Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lisa Cordileone. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Lisa , appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
One of the most impactful risks I’ve taken happened in an audition room last year…
I made the choice to just play. I gave myself permission to take up space, have fun, and connect. May sound simple but the risk was in the trust. And when I did… it reminded me why I fell in love with acting.
The ‘risk’ paid off. Booking the job opened the door to a rehearsal process I hadn’t experienced in a long time. It’s been a while since I’d worked on stage and I was very excited to get to work. It was a Christopher Durang play — bold, fast, physical — and I found that working “outside-in,” led me into the heart of the character in a new way. I came up through Second City Chicago’s training and hadn’t used some of these muscles in long time! It forced me to trust my instincts and stretched me as an actor. It helped me tap into my love for physical comedy, and explore the challenge of delivering ‘Greek-like’ language in a deeply modern, absurd world.
Acting asks us to challenge our hearts, minds, and bodies — and to find new ways to show up for that challenge with each opportunity. That audition became a touchstone for me. A reminder that sometimes, the greatest risk is in allowing yourself to just let go.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m an actor, writer, and producer – a multi-hyphenate.
I develop original characters for narrative TV and Film inspired by true events, with a strong focus on tech ethics. Creating space for Women, Queer, and BIPOC individuals both on and off screen is imperative to me. Recently, I wrote/produced and played Mary in Crazy As A Loon, a proof of concept with a powerhouse team whose work spans NBC, CBS, Hulu, Starz, FX, Netflix, HBO, Pixar, and Amazon. Meet our team and enjoy our trailer here: https://filmfreeway.com/caal
The proof of concept furthers the development of Committed, a TV series inspired by true events surrounding the Lavender Scare, about one American family simply trying to exist. Everything happening in America today already happened 70 years ago… Its social, cultural and technological relevance could not come at a better moment.
I’m committed to authenticity while embracing my lived experience as a queer woman to shape the lens through which I develop this story. Through extensive research and a deep look inside, I uncovered American history which made me feel both proud and violated—and struck me to my core. Committed naturally lends itself to a larger conversation — not only about our history as Americans but also about how we tell stories through the intersection of the unique lenses of our lived experiences. These perspectives shape what we create and how we connect.
Previously, I co-wrote, produced, and worked with a wonderful ensemble of actors in Freelancers Anonymous with co-writer Amy Dellagiarno (Amazon Prime) and alongside Alexandra Billings (Transparent), earning multiple awards. I played Abby in Easy Abby (14 episodes), which has garnered over 300 million views on YouTube. This work has screened at 40+ International film festivals and has been featured in The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Deadline, HuffPost, The Advocate, and more.
Probably the best ‘day-job’ in the world has been working as an audiobook narrator with the Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan and more! Lately, I’ve been narrating novels, historical fiction and LGBTQ+ books, and am grateful for every opportunity to use my voice as an actor… literally.
After years of working as a ‘multi-hyphenate’ artist, I founded Creative Vision Collective — a creative consultancy and educational platform designed for those of us — IN FRONT OF OR BEHIND THE CAMERA — to become filmmakers and empower those who have a story to tell with tools to build a business model around their creative idea.
If an artist is carrying an idea quietly, maybe for years, and are finally ready to see it take shape, or they don’t know where to start… or they just want to create an opportunity to work, meet new people and build new skills – this space is for them. Creatives and Craftspeople alike, are invited to explore methods for developing their authentic voice and bring clarity to their vision. Many actors/writers/directors/producers and the wonderful crew we alongside, may see themselves as hired-guns – but I challenge us all to think about digging deeper inside to see what else we have to offer in addition to our craft.
Too many of us have incredible ideas but no roadmap to make them real. This is about going from ‘I have an idea’ to ‘I have a plan.’ … or a the very least… the next best step in the process. Every story is different. Every artist is different. My goal is to tailor a blueprint that meets artists where they are. Most workshops like this focus on either performance, film production, or business skills—but few truly integrate all three in a way that empowers creatives to build sustainable, self-driven careers.
“Lisa captivates a room and energizes students with her passion to tell stories. Her guidance and insight into the industry paves the way for anyone to create a film!” — Molly Brock, Filmmaker/Editor
“Becoming a multi-hyphenate is the best way any actor or writer can take control of their career during such an uncertain time in our industry, and Lisa can help you get there. You’ll be so happy and grateful to have her in your corner!” — Will Graziano, Actor/Screenwriter/Producer
CVC offers workshops and, soon, eBooks, audiobooks and a digital collective space to whiteboard ideas, engage, and connect with fellow artists to build a collaborative community of creators! Since launching, workshops are available at colleges and universities, acting studios, independent artists and soon – film festivals! Visit https://www.mycreativevisioncollective.com/workshops to learn more about how to sign up or tap into free resources! Free 15-min consults available.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
As an independent artist, one trick I learned early on for production that seemed to hold real value was flight sponsorship. Having a flight sponsor makes it possible to film anywhere. Last year I worked hard to get a flight sponsor and was met with no’s and no responses. Big companies are trained to say no — just like Hollywood — so you gotta knock on some doors, to say the least.
As a producer, when I hear no, it doesn’t even resonate until about the third no… and even then, I’ll ask again. Because this work we do as artists means something. It holds value, and it’s our job to show decision makers why.
As an actor, when you hear no or get no response, there’s not much you can do about it but keep going. Keep going to class, keep reading scripts, keep learning new skills. As a producer, there is something practical you can do about it …
And this ask took more than one email. Rule of thumb: If I’m not moved to tears by the end of one of these passionate emails — I haven’t dug deep enough to communicate how crucial someone’s support will be to the film getting made. And when I ask someone for help, I don’t beg or plead — I show them why they are vital, and why we are too. Actors, Writers, and Directors make great Producers. If we can fight for our characters and vision, we can fight for our stories.
Eventually, those no’s turned into a yes. And Crazy As A Loon — would not exist today without it.
It’s the same kind of persistence I’m passionate about helping artists tap into — learning how to advocate for your project so hard that when you hear no, it only fuels the fire. That’s one of the ways things get made and we create opportunities to work. This shift in perspective has exponential added value that has grounded me in what I value and how I navigate my creative work, this industry… and my day to day life.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
If you’re part of the general viewing public — take a chance and watch something new. Find new platforms to engage with. You may just be surprised by what — or who — you identify with. Check out independent distribution platforms like Kinema, Kanopy, and Mubi, or curated short film programming on YouTube through channels like Omeleto or Short of the Week. Watch international films via festival virtual screenings and share through your networks.
High Net Worth Individuals, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, political donors: this is your moment to fill in the gap where government arts funding continues to fall short in America and continues to deteriorate given the current landscape. If you recognize the cultural value and social impact you can have at scale by providing financing in all its many forms, consider seeking out and supporting the filmmakers who are telling crucial and relevant stories. Advocate for them. They need more than just grit and vision to make a film — they need you.
Billions of people have access to screens. There lies opportunity. If screens are the lens through which we see the world — how will you use them… and why?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mycreativevisioncollective.com/workshops
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisa.cordileone/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisacordileone/
- Other: https://filmfreeway.com/caal
https://www.instagram.com/mycreativevisioncollective/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4948423/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_3_in_0_q_LISA%2520CORDILEONE
http://lisacordileone.weebly.com
https://www.thestemcycle.com
Image Credits
Jeffrey Lorch, Morgan Marcell