Netflix 'Act Your Age' Creator and Director: Celebrating Black Women in Media

In the season 6 premiere of Sista Brunch, hosts Fanshen Cox and Shawn Pipkin-West celebrate the stories of Black women and gender expansive people in entertainment and media. They highlight community partners like the American Cinematheque and Post in Black podcast. The episode spotlights Alyson Fouse and Morenike Joela Evans, creator and director of the Netflix show 'Act Your Age,' and explores their inspiring journeys from early career challenges to notable successes. Topics include their industry experiences, the importance of representation, financial challenges in the industry, and practical advice for aspiring creatives.

00:00 Welcome to Season Six!

00:11 Shoutouts to Community Partners

01:56 Introducing Today's Guests

02:18 Behind the Scenes of 'Act Your Age'

04:40 Alyson Fouse's Journey

08:04 Morenike Joella Evans' Path to Directing

15:59 Multicam vs. Single Cam: A Director's Perspective

18:16 Financial Realities in the Industry

24:01 Navigating the Strike and Career Challenges

25:36 Directing and Producing During the Pandemic

26:48 The Evolution of Television and Technology

28:46 Tools and Techniques for Directors

32:27 Collaborative Work Environment

39:03 Advice to Younger Selves

43:56 Closing Remarks and Future Plans

Transcript:

Fanshen Cox: [00:00:00] Hey, Sista Brunch family. I know you are so excited to listen to this amazing new episode, this amazing new season. We can't wait. We've been working really hard for the past several months to bring it to you. But very quickly, I wanted to shout out a couple of amazing community partners that we worked with over the last year.

So first of all, shout out to American Cinematheque. We were invited for our second time to be part of their Friend of the Fest Podcast Festival. We had the legendary editor, Ms. Lillian Benson, A. C. E., who, by the way, the film we screened was her very first narrative feature film that she cut. So we were so proud to show Alma's rainbow as part of the friend of the fest podcast festival, American cinema tech is an amazing place.

They've got all kinds of films and events all the time in Los Angeles, go american cinematheque. com and sign up for their newsletter to find out what events are happening. If you're in the Los Angeles area. Also at that same event, David Hunter Jr. introduced Ms. Lillian Benson. David Hunter Jr. is the host of one of our favorite podcasts, Post in Black.

Post in Black shares the stories of black post production professionals. And I will say that they are starting to expand. They're doing all kinds of different guests now.  , obviously you can see the ways that we all feel very connected in our work. Their website is postinblack. com and you can follow them on Instagram at post in black.

Finally, I will say two things. We had amazing grant support by pop culture collaborative over the last year, as well as fiscal sponsorship by women make movies. So thanks so much. All right. I promise that's it. Let's get into this amazing episode and amazing season.

Fanshen Cox: Welcome back to season six of Sista Brunch. This is the only podcast that shares the stories of black women and gender expansive people thriving in film, TV, and media. I am your host, Fanshen Cox.

Shawn Pipkin-West: And I am your co host Shawn Pipkin-West and we're really excited to tell you about today's guests. I wanted to bring these two filmmakers on because they both worked together on the groundbreaking show, Act Your Age, which is now showing on Netflix.

It's a wonderful, wonderful show. Reminds me of the sitcoms I watched in the nineties and it's Generation X, so I love it. I love it. I love it.

Fanshen Cox: It's so good. It's so good. So Act Your Age stars, the legends, Tisha Campbell, Kim Whitley, and Yvette Nicole Brown. And to quote a review on IMDb, it is grown Living Single.

And I just thought that was perfect. It was also recently nominated for a Humanitas award. [00:01:00] Prize for an episode that deals with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. I loved that they addressed this. I also have to say as a woman in her fifties, so much gratitude to our guests for telling this story because I recently celebrated my menopause day.

I hadn't realized that, you know, and, and too many of us didn't know this, that after one year of not getting your period, you are officially in menopause. One time I went through 11 months and got it, but this time it was real and it was very recent. So really seeing this, this show has been so uplifting and lovely.

I'm so appreciative of our

Shawn Pipkin-West: congratulations.

Fanshen Cox: Thank you, Shawn.

Shawn Pipkin-West: So, Act Your Age was created by our guests, Alyson Fouse, and the pilot episode was directed by Mornike. So they both have a lot of shows and films that they've worked on and shows that you have watched and love just to name a few. Everybody hates [00:02:00] Chris, a league of their own, the Amazon series family reunion, the neighborhood and Grey's Anatomy, just to name a few, but it's literally like 500 CVS receipts is how their IMDB credits.

