My Creative Careers, hosts Tamika Lamison and Adam Leipzig draw on the hundreds of movies & TV shows they’ve worked on to open the doors of access through fun, funny, and deeply revealing interviews with award-winning movie & TV pros and emerging newcomers. Tamika writes on Amazon’s/ALLBLK “Monogamy", runs the AICP/DGA’s Commercial Directors Diversity program, founded the Make a Film Foundation and is currently producing and directing several projects as SVP of Development and Production at PhilmCo.
Adam has been a senior exec at Disney, president of National Geographic Films, and has produced/supervised/distributed/financed 35 films including “March of the Penguins,” “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” “Dead Poets Society,” “Titus,” and “A Plastic Ocean.” Together Tamika and Adam ask their guests: “What do you really, really do and how did you get there?” Listeners will explore what goes on behind the scenes, discover creative careers they may never have heard of, and learn how to make their own paths, too. My Creative Careers (because creative people never have only one career!) showcases the diversity of people, arts, and professions in the entertainment industry, and shares behind-the-scenes insights so listeners can deepen their knowledge and activate their aspirations. Produced by MediaU.com – your online career accelerator.
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Lyndon Barrois is an accomplished artist, award-winning director, animator, and visual effects professional. A native of New Orleans, Lyndon played a pivotal role in creating groundbreaking visual effects for critically-acclaimed feature films such as The Matrix Trilogy, Happy Feet, Tree of Life, and The Thing, for which he received a Visual Effects Society Award nomination. Lyndon is an active member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, a Commissioner for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, and a board member of the California Institute of the Arts.
This week, we welcome Lyndon to talk to us about how some of the amazing visual effects we see onscreen are created and how he got his start in the industry. He lets us in on the app he uses to shoot stop motion animation films on his iPhone and highlights that anyone with enthusiasm can leverage the tech they have in their pocket to get started. Lyndon also discusses his experiences of directing both animation and live-action movies, the differences between the two from his point of view, and shares why he prefers to direct animation projects.
“You have to adapt; that’s one of the things that we always have to do in this industry. You’ve got to adapt to the medium, the tools, the whole shebang.” - Lyndon Barrois
“Movies and TV shows are not so much about the way the world is, but the way we want the world to be. And VFX help us see anything that we can imagine.” - Adam Leipzig
“Visual effects are like alchemy — you have this little piece of something to work with, and you can turn it into anything that you want.” - Tamika Lamison
Highlights This Week:
How Lyndon entered the film industry via graphic design and miniature modeling
How he lost his first job before he even got started
Lyndon’s opportunity with Disney and what he learned on the job
Lyndon’s recent miniatures and stop-motion work and the other independent projects he is involved with right now
When Lyndon is brought on board a project and why he prefers to get involved at the storyboarding and pre-visualization stage
Why pre-visualization is so critical in the context of planning the film as a whole
How Lyndon brings the context of the world we live in into the work that he does
Lyndon gives his advice to a listener interesting in making a career in visual effects
Some of Lyndon’s favorite projects to work on and why he enjoyed them so much
Lyndon’s work at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, and why they try and explain and correct omissions in the history of cinema
Jump Cut - The Editor (with Jon Poll & Angela Latimer)
Episode 8
Friday, August 19, 2022 • Duration 40:25
Jon Poll is a director, film editor, and producer. He attended the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts and graduated in 1981 with a major in film production. As an editor, Jon worked on 18 films between 1982 and 2004, including Weeds, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Mystery, Alaska, Meet the Parents, Scary Movie 3, Forever Young, and Death to Smoochy. Jon made his directorial debut in 2007 with the comedy-drama Charlie Bartlett. He was also executive producer for The 40 Year Old Virgin and co-producer for Brüno and the television series TV 101 and Eerie,Indiana.
On the My Creative Careers show this week, Jon explores what it means to be a film editor and describes his role in the movie-making process. He shares the differences between what an editor looks for and what a director looks for in a cut and why that difference in perspective can lift a film to the next level. Jon also gives his advice and insight to an emerging editor moving up in the business and highlights the pros and cons of niching down as an editor.
