In this issue:

MESSAGE FROM HARVARDWOOD

NEWS

• 2022 Winners of Harvardwood Writers Competition & Most Staffable TV Writers
• 2023 Harvardwood Writers Competition - Entry Deadlines
• Featured Job: Comedy Assistant (WME) - CA

FEATURES

• Alumni Profile: Amanda Micheli AB ’94 (documentary filmmaker)
  
• Industry News
• New Members' Welcome
• Exclusive Q&A with Julie Ann Crommett AB ’08 (DEI strategist & producer)
  

CALENDAR & NOTES

• August 2 - A Conversation with Producer Marty Bowen (AB '91)
  
• August 8 - Harvardwood Toronto Presents: "Playing Through" Screening - Live from the Martha's Vineyard African-American Film Festival (MVAAFF)
• August 16 - Harvardwood Toronto Presents: "Playing Through": Breaking Barriers & Making it Big (virtual panel)
• August 17 - Should I Write a Book? Featuring Susan Walter (AB '91), Judy Melinek (AB '91), T.J. Mitchell (AB '91), and John Kroger (JD '96)
  
• August 18 - Harvardwood Toronto Presents: "Strange New Worlds" with Bruce Horak
• August 20 - Harvardwood LA Event: Outdoor screening of "Guardians of the Galaxy"
• August 23 - Harvardwood Lowdown

Become a Harvardwood member as we further engage in socially active programming, discourse, and action to help change the entertainment industry.

Want to submit your success(es) to Harvardwood HIGHLIGHTS? Do so by posting here! 

Alumni Profile: Amanda Micheli AB '94 (documentary filmmaker)

Industry News

Gerry Bryant (AB ‘76) has just signed with award-winning classical music record label Parma Recordings to distribute and promote his next (eleventh) solo album, The Composers, the first in what he hopes will be a series of albums devoted to exceptionally talented and prolific Black classical music composers who have been overlooked throughout history. The album will be released at the end of this year. In advance of the release, here’s a video of Gerry with violinist Mark Cargill performing a track on the album: a short but lovely composition by Florence Price entitled Andante Con Espressione.

Red Doors, the award-winning 2006 feature film debut by writer-director Georgia Lee (AB ’98) (produced by Jane Chen ’96 and Mia Riverton AB ’99, who also co-stars) has been re-released on Amazon Channels, Roku Premium Subscription, Tubi and Shout! Factory TV. Red Doors won multiple festival awards and critical praise in its original theatrical release and is considered a classic of AAPI cinema. The film stars Tzi Ma, Jacqueline Kim, Elaine Kao, and Sebastian Stan.

Georgia Lee (AB '98), mentioned above, also serves as a co-showrunner and executive producer of the Netflix series Partner Track which premieres on Netflix on August 26. (Forbes)

Baratunde Thurston (AB '99) wants you to get outdoors. Right now! America Outdoors premiered July 5 on PBS. (NTY)

Elif Batuman (AB '99) returns to Harvard in her newest novel Either/Or. (Harvard Gazette)

Emma Eun-joo Choi (AB ’23) spills details about her NPR comedy podcast - and it's super cool. And impressive. And funny. (Harvard Gazette)

The Old Man was immediately renewed for Season 2 at FX, from Jonathan Steinberg (AB '97) and Robert Levine and featuring John Lithgow (AB '67) and Amy Brenneman (AB '87). Our Harvardwood 101 participants got a behind-the-scenes set visit back in 2020. (Deadline)

Former AMC and Fox TV Studios president David Madden (AB '76) has joined Wattpad Webtoon Studios as global head of entertainment! In his new role, Madden will oversee development, production and sales for the company’s global TV, feature film and animation business. (Hollywood Reporter)

Paper Girls premiered on Amazon Prime Video in July, adapting the comics by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang (AB ’96)! It tells the story of Erin, Mac, Tiffany and KJ, four girls who are trapped in the future when a war breaks out between time travelers. Therefore, they will try to find a way to return to the present, although first they will have to face the realities of their adult versions. (Codelist)

HBO Max released a trailer for The Last Movie Stars, a docu-series about the life, career, and longtime romance of mega-movie stars Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. The series is directed by Ethan Hawke and includes guest Steve Zahn (ART '90). (Collider)

Focus features has released a brand new poster for Vengeance, the directorial debut from writer and star B.J. Novak (AB '01). (Wearemoviegeeks.com)

