Sasheen Artis: Founder and Producer with Co-Host Jessica Johnson

Episode Description:

Sasheen Artis is a two-time Emmy winning producer and Founder & CEO of Plenty of Pie, a curriculum-based talent incubator and media production accelerator that offers leadership development, practical producers skills training, mentorship, and access to production & distribution resources to emerging and mid-career creatives of color.

For over 25 years, Sasheen has produced film, television, and live events -- including an impromptu Prince concert in five days and two national book tours that garnered two New York Times Bestsellers. Sasheen has worked with such newsmakers and celebrities as President Barack Obama, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, actor/director Robert Duvall, singer/songwriter Annie Lennox and director Jonathan Demme. Sasheen’s latest film, Birthing Justice, addressing Black maternal health outcomes, debuted at the Congressional Black Caucus, screened for 200 countries at the United Nations and is part of a continuing education course for the American Medical Association. It currently airs on PBS.

Sasheen has served as a moderator, panelist or guest speaker for the PGA Producers on Producing series, the Pan African Film Festival Institute, the Black Women in Entertainment Brunch, and the FilAm (Filipino American) Creative Group of Los Angeles, and has participated in think tanks for Biola University School of Cinema & Media Arts, the USC Norman Lear Center Hollywood, Health & Society, and a diversity, equity, and inclusion focus group for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. For several years, Sasheen has been a jury member for the Holiday Channel’s Holidays365 International film festival.

Jessica Lynette is a freshman at UNC Chapel Hill where she also dually enrolled at Duke University as a Robertson Scholar and is majoring in Journalism and Media (at UNC) and Cinematic Arts (at Duke) with minors in Public Policy and Business Administration. Jessica has been heavily involved in storytelling and creative direction as a teen and young adult and has already begun making a name for herself within the film industry. In 2021 she was selected to be a part of the inaugural Black Girls Film Camp (BGFC) cohort, a national organization that selects only 10 Black girls each year to write and direct their own short films while gaining industry mentorship from numerous Black women in film. As a teen director with BGFC, she wrote and directed her first award-winning short film entitled, “Color-Blind”.

In this episode, Fanshen, Jessica, and Sasheen talk about producing impactful stories and reaching audiences that have the power to make change. Sasheen also dives into her start in the entertainment industry, having originally gone to school for Psychology.

TRANSCRIPT:

[00:00:00] Fanshen: Hey, Sista Brunch family. Before we dive into today's incredible episode, we want to share something special with you. Did you know that you now can become an essential part of the Sista Brunch community? You're already doing so much for us. We appreciate your reviews. We appreciate your likes and follows on social media, but you can also join our Patreon community to unlock some community events together. [00:00:27] And most importantly, be a driving force behind the magic of Sista Brunch. Check out patreon.com/SistaBrunch to learn how you can support us and continuing to bring you the stories of Black women and gender expansive people thriving in entertainment and media. Thank you so much.

[00:00:48] Fanshen: Welcome back, Sistas and Siblings. I'm Fanshen Cox. I'm your host for season five of Sista Brunch. Now before we jump into today's episode with our amazing guest, whose bio Taraji P. Henson, Prince and Barack Obama, I am so excited to share that for some of our episodes this season, we will be joined by a special co host from Black Girls Film Camp. You can learn all about Black Girls Film Camp on their website, BlackGirlsFilmCamp.org. [00:01:21] And on their amazing Instagram page @BlackGirlsFilmCamp. And our co host today will share lots more about their important work, a warm, nurturing welcome to my co host, Jessica Johnson.

[00:01:36] Jessica: Thank you, Miss Fanshen. I'm so excited to be here. I'm so excited to be able to co host and I'm just over the moon to be able to talk about Black Girls Film Camp my experiences with what I'm doing now in film and all that so.

[00:01:49] Fanshen: So Jessica tell us about your experiences with Black Girls Film Camp and then also about the film that you made.

