In Proximity

We’ve made over 40 episodes for season 3! To celebrate our season finale, host Paola Mardo takes you on a tour around the Proximity Media office and the IN PROXIMITY podcast studio to answer your questions about how we make the show. Paola also sits down with the podcast crew in her office to look back at our production process, behind-the-scenes memories, and favorite moments. If you head over to our video episode, you can also watch our Prox spin on some popular YouTube shows. Thank you for watching, listening, and supporting us this season! 

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SUBSTACK

(00:00) Celebrating Season 3 of IN PROXIMITY

(01:52) 7 Questions with Paola Mardo

(02:25) How she got started in podcasting

(06:18) Paola’s favorite advice from the show

(10:13) The Production Crew | Chicken Shop Speed Date

(11:24) The process of preparing for interviews

(16:42) How an episode is made, from pre- to post-production

(20:18) The show’s audio and camera equipment

(25:51) Inside the Podcast Studio | IN PROXIMITY Digest

(26:10) What the crew does behind the camera 

(27:41) Easter Eggs on set (SINNERS VHS tape) 

(31:01) Thank you for watching and listening! 

IN PROXIMITY IS A PRODUCTION OF PROXIMITY MEDIA

Host, Director, Producer: Paola Mardo

Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian

Theme Song and Additional Music: Ludwig Göransson

Co-Director and Director of Photography: Patrick Epino

Sound Designer and Mix Engineer: Ken Nana

Editors: Patrick Epino, Ken Nana, Ben Caloza

Camera Operator: Joshua Joel Ortiz

Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz

Associate Producer and Sound Recordist: Celine Mendiola

Production Coordinator: Joy Woo

Production Assistant: Ben Caloza

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Production Intern: Briana Tolentino

If you’re an emerging filmmaker, this episode is for you! IN PROXIMITY host and first-time filmmaker Paola Mardo sits down with Proximity Media founder Sev Ohanian and Chief Marketing & Operations Officer Terra Potts to answer your questions about navigating film festivals. Before he was a producer on SINNERS, Sev co-wrote and produced the award-winning film SEARCHING, which premiered at Sundance and was the subject of a bidding war. Other films he has produced and sold at festivals include Ryan Coogler’s FRUITVALE STATION, RESULTS, and THE INTERVENTION. Terra is a veteran film marketing executive with indie and studio film experience, leading campaigns for movies like JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH and CRAZY RICH ASIANS before coming to Proximity Media. Paola shares her learnings from her film “tour” with her debut short film VETERANO, a proof-of-concept for a crime thriller feature which she co-produced along with director/writer Patrick Epino. Together, Sev, Terra, and Paola give their take on film festival submission, strategy, networking, and selling, plus how to handle both acceptance and rejection while keeping your moviemaking dreams alive.

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(05:45) Pro tip: Don’t wait ‘til you have a film — just go!

(10:39) The importance of film festivals today

(15:38) Planning out your festival strategy

(18:57) The secret to a great distribution pitch

(20:25) Choosing which festivals to attend

(25:19) The do’s and don’ts of submitting to film festivals

(26:44) That time Sev made a FRUITVALE STATION poster

(37:37) How to network at film festivals

(41:41) The best next steps after your film premiere

(47:24) How to handle the anxiety of festival rejection

(53:55) Prox Recs 

IN PROXIMITY IS A PRODUCTION OF PROXIMITY MEDIA

Host, Director, Producer: Paola Mardo

Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian

Theme Song and Additional Music: Ludwig Göransson

Co-Director and Director of Photography: Patrick Epino

Sound Designer and Mix Engineer: Ken Nana

Editors: Patrick Epino, Ken Nana, Ben Caloza

Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz

Associate Producer and Sound Recordist: Celine Mendiola

Production Coordinator: Joy Woo

Production Assistants: Ben Caloza, Joshua Flores

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Production Intern: Briana Tolentino

More than 30 years after the release of TOY STORY, the Pixar franchise’s latest chapter, TOY STORY 5, premieres in theaters this week. Award-winning writer/director Andrew Stanton and co-director/writer Kenna Harris joined host Paola Mardo for a virtual conversation about why the film pits Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack) and their gang of toys against tech, in the form of the tablet Lilypad (Greta Lee). Andrew and Kenna also discuss how they collaborated on the film as filmmakers from different backgrounds and generations, the secrets to Pixar’s emotionally-compelling storytelling, and how they plan to continue the TOY STORY legacy to infinity and beyond.

