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All right, guys, this is the very in real life, in real life episode, and I really wanted to do a check in this week because so much has been going on.

My love course been rocking on us since the beginning of this pod.

And and then Brittany, of course is my.

Executive producer of The Edge Bartita's iro Ball.

Guys.

First of all, you know, we've made the big shift and now we're dropping every Wednesday.

So much more content that.

But in the theme of in real life, this week, Angie and I got to shoot our first short film, and Angie was in full fledged director mode.

Yes, I did it fine, I love it.

Finally, like you.

Not Nyla knows I've been but this has been a road I've been trying to go down for a long time.

And also let her read a early version of the script and how was it?

How they go, Oh my god, it was amazing.

First of all, really hard.

I will do it, I think I was.

I'm gonna do an episode later down the line, like the ten things I learned from shooting a short film, because there really is so much to learn.

I learned so much, Like it was a two day shoot.

Day one, I got my ass.

Kicked real bad, real bad.

It was just like things were going wrong, people were going to the wrong location.

I didn't have necessarily the help on certain things that I thought I was gonna have.

Brittany was managing the wardrobe and cast and just everybody at the same time.

We shot it at a golf course, so there was a lot of distance in between us and us trying to wrangle everybody and shoot.

It just was crazy.

So there were some things I missed.

If I were reading myself, like on a one to ten, I think day one would have been like a six or six, Like a six because it was my first time, maybe a seven, but like a six, and then day two was probably a seven.

Little bit of improvement.

But we got some amazing things cat Like we never shot a film.

Well, I've shot like documentary things like that.

We've worked on.

Projects, we do the podcast, but like a scripted project is such a different experience, And I don't know why.

I always thought of it.

Like this big scary thing, like and then we did it and I was like, oh, like, yes, it was hard, Yes I got my ass kicked, But also I thought, why haven't I done this sooner?

Like, Yeah, you're gonna get your ass kicked the first shoot, no matter what when you start, no matter when it's gonna be.

It's like it's gonna you're gonna have to learn some things before you get good at it.

And so I knew that.

Going in, but I don't know what made me wait so long, Like I don't know, I don't know, But so it felt really good to get it across the finish line.

Brittany and I did.

I don't know.

She lived in my house for like.

Forty and literally I was like, what's the point We're shooting for twelve hours of the day.

What's the point of leaving.

I'm just gonna crash at the headquarters.

She just slept over.

We worked from morning tonight.

It was a really big deal.

But I learned a lot of things from this experience.

Number one about like I don't know, we always have like big ideas of things we want to do, and sometimes if you let them sit too long, they become like they seem so far away and like such a big task.

When it's just like shout out to Ef my friend, if he's also a director, he's directed he just directed his first film.

He's not a whole bunch of episodes of like Power and those shows and videos, and he.

Just was like, just shoot it, like just shoot it.

And I was like, no, it costs all this money.

He was like, you could do it for less, and you could ask for favors and you could you know, cross this out and cut that off and you know whatever.

He helped me frame the idea of like, yeah, why don't I just do this?

And then once Brittany and I decided okay, we're just going to do it, then it was like we were off.

To the races.

We got our first location.

Location said yes to us.

Shout out to Liberty National and five Iron in New York.

Who's who they wanted to support me.

He's as a first time director.

They wanted to support me making a piece that was multicultural and in the golf space and the script is in the golf space.

They let me use their places and they gave me a specific date like, well, you could use it on this date at this time, so that me and Brittany were like, oh shit, we have a place to shoot less and.

Have no less than two weeks.

We have no cast, we have no wardrobe, we have no cameras, like, we have nothing.

So we had like two weeks to like get a cast together, get a cool like but so we did it.

And it's so funny because Brittan and I, like I said, we were like in the house, tied down to the thing.

My mother had come by a couple of times and.

She was like, but you guys are you guys are really working hard.

She's like, but you seem like you're having fun.

I was like, you know what, I am having fun.

And it was like a reminder, like you could work that hard and it could be fun.

It's because we were learning something.

It's because we were doing something that we've been wanting to do for so long.

And then also it just felt like.

We were doing what were supposed to be doing, like we were right in the post of our path and we knew that because we kept getting godwinks the whole time, people just offering favors, people say yeah, I got you, I know a person, Oh you know what, I know a guy and he call him.

And then trying to get a cast together, and all the pieces just came together and I shot my first film and that was last week Monday and Tuesday.

So now we go on to edit, and now I'm officially a director and Brittany is an official executive producer.

And wait, but let's go back a second to the whole godwink thing.

I know, I just ran through it because night let usn't know.

We haven't seen her, so I wanted to tell her I was awesome.

Bro, I'm so proud of you.

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Thanks for it in two days?

Yeah, just sure, it's two days and not honestly, that was ambitious.

It was ridiculous for me to think you.

Rallied in two weeks.

Yeah, no, no, no, it was like it was crazy.

And in the middle of that, we're shooting the podcast, doing the radio show we're doing.

You know, life is lifing and Maniacs one's off going off to college.

You know, there's a lot happening within that two weeks Christian left for college.

Yeah, just a lot.

But you know it's that idea of like something you prepare for and then the moment happens and it's like, what are you gonna do?

Wait for the perfect time and buy yourself more time.

Sometimes it's like you got to jump in the pool.

And that's kind of like what I felt like I was doing.

I was like, you know what, I have this story.

I really believe in it, I really see it, I can see it.

And well, I love how you said how you guys kept getting god winks.

What are some of the godwinks that you got?

I think you should start with well one the first night wing was like getting the locations to agree so quickly, because it was like it happened in the span of like two days.

Like we called, Oh, we're sitting in the kitchen brainstorming, well where should we shoot?

Well maybe this place will let us hopping on the phone, and like the answers of positivity were coming in really quick.

Where most production, anyone in the production space or anyone who creates content, if you're like Comedian, to do scripts like it takes a long time.

It can take a lot of time to get everyone's schedules coordinated, to get everything.

So the fact that things were kind of like falling into place, at least with their location, was like, Okay, you know it happens one time.

You think I just got lucky, but then something else would happen, and then something else and something else.

Like a few days before we shot, Angie had to go host at this Jordan event.

Jordan had this big event at the pier.

Oh my god, and I love did you see it?

It was a dope event.

It was like playing basketball on the roof.

It was it was fire they did it was just they put a lot of money into that flight it.

But I walk in and they sit sit.

They seat me in this basketball court on the rooftop.

And who's sitting right across from me?

Who loves basketball?

Take a guest and it's from New York and it loves basketball, and it's also a director.

It makes move and it takes movies.

Yes, Spike Lee to sit right across from me.

And I'm thinking to myself, Now, what.

Day it was?

That Saturday?

I think, so, yeah, yeah, yeah, I was sitting there.

It's a Saturday.

I'm getting ready on Monday.

Mind you, for the past two weeks we've been like not sleeping preparing for this film.

I'm sitting there on Saturday and Monday I'm shooting and I see Spike and I'm like, I don't know what I'm supposed to get from Spike, but it's gotta be something here.

And so then he wond of getting uprom a seat, Andy walking around and somebody points me out to him.

They're like, oh, look, Angie.

He comes over.

He gives me a big hug.

Oh Angie, what's up?

And I'm like hey, he was like, how are you?

I said, I'm good.

I'm shooting my first scripted film that I wrote on Monday, just give me two words, and he was like, you're gonna kill it.

He goes, but wait, no, that's not it.

I was like what he was like, tell your story and.

I tell you it sounds very simple, and like, okay, that's cool, thanks Bike.

But for me in that moment, it's literally what I needed to hear, because what happens is when you're doing something for the first time, or you're doing something new, there's so many things you don't know, Like I don't know every lens.

So if I'm trying to explain to him, I need this to look moodier.

Am I gonna be able to communicate with my my DP what I want to see?

Do I know like that all the you know, just the technical stuff.

Am I gonna be able to execute at the level of things that I'm still learning?

You know, I'm still learning how to do that stuff.

And so I had a lot of fear about the technical part of filming and how prepared I was.

I do want to preface this by.

Saying I have been doing a lot of work.

I have been shadowing directors on film sets.

Shout out to Steven Caple Junior, Shout out to Eve, Shout out to everybody, shout out to Morgan Cooper.

There have been directors and people who have known I've been trying to do this for years and have been putting their arms around me and helping me and teaching me.

And I've done all of these, you know, by the way, you know all those master classes, those like online master classes, all of COVID.

I did, Scorsese, Spike, I did all the writers, David Mammott.

I watched all of the master classes of filmmaking during COVID because I knew, even back then, I knew that this is something that I wanted to do.

So I was.

I am as prepared as I can be in my space without having gone to film school.

But still you have the insecurity of, like, shit, now, I got a full cast.

One of my cast members, Lea.

She's she's on a show, The Equalizer, She's on a network television show with Queen Latifa.

She knows how a professional production and director.

And you know, I don't want to like fuck some basic shit up in front of this young girl who's looking at me as you know, the person who's going to lead this this too.

So I was having a little bit of those insecurities.

So something about what he said to me, tell your story.