[00:01:56] Jessica: Yes Okay so what Black Girls Film Camp is, it's a national organization now that hosts 10 girls nationally every year, and they fully fund, like, fully support the girls and their films and the stories that they want to tell You're given an editor a creative coach, A whole bunch of amazing mentors that and you're able to work with them, learn editing. I think now you get Premiere Pro, which I didn't get in my first year, but 

[00:02:24] Fanshen: This, uh, the first year always misses out on some of the amazing things, but still it's good.

[00:02:30] Jessica: I think in every interview I've done, I've always dropped that. And Ms. Jimmeka Anderson, or Dr. Jimmeka Anderson, which is our co founder for Black Girls Film Camp, always laughs at me because she's like, Jess, you know. You were our trial, you were our, our baby, and now we're just elevating, but, I've been so incredibly blessed with so many amazing  opportunities. and so even after you produced your short film through Black Girls Film Camp, you are given so many amazing opportunities to be able to like, go out and actually put your [00:03:00] film in front of people's faces, which is not, that common and especially for people our age, Black Girls Film Camp is 13 to year olds. So it's been amazing. I've just been blessed with so many different opportunities like this, being able to co host Sista Brunch. But, my short film, Colorblind, was about just a really personal experience, which I just felt was something that I really wanted to tell. The first year that Black Girls Film Camp was in 2021. So right 2020. and I had a childhood best friend who was white and or is white and I had some really, I would say transformative experiences through 2020 dealing with that and being so close to her and her, family and just all of those. things that come with just your childhood innocence and like not really seeing color or what comes with that. I definitely, it felt like a piece of me was gone throughout that whole [00:04:00] 2020 going into 2021. I didn't really know like who I was, I didn't really know what I really wanted to pour myself into. I knew what I liked. I knew that I was always interested in film, creative industries and stuff like that, but I never really knew like what stories were important to me until that happened. And I think that was my, [00:04:20] my transformative point where I went from, I'm going to start telling my stories without thinking about the  perception of others and what other people about what I'm putting out. So. I think that was really important and Black Girls Film Camp gave me the platform to do that. I would say it was my healing process. It was what allowed me to step into who I am now and be where I'm at now. And I think that's one of the most beautiful parts of not just Black Girls Film Camp, but storytelling  in general. You're just able to put your voice into an everlasting place. 

[00:04:52] Fanshen: Absolutely. And I think that's what, Dr. Jimmeka Anderson and Sierra Davis, the co founders of Black Girls Film Camp really understand about it. What they can offer to these girls is exactly that kind of experience where you're just starting to even come into your own identity. And then to be told, here's how to do it and here are the resources to actually make a film about it. I just love it. Well, I have to say that when I sent out the names of the upcoming guests and asked the Black Girls Film Camp alum who they wanted to, interview Jessica jumped on this chance. So I know you've been doing a little bit of digging into Sasheen Artis’s bio. So please introduce our fabulous guest for today. 

[00:05:42] Jessica: Okay. today we have Ms. Sasheen Artis with us. Sasheen is a two time Emmy winning producer and is the founder and CEO of Plenty of Pie, a curriculum based talent incubator and media production accelerator that offers leadership development, practical producer [00:06:00] skills training, mentorship, and access to production and distribution resources with the goal of empowering creatives of colors her impressive career spans over 25 years working with luminaries like President Barack Obama and producing impactful films like Birthing Justice. Sasheen's latest film Birthing Justice, addressing Black maternal health outcomes debuted at the Congressional Black Caucus screen for 200 countries at the United Nations and is part of the continuing education course for the American Medical Association and currently airs on PBS. Sasheen thank you for joining us today. We'd love to know about the journey you've been on to end up being the founder of an incubator. You can start as far back as you like.

[00:06:48] Sasheen: Oh my god, okay. Well, thank you. Thank you so much Jessica for that amazing introduction, you know when you listen to, you know, what people say about you. You're like, Oh, wow, I'm tired. I must be very tired. Cause that's a lot 

[00:07:02] Fanshen: because it is a lot of work. All I thought was badass. And I can only say that because Jessica's on the older, older side of the alumni. So 

[00:07:10] Jessica: Yes. 

