Inspirational Women In Hollywood: How Lauren Magura of Film.io Is Helping To Shake Up The Entertainment Industry

An Interview With Ming Zhao

…what we watch influences what becomes societal norms. Most people do not understand how much the media affects our social and political views. And with the toxicity of one-sided social media targets, we are creating a world of division. Showing various cultures, opinions, voices, races and genders enables us to learn how to squash stereotypes and be open-minded to varying ways of life and thinking.

As a part of our series about Inspirational Women In Hollywood, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Lauren Magura.

Lauren Magura is currently the VP Entertainment of Ingredient X, the film and software development studio specializing in blockchain, DeFi and NFT creation of Film.io: governed by the world’s first filmmaking industry DAO, Film.io is the most powerful decentralized filmmaking ecosystem that places Hollywood decision-making onto the blockchain and into the hands of creators and fans, to which Lauren is a co-creator.

Ingredient X also produces original Film, TV and NFT projects, including the Star Wars autobiographical coming-of-age comedy “5–25–77” by Patrick Reed Johnson starring John Francis Daley. The film will have its premiere at the Downtown L.A. Film Festival Sept 15th, 2022 and recently secured worldwide distribution by the MVD Entertainment Group and is slated for release in North American theaters this fall, with an unveiling on digital and VOD to follow.

Lauren’s career began in TV broadcast and digital media at NBCUniversal and film marketing for Universal Pictures. Lauren has expertise across film producing, marketing and business strategy spanning across corporate, startup and blockchain industries. She also advises and mentors female-led ventures, and is an advocate for diversity inclusion in business and entertainment.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

I actually grew up in a very small town at the tippy top of Northern NJ called Sussex County. It is a beautiful place to live, full of nature, and corn fields and farmland. Growing up around this area enabled me to learn the true meaning of what it meant to be strong, determined and selfless, most of our town’s population literally making a living off the land to provide food not only for their families, but food for our economy. Then moving out on my own and living in NYC and LA allowed me to learn different cultures, lifestyles, views and opinions that enabled me to gain well-rounded experience and traits that formed my biggest strengths in both my personal and professional life.

Both my parents are two of the most hardworking people — my Dad a welder, and my mom a nurse. They instilled in me at a young age, to always stay persistent and no dream was ever too big to accomplish, words I have lived by and led me on the path I am on today.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I started my career right out of college in the media and film industry, after going on an astronomical amount of job interviews spread across NJ, NY and CT. Landing the career path you are passionate about takes true determination and persistence, and I applied for, and went to every job interview that was related to film and TV — even if I was under-qualified. That eventually led me to my first position at NBCUniversal in the media operations center, supporting Digital and Broadcast Television Distribution and Cable Entertainment Channels and the 2012 London Olympics. With my true passion and love for film, I transitioned over to publicity and promotions for Universal Pictures implementing red carpet premieres, press junkets, celebrity public appearance tours, screening programs, radio interview tours, guerrilla, word of mouth and experiential marketing campaigns and more.

I then saw a huge disconnect and lack of diversity and inclusion within film production and created and launched my own company at SXSW called Cinematcher: a mobile app streamlining hiring for film productions. Cinematcher was selected by 7 high-level, media executives from Comcast to participate in their inaugural EDGE accelerator program geared toward the development of, and investment in diverse owned businesses specializing in media, marketing, production and digital tech.

I packed my bags and moved across the country to LA to begin a fundraising tour for my app Cinematcher. While I was there, I gained experience in business ventures, producing at Elijah Wood’s Film, TV and Video Game production house Company X / SpectreVision, and working in business strategy for Company X Marketing: an experiential marketing agency. I also had the opportunity to be the on-set producer for the Shudder original podcast Visitations, hosted by Daniel Noah and Elijah Wood. If you have a love for filmmaking, add it to your listen list!

I then began seeing this entire shift in the industry, and began researching platforms that were using cutting edge tech and migrating to the blockchain to transform the film industry. I came across Film.io, and was immediately intrigued with their mission to democratize the industry by placing Hollywood on the blockchain, giving fans and creators opportunities to work together to greenlight the entertainment they want to see and create. Film.io’s roadmap is everything I envisioned in an end-to-end platform that enables anyone, from anywhere in the world to have their voice heard, and have their project funded, produced and distributed, no matter their connections.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

