@film
The art and craft of filmmaking
Deborah Pardes
@DBPardes · 3:00
Producer / Founder of IndieFlix Scilla Andreen
Hey, this is Deborah on the Film Channel. And I love that we are switching channels to suit the people we're speaking with in terms of doing swell interviews. And today I've chosen the Film channel here at Swell because I'm speaking with somebody who who has been in the film industry her entire career, and she's done some extraordinary work. I'd say first as a creator, but also someone who's kind of leading the trends and making sure that all the voices are heard
Scilla Andreen
@iNDIEFLIXCEO · 2:43
Of course, if I'm on a panel or giving a talk and I've been sort of asked to speak about specific things, then I will share specifically about that topic, whether it's mental health empowerment, addressing sexual harassment, suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, whatever it is, I have lots to share in a curious way where I hope that it helps people. But also I hope that it gets people talking to create conversation
Deborah Pardes
@DBPardes · 0:55
But the long form storytelling that requires the rigor of true skill is something that a good documentarian really holds in high regard because you know that there's an arc, and you know that there's getting a lot of information upfront and not getting in the way of the story is super important. So that when you're in that editing room and you choose to sculpt out what people are going to ultimately see, you are making choices based on a real variety of things that you were able to capture
Swell Team
@Swell · 0:15
Scilla Andreen
@iNDIEFLIXCEO · 4:04
It just sometimes moves as to where it is in the film and the piecing it all together, weaving the story when you're in the editing room, which is where the movie is really made on a documentary, it's so organic and it's so alive. You know, I come from the narrative world. I did TV and film. I did The Wonder Years, Party of Five, Dawson's Creek, Smallville, Jack and Jill
Deborah Pardes
@DBPardes · 1:47
I noticed that you have worked with the Foster group in Los Angeles, and I've done work with them as well, and I know the foster community really well, just basically working with Casa, which is special advocacy program and working with people who are in a system that is super broken. So I guess it's a two part question. One is your connection to the foster world and talk a little bit about that
Scilla Andreen
@iNDIEFLIXCEO · 4:22
We do surveys, we measure our impact, we're constantly finding new, we take the data, and then we're able to think about other things that we can support to keep the conversation going and to really affect change in a positive way and think in terms of sustainability scalability. It's turned into something I never would have even dreamed of and so proud of if anyone ever wants to support us. Of course, funding is always something that every foundation needs, which is you can donate at indieflixfoundation
Scilla Andreen
@iNDIEFLIXCEO · 1:42
And it is so moving to see these incredibly talented youth share their story in these short films, and whether it's comedy or satire or a drama, the talent is amazing. I love that Hollywood mentors are accessible to these kids. And I learned so much having these sort of, like, big conversations that we have, and I'm so inspired by them, I'm actually going to be working with them on Race and having them help me do some filming as well
Deborah Pardes
@DBPardes · 3:22
When I was watching the trailer for The Race, which I just did, and I'm going to link that link here. I was just thinking about your choice, even in the trailer, to give us a chance to sit with regular folk people who are not on a daily basis, not in front of the camera and their humanity, their humility, their rawness and their capacity to just tell it like it is is really where the documentary is so powerful. The format of a documentary is so powerful
Deborah Pardes
@DBPardes · 0:59
I want to follow up this question with the Upstanders Project because in the spirit of wanting people to know about the work you do and how people can be part of the ecosystem of support to fortify what you do. Can you tell us a little bit about the Upstanders Project and the people involved and how they are part of this whole sort of trend to focus in on specific stories that are personal that affect obviously the universal trend of awareness around bullying. When did this start? Who did you partner with first?
Scilla Andreen
@iNDIEFLIXCEO · 2:35
I am going to do a race series as well to go along with the sort of fully loaded documentary and because there's just so much more to know, and that will also give me a place to be able to continue to add. So the series will actually be free and available on indie flicks and everywhere. And then the documentary will screen in community as we always do with the Mental Health trilogy and some of our other films
Scilla Andreen
@iNDIEFLIXCEO · 5:00
I started indie flicks, and I just kind of naively hung a shingle thinking, oh, gosh, there's all these amazing filmmakers out there with all this incredible content that no one's watching because the Hollywood only has so much bandwidth and let's create a marketplace for indie filmmakers. And that was gosh so long ago and then kind of morphed into content for a purpose and really living in the what I call the edutainment space because I'm not really in the education space
Scilla Andreen
@iNDIEFLIXCEO · 5:00
So we've learned after all these years of doing it, what can help a school organization or Corporation share this film based program and the activities in a simple dashboard and protecting the anonymity of the user and getting access. And we've shown that it is highly effective at in the employees reaching out to their EAP and utilizing more benefits. And in schools the films are raising awareness, getting people talking
Scilla Andreen
@iNDIEFLIXCEO · 1:17
Com and remember, my name is spelled funny. So it's actually Scilla at indieflixceo. Com. S-C-I-L-L-A at Indieflixceo I-N-D-I-E-F-L-I-X dot. Com and just put in the subject line, you know, race interview, possibility or whatever is good, maybe mention swell. And I might know. And so I'm really excited to be doing a lot more filming this month and next month and then hit the editing room. Okay. Thanks
Deborah Pardes
@DBPardes · 3:57
And I'm really hopeful, first of all, that there are people in the world like you who are knitting together, a network like you've knit together. It's so encouraging, and it's interesting. I've had this headache for three days and I don't usually get headaches, but I have a really bad one. And I had a thought when you're in a vulnerable place, you really pick and choose how you spend your moments, because you're much more tender
Deborah Pardes
@DBPardes · 4:39
We're not stuck inside this forever box that you can't open up. We're just in this organic flow. So one of the thoughts I have about your voice here is that you have a swell cast, just like I do. It's a completely democratized platform, just like every other social media platform is. But inside your swell cast, the living, breathing opportunity of conversation is here for you