Harvardwood HIGHLIGHTS - May 2025
- May 5
- 25 min read
In this issue:
MESSAGE FROM HARVARDWOOD
NEWS
Harvardwood Feature Writing Intensive - Applications Due TOMORROW!
Harvardwood Writers Competition Showcase Featuring Winning Scripts
Virtual Harvardwood 101 - Applications Due FRIDAY
Harvardwood Summer Internship Program (HSIP) 2025
Seeking Homestay Hosts for HSIP 2025
HSIP Student Database
Looking for Class of 2025 Commencement Marshals on Thursday, May 29
Featured Job: Co-Assistant to Talent Manager
FEATURES
Harvardwood Profile: Jonathan Eirich AB ‘03 (producer)
Industry News
Welcome New Members
Exclusive Q&A with Ryan Halprin AB '12 (producer)
CALENDAR & NOTES
Empowering Voices: Writing Through and the Creative Nonprofit World (Virtual)
SLEEPER to SCREAM: A Conversation with Legendary Casting Director Lisa Beach AB '80 (Virtual)
Harvardwood Writers Competition Showcase (Virtual)
From Writer's Rooms to Studio Deals: A Sitcom Writer’s Comedy Journey (Virtual)
Last Month at Harvardwood
Want to submit your success(es) to Harvardwood HIGHLIGHTS? Do so by posting here!
Mayday, May Day, Mayo (re: de Cinco), and so on and so forth.
We are well into Q2 and chugging strong with Harvardwood Feature Writing Intensive Applications due TOMORROW and a Harvardwood Writer's Competition Winning Scripts Showcase coming up. We were also mentioned in Scriptnotes—not to brag, but it's not every day we get called "incredibly strong" and "a community" and "like Harvardwood."
This is it, it's time to come talk to Sue Guiney, founder of Writing Through about the power of creative writing and the Creative Nonprofit World. Interested in finally landing that dream role? You're in luck— we have an Exclusive Conversation with Casting Director Lisa Beach. Finally, mark your calendars and start your engines (overheating laptop running Final Draft 12) and hear from Morgan Lehmann about Selling Your Comedy Feature.
As always, if you have an idea for an event or programming, please tell us about it here. If you have an announcement about your work or someone else's, please share it here (members) and it will appear in our Weekly and/or next HIGHLIGHTS issue.
Best wishes,
Grace Shi
Operations and Communications
Harvardwood Feature Writing Intensive - Applications Due TOMORROW!
Have you been working on a feature film idea and just can’t seem to get the project off the ground? Maybe you’ve written a draft but know it needs another pass. Or perhaps you need inspiration and accountability to get past writer's block?
The Harvardwood Feature Writing Intensive (FWI) brings together Harvardwood members for 10–12 weeks of focused writing, support, and accountability—whether you're working on a first draft, revising toward a polished script, or aiming for another milestone of your choice.
APPLY NOW (Deadline: May 6)
Harvardwood Writers Competition Showcase Featuring Winning Scripts
Join us for an unforgettable evening as we bring bold new voices to life! Celebrate the incredible talent of emerging writers with live readings of excerpts from the winning scripts from this year’s Harvardwood Writers Competition. These powerful and original works will be brought to life by members of the Harvardwood Actors Collective, showcasing the creativity and depth of our storytellers.
Date & Time: Thursday, June 5, 5-6:30pm PT
Free and open to all—come experience the future of storytelling!
Virtual Harvardwood 101 - Applications Due FRIDAY
This program is for any current Harvard undergrads and graduate students.
Virtual Harvardwood 101 is an intensive, informal three-day program featuring a dozen events via Zoom, including industry speakers, panels with interactive sessions, student Q&As, workshops, and more! Participants in past years include Amazon Studios, BMG Music Group, CAA, HBO Max, Netflix, Spotify, United Masters, Upland Workshop, UTA, WME, and more!
Students who have completed the virtual or in-person Harvardwood 101 programs in the past are eligible to participate again.
For more information, visit the Harvardwood 101 page.
