Rising Star Simone Kisiel Of ‘In Media Res’ On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry
…If you’re going to work in the arts, you have to remember to have fun. There will be days when it feels like everything is stacked against you. Forget failing — you can’t even get an opportunity in the first place to see if you’ll succeed or fail. It’s hard. But at the end of the day, artists create because there’s something inside them that has to come out. That process — the act of creation — it should bring you joy. So on the days when it feels like a burden, take a step back and remember why you’re doing this. Find the fun in it again. And when you do, chase that…
I had the pleasure of talking with Simone Kisiel. Simone is an American filmmaker, director, and producer known for her work in horror, comedy, and documentary filmmaking. A graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Kisiel transitioned from acting to directing early in her career, drawn to the creative control and storytelling opportunities behind the camera. Over the years, she has worked with high-profile talent, directed commercial projects for major brands, and founded her own production company, establishing herself as a distinctive voice in independent filmmaking.
Raised in Maryland, Kisiel grew up in a suburban environment where pursuing a career in the arts was uncommon. She attended a private school where conventional career paths like law and medicine were encouraged, making her decision to study acting at NYU an unusual choice within her peer group. During her time at Tisch, she trained as an actor but soon realized that the auditioning process did not appeal to her. After graduating, she spent just six months pursuing acting before shifting her focus to filmmaking, citing impatience with the industry’s tendency to leave actors waiting for opportunities rather than having an opportunity to create them.
Kisiel’s first major project as a filmmaker was HOUSED, a horror-comedy mockumentary. The film was well received at festivals, earning her an award for Best Mockumentary at the Miami Webfest, and provided the foundation for her career in independent filmmaking. Following the success of HOUSED, she established her film production company, setting the stage for a broader career that would encompass feature films, short films, documentaries, and commercial work.
Among the standout moments of her career, Kisiel has directed and collaborated with major Hollywood figures, including Harrison Ford and Ted Danson. She directed Ford for a commercial piece about environmental science as part of the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement. She later worked with Danson on a similar project and recounted a moment when he recognized her from a previous encounter, reinforcing the importance of relationships in the industry. These experiences, along with her collaborations with Dakota Fanning, Ella Balinska, and Diana Silvers on a Clé de Peau Beauté campaign, reflect her growing presence in commercial directing.
Kisiel has also faced significant production challenges, such as shooting a feature film in a freezing Connecticut winter, where an actor had to play dead in sub-zero temperatures. The experience tested her problem-solving skills as a director, illustrating the logistical hurdles that come with independent filmmaking.
In addition to film, Kisiel has expanded into audio storytelling. She is currently producing In Media Res, an audio drama satire about Hollywood that explores themes similar to the ongoing search for the next James Bond. The project, developed with Good Story Guild, is her fourth audio drama and her most ambitious to date, featuring well-known actors. She is also preparing to launch Cat Secretary, a video game scheduled for release in 2025, which follows a cat navigating the challenges of the Hollywood industry.
Throughout her career, Kisiel has emphasized the importance of industry connections, persistence, and adaptability. She has spoken about the necessity of saying yes to early career opportunities — even unpaid ones — that can lead to more significant projects down the line. Her own trajectory, from working on smaller projects to directing major campaigns and well-known actors, underscores this philosophy. She also stresses the importance of maintaining professional relationships, sharing an anecdote about how a previous collaboration helped establish trust with Ted Danson on set.
Kisiel has taken a firm stance on the use of artificial intelligence in creative work, stating that she does not use AI for any aspect of production that could otherwise be done by a human. While she acknowledges its usefulness for administrative tasks, she remains committed to preserving human artistry in her films, audio dramas, and games.
Kisiel’s work can be found through Magic Dog Productions and Good Story Guild, where she continues to develop films, audio dramas, and other creative projects. With a growing body of work spanning multiple mediums, she remains a dynamic figure in independent filmmaking, bringing a unique voice to the industry through her commitment to storytelling, collaboration, and advocacy for underrepresented creators.
Yitzi: Simone, it’s a delight to meet you. Thank you. Before we dive in deep, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share with us the story of your childhood and how you grew up?
Simone: Wow, yes. I’m from Maryland originally. I have a wonderful family — my parents and a brother. I grew up in the suburbs and went to a private school where it was pretty unusual to want to go into the arts. They expected you to become a doctor or a lawyer, so it was a little bizarre that I ended up at NYU, coming from that environment. I went to NYU Tisch for acting, and after I graduated, I only pursued acting for about six months before moving behind the camera. The reason for that is I don’t wait very well, and I don’t do well walking into rooms thinking, Please, sir, am I pretty enough? So I started as an actor, but I became a filmmaker — mainly because I don’t have the patience to wait around.
