Today we’d like to introduce you to Georginna Feyst and Natalia Bortolotti.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Georginna:
I graduated from University of Washington in Seattle with a B.S. in Mathematical Statistics and then started a technical IT career in the corporate world in Detroit, MI. My artistry started burning in my heart right out of college and continued for every day of the 10+ years I sat in a grey cubical. Starting to find my way across the bridge to my creative dreams, I went back to school at Wayne State University in Detroit, where I studied music for three years. After moving to California in 2005, I went back to finish my degree in music. At the time, I knew I wanted to do something in film and music, but I wasn’t sure what, so I took classes in music composition, video production and acting, at San Jose State University. That’s when I fell in love with acting. I promptly auditioned for a two year Theatre Arts Conservatory in Northern California, where I was admitted. While playing the role of Inez in “No Exit” ss a school assignment, I decided I wanted to produce “No Exit” someday and play Inez again. It took me eight years, but in 2017 I started my own production company, Real Art Daily (RAD) Productions, and produced “No Exit”, playing Inez again.
I’m finding that my technical skills from my I.T. career are serving me well in editing our episodes for our digital series “Americans Abroad”. Also, the business skills I attained in my corporate jobs are helping me to lead the projects and supervise our interns who are working with/for us. So all those years I spent supporting other businesses is helping me to run my business successfully and flourish as an entrepreneur and creative professional.
In the 2 1/2 years we’ve been in business, I have mentored college students and recent graduates to help them get their start in the film biz by interning for the company. I have directed and produced a music video as a joint project with Nebula Artist Development, which Natalia Bortolotti is the Creative Director for. I am also directing, producing and acting in a short film I wrote called “Yarnia” that is a part animation, part live-action crossover project. I’m currently working on funding and completing the screenplay for a domestic violence/female empowerment, social justice feature, “Georgie”, which I’m also starring in. In 2021, I will also be writing an existentialist one-act play as a counterpart to our “No Exit” production.
Last, but not least, we are in the process of launching Season 1 of our 7-episode comedic digital series “Americans Abroad”, inspired by Jennifer Saunders’ Absolutely Fabulous and our own personal travels abroad. In this mockumentary-style parody travel series, an inept travel show host and her unpaid intern attempt to travel the globe without a budget. The comedy is fueled by the host’s endearing cluelessness and her intern’s sarcastic commentary.
I finally feel my dreams are coming true as I am writing, acting, directing and producing content that is meaningful to me. It’s been a long time coming, but it’s so worth the wait and the hard work to get here. My wife, Natalia Bortolotti, is my co-creator and general partner-in-crime for the digital series and writing and filming it brings so much joy to our lives. Our intention with the series is to bring joy through humor to the lives of others, just as the comedies we’re inspired by have done for us.
Natalia:
I’ve spent most of my career in music – as a singer and songwriter, signed to major and indie labels – touring the world in various bands (including tour support for Maroon 5 and Gwen Stefani, among many others).
Now, I’m working behind the scenes as a Songwriter, Composer, Producer, and Talent Coach. I run my own artist development company for music artists, Nebula Artist Development, which also doubles as a recording studio.
In addition, I’ve been branching out into TV/Film/Content Creation. I’m the co-creator, co-writer, co-director and voiceover actor in the parody travel series, Americans Abroad, along with my wife and creative partner, Georginna Feyst.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Georginna:
I have had serious health challenges, which I’ve had to learn to manage. As a result, I have an invisible disability that has made pursuing my dreams additionally difficult. However, I have been determined not to let it keep me down. There is a gift in every obstacle/challenge. The silver lining with my medical condition is that it has turned me into an exceptionally kind and compassionate person, and I have had to reach deeper for the strength to overcome my physical challenges and not let it define who I am. I came to L.A. 10 years ago to pursue my dreams and I got sick nearly immediately after arriving. I feel so blessed to be regaining my health that I am grateful for the little things that most people take for granted. This gratitude and appreciation for life fuels me.
I am an artist-driven to make a positive difference in the world. I act, produce, write and create because I want to inspire, to touch, and to help others feel, heal and awaken. Even the light comedies help people laugh, which is great medicine. We see our comedic digital series episodes as 6 to 8 minute vacations from the rigors and stress of serious life.
Our primary challenge in creating our series (and all our other projects) is that we are a fledgling company and two middle-aged women starting our careers in film/TV and we, like our the characters in our show, are doing it without a budget, without financial backing, and without an already built-in audience. We are building it from the ground up, mostly ourselves. We really do believe that people will enjoy the series when they see it. The challenge is finding the audience and helping them find us.
Natalia:
It was a challenge to go from spending every day on the road to spending every day in the studio. Also, transitioning from an in-front-of-the-scenes Artist to a behind-the-scenes Songwriter/Producer was a struggle initially. But, after a dozen years on the road, it was also a welcome change. Now, I love being close to home. I have my own recording studio attached to my house, so my commute is super short!
Also, working behind-the-scenes affords me the opportunity to work in different styles and genres, with many different artists, which is exciting and plays well to my musical versatility. I love doing something different every day! Also, I really enjoy helping others to accomplish their dreams. I find it very fulfilling.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Real Art Daily (RAD) Productions – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Georginna:
Real Art Daily (RAD) Productions: is a film and theatre production company based in Los Angeles. Our goal is to create and tell meaningful stories through the artistic mediums of film, TV and new media, theatre, and music video productions. Real Art Daily RAD) Productions is a diverse company, with team members representing a wide range of sexualities, gender identities, cultures and nationalities.
Our Company Mission Statement is: We are dedicated to changing conscious thought and increasing compassion through media by promoting female empowerment, LGBTQIA+, and disabled representation. With a highlighted focus on woman over age 40, we share alternative storylines that are often neglected by mainstream media.
Our Company Vision is:
• To be an established, thriving driver of social justice, female empowerment, and influencer of conscious, progressive thought through film and video productions.
• To be a leading cross-functional media company that delivers quality content that entertains, awakens, and encourages female voices and diversity.
• To create an inclusive and diverse company that actively employs talented creatives from a wide range of sexualities, gender identities, cultures and nationalities.
Our company tagline is “Real Art. Real People.”
We have diverse people working with us and for us as far as race, gender identities, sexual orientation, culture, etc., but the common thread that I am always looking for is good-hearted, real people. I spent many years in company environments where kindness and humanity were overlooked, I am proud of the compassionate and safe creative/business environment I’ve created. I’m also proud of the mentoring I’m doing with young and, sometimes not so young, people who are looking to bridge the gap between their schooling and their careers in entertainment.
With our Vision to be a cross-functional media company, we do not keep ourselves in a box with subject matter, story theme, technology or platform. We love having multiple projects in various stages of development and keeping the public on their toes about what we deliver. The common theme throughout our work is that we deliver artistic content and we represent alternative voices, focusing on women over 40.
Natalia:
Nebula Artist Development is a full-service artist development company, offering both creative and business development for aspiring and professional music artists.
Artist Development is the process any musician goes through to develop their craft and garner the skills necessary to build a professional career in the music industry. Labels used to offer artist development, but these days, they expect artists to be fully developed. This is difficult to accomplish on your own, so Nebula Artist Development helps artists to fill that gap, so they can present themselves to labels as a fully developed artist.
Some of our services include: Vocal Coaching, Songwriting Coaching, Music Business Coaching (everything you need to know about the music business, including: understanding contracts and legal agreements, copyright, PRO’s, publishing and other royalty streams, how/when to build your team, how to run your music career like a business, etc.), Performing Skills, Co-Writing, Recording, Vocal and Music Production, Styling, Branding, Marketing, Social Media, Music Video Production and much more.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Georginna:
We are currently in the process of releasing six episodes and a Christmas special episode for Season 1 of our digital series “Americans Abroad”. We just released our Christmas Special on our youtube channel on Christmas Day. It’s family-friendly fun for everyone! Youtube.com/americansabroadwebseries
Season 1 is a proof of concept for pitching this series to gain funding as a show with longer episodes, bigger production crew and a budget. We are excited to see where this journey leads… Come along with us and enjoy our misadventures and 6-8 minutes of comic relief during the hectic busy-ness of life! We travel to destinations like Genova, Barcelona, Mystery Island?, The North Pole, Paris and Venice??, and a very special part of Mexico!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Natalia:
I’m really happy about my career choices because they brought me to this point and I absolutely love what I do. But, on a personal level, I wish I hadn’t been so concerned about what others think of me and what they think I should do with my life.
My parents didn’t support my music career and wanted me to do something more practical and stable. They also wanted me to marry at a young age and just focus on raising children. There’s nothing wrong with any of that, of course, but I had a dream that I was very passionate about, and I wanted their blessing so badly, which they never gave. That was very painful for me.
I wish I had let go of needing their approval much sooner and just let myself live the life I wanted to live and be happy. I chose to pursue my dream despite their disapproval, but it hurt me emotionally for many years.
Georginna:
If I could start over, I would have listened to my intuition more and been willing to make the sacrifices for my creative dreams earlier. I would have trusted myself, over the opinions of others. In my mid-twenties, I was starting to be called to do film production, but I had already invested a few years into an I.T. career and thought it was too late to make a major change. What I didn’t realize then was that the Dreams in my heart would never go away and it would have been much easier to make those changes at an earlier age. What I would say to anyone with a Dream burning in their heart is: pursue it, fulfill it and it’s never too late to start.
Read the full article here: http://voyagela.com/