Okay. So without further ado, I want to welcome Alyson Fouse and Mornike Alyson Fouse Evans.

Fanshen Cox: Welcome. We're so proud

to have you on.

Alyson Fouse: I was going to say, welcome to the menopause club.

Fanshen Cox: Thank you. I think, right. Oh my goodness. So we love to start our show by asking our guests to take us through their journeys.

Alyson, I know you grew up in, in the CPT and Compton. My husband is also from Compton. So after this, actually, I need to see if maybe y'all went, went to school together while you were there. You're a mom. You've done just some amazing things. You were, you were found I guess that's how [00:03:00] they say it, discovered by one of the Wayans, Kenan Ivory Wayans.

So please just tell us your, your journey of how you ended up creating this beautiful show and doing all the other things that you do as well.

Alyson Fouse: Well, like you said, I was discovered by Kenan when I was doing a radio show, 92. 3 The Beat, John London and the House Party, and he heard one of my sketches. And it was at the time that he was just starting his late night show.

So, the funny thing is, I never thought I'd be doing this for a living. But I listened to those sketches in my, on my commute, and happened to back someone, and they were doing it for a month, and Keenan called. And literally from there, We then did his talk show, and right after he called, he said he was doing Scary Movie.

We did that, then Damon said he needed a woman for [00:04:00] My Wife and Kids, and it just kind of snowballed from there. It was through the people I met, and the people I got cool with. You know, I Kenan's late night show, and did a couple of her shows, and it just sort of, I literally fell into the business,

Fanshen Cox: you know, my

Alyson Fouse: idea was that when I retired from Cal State Long Beach, where I was, had my main job, real job, I was going to write a novel.

Like I always knew I was a writer, but it didn't even dawn on me that Hollywood was an option. I didn't know who wrote these shows, but I didn't think it was a little black girl from Compton.

Fanshen Cox: Right. Right. You know,

Alyson Fouse: so, and once I got my foot, got my foot in the door, I just kept working and it kind of stuck.

And then Bounce called about doing a show for them and asked me to pitch on it and I did. And that's how we got to Act Your Age.

Fanshen Cox: Wow. So did they already have an [00:05:00] idea of the show or they called you and said, what show would you like to create?

Alyson Fouse: All they told me was that they wanted three friends of a certain age who lived in the DMV And we're well off.

And I figured by a certain age, I would hope they would be, you know, right.

Fanshen Cox: I mean, it

Alyson Fouse: gives us more room for comedy as they are, you know, and I'm not opposed to the struggle either. I did some freelance episodes for my friend, Renata Shepherd for Good Time, around the same time. So I've been doing that.

I've been both places, you know, so we can find funny everywhere.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Yes, this is true.

Alyson Fouse: For Act Your Age, it was just fun to play these friends who've known each other through everything. The good and the bad times. And I think that's what people responded to.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Wonderful, wonderful. So Mornique, I would [00:06:00] like to talk about your journey real quick, or have you talk about, because you're, you're, you're your journey is kind of unusual.

And I have to say, and I, cause you, you know, You produce, you're in the music and and you're one of those that wear rare breed that films multi cam shows as well as single camera. And I would also love for you to talk about the difference of what that is. So let's hear your, your journey. If you can briefly, let's hear it.

Morenike Joela Evans: My journey, I actually started as a writer, but as a journalist. So that's what I was studying in undergrad. I watched, you know, and live in color. I have so many episodes memorized. So it's just, you know, amazing to be working with Alyson, but it really wasn't until it was in the late 90s, in the early nineties, after I worked as a journalist, like I was at the Washington post writing that I, and I covered the hell that I decided that I wanted to go to.

Film school and that I was going to be a filmmaker. It, that's when it dawned on me that you could, like, Alyson said, it was a [00:07:00] career. You know what I mean? With Spike and all the things that was going on. And I remember in college, someone said one of my professors was like, why don't write a script for a different world?

And I was like, oh, they write, they write though? You know what I mean? So, that's kind of where I started. But my first, So my first television gig was on Rap City because I knew people. I was in D. C. I'm from the D. C. area. And so I had friends that worked there and someone fell out and they needed a producer.

So I kind of made that my internship for my, you know, for my grad school. And I produced Rap City. But then at the same time, I remember one of my film colleagues was like, I talked to our professor and they said we could get a job as a PA in television. I was like, what? I was so excited. I didn't know.