Harvardwood Summer Internship Program (HSIP) 2025
Now in its 22nd year, the Harvardwood Summer Internship Program (HSIP) provides a list of summer internship opportunities in the arts, media, and entertainment to interested Harvard students. In addition, HSIP facilitates career-related activities throughout the summer for participating students and companies virtually and/or in-person in LA, NY, and other cities with multiple students. Past program events have included film screenings, industry panels, and networking pool parties.
Internship opportunities are released and applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Positions may be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage students and companies to submit their materials as early as possible.
For more information, visit the HSIP page.
Seeking Homestay Hosts for HSIP 2025
Every year, our Harvardwood Summer Internship Program (HSIP) offers a few dozen Harvard College students the opportunity to pursue summer internships in the arts, media, and entertainment sectors. HSIP facilitates career-related activities throughout the summer for participating students and companies both virtually and in-person in Los Angeles and other cities with multiple students.
We are currently looking for homestay hosts for part or all of Summer 2025 in LA, NYC, and other large cities to help defray the cost of living for students, many of whom could otherwise not afford to participate in low-paying arts/entertainment internships. If you're able to provide a spare room/couch/air mattress to host a college student (or three!) we'd be eternally grateful.
Please contact Programs Director Laura Yumi Snell at programs@harvardwood.org with your name, address/neighborhood, and the number of students and dates you're able to host. Thank you!
HSIP Student Database
Students! If you’re interning in LA/NY and you'd like to connect with other students for the purpose of finding roommates or carpool buddies, please email programs@harvardwood.org.
Looking for Class of 2025 Commencement Marshals on Thursday, May 29
On behalf of Harvard's Committee for the Happy Observance of Commencement, we are thrilled to invite you to play a significant role as an alumni marshal at Commencement for the Class of 2025 on Thursday, May 29. This year, there will be a record number of graduates at Commencement—about 11,000 because of COVID deferrals.
Featured Job: Co-Assistant to Talent Manager
Job Description:
Talent Partner/Manager at Anonymous Content looking for a Co-Assistant (this is a 2-assistant desk). This is not a starter desk. All applicants must have at least one year of assistant experience (agency/talent experience preferred). Must be highly motivated, detail-oriented, with superior organizational and communication skills to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
Alumni Profile: Jonathan Eirich AB '03 (producer)
by Laura Frustaci AB '21
Jonathan Eirich AB '03 is President of Film for Rideback, the film and television company known for producing tentpole live-action and animated content for global audiences.
Eirich is a BAFTA and Golden Globe-nominated producer who has overseen production for live-action films such as Disney’s billion-dollar box office hit ALADDIN, directed by Guy Ritchie; Netflix’s DEATH NOTE, directed by Adam Wingard; and the Netflix three-time Oscar-nominated film THE TWO POPES, directed by Oscar-nominated Fernando Meirelles. In 2019, ALADDIN became the second-highest-grossing live-action musical film of all time.
Jonathan Eirich AB '03 began his journey at Harvard as a History and Literature concentrator with a passion for film, taking all his electives in screenwriting and directing. After interning at Gold Circle Films, where he got to be one of the first people to see MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, and then later at Scout Productions, where he worked on QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY, he moved to L.A. to pursue screenwriting. While working on a book and a script, Jonathan was advised to work at an agency to build industry connections. He landed a role at CAA assisting a young agent, which provided incredibly valuable exposure to the pace and structure of the business.
Eventually, Jonathan was recruited to work for Stacey Snider, who was head of Universal at the time. He followed her to DreamWorks, where he got his first taste of what it was like to be involved in the creative process directly. Jonathan recalls giving notes on TRANSFORMERS that he says he thought almost got him fired. “It was the most amazing experience, as a child of the eighties who grew up loving the toys, getting to read a big blockbuster movie executive produced by Steven Spielberg before almost anybody else had…” Jonathan recalls. “And I literally wrote full Harvard-essay-style notes on TRANSFORMERS, which, by the way, I loved.” But he also listed out five things he thought needed to change.
After radio silence for a full 48 hours, Jonathan was “spiraling as [he drove] into work on Monday morning. Did I just criticize Steven’s favorite script? Do I still have a job?” Until an email from Stacey came in, not to Jonathan, but directly to the president of production and the producer, agreeing with all his notes and crediting him for them. “It was like that first time where you felt that ability to shape the process, and that your thoughts could actually be meaningful. And this thing that the whole world was going to see could be affected by your creative opinion.” That was when the film development bug bit Jonathan hard and incited the rest of his (very successful) career.