It's just a reminder that like, because nobody knows the story I have in my head, Like there is no seasoned director in the world that could come in and tell the story that we were about to shoot better than I could.

You know what I'm saying.

So to me, that was like what I needed to hear in that moment, And I think that is I don't know.

I hope that lands for somebody, because to me it was very meaningful and very important.

It's like it's like, don't forget what you're good at and why you're doing this, Like, don't get caught up in the bullshit of like maybe I'm not good at this part, maybe I don't know this, Maybe you know all the insecurities that we have over things that we try to do.

But then focus on what you know, focus on what separates you, focus on what you're good at.

And what And so to me, I know that part.

I wrote the script.

It's my story.

Nobody could tell that story better than I could tell it.

And so hearing that from him in that moment, I was.

Like got it, Thank you.

I'm good It's just like set off a little extra confidence that I needed in that moment, that simple little thing.

So I don't know, I hope where that lands for somebody, but that shit landed for me and I needed that, So so yeah, I had that in my head the whole time, every time I didn't know how to say something properly on set.

I'm curious because I've worked with you before, Angie, not not in this space obviously, but how are you as a director?

Is it intense because you could be a perfectionist?

What was the energy on set?

You know, it's so funny, You're right.

The thing is you have two days to shoot, which is ridiculously ambitious, especially as a first time filmmaker.

Like even when I said it to some of my people who make films, they were.

Like you sure you sure you didn't want to do that?

So it was super ambitious already.

So I didn't have the time to nitpick over details.

It was like we had to get it done, which I think for me was probably in my best interest.

I will nitpick and be super detail oriented when i'm editing because this is my nature.

But also the thing about directing is like it's not just me, it's like driving a boat.

Yes it's my vision and I got to get it out and I'm leading, but you can't bulldoze a boat.

And because everybody has to row, it's like I can't row a whole ship by myself, right, So it's like I need to rely on the DP to do what the DP does.

I need to rely on wardrobe to do what the wardrobe does.

I need to rely on the lighting guide to make sure that the lighting is right, and that sound got to do sound.

So that forces you to let go of.

Some of the rains on certain things and pray that the people that you put in place deliver the way that they're supposed to.

And luckily we did.

We had great people.

I think it's actually a good exercise for me of like leaning into like trusting people to do what they do.

I had.

There was times when Brittany was like I was like, why are we in?

And I had to just trust that she she's smart, she knows me, she's in this as much as I am.

Fine, britt we can't get those people for another hour?

Fine, Whereas before like, oh me, be like well tell me why?

Well, what can I do to fix that?

I just had to trust that if she's saying this can't happen for an hour, it can't.

And I it's not my job to figure that part out.

So that's a different role for That's different for me.

But I think I did pretty good considering my Capricorn tendency.

What would you say?

What was absolutely?

I think because we were I think the godwins pushed us into urgency that normally when we have more time on a part project, when we have more time on a podcast episode that maybe we shot a month ago and we have extra days to edit, like, it makes us find things that sometimes aren't even there.

So by being like, hey, these are all the firm deadlines we have to shoot it on these todays, it's all we died, it pushes us to maneuver differently, so and.

Pushing you to trust the process.

The whole time, I felt like we're doing what was supposed to be doing.

There was way too many things that were given to us that we shouldn't have gotten, like people were just showing up to help.

Things were just working out.

It said sixty percent chance of rain for the whole week.

The day before it was like no rain, sunshine, beautiful, like there were things that were happening that made us feel like, yo, God has his hands on this project, because there is absolutely no I think the lesson.

I think the lesson for me was like was like when you finally step into the threshold, like you finally do what you say has been on your heart in your mind to do.

God gives you that beginner's luck and is like it just to give you enough esteem to push that along.

And he did that in the Spike to.

Make you feel like, yeah, I got his Yeah, he did that with Spike.

He did that with the location, he did that in the rain, he did it with the wardrobe.

He did it in a lot of set per sectors like here, let me remove a little bit of the stress it has that ever happened to you, Nila, where you're like maybe nervous or scared to make a big leap or something, and then something happens and you're like, Okay, it gives you a little hope.

But I would say the one that probably means the most to me is after pandemic.

You know, I wasn't shooting content out of the radio station anymore.

Like I felt a little defeated because I wasn't getting the support that I wanted, and also I didn't have a job that.

Was paying me enough to like book a studio, et cetera.

But b Et had cut me a ridiculous check to do some content and whip that I like, went and bought a podcast studio, furnished it, bought equipment, and I'm three years in, you know, doing my independent journey.

So I think, you know, make limits with lemonades, and I think it's cool about y'all stories that y'all accomplished so much in two days, two weeks and two days the number two.