That was like a regular, normal thing, . So, my first PA gig was on a movie called Deep Impact. So it was kind of like doing both. And I loved it. We were, you know, 12 hour days. That's how you know, you love what you're doing. Like, yes, you [00:08:00] can do it for that long. And so cut to, you know, I came to, to LA almost 19 years ago, but I really had to start over from working at MTV news.

And I produced a lot of award shows, red carpet, et cetera, et cetera. And it's, I have to tell this story because I was trying to transition into Directing scripted, and there's not a lot of people in unscripted that know scripted. I had a best friend that worked at TV1. I had just met Meg DeLoach, and they were doing this show called Burnick and Virgin, and that you worked on that, Alyson, right?

You were like, yeah, and you direct it. Yeah. And I remember I had just done a show. For this or this black and sexy TV. They were like the online and it was similar. And so I was like, Ooh, I want to work on that show. I want to direct didn't understand. They had probably already picked the directors, but that's kind of, so I had been wanting to work with Alyson and Renata forever, and that was like at the beginning.

So. [00:09:00] So, cut to how I got into multicam. It was really Meg DeLoach. I had only done single cam of the films I'd done in the different projects. And she had been following my work and looking at my reel and she was one of the few people I knew other than Claire Brown, who I did God Complex with, she had worked with on girlfriends.

And so she saw me do everything. And like, she was one of the first people in scripted who saw that I could do, you know, all of those things. And so she vouched for me to Meg, you know, cause it's a small world, but you don't realize it. And Meg reached out to me on email and said, she had a new show, go starting on Netflix.

And she was looking for directors. Did I know any wink emoji? And I was like, is this, is this it? Is this my chance? And so, I'm, you know, all trying to act cool and calm, but sent her my reel again, you know, raised my hand. I shadowed on the show. That's how I had to learn [00:10:00] multicam.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Hi, this is Shawn Pipkin West and you're listening to the Sister Brunch podcast.

You can support Sister Brunch by following and interacting on Instagram At sister brunch podcast, and by leaving a review on Apple or Spotify, you can watch full video episodes on youtube. com slash Trujillo media. And that's T R U J U L O media. And you can watch highlights on Tik TOK at Trujillo. com.

Morenike Joela Evans: Yeah.

Fanshen Cox: And so then how did it happen that you two, was it Alyson? Okay. So when Act Your Age started happening and it started at bounce, right?

Alyson Fouse: Yes. Okay. Started at bounce. And one thing. Okay. Okay. I didn't work on In Living Color, I worked on Kenan's late night show. Oh, that's right. Yeah. Sounds good. I just want to make sure so nobody calls you guys and goes, she wasn't in, I never worked on In Living [00:11:00] Color.

Shawn Pipkin-West: She a damn liar.

Fanshen Cox: I would love for Kenan to call us and say, she, correct us Kenan. I wish

he would.

Alyson Fouse: I wish he would. But yeah, when I started on Act Your Age. I knew the cast I had, I knew the feel I wanted. So I told the producers and my agents and whoever would listen, I said, I want women of color directing this show.

Bring me some black women directors. And Moronike was on that list. And that, you were getting popular then, because we could only get you for the pilot.

Fanshen Cox: Oh, wow. Look at that.

Morenike Joela Evans: I, I, that's some kind of cosmic divineness, because I really, only had one week. That was the year that I did 17 episodes of television in that year.

And I had one week available and I was so disappointed because I was like, I'm not going to be able to do at your age. It was like the best script I had read. And really the whole [00:12:00] time in terms of pilot script, it was so good. It resonated with me. And I remember being so disappointed because when I talked with Alyson and the team, it was a regular like meeting.

And I was like, we didn't talk about the pilot. So I was like, okay, well. I guess I didn't get it, but hopefully next time. And the funny thing is my agent she just was very matter of fact about it. She's like, okay, so we got the pilot and you're going to start on that. And I was like, wait, wait a minute.

So it, you know, it was a great blessing and I'm so glad that I got the opportunity. Yeah.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Oh, what a blessing. Yeah. And more. Oh, go ahead, Alyson. Go

Alyson Fouse: ahead. I was going to say, no, we don't. Well, I don't talk a lot about the work and the technical stuff. Like I want to get to know you. Like I've researched what you've done before I get on an interview or whatever.

And I just want to know, is this somebody I want to spend all week with? That's it. Right.

Morenike Joela Evans: That makes so much [00:13:00] sense. Yeah.

Fanshen Cox: It does. It does. I love it. I just have to point out that for you two Moronike, you mentioned Spike and Alyson, you mentioned Keenan Ivory Wayans and, and at that time, those were our role models were men.

