Rachel Thaw

Nov 06 2015

Leah Meyerhoff: Paving the Road to a New Life in Film for Women Everywhere

By Mia Chavez & Nicole Tavares, Fusion Public Relations

There was a warm wind blowing through the streets as I made my way to a screening of Leah Meyerhoff’s feature film, I Believe in Unicorns. Perhaps I am being overly sentimental, as some would dismiss wind simply as a feature of any autumn evening. However, I can’t help but wonder if the balmy buzzing air had something to do with the exciting energy surrounding Meyerhoff’s presence at Tisch. There has never been such an exciting time for women in media as there is in today’s world. Change is in the air and you could almost feel it on your skin the night Leah Meyerhoff graced a room full of young filmmakers eager to hear her honest words of wisdom.

Tisch alumna, screenwriter, director, and founder of the women filmmakers’ organization, Film Fatales, Leah Meyerhoff confessed that she never really defined herself as a “female filmmaker.” She saw herself as a filmmaker who happened to also be a female. Once she graduated and began making her way through the real world of filmmaking, she quickly became aware of her minority status. Meyerhoff first encountered these stigmas as she began her journey on the independent film festival circuit with her short film, Twitch, (a precursor to her debut feature film, I Believe In Unicorns.) Meyerhoff said, “At the end of the day, to be a filmmaker, you need that self motivation and drive. You need to generate your own career.” She didn’t let the fact that she is a woman stop her from getting her film made. She believed in her project and the story she wanted to tell, and surrounded herself with a team of people just as eager to make this film a reality.

As a result, Meyerhoff founded Film Fatales, “a collaborative community, rather than a competitive one.” Meyerhoff began the organization when she invited six women filmmakers over for dinner one night to discuss the industry and get some inside advice. The general consensus was so positive that they decided to make the meetings a monthly occurrence among the group. Since the fortuitous dinner, Film Fatales has expanded to hundreds of cities across the country and throughout the world.

Armed with advice from her collaborators in Film Fatales, Meyerhoff worked tirelessly on her short, Twitch. She said, “Short films are an amazing way to explore whether or not your idea could work as a feature. School is a great place to take risks you may not necessarily be able to take in the real feature world.” One of those risks was Meyerhoff’s decision to cast an underage actress as the lead, as well as her actual mother (who suffers from MS in real life) as the mother in the film. Once her experiment proved successful with Twitch winning numerous awards, Meyerhoff decided to proceed with turning Twitch into the beautiful feature film, I Believe In Unicorns. The feature follows the life of 16-year-old Davina, a character loosely based on Meyerhoff. Davina’s vivid fantasies of escaping the responsibility of caring for her ailing mother land her on a wild runaway roadtrip with her rebellious, angst-ridden boyfriend, Sterling.

Being able to glimpse the process Meyerhoff endured to make I Believe In Unicorns was truly inspiring, especially given the autobiographical nature of the two female-driven narratives. Meyerhoff said, “So often, we are waiting for permission to make our films. Above all else, you need to generate your own motivation and give yourself that permission to make this film no matter what.” I left the screening inspired by the increasing number of doors opening for female filmmakers thanks to talented and motivational women like Leah Meyerhoff.

Photo by Chloe Aftel

Photo by Joe Tanis

Nov 05 2015

ALUMNI FEATURE: Interview – Elizabeth Bohinc & Kate Zabinsky

By Piera Van de Wiel and Kara Lawson, Fusion Alumni Relations.

September, 29th 2015: We spoke with Elizabeth Bohinc and Kate Zabinsky, Fusion Film Festival alumnae who recently put together a panel in LA for industry professionals to talk about women in the film and television industries.The panel was two years in the making.

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What was your process in creating the panel?

Having been co-directors of the Fusion Film Festival during our time at NYU, we have a history and particular connection with these themes. After graduation we both moved to Los Angeles and began our careers. We continue to be involved with NYU alumni events as well as with other industry professional organizations. Through our experiences, we noticed that there was a dearth of high-level conversations about women working in this industry. There was the standard fare about balancing work and family life or breaking in. There weren’t examples or conversations about mentorship or how to grow your careers once you are in the door (if they manage to get themselves into the room in the first place). We are women in entertainment. Ultimately, we wanted to hear the opinions and advice of people who have careers we’d like to emulate. We thought back on our experiences at Fusion and realized, with the help of NYU, we had the power to put all these people in a room to foster this conversation. So that’s what we did.

Who was involved?

The two of us [Elizabeth Bohinc TSOA ’10 and Kate Zabinsky TSOA ’11], Joanna Puglisi from Tisch Alumni Relations, and Lauren Nisenson from Gallatin Alumni Relations. We had actually previously worked with Lauren on Fusion in 2010 for our first ever alumni panel. Drew Uriarte, Assistant Dean of Tisch, helped get it off the ground. Thania St. John (Gallatin parent) moderated the panel. Thania is a TV Writer/Showrunner, WGA Board Member, and the Co-Founder of the League of Hollywood Women Writers.

The panelists included: Rachel Brosnahan, Maryam Keshavarz, Toni Graphia, and Campbell Smith.

Rachel Brosnahan graduated from Tisch with a BFA in Drama in 2012. After several guest TV and theater roles, she broke out with a guest role in House of Cards, eventually leading to an Emmy Nomination for Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series for “Rachel.” She is also a series regular in WGN’s Manhattan. In addition to her acting work, she works as an Ambassador for Global Citizen.

Maryam Keshavarz is a producer, writer, and director. After graduating from NYU’s TSOA MFA program with a major in Film & TV, she shot her independent feature Circumstance, which explores homosexuality in modern Iran. Circumstance went on to win several festival awards including the 2011 Audience Award. Maryam teamed up with Academy Award nominated producers Anna Gerb, Neal Dodson, and JC Chandor (A Most Violent Year, All is Lost, and Margin Call) and will be directing her sophomore feature, The Untitled Oliver Diaz Story, in February 2016.

Toni Graphia is a television writer and producer, currently serving as Executive Producer on Starz’s hit fantasy drama Outlander. She has been working television for over twenty years, starting as a researcher on China Beach and working her way up the writing ladder on shows such as Roswell, Grey’s Anatomy, and Battlestar Galactica. In 2005, she won a Peabody Award as part of the writing staff for Battlestar.