[00:07:11] Fanshen: I hope that's okay, but Yes. 

[00:07:13] Sasheen: Well, you know, let's start from the beginning. I'm originally from New York. I'm from Harlem. the daughter of a single parent, grew up very, very poor, this is not, you know, silver spoon experience. This is truly, from the hood. And understanding, that in order to, get out of the hood, I had to focus on education. And so my mom and her sisters and her brothers were very, instrumental in making sure that I, read a lot, stayed in school, did lots of after school programs, all the things that I needed to know to, really excel. So I went to public school all my life, and when I graduated high school, I was accepted into Stanford University. and It was a culture shock because, [00:08:00] you know, going up in Harlem, in New York, it's cold and then going to Stanford where, you know, you go down Palm Drive and there's nothing but palm trees and there's the Memorial Church in the distance and it's like, you know, you hear the angels singing, you know, you arrived and it's like, oh my God. And graduated with a degree in psychology and in honest truth, I had absolutely no I have no plans of being in the entertainment industry 

[00:08:28] Fanshen: Wow. 

[00:08:29] Sasheen: and when know, I was about to graduate, it was like March of my senior year. I'm a member of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority, and I pledged the last quarter of my senior year, so I didn't mess up my GPA or any of that, and I was in the middle of writing my graduate school applications, and I distinctly heard this voice say, this is not what I have planned for And I'm like, 

[00:08:55] Fanshen: Wow.

[00:08:56] Sasheen: Oh, okay. And when you think about it, that was a 16 year old. Cause I graduated high school at 16. My idea of being a clinical psychologist was a 16 year old's idea of what she And so, I literally stopped and I said, okay God, whatever you want me to do, I will do . And so, I spent the summer on campus, I had a job already lined up. Saved some money, I flew down here. Tried to find an apartment, rented a car to go back up to campus, get all my stuff, and came down here. This is total faith walk that I've been on for the, entire time that I've experienced this. So, total faith.

[00:09:40] Fanshen: And look at everything you've done. and love the example of both you and Jessica she's in her your first year jessica of your college program, right? coming out of Black Girls Film Camp she's like, this is the thing. Thing and Sasheen, you were like, I wasn't sure that this was a thing. And then you had that calling, but for both of you it was a [00:10:00] call. It is a calling, isn’t it? 

[00:10:01] Jessica: Yes.

[00:10:02] Sasheen: and yeah, This, Yeah. this was something that, it was not even on the radar, you know? I didn't take, you know, Film classes. I didn't go to film school. 

[00:10:10] Fanshen: Didn't have any exposure through family or anything. 

[00:10:13] Sasheen: Nothing I mean I liked movies, you know, I you know went to the movies every week with my mom you know growing up and and actually watch the credits to see, you know, the, the hundreds and hundreds of people that it takes to make a film, but never in my wildest imagination would I have ever even imagined that, oh my god, I would be a producer. and clearly this, it was a struggle. I came down here. Had, no resources, nobody, I couldn't pick up the phone and just get a job and I struggled, I got evicted from my first apartment, got evicted from the second apartment, it, was not an easy, road, but in so doing, I ended up temping and, my first temp job was actually on a construction site as a project manager worked there for a summer, you know, made a little bit [00:11:00] of money. and then my second position as a temp was, through a black owned company called Executive Temps. and they are still in business, they still support, black, people going into the industry. Amazing organization. The founder is Ted Milner. his wife Stacy Milner runs an organization called HBCU in L. A. And so he hired me. he saw my resume, he saw my potential, and I'm sure God said, hire this girl. my first position, was at Paramount Pictures.

[00:11:31] In the accounting department And my only job was to literally stamp purchase orders all day That's all I did and I did it for like three months I went in in the morning on time, said my good mornings and started my work break for lunch came back on time and finished my work didn't know anyone, I didn't make friends, I didn't network, I didn't do anything. and literally within three months And a woman walked by my desk, and I said good morning [00:12:00] to, day in, day out. And she said, Sasheen, I'm leaving the company, do you want my job? Sure. I don't know what you 

[00:12:09] Fanshen: You’re like whatever is.

