Sara Eckel - Author

Meet Oren Soffer!  Oren lives in Los Angeles and is an up and coming cinematographer with a bold cinematic eye. Oren’s work includes two feature films; “Fixation” that premiered at TIFF and “Allswell” that premiered at TriBeCa in 2022 as well as Co-Dping the film “The Creator” with cinematographer Greig Fraser. While studying film at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Oren was nominated for the ASC Gordon Willis Student Heritage Award, and was a finalist for the Arri Volker Bahnemann Award for Cinematography. Oren has also shot multiple award-winning short films, including “Opera of Cruelty,” 'which won a Student Academy Award, and “See You Soon,” which won the audience award at the Palm Springs International Shortsfest.Recently, Oren has started co-hosting his own podcast called Cinematography Salon which has some great in-depth conversations on both the technical aspects of filmmaking as well as what it’s like to navigate the world of film as a career. Oren and I met at a UTA party last September and we had such a great conversation that I asked if he’d be on Blissful Spinster and I was delighted when he said yes!  I have to admit my conversation with Oren is one of my favorites to date. His passion for the art of filmmaking is palpable and he is all at once introspective, humorous and articulate. He loves to share knowledge and is full of wonderful nuggets for filmmakers of any level. Beyond the joy of watching Oren succeed at what he loves, what brings me the most joy is knowing I can now call Oren a friend We had an Amazing chat and I’m so excited to bring you Part 1 of my conversation with Oren!**  Just a couple of fun notes before we get going… this episode was recorded nearly a year ago, last October and you’ll hear Oren and I refer to the film “The Creator” as it’s former name “True Love”, also, this episode will be part 1, as Oren has graciously agreed to come back as a guest to record a bonus episode and talk about what he’s been up to since our last chat and to talk a little bit more in depth on “The Creator” on the eve of the film’s release.Oren’s Bio:Oren recently shot the feature film ‘The Creator,’ directed by Gareth Edwards, along with cinematographer Greig Fraser ASC ACS, slated for release on September 29, 2023. Two of his other recent features premiered at the TIFF and TriBeCa film festivals in 2022. He has also shot multiple award-winning short films, including 'Opera of Cruelty,' which won a Student Academy Award, and ‘See You Soon,’ which won the audience award at the Palm Springs International Shortsfest before subsequently premiering on Short of the Week and receiving a Vimeo Staff Pick. During his studies at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Oren was nominated for the ASC Gordon Willis Student Heritage Award, and was a finalist for the Arri Volker Bahnemann Award for Cinematography. Oren has also shot hundreds of commercials and music videos for a variety of clients including Nike, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, HBO, Foot Locker, Grey Goose Vodka, Doritos, Kohler, Wilson Tennis, Marriott Hotels, ACE Hardware, Crest, Viacom, and Universal Studios.Connect with Oren on: InstagramLearn more about Oren’s work on his websiteListen to Oren’s Podcast Cinematographer’s SalonThe Creator is opening in theatres September 29th! - GO SEE IT!Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, InstagramIf you’re enjoying Blissful Spinster please consider supporting me by visiting my author page on Amazon - Pawsman Prints and picking up a purrfect gift for yourself or the cat lover in your life with one of my eclectic cat-themed journals! Meow!