Campbell Smith is the Head of Television for Carousel Productions. After graduation, she moved to New York, eventually landing at The Daily Show for six years where she met Steve and Nancy Carell (both correspondents at the time). After writing and producing a number of shows, she teamed back up with the Carells to form Carousel Television. Campbell Smith serve as an EP on TBS’s upcoming comedy series Angie Tribeca.

How did the event go? And how was it received?

The event went incredibly well. The panelists were so dynamic; we could have let them go for hours! We were able to convince UTA (United Talent Agency) to donate their theater for the event. They were very impressed with the event and offered their space to make it an annual event. We plan to do just that.

The audience responded very well. The questions during the Q&A as well as the conversation that continued during the reception were high level, intelligent, and productive.

How has Fusion impacted your careers, and what lessons did you carry over into the business?

Kate: First, actually working for Fusion, organizing logistics and personnel, taught me as much about how to work in the industry as my film classes did. Learning how to collaborate, problem solve, and meet deadlines is just as important as creative instinct once you enter the professional world. As far as thinking about women in the industry, I think Fusion helped me learn to verbalize my questions and concerns. That is to say, I am a woman and I work in film, so it would never have been something I didn’t know about or didn’t think about. But, because I had the experience of Fusion, I am able to look at the challenges that exist and approach them in more productive ways because it’s a conversation I’ve been having since I was a freshman at Tisch.

Elizabeth: I can’t agree more with Kate about Fusion preparing me for the professional world, but I also will say it helped me develop a shorthand with a group of professionals I truly trust to this day. Kate and I obviously work very well together because of our Fusion experience. [It’s the] same with Lauren Nisenson and I. We just know how to collaborate, problem solve, and get it done. Fusion also made me more aware of female industry professionals, which always helped when a development team had to make a list of episodic female directors or writers to staff a show. It’s good to just have a list of diverse, interesting voices in the back of your head at all times. I learned that from Fusion.

Oct 29 2015

INTERVIEW: LEAH MEYERHOFF – WRITER/DIRECTOR OF “I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS”

By the Fusion Editorial Staff.

Leah Meyerhoff is an award-winning filmmaker whose debut narrative feature I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS was released theatrically in 2015 after premiering at SXSW, winning the Grand Jury Prize at the Atlanta Film Festival and additional awards from Woodstock Film Festival, Nashville Film Festival, First Time Fest, Tribeca Film Institute, IFP, NYU, and the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. Meyerhoff’s previous work has screened in over 200 film festivals and aired on IFC, PBS, LOGO, and MTV. She is a fellow of the IFP Emerging Narrative Labs, IFP Narrative Finishing Labs, Tribeca All Access Labs, and the Emerging Visions program at the New York Film Festival. Meyerhoff is also the founder of Film Fatales, a female filmmaker collective based in New York with over a dozen local chapters around the world. She holds a BA in Art-Semiotics from Brown University and an MFA in Directing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

(Article header photo of Leah Meyerhoff by: Danielle Lurie)

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What made you want to pursue filmmaking? Was there a specific moment that made you realize this was your passion?

When I was growing up, cinema was an escape and a window into the outside world. Film is also a tool for empathy and a way to take an audience on a journey where they can experience life through someone else’s eyes. I became a filmmaker to tell more stories that I had not seen enough of, specifically those with complex and imaginative female protagonists.

How does Film Fatales help women in filmmaking around the world? How do you collaborate?

Film Fatales is a global network of female directors who meet regularly in local groups to mentor each other, collaborate on projects, and build a supportive community in which to make our films. We give each other advice, recommend crew, share script notes, provide rough cut feedback, lead hands-on workshops, recommend our films to festival programmers, the list goes on and on. You can find out more about us at filmfatales.org.

Who inspires you? Which women in the film industry do you think have paved the way?

Although I have always been an artist and a storyteller, it was not until I became familiar with the work of Jane Campion, Catherine Breillat, and Andrea Arnold, that I realized directing was a viable career path. Other role models include Kimberly Peirce, Jill Soloway, Ava Duvernay, Catherine Hardwicke, Debra Granik, Mary Harron, and Alison Anders. Also, I am continually inspired by the work of other Film Fatales, including Marielle Heller, Eliza Hittman, Ry Russo Young, Amy Seimetz, Cherien Dabis, Mora Stephenz, Shaz Bennett, Maryam Keshavarz, and on and on.

The themes of your short films vary greatly from fantasy in “Eternal Flame” to mental illness in “Neurotica.” What kind of themes are you drawn to in a story?

I am drawn to stories with complicated female characters who have a rich interior life and are often struggling to reconcile this with the realities of the exterior world.

Photo by: Joe Tanis

How does working on a short film differ from working on a feature?

It’s a similar process but on a much greater scale. Making a feature film is like making a new short film every day.

What is your casting process like? How do you know when an actor can embody the personality of your character?

I am a firm believer that casting is 90% of directing. With I Believe in Unicorns, it was important for the characters to be authentic, and I was interested in casting an actual teenage girl for the lead. As soon as I met Natalia Dyer, I knew that she would bring honesty and depth to the role. Peter Vack had the right combination of danger and charm, and we were lucky that the two leads had such fantastic chemistry together. I had seen Julia Garner in a short film and knew upon meeting her that she would round out the cast perfectly. The rest of the project came together rather quickly from there.

Do your personal life experiences influence your work? How did this affect your experience with I Believe in Unicorns? Did the idea for I Believe In Unicorns come about when you were a teenager – or later, when you had gained some perspective on being that age?

All of my work is personal in one way or another; it is merely a matter of degree. If I am unable to connect with a project on an emotional level, then I am not interested in working on it. I began writing on the script for I Believe in Unicorns while I was studying at NYU. I drew upon my own memories of that time and also collaborated closely with lead actress Natalia Dyer, who was a junior in high school when we met.

