Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: It was a question that she said. She's like, what is the harm in letting them know your failure?
What's the harm?
And I sat there and I was like, well, they might perceive me in a different way. And she was like, do you like the way you're being perceived right now?
[00:00:21] Speaker B: I'm Luke Steinfeld.
[00:00:22] Speaker C: And I'm Wyatt Sarkisian.
[00:00:23] Speaker B: We made the 5050 podcast to support you on your filmmaking journey.
[00:00:27] Speaker C: 50% business, 50%, 50% creative.
[00:00:29] Speaker B: Every Tuesday, a new how to.
[00:00:31] Speaker C: And this week we talk with Mahalia Latourtu Pridget. Mahalia is a writer's assistant on Abbott Elementary. Not only that, she has a development gig working for a longtime producer on the show as well. It is a coveted role and Mahalia takes us down the path to getting there, which was no surprise. Non linear, confusing, and at times extremely frustrating. But through strategy, consistency, and allowing those low points to inform her writing, Mahalia persevered. Enjoy the episode.
[00:01:07] Speaker B: Can you give us, before we jump into it, just like, kind of like what you're doing currently and then we can dive into all of that and how you got there kind of thing?
[00:01:17] Speaker A: Yeah. So right now I work on Abbott Elementary.
I'm the development coordinator to Randall Einhorn, who's the EP and director.
So I'm his director's assistant on set and then under his first look deal, I help him develop TV shows under his banner.
And I'm also signed with Avalon Management for literary. So they helped me, you know, try to sell my projects and get me stuffed on tv.
[00:01:47] Speaker C: Sick. So you're, you're working on Abbott as a director's coordinator or director's a director's
[00:01:54] Speaker A: assistant and then development coordinator.
[00:01:57] Speaker C: Yes, for sure. And this guy, this guy's a first look deal with abc Warner Brothers. Okay. Oh, got it. That's a studio. Okay, cool. So you're, you're constantly developing other shows as well. Anything that comes in for him or he wants to. And he's a writer.
[00:02:12] Speaker A: I'm listening to it. No, he's a non writing episode.
[00:02:16] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:02:17] Speaker A: His, he's like known as the pilot guy as he got his start in whitewater rafting. Like he was a white water raft guide. And then a season one of Survivor. We're looking for cameramen who knew the terrain. So like he kind of wow.
His start in reality TV and then he ended up doing so shows like he was the EP and director on WILFRED for all the seasons.
He did Parks and recs, he DP'd the office, like all these kind of big comedy Documentary stuff. That's all him.
[00:02:55] Speaker C: The jump from reality TV Survivor to the office in Parks and Rec is crazy.
[00:03:02] Speaker B: What about the jump from whitewater rafting? That's very true.
[00:03:08] Speaker C: Which is more impressive?
[00:03:11] Speaker A: He'll tell you that he's like accidentally stumbled upon this Emmy Award winning career. Like I was like, I was like a college drop, high school dropout. Like he calls himself white, white trash from Appalachia and just like somehow fell into this career. But like now he lives in Topanga with his horses and chickens and doing his thing, living life still whitewater rap.
[00:03:37] Speaker B: Have you been with him on a, on one of those?
[00:03:39] Speaker A: No, no, I have not. But he is dying to. He can't go to the Grand Canyon anymore because he's, he's done too many and I guess it's a lottery system.
So the only way he can go to the Grand Canyon now is if he's a guide for someone else. And he has been trying to convince me to do it. It's like a 21 day trek.
[00:04:01] Speaker C: So he's like a little, he's kind of like, he's like a little addicted to this. Like he, he's been doing it for some time.
[00:04:07] Speaker A: When he's not directing. You will find him on his horse, you will find him somewhere on a boat, you will find him somewhere in nature.
Like that's his thing.
[00:04:17] Speaker C: That's. I mean that's really important. I'm.
We are for, for the 5050 magazine right now we're talking to this girl who does roller derby and it's. I don't know how familiar you are with that, but it's very physical and it's a whole different world and it's kind of about, you know, and she. And she's a coordinator at Sony Animation and it's like, it's about finding that other half. Like, what are you going to do with all this, like crazy stuff with. The jobs are hard, you know, especially in this industry. So it's about, I sense for Randall, like that's his thing, you know, he has to be able to do that to feel the other thing, you know?
[00:04:54] Speaker A: Yes. He has to be able to touch grass and like be human.
And he is, even with all his success, he is like, he is the kindest person you will ever meet and he's a true teacher at heart. So we always have shadows on our show shadowing him because he like teaches them and like one of his shadows slash mentees literally just got hired to be a director for season. For season six.
[00:05:18] Speaker C: Wow, that is amazing.
[00:05:20] Speaker A: Like, he, He. He sticks to his word. So I love working for him because I'm like, this is such a rare opportunity. It's such a rare person to learn from. And even though I don't really want to be a director, he challenges me too. So he'll be like, I want you to block this scene. Let's compare notes.
[00:05:38] Speaker B: Oh, my God.
[00:05:38] Speaker C: That's really.
[00:05:39] Speaker A: He's forcing me to look at that. Look at, you know, look at things that way. Which. I want to be a showrunner. So all of that is helpful, I think.
[00:05:47] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:05:48] Speaker A: Like, I can understand all of this and, like, all. Understand all the departments and talk their language. I just think that's, like, tools in my toolbox that'll come in handy.
[00:05:58] Speaker C: What do you. What do you think about him is like, because it's so rare to find these people who want to be truly, authentically, want to be mentors and teachers in the industry, simply not. Not to, like, blame anybody. It's just because everybody's so busy with their. Their job, and it takes up their whole life oftentimes. So what. What about him do you think makes him want to be doing this?
[00:06:21] Speaker A: I think he has a genuine love and curiosity for people.
And so, like, he'll even say, like, there's a story where, like, at some point he was in the UK working with Ethiopian miners on, like, in, like, some random country. And so, like, I think just him being able to explore the world so young and being able to sit down with so many people and then come back into this industry and realize how many people, they need help and connection. And there's such a. There's so much transactional conversations that happen in Hollywood that aren't truly genuine. I think because he's such a genuine person, it leans more towards him wanting to be a mentor and a teacher because he'll also recognize that, like, as. I don't understand what's. What's all this red tape about? He's also kind of a hippie, so he's like, what's all this red tape about? What's all this bureaucracy about? Why can't we just do this? Why are there rules about this?
[00:07:24] Speaker C: You need people like that to cut through.
[00:07:26] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:07:26] Speaker C: Because if we were all just succumbing to the bureaucracy, it would be a lot slower, you know?
[00:07:31] Speaker A: Yes, yes. And, like, he likes to get his hands dirty too. Like, you know, you have to stop him from trying to hold the camera, which is like, sir, there's DGA rules about. Stop it.
I love that his love of People is what helps him be such a
[00:07:48] Speaker B: good mentor, such a great. Such a great inspiration, though, on. On just the.
Not even like, the work part, but like, the ex. Like, the life experience part. Like, the importance of travel. And just like, travel doesn't have to mean going to Ethiopia. It can go to Arizona, you know what I mean? Or like a road trip somewhere. Just, like, taking the time to, like, there is stuff outside of this industry, and I. I don't think we've ever really spoken about that on this podcast, which is crazy, but, like, that there's stuff outside of the industry, but there's so much life around us. And if anything, like, those experiences make you a better writer, it's like you go on this road trip with a friend and it's like, oh, my gosh, that's the thing. Yeah. So have you. Have you found yourself maybe more open to experiences like that? I'm sure you're so busy, but, like, do you ever, you know, because of him, maybe think about, like, oh, I'd love to, you know, travel or try to experience new things in hopes of maybe writing about it or just experience.
[00:08:46] Speaker A: Yeah.
I mean, I've always wanted to travel, so, like, hearing his adventures really, like, sparked something in me, but can't really travel right now. Kind of expensive.
But what I have learned is just through all the life experiences that I go through, to just accept them as they come and, like, really experience the moment, whether it's the high, whether it's the low, because you never know what you're going to use in your toolbox as a writer. And so it's important for you to go through the hard moments. It's important for you to go through
[00:09:23] Speaker C: the sad moments, to be present during those hard moments.
[00:09:27] Speaker A: It makes you a better writer because once you understand the human experience, you can write so much better about it.
So I've had to learn to take. Take the hits, take the hits, take it with grace, really stick with yourself and understand what it's about and what lesson that you learn. Because, like, even. I'll give you an example. Even, like, during the WTA strikes, I was a tutor at an elementary school, and I thought to myself, I was like, wow, I'm not in the industry. I moved to la. I had just moved to la.
I'm working, like, two or three jobs outside of this to make even, and I'm here with these kids, and it's really sweet and fulfilling in a different sense. But, like, I'm so far from my journey as a showrunner that, like, I Don't know what I'm doing anymore. And then cut to two years later. Now I'm working on Abbott, and my experience as a tutor is what helped me get the job in my interview.
And so I was like, wow, sometimes your detour is actually your stepping block, and you need to be in those moments and understand that because that helps you become a better writer, too.
[00:10:40] Speaker B: I love that.
[00:10:41] Speaker C: Absolutely.
[00:10:42] Speaker B: Sometimes your detours are stepping block. I'm going to write that down.
[00:10:46] Speaker C: Yeah. Amazing. So, you know, we're talking about all these, you know, in and outside of the industry, all these trials and tribulations. I'm curious, like, how, you know, if we can take it back a little bit, how has your identity as a writer sort of developed? Because obviously, you know, you weren't always able to recognize that you need to go through this stuff and you have a specific intelligence as a writer at this point. But I'm curious, like, how that has developed and we can kind of, you know, go through how you got started in the biz and everything. I would be curious about that.
[00:11:21] Speaker A: Yeah.
So I come from a Haitian family, so no matter what it is that you do in a Haitian family, there's always the right way to do something and the wrong way to do something.
And so I was very rigid with my beliefs and my thoughts because I'm like, there's a right way and the wrong way, and I always want to do things the right way. I was really hard on myself for. For it. And there was this need for perfection, even though I knew no one can be perfect. But that doesn't stop you from striving for perfection, just because that's. That's just how we were raised. You grow, you. You move for excellence. You always, like, that's what we moved to this country for. We didn't come here for you to be a vagabond or delinquent like you. You have to succeed. You have to move upwards in that way.
And as I got older, I was like, this is a really stupid mindset. Like you.
You learn so much more from your failures than you do your successes, I think.
And so there was a moment where I had to tell myself, you have to give yourself permission to fail because you're not fully experiencing the human experience. Experience if you're not failing.
So I had to come to terms with that, and I had to. I had to. Yeah, just learn to experience life in that way. Give myself permission to feel.
And with that, I was able to connect more with so many people around me, because no Longer was I this person that was like, oh, my God. Like, you know, Mahalia, she's always like, you got to come to her. Correct. Or you can't come to her at all.
And just even, like, with my cousins, they were like, we kind of. It was hard for us to feel approachable. Like, it was hard for you. You felt unapproachable because, like, you're always getting straight A's. We're struggling in school. Our parents are, you know, comparing UD to us, and, like, there was some animosity there just because, like, you were hard to connect to. But, like, once I started opening up about my failures and my fears, suddenly this human connection became stronger. We started bonding more. And I was like, this is so important. And I can't believe I was missing out on this, because I thought one way and it helped inform my writing because I had this thing where I was doing the same thing with my characters. I wasn't putting them through all of the hard shit because I'm like, no, no, no. This character has to be perfect. But who wants a fucking perfect character? That's the most boring story ever. You want flawed characters. You want to understand why these people can't make, like, why they may be making a bad decision. You want to see them fail.
[00:14:12] Speaker C: You want to see them and that. And that's how you, like, relate to them at the end of the day, too.
[00:14:16] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:14:16] Speaker C: You know? Yeah.
[00:14:17] Speaker A: So I was like, I'm doing myself a disservice by sticking with this mindset. Took a lot of therapy to get to that moment. But we're here.
[00:14:27] Speaker B: What? What? Like, I mean, I understand if this is, like, you know, want to make this. Not talk about this publicly, but, like, was. Was there something maybe in those sessions with a therapist that was like, here are actionable steps you can take to allow yourself to fail. Like, what did that actually look like in practice for you? Was it on the page? Was, like you said, with your cousins, too, where you're, like, opening up about, hey, this actually. It's not as easy as I make it look. You know, like,
[00:14:56] Speaker A: it was a question that she said. She's like, what is the.
What was the question? She said, what is the harm in letting them know your failure?
What's the harm?
And I sat there and I was like, well, they might perceive me in a different way. And she was like, do you like the way you're being perceived right now?
Does that feel authentic to you?
And I was like, no.
And she was like, so what are you going to do? About it.
So it became just like she just told me, have a conversation with them. Just have a conversation, Open up about something, and you be the one to start it, because you can't wait for someone to start that conversation. If it's the conversation you want to do, you open up first. And I bet you'll be surprised by the response.
So that was. The practice was like, okay, I'm going home to visit my cousins in North Carolina.
Sat down and was like, you know, guys, I'm really struggling about X, y, and Z. Everyone turned their head and was like, what are you. What you mean, girl? What you going through?
Just pouring my heart out. And I did have to practice it, right? Like, I kind of wrote down my bullet points of like, this is what I'm struggling with, and this is why.
And, like, just getting comfortable saying the words out loud because that was the other thing I couldn't say the struggles out loud.
I had to, like, sit for a moment, find the right words, because, you know, I'm a writer, whatever.
But it was just like, just be comfortable. Just. Just let it out, whatever.
And I was.
I was enchanted by the sisterhood in that moment, because once I opened up about it, they were like, oh, girl, been there, done that. Here was my situation. Now we're bonding. Now we're kikiing. Now they're, like, giving examples on their stuff and talking about how they got through it. And I was like, wow, this is. I never thought I could have this conversation with you. You. And they were like, we never thought we could have this conversation with you, but this is nice. And now, like, we have the cousin group chat that never stops.
[00:17:20] Speaker C: It's a beautiful thing. And I think that it's so applicable to not only other familial dynamics, but also just within this industry. We talk so much about the business and creative sides of the industry, and there is sort of this expectation that's like, you know, what are you working on? This, this, and this. Doing great with all of it. Got this new job. It's so much expectation that you kind of have to just fake it till you make it. And fake it means being super positive about everything that's going on. But there is so much I think about me and my other assistant friends who are struggling at various times and just find. Finding that sort of support system where you can be honest about those things. And even with Luke and I will be like, I'm fully burnt out this week. You just have to be honest about that instead of pretending everything is okay. And then Putting out a worse product.
