We recently connected with Olivia Haller and have shared our conversation below.

Olivia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve made was my short film [subtext]. When I first moved to LA in 2021 after pivoting to TV/film from theatre, I joined a bunch of writers’ groups to work on projects and make new friends. I read a feature script written by two women, Erin Brown Thomas & Kelly Vrooman, that I thought was very cool – and I made it a point to identify cool people I wanted to get lunch with post-vaccine. When I got lunch with Erin, I learned she was also a director who was looking to make a new directing sample since she hadn’t made anything new post-pandemic. She had also read a pilot of mine that she really liked, so she asked me if I had any scripts to pitch her. I did *not* have any short film scripts, but I knew that I wanted to collaborate on something together, and I loved writing 10-minute plays so a short film was very exciting to me. It took me a few months to come up with an idea and create a rough draft, which luckily Erin really liked. We workshopped the script with actors – a lovely callback to my theatre days – and struck a deal that she would direct it if I raised the funds and hired the crew to produce it.
The process that followed was a very rewarding experience for me because I learned that I actually loved pitching work that I was passionate about to potential supporters, and I loved getting the team together and putting other creatives in positions where they would shine. Raising money in order to provide opportunities for other artists, and to bring a project that I wanted to exist into the world, was empowering. We set out to create a work sample for ourselves, and to forge connections with other dope artists – anything it did for our careers beyond that was gravy. And that film went on to screen at over 50 film festivals including the American Pavilion at Cannes and the Austin Film Festival (which, as a writer, was my absolute dream). I still use that short as a calling card, and consider Erin a lifelong collaborator (along with many of the other actors and crew members). After that, I was a developing producer on her pilot CHASERS which just premiered at Sundance! [subtext] proved to me that when you create from a genuine place of artistic expression and use your project to elevate the talents of others as well, it has a way of taking off.

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.

I got into the arts, as many do, as a high school theatre geek. I started off as a performer and got a BFA in Theatre Arts from Boston University. While there, I also developed a love of playwriting and dramaturgy, which then alchemized into a passion for producing and developing work by living playwrights. I served as a script reader, dramaturg, and event producer at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington DC for about 6 years while also acting and writing in the regional theater scene. I really cut my teeth as a playwright by constantly reading scripts by some of the best and freshest writers submitting their work to Woolly and premiering around DC.
I also learned during that time that I loved the process of being a writer – and not so much the process of being a working actor. I loved discussing scripts, breaking down why one script moved me and another didn’t, getting feedback in rehearsals, learning how to give notes in a productive and supportive way, and seeing drafts improve over time. I did NOT love waiting all day in lobbies for non-union cattle call auditions. While I still loved acting, I gravitated towards writing primarily, which included the desire of writing for television. By the time covid hit and my theatre work dried up, I knew it was time to head to LA, build a life, and work towards that goal.
What I think sets me apart as a writer and script reader is my knack for getting to the WHY of a script. This is something I really learned as a dramaturg. What is the writer trying to say, where in their heart does it come from, and why is it important to say now? Digging deep to unearth this first and foremost always serves as the guiding light for my feedback from then on. How is the project serving and illuminating the Why?
While I am always working on my own projects, I have also realized that giving feedback and coaching writers through drafts of their scripts is incredibly fulfilling to me. I recently started opening up my script consultation and coaching services to the general public and not just the folks in my writers’ groups. I’d love to continue to grow my practice by helping others get to the next draft – whether it’s for a TV pilot, short, stage play, or feature. More information and scheduling is available on my website www.oliviahaller.net.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I can think of two!
One is Burn It Down by Maureen Ryan. It’s an expose that addresses exploitation in all corners of the entertainment industry, and I avoided reading it for a long time because I didn’t want to be reminded of the bad parts. However, the end of the book talks about how the systems can change if those in power agree to dismantle them and make different choices. This solidified my super-objective of becoming a showrunner so that I can influence how my sets are run and how my employees are treated. I want to be one of those people that helps create a better system.
The other book I keep recommending to everyone is The Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap. Her whole mission is teaching women how to manage money by presenting information about budgeting and investing in a very accessible way. I’ve always had the mindset that economics was too confusing for me and my terrible math skills made me bad at money too, which is absolutely not true — I just never had the right teacher. Also, there’s a reason why I always felt like it was too hard to understand: women have traditionally been gatekept from knowledge about earning money because financial industries have historically been dominated by men. Tori shares this great quote by Victoria Woodhull, a suffragist who ran for president in 1872: “A woman’s ability to earn money is better protection against the tyranny and brutality of men than her ability to vote.” It’s become abundantly clear to me that my prowess in managing my finances is directly tied to my creative practice and building the world I want to see, so I’ve been on that whole journey this year as well.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Pay them.
If you are an indie or event producer, budget for labor. Don’t rely on volunteers or just offer to buy them pizza. Don’t pay in “experience” or “credits.”
Don’t get me wrong – experience and credits are valuable and artists need them. But – and this is my theatre past life talking – there is no quicker way to make an artist feel devalued than by offering them no money or a laughably low rate for their expertise. Because it’s not just you who is doing this. For artists, every contract is a new negotiation with someone who is trying to pay you as little as possible. If you want to gain a collaborator who will prioritize your project, show that person you appreciate them by compensating them fairly like you would for any other service. As a general rule, show respect for their professionalism and the time and dedication it took to develop their craft. There’s a reason you need to hire them in the first place!
If you are an artist: always ask for your full rate! You might not always get it, but you never will if you don’t ask.

Also, here’s what I’ll end with: intentionality with money, time, and words goes a long way. For example, if I love a new coffee shop, I make it a point to schedule meetings there and tag them on Instagram to encourage other people to go to it. If I am moved by a TV show, I make sure to find the creators’ posts about it on social media and share how much it meant to me. If an artist that I know is fundraising for a project, I always chip in a little something to their kick-starter. Not only does that support have a way of coming back around, it is a concrete action towards creating the world I want to see. And little consistent actions, over time, do add up and make a difference.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.oliviahaller.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivia_haller
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-haller-670a64a7/

Image Credits

Sundance red carpet (2): Vivien Killilea Best
[subtext] poster design: Chris Davidson
LWAP poster design: Danny Bristoll
Headshot (flannel): Erin Brown Thomas