As he gained responsibility and sway to offer creative input, Jonathan became a junior executive who found and championed two books: THE HELP and I AM NUMBER FOUR. While I AM NUMBER FOUR suffered some on-set drama (but became an invaluable learning experience), THE HELP ran smoothly despite initial skepticism, ultimately becoming a breakout box office success with critical acclaim and Oscar recognition. This experience, along with working on other projects like BRIDGE OF SPIES, which he heard from a writer over breakfast with no producer attached and immediately pitched to Spielberg that day, deepened Jonathan’s passion for storytelling and solidified his role as a creative executive who values specific, constructive notes and authentic creative voices.
After working at DreamWorks on a wide variety of films, Jonathan began contemplating a shift toward producing rather than being an executive. Though encouraged to partner with a specific filmmaker or actor, he realized he valued the breadth and diversity of projects he had been able to work on. That desire for creative range led him to conversations with fellow Harvard alum Dan Lin MBA '99, who had recently had a major success with THE LEGO MOVIE. Dan pitched him on joining his company, offering Jonathan the chance to run the film division with significant autonomy. Inspired by Dan's bold vision and sincerity, Jonathan took the leap in 2015, trading his studio executive role and inbound calls for a producer’s life of outbound calls, hustle, and creative problem-solving.
Almost ten years later, Jonathan’s latest upcoming project is the LILO & STITCH live-action remake, which also involves fellow Harvard alums Dan Lin MBA '99, Ryan Halprin AB '12, and Courtney B. Vance AB '82, and opens Memorial Day Weekend. The idea started as a passion project involving writer Mike Van Waes, who had penned a script that carried a similarly heartfelt tone to the beloved animated film. Though initially not a top priority for the studio, the project's emotional core resonated with Jonathan and the production team, and they successfully pitched the idea to the studio. Just like with Jonathan’s 2019 live-action adaptation of ALADDIN, his favorite childhood film, Jonathan recognized the potential in LILO & STITCH. ALADDIN had captivated him as a child, and just like that story, this one also held powerful nostalgia for a whole generation, as well as the opportunity to introduce new generations to a beautiful modern-day story.
However, the journey to bring LILO & STITCH to life wasn't easy. Despite early interest from top-tier directors (first Jon Chu and then Destin Daniel Cretton), budget constraints and Disney+ limitations made it difficult to secure those directors. But everything fell into place when Jonathan saw MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON, a tender and visually inventive film that embodied the same tone he wanted for LILO & STITCH. Its director, Dean Fleischer Camp, signed on, bringing with him the right mix of animation expertise and emotional storytelling. With Dean on board and Hawaiian screenwriter Chris Kekaniokalani Bright adding rich cultural authenticity, which Jonathan and the rest of the team knew was crucial to making this adaptation a success, the production was finally ready to move forward.
Though it began filming in 2023, production hit a snag due to the industry strike. However, Jonathan acknowledged that this unexpected pause actually gave the team valuable time to reflect on and refine their footage. Jonathan recalls, “We sort of knew what the movie was missing and recalibrated, and honestly, probably were more efficient about what we shot as a result.” And then there was the somewhat enormous post-production process of editing Stitch into each shot. “Every shot, you had to put under a microscope and say, ‘Could this be a little bit funnier? What if he looked left? What if he reacted to this? What if he was over there? What if you slid him to this spot?’ So it was such a painstaking process but one that was so full of love and care in every single frame.” Jonathan smiles.
Jonathan is especially proud of helping to find and champion Maia Kealoha, the young Hawaiian actress playing Lilo, whose first audition at age five won her the role. The casting process for finding Maia involved both a local Hawaiian casting agency and a global search coordinated by Disney. Although they received audition tapes from Los Angeles, Arizona, Seattle, and even internationally, they believed the right actor would most likely be found in Hawaii. The team was specifically looking for a six-year-old, because after watching so many auditions, they decided that age embodied the right level of innocence and authenticity. But whoever was cast also needed the stamina and personality to handle the demands of a feature film. Maia’s tape was a late addition to the pile, but she stood out and impressed during a long and rigorous callback day that proved her resilience and on-set readiness. Her charm, presence, and endurance made it clear she was the perfect fit.
Jonathan sees LILO & STITCH as a heartfelt narrative about loss, love, and the resilience of found family. In this version, he notes, “There's some big changes. There's a completely different villain in our movie.” But he says that the filmmakers earn a lot of trust with the audience because there’s a faithful and loving adaptation that stays true to the original animated movie. When previewed, Jonathan says that between the tone, the look of Stitch and our cast, the audience knew, “‘Okay, I'm in good hands. I know these are filmmakers that love the thing I love, and they got it right’.” Once they feel that, the audience gives you a “license to explore, and take more chances with the story.”
When asked what the one common misconception about being a producer was, Jonathan laughed. “You only want ONE misconception of being a producer?” He continued, “I would say there are probably two big misconceptions we fight: First, that we finance the movie. Because producers are ‘responsible’ for the budget there is also the perception that we are the ‘money guys,’ which couldn’t be further from the truth. We are sellers, not financiers… We fight the good fight to make the best possible movie or show, but the studio holds the cards at the end of the day. And the second misconception is just the financials of being a producer… We do not get paid a dime until a movie is getting made. So you can birth your own original idea, give that to a writer, work with them on a pitch and sell it, put a director on, cast the movie, develop it for years and if at the last minute, the movie falls apart as these things often do, that could’ve been five, six, or seven years of work that was unpaid.”
Jonathan is now involved with a group called Producers United that is trying to make the producer job a more financially sustainable one, while also bringing back the importance of being a “career producer” (these are producers who have no other title or role on the movie other than to service the film and be responsible for quality control and keeping the budget and production on track). This is because, Jonathan says, “Everyone wants a Producer credit on a film these days and it’s diluted the notion of what the job is for the ‘career producers’ who live and die with these movies, so that’s what we are trying to reclaim as a group.”
Finally, Jonathan had some advice for these aspiring “career producers.” Like all good things, his advice comes in threes: “One, come into this business with pure love for making movies and shows. If you’re coming in trying to guess what the business is going to be, or how you can make as much money as people did a decade or two ago, it’s going to be a tough road. But if you have the attitude of, ‘I get to talk about movies and TV and books and new ideas for a living, how lucky am I?’, then this will be a fun ride.”
Next, Jonathan said, “Work at a talent agency. These are the hubs of information for the entire business and the pace is as fast as it gets. There is no better training ground, no better way to meet your ‘graduating class of assistants’ and no better way to understand how things get done than to start on the inside of a talent agency.”
And his final nugget of wisdom? “Three, read and watch everything. There is absolutely a Malcolm-Gladwell-10,000-hours component to this job – you only get better at identifying what feels like a movie or a show by reading so many scripts and getting a feel for your own taste and development instincts, and it’s a skill-set that you just have to refine again and again. And also, if you want to be a film exec, watch every movie on the AFI’s Top 100 list… it’s an incredible foundation of cinema history, and you’re never going to have time to do it later on once the pace of these jobs consumes all your time!”
Industry News
Harvardwood was thrilled to receive a shout-out for being a strong alumni community in the entertainment industry on the Scriptnotes Premium podcast (formerly produced by Megana Rao AB '14). Check it out here!
