Blissful Spinster – Details, episodes & analysis

Meet Oren Soffer!  Oren lives in Los Angeles and is an up and coming cinematographer with a bold cinematic eye. Oren’s work includes two feature films; “Fixation” that premiered at TIFF and “Allswell” that premiered at TriBeCa in 2022 as well as Co-Dping the film “The Creator” with cinematographer Greig Fraser. While studying film at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Oren was nominated for the ASC Gordon Willis Student Heritage Award, and was a finalist for the Arri Volker Bahnemann Award for Cinematography. Oren has also shot multiple award-winning short films, including “Opera of Cruelty,” 'which won a Student Academy Award, and “See You Soon,” which won the audience award at the Palm Springs International Shortsfest.Recently, Oren has started co-hosting his own podcast called Cinematography Salon which has some great in-depth conversations on both the technical aspects of filmmaking as well as what it’s like to navigate the world of film as a career. Oren and I met at a UTA party last September and we had such a great conversation that I asked if he’d be on Blissful Spinster and I was delighted when he said yes!  I have to admit my conversation with Oren is one of my favorites to date. His passion for the art of filmmaking is palpable and he is all at once introspective, humorous and articulate. He loves to share knowledge and is full of wonderful nuggets for filmmakers of any level. Beyond the joy of watching Oren succeed at what he loves, what brings me the most joy is knowing I can now call Oren a friend We had an Amazing chat and I’m so excited to bring you Part 1 of my conversation with Oren!

**  Just a couple of fun notes before we get going… this episode was recorded nearly a year ago, last October and you’ll hear Oren and I refer to the film “The Creator” as it’s former name “True Love”, also, this episode will be part 1, as Oren has graciously agreed to come back as a guest to record a bonus episode and talk about what he’s been up to since our last chat and to talk a little bit more in depth on “The Creator” on the eve of the film’s release.

Oren’s Bio:

Oren recently shot the feature film ‘The Creator,’ directed by Gareth Edwards, along with cinematographer Greig Fraser ASC ACS, slated for release on September 29, 2023. Two of his other recent features premiered at the TIFF and TriBeCa film festivals in 2022. He has also shot multiple award-winning short films, including 'Opera of Cruelty,' which won a Student Academy Award, and ‘See You Soon,’ which won the audience award at the Palm Springs International Shortsfest before subsequently premiering on Short of the Week and receiving a Vimeo Staff Pick. During his studies at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Oren was nominated for the ASC Gordon Willis Student Heritage Award, and was a finalist for the Arri Volker Bahnemann Award for Cinematography. Oren has also shot hundreds of commercials and music videos for a variety of clients including Nike, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, HBO, Foot Locker, Grey Goose Vodka, Doritos, Kohler, Wilson Tennis, Marriott Hotels, ACE Hardware, Crest, Viacom, and Universal Studios.

Connect with Oren on: Instagram

Learn more about Oren’s work on his website

Listen to Oren’s Podcast Cinematographer’s Salon

The Creator is opening in theatres September 29th! - GO SEE IT!

Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, Instagram

If you’re enjoying Blissful Spinster please consider supporting me by visiting my author page on Amazon - Pawsman Prints and picking up a purrfect gift for yourself or the cat lover in your life with one of my eclectic cat-themed journals! Meow!

Links & Love

If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.

Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?

 

Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).

 

Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.

 

Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚

Meet Randall Park, the multi-talented artist who has captivated audiences with his comedic acting, writing, producing, and directing skills. Hailing from Los Angeles, Randall is not only known for his comedic prowess but has also ventured into the realms of producing and directing. His journey in the entertainment industry began during his time at UCLA, where he co-founded the LCC Theatre Company, which has since grown to become the largest Asian American college theater group in the country.

I first discovered Randall's talent when a friend shared a link to the hilarious web series, IKEA Heights, from the Comedy 101 web series. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend checking it out at the link I left below! Since then, Randall has left his mark on various shows such as The Office and Veep before landing lead roles in Fresh Off The Boat and Blockbuster. His performances have also extended to both the Marvel and DC franchises, with his portrayal of FBI Agent Jimmy Woo in the WandaVision series generating a significant online campaign for a spin-off series centered around his character.

One of Randall's most notable accomplishments, in my opinion, was his co-writing and co-starring role in Netflix's rom-com Always Be My Maybe alongside Ali Wong. His portrayal of the romantic lead showcased his nuanced and hilarious performance, solidifying his talent as both a writer and actor.

In addition to his own success, Randall is also committed to amplifying Asian American and underrepresented voices in the industry. This dedication has led him to co-found Imminent Collision, a production company aimed at providing a platform for these voices. Together with his friends from the LCC Theatre Company, Randall is working towards creating meaningful opportunities for marginalized communities.

