THE SHORT OF IT

Send us Fan MailIlene is a 20+ year production professional, serving in the roles of writer, producer, and director. She has worked in numerous production capacities including Script Supervisor, Producer & Co-Writer for 3 Alliance's adventure travel series andiamo!. Her work can be seen on PBS where she was a producer on the Emmy-nominated PBS Kids show Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman,  Assistant Director for three seasons of Simply Ming, and  Associate Producer and writer for America’s Ballroom Challenge. In addition, her full-length stage play, Girl Hopping, was produced in 2011, and her short film script, Jilted: A Love Story, was a finalist in the 2012 Pride Films & Plays women’s work competition. Ilene has been on stage as an improv actor, comedian, and storyteller. Her feature script Shiva is currently in pre-production.Support the show

Send us Fan MailDave is a Massachusetts native who served 5 years of Active Duty in the United States Army as a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic from 2013-2018. He was medically retired from the army after sustaining injuries during a training incident in which his neck was fractured.Dave lives in Central Massachusetts with his wife and 3 children and is a musician who also enjoys video gaming in his off time.Support the show

Send us Fan MailEvery film starts with a story. It takes an imaginative mind to create the characters, scenes, and structure that bring it to life. These creative people are called writers.Cynthia Johnson, who is Tonia's mom, and Suzette Stranding talk about what makes storytelling powerful, how they create characters, and why they love what they do.Support the show

Send us Fan MailZak Lee is a professor of film in the communications department of Fitchburg State University. Zak is also a filmmaker, musician, and lover of bike riding. Zak sat down with us to discuss his process and the ins and outs of the film festival business.Support the show

Send us Fan MailOscar's Post Show!The Short Of It sits down with Sarah G. Vincent of sarahgvincentviews.com to discuss Oscar wins and snubs. Plus, Ashleigh Collins of @_hairbyash joins us for this year's fashion hits and misses!Support the show

Send us Fan MailSarah G. Vincent is a freelance writer and film critic, who writes for sarahgvincentviews.com, Boston  Movie News, In Between Drafts, and AwardsWatch. She is a regular contributor on Reel Reviews on NBC-10/NECN and WGBH on WGBH News’ Rooted and Morning Edition and made a guest appearance on WBZ-TV/CBS News Boston. She is a Tomato-approved critic and a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics, Critics Choice Association, Online Association of Female Film Critics, African American Film Critics Association, and formerly the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, whose website features some of her reviews. Support the show

Send us Fan MailDerek Tirrell is a producer and filmmaker from Abington, Massachusetts. After completing his bachelor’s degree at Fitchburg State University, he works as a freelancer, advancing his knowledge, applying his skills, and gaining meaningful experiences in the Boston film/video community.Derek discusses his upcoming series, Requiem; how to be successful in your internship, and his first love - producing!Support the show

Send us Fan MailMario Holguin - aka YoungOjeezus - is a writer, recording artist and documentary filmmaker. His upcoming project, "Arose From Ash" will be his autobiographical work about being a young artist trying to make a way for himself and his family.  YoungOjeezus has bet on himself, and so far, this married man with two children, is winning!Support the show

Send us Fan MailWorcester filmmaker and music producer Cyrus Alexander has done a lot in his career, from producing songs for artists across the country to realizing his dream: writing, producing, directing, and editing his award-winning feature film, Year of the Rat.Alexander said he is already working on his next feature film, a crime story revolving around a group of students at a historically Black university in the 1990s that will take inspiration from “Pulp Fiction,” “Juice” and “School Days.”Support the show

Send us Fan MailSamantha deManbey is a freelance filmmaker who has worked in Rhode Island and Central Massachusetts. In 2021 she finished a short documentary, Every Moment, about her friend Sahar Ghavimi, a multi-talented artist who emigrated from Iran to the United States. From 2018 to 2021 she was part of the leadership team of a small theater company, The Forge Theater Lab, which was dedicated to developing and producing new plays. From 2021 to 2023 Samantha attended the Documentary Media MFA program at Toronto Metropolitan University in Canada. There she created a handful of short projects and a 22-minute thesis documentary, One World is Writing, about the life and work of the writer Shirley Jackson.Support the show

Send us Fan MailJaden Blake wrote, directed, and edited the award-winning short film, "The Black Gig" which won Best Experimental Film at the 2025 Africa USA International Film Festival.Blake discusses how he fell in love with filmmaking and why telling this story was so important to him.Support the show

Send us Fan MailBuffy has always had a passion for television and movies. When she was 8 years old, she received her first camera. With that first camera, she made countless videos with her friends and family. Once she entered Hudson High School, Buffy became involved with Hudson Public Access Television (HudTV). Buffy spent her entire four years of high school volunteering and working as a summer intern at HudTV. After high school, Buffy wanted to follow her passion for filmmaking and chose to attend Fitchburg State University. Currently, Buffy is a Junior Communications Media Major with a Double Concentration in Film/Video and Theatre. Buffy now attends Columbia University where she is working on writing a feature film.When Buffy is not writing/directing for the camera or for the stage, she can be found reading, watching indie films, or playing board games with her friends. She hopes to one day make films in the style of Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach, and Mark Duplass. Support the show

