx0gvn

The Baddest Bitch in the Room - https://amzn.to/3X48AzR

Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker - netflix.com/title/80202462

Elated to dive into the captivating world of animation through the incredible career of Melinda Dilger, Global Head of Animation Production @ Riot Games.

Animation has the power to transport us to new dimensions, ignite our emotions, and bring fantastical worlds to life. One series, in particular, has been capturing the hearts and minds of viewers worldwide…myself included.

Arcane is a visionary show born from the collaboration between Riot Games, Fortiche and Netflix. Set in the universe of the wildly popular game "League of Legends," Arcane follows the tragic story of two iconic champions, sisters Vi and Jinx and the power that will tear them apart. 

It has managed to break through the boundaries of what we thought animation could achieve, captivating audiences of all ages. So, naturally, the show earned multiple Emmys, Annie Awards, and a Lumiere Award to name a few.

I rarely gravitate towards animation so I was shook when I realized I had binged the entire first season. It compelled me to find out who was behind it. So, I was thrilled when Melinda accepted my invite to come on the show.

An experienced leader in her field, she’s worked with top players in town, including Walt Disney Studios, Nickelodeon, Universal and others. She produced over 200 episodic titles and features and is now overseeing animation production for Riot Games’ television and film properties.

Some highlights include:

• The time and empathy required to nurture artist
• How she energized the deflated team behind Arcane when she joined
• Remembering that one job interview can lead an offer for another job