[00:12:10] Sasheen: I don't know anything. I will, 

[00:12:12] Fanshen: Something different than stamping.

[00:12:12] Sasheen: I will, yeah. Yeah, I will take the job. And so she, you know, she was a Black woman, and she was actually the secretary to the vice president of creative services at Paramount Home Video and the vice president was a Black woman And so I learned what the desk did and supported her. I was hired permanently And, you know, it was all about marketing and, you know, psychology is all about understanding people and marketing is all about psychology. So it was a perfect space for me to start and it was brilliant. It was, you know, I was on the lot. You know, I was just, you know, going to the commissary, you know, doing all those things and it was like okay, I

[00:12:52] Fanshen: Feel like I've made it. 

[00:12:53] Sasheen: I made it. I made it.

[00:12:55] Sasheen: This is Sasheen Artis and you are listening to Sista Brunch.

[00:13:00]Jessica: Hi, this is Jessica Lynette and you're listening to Sista Brunch the podcast by and about Black women and gender expansive people thriving in entertainment and media. Stay tuned for more of our conversation with our phenomenal guest, Sasheen Artist. please do us a favor. If you love Sista Brunch, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 

[00:13:24] Fanshen: We will just say how important it is for us as Black women, for women of color as well, to reach out and make these kinds of offers for one another, right? Like that means everything. And fortunately, on this show, we get to hear that kind of story all the time. And I just Love it. But, but those of you who are listening, if you haven't done that yet, reach out and think about who can fill your position when you leave. Right. Oh, 

[00:13:53] Jessica: Collaboration over competition.

[00:13:56] Sasheen: Yep, Absolutely. 

[00:13:58] Fanshen: because there's plenty of pie,

[00:14:00] Sasheen: Yes, yes. So, yeah, and that's the thing. 

[00:14:04] Fanshen: It's such a beautiful. I love that. I know, I know that's what you stand for. I know Jessica wants to ask about one of the projects she talked about in your bio, through all of your producing work, which obviously you went from that desk to becoming a full-fledged producer. Who's now hired by the PGA to teach producers how to do what they do.

[00:14:26] Sasheen: Yes, yes. It's been crazy. Yes, please Jessica, ask away.

[00:14:30] Jessica: So my question for you is, But your latest film, Birthing Justice, addresses critical issues in Black maternal health. So, how do you believe storytelling, especially through documentaries, contributes to societal change and awareness? 

[00:14:45] Sasheen: I think documentary, and its particular documentaries. There are documentaries out there that are, great, they're engaging, but there are impact docs that are really, created to address particular issues, to bring awareness and to motivate it. Action. I've done a lot of, different types. I've done bio docs where it's a historical doc. I've done, personality docs with, the L. A. Phil conductor Gustavo Dudamel and, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and I've done a lot of impact docs where you are really looking at an issue and how that issue affects the community affects the region And affects the nation, and then also talking about, how can we, change what's going on with regards to And so I think documentary is really critical because it's not necessarily meant to speak to everyone. It's meant to speak to the folks that can actually change the thing. Because entertainment. Entertainment speaks to everyone. You can be entertained in all different types of situations. But when you're talking about documentary, and particularly impact [00:16:00] doc, you want to get it in front of the people who can actually do something about it. when you put it in front of the right people, the people who can actually change the thing, that's when it is the most powerful.

[00:16:13] Jessica: Mm. I love that. That's exactly like the type of thing that I think we really need, because there's so many different things that are going around about like what the entertainment industry as a whole can actually even contribute to the many, many issues that are going on in our society right now. And I think it's really important for us to recognize that there are certain genres that are meant for pure entertainment, and there are certain genres where you can actually inspire change real like tangible change through [00:16:43] that. So I think that's amazing. And Quick follow up question, how have you personally gone about finding those spaces where you're even listened to? And you can even pour your expertise and what you want to put out into the world, into people who want to [00:17:00] listen. 