Photo by: David Kupferberg

In I Believe In Unicorns, you experimented with stop-motion. Why did you decide to do this and what kind of animation techniques would you like to explore in the future? In addition to mixing mediums, such as using both live action and animation, you also shoot on film. Do you prefer film to digital? What prompted you to use both Super 8 and Super 16 for I Believe in Unicorns?

The lead character Davina is an imaginative and dreamy teenage girl, and the film is told largely from her perspective. Thus, all of the aesthetic decisions were made with that in mind, from the choice to shoot on Super16mm and Super8mm film, to the decision to portray her interior world through the use of stop-motion animation. We wanted to build a world that this character could have created. It is almost as if you can see her fingerprints on the edges of the frame.

What projects are you working on now? What’s next?

I have various projects in development, including a narrative feature with Tangerine Entertainment and a short film with The Bureau of Creative Works. Meanwhile, I am committed to supporting other female directors on a daily basis through my work with Film Fatales.

What advice do you have for students who aspire to work in the film industry?

Stop waiting for permission to make your films. Give yourself permission, set a date, and start production. Also, form communities with others who share your sensibilities so that you are not doing it alone.

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Check out Fusion’s video: A Portrait of Leah Meyerhoff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXW1l6M9whQ

Watch the trailer for I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS: https://vimeo.com/87941679

For more information about I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS, visit the following links:

facebook.com/unicornsthemovie

twitter.com/unicornsmovie (#unicornsmovie, #ibelieveinunicorns)

instagram.com/unicornsmovie

unicornsthemovie.tumblr.com

ibelieveinunicorns.com

For more information about Film Fatales, check out the New York Times profile of the group:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/23/movies/the-film-fatales-collective-trains-a-lens-on-gender-inequality.html?_r=1

May 17 2015

Interview: Shelley Page, Dreamworks Animation

by Rachel Lambert, Editorial Staff Writer

Shelley Page is an awe-inspiring woman with an extraordinary career in the animation industry. She was one of the original Dreamworks Animation team members and is now Dreamworks’ Head of International Outreach. In addition to working in the field herself, she reaches out to young artists in search of new talent and storytellers for the future. After giving a presentation at NYU Tisch, she spoke with us about her career and her advice to aspiring animators.

What drew you to animation?

Actually I got into animation completely by accident. I started off as an illustrator, but I was very lucky to be offered a job doing some graphic design for a project that was directed by one of the great legends of animation, Richard Williams. After I worked for him for a little while as a graphic designer, he offered me a job.

As an illustrator I had spent many years doing things like children’s book illustration, packaging illustration, [and] costume design for theatre. But it was only when I started working for Richard Williams, and I saw my artwork begin to move, that I got addicted to the idea that illustration could be something more than a two-dimensional thing. It could be a storytelling device in three-dimension.

What have been some of your favorite projects that you’ve worked on?

There are many, many things that have been very special to me, for different reasons. I have to say, of all the Dreamworks projects, How To Train Your Dragon was the special one for me. But from a career point of view, it was probably Shrek because I was part of the original development team, and it was such an amazing experience being surrounded by this extraordinary group of artists, developing something that became like a household property years later.

How did you become involved with Dreamworks Animation?

Well, I would love to say it was a deliberate career choice, but in fact, when I was working for Richard Williams, he was already being approached by the Walt Disney Company to set up a studio to make Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, so we sort of became part of the Disney studio even though we were based in London. When Roger Rabbit concluded and the studio wound down, Steven Spielberg who was the executive producer decided to keep the team together. He set up his Amblimation studio and I was asked to become head of backgrounds there, but after making two or three films at the London-based Amblimation, it was difficult for Steven to work so far away from his team. Some things fell into place, a new animation studio was created in L.A, and the core team from London was actually invited to come over and become Dreamworks Animation.

You are now the Head of International Outreach at Dreamworks. How did you obtain this position, and what do you enjoy most about it?

Well it’s a similar story in a way because the role didn’t exist until I took it on. We had recruiters who went out into the field looking for particular artists, but we didn’t really have anybody who was engaging with the schools and universities. So, some years back, we set up the Outreach department at Dreamworks. But by this time I had moved back to London and thus was given the task of being involved with the international schools, universities, film festivals, [and] some studios. I became the international eye of [Dreamworks] out there. So the job essentially joined me; I didn’t really join the position. After a while, it’s become a more formalized role where I’m really the point person for first contact with all universities that we hope to recruit new talent from in the future.

You also created the “Eye Candy Show.” What inspired its creation?

It was sort of accidental because in the early days when I was bringing exciting new work back from my travels in Europe and around the world, I had to bring it into the studio in my handbag. Literally my nickname was the “Mary Poppins of Animation” because I would always come in and say, “Oh, I’ve got this wonderful film. It’s just in my handbag. Let me show you.” And it was always on pneumatic tapes or VHS tapes (this is before DVDs). After a while I thought, “This is just too time-consuming,” so I compiled all the new work I had seen into one screening which I showed at Dreamworks, which became known as the “Shelley Show.” Lots and lots of people came to see that and were inspired by the work I showed. Gradually some international festivals got to hear about this screening, which I didn’t really think was unique, but it turns out there really aren’t many people doing something similar. I’ve given “Eye Candy” presentations at pretty much every major festival you can imagine in pretty much every country you can imagine. It’s sort of my traveling handbag full of new stuff.

What is the most important life lesson you have learned from your work and experiences?

Definitely the most important life lesson is to be open to all opportunities because if I had at any point in my professional career said “no” to something - because it was either too big a challenge or it was relocating or it was so much time for not much money – if I had said “no” to any of those things I definitely wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today. But because I’m curious and like to challenge myself and am endlessly fascinated with what other people are doing, I was able to develop a career for myself that didn’t exist before. The life lesson is to accept the challenges that come your way and don’t hesitate. Even if you’re intimidated by something or you think it’s beyond your capabilities, you never know till you try, and I’ve always taken the role of having a go.

You have so many remarkable achievements. What do you look forward to achieving in the future?

I used to joke that if they ever discover life on Mars, I’ll be on the next spaceship saying, “Have you got any good animation schools out here?” I’m sure that Russia is on my horizon because I’ve already been to the Putin Mito out there, and I’m really looking forward to getting involved with the animation scene in Russia. On a personal level, I’m watching my son who’s a creative writing major now in his final year at college. It’s interesting seeing it from the parent’s side of view for a change instead of that of the student or the professional. I’m curious to see where that will take him.

