Sista Brunch

Rraine Hanson on Queer Jamaican Cinema & Experimental Film

Rraine Hanson is a Jamaican transdisciplinary artist and experimental filmmaker exploring queer identity, mixed media storytelling, and worldbuilding across film and art department craft.In this Season 7 conversation, we discuss growing up in Kingston, studying film at Emerson College, working in production design and art department, and creating Transcend — a short film about a Jamaican father raising a trans child with care and intention. We also talk about fundraising as an independent filmmaker, queer representation in Caribbean cinema, and what “experimental” filmmaking actually means.Sista Brunch is a Webby-nominated podcast centering Black women and Black gender-expansive creatives working in film, TV, and media.

Kelly Harris on Locations, Logistics, and Powering Hollywood From the Ground Up

Guest: Kelly HarrisTitles: Supervising Location Manager; Locations & Production Logistics LeaderEpisode Theme: Locations aren’t just “where you shoot”—they’re how production actually happens. Kelly breaks down the creative + logistical power of the locations department, from scouting to permits to managing entire neighborhoods.Why this matters right now: With tighter budgets, shorter seasons, and new formats like verticals, productions need smarter location strategy more than ever—and Black women need visibility in the roles that quietly run the industry.Kelly Harris is the kind of industry pro who makes the impossible look effortless because she’s doing the work nobody sees. From getting her start in Cincinnati on Rage in Harlem to building a career in Los Angeles, Kelly shows how relationships, preparation, and leadership make locations the backbone of production. This is a masterclass in how the location department touches every department.Relationships as Currency: The Call That Changed Her Career (00:04:29)A day in the life of a location manager: scouting, strategy, and service (00:09:41)Let’s Talk Tech: “Area of Use” and why it’s everything (00:16:37)Let’s Talk Finance: FilmLA, permits, union wages, and location budgets (00:19:34)Verticals + the future: why this format could be a win for locations (00:33:58)A crystal-clear breakdown of what locations actually does (00:09:41)Real talk about FilmLA fees and what they do and don’t control (00:20:13)Practical career money: union wage ballparks + negotiation mindset (00:23:59)Future-proofing: how vertical storytelling changes production strategy (00:33:58)The leadership gem: protect your health, reputation, time, and finances (00:42:18)Kelly Harris is a Supervising Location Manager whose career spans film and television across major studios and networks. Known for her strategic scouting, production diplomacy, and deep logistical expertise, she’s helped productions secure and manage complex locations from neighborhoods and private properties to major institutions while supporting every department on set.Listen now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Watch the full episode on YouTube @TruJuLoMedia.If this conversation resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a creative who needs to hear it.Follow @SistaBrunchPodcast for clips, community, and resources.Support the show and help keep these conversations accessible at Patreon.com/SistaBrunch  or GiveButter.com/SistaBrunch.Keywords: Kelly Harris, Sista Brunch Podcast, location manager, supervising location manager, Teamsters Local 399, FilmLA permits, area of use, filming in Los Angeles, production logistics, locations department, vertical series, Black women in entertainment, Hollywood crew careers, production budgets, scouting locations

Asha Chai-Chang on Financing Creativity, Accessibility, and Building Industry Power

Guest: Asha Chai-ChangTitles: Filmmaker; Director; Producer; Accessibility Advocate; Founder, Funding Your FoundationEpisode Theme: What happens when a filmmaker learns to fund their own path using finance, community, and strategy as creative tools.Why this matters right now: As traditional pathways shrink and industry access tightens, creatives are being forced to understand money, infrastructure, and ownership. Asha breaks down how financial literacy, accessibility, and self-investment create real leverage, not just opportunity.Asha Chai-Chang didn’t enter the industry through one door, she built several. From political science at Yale to finance and supplier diversity work, to directing award-winning projects and advocating for disabled filmmakers, her journey reframes what a “creative career” actually requires. This conversation connects the dots between art, money, and access and why knowing how systems work can be as powerful as talent.Oscar Festival Win to LA Career Leap (00:16:14)Funding the Creative Life Strategy Blueprint (00:21:05)Access and Advocacy for Disabled Filmmakers Everywhere (00:24:10)48-Hour Writer’s Room Reality Check Experience (00:09:28)Invest in Yourself First Always (00:32:13)A real blueprint for funding your creative work without waiting for permission (00:21:32)How community partnerships and local businesses can sustain productions (00:10:18)A reframing of “failure” as a leadership and directing tool (00:12:21)Accessibility as a creative and production standard not an afterthought (00:24:38)Practical editing and captioning insights filmmakers can use immediately (00:30:23)A reminder to prioritize yourself while building a career that serves others (00:34:49)Asha Chai-Chang is a filmmaker, director, and accessibility advocate whose work blends storytelling, financial strategy, and industry equity. With a background in political science and finance, she has produced and directed projects that have screened at major festivals, including Oscar-qualifying platforms. She is the founder of Funding Your Foundation, a framework helping creatives understand credit and financial pathways to fund their work, and a leading advocate for disabled filmmakers expanding accessibility across production and exhibition.Listen now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Watch the full episode on YouTube @TruJuLoMedia.If this conversation resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a creative who needs to hear it.Follow @SistaBrunchPodcast for clips, community, and resources.Support the show and help keep these conversations accessible at Patreon.com/SistaBrunch  or GiveButter.com/SistaBrunch.

