Hollywood Inclusion

April Caputi

Los Angeles, CA, July 28 – On the first of two days led by the Walt Disney Company for RespectAbility’s 2021 Summer Lab, participants had the opportunity to speak with 2019 Lab alumna April Caputi about her career journey since graduating from the Lab. Caputi, who previously temped as a Talent Casting Coordinator for Disneyland Live Entertainment before becoming a Casting Assistant for AMC Network’s show This Close (which was created, written by, and starred Deaf actors), joined the Disney team as a part of the Executive Incubator Program.

“One thing that attracted me most about the Lab program was that you get face time with executives from all studios and networks,” Caputi said of her experience with RespectAbility’s Entertainment Lab. “It was my dream to work at Disney and I [was] dying to meet executives who [were] looking to hire people with disabilities, and I wanted to connect my goals with theirs.” [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, July 28 – RespectAbility’s 2021 Summer Lab recently discussed the development and content selection process with a panel of creative experts who are currently taking the film and TV industry by storm. This panel included Rishi Rajani, President of Film and Television at the Los Angeles based development and production company Hillman Grad Productions, as well as Naomi Funabashi, SVP of Film and Television at Hillman Grad.

Rishi Rajani

Helmed by industry powerhouse Lena Waithe, Hillman Grad Productions is shaking up Hollywood, the studio system and everything in between with their captivating stories and bodies of work. Hillman Grad is known for groundbreakingfilms like Queen & Slim, which won various awards including but not limited to The African American Film Critics Association Impact Award in 2019 and a BET Award in 2020 for Best Movie. Hillman Grad also is engaging audiences on the television screen, with shows like The Chi on Showtime, Boomerang on BET, Twenties also on BET, Them:Covenant on Amazon Prime, and You Ain’t Got These on Quibi. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, July 22 – When starting out a career in the entertainment industry, many creators find themselves needing to learn how to protect their intellectual property and navigate various contracts. That is where entertainment lawyers often play a role. Entertainment law is often the unsung hero that makes it possible for a script to make it on screen without any hiccups.

As the RespectAbility Lab for Entertainment Professionals continues to expand its teaching and mentoring opportunities, additional sessions are added to ensure all participants are fully prepared to continue advancing their career in the entertainment industry. As such, RespectAbility Board Member Delbert Whetter sat down with Anita Surendran and Zachary Stein of Granderson Des Rochers LLP to discuss one of the most daunting aspects of filmmaking. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, CA, July 15 – “We’re not necessarily looking for a culture fit, but a culture add,” Rebecca Martinez, a recruiter from ViacomCBS, told 30 participants in RespectAbility’s Lab for Entertainment Professionals with Disabilities. “What voices are not represented within the department? So, it’s not about fitting in. It’s what value do you bring? What does your unique set of skills and experience bring to the organization?”

As part of Week Three of the Lab, talent acquisition recruiters from various studios visited the Lab to share insider tips and tricks of breaking into the corporate entertainment world. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, July 15 – RespectAbility’s 2021 Summer Lab Fellows recently were joined by RespectAbility’s own Matan Koch, Vice President for Workforce, Leadership, and Faith Programs, as well as Leah Romond, Senior Production Advisor at RespectAbility, for a conversation around when and how to disclose your disability in the workplace. Despite the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), many still face workplace discrimination as early as the interview process. Due to this, Koch and Romond took the time to share insight with the Lab participants, covering topics such as how to ask for accommodations and when it’s the right time to talk about your disability with your employer. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, July 13 – On the third week of RespectAbility’s Summer Lab for Entertainment Professionals with Disabilities, actors and disability advocates Tatiana Lee and Eileen Grubba teamed up to lead a conversation on how to pitch yourself to industry professionals.

Tatiana Lee

Entering the entertainment industry is an incredible feat as a person without a disability. And those with disabilities encounter the extra challenge of fighting to be taken seriously after being historically excluded. However, Lee was inspired by the lack of representation and decided to embody the Black disabled women she did not see on TV when she was younger. Lee is a model, actress, writer and producer, as well as an Instagram influencer. She has starred in projects such as Jade, Footloose, and Together and Better. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, July 8 – RespectAbility’s 2021 Summer Lab Fellows recently chatted all things TV writing with a panel of esteemed writers and writers’ assistants including Katherine Beattie, NCIS: New Orleans; Diana Romero, 4400 (2020 Lab alumna); Ashley Eakin, Mech Cadet (2020 Lab alumna); and Maddy Ullman, WarnerMedia. The panelists shared their individual journeys to the writers’ room, and answered questions from current Lab Fellows about topics ranging from the nitty gritty details of what exactly a writers’ assistant does, to more nuanced questions like when and how to ask for accommodations in the room. By the end of the hour, the main takeaway from the conversation was clear: There is no “right” way to get into the room, and once you’re there, no writers’ room experience will be the same for everyone. The panelists emphasized staying true to your own vision and goals, asking for help whenever you need it, and most importantly, keep writing! [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, July 8 – Amber Espinosa-Jones manages the Outreach & Inclusion department of the Sundance Institute, where her team runs Fellowships, facilitates intensives, and oversees grants. Further, she is a driving force in the support of Sundance’s initiatives for diverse talent like the Director’s Lab, Editing Lab, and the Producing Program. She recently spoke at RespectAbility’s Entertainment Lab, sharing advice on how to participate in Sundance Institute’s various programs.

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“For years the industry has talked about diversity and inclusion and representation, and every single time we have been left out of the conversation…and that time is over.” – Steve Way

Steve Way

Los Angeles, July 8 – Steve Way is a substitute teacher by day and a stand-up comedian by night in the New York and New Jersey areas. He also stars in the webseries, Uplifting Dystrophy and is a cast member of the renewed Hulu series Ramy, a show that was co-created by Way’s real-life collaborator and friend, Ramy Youssef. Recently, Way spoke to RespectAbility’s 2021 Lab participants, and shared some insightful observations and advice that he has acquired during his journey in the entertainment industry.

Youssef and Way began their early entry to the entertainment industry together in a TV and broadcasting high school course, where the two were exposed to the resources needed to produce at an advanced level. As their projects elevated in quality and in audience, Youssef’s inclusion of Way in the script and eventual casting in Ramy was only natural. Against the instinct of Youssef’s co-creators, Way’s audition to play the role of himself in the series was undeniably euphoric. [continue reading…]