“Editing is a very, very much of a hidden art. It's a little bit of black magic.” - Jon Poll
“Movies need a lot of love ... And sometimes some movies need more love than others.” - Jon Poll
“When you make movies, one of the most interesting parts is your preview which means you go to a real live movie theater and you get real-life people who want to see a movie, and they watch it, and you screen it, and your heart is in your stomach. - Jon Poll
Highlights This Week:
The moment when Jon realized that he needed to trust his instincts when cutting a film.
The differences between editing a big-budget movie and an independent movie.
Why Jon believes that a film is a communication device between filmmakers and their audience.
Resources
Can You Hear Me Now? - The Sound Editor (with Victoria Sampson & Andrew Macht)
Episode 7
Friday, August 19, 2022 • Duration 40:47
Victoria Rose Sampson has been a renowned Feature Film Sound Editor who learned her craft by working alongside her mother, Kay Rose, the first woman to win an Oscar for sound editing on the Mark Rydell film, The River. Victoria’s credits include Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Speed, Donnie Darko and Return of the Jedi, and she now teaches post-production sound at Video Symphony in Burbank. She is a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, as well as the Motion Picture Editors Guild, Local 700 of the IATSE, and serves on the Board of Directors of The Alliance of Women Directors.
On the My Creative Careers podcast today, we're diving deep into the world of sound engineering with sound editor extraordinaire Victoria. She shares her insights into the relationship between the language of sound and the storytelling process and why the sound editor is so much more than a technician. We explore how sound editors take production sound recorded on set or location and clean it up to eliminate unwanted noise and create the director’s vision. Victoria also discusses how her career has evolved since the 1970s, what made her fall in love with the discipline and gives her advice on achieving great sound on set.
“I wish that more directors would know the language of sound a little better. I mean, they learn the language of actors, they learn the language of DPs — to learn a little bit of sound language isn't going to hurt too much. But I find people just get a little overwhelmed by the technical side of it.” - Victoria Samson
“A sound editor is a person who tells stories with sound. I learned that from my mom; she used to tell mixers that you're not just a technician, you're not just a recording mixer, you're a filmmaker. And we help the filmmakers tell their stories using creative sound, sound design, sound effects backgrounds.” - Victoria Samson
Highlights This Week
Victoria’s illustrious film industry heritage
What a sound editor does to help the filmmaker’s vision using sounds
What made Victoria fall in love with sound editing, and how her career began
Resources
Get a Grip! – The Grip (with Krystina Figg & Nick Jacobs)
Episode 6
Thursday, August 18, 2022 • Duration 39:02
Krystina Figg has worked with some of the most notable directors in film today, including Quentin Tarantino on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the Hateful Eight, Christopher Nolan on Tenet and Dunkirk, and Tom Ford on Nocturnal Animals. She got her start on The Bernie Mac Show and since then has worked on several big-budget and independent films. Krystina is also known far and wide as the ‘Badass Grip Girl!’
On My Creative Careers show this week, we talk with Krystina Figg, who shares the details of how she became interested in the film industry and how she kicked off her career in movies. She shares why she pivoted away from her first interest in animation and why it’s critical to get to know all aspects and departments on a film set when you’re starting out. Krystina also shares her insights on being a female grip and how staying open to advice and suggestions at the beginning of your career can help you in the long run.
“Always bring your A-game … we take a lot of pride in our work and in the way that we do things. When you do anything haphazardly, anybody can do it. But when you really have a passion and a love for it, and you move forward with every with everything you do, that it is a craft.”- Krystina Figg
“It's the same way you get every Hollywood job — cultivating relationships.”- Tamika Lamison
Highlights This Week
What precisely a grip does on set to ensure the director gets the shots they need
How she got her start in the film industry
Krystina’s opinion on the pros and cons of being a woman in her role
Why being a grip is often an itinerant lifestyle
Her experience of working with Tom Ford on Nocturnal Animals
The importance of building relationships in the film industry
Krystina’s unique skills that make her invaluable on set
How Krystina ensures she hires a diverse crew
Advice for people who are interested in being successful as a grip
Resources
Fishing for Stars – The Casting Director: Tips for Getting That Part (with Wendy Kurtzman & Tori Hartley)
Episode 5
Wednesday, July 20, 2022 • Duration 46:05
Wendy is an Emmy-nominated casting director with more than 25 years of experience in feature films, movies for television, mini-series, and theater and has worked with many distinguished directors such as Paul Schrader, Diane Keaton, Sally Field, and Roland Emmerich, for whom she cast the blockbuster “Independence Day,” starring Will Smith. In 2013 Wendy launched College to Career Acting to help emerging BFA/MFA artists navigate the transition from Academia into the Entertainment Industry. Recently, Wendy joined PhilmCo Media as Head of Casting while also serving as Faculty at UCLA and Pace University, where she teaches personal narrative, audition technique, and transition to the Industry.