Meet Randall Park, the multi-talented artist who has captivated audiences with his comedic acting, writing, producing, and directing skills. Hailing from Los Angeles, Randall is not only known for his comedic prowess but has also ventured into the realms of producing and directing. His journey in the entertainment industry began during his time at UCLA, where he co-founded the LCC Theatre Company, which has since grown to become the largest Asian American college theater group in the country.I first discovered Randall's talent when a friend shared a link to the hilarious web series, IKEA Heights, from the Comedy 101 web series. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend checking it out at the link I left below! Since then, Randall has left his mark on various shows such as The Office and Veep before landing lead roles in Fresh Off The Boat and Blockbuster. His performances have also extended to both the Marvel and DC franchises, with his portrayal of FBI Agent Jimmy Woo in the WandaVision series generating a significant online campaign for a spin-off series centered around his character.One of Randall's most notable accomplishments, in my opinion, was his co-writing and co-starring role in Netflix's rom-com Always Be My Maybe alongside Ali Wong. His portrayal of the romantic lead showcased his nuanced and hilarious performance, solidifying his talent as both a writer and actor.In addition to his own success, Randall is also committed to amplifying Asian American and underrepresented voices in the industry. This dedication has led him to co-found Imminent Collision, a production company aimed at providing a platform for these voices. Together with his friends from the LCC Theatre Company, Randall is working towards creating meaningful opportunities for marginalized communities.Most recently, Randall ventured into directing with his debut feature film, Shortcomings, a subversive romantic comedy that played in competition at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The film tells a relatable story about messy people who happen to be Asian American, providing a refreshing perspective to the genre. It was at Sundance that I had the incredible opportunity to meet Randall during a panel on directing your first feature film. I was thrilled when he agreed to share his directing journey with me on Blissful Spinster, and our conversation was filled with open dialogue, insightful advice, and inspiring anecdotes. I’m so excited to bring you my conversation with Randall! Follow Randall’s Production Company - Imminent Collision on: InstagramShortcomings is still in theatres this week - GO SEE IT!Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, InstagramCheck out IKEA Heights on YouTubeIf you’re enjoying Blissful Spinster please consider supporting me by visiting my author page on Amazon - Pawsman Prints and picking up a purrfect gift for yourself or the cat lover in your life with one of my eclectic cat-themed journals! Meow!

Meet, Nina Menkes! Nina lives in Los Angeles and is considered a cinematic feminist pioneer and one of America’s foremost independent filmmakers. Nina’s work includes, the narrative films “Queen of Diamonds”, “The Bloody Child”, “The Great Sadness of Zohara”, “Magdalena Viraga”, and “Phantom Love”. Nina’s work has been shown widely in major international film festivals including Sundance, the Berlinale, Cannes, Locarno, AFI, BFI-London, the New York Film Festival to name a few. Nina’s honors include a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Creative Capital Awardand a Berlinale FIPRESCI Prize for her first feature documentary MASSAKER. Most recently, Nina premiered her second documentary and fourth feature, BRAINWASHED: SEX-CAMERA-POWER at Sundance this year, and it’s how I discovered her and this amazing and impactful documentary which explores the sexual-politics of cinematic shot design. BRAINWASHED has screened widely at A-list festivals and was awarded the 2022 Female Empowerment Seal by the Critics’ Choice Association. But most importantly, it’s now being distributed by Kino Lorber. I was so happy to see BRAINWASHED receive a theatrical release, in Los Angeles & New York City to begin with, this little film that could with a powerful message has been held over due to demand & is also gaining screenings in other cities. I’ll leave the link to the film’s screening page in the show notes. Trust me, you want to head to the theatre and watch BRAINWASHED in a communal setting. I was thrilled when I saw that BRAINWASHED was going to play at my local art house theatre the Laemmle Royal, but the best part of the evening was getting to meet Nina after the screening and having her agree to chat with me on Blissful Spinster! Her time was limited but our chat is full of her insight and inspiration. I’m so excited to bring you my conversation with Nina! Connect with Nina on: Instagram, Twitter & FacebookConnect with Kino Lorber on: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & TikTokFollow Brainwashed Movie on: Instagram & FacebookFind a screening of Brainwashed near you at: Kino MarqueeLearn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, Instagram & Twitter

Meet David Casey! David is a Showrunner, Director, and TV executive. He lives in Detroit and is an award-winning filmmaker who specializes in directing, writing, showrunning, show development, and leading logistics for large-scale teams in challenging environments around the world from preproduction through post. Much of David’s work focuses on high-impact storytelling in travel, social justice, natural history, adventure, and environmentalism. David has executive produced and showrun over 100 hours of television and his work has been seen on Netflix, Intel, Discovery, Animal Planet, History Channel, MTV, Paramount+, and Amazon to name a few. David’s extensive showrunner and executive producer credits include the globally produced Coyote Peterson: Brave the Wild, Ocean Warriors from Executive Producers Robert Redford and the late Paul Allen, and long-running Ice Cold Gold for Animal Planet, which he created. On the executive side, David he has held positions at History, Moxie Pictures, Wilderness Productions, ITVS, Cineflix Productions, and Vice President Al Gore’s Current TV.  David and I met when I was brought on to Season 3 of Ice Cold Gold as a Story Producer and a friendship quickly sparked. I’m super excited to share our conversation with you all.  We chat about the importance of saying yes when you’re leading and hiring to your weaknesses, why collaboration is the heart of elevating your own work, and how it’s possible to be intentional with the choices you make with your career if advocacy for the environment and human rights are important for you. Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website at: https://www.blissfulspinster.com

