What happens when a bestselling YA author bets on herself right as the world shuts down?

In this episode of the Women in Entertainment Podcast, Stephanie Garber takes us behind the scenes of her first adult novel, Alchemy of Secrets, a project she sold in early 2020 and spent five years bringing to life. Known for the beloved Caraval universe, Stephanie shares the honest, strategic reasons she made the leap into adult fiction along with the creative freedom that came from writing a technicolor, noir-tinged Los Angeles filled with hidden magic, treasure hunts, and hope.

Stephanie reflects on growing up loving movies, building LA as a living, breathing character, and why she believes adult stories can, and should, still be fun. She also opens up about craft: why she no longer believes in “standalones with series potential,” how romance beats shaped her longer arcs, and what it means to write with intention rather than fear.

The conversation takes an exciting turn as Stephanie recounts the unforgettable moment she learned that Julie Plec, the visionary behind The Vampire Diaries, had read Alchemy of Secrets. From fangirling to forging a partnership with Universal, Stephanie shares why this adaptation journey has left her feeling optimistic, supported, and deeply grateful.

Listen to learn:

- Why Alchemy of Secrets took five years and why that time mattered

- How career strategy and creative passion can coexist

- What makes Los Angeles the perfect setting for an adult treasure hunt

- How to think about series vs. standalones without breaking your heart

- Why hope is the one ingredient Stephanie always writes into her stories

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

#StephanieGarber #AlchemyOfSecrets #JuliePlec #WomenInEntertainment #InHerWordsPodcast #AuthorsOfInstagram #BookToScreen #UrbanFantasy #WritingCareers #WomenCreators

Jenna Santoianni didn’t grow up dreaming of Hollywood; she grew up without cable. But that outsider perspective became her secret weapon as she carved out a powerful career at the center of television’s biggest transformations.

In this episode, Jenna traces her path from aspiring broadcast journalist to influential TV executive, beginning with early internships in development, a formative start at Creative Artists Agency, and a long, hard-fought road into scripted television. She opens up about learning the business before the streaming boom, getting her first real TV break at BermanBraun, and building shows during an era when rules, budgets, and expectations were constantly being rewritten.

Now a leader at MRC, Jenna reflects on what defines an MRC show, from bold creative voices to stories that have something to say, and why hits like House of Cards, Ozark, and Poker Face reshaped the streaming landscape. She also dives into the loss of 22-episode seasons, the challenge of measuring success today, and why audiences still crave characters they can grow up with.

Listen to learn:

- How growing up without TV shaped Jenna’s creative instincts

- Why character is the most powerful hook in modern storytelling

- What’s been lost and gained in the shift to short streaming seasons

- How success metrics have fractured across platforms

- Jenna’s practical advice for aspiring executives on building real mentorship

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

#WomenInEntertainmentPodcast #JennaSantoianni #WomenInEntertainment #TelevisionExecutives #StreamingEra #TVDevelopment #MRC #CareersInHollywood

What does it take to “land the plane” on one of the most ambitious shows in modern TV and still keep it feeling human?

In this episode, VFX Supervisor Betsy Paterson pulls back the curtain on joining Stranger Things for its final season and stepping into a world where every sequence is a high-stakes puzzle. Betsy walks us through the reality behind the spectacle: a long prep period shaped by constant planning, storyboards, and pre-vis, followed by a full year of shooting and an equally massive post-production push. Her north star is always the same, ground the visuals in reality so the emotion and performance stay front and center.

We dive deep into how the team approached Vecna with a hybrid practical/CG solution designed to preserve Jamie Campbell-Bower’s performance while reducing the brutal hours in the makeup chair. Betsy also shares the craft (and chaos) of collaboration, working hand-in-hand with special effects, stunts, wardrobe, and cinematography, whether that means building rigs for falling “goo” or problem-solving a stab-able Demogorgon stand-in with… flower foam.

Listen to learn:

- What a three-year VFX timeline really looks like

- How Vecna was redesigned with a performance-driven hybrid approach

- Why the best VFX starts with practical, on-set reality

- The behind-the-scenes teamwork that makes big creatures believable

- Where AI is (and isn’t) actually helping VFX pipelines today

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

#InHerWordsPodcast #WomenInEntertainment #BetsyPaterson #StrangerThings #VisualEffects #VFXSupervisor #Vecna #TheUpsideDown #Netflix #Weta #ILM #Maya #Houdini #JamieCampbellBower #DufferBrothers #JamesGunn #Peacemaker #PostProduction #Filmmaking #CGI #PracticalEffects #AIInFilm