Why Finding Collaborators is Like Dating
Special Crossover Episode with Daddy Dailies!
“You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.” - Steve Jobs
Happy Tuesday!
Welcome to this little corner of the internet where I share my musings and pontificate how we can sustain and dare I say thrive (?!) in the Entertainment Industry.
On Friday, I attended the FilmLA hearing at City Hall in support of an immediate amendment to the organization's five-year renewal contract with the city. I dive deeper into that here.
The energy in the room was electric and it was touching to see a packed room full of familiar faces. I ran into so many people who've been in the production trenches with me over the last 15 years!
We wanted a 90-day to 1-year probation period for FilmLA to examine their methods and work closely with the City and County toward lowering costs to productions and making Los Angeles the most film-friendly and accessible production city in the world.
The contract was renewed with no opposition. Councilman Adrin Nazarian, who has been working on the issue, explained that FilmLA had submitted numerous recommendations to streamline the permitting process. He emphasized that rejecting the contract extension would leave the city unable to process film permits which scared a lot of people, essentially forcing a choice between renewal and halting production entirely.
I wonder why these were the only options available, especially given the challenges of the past five years?
In case you missed it, here’s my 60 second speech that got cut way too soon (next time, I shan’t hold for the applause!) and my recap of the hearing.
It’s still a win, however, as FilmLA committed to modifying the contract within the first year. Let’s see. We need to stay vigilant and vocal about Stay in LA's proposed reforms:
Reduce public safety personnel requirements
Waive/reduce fees for public property shoots
Create competitive film-certified safety officer pool
Address crew parking price gouging
Streamline permitting review process
Revise stage certification process
Moving on…Diego Luna guest hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night and delivered a powerful opening monologue that's 100% worth your time.
I recently had the fun opportunity to do a crossover episode of AOP and Daddy Dailies with host Vika Stubblebine. She is an actor, writer, director and stand up comedian who most recently wrote on CBS's S.W.A.T.. She is a co-founder of Not Your Daddy's Films, a social impact organization dedicated to empowering and educating women and nonbinary filmmakers through events, screenings and podcasts.
The org got its cheeky name as a way to "take back this very patriarchal industry and be like, we're all daddy here. Doesn't matter what your gender is." Basically, anyone who's inclusive and "getting shit done" earns the daddy title.
Suffice it to say, I am a proud daddy.
The community they’ve built is truly remarkable. I’m thrilled to share a little bit of their origin story with you while blabbering on about the realities of building a sustainable career in film. No sugar-coating, no "follow your dreams and everything will work out" platitudes - just real talk from two daddies who really get it.
It was a necessary reminder of why building authentic community matters so much. When you find your people - the ones who share your wavelength and want to build something meaningful together - the chaos becomes creative fuel rather than overwhelming noise.
Both our shows are doing essential work highlighting the voices and experiences of those often overlooked in the industry. This crossover was a perfect example of what happens when we can come together to share knowledge rather than hoard it.
Let's dive in.
1. Finding collaborators is like dating
It takes time to find your people. Focus on growing with peers at your level rather than only trying to network up to established players. Look for emerging talent to develop partnerships with over time.
2. Producing is about thriving in chaos
Producers are endlessly curious problem-solvers who support creative visions within budget/schedule constraints. The line producer role offers the most job security since it’s rarely cut from the budget.
3. Cold Emailing is an art
Cold outreach works when you come prepared with specific, researched questions that respect people's time.
Keep creating, keep hustling. And as always, thanks for doing this life thing with me!
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READ | Everything Is Bigger In Texas - A new $1.5B film incentive bill was officially enacted into law. Link
LEARN | GINNY & GEORGIA Exec For Hire - Elena Blekhter - a seasoned development executive and producer - has launched a script and pitch consulting services! She’s developed hundreds of TV projects across all genres throughout her career and has produced 3 seasons of Netflix’s hit series GINNY & GEORGIA. She recently consulted on a TV show I’m developing. Hire her! Link
GROW | Building a Growth Mindset - What’s the difference and why it matters. Link
WATCH | The Queen of My Dreams by Fawzia Mirza - Support Indie Films!
Starring Amrit Kaur (The Sex Lives of College Girls), Nimra Bucha (Polite Society) and Hamza Haq (Transplant), the film is a love letter to mothers, daughters, Bollywood, and joy, exploring how our memories connect us and how we're all more alike than we might think. Link