[00:17:00] Sasheen: so with documentary and particularly the documentaries I do, if there's an issue to be tackled. I'm not working on that issue. I'm not in the trenches on that issue. I'm the filmmaker. So I need to reach out to those folks that are in the trenches that are combating this issue every day that they're facing these challenges and I help them tell that story. then it's my responsibility as the producer to get it in front of the people to listen to that story and who can help affect the change in So for me, it's about partnership and collaboration and understanding, as a, documentarian, as a filmmaker, as a producer, not a director, but as a producer, my responsibility partner with the folks that know I can do all the research, but I don't know because I'm not living that experience. I'm not in those trenches. I need to partner with an organization, partner with a person, partner with a company, whomever it is that is dealing with that [00:18:00] issue  to say, Hey, let me help you spotlight, amplify, you know, make known to the folks that can make change And that's what I do.

[00:18:10] Fanshen: I wonder if part of your question, because Jessica, I think about this all the time, especially with our guests, knowing the barriers and the challenges that we have in particular, how do you start to develop those relationships? what things did you have to do for people to pick up the phone? 

[00:18:27] Sasheen: I think it starts with research and it starts with, particularly with, documentary is I always start with a question. What is the question I want to answer in this documentary And then from that question, ask. myself, and then put this on paper, who can answer these questions who can be the one to answer? And it, it may not be one source. It may be four or five different it's really being very intentional when I'm tackling an issue like Black maternal health and you're saying, okay, not only am [00:19:00] I tackling this issue, but there are, you know, two or three or four other documentaries tackling this issue. So we know it's an important issue. How am I going to tell this story different? What lens am I coming from differently than those other documentaries, because we all have a place at the table. We're all talking about this particular issue. It's not about competition. It's about making sure that the lens is 360. So making sure that, with the documentary, Birthing Justice, we partnered with a national organization that lobbies particularly for Black maternal health issues. So that way we know exactly the work that they're doing. We know, what they can do. You pick up the phone and say, Hey, I'm a documentarian and we really would like to help amplify your That's how you you pick up that phone.

[00:19:50] Jessica: I wanted to know like just from your standpoint, do you think that it's equally or more important to get those same stories in front of people or may have differing views on whatever is that you're trying to present 

[00:20:06] Sasheen: Absolutely. I think it's important to be a well rounded person to know what's going on in the world. but sometimes documentary isn't necessarily the vehicle for that. That's when entertainment actually does come into play. Because you can actually teach people about certain things in entertainment and they don't understand or know that they're actually being taught about a certain thing just because they're invested in the character and oh my god, Mary is having a baby and she's having complications and, they don't know that, oh, I'm being taught about this particular issue that's going on in the world.

[00:20:45] Fanshen: I love that Sasheen. And I think you're an example of a producer who does all of the above. So I don't know if you want to talk about any of the projects that you have that are kind of more on the surface, they look more like entertainment. But knowing you there's also a [00:21:00] lesson in there. There's impact in there too. 

[00:21:02] Sasheen: I have a couple of projects that are still in development, so I can't really share too much, but I've been involved, like, as a mentor with other projects that, are, entertainment focused, that are, love stories or mother-daughter relationships and I feel for me with regards to entertainment, we always have to understand, first of all, it is a business and the goal is to engage your audience. And in order to do that, you have to understand your audience and you have to go to where they are. entertainment you're really looking at entertainment for an awareness. Not necessarily a change. Documentary, if it's impact doc, then you're looking more so for change. whether it's inconvenient truth, you want people to be aware, hey, there's a climate shift happening, we should do something about this before it's too late. [00:21:55] those are the, spaces where both things it's just teaching in a different way and teaching to a different audience.

[00:22:02] Jessica: True. 