That's the result of that. I think eventually, if you sort of hide those things for too long.
[00:18:28] Speaker A: Yeah.
Your art will suffer because of it.
[00:18:31] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:18:33] Speaker A: So, like, you have to. You have to confront these things.
[00:18:36] Speaker B: It is wild how so important the support system. But it's. It's wild how, like, going through certain things in your life, whether super highs or, like, very lows, the more you lean into it, I think the more you come out, not only feeling more like yourself, but like you. You immediately see it in your output, like in the art that you create.
[00:19:00] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:19:00] Speaker B: You know, like, I'm sure your writing went, like, to a different level even after that conversation. Like you said, enchanted by the sisterhood. Like, that's such a beautiful way of putting it. But, like, I'm sure you're, like, able to tap into that, you know, exactly that feeling. You can put it on the page now, you know, because you actually felt that.
Were you always right? Like, you said, you. You wrote this down before you spoke to them. Like, have you always been. I want to be a showrunner. I want to be a showrunner.
[00:19:30] Speaker A: No, no, not at all.
I was always interested in writing, even, like, as a kid. It's funny because I actually went home to Florida a few weeks ago, and I found, like, my report card from third grade, and the teacher was like, molly is a fantastic writer, and she, like, excels in language arts. And we're really happy about her creative writing, but it was only a hobby to me.
And because especially coming from a Haitian family, the options were doctor, lawyer, engineer.
So I. At first I was going to be.
I was going to be an OB gyn, Right. I wanted to deliver babies. And. And then I shadowed a doctor at my dad's hospital when I was 13, and I saw my first natural birth, and I was like, oh, no, this not for you.
I was like, no.
And then just also the idea of walking. Like, my dad had worked at that hospital for over 20 years.
The idea of walking into such a sterile and cold environment every day for 20 something years sounded like a. Like a circle of hell to me. I was like, no, this is. This cannot be my ministry. I'm out. So I switched to, and I went to HBCU in Alabama, and I was doing pretty good. I was, you know, I was international studies in English with the goal of
[00:21:10] Speaker C: eventually going to law school.
[00:21:11] Speaker A: Yes, My goal was to go to law school, be a diplomat for the un, travel the world, help broker deals for peace, blah, blah, blah.
Wow. And then I realized how Much bureaucracy there was in terms of that. And then I also had a teacher who.
Because, like I said, I was still English, I still had a major in English, but that was kind of more like.
It was just like a hobby. I was like, if I'm going to get a dual degree, I might as well do in something that, like, I still love.
And she pulled me aside and was like, hey, so know you're on the law track, but I really think that if you wake up every day and all you think about is writing, I think that's what you should do.
And.
[00:22:04] Speaker C: And she could tell that.
[00:22:06] Speaker A: Yeah, she could tell that. She knew that I was, like, really into film and TV because. More context for the situation.
I went to a Seventh Day Adventist Christian school, and I was not. It's a different sect of Christianity, and they have. They have very, very strict rules.
Sometimes they got border. Borderline culty.
And I was not Adventist. So, like, this wasn't even my religion. I only went to the school because my uncle was Adventist, and he convinced my mom to have me apply for it as a safety school. And then they gave me the biggest scholarship of my life. And my mom was like, see you in four years. You're going.
So to kind of escape the craziness that was the school, I would just, like, binge watch shows like Supernatural, doctor who, like Sherlock. Like, I was. I was locked into these TV shows, and I was so fascinated with character development. She was like, I really think you need to switch over to communications on the tv.
Write, like, learn, Learn that.
And so I did. I changed it. And I lied to my parents because the. We could only do broadcast journalism and take film classes. That was the only major available.
So I told my parents that I just wanted to be the black female Anderson Cooper because all the Haitian people love Anderson Cooper.
[00:23:33] Speaker C: And they were like, good to know
[00:23:36] Speaker A: we're going to be up again.
This is crime. Like this.
[00:23:39] Speaker C: This makes sense to us.
[00:23:40] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:23:42] Speaker C: When you frame it in terms of Anderson Cooper, we get.
[00:23:45] Speaker B: It makes sense.
[00:23:46] Speaker A: Yeah. It gets even better because I decided I needed to get my master's because I want to know more about film and tv. So I went to SCAD in Atlanta, and when I said, hey, I'm going to film school, they said, explain yourself. What does that mean?
And I was like, guys trying to be the female Tyler Perry. What are we talking about, my child? Go forth and prosper. We see the vision take over Hollywood. Can't wait to see you.
[00:24:12] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:24:13] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:24:14] Speaker C: Wow. Crazy.
[00:24:16] Speaker B: And did you go into that mfa?
Very Was that screenwriting the program, or is it.
[00:24:23] Speaker A: So at scad, it was just film and tv, they made you learn every aspect of music, which was something I really wanted to know anyway, because at the time, I still didn't know what a showrunner was. I was just like, I just know I need to be in film and television, so teach me all you have. And then I realized, oh, okay, I'm really good at producing, also really good at writing.
Oh, showrunning. That's.
That's the. That's the marriage of the two.
[00:24:53] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:24:54] Speaker B: And.
[00:24:54] Speaker C: And during that time, during that program, what was your relationship with, like, the actual industry? Like, were you, like, trying to get internships or talking with writers or what was your. What was your framework at that point?
[00:25:06] Speaker A: Yeah, so I didn't know anything about the industry, but luckily for me, my very first year at school, that they have what's called Scat TV Fest. So they bring all these executives, producers. Like, they literally just bring the industry to Atlanta for this festival to talk to the students.
And on one of their panels, it was a Meet the Executives panel.
Violent Julius Tenon was there, and I recognized him immediately from her Instagram. And I knew they had just started a production company.
So after the panel was over, I ran to this man and was like, love your wife.
Love what y' all are doing. I know you have a production company.
Do y' all have internships?
And he was like. He gave me his card and was like, follow up with my coordinator in a few months.
I think it was like, April.
And April 1, at 9am I was emailing them like, hey, following up, met Julius at this TV festival. Love to, you know, be a part of the internships.
And luckily did the interview, got the internship. That summer, I flew out to LA to do that internship, and it was the best internship I've ever had. Still, to this day, I would assume to me, I want to be in
[00:26:31] Speaker C: this industry also to be able to intern at a. At a production company in, like, during its first year, essentially, like, during, like, such a small company. I'm sure you just had, like, before
[00:26:45] Speaker A: they had their deal with Amazon. So it was about, like, five or six people in the. In the company at the time, and they.
It was all people of color in this office. And Julius, like, he's VP of the company, he talks to you just like your uncle would talk to you. And so, like, I. I learned so much from them, and they were so kind. I was only supposed to go to that internship maybe, like, two or three days a Week. I was there every day from morning to close just because I was like, I. First of all, I flew out here for this, so I'm not missing a day. I'm just gonna be here.
And they were all so, so kind to.
And they. They let me go to screenings with them. They let me sit in pitches. They let me, like, I had access to everything.
[00:27:33] Speaker C: That's huge.
[00:27:33] Speaker A: Which was insane.
And they were just.
Literally just the best internship ever.
[00:27:41] Speaker C: It's such a unique experience.
[00:27:43] Speaker B: Yeah, that's great.