With you guys.

But you really just got to do it.

And when you do it, I feel like the doors is always open.

Yo.

I'm trying to tell you guys, whoever's listening out there, just do it.

Because one thing and to go back to the pod.

Like we had Tasha Smith on this past episode, and she had this theory about purpose.

She's like, everybody has a purpose.

God gives you a purpose.

It be those little dream you think it's a dream, but it's not a dream.

It's like little taps.

It's like little knocks of telling you what your purpose is, what your gifts are, and you have a beginning and an end to life, and so you're given this thing and then you have an end and then what you do it in the middle is kind of up to you.

And that's why I always tell people, if you want to know where you're supposed to be, close your eyes and dream, like, just allow yourself to dream.

Because I believe, I really believe that God puts the dreams in our hearts.

It's not just this thing, this fantasy that just came up.

It's really connected to our purpose and our destiny.

I love that because we do all have I think we do.

I don't know the way she said it to me, I was like, oh god, you know, I've always wanted to tell stories, like my whole life, whether it was like when I was first starting and like I was like in love with hip hop music and I wanted to talk to people about it, or whether it was trying to do a documentary or trying to do write a book, or it's just storytelling, right, And then I would get I'd get in my way because I didn't think really I was a real writer.

And so then what like, why do you put things in the way of what that little thing is inside of you that you want to do.

We put things in the way.

Like we tell ourselves stuff that makes it harder, instead of just leaning into that little thing, reminding yourself that little thing.

Oh, I wanted to story this for me, it's like telling stories making I always wanted to do this.

So now I'm doing it finally.

But I'm sure I got in my own way many years.

I'm not doing this sooner.

It was because probably I had I let doubt, fear, insecurity, all that type of stuff get in the way of.

Doing something you want to do.

Who cares where it lands.

Just jump in the water because you have to do it, because what's the alternative.

You never do it, and then you're sitting somewhere and at the end of your life and you're like, damn, I wish I would have maybe one day blah blah blah blah blah.

So I'm just saying if nothing else, I would say to people, it's like, it felt so good Britain.

Since I've started working with Britain, we've been talking about doing this type of thing, and we finally, I don't know, it just felt good to something that was on heavy on the bucket.

List to like do it.

Did we do it perfect?

No?

I gotta look at the editor.

Now I'm gonna be screaming because I'm gonna be like, oh, we missed that shot or oh why did you know I'm gonna do all that?

But it doesn't matter.

Did we do it perfect?

Nobody.

I really am super super proud of with you guys, like I've been watching you from afar.

This is so long overdue.

I can't wait to see it already know it's gonna be great.

The script was great, like I'm really bad.

Ye also it You're the one who told me you can't be afraid to stuck, you can't be afraid.

I was like, all right, sometimes you be giving people advice because it's the shit you need to invite yourself.

I'd be like, don't be afraid.

That's also to myself, like don't be afraid, because, like you said, I like to control shit.

I like to like to try to perfect it.

Sometimes it's like, man, just I can't wait to see you on set.

Oh my god, it was so much fun.

Like there's gonna be more because now I'm like an addict and I feel like this is another thing I want to say, because you guys are both young, right, but there is an age thing that happens where people where women are like expected to just be what they are.

And then that's it pass a certain point and I always go to Martha Stewart.

Martha Stewart started that billion dollar business at fifty years old, made a billion dollar business.

At fifty years old.

That's when.

I mean she was already doing Martha Sewart's stuff, but the company that she built she started at fifty and became a billion dollar company.

The point is like who cares, doesn't matter that you all always gotta grow, You always gott to do new stuff.

You always could.

It could be the first time for whatever.

So I remember being like I was probably a little younger than you guys.

I was probably like in my twenties, and I remember thinking to myself, this was when I was like dabbling in music and stuff, and I thought, I want to learn how to play it.

No, it's too bad I didn't learn how to play an instrument.

And I remember that being so final, Like I had the thought like, too bad I could never learn how to play an instrument.

I'm probably twenty eight, twenty seven, you know how nice.

I will be right now.

If I would have just started on that day, you know what I'm saying, I'd be doing the concerts, not cost I.

Mean, it's kind of like it's kind of like maybe with golf for a lot of people.

Oh my god, that's why I just I said that the other day to somebody.

I was like, I got two new loves, and that's filmmaking and golf, and that both happened at fit.

So what do you want to do?

I mean like, if I could do that at.

Fifty, you could do a new thing at thirty five, you could do a new thing at forty.

You could do a new thing at brand new spanking thing at forty five, and good.

You know what's gonna be my thing?

I'm gonna?

I was.