Now you two are the role models, like young black girls have you two as role models. They can name you, right. Right. And it's just crazy. Yeah. Oh, I love it. We do this. I love to see this. I love to see this.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Morenike, can you explain to our listeners because you were in both multicam sitcoms as well as half hour an hour single cameras, right?

Can you explain what the difference is?

Morenike Joela Evans: Yeah. I mean, I give us a show examples of the shows, right? Yeah. Okay. So cam and then It's time and energy to me. So, multi cam that I've done. My first one was family reunion. I've done the iCarly reboot. I've [00:14:00] done How I Met Your Father. I've done Bunk'd. I've done The Neighborhood.

Just to name a few because I can't remember every, all of them. But you have one week. You have, you have five days to get that show done. Whereas in, let's say, a half hour single cam, you have two weeks. One week is prep and doing all the meetings and everything. And then you shoot for five days in multicam.

You got to kind of prep before you show up because on day one, you hit the ground running. You are in your production meeting, you're in your table read, and then you're rehearsing. And by the second day you're showing the entire show, not just a few scenes, the entire show to your show runners so that they can Give you notes, see how it is.

And then the next day you're showing it to the execs. And then the next day, two days you're shooting. Even though I know the schedule is a little different for at your age, that's the, in general, what it is. It's, it's, it's fast, but it's also the energy of being able to [00:15:00] laugh knowing Knowing comedy knowing what's funny, knowing the rhythm of it, which is very fun and knowing the cameras one of the things as a multi cam director, you know, when we're doing the rehearsals, I'm blocking it for the cameras then, so it's like, okay, she's on A, she's on X, this'll be pan over C, wide shot, da da da da da, and so, it's all at once.

Fanshen Cox: Oh my goodness. See, when we get to let talk, let's talk tech segment, I'm like, just like you just said all the time. I didn't know there was an X cam. So I gotta, I gotta hear all about that.

Shawn Pipkin-West: That's the fourth one. Right? Yeah. That's the fourth one.

Morenike Joela Evans: Yeah. Yeah.

Fanshen Cox: Okay. Okay. That's great. So this is a question that is hard, but we know our listeners really want to understand this.

And again, especially because we want to kind of inspire young girls, you know, younger women to, to enter into the industry. And so we'd like to talk financials to the [00:16:00] extent that you are comfortable, Alyson, I'm curious for you again, because you Act Your Age started off on bounce and bounce is creative for Black content.

I think I just made the cutoff age. Cause I think it's like 25 to 54. So I'm like, it's still for me, but I can't write. I can't. But Alyson, are you comfortable talking about one? Just What you get paid and I know there's often scale. So are you able to negotiate that it can be ballparks or, you know, whatever you're comfortable with, but both like kind of what the funds look like as a writer and then also as a create a show creator or well, maybe.

Alyson Fouse: Go ahead

Shawn Pipkin-West: Alyson. If it may be easier, like what a average like staff writer makes as opposed to a veteran like co EP that's been like, has like 20 shows under the belt maybe. Something like that. Yes. If that makes it easier.

Alyson Fouse: Well, look, I'm hoping and honest [00:17:00] about it. I don't make enough . Right. You know, whatever they pay you is not enough.

'cause this gig is 24 7. Yeah. You know, it's, it's no time off. Because mentally you're always there and you're always creating I will say now with my experience. I make a lot more than I used to But studios and streamers aren't paying as much as they used to And when I got to this level of running a show are an executive producer.

I was looking forward to it when I was a young staff writer, like, how can they make that much money a week? Like that's insane. But you get there and you go, Hey, that much money. The work is hard. And then again, like the, I have the paper here because I knew you guys are going to do that. There's a certain per week, [00:18:00] like, I want to say, and I should know this okay, let's just guesstimate that it's like 7, 000 a week.

Sounds like a lot of money. That's, that's the minimum for an executive producer. So you think even if I got that, That's good money. And then I get on the thread Ha! With some other showrunners and I won't talk about their money because I'm not really supposed to be talking about the thread. But you realize when they're complaining about their money

Fanshen Cox: And you're like

Alyson Fouse: yeah, what can I curse on this show,

Fanshen Cox: please?

Yes, you can. I

Shawn Pipkin-West: love that one.