[00:27:46] Speaker C: That's amazing.
[00:27:47] Speaker A: They were fantastic. They actually helped me, the.
He's VP of film, Kalin Hunt. He helped me, when I moved to la, get an assistant job years later.
So, like, shout out to them what
[00:28:00] Speaker B: an amazing, amazing first opportunity. That's, like, incredible.
[00:28:05] Speaker C: Yeah, that's great.
[00:28:06] Speaker B: But it also sounds like, though, you went above and beyond, like you moved out there. And it was like, if I'm here, I'm gonna do this, you know?
[00:28:13] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. They were like, you don't have to be here. I was like, no, no, no, I'm. I'm here.
[00:28:18] Speaker C: You're like, I actually,
[00:28:21] Speaker A: like, send me all the scripts. I'll do all the coverage. Just. Just let me be here to listen to all this.
So, like, that was. That was literally my first piece of Hollywood.
[00:28:30] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:28:31] Speaker A: And.
[00:28:31] Speaker B: And did you move out shortly after that? Was it like a pretty, like, clear. Okay.
[00:28:37] Speaker A: It took me years. I knew because I did that internship 2018, summer of 2018. I knew I wanted to go back to LA, but the industry in Atlanta was just so, so good at that time.
[00:28:49] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:28:49] Speaker A: And also so affordable.
So I. I stayed in Atlanta for a while, just working. I started off as, excuse me, a Covid compliance officer, then accounting clerk, then office pa, then line producers assistant. And I stayed that for a while.
And then it was during the WGA strikes, I think the WGA released a report where. Like, where their writers are.
And obviously most of them were in LA or New York. And I think they said, like, 36 WG WGA writers were in Georgia. And I was like, oh, shit. Like, five of them have to be my professors at the very least. I gotta leave. I gotta get out of Georgia. This isn't gonna work out. Like everyone was telling me, oh, just wait. Pre production and, you know, writing all that stuff, it's gonna come to Atlanta eventually. And I saw that report and was like, oh, y' all some lie motherfuckers. I gotta go.
[00:29:52] Speaker C: But that's like. That's in the weeds, though. That's, like, really specific. For you to be able to notice that. You're like seeing. You're seeing a trend and you're like, okay, this is not. This is not why.
[00:30:02] Speaker A: It would be because, like, UTA was opening offices. 3 Arts was opening offices in Atlanta. I even met one of the agents from 3 Arts who runs the Atlanta office and I was like, okay, so it's coming, it's coming. But then I saw that report and I was like, this shit ain't coming. Like, it's gonna take a while if it does, and I don't have that time.
So I told my husband, I was like, we gotta go. And he's a huge Atlanta Falcons fan. So he was very sad to leave Atlanta.
Yes. He was like, I can't believe you're making me do this. But I also understand because he's like, he's a stand up comedian and also a writer.
So I was like, this is good for you too, sir. We gotta go.
[00:30:44] Speaker C: Let's go.
[00:30:45] Speaker A: We did, we did.
[00:30:48] Speaker C: That's crazy.
[00:30:49] Speaker A: Summer 2023, we came out here.
[00:30:51] Speaker C: Okay, got it. Yeah. I feel like during that time in Atlanta, when you're doing all those kind of random Covid compliance accounting stuff, being the assistant to a line producer is a really interesting job. Did you find that you learned so much about producing and on set life through that like that? To me, that's the job that I'm like, oh, wow, that would be interesting.
[00:31:15] Speaker A: Yes, yes. So being line producer's assistant was fantastic because without being the showrunner's assistant, I felt like that was the closest I could get to just understanding all. All of the departments, talking to everyone, having access. There were. So God bless some of these producers. I wasn't supposed to have access to some of these budgets, but being able to, like, actually look at a budget for a movie or TV show and break it down that way was incredibly, incredibly helpful. And then just the relationships, just being able to talk to.
[00:31:54] Speaker C: You're talking to everybody above and below the line.
[00:31:56] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, exactly. And like, it was helping nurture relationships because when I came out here, I contacted everybody that I knew from LA that I worked with in Atlanta, because they're all. They all do that thing where like, yeah, if you move to la, hit me up. I' ma hold you to it. I'm glad you said it because I'm gonna hold you do it.
And I did. And a lot of them did respond. I got coffee with a lot of them and just like, they helped me get a good sense of the lay of the land. So all of that was extremely helpful.
And then there was one specific girl that I know.
This was the route I wanted to do. She.
I don't know really how she did it, but she became a line producer's assistant, and then on the next show she got an associate producer credit.
And I was like, oh, this is, this is the route. Like, if I can't get into a writer's room, this is the route. So that was where I was striving to go, but then I saw that report and was like, nah, never mind.
[00:32:59] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. Okay. So you move out to LA. It's 2023.
Feel like, isn't that when the writer strike is happening or.
Okay, got it. So what was that like? Because you were obviously moving out to eventually being a writer's room. Right? So you were. Is that when you got that assistant gig at the management company or when did it was.
[00:33:20] Speaker A: It was first when I first I worked for Amazon, then I worked as a waitress for a private catering company.
And then Amazon, the company that I was working for, Amazon, literally shut down. Like, it anyway, not important.
And then once the industry opened up, I got the assistant job for the management company, which is where I met Grace. Yeah, yeah. And then that job led to the job that I have now.
[00:33:50] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:33:50] Speaker C: Got it, got it. How did you manage that? Because I think we have a lot of guests who are. I personally did that too. I worked at a smaller talent management company and we have a lot of guests who, you know, are, have had relationships with those companies. And how did you navigate sort of being an assistant there to eventually being a writer in the industry? Because it's a lot harder than just like you think. It's just like you're writing as an assistant and then you show someone your script and then bam, you have a job.
It's a lot more, you have to really traverse it in a different way than people might expect. So if you want to take us through that.
[00:34:30] Speaker A: Yeah, so never stopped writing.
I, I, at the time, I was really rigid with my writing schedule, so I carved out an hour a day, no matter what.
And there's, there's kind of some connectivity with it. So I wrote Echo. I co wrote a comedic feature in 21, 2021, back when I was in Atlanta. Just about like my experience with getting married and how like everyone, as soon as I said, hey, I'm getting married, the next question would be like, oh, my God, so how much weight are you trying to lose for your wedding? And I was like, I beg your finest pardon? Like what?
Because that's a thing that brides do. And I realized that no matter what culture you come from, no matter what your size is, so they're always striving to lose weight. And I've just always been a person that's like, oh, no, no, the dresses don't fit me, baby. The. I don't fit the dress.
[00:35:37] Speaker C: Wow.
It is very.
It is a very cross cultural thing, though. It's like.
[00:35:43] Speaker A: It is, it is. My Indian friend was getting married. She's from Chennai, India, and she was going through the same thing with her family. And like, I was talking to my Korean friend and she was going like crazy across the board. That was just a thing. Everyone is striving to lose weight and they were asking me how much I was going to lose and I was like, not. Not a damn thing. Like, I'm. I'm cool, I'm chilling.
So I wrote a feature on that and there was an Atlanta producer that I knew that I sent to. And so she put it under a shopping agreement.
So when I came to la, I still had this shopping agreement and I was kind of using the management job as a way to like, figure out who would buy the script.
[00:36:33] Speaker C: Yeah. Which producers to send it to, all that.
Wow. You have a major side hustle.
