Kady Kamakaté: Got Emotional Intelligence?
Episode Description:
If you’re early in your career, how can you keep working in an industry when your paychecks are small—or aren’t coming regularly? How do you navigate on-set politics? Well, producer Kady Kamakaté says don’t be afraid to say ‘yes’—and meet any issues with logic and reason.
Kamakaté is an award-winning producer based in Los Angeles and has worked with brands such as Google, Amazon, and 20th Century Fox. She’s also a co-creator and producer of Leimert Park, a comedic series that follows three black female roommates living in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood—and was an official selection at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
Enjoy this reflective conversation that even got our Executive Producer Christabel jumping in with a question or two!
Transcript:
Anya (00:00):
Hey. Welcome to Sista Brunch everybody.
Fanshen (00:13):
Hey, thanks for being here. I'm so glad to see you, Anya.
Anya (00:18):
Nice to see you, Fanshen.
Fanshen (00:19):
We have amazing, freaking amazing guest today.
Anya (00:22):
She's freaking amazing.
Fanshen (00:23):
I know. She really, really is. Kady Kamakaté, she's here with us today. She's an award-winning producer based in LA. She's worked with brands such as Google, Amazon, and 20th Century Fox.
Anya (00:35):
That's cool. That's cool.
Fanshen (00:36):
Very good. Very good.
Anya (00:36):
I also heard she's the co-creator and producer of Leimert Park, which is where I almost lived when I moved here and it's a beautiful spot. It's a comedic series that follows three black female roommates and friends as they navigate life, love and careers in the vibrant and rapidly gentrifying South LA neighborhood. Its executive produced by Macro and Leimert Park was an official selection at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
Fanshen (00:59):
I will say that I watched you all on Instagram when you were at the Sundance Festival and was very jealous because it looked amazing.
Anya (01:07):
Was it awesome?
Kady (01:07):
It was awesome. It was so hot, our condo burned down.
Anya (01:11):
What?
Fanshen (01:12):
Wait. I don't know, what you mean?
Kady (01:15):
It literally caught on fire.
Anya (01:16):
What?
Fanshen (01:16):
Wait, did you say it was so hot?
Kady (01:20):
No, I'm just [crosstalk 00:01:21].
Anya (01:20):
It was fire. You guys were fire.
Kady (01:25):
Yeah, there was basically the condo next door burned. Somebody fell asleep with a candle. The quintessential, don't fall asleep with a candle, somebody fell asleep with a candle because of Sundance rage, but it was wonderful. I had been there before to produce parties for an employer I had a couple of years back, but it was my first time with her project and a project I was extremely passionate about. So, to me, I feel extremely blessed to have had that experience.
Anya (01:49):
For so many filmmakers, going to that festival is the pinnacle. How do you even start that journey?
Kady (01:57):
Well, you don't start that journey thinking of it. I think oftentimes if that clouds your decision-making process, you're not going to make anything that's going to land anywhere. We were just three women. It was myself, Mel Jones and Devita Scarlet that just were trying to create in a space that I'm very comfortable in now, which is digital media. At the time where we were seeing Awkward Black Girl and all these shows and creators that are just like, we're not going to wait for it. We're going to put our content out there.
Kady (02:27):
So, we also were like, what can we do? And we started ideating. A lot of it is extrapolated from Mel's life and originally a lot of the characters archetypes were friends of ours-
Anya (02:40):
Oh, cool.
Kady (02:40):
And some of ourselves as well, and it's evolved and changed. But yeah, it was about creating visuals that we yearned for, craved for and we don't see. So, I think it was just straight from the heart, and we were just fortunate that we had champions along the way that resonated to it along, and we were able to make it.
Anya (03:00):
Let's step a little, even further back. What was that original spark for you? That was like, this is the thing that I want to do.
Kady (03:09):
So, I'm originally born in [inaudible 00:03:11].
Fanshen (03:10):
Cool.
Kady (03:12):
I was born there and lived there until I was about nine. My mom is originally from Wisconsin. My dad is not, he's from Ivory Coast and they met in college and ended up relocating there. And so, I was born there, and my brothers were...