Read this review of PULSE, executive produced by Carlton Cuse AB '81, as the Harvard alum returns to the world of high-concept thrillers in this sleek Netflix techno-drama. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Carlton Cuse AB '81 and his son, Nick Cuse AB '13, are developing a new STAR WARS series for Disney+, bringing their signature storytelling to a galaxy far, far away. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Kelly Yang JD '05 just released her newest children’s book, LITTLE BIRD LAILA – a tender, beautifully illustrated story about finding your voice in a new place. Now available from Penguin Random House and booksellers nationwide. (Penguin Random House)
Natalie Portman AB '03 stars in FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, an adventure film directed by Guy Ritchie, set to premiere on Apple TV+ on May 23, 2025. The newly released trailer showcases thrilling action sequences and the dynamic between Natalie Portman and John Krasinski. (YouTube)
Sarah Manguso AB '96 has been shortlisted for the 2025 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction for her novel LIARS. The prize honors outstanding literary works by women and non-binary authors from the U.S. and Canada. (People)
David Heyman AB '83, producer of the HARRY POTTER series, joins forces with Amy Pascal to produce Amazon MGM Studios’ upcoming James Bond film, marking a new era for the iconic franchise. (Deadline)
Lauren Greenfield AB '87 discusses her new docuseries SOCIAL STUDIES at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, exploring the impact of social media on Gen Z. (Deadline)
Composer Matthew Aucoin AB '12 asks “What is Classical Music?” in a sweeping, thought-provoking feature for The Atlantic. Check out his essay in the May 2025 issue, where he unpacks the future—and fragility—of the genre with both wit and urgency. (The Atlantic)
Buzz Bissinger’s NIE '86 THE MOSQUITO BOWL is getting the big-screen treatment. Directed by AMERICAN PRIMEVAL’s Peter Berg and starring Nicholas Galitzine and Bill Skarsgård, the WWII football drama follows a group of college athletes turned Marines who play one final game before the Battle of Okinawa. (The Week)
Steven Schneider AB '98, known for producing PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and INSIDIOUS, is set to produce the upcoming horror-thriller THE ENTITY WITHIN through AMP. The film is being introduced to buyers at the Cannes market. (Deadline)
Reginald Hudlin AB '83 directs NUMBER ONE ON THE CALL SHEET, a new Apple TV+ documentary spotlighting Black leading men in Hollywood, featuring Denzel Washington, Idris Elba, and more. (Deadline)
Srikanth Reddy AB '95 captivated audiences at the International Poetry Forum on April 15th, reading from his works VOYAGER and UNDERWORLD LIT and discussing themes of mortality, mythology, and personal transformation. (The Tartan)
David Heyman AB '83 and Alan Yang AB '03 are set to produce a television series adaptation of Carolyn Huynh’s debut novel, THE FORTUNES OF JADED WOMEN, for Universal Television. (Deadline)
Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo AB '06 announced during Coachella that the band is working on a feature film. The film is currently in production in Los Angeles. (Billboard)
Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor John Lithgow AB '67 ArD '05 has been cast as Professor Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s forthcoming adaptation of the HARRY POTTER series produced by David Heyman AB '83. This new series aims to provide a faithful retelling of J.K. Rowling’s beloved novels, with each season dedicated to one book. The series is set to premiere on HBO in 2026. (Deadline)
Nicholas Stoller AB '98 is at the helm of JUDGMENT DAY, an upcoming comedy film for Amazon MGM Studios. The movie boasts a stellar cast, including Will Ferrell, Zac Efron, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Michael Peña. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Isabella Madrigal AB ’23 has been named a 2025 Sundance Screenwriters Lab Fellow. Her project, THE HUNTRESS, draws from her Cahuilla and Turtle Mountain Chippewa heritage to tell the story of a young Native woman navigating identity and tradition. The lab, held online from June 24–27, supports emerging voices in independent film. (Variety)
EAT SURF LOVE, an award-winning short film by Nada Djordjevich Ed. M. starring Harvardwood Programs Director Laura Yumi Snell A.R.T. '18 (SoHo Shakespeare Company), Tyler Ritter, and Molly Wood, will screen on Friday, May 9, during the Love Lives in SF Festival. Tickets and more information here.
FINAL DESTINATION BLOODLINES co-directed by Adam Stein AB '99 is opening on May 16! (The Guardian)
Gerry Bryant AB '76 (corrected from '74) received a Silver Medal for Outstanding Achievement from the Global Music Awards for his album THE COMPOSERS: VOLUME 2. The album, released by Navona Records, celebrates the works of historically overlooked Black classical composers and furthers Bryant’s mission to spotlight their lasting contributions to classical music. (Parma Recordings)
Courtney B. Vance AB '82 has announced his candidacy to join the Harvard Board of Overseers, one of Harvard’s two governing boards, for which voting has opened. If elected, Courtney intends to be a strong advocate for Harvard artists across disciplines. In Harvard Magazine’s recent questionnaire for Overseer candidates, Courtney states that “the Overseers' role is ensuring that Harvard remains true to its core values.” He adds, "Communicating person-to-person is what I am all about. Having a long, productive career in the business-of-show has prepared me to contribute in a meaningful and impactful way. Why? Because connecting with people, consensus building, and the lost art of listening, are the little things that will help us reconnect and reposition ourselves at home and abroad." If you'd like to learn more about Courtney and his campaign, please explore this document.