[00:36:38] Speaker A: So many companies. Exactly. We sit down with so many companies and they'll be like, yeah, we're looking for a female ensemble comedy. And I'm like, okay, all right. Got to circling this producer so and so looking for this.
[00:36:53] Speaker C: Wow. You're like, you're like a double agent
[00:36:55] Speaker A: side hustle going on with this job. There was ulterior motives and it did end up going to a production company while I was on the job. They were really interested in it. And that's kind of eventually how I got signed. So, like, I just. I kind of had all things going at the same time.
Yeah. I don't know if that answered your
[00:37:21] Speaker C: question, but that's kind of how it absolutely does. And it's all you. It has nothing to do with like your place of work, really. Like, obviously you're like.
But it was just like you kind of go there just to get access to these contacts and it's. So it is so important as a writer or as a producer to build up that list of like, producers who are at studios and production companies and what they're looking for, like a buyer list, you know, like it. And as I think as an individual writer, it's really important to establish connections with those people directly because oftentimes you're the Assistance.
[00:38:05] Speaker A: Because it was the assistant at that production company.
There we go. I set the script too. And she was like, oh, I think my boss would really love this.
[00:38:15] Speaker C: Yeah, there we go.
[00:38:16] Speaker A: She sent it to her bosses.
[00:38:18] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:38:18] Speaker A: So it was. I was connecting with all the assistants.
[00:38:21] Speaker C: And so it's not like you're even skipping levels or anything. Yeah. You're not. You're not skipping literally on the booth,
[00:38:27] Speaker A: on the ground, boots.
And then also, like, I was transparent with my. My writing. Now, I didn't necessarily tell them I had, you know, the company itself, that I had a shopping agreement, blah, blah, blah.
But I made it known that, like, I'm a writer. This is my goal.
I was transparent on that. And, like, the. All the assistants knew, oh, Mahalia is gonna go home and write today. Like, or, like, what are you doing after work? Gotta. Gotta write for an hour. Like, that's just. I was transparent about that because I always believe you should know. People should know what you're doing.
[00:39:10] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:39:11] Speaker A: So that way, it's not like they. They should just know because they. When they ask, like, you're not trying to. When you answer, you're not trying to do it to get anything out of it. But it's good for people to know because when the job with Randall came up, because Randall's rep by the management company that I work for, and they're in charge of finding his coordinator.
So when they were looking for a new coordinator, they were like, this aligns with what Mahalia wants to do. This would be a great job for her. And her time at the company is coming to an end. Let's see if we can get her in.
So because I was transparent about what I wanted to do, they were. They already set up an opportunity for me without me even thinking. And it was one of the assistants that, like, talking, told their bosses, too Mojave would be perfect for this job.
[00:40:00] Speaker C: There we go.
[00:40:01] Speaker A: So, like, the transparency was important, and, like, doing the work on your own is important.
[00:40:07] Speaker B: How has your writing schedule shifted, if at all, with the current position?
[00:40:18] Speaker C: Because you're closer to being creative in this job. You know, like, you're close. You're probably working directly with. With scripts and other writers a lot more.
[00:40:27] Speaker A: Yeah. You know, I no longer. It's not an hour a day anymore.
[00:40:33] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:40:36] Speaker A: When we're filming, as long as I get in at least three days a week, that's fine. It also.
It also depends on the project. Right. Like, at that time when I was writing an hour a day, I already had all the outlines, lines, Done. So it was literally just sitting down and writing it. Right now I'm developing new stuff. So, like, yeah, you're at a different. I'm not trying to rush the development process. And hearing the questions Randall asked in his pitches has informed the way that I develop my stories now as well. Yeah. Because I'm like, oh, they're gonna ask this question if, like, so I have to address this, this. So it's making me rethink a lot of things. Just, like, getting ahead of, like, you. We all know the notes we get from the network in the studio and the executives. So, like, addressing these things before I even go to them.
[00:41:29] Speaker C: You're on the other side.
[00:41:31] Speaker B: What are a few of those, like, big questions that you have heard? And then you ask yourself
[00:41:40] Speaker A: one question that Randall will always ask. And. And it's interesting that I think a lot of people forget it, especially when you're writing comedy. And what is your character's comedic engine?
Like, yes, they can say funny things, but what about their personality? What is the quirk that makes them so funny?
And, like, some people don't have an answer for that, but it's like, you created the character. There has to be something. And when you think back to shows like the Office and Parks and Rec, you can easily identify what makes this character. Character funny. Ron Swanson is funny because he is straight laced and, like, just has no time for nonsense. Leslie, Nope. Is funny because she is optimistic in every situation.
[00:42:22] Speaker C: She's optimistic about politics. Like, there's inherent.
[00:42:24] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:42:25] Speaker C: Conflict and tension there, you know?
[00:42:27] Speaker A: Exactly. So, like, and you have to be able to put that into one sentence because now if you're, like, explaining that in three, four sentences, you've lost us. We want to know what makes it funny and be precise about it.
So that has helped inform my writing because that's, like, you want to put that in the pictures because that's what people will always ask.
And then, like, just in terms of longevity, like, what is one of the other questions?
He's like, a lot of people forget this too. But, like, what is their emotional arc? What is the emotional clue with them?
And sometimes I think people get so lost in plot that they forget.
Even if it's still comedy, we still need to see the emotion with it.
[00:43:20] Speaker C: Yeah.
I always think about. My favorite comedies are where you can put two characters in a room and you know exactly how it's going to go, because you know those characters so well that you know their outlooks on life and how they're going to interact and what they're going to butt up against, you know.
[00:43:40] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:43:41] Speaker C: I think that the comedic arc, that sort of, like, arc thing is interesting because in a lot of. At least in my mind, in a lot of sitcoms, like, you never fully reach the end of that arc where they truly, like, realize that they should loosen up or like, that Ron Swanson should loosen up and that the world is more than, you know, just woodworking and.
[00:44:03] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:44:04] Speaker C: You know, but steak and whiskey. Yeah, exactly. But I think it's important to think about that.
[00:44:11] Speaker B: Right.
[00:44:11] Speaker C: Because each episode they'll maybe learn a little. They'll learn some sort of lesson having to do with that, you know.
[00:44:17] Speaker A: Yeah. Because you'll see, like, especially with Ron's character, you see him with his kids. You see him even, like, towards the end of the season, like, when he no longer has his government job, but Leslie sets up for him to be a park ranger, you're like, oh, that's a perfect job for him. Like, what a. What a great ending story for him.
And I think that gets lost in the sloth sometimes because people just.
They're so busy worrying about plot and worrying about the funny. Yes, we want to. We want. We want you to make us laugh, but we also want to be pulling for these characters, like, what's making us root for them.
[00:44:56] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:44:57] Speaker A: So, yeah, those are the. Those are some of the big ones that I'm like, okay, back to the drawing board. Like, let's make sure we have these answers set totally. Before we go.
[00:45:07] Speaker B: Do you write comedy?
[00:45:10] Speaker A: I do. I write half hour comedy. But this year specifically, I've been challenging myself with getting more to the drama, thriller space.
[00:45:20] Speaker C: Yeah. I mean, it's. I remember, because I remember you were talking about Sherlock and Doctor who and shows that are more so like, hour long to some extent, or mystery thrill things.
[00:45:32] Speaker A: Yeah, I like watching them.
