Born and raised in India, Akanksha Prabhune moved to Los Angeles in 2015 to pursue her dream of being a filmmaker. After graduating with an MFA in Television, Film, and Theatre in 2018, she has been working as an independent producer and writer. She is an associate producer on Howie Mandel’s Animals Doing Things (Season 2), which airs on National Geographic Wild, and an associate producer on A Wedding And A Murder (Season 2) which airs on the Oxygen channel. Whilst currently producing some exciting projects, Akanksha hopes to write and direct her own films. We interviewed her about her career and aspirations.
Hi, Akanksha! We’re excited to speak with you about your career. What inspired you to start a career in the film industry?
I was born and brought up in Pune, India. It’s right next to Mumbai, which is the hub of the Indian entertainment industry. Bollywood has a huge influence on Pune’s culture. I loved watching movies and TV shows growing up. Something about this industry has always allured me, but I never thought I could make a career out of it. I am the first person in my family to pursue a career in filmmaking. A career in the arts is not considered a stable profession in Indian culture so it’s not exactly something that is encouraged.
I am a huge fan of the TV show “Friends”. I think that was perhaps a show that changed everything for me. I was and am still obsessed with that show. I looked up behind the scenes footage, bloopers, trivia – you name it. And everyone seemed to have such a good time. I remember thinking, if you can get up every day and enjoy work so much, you have chosen the right profession.
I was also a huge bookworm growing up and even as a child I would try to put my spin on the writing. I won an award for reading the most number of books in school. I think that organically led me to write. As much as I love talking to people, I also enjoy getting lost in a good book or a movie or TV show. I decided to pursue a degree in filmmaking to hone my skills, and the rest is history. I am currently based in Los Angeles.
The film industry is so competitive. What do you do to stay current in your field?
I like to keep myself busy with work and watch as many new TV shows and movies as I can. When you work with many people on different projects, you are exposed to different ideas and techniques for making a film. Even after I come home from work, my way of relaxing and unwinding is by watching a TV show or a movie – so it never ends. I don’t get tired of it, honestly. There are so many fantastic TV shows coming out every few months – I think all these streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime have changed the game.
However, at the same time, I believe that you should not let go of your individuality. It’s important to keep up with the times and adapt to new techniques, but at the same time distinguish yourself through your work and approach.
For our readers, take us through the duties of a Producer.
Everyone has the same question! Nobody knows what a producer does. There are different kinds of producers and their duties differ as per their title – there are Executive Producers, Line Producers, Supervising Producers, Associate Producers, Coordinating Producers, Segment Producers, Field Producers, to name a few. The bigger the budget, the more people are attached to the project and you delegate tasks to other people as per their title. The most basic explanation would be that a Producer oversees and coordinates the entire process of film production from beginning to end and is involved in the project from inception to completion. If it’s a small-budget film, then usually the Producer(s) working on it handles everything related to logistics and hiring the cast and crew.
Tell us about your recent film productions.
This year, one of the films I worked as a Producer on did pretty great in the film festival circuit. The film is called “Resolve”; it’s about a young woman avenging the death of her mother. It’s an Official Selection at 15 film festivals, such as the 2019 Indian World Film Festival, 2019 Accolade Global Film Competition, 2018 Delhi Shorts International Film Festival, 2019 Vegas Movie Awards, 2019 Austin After Dark Film Festival, and the 2019 CineX Independent Film Festival. It is also a Semi-Finalist at the 2020 Dumbo Film Festival in New York.
I am proud of the team that worked on this – we all had an amazing time. “Resolve” was screened at Regal LA Live in downtown LA, the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas, and The Hen and Chickens Theatre in London. This film won the Award Of Merit for Women Filmmakers, Ensemble Cast, Original Song, Script/Writer, Lighting and Award Of Recognition for Creativity/Originality at the 2019 Best Shorts Competition; Award of Prestige for Best Experimental Film at the 2019 Vegas Movie Awards; and Award Of Recognition for Film Editing at the 2019 Accolade Global Film Competition.
I also worked as a Producer on a short film called “Going Out” which is about a young woman dealing with social anxiety. We will be sending it to film festivals soon.
I was also a part of the production team of the feature film, “The Infiltrators”, which won several awards at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. I enjoy learning new approaches to storytelling and this was one of those sets where I was surrounded by brilliant creative people, so it opens your mind to possibilities.
How do you choose your projects?
I think having a good script is the first step to making a film or television show that will stand out. After that, you put together a good team to work on it that will translate the script from paper to screen.
What is your approach to producing?
Producing is like putting together the pieces of a puzzle. Everything slowly falls into place. Being able to deal with different kinds of personalities and learning to say no are valuable skills to have. I think of it as an amalgamation of creativity and logistics and that’s what I like about being a Producer.
What sets you apart from other producers?
I think I can strike a balance between being creative and being able to handle the logistical aspect of production. I enjoy being able to have that spot in the middle where I can have the power to make decisions about the project but at the same creatively contribute to it. As a person, I am super analytical, so I approach every project that way. I analyze what we have and what we need. I like being organized and that helps me work effectively. Over time, I have learned to collaborate effectively; there are a lot of people involved in the making of a TV show and film, and it can be hard to keep track of everything and manage the flow of information.
What are the basic skills a Producer should have?
I think being organized and being able to handle stressful situations are probably the two most important skills a Producer should have. It also helps if you are a people person and can manage to work with different kinds of personalities.
When looking back on your career, do you think it’s been smooth-sailing?
I don’t think it’s smooth-sailing for most people. The television and film industry is known to be cutthroat and it can be hard to sustain yourself. Especially in LA, every person you meet is either working in the entertainment industry or trying to break in, so it can feel like a rat race at times. I just remind myself of how far I have come. I enjoy the work I do, so that keeps me going even when things are stressful.
In your opinion, what is the best part of film production?
Everything. Every film production has its ups and downs. I think there comes a moment in time for every production when you become friends with your co-workers, and you get into the groove and have fun on set because of the camaraderie you share after spending so much time together.
What do you enjoy most about the talent you work with?
It’s fascinating to see what elements of their own personalities the actor brings to the character and how they prepare for the role. Everyone has a different approach. I think for most people the main criteria is that you should be pleasant to work with. That’s just a very normal and basic expectation.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about your career?
I recently worked as an Associate Producer on two network shows; Season 2 of “Howie Mandel’s Animals Doing Things”, a comedy show which airs on National Geographic Wild and season 2 of “A Wedding and a Murder”, a true-crime show which airs on the Oxygen channel.
I am working on a couple of projects right now, and some are in post-production. I would love to work on projects in India too – I am actively working towards that. I am excited to see what the coming year brings for me.
For more information on Akanksha Prabhune, visit her pages on IMDB Instagram and Linkedin:
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