[00:22:04] Fanshen: Yes. Yes. Sasheen is a mentor on a film that I'm executive producing called Flash Before the Bang. And it's another one where we pitch it as entertainment. It's an underdog sports but it's about an all deaf high school track team. So it is still about have this impact because it's an underrepresented group, right? But, we hope for the audience to laugh and, you know, kind of that they're also in cry, and not realize necessarily. that they are also [00:22:33] learning, but, if they go and support the Americans with Disabilities Act afterwards, having seen it, then we'll, we'll be glad we will planted some seeds. I love it. So Sasheen, tell us about Plenty of Pie because you are, not only the producer of all these projects, a mentor for so many projects, a guide and facilitator for the PGA but you also are a founder of your own company, Plenty of Pie. And I know you've got [00:23:00] some great, programs that are happening right now. 

[00:23:04] Sasheen: Absolutely. So, back in 2020, you know, when we're all locked down and COVID and I was going through our last year of the Producers Guild, Power Diversity Master Workshop. And originally that program was a, in person program. We had to pivot to Zoom and, you know, the question was, can I build community over Zoom And when I figured out that, yes, you can, and as long as you're providing that support, you can build community and you can build relationships and you make magic. And so in 2020, I was like, okay, what am I going to do with the rest of my life? The world is ending. And I decided to, really, down on this idea of Producing, leadership, and, training, and making sure people understand what the role of a producer is, and how they can take charge of their creative space [00:24:00] by becoming producers. So, lots of writer's programs, lots of director's programs, you got animation, all the things, but there's very few opportunities for people to have that pathway to leadership and for me plenty of pie Is the way for folks to understand exactly what it producer What skills younned leadership, you know Those soft skills that people don't really talk about in terms of communication and intentional listening you 

[00:24:27] Fanshen: Back to that psychology degree, 

[00:24:29] Sasheen: Exactly, you know, conflict resolution, all the things that you need to do as a producer. and then, training them in, standards based. Because there are actual standards, that the state of California has in terms of workforce development. Like what folks need to learn. So it's a standards based program. And for our incubator, it's about training, it's about mentorship, and it's about access. Our accelerator program is really focused on the projects, much like, you know, [00:25:00] Y Combinator or Techstars. It's a full ecosystem where it's, developing that project, connecting that creative. To, a mentor producer that's going to walk them through the entire process hand in hand. it's a contractual relationship where, the mentor is getting paid because it's basically producorial work. And then connecting them to distribution and to financing so that they can get this project in front of the audience that they intended. And, I recently launched a series called Demystify Entertainment basically as a lead up to my incubator cohort. To just teach people about certain aspects of the business that have been so opaque. whether, you know, talking about like documentary and working with PBS. I get a lot of questions about, well, how do you work with PBS? Can you make money with PBS? You know, all the things, it's like, well, let me put this in a webinar. This is what you do to work with I have another course called, TV Series Development and Working with Creative Execs. What is, the relationship [00:26:00] between the executive and the writer? Because a lot of folks, you know, they have these pie in the sky ideas, and they want all the things, and it's like, well, no, this is how we get you to Greenlight. This is how we get you on air, and this is how you stay on air. And then the last one, up to now at least, is On raising money for media projects, it is a thing and this is specific. It's not talking about like equity and financing. This is talking about the money that you don't have to pay back the money that’s like Corporate sponsor and grants and all those folks that if you want to do a documentary or documentary series, all the folks that are willing to give you money and fund that thing, how do you raise that money and what are those step by step, you know, that strategy that you can use get your media project, on air. 

[00:26:51] Fanshen: Yes. And it matters. I feel like, there are programs out there like Sundance has Sundance collab. It matters that a [00:27:00] Black woman with the experience that you it does it matters to us to have, a leader for these classes that looks like us, that has some shared experiences and it matters to others as well, that they need to see that you are a person who has had this kind of has these experiences and are open to sharing them. And also that way they can hear what is it like for to be in this industry. Sometimes I know when we share all the work we do, other folks, their minds are a little bit blown  

[00:27:34] Sasheen: It’s crazy. We do a lot. We do a lot. I'll just tell this one story. it goes back to, what Jessica mentioned in my bio about working with So, back in the day. ago, it was like, I guess 2009, I was working with Tavis Smiley, and he's a broadcaster, he has a radio program, all the things, and Prince were really good friends and so, Tavis had asked [00:28:00] Prince if he could do a benefit concert, and he asked him a while, you know, like, we had some time, So, I was in the middle of producing his annual State of the Black Union. It was like this 10th year extravaganza. exhibitors, receptions, luncheons, as well as the six hour symposium that was broken up into two parts. So I'm producing that. And I told him, as I said, please do not come. At the last minute with the concert, because I can't do it. I can't do it. 