Julia Quinn (AB ’04) will be writing a novel adaptation of the Netflix prequel series about a young Queen Charlotte from the world of Bridgerton! (Juliaquinn.com)

The Apple TV+ series Loot, co-created by Alan Yang (AB ’02) and Matt Hubbard (AB ‘00), has been renewed for season 2! (Variety)

The Emmy nominations are out! Steve Zahn (AB '90) and Alec Berg (AB '91) are among the nominees, and Reginald Hudlin (AB '83) is among the executive producers of the show. (CBS)

Christina Elmore (Insecure) is the latest to join the cast of HBO Max's upcoming political drama series The Girls on the Bus starring Melissa Benoist and Natasha Behnam and executive produced by David Madden (AB ’76). (Collider)

The Jim Henson Company has partnered with Oregon’s A Kids Company About to co-produce a new mixed-media series for six to 11s called A Kids Show About! The series is co-executive produced by Lisa Henson (AB ’82) and will teach more children and families how to have conversations about difficult subjects. (Kidscreen)

Watch the newest trailer for A24’s Bodies, Bodies, Bodies starring Chase Sui Wonders (AB ‘18) The film is slated to be released theatrically August 5. (Filmmaker Magazine)

Peacock has ordered a second installment of its true-crime anthology series Dr. Death based on the Wondery podcast, co-executive produced by Marshall Lewy (AB ’99)! The new season will feature the Miracle Man storyline, based on the most recent third season of the podcast. (Deadline)

Nicholas Britell (AB ‘03) is among the BMI composers and songwriters nominated for an Emmy this year for his work on Succession. (BMI)

Sandy Climan (AB ‘77) has joined the advisory board of Syllble Inc, the first studio dedicated to the production of speculative fiction worlds by bringing together creative voices from around the world. (PR)

China Forbes (AB ‘92), the lead singer for the band Pink Martini, has been honored by the Montreal Jazz Festival with the Ella Fitzgerald Award, presented each year to “a jazz singer of significant talent who has had a major impact and influence on the international scene!” (Oregon Live)

Apple TV+ has released the trailer for its upcoming limited series Five Days at Memorial, executive produced by Carlton Cuse (AB ‘81), which highlights the impact of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath on a hospital in New Orleans. (TV Insider)

Bakari Sellers interviews writer, actor, and comedian Bashir Salahuddin (AB ’98) for The Ringer about his journey from the South Side of Chicago to Hollywood, comedy, and his starring role in Top Gun: Maverick! (The Ringer)

Ashleigh Powell has signed on to adapt the YA fantasy novel The Hazel Wood for Columbia Pictures, which will be produced by Red Wagon’s Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher (AB ‘71). (The Wrap)

New Members' Welcome

Harvardwood warmly welcomes all members who joined the organization last month:

• Sarah Deonarain, College, BOS/Campus
• Harrison Phelps, College, LA
• Sandra Shelly, JFKSG, NY
• Tianwang Liu, GSAS, SF/Bay Area
• Sabrina Yates, College, SF/Bay Area
• Alon Ferency, College, Atlanta
• Channing Rion, Ext., BOS/Campus
• David Rice, College, Other U.S.
• Olivia Kierstead, College, BOS/Campus
• Patrick Galvin, College, LA
• Michael Stepniak, GSE, DC
• Najeeb Tarazi, College, LA
• Jendi Reiter, College, Other U.S.
• Lauren Perl, College, BOS/Campus
• Suchetas Bokil, College, Atlanta
• Sunil Subramanyam, Ext., LA
• Audrey Utoyo, Ext., BOS/Campus
• Ashley Turner, College, LA
• Deborah Cincotta, College, LA
• Dhaya Lakshminarayanan, FOH, SF/Bay Area
• Carmine Passarella, College, BOS/Campus

Exclusive Q&A with Julia Ann Crommett AB ’99 (DEI strategist & producer)