And I think for Dreamworks, the idea of building this enormous new facility in Shanghai is just such a fascinating opportunity. I’ve made many great friends out there, and I’m so looking forward to seeing it grow into this huge enterprise. It’ll be a place where anybody visiting Shanghai who is interested in entertainment will come to. It’s a whole new world, literally.

What advice would you give to those aspiring to work in the animation field?

I think when I interview people who are interested in joining this profession, I’m always looking for two things. One is obviously that special skill set because you kind of know it when you see it. It’s someone who has that extra added sparkle. There’s always those people that stand out. And for those people, my advice is to be brave, and don’t just take the first job that comes your way that might get you a foot on the ladder or earn you a living. Take the one that’s really going to push you to do things that maybe you didn’t think you were capable of because that’s how you will really know what your potential is. Don’t underplay your abilities, but also focus on where your real strengths lie, and then go for it. The sky’s the limit.

May 03 2015

Competition Winners Reflect on the 2015 Fusion Film Festival

by Amanda Saiewitz, PR Head

This year’s Fusion Film Festival was jam-packed with amazing panels, incredible conversations with industry professionals, and impressive displays of student work. From our Woman of the Year Reed Morano and the Showrunner Superstars panel with Amy Sherman-Palladino and Janet Tamaro to the Student Showcase and Awards Ceremony, the three-day festival overflowed with inspiration. Fusion wouldn’t be a fraction of what it is without the support and enthusiasm of our fellow NYU students, so we asked some of the 2015 competition winners to share their Fusion experiences:

“Having been fortunate enough to participate in other festivals, we can’t express how exceptional Fusion is specifically, from the very beginning until the end. Between the thought-provoking discussions with industry leaders, to the final screening of bold and exciting work, Fusion is a festival that continues to break the mold and establish itself as a formidable celebration of great cinema. Writing our pilot [“Pass By Catastrophe”] was a tremendously enjoyable experience, and to have that experience recognized at a festival like Fusion, makes the process all the more richer. We have no doubt that our fellow honorees will continue to create works that truly say something; we can’t thank Fusion enough for including us among these artists.”

Joseph Gerbino and Erica A. Hart, Undergraduate Half-Hour Pilot

“Having Adam’s Ail honored at Fusion was phenomenal, for many reasons. It was exciting for so many people to come together to celebrate the films, and it’s so gratifying to see something I put so much of myself into recognized and appreciated.

There were a lot of nebulous emotions that went in to my film that I worked hard to communicate. It’s unreal to see all these talented people gather together through the festival and see them connect to what I made. It brings a life to the film that I never anticipated!”

Amelia Harvey, Animation Short

“I attended workshops led by successful showrunners, networked with industry people and even won some cash for my One Hour Pilot, “The Doll House.” Who could ask for anything more? Well, I even got a meeting with an industry professional to discuss landing an agent. It was an awesome experience!”

Brigette ReDavid, Graduate Hour Pilot

“As an emerging female filmmaker, I think it’s incredible that Fusion creates not only a platform for women to present their work, but a community where women support other women.

I’m proud that the majority of crewmembers on my web series were women. This is not because I am a woman, but because these ladies were extremely qualified for their jobs. There’s an overwhelming amount of talented, hard-working, and passionate women at NYU and in the industry.

Fusion seeks out these individuals and aids greatly in getting their original, thought-provoking stories out to the public. I’m honored to be a part of an organization with such a noble mission.”

Emory Parker, Web Series (Pants Role)

“Fusion not only celebrates great work by female writers and directors but also engenders it: after three years as a producer working with women on their documentary pitches, I decided to apply to the Docs-in-the-Works program with my own documentary. I had been thinking about following an exciting area of science for years – Hydrogen fuel cell technology – which will allow cars everywhere to run cleanly and will ween us off our dependence on foreign oil. The great thing about Fusion is that it not only supports women in the arts, but projects with social significance.

I filmed a week of this project – my first documentary, Oil and Water – and submitted it to the Fusion Film Festival. Working with the talented documentary professor and Fusion liaison, Nilita Vachani, I sculpted my trailer and did a live 20-minute pitch to execs at HBO, VICE, POV, Chicken & Egg and Impact Partners. This was more than just a pitch session: I could see palpable excitement in the audience for this subject matter and for the wonderful scientists behind it like Harry Gray. I am continuing to develop this project and film over the next 5 years as Dr. Gray and his fellow scientists attempt to bring this technology to the world.

In addition to winning the documentary film pitch competition, I also had the fortune to win the half-hour comedy TV contest with my pilot “Dating by Numbers.” There’s nothing like deadlines to help finish a project! And participating in Fusion seemed like the perfect place to start shopping my script around. I’m so glad I did, and it’s been such a great experience to be part of this festival and have the support of other kick-ass women in this industry!”

Dagny Looper, Graduate Half-Hour Pilot and Docs-in-the-Works

Feb 27 2015

The Original Gilmore Girl: Amy Sherman-Palladino

By AlHanouf Al Tamimi, PR Staff Writer

The 2015 Fusion Film Festival is here and all I can think about is my excitement for my first Fusion Festival. We, as the Fusion family, can’t mask how thrilled we are about this year’s panels and events, but personally, I can’t wait to be in the same room as Amy Sherman-Palladino, the creator (and executive producer) of Gilmore Girls tomorrow!

This woman kept the lives of the many mother/daughter duos quite entertained and, in some ways, motivated us to have the qualities of both smart and driven Rory and spontaneous Lorelai. Growing up, Gilmore Girls was the show to watch for their famously unique mother/daughter relationship. Lorelai and Rory made each and every one of us want that same crazy mother in our lives (if we didn’t have one already!). If you’re fangirling right now, you probably know the ending of Gilmore Girls and how Amy Sherman-Palladino was not involved in the last season, leaving us all confused and somewhat upset about the ending. Had she been involved, many believed the final ending would have differed immensely and had more of a bang. In the end, though, I honestly believe that Gilmore Girls will remain on the list of classic TV series to binge watch for many women and men, too (can’t forget the male GG fans out there!).