We’re excited to have Wendy on the podcast today to share what a casting director really does and how they liaise with agents, managers, producers, and directors. We dive into how the pandemic has changed the landscape for casting directors, and Wendy gives some actionable tips, coaching, and guidelines for actors who are self-taping auditions so they can be at their best. Wendy also shares her insights into what makes a successful in-person audition and adds a few secrets for success that actors could adopt when they’re meeting casting directors.
“We create a vision of what a script is going to look like in our mind and the way we hear the voices of the characters coming out through the actors that we know. Then we filter that vision between what the producers and directors are looking for.” - Wendy Kurtzman
“I think the way people approach casting is completely individual.” - Wendy Kurtzman
“I've always been somebody that thought it's worth opening the door, just to take a quick peek, no matter what you're doing, because you never know what you're going to learn.” - Wendy Kurtzman
Highlights This Week:
How Wendy’s interest in theatre has informed her taste and her casting
Wendy’s thoughts on whether there is a difference in style in casting in LA versus New York
The importance of building relationships with managers and agents
Hot Set! – The On-Set Dresser (with Eric Luling & Mack Smith)
Episode 4
Friday, November 12, 2021 • Duration 40:09
Eric Luling has been the Onset Dresser for many big-name movies since 1998, including There Will Be Blood, Avengers,Gone Girl, and Lincoln. Eric shares what the role of an onset dresser entails, from being responsible for the continuity of the set from scene to scene to liaising with the decorator and production designer. He also addresses the common misconception that the onset dresser is not part of the costume department!
On this episode of My Creative Careers, Eric discusses the differences between his role and the responsibilities of the Props Department and where it sometimes overlaps. He gives us the lowdown on how he got into the film business (spoiler - show up and be persistent) and how he subsequently progressed in his career. Eric also gives his advice and insights to people interested in building a creative career in his area of the industry.
“You only give a director a yes or no question — because they have 500 people asking them questions, they have a second and they have to make a decision, and you make it really easy and binary for them.” - Adam Leipzig
“It’s really helpful for a lot of people out there ... to know that living the way that you have lived actually helps you in a certain way on the set to gauge people and their reach.” - Tamika Lamison
“An object in a frame should help tell the narrative. If it doesn’t get rid of it.” - Eric Luling
Highlights This Week:
The different methods that Eric uses to approach the challenges of recreating a period setting or building a fantasy setting as an onset dresser
Why good people skills and effective communication strategies are essential for an onset dresser
How Eric establishes a good relationship with the director on set
Are We What We Wear? – The Costume Designer (with Isis Mussenden & LaShell Gibbs)
Episode 3
Friday, November 12, 2021 • Duration 42:24
Isis Mussenden is an international costume designer whose film credits include The Chronicles of Narnia, the two animated classics, Shrek and Shrek 2, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, American Psycho, and The Waterdance. She has earned CableACE and BAFTA nominations for her designs and was the recipient of both Saturn and CDG awards and a 2018 Ciclope Gold Award. Isis is a native of Los Angeles and attended the University of California at Santa Barbara as a studio art major and later graduated from New York’s prestigious Parsons School of Design earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
Isis joins us to share her insights into character development and telling stories through clothes and costume. She discusses how she came to be the first costume designer credited on an animated film and describes the intricacies of what she does as a costume designer, particularly the differences between working with human actors versus animated characters. Isis also shares how she became interested in costume design and dives into the details of some of her favorite recent projects.
“There 10 million paths into the business...we’re just opening the doors of access, and showing how many different careers and career paths that there are in film and television.” - Adam Leipzig
“You have a whole new perspective. You don’t have any preconceived notions whatsoever.” - Tamika Lamison
“Way before I even think of a piece of clothing, I’m just thinking about the story, the character, the person, the way an actor does, but the difference is I have to be all the actors.” - Isis Mussenden
Highlights This Week:
How Isis manages to tell character stories even within very specific period constraints as she did in films such as 13 Days, directed by Roger Donaldson
“Copy That!” – The 1st AD (with Starr Victoria & Jada Merritt)
Episode 2
Friday, November 12, 2021 • Duration 43:21
Star Victoria graduated Cum Laude from Georgia State University. She was awarded the prestigious Mary Pickford Scholarship to attend USC to obtain her MFA in Film and Television Production. She is an Assistant Director and Producer, best known for La Ruta (2019), Jade (2019), and Lakewood (2010). She was named winner in the Best Woman Student Filmmaker - West Region in the DGA Student Awards. Star was also the winner in the Jury Prize Social Change category by First Look, USA, and joint winner of the Gold Telly Award for Social Video in the General Student category for La Ruta in 2020/21.
On the podcast this week we welcome Star Victoria. Star dives into what the role of the 1st AD involves, how it differs from the director’s job, and why it is such a key position in filmmaking. She discusses potential routes into becoming a 1st AD, the key skills and qualities needed, and gives tips and advice on getting a foot in the door. Star Victoria also shares her personal story of the experiences in her early life that brought her to take on behind-the-camera roles rather than pursue her initial passion for acting.
“It's basically putting pieces of a puzzle together so that all the producers, the directors, and actors see how the plan to make this movie is laid out.” - Star Victoria
“I always think of the First AD as the directors firsthand.” - Tamika Lamison
“There's never been a movie or a show that had enough time or enough money.” - Adam Leipzig
Highlights This Week:
How the first assistant director allows the Director to focus on the vision of the project rather than its coordination.
How Star Victoria gets to understand what the director needs when she’s working with them for the first time
My Creative Careers – The Pilot Episode (with Tamika Lamison & Adam Leipzig)
Episode 1
Friday, November 12, 2021 • Duration 26:47
On the My Creative Careers podcast, we are going to be talking to a vast range of people who have all kinds of careers in the film industry. But today we’ll start with a short introduction to us, your hosts Adam and Tamika, and give you a brief insight into how our own creative careers have developed over the years.
Adam Leipzig, Founder, and CEO of MediaU, was previously a senior executive at Walt Disney Studios and the President of National Geographic Films. He has been a producer, distributor, or supervising executive on 35 films that have disrupted expectations, including, A Plastic Ocean, March of the Penguins, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Dead Poets Society, The Way Back, and Titus. Adam’s movies have been awarded or nominated for several Academy Awards, BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and Emmys, to name but a few! In addition to guiding MediaU, Adam is a part of the faculty at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business.
Tamika Lamison is a valued advisor at MediaU; her expertise as a writer, director, and producer has garnered many awards and accolades. Before becoming the Executive Director of the Commercial Directors Diversity Program which she built for the Directors Guild of America & Association of Independent Commercial Producers, she was a research consultant at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Tamika also founded and created the non-profit, Make A Film Foundation, which grants film wishes to seriously or terminally ill children by teaming up them with noted writers, directors & producers who help them create their film legacy.
“You never leave theater, you might take extended vacations from it, but you never leave.” - Adam Leipzig
“When you can make a film that's entertaining and makes a difference or has impact, to me that's a win-win.” - Tamika Lamison
Highlights This Week:
Welcome To My Creative Careers
Friday, November 12, 2021 • Duration 02:06
My Creative Careers (because creative people never have only one career!) showcases the diversity of people, arts, and professions in the entertainment industry, and shares behind-the-scenes insights so listeners can deepen their knowledge and activate their aspirations. Produced by MediaU.com – your online career accelerator.
