511: AWARD-WINNING WRITER-DIR LISA FRANCE

511: AWARD-WINNING WRITER-DIR LISA FRANCE

Author: Hilliard Guess January 27, 2025 Duration: 2:14:01

In this super fun episode, Hilliard & guest co-host actor/writer/dir Denzel Whitaker sit down for an in-depth conversation with award-winning writer-dir-producer LISA FRANCE. If you ever had questions about how to become an Episodic Director, this might be the podcast for you!


Lisa France is an entertainment vet with over 25+ years in the business as a writer, director and producer. She began her film and TV career from the ground up. PA, AD, set dec, camera operator, props, 2nd AD, driver, stand-in, extra, etc.  She attributes her extensive entertainment job resume to her ability to think quickly in difficult production situations.  Eventually she landed a stunt gig with Spike Lee in He Got Game and a stunt acting job on The Summer of Sam and did stunts on a variety of other TV shows and films, most notably, The Sopranos.


France directed, co-wrote and produced her first feature film, "Anne B. Real" in 2003, which won more than 40 film festival awards and nominations around the world, including two Independent Spirit Award nominations. She then directed two more award-winning independent films in rapid succession, both were distributed on Netflix, Starz and AMC theaters. Her first documentary, "Roll with Me", also garnered numerous awards, debuted at The Woodstock Film Festival and was a 2018 Slamdance Official Selection later acquired and distributed by Ava DuVernay's ARRAY Releasing. 

France has directed numerous thrillers and Christmas movies for Lifetime, BounceTV, OWN Hulu and Tubi. During the height of the pandemic, France directed and produced on Season 5 and 6, the critically acclaimed, award winning series "Queen Sugar" by creator Ava DuVernay. France recently directed episodes of the hit FOX series "The Cleaning Lady" and "Naomi" which is currently streaming on HBO MAX. 


France produced "The Herricanes" which just debuted and won a Special Jury Prize and the Audience Award at SXSW and is actually playing in theaters this month. France is a proud member of AWD, the LGBTQ+ community, the DGA, WGA, and SAG-AFTRA.


Our Motto: "Keep it GAME all day!"


For information, Merch (T-SHIRTS/HOODIES), and all things Rant Room!
www.Screenwritersrantroom.com


https://screenwriters-rant-room.printify.me/products


Subscribe, like, follow, share & 5-star review!
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Hilliard Guess on all social media
@Hilliardguess.bsky.social
IG: @ScreenwritersRantRoom
@Lisafrance2067
@DenzelWhitaker


WE ARE NOW OPEN TO SPONSORSHIPS AND BRANDING OPPORTUNITIES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Screenwritersrantroom@gmail.com


We invest countless hours per week to deliver the actionable content that goes into this podcast. We appreciate your support!


THEME SONG: Jack Spade
WEBSITE: MQL2,
Abigail Bloom & Laura Huie
LOGOS: Rachel Musikanth
RANT ROOM TEAM:
Richard Scott - Creative Producer
Tyler Musikanth - Assoc Producer
Brooke Baltimore - Marketing
Togo - Marketing


Step inside a space where the polished veneer of Hollywood gets stripped away, replaced by the raw, unfiltered conversations happening behind the scenes. Screenwriters' Rant Room is guided by Hilliard Guess, a working WGA writer, director, and producer whose own path includes a role as Director of Development and now executive producing an Amazon series. He brings that grounded, insider perspective to every episode. Rather than rehearsed interviews, you’ll hear the kind of frank talk that happens after a long day on set or in a writers’ room. Hilliard sits down with guests or engages with rotating co-hosts, and together they drop what he aptly calls "industry bombs"-those unvarnished truths, frustrating anecdotes, and hard-won insights about writing, producing, and surviving in TV and film. The tone is as hilarious as it is candid, making the complex machinery of entertainment feel human and relatable. This isn't a lecture on structure; it's a living, breathing, and often laughing chronicle of the creative grind. For anyone curious about the real stories behind the screen, this podcast offers a front-row seat to the rants, revelations, and camaraderie that define a life in storytelling.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Screenwriters' Rant Room
Podcast Episodes
513: SHOWRUNNER - BEN WATKINS (PART 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:46
On an all new episode, Hilliard and guest co-hosts actor/filmmaker Johnny Ray Gill and actor/filmmaker Denzel Whitaker chop it up in a dope, 2-part episode with showrunner BEN WATKINS, writer-creator of the NAACP Image A…
512: DIVERSITY IN CANNES SHORT FILM SHOWCASE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:06
In this episode, Hilliard and lil sis, actor/writer Dalila Ali Rajah sit down for a fun conversation about the do's and don'ts of submitting films to YOLONDA BRINKLEY creator of the long-running, and very popular DIVERSI…
510: VETERAN SCRIPT COORDINATOR [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:34:39
In this episode, Hilliard and guest co-host (writers assnt CROSS on Prime) J.R. Zamora-Thal, sat down for an in-depth conversation with writer/producer JOSHUA GILBERT. He's a mid-level TV writer (Flash) -- https://www.im…
509: SERIES CREATOR - FRANCHESCA RAMSEY [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:14
In this episode, Hilliard & guest-host writer/actor Dalila Ali Rajah sat down in a super fun, laugh-out-loud conversation with FRANCHESCA RAMSEY, actor, writer, producer and the creator/star of the award-winning series M…
508: ONE MOORER MEDIA AND MANAGEMENT [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45:02
In this episode, Hilliard & guest co-host Tracy Grant (Exec Producer on LACE on ALLBLK), sat down for an informative conversation about the ins-and-outs of finding opportunities for your screenwriting career with special…
507 : "PLANS VS GOALS" 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:06:33
In this episode, Hilliard and writer Saeed Crumpler (Flatbush Misdemeanors, 1st Look at Sony), sat down for an in-depth conversation on how to look at your writing career as a Plan vs a Goal in order to succeed and finis…
506: EVAN WAITE - "THE FAMILY GUY" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:40
In this episode, Hilliard and guest co-host comedy writer Myles Warden sat down with Co-Executive Producer EVAN WAITE in a super dope conversation. Evan is not only a writer/producer on long-running hit series The Family…
505: SHANE BLACK & JIM HERZFELD [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:31
In this episode Hilliard and guest co-hosts Scott Foster & Brian Austin (Script Hop/The Gauntlet), sat down with OG screenwriters - SHANE BLACK (Lethal Weapon, Iron Man 3, A Long Kiss Goodnight) and JIM HERZFELD (Meet th…
Thanksgiving Break [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:14
The Screenwriters' Rant Room is off this week for the holidays - we'll be back next week!
504: ALONA TAL - "CROSS" ON AMAZON [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:28:09
In this episode Hilliard and guest co-host actor/filmmaker Johnny Ray Gill (CROSS) sit down in a 2 1/2 hour conversation with actor/filmmaker ALONA TAL (CROSS) for an in-depth conversation about working as talent in Holl…