Sherman-Palladino is extraordinary when it comes to creating good television. Her talent in creating witty conversations, presenting diverse family dynamics, and writing hilarious comedy in Gilmore Girls captured the hearts of many viewers. The showrunner perceives her talent to be writing for great actors/actresses and it’s one of the defining attributes behind her success in both Bunheads and Gilmore Girls. She creates characters that truly leave a mark in the lives of many individuals, be it due to a personal connection to the characters or seeing the character as a friend after watching all 7 seasons. Her attention to detail in preparing lines for Lorelai, Rory, Paris, Michel, Sookie, Luke, Miss Patty, Mrs. Kim, Richard and Emily Gilmore and everyone else on Gilmore Girls proves her talent for breathing life into fictional characters.

One very important piece of advice she’s put out into the world was via her interview with Refinery29:

“It’s very simple. Women have to hire women. Women have to trust women. Women have to stop competing with women. This whole business is about competing. And women have made great strides, but there is still a boys’ club feeling of ‘we’re all on the same team’ that women don’t subscribe to, quite yet. And, I think it’s getting better, but it’s twofold: First, women need to sit around not talking about being women. If you have to be better than the men to get ahead, just be better. Work harder, get it, succeed, and then be in the position to do that for other people. Because that’s what men did.”

This is a piece of advice we, as the Fusion team, look up to; celebrating women in film, television, and new media is our main priority. These are words of wisdom for any females out there trying to push themselves to become better, aspiring to be showrunners, and for those just trying to pave their way to becoming successful women in the field.

Luckily, this inspirational writer-director-producer has gone on to pave the way for more shows after her hit series Gilmore Girls and created another entertaining TV series called Bunheads. If you don’t know it already, you should. She’s spoken about not wanting to create mediocre television and has proved herself to be nowhere near mediocre with list of successes. Sherman-Palladino went above and beyond with Gilmore Girls and is an inspiration to many women wanting to break into the film and television industry, so we are in no doubt ecstatic about her presence at the 2015 Fusion Film Festival.

In honor of Amy Sherman Palladino (and my addiction to Gilmore Girls) here are some fun GIFs that sum up what Gilmore Girls has taught us fans and how it represents us all on a daily basis. And be sure to check out the Showrunner Superstars panel on Saturday February 28th at 2:30 p.m. in Tisch Theater 006!

1. Doesn’t Michel just exemplify how we feel every morning when we wake up?

2. I share your sentiments exactly Rory:

3. That feeling when you’re finally home after a long day at NYU:

4. When you want to lose weight and Kirk sums up your thoughts on the matter:

5. What I think about in the middle of class:

6. How I’m going to act if Amy Sherman-Palladino (or Reed Morano, or any of the fabulous ladies coming to speak to the audience at Fusion) looks my way:

7. When someone asks me about Gilmore Girls:

8. I feel Sookie on so many levels:

9. What the show taught me in a couple of GIFs:

Carpe Diem (Sieze the moment) thanks to Logan!

You will always need your mother no matter what (let’s not get too emotional, please).

No matter how different you are, you’ll most probably end up resembling your mother in many ways.

I’ve learned to come into terms with reality and just let it be.

Lastly, I’ve learned to find motivation within and not rely on others as much as someone like Paris (minus her life coach moments that is).

10. Finally, this is a conclusion to all of the above, as it represents how I felt when the show ended:

Feb 26 2015

Interview: Liz Lapadula, Owner of Kopi Kopi

by Siena Richardson, Editorial Staff Writer

We had the opportunity to interview Liz Lapadula, Fusion Film Festival sponsor and owner of Kopi Kopi, a Greenwich Village cafe and craft coffee bar specializing in Indonesian coffee and food.

Starting March 2nd, Kopi Kopi will be open from 6am-10pm Monday-Thursday, 6am-11pm Friday, 8am-11pm Saturday, and 8am-10pm Sunday. 8 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012.

Fusion: Could you tell us the origin story of Kopi Kopi?

Liz: I learned about coffee just three or four years ago because I happened to go to Indonesia and my sister, who’s a chemist, invited me to this coffee shop. Before, I’d never been that interested in coffee. The way I drank it, I’d just put milk and a lot of sugar and then everything tastes the same. So I actually asked the farmer, “Can you really taste the difference?” And he said yes, but you have to drink it black. So that’s when I started tasting espresso so I could differentiate the taste. And I looked at it from a science perspective, “Oh this one’s more aromatic, so it tastes different.”

You know, growing up in Indonesia, there are so many different types of coffee that you don’t really appreciate it. And then I went back and I realized there are seven different known origins of Indonesian coffee but not that many people know about it. For example, you go to Starbucks and you say, “Okay, Sumatran coffee.” But probably a lot of people don’t know where Sumatra is. So from there I learned about coffee, and that it’s very interesting. And so I thought, “How would I promote this delicious Indonesian coffee and cuisine?” And my son and my husband graduated from NYU, and this is just an ideal place.

Fusion: How has your background in pharmacology and law influenced your business?

Liz: Well, my background is science… I have a degree in chemistry and I look at coffee from a science perspective. Coffee is more complex than wine. It’s more aromatic, depending on how you roast it. I think roasting coffee is basically just like a science experiment, seeing what brings out the flavors of certain coffees. When I got interested in coffee, I went to barista school in Indonesia, and then to American Barista School in Portland, which is the center of coffee for the whole world. And I also learned roasting from a local roaster here, just briefly. But in terms of food, I’ve always loved to cook and I learned from Chef Henry Alexie Bloem, a judge from Top Chef: Indonesia. So I’m also the UN Ambassador for the Indonesian Chef Association, and the goal is to promote Indonesian cooking.

My background is also environmental law, so I like to focus on sustainability. I think it’s very important. I mean, we’re responsible to future generations. Especially because I have four kids; I want to make sure they have a good future. Every once in a while, if I go to Indonesia, I visit some of the coffee farms too because I think that it’s important.

Fusion: What have been some of the challenges of starting a business?

