Women in Entertainment

Jenny Jackson knows books from every angle as a longtime editor, a bestselling novelist, and a storyteller fascinated by the complicated ties that shape us.

In this episode of Women in Entertainment, Jenny joins us to discuss The Shampoo Effect, her highly anticipated follow-up to Pineapple Street. She opens up about rediscovering writing during the pandemic, why her creative process changed dramatically between books, and how she learned to let go of scenes that helped her understand her characters but did not ultimately belong on the page.

Jenny also shares a thoughtful look at the emotional architecture of friendship: the childhood bonds, family friendships, secrets, tensions, and trust that inspired the world of The Shampoo Effect. As both an editor and author, she reflects on revision, bad reviews, the pressure of a second novel, book tours, screen adaptations, and the strange vulnerability of putting fiction into the world.

Listen to learn:
- Why Jenny believes there is no single “right” writing routine
- How "The Shampoo Effect" explores lifelong friendship and family dynamics
- What becoming an author taught her about editing with more empathy
- Why second books come with a different kind of publishing pressure
- How Jenny thinks about adapting her novels for television

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Purchase "The Shampoo Effect" at https://amzn.to/4evHNH7

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...
Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast..
Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85..

#JennyJackson #TheShampooEffect #PineappleStreet #WomenInEntertainment #WomenInEntertainmentPodcast #Books #Authors #WritingLife #Publishing #BookPodcast #WomenWriters

Shana Stein knows that bravery isn’t the absence of fear; it’s being afraid and doing it anyway.

In this episode of Women in Entertainment, Shana opens up about her path from theater kid to producer to episodic director, sharing how early experiences at William Morris, AFI, and on independent films led her into television, where she found a creative home on Monk. Over seven seasons and hundreds of casting sessions, she developed the actor-first approach that would become central to her directing style.

Shana also speaks candidly about the responsibility many women feel when stepping into leadership roles, especially in rooms and on sets where they may be the only woman present. From championing inclusive hiring on 90210 to navigating high-stakes work on The Boys and intimate emotional storytelling on The Testaments, she shares how preparation, humility, collaboration, and trust shape her process. Her perspective is a powerful reminder that leadership is not about control; it’s about creating the conditions for people to do their best work.

Listen to learn:
- How Shana transitioned from producing to directing
- Why Monk became her creative training ground
- What it means to lead while carrying fear and responsibility
- How she approaches actors, trust, and emotional scenes
- Why inclusive hiring starts with who gets invited into the room

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...
Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast..
Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85..

#ShanaStein #WomenInEntertainment #WomenInEntertainmentPodcast #TheBoys #TheTestaments #Monk #90210 #WomenDirectors #WomenInTV #WomenInFilm #FemaleFilmmakers #CreativeLeadership

Karen Pittman is moving through her career with a mantra that feels both personal and powerful: no lack, no scarcity, all abundance.

In this episode of Women in Entertainment, Karen reflects on a season of extraordinary momentum, from filming The Morning Show Season 5 to stepping deeper into Forever Season 2. She shares how Mia Jordan’s evolution on The Morning Show mirrors what many women of color experience in business. She also opens up about the collaboration behind Mia’s transformation, from conversations with writers and producers to the intentional choices behind her look, wardrobe, and presence.

Karen also discusses why playing Dawn Edwards in Forever arrived at exactly the right time in her life. After waiting for a nuanced portrayal of Black motherhood, she found a character who is unapologetic, powerful, loving, and deeply human. She speaks candidly about leaving And Just Like That, trusting timing, honoring her late mother, and preparing to tell her own stories as a writer and producer.

Listen to learn:
- How Karen Pittman approaches abundance, timing, and career risk
- What Mia Jordan’s Season 4 transformation meant to her
- Why Dawn Edwards represents a new vision of Black motherhood
- How Pittman chooses roles that resonate culturally and personally
- Why inclusion is essential to the future of American cinema

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...
Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast..
Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85..

#KarenPittman #WomenInEntertainment #TheMorningShow #ForeverNetflix #MiaJordan #DawnEdwards #BlackMotherhood #MaraBrockAkil #FeedingAmerica #WomenInFilm

Behind every unforgettable screen world is a designer translating a story into space.

In this episode of the Women in Entertainment Podcast, we sit down with production designers Claire Bennett, Grace Yun, Alison Gartshore, Anne Seibel, and Ruth Ammon for an inspiring roundtable on the artistry and strategy behind visual storytelling. Together, they explore how a script becomes a living, breathing environment, from the first research images and hand sketches to the practical realities of budgets, builds, locations, lighting, and collaboration.

The conversation moves through some of television’s most distinctive worlds, including Bridgerton, Emily in Paris, Beef, Nobody Wants This, Modern Family, Heroes, and more. The designers share how they build spaces around character, why production design is often misunderstood, and how their work intersects with directors, showrunners, cinematographers, actors, costume teams, and visual effects. They also reflect on creative blocks, the value of books and museums, the rise of AI, and the essential skills the next generation of designers should protect: observation, drawing, communication, and curiosity.

Listen to learn:
- How production designers begin building a visual world from a script
- Why sets can become characters in their own right
- The unseen collaboration behind lighting, color, costumes, and camera movement
- How designers navigate AI, 3D tools, and hand-drawn artistry
- What emerging creatives should know about sustaining a career in production design

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...
Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast..
Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85..

#WomenInEntertainment #ProductionDesign #ClaireBennett #GraceYun #AlisonGartshore #AnneSeibel #RuthAmmon #Bridgerton #EmilyInParis #Beef #NobodyWantsThis #ModernFamily

As the Tribeca Film Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary, Cara Cusumano is helping shape what the next era of festival storytelling can look like.

In this episode of the Women in Entertainment Podcast, Cara reflects on her nearly two decades with Tribeca, beginning as a film student attending the very first festival after moving to New York in 2001, and growing into a programmer at one of the most influential storytelling festivals in the world. She shares how Tribeca has expanded from a traditional film festival into a home for TV, immersive work, games, podcasts, live events, brand storytelling, and creator-led projects.

Cara also pulls back the curtain on the festival submission process, offering grounded advice for filmmakers navigating the anxiety of rejections, premieres, and programming decisions. With nearly 14,000 submissions this year, she explains why curation matters, how New York’s diverse audience shapes Tribeca’s identity, and why festivals remain vital advocates for independent film, theatrical experiences, and emerging talent.

Listen to learn:
- What makes a project feel distinctly “Tribeca”
- How the festival reviews thousands of submissions each year
- Why filmmakers should trust the festival process
- How live events, music, and creator storytelling are shaping Tribeca’s future
- Why festivals may be more important than ever for independent film

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...
Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast..
Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85..

#CaraCusumano #Tribeca #TribecaFestival #WomenInEntertainment #IndependentFilm #FilmFestival #Storytelling #Filmmakers #NewYorkFilm #EntertainmentIndustry