Meet Sara Eckel! Sara is an Author and she lives in Kingston, New York. She’s been a full-time freelance writer since 1997, Sara’s essays, arts criticism, and reported pieces have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The BBC, and The Boston Globe to name a few. For five years, Sara was a nationally syndicated opinion columnist, with a weekly column that appeared in more than two hundred newspapers nationwide. Sara has had her short fiction published in Speakeasy and Sanskrit. Sara is also a published author, which is how she wound up on my radar. One of my former guests – Gina Fattore mentioned Sara’s book, It’s Not You: 27 (Wrong) Reasons You’re Single. I found it on audible and gave it a listen and so much of what she writes about resonated with me. I’m so excited to bring you my conversation with Sara, we chatted about the importance of not getting caught up in trying to fit into the box society has made for women, about seeking our own happiness whether that means being single or being in a healthy relationship and about redefining success away from what previous generations have thought that means. Connect with Sara on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/saraaeckel Connect with Sara on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/saraeckel Find out more about Sara and get her book on her website at: https://saraeckel.com Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website at: https://www.blissfulspinster.com

Meet James Ellis Deakins! James is a Digital Workflow Specialist, Filmmaker & Podcaster. James lives in Los Angeles and is both a creative and business partner of cinematographer Roger Deakins. James came up the ranks as a script supervisor for such films as Thunderheart, The Shawshank Redemption & Mercury Rising. She has transitioned into a Digital Workflow Specialist, working in a role James really enjoys as she gets to work with her best friend and creative partner, her husband Roger on such films as Sicario, No Country For Old Men, 1917, Blade Runner 2049, and their latest collaboration with director Sam Mendes – Empire of Light. During the pandemic, James created the TEAM DEAKINS Podcast which is a series of conversations between James and Roger and a guest, covering all aspects of movie making. This podcast is such a great resource for both beginning and seasoned filmmakers and everyone in between and I’m so excited that it’s coming back for season two! I discovered James through the Team Deakins Podcast, and I decided to be bold and send the podcast an email asking if James would like to be on Blissful Spinster. To my surprise, James, herself answered and she said yes! I’m so excited to bring you my conversation with James, we laughed a lot, learned a lot and was the kind of chat that leaves you smiling. We talked about the importance of collaboration on a film, what directors can learn from a script supervisor and how we both believe in sharing our knowledge. Connect with James on Instagram at - https://www.instagram.com/team.deakins Connect with James onTwitter at - https://twitter.com/teamdeakins Check out the Team Deakins on its website at - https://teamdeakins.libsyn.com/# Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website at - https://www.blissfulspinster.com

Meet Amy & Nancy Harrington! Amy & Nancy are Women’s Empowerment Activists and Podcasters, Amy and Nancy live in Los Angeles and they’re sisters on a mission. Amy had a long and successful career in film & television, where she worked her way up the post-production ladder at Warner Brothers, to eventually become the first woman in the history of the film industry to hold the position of Vice President of Post Production and Visual Effects at a major studio. And Nancy is a serial entrepreneur who built a successful graphic design business and theater company in the heart of Boston before she moved to L.A. While Amy was at Warner Brothers she oversaw work on over 250 films, including the early Harry Potter movies and the Matrix franchise. When Nancy first got to L.A. she took on her first, and only office job at an agency where she worked on Academy Award campaigns for Miramax and Paramount Classics. In response to the #MeToo & Time’s Up movements, Amy and Nancy decided they wanted to strike out on their own and start a new adventure. They felt a calling to become advocates for women’s empowerment and find a way to become activists for positivity, change, and passion… and The Passionistas Project was born. In, 2020 they started the Passionistas Project Women’s Equality Summit, and on September 21st – 23rd of 2022, Amy & Nancy will host the third annual Power of Passionistas Summit to empower women to create a world in which there is equality for all. Now, I’m so excited to bring you my chat with Amy & Nancy. Not only do we chat about what it’s like to be a woman in the Industry, but we talk about so much more, including how important it is to support one another as women and how meaningful working as an advocate in the women's empowerment space can be. Connect with Amy & Nancy on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/thepassionistasproject/ Connect with Amy & Nancy on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PassionsProj Check out the Passionista Project and the Summit on its website: https://www.thepassionistasproject.com Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website: https://www.blissfulspinster.com