But there was.
I think there was a time where, like, life was just getting too rough. And so when I watch tv, I just want to laugh. I want to feel good.
[00:45:45] Speaker C: I feel like that right now.
[00:45:46] Speaker A: Yeah.
And like, also, just as, like, the child of immigrants, like, a lot of the ways, because also context.
Even though I was born in America, my parents, if we had, like, more than three days off from school, my parents would send me to Haiti to be with my grandma. So I kind of grew up in both places, which gave me an interesting perspective. But it was also.
I also just couldn't fully like, wrap my mind around American culture and, like, what normal, normal families do.
So I leaned on TV to try and understand, like, American culture and what it's like to be a teenager in America and all that stuff. So, like, they. They helped inform me. So shows like the Cosby Show, Freshmans of Bel Air, like, those were the shows that, like, I feel, like, raised me in a sense.
And so when I started writing more and like. Like, what do I. What kind of stories that I want to tell, I was like, I want to tell, like, stories like that. Stories that, like, people could look at and laugh. And my whole thing is comedy with a message.
So that.
That became what I wanted.
[00:47:06] Speaker C: Yeah, I. We literally just interviewed someone yesterday, and we were really digging into, like, knowing your audience and who you want to be writing for. You know, is it. Is it people in. In Haiti who want, you know, are learning about America and American culture? Like, are those the people you want to write for? Are they, you know, kids growing up and learning core values? Like, it's. It's kind of like, it's. It's really helpful in crafting your creative voice to think. Thinking about who you're writing for, you know.
[00:47:38] Speaker A: Yeah. And why you're writing. And so, like, for me, it was just. I want. I want to write stories that are funny, but have a deeper message to it and just help people process certain aspects of their lives. And just, I really want especially for, like, Caribbean black girls to feel seen because it was something that, like, I never saw. The closest we got to seeing Haitian representation back then was Bad Boys 2. And those people were Jamaican, so.
[00:48:12] Speaker C: Right.
[00:48:14] Speaker A: They were straight up Jamaican. I was so upset. I was like, you were in Miami and you can't find one real Haitian. Please don't upset me.
But, yeah, I just want people to feel seen.
[00:48:29] Speaker C: Totally. What. What shows right now are you into? And, like, what are you liking and what. What shows do you think are. Are doing that, like, comedy with that deeper message?
[00:48:39] Speaker A: Well, Abbott is one of them, I think.
[00:48:42] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:48:43] Speaker A: Yep.
Which is. Which is honestly so great to see because that is truly comedy with a message.
[00:48:49] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:48:49] Speaker A: You know, like, teachers need to be seeing these children, and lower income communities need to be seen. There are real struggles within the education industry. And, like, it's. The show is so accurate on so many things, especially when I was a tutor for elementary kids. Like, yeah, elementary school kids. I was like, wow, like, y' all are really hitting the nail on the head because it is indeed crazy that my kindergartner knows Sexy Red lyrics better than I do.
That's. That's insanity.
What else? I think shrinking.
Shrinking is so good. It really does breathe. It's a beautiful show.
What else am I watching?
[00:49:36] Speaker C: It kind of. That show really, at least tonally, just has such, like, a light tone to it while tackling really hard topics.
Yeah, exactly. I love shows that kind of make the medicine go down easy.
[00:49:50] Speaker A: Yeah, that way. And Harrison Ford. Beautiful in that role.
[00:49:54] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:49:54] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:49:55] Speaker C: Of course.
[00:49:58] Speaker A: Those are the two shows that I'm thinking off the top of my head right now. I've just been like. Because I'm writing drama, thriller. That's just really what I've been binging at the moment.
[00:50:11] Speaker B: How important, right? Like, you have this current job that's, like, really checks a lot of boxes is why I put it, like, it's also checking that creative box, too, for the most part. Of course, you're still developing. You have your book behind you that we can see on the whiteboard.
And, like, the change of what sounds pretty clear of, like, the jobs before this.
Yes, you were there. But it was kind of like, I'm here because I have this. I'm on a path, and, like, this is a stop. This is, like, a moment, you know, before I go to the next thing.
And the current spot is, like, a really awesome position that, like, again, checks a lot of those boxes.
I get the. The question is, like, perhaps on the. On the time management front of, like, how. How are you balancing this current position with writing? And is there space for, like, outside networking? And is that crossing your mind at all, thinking about, like, oh, I should be, you know, meeting this assistant or this coordinator or this agent, or is it really just, like, you're finding that all internally in this current spot?
[00:51:28] Speaker A: That's a good question.
I am very, very, very fortunate with this job because I recognize that it is a rarity.
So because I have not paid through the show, I'm paid through Randall's first look deal. I got a paycheck every Friday regardless.
And so right now we have shows in development. And, like, we did sell one show, but none of that is gonna go soon. So once filming is done,
[00:51:59] Speaker C: you're just developing. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:52:02] Speaker A: Yes. Where? So right now he's out on the raft.
[00:52:05] Speaker C: You're.
[00:52:06] Speaker A: He's in the UK right now, traveling wherever.
Excuse me.
Yeah, he's traveling right now. And I am.
I have used this this time because we don't go back until July.
Excuse me. So from, like, March to July, I'm kind of off in that sense. Like, we do have random zoom meetings, but, like, nothing in person.
I may be sending a couple of emails a day, but I've been Able to go home, visit family, which has gone through a lot of the personal stuff, has also helped inform my writing. So now I'm really sitting with some of my emotions right now so I can then apply it to my scripts.
So like the time management has been nice in that sense.
So like I literally have like from now until July I have my writing schedule of what scripts I want to accomplish, what outlines I want to finish.
So it's been nice there. I never stopped networking. I have, I networked more when I was a manager, manager's assistant.
But I still do coffee, I still do drinks. Outside of work, I still try to maintain the relationships that I have.
Luckily, again, because of this wonderful job, Randall moves very quickly on set. So when he's directing, it is common that we have a 7am call time and we are wrapped by 1 or 1:30 for the day.
Just because he moves quickly, like we don't do more than 10 hours on Avid. It's just more than likely we're wrapping up.
[00:54:03] Speaker C: That is. Yes, that is the dream that, to
[00:54:06] Speaker A: have that six hour job complaint. Yeah.
And like with my manager, she's also been sending me on generals as well. So. So like I've been keeping up with that and like sending my thank you notes and you know, so establishing those relationships so important to network. It's just I'm very fortunate in which I have a job that allows me to network and write. So it's.
[00:54:31] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. And you're. And you're repped too, which helps. It's kind of like you're getting to now meet the people your management.
[00:54:41] Speaker A: Yes. And like again so, so supportive because like if I tell him I have a general, he'd be like, who are you meeting with?
And like if it's a network exec that he knows or someone that he knows, he's like, oh, tell him I love you. Like, you know, let him know that like you work for me and that like I, you are like I enjoy working with you and all that stuff. And I was like, okay, thanks Randall.
So like he's just literally, I cannot.
[00:55:09] Speaker B: What a guy.
[00:55:09] Speaker A: I really can't.
[00:55:10] Speaker C: Like, yeah, this guy's amazing.
[00:55:12] Speaker A: Truly, truly. Like even with like the stuff that he knows that I'm working on, he'll be like, how's your script going?
Like, what movements have you made? Like he genuinely checks in.
[00:55:26] Speaker C: He cares.
