From FRUITVALE STATION to BLACK PANTHER, Rachel Morrison and Ryan Coogler are longtime friends and collaborators. Rachel is a groundbreaking director and cinematographer who made history as the first woman nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography for MUDBOUND and the first to lens a Marvel film with BLACK PANTHER. Her feature directorial debut, THE FIRE INSIDE, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and hits theaters this Christmas. Written by Barry Jenkins, THE FIRE INSIDE tells the inspiring true story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, the first American woman to win Olympic gold in boxing. Rachel spoke with Ryan about her trailblazing journey from photography to cinematography and directing. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com. (2:31) Get Reel (12:29) Choosing the right film stock for Fruitvale Station (15:36) Memories from the Fruitvale Station set (21:31) From photography to cinematography (34:13) Stepping into directing with The Fire Inside (44:25) Prox Recs

Veteran studio executive Courtenay Valenti began her career as an assistant at Warner Bros. in the 1980s, eventually rising to President of Production and Development. During her tenure, she championed major hits including BARBIE, THE COLOR PURPLE, and Proximity’s JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH. Today, Courtenay is Head of Theatrical and Streaming Films at Amazon MGM Studios where she oversees the company’s film slate and strategic direction. Courtenay sat down with her former colleague, Proximity’s head of film Rebecca Cho, for an empowering conversation about the role of a studio executive, lessons in leadership and mentorship, and the secret to making a sustainable and impactful Hollywood career. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com. (2:09) Get Reel (9:31) Difference between a studio exec vs. producer (18:07) What makes a great leader (23:42) Navigating industry changes (33:42) Working with creatives (37:17) Prox Recs

We took a trip to Gardena Cinema, one of the last family-owned, independent movie theaters in Los Angeles, to try and answer a simple question: What’s it like to own and operate an indie movie theater today? Proximity’s Head of Audio Paola Mardo talks with owner Judy Kim about how her immigrant parents built their business after they bought the single-screen theater in 1976, why she had to pivot after the 2023 strikes, and the vital role her community plays in keeping the doors open. We also have a fun segment featuring our visit to a marathon of horror exploitation movies screened in 16mm film. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com. (03:57) Inside the Horror-Exploitation-Thon at Gardena Cinema (10:49) All in the family: Gardena Cinema’s origin story (15:41) How the 2023 strikes changed Gardena Cinema’s business model (23:56) What it’s like to operate an indie theater today

GMORNING, GNITE! everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too. BOJACK HORSEMAN. GOODBYE, AGAIN. Jonny Sun is a film and TV writer, producer, author, and illustrator who has worked with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Damon Lindelof. His background is in architecture and engineering as a doctoral candidate at MIT and a creative researcher at the Harvard metaLAB. His writing career took off after he created the beloved alien Twitter persona Jomny Sun which earned him over half a million followers and a place on TIME Magazine’s 25 Most Influential People on the Internet in 2017. On this episode, Jonny sits with Proximity’s head of film Rebecca Cho to share what they’ve learned about collaborating as writer and producer while developing a feature screenplay together. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com. (02:21) Get Reel (10:24) Jomny Sun the Twitter alien (14:31) The “Asian six-pack” and finding creativity in math and science (21:20) What makes a great collaborator (30:16) Developing their project from idea to screenplay (34:23) Prox Recs

Jon Else is an award-winning documentarian, cinematographer, and MacArthur Genius grant recipient. Over 40 years before Christopher Nolan’s OPPENHEIMER, Jon directed THE DAY AFTER TRINITY, a documentary film about J. Robert Oppenheimer. For almost two decades, Jon led the documentary program at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism where he met then journalism student, now collaborator and friend, Pete Nicks. On this episode, Jon and Pete deep dive into their careers in documentary film. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com. (01:59) Get Reel (09:04) Meeting at Cal and getting into documentary (19:20) From FRUITVALE STATION to THE FORCE (29:57) Advice for documentary filmmakers today (34:30) From THE DAY AFTER TRINITY to OPPENHEIMER (36:22) Prox Recs

GET OUT. US. NOPE. Jordan Peele is an award-winning writer, director, and producer of these groundbreaking films, and founder of Monkeypaw Productions. On this episode, Jordan walks Ryan Coogler through his early career, trading filmmaker dreams for comedy then finding his way to directing, genre filmmaking, how he wrote GET OUT but almost didn’t direct it, and the Batman actor who told him to use his fear. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com. Watch the trailer for SINNERS directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan on our Instagram @ProximityMedia or on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKGxHflevuk (1:45) Get Reel (13:36) Puppetry and creature effects (21:53) Writing GET OUT (34:18) Genre filmmaking (41:43) Use your fear (42:36) Prox Recs

