Sista Brunch
Whether you’re a seasoned professional in the film industry, an aspiring filmmaker, or a media enthusiast, Sista Brunch offers a rare glimpse into the professional lives of those who shape contemporary entertainment. It's an essential resource for understanding the role of an inclusive lens in crafting stories that resonate across audiences. Tune into Sista Brunch to hear the powerful voices of those leading the way in Hollywood and beyond. Learn from their experiences, get inspired by their stories, and gain insights into making your mark in the entertainment world.
Episodes

Sunday Aug 11, 2024
Sunday Aug 11, 2024
🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉
We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sistabrunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival in New Orleans! 🎬🌟
Our amazing host sits down with the incredible Yhá Mourhia Wright to discuss her short film, 'Chocolate with Sprinkles', and its journey to being screened at this prestigious festival.
🎥 "It's surreal. I'm really grateful, grateful to the writer-director, Hurriyah Muhammad, for assembling such a strong team," says Yhá Mourhia Wright about her project.
Sista Brunch dives into the inspiring stories of Black women and gender expansive people thriving in entertainment and media.
👉🏾 Listen to the full episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 📺 Or watch the video here: YouTube.com/trujulomedia.
00:00 Welcome Back, Yhá Mourhia!
00:06 Surviving the Southern Heat
00:31 Celebrating 'Chocolate with Sprinkles'
01:29 Navigating Film Production Finances
03:55 Core Values for Creatives
06:09 Wrapping Up with Yhá Mourhia

Saturday Aug 10, 2024
Saturday Aug 10, 2024
At the Essence Film Festival for Essence's 30th anniversary, Sista Brunch hosts a special episode featuring Santana Coleman, a Black woman filmmaker with 11 years of experience. Santana discusses her latest short drama, 'The Last Week,' which explores love and the effects of Black male incarceration on families, and shares her journey from college filmmaking to winning an Emmy. The conversation also touches on financing independent films, uplifting Milwaukee's creative community, and important filmmaking terminology.
00:00 Welcome to Sista Brunch at Essence Film Festival
00:27 Introducing Santana Coleman and Her Film
01:16 The Journey of an 11-Year Filmmaker
01:56 Building a Black Audience Through Cinema
02:46 Financing the Last Week
03:36 Filmmaking in Milwaukee
04:49 Winning an Emmy and Future Goals
05:38 Let's Talk Tech: Continuity in Filmmaking
06:32 Closing Remarks and Appreciation

Saturday Aug 10, 2024
Saturday Aug 10, 2024
🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉
We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival! 🎬🌟
Join us as we celebrate and learn from the amazing Tracey Baker Simmons, a trailblazer in urban reality TV. Tracey shares her journey, insights on the importance of Black representation behind the camera, and practical advice on financing and producing projects.
One key takeaway from Tracey: 'I think one key thing is to have more of us behind the camera.'
👉🏾 Listen to the full episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 📺 Or watch the video here: YouTube.com/trujulomedia #SistaBrunchPodcast #EssenceFilmFestival #BlackExcellence #Entertainment #Media #Podcast #BonusEpisode #ListenNow #WatchNow
00:00 Welcome to Sista Brunch at Essence Film Festival
00:18 Introducing Tracey Baker Simmons: Pioneer of Urban Reality TV
00:38 Tracey's Workshop on Reality Television
01:36 Challenges and Triumphs in Reality TV
02:56 Financing Reality TV Projects
04:16 Self-Financing and Ownership in Filmmaking
05:19 Networking and Fundraising Tips
06:37 Let's Talk Tech: Unscripted TV Terminology
08:09 ECCO: Media and Civic Engagement
10:15 Upcoming Projects and Reality TV Decoded