[00:55:27] Speaker A: Yeah, he cares. He cares.
[00:55:29] Speaker B: He cares.
Can we talk about representation? I, I see the time. I guess we'll make it brief but like perhaps how you found this manager Maybe how they found you and how that relationship has evolved or developed over time.
[00:55:46] Speaker A: Yeah.
So I met my manager, the production company that I had set my comedic feature towards. They were like, we really love this script. However, we need you to be wrecked in order for us to do anything with you. So that executive from that company actually, like, set up all of these meetings for me to meet with managers.
And that's how I got signed. I met with this one manager. She seemed to really get me.
She knew what I wanted to do, like my long term goals.
Adored her. She was also the friend, a friend of one of the managers that I worked at from the management company.
So I knew she came highly recommended. And I was like, let's do this.
And our relationship, I think especially after working at a management company, the best relationships are when your manager and you are partners.
So, like, she's not just sending me on jobs. Like, we're creatively strategizing on how to get things done. And she's like, who do you know? Who do I know? Let's put this thing together. So I'm doing my on the boots thing, like hearing things, sending information. She's doing her manager thing and we're coming together to try and get. Because, you know, you have to be creative these days. Like, gone are the days where someone can just call on your behalf and get you a job. They will.
[00:57:19] Speaker C: Gone.
[00:57:19] Speaker A: Showrunners are hiring their friends. You know what I mean? Those things are gone. It takes two to get this done.
So we're always. We meet bi weekly to talk about what the next goals are.
Who else can we hit up?
[00:57:34] Speaker C: That's amazing.
[00:57:35] Speaker A: Yeah, it's been really wonderful. And I'm very organized. Like, I have a grid for myself on all of my projects, their log lines, like, what stage of development they're in.
And I'm like, if I tell her I'm gonna send you a script on this date, I don't play with her time. I send that script on that date. And like, we just.
We just.
Yeah.
[00:58:05] Speaker C: Yeah. It seems like a very professional, collaborative partnership in like way.
[00:58:11] Speaker A: Yeah, we can talk. And Kiki, like, it's wonderful. And she helps me think of things in a different way too, to help elevate the story. Stories. She's a great note giver. So that's also like one of the best things about the relationship.
[00:58:26] Speaker B: Wyatt, we were this.
Wyatt and I had a conversation with two filmmakers that are writers, Arthur and Andrew Gersonblatt. And Goldbart, I guess, flipped, but Arthur Goldbart and Andrew Gersonblatt. They made an awesome short that we screened at our last festival called the Extraordinaries. But they. They've been roommates, they live together forever, and they write together.
And the beauty of that is, like, being able to bounce ideas off each other. And especially in comedy, to be. It's, like, so important to have that other voice in the room, you know, and to hear that you have that with management, with representation, you know, like, you don't write with someone else, but you have this manager to kind of bounce ideas off of. It's really cool to hear that, like, you have that, you know.
[00:59:14] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:59:15] Speaker B: And that. That it's a really important case with.
[00:59:17] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah.
[00:59:19] Speaker A: Yes. And I, like, encourage that kind of relationship for people. And if you want to be, like, if you're looking for a manager, because I will say having a bad manager is worse than having no manager at all.
[00:59:35] Speaker B: How do you. How do you like.
Because representation is such a. Like, oh, my gosh, I need to be wrapped. I need to be wrapped. It's, like, such a thing in that, like, time when it feels like it's time, you know, and, like, you get an opportunity, it's like, I'm gonna jump on that because, you know, this might be my only shot, whatever that feeling is. So how do you take a breath? And. And really, I know you mentioned it of, like, you really feel the overlap, but, like, maybe. Why. You can answer this, too. But, like, what goes into actually finding proper representation? You know,
[01:00:11] Speaker C: I think, yeah, it's a good question about, you know, there's a lot of trust there.
And one thing that I admire about Mahalia's relationship with her management, it feels like because Mahalia's job is not. Well, it partially is, but they're. They're. One job is to, like, sell. Like, they're salespeople at the end of the day, more so than creative collaborators. So they. They feel like if Mahalia is doing, you know, 80% writing, 20% selling, it just flipped for the management, you know, in terms of collaborating.
So I think finding someone that can be that compass in terms of having that salesperson hat on and being like, okay, I can collaborate with you and steer you in the right direction, but I'm going to. If you give me five log lines, I'm going to tell you, like, the one or two that I think I can sell right now, you know, so that. That's where I see management coming in. And just like, I don't know. I, I. I worked for a manager who had had clients for, like, 25 to 30 years. And these are like, it's like their family at this point. Like, it is longstanding relationships. So it's, It's. It's vital to. And these are partners and their, Their kids know each other and like, all these things that are. You're really in a great relationship with your management. You are ingrained in their lives in. In such a way, so that. That's like the sort of idealistic version of management to me.
[01:01:46] Speaker A: It's. It's like dating, essentially. Right. You want to find a partner who understands you and can call you out when they know you're not being authentic.
[01:01:58] Speaker C: Yeah.
[01:01:59] Speaker A: But also know how you want to be represented. Because there have been situations where I've observed, like, a manager pitching their client, and I'm like, that's not your client's intention at all. You've got this all wrong. And of course, the client's not in the room. They're not here to hear their manager pitch. And I'm like, if this client knew you were pitching this project like this, they would drop you.
And so, like, it's really important for your manager to understand your stories and understand your perspective and representative.
[01:02:36] Speaker C: They're representing you.
[01:02:37] Speaker A: Yes. Because they're representing you. So, like, imagine you're trying to tell a story, and they've pitched a whole different story.
Right? Now you're stuck with something that was never your intention. And, like, they don't. They don't understand you.
And that's what I mean by like.
Like, for a woman, I'll say, the wrong man can kill you. For writers, the wrong. The wrong manager will. Won't represent you well. Like, it's worse than having no manager at all. Because at least. Yeah, because you're your own manager. You know how to pitch yourself. You know how to know the story that you're trying to say. Like, it's.
It's so important to have someone who understand you. Truly. Truly. Truly. I. I like, if they can't in your room, you're not getting the job.
[01:03:25] Speaker B: I. I love just the. They're representing you, you know, and it's such a good way to. It's such a simple way to.
[01:03:31] Speaker C: It makes you think about that word in a different way. Right. It's like representation. They're representing you.
[01:03:36] Speaker B: You like, of course, like, duh, they should think that the stuff I'm writing is funny.
[01:03:41] Speaker C: Yeah.
[01:03:42] Speaker B: Like, we should have a similar sense of humor.
[01:03:44] Speaker A: If they're not giving you notes, if they're not reading your stuff. Right. That's the equivalent of, like, you sending love notes to your partner and them just putting it on the side and not reading it or not taking you out on dates. So now you're just sitting there looking at each other, twiddling your thumbs. This isn't a relationship or.
[01:04:01] Speaker C: Yeah. Or taking you out on dates, but it's to the restaurant you hate. And it's. They're making you pay for it. And it, like. It's like. That's like.
[01:04:09] Speaker A: Right. You know, because you still gotta send the money. You still. You're paying for the date.
[01:04:15] Speaker B: Yeah.
[01:04:16] Speaker A: For a restaurant you don't like.
[01:04:17] Speaker C: Exactly.
[01:04:18] Speaker A: Please.
[01:04:18] Speaker B: Done.
