I’m working on a number of projects for both film and TV, but I feel the connective tissue between all of them is that my stories are meant to shine light on people and / or a crisis situation, the world needs to know more about, via film and television, the strongest, broadest form of art and communication we have today. Some of my writing is more light hearted and fun, but still has something to say, about family, love, relationships… while many of my other projects are quite dark, edgy, and at times, perhaps even terrifying, in terms of the fact that these issues are real and there are people being affected in the US and around the world. So as far as a legacy, I feel it’s my obligation to try to tell stories and make movies for and about people who are not able to tell these stories themselves.

I started out as a TV and Print journalist for British Vogue in London. Then I moved to Paris and switched into television journalism. In Paris I was producing for several news organizations including CNN, CBS, ABC, and Canal Plus, and also for cultural shows. Journalism is such an exceptional way to see and learn about the world, while immersing yourself in other cultures. During the seven years that I was a TV journalist, I was sent to places such as South Africa, Vietnam, Cambodia, Morocco, Brazil, Russia, Serbia… Many of these countries were not considered “safe” at the time, but I went anyway, usually just me and a very small, two-man crew. We would stay for weeks, researching and shooting stories on location. Back then, you couldn’t just pick up a cell phone and call your boss if you got into some trouble – and we sometimes got into precarious situations… But we always managed to find our way back to the airport and get back home, with many stories to tell! These experiences as a journalist have informed the way I still see the world. And many of the characters I create today, although fictional, are based on someone I met or interviewed, in real life.

Well it is highly rewarding to be able to tell stories and entertain and inform people. And if I’m waiting for an actor to read, or funding to conclude, or the many things that creatives in the film world are often waiting for… I usually have several other projects on hand that need attention. Meaning they need a rewrite, or a polish of a script that I’ve put off. Or I’ll take time to update my website, or research trends in the film and TV world, or go out and network to meet new creative partners and collaborators. Another really rewarding aspect of this industry, is that we are no longer limited by language or geography. I’m working right now on multiple projects and my creative partners, who I speak to every day, are literally around the world in London, LA, Rome, Vancouver, Las Vegas, Berlin, and Paris. Sometimes it can be challenging, working out all the multiple times zones, but overall, it really adds something beautiful, when you have input from creative partners with a different life experience than your own, who can help broaden and enhance a project.

In every industry, people want to be heard. Their voices, their opinions, matter. For my part, in developing film and TV projects usually from the ground up as in… from the blank page, I need to maintain a solid, clear vision. If too many “cooks” are involved at too early a stage, the original vision can get muddied. However, once a project gets closer to lift off and pre production, the input from the people you are now working with, to actually execute this film, TV series, mini series etc., is invalubale. And in order to effectively manage your team, you need to listen closely, and hear input from a variety of perspectives. Story, production design, shooting schedule, marketing, casting, budget…all has to be worked out in detail among a wide group of people. So the tricky part is sometimes going from a position where your mind and point of view, are kind of on this “solo” journey, to the broader position where this movie / TV show is actually happening, and we need to widen the circle of input, to where we can create the most viable, successful, creative enterprise, together.