Alyson Fouse: I was like, what the fuck? Now Mad is everybody. . . And I have good reps who literally fight for me. To get the most money, but the best advice I got was from somebody who was like a co EP and it was save your money [00:19:00] because unless you're incorporated and even if you are incorporated taxes are coming for you,

Fanshen Cox: yes

Alyson Fouse: know, and it's not just our job, it's every job and every person that's working on a show has to say, you saw what the strike did to us,

Shawn Pipkin-West: yes

Alyson Fouse: know, how long we had to be unemployed.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Thank you for that, Alyson. Morenike, I'd love to ask you because you, even though you've been in this industry for a long time, when it comes to directing television, you know, you just got started right before the pandemic. So what have you seen change as far as the work, the money and everything, like with the pandemic, the global pandemic, And then

Morenike Joela Evans: the strikes

Shawn Pipkin-West: and how has that affected you?

Morenike Joela Evans: Oh, I'm affected. It's, you know, two things. First I just, like when I got my first episode, I was [00:20:00] struggling, you know, freelance trying to make it. And so, you know, from what, from what Alyson said, I think like on Netflix, this is before streaming. I think I made 15, 000 an episode and I was like, Oh my God, this is amazing.

But after taxes, I didn't, I wasn't set up right. I didn't have a corporation. I didn't have an agent. So at least I didn't have to do that. But it was like 6, 000. And that was my only gig until maybe let's say that was March. And then I got another directing gig in October. So no, and I didn't really have people that could tell me what to do.

I was really, I have been finding my way until recently. I'm starting to get people who were kind of helping, but I have been just kind of finding my way. So. That's why I did 17 episodes in a year. Cause I'm like, I have to, like, first of all, I need to take every opportunity. You know what I mean? And you know, trying to catch up on life.

And and then I was [00:21:00] like, okay, I'm burnt out. I need to like put a little space in between, but that was not the right time to do it because, because this was after COVID and then the burnout was right before The strike, which I just, I really, I was like, it's not going to happen. They're going to get a deal, you know, it only makes sense.

And so it's been, I mean, if I'm being very candid, I remember myself and several other directors that were kind of newer, meaning five years in, you feel like you're back at square one, like just trying to get your footing, you know, so I'm here now. I directed Grey's Anatomy in February. So I had two episodes right after the strike.

I had a Disney episode in November or December. And then I had an episode in January. That's all I've had, like this whole, you know, because the other thing, you know, from what Alyson is saying is like, I love television. I'm a, I'm a junkie. And so I'm like, I found [00:22:00] Tubi and I'm watching News Radio 'cause I used to love that show.

Fanshen Cox: Oh yeah. Yes.

Morenike Joela Evans: Oh my goodness. So funny. 22 episodes, five SE six seasons. Five or six seasons. Mm-hmm . Episode 22. Episodes. Episode. Right. So now what's happening is there's six to 10 episodes of television. Yeah. And because everyone was out and is trying to come back at the same time, I'm still considered a newbie.

So a lot of the, yeah. Directing gigs are going to people it should, you know, but they've been in the business longer, but what's also happening is there, especially in multicam, they're getting like five of the eight episodes, you know what I mean? Right. So it's you know, I recently said this to a colleague.

Because I also feel really good right now. And I said, the shift is a gift. And for me, it's a gift because I've learned so much about this. I'm learning about my money. Thank [00:23:00] God for residuals, but also thank God for another career as a producer. When COVID happened, I produced the essence of. Fest from my living room or something like this, did all the interviews, set them all up.

So, and they had a virtual one, you know, and right now I'm doing an award show you know, and producing an award show. So I'm great. And, and I'm writing, I'm back to writing, which is what, you know, was my, yeah. So it's like, we'll see what happens, but it's just a reminder to like, use all your gifts. And you know, it's, it's, It is a gig economy for most directors, unfortunately, and writers, you know, that's what they're talking about.

But for us, definitely, we just hop, hop, hop. You know, we're never, unless we're in a producing director, we're never like just on a show.

Fanshen Cox: Just one show.

Morenike Joela Evans: Yeah.

Alyson Fouse: You know, when I started, it was just network jobs. So if you got a job that season, you were good. But if you didn't in the off season, you just had to wait [00:24:00] again until staffing season.

Right. You know, but when we were talking about 22 episodes, when we were doing Wife and Kids, we'd do 22 episodes, and then they were like, could you give us three more? And we were so burnt out. It was like, do we have to,

Morenike Joela Evans: we can keep going

Alyson Fouse: and I was, I was blessed with Act Your Age. Cause they gave me 16 episodes right off the bat.

Fanshen Cox: Yeah. Right off the bat.

Shawn Pipkin-West: And 16 and also let's think about that. That is rare. 16 for a new show.

Yeah, that's rare.

