Hillman Grad Productions was founded in 2018 by Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, and actor Lena Waithe and led by CEO Rishi Rajani. Since then, the full-service media and production company has expanded to include six divisions across TV/film, music, books, podcasts, branded content, and mentorship. They are also into the fashion space with Hillman Grad collegiate apparel.
From our favorites The Chi, Boomerang, and Twenties to the critically-acclaimed Queen and Slim to the striking Netflix movie Beauty to new projects on Disney and HBO, Waithe and her team are leading the way with telling stories through a lens we haven’t seen before.
Each year, National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
In the spirit of Hispanic Heritage Month, BGN had the pleasure of speaking via phone with two leaders of Hillman Grad Productions: Rocio Melara, Vice President of Film and Television, and Sylvia Carrasco, Creative Executive. In their roles, they collaborate on a wide range of projects with writers and are an integral part of day-to-day meetings. This translates to gathering and overseeing material all the way to post-production and marketing. The ultimate goal is to cultivate good relationships with writers and figure out the stories they want to tell.
Rocio Melara, Vice President of Film and Television
Sylvia Carrasco, Creative Executive
Both women joined Hillman Grad to expand the mission of empowering underrepresented artists and bringing more diverse voices to the forefront of entertainment. Born and raised in Los Angeles, neither thought a job in entertainment was achievable for someone that looked like them. We discussed how they came to love storytelling and the importance of women of color making an impact behind the scenes in film and television.
Carrasco admits that she’s always been someone who has watched too much television (most of us can relate!). People swore she was a walking TV Guide. It wasn’t until she was getting her master’s degree in telecommunications and film that she felt there could be an opportunity for her to study media. The women in her program cohort were interning and put her on to how she could get into entertainment, particularly producing. That was the first time she realized she could do it.
As a “weird, only Brown wild-child” growing up, Melara says that when her friends couldn’t play, she inhaled books and watched her favorite TV shows. Because she spent so much time alone, she would make up stories that would get her in trouble at school. She always had a knack for storytelling and a big imagination to match. It felt like she always wanted to do something in the entertainment space but didn’t know how to get in. It wasn’t until she was at UCLA (University of California–Los Angeles) that she realized she wanted to be a producer. Growing up, she never got to see people like her in the teen romances or adventure stories that she loved so much. This has been Melara’s “north star” of how young Brown girls can see themselves in fun spaces and being loved.
Media, in all of its forms, has immeasurable power to shape ideas. Television, film, and digital media can influence how we see others and how we see ourselves. Accurate, authentic representation can break down barriers, open us to new ideas, create powerful role models, and even be a source of inspiration. Representation can serve as opportunities for Black and Brown communities to find support and validation and reduce negative stereotypes about other groups.
Carrasco and Melara recognize that representation is not the final goal; instead, it should merely be one step toward equity. Having a diverse cast on a television series or movie is meaningless if those storylines promote harmful stereotypes or fail to address real life.
Speaking with these women, I found that their passion shines through as they are adamant about wanting Hispanic/Latinx stories to feel layered, complex, and textured. In addition to monolithic narratives, Carrasco and Melara want to truly see their loves, hopes, and dreams represented on the big screen. On the other side, the challenge is trying to champion those voices in Hollywood, as these stories can be difficult to push through.
Both talk about the culture shift happening in entertainment within the last couple of years. Even before this change, diversity has been important to Hillman Grad, and they are helping to fill the void of what is not being represented on screen.
Melara mentions that the Latinx community has wanted to tell their stories for so long and that they are now making a dent in Hollywood. It’s finally at a place to where the industry wants to champion diverse voices. She says, “As far as how we continue to be a part of this shift, Hillman Grad has a wonderful mentorship arm that has a track for acting, writing, and directing. What’s so great about it is that we will continue to find those younger voices that may not know how to get in the door. We will continue to provide them with a space to create and find themselves in Hollywood.”
Hillman Grad Productions was founded in 2018 by Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, and actor Lena Waithe and led by CEO Rishi Rajani. Since then, the full-service media and production company has expanded to include six divisions across TV/film, music, books, podcasts, branded content, and mentorship. They are also into the fashion space with Hillman Grad collegiate apparel.
From our favorites The Chi, Boomerang, and Twenties to the critically-acclaimed Queen and Slim to the striking Netflix movie Beauty to new projects on Disney and HBO, Waithe and her team are leading the way with telling stories through a lens we haven’t seen before.
Each year, National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
In the spirit of Hispanic Heritage Month, BGN had the pleasure of speaking via phone with two leaders of Hillman Grad Productions: Rocio Melara, Vice President of Film and Television, and Sylvia Carrasco, Creative Executive. In their roles, they collaborate on a wide range of projects with writers and are an integral part of day-to-day meetings. This translates to gathering and overseeing material all the way to post-production and marketing. The ultimate goal is to cultivate good relationships with writers and figure out the stories they want to tell.
