Get ready for an exhilarating interview with Lisa deSouza, the extraordinary Founder & Executive Director of SCIFF. This festival is revolutionizing the music and film industries, and Lisa, as one of the few women leading a festival of this magnitude, has faced and conquered remarkable challenges with unwavering resilience and determination. Despite the progress we’ve made as a society, women still encounter unfair perceptions and expectations. But Lisa, through her unwavering commitment to excellence, has proven herself as an unstoppable force. With her exceptional background in event planning, marketing, and new product launches, she has transformed SCIFF into a thriving and impeccably organized festival. Additionally, her expertise in the tech space and content production has given her a fresh and unique perspective on the ever-evolving industry landscape. Prepare to be captivated by this interview as we delve into the inspiring journey and ambitious goals of SCIFF, led by the visionary force that is Lisa deSouza.
1. As a woman running a festival, what unique challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?
I am one of a handful of women running a festival of this breadth and scope. And yes, there are definitely extra challenges that are added to my plate as a woman. Even though we have made so much progress…although sometimes when you read the news headlines it doesn’t feel like it…there is still a “way” that women are perceived to act. And so, I find that I have to make a greater effort to be cognizant of my words and tone of voice. However, I also believe that respect and trust is not given but earned. And so, I have conquered some of the hurdles I face by consistently showing up and delivering a high caliber event. I believe that once people see that you are the person who can get stuff done, the rest of the misperceptions or expectations that come with being a woman start to fade away.
2.How does SCIFF plan to adapt and thrive amidst the transformative changes occurring in the music, movies, and film industry?
SCIFF is a festival that was created by independent artists for independent artists. This pivotal time in the industry, I think, has only helped establish SCIFF and cemented its role. As more and more artists feel locked out of an ever more risk adverse industry, they will turn to other means to have their work seen and heard. But how do you distinguish yourself and stand out from all the noise out there? It is going to take a respected platform like SCIFF where independent artists know they can stand out from the crowd and also a place where executives looking for the next great writer / director or musician can come and find quality work. SCIFF aspires to be the connector and clarifier in the industry and in doing so establish itself as the next great independent festival right in Hollywood’s back yard.
3. What impact does SCIFF have on the 3rd largest city in Los Angeles County?
When I look at what Sundance did for Park City or what South by Southwest did for Austin, I can clearly see that happening in Santa Clarita in time. But even in our short existence, we are seeing an impact on the local community. Namely the influx of artists who are traveling here from other cities are staying in the local hotels and are spending money in our local restaurants and small businesses. And that does not even include the fact that since Santa Clarita is only 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles, we have a lot of folks who come up for the day to visit.
I addition, SCIFF is also pushing (through art) the boundaries of what has traditionally been a very conservative city. We are challenging norms and allowing people of different viewpoints to interact, see films and other art that they may not normally have access to and most importantly to talk amongst each other and exchange ideas.
4. Can you tell us about your experience in pushing the boundaries of content production for both the web and screen?
I started my career creating (writing, producing and directing) for the theater and then started doing the same for the web. While the medium was different the process was very much the same. At that time, I was told that web content and web production was not “industry” Fast forward 10 years and web is very much a distribution outlet today. And to say that the streaming model (and that is not even counting platforms like You Tube) hasn’t changed the way people consume content and view movies would be a mistake. SCIFF is poised to establish itself as a clarifier and help the next generation of independent artist be seen and heard. There are so many talented independent artists out there that are struggling to have their hard work recognized. But that being said the ability to easily self-distribute on the web also means that there is a lot of bad stuff out there. SCIFF will ensure that the quality will make its way through and can be viewed (and heard) either in person or via our web platforms.
5. How has your background in event planning, marketing, and new product launches contributed to your role as the Founder & Executive Director of SCIFF?
Although SCIFF is an arts festival, at the end of the day, it is a product and a business. As such, my extensive experience in marketing and event management has been invaluable. In addition, my intensive training in project valuable has also been a powerful tool that has helped me (and the team) with delivering a quality experience. A film festival has many moving parts. SCIFF is now film, music, comedy, visual arts, panels, and spoken word. We have five different locations in (and around) downtown Newhall. We have over 1000 visitors over the four days of the festival. If we didn’t utilize all the lessons we have learned over our careers, this would be impossible to pull off. SCIFF is experiencing astronomical growth in such a short time frame…which is a good problem to have…and our team (mostly comprised of volunteers) is small. It takes great organization and marketing for us to keep duplicating this level of success.