Yitzi: Can you tell us a bit about your first starts in entertainment — your first big roles or big projects?
Simone: Sure. Back when I was an actor, before I went to NYU, I had never played a human woman on stage in my life. I played a football player, a pirate — pretty much every male character in Our Town. I even played a chimpanzee. But I had never played a human woman, partly because there were so few men in theater and also because of this deep voice I’ve got. Even at 13, they were like, You’ll play the old man.
So I didn’t really get a chance to flex any artistic prowess until I got to NYU. Even there, most of the really good opportunities were for people who could sing — and I can’t sing. I think my first big thing was the mockumentary I made after I graduated. It’s a horror-comedy feature film called HOUSED. That was the first film I took to a festival, the first award I won — Best Mockumentary. That project ultimately led me to found my film production company and set me on this whole path.
Yitzi: Amazing. You probably have some incredible stories from all the different projects you’ve worked on and the different sets you’ve been on. Can you share one or two stories that stand out the most from your professional life?
Simone: I’ll tell you the coolest thing I’ve ever done and the biggest professional challenge I’ve faced on set.
The coolest thing, hands down, was directing Harrison Ford for a commercial piece about science for the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement. I got to spend time with the man himself, sit with him, and work with him — it was absolutely incredible. And now that I’ve said that, I have to also mention that I spent a whole day working with Ted Danson on a similar project. Later, I saw him and his wife at the gala, and Ted remembered working with me, which was really cool. So those are definitely the highlights.
The most difficult challenge that comes to mind was during the shoot for the first feature I just mentioned. We were filming in the dead of winter in Connecticut, in a cabin, and one of my characters had to lie on the floor, dead. She was only wearing leggings and a little shirt, but she had to stay completely still, no shivering, and it was about six degrees outside. So we’d cover her in blankets between takes, then I’d have a PA pull them off right before I hit record, hoping to get about ten seconds where she wasn’t visibly freezing. That was an interesting challenge — making someone who was very cold look very dead and still.
Yitzi: That’s a great story. It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake you made when you were first starting out in entertainment and the lesson you learned from it?
Simone: That’s such a good question. The first thing that comes to mind is when I was just starting out, I made a short film with some friends, and I had yet to learn about multiple backups. The hard drive we were using got corrupted, and we lost everything. The film was gone because I hadn’t backed it up anywhere else. That was the first and last time I made that mistake.
Now, any time I shoot or record anything, it’s backed up in multiple physical locations and also in the cloud. Losing a whole short film was a pretty big mistake, but at least I never had to learn that lesson twice.
Yitzi: That’s great. We love hearing stories where someone a bit further ahead opens a door or creates an opportunity that changes a person’s career trajectory. Do you have a story where someone did that for you? Or where you did that for someone else?
Simone: Well, first of all, I would love to do that for anybody and everybody I can. I was originally a teacher at NYU after I graduated, and I really miss advising, helping, and guiding students — just young people who are trying to do anything like what I do.
As for my own experience, one strong example comes to mind. In 2021 or 2022, I worked on a project for Clé de Peau Beauté with three actresses — Ella Balinska, Diana Silvers, and Dakota Fanning. They were becoming brand ambassadors for Clé de Peau Beauté, but this was still during COVID. The company had let go of all their in-house directors, so they hired me as an external director. The challenge was that we had three different shoot days, with each actress filming separately against a green screen, and I had to make it look like they were all having a conversation together.
It was incredibly difficult, but also very cool. And, if I don’t mind saying so myself, I absolutely nailed it. The final product was seamless — no one would ever guess they weren’t in the same room together.
Now, fast forward a few years. I was on set waiting for Ted Danson to arrive. He was only scheduled to be with us for a short time. He walked in first, alone, without any of his team, and I said, Hi, Mr. Danson. And he smiled and said, Please, call me Ted. So I said, Okay, hi, Ted.
The next person to walk into the room was the PR person I had worked with on the Clé de Peau Beauté project. She looked at me and said, I know you. And I looked at her and said, I know you! How do we know each other?
Then she said, You directed that campaign for Clé de Peau Beauté. And I said, Oh, you represent Diana.
She turned to Ted Danson and said, This woman knows how to direct. You’re in excellent hands today.
A few minutes later, I asked Ted if he’d be willing to stay a few extra hours to do more work on the project. And he agreed. I’d like to think it was because his PR person — someone he already knew and trusted — had just given me that seal of approval. I don’t think he would have agreed to spend seven hours with us otherwise.