Rocio Melara, Vice President of Film and Television
Sylvia Carrasco, Creative Executive
Both women joined Hillman Grad to expand the mission of empowering underrepresented artists and bringing more diverse voices to the forefront of entertainment. Born and raised in Los Angeles, neither thought a job in entertainment was achievable for someone that looked like them. We discussed how they came to love storytelling and the importance of women of color making an impact behind the scenes in film and television.
Carrasco admits that she’s always been someone who has watched too much television (most of us can relate!). People swore she was a walking TV Guide. It wasn’t until she was getting her master’s degree in telecommunications and film that she felt there could be an opportunity for her to study media. The women in her program cohort were interning and put her on to how she could get into entertainment, particularly producing. That was the first time she realized she could do it.
As a “weird, only Brown wild-child” growing up, Melara says that when her friends couldn’t play, she inhaled books and watched her favorite TV shows. Because she spent so much time alone, she would make up stories that would get her in trouble at school. She always had a knack for storytelling and a big imagination to match. It felt like she always wanted to do something in the entertainment space but didn’t know how to get in. It wasn’t until she was at UCLA (University of California–Los Angeles) that she realized she wanted to be a producer. Growing up, she never got to see people like her in the teen romances or adventure stories that she loved so much. This has been Melara’s “north star” of how young Brown girls can see themselves in fun spaces and being loved.
Media, in all of its forms, has immeasurable power to shape ideas. Television, film, and digital media can influence how we see others and how we see ourselves. Accurate, authentic representation can break down barriers, open us to new ideas, create powerful role models, and even be a source of inspiration. Representation can serve as opportunities for Black and Brown communities to find support and validation and reduce negative stereotypes about other groups.
Carrasco and Melara recognize that representation is not the final goal; instead, it should merely be one step toward equity. Having a diverse cast on a television series or movie is meaningless if those storylines promote harmful stereotypes or fail to address real life.
Speaking with these women, I found that their passion shines through as they are adamant about wanting Hispanic/Latinx stories to feel layered, complex, and textured. In addition to monolithic narratives, Carrasco and Melara want to truly see their loves, hopes, and dreams represented on the big screen. On the other side, the challenge is trying to champion those voices in Hollywood, as these stories can be difficult to push through.
Both talk about the culture shift happening in entertainment within the last couple of years. Even before this change, diversity has been important to Hillman Grad, and they are helping to fill the void of what is not being represented on screen.
Melara mentions that the Latinx community has wanted to tell their stories for so long and that they are now making a dent in Hollywood. It’s finally at a place to where the industry wants to champion diverse voices. She says, “As far as how we continue to be a part of this shift, Hillman Grad has a wonderful mentorship arm that has a track for acting, writing, and directing. What’s so great about it is that we will continue to find those younger voices that may not know how to get in the door. We will continue to provide them with a space to create and find themselves in Hollywood.”
BGN interviews the cast and crew behind the STARZ series Step Up.
Featured in the interviews are: Christina Milian (Collette Jones), Rebbi Rosie (Angel Etomi), Jade Chynoweth (Odalie Allen),Terayle Hill (Marquise Howard), Terrence Green (Rigo Octavio), Kendra Willis (Poppy Martinez), Holly Sorensen (Creator/Executive Producer) and Jamaica Craft (Producer and Choreographer).
Welcome to High Water – a next level incubator for new artistic talent, where danger, corruption, suspicions, desires, resentments, and ambitions collide in and out of the halls of the headquarters. As the label’s talent roster grows, High Water founder and megastar Sage Odom (Ne-Yo) faces murder charges, financial ruin and powerful political enemies. His partner in business and in love, Collette Jones (Christina Milian) struggles to maintain their image as she balances a nationwide tour and stepping out of her role as the woman behind the empire all while carrying a secret that threatens to ruin it all.
Good evening, everyone! Today I want to discuss some big information that I just saw on the Disney news! So, let’s get started, shall we?! So, Disney World and Disneyland Resort has officially increased their ticket prices, the cost of the Disney Genie+, and Lightning Lane Services. As Disney moves toward its 100th anniversary celebration next year with Disneyland “at the heart” of the festivities, the company Tuesday raised prices of tickets to the Anaheim parks in nearly every category, as well as the add-on Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane services at both of its U.S. resorts. The ticket increases kick in today. Disneyland ticket-price increases have become an October ritual. The top one-day, one-park ticket (Tier 5) was $124 in 2017. It was raised to $134 in 2018, to $149 in 2019, to $154 in 2020 and to $159 in 2021. The price for that same tier ticket is now $169, a 36% rise in five years. (A Tier 6 was added above at $164 last year, which has now risen to $179.)
Single-park ticket prices in 2021 vs. the new 2022 rates are as follows:
Tier 1: Was $104, now $115
Tier 2: Was $119, now $129
Tier 3: Was $134, now $144
Tier 4: Was $149, now $159
Tier 5: Was $159, now $169
Tier 6: Was $164, now $179
The Anaheim parks also introduced a new Tier 0 price point with heavily restricted dates for $104.