[01:04:21] Speaker C: Well, we have truly covered so much in this episode. It's been.
You just, like. I feel like you are in a position that so many aspiring writers and producers and showrunners want to be in. Literally you right now.
But at the same time, we kind of understood that it was not all green grass getting there, and it took a lot of hard work and a lot of very strategic navigating. So we appreciate you sharing all of that. And we do ask sort of one final question to all of our guests, which is, Mahalia, what is the dream?
[01:04:57] Speaker A: Oh, man.
The dream is just to be able to create something that people can connect to. I don't care if it wins an Emmy. I don't care if it wins an Oscar. If it moved you, if it challenged your ideology, if it challenged you to revisit something that you put away, then I would have done my job as a creative because that. My. My work is literally human connection and getting you to just think about things in a different way. So if I can do that, if I made you laugh on a day where it was the worst day of your life, I. To me, that's. That's.
That's. That's the dream.
[01:05:44] Speaker C: I love that.
[01:05:45] Speaker B: Well, yeah.
[01:05:46] Speaker C: Thank you so much. We really, really appreciate you coming on the podcast. This was such.
[01:05:49] Speaker A: This was so much fun.
[01:05:51] Speaker C: Thank you, guys.
[01:05:51] Speaker B: Thank you.
[01:05:52] Speaker C: Yeah.
[01:05:52] Speaker B: Nice meeting you.
[01:05:53] Speaker C: Of course.
[01:05:54] Speaker A: This is nice meeting you as well.
[01:06:02] Speaker C: And now it's 5050 after hours.
[01:06:07] Speaker B: Wow. She. She's awesome.
Yeah.
[01:06:11] Speaker C: That was awesome. That, like, made my Sunday. It truly, like, made me happy. It made my Sunday so much better.
She's working on the shows that I love. Like, that was just, like, so fulfilling. Really, really cool. So many ways. What did we not talk about? Seriously?
[01:06:28] Speaker B: I. I was gonna ask about the.
[01:06:30] Speaker A: I don't. Actually.
[01:06:31] Speaker B: I don't know.
I don't know. There was a. I was asking one question there where I realized I Completely forgot what I was saying.
[01:06:40] Speaker A: Oh, really?
[01:06:41] Speaker C: Oh, I know which one that was.
[01:06:42] Speaker A: Yeah,
[01:06:45] Speaker C: it's when you said, like. So I guess the question is.
[01:06:48] Speaker B: I don't even know.
[01:06:49] Speaker C: I. I think I. I was like, what is the question here?
[01:06:51] Speaker B: I was like.
Because it was just gonna. I had such a simple question. Then I started talking. I was like, oh, man, I have no idea.
[01:07:00] Speaker C: Yeah, sometimes. Sometimes I'll have a question, and then in the qu. Asking the question, I will answer the question. So I'm like, I need to create a new question here.
Yeah.
She was awesome.
[01:07:11] Speaker B: I was good to write down, like, the little keywords of, like, the hard
[01:07:14] Speaker C: question, which I did after the words that I wrote. What are the words that you wrote down? I wrote down Randall Survivor, permission to fail, Support System, Sherlock Viola's production company, Comedic Engine. Just to give a little overview of the episode.
[01:07:37] Speaker B: I had a few of those. I wrote. Anything else I put shrinking on there, I put. I said, they're representing you. That's the big one.
[01:07:47] Speaker C: And then the D4E stepping, which is a fact.
It's just such a.
When you say it like that, I guess it's different.
They're representing you as they go out to the town. They're speaking on behalf of you, which is like, they better speak. Be speaking correctly.
[01:08:04] Speaker B: You know, I. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that.
Yeah, seriously. You know, it's like, such a different way to think about it. And now I wrote down perspective, too, on the assistant stuff, but I guess that too. And then Move for excellence. I wrote down. I love that.
[01:08:20] Speaker C: Yeah. I think I, like, one thing that I gathered about her is that she is.
She hasn't. It doesn't feel like she's tried to rush anything. Like, she has done the thing where she was in Atlanta for a bunch of years and was just like, if I, like, I'm. My priority is just, like, having a job. I will pivot that job into whatever I want. And she, like, she's done a lot of pivoting, and at the same time, she's like. Like, that's why I asked specifically about that line producer assistant position. I was like, that is so. I know that that is so valuable just knowing what line producers do. Like, they're talking with everybody. Yeah. Below and above the line. So it's like, I'm. She is. She has done so much, like, soaking up in the industry that she. It feels like she could definitely go into every. Any room and know what that person does, what their. You know, what Their moves are their goals. Like it's, it's so helpful to have so much experience, which she does.
[01:09:20] Speaker B: I think.
Yes. She seems to be pretty, like, oh, you know, no rush. But at the same time, I think she absolutely has been so intentional on her path.
[01:09:36] Speaker C: Yes.
[01:09:37] Speaker B: And like you said, that's the other check where, well, I can do this to get here to do that. Like so incredible. And she said it, she's like, I'm very organized. Like, I think you can.
[01:09:47] Speaker C: Yeah.
[01:09:47] Speaker B: Feel that of. But I, I was just really wowed by her how she spoke about being at a management company, like as an assistant, you know.
[01:09:59] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah.
[01:10:00] Speaker B: And just really like I'm here to see who I can send my script to.
[01:10:05] Speaker C: What, what a hack, right? Like what a hack.
And I think that's like, I, I assume she wasn't saying that to her boss every day, you know, like, like I'm like, you know, oh, I'm gonna write this contact down so that I can like use it, you know, Like, I assume it wasn't like that. But just like, I think it's about knowing yourself and knowing your, like having that self confidence to be like, okay, I'm storing this stuff in my back pocket. That's just like being a multi layered person during a job. Like, that's just what it is, you know, like that's just called learning on the job. Like, she's learning the job. She's learning who's looking for what and who to sell to and everything.
[01:10:50] Speaker B: I also think it's a commitment thing. Like, I think she spent all those years in Atlanta.
I think probably knowing as she said she saw the WGA number of like, there aren't writers out here, they're in L. A. This isn't going to work unless I move to L. A. When she came to L. A For that internship over summer, she was like, I'm here to work. I'm going to go in every day of the week. Even though I'm just there for two days a week, it's like, I'm going, no, I'm going to be there five days of the, like every day.
[01:11:18] Speaker C: Yeah.
[01:11:18] Speaker B: And so when she moved out here, it was like, I'm committing, like, this is what I'm doing, you know?
[01:11:24] Speaker C: Yeah.
It's so interesting how we started the conversation about that, like permission to fail and that being open and honest. And I just feel like that's such great advice as a writer, but also to me that provides a lot of comfort in just like the more the first part of that 50, which is the business part.
And just the more you fail, the more you get back up. And if you're resilient, you're able to be better.
And I think that's such a simple concept, but I think something that's so applicable not only to writers but to other people in the industry, and it just, it like, provides a lot of, it's like, it provides a lot of comfort but then provides a lot of ambition as well. Of like, it's okay to fail as long as you get right back up.
[01:12:15] Speaker B: Yeah.
Did you learn something? I'm like your mom. Did you learn something in this episode? I hope so. Or not. That's okay. Thanks for hanging. Make sure you follow us at the 5050 Fest on Instagram and give us five stars because why not? Why not subscribe? Why not? You know why not. Okay, bye.