Fanshen Cox: They knew they had a gem. That's the thing. They knew it. So I already get you paid what you deserve. It is. It's so good. Hi, [00:25:00] sisters and siblings. We hope you're loving our guests this season as much as we do.

And if you do, we hope that you will share our podcast with a friend by hitting the share button on this episode. You can also subscribe to the Trujillo Media YouTube channel to see all of our previous episodes, including our co host for this season, Mr. Shawn Pipkin West and you can subscribe over there and you will never miss an episode.

And when you review us on Apple or Spotify, go ahead and tell us what you loved about our guests. What was your favorite thing they said during an episode? Or even tell us what you like to have for brunch or what you would tell your younger self. All right, let's get back to our guests, Moronike and Alyson.

All right, so let's move into our let's talk tech segment since we just talked finished talking about big tech But in this case, we we want to share with our listeners some [00:26:00] concept terminology You know anything piece of equipment that you use when you're doing your job That someone who has not been on set or has not done what you do You Maybe they don't know that.

So

Shawn Pipkin-West: like to make your, like to make your work more efficient or just presentation wise, better anything. Yeah.

Morenike Joela Evans: Right. I think, so I'll say this, I'll say that a really great director by the time you get on set, it looks very easy. You know what I mean? But it's not, so prep is really, really important.

I use scriptation. And Keynote and I you know, draw out the, where the blocking and where everyone is. And I have alt, you know, alternative options if, you know this doesn't work or that doesn't work. So, keynote

Fanshen Cox: what, what's Keynote? I don't know. It, see, so Keynote is on

Morenike Joela Evans: it's on Apple with the, it's and it's kind of like slides a little bit, but [00:27:00] they have all these cool icons so you can like, have cars and.

Figures and cameras and like it helps me figure out blocking or like, okay, this is where the camera's going. This is what I'm doing. And then I use scriptation, especially great for multicams because you get a script change, you know, after that first rehearsal, you're getting a new script and it might not come until sometimes one in the morning, but you've got to rehearse the next day starting at eight or nine or whatever.

And so it just translates. translates the old script into the new, but keeps all your notes. That's the part. It keeps all your notes. And so then you can just adjust one thing instead of having to, you know, start over. Or sometimes I see, cause some people are old school. I was very nervous about it cause I like to write, but I use my Apple pencil, but some people still have like the associate directors, the camera coordinators, they'll just keep their script.

And cause it, after a while, it's like, not the words, [00:28:00] it's just, what are we doing? Where are they? And they'll just change the one thing. So, and I'll just say for multicam, it's four cameras, A, B, C, and X.

Fanshen Cox: What happened to the D? What happened?

Morenike Joela Evans: Sounds too much like the B.

Fanshen Cox: Yeah, there you go. Got it. And then here's the

Morenike Joela Evans: thing that like clicked it all in for me and it was Eric Dean Seton who told me when I was on family reunion, he was like, A and X are your close ups. B and C are your wides. I was like, Oh, cause I was just like, you could just use any, anyway.

Yeah. So that's it. You know, they're, they're your close up or your two shot and then B and C are your wides. So that helps you figure, yes. And you can move them around, but it helps you. You know, figure out what your coverage is, you know, and, and how you want things to work. So that's a, that's just a quick that no one else told me he was like, Oh yeah.

You know, so I just love for

Fanshen Cox: even, Oh, I was going to say, I just love visualizing [00:29:00] you being a boss on set and being like, because even when you talk about, you're the, you're the person that decides what camera captures what. Right. Like I just,

Morenike Joela Evans: I want to see it. I want to be a fly on

Fanshen Cox: the wall to see that.

It's beautiful. And it's fun, isn't it? It is.

Morenike Joela Evans: But you know, it's also very collaborative. And I just have to say, working with Alyson, you know, sometimes you go on sets and you're, you're, you gotta stand tall, but you're kind of a little scared. I'll be honest. Cause you don't know how things are going to work.

You don't know how people work and you're trying, for me, I'm always trying to honor the script. And working with Alyson was like. She, she knows her shit obviously, but she's very easy going about it. And if she wants something, she'll say, and if I'm not, she'll be like, oh, that we can change that. So on some shows, if an actor, like, it's like, I don't feel comfortable with it.

A showrunner might be like, well, don't change my words or whatever. You know, that's an ego thing really. But [00:30:00] Alyson was like, oh yeah, that's no problem. Okay. You know, but if it's something else, she'd be like, oh no, we really need that. So it's very collaborative and not in a. Combative way, which sometimes, you know, it doesn't have to be.

Yeah.

Shawn Pipkin-West: But also as black women, we have to be nice. Right. I don't know. I'm just going to put that out there, but you know, but anyway, exactly. Okay.

Fanshen Cox: I mean, no, I love that. Alyson, how are you at the point where you're like, no, you know what? I don't need to be anymore.

Alyson Fouse: No, you know, I'm nice just because that's why, how I was raised.

You know, my mother always said, talk to people how you want them to, you know, treat people how you want to be treated. So I, look, if I need to be, I can get big because that, you know, that's the thing as a woman, especially when you're in the position of being the boss over everybody and something's not getting done.

But I always believe in people, treating people with respect, [00:31:00] love, with respect. And if I have a problem, I'll pull you aside. I don't need to get big in front of people unless you try to get big on me. You know, I,

I, again, I'm a girl from Compton. Both my parents were in the military. If you don't want to be mean to me, I can be meaner.

It's like, let's not go there. I really don't want to go there, but listen to the more Nikkei, you know, as long as I've been doing this. I've never heard it broken down like that, as far as the cameras, and it's one of the reasons I've never directed multicam because I'm a little intimidated by it

Morenike Joela Evans: well now you about to.

Fanshen Cox: Yeah. Oh, yes, you must.

Alyson Fouse: Well, when I directed on Born Again Virgin, it was a different thing. You know, it was single cam, different tone, I knew the coverage and I learned on the go and it was like, I was [00:32:00] kind of thrown into it because I needed to be, we were short directors and it was like, I'll try it. I've been sitting on set forever.

Right. So that's awesome. Yeah. So I'm glad to hear that. Right now I'm cool sitting behind the camera and getting good directors, but And as far as technical stuff for us, that didn't really kick in until the pandemic. I mean, as far as writers are concerned, final draft, you know, it starts and ends there.

Some writers do like keep their script on their iPad and I'll do that to notate it or that kind of thing, but I still like having paper. And being able to write a note real quick. Wow, okay. Yes. Oh, I still like having a paper script and folding the pages and going back to something.

But

Yeah, with the Pandemic.

I think that gave us more technology than we were used to having.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Absolutely.

Alyson Fouse: Yeah. You know, I,

I think you mentioned one of the programs before [00:33:00] we were on air, Trello or something. Trello, Trello. I love Trello. Do you? I

Fanshen Cox: love it. That's so funny. Oh, I make, I make Shawn and Tasha get on Trello. I love Trello.

But there's no, I'm not the guest this time, so it's okay. .

Alyson Fouse: Hilarious. I've had script supervisors and since we're doing all this online on zoom or whatever, script supervisors and writers assistant debate on which program was which, because you get the cards. A lot. You know, it's, it's a lot, but we made it work. We actually made it work. And the one time I was really grateful for zoom or whatever we had, I don't even know if it was zoom, but my daughter went into labor during the filming of Act Your Age, and I had to go and babysit my older granddaughter.

And, you know, still want to be on set because my youngest [00:34:00] grandbaby took her precious time coming and we were in production. So it was great that I could still be on set via that and talking to Renata Shepard, who was my second, and keep up and give notes and stuff like that. So I'm very thankful for the technology we do have, because I know it kept a lot of us working during the pandemic and that we're still able to use.

You know, I could save gas in my car if I don't have to drive places to, you know, meet with wonderful people like you.

Morenike Joela Evans: Yeah, like, Oh my goodness. I remember when I was first starting and my agent sent me, I had like two meetings every day. I had my Ford Edge, the AC didn't work. So I kept trying to schedule them in the morning so I wouldn't be hot going into, but just going into all of those meetings.

And now you can just, you know, nobody's really going back to full. Right in person unless you really have to you know,

Alyson Fouse: and this is how old I am. They used to have to [00:35:00] deliver scripts If I wanted to send a script to my agent, it was on paper, with a messenger or something.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Or PA, an office PA would have to go around.

Alyson Fouse: I, look, email is like the Jetsons to us, like we are living in the future. I just have to hit a button. And then as soon as I said it, I see a typo that I made, and it's gone, you know, I mean, come on, I'm from the ice age. I remember when my daughter used to have that job of dropping off scripts.

Fanshen Cox: Right, I remember the head shot.

Headshots. You had the hard copy headshots. You'd send them all around town. We could talk to both of you forever. I mean, we need to do another one of these cause I just, I'm so proud to have you both on sister brunch. But we will get to our signature question, which is that you are sitting [00:36:00] down to a sister brunch with your younger self.

What are you both eating? What are you both drinking? And what do you tell her?

