Media & Monuments

Lady Whistledown has news: Dearest Gentle Listener - Bridgerton is back! The Regency period romantic drama from Shonda Rhimes dropped on May 16 on Netflix. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with many members of the talented production team to learn how Season 3 came together. Sandra discusses the music with Oscar-winner Kris Bowers, the wardrobe with Costume Designer John Glaser, all those dances with Choreographer Jack Mur...

Professional stuntwoman, motion capture performer, and champion martial artist, Thekla Hutyrova sits down with host Candice Bloch for a fun conversation all about bringing action to our screens - on film, television, and in video games. Thekla has worked on films such as Alita: Battle Angel, Logan, and Deadpool 2, shows such as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Ms. Marvel, and video games such as God of War: Ragnarok, Mortal Kombat 1 and ...

Israeli director, Anna Somershaf sits down with host Sandra Abrams in this episode to talk about her award-winning feature documentary, Women of Valor. The film follows the odyssey of Esty Shushan, an orthodox mother and wife, as she seeks to change the law for Haredi women to be elected representatives to Israel's Knesset. Over a five year period, there are many obstacles, especially from ultra-religious men, as these Orthodo...

Up-and-coming television comedy writer, Julia Lindon sits down with host Candice Bloch in this episode to chat about her journey in writing. You’ll learn more about the dynamics of the writers’ room, hear stories about leveraging connections to get in the door, and get a glimpse into the process of honing her comedy chops and bringing stories to the screen. Julia began by working at NBC’s Saturday Night Live and Comedy Central’s Th...

In this episode, Michael Schulman, author of "Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears'' sits down with host Tara Jabbari for a conversation about notable Oscars moments and their larger significance. Michael shares how voting works for the Academy Awards, and the two discuss how the famous ceremony is a lens into how Hollywood thinks. You’ll hear more about some notable chapters from the book (li...

In this episode - our first with a video companion - join all three of our hosts on a journey through the dynamic world of American reality TV. We explore its origins, cultural impact, and evolving genres. From the groundbreaking series "The Real World'' to the global phenomenon of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," we unpack how these shows reflect and shape our society. Listen in as we share personal anec...

People with disabilities have been historically underrepresented in the entertainment industry. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with U.K.- based actress, writer, and disability advocate, Melissa Johns. Johns explains how she landed the role as the brainy Miss Scott in the British detective series, Grantchester, where her disability (born without her right forearm and hand) is a non-factor, who she called first when she la...

You’ve only got one chance to get it right when the broadcast is live. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with Remote Operations Manager, Pam Chvotkin all about the fast-paced and intense world of live event coverage. Pam has years of broadcast production experience ranging from professional sports, to concerts, competitions, awards shows, and more. In the conversation, Pam shares her knowledge about the often chaotic but re...

Thumbs up, thumbs down? Five stars (or are four stars the highest number?)!

 In this episode, host Tara Jabbari speaks with film critics to discuss how viewing films has changed over the last few years. When is it worth going to the movie theater? Where should we look to know what’s worth seeing? What’s the difference between Rotten Tomatoes versus Meta Critic? They dive into these topics as well as what goes into being a...

Making a career pivot after 15 years in one job takes guts and some financial planning. Then add to the mix several disabilities and it sounds impossible. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams talks to filmmaker, advocate, and podcaster, Ariel Baska. Ariel shares how she made the leap to a new film career in a niche genre: Queer Horror, and founded the Access:Horror film festival. Ariel explains why inclusion in front of and behind t...

In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with the creative team behind the hit indie TV show, ‘Sexpectations.’ Writer Jenna St. John and Director Kevin Good shed light on how they took the series from story concept through production, post-production, and eventually out to audiences on major streaming platforms. They talk about their multi-year journey including self-funding, casting, the show’s message, technical aspects of using...

Abby Greensfelder has an instinct for developing not only iconic cable shows such as, “Say Yes to the Dress,” but also documentaries featuring icons Megan Rapinoe and Alicia Keys. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with the indie filmmaker and native Washingtonian, ahead of the World Premiere of UNCHARTED at the Tribeca Film Festival in June. The doc, from her company, Everywoman Studios, is a behind-the-scenes look at Keys’...

Originally released Oct 1, 2023

The choice of who is cast in a role can make or break a performance. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with casting director Anne Chapman all about the art and business of casting a project. Anne draws on her decades of professional experience casting projects of all sizes and styles as they discuss the methods and evolution of the process, the importance of chemistry, the difficulti...

Originally released on Oct. 8, 2023

What is the difference between a cinematographer, camera operator, and director of photography? Has there been more gender diversity behind the scenes? What is the difference between filming on digital versus film? These questions and more are covered in this episode as host Tara Jabbari speaks with the award-winning South African cinematographer and camera operator, Pascale Neuschafer. ...

Originally released Nov. 12, 2023

Screen-based media by its very nature, relies on visuals. And as stories unfold on set, the art department is key in not only building those sets, but making them look the part for the world being created. In this episode, host Candice Bloch sits down with Betsy Zuck, an experienced Production Designer, Set Decorator, Lead Person, Set Decorator, fabricator, and beyond. They discuss not onl...

Originally released on Sept. 14, 2023

Love the movie? Read the book before it’s banned! In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with Kristen Lopez, author of "But Have You Read the Book? 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Films” in association with Turner Classic Movies. Kristen knows her topic as creator of the Ticklish Business podcast and a film editor with entertainment daily, TheWrap. Film buffs will g...

Originally released May 14, 2023

In this episode, host Tara Jabbari sits down with actor Shimmy Isaacs on location in Cape Town, South Africa to talk about her Netflix hit crime thriller, Unseen.  They discuss the show, Shimmy's acting journey in drama and comedy, her writing process, her time in the USA, and how the arts is a universal language.

You can follow Shimmy for the latest on her work on Instagram: ...

Originally released on Dec. 18, 2022.

Season two wraps up with this Holiday Special, where all three hosts – Candice Bloch, Sandra Abrams, and Tara Jabbari – discuss the mega genre of Christmas and holiday movies. The trio share fun facts, their personal opinions, and go over the results of Media & Monuments’ own holiday survey, which centered on movies related to “the most wonderful time of the year.” Here are a few h...

Making a career pivot after 15 years in one job takes guts and some financial planning. Then add to the mix several disabilities and it sounds impossible. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams talks to filmmaker, advocate, and podcaster, Ariel Baska. Ariel shares how she made the leap to a new film career in a niche genre: Queer Horror, and founded the Access:Horror film festival. Ariel explains why inclusion in front of and behind t...