The New Year starts unsympathetically for entertainment creatives. It’s like a race official says, “ready……
About Madeline Merritt
Actress, Freelance Writer - Madeline grew up on stage and has loved telling stories her whole life. From the Bay Area, California, Madeline received her degree in Theatre and Political Science from Northwestern University and moved to Los Angeles in 2008. She recently spent a year in Paris, France but missed the city of Angels and the entertainment industry here. She cares deeply about social issues, including women’s rights, indigenous rights, poverty and the environment. She feels the role of storyteller through entertainment is very important in opening dialogue and creating change in the world. You can see her in The Guest House (available on Netflix, Itunes, Amazon and Time Warner on Demand) and the soon to be released American Idiots, coming to a Redbox near you in June 2013. She is thrilled to continue her journey of collaborating with women in film and television through Ms. In the Biz.
Last year I directed my very first micro budget feature film from a screenplay I…
About Sophie Webb
Sophie Webb is a filmmaker and performer from Sydney, Australia. She is passionate about microbudget filmmaking for its ability to open up the medium to a more diverse range of artists and storytellers. She now lives in LA and has directed several short films, music videos and most recently a microbudget feature. She is a proud member of Women In Film Los Angeles and her ultimate goal is to be a part of changing the way women and minorities are portrayed in mainstream media. Her all time favorite film directed by a woman is “Fish Tank” by Andrea Arnold.
Inspiration and strength comes from the most unlikely places. For Asha Dahya it came from…
About Deborah Lee Smith
Deborah Lee Smith is an award-winning actor, producer, and founder of “More Than You See”, a non profit organization dedicated to sharing stories and resources surrounding the daily struggles of mental health. Recent projects include “Here Awhile” starring Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect), and “Last Three Days” starring Robert Palmer Watkins (General Hospital). Deborah is also a regular contributing staff writer for the entertainment website “Ms. In The Biz”.
I wandered into an independent book store recently, the kind with rare books you won’t…
About Michelle Kantor
Michelle Kantor co-founded Cinefemme, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization for women directors, while studying at San Francisco State University. She is the youngest daughter of political refugees who fled Communist Czechoslovakia in the 1960's, and is currently producing two films about her family's historic escape from behind the Iron Curtain: RED STAR, a feature documentary following her father's return on the 50th anniversary of his escape, and THE REBEL, a narrative feature film screenplay written by Michelle, based on their lives. She also directs performance art videos for painter Tara Savelo, former Haus of Gaga member and writes the blog www.ultra-luxurious.com. Michelle's body of work includes short films, experimental narratives, documentaries, and live work for circus performers at San Francisco's Teatro Zinzanni. Her music video "Highway To Yodel-Ay-Hee-Huuu," starring America's Got Talent's Manuela Horn, won Best Music Video at LA Femme Film Festival in 2014. Her production credits include work for HBO, FYI, The History Channel, Sony, Universal, and NASA. An advocate for epilepsy, her groundbreaking film "Bettina in the Fog" won the Thunen Award by the Illuminating Engineers Society. Michelle's other distinctions include the Goldfarb Award for Best Student Film and funding from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation for Cinefemme. She holds an MFA in Cinema from San Francisco State University and BFA in Film Production from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Michelle is a certified paralegal, mother, writer and artist. An active member of the female filmmaking community, Michelle belongs to WIF, AWD and Film Fatales.
“Before you write anything, you have to notice something.” – John Irving When I joined…
About Jackie Perez
Jackie Perez is a military brat turned engineer turned filmmaker. After five years of Naval service she left active duty and started a new career in the industry where she currently works as an assistant at Perfect Storm Entertainment and writes and directs short films in her free time. She is on advisory board for of Veterans in Film and Television, a graduate of the WGA Foundation Veterans Writing program, the founder of CAA Vets, and a Lieutenant in the Navy Reserves. Starting fall 2015 she will be pursuing a MFA in TV and Screenwriting through Stephens College and can’t wait to make her first feature film. She loves horror movies, has an environmental engineering degree from MIT, tries to travel outside the country once a year, plays the banjo, and has the most adorable hedgehog named Pickle.
“A HOUSE IS A BUILDING. A HOME IS A FEELING….SOMETHING YOU CARRY WITH YOU.” –…
About Elyssa Phillips
A native New Yorker, Elyssa has been acting since the age of 5 (she still owns the red dress with the black bow from when she played Annie at the age of 6). After studying at the British American Drama Academy in England, and graduating from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Elyssa spent her time performing around the country in various theatrical productions....from Shakespeare's "As You Like It" and "Measure For Measure", to the long-running improvisational comedies "Tony 'n Tina's Wedding" and "Shear Madness"...with some other tricks of her trade along the way. Elyssa is a house performer, writer, and producer at The Pack Theater in Hollywood. Her most recent TV credits include "Silicon Valley" and "The Mindy Project".
New year only means one thing – resolutions. You know, that unrealistic list that includes…
About Vicky Ayala
Vicky is a digital strategist and personal brand coach who works with multi-passionate soloprepreneurs and teaches them how to build a thriving online business. She muses on the entrepreneurial journey and uses storytelling as a vehicle for showing others how to design a lifestyle that’s on purpose and by design. She is also founder of The Brand Asylum, a virtual training academy for solopreneurs who want to leverage and launch their way to success.
Happy New Year readers! Even if you’re reading this article in July, after the fact,…
About Amanda Goodman
Actress/Writer/Comedian - Amanda first fell in love with the art of making people laugh in the 2nd grade when she and another classmate entered into their class vaudeville night by doing a stand-up act that ended with them getting pied in the face (literally). Since then, she's studied acting all over New York including private teachers, master classes at The Stella Adler Studio, and The Upright Citizens Brigade. She is the star and creator of her own original web sketch comedy show "Goody's Goodies", and host of the Podcast "Green Pod". She also writes short horror fiction, and completed her first full-length horror novel "The Ansford Chiller", which she hopes will one day be able to scare the pants off of pants-wearers for years to come. She loves cupcakes of all shapes and sizes, Chris Farley movies, and the French word pampelmoose. Follow her mis-adventures on Twitter @ABGoody and www.amandabgoodman.com.
