21: Audrey Elling – Executive Director of the Heartland Chapter of the NATAS

Summary

Audrey is the executive director the Heartland Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). In this podcast, Audrey explains what it takes to enter a project for the regional Emmy awards. The discussion covers who's eligible, who does the judging, the costs, and the deadline.

 

 

Show Notes

 

[2:11] What is an Emmy meant to recognize?

[2:48] What qualifies as an entry?

[4:56] What exactly makes up t

he Heartland Chapter?

[7:09] The process of entering a project for a regional Emmy award

[9:42] Specifics on how to determine if your project qualifies for a regional competition

[12:47] Identifying your viewership

[14:41] What kind of entity/entities enters and wins?

[16:16] The call for entries

[17:19] Do you have to be nominated?

[20:12] How judging works

[21:32] Are you missing 50% of the picture?

[22:20] Understanding compositing

[23:26] Length matters… really

[24:35] Other benefits of entering your project for a regional Emmy award

[27:37] All about the Heartland Regional Emmy shows

[31:15] How many entries are typically submitted to the Heartland Chapter?

[32:31] Award logistics

[33:54] The costs involved in submitting a project for entry

[35:39] Credits on your project

[37:00] Determining the contribution values

[39:37] The best ways to reach Audrey (and the proper etiquette!)

Links and Resources

 

Be sure to check out podcasts with other great guests in the film and media industry on our DMP Podcast Page!

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22: Jacob Z. Smith – Director, Producer, Politician, Environmental Advocate

Summary

Jacob is an award-winning Colorado fillmmaker, a former mayor, and a former U.S. senate staffer. His films include a family short called Chasing Rabbits, and the feature documentary Waking the Sleeping Giant: The Making of a Political Revolution, which is currently in national and international distribution. He's also the executive director of a local government coalition advocating for stronger climate policy in Colorado.

Show Notes

[1:09] Jacob's Background

  • Grew up as a military brat, settled in Aurora, CO in middle school
  • Currently lives in Golden, CO

[2:16] Jacob's career path in environmental advocacy and politics

[5:25] Senator Bernie Sanders and Waking the Sleeping Giant: The Making of a Political Revolution

[9:00] The evolutionary process of budgeting when making a film

[14:59] “Making money” on a documentary; documentaries vs. narratives

[18:40] Getting access to characters for a documentary

[22:28] Building trust

[27:15] Utilizing referrals and taking chances with different location crews

[29:46] The difference a good editor and color correctionist can make

[30:47] Judging production length

[33:47] Thoughts on distribution

[36:31] A few different ways to offer screenings

[38:37] Working with distributors

[44:23] Where the most of the budget goes

[49:43] Mistakes were made

[54:30] Dancing on the Elephant

[57:26] Budgeting for a narrative feature

[1:00:33] Requirements for the investors

[1:05:00] Doing things differently with distribution for Dancing on the Elephant

[1:09:44] The costs of hiring locally in different locations

[1:14:24] The biggest “AHA” moments

[1:18:25] Jacob's biggest reaffirmation in the last year

[1:19:29] Jacob's biggest life lesson

[1:22:21] Advice for other aspiring filmmakers

 

Links and Resources

 

Be sure to check out podcasts with other great guests in the film and media industry on our DMP Podcast Page!

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23: Oksana Starling – Production Makeup Artist, Personal Stylist, Makeover Expert

Summary

Oksana is a 15-year veteran of film, TV and the fashion industry, and also the founder of Oksana Starling Beauty. As an established makeup artist, she has worked with major networks like Food Network, Bravo, NBC, CNN, and VH1. She has also shot commercials for Microsoft, KIA, Duke's, DISH Network, and Frontier Airlines. Her client list includes Andre Agassi, Phil Collins and Genesis, Von Miller, Clinton Kelly, and Zac Brown, just to name a few. She was a makeup department head in the film Social Dilemma, which has been one of the most talked-about documentaries at Sundance this year.

Besides being a production makeup artist, Oksana is also a personal stylist and a makeover expert. She provides image and branding consultations for women looking to cultivate and uplevel their professional and personal style. One of her greatest joys is helping everyday women feel beautiful powerful, and confident.