Fanshen (03:25):
Do you speak another language?
Kady (03:26):
Yeah [foreign language 00:03:26].
Anya (03:26):
[foreign language 00:03:27].
Kady (03:29):
I wish I spoke actually my ethnic language, which I don't, which I'm super upset with my father about.
Fanshen (03:35):
Can I ask? Was part of your parent's reasoning for taking you there because they wanted you to have access to that heritage, or was that not something they thought of and then you got that anyway?
Kady (03:47):
That's super interesting. I thought for a long time, it was my father trying to repatriate and like a lot of times men of his generation went abroad, were educated, came back, but it turned out it was my mom who was just like... They were in their mid-thirties and I guess they were in Berkeley at the time, and she was like, if we're ever going to do it, it's going to be now. I don't think she thought it was going to be 20 years of her life. I think she thought it might be like three to five years, but they're not planners, which is why I'm a producer.
Fanshen (04:15):
Feels like I need structure, [crosstalk 00:04:18] my life.
Kady (04:18):
Yeah, there's a clear line here. So, I feel super fortunate about that, of just having an experience of living abroad in general and having another culture to pull inspiration from. I come from, as many people know, a lot of West African traditions are huge in storytelling.
Fanshen (04:37):
Yes.
Kady (04:38):
So, I definitely come from just always being around storytelling that were... They were so visual in their description and in their richness that I was always seeing things. And my dad is a film nerd, and when he was originally out in the States, he was trying to be a screenwriter.
Anya (04:55):
Oh, wow.
Fanshen (04:55):
Cool.
Kady (04:55):
I have not read a single script, so I don't know if he's any good. And he refuses... I always say, I'm going to produce something for you, and he doesn't want it, but I was just around a household that also reinforced filmmaking and a love for it. And so, I think when I was younger, I thought I was going to be an actress, because that's what you see. You don't know about the nuts and bolts behind it. And then I thought I was going to be a director and then I got to film school and I realized then, pretty quickly, that my mind worked in organizational spaces.
Kady (05:27):
And knowing from a very young age that I always wanted to be in the film industry, and I've never had a backup plan, it just was more about figuring out how I fit in and so it was in college that I AD'd for a while, then produced and realized that's my bread and butter.
Fanshen (05:46):
And speaking of bread and butter, that's a question we get a lot, and I think we all grapple with is, you don't make money right away, right? Or even ever possibly-
Kady (05:56):
Yes, never.
Fanshen (05:57):
... if you're doing indie stuff. So, what were the pressures you felt around that, around making money right away and how did you survive the early part when you didn't have a job, but you knew this is what you wanted to do?
Kady (06:08):
I started interning at Film Independent in my last year of college. I was fortunate and I think it's important to share that my parents helped me for the first year out. I think a lot of people don't talk about that, but I wouldn't have made it without that-
Fanshen (06:23):
Thank you, yes.
Kady (06:23):
... extra couple of hundred dollars a month. I was working two jobs as well, and then freelancing as much as possible. So, yeah, I was grinding. I was not, and I still am not below doing anything I need to do to get the job done.
Kady (06:36):
I would work on music video sets. I would AD whoever would let me AD. And Codie Elaine Oliver, she is one of the creators of Black Love, that's super successful right now. So, she gave me a shot being her intern and it's through her I met Mel Jones, Angel Kristi Williams. I met basically my diehards out here that I've come up with and have been working with. And they gave me chances to be on set with them and to grow, and you have to have the homies that are like, well, you're not really a production manager by experience, but we're just going to give you that title and that responsibility, and you're going to figure it out.
Kady (07:08):
You have to have these doors opened for you.
Anya (07:11):
Right, but you have to also prove yourself as somebody-
Kady (07:14):
For sure.
Anya (07:15):
... who could take the challenge and work themselves to the bone and all of those other elements, that I think sometimes people don't realize it's like, you get great opportunities in production, but you get it because you were the PA for the last seven months-
Kady (07:28):
Oh yeah, you can't fake the funk [crosstalk 00:07:29]. You cannot.