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(00:00) Take a shot when Andrew says “Faustian bargain”

(03:27) If Labubu was in the TOY STORY universe…

(09:02) The start of the TOY STORY 5 project

(16:02) Behind the Pixar “brain trust” days

(18:57) Andrew and Kenna’s collaborative process 

(26:57) Why the toys are tackling technology

(34:30) How we emotionally connect with TOY STORY and Pixar

(45:53) Prox Recs 

IN PROXIMITY IS A PRODUCTION OF PROXIMITY MEDIA

Host, Director, Producer: Paola Mardo

Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian

Theme Song and Additional Music: Ludwig Göransson

Co-Director and Director of Photography: Patrick Epino

Sound Designer and Mix Engineer: Ken Nana

Editors: Patrick Epino, Ken Nana, Ben Caloza

Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz

Associate Producer and Sound Recordist: Celine Mendiola

Production Coordinator: Joy Woo

Production Assistant: Ben Caloza

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Production Intern: Briana Tolentino

We’re going back into the archives to rerun this insightful and hilarious conversation with Ryan Coogler and Jordan Peele. From GET OUT to US to NOPE, Jordan has delighted – and frightened – audiences with his mastery of horror and social satire. On this episode, he breaks down his journey from clown school to KEY AND PEELE to horror, how he made the decision to direct GET OUT, and that one time a famous Batman actor advised him to use his fear. 

CHECK OUT THE ORIGINAL EPISODE
Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler on Genre, Fear, and Filmmaking

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(00:22) From the archives… Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler!

(02:44) Get Reel

(14:28) From puppetry to sketch comedy

(22:34) How Jordan started writing GET OUT 

(35:26) Making genre films 

(42:49) “Your fear will guide you” 

(43:43) Prox Recs

IN PROXIMITY IS A PRODUCTION OF PROXIMITY MEDIA

Host, Director, Producer: Paola Mardo

Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian

Theme Song and Additional Music: Ludwig Göransson

Co-Director and Director of Photography: Patrick Epino

Sound Designer and Mix Engineer: Ken Nana

Editors: Patrick Epino, Ken Nana, Ben Caloza, Cedric Wilson, Judybelle Camangyan 

Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz

Producer: Caitlin Plummer

Associate Producer: Celine Mendiola

Production Coordinator: Joy Woo

Production Assistants: Isabella Miller, Ben Caloza

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Playwright Aleshea Harris made her feature film directorial debut with IS GOD IS, adapted from her Obie Award-winning play of the same name. On the day her film opened in theaters, Aleshea sat down with host Paola Mardo to talk about her jump from playwriting to writing and directing a film with an all-star cast including Kara Young, Mallori Johnson, Vivica A. Fox, Sterling K. Brown, Janelle Monáe, and Erika Alexander. She also talks about how she worked with producers Tessa Thompson and Janicza Bravo to bring her play to the big screen, how the story subverts genre expectations, and how her roots in spoken word poetry and theater sharpened her writing style. 

SHOP OUR PROX BOOKS RECS ON BOOKSHOP.ORG

LEARN MORE AND READ THE TRANSCRIPT AT PROXIMITYMEDIA.COM

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(00:00) A revenge thriller with humor

(02:21) From theater play to feature film debut 

(11:24) Making the film with Tessa Thompson and Janicza Bravo 

(16:12) Casting and directing the twins in IS GOD IS 

(19:03) Vivica A. Fox as God and Sterling K. Brown as The Monster

(22:14) Working with the music composers

(32:37) Her origins in theater and spoken word poetry

(36:24) Aleshea’s writing process

(40:14) How Rihanna inspired IS GOD IS

(41:56) Her playwriting vs. filmmaking process

(44:48) Prox Recs

IN PROXIMITY IS A PRODUCTION OF PROXIMITY MEDIA

Host, Director, Producer: Paola Mardo

Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian

Theme Song and Additional Music: Ludwig Göransson

Co-Director and Director of Photography: Patrick Epino

Sound Designer and Mix Engineer: Ken Nana

Editors: Patrick Epino, Ken Nana, Ben Caloza

Associate Producer and Sound Recordist: Celine Mendiola

Production Coordinator: Joy Woo

Production Assistant: Ben Caloza

Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana

Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz