One Woman's Writing Retreat: Interview Diane Nabatoff

I was born and grew up in New York City. I went to Spence then Harvard and Harvard Business School. I had always planned to be a singer. I started taking voice lessons when I was a teenager and did summer stock every summer. While at Harvard Undergrad, I performed in most of the musicals but I also worked on The Hasty Pudding Show, an all-male show that had been around for 130 years.

You were the first female producer of Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals. What did you learn about producing from that experience?

I probably had to work harder than anyone else to prove that a woman could do the job but I learned how to gain the respect of 60 guys without being a cheerleader or a bulldozer. It was here that I got hooked on producing. I think my creative background as a performer probably made me a better producer.

I always thought I would end up in Hollywood either as an actress or a producer.

You were also the founder of Harvard’s first female vocal group, The Radcliffe Pitches. Do you still find time to sing?

Creating the unexpected. You need an original story with unexpected twists and turns, a director with an innovative vision who can add value to the script, and an editor that can help the director pace the footage to create suspense and surprise. All three have to work for the overall film to have maximum impact.

Is it important for a producer to specialize in one genre or is it better to diversify?

I can only answer for myself. Over the years I have worked for several companies and have put together and produced films that fulfilled their mandate. However, the truth is my taste is very eclectic. Now that I have my own company, I am developing comedies, thrillers, dramas, musicals and period pieces--basically all genres. I have worked with a lot of true stories as well.

In 1999 you founded Tiara Blu Films with Ray Liotta and his wife Michelle Grace. Under what circumstances did you meet and why did you decide to form a film company?

I met Ray in 1994 when I produced OPERATION DUMBO DROP. We spent 5 months in the jungles of Thailand shooting which was quite a bonding experience. When I moved to New York I decided to start my own company. Ray, Michelle and I had similar ideas of what we wanted to accomplish so we decided to partner and form Tiara Blu Films.

NARC should have been the easiest film to produce and instead it ended up being the most difficult. Three days into shooting we were told that our financing company did not have their bridge-financing and we would have to shut down until they could get it. I knew if we shut down for even a day, the film would be over. The actors, director and I all agreed to defer our salaries if they could just make payroll for the crew. I never knew from day to day if we were going to make payroll that week or not-- if we were shutting down or shooting. We never saw dailies and Joe had a limited amount of film to shoot each day. Miraculously we finished the film, went on to Sundance and got distribution from Paramount but it was a very unconventional and bumpy road.

What is the role of a film editor? How vital is the editing process to the artistry of a film like NARC?

The editing process is obviously very integral to the success of a film like NARC. Joe and John worked very closely together to tell the story and pace the film.

Not at all. It was a pre-existing script. When we first started our company, we were given a stack of scripts to read. NARC was the one we all liked.

How did you learn about ProductionConsulting.com? What do you hope to accomplish by working with them?

Alex Ross called and asked me to participate. I thought it was a great way to give access and advice to new writers. And you never know, maybe I will find my next new film.

Do you feel that you are at the height of your profession? What are your long-term goals?

All depends how you define height. I have definitely reached a height of experience but since I have just recently started my own company, I am certainly not at the height of my professional expectations. I feel that everything I have done so far has just prepared me to reach for the next level. With my own company I now have greater freedom and opportunity to create films that fulfill my vision.

Any advice for writers who want to pitch their scripts to independent film companies?

If you are sending your script to independents, you will most likely have to package it first. For the companies that get their financing out of foreign markets, you will need a script with foreign appeal and a package that fits their criteria

If you could work with any director or writer in the history of filmmaking who would it be and why?

Catherine Tudor founded One Woman's Writing Retreat in 1996 in order to create a network for writers at all stages in their careers. She is the managing editor and webmaster of One Woman's Writing Retreat. Read more about her here.