Anya (07:31):
Yeah, I think a lot of times younger folks coming in here are like, well, I'm making movies with my iPhone and I understand how to GAF something or to DP, But it's not just about having the skill it's about knowing the people and understanding the environment.
Kady (07:46):
Yeah, and emotional intelligence.
Anya (07:47):
Yes, 100%.
Kady (07:48):
Anybody that tells me, what is my biggest skillset as a producer, it's being emotionally intelligent because oftentimes a lot of decisions are being made, like, are people fed well? Have people had caffeine?
Anya (07:59):
And what are they fed?
Kady (08:00):
Yeah. What are they fed? And what is the actual power struggle that's happening behind this decision that we're not tangibly seeing? And those just happen with being experienced on set. Sometimes when I work with people that are greener, I realize that's the difference. They can't make those discernment's, and that's actually the difference between something that's very fluid and successful and something that has a bunch of kings all the way throughout.
Anya (08:20):
Right. Sometimes you have to understand, let that person be king, you'll be king next time. It's all good. Can I just say something about emotional intelligence?
Fanshen (08:27):
Yes, yes.
Anya (08:28):
Because as a director, I feel like that's something that I have to key into all the time, and I think people don't... I'm so glad you brought it up because I think people don't recognize that enough, how important it is to be able to understand people. It helps you code switch in all these different situations and...
Kady (08:44):
Or not.
Anya (08:44):
Or not. Yeah, or not.
Kady (08:46):
Or not.
Anya (08:46):
Yeah, exactly.
Fanshen (08:54):
Will you take us through two different daytime scenarios a day in the life of Kady, as a producer? One would be onset, well, let's go with pre-production. What kinds of things would you do in pre-production as a producer? And then the other would be one day on a set, what would those look like?
Kady (09:12):
Oh, wow. It's really not sexy.
Anya (09:14):
As a producer onset?
Fanshen (09:15):
As a producer, yep.
Kady (09:17):
So, I think in prep for me, I consider myself as the ship. I'm not the captain, but I carry everybody and make it. I'm regularly calling and having conversation with every stakeholder, from the DP to the director, often having conversations with the editors simultaneously, because what I think often happens is if there's a break in communication and somebody doesn't get a piece of information that you might have deemed trivial, but could have been important to their process or whatever, somebody is upset. And that upset turns into something that didn't need to happen.
Kady (09:53):
So, I'm constantly having conversation, making sure that whatever our director wants, is being clearly communicated to those people, whether it's setting up calls with their director, whether it's me relaying that, making sure we're always updating the budget based on those changes or those developments or the new learnings or production designer. We built a prank car for a [Stephen Curry 00:10:12] video. I've never built a car before. I don't know what those numbers look like and nor did my production designer. So, that's a challenge. How do you build a car? What do you need a car? No day is the same, you're always answering a bunch of different questions, but it's about having those conversations throughout the day, also the hard line of meeting your schedule, like, are you not having... Or are those conversations taking too long?
Kady (10:38):
And then also answering to my higher ups that want the headline of what's happening. So, synthesizing all the progress and all the steps ahead, rather quickly in terms of also creative, budget and timeline to the people that cut the checks. So, it's a lot of conversations and a lot of emails, a lot of texting.
Anya (11:05):
But also, would you say it's a lot... I feel like really good producers are also asking questions about things that are going to happen. The conversations are... It's not just updating, it's like, look in four weeks, we're going to be here, how are we managing that? And really pulling people forward.
Kady (11:22):
Absolutely. You know, it's okay, we're building a car, how are we getting it there? After we're done with it, what do we need to do with it?
Anya (11:28):
Exactly.
Kady (11:28):
Are we destroying it? Are we selling it? Can we sell it to make some money on our...? Okay, how do we sell it? Who has the dead of this car? How do we transfer the deed? You're having those questions, and sometimes I think what can stall people, and I think what really freaked me out in the beginning is not having the answer, but the focus is the question, and I would even get freaked out, it was like... But if I don't know, how do I even know the questions to ask? And that is an area I say, don't worry about, because usually-
Fanshen (11:53):
It will come.