When Sev Ohanian first read a script by Tony Rettenmaier, he was blown away. Tony was then fresh out of film school and working as a PA for an indie film Sev was producing. Just a few years later, Tony and his writing partner Juel Taylor would go on to write the screenplays for CREED II and SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY. On this episode, Juel and Tony share their path from student filmmakers and gym buddies to one of the most in-demand screenwriting duos in Hollywood, their pitch process for Juel’s directorial debut THEY CLONED TYRONE, and their unique experiences writing short stories and building website for their projects. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com. (01:53) Get Reel (08:34) From gym buddies to writing partners (13:43) Breaking into the industry (17:59) Becoming screenwriters (26:33) Pitching THEY CLONED TYRONE (44:14) Prox Recs

Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut AMERICAN FICTION premiered at Toronto International Film Festival last year where it won the People’s Choice Award. The film grossed $23 million and won several accolades including the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. In his Oscar speech, Cord implored the industry to take more creative risks. Just weeks later, Cord and Ryan met over a video call to talk about their first films, Cord’s unique path to filmmaking, insights from the set of AMERICAN FICTION, and what Cord and Ryan are working on next – including tidbits from Ryan’s next movie which he was preparing to shoot at the time of recording. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com. (02:30) Get Reel (10:46) How Cord’s first writing job took GUTS (19:28) On the set of AMERICAN FICTION and collaborating with Jeffrey Wright (27:58) What they’re working on next and what keeps them going (35:48) “You shouldn't be doing this if the end goal is to win an Oscar.” (39:49) Prox Recs

Don’t miss Jordan Peele, Cord Jefferson, Courtenay Valenti, Jonny Sun, and others in conversation with Ryan Coogler, Sev Ohanian, and the rest of our Proximity crew. Follow IN PROXIMITY on your favorite podcast app to stay up-to-date on new episodes. Follow @ProximityMedia on all social media platforms for video exclusives including a new video trailer out now.

On our season finale, we’re going all in on Stephen Curry: Underrated, an inspiring coming-of-age story documenting the rise of NBA superstar, Golden State Warrior, and Davidson legend Stephen Curry from Proximity Media and our partners at Unanimous, A24, and Apple TV+. The film’s creative minds team up for an intimate and epic conversation about movies, basketball, and more: Stephen Curry himself, director Pete Nicks, and producers Erick Peyton and Ryan Coogler. They talk about how the film came together (2:05) and how they each tackle some of the biggest themes in Stephen's basketball career as illustrated in the documentary (9:29): dealing with loss, believing in yourself, and wearing the idea of being “underrated” as a badge of honor. We end with Prox Recs and some important reminders before our season break (40:23). We filmed this conversation for our very first video podcast. You can watch it now on our YouTube channel. Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com. Stephen Curry: Underrated is now streaming on Apple TV+. Watch the music video for “Lil Fish, Big Pond” by Tobe Nwigwe on YouTube.

Fruitvale Station was released 10 years ago this month. This was Ryan Coogler’s first feature film and it’s how he met fellow Bay Area director Pete Nicks. On this episode, they discuss meeting on Fruitvale Station (1:35); directing fiction and nonfiction films, the idea of “naive audacity,” and Pete’s Oakland trilogy (16:35); and collaborating on Proximity’s latest releases directed by Pete and produced by Ryan and our partners: Anthem, a musical journey across the U.S. experimenting to reimagine the National Anthem, and Stephen Curry: Underrated, a remarkable coming-of-age story about one of the most influential and unexpected players in basketball history (26:00). At the end, they answer listener questions (33:25) and share their Prox Recs (40:21). Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

Have a seat at the executive table with Kalia King, Proximity’s head of TV, and Tara Duncan, president of Onyx Collective, a premium content brand under Disney Entertainment. At Onyx, Tara’s slate includes Reasonable Doubt, The 1619 Project Docuseries, the Academy Award-winning documentary feature Summer of Soul, and Anthem, produced by Proximity Media and directed by Pete Nicks. Previously, Tara served as president of Disney’s young adult TV network Freeform where she launched Cruel Summer and Single Drunk Female. She had a producing deal at Hulu where she developed projects like The Other Black Girl. She held executive positions at AMC and Netflix where she produced shows like Bosch, Narcos, and Orange is the New Black. She got her start at Section Eight, George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh’s production company. On this insightful episode, Tara and Kalia break down how they met and Tara’s executive journey (2:30), their community of Black women creatives in Hollywood (08:07), what it’s like to not have imposter syndrome (20:59), what goes into programming television for audiences (24:19), finding work-life balance as producers and executives (29:55), and their Prox Recs (34:07). Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

Anthem is an upcoming documentary streaming on Hulu on June 28th, produced by Proximity Media and our partners, and directed by our head of nonfiction Pete Nicks (Stephen Curry: Underrated, The Waiting Room, The Force, Homeroom). The film features acclaimed composer Kris Bowers (Bridgerton, When They See Us, King Richard), and Grammy-winning music producer Dahi (Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, Drake) as they take a musical journey traveling across America to make a new sound, inspired by what our country’s national anthem might be if written in today’s time. On this episode, Pete sits down with Kris to reflect on their experiences making personal documentaries like The Wolf and A Concerto is a Conversation (2:44), on their collaboration on Anthem (14:57), and their Prox Recs (28:31).