Welcome New Members
Harvardwood warmly welcomes all members who joined the organization or renewed their membership last month:
Dan Mintz
Inseo Yeo
Salma Qarnain
Connor Doyle
Elaine Kim
Sebi Cauz
Maya Alzay
Exclusive Q&A with Ryan Halprin AB '12 (producer)
Ryan Halprin AB '12 is Senior Vice President of Production at Rideback where he works on both Film and TV projects. Next up is the live-action adaptation of Disney's LILO & STITCH coming out this month, and he is currently executive producing the live-action series adaptation of AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER for Netflix. Since joining the company in 2012, he has also overseen production on the LEGO MOVIE franchise of animated films at Warner Bros on behalf of Rideback, and co-produced the DEATH NOTE manga adaptation for Netflix.
Ryan studied Neurobiology and Economics at Harvard, but spent most of his time pursuing the arts. He performed in the cast of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals, and outside of the Pudding, he choreographed and directed slightly less burlesque productions at the American Repertory Theater, among other places on campus. In the summer of 2011, Ryan tested the LA waters with an internship at Lin Pictures. After one more year in Cambridge scanning brains, he came right back and has been there since. Ryan was born in Chicago and grew up in Palo Alto, CA. Always missing live theater these days, he choreographs couples’ first dances at their weddings as a side hustle.
Q: Congratulations on the upcoming LILO & STITCH live-action adaptation, with several other terrific Harvard folks involved! The story is such a deeply emotional story about found family. How did the team approach that emotional core in the live-action version?
Thank you! We first took the idea to Disney in spring of 2018, nearly 7 years ago. At that time, Disney had released a couple of live-action remakes of their animated classics, and they were focused on older titles and films from the Disney Renaissance of the 90s. I had grown up with some of their newer films and LILO & STITCH was one of my favorites because it was so different from their usual fairytales – it takes place in the real world, it’s messy, it’s hilarious… and with no less heart than any other Disney staple.
I had lunch with a newer Disney exec who was also a fan of the original and said he would hear a take. I reached out to a writer who Jonathan Eirich (AB '03) and I had worked with previously and who I knew was a big fan, and we developed a pitch. It sounds crazy now, but there was a lot of skepticism at the studio that this would be a worthy candidate for adaptation. Luckily it wasn’t an expensive pitch and they felt our passion so they gave us a shot to develop a script. The road from a little streaming play for Disney+ to a tentpole theatrical release has been thrilling.
In approaching the adaptation, the goal of course is to lovingly preserve the soul of the original while finding opportunities to expand the story and discovering something new to say that resonates with a new generation. The animated movie over-delivers on character and emotion, but we found there were a number of ways to flesh out the plot and update it for a modern, live-action context. We went through several iterations of the script and engaged with a couple of filmmakers before we found Dean Fleischer Camp (MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON). His approach was less about taking 'Ohana at face value, which can sound like a platitude, and instead focusing on what Stitch says about his family at the end of the movie: “It’s little, and broken, but still good. Yeah. Still good.” This idea that just because someone or something isn’t perfect or doesn’t follow the rules doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of love. That insight from Dean became a north star for us and informed a lot of the decisions we made for this version of the story.
Q: The original film blends Hawaiian culture, sci-fi, and heartfelt family drama. What’s been the biggest challenge in honoring all those tones at once?
One of the great opportunities a live-action LILO & STITCH affords, or really demands, is to bring an authenticity to the showcase of Hawaiian culture and music and history. One of our writers, Chris Kekaniokalani Bright (who sang in the children’s choir in the original movie!), is Hawaiian and brought both big new characters and smaller specific details to the script that really augment the Hawaiian-ness of the movie. We also hired multiple cultural consultants to be with us in development and on set, updated the music with AAPI talent, and made the movie with hundreds of local people on O’ahu.