Julie Ann Crommett AB '08 has been working in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) space for over thirteen years leading disruptive, systemic change across media and tech. As Founder and CEO of Collective Moxie, Julie Ann works with organizations large and small on revolutionizing their DEI strategies through inclusive storytelling practices, accountability, and internal/external community partnership. Previously, she was Vice President of Multicultural Audience Engagement at The Walt Disney Studios spearheading efforts to diversify talent in front of and behind the camera, connect creative projects more closely to the communities they touch, and build a more inclusive culture within the Studios. Her team contributed to many projects including Encanto, Soul, Coco, Black Panther, Raya and the Last Dragon and West Side Story as well as launching the critically acclaimed Disney Launchpad: Shorts Incubator, an industry-leading program guaranteeing up to six directors from underrepresented backgrounds the opportunity to produce a short film for Disney+. Before Disney, she was Google’s Entertainment Industry Educator in Chief leading their efforts to shift and diversify on-screen perceptions of computer science through storytelling (a position she created) as well as having led Google’s DEI efforts in Latin America. She started her DEI career at NBCUniversal managing behind-the-camera diversity programs including Writers on the Verge and the Directing Fellowship.

Julie Ann has been recognized by The Hollywood Reporter’s 35 under 35, the IMAGEN Foundation’s Influential Latinos in Entertainment list, and as an ADCOLOR Innovator. She serves on the boards for the The Woodruff Arts Center, Hispanic Federation, NALIP (National Association of Latino Independent Producers), Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, and Women in Animation. Julie Ann also served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor for Columbia University’s MFA film program and co-created a new course with her producing partner Jinko Gotoh on inclusive storytelling. A proud Puerto Rican and Cuban American, Julie Ann was raised in Atlanta, GA and earned her BA in English at Harvard University.

Q: Clearly, your work has had a huge impact on the industry, with films like Encanto, Soul and Coco bringing audiences incredible diversity in the animation scene. Where do you hope to see these efforts lead us, say, ten years in the future? As DEI blossoms, what do you see as crucial next steps in your work, personally, and in the work of the industry?

I can’t even believe that 13 years have passed since I started on this journey, and I applaud the incremental progress that’s been made. Unfortunately, as we all know, it’s not enough. The next ten years, I hope, bring a plethora of original, new stories from filmmakers and storytellers who haven’t traditionally been centered. That we change the “default” of who is the protagonist of any kind of story (sci-fi, horror, comedy, rom-com, fantasy, drama, etc.) and that stories don’t have to be centered on a dimension of identity or a specific cultural experience but rather all of us just being in our full selves – as full characters – the way we exist in the real world. Elements of our culture, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, and/or any other identities we hold shine through as part of the story / the whole. We still need stories centered on specific cultural experiences (like Coco’s Day of the Dead), but those are not the only stories to be told. 

For me personally, I want to keep making and helping to usher, support, and/or find funding for stories like the ones above. I also want to keep working across clients, especially where there’s opportunity to impact at an industry scale vs. one organization. What the industry needs to do is put their money where their mouth is – it’s not enough to develop projects, but it’s necessary to actually greenlight them. Also, I’m all for alternative funding and distribution models. I think the disruption we’re feeling today will only fuel further disruption centered on creator ownership. There is tremendous opportunity in that. 

Q: You were an executive producer on the six short film series Launchpad: Shorts Incubator, which provided six filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds the opportunity to share their perspectives and creative visions that will show audiences what it means to be seen. What was your favorite part of the process, and do you potentially see yourself stepping into more executive production roles in the future? 

I love the Launchpad Season 1 filmmakers. It was truly an amazing experience to meet them through the application process, hearing them describe their visions for their projects, and then executing their films in Summer 2020 (yes, in the height of the pandemic). They are ready for anything! My favorite part was seeing them see their work on Disney+, promoted with a beautiful marketing campaign, and celebrating each other. Huge shout to the entire Disney+ production teams who made it happen during the pandemic – Mahin, Alyssa, Jason, Chris, Adam, and the whole team!  

Q: What is your current media obsession? Can you recommend any movies, TV shows, podcasts, or books that have been captivating you? What is a current show that you think has really effectively made strides for diversity and inclusion on screen? 

I just started watching The Bear on FX/Hulu. OMG. I absolutely recommend Only Murders in the Building, The Gordita Chronicles, Nope … so many. Rewatch Clueless if you haven’t recently. One of my favorite shows that really did a phenomenal job tackling lots of topics and intersections regarding DEI was the remake of One Day at a Time (seasons 1-3 on Netflix + season 4 on PopTV). 

Q: If there was one thing you would want everyone to understand about the work you do for diversity, equity and inclusion, what would it be? What are some of the challenges you face in your work, and how do you address them? 

DEI work is all our responsibility. When we work together, I am there to advise and am also learning every day. Also, it’s not a nice-to-have – it’s just how the world is / will be. It’s the only way you can run a business or organization and have it stay relevant in the long run. If you don’t layer it into the fundamental thinking across every aspect of your business, you will be disrupted. You will be irrelevant. That is worse than failing – it means huge swaths of your audience don’t care because you haven’t cared about them. Also, if you aren’t doing this with a global lens, you’re sunk. 

My toughest conversations are with people (typically senior leads – who are empirically White men) who believe they’ve got it all figured out – that they are “woke.” They say they are “progressive,” vote Democratic, and “know this stuff.” The truth is that none of us have this all figured out – that’s the impossible dream. We can’t possibly know everything about everyone and undo 1,000s of years of discriminatory structures overnight. We only have our own lived experiences to start which are riddled with bias. However, what is essential is to keep learning and listening – not assuming. The way I often breakthrough is to challenge them to stop trying to be perfect “progressive” people – there is no such thing – and get them to think about listening and growth. 

Q: How did your time in college (classes, extracurriculars, peers you met) prepare you for the work you do today?

Founding TEATRO! and the lessons learned and conversations I first confronted there were instrumental to my work now. Inspired by Black CAST, when I first pitched Harvard College TEATRO!, Harvard’s first Latino/x/e theatre troupe, I was asked if we could get enough people to audition and if we’d attract a large enough audience. I thought this was ridiculous, and I responded incredulously, “Of course we will!” We sold out by closing night, and our cast/crew was roughly 50% from the Boston community. It proved to me that if you build it, they will come. Also, you can’t account for audiences that you haven’t been accounting for – you have to widen the aperture and meet people where they are. We marketed directly in the Boston community and obviously filled a gap. I’m thrilled the group continues to thrive today. 

Q: In 2021, you founded Collective Moxie, a consulting agency that focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion strategy aimed at making lasting, sustainable change within partner organizations. As the founder and CEO, what would you say to young entrepreneurs hoping to start their own business or foundation? How do you think the pandemic affected the founding of Collective Moxie, if at all? 

To young entrepreneurs, I share a piece of advice a mentor, Charles King, shared with me. “Don’t wait too long.” I think that for a lot of folks and for me, especially if you were raised without a lot of financial resources and/or culturally told to pursue “safe careers,” it’s scary to say, “I’m going to start something and jump into the unknown.” It’s okay (and smart) to plan for it while you’re doing another job – just make sure you don’t wait for the perfect moment. It doesn’t exist. Trust your gut and know your value. If you don’t bet on yourself, why would anyone else?

Q: Last year, you co-taught and co-created the first class on Inclusive Storytelling for first year MFA Film students at Columbia University. What was that experience like for you? Could you see yourself entering the academia space again in the future?

Absolutely – loved the experience and learned a lot. My respect for teaching went up 100x, as planning classes takes longer than actually teaching them. I loved working with students and having office hours, particularly diving into their creative hopes and dreams. One of my partner’s and my observations was that everyone was trying to find and hone their voice. It became about “what do you want to say” – “why do you want to tell stories?” At the end of the day, those are the absolute best conversations you can have. 

Also, I was stunned at how much the students wanted to talk about comedy. I love it but truly, a huge portion of our class was wanting to explore it. Yes, please. 

Q: In your 2017 TEDTalk, you discuss the CSI effect, the designated driver campaign, and how storytelling in media can be an incredibly influential tool to revolutionize certain industries or areas (like computer science). What industry, social phenomenon, current topic of discourse, or job market do you think should be the next big target for media companies and storytellers? Is there a comparable target in 2022 similar to computer science in 2017 for these sorts of intentional media campaigns?

Hasn’t changed. We are living in a world being designed by such a small percentage of the population – stick to the CS / STEM train. We need filmmakers / creatives with expansive visions for what we could be 50 years from now – not the doomsday vision we are often feeling today. Science fiction informs the present and future, and it can literally drive innovation. The opportunity remains to inspire folks to envision a future we can build and to continue to change the “bro” culture that pervades much of tech. 

Q: How do you like to spend your time when you’re not working?

Resting my brain and refilling my spirit. Hanging with my partner, family, and friends. Love eating delicious meals, watching movies/TV for fun, reading non-fiction, and working out (I’m back in my routine). Oh, and I am part of a weekly bar trivia team. Yes, I am a trivia nerd… most recently on Jeopardy! – May 19th, 2022 episode (2nd place). 