Karen Horne on Power, Pay, and Mothering Hollywood From the Inside

What does it really take to survive — and shape — Hollywood as a Black woman executive?In this intimate, mentorship-driven conversation, Karen Horne reflects on motherhood, leadership, money, and the invisible labor Black women carry while building entire ecosystems inside the film and television industry.From running major studio diversity and talent pipelines to being laid off during industry “restructuring,” Karen speaks candidly about power, pay inequity, coalition-building, and why Hollywood’s progressive image has never guaranteed real equity. She also shares how nurturing writers, executives, and creatives shaped her leadership style — and why stepping away from corporate Hollywood forced a deep reckoning with worth, rest, and reinvention.This episode is a masterclass in longevity, impact, and believing you’ve earned your seat — especially for Black women and Black gender-expansive creatives navigating entertainment, media, and executive pathways right now.What We Talk AboutMotherhood and executive leadership in HollywoodPay gaps, bonuses, and knowing your worthWhy diversity programs don’t fail — studios doCoalition-building across marginalized communitiesLeaving corporate power and redefining successMentorship, legacy, and making real impactSista Brunch is a Webby-nominated podcast centering Black women and Black gender-expansive people working in film, TV, and media. Each episode blends honest conversation, career insight, and cultural context — like brunch with mentors who tell the truth.Listen, subscribe, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.On IG follow @sistabrunchpodcast for clips, updates, and community.Support the work via Patreon or Givebutter to help sustain independent Black media.

Felicia D. Henderson on Longevity, Power & Directing Your Own Path

Felicia D. Henderson has built a career most writers only dream of — and she’s still expanding.In this episode of Sista Brunch, the Emmy-nominated writer, director, and showrunner joins us for a grounded, honest conversation about what it really takes to build longevity in television without letting the industry box you in. From navigating power rooms as a Black woman to making the leap from showrunning into directing, Felicia shares what she’s learned — and what she wishes more creatives were told earlier.We talk about her directorial debut, The Rebel Girls, a short film that has screened and won at festivals across the country, and the significance of being honored with the Best Live Action Shor Award by the African American Film Critics Association. But this conversation goes deeper than accolades. It’s about creative agency, timing, and trusting yourself when the path forward isn’t linear.This episode is for Black women and Black gender expansive creatives building careers in film and television — especially those thinking about expansion, reinvention, or simply staying in the game long enough to tell the stories that matter.If you’ve ever asked how to grow without shrinking, how to pivot without starting over, or how to claim authority on your own terms, this one’s for you.Save this episode. Sit with it. And come back to it when you need clarity.