Yitzi: Okay, amazing. So, you have such an impressive body of work, Simone. Can you share with us the exciting projects you’re working on now and what you hope to be working on in the near future?
Simone: Yes! The project I’m most excited about right now is an audio drama we’re releasing with Good Story Guild called In Media Res. It’s our fourth audio drama, and it’s our biggest swing yet. We’ve got some big-name actors involved, and it’s a satire about Hollywood — specifically about empires like James Bond. It’s kind of funny that James Bond is currently being rebooted at the same time as this, because our story is all about asking, Who’s the new James Bond? Who’s the new Jack Stellar?
We’re really excited about In Media Res, and I think people are going to love it.
The other project I’m really excited about, which hasn’t been released yet, is a game called Cat Secretary. It’ll be our first video game, launching in 2025. It’s a cozy game about a little cat who dreams of working in Hollywood and ends up dealing with AI, evil executives, and all the challenges of bringing a story to life.
Yitzi: Audio drama is an amazing thing. A few years ago, when podcasts became big, I kept wondering, why aren’t audio dramas just as popular? And they weren’t. It was actually a mystery to me. Do you think they could one day be as big as talk podcasting or even TV?
Simone: There’s something about the spectacle — like when you watch something on HBO Max or Showtime, even with the sound off, just looking at it, you think, wow. So I’m not sure if audio dramas will ever be able to compete with film and television, just because they only engage one sense.
When you listen to one of our audio dramas, it’s a cinematic experience — like watching a movie, but for your ears. It has original music, incredible sound design, and a full production. But your eyes are still free to do anything else. You can drive, walk, build things, hike — whatever. Because of that, I think audio dramas will never be quite as prevalent as movies and TV.
But I do hope they become as popular and as sought-after as talk podcasts — where it’s just people chatting. Personally, I prefer content that’s been heavily curated and thoughtfully put together, so chat podcasts don’t really work for me. But I think if people who love those kinds of podcasts gave audio dramas a chance, they’d find them really exciting and engaging — like a perfect blend between a talk podcast and a Showtime series.
Yitzi: So, this is our signature question that we ask in all of our interviews. You’ve been blessed with a lot of success, and you must have learned a lot from your experiences. Looking back to when you first started in entertainment, can you share five things you’ve learned that you wish you knew back then?
Simone:
- The first one: In this industry, unfortunately, it really is about who you know. And that’s not just limited to celebrities. When you’re working with people, collaborating, or going to events, it’s important to keep track of the people you meet. Even if you don’t see an immediate way they could help you, that’s not the point. The industry is built on relationships and what people think of you. So reach out, stay in touch, and network as much as you can.
- The second thing: Say yes. A lot of people hold out for a “better” opportunity, but the thing they just said no to might have been the stepping stone to that better opportunity. You can’t just show up at the top — you have to work your way there. So say yes to any and all opportunities that aren’t taking advantage of you. If it’s not abusive or exploitative, take it. If someone wants you to work for free, and you feel like you deserve to be paid but no one’s offering, consider working for free. I can draw a direct line from saying yes to unpaid work to later working with Dakota Fanning, Harrison Ford, and Ted Danson. I believed in the people behind those projects, and I was right.
- The third thing: Show up. And I don’t just mean physically being there — I mean show up like this is your film, your project, your work. Even if it’s not technically yours, act like it is. Give it your all every day. Pro tip: Even if you don’t personally care about the project, act like you do. Bring your best effort, because that’s what’s required of you.
- The fourth thing: Learn to be comfortable with both perceived and actual rejection. I started out as an actor, walking into rooms thinking, Hey, do you like my face? My body? My voice? And sometimes the answer was just… no. As an actor, you get used to people looking at you and saying, No thanks. That experience helps down the line when you have a film or a product and people critique it — you learn to separate yourself from your work. Your work is not you. If someone has a critique of your work, it’s about the work, not you as a person. If your work fails — if it objectively doesn’t succeed at what you intended — that work failed, not you. You can try again. Failure is just part of the process. No one has a 100% success rate in art. You have to be prepared for people to say, That thing you made? It sucked. And you have to be able to take that, process it, and move on.
- And the fifth thing — this is going to sound lame, but it’s true: If you’re going to work in the arts, you have to remember to have fun. There will be days when it feels like everything is stacked against you. Forget failing — you can’t even get an opportunity in the first place to see if you’ll succeed or fail. It’s hard. But at the end of the day, artists create because there’s something inside them that has to come out. That process — the act of creation — it should bring you joy. So on the days when it feels like a burden, take a step back and remember why you’re doing this. Find the fun in it again. And when you do, chase that.