One of the first red carpet premieres I worked, was for a film called GET ON UP, which was a James Brown biopic. Here I am, a small town gal from Sussex County, walking into the press room not knowing what to expect, hanging out in a cow barn the week before. I walked into the room to Dan Aykroyd and none other than Mick Jagger. I grew up on SNL, so for Dan Aykroyd to be one of the first stars I crossed paths with was a geek moment for me. Bag O’ Glass, I mean come on! To be in the same room later that night with Mick Jagger, Dan Aykroyd, Lorne Michaels and several of my film, TV and music idols while James Brown’s son sings James Brown, was a really special moment in my career. It sparked an excitement and drive in me that anything I put my mind to was possible.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I am a massive proponent of failing forward. The word mistake always has such a negative connotation. Mistakes are a necessity in teaching you the steps you need to take to succeed. Every single mistake I made in any position, or as a startup business owner (and TRUST me I made a ton!), led me to gain so much knowledge that pushed me along to the next stepping stone of my career. You can’t know what you just don’t know, so you have to dive in headfirst, try to figure it out, and learn through experience how to correct those mistakes moving forward.

When I first started my app Cinematcher, I cold emailed and called around to venture capitalists, investors and other startup founders to pick their brain on questions I had about starting my own company. One of the most ridiculous mistakes I made was trying to listen to every single piece of advice I was given, even if it was contradictory. For the first couple months when drafting my business plan, it was such a hot mess of hundreds of pages trying to incorporate everyone’s opinions, I had lost my original idea and passion for why I was building it. I have learned it is awesome to get mentorship and advice, but always stay true to why you created that idea in the first place, and never lose that original problem you are fixing, because the best ideas succeed through creating something that fixes a problem that you experience firsthand and are truly passionate about.

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?

That is a tough question because there are actually SO many people. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by so many amazing family, friends, partners, bosses, and mentors. The people you surround yourself with is EVERYTHING. I cannot preach that enough. If you surround yourself with negative people who want to see you fail, you will fail. If you surround yourself with positive, encouraging, intelligent people who want to see you succeed, you will succeed. It is really that simple. I always said if I am the most intelligent person in my circle I am doing something wrong. I always surround myself with people who are smarter or have more experience than me, or have strengths and knowledge in areas that I am weak in. This enables me to acquire knowledge, traits and habits that I lack. I have seen so many people fail at their goals or dreams because of ego, and thinking they can do everything on their own, or thinking they know everything or more than everyone. This is such a toxic trait to encompass if you want to be a great leader.

To everyone who has unconditionally supported me and played a major role in my growth: shout out to my parents, brothers, sister-in-law, my passion, love and determination muse Davie Franek, my wild massive family of aunts and uncles and cousins, my NBCUniversal mentors, my Universal Pictures family and mentor Patrick McHugh, my Comcast accelerator mentor Angela Guzman, my creative muse Veronica Owens, my film mentors Andrew Gernhard, Lisa Whalen, Mali Elfman, Daniel Noah and the Spectre and CXM crew Brian Lucey, Ariel Stepp, one of my producing partners Richard Joel, my early Cinematcher investors and supporters Ben Tubuo, Dan Collins, Garrett Fennelly, Mitch Roider, my advisors Judith Balkin, Reid Howard, and of course my Film.io crew — Ian LeWinter, Don Richmond, Bryan Hertz, Corey Hertz, and Chris J. Davis. There are so many more people I’d like to thank who lifted me up and pushed me forward along to where I am today.

You have been blessed with great success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?

I mentioned this previously, but failing should not be a negative term. You will fail, and you HAVE to fail, in order to lead you on the path to success. I always say this to anyone I am mentoring; if you try and you fail, where does that leave you? It leaves you with the experience, knowledge, and understanding of why you failed, and how to do it better next time. To succeed at anything, commitment , determination and persistence is key. And you cannot be afraid of failure, because you will miss out on so many opportunities to live out your true passion and potential. We only get one chance at this life. ALWAYS take the leap and commit.

Every industry iterates and seeks improvement. What changes would you like to see in the industry going forward?

The film industry needs to put the power into the hands of the creators and fans. Many great ideas die before they even have a chance to be vetted, solely because of a lack of fair opportunity. A studio will spend $300 million on a movie that was decided by a handful of people without true market validation or communication from the audiences who will be paying the money to go see it. And we wonder why some A-list films completely flop, and Sharknado 5,650 is a massive success. The system is broken, and the film industry must embrace new technology and democratize the system, providing more opportunities for indie filmmakers, especially for under-served creators that are given an even smaller chance of success. No great idea should die for lack of fair opportunity. At Film.io, we have made it our mission to be transparent and inclusive, and allow the community to govern which projects get the greenlight.

You have such impressive work. What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? Where do you see yourself heading from here?

As stated earlier, I am the VP of Entertainment for Film.io and we are working on some really exciting milestones to shatter glass ceilings in the film industry.

