#23 - Leah and Angel Interview Eagle Smith - Pt 2

What It Covers

Filmmaker Eagle Smith discusses her journey from producing 60 short films to her first feature, detailing her experience in the Native American TV Writers Lab and her approach to creating authentic native characters in contemporary settings.

Key Questions Answered

• •Parallel project strategy: While in preproduction for her feature film, Eagle develops a modern Robin Hood podcast pilot about a city native in a gentrified neighborhood, building audience following and creating intellectual property to sell while keeping creative skills sharp between major projects.
• •Script editing discipline: Through the eight-week Native American TV Writers Lab, Eagle learned to cut scripts from 60 to 46 pages in hours and complete 25-page overnight redrafts by staying married to the story rather than specific characters, eliminating four characters and unnecessary elements without losing narrative core.
• •Cultural representation approach: Eagle writes native characters based on her city native experience rather than reservation life, creating protagonists who move through stories without cultural density requirements, similar to how Bridgerton and Orange is the New Black cast diverse actors who simply excel at their craft.
• •Festival marketing budget: Film festival attendance requires budgeting beyond production and post-production, including plane tickets, hotel accommodations, festival badges, and ten thousand dollar PR representatives who provide access to networking parties where meaningful industry connections happen, all essential for effective film promotion.