Saturday Aug 10, 2024
Saturday Aug 10, 2024
🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉 We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival in New Orleans! 🎬🌟 Fanshen Cox sits down with the talented Okema T. Moore to discuss her incredible year, including her work on 'Chocolate with Sprinkles,' Sesame Street memories, producing and directing experiences, and much more! 🎥
'We are now Oscar qualified!' - Okema T. Moore.
Sista Brunch dives into the inspiring stories of Black women and gender-expansive people thriving in entertainment and media. Trust us, you don't want to miss this one! 👉🏾 Listen to the full episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 📺 Or watch the video here: YouTube.com/trujulomedia.
00:00 Welcome to the Essence Film Festival
00:44 Manifesting Dreams: Okema T. Moore's Journey
01:10 From Sesame Street to Big Screen
02:33 Chocolate with Sprinkles: A Year of Success
04:44 Down in the Valley: TV Show Premiere
08:48 Navigating the Film Industry: Financials and Fundraising
14:49 The Importance of Soft Skills in Filmmaking
15:39 Wrapping Up: Celebrating Okema T. Moore

Friday Aug 09, 2024
Friday Aug 09, 2024
Join us for a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast, recorded live at the Essence Film Festival! Host chats with acclaimed filmmaker and author Nkem DenChukwu about her journey in the film industry. Nkem discusses her latest projects 'Chances Are,' a silent film set in Nigeria, and 'When Hearts Touch,' a 3D animation based on her children's book about the trials of a nine-year-old orphan. Discover the challenges of funding independent films and the importance of telling stories that resonate with diverse audiences. Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple, and watch the whole episode on YouTube. 'Always be the best of you.'
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:22 Meet Nkem DenChukwu
00:43 Discussing 'Chances Are'
03:53 Exploring 'When Hearts Touch'
06:41 Challenges of Funding
09:00 Signature Question: Brunch with Younger Self
10:32 Closing Remarks and Gifts

Friday Aug 09, 2024
Friday Aug 09, 2024
🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉 We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival in New Orleans! 🎬🌟 Our amazing host sits down with the incredible MeMe Kelly, the writer, producer, and director of 'One Night in LA', to discuss her compelling family romance film and her journey as a filmmaker. 🎥
'One Night in LA' is a powerful story about a biracial woman facing life-altering truths after a devastating medical diagnosis. Discover insights from Meme Kelly about crowdfunding, casting, and the intricate editing process using Premiere Pro. Trust us, you don't want to miss this one! 👉🏾 Listen to the full episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 📺 Or watch the video here: YouTube.com/trujulomedia
Sista Brunch Team at Essence: Tasha Rogers: audio, Beau Williams: producer & camera, Kamesha Rodriguez: branding and talent coordinator, Brenda James: host, Fanshen Cox: host
Special thanks to these Black owned companies who donated to our SWAG bags: @waitandseabeauty @nairobijewelrystudio @cprwrap @coolassblackwoman @shoplovecharisma @inner_beaudee and especially to @corpulence_consultingfirm for connecting us with the brands.
#SistaBrunchPodcast #EssenceFilmFestival #BlackExcellence #Entertainment #Media #Podcast #BonusEpisode #ListenNow #WatchNow
00:00 Introduction to Sista Brunch at Essence Film Festival
00:08 Meet Meme Kelly: Writer, Producer, and Director
00:28 Exploring 'One Night in LA'
01:05 The Biracial Experience and Personal Connections
02:32 Casting and Character Insights
03:33 Fundraising and Financial Challenges
05:20 Technical Aspects of Filmmaking
06:57 Conclusion and Future Collaborations

Friday Aug 09, 2024
Friday Aug 09, 2024
🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉
We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival! 🎬🌟 Our host, Fanshen Cox, sits down with the incredible Laurie Gardiner (USC grad), to discuss her deeply personal and impactful screenplay, 'Onset,' which explores themes of speech impediments and emotional trauma. Lori shares her journey from overcoming her own stutter to becoming a screenwriter and producing her first feature film.
'Laurie Gardner’s script—an autobiographical coming-of-age drama involving a former opera singer—highlights the power of storytelling in addressing personal challenges and finding one's voice.' - Fanshen Cox
Sista Brunch dives into the inspiring stories of Black women and gender expansive people thriving in entertainment and media. Trust us, you don't want to miss this one! 👉🏾 Listen to the full episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 📺 Or watch the video here: YouTube.com/trujulomedia
Sista Brunch Team at Essence: Kamesha Rodriguez: branding and talent coordinator, Brenda James: host, Fanshen Cox: host
Special thanks to these Black-owned companies who donated to our SWAG bags: @waitandseabeauty @nairobijewelrystudio @cprwrap @coolassblackwoman @shoplovecharisma @inner_beaudee and especially to @corpulence_consultingfirm for connecting us with the brands.
#SistaBrunchPodcast #EssenceFilmFestival #BlackExcellence #Entertainment #Media #Podcast #BonusEpisode #ListenNow #WatchNow
00:00 Introduction to Sista Brunch Podcast
00:16 Meet Lori Gardner: Screenwriter of 'Onset'
00:24 The Inspiration Behind 'Onset'
02:18 Lori's Journey to Screenwriting
02:54 Overcoming Speech Impediments Through Writing
04:27 Financing and Budgeting for Films
05:52 Teaching Filmmaking to the Next Generation
07:29 How to Connect with Lori Gardner
08:27 Closing Remarks and Gratitude

