We were lucky to catch up with Kelsey Cooke recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kelsey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
My most recent was selling my very first movie ever! It was a comedy in the style of “mockumentary” much like “The Office” or “Waiting for Guffman” called “RE-OPENING” – you can stream it live now at: WatchReopening.com !
This was my pandemic project which I co-wrote with my husband Chris Guerra, along with a filmmaking partner of ours, Matthew Koppin. We toured to festivals all over the world, winning many awards in 2022, and now it is finally released. We are very proud!
Kelsey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Director/Writer/ Producer/Actor
Kelsey grew up acting professionally in Hollywood, signing with her first agent at the age of 7. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts from Vanguard University, and pursued a Broadway, TV and Film career in New York upon graduating, working on shows like PAN AM (ABC) and ROYAL PAINS (USA). Her work eventually brought her back to Hollywood where she trained in improv at The Groundlings, UCB, Second City and iO West. She worked on projects like LIFE PARTNERS (Tribeca & Sundance Film Festival), BLACK NOVEMBER (Vivica Fox), BAD TEACHER (CBS) and THE VERONICA MARS MOVIE. In 2020 she Co-Founded “thisishardtoread” productions and is an award-winning producer, writer, and actor on the award-winning feature comedy, RE-OPENING (WatchReopening.com). Up next, Kelsey directed the feature comedy “Back to Bridgewood” coming soon. She is now based in Nashville where she and her husband Chris Guerra, founded the new Improv and Sketch Comedy School “Oddity Improv”(OddityImprov.com), currently running workshops and classes at Inciite Studios in Franklin, and will permanently be at The Factory in Franklin, by the end of 2023!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Being able to share what I’ve learned, and help others on their own journeys.
Building Oddity Improv in Franklin has helped us begin to do that. We look forward to not just teaching and hosting improv classes and performances, but also create a space for other professionals within the industry to come and share their talents and experiences. We want to build up the filmmaking community by being a “hub” for the top talent in the Nashville area, so filmmakers, producers, etc can stop looking elsewhere (Atlanta and LA mainly) and use the talent they’ve got in their own backyard!
Right now we are holding workshops at Inciite Studios in Franklin temporarily while we wait for our space to be renovated at the Factory. We hope to be open at the Factory by the beginning of 2024!
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Society can do a lot more than they realize, to support artists and creatives.
For starters, follow them on social media and SHARE SHARE SHARE! Help them gain the attention they need from the public – they usually tell you what they need. Help them spread the word everywhere.
If you have something they need – share it! Up-and-coming performers and artists need collaborators. Do you have a good location for a film shoot? Do you have studio space? Do you know an editor or photographer? Who can you help connect?
And of course, they need funding. If you know an artist or creative who needs funding for their next project, help by donating funds that will help get their project off the ground. Especially if you really believe in something they are doing. They are often competing with MAJOR studios, producers, and distributors and there is a HUGE difference between a production with $100K budget, and a $1M or 10M budget. 
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thisishardtoreadprod.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelseycookeofficial/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelseycookeofficial
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kelseycookeofficial
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thekelseycooke?s=21&t=gx3qMlD0wzjbjZS4AtmNaA
- Other: www.WatchReopening.com IMDB: imdb.com/name/nm0177456
Image Credits
Bret Hartman Photo, Kelsey Cooke