Send us Fan MailKeith Mascoll SAG-AFTRA,AEA M.Ed  is an Actor, Producer, Mental Health advocate, Sneaker-head, and  Founder of the Triggered Project. Keith is a co-host of the Living a Triggered Life Podcast with his wife Roxann, and a Luminary for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.  Keith strives to use his art for social change in the black and brown community. As a survivor of sexual abuse, Keith hopes to help end the stigma that surrounds mental health, and black and brown men talking about being abused. He is committed to using his unique and innovative style of storytelling to provoke love, laughter, and empathy in each story told. Keith is a also a co-founder of a professional black theater company, The Front Porch Arts Collective, a Teaching Artist with the Huntington Theatre Company, and is helping students develop historically-focused theatrical scripts with the Moffitt-Ladd House and Garden in Portsmouth, New Hampshire  Keith received his Masters degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education.Support the show

Send us Fan MailJonah is an award-winning screenwriter, FSU alum, and producer currently refining his craft by continuing to write screenplays and submitting them to screenplay competitions.Support the show

Send us Fan MailEvelyn Brito is a dynamic producer, writer, and creative strategist with over 18 years of experience crafting impactful content and culturally resonant events. A skilled storyteller and visionary, Evelyn is known for her ability to bring ideas to life—from docu-series and digital campaigns to corporate conferences and community programs.She currently works as a freelance producer for Anawan Studios, where she produces commercials, nonprofit profile videos, and branded content—while actively securing new contracts and expanding her creative portfolio. Evelyn is also the executive producer and writer of Bodega Makeover, a docu-series that blends transformation television with community uplift. Her ability to secure brand partnerships and sponsorships—from corporate donors to in-kind contributions—has played a critical role in bringing both Bodega Makeover and other creative projects to life.Evelyn’s production background includes leading large-scale corporate gatherings like TJX’s ERG events, the Men of Color Leadership Conference, and the Women of Color Conference across Boston, New York, and New Jersey. These experiences reflect her ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.A proud Dyslexic Thinker, Evelyn uses her unique perspective to solve problems creatively, recognize patterns, and communicate stories that connect. She is also the co-founder of The Secret Society of Black Creatives, a nonprofit focused on empowering Black and Brown filmmakers through advocacy, education, and access.Support the show

Send us Fan MailRobert Harris is an educator, film-poet, traveler, and recently retired professor of film production at Fitchburg State University. Before that, Bob served as Curator of Video at Anthology Film Archives (NY) and PS#1 (Queens, NY), and Artistic Director of the New York State Summer School of the Arts: Media Arts. He has taught at the University of California, San Diego, Palomar College, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Ithaca College. He has assisted and collaborated with artists Nam June Paik, Shigeko Kubota, and Aldo Tambellini. In 1977, he spent 9 months living with and filming the Arhuaco peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia. His films have been shown in festivals, museums, and institutions throughout the world.Support the show

Send us Fan MailChristopher Milton aka Director C is a creative and technically-savvy video production specialist with more than 10 years of progressive experience in broadcast television and film. Chris has a proven ability to visually conceptualize, manage multiple projects, and collaborate with others to achieve a common goal. Support the show

Send us Fan MailGoldie Jones is a writer, director, aerialist, and author with 20 years of experience in commercial production, post-production, and animation—and a passion for circus arts.As a screenwriter and filmmaker, their gritty genre stories focus on characters across the gender spectrum, finding sparks of hope in the darker parts of the world.They're a Universal Writers Program Finalist, Stowe Launch Fellow, and WIF Mentee in the Directors Circle. Their projects have earned Second Place at Slamdance and Cinequest and reached the Second Round for the Sundance Development Track.Support the show

Send us Fan MailJoe Taft is an award-winning writer/director and editor of 'The Innkeeper' (2023) and 'Hey, Missy!' (2025)Support the show

Send us Fan MailLandi is the CEO of the production company Bluechild Entertainment and Founder and President of Women of Color Filmmakers, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit. She has produced, written, and directed various industrials, small business commercials, music videos, online courses, shorts, virtual live broadcasts, and films.Over her 15 years as an indie professional, Landi developed skills to make visually dynamic films, no matter what camera or device she was using. She has been teaching indie filmmakers visual storytelling for over 5 years, and she truly enjoys watching filmmakers bring their stories to life. Support the show

Send us Fan MailRain Pryor is a director, writer, and actress known for her solo show, "Fried Chicken and Latkes," which explores her unique background as the daughter of comedian Richard Pryor, growing up both Black and Jewish. She is also a community activist, director, and mother who uses art and storytelling to connect people and bring attention to important issues. Support the show

Send us Fan MailMalik Williams is a platinum selling composer, producer, engineer & music supervisor whose work has appeared in records, film, television shows, and in national advertising campaigns. His successful work as a composer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, and his ability to work in many different genres, has made Mr. Williams an in demand producer. Mr. Williams owns and operates Liptunes Music / Reel Sync Music, production and publishing companies based in Boston, Massachusetts.Support the show