Meet Venita Ozols-Graham! Venita is Director, Writer, Producer, and First Assistant Director. Venita splits her time between Washington State and Los Angeles and is an award-winning filmmaker and veteran of the film festival circuit. After graduating from Pratt Institute in New York City, Venita moved to Los Angeles and was accepted into the D.G.A.’s Assistant Director’s Training Program. Venita joined the D.G.A. as an Assistant Director and A.D.’d on both features & television shows, she worked her way up to First Assistant Director/Associate Producer on shows like The X-Files, CSI, Veronica Mars, The District, Star Trek DS-9, and The Shield. About 10 years ago, Venita started her own production company called Wanderlust Film and she began directing and writing her own projects. Venita’s first feature film, which she directed & produced called Black Widows, was distributed across streaming platforms by Gravitas Ventures. For the past few years, Venita has been honing her craft as a writer/director by making award-winning short films including - Amy’s in the Freezer, Angel, Chicken, and Lift. Her latest short, Who Wants Dessert? which stars Sean Young, has garnered several awards and is currently finishing its festival run. Most recently, Venita has been busy raising funds for her next short film – The Ossan which will begin production in October of 2022. I met Vanita in 2019 when we both were traveling the film festival circuit with our short films and we hit it off right away. I love how passionate Venita is about filmmaking and about supporting others in their own artistic endeavors. I’m excited to bring you our chat where we learned more about each other, talk about what it takes to crowdfund successfully, and about Venita’s new project The Ossan. Connect with Venita on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/venitaozolsgraham Connect with Venita on Twitter - https://twitter.com/usedbodyparts Check out Venita’s newest project The Ossan and please consider donating, on its website - https://www.theossanmovie.com

Meet Joel Stoffer! Joel is an Actor. He lives in Los Angeles and is that rarity in the business a local, having grown up in the valley. Joel has been a professional actor for nearly 30 years and he’s portrayed everything from criminals, demons, and vampires to doctors, lawyers, and government agents. Most notably, you may have seen him in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., as Enoch the Chronicom. And most recently, he was Eddie Munson’s uncle – Wayne Munson on season 4 of Stranger Things. But before things got strange for Joel, and even before he traveled to space and time, he and I worked together on a couple of my short films -- he was a misunderstood photographer in #nofilter which screened at the 2016 Cannes Short Film Corner and he was a clown gigolo in the award-winning clown western – Bozonova. I’m so excited to bring you my conversation with Joel, we chat about the actor/director relationship, the importance of trust when making a film, and about his time on Stranger Things. Connect with David on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/obleyo Connect with David on Twitter - https://twitter.com/obleyo Check out Joel in My Short Films at - Bozonova - https://vimeo.com/231040810 #nofilter - https://vimeo.com/153323966 Learn more about Cris and Blissful Spinster at - https://www.blissfulspinster.com

Meet, David Bolen! David lives in Los Angeles and is a highly sought-after Cinematographer with numerous, narrative feature films, Television projects, and documentaries under his belt. David’s work includes 2020’s Sundance documentary darling “Some Kind of Heaven”, his feature film “Soni” which premiered at the 2018 Venice International Film Festival, and "Beast", which was in competition at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival and won the Independent Episodic Grand Jury Prize. David’s work hasn’t just made the rounds on the festival circuit, it’s also reached the Oscars, his stunning cinematography on the New York Times OP DOC “A Concerto is a Conversation" was part of the reason this fantastic short was nominated for Best Short Documentary at 92nd Academy Awards. Most recently, his feature film “Gone in the Night” (formally “The Cow”) and starring Winona Ryder, premiered at the 2022 SXSW film festival and amazingly, secured distribution with Vertical Entertainment. It can currently be streamed on Amazon. David is not just a talented Cinematographer, he’s also a wonderful friend and supportive filmmaker. He and I met a few years ago on the set of a true crime documentary series we were both working on, and we’ve been cheering each other on ever since. I’m so happy to bring you our wonderful conversation. We chat about the DP/Director relationship, how tapping into our vulnerability leads to making the best kinds of films, and the importance of making everyone from the P.A. to the Producer feel seen on a set. Find out more about David’s work on his website: https://www.davidbolen.com Connect with David on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidbolendp Connect with David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidbolen To learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and Cris Graves visit the website: https://www.blissfulspinster.com To connect with the podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blissfulspinster