Kady (11:53):
... it will come, and if it doesn't, that's the learning, that's the moment that-
Fanshen (11:57):
That's so good, Kady.
Kady (11:58):
... you learn in. So, I definitely don't operate from, I know everything. I try to work with people who also don't operate in that way, because I think being curious is interesting.
Anya (12:08):
It's really important.
Kady (12:09):
And is what you need. I'm not a monitor producer. I actually don't really enjoy staying close, which I'm learning.
Anya (12:17):
What does that mean, monitor producer?
Kady (12:18):
I don't like sitting on a chair, staring at the monitor.
Anya (12:21):
Is that where the director is and everything, that place?
Kady (12:23):
Yeah.
Anya (12:24):
Okay.
Fanshen (12:24):
Like video village.
Kady (12:24):
It just makes me so nervous.
Fanshen (12:27):
Okay, interesting.
Kady (12:28):
I know there's a lot of producers that just sort of like, I have my team, my team's running everything, I can just sit here, and they'll just come to me. I don't know. Something feels very weird to me. I need to walk around and talk to people. I talk to the PA's, like, how are you doing? Are you eating? Are you feeling good? I talk to everybody, just making sure... I have a talk before we shoot with everybody, reminding everybody that we can communicate, we can resolve conflicts, we can respect each other, and our goal is to make a video. We are not doing heart surgery.
Fanshen (12:59):
I love this, because I think, having been an actor on set, there is that pressure of when they say rolling, it's all on. I like that I could see somebody there who's not just sitting there to chair but...
Anya (13:14):
Focused on you.
Fanshen (13:15):
Yeah.
Kady (13:16):
I like to be accessible.
Anya (13:16):
Where did you learn that? Because that is something that's said in the industry that it's not brain surgery. Where did that become embedded in you as in that's not how I'm going to lead? Because there are some people that definitely are like, everything's on fire and you got to go.
Kady (13:32):
I mean, I haven't produced Game of Thrones. I feel like there are very few times that I take myself seriously. The bottom line of what we're doing is content, and literally, if something goes terribly wrong, it's fine. Nobody's life-
Fanshen (13:50):
Right, it's not the end of the world.
Kady (13:51):
... on the line.
Christabel (13:51):
No, I'm putting my hand up, because I have a question.
Anya (13:54):
Oh, I thought you were [crosstalk 00:13:55] telling us to be quiet.
Christabel (13:57):
I have a question. So, when you talk about this not being rocket science and you not taking yourself too seriously, I definitely get that, but given how hard you've had to work to get there, and as a black woman, as a woman of color, how do you keep yourself level when it's such a competitive industry?
Kady (14:14):
Yeah, that's very interesting because often not only being a woman, being a black woman and also, I've noticed being a short woman.
Christabel (14:20):
Oh, shorties.
Kady (14:24):
I just put that together earlier because I was like, there is some short bias going on over here.
Anya (14:29):
For sure.
Kady (14:31):
Most situations where I'm realizing those thoughts are working against me or what not, I become aware of it, is not often in overt situations. It's more just very passive, institutionalized situations of why you don't get selected for that position or that project and stuff like that. Often, I meet people, I think, with reason. I never match high energy with high energy, because that just explodes. So, to me, I've had people really come at me and we're just going to talk reason.
Kady (15:03):
I had a production designer once that went off on somebody on my team and was extremely upset because the dumpster we had gotten for the production was not enough. Mind you, my team had sent dumpster images to him, got a backup dumpster for him. He never confirmed any of these things. So, basically, we got him two dumpsters that were bigger than the one he wanted us to get, so really his problems should have never occurred, but he was upset at us because of this. So, I pulled him aside and I just was like, "Well, we got you two dumpsters. You only requested one. We got you one that was significantly larger than the one that you said, so I don't really see what the problem is." And he just looked at me and huffed and puffed and walked away and then came back, he was like, "I'm really sorry." And he's a guy that doesn't really apologize. And he was like, "I'm very, very sorry about this, I really needed some coffee."