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Why there are fewer women sound editors now than there used to be 20 years ago
Why it makes sense for sound editors to get involved in movies early
What Victoria wishes people knew specifically about what she does and her golden nuggets of wisdom gleaned over her long and successful career
The movies Victoria has worked on that contain the most interesting sounds, what those sounds were, and how she found them
Films that Victoria hasn’t worked on but that she admires for their amazing sound editing — and what she really notices about sound when she’s watching films
How Victoria finds focus and blocks out the many distractions life can bring
The craziest thing that Eric has ever had to find at the last minute to dress a set
How Eric learned to be so good with people and why he likes to stand back and observe what’s going on in a film
Eric gives his advice to an onset dresser at the start of his career and describes what he is looking for when he’s dressing for frame
Why Eric is always on top of continuity
Student of The Week:
Mack Smith - Mackenzie Smith is 25 and from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She's been working locally in film for the last 3 years in the art and set decoration department and has worked on films such as Reagan and Killers of the Flower Moon. In her free time she enjoys making art, music, and writing.
How Isis comes into a movie — how she pitches herself and her ideas to the filmmaker
The jobs that Isis interviewed for and didn’t get and why she remains philosophical about the process of finding jobs that are an excellent fit for her personality and skills
The key roles and responsibilities of working as a costume designer and why Isis feels it’s beneficial for graduates to start at the bottom in the industry they love
Why terminology matters and the difference between the terms’ wardrobe designer’ and ‘costume designer’
How Isis’ close relationship with her mother led to her pursuing her interest in costume design
Some of the past projects that Isis is particularly proud of
Isis’ advice for one of MediaU’s emerging costume designers
Student of The Week:
Lashell Gibbs - Born and raised in Hartford, CT. I loved fashion from a very young age. At the age of 6, I would put on fashion shows for the company of whomever was at my house. I can recall spending days watching fashion shows during fashion week. In high school I would mix and mash fashion styles to create my own unique looks. I went off to college at Alabama State University. While getting my degree in Elementary Education, I found time to dance in band and theater, work in the theater department's costume shop and become Miss Alabama State University. After graduating I taught math to 7th and 8th graders for four years then went on to teach 2nd grade for three years. While teaching I was collecting vintage and unique fashions for my fantasy online store. After my seventh year of teaching, I resigned and took a leap of faith and started a brick-and-mortar store in Hartford named How Bazaar. We sold my clothing designs, vintage fashions, furniture and local artist goods. After three years of owning the store, I had a vision of taking my shop on the road for a college and music festival tour, to raise awareness around sustainable fashion. To realize this vision, I bought a mobile home and turned it into a mobile boutique. I closed the brick-and-mortar store and ran the mobile boutique full-time. I took How Bazaar mobile boutique across country from Art Basel in Miami to SXSW in Austin and on to Coachella in Indio, California. After Coachella I visited Los Angeles and decided to stay to pursue my dream of becoming a costume designer. While sleeping in my truck at night and selling clothing on Melrose and other markets I would talk with buyers about what I wanted to do. I lucked out one day and had the opportunity to talk with a seamstress for film. She told me to attend Los Angeles Trade Tech College and learn how to sew, because the industry is always looking for people in costume with sewing skills. So, I enrolled and started attending LATTC for fashion and design. During my first semester I applied for the Academy Gold Program (a diversity program for students wanting to work in the film and television industry). To everyone’s surprise, the pandemic happened and there was no more school. I returned to Connecticut and received the best news ever. I made it into the Academy Gold Online Program. After attending the Academy Gold Program, I was flabbergasted when my mentor was announced to be the iconic Ruth Carter! Ruth and I would meet over zoom and phone during which we got to know one another. During one of our meetings, she told me if I can make it to ATL I could work with her on Black Panther 2 and continue being mentored. I packed my mobile boutique up and hauled my car to Atlanta and as they say, “the rest is history.”
How a first assistant director keeps the timings on track
Ways being a first assistant director has informed Star Victoria’s role as a director
How she stays in her lane as a director and lets her first assistant do their job
How Star Victoria got her first gig in the industry
The importance of diversity and inclusivity on film sets and why the industry is seeing more opportunities for women directors
The importance of building good relationships in the industry
Star Victoria’s advice for an up and coming assistant director on how to keep yourself mentally strong during production
Student of The Week:
Jada Merritt - Jada has been working actively as a set PA and Assistant Director in the film and tv industry since 2017. Based in Oklahoma City, her production credits include shows like “American Ninja Warrior”, “Stillwater”, and “Golden Arm”.
