Shannon Malone-deBenedictis of Red-Rock Films: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker

Stay friends. Filmmaking is a shockingly small community. Keep in touch with people and celebrate everyone’s success. It takes an army to make a film. From the director and executive producer to the driver on that one shoot in Toledo, everyone is important. Recognize everyone’s talent.

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 Shannon Malone-deBenedictis.

Shannon Malone-deBenedictis, Senior Vice President of Development and Production for Red Rock Films, is an Emmy-winning creative storyteller and a leading figure in film development and production spanning several genres, from nonfiction to lifestyle. With an extensive career as an editor, producer and in-house development executive, she excels in taking a “10,000-foot” approach to a project — with a passion for problem-solving and an ease in grasping both creative and network business interests. Before joining Red Rock, Malone-deBenedictis built her career in non-fiction film production at companies such as Wag TV, National Geographic, and Discovery Communications, with notable films such as Discovery Atlas and Planet Earth. Recent Red Rock projects include Secrets of the Whales (Disney+/Nat Geo), the winner of the 2021 Emmy for “Best Documentary or Nonfiction series,” “Penguin Town” for Netflix and specials for “Sharkfest” and “Sharkweek” on National Geographic and Discovery. A former video installation artist, Malone-deBenedictis is also a native Washingtonian, avid news reader and proud Nationals baseball fan.

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 grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, the daughter of a federal civil servant & a school registrar. I was obsessed with sports, movies and dogs, and am still obsessed today. I was always creative, writing a play at age 9 and performing in theater starting in junior high. As I got older, I was less interested in performing and more interested in the tasks behind the scenes. My family was always supportive of my creative endeavors except when I destroyed the walls or fried my hair in a mad accident of bleach and hair dye.

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

I love movies. From Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant and William Holden to Vernon Florida, Spinal Tap and Sunset Boulevard, I embraced it all. The moment that I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker was in 1985. I saw A Room With a View and thought, “that’s what I want to do.” I wanted to tell stories. I even joked in my high school yearbook that I would someday win an Oscar for my wacky musical adaptation of A Tale of Cities. (There’s still time.)

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your filmmaking career?

One of the most memorable moments was when I was on a shoot in Longshen, China, filming the rice terraces and interviewing families who had lived on the land for millennia. My satellite phone unexpectedly rang. It was my sister. She told me that our father’s lab results had come back & he had terminal cancer. Here I was: standing in arguably one of the most beautiful places on the planet and I’m engulfed in sadness. I tried to act like everything was normal, but I wasn’t succeeding. A local couple, both in their 70s, saw that I was sad. The old lady led me into her incredibly humble home and offered me some tea. I spoke no Mandarin. She spoke no English. And yet that old woman comforted me over a cup of tea.

I have learned through my career that the overwhelming majority of people I meet throughout the world are genuinely kind. And little things like sharing tea can make a huge impression.

Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?

Oh, there are so many. The woman who owned her own fig orchard in Siwa, Egypt. The chef on a boat charter who was also a Danish theater director and worked with Lars Von Trier and Mads Mikkelsen. The celebrity who surprisingly grabbed me for a hug because she was having a trying day and needed comfort. There are so many interesting people. What’s so wonderful is everyone has a story to tell — whether they are famous or not.

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?

When I was in elementary school, at age nine, I had a teacher who really encouraged my creativity. When I declared that I was going to write a play about Eleanor of Aquitaine, he told me to go for it. So, I wrote a one-act play, directed and starred in it. I even coerced my best friend to play Prince John. Was it good? Probably not because I was nine. But Paul Alan Rischard told me to always aim high. And I have. (Postscript: we’re Facebook friends now and he’s still incredibly supportive of everything I do.)

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

Two life lesson mantras I live by:

1. “We have to be cool to everybody. Because the future is like a Japanese game show: you have no idea what’s going on.ˇ — Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock.

Look. The world is crazy. You never know what life is going to throw at you. We can control how we treat others. So be cool.

2. “Life is what you make of it. If it doesn’t fit, make alterations.” — Linda Hunt, Silverado

You make your own path. And it’s not easy and not ready-made. Make alterations to make life fit you best.

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?

Diversity is vital. As I’ve mentioned above, life is not and should not be ready-made. Diversity means a variety of perspectives. My worldview may be changed or broadened by someone else’s vision, and that’s wonderful. Diversity is achieved not only on screen but also in every role behind the camera. It also means bringing different approaches to how we work. And that’s really important to us at Red Rock Films and what we are totally committed to. We know that there isn’t one way to do something. Bringing in people of different backgrounds and experiences allows for innovation and ingenuity as well as a strong culture.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

We’ve got a great feature doc in the works with Netflix, a great conservation film and some programming in new genres for us. We are talking to streaming outlets and networks about our first big children’s program: a new animated series featuring Ranger Rick and his pals in coordination with the National Wildlife Federation. We’re also working on more feature documentaries which is really exciting territory.

Which aspect of your work makes you most proud? Can you explain or give a story?

My proudest moments are when someone tells me that our program touched them emotionally. With our series Secrets of the Whales, I received many kudos, (and an Emmy!) but two interactions stick out to me. The first one was from a former curator and anthropologist for the National Park Service. He told me that he had seen other documentaries about whales but ours truly captured not only the science but also how extraordinary these creatures are. It made him emotional and he thanked me for that. The other was a note I received from my 6-year-old neighbor. She said that she now loved whales. These are the moments that make me the proudest.

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.

1. Never stop learning. Whether it’s a new subject matter or how Todd Haynes is changing how a documentary story is told, there is always something new to learn.

2. Be humble. Hard work and humility go a long way.

3. Listen. I’ve seen so many people spend all their energy trying to think of the next thing to say, that they aren’t listening to what is being said.

4. Stay friends. Filmmaking is a shockingly small community. Keep in touch with people and celebrate everyone’s success.

5. It takes an army to make a film. From the director and executive producer to the driver on that one shoot in Toledo, everyone is important. Recognize everyone’s talent.

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?

I don’t believe there is a clear answer. The best films are collaboratively made. Even Fred Wiseman, one of the most important and original filmmakers working today, relies on his editors and associate producers to help him shape the narrative. Everyone brings information to the table that helps ensure the film has the best chance of success. Our goal is to share an amazing story. It’s when we combine all our insight and talents that we achieve that.

Our recent Netflix series PENGUIN TOWN was a great example of collaboration. Every member of the team brought their own view on how these adorable, yet endangered birds should be portrayed. We discussed camera angles, storylines, music, pacing, writing tone, point of view, number of storylines, narrator, graphics — -everything. And sometimes those discussions lasted for weeks. We looked at past critiques of animal docu-series, monitored trending videos on YouTube, and tracked what was ‘buzzy’ on Netflix. All of those things informed our final decisions. And in the end, we all were incredibly proud of what we produced because it was our vision.

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. :-)

I would advocate for a mentorship program for underprivileged students who are interested in media. It’s not just the technology because with the advances in smartphone technology, anyone can be a filmmaker. But it’s another thing to know how to tell a story. I believe it would really help bring new points of view not only into the entertainment business but also a great assist in life skills. Storytelling skills also help in overall communication skills. It helps you express yourself and describe what you want and/or need.

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. :-)

Alexis Ohanian. I’m a huge fan of his Twitter feed. His perspective on the changing marketplace and how the internet has evolved is fascinating. And I think he’s a huge Lego fan. He’s still embracing his childhood. I get that. And I respect that.

How can our readers further follow you online?

Red Rock Films website: https://redrockfilms.net/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-malone-debenedictis-1638424

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