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Julie Ann Crommett is the Founder and CEO of Collective Moxie.

A Conversation with Producer Marty Bowen (AB '91)
August 2, 5-6pm PT - click here

Join us for a conversation with Producer Marty Bowen - known for credits like The Maze Runner; Love, Simon; the Twilight film series, and countless other projects, including the upcoming TV series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, and the Children of Blood and Bone adaptation.

Before founding the production company Temple Hill, Marty was a partner and top literary agent at United Talent Agency. His UTA client roster included Charlie Kaufman (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Larry McMurty (Brokeback Mountain), David Stern & David Weiss (Shrek 2), and actors Bernie Mac, James Gandolfini, and Wesley Snipes. Films Marty produced at Temple Hill include Fatherhood starring Kevin Hart, First Man starring Ryan Gosling and directed by Damian Chazelle, The Hate You Give, and the Twilight franchise. Marty’s TV credits as executive producer include: Love Victor, Dave, The Outsider, and Revenge. 

Harvardwood Toronto Presents:
"Playing Through" Screening - Live from the
Martha's Vineyard African-American Film Festival (MVAAFF)
August 8, 2-4pm PT / 5-7pm ET - click here

Join us for an exclusive screening of Playing Through, a new film about the legendary golfer Ann Gregory. The screening will be shared via live-stream from the Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival (MVAAFF) on Monday, August 8th at 5pm ET (2pm PT), where we'll be joined by the film's screenwriter and former Princeton rowing coach, Curtis Jordan, along with the film's two leads, Andia Winslow who plays Gregory and was herself a pro golfer, and co-star, Julia Rae who stars as Gregory’s opponent, Babs. 

About the film: Playing Through is a feature-length fictional film honoring the life and legacy of Ann Gregory, a pioneering female athlete and civil rights advocate. The movie is a fictionalized account inspired by actual events and people. The impact and achievements of Ann Gregory are very real.

Learn more about the film at https://playingthroughthemovie.com/

Harvardwood Toronto Presents:
"Playing Through": Breaking Barriers & Making it Big (virtual panel)
August 16, 5-6pm PT / 8-9pm ET

On Tuesday, August 16th at 8pm ET (5pm PT), join Harvardwood Toronto for a virtual panel on Playing Through: Breaking Barriers & Making it Big. Following up our screening of Playing Through, live from the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival on August 8th, we’ll be bringing filmmaker Curtis Jordan along with lead actors Andia Winslow and Julia Rae back to Harvardwood to discuss their experience in creating the film telling the story of legendary pro golfer, Ann Gregory.

About the film: Playing Through is a feature-length fictional film honoring the life and legacy of Ann Gregory, a pioneering female athlete and civil rights advocate. The movie is a fictionalized account inspired by actual events and people. The impact and achievements of Ann Gregory are very real.

Learn more about the film at https://playingthroughthemovie.com/

Should I Write a Book?
August 17, 5-6pm PT - click here

Featuring Susan Walter (AB '91), Judy Melinek (AB '91), T.J. Mitchell (AB '91), and John Kroger (JD '96).

We'll talk with four best-selling authors about what it takes to write a book from start to finish. As experts in their fields, these authors will explain their journeys on the road to publishing. Join us for this informative and exciting panel!

Susan Walter spent her youth working her way up the Hollywood ladder, taking the longest road possible to become a filmmaker, which she finally did after nearly two decades working on movies such as Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Alien Resurrection, and Naked Gun 33-1/3. The film she wrote and directed, All I Wish, is streaming on Netflix, and stars Sharon Stone, Tony Goldwyn, Famke Janssen and Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn. Her debut novel, Good As Dead, is an Amazon bestseller and hit #1 on Audible. Her follow-up, Over Her Dead Body, is due out on November 1, 2022.

T.J. Mitchell and Judy Melinek are the New York Times bestselling co-authors of the memoir Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner (Scribner), and the detective novels First Cut and Aftershock (Hanover Square Press). Dr. Melinek, a forensic pathologist, conducted death investigations in California for 17 years before relocating with her family to New Zealand in July, 2020, to perform coronial autopsies. Her writing partner and husband, T.J. Mitchell, worked in Hollywood and as a stay-at-home dad before the publication of Working Stiff in 2014 and their first two novels in 2020 and 2021.

Photo credit: Amal Bisharat