I went, Yes, I went yesterday to see a great one of the best Broadway plays I've ever seen in my life.

Buenav is a social club.

So yeah, you gotta go.

We'll get tickets, We'll we'll do an I R O outing.

Oh my god, I love this for us.

But anyways, I was.

Watching I'm my Father's Cuban and the show is about this this Cuban music band and it's in English and in Spanish.

And I always had so much shame growing up being a Latina kid and not speaking Spanish, and I've sat in that shame for like far too long.

So after watching the Broadway play, I was like, you know what, I.

Just need to just start, just start learning Spanish and get serious about learning Spanish now.

And it's like, yeah, so I think that that's gonna be my thing now at this age.

I might do it with you in my bigg.

Might get a two for I did that once, but I just never I started, and then it fell off.

And then when Nicola was young, I had a tutor, I had a no I had a woman helping me like a nurse when he was a baby, and she only spoke Spanish.

So she had stayed with us for a couple of months and I was speaking to her in Spanish every day.

My Spanish started getting so good, and then once that was over, back in back in the toilet, my Spanish went.

But I'm just saying we could do it.

Yeah, I think I think I absolutely committed.

I told my dad and everything.

I was like, I think we should start having conversations in Spanish because I just needed like throw myself into the deep end.

Your dad's Spanish, I mean he's He's a New Yorker, so it's like, you know, to a native Cuban is born there, it's gonna be a lot different.

You know, it's like the New yor Rikan thing.

Like the Puerto Rican Spanish and the New Yorkan Spanish is two different Spanishes.

But he but he it's far more than me, so he can get me started.

He can get us started.

That's great.

What are you gonna do now?

Now let's put you like, come on, we need something new for you.

Brittany's gonna learn Spanish and she just learned how to executive produce a scripted film.

Okay, new for me, prushure.

I don't think I'm marr yet.

Something.

It doesn't have to be crazy.

Oh there's something you already know.

It's already in you.

I have my next live is planned already.

What do you mean what I do once I'm done doing what I'm doing right now?

So I'm probably gonna dj you know, lean into DJing and music a little more for the next two to three years, and then after that I want to pivot to like crocheting full time doing like designer work.

Yeah, decided to crochet like I know you crochet like for a hobby.

I didn't know this was like a thing you're gonna make them self.

But I wanted to be like, Okay, I'm done being outside.

I'm inside.

Hopefully maybe have a kid or something, and then I'm just crocheting all day.

Crochet.

I'll fit croche with babies.

Babies and crochet.

This is not this is not the answer.

I expoke it from you, but I but if you like it, I love it.

That's not one.

I liked it, but I already five plus.

Yeah, we got some time and me, I'm good.

I got my plate is full right now.

I do want to do some more traveling, but this filmmaking thing is I want to dive into this in the next couple of years.

And then also.

And I'm addicted to golf, and so those two things are like the new things that I'm learning.

And then maybe I'll do some lessons with Brittany and I'll pat pop into a couple of her I.

Love this for us in real life goals check it.

You guys got to check in and see how much we progress on the next On the next in between episode.

What one more thing I want to add about the filmmaking thing that I learned.

I have another lesson.

I really do think at some point I'm gonna do it ten lessons I learned because I learned so many.

But one other thing I'll share today.

You know I don't like asking people.

This is the Capricorn thing.

I really don't because my feelings get hurt if they don't deliver.

Number one.

Number two, you slowed me down.

If I'm depending on somebody and they don't deliver, It's just like a lot of reasons why I don't like to ask people for anything.

I could not do this film if I didn't ask a lot of favors and a lot of things for a lot of people.

We needed some money.

I called Pakas to help me try to get Somebodey.

I needed a crew.

If was helpless, get a crew.

We needed like I needed locations.

I called my friend, Hey, you know somebody at this spot because I need a blah blah blah.

Shout out to Megan, Shout out to you know, g Spit.

Shout out to everybody.

We needed cameos.

We needed cameo.

Shout out to Yuli Terrero, who's a casting director who did me a favor and said.

Oh I know this kid.

You should meet him.

We put him on zoom.

We auditioned him.

He was amazing.

Shout out to our mind.

It just I don't know, I just like put my because, like we said, we felt like God was on this project.

It almost gave me like a freedom to be like maybe people will help.

Let me just put that shit down and let me try.

You know what I'm saying, like, let me try.

And I asked a lot of favors of a lot of people, and a lot of people delivered and the ones that couldn't, it's okay, Like I don't feel no way.

Like I called the you know, I had to call my mother and my aunt Melanie did craft services.

We didn't have money for craft services.

They did the food like I needed favors.

