ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Symone Baptiste (@symonejett) is a comedy Director, Writer and Producer based in Los Angeles. Her award-winning short directorial debut, Sixteen Thousand Dollars, explored reparations through a provocative lens and was an official selection for several highly prestigious festivals including the 2021 Slamdance Film Festival. Symone practices activism through art – her work invites audiences to see complex social and racial justice issues in a new light, often using comedy as a vehicle for understanding and connection between communities. Her passion for comedy comes from many years of stand-up comedy show production & booking. In that time, she’s produced several popular live stand-up shows, including the live version of The New Negroes (Comedy Central).
Symone’s latest short film, The Beetle, is available to stream on Hulu’s anthology series, Your Attention Please, hosted by comedian and actor Craig Robinson.
ABOUT THE WERKING WRITER
Writers who want to break into Hollywood need guidance now more than ever. The Werking Writer is a blog, podcast, and course created by Charla Lauriston (Grand Crew, The Last OG, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) that educates screenwriters on how to become creative entrepreneurs who can confidently navigate building a professional network, attract managers and agents, manage their personal finances, pitch a television show, and consistently produce original work they’re proud of.
Every episode, Charla sits down with writers, creatives, and industry professionals to hear their stories of breaking in and their advice on how to thrive in a tough industry.