Liz: Well, I don’t have any business experience per se. But you know, I took classes, I talked to people who have experience in managing restaurants. And I go to Indonesia eight times a year to talk to the suppliers and also people in the hospitality business so I learn how their business model works. But of course, you know it’s always a challenge. Rent is high. And of course a lot of people still think we’re just a coffee shop, just coffee and pastries. So we are telling people just come in. I mean you wouldn’t expect it to be this big, so people don’t realize we have a full kitchen. It’s a challenge, trying to tell people we have good food here. We have full staff and we’re open till 11 o’clock in the evening. And we just started Seamless delivery. I also just introduced something called Kopi Express, kind of boldly saying, “Fifteen minutes or it’s free” for a rice dish (grilled chicken or vegetarian tofu scramble) or the satay chicken wrap. And it comes with a cookie and a drink. You can try our fried rice, which is number two in the world just on the go.

Fusion: What has been rewarding so far about running Kopi Kopi?

Liz: I love to interact with students. It’s funny because some Indonesian and Asian students think of me as their mentor. Everyone calls me “aunt.” It’s so interesting because in the morning, it’s a different dynamic with all the professors and students. And now, on the weekends, we have tourists. I just like that interaction. I think coffee is a language of itself basically, across all barriers. You can sit down with anyone and have a cup of coffee. And that’s what I’d like to have Kopi Kopi as, more of a cultural center, where you also enjoy coffee and good food. So if you go to other coffee shops, okay, it’s nice coffee, but that’s what I’d like the ambience to be here. The artwork, this is a donation from the UN Mission, it’s a three-dimensional carving that tells the story of the Mahabharata epic. And the other small pieces I brought myself from Indonesia, glass paintings painted from the back, and batik stamps, and an old antique iron. I haven’t completed it yet, but I want to have a textile wall where I display different designs of batik fabric.

Fusion: Your Indonesian coffee is so delicious, and such a unique product to focus on. Can you tell us more about it?

Liz: So our cappuccino, for instance, is basically four different types of Indonesian coffee. It starts with ten Indonesian green beans, the unroasted coffee. From ten then I roast it at three different levels: light, medium, dark. I work with the roaster for ten hours. Then from there, I have to taste every single one of them myself because I have a specific taste in mind. So it’s very involved. I think this is the only café that focuses on Indonesian coffee in the US, and we have the three highest end machines in one location. So I’m serious about my coffee. If only I had fifty hours a day, I would be extra serious.

We have other specialty drinks. For example, especially in the winter we have Ginger Brew, made of all fresh ginger with palm sugar. It’s delicious. There’s another one called Bandrek so like ginger, palm sugar, cinnamon clove and chile for a little spiciness. The food here is good. It’s something different. There’s a speckled layer cake. It’s definitely more of a Dutch influence but it’s seventeen layers. You make it a spoonful at a time, which is very tedious so that’s very expensive. But then the other thing that’s very unusual is the Pisang Molen, which NYU students call the banana burrito. It’s banana, cheese and chocolate, inside a French pastry, so there’s a Dutch influence as well. It’s something different.

Fusion: Can you tell us more about the food and other drinks on your menu?

Liz: A lot of people ask more about Indonesian food, because it’s relatively unknown here. We have the number one, number two in the world according to CNN Travel rundown, and then domestically. But then sometimes students miss certain foods so we make an Indonesian version. We have the Kopi taco but with an Indonesian twist: Indonesian hot sauce. And we try to make everything from scratch, so there’s no MSG and everything is made with fresh ingredients. We have a beer tap and we decided since we have craft coffee, we wanted to have craft beer and craft wine. So everything’s made in small batches and we have a relationship to the farmers.

We changed our business model starting two weeks ago. This used to be a café all day long. But since people asked us, saying they’d like to taste more Indonesian food, we changed. In the evening basically people don’t bring laptops, there’s more tables for dining. I think it’s good, introducing different types of drinks as well, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic. I don’t know where the NYU professors go after work, so I’d like it to be a place where they can just wine and dine. Because if you go to a bar, it’s just too noisy, and I want it to be a nice ambiance.

Fusion: How has it been working with your son?

Liz: My son, who’s an NYU graduate, is a marine, and he’s also my business partner. But now he’s deployed as a second Lieutenant. But we do Facetime and I ask him questions. I’ll say, “Oh, we just installed a beer tap. What else do you think people would like?” And he’s a trainer at CrossFit, so he eats healthily. So I make sure we always have almond milk for cappuccinos, and salads, and everything is freshly made. When you’re in college people just want to indulge, but I want kids to eat healthy food so that’s what I like to prepare also, foods that are healthy and fresh.

Fusion: Do you have any advice for young women aspiring to jumpstart their own careers and projects, be it a business, a film, or something else?

Liz: Well, you have to do a lot of planning. Number one, I would look for a mentor first. Of course, people think it’s fun, and I mean, it is fun but it’s a lot of work. I would definitely look for a mentor first. Just have a lot of discussions, ask a lot of questions, like “how many hours do you spend a day?” Because they’ll probably say, “I’m not going to spend twelve or sixteen hours a day.” And so you have to be really passionate about it. If you’re passionate about it, if it makes you happy, just go for it. I’ve been a scientist, I’ve been an attorney, and this is completely different. It’s a lot of hard work, but I think it’s rewarding because it’s about getting to know people, meeting people with different backgrounds.

Fusion: You’ve worked with some really impressive organizations in the past- from the UN Indonesian Mission, serving the Secretary General, to the NYU Entrepreneurs festival, to the Yale Club. Kopi Kopi seems a great fit for Fusion- they both emphasize fluidity and progressiveness. What attracted you to Fusion?

Liz: Well, Kopi Kopi is a family business and woman-owned business, so it’s just a perfect synergy.And with NYU students there’s an interaction with different nations, different kinds of people. I love New York because New Yorkers like to experiment, try different foods, go different places. So I think this is a good opportunity to introduce the first Indonesian coffee because we are the fourth largest producer of coffee in the world. And Indonesian coffee is very delicious, and the farmers work very hard but there’s just not enough publicity about Indonesian coffee. When you go to the Specialty Coffee Association, they just don’t have the right presentation. But now, we’ve developed this nice espresso blend, which is delicious, on an Italian coffee machine. I’d like to introduce Indonesian coffee, discuss it as more of an intercultural conversation. That’s what intrigued me, and I think being here, right across from NYU, bridging all cultures, is the perfect opportunity.