[00:28:31] Fanshen: That's a lot.

[00:28:32] Sasheen: And so, it was a Monday. And, at the end of the day, Tavis comes into my office and he's like, Yeah, Prince said yes. And I'm like, okay. The concert was scheduled for Saturday.  No. So, the caveat was we couldn't promote it because he was in the middle of that 21 day, every night, concert thing he was doing. and he had already had a contract. So, [00:29:00] we couldn't promote it. And, mind you, we don't have a venue for a concert with Prince. So, where are we going? that was Monday evening so Tuesday we had to scout all over Los Angeles to find a location. Luckily Sheila E at the time I don't even know if it's still around but the Conga Room was she was a part owner and so she allowed us Use the Conga Room brilliant Okay, so we had a location. We had Prince. Now the question is, well, how are we going to get people there if we can't promote it? So from Wednesday to Friday, I had those amount of days to build a ticketing system. and then try and get the word out. Needless to say, we did it. We sold out. And I, literally didn't sleep for 37 hours. it was a tremendous success. and there's actually like an old article. you could Google it. I think LA. Weekly did about the concert and you know, [00:30:00] Cornel West dancing on the stage. And I mean, it was hilarious. it was, tremendous. And so yeah, and I slept. I was like, I'm done. Everyone happy? Okay, I'm going. I'm gonna go to Sleep

[00:30:09] Jessica: as you should. 

[00:30:11] Sasheen: But that was one of those things where, so I know, for me, if it doesn't rise to that level, I can do it. because that's, the bar that has been set in my life where it's just like, oh, I have four days to put on a Prince concert. and it's Prince, so you want to sell it out. You know.

[00:30:28] Fanshen: yes. that's our plight. And I love having a younger person here to hear that, things like self care, Absolutely important. Sleep important. And also the work is important. So if you get an opportunity or every opportunity you get, unless you're being abused in that opportunity or oppressed in that opportunity, then just be gone. But if you're not, then to work that hard and I feel like that comes full circle to Jessica's original question. Like, how do you get people to [00:31:00] pick up the phone? It's because you do things like that. Right. Like people see you doing that kind of work and now they're going to keep calling you and everybody now knows. Sasheen's the one that brought Prince to the Conga room LA. And they're going to be like, you can produce anything if you can get that done in those five days. it's so hard because I feel like we the surface every time. I'm just scratching the surface with Jessica. She's amazing. And Jessica, we wish you. So much joy and resilience and challenges so that you keep getting pushed to do more and more. go find Sasheen, support her work/

[00:31:38] Sasheen: you could, you could go on my website. www.plentyofpie.net And my webinar series is called Demystify Entertainment. So, www.plentyofpie.net/Demystify-entertainment.

[00:32:00] Jessica: Hi, it's Jessica, alumni of Black Girls Film Camp and co host of Sista Brunch for today's episode You're listening to Sista Brunch We'll be right back. And during this very quick break, if you haven't already, follow us on Instagram at Sista Brunch Podcast  

[00:32:16] Fanshen: We’re cback and excited to share more of this conversation with co host Jessica Johnson and our guest Sasheen Artis. Okay. now we have our signature Sista brunch question, which Jessica will ask you.

[00:32:30] Jessica: Ah, yes. Okay. So imagine you're having a Sista brunch with your younger self. What are you both eating? What are you drinking? What advice would you give her? 

[00:32:41] Sasheen: Wow. I think what I would, be eating my younger self would eating like a Chinese chicken salad. 

