Interviews

Women in Film Portraits: Danielle Eliska Lyle
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Women in Film Portraits: Danielle Eliska Lyle

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In this installment of Women in Film Portraits, Lauren Sowa profiles Danielle Eliska Lyle, a writer, filmmaker, and photographer from Detroit. As a “black archivist,” Danielle’s life work is to tell stories (written, filmed, and photographed) of powerful women, the black diaspora, and the state of black culture. Danielle has gained notable screenwriting recognition and many awards. Her infectious spirit and passion for creative storytelling are palpable; read on!

 

Art of the Creative Entrepreneur, Part 2 of 2
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Art of the Creative Entrepreneur, Part 2 of 2

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In Part 2 of “Art of the Entrepreneur,” RB (Richard Botto) interviews Michele Meek of NewEnglandfilm.com about her business: an online magazine, industry directory, jobs board, and film festival. In this candid exchange, RB and Meek discuss developing your competitive advantage, creating an online persona and brand, and monetizing your business as an entrepreneur.

Art of the Creative Entrepreneur, Part 1 of 2
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Art of the Creative Entrepreneur, Part 1 of 2

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In part one of this two-part interview, Michele Meek of NewEnglandFilm.com talks with RB (Richard Botto) of Stage 32 about building a personal brand and persisting as an entrepreneur. RB discusses his entrepreneurial and creative ventures, including Stage 32 and his recent book Crowdsourcing for Filmmakers: Indie Film and the Power of the Crowd.

Women in Film Portraits: Alicia Slimmer
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Women in Film Portraits: Alicia Slimmer

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In this installment of Women in Film Portraits, Lauren Sowa profiles Alicia Slimmer, Director of the Award-Winning narrative feature Creedmoria. Slimmer discusses the making of the film, its musical influences, and its festival run. In addition, Slimmer shares lessons learned in Directing Creedmoria and offers advice to women working in the film industry today. Creedmoria will be released May 18th on Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play.

Women in Film Portraits: Caroline Mariko Stucky
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Women in Film Portraits: Caroline Mariko Stucky

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In this installment of Women in Film Portraits, Lauren Sowa profiles Caroline Mariko Stucky, an award-winning, Swiss-Japanese filmmaker and cinematographer with a fierce passion for American culture. For Caroline, film is the ultimate language. It surpasses the kaleidoscope of spoken languages that informed her childhood. In this interview, Caroline shares about coming to the United States and about taking on a predominantly male creative roles.

Women in Film Portraits: Kaliya Warren
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Women in Film Portraits: Kaliya Warren

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In this installment of Women in Film Portraits, Lauren Sowa interviews Kalyia Warren, the Writer/Director behind Expatriates—a love story that follows two multiracial dirt bike riders from Egypt to Cape Town. The film, now its final developments, was inspired by the people Warren I’ve met while traveling on the African continent. Warren is a graduate of NYU and is currently based in New York City.

Natasha Kermani on set of Imitating Girl

Women in Film Portraits: Natasha Kermani

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Women in Film Portraits is a series by Artist Lauren Sowa about up-and-coming female independent filmmakers. In this first installment, Lauren interviews Iranian-American Director Natasha Kermani about major themes in her work. Look for Women in Film Portraits interviews each month at The Independent. 

 

 

Women In Film Portraits: A New Series
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Women In Film Portraits: A New Series

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Women in Film Portraits is a series by Lauren Sowa about supporting, cheering, helping, and connecting with up-and-coming creative artists. In an industry where female voices are still underrepresented, this project is timely and vital. The series will launch in January with a profile of Iranian-American Director Natasha Kermani.  New interviews will appear monthly at the magazine.

New Horizons of Virtual Reality: Exploring Utopia Through the Evolution of Second Life

New Horizons of Virtual Reality: Exploring Utopia Through the Evolution of Second Life

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Annie Berman, named one of The Independent’s ten filmmakers to watch (2016), is a media artist living and working in New York City. Her background in photography and psychology inspires work about visual culture, virtual realities, and the changing media landscape. Her films, videos, performances, and installations have shown internationally including at the Museum of Modern Art’s Doc Fortnight, Rooftop Films, Galerie Patrick Ebensperger Berlin, Kassel Hauptbahnhof, and the Rome Independent Film Festival where she was awarded the Best Experimental Film Prize. Recently,  Annie spoke with The Independent’s editor about her newest VR project—an exploration of the possibilities and limitations of virtual reality through the aftermath of Second Life.