The second of a two-part conversation between Ta-Nehisi Coates and Ryan Coogler. Ta-Nehisi is a writer, journalist, and, most recently, host and writer of Proximity Media’s Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast. Ta-Nehisi and Ryan sat down for our show to discuss Ta-Nehisi’s writing career and process. In this second part, Ta-Nehisi shares his writing career and process (1:31) and Ryan breaks down a scene from Creed (22:52). They also discuss Ta-Nehisi's transition from journalism to fiction plus their shared experiences telling Black Panther stories (11:35) and their Prox Recs (26:22). Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

The first of a two-part conversation between Ta-Nehisi Coates and Ryan Coogler. Ta-Nehisi is an author, journalist, and, most recently, host and writer of Proximity Media’s Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast. Ta-Nehisi and Ryan sat down for our show to discuss Ta-Nehisi’s writing journey and influences. In this first part, Ta-Nehisi shares a little bit about his production company Maceo-Lyn (2:30), his early dreams of becoming a rapper, and the impact of hip-hop, and artists like Nas and Tupac, on his and Ryan’s work (6:05), plus the power and criticism of impactful works of art like Illmatic, Wakanda Forever, A Prophet, Moonlight, and Get Out (24:12). Learn more, get links to Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast, and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

Blitz Bazawule is a filmmaker, musician, visual artist, and author. Born in Ghana and based in New York, his directorial credits include The Burial Of Kojo, Beyoncé's Black Is King, and the upcoming The Color Purple Musical produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones, and Scott Sanders. Blitz speaks with Proximity founder Ryan Coogler about meeting at a TED conference (2:10), Blitz’ transition from musician to filmmaker (7:10), creative rotation (15:50), telling stories across the Black diaspora (19:30), and their Prox Recs (32:11).

Step inside Proximity Media as our team members discuss topics and answer listener questions about working in film and television at our company. D’Angelo “D’Lo” Louis and Dezi Gallegos sit with Paola Mardo at our office to discuss breaking into the industry (1:40), working at a production company (12:19), and their day-to-day jobs as executives and producers (15:10). They also answer listener questions (19:28) and share their Prox Recs (31:40). Welcome to Proximity! Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

Before becoming a screenwriter and TV writer on HBO’s Succession, Jamie Carragher was a high school teacher turned graduate arts journalism student at USC Annenberg where he met Paola Mardo, then an aspiring film critic and podcast producer, now head of audio at Proximity Media, producer/executive producer of In Proximity, and host/creator of Long Distance, a narrative podcast and short documentary series about stories in the Filipino diaspora. On this episode, Jamie and Paola discuss navigating unorthodox creative careers including attending journalism school (2:59), how Jamie’s sole Hollywood connection led to a writer’s assistant job (8:14), how and why Paola created the podcast Long Distance (10:47), Jamie’s role as Succession writer’s assistant (16:29) then staff writer and story editor (20:23), and their Prox Recs (24:20). Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com. NOTE: This episode features a conversation about television writing. We at Proximity Media want to acknowledge that the Writers Guild of America, the labor union representing writers of motion pictures, television, radio, and internet programming, is currently on strike. Our company works closely with writers and we have writers in the company as well. So we stand in solidarity with the WGA and support all writers – and workers – in getting fair treatment and pay. Thanks for listening to In Proximity. – Paola Mardo, Proximity Media Head of Audio and In Proximity Producer/Executive Producer

Charles D. King is the founder and CEO of MACRO, a multi-platform media company representing the voice and perspectives of Black people, indigenous people, and people of color. Some of their projects include Dear Mama, Mudbound, Fences, and Judas and the Black Messiah, produced with Proximity Media and Warner Brothers. Formerly a partner/senior agent at William Morris Endeavor, Charles was the first Black partner in the company’s 100+ year history and the first ever Black partner at any major talent agency. In 2021, when Judas and the Black Messiah was nominated for Best Picture, Charles became part of the first ever all-Black team of producers nominated for an Academy Award alongside director Shaka King and Proximity founder Ryan Coogler. The team worked closely with an esteemed group of Black creatives, activists, and executives including Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. and Niija Kuykendall, then SVP of Production at Warner Brothers, now VP of Film at Netflix. Charles and Ryan talk about how they first met (2:40), the role of an agent (5:34), Charles’ transition to founding MACRO (10:27), Charles’ role in the launch of Proximity (23:30), the making of Judas the Black Messiah (26:00), and their Prox Recs for working in the entertainment business (40:03). Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.

Natalie Qasabian is an award-winning film producer who has worked on independent and studio films including Searching, Run, and Missing. She is a frequent collaborator of writing partners Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian. (Aneesh and Sev are previous guests on this podcast – be sure to check out their episode if you haven’t already.) Natalie and Sev are married and they are partners in work and life. They share their meet cute (2:20), how they started working together (6:00), their producing process (17:14), the power of a great email (23:17), and the secret to working successfully with your life partner (30:42). Learn more and read the transcript of this conversation at ProximityMedia.com.