And that sounds like a small thing, but that means my mother and my aunt were shopping and getting food for a whole crew for thirty people, for setting up the table, making sure everybody eat, clean, cleaned up, like it was a big ask.

They were there all day for two days for no money.

You know what I'm saying like it's a big ask for somebody.

I asked some friends to just come by and be extra hands and they did, some couldn't, and that was totally okay.

I realized, like I didn't feel no way about the friends that we couldn't do it because they got everybody got lives, everybody got things going on, and but it just, I don't know, it just made me more comfortable to you.

Also, don't You're not the type of person that you're like asking people for things all the time, so like.

It definitely makes it easier for people to say that.

It's like dang, like Angie doesn't ask me for anything anytime anytime.

And you always help people.

You have you have a career of helping people, so I think you will always have God's blessings with all of your.

But there is something to be said about holding on to your ask anytime.

Oh knowing when is the right?

Yeah, sure, yeah, I'm not gonna waste to ask.

I'm not doing that.

I'm not doing that.

And also, like you do, I want to take advantage of people.

You don't want to wear people out, Like I know good people, I know people with oh my god, I'm almost forgot a perfect example of this.

Nila, Oh my god, I'm doing the podcast.

I'm interviewing Tasha Smith, Tasha who is a director and an actor and.

All the things.

So I confided in her before the episode that I was getting ready to go on this journey jump in the pool direct my first thing.

She screamed, like if it was for her, she was like, Oh my.

God, I'm so happy for you.

Oh this is crazy.

You're gonna kill it.

Tell me what you're doing, and blah blah blah.

She just asked, She's like, do you want me to come on set and help you.

I was like, no, I don't need you to.

I need to learn everything.

But she was so supportive.

I was so grateful for that.

So then we're on the pod and she was like, you should tell everybody, and I'm like, I don't like to say things before I do it, but okay, fine, I'm getting ready to direct this thing that I wrote and blah blah blah blah blah.

I shared with you.

And next week I'm starting a nexiting.

I'm so excited and I will be sending you love.

And you know I'm a phone call away.

You could call me for anything, if it's any thoughts.

And I know you have Eve as well.

Yes, but just know I'm here for you.

I know you are.

I know you're gonna kick ass.

I know you are.

So after we take the episode, I come home and I'm flushing out the script and I realized there was something that wasn't working.

So I wrote a new scene and the scene had a mother in it.

It was like like a two page scene that I wrote that I added out of nowhere.

Now we're shooting on Monday, it's like less than a week away, and I said to Brittany, I need somebody to be the mother.

Who could it be?

She was like, you should ask Tasha.

I was like, absolutely not.

Tasha's like she's like, no way, I'm not asking Tasha Smith.

She's like the acting coach, the you know, like she's got a hundred movies, like not on my first film.

I'm not gonna waste to ask.

I'm not gonna do that.

And then I don't know.

I just she was like why she's so supportive of you, and she she was so exciting when you told her what you're doing.

I was like, all right, let me get back into my like this project is.

God's got his hands on it, and I don't be afraid.

Just ask.

If she says no, you still love her.

It's all good.

She's supported enough.

So I sent a text.

Let me read you the exact text for a fact.

So I sent her a text, Sis, I'm shooting a scene in my short with Leah, who's the actress.

I told you about any chance you'd consider popping in for a small role.

I know it's a big ask, and if you can't, I swear I will feel no way.

It's just a tiny role I need to fill and I know you would murder it.

Me and Britt decided, fuck it.

We're just gonna ask, but seriously, no pressure.

Love you either way, and thank you for all the support.

It means the world to me.

That's all I said.

She hit me right back, Sis, I think I can.

I have a video shoot, but I can move it around.

I'll look at the schedule, but yes, I think I can.

And then she sent me a voicemail that says we're good.

I'll be there.

Just tell me what time, What do you need me to wear?

What do you need?

If we were in the kitchen, like he said, yes, this.

Is crazy, So yeah, so Tasha Smith is actually in the higher.

I know so.

And the other thing I want to say about that is number one, old me would have never asked that because you do not have so much respect.

For people's art craft.

I'm new I might mess it up.

I don't want to, you know, I just feel all the things that you don't ask for favors for the But the confidence came from all those God wings for me feeling like.

We're doing what we're supposed to be doing.

There's no way all this stuff happens if this is not what I'm supposed to be doing.

So in that vein, let me lean all the way in and go out of character and ask for this favor.

And she said it really made me love Tasha so so like I already loved her before, but it really made me respect and love her like times a million.

Because a lot of.

People will be like, you gotta support women to women, you gotta be you know, girl power and stuff.

