March 25, 2021
Alumni Spotlight:
Daryl Paris Bright & Ariel Zucker
DARYL PARIS BRIGHT (NFFTY ‘19) is a filmmaker and performing artist who graduated from Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama. While attending CMU, she co-hosted CNT's first original podcast that focused on social and political satire. She has helped write, produce, and star in CNT's sketch comedy series, Not Your Type, as well as their award winning choreopoem series, OPEN.
Her contributions have gained worldwide recognition including HBO’s Inspiration Room, the American Black Film Festival, and AT&T’s Film Awards for New Forms of Storytelling. Aside from thriving in NYC’s spoken word scene, Daryl strives to create spaces for the nuanced stories of under-represented voices not only in mainstream media, but throughout her community.
ARIEL ZUCKER (NFFTY ‘19) earned a B.F.A. with Honors in Directing from the John Wells Directing Program at Carnegie Mellon University, where she developed CNT Productions, an intersectional feminist production company creating socially charged content with a bite. Her work has since been recognized by Outfest, AT&T Film Fest (New Forms of Storytelling), NFFTY (Audience Award), and American Black Film Festival, to name a few. Her script Taste of Soap also received special mention at the 2019 Screencraft Playwright Competition.
In addition to her work with CNT, Ariel is the Director of Digital Live Production at YEA! Impact where she coordinates virtual live events. Their virtual events have included collaborations with Netflix, Disney+, One Fair Wage, Sierra Club, Abaunza Group, Hovercast, and more.
Our Interview with Daryl and Ariel:
How did the two of you meet, and what has it been like working together to create and develop CNT Productions?
We met at Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama where we were in the same year. We started off as friends whose values and beliefs were deeply aligned, and eventually we had the opportunity to collaborate with each other for CMU’s Playground Festival. It was at this event that CNT was born, as a live sketch comedy show with segments composed of political and social commentary. Since then, CNT has evolved over the years into a video production company with a wide variety of socially charged content.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced, and what do you consider some of your greatest successes?
Last year, due to COVID-19, we were forced to stop in-person production for future projects. To keep us afloat, we transitioned into virtual interactive broadcast events. After producing events for other companies, we are finally developing two live interactive shows of our own that we will be using with the same technology that has helped keep us alive during the pandemic. Honestly, our greatest success is that despite the hardest year of our lives, CNT is still growing and thriving more than we could have imagined just a year ago.
What have been some of your favorite projects to work on, and why?
Daryl: My favorite project to work on was “Use What You Got” by Harron Atkins, probably because I so closely relate to the experience of code-switching, and had never seen this issue put into a comedic sketch in this particular way. I also really enjoyed working with Harron Atkins, as not only a writer but a performer, along with many other of my talented Black friends. It was a particularly special communal experience for me.
Ariel: “This Is Not A Love Letter” has to be my favorite project. I remember the filming process so fondly, especially now, since it basically involved 30 women packed together in a sweaty New York City apartment. I also think that because we were prioritizing what was going on in the room more than what was being captured on camera, the film became all the more rich and authentic.
Through CNT, you have built up a strong collective of BIPOC/femme artists and filmmakers from across the country. How did you find these individuals (or how did they find you), and how do you decide who will be a good fit?
You said it - these days, our contributors tend to find us. When we began to prioritize our online and social media presence, we provided a platform where many of these individuals could see themselves, and they want to be a part of it.
It’s hard to say how we decide who will be a good fit - we want everyone to feel like they can be a part of the CNT community, but that doesn’t mean that they are the best person for the particular project that we are working on. It all comes down to what an individual artist can contribute to a specific project, and the unique perspective that only they have. We’re not looking for people who are exactly like us. We value working with those who push us out of our comfort zone (in a good way!).
Your work is intentionally and unabashedly political. When did you know that this was the work you wanted and needed to do? How do you decide what issues you want to focus on?
We didn’t set out to be political. Our existence as individuals is political. We also didn’t set out to start a business - CNT was built out of necessity. What if there was a channel of content that pushes boundaries in the name of social justice, a place where no topic is too taboo? And what would it look like if women and GNC folx were trailblazing the way? So CNT Productions began, a team of marginalized creatives who strive to make the most difficult conversations digestible through humor, performing arts, and open discussion. In deciding what issues we want to focus on, it always comes from a place of not seeing a certain story addressed enough, if at all. We hope that when audiences see social issues in our projects, we are helping to create an ongoing conversation and encourage self-empowerment in communities that are so often disenfranchised.
How did you get involved with the Young Entertainment Activists (YEA!)? What has it been like working with them on the Creators for Justice Initiative during the pandemic?
Ariel: I met Allison (YEA’s founder) met on set when we were both assistants. I can’t say what the movie was, but we were both pretty disillusioned with the industry standard at that point and figured “we can do it better”. Lots of people think that, but I’m so proud to still be working with YEA because we actually followed through with our plan, still striving on the daily to make this industry a better place to be a socially conscious artist.
We work together on lots of projects, but Creators for Justice is a great one because it answers the question of “how can I help?” Especially when the pandemic began, there were a lot of unemployed artists who wanted to help their community and didn’t have the income to donate money. So through this initiative, we are able to connect those filmmakers, designers, animators, etc., with non-profits that need their creative help. It’s a win-win!
As filmmakers yourselves, what is your favorite part of the process? What stories are you most inspired to tell?
Our favorite part of the process is being in person on set and watching all of our hard work from pre-production come to life. We love creating an inclusive environment both in front of and behind the camera, and prioritize making our set a space where everyone feels safe and heard. The only thing that could top actually being on set is watching our projects screen at a festival, and having the opportunity to share that experience with others.
Do you have any tips for emerging filmmakers who are looking to create or join a working film or artist collective?
I think as you network and meet new people through festivals like NFFTY, it can make it much easier to find like-minded individuals who you can collaborate with. If the community is hard to find, don’t be afraid to start an artist collective yourself! Don’t take no for an answer. We used to take rejection to heart, as it felt like that’s all we were getting. Sometimes, you have to insist. It’s an uphill battle, and particularly for marginalized people, it can feel like you’re constantly being underestimated and/or dismissed. Give yourself the greenlight, and push back on a “no” when you can. You’ll be surprised what standing your ground can achieve.
How has NFFTY impacted your lives or careers as filmmakers?
Before NFFTY, we had never been flown out to a festival. That was a big deal for us, because it showed us that we were worth the effort, and that our presence at the festival mattered. Feeling like we were valued enough as artists helped us to see ourselves in a different light, and gave us confidence in applying to other festivals that may have felt out of reach in the past.
What’s next for you both?
We have two live Youtube shows premiering this April! The first show, “You Don’t Even Cosplay” is an interactive series hosted by cosplayer Monia Ashibi, where audiences will get to engage with the underrepresented cosplay community on all of their fave anime & fandoms, controversies, hot takes, and of course, cosplay!
The other show, hosted by us, is called “The Sex Scene”, and will explore how female sexual pleasure is actually represented on screen, examining the history and how it affects us today through a comedic lens. There will be live history lessons, sketches, interviews, and interactive polls where audiences can help “stimulate” the conversation. Tune in every Humpday at 6pm PST/9pm EST on CNT’s Youtube channel: youtube.com/cntproductions