Send us Fan MailBrendan Manning is a 27-year-old filmmaker, working in the Mass Commonwealth in production as well as writing and directing his own projects. He has worked with HBO, Sony, Netflix, Universal, and Disney, to name a few.Support the show

Send us Fan MailMike Pratt is a New England-based higher education professional, actor, and writer. Mike's been heavily involved in the realms of acting for film and television and writing for several years now. In April of 2022, he released his debut novel, CODE OF THE NIGHTBIRD, a piece of queer speculative fiction. Mike is also a trained actor with lead and supporting experience in short, indie, and student films. His professional ambition is to merge his loves of acting and writing together to create inclusive and empowering art.Support the show

Send us Fan MailJoseph D. Reitman, actor, director, producer, and writer, who you may recognize from TV and movies. He's played characters like Very Bad Santa in "Happy!" and Creepy Ed in "The Punisher." He's appeared in over 50 TV episodes, with recent roles on Disney+'s "National Treasure" and Netflix's "First Kill." You might also know him from some of his earlier work on "Married with Children" and "Charmed." On the big screen, he's starred in films such as "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," "The Perfect Storm," and "American Pie 2."Reitman also runs an acting school, offering both in-person and Zoom classes for actors, writers, and anyone seeking coaching on presentations, keynote speeches, or stand-up specials. Support the show

Send us Fan MailSeth Rigby is known for his expertise as a Digital Imaging Technician, Script Supervisor, Editor, Writer, and Filmmaker! What else can this guy do? Learn more about his work in this episode of The Short Of It.Support the show

Send us Fan MailDaniel Laurent, also known as DL, made a name for himself on the New England Hip-Hop scene in early 2005 with his hit single “MASSterpiece (The Anthem)” (also called simply “The Cheers Song”). In the song, DL metaphorically travels Boston's streets, subways, and popular nightspots with an ultimate tribute to his hometown.Support the show

Send us Fan MailAfter a career as an Executive Video Producer in corporate America, Anita felt an urgent need to shift from selling products to telling meaningful stories. This desire led her to travel and explore new possibilities. In 2022, Anita visited Freetown, Sierra Leone, learning for the first time about its connection to freed slaves from Great Britain and the United States. Later that year, back home, she discovered the remarkable story of Captain Paul Cuffe at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.Now Anita is heading a multi-media project called the Paul Cuffe Story.Support the show

Send us Fan MailFalse Awakening ProductionsHighlighting the human condition through non-traditional writing & filmmaking, and in doing so, inspiring profound thought and reflection.Ania MacIndewar is a Massachusetts filmmaker and recent graduate of Fitchburg State University. She has spent her entire life chasing the high of expressing herself through visual media. With passions ranging from cinematography to illustration and writing, she strives to tell compelling stories through her art.Allison Thompson is an aspiring producer, director, writer, sound designer, and recent graduate of Fitchburg State University. Allison’s passion is telling stories, whether it be through her writing, filmmaking, or theater production. Her main goal is to tell underrepresented narratives and spark meaningful change through film.Support the show

Send us Fan MailLisa Olivieri is an award-winning documentary filmmaker in the Boston area. Her first documentary, Blindsided, is an intimate portrait of a female artist slowly losing her sight and hearing while surviving her abusive girlfriend. The film has won numerous awards, including the Artistic Achievement Award in Directing from the qFLIX Film Festival/Worcester, and the Jury Award for Best Documentary from The Women’s Film Festival/Philadelphia. Blindsided aired on Maine Public Television in 2016 and received national grants from LEF Foundation, Frameline Film and Video Completion Fund, Women in Film Foundation and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Olivieri is best known for her ability to coax and capture unwavering raw and intense footage from her subjects. She is currently on tour with her second documentary, Recovery City, about women in recovery in Worcester, MA.Support the show

Send us Fan MailDK is a freelance creative from Massachusetts and writer/director of the short film, Mercy.DK's main areas of focus are photography, videography, and filmmaking. DK is someone who feels the most creatively inspired by music. DK's ultimate dream is to connect their work with this medium. Support the show

Send us Fan MailGrowing up in his home country of Cape Verde, his mother would buy him coloring pencils and clay to keep him busy. His high school years at Brockton High School engraved into his mind an obsession with expressing his thoughts via oil paint and clay sculpting... and as an adult living in San Francisco, he accidentally discovered his next transition as an artist: filmmaking.Favorite Anawan Project...I've always known that we had a real solid group of ambitious and resourceful creatives...but it wasn't until Vindicta that our ambitons were put to the test. To take a project of that scope on with very little money was a huge risk, but one that we looked at dead in the eye and conquered. After that project, it became clear that we have the right team, and that the inevitable is around the corner.Favorite Movie Character...The Joker from The Dark KnightFavorite Film Quote..."I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it" - The Joker, The Dark KnightSupport the show