Julie Crosby of Cromono International: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker
Take 5 minutes every day to update your contact list. I never imagined early in my career that my network would eventually have over 3,000 people in it. There’s no way I can remember details about that many people. So now I spend five minutes a day making sure I update the contact information for the people I encountered that day. I make notes on what they do or don’t like, what their cat’s name is, or whatever I think may be useful to remember when I connect with them again in a week, a month or five years.
As a part of our series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Julie Crosby.
Julie Crosby is a producer and founding partner of Cromono International. With offices in New York, Paris and Taipei, Cromono has 300+ credits in live theater, rock concerts, digital media projects and films. Most recently, Crosby produced The Warm Season, a sci-fi feature film that is currently on the film festival circuit. Crosby’s work on Broadway and off, including a decade as the leader of WP Theater, has resulted in an extensive network of writers and creators who keep her energized. She holds a Ph.D. in medieval drama from Columbia University.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?
I watched a lot of old movies — especially movie musicals — and was also addicted to re-runs of “I Love Lucy.” Around 7 years old, I started staging episodes in our garage in the suburbs of Dallas. I cast kids from the neighborhood and told them what to say and how to say it. I always kept the role of Lucy for myself, but I wanted her to be smart and respectable, so I wouldn’t let her get into any trouble. Basically, it was an early lesson in how to suck the laughs out of a comedy.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
My childhood affair with “I Love Lucy” had a lot to do with it. Early on, I knew I wanted to live in New York City just like Lucy, and I wanted to hang out in night clubs where handsome men like Ricky played music until all hours of the night. I had never been to NYC, but I moved to Manhattan right out of college and fell in love with the place. I first worked as a business representative at Actors’ Equity Association and eventually landed in a Broadway producing office, where I apprenticed my way into ATPAM (IATSE 18032). Since then, I’ve worked on Broadway and off and on international tours all over the globe. I’ve come more recently to the digital world — first by producing Heirloom, a web series, and I just completed The Warm Season, my first feature film as a lead producer.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your filmmaking career?
I was the company manager of Broadway’s Black and Blue early in my career. When it closed, Robert Altman came in to direct a version of the show for PBS’ “Great Performances”. Altman captured the moment when one of the stars spit her gum into my hand right before she walked on stage. I find it funny that my one and only moment on screen is of that backstage ritual. Ah, the glamour of showbiz.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
I am fortunate to have worked with so many incredibly smart and outrageously talented artists, from Laurie Anderson and America Ferrera to Pedro Pascal and Sarah Jessica Parker. There are too many to list. Most recently, I’ve been hanging out with screenwriter Adam Seidel. He’s on a roll right now and our convos are crazy good fun.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
For sure, you don’t get anywhere in this business alone. I’m especially grateful for David Youse, my producing partner on The Warm Season. I couldn’t have made the film without him, his boundless good humor and his adeptness at mixing a very dry martini when required.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“When you’re at a pancake house, order pancakes.” We can’t be rebels, disrupters, contrarians and crusaders all the time. I tried that early on — it’s an exhausting way to approach the world. Knowing when to fight for something and when to go with the flow is a wonderful skill.
I am very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
I don’t talk about hiring a diverse cast and crew, I just do it. I always have, because I want a depth and range of experience on every project. It makes the storytelling stronger, the watercooler chats more thought-provoking, and the potential reach of the work more expansive. I’m not sure how it affects the culture at large — it’s not unleashing a virus or the next TikTok — but it certainly makes going to work each day enormously satisfying.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I’m having fun seeing The Warm Season play festivals — live audiences are such a privilege. We premiered at the Santa Fe and Boston Sci-Fi Film Festivals on the exact same day in February, so most of the cast and crew were able to attend one or the other, which made for a rowdy reception. April will find me in Tucson, where The Warm Season is opening the Arizona International Film Festival, and in Milwaukee, where the film is closing the festival. The past 18 months were pretty relentless in terms of deadlines, so I’m also enjoying having some time now to read through a hefty stack of scripts and acquire some new IP.
Which aspect of your work makes you most proud? Can you explain or give a story?
I take great pride in being able to bring projects in on budget. When David and I set out to produce The Warm Season, everyone told us that if we wanted to produce a film with a budget of one million USD, then we should steer clear of kids, animals, remote locations and sci-fi, because of the special effects. We had all of those things, plus the pandemic, and we still came in on budget. It took a lot of planning, hard work and good humor, but we did it.
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
Networking is part of your job. When I first started, people told me that this business is all about “who you know.” It took me a while to realize how true that statement is and learn how to network effectively. Networking isn’t rocket science, but it isn’t always obvious how to go about it, especially if you don’t have family or friends in the business. But you have to figure it out! You have to make time in your schedule and create opportunities to meet new people AND maintain the professional relationships you already have.
Take 5 minutes every day to update your contact list. I never imagined early in my career that my network would eventually have over 3,000 people in it. There’s no way I can remember details about that many people. So now I spend five minutes a day making sure I update the contact information for the people I encountered that day. I make notes on what they do or don’t like, what their cat’s name is, or whatever I think may be useful to remember when I connect with them again in a week, a month or five years.
Update your resume, bio, and profile pages at least once a year, and take that time to really think about where you are at in your career. It’s easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of this business and lose sight of why you got into showbiz in the first place. I discovered that annually updating my “story” is a good way to take stock of where I’ve been, and figure out where I want to go next and how I’m going to get there.
Have a side hustle that delights you. Sometimes you’ll go from gig to gig without skipping a beat. But there will also be times when you have no idea where your next paycheck is going to come from (remember March 2020?). Having an alternative source of income will help pay the rent and preserve your sanity. My side hustle is a career coaching service I co-founded with producer Jane Applegate. We work with universities to prepare students for the entertainment industry job market and we work with individuals who need help moving themselves or their creative projects forward.
No one ever set out to make a bad film or a bad play. It’s helpful and humane to remember that…whether it’s your work or someone else’s.
When you create a film, which stakeholders have the greatest impact on the artistic and cinematic choices you make? Is it the viewers, the critics, the financiers, or your own personal artistic vision? Can you share a story with us or give an example about what you mean?
Being a producer means making countless decisions, starting with what to produce, how to pay for it, who to hire, how to keep everyone safe and productive and how to get the work seen. I like to think that I make the absolute best decisions that I can given the circumstances at the time. Often that means consulting with investors, advisors, cast, crew, and/or trusted viewers. But ultimately, the decision is mine and I take responsibility for it.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Every time someone watches a video of a cat on a social media platform, they have to contribute a dollar to a charity addressing climate change. And before you post a video about a cat, you have to contribute ten dollars. Environmental causes need the cash. And if the cost means we all start making or watching fewer cat videos, then we will have a lot more time to make good indie features and hang out with loved ones. It’s a win-win situation, even for the cats, who would be appalled at the violation of their privacy if they knew what humans were doing to them.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂
Peter Micelli at Range Media Partners. I read about him in Natalie Jarvey’s recent piece in Vanity Fair. He seems like a super smart guy, and I like hanging out with smart people.
How can our readers further follow you online?
Connect with me on LinkedIn and Instagram.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
Julie Crosby of Cromono International: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.