Feb 24 2015

Fusion’s Woman of the Year, Reed Morano, Talks the Industry’s Gender Issue, Shooting While Pregnant, Her Proudest Works, and More

By Amanda Saiewitz and Ben Eisen, PR and Editorial Heads

In many ways, 2014 was a great year for female filmmakers. Audiences adored Gillian Robespierre’s hilarious and progressive Obvious Child, Jennifer Kent’s terrifyingly visceral The Babadook, and Ava Duvernay’s authentic and complex Selma. Beyond these few names, however, women were again hugely underrepresented in the industry. According to the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, only 7% of the 250 top grossing domestic films had a woman at the helm. That’s 7% for half the population.

Now in its thirteenth year, NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Fusion Film Festival strives to alter this shocking disparity by celebrating women in film, television, and new media, from student to icon. While Fusion rewards female directors and DPs in its festival competitions, it also promotes gender collaboration amongst crews (i.e. female director, male DP) and the rich work such balance creates. The upcoming festival, February 26-28, will feature events with TV legends Amy Sherman-Palladino and Janet Tamaro, American Psycho’s Mary Harron in conversation with Pet Sematary’s Mary Lambert, and distinguished cinematographer Reed Morano, Fusion’s “Woman of the Year.”

Among on-the-rise DPs, few are as impressive or as downright tenacious as Morano. Following her breakout work on Frozen River, she’s repeatedly proved her mettle, shooting indie success The Skeleton Twins, vital music doc Shut Up and Play the Hits,and HBO’s critically acclaimed series Looking. Morano’s a technical master, a gifted storyteller, and a leading exemplar of Fusion’s mission. To mark the occasion, we spoke with Morano about the industry’s gender problem, the realities of shooting while pregnant, and her proudest works.

Since you’ve been in the industry, how have you seen crew/roles for women change?

When I was an undergraduate in Film & TV at NYU/Tisch School of the Arts, many of the projects I shot had male directors, and only a few had female directors. It was generally a little more male-oriented than it is now. After graduating, I was shooting and working as a key grip and I often found myself the only female out of the whole crew, except for producers. Now, I see lots of women in a broader variety of roles.

There’s definitely a larger conversation about this going on. Some women wish that there were more equal opportunities in terms of hiring of DPs on studio movies because now there’s more equal opportunity going on for directors in that world. I just happen to disagree because I wouldn’t want to be hired that way. I would rather be hired for my talent. I also don’t want to shoot just any studio movie. Ideally, I want the most quality scripts I can find. That’s not something that equal opportunity is going to get you.

What do you see for the future?

I see more and more female filmmakers. Look at Ava Duvernay’s Golden Globe nomination and her movie’s Oscar nom – that’s a huge deal and a big step in the right direction. You can’t expect everything to happen all at once when it’s been such a male-dominated world for so long. It’s 2015 and still no female has ever been nominated for Best Cinematography. It’s shocking, but I have to believe that’s because not enough females had been shooting up until recent years. I do think Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind [shot by Ellen Kuras] should have been nominated and it still pisses me off that it wasn’t. I was recently at the ASC Open House in LA and I was approached by at least 15 up and coming female cinematographers. That, to me, is exactly what we need – to saturate the industry as women filmmakers – and it’s a sign that times and storytelling are changing, for the better.

How were you able to balance work and pregnancy? What was the greatest challenge?

It was a really good time in my career for me to be pregnant. I was shooting features, but they were low-budget indie features. The hardest shoot was probably a feature called Little Birds,which I shot when I was seven to eight months pregnant. It was a difficult challenge; we did 16-hour days because we only had 19 days to shoot the movie. It worked out because my being pregnant helped inspire the crew. When you love what you do, the adrenaline keeps you going.

With that job, I noticed an interesting thing in that the only person who worried about me shooting while pregnant was another woman. She was like, “Well, I’m a little worried, maybe we should get you an operator.” I get that she was trying to be helpful, but she was the only person who was thinking I couldn’t do it. It’s interesting that sometimes the judgment can come from within our own gender. But it was refreshing having the men on the project not question my ability to perform my job.

What were some of your seminal filmmaking experiences while at NYU?

I learned a lot while I was ACing for this other DP named Frederick Menou. That was a valuable experience in terms of accumulating knowledge about cinematography because he would teach me about lighting as he did it. At NYU, I recognized I loved what I was doing and in order to be successful at it I had to take risks and put myself out there as a DP even if I didn’t always feel confident in my own skills as a beginner. Through doing and making my own mistakes as a DP for others, I learned. After graduating, it got a lot harder because I had to seek out the work in the real world while supporting myself in other ways. I realized very quickly that the only people who succeed in this line of work are the people who persevere, even when it gets tough to pay your rent and find what you’re looking for creatively.

What do you look for in scripts that you have the opportunity to shoot?

One of the main things I’m immediately turned off by is too much dialogue and a story that has no faith in the intelligence of its audience by being overly expository. Less is nearly always more in storytelling. There’s a William S. Burroughs quote I always try to remember when I’m working…“Start thinking in images, without words.”

What films or experiences are you proudest of?

Right now, the movie I’m most proud of is Meadowland because I not only DP’d and directed it, but because it feels the most like “me.” I’ve never taken so many risks as a filmmaker and I’m so happy I did. Another project I’m very proud of is Kill Your Darlings because it was so ambitious, a huge challenge. We had nine movie stars, only 24 days of shooting, and were recreating the year 1943, on a limited budget, so it was a really tough shoot. But it was one of those shoots where everyone bonded because we loved the story so much, even though it was roller coaster ride of a shoot. I’m [also] so proud of Looking, the HBO series I did the first season of, because of what it meant to the gay community. It was really special to get to be a part of that.

What makes a successful collaborator?

Being a good listener. I joke around sometimes and say that the DP is like a shrink for the director, but there’s some truth in there. I strive to be completely there for my directors so they can totally trust me and rely on me. It’s my duty to make everybody feel secure, from producers to directors to actors. Especially the actors – if I don’t make the actors feel as comfortable as possible in front of the camera, it’s possible they’re not going to be able to give their best performance. As a DP, I’ve found that my most invaluable skills besides lighting and using my eye are problem solving, diplomacy and being a great communicator.

What advice would you give aspiring, particularly female, filmmakers?

I would say don’t get hung up on the female thing. The art is not about that. I’m tired of hearing, “It’s so hard being a female filmmaker. Look at the percentages.” Honestly, if anything, I had an edge as a female because it set me apart from everyone else. What I would rather see happen would be more women thinking, “What is a story that hasn’t been told before?” and using our unique minds to find new perspectives. Keep your focus. If you really want to do it, don’t let anything hold you back and you will.

(*See an alternate version of this article on Indiewire: http://www.indiewire.com/article/dp-reed-morano-on-making-it-as-a-cinematographer-regardless-of-the-female-thing-20150224)

Jan 28 2015

Reed Morano: A Celebration of Women Behind the Camera

by Daniella Duarte, Editorial Staff Writer

This year, we are honoring cinematographer and director Reed Morano as our Woman of the Year for her astonishing body of work, as well as her induction into the legendary cinematographer’s guild, The American Society of Cinematographers. Reed is one of only 14 women of the approximately 350 active members in the organization, and is also youngest member to ever be admitted. Her work includes Little Birds, For Ellen, Kill Your Darlings, The Skeleton Twins, and her upcoming directorial debut, Meadowland, which she also shot.

Among many of Reed’s accomplishments in film, she was honored with the 2011 Kodak Vision Award for cinematography at the Women in Film Crystal + Lucy awards, and in past years has been named one of Variety’s “10 Cinematographers to Watch,” one of Ioncinema.com’s “American New Wave 25,” and one of five innovative cinematographers in ICG Magazine’s “Generation Next” spotlight. In 2012, Reed’s work was featured in Indiewire’s “On the Rise ’12: 5 Cinematographers Lighting Up Screens in Recent Years” and was named an Indiewire “Heroine of Cinema” twice in 2 years. Some of Reed’s thoughts on the digital revolution and how it has affected filmmaking are featured in Keanu Reeves’ acclaimed documentary Side by Side. She also earned the honor to be featured in Kodak’s long-running OnFilm series.

frozen_river-207720 — Still from “Frozen River”

still-of-paul-dano-in-for-ellen-(2012)-large-picture — Still from “For Ellen”

Equally impressive, Reed has become a mainstay of the Sundance Film Festival; Frozen River won the Grand Jury prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and went on to be nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Actress for Melissa Leo and Best Screenplay) and seven Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Picture. The film received critical acclaim with film critic Hiram Lee mentioning “The necessary attention has been paid to seemingly small but ultimately meaningful details, and the camera of Hunt and cinematographer Reed Morano lingers just long enough on the right things—a face, the interactions between two children—to allow us time to think about what’s playing out before our eyes.” Audiences in Park City have also seen the premieres of Little Birds, which competed at the 2011 festival, Shut Up and Play the Hits, a feature-length documentary about the band LCD Soundsystem that premiered at the 2012 festival, and For Ellen, which also debuted at the 2012 festival in the dramatic competition.

THE SKELETON TWINS, from left: Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, 2014. ©Lionsgate/Courtesy Everett — Still from “The Skeleton Twins”

In 2014, audiences were treated to two more of her projects—the hugely successful The Skeleton Twins, a black comedy starring Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader, directed by Craig Johnson and co-written by Mark Heyman (Black Swan), and War Story, a dark drama filmed in Sicily starring Catherine Keener and Sir Ben Kingsley, directed by Mark Jackson (Without). Both of these films premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014. Also released this year were the cult 35mm and 65mm dark drama Autumn Blood, shot in the Tyrolean Alps in Austria, starring Sophie Lowe and Peter Stormare, and Rob Reiner’s latest feature, And So It Goes, starring Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton (her second collaboration with Reiner). In January of 2014, HBO premiered the first season of its new original series, Looking, shot masterfully by Reed and directed by Andrew Haigh (Weekend).

More recently, Reed began production on her first feature as both director and DP (not to mention editor); the dark drama Meadowland features a murderer’s row of talent from Olivia Wilde and Luke Wilson to Giovanni Ribisi and Elisabeth Moss. Moreover, Reed is generously leading the charge on a movement to control motion interpolation AKA “the soap opera effect” on our HDTVs. Reed’s change.org petition is supported by 10,500 signatures and has gained significant momentum, attracting the attention of both the film and technology communities. The petition reflects her passion for the industry, and the value of her work and the work of other DPs.

Fusion greatly admires Reed for her talent, tenacity, and forward-thinking mentality. In a male-dominated industry, she’s more than proven her mettle and integrity, asserting, “I do not want to be treated special or differently because I’m a woman and I’m a DP. That’s what I’ve fought so hard for my entire career. I can do my job just as well as the next guy.” Further proving her commitment to the art, she even filmed Little Birds while seven months pregnant! Fusion also looks up to Reed because of her familiar origins – she graduated from NYU’s Kanbar Institute in 2000 and accredits much of her young enthusiasm for cinematography to Professors Michael Carmine, David Irving and Rick Litvin. Following graduation, Reed paid it forward as an adjunct cinematography professor, co-instructing the first Advanced Television classes that NYU offered.

Currently, Reed lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and two children. Her reel can be found here. We thank Reed for her tremendous dedication to the art and for providing a hugely positive role model.

Congratulations to Fusion’s Woman of the Year, Reed Morano!

Jan 11 2015

Canon joins the FUSION family with two cameras!

FUSION is excited to announce its partnership with Canon. The filmmaking giant will award TWO prizes to this year’s student filmmakers to be awarded at the Showcase. Each prize will include a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with Kit Lens. Submit now through SATURDAY JANUARY 16. We look forward to seeing you at the 13th Fusion Film Festival February 26-28!

Rachel Thaw

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