Then, yes, it’s also a sci-fi movie! We took a more grounded approach to certain elements – any alien visiting Earth dons a human disguise – and then went all out for everything in outer space. We debated at times keeping it all on Earth and never going to space, but ultimately we and Dean felt there is so much fun in how the sprawling alien world Stitch comes from contrasts with an island community where a real family is struggling to make ends meet. And including both makes Stitch’s journey from one to the other in search of a place to belong all the more incredible.
Q: Congratulations as well on the live-action series adaptation of AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER for Netflix! The show has one of the most passionate fan bases out there. How did the team balance staying faithful to the original series while making it work in a live-action format and adding something new in this version? And what do you think the fans will really appreciate about this version?
Thank you! As part of that OG passionate fanbase, it’s so fun to work towards the right balance between recreating iconic moments and finding new moments that feel true to the spirit of the animated series and deepen the existing storylines. And, because we have to conform to the shorter Netflix drama format, there is less real estate than the original show had to tell a compelling narrative. One of the big challenges for the writers is to pick the parts of the series that they connect to most, and try and service those as thoroughly as possible. Better to maximize the impact of a few great story threads than try to partially-service everything. Depth over breadth.
One pursuit we’ve stayed committed to across all 3 seasons is to have as much diversity in front of and behind the camera as possible – to date, all of our actors and all of our episodic directors are of Asian heritage, and we have an extremely diverse writers' room as well. As a result, this version of the narrative is told and performed from multiple diverse points of view, which hopefully adds a layer of authenticity and reality to an otherwise fantastical show. And in that way, we don’t get too caught up in trying to compare our show to the inimitable original series; we hope our show can stand on its own.
Q: For kids and young adults discovering AVATAR for the first time through this version—what do you hope resonates most with them about Aang’s journey and the world around him?
Like any epic fantasy, Avatar involves a battle between good vs evil. A large part of Aang’s struggle is in discovering how to conquer the villain while staying true to his non-violent nature. Ultimately, when faced with the choice to kill or be killed, he finds a third option, one that could only come from him. It’s such a beautiful idea and an amazing payoff to where he began. In our adaptation, we are attempting to deepen that part of his journey towards non-violence, and earn it even more than the animated series did. It’s the kind of creative, empathetic problem-solving that feels even more relevant today than it did 20 years ago and deserves a spotlight.
Q: From the LEGO MOVIE franchise to DEATH NOTE, what do you think are the biggest creative and logistical challenges when adapting a legendary IP into live action? How do you decide what to stay faithful to and what to reimagine or leave out?
At Rideback we are always trying to emulate the process that led to the first LEGO movie. We start with a deep understanding of what makes that IP great (often involving a strong relationship with the creators and/or rightsholders), and then we search for a filmmaker with a compelling personal story to tell. In the case of THE LEGO MOVIE, a world that operates on creativity was the perfect platform for Lord & Miller to tell their story of overcoming their feelings of seeming ordinary and invisible. So the challenge is often finding the right storytellers to pair with a property, and then acting as a creative liaison between them, the rightsholders, and the studio financing the project. Every project is different, but the best ones involve a really engaging emotional story and a shared love for what made that IP special in the first place. And the patience to wait for the right combination.
Q: What’s your favorite part of the production process, and what’s the part you’re secretly glad someone else handles?
I’m grateful to be able to participate in a project from beginning to end. Development is more fun when you have to think about how something will physically be put together, and production is more fun when you’re able to solve problems and justify choices by knowing all the thought that went into a project beforehand. Really it all goes back to the college theater days where everybody had to do multiple jobs to make even the smallest little performance happen. I think I’m still chasing the high of being in a group of kids spending too much time pulling off a miracle for one weekend. The stakes are higher now, and we have a greater responsibility, but it activates the same part of me. I’d be frustrated if I only got to see one part of the process. And I am secretly glad I am not a travel coordinator.
Q: If you could adapt any story next, with no budget or rights limitations, what would it be and why?