Alyson Fouse: My younger self is eating every carb in the room.

Fanshen Cox: Yes, yes. Remember? Remember when you could?

Alyson Fouse: And strong coffee and a mimosa with no orange juice. Very little orange juice. Just the champagne. Just the champagne, yes. Now older me is having an omelet.

I love it. Decaf coffee and some orange juice in my mimosa, but we still having a drink.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Yes, I love mimosas. Yes. Yes.

Alyson Fouse: And what I would. Oh, go ahead. Oh, I'm sorry. What I would advise.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Yeah. Go ahead, Alyson. Advice to younger self.

Alyson Fouse: Love yourself. Be patient. And you're not crazy when you [00:37:00] imagine all those different worlds and places and have those conversations in your head.

Cause you will find your ilk out there, a bunch of other nerdy people who love words as much as you do and can imagine and see the vision the same way you do.

Morenike Joela Evans: Oh, that's beautiful.

I, the, the little girl I see, she's like, She's like seven or eight. And she would be having a Shirley Temple, lots of bacon, pancakes, plus biscuits.

And it would be so fun. The sad part is I would also be having bacon, even though I shouldn't be. And I probably would have, I don't love champagne, but I'd probably have a margarita or a wine. And I think what I, I think what I would say to her is, you know, it's really similar. It's, I [00:38:00] think one of the things is like, trust your light and your, Energy, like, cause sometimes when you exude a certain energy, it really upsets people for some reason.

You know what I mean? And so it makes you doubt. Why am I, why are you happy? Why are you this? Why are you that? So just trust like who you are inside. And also it's, I think I did it, but I would just say trust like your inner voice and your gut. I think I sometimes delayed it, but every time I followed like, a thought or a belief, even if it felt crazy, it paid off.

So just like trust it. Even when people are like, how can you da da da just keep going.

Shawn Pipkin-West: That's it.

Morenike Joela Evans: Yeah.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Body in motion stays in motion. Yeah. And

Alyson Fouse: not just to my younger self, but the young women now. Don't edit yourself. Don't do it. You know, I mean, sure, if you're about to cuss [00:39:00] somebody out for no reason, maybe do that.

But if you have an idea, especially in comedy, if you think it's funny, say it. You know, don't, the only thing I regret are the things I didn't say. That's all. Just go for it. Pitch it.

Morenike Joela Evans: I would love to add something that I say a lot because I teach classes and I just spoke at some other thing and For the creatives out there now that are trying to break in a lot, just remember you're not asking for permission.

I think that's really important for people to remember because a lot of times like people will say, I have this really great idea. Should I write it? You're not asking for permission to be creative. You're not asking for permission to pursue. Your dreams. And I think once we get past that, you know, wanting to be validated or okayed by others, we can really like really push through and go far.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Yes. And everybody's on their own timeline. Like there's nothing, you know, [00:40:00] we all, you know, fast, slow, we're all on our own timelines.

Alyson Fouse: I didn't start till I was in my thirties. I think I was my Jesus year, like 33 or something when I got in. In

Morenike Joela Evans: my first DJA episode, 40 something years ago,

Fanshen Cox: I'm so glad you mentioned that you do classes for every, I mean, a couple of things we want to say to our listeners. This will be out for black history month. Act Your Age will still be available for you to watch. I'm going to just put it out there that that season two will be happening and I would just say that it will be a season two.

So support this show. It is so necessary and needed visit both of these women. We'll make sure we have all of your socials up to share. And we're so [00:41:00] honored that you joined us on sister. Thank you all so much.

Morenike Joela Evans: Thank you so much. It's been really great.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Thanks for joining us for another episode of Season 6 of the Sister Brunch Podcast.

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review wherever you listen to your podcast. It helps support the podcast.

Fanshen Cox: We appreciate your follows on Instagram at Sister Brunch Podcast, where you can also follow us. Find your community of black women and gender expansive people. We post different industry opportunities over there, and we keep you updated on our past guests, watch, comment, share, and subscribe to our videos at youtube.

com slash Trujillo media. And we are also on Tik TOK at Trujillo media. Sister Brunch is brought to you by Trujillo Productions and was created by Anya Adams, Christabel Nsiah-Buadi, and me, Fanshen Cox.

Shawn Pipkin-West: Our producer for Season 6 is Tasha Rogers. [00:42:00] Sister Brunch is recorded on the unceded territory of the Tongva and Chumash people in Los Angeles, California.

Thanks for listening, following, reviewing, and subscribing! And we'll talk to you next week.