Filmmaker of the Week – Laura Hunter Drago

Episode 37 of Filmmaker of the Week featuring Laura Hunter Drago!

Give us a brief introduction of yourself, where you’re from originally and where you are now if different

Hi there! I’m Laura Hunter Drago. I’m a producer, screenwriter, and actor whose recent projects include the feature film To the New Girl and the audio drama podcast St. Mary’s School (for Children with the Stigmata). I am originally from a small town in Northern Virginia, went to college in New York City, and currently live in Los Angeles.

What is it that first got you into the world of filmmaking?

I grew up doing a lot of theatre in school and professionally, so I went to college for acting and really had focused more on theatre up until that point in my life. I’d always been a huge film and television fan, though, so once I was in a location where I could pursue that it was definitely where my focus shifted. Having grown up in theatre, I really love working with collaborative teams to create art… and that’s something I get to experience a lot in the film world as well.

Share a little bit about your specialty in the film world

My focus as a producer and a content creator generally is really on helping women get jobs both in front of and behind the camera early in their careers. Those first few jobs are such a big deal to getting opportunities. I get really inspired helping other people do what they’re passionate about, and so I guess I would say my “speciality” is being a cheerleader for people in that way when I’m able to.

 What has been your most challenging project to date?

My first feature film as a producer, To the New Girl, was a huge challenge because I was the sole producer on the project and really threw myself into the deep end with it! It was almost four years of work on a shoestring budget with that project, but it has made putting it out into the world and getting great responses very fulfilling.

Tell us a bit about your latest project.

My latest available project is an audio drama podcast called St. Mary’s School (for Children with the Stigmata) which I produce, direct, edit, and voice one of the characters in. It’s a mystery about a group of high school girls who are afflicted with the stigmata… kind of a little ghost story vibe. It’s been a really exciting to put out there, because we’ve gotten so many listeners in a short amount of time and we weren’t necessarily expecting that. It’s nice to get real-time responses to a project that has a quick turnaround… much different than the experience of making a feature where it takes years before you have a real audience.

What is one moment you’ve had in any part of the filmmaking process where you learned a really valuable lesson?

I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is how filmmaking creates these little families, in a way. You work together, sometimes not for very long but almost always in really impactful situations. You end up permanently connected through the projects that you create together. I think it’s really important to remember that, and foster those connections and check in on those people you’ve worked with, and not take for granted the beauty of that aspect of it. You’re creating a project, but you’re also building relationships and a life.

What are some of the 5-year goals for you as a filmmaker/creative?

I’ve been spending a lot of time working on my skills as a screenwriter and building up that aspect of my focus in the last year. I just finished a feature and am starting another one as well as a pilot I’d like to finish in 2022. I’d like to get some of that material produced, whether I end up being the producer or someone else does or some mix of both. I spent many years as an auditioning actress, and a lot of time saying other people’s words… in recent years it’s become really important to me to start putting some of my own out there. It’s hard and a little new for me, but I’m trying!

If you could work with one idol of yours, who would it be?

Reese Witherspoon, for sure. We share a birthday (March 22) so I think we’d get along well! I also think what she’s been able to do in terms of creating exciting and interesting content that’s women-focused is awesome. I would love to work with her production company in any capacity, I think she’s the coolest.

Name three films that have inspired you most in your journey.

Ohh, that’s tough! I’m a pretty big fan of films in general and not super picky about what genre. Almost Famous, All About Eve, and Children of Men all come to mind as being really impactful for me growing up, though.

Where can folks find out more about you online?

I’m on Instagram at @laurahunterdrago and Twitter at @laurahdrago, and my personal website is www.laurahunterdrago.com. My feature film To the New Girl can be checked out at www.tothenewgirl.com, and the film is available for free on a bunch of platforms including Tubi. Our production company as well as info about our podcast can be found at www.newgirlpictures.com.

Any last thoughts or pieces of advice to filmmakers out there?

Build a great community of people whose work you love, who you also thoroughly enjoy as humans — and then create with them! Jump in!

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