Most recently, Randall ventured into directing with his debut feature film, Shortcomings, a subversive romantic comedy that played in competition at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The film tells a relatable story about messy people who happen to be Asian American, providing a refreshing perspective to the genre. It was at Sundance that I had the incredible opportunity to meet Randall during a panel on directing your first feature film. I was thrilled when he agreed to share his directing journey with me on Blissful Spinster, and our conversation was filled with open dialogue, insightful advice, and inspiring anecdotes. I’m so excited to bring you my conversation with Randall!

 

Follow Randall’s Production Company - Imminent Collision on: Instagram

Shortcomings is still in theatres this week - GO SEE IT!

Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, Instagram

Check out IKEA Heights on YouTube

If you’re enjoying Blissful Spinster please consider supporting me by visiting my author page on Amazon - Pawsman Prints and picking up a purrfect gift for yourself or the cat lover in your life with one of my eclectic cat-themed journals! Meow!

Links & Love

If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.

Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?

 

Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).

 

Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.

 

Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚

Meet Carl Hansen! Carl is a Director, Producer, and Disability Advocate and he lives in Los Angeles. He's an award-winning filmmaker and Emmy-winning producer who has been a Co-Executive Producer and Supervising Producer on such shows as the cultural phenomenon Shark Tank and the groundbreaking Boston Med. He's also an acclaimed timed-short filmmaker with his team, Cultural Detritus. Since 2005 they have made 29 films, many of which have gone on to win several awards. As if that’s not enough, Carl is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, most especially for people with disabilities, in the Entertainment industry. Most importantly, Carl is one of my oldest friends and I’m super excited to share this laughter-filled conversation with you all.  We chat about our early shared passion for film, the importance of paying it forward, and what it means to be a diversity & inclusion advocate especially when it comes to the disabled community and Hollywood. Find out more about Carl and his 48-Hour Films on the Cultural Detritus website: https://www.culturaldetritus.com/about-us Connect with Carl on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fhansen1 Connect with Carl on Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/fcarlhansen Find out more about Blissful Spinster & connect with Chadwick Pawsman on the website: https://www.blissfulspinster.comLinks & Love If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too. Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?   Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).   Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.   Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚

Meet Caroline Liem! Caroline is a Producer & Casting Director. She lives in Los Angeles and has worked as a Casting Director for over 20 years, Caroline has cast studio features, independent films, television series, and pilots for Paramount, Twentieth Century Fox, Disney Studios, Sony, Warner Bros. ABC, CBS, and NBC. She has also worked with many prominent producers and directors including Lauren Schuler Donner, David Goyer, Jon Turteltaub, and Jen McGowan to name a few. And during her time working for the casting department at Disney Studios, she oversaw the casting for such projects as Gone in Sixty Seconds, Pearl Harbor, and Gangs of New York. Caroline is also a sought-after audition coach and acting teacher who’s been a guest professor at several prestigious programs including - The Juilliard School, NYU Tisch, and Syracuse to name a few - and is currently faculty at Pace University and UT Austin. Recently Caroline has decided to use her extensive knowledge and skills in casting and try her hand at producing… a fact that makes me super happy as she’s one of my producers on Alone Girl! Yes, you guessed it, this is one of my “checking-in on Alone Girl’sJourney” episodes! Caroline and I have known each other since Grad School and we’ve remained close friends and collaborators throughout the years! During our chat, we’ll catch you up on who Caroline is, and also where we’ve been on Alone Girl’s Journey, on our shared mission to make Alone Girl diverse & inclusive – both in front of & behind the camera and what’s been happening on the film’s path recently. Find out more about Caroline on her website at: https://www.carolineliem.com Connect with Caroline on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/itscarolineliem/ Connect with Caroline on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/itscarolineliemLinks & Love If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too. Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?   Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).   Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.   Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚

Meet Susan Littenberg! Susan is an accomplished editor who lives in Los Angeles. She’s been an editor on over 15 feature films including, Charlotte’s Web, Bride Wars, Easy A, 13 Going On 30, and And Everything Is Going Fine, directed by Steven Soderbergh. Susan was nominated for an ACE award for Easy A and she also edited the music doc The Ballad Of Ramblin’ Jack which won a grand jury prize at Sundance among many other awards. Early in Susan’s career, when she was still an Assistant Editor she got to work with directors, Jim Jarmusch, Hal Hartley, Ang Lee, and Paul Auster. Most recently, Susan was a Producer on the award-winning documentary Bathtubs Over Broadway, which examines the quirky world of the corporate musical. Susan currently teaches at UCLA, which is where I met her, at a screening she was moderating that the Bruin Film Society sponsored a film she worked on as the Assistant Editor – The Ice Storm. I was thrilled when I made a point to meet Susan after the screening and asked if she’d share her journey and wisdom on Blissful Spinster and she said “yes!”. We had a wonderful chat full of amazing insights into the craft of filmmaking and storytelling and I’m so happy to be able to share this conversation with you. Links & Love If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too. Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?   Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).   Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.   Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚

Meet Adria Dawn! Adria is a talented multi-hyphenate who shines both in front of and behind the camera. In front of the camera, Adria is most known for playing the dysfunctional outcast April Tuna on Ryan Murphy's first series, the high school cult hit, Popular. Behind the camera, Adria is an accomplished director, writer, and Producer, who is most known for her films about social change. She’s recently won two Telly Awards (Yay, Adria!), one for her multi-award-winning Black Lives Matter film, Karen, and the other for her alcohol use disorder film, Gray Area. She is also known for the educational film series Kids Matter where she just released their latest film – Identity. As if all of that weren’t enough to keep anyone busy, Adria has also begun work on a memoir that I’m sure will be both enlightening and entertaining. Last but never least important! Adria is one of my oldest & very best friends… we met last century while we were both attending the University of Illinois and we’ve been there for each other both professionally and personally throughout our lives. I really enjoyed getting to both, chatting with Adria, and helping shine a light on what a fantastic artist and human she is. This conversation is a testament to how important it is as an artist to build and maintain a tribe of positive collaborators and friends to help us along this journey we call life. Yay friendship! Find out more about Adria on her website: http://adriadawn.com/Home.html Connect with Adria on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/adria.dawn/ Connect with Adria on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/adria_dawnLinks & Love If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too. Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?   Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).   Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.   Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚

Meet Leigh Medeiros! Leigh is a published author and screenwriter who’s been supporting creative people in various capacities for 30 years. Her book The 1-minute Writer is a fun handbook designed to help you flex your writing muscles and create your best work. And amazingly she’s recently co-produced a climate-related Pitchfest for TV and film with Young Entertainment Activists in L.A. and founded the Linden Place Writers Residency in Bristol, Rhode Island. In our chat, we talk about creativity and the importance of being a cheerleader for our fellow creatives. We also cover the fascinating topic of combining environmental & climate change messaging in the art we create, including the scripts we write as a form of activism for our planet. Leigh’s curiosity and positivity make me smile and I’m sure you’ll be smiling too! Find out more about Leigh on her website: https://www.leighmedeiros.com Connect with Leigh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leigh_medeirosLinks & Love If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too. Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?   Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).   Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.   Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚

Meet Carolina Groppa! Carolina is a Producer and Podcaster. She’s worked as a freelance producer for over a decade across all platforms and in both narrative and documentary mediums. Carolina earned her first, of what I’m sure will be more to come, Emmy nomination in Producing for the documentary Autism in Love. Most recently, a narrative film she produced this past year – Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul, had its premiere at Sundance. Along with all her work in film & TV, Carolina also self-produces (I’d expect nothing less of a producer!) a wonderful and informative podcast called - Angle On Producers (AOP). On AOP she has in-depth conversations with many of today’s most progressive and innovative film & TV producers. AOP is how I discovered Carolina, and in our chat, we get into how she started AOP out of curiosity and with an aim to highlight the unvarnished truth of what it takes to work in film & TV as a producer and about all the different types of producers it takes to bring projects to fruition. We also talk about her journey, going from a freelance producer in physical production to pivoting and becoming a production executive at Issa Rea’s production company – ColorCreative as the Head of Physical Production. And the thing I find most wonderful about Carolina is that she is a poster child for following your passion and curiosity, as the opportunity to become a part of the ColorCreative team stemmed directly from her creating her podcast in the first place. Find out more about Carolina & Angle On Producers on her website: https://www.carolinagroppa.com Find out more about ColorCreative on their website: https://colorcreative.co Connect with Carolina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinagroppa Listen to Angle On Producers here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/angle-on-producers-with-carolina-groppa/id1469447192Links & Love If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too. Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?   Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).   Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.   Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚

Meet BD Gunnell! BD is my lead Creative Producer on Alone Girl. She’s got multiple producing credits in the independent film field and is a member of the P.G.A. You can check out her bio below. In this episode, you’ll hear how I met BD and was able to attract her interest in Alone Girl and how she ultimately signed on to be my lead producer. You’ll also hear about some of the ups and downs we’ve already been on as we try to secure the financing for Alone Girl. We also talk about the production company BD has started - Empowered Entertainment, and how the company aims to seek out female investors for the slate of films she’s planning on producing which includes Alone Girl. Connect with BD on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/bdgunnell/Links & Love If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too. Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?   Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).   Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.   Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚

Meet Jack Perez! Jack is an Independent Film Writer/Director. He’s a member of both the DGA & the WGA and has over a dozen feature films under his belt including the indie genre hit Some Guy Who Kills People, La Cucaracha, which won best feature at the Austin Film Festival, and The Big Empty which won Best New Writer at the AFI Film Fest. Jack also teaches and is the head of the directing track at Academy of Art in San Francisco. Jack and I have known each other for over 20 years and it was super fun to catch up with him and share where I’m at with Alone Girl. Our conversation spanned things like not getting caught up in festival placement, how important it is to go into the principal photography phase of your film as prepared as you can as a director, and of course, that age-old question - is a blank page a scary dark hole of nothingness or an exciting open sea of adventure and possibility? Find out more about Jack on his website at: https://www.jackperezdirector.com Connect with Jack on Instagram at: https://instagram.com/whospussLinks & Love If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too. Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?   Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).   Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.   Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