But like, yeah, on the panels, you do all the things, all the brunches and things women empower me, right, But like that was a moment where it was like, are you gonna show up for this new director, this new Who's Who's you know, has legacy in the game, but now it's trying a new venture.

And like her showing up doing we didn't have extensive wardrobe.

She's a real actress, like a real actress on real big sets.

She's doing TV, syndicated TV.

Nah.

She was so dope.

And then she and then she was texting us like this is what I'm gonna wear?

Is this okay?

How do you want my hair?

Like she carried me as a seasoned director, and she took it serious.

She didn't just be like, Okay, fine, I'll do you the favor and give you a whatever, blah blah blah.

She was like sending me pictures of this hair.

Do you like this hair?

Okay, I'll be there, send me the script.

I have a question about the script.

Then when we.

Got the set, everybody was like so happy to see her because you know, she's just such a pro and so dope and talented and whatever.

So she shows up and we're getting ready to shoot our scene and and I could just see her smiling for me.

She was just like watching me, like how's it going?

So I do the thing I call everybody said, I'm like action and she goes and she does her first past.

Of course it's great.

And she comes over after she goes, do you have any notes?

I said.

I was like, you were amazing, but actually I have a note.

And I was so excited to give Tasha a note.

It was like your dream to me.

And she took the note and she was like, great note.

I was like, okay, good, we did nothing.

We did another take of it, and of.

Course, I mean, of course that's dope.

Isn't that dope?

Like sometimes she's like, you know how it is?

Man, People ask for stuff all the time.

Sometimes we could do it.

Sometimes I can't, you know, And so I know if she couldn't.

She couldn't.

It's okay, she's entitled to.

But when you can and you do show up, especially in moments like that, it's just so meaningful.

Like I'm super grateful to her for that.

And the whole cast, you know, they were wonderful.

They trusted me.

Nobody was looking at me like, oh gosh, she's the first time director, this this could go.

They were all like, how do you want to see?

Is this okay?

Well?

You know, they all showed up, they knew their lines, they were on time, there was a lot you know, anytime you're making a film or anything, there's always a lot of waiting.

Everybody was super patient and it was just I mean, it was the perfect experience for a first time director or filmmaker to have.

It's the perfect amount of people.

My mom's there, my aunt, they're doing catering.

Britney's running around like a crazy lady trying to handle everything.

Your son's on a set.

My son, Nico, Nico was there.

He was like he jumped in on it for a cameo with CC and this one little scene.

But he also was driving people around, driving my actors home, picking up things.

Moving priors, like no, no, it was like a family thing.

So that part of it was really fun too, because you know, we didn't have a budget for all those.

And it's cool because now they all now, we all have this memory that.

We share, you know.

Super dope.

Yeah, super dope.

So I think, use your community when when it's the time, don't wear people out, don't ask for fables all the time.

But when you're doing something meaningful and you're doing something that's like important, use your community.

People love you, and if they love you, they want to do it and.

If you haven't warned people out and asked for things all the time, you know, then they kind of want to.

And I don't know, I just it was a great lesson for me.

Doesn't mean I'm going to completely change be asking for people things all the time now, but I will give myself permission to if it's something I feel passionate, it's important, you're important or meaningful or yeah, and it's not just about me, because that's the thing about filmmaking.

It's really not just about you.

Yes, I wrote this story, but once you give that story to that cast and that crew and your team, that story becomes everybody's story.

Like we are all trying to tell the same story together, so it really becomes a community thing.

So it's almost like you're fighting not just for yourself and this vision, but you're fighting to make give everybody the tools they need to do the job.

So it's like, I don't know, just was a.

Really really do you've really been living out here?

You the other day like, fuck it, just do it?

You've been fucking why not?

Oh I'm in my fucking why I did you see my I did my tel far a with tel far and Timpling I let them.

Put a wig on me.

I never do wigs.

I was with all the ships.

I was like, as I was acting up on because they put a hat, You're into it.

I love all the Instagram posts.

I love outside Angie, I love directed.

Crowds.

Yeah, thank you for your support.

I don't know where this goes, but I'm having fun.

So anyway, I just want to One of the reasons for these episodes that we'll be doing now in between interviews is because I think it's important to include our our community, like our IRL community, and things that are happening in real life asorry from just our guests and our interviews, which I'm super grateful and are amazing.

And Regina King was, Oh, that was tough, but it was lovely and I was grateful that she trusted me enough to sit in the chair and it was meaningful.

I took that home with me like my heart was like I felt I felt her inside my heart for like at least three days after that conversation.

But she was just I don't know, she's trying her best, she's a warrior.