6. What inspired you to start producing and creating web content after working in the tech space?
I started my career in New York City in fashion as a marketer. During that time, I started to learn all about digital marketing. It was during that time that I also learned about content creation…how to write, direct and produce videos for the web. When I came to Los Angeles, I wanted to create a web series…I was ahead of my time. However, I was recruited by a startup and during my journey in the tech space honed my digital marketing skills and my content creation skills. Fast forward a decade or so and the streamers and other video platforms are not only dominating the industry but have also fundamentally changed the way we watch movies. I feel like I never really left the tech space but rather that the two industries…which are very similar, have actually blended. Turns out that my path was exactly where I needed to be all along.
7. Can you share some of the highlights and success stories of SCIFF in its first four years?
We have had the support of some fabulous films, such as an Elton John produced documentary, celebrities such as Ed Begley Jr, Erin Grey, Jerry Mathers (The Beaver on Leave it to Beaver) one of the original Latin Kings of Comedy, Joey Medina, legendary agent Harry Abrams and legendary publicist Michael Levine…to name but a few… all attend and/or participated in the festival. We have partnered with a Latin TV and radio channel based in San Antonio and are building a pipeline with several key production houses in Texas. We have already been responsible for filling our local hotels with festival attendees and have seen a positive influence in the local economy as a result.
8. How does SCIFF support and showcase the entire artistic community in Santa Clarita?
SCIFF believes in supporting local artists as well as our small business community. We offer discounts to all our local filmmakers…especially students in our local schools and colleges. One of our success stories is our “Production Bootcamp” which (in partnership with another local non-profit) is our training program for creatives with disabilities. Those that have gone through our program are now a major part of our SCIFF production and event crew.
9. What role does the Santa Clarita arts community play in the development of SCIFF?
Santa Clarita is called the Hollywood North because not only is it is home to the most film and TV shoots in all of Los Angeles County, but also because 70% of the people who live in the community work in the industry. It is no surprise that Santa Clarita has a thriving local arts community, and we partner with local organizations as much as possible. One such organization was / is the Santa Clarita Artists Association which has helped us put on our visual arts show for the past three years. In addition, we have partnered with our local American Legion post as our location for our music program and all proceeds from the bar go to support local veteran causes. We believe in this community. As the Founder, this is also my home so Santa Clarita’s success is important to me on a very personal level.
10. How do you envision SCIFF evolving in the future and what are your goals for the festival?
I see SCIFF being the next South by Southwest right in the heart of Los Angeles County. Santa Clarita is the third largest city in Los Angeles County and is the only location that has the space to accommodate a large multi venue event over the span of several days. Therefore, as the brand becomes more recognizable, we plan to expand to a full 7–10 day event. We want the SCIFF logo to stand for not only the next great independent festival where new artists are discovered, but also a place where new ideas are exchanged.
The Santa Clarita International Film Festival, although only going into year 4, is already exploding. In addition to film, the festival now also has a music, comedy, visual arts, and spoken word program. The Santa Clarita International Film Festival (SCIFF) is a non-profit organization committed to empowering the Santa Clarita Valley using film as the primary medium to showcase the entire artistic community. Santa Clarita, often called the “Hollywood North”, is a thriving community of artists and creators. It is no surprise that Santa Clarita is a critical part of the filmmaking community with 65% of its residents working in the industry. Additionally, the city has the most filming locations and studios in Los Angeles county along with over 250 recent big budget, studio projects being shot there (not counting independents). Due to its extreme creative community, Santa Clarita has always been home to many different events supporting all facets of the arts. SCIFF may be debuting in 2021, but the Santa Clarita arts community has been evolving for years. The film festival is the first singular event of its kind that hopes to bring together all types of artistic mediums into one remarkable affair.
SCIFF is located in Santa Clarita which is soon to be the 2nd largest city in Los Angeles County. As the Founder & Executive Director, I am also one of a handful of women who are helming a festival of this magnitude. This is a festival that was created for independent filmmakers by independent filmmakers. As we continue to expand we are now embracing independent artists of all kinds. SCIFF is on track to be the next recognized independent festival that is “all indie all the time”