By Mellini Kantayya
In December, New York Women in Film & Television presented “Producer Boot Camp for Digital,” hosted by RED Digital and led by freelance producer Julie Gomez. Julie’s vast experience includes running the Upright Citizens Brigade’s production company Don’t Think Productions, as well as producing Thank you Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon, which premiered at SXSW in 2016.
In true boot camp fashion, Julie took participants through the steps of a digital project from concept to in-the-can, sharing pragmatic and unexpected gems on the art of producing along the way. Among them were:
- Take a holistic approach to producing. Always be mindful of being a creative and a leader—a steward of the project and your team.
- Key in implementing the above, is the “Liz Lerman Critical Response Process”—a technique for getting and giving useful feedback on creative processes and artistic works-in-progress.
- Surround yourself with genius. Having a great team elevates you and the project.
- And since you’ve surrounded yourself with geniuses—listen to them. “Don’t block flow.” Often not-so-great ideas and way-out-of-budget ideas pave the path to creative and useful solutions. And always deliver feedback respectfully (see #2).
- Treating your team well includes feeding them well—healthy meals with a comfortable place to sit, enjoy, and recharge. This gesture is not only one of respect, but increases productivity and prevents a junk-food-sugar-crash halfway through your workday.
- Don’t make ballpark guesses when it comes to budgeting a job for a client. Be clear about what the client wants and then offer options at varying budgets.
- Avoid using with animals when on a tight budget, especially cats because…cats.
- Think “post” in “pre.” Involving post-production from the start can keep you on budget and will avoid potential disasters.
- Imagine the worst—what happens if it rains? If someone is late? If the location is locked? Be prepared for anything.
- Lastly, Julie recommended the following books: Scheduling and Budgeting Your Film by Paula Landry; Production Management 101 by Deborah Patz; Film Budgeting by Ralph S. Singleton; In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch; and Making Movies by Sydney Lumet.
NYWIFT produces over 50 professional development programs and events like this one throughout the year. See what’s coming up!
Mellini_Kantayya
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Shervonne Brown
Welcome to NYWIFT, Shervonne Brown! Shervonne Brown is a New York-based award-winning actress, writer-director, producer, and science-fiction creator working across science fiction, fantasy, action, and psychological drama. She wrote, directed, produced, edited, and starred in Sureiya: The Eidolon Plane, earning Best Actress at the 2026 WSO Theatre & Film Festival. Her pilot screenplay, Sureiya: Legends of Emperion, was a 2026 finalist in the London International Screenwriting Competition. Before filmmaking, Brown built an international K-pop performance career, co-founded performance groups, created award-winning music videos, appeared on television, and performed across the United States and South Korea, including the K-Pop World Festival broadcast internationally on KBS television. In our interview, Shervonne discusses her creative inspirations, artistic upbringing, and the multiple genres that motivate her work.
READ MORECelebrating Storytelling, Representation, and Independent Voices at the 9th Annual Queen City Film Festival
From October 15–18, the 9th Annual Queen City Film Festival (QCFF) brought filmmakers, creatives, industry professionals, and community members together in Plainfield, New Jersey, for a celebration of cinema, culture, and the power of storytelling. Recognized for its commitment to uplifting underrepresented and marginalized filmmakers, the Queen City Film Festival continues to create opportunities for diverse voices to be seen, heard, and celebrated. Through screenings, special events, and engaging panel discussions, the festival demonstrated how film and media can inspire meaningful conversations, strengthen communities, and help shape the future of entertainment. Tammy Reese and LaKisa Renee bring us the inside scoop!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Molly Rydzel
Welcome to NYWIFT, Molly Rydzel! Molly Rydzel (WGAE) is a screenwriter specializing in female-driven horror and dark satire. She was a staff writer and story editor on Alejandro Iñárritu’s The One Percent for Starz and head writer of the web series Assisted Living. Her horror play, Serial Lover, was developed with Ars Nova and Sanguine Theater Company. Molly teaches screenwriting at New York University and Pace University, specializing in horror, fantasy, and science fiction. She is developing a slate of mythic horror features and is committed to creating more opportunities for women in genre film through bold, commercially viable storytelling.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Julie Pham
Welcome to NYWIFT, Julie Pham! Julie Theresin-Pham is a Vietnamese American actor, storyteller, host, writer, producer, and business strategist based in New York City. A first-generation immigrant and mother, she creates experiences that bring people together through storytelling, hospitality, and community. Her work explores identity, family, belonging, and human connection across film, performance, and documentary storytelling. She trained at the William Esper Studio, graduated from the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) improv training program, serves on the Junior Board of TADA! Youth Theater, and is developing her first documentary, American Daughter: Stories We Carry. She is also an active NYWIFT member who values collaboration, mentorship, and connection.
READ MORE
2 Comments
Paula Landry
Thanks so much for this great post Mellini Kantayya! This sounds like a fantastic, empowering workshop by Julie Gomez and Red.
I appreciated #1 – about taking a holistic approach, by fusing creativity with leadership – is a challenge and offers tremendous rewards as well as to respect and honor the flow . I’m so appreciative that my mentioned book was mentioned, an unexpected surprise. Looking forward to hearing more!
busyk
These are such great tips. #8 if you have a clear idea of the post, then you’ve got a road map for production & #5 if you feed your crew well, they’ll be happy & devoted to the project. Thanks for sharing!