Catch A Break Podcast

This is the last episode in our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. I hope you’ve enjoyed this series as much as we have. If you want even more, you can go to our website at catchabreakpodcast.com for pictures and transcripts. We’re already working on season 5 and we have some very interesting episodes lined up for you, so be sure to subscribe so you won’t miss an episode. For this final episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with Jeff Pitts, the sound designer, and Haim Mazar the composer of Gray Matter. They talked about how the music and sound work together, how they differentiate and it is striking how amazing it is to talk to people who are able to put words to things that are actually very difficult to put into words.

We are getting close to the end of our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping new episodes every day, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. For this penultimate episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with Erica Djafroodi, the post supervisor, and Byron Wong, the editor. We talked about how this was different from other jobs they've done and how it was working with a director who is also an editor

We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping new episodes every day, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. In this episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with Savanna Peters who is a video assist operator & Sara Glaser who is a production sound mixer. Both of these women are in very male dominated positions and departments and they share how they’ve navigated that, along with telling us all about the jobs and the challenges of filming a movie within a tv show.

We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping new episodes every day, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. In this episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with Rhonda O'Neal, the hair stylist, and Rahimah Yoba the wardrobe designer. Let's just say, it’s a miracle they even took this job, considering the phone call from the UPM seemed very suspicious...but we’ll let them explain.

We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping new episodes every day, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. In this episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with UPM Corey Sklov, Production Supervisor Miranda Pacheco and Assistant Production Office Coordinator (APOC) Fiona Widerman. There was a lot to unpack here, with logistics, night shoots, and contending with another production team on the other side of the wall.

We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping new episodes every day, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. In this episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with cinematographer Andrew Jeric and Gaffer Matt Hadley. These guys are going to tell how they did so much with so little to work with, budget-wise. Basically, technology is your friend.

We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping new episodes every day, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. In this episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with location manager Yvette Yurcisin, stunt coordinator Dee Bryant and then later, transportation coordinator Sandra Ninham. These jobs are way more stressful than you might think, and these roles are not typically held by women, but these women came through with flying colors

We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping these pretty fast, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. In this episode Julie Harris Oliver sat down with Production Designer, Martina Buckley, Set Decorator, Vince Rodriquez, and Set Dresser, Joel Newton. We learn all about Martina’s philosophy of Method Art Department, along with all of their other budget indie adventures in the art department. catchabreakpodcast.com

This is a real quick bonus episode where you get an inside sneak peek on what really went on at the table read of Gray Matter, from the perspective of Meko Winbush, the director, and Jeanette Volturno and Yolanda T. Cochran, the producers. Let me tell you, it was not typical and not what they expected. CatchaBreakPodcast.com

We are continuing our Project Greenlight series where we talk to the cast and crew of Gray Matter, the film inside of Project Greenlight, and get the real behind the scenes of the behind the scenes. We’re dropping these pretty fast, so if you want to start at the beginning, go back and start with episode 401. For this episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with Jessica Frances Dukes who plays Ayla in the film and Seth Yanklewitz, the casting director. This was such a juicy conversation, full of great advice for actors, it will stick with you. You’re in for a treat. catchabreakpodcast.com

This season is going to be such a special treat. This is the Catch a Break - Project Greenlight season. Hopefully, as a listener of this show, you are also aware of the show, Project Greenlight, and if not, go watch it now on Max. Project Greenlight is a docu-follow show of the making of an independent film by an emerging director. Well, lucky us, one of our founders, Jeanette Volturno was a producer on this season of the film inside of Project Greenlight, called Gray Matter, along with her producing partner and new friend of Catch a Break, but old friend to all of us, Yolanda Cochran. This has given us a front row seat to the behind the scenes of the behind the scenes and all the things the show didn’t show. Very meta. These episodes are not directly tied to the series episodes so you can binge both in no particular order, and we just can’t be worried about any spoilers. It’s all out there. Listen at your own risk! For this opening episode, Julie Harris Oliver sat down with the Director of Gray Matter, name to be revealed, along with the Producers Jeanette Volturno and Yolanda Cochran. They talk about what it was like to work on this film with cameras in their faces, the challenges of making an indie film, and what they are most proud of through this process. www. Catchabreakpodcast.com

The new season of Catch a Break - Project Greenlight version drops July 13th!

We have another interview for you from The Blackening - this time with writer, co-producer and star, Dewayne Perkins, who played the role of Dewayne in the movie. Dewayne Perkins is an Emmy-nominated American comedian, writer, producer and actor. Some of his other writing and producing credits include: NBC's Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Netflix's The Break with Michelle Wolf, Peacock's Saved By The Bell and the Amber Ruffin Show, to which he was nominated for an Emmy. As an actor he has appeared on Peacock's Saved By the Bell, Netflix's The Upshaws, as well as Lionsgate/MRC's The Blackening, a feature he wrote and co-produced that premiered at TIFF. We talked about the success of this film, the deeper revolution that it is, this moment in his life, and what is the secret sauce to success.

To tide you over until the Project Greenlight season comes out, we have something so special for you right now. I got to speak with 4 of the cast members for the new film The Blackening. If you haven’t seen it yet, grab your friends and run, don’t walk and watch it in the theatre. I sat down with Grace Byers who plays Allison in the film and who you may know from Harlem and Empire, also Jermaine Fowler who plays Clifton, and you may know from Coming 2 America, and Judas and the Black Messiah, Also Melvin Gregg, who plays King, and previous was in Nine Perfect Strangers and The United States vs Billie Holiday and finally Antoinette Robertson who plays Lisa and who you may know from Dear White People and Diggstown. We talked about what a special experience it was making this movie and dug into all kinds of advice for actors pursuing this craft. Settle in and have a listen. www.catchabreakpodcast.com

This is part two in a series of interviews with the leadership of the Women’s Production Society. The WPS is an organization of physical production executives across the industry. It started as a small cocktail party and has since grown to more than 100 members and is a powerful force of change within the industry with the purpose to fulfill their mission statement: To promote the hiring of women in leadership roles in Film, Television and New Media. In the last episode, I talked with the group’s founding members Dana Belcastro and Debra Bergman. And today I am talking with Jeanette Volturno, producer and entrepreneur, and Cristen Carr Strubbe, producer turned physical production executive, who are the current leadership of the group. You can hear Jeanette’s origin story in episode 111 of The Other 50% podcast and Cristen is on episode 15. In this episode we talk about where the WPS is now, how they weathered the covid of it all the last couple of years, and what the plan to do going forward.

We have a couple of really special interviews to share with you - both are with the leadership of the Women’s Production Society. The WPS is an organization of physical production executives across the industry. It started as a small cocktail party and has since grown to more than 100 members and is a powerful force of change within the industry with the purpose to fulfill their mission statement: To promote the hiring of women in leadership roles in Film, Television and New Media. This first interview is with the founding members Dana Belcastro and Debra Bergman. Both came up as producers and now both are executives. To get their full stories, we will refer you to episodes 108 and 109 of The Other 50% podcast where we do a deep dive into both of their herstories. In today’s episode they walk us through the origin of the Women’s Production Society and what they are looking to do next as they hand the reins over to the next leadership of the group.

This is the episode where we dig into the age-old Hollywood cliché. Joining us in this episode is award-winning Director Anya Adams, filmmaker Avi Youabian, Writer, Director, and Costume Designer Kristin Burke. We learn from them what it really takes to transition into your dream job. Is that where you start? What should you do on your way to Directing? And most importantly, how do you make the leap?

In this episode, we are introduced to Sound Mixer Allie Boettger, Sound Editor P.K. Hooker, and Composer Michael Abels. We talk about how sound recording on set is different from the composed score and how the editor brings it all together.

Who takes care of everyone on set? On this episode we talk about what it means to care for the crew with Second Assistant Director, Alicia Lewis, Set Medic, Lisa Patton, film Caterer, Orlando Hurtado, and Key Craft Service person, Leah Amir. We hear about what drives them in this role, how they prepared for it, and the business opportunities that came along the way.

How do the lab, color correction, VFX complete the look of the film? In this episode, we learn more about post-production and how it all comes together in the lab. With us is an award-winning Cinematographer, Toby Oliver, VP of Fotokem’s services division, Jose Parra, and Digital Imaging Technician Oliver Mancebo.