Post In Black

Amanda Jones has had quite a career, as evident in this really insightful conversation about her journey as a film and television composer. One of her latest projects, Number One on the Call Sheet, is a prolific, eye-opening two-part Apple TV+ documentary featuring candid conversations with some of the entertainment industry's biggest stars, like Angela Bassett, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Idris Elba, Whoopi Goldberg, Viola Davis, Denzel Washington and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, to name just a few. Amanda's career includes BET's Twenties from Lena Waithe, OWN's Cherish the Day, produced by Ava DuVernay and A Black Lady Sketch Show, produced by Robin Thede and Issa Rae. We learn about the empowerment she received from this powerful group of Black women so early in her journey. Amanda earned her first Emmy nomination for Home, an Apple TV+ series and became the first Black woman nominated for an Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score) Emmy. Later, Amanda was awarded a Daytime Emmy Award for Home. The idea of following one's passion resonates heavily throughout this conversation. Amanda shares that her love of sounds, more specifically music, started around the age of 3. After graduating from Vassar College and later, studying film scoring and orchestration at Berklee College of Music, she landed an internship with Hans Zimmer and it was an opportunity at Lionsgate that helped give her a more 360-degree sense of the business side of things. Other takeaways from this multifaceted chat hone in on creating a sonic language for films and TV, the importance of asking questions, communication and collaboration during the creative process, having a strong creative voice, knowing when to delegate as well as fighting off stigmas reserved for women of color and mothers. A co-founder of Composers Diversity Collective, Amanda's other credits include Somebody Somewhere, Good Trouble, Naomi, Young Love, 7 Days, Dreamland: The Rise and Fall of Black Wall Street, Definition Please, Moving On, The Perfect Find, Mea Culpa, Jodie and the new Apple TV+ series, Murderbot.

We talk to award-winning actor, writer, producer, playwright and educator Fanshen Cox, a dynamo in the entertainment industry. Born for great things, we begin our highly anticipated conversation celebrating February birthdays and the intriguing meaning behind her name which seemingly foreshadowed her professional path and progress in Hollywood. With a passion for acting at a young age, Fanshen talks about later moving to LA and becoming captivated by the idea that as an actor, she should write and produce her own material, which led to a renowned one-woman show that eventually her childhood friends, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, signed on to executive produce. As the founder of TruJuLo Productions, it becomes quite clear that Fanshen's legacy is largely one of pushing for necessary change in Hollywood as she's also the co-author of the Inclusion Rider and producer and host of Sista Brunch, a Webby-nominated podcast that highlights Black women working in Hollywood. Currently, as the DEIA Initiative Manager for the California Film Commission, we get her perspective on the ever-changing cultural, political and creative shifts in the industry, historically and currently and how enterprising creatives should move forward. If you're looking for inspiration, this is the conversation for you!🌟 #DiversityInFilm #HollywoodChangemaker #InclusionRider #DiversityInFilm #SistaBrunch #MattDamon #BenAffleck #TruJuLo #CaliforniaFilmCommission #ActorLife #FilmProducer #PodcastInterview #WomenInEntertainment #BlackExcellence #CreativeGrind

🎬 SEASON 6 PREMIERE! Join us for an unforgettable conversation with two trailblazing women in post-production, Daysha Broadway, ACE, and Stephanie Filo, ACE! 🌟 These dynamic editors made history together as part of the first all-women-of-color team to win an Emmy for their work on A Black Lady Sketch Show. Daysha Broadway has captivated audiences with her standout lead editing role in the critically acclaimed biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. Stephanie Filo has been making waves with her latest project, Daredevil: Born Again, where she brings her exceptional editing skills to the highly anticipated series. As a trailblazer in her field, Filo continues to push boundaries and inspire with her work on this Marvel Studios production. In this episode, we dive into their journeys, from collaborating on A Black Lady Sketch Show to navigating the challenges of editing blockbuster films and TV shows. Just in time for Women’s History Month, celebrate the voices and impact of these phenomenal editors! 🎧✨ Listen now and be inspired by their stories! 🌟 #PostInBlack #WomenInPost #FilmAndTV #Editing #ABlackLadySketchShow #DaredevilBornAgain #WhitneyHouston #WomenInFilm #WomenInTV #PostProduction #Inspiration #WomenHistoryMonth #EmpowermentThroughStorytelling

You'll quickly learn why bringing this conversation with the legendary Willie D. Burton to you is such an incredible honor. History-making, Willie's the first Black person to ever win an Academy Award for Best Sound. It was for 1988's Bird, a biopic about the life of jazz musician Charlie Parker. In 2006, he won a second Academy Award for Dreamgirls, joining an elite club of African Americans in Hollywood who are multiple Oscar Award winners. We talk about how, at an early age, walking past a radio station ignited an interest in audio after he took a peek inside. Truly immersing himself in electronics through a school program, he graduated high school. Leaving his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama with $50 in his pocket, he relocated to Long Beach, California, later becoming a sonar technician in the Navy. About three years later, he began to pursue a career in audio. After amassing some work experience in sound, Willie shares a truly remarkable story about the time Sydney Poitier took a big chance on him for what would become Willie's first time working on a feature without having any prior feature credits to his name. Now, having worked on over 140 film and television projects, Willie's earned a total of 8 Academy Award nominations. They include The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and most recently, Oppenheimer. Willie's stories about working on the epic Oppenheimer movie with director Christopher Nolan provide a unique insight into their collaboration and technological approach to sound. Willie shares some great advice as well as his thoughts on the ever-evolving film industry and the power of following one's intuition in choosing projects. His latest, Captain America: Brave New World, premieres in 2025.

Emmy-nominated composer Chanda Dancy joins us for an inspiring conversation about her remarkable journey in music and film scoring. Known for her work on the acclaimed miniseries "Lawmen: Bass Reeves," Dancy's impressive portfolio includes "Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody," "Devotion," and the documentary "Aftershock." In this captivating interview, Dancy delves into her creative process, discussing the meticulous research and preparation behind crafting the perfect orchestral language for "Lawmen: Bass Reeves." She also shares her profound sense of responsibility when composing for the Whitney Houston biopic. From her early days in Houston, where her classical musician mother introduced her to violin at preschool age, to her pivotal moment at Houston Baptist University where her passion for film scoring ignited, Dancy's story is one of perseverance and "divine timing." We explore how a short film she wrote, directed, and scored became her ticket to USC's prestigious film scoring program. The conversation is peppered with fascinating anecdotes, including a pivotal encounter with legendary composer Mike Post (known for "Law & Order" and "NYPD Blue") during her internship days. Dancy's journey wasn't without challenges - after USC, she found herself serving coffee and working at an internet company. But for this determined dreamer, these humble beginnings were just the prelude to an extraordinary career. Join us as we uncover the story of a talented artist who refused to give up, leading to a snowball of opportunities that shaped her into the acclaimed composer she is today. This episode is a must-listen for aspiring musicians, film enthusiasts, and anyone who believes in the power of perseverance.