Christabel (15:55):
I was angry. I was angry.
Kady (15:58):
So, you see, I can't carry it because I wouldn't be in this business at this point. You can't carry everybody's BS about it, but he recognized in that moment that hey, you were wrong. You were flat out wrong. We tried to get ahead of this issue. You created a bigger issue. And then you have the nerve to be upset about people that try to... That kind of sense. So, I think I just don't take it personally, I really meet people with rationale. I'm very transparent about money. I don't like being somebody that's like, we'll figure it out after.
Fanshen (16:31):
No, no, let's be clear.
Kady (16:32):
No, I think money is very fundamental. We're not in here for volunteering. So, I try to get ahead of a lot of conflict by being clear about it.
Anya (16:41):
I think one of the things you said really circles back to what you were talking about earlier is that... And you like to do this, is prep. You were prepared. In fact, you were over-prepared, and doing all of that work prior to shooting, you were full on buffered and supported by your own work.
Kady (16:58):
Yeah.
Fanshen (17:04):
So, we know you love listening to this podcast and to our amazing guests, but you can also join our community. You can join us on Twitter at Sista Brunch and also on Instagram at Sista Brunch Podcast. Now back to our interview.
Anya (17:19):
And to a certain extent, the reason for this podcast is we do take some shit personally-
Kady (17:23):
Oh, for sure.
Anya (17:24):
Meaning the reason this is Sista Brunch is that we understand that we have some barriers in the industry. And so, I'm wondering, especially as a black woman and even the size, now the question of that, in what ways do you see in whatever you're comfortable sharing. I mean, because to me, I'm looking at Leimert Park and I'm like, I don't understand why we're not watching this show, and I'm curious if the fact that it stars black women, in a gentrifying neighborhood [crosstalk 00:17:54]. And speaking about gentrifying Leimert Park too, is it's the white folks in Hollywood that are gentrifying Leimert Park. You know what I'm saying? So, I guess, what kinds of things do you see pushing back against you?
Kady (18:11):
I think at the end of the day, there are certain roles that people feel comfortable with you in and certain imagery people are comfortable with you in.
Anya (18:22):
Enslavement, crime, jail.
Kady (18:27):
Pleasure and-
Anya (18:28):
To name a few.
Kady (18:29):
... autonomy and all those kinds of things. Not so great. I don't know, it's so interesting. I think to me, this was never a choice of a career, it was what I was supposed to do. So, it doesn't feel like I'm ever odd in it. I feel so comfortable in it that I think sometimes when we have these moments that I feeling very dismissed because of my race or my gender, I'm just like, well, who are you?
Fanshen (18:50):
That's on you, right.
Kady (18:51):
Who are you?
Fanshen (18:52):
That's so good.
Kady (18:53):
I've done my work. I've done here. I belong here. I've never felt that I didn't belong at the table.
Anya (18:58):
That feels like something you have to have in your mind is that you belong at the table.
Kady (19:03):
Absolutely, period.
Anya (19:03):
Because if you think you don't belong to the table, you're not going to get anywhere, because no one's going to invite you to the table.
Kady (19:08):
And it would be so good. They know they're not having a table unless you're invited there.
Anya (19:11):
Exactly.
Fanshen (19:13):
Yes, it's such a good point.
Anya (19:14):
I think that's actually an important thing to talk about is, for holding the shroud of defensiveness because we're this person, we're also pulling ourselves away from the table, because already you don't want to put that in the forefront. What you want to put in the forefront of what you do is your preparedness, is your hardworking, is your ingenuity, is your creativity, is your excitement for the job, which sounds like all of the things that you have.
Fanshen (19:36):
This is what is beautiful and also so hard about doing this podcast is, given the folks that I work with, and I don't mean my immediate people. When I talk to you all, I'm like, y'all are some bad-asses, which means, and as much work as both of you are doing, and it's beautiful, you should be doing it all. And yet I completely agree that also you just do the... You still just wake up every morning, you go do the work, right?