We recently announced we are launching the filmmaking industry’s first DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization), placing Hollywood decision-making onto the blockchain and into the hands of creators and fans. It is the first DAO providing creators with the necessary resources to take projects from conception through licensing. DAOs provide communities secure ways to make collective decisions based on rules that are determined democratically and written onto the blockchain. The Film.io DAO is governed by FAN Tokens, which members amass by engaging with the platform’s content. Fans who support projects gain additional reputation points, which amplify their power to greenlight films and to vote on issues shaping the platform.

Film.io is also designed to help film financiers and buyers minimize risk and maximize their chances of picking successful projects. The Go Score, Film.io’s proprietary blockchain-based algorithm, uses fan engagement, social media metrics and blockchain technology to provide film investors and studios with predictive insight into projects’ viability.

Our first Film.io original 5–25–77, created by Patrick Reed Johnson and starring John Francis Daley, will have its premiere at the Downtown L.A. Film Festival on Sept 15th, 2022. The film recently secured worldwide distribution by the MVD Entertainment Group and is slated for release in North American theaters this fall, with an unveiling on digital and VOD to follow.

I am also working on executive producing a super rad family adventure animated film called SAURUS CITY, written and directed by Nate Smith starring Dennis Quaid, Ron Perlman, Emma Roberts and Tim Meadows.

We are very interested in looking at diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture and our youth growing up today?

It’s crucial for the film industry not only to embrace diversity, but to champion it at every opportunity.

• Untapped potential: By not giving the same chance to diverse industry professionals, we are losing out on a massive pool of talent. Every filmmaker, regardless of sex, religion, and race, deserves to have the same opportunities. Inspirational and revolutionary work is out there and we need to give diverse filmmakers the chance to share their voice.
• Consumers want to see themselves represented in film and television: Representation is crucial for both our youth and our culture. We should be creating opportunities for children to see themselves represented in film, enabling them to relate and connect with the message.
• Influence on society: what we watch influences what becomes societal norms. Most people do not understand how much the media affects our social and political views. And with the toxicity of one-sided social media targets, we are creating a world of division. Showing various cultures, opinions, voices, races and genders enables us to learn how to squash stereotypes and be open-minded to varying ways of life and thinking.

Can you share with our readers any self-care routines, practices or treatments that you do to help your body, mind or heart to thrive? Please share a story for each one if you can.

Self care is a necessity! If you do not take care of your body and your mind, you will not be productive and burn out.

I am a big supporter of meditation. I often listen to 8-hour sleep meditations, so positive and encouraging thoughts are working into my mind even while asleep. I also never, or rarely (only for flights, etc.) set an alarm. I wake up from my internal clock, which always makes me feel completely rested. After starting this habit years ago, I now wake up at almost the exact same time every morning, without the harsh startle of a blaring alarm.

It is also really important to force yourself to go get a massage at least once a month. If you keep your body and mind happy, happiness in every other aspect of your life follows.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

A quote my mom said to me when I was young: Dance like nobody’s watching. I have lived by this my entire life, and every choice I have ever made. People often are afraid to take chances, go out of their comfort zone, or go after their goals because they seem too impossible, and they have the fear of caring what others will think of them if they fail. They downplay who they are, or what they are capable of with the fear of others judging them.

An absolute necessity is to never, ever, think of any other person but you when you are identifying and going after your goals and dreams. Never give into other people’s judgment of you or what you are going after. Almost 100% of the time, the people who are judging are the people who wish they had the courage to take the risks and chances you are taking.

I could start and fail five businesses, and not blink an eye of shame or guilt about what others think. Every failure led me to a bigger and better mission, with bigger and better intelligence of how to improve or pivot my original idea into something more successful, or pushed me towards another path that encompasses the big picture end goal.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

To get off social media! I believe social media has done so much damage to how we live for others, judge ourselves, compare lifestyles and interact over a keyboard. If you look up right now, wherever you are reading this, I bet 90% of people in that room are on their phones or computers scrolling.

We have to relearn how to take back living in the moment, and living for ourselves.

Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have lunch with, and why? Maybe we can tag them and see what happens!

Quentin Tarantino. I would love to pick his brain on how he comes up with such unique perspectives and visuals in storytelling.

Are you on social media? How can our readers follow you online?

Yes, you can follow Film.io on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/filmioofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/filmio_official/

Telegram: https://t.me/officialfilmio

Discord: https://discord.gg/VHUde99U

Twitter: https://twitter.com/filmio_official?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGDYKyoke5qdGZYoIOy5tJQ

Learn more about Film.io and sign up for a reservation at https://film.io/

This was so informative, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!