 

Show Notes

[1:39] Oksana's Background

  • Born and raised in Soviet Russia
  • Graduated college and got her degrees economics and finance, and HR psychology,
  • Decided to move to America in 1998, initially moved to the Bay area
  • Has lived in California, Georgia, Nevada, and Colorado

[02:15] Oksana's career path

[06:02] Rose Hill Makeup Academy (Academy of Cosmetic Arts), and the move to Georgia

[08:06] Working with athletes and models

[09:12] Viva Las Vegas…

[10:33] Boulder, Yoga Capital of the U.S.

[12:59] Working yourself into the market in Colorado

[15:08] Using social media for self-promotion

[17:23] Typical work in the Colorado

[19:04] How stylists work with clients

[23:07] Putting the fun in back into the artistry of makeup

[25:44] How Oksana learns and grows as an artist

[28:04] The reality of working for experience

[29:59] Contracts and agreements

[31:01] Retaining a makeup artist

[32:21] Expendables and kit fees

[33:47] Commercial shoots versus indie films

[36:44] Negotiable expenses

[37:33] What do you look for when hiring a great makeup artist?

[38:24] What about insurance?

[40:28] To join or not join a union

[43:15] Staying healthy and fit on set

[45:45] Starting out with yoga

[52:19] The easiest makeup job ever and the perks of the trade

[56:32] Bucket list events

[59:08] The best piece of advice

[01:00:38] Single biggest lesson learned over the last year

[01:04:17] The biggest lesson learned over Oksana's career

[1:04:57] Advice for aspiring makeup artists in the Colorado market

[01:05:42] The wisdom of Rose Hill and Rhonda Barrymore, Cory Taylor Bryant and Cindy Cruz

Links and Resources

 

Be sure to check out podcasts with other great guests in the film and media industry on our DMP Podcast Page!

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24: Todd Debreceni – Master Makeup Special Effects Artist, Prosthetics Designer

Summary

Todd is a working makeup effects artist and designer. He began his career in entertainment with PBS while a graduate student in Television Production at the University of Tennessee. Before starting his own small effects shop (BaPoFX) in Denver, Colorado, Todd worked as a production manager, writer, and producer for cable pioneer Ted Turner at TBS in Atlanta. He was also a writer/producer with 20th Century Fox Television in Los Angeles, and a visual effects animator for Warner Brothers, Walt Disney Pictures, and Walt Disney Television Animation. Among his feature film credits are Die Hard 2, Contact, Batman and Robin, Incoming Freshman, Cannon Fodder, The Enemy God, Decay, Apartment 212 (Gnaw), Hoax, and Ink, just to name a very few. Todd has sculpted and molded wounds used in the 2013 Tom Hanks film, Captain Phillips. Some of his television credits include Jag, and an uncredited contribution to one of his favorite TV programs, Dr. Who.

Show Notes

[00:12] Introduction

[2:31] Todd's Background

  • Grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and Boston, Massachusetts, and Atlanta, Georgia
  • Lived in Pennsylvania and California until the Northridge earthquake
  • Todd has resided in Colorado since 1994
  • Originally was interested in medicine, after an adventurous childhood, and was a surgical assistant in his teens
  • Credits Ghoulardi with his initial interest in monster makeup
  • Introduced to Curt by Cory Taylor Bryant

[8:25] Thoughts on retirement, and still being able to do the things you love

[10:25] Of art in the family and aptitude testing

[11:52] Todd's ‘LA Story‘

[16:44] Running an Equity Waiver theatre

[18:25] ‘I knew them way back when..' and how Todd met Gregory Peck

[20:13] The move to Colorado

[22:08] Trying to shape the future of film in Colorado

[24:16] Can you guess who all got their start in Colorado? (hint: some of them kill Kenny on a regular basis!)