Praise Odigie Paige on Birdie, Sundance, and Making the Film You Want to See

In this Season 7 pre-launch bonus episode, we sit with filmmaker Praise Odigie Paige, whose short film Birdie is playing at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, to talk about quiet storytelling, risk, faith, and what it takes to make the work you believe in — even when the odds feel stacked.This conversation is a reminder that there is power in patience, in subtlety, and in choosing yourself as an artist.Praise’s journey to filmmaking — from growing up between Nigeria and the U.S. to abandoning a pre-med path for film ([00:02:00–00:06:30])The making of Birdie and why she was drawn to a quiet coming-of-age story rooted in faith, displacement, and girlhood ([00:08:00–00:13:30])The Biafran War and why this under-discussed history matters to the film’s emotional core ([00:11:00–00:12:45])Why Virginia (and Appalachia) became the setting for a Nigerian immigrant story — and what cultural exile looks like on screen ([00:14:00–00:15:30])Writing against expectation: resisting pressure to make the story louder, faster, or more “palatable” ([00:16:00–00:19:30])Financing the film — self-funding, shooting on 35mm, and what it really costs to make a period short ([00:20:00–00:21:30])Shooting during election week in rural Appalachia and navigating safety, community, and grace on set ([00:22:00–00:23:15])The Signature Sista Brunch Question — what Praise would tell her younger self about mistakes, timing, and growth ([00:25:00–00:26:45])If you’re a Black woman or Black gender expansive creative navigating film or media, this episode offers:A grounded look at career sustainability in entertainmentPermission to make work that’s quiet, specific, and trueHonest insight into mentorship, risk, and self-trustA reminder that representation isn’t just about visibility — it’s about nuancePraise’s story speaks to anyone building in real time and learning to honor their own pace.Praise Odigie Paige is a Nigerian-born filmmaker based in Brooklyn. Her work centers girls and women on the edge of quiet transformation. Her short film Birdie is screening at the Sundance Film Festival, and she is currently developing her debut feature, Igboland, an intimate period drama exploring faith, girlhood, and desire at the edge of war.🎧 Listen and subscribe to Sista Brunch on Apple Podcasts and Spotify📺 Watch the episode on YouTube: @TruJuLoMedia⭐ Leave a review — it helps more people find this community📲 Follow us on Instagram: @SistaBrunchPodcast🤍 Support the podcast via Patreon or GiveButter to help us continue archiving these stories

Sheila Ducksworth on Making Soap Opera History | Sista Brunch Bonus Episode

TV history in the making! Sheila Ducksworth, executive producer of Beyond the Gates—the first one-hour soap with a predominantly Black cast—joins us to share how she brought her lifelong vision to life.We talk about how the CBS/NAACP partnership came to be, Sheila's career journey from economics major to entertainment exec, and what it means to build with purpose and impact in TV. She also shares a brilliant tech tip, brunch stories, and advice for her younger self.🎧 Listen + follow us on Spotify, Apple & everywhere you get podcasts.📲 More on Instagram, YouTube + TikTok: @trujulomedia | @sistabrunchpodcast#BeyondTheGates #SheilaDucksworth #SistaBrunch #BlackWomenInEntertainment #TruJuLoMedia

Love, Identity & Self-Liberation: Kareema Bee x Ekwa Msangi | Sista Brunch + The HiveMind Unified Q&A

In this intimate post-screening conversation, The HiveMind Unified founder and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Kareema Bee sits down with acclaimed director Ekwa Msangi (Farewell Amor) to unpack the powerful themes in both of their films: The Self Love Act and Farewell Amor. This special Q&A was part of the Sista Brunch x HiveMind Unified celebration held at Vidiots, featuring a community-centered screening and artist talk.From self-love to immigration, cultural identity to creative risk, Kareema and Ekwa speak candidly about what it means to make deeply personal work that also reaches audiences across the globe. Whether you’re a filmmaker, a fan of indie cinema, or on your own healing journey—this conversation is for you.📍 Farewell Amor is now part of the Criterion Collection.🎬 The Self Love Act is fundraising to produce more episodes—visit HiveMindUnified.com to support.⏰ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Welcome & Kareema Bee intro by Shirlyn Cesar01:00 - Ekwa Msangi intro & career highlights03:00 - Love, identity & creative parallels between the two films06:00 - Navigating assimilation & cultural duality10:00 - Ekwa’s personal inspiration for Farewell Amor13:00 - Kareema’s journey to on-camera vulnerability in The Self Love Act16:00 - The metaphor of Kizomba, Kuduro & music as storytelling19:00 - Final reflections on voice, risk & artistry✨ Hosted by Sista Brunch and The HiveMind Unified🎧 Subscribe to hear more stories of Black women and gender expansive creatives in entertainment:📺 YouTube: @trujulomedia📲 TikTok: @trujulomedia📸 Instagram: @sistabrunchpodcast🌐 Website: www.sistabrunch.com#KareemaBee #EkwaMsangi #SistaBrunch #FarewellAmor #TheSelfLoveAct #HiveMindUnified #Juneteenth #IndependentFilm #BlackWomenDirectors #ImmigrantVoices #CriterionCollection #DocumentarySeries #TruJuLoMedia #StorytellingAsLiberation 🎥🌍🧡