I’m actually in soft prep on an original movie for the first time! It’s a coming-of-age story set in the world of collegiate Bollywood dance competitions. It uses comedy and dance to test the strength of a friendship… two of my favorite things. There’s also a unique cultural component that gives the movie an added layer of specificity and freshness, and like LILO and AVATAR it will hopefully increase empathy for people from a minority group. Like any original feature venture it is an uphill battle trying to get it made, but it was written and is being directed and choreographed by an incredible team and I’m grateful to be a part of it.
As for an IP I’d love to adapt next, we once had a live action LEGO Zombie movie project in development that was amazing but is now dead. Though I prefer to think of it as undead. Its time will come..
Q: What’s a piece of advice a mentor gave you early on that really stayed with you? And what advice would you yourself pass on for people to remember?
I loved slowly learning that you have to surround yourself with people who will tell you when your shit stinks. And conversely, sometimes the greatest act of kindness is telling someone a hard truth. My former boss Dan Lin (MBA '99, Rideback founder, current Netflix Film Chairman) is incredible at this. He is extremely direct, and does not hold back when calling you out for a mistake. It’s hard in the moment but if you take it in stride you won’t make that mistake again. I also see him actively ask people to call him out on what he could be doing better. One of the unfortunate parts of this industry is how often we are afraid to give someone difficult feedback and that person floats along none the wiser as a result of conflict avoidance. Being hungry for that feedback, and willing to reciprocate, will make you better faster and make you a better friend.
Empowering Voices: Writing Through and the Creative Nonprofit World (Virtual)
Mon, May 05 Free for members
Join us for an Exclusive Zoom Event! A Conversation with Sue Guiney, Founder of Writing Through. Writing Through is an international educational US-registered non-profit which partners with local organizations to provide specially developed workshops where creative writing is used as a tool to develop thinking skills, creativity, language fluency, and self-esteem.
SLEEPER to SCREAM: A Conversation with Legendary Casting Director Lisa Beach AB '80 (Virtual)
Tue, May 20 Free for members
What do WEDDING CRASHERS, SCREAM, LOGAN, and HORRIBLE BOSSES have in common? The brilliant casting eye of Lisa Beach AB '80—who once went to Harvard to find a husband (thanks, LOVE STORY) and ended up building one of the most impressive casting careers in Hollywood instead. Join us for an unforgettable behind-the-scenes conversation with Lisa as she shares hilarious Hollywood tales, career twists, and what it really takes to cast a star. With nearly 40 years in the business and a résumé that reads like a blockbuster playlist, Lisa brings heart, humor, and honesty to everything she does—and this is one event you won’t want to miss.
Harvardwood Writers Competition Showcase (Virtual)
Thu, Jun 05 Free
Join us for an unforgettable evening as we bring bold new voices to life! Celebrate the incredible talent of emerging writers with live readings of the winning scripts from this year’s Harvardwood Writers Competition. These original works will be brought to life by members of the Harvardwood Actors Collective, showcasing the creativity and depth of our storytellers.
From Writer's Rooms to Studio Deals: A Sitcom Writer’s Comedy Journey (Virtual)
Wed, Jun 11 Free for members
Comedy writer Morgan Lehmann (AB '12) recently sold her debut feature in a multi-way bidding war—but her journey to the big screen started far from Hollywood, on a pig farm in Houston. In this candid conversation, Morgan will talk about how years of writing for network sitcoms like 2 BROKE GIRLS, THE COOL KIDS, and BLESS THIS MESS prepared her to create her own original stories—culminating in her transition from TV to film. We’ll explore topics surrounding developing and pitching a comedy feature, how she navigated the competitive studio system, and what she’s learned from both writers’ rooms and solo screenwriting.
Last Month at Harvardwood
Last Month at Harvardwood, we cracked it up with some comedians, had a 101 reunion in Cambridge, mingled with writers from the Harvardwood Writers Programs, and more!
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Harvardwood buzzes! Writing Intensive apps due now, Writers Competition showcase approaching. Explore careers with industry profiles, talent manager roles, and casting director Lisa Beach's insights. Sharpen your comedy script like mastering a Moto X3M jump. Donate and share successes for highlights! This community fosters creativity and career growth. Don't miss out!