Cathy Schulman (Award Winning Producer) Discusses Filmmaking, the Audience Testing Process, and her Advocacy for Women in the Entertainment Industry

Don't Kill the Messenger with Movie Research Expert Kevin Goetz

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Kevin is joined by Academy Award-winning producer and activist, Cathy Schulman.
Cathy Schulman, Producer
Cathy Schulman is a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry, using her platform to advocate for gender equality and empowering women. In this episode, Schulman opens up about her journey, sharing how her own experiences of sexism, harassment, and bullying ignited a deep passion for change. Cathy is committed to producing content that appeals to diverse audiences, particularly women and girls. The pair also discuss Cathy's Academy Award win for the film Crash and her experiences working on projects such as The Illusionist, Bad Moms, The Woman King, and Showtime’s The First Lady.
A commitment to Diversity and Representation (03:17)
Cathy Schulman discusses her advocacy for women in the entertainment industry, which stems from her personal experiences with sexism and harassment. Cathy shares what motivated her to become involved in organizations like Women in Film and ultimately establish her organization, ReFrame.
Crash and the Academy Awards (08:50)
Cathy shares what it was like to hear the name of her movie read at the Academy Awards. She talks about her prepared speech for the Oscars, which accidentally ended up being genocide statistics instead. Despite the unexpected turn, she spoke from the heart and thanked her husband and inspirations.
Inspirations (12:39)
Kevin asks Cathy about her primary inspiration in the film industry and Cathy talks about Barbara Boyle, the first woman to run a Hollywood studio and one of the founders of Women in Film.
Audience Research and The Woman King (19:26)
Cathy and Kevin discuss the audience testing process, and how it improved The Woman King. Cathy shares her view that pace, length, and clarity are the keys to the audience research process.
Testing her upcoming project, The Idea of You (34:52)
Cathy talks about her upcoming project, The Idea of You, starring Anne Hathaway. She shares some of the testing insights on the project.
Representation and Women in Film (44:46)
Cathy discusses the organization Women in Film, and the research that she has done to advance representation in the film industry. She focuses on the economics of representation and catering to a diverse audience.
Tune in to hear Cathy and Kevin discuss the importance of listening to the audience, the challenges of filmmaking, Cathy's involvement with Women in Film, and her project, ReFrame, aimed at creating systemic change in the industry. Through her advocacy, she has emerged as a true champion for gender equality, inspiring others to challenge the status quo and rewrite the narrative, creating a future where every woman's voice is heard and valued.
Host: Kevin Goetz
Guest: Cathy Schulman
Producer: Kari Campano
For more information about Cathy Schulman:
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0776072/
Women in Film: https://www.instagram.com/womeninfilmla/
Welle Entertainment: https://www.welleent.com/
For more information about Kevin Goetz:
Website: www.KevinGoetz360.com
Audienceology Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Audience-ology/Kevin-Goetz/9781982186678
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @KevinGoetz360
Linked In @Kevin Goetz
Screen Engine/ASI Website: