SAG-AFTRA Chicago Conservatory Presents: From Actor to Producer!

Join us for From Actor to Producer: Making Your Own Content and Developing Another Industry Skill Set! This will be an evening with local SAG-AFTRA members who have taken the leap to the other side of the table. You will not want to miss this free Conservatory event where you will learn the steps it takes to go from actor to a sought after multi-hyphenate. This talented panel will share their experiences and best practices as we unpack the process of making a film from that first inspiration through to post production and the premiere.

Panelists include:

• Tiffany Bedwell
• McKenzie Chinn
• Coby Goss
• Erik Juarez
• Lisa Roti

Please send questions in advance for our panelists to jess.jones@sagaftra.org by Oct. 24 at 1.p.m.

If you like what you learn here and you want to take it farther, be sure to sign up for the SAG-AFTRA Chicago "Make your own Short" series this fall! (If you are interested in receiving forthcoming details on the short series, separate registration will be required. Please register your interest here for additional details, when available.)
 

Panelist Bios:

Coburn Goss -  Coburn Goss is a Chicago-based actor, writer and producer, originally from North Little Rock, Arkansas. Film credits include Widows, Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman, The Lucky Ones, Once upon a River and the upcoming Adult Children. Television credits include: Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, The Red Line, Empire, Boss and E/R. He has performed Off-Broadway and regionally with Steppenwolf Theater, Goodman Theater, Asolo Rep, Seattle Rep and Arkansas Rep. His play Marked Tree received the American Theater Critics’ Osborn Award. He co-wrote and produced the film All Happy Families.
 

Erick Juarez is an up-and-coming filmmaker with a passion for storytelling that began in his early days as an actor. Originally from Guatemala and raised in Chicago, Erick studied acting at Northern Illinois University, where he earned his BFA and also trained at the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia. Erick is now actively involved in Chicago's indie film scene, working on projects like Parting Gift, Holiday Heartbreak, Paper Flower, and Cake. His background in acting gives him a unique perspective on producing, allowing him to approach filmmaking with creativity and insight.
 

Lisa Roti  is an accomplished actor and producer with TV credits that include co-starring roles on Amazon’s Utopia, NBC’s Chicago PD, and Fox’s The Mob Doctor. She recently earned a “Best Supporting Actress” laurel for her role as Maria in the indie short Side Effects. Beyond her acting career, Lisa recently cast and produced SAG-AFTRA short My Best Nut and has extensive experience in various production roles, including locations, art department, and live entertainment events. Additionally, she is a noted jazz vocalist who has toured internationally, including as part of President Barack Obama’s 100,000 Strong Initiative in Beijing.

McKenzie Chinn is a filmmaker and actor based in Chicago, whose work envisions personal and collective liberation. She is a 2021 Sundance Screenwriters Lab and Directors Lab Fellow, where she honed her feature film “A Real One,” currently in late development. The short version of “A Real One” won the 2023 Chicago International Film Festival’s Gold Hugo, qualifying the film for 2025 Academy Award consideration. Her film “Olympia” (writer, producer, actor) won the Best Narrative Feature Audience Award at Geena Davis’s 2019 Bentonville Film Festival. She is a current SFFILM Rainin Grant Fellow. As an actor she has played recurring and guest star roles on ABC’s Will Trent, Fox’s The Big Leap, and others, and has appeared onstage with Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, The Second City, Woolly Mammoth, The Studio Theatre, and others. She earned her MFA at The Theatre School at DePaul. mckenziechinn.com

Tiffany Bedwell -  Michigan-born and Chicago-based, Tiffany trained in theatre in Detroit, Russia and Greece, and performed on stages around the US. After transitioning to performing for film/TV, Tiffany played Dr. Emily Wandervogel in Dreaming Grand Avenue and Tessa in Good Guy With a Gun -- and thus, she became addicted to all things indie film. In 2023, Tiffany made her directorial debut, co-directing the short Fitting Descriptions alongside John Mossman. She also executive produced and starred in the film, and co-created the story. Fitting Descriptions is in the midst of a robust global festival run. As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), Tiffany’s stories in development amplify the voices and hands of the Deaf and CODA existence, which the hearing world mutes every day.

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing (paid thru Oct. 31, 2024.) No guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.

Please note that ADA requests must be received 72 business hours before the start of the event.