Kady (20:06):
Yeah.
Fanshen (20:06):
You do it and you do it the best, which we always do. That's what I'm dedicated to in the industry, and I'm lucky to be in that position to be able to help move the story along, but that's for me, but meantime, y'all do your work and I'm going to be in the office being like, why aren't these two...
Kady (20:26):
But I think those two go together because I find that there are some other folks in the industry that talk about inclusion and diversity, but then you walk on their set and it's 80% white [crosstalk 00:20:40].
Anya (20:41):
Because they can't find anyone.
Kady (20:42):
Which is...
Fanshen (20:42):
I know, it's really hard [crosstalk 00:20:43].
Kady (20:43):
I'm sorry, dont-
Anya (20:44):
Women of color, and in the industry, there's none of them.
Fanshen (20:47):
You can. Do it. Do it.
Anya (20:49):
There's no one.
Kady (20:51):
On [Juneteenth 00:20:51], I produced a series, a shoot with one of the top black athletes in America. My whole production team was black. All of them were women. That's intentional, you know what I mean?
Fanshen (21:02):
Yes, tell us more.
Kady (21:02):
I feel like there's just so many people that talk about it, and then you go on their sets or you work with them, and you're like, why is your whole team white, dudes? They can't relate to anything. It's not even the woke white dude. He ain't even got swag to him.
Fanshen (21:17):
Not even trying.
Kady (21:18):
It's not even interesting. So, to me, it's about championing those people, and I'm fortunate enough to work in an opportunity and work in an environment, frankly, that has allowed me to champion people because much like my folks gave me those titles, maybe before folks could say I was ready, but I was able to step into it. I see that as my job. You have to do those things for the silly branded shoots because then they have brand real, right? So, then when Honda or Toyota or whatever comes to them, they're like, oh, you have that. It's just very frustrating. I've seen it in so many spaces. I used to work for a top advertising agency that was such a toxic environment, but you would see how people would get boxed out of opportunities because he didn't quote unquote, didn't have anything.
Kady (22:01):
But then you show up on that set with that, whatever name, DP, who checked out and it was their first AC with DP ambitions, running the whole thing, right? It's all of these things where you have so many people of color that are talented, that just don't get the chance, and that is extremely important for me. I was like, let me have my legacy, be people that were able to eat, go on vacation and buy presents for their family, because I was able to give them that opportunity in a tangible way.
Anya (22:32):
I think that we all operate with that just on the underlying surface of us every day, and I think it's what motivates us and pushes us forward. And we may not tap into it all the time, but when we do, it's an emotional thing because honestly, I watched a trailer to Harriet. I started bawling. Just the fact that that story is now something that is a major...
Kady (22:53):
Did you hear that they were trying to cast Julia Roberts?
Fanshen (22:55):
Yes.
Anya (22:56):
No, they weren't, you're lying.
Fanshen (22:58):
[crosstalk 00:22:58] when he started shopping that script, [crosstalk 00:22:58], this was in the 90s, in the 90s, but in the nineties, when he started shopping that script, one of the producers was like, why don't we get Julia Roberts?
Christabel (23:10):
Wait a minute. I'm going to find it for you.
Kady (23:11):
Was she the most ethnic of [crosstalk 00:23:12].
Anya (23:11):
[crosstalk 00:23:11] because here and Scarlett Johansson [crosstalk 00:23:14].
Fanshen (23:11):
And the thing is, I'm trying to excuse it that it was the 90s, that shit still goes down [crosstalk 00:23:19]. It would not be surprising to have that today.
Christabel (23:22):
Hold on, I found it. Let me quote him.
Anya (23:24):
Oh, my goodness.
Christabel (23:24):
The unnamed executive.
Anya (23:26):
Oh, my goodness.
