Making Media Now

The original promise of the internet—creating community and a world where people enduring solitary personal struggles might feel less alone—was in full bloom back in 2006 when one friend, Renee, told another friend, Jamie, about a mental health crisis she was going through. 
 
Jamie went on to write about the five days he spent with Renee before she entered a treatment center, and he sold T-shirts to help cover the cost.
 
When she entered treatment, he posted the story on MySpace to give it a home. The name of the story was “To Write Love on Her Arms.”
 

On this episode, host Michael Azevedo speaks with director Owen Dubeck whose short film, “To Write Love: A Documentary on the Movement” (which will premiere globally on YouTube on May 31) details how what started as one person’s attempt to help a friend sparked a global movement that reshaped the conversation around mental health and launched the To Write Love on Her Arms initiative—now celebrating its 20th year—as a vital mental health resource and connector.
 
It’s a story of a growing chorus of hope that turned into a lifeline for millions.
 
Owen Dubeck is a documentary filmmaker, specializing in telling stories that drive tangible change. His films have raised $1 million+ for social causes, influenced legislation, and have been screened to audiences across the country.
 

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.

 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/
 
Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

Joining host Michael Azevedo on this episode is director Theo Rigby to discuss his documentary "If I Could Stay," which will be premiere on PBS on June 1 and remain available to stream on PBS.org and via the PBS app for 90 days thereafter.
 

Set in Colorado, If I Could Stay/Si Pudiera Quedarme follows two undocumented mothers, Jeanette and Ingrid, as they face deportation and the threat of being separated from their young children.

In a life-altering decision, they choose to seek sanctuary inside local churches in defiance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Filmed over several emotionally charged years, their journey unfolds amid constant uncertainty, legal battles, and the quiet bravery of life in refuge.

Theo Rigby is a director, cinematographer, and interactive storyteller based out of San Francisco. He has been creating stories focusing on the immigrant experience in the U.S. for over the last decade and is the founder of iNation Media.

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.

 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/
 
Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

Although it may be hard to detect, a quiet revolution is underway:
 
As the real-world consequences of social media come into focus, and AI’s invasion into every aspect of our lives feels imminent, a new generation of parents and teens are stepping forward to challenge the systems shaping their lives and fight for a different future, one where Big Tech doesn’t get to define the terms of human connection.
 
Joining host Michael Azevedo on this episode are director Sara Robin and writer Jack LeMay to discuss their documentary, "Your Attention Please." 
 
Blending intimate human stories with insights from leading experts in tech reform and digital wellbeing, "Your Attention Please" asks some of the most urgent questions of our time:
Can we reclaim our autonomy?
 
Can technology be redesigned to serve humanity?
 
And what does a healthier relationship with the digital world look like for us and our kids?
 

SARA ROBIN is a German filmmaker based in Boston. Her work explores human connection, often through the lens of future worlds, and is known for telling stories at the intersection of documentary and science-fiction. 
 
JACK LEMAY is a writer, director and editor also based in Boston. His films are observational and philosophical, and explore the poetry of what drives the human spirit.
 

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.
 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/
 
Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

Joining host Michael Azevedo on this episode are Suzannah Herbert and Darcy McKinnon, the director and producer of the award-winning documentary "Natchez," which will air on PBS on May 11 as part of the Independent Lens Series.
 
The film is also currently available for VOD streaming on multiple platforms including Apple TV, Prime Video, and YouTube TV.
 
Winner of the best documentary feature award at the 2025 Tribeca film festival, "Natchez" captures an unsettling clash between history and memory in a small Mississippi town; it’s a layered mosaic of people contending with the weight of the past in a place where it is always present. 
 
Equal parts amusing and disturbing, "Natchez" grapples with a deeply troubled history that is so thoroughly ingrained in its present, we’re left to wonder if it’s actually past at all.
 

Suzannah Herbert is a documentary director and editor from Memphis whose directing work focuses on the American South. Herbert directed and produced the twice Emmy-nominated film "Wrestle." As an editor, she has collaborated on various Bob Dylan, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga projects, music videos and award-winning films. "Natchez" is her second documentary feature.
 
Darcy McKinnon is a documentary filmmaker based in New Orleans whose work focuses on the American South and the Caribbean. Her work has been seen on the World Channel, POV, and Hulu and has screened at Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, and more.
 
Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.
 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/
 
Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

Returning guest Brandon Katz joins host Michael Azevedo on this episode to take a look at some compelling data that’s informing several film and television related stories he’s recently published.
 
As the Director of Insight & Content Strategy for Greenlight Analytics, Brandon—who’s also a former entertainment journalist and film critic—unpacks data analysis to reveal compelling trends within the film and media industry.
 
Brandon and Michael discuss how multi-year film development cycles can often result in films whose cultural relevance may fade between the time a project is green lit to the time it hits movie screens. While the film’s subject matter and stars may still be compelling, audience interest may have drifted.
 
Brandon and Michael also chatted about Netflix’s decision to scale back on the number of original films it rolls out on its streaming service.
 
And finally, they talked about how the emphasis on opening weekend box office numbers may undermine the chances for smaller films to find an audience and grow over time.
 
Brandon’s knowledge of—and love for—movies, combined with his data analysts’ eye for the stories to be found within the numbers always makes for a compelling conversation!
 
Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.
 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/
 
Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead