Game-Changing Acquisition: Zello & Cinelease Partnership Explained
Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa
Release Date: 08/01/2025
Hannah Lux Davis - On Directing Ariana Grande, the Importance of Taste, and Working with Huge Artists
Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa
Hannah Lux is a powerhouse music video and commercial director who's created iconic visuals for Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Katy Perry, Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj, and Lil Wayne. But her path to the director's chair wasn't traditional. Hannah shares her 20-plus-year journey in LA—from working as a makeup artist on set to directing Lil Wayne, Drake, and Future on "Love Me," which now has over 620 million views. We dive deep into the making of Ariana Grande's "Thank U, Next," the video that broke YouTube records with 50 million views in 24 hours, and how she navigated legal clearances, celebrity...
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Adamma & Adanne Ebo on Daniel Kaluuya's Advice, What Makes a Good Producer and the Power of Confidence
Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa
Happy Tuesday! Today is 11/11, a series of numbers that many see as a symbol of spiritual awakening, synchronicity, and alignment with the universe. I'm not too superstitious about these things, but when I catch it, it brings a smile to my face. Is it divine intervention or coincidence? And does it matter? In thinking about alignment, it feels very apropos to be sharing this particular conversation today with self-described nerdy fangirls Adamma and Adanne Ebo, the identical twin powerhouse behind the indie breakout film Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. We met making this film back in 2021—I...
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LA Councilmember Adrin Nazarian On What Comes Next to Save Hollywood
Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa
Today's guest is Adrin Nazarian—former California State Assemblyman who helped triple the film tax credit from $100 million to $330 million during his decade in Sacramento, and now an LA City Councilmember who's fought to get that credit up to $750 million. Back in March, Adrin filed a motion with ten specific permitting reforms that passed city council unanimously unanimously to direct the Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA) to report back within 30 days on the feasibility of these proposed changes using input from the LAFD, LAPD, Recreation & Parks, DWP, DOT, Bureau of Public Works, and...
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From Camera Department to Directing Your First Indie Film
Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa
*Today's episode is brought to you by InkTip, a trusted cornerstone of the independent film industry, connecting talented filmmakers with visionary screenwriters. Head to InkTip.com to learn more.* What does it take to transition from behind the camera to the director's chair? In this inspiring conversation, Jihane Mrad Balaa shares her remarkable 20-year journey from Lebanese immigrant to working on major shows like American Horror Story, 9-1-1, and Bumblebee—before finally making the leap to directing her own feature film. Jihane opens up about: ✨ Why being "normal and pleasant" is her...
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Latina Executives Leading Hollywood | Roundtable Discussion with Erika Kennair, Sonia Gambaro, and Rocio Melara
Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we recorded a special roundtable episode to amplify three powerhouse Latina executives reshaping Hollywood: ✨ Erika Kennair - Head of Scripted for Mediapro Studios. Created NBC's Writers on the Verge, which helped launch many including Lauren LeFranc, showrunner of the Emmy award winning series The Penguin. ✨ Sonia Almanza Gambaro - Producer and President of Pollinate Entertainment. Executive Producer of Acapulco for Apple TV+ ✨ Rocio Melara - Producer. Former executive a Lena Waithe's Hillman Grad. We get into the juicy bits of what it's...
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Maryam Mehrtash: From Refugee to Hollywood Media Executive
Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa
Delighted to share this chat with Maryam Mehrtash, an entertainment executive specializing in global marketing and brand partnerships. Her journey embodies the American dream - from fleeing Iran as a refugee at age two to becoming a key player behind one of the most successful streaming platform launches in recent history. Maryam helped traditional media companies pivot from linear to digital during the early days when digital was still treated as a "stepchild." She was part of the team at CBS Interactive that had the first-mover advantage in streaming with CBS All Access, then led the...
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Madelaine Petsch Is Here To Push Your Boundaries
Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa
Madelaine Petsch has a penchant for divisive female characters.You may know her best as from her role as Cheryl Blossom in the CW’s hit series Riverdale," which ran for 7 seasons. She's recently been evolving into one of Hollywood's most promising young producers. She's currently starring in and producing the next installment of "The Strangers" horror trilogy for Lionsgate, which hits theaters this Friday, September 26th. You can also catch her in the Amazon rom-com "Maintenance Required" on October 8th. In one film she's being chased by masked strangers; in the other, she's running...
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"HIM" Producer Jamal Watson - "I Started Making Films to Figure Out How Not to Die"
Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa
Jamal Watson's journey from South Central to Hollywood executive exemplifies the power of storytelling to transform lives. After finding inspiration in film during his youth, he started at Sony Pictures as a tour guide in 2003, building industry connections that would prove invaluable. His career accelerated through roles at Deluxe Film Services and a pivotal 2010 internship at Overbrook Entertainment, where he spent a decade rising from intern to Vice President. During this time, he produced acclaimed projects including "SPRINTER" (ABFF winner, African Academy Award nominee), "HALA" (Sundance...
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Inside FilmLA's Much Needed Permitting Process Reform
Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa
This week, we hear from Donna Washington, FilmLA's VP of Permit Operations. After the June 20th Board of Public Works hearing in Los Angeles, I was taken aback by the outrage and frustration permeating the halls of City Hall. So many folks I've grown up on set with voiced their extreme concern with the permitting process and costs in LA - one of the main blockers keeping productions from coming or staying here. Donna has been with FilmLA since its very beginning in 1995. She's witnessed firsthand the evolution from LA's golden era of production - when they were processing nearly 40,000 shoot...
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The Fight to Keep Hollywood in Hollywood
Angle on Producers with Carolina Groppa
Six months ago, Stay in LA co-founders Sarah Adina Smith and Alexandra Pechman came on the show to explain why their grassroots movement was desperately needed to keep film production in Los Angeles. Since then, they've racked up a good amount of wins —from helping secure California's $750 million tax incentive to advocating for permitting reform across LA County. Today we're joined by two other leaders driving this coalition: showrunner and co-founder Noelle Stehman, and social impact producer Kate Holguin. We break down their wins, setbacks, and what's next in the battle for Hollywood's...
info_outlineKicking off August with a very special episode with the the brilliant minds behind Zello and Cinelease.
They just announced a game-changing acquisition that's bringing our industry back to its roots - where crews are empowered and things get done without red tape.
As someone who's filmed in LA most of my career, I know Hollywood's real magic isn't what's on screen—it's the thousands of passionate people behind the scenes. Cinelease has been one of those constants for me. No matter the scope or budget, they always found a way to make it work.
What makes this deal special? The timing is everything. After strikes, productions fleeing overseas, and endless layoffs, while others consolidate into massive corporate machines, Zello is taking Cinelease private and back to its entrepreneurial roots.
This isn't just business—it's about people. Some Cinelease employees have been there 35 YEARS. That tells you everything about how they treat their team. Now with Zello's network backing them, they're expanding that family culture into new markets and creating more opportunities for all of us who make this industry run.
Tune in for this exclusive deep dive on how this acquisition came to be and what it means for the future. Spoiler: it's bright ✨