[00:32:50] Jessica: Oo Yes 

[00:32:54] Sasheen: Today's self would probably be eating like those little, like, [00:33:00] avocado rolls, or you know, something that you can dip and kind of, you know, have, have some, you know, appetizer fun. So, that's today's 

[00:33:06] Fanshen: Nice. Nice And, this is Sista Brunch you know we got to get a little tipsy.

[00:33:08] Sasheen: drinking, back in the day, right, right, right, right. But, back in the day, it would probably just been like a Pepsi. but now, it would be Sangria.

[00:33:18] Fanshen: Yes, I didn't discover till I was older that there's a white sangria and a red sangria. 

[00:33:22] Sasheen: And red sangria. 

[00:33:24] Fanshen: you have a preference? 

[00:33:25] Sasheen: I like red. I like red.

[00:33:29] Fanshen: Me too, yes. 

[00:33:29] Jessica: Is it sad that I know what that is? Is it sad I know what that is. My mom taught me that.

[00:33:36] Fanshen: That’s okay. See that's 

[00:33:37] Jessica: Ha ha Ha ha 

[00:33:42] Sasheen: That’s awesome. 

[00:33:43] Jessica: What advice would you share with her? 

[00:33:45] Sasheen: I would say start temping as soon as you get to Los  don't try and open doors, just start temping. Because the thing about temping is that people are paying you while you are learning. You're learning whatever that desk is, you're learning whatever that job is, and it is probably the best way to first of all know if you want to be at a company. and it's the best way particularly for the entertainment industry to learn about all of the aspects of the industry because a lot of times we focus just on production But there are so many things that people can do And still be in the entertainment industry. You could be a teacher and be in an entertainment could be a lawyer. You could be an engineer. You could be a finance person accountant. There's so many different things and I think If you start as a temp, you get that exposure to wide world of entertainment and you're making money in the process. So I would tell her definitely start making money immediately.

[00:34:51] Fanshen: That's brilliant. I, that, that's it is. It's so practical. I realized we haven't had that kind of very clear practical advice to our younger selves and that is it because then you have a roof over your head, you're not starving, right? You have something consistent. and will you say the name of the company that you tempt with again? 

[00:35:12] Sasheen: Executive Temps. They're out of Burbank. Black owned. Amazing, amazing company. Very supportive. 

[00:35:20] Fanshen: Sasheen Artis. Thank you, so much for being on Sista Brunch. 

[00:35:24] Sasheen: Thank you so much for having me. And so nice to meet you, Jessica. 

[00:35:28] Jessica: It's so, so nice to meet you as well. Thank you so much for joining in conversation, entertaining my questions. 

[00:35:35] Sasheen: Absolutely 

[00:35:37] Fanshen: And Jessica, I'm so proud to co host with you. You were fantastic.  And reach out to the aunties. We're officially the aunties. I hope thats Okay, Sasheen.

[00:35:47] Sasheen: Totally Oh, oh, totally. I'm a only child, so yeah, I will always be an auntie. 

[00:35:52] Jessica: an only child. I am an only child. Yes. So I have to, and my mom was an only child. I have tons of adopted aunties. So Welcome to the family

[00:36:01] Sasheen: That's all. Absolutely. 

[00:36:03] Fanshen: We're proud to be part of it.

[00:36:03] Sasheen: Thank you.

[00:36:04] Fanshen: Thanks for joining us for another episode of Sista Brunch. You can read the transcript of every episode and find show notes on our website at SistaBrunch. com. If you love video and you want to see the lovely faces of our guests and our co hosts. you can watch the full video interviews on  the TruJuLo YouTube channel, youtube.com slash TruJuLo media, T R U J U L O media. We also really appreciate your support by subscribing to our podcast, leaving us a great review, sharing it with friends, family, colleagues, and community. And you know, just giving us all the love.

[00:36:48] Jessica: Season five of Sista Brunch is you by TruJuLo Productions. creators are Fanshen Cox, Anya Adams, Christabel Nsiah Buadi, and Brittany Turner Sista Brunch is a Women Make Movies Production Assistance Program Project. The land Franschen records on, Los Angeles, is the original land of the Tongva and Chumash people.