Yitzi: When you said before that people were judging you — like, judge my body, my face — did you mean that literally or figuratively?
Simone: No, I meant it literally. For example, when you walk into an audition as an actor, they already have your headshot. So for me, I’d walk into a room, and they’d see my headshot, where I look small, petite, and cute. Then I’d open my mouth and say, Hi, I’m Simone, and I’d immediately get one of two reactions — either a look of surprise or a look of discomfort. It was either ugh or oh, and I could tell instantly whether it was disgust or some kind of weird sexual interest. And I was just standing there thinking, I’m just here to do a monologue. But I could see on their faces that I wasn’t what they were expecting.
I’ve had people straight-up tell me during an audition, You would have this part if you had a more feminine voice. But you sound like a man, so we can’t cast you. And I just had to walk out of that room knowing that was their judgment — that my voice made me uncastable in their eyes. So yeah, they were literally judging my face, my voice, and how the two worked together, and they had no problem saying, We don’t like it.
But honestly, that’s just part of the job. Acting is the only profession where it’s expected that you’ll be judged on things like that. If you can’t handle it, you can’t handle it. No one’s asking for your height when you apply to be a doctor, but in acting, your appearance, voice, and presence actually matter. So while it’s uncomfortable and doesn’t always feel great, it’s just the reality of the industry. You can’t get too mad at it.
Yitzi: Earlier, you mentioned AI. What are your thoughts on using AI in audio dramas, where it might be easier to implement?
Simone: I have a pretty hard stance on this. I don’t use AI in any capacity where a human could have created the work instead. I won’t use it to generate an image, a sound — nothing.
The only way I’ll use AI is for administrative tasks — things I would have done myself anyway and never would have outsourced to another person. But as an artist — a classically trained artist who creates films, audio dramas, and games — I think it’s frankly unethical to use AI-generated art in the products we release.
Yitzi: That’s great. Can you share with our readers any self-care routines or practices you use to help your body, mind, and heart thrive?
Simone: That’s such a great question. What a great question. Hmm… what do I do to take care of myself?
Well, I consume a lot of horror content — horror is my thing. If what I’m watching is more upsetting than what’s happening in the real world, that actually helps me.
I also practice Spanish every day.
But the main thing I do for self-care is making sure that every week, I see at least two different people, at two different times, who I care about — people who aren’t just work associates I see on a screen. I mean in real life. I see them in person, I touch them, I spend time with them. I think the biggest gift I give myself is making sure I actually connect with the people I love, instead of just sitting at my desk working all the time.
Yitzi: That’s a great answer. Beautiful. Now, this is what we call our matchmaker question, and sometimes it actually works. We’re very blessed that prominent leaders in entertainment and business read this column. Is there anyone in the world — or in the U.S. — that you’d love to have lunch with, collaborate with, or just have a coffee with? We could tag them on social media and maybe help make the connection.
Simone: I would love to have lunch with MacKenzie Scott. Jeff Bezos’s ex-wife — who’s just out here giving away billions of dollars to charities. That’s who I want to talk to.
Yitzi: This is our final question. Simone, because of your great work and the platform you’ve built, you are a person of enormous influence. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that would create the most good for the most people, what would it be?
Simone: There are a couple of movements already in existence that I would love to see fully realized. But okay, can I answer this as if I were president and could enact a policy? If I were in charge, I would impose additional taxes on the wealthiest Americans and use that additional tax revenue to ensure that every American receives a $50,000 yearly universal basic income. The idea is that we should be a society that allows people to not just survive but to thrive — even if they wouldn’t otherwise be able to achieve that within the capitalist system.
Yitzi: That’s great. Beautiful. How can our readers continue to follow your work? How can they watch, listen to, or purchase your latest audio dramas? And how can they support you in any way?
Simone: Yeah, so we’re at goodstoryguild.co, and we have a Patreon where people can sign up to support us and get behind-the-scenes content and early releases. We’re also launching a Substack soon. But really, goodstoryguild.co is the best place to find all of our audio dramas — Josie’s Lonely Hearts Club, Divorce Ranch, Leylines, and In Media Res. You can find them anywhere you get your podcasts — Apple, Spotify, Podbean, anywhere. I also continue to make films and documentaries and you can see my film related work at magicdogproductions.net.
Yitzi: Simone, thank you so much for this amazing conversation. Wishing you continued success, and I hope we can do this again next year.
Simone: Thank you so much! You asked such great questions. It was lovely to talk to you, and I’d be very happy to do it again next year.
Rising Star Simone Kisiel Of ‘In Media Res’ On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.