RFB podcast hosts Maggie Stiggers and Spiro Marcos penned Dear Future Producer, the ultimate DIY guide to producing your own content. Your friendly redheaded editorial director spent a few minutes with Maggie talking about their journey from mic to page — and some things in between.
MC: You’ve hosted your podcast, The Cool Kids Table, on Radio Free Brooklyn for a year now. What made you two decide to write a book?
MS: We wanted Dear Future Producer to be a DIY handbook for artists who are eager to expand their creative portfolio and begin professionally producing their own content. It teaches you how to be your own producer (films, sketches, podcasts, music videos and other content) in an industry that embraces the power of self-creation and promotion.
MC: How did you find the transition from mic to page?
MS: Spiro and I co-founded our nonprofit production company in 2017. We have a passion for producing — mostly comedy — but across all genres. We sought to create a platform that lifts up all kinds of artists and allowed us to gain our own creative freedom.
MC: Describe a bit of your collaborative process and the approach that took you from concept to publication.
MS: While writing and publishing a book is a lot of hard work, it’s a rewarding one. We established our “why” right from the beginning. We knew we wanted this book to help other people feel empowered by creating… whatever it is they want to create! After starting with a general outline, including chapter topics and quotes we wanted to include, we then made a schedule and met each week to write and edit together. Once we had a final draft, we sent it to some of our past collaborators for feedback and book reviews — and we’re so thankful to everyone who helped with that!
MC: Give us a little hint of the DIY goodies readers will find in its pages.
MS: It includes topics such as fundraising, making industry connections, obtaining fiscal sponsorships, drafting emails for food donations, insight on film festivals, securing locations, equipment rentals and so much more. Most importantly, it focuses on the power of visualizing your dreams.
MC: What is the takeaway you hope people will get from reading Dear Future Producer?
MS: We challenge our readers to dig deep, never give up on themselves and resist comparing their journey to someone else’s. If you’ve ever wanted to channel your inner producer and build up your own resume, why not get started now?
MC: I’m sold! Where can I get my hands on a copy of Dear Future Producer?
MS: It’s available right now on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback, and soon will be available on our website, www.nikofrankproductions.com — where you can find out more about all our work.
Catch the latest — and all episodes of The Cool Kids Podcast on RFB.