She's she's showing up, which man, just showing up, right, And you go through something like that, and she's talking about her darkest day that she cries every day still, but to be in that state and still show up, it's such a beautiful thing to witness.

And so I appreciate that Tasha was Tasha being a preacher, cursing and being a preacher and being amazing.

So yeah, the interviews are still going and that's happening, but I think we'll be doing in real life.

Did we name these episodes yet or what?

No?

In real life?

Last week?

IROL this week, IROL this week?

Anything else happened this week?

We want to wrap up with?

I mean, CARDI B I want to change my what is it new hobby?

Oh?

Oh, okay, this is a current one that I'm actually about to start.

Is it a hobby or is it a goal or is it I don't know what the hell it is.

But I'm gonna be on substack now and I'm on there just as like a ongo, like a watcher, like I retweet people's articles, I commented on people's stuff.

But I'm actually going to start like releasing my own I guess little diary posts.

Yeah, and I'm really.

Excited about that, just because I'm a fan of written media.

Like I started at the Source magazine, so I like that type of stuff.

So the fact that substack is actually up and bubbling.

So my goal is to have one meaningful piece up a month, one a month.

And I I just haven't released it yet, but I keep rereading it, tweaking it, changing it, and then next thing you know, I've written something completely different.

So but at some point I'm going to release it.

Put it out.

Jump at the pool, Nihila, jump at the pool.

Just do it, because next month you got to do another one.

So even if it's not perfect, who cares?

Go just do it.

I love that we you go tweekts, you go anything going culturally or or in the news or anything this week that we want to touch on.

I RL I mean, we really loved Cardi B's always in the news lately.

Cardi was heavy on the news.

She was in my trending topics all week this week because her court case was the greatest content of the year to me.

Of her with her faces and her things and her.

Own asked questions like what No, it was absolutely ridiculous.

And I think she knew that, and she knew going in and she went there on some like okay, you want me to do this, okay, fine, And she showed up and made it entertaining.

She's like using.

Clips of it now or photos of it now to like promote her album.

Like she made it work for her because it's stupid that she had had to go through that.

And then she and then I feel like she was kind of trolling everybody with that outfit and she took the outphit off and is she pregnant that.

We don't we have no idea, We don't know for certain.

We don't need to know because we we don't need to be in hovery.

You're right, But the fact that she was like trolling people, I think it's funny and dope and good for her because she should have fun.

She was saying, like, none of this ship, Like, if you're not having fun, what is the purpose of any of what you do?

You gotta put some fun in there.

So she looked like she was having fun.

So I throw it more fun from Cardi.

That's what I want, actually, right, more fun, have fun.

That's what she was.

That's what she's been known for.

That and she put the script and took took control of the narrative.

She's like I'm funny.

This whole thing is funny.

Let me show you funny anything else in real life this week?

By the way, I just before we go, I have to shout out to tell far because I'm obsessed with him.

I think he's We went to the shoot, to the shoot again, the vibes right and having fun.

I was like, all right, fuck, let's go have fun.

But we went there.

He's got his places, like it's just this like stupid, it's like a it's like a creat this person imaginary wonderland.

It's like candy lamp for a creative.

And it's like lights and pictures and clothing things.

It's just is like I don't know, it's just a creative.

It's like the antist and he's roun It's like the antithesis of a corporate like whatever you.

It's so not corporate.

It's so fun, it's so authentic.

It's just this I don't know.

It's just amazing to see what he's built.

And I was so honored that he asked me to be part of that campaign.

And Eric Abadou was there, and I don't want to start naming everybody because I'm gonna forget, because there was a whole bunch of people there, but the fact that he included me was super dope and I had a great time, So thank you to him for that.

Yeah, so go copy your so Far so Far Timberland, Boots and Arn do all things.

I think I think we're I think we're good here.

I think we We've gave you the p right what they wanted to hear.

Next week, we would like to invite some of you to join us for the conversation.

So where do they go?

Where do they reach out?

I was thinking they should come with their godwink or their new thing that they're gonna try, Like, oh, I heard.

So if you heard, you listened through this episode, you made it to the end.

Now we're inviting you to come on to the next one with your Godwink moment or your new hobby and you can send an email to booking at Angie Martinez dot com.

Yeah, that's good, and that is the email in the bio.

Don't have to have a godwink, you don't.

You don't have to have none of those things.

If you just want to, you have a question, you want to check in.

You're a fan of the pod, you have an idea, we want to meet all the people we want to.

Meet, sure, so reach out.

Join us for a conversation next week and thank you for watching this episode.

We'll see you on.

Wednesday with our new gangs Nila like subscribe all the things We love you nine love you too.

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