Christabel (23:26):
Who should be named, by the way. The script is fantastic. Let's get Julia Roberts to play Harriet Tubman. When someone pointed out, but Robots couldn't be Harriet, the executive responded, "It was so long ago. No, one's going to know the difference."
Fanshen (23:47):
What advice would you give women who want to be in the industry?
Kady (23:51):
There's a lot of power and know, and I think what... I didn't say no, and I think you probably shouldn't when you're starting out. I said yes to everything.
Anya (23:59):
I agree with that. I feel like, yes. You have to.
Fanshen (24:02):
You have to say yes to everything.
Anya (24:04):
When you're starting out.
Kady (24:05):
When you're staring out.
Anya (24:05):
Unless it's going to hurt you terribly.
Fanshen (24:07):
Right. I'm just going to say, remember I was an actor and I said yes to some shit that I'm like, please don't ever put that on-line. So, anyway, no, it's not that [crosstalk 00:24:15].
Anya (24:15):
Sorry, Fanshen, let me just...
Fanshen (24:15):
It's just not my podcast today.
Kady (24:19):
No, I agree. I think that is actually throughout the whole industry because when you're starting out, you're a PA and they're the most exploited bunch in terms of crew of hours they will work without meals, without sleep, without all of these things. They're the backbone of it. But so yes, in terms of variety of projects, in terms of people you don't know or whatnot, but now I no longer have the guilt in saying no, and I find strength in that. And just saying, I know what I can give you and this isn't a lineup. It's not enough time, not enough money, not enough X, Y, Z, because I'm never going to take a project, regardless of the time or money that I'm just going to check off and check out. So, I don't commit to anything without knowing I'm going to be 100% [crosstalk 00:25:01].
Fanshen (25:01):
Tell us what you're doing, how we can support you, how we can find you? And I know, it's beautiful that you're like, I don't want my name out there.
Kady (25:10):
Yeah, this is very odd for me.
Fanshen (25:12):
We are going to give that to you because it's important to us that people know who you are and what you're doing.
Kady (25:16):
Yeah, I've been working full time for a very long time in the branded space, and I'm looking for a next chapter or going freelance. And nurturing and working with directors and filmmakers who put their visions out there and work on content that I'm excited about. For me, it's about the people in the story and it could be a short doc, it could be digital branded piece, experimental. I think my legacy needs to be the body of my work. I don't have any project I'm immediately working on right now that I can pump, but yeah, hire your local black production girl, give her that extra $50 a day rate if she actually is doing that work. Really connect with people, and if you have any cool, interesting stories, I'm here to make it happen.
Anya (26:02):
I love that.
Fanshen (26:03):
Kady, for real, this has been beautiful. It's more than I think we could have thought we would get from our Sista Brunch guests and I especially appreciate your inspiration and also, I think, you've made your work accessible to women who might be interested in it and don't know how to do it, but you're in it, and so providing this expert voice. So, we're so grateful.
Anya (26:31):
Yeah. I have to say, as somebody who came up within the production, I was a trainee, so I came up within the network system, to hear your process and what you've done and how you've kept yourself motivated and diversified yourself and kept yourself working is really impressive. And I think a lot of people that are not in Hollywood, that's going to be their direction. That's how they're going to come up. And so, hearing from you has been really important and I'm really thankful that you shared with us today. So, thank you so much.
Kady (27:02):
Thank you, guys.
Anya (27:05):
Thanks for listening to Sista Brunch. I'm Anya Adam and I'm Fanshen Cox. Join us next time.
Christabel (27:15):
Hey there, this is Christabel Nsiah-Buadi, Executive Producer of Sista Brunch. You will have heard me weighing in on the conversation earlier with Kady Kamakaté. I hope you enjoyed the show. We'll be back with a new episode next Tuesday, so look out for it then and be sure to subscribe and rate our show wherever you get your podcasts. Our producer is Brittany Turner. Visit our website, we're at sistabrunch.com, and join our community of creators. We're on Twitter @sistabrunch, on Instagram @sistabrunchpodcast, and we're on Facebook at facebook.com/sistabrunchpodcast. We'll see you next time.