Thursday Aug 08, 2024
Thursday Aug 08, 2024
🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉
We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival in New Orleans! 🎬🌟 Our amazing host, sits down with the incredible Lande Yusuf (@LandeYusuf) to discuss their groundbreaking project, 'White Agbada,' which was selected for this year’s festival! 🎥
Sista Brunch dives into the inspiring stories of Black women and gender expansive people thriving in entertainment and media. Trust us, you don't want to miss this one! 👉🏾 Listen to the full episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 📺 Or watch the video here: YouTube.com/trujulomedia
Sista Brunch Team at Essence: Tasha Rogers: audio, Beau Williams: producer & camera, Kamesha Rodriguez: branding and talent coordinator, Brenda James: host, Fanshen Cox: host
Special thanks to these Black owned companies who donated to our SWAG bags: @waitandseabeauty @nairobijewelrystudio @cprwrap @coolassblackwoman @shoplovecharisma @inner_beaudee and especially to @corpulence_consultingfirm for connecting us with the brands.
#SistaBrunchPodcast #EssenceFilmFestival #BlackExcellence #Entertainment #Media #Podcast #BonusEpisode #ListenNow #WatchNow
00:00 Welcome to Sista Brunch
00:19 Meet Lande: A Filmmaker's Journey
01:02 Challenges in Filmmaking
01:55 The Essence Film Festival Project
02:47 Sista Brunch Signature Question
04:02 Wrapping Up and Thank You

Thursday Aug 08, 2024
Thursday Aug 08, 2024
In this bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast, recorded live at the Essence Film Festival, the hosts interview Lacey Brown about her narrative podcast 'Dr. Apples.' Lacey discusses the whimsical and creative world of her show, which combines fun, fiction, fantasy, and folklore. The conversation covers the show's format, intended audience, technical aspects of podcasting, budget management, and aspirations for a visual component. The episode also includes insights into storytelling and the financial complexities of producing a podcast. Tune in to discover how Lacey brings Dr. Apples to life and her dreams for the podcast's future.
00:00 Welcome to Sista Brunch at Essence Film Festival
00:15 Introducing Ms. Lacey Brown and Dr. Apples
00:33 Exploring the Fantasy World of Dr. Apples
02:18 The Creative Process and Visual Aspirations
02:58 Let's Talk Tech: Story Structure and Dialogue
04:42 Financials and Budgeting for a Podcast
06:28 Dreams and Future of Dr. Apples
07:01 Closing Remarks and Gifts

Thursday Aug 08, 2024
Thursday Aug 08, 2024
In this bonus episode of Sista Brunch, recorded live at the Essence Festival, the hosts welcome Jacqueline King Howell, a talented writer and director best known for her production company Judy's Child LLC.
Jacqueline shares her journey from actress to filmmaker, discussing her first script 'Judy's Child,' fundraising challenges, and her ongoing work on Sesame Street. She provides insights into film production and technical terminology in a candid conversation about her experiences and projects. The episode concludes with Jacqueline promoting her latest project, 'The Organization,' a futuristic thriller set for a staged reading at the festival.
00:00 Welcome to Sista Brunch at Essence Festival
00:19 Introducing Jacqueline King Howell
00:38 The Story Behind Judy's Child LLC
02:10 Challenges in Film Financing
04:16 Let's Talk Tech: Filmmaking Terms
06:22 Final Thoughts and Farewell