Park-Hopper tickets, which allow guests to visit Disneyland and California Adventure on the same day, also cost more, with the following increases now in effect:
Tier 1: Was $164, now $179
Tier 2: Was $179, now $194
Tier 3: Was $194, now $209
Tier 4: Was $209, now $224
Tier 5: Was $219, now $234
Tier 6: Was $224, now $244
The least expensive park-hopper ticket will be $169, a new tier. The cost of multi-day tickets also increased between 9.21% and 11.76%. The one-day Park Hopper add-on option has risen from $60 to $65. The basic Genie service forecasts wait times for various attractions at the theme park and provides recommendations based on user preferences. Adding Genie+ provides access to the “Lightning Lane” line-skipping service for most rides one attraction at a time. Some of the more popular attractions, however, require additional a la carte Lightning Lane fees. The Disney Genie service is available through the Disneyland app.
For Disneyland and California Adventure, which introduced the service last December at $20 a day, Deadline hears that the changes mean:
For guests purchasing pre-arrival as an add-on to their ticket, the price for Disney Genie+ service will go from $20 to $25 per ticket, per day, subject to availability.
For guests purchasing day-of (after they’ve entered a theme park), the price for Disney Genie+ service will start at $25 per ticket, per day, but will vary by date based on demand. That leaves open the possibility for peak-day price increases above $25 for the service. Guests can check the Disneyland app for that day’s price.
Some popular attractions such as Radiator Springs Racers and Rise of the Resistance require additional fees for Lightning Lane access, and Disney says pricing will continue to vary by date and demand, but guests may see some changes in the range. One user at the park today reports that LL access for Rise of the Resistance is currently $25. When Magic Genie was introduced last year, LL a-la-carte access for popular rides was set at between $7 and $20 depending on demand.
At Walt Disney World, Deadline has confirmed that more new pricing is as follows:
The price of Genie+ now varies by date, regardless of when it is purchased. What was $15 now ranges from $15-$22 for the current month.
The price of some individual Lightning Lanes will also rise. When Genie+ was introduced last year, LL a la carte access for popular rides was set at between $7 and $20 depending on demand. The current a la carte LL fee for Rise of the Resistance is $15-$22 for the month of October. On the lower end, Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train ranges from $10-$11 this month.
After a Covid-hampered 2021, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products has been a prime mover in the company’s success so far this year. Revenue in the division surged 70% to nearly $7.4 billion as of August 2022, with operating income up from $356 million to $2.1 billion. Disney brass said domestic parks drove the numbers higher. Spurred by the price increases and add-ons championed by Bob Chapek — himself a former head of the Parks division — guests were spending more per capita on tickets, food and hotels. Revenue was also boosted by new services like Genie+ and Lightning Lane. Today’s increases likely mean more of that to come.
Wow!! Disney sure does increase their ticket prices every year! I know that some Disney fans are not happy about the news, but it is just the way life is. Some things do change and not everything is going to be the same in the future. The Genie Plus increase is very interesting because some of the Lightning Lane attractions like Radiator Springs Racers and Rise of the Resistance require a fee to pay for the return time. I think that the Radiator Springs Racers and Rise of the Resistance individual lightning lanes got my attention because it has a really long line and you would have to actually pay for the return time and skipping the lines.
So, what do you guys think about the ticket price increase, cost of the Genie Services, the Radiator Springs Racers and Rise of the Resistance attractions being individual lightning lanes, and Genie plus increase as well?!
I would love to hear lots of comments, thoughts, opinions, questions, or concerns down below! Stay tuned for Disney updates.
Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey.....let's go! Welcome to the latest installment of Afronerd Radio'sMid-Week in Review broadcast, airing each and every Wednesday at 8 p.m. on the BTalk 100 cyber-streaming platform. Join your ever lovin' AFROnerdist hosts as they dissect this (mid) week's following issues: the production behind the reboot of your favorite Black dhampir, Blade, appears to be having a false start. The star of the forthcoming Blade film, Mahershala Ali, is alluding to some difficulties and the recently announced director, Bassam Tariq, has parted ways from the Marvel project; legendary graphic novelist, Alan Moore has some pretty interesting things to say about comics books being in conflict with adulthood and human maturation; our thoughts about a problematic rap PSA entitled, "No Voting, No Vucking", performed by hip hop artists, Trina and Saucy Santana:
The highly anticipated manga to anime translation of Chainsaw Man, made its debut this week and we have our thoughts; fashionista/entrepreneur/hip-hop performer, Kanye West has made a stir (again and again) concerning his "White Lives Matter" line of shirts as well as a recent interview on FOX TV:
One thing that Dburt is doing (finally) is investing in cryptocurrency, courtesy of Roundlyx. We would implore our followers to investigate, discern and then explore by using our referral code: afro-87A4BF
Call us LIVE at 508-645-0100. AFTER CLICKING ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK, GO DIRECTLY TO AFRONERD RADIO!!!
