Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ellen Ancui. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ellen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Shooting my short film, SAVERIO, has definitely been the most meaningful project to date. When I originally wrote the script, it was on the heels of an upsetting incident at the supermarket. Outside, a crowd was gathered around an old man in a wheelchair who had been abandoned. The store manager reassured everyone not to worry, that social services had been called and everything would be taken care of. Of course, telling me not to worry always guarantees that I will worry! I wanted to know who this man was, who left him there and what would happen to him. When I got home I did some research and learned that there’s a name for this kind of incident. It’s called, “Granny Dumping.” Well, that sparked my imagination and I wrote a short film script about a young woman on her way to a big party in the dessert who finds an man abandoned on the side of the road. At the time, it was called, FOUND. Then, other projects came about and I put the script away. Until last year. My sister had decided to take our dad into her home after our mom died. He was in good physical health but he had age-related short term memory loss, and we didn’t think he’d live very long without his wife. But he turned out to be very vital and in fact, became stronger under her care. In just a few months we realized he could be around for quite some time, and in fact, he lived for another three years. During that time, we had to navigate his caregiving. Most of it fell to my sister, but my other sister and I would take turns giving her breaks. We had a lot of resources to draw from – his Long Term Care policy, his VA benefits, his savings and overall, his wonderful disposition, but even so, it could be burdensome on all of us, but especially my sister who had him. Then, my mother-in-law became ill and she needed caregiving, and we were seeing a lot of the same frustrations all over again. On top of that we noticed that many young people today do not revere their elders in the same way we did growing up. We didn’t use Google to search out instant answers or information, we learned from our grandparents. We spent more time with our elders because we lived in the same area. Now, everyone lives all over the country so it’s harder to engage and connect. Plus, I kept hearing stories from friends about their challenges with caregiving and navigating the healthcare system. So it became clear to me that I had to make this short film. That the story was more relevant and crucial than ever and the time to make it was now.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My brand has always been blend of Catskills schtick with edgy, feminism and I often call my scripts, “traumedies.” I love to loosen up an audience with laughs, then zing ‘em in the heart when they least expect it. This is the experience I seek when I’m in the theater or watching a film. When I was a “theater rat” in NYC I founded a performance space called SOLO ARTS GROUP in the Flatiron district. Originally, it was a space to highlight solo performers, but that quickly expanded to include weekly performances for comedians, dancers, and writers. When the original Upright Citizens Brigade (Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, Matthew Walsh and Matt Besser) arrived in NYC, I gave them the space for free on Sundays so they could rehearse and perform. Eventually, word got out and when Conan O’Brien came to see them, Amy ended up on his show and they took off. When a film director friend from LA saw my second, one-woman show, JUMPING OFF THE FRIDGE, he said, “You should move to LA and write for TV.” At first I thought he was nuts, but it sparked a challenge and I watched all the classic sitcoms and learned what I could about television. Finally, I tried my hand at a few spec scripts, got some great notes and when I heard how much money could be made in writing for TV I was determined. I moved to LA, teamed up with another TV writer and in six months we landed a staff writing gig on a sitcom called MALCOLM & EDDIE. That was the beginning and while I took a long hiatus from the industry to raise my kid (I worked in legal during that time) I’ve been back at it for the last five years and have extended my pursuits to directing and producing as well.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Getting out of the house and seeing work is what all artists want, and it’s what helps people feel the power of community. The pandemic has conditioned us to stay at home and watch everything on our TVs or computers. We rarely take meetings in person anymore because we have the convenience of zoom. But the arts are meant to be a shared experienced in a communal space, whether it’s a movie theater, a black box stage, a concert hall or an art gallery. This immersive energy changes the way you relate to the material and engage with others. There’s something life-affirming in that as it transcends all political, religious, ethinic and socio-economic backgrounds. The opportunity to engage in real-time fulfills the artist’s purpose to entertain and connect with people, and that exchange of ideas and experiences both boosts the creative ecosystem and is a win-win for everyone.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I wish I knew how critical networking, marketing and self-promotion would be for the long haul. There’s this idea when you’re young that the work will speak for itself, especially if you have some success – you can just rest on your laurels. But even if you have a manager or agent or PR rep, you still need to do the hustle. Networking and marketing oneself can be tricky for artists, but there are many teaching tools out there to help you navigate it gracefully. And along those lines, you need to get the work out there any way you can. If nobody sees it, then it will just live in your computer, or a notepad or on your apartment walls. I’ve always known about the many resources available to artists, and I took advantage of some – i.e. I produced a lot of my own theater – but then I stopped. I wish had moved into filmmaking earlier using resources like my iPhone and leveraged YouTube and even recorded podcasts. It’s always up to the artist to drive every path of the career and creative journey, even when you have triumphs. And by steering your vision, you avoid getting caught up in what you think others want you to do, and instead, stay true to your authentic voice.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://saveriothefilm.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saveriothefilm/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568093230673
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-ancui-31391278/
• Other: https://bsky.app/profile/saveriothefilm.bsky.social

  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34006651/?ref_=tt_mv_close

Image Credits

Saverio stills – Jon Lam