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

Taylor , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

In the film industry you have to be self motivated and seek out opportunities. I approached people I respected in the industry and asked them to teach me what they knew. It’s important to keep saying yes, even when you’re intimidated. You can always learn a new skill, and jumping into the deep end is a good way to learn quickly! I volunteered and interned until I gained experience. If you live in Colorado (most people in the industry live and work in LA/New York), breaking into the niche community of filmmaking/podcasting can be daunting, but it can be done with enough persistence!

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’ve spent the last 10 years working in filmmaking/podcasting. I’ve worked on documentary films, movie trailers, and marketing campaigns. Most recently, I created a podcast called Foreward based on my experience of surviving a school shooting, which earned a place in the top 2% of all podcasts globally. I am currently working on repurposing the material for a television script!

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

Yes! The Masterclass series is a great way to learn just about anything from directing, to writing, to acting, and everything in between! They find experts from a wide variety of fields and they share their expertise with you! Check out their library of content – the options are endless! My favorite so far features Shonda Rhimes, the creator of Grey’s Anatomy.

Also, there are a ton of film/podcast festivals that can be streamed online. I streamed the entire Charlotte Podcast Festival for free and learned everything I needed to know about launching a podcast!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I was on the cusp of beginning production for my podcast, Covid was getting very scary in Colorado! I could have waited for 2 years to get started, but instead I got creative. My actors and I rehearsed in the backyard 6 feet apart. The actors recorded their parts one by one isolated to their own recording spaces. They couldn’t perform with their scene counterparts, because we didn’t want to risk anyone getting sick, so my editors and I stitched together thousands of clips to create what you’ll hear in the podcast. None of the actors knew what their scene partners sounded like until the day Forward launched! Sometimes global pandemics put a wrench in your plans, but that doesn’t make them impossible!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.forewardpodcast.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forewardpodcast/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-leigh-fraser-44a83251/

Image Credits
Olesja Allen