Ekwa Msangi on Farewell Amor, Filmmaking Grit & Legacy | Sista Brunch x HiveMind Unified

In this special Juneteenth bonus episode of Sista Brunch, co-hosted by The HiveMind Unified, we sit down with award-winning writer/director Ekwa Msangi (Farewell Amor, Saint X, Three Women) to talk about the deeply personal story behind her debut feature film, navigating the industry as a Black woman filmmaker, and the long journey to recognition—from Sundance to Criterion Collection.Join host Fanshen Cox and co-host Shirlyn A. Cesar (Emmy-winning producer and HiveMind Unified Director of Programs) as they explore the power of storytelling, the realities of independent filmmaking, and what it means to make timeless work—especially in the face of systemic exclusion. Plus, Ekwa shares what she’d tell her younger self at a real-deal Sista Brunch.🖤 This episode is dedicated to the resilience, creativity, and brilliance of Black filmmakers everywhere.⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Welcome by Fanshen Cox & Shirlyn A. Cesar03:00 - Introducing Ekwa Msangi & Farewell Amor06:00 - What inspired the story08:30 - Navigating Sundance, investors & indie financing13:00 - Budgeting the film and sacrifices made16:00 - Distribution journey & pandemic impact17:30 - Advice to her younger self19:00 - Five years later: why this film still resonates20:00 - Immigrant narratives in the age of Trump21:00 - Favorite creative resources & staying inspired📍 Recorded at Vidiots and in partnership with The HiveMind Unified, an organization supporting underrepresented early-career creatives in entertainment.🔗 Follow, Subscribe, and Watch More:Instagram: @sistabrunchpodcastYouTube: @trujulomediaTikTok: @trujulomediaWebsite: www.sistabrunch.com#Juneteenth #BlackFilmmakers #FarewellAmor #EkwaMsangi #SistaBrunch #BlackWomenInFilm #CriterionCollection #IndependentFilm #TheHiveMindUnified #TruJuLoMedia #FilmTalk #SundanceFilmFestival

Let’s Talk Tech: Tools & Tips from Black Women in TV + Film | Sista Brunch Season 6 Bonus

How do Black creatives in entertainment actually get the job done? In this end-of-season bonus episode of Sista Brunch, our guests and Black Girls Film Camp co-hosts break down the tech, tools, and behind-the-scenes knowledge they rely on—from LED screens to Avid, Scriptation, and color theory.Whether you're an aspiring director, editor, actor, or producer, you’ll get the real tea on what it takes to thrive behind the scenes in TV and film.Timecodes & Guests:[00:00:00] Jayden introduces Let's Talk Tech[00:00:30] Khalilah Joi – Lighting, backdrops, Line Learner, iMovie & auditions[00:01:50] Shirlyn A. Cesar – Paper edit process (High on the Hog, Netflix)[00:02:45] Noelle Green – LED screens vs. green screens + VFX team dynamics[00:04:25] Canella Williams Larrabee – Art & Props Dept explained[00:05:45] Morenike Joela Evans – Scriptation, Keynote & multicam directing[00:07:00] Erika Green Swafford – Writer-to-showrunner career ladder[00:07:35] Jaida Cox (BGFC alum) – Symbolism & color in post-production[00:08:45] Daysha Broadway, ACE – Editing reality TV, frame rates, camera grouping[00:10:30] Loretta Edwards Wilson – Programming strategy & pitch tips[00:12:00] Marley Jones (BGFC alum) – Sony A7 camera love & film camp supportSista Brunch is a Webby-nominated podcast sharing stories of Black women & gender-expansive folks in media. Hosted by Fanshen Cox & Shawn Pipkin-West.Watch, listen, follow, subscribe, like & share on:Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube: @youtube.com/trujulomediaTikTok: @trujulomedia#FilmTech #BlackWomenInMedia #SistaBrunch #DirectingTips #TVProduction #WomenInFilm #BlackGirlsFilmCamp #MediaCareers #SetLife #PostProduction #Scriptation #ColorTheory