[27:04] Back Porch FX (BaPoFX) and Pro*Am Prosthetics, and Shrek the Musical

[29:58] Pre-visualization on Contact, Gnaw (Apartment 212), and Hoax

[33:24] The cost of doing business with FX

[34:45] Training; Dick Smith‘s advanced course, books, and Stuart Bray, navigating the dangerous waters of online resources

[37:21] Recommendations on how to start in the makeup business, and how Todd's book came to be

[45:09] The most powerful mentors

[47:11] Todd and Stuart's podcast and Prosthetics Magazine tutorials

[48:43] How technology has changed the makeup business, and the talented Landon Meier

[50:33] Of molds and sculpting

[52:30] The many ways and places where special effects makeup and makeup special effects are used

 

[56:03] Retaining the services of a makeup effects artist and setting a budget; of Rick Baker and haemophobia

[60:07] Avoiding the makeup malfunctions during filming; “don't be a dick” and “be excellent to each other”

[1:02:24] What to look for in a great makeup artist

[1:05:54] Defining different styles of makeup

[1:06:58] IATSE and the union experience

[1:09:21] How to build a solid business in makeup, even if you barely survived college

[1:13:24] The value of asking for assistance, recognizing opportunity, and showing initiative

[1:17:34] Asking directly versus paying it forward

[1:19:03] Advice for aspiring makeup artists in Colorado

[1:20:17] Creatively digging for local work and learning how to wear different hats (i.e. “be a useful non-dick”)

[1:23:03] The Monsterpalooza Experience

[1:25:15] The brilliance of Shane Hurlbut

[1:27:49] SIGGRAPH and the NAB Show

[1:29:06] Todd's dream projects (wink, wink, nudge, nudge: drop Stephen Schwartz a line here)

[1:29:52] The best pieces of advice Todd has ever received

[1:32:08] The life cost of making money, or “the worst day in hell beats the best day in advertising”

[1:33:53] Common mistakes in makeup

[1:36:47] The biggest lesson of 2019

[1:37:34] The biggest life lesson

[1:39:07] Dealing with fame as an outgoing introvert

Links and Resources

 

Be sure to check out podcasts with other great guests in the film and media industry on our DMP Podcast Page!

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25: Denise Strong – Veteran Assistant Director, First A.D., Producer

Summary

Denise grew up in Texas and graduated from Texas State University with a bachelor in Fine Arts and Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Directing. After working her way up in the film industry as an intern, PA, location assistant, and second assistant director, she became a member of the Director's Guild of America in 1993 in the category of Assistant Director. Since then she's moved from Second Second AD to Key Second AD, and on to First AD where she currently works on commercials and feature films.

During her career, Denise has worked on known projects such as Dumb and Dumber, The Bucket List, Switchback, The Laramie Project, and Things to Do In Denver When You're Dead.

Show Notes

[1:39] Denise's Background

  • Grew up in Bay City, Texas
  • Went to school at Southwest Texas State (now Texas State University) in San Marcos
  • Lived first in Houston, then moved to Denver in 1986
  • Currently lives in Arvada, CO

[02:19] The roles and responsibilities of an Assistant Director

[04:08] Defining the layers of an AD

[06:51] Applying creative problem-solving to people/time management

[09:02] The myriad of ADs on larger sets and what they do

[11:12] Denise's career path

[15:01] How much time does it take to become a First Assistant Director?

[18:25] How to do the time to keep your rep as an AD

[20:14] Scouting for commercials versus 30+ day projects

[21:32] The ups and downs of being an AD

[23:36] The advantages of meticulous planning in advance for every project

[25:09] Why Denise chooses to live in Colorado

[26:55] Advice for people new to the industry

[28:29] The value in going where the work is

[31:38] Making a living in Colorado

[33:50] What all is involved is a typical microbudget project?

[36:36] Trying to find microbudget projects

[39:52] A history of self-promotion and how it works best today

[43:54] The universal truths of being nice, working hard, and being ambitious

[45:12] Dealing with slow times in the industry

[48:41] Denise's current projects

[49:52] Current trends in the industry in Colorado

[51:30] How does an Assist Director get hired, and who does it?

[55:46] Denise's mentors

[58:49] How to turn troubles on set into triumphs

[1:00:57] The feminine First AD experience

[1:06:29] Unsafe and safe sets; car jobs

[1:11:26] Working with David Sosna; Denise's book recommendation for ADs

[1:13:14] The best piece of advice Denise has ever received

[1:15:53] Advice for people looking to get into the business

[1:18:19] The biggest lesson over the past year

[1:22:29] Denise's great piece of wisdom

[1:24:28] The evolution of the industry in Colorado

[1:34:05] Speculation on incentives in Colorado versus other markets

Links and Resources

 

 

Be sure to check out podcasts with other great guests in the film and media industry on our DMP Podcast Page!

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