00:30What's happening?
00:33Can I just tell you, can you all give yourselves a hand, please?
00:38Just a big old round of applause for yourselves.
00:44Yeah, okay, well.
00:45Hi.
00:47We going live, you guys.
00:55Whoop, whoop.
01:00So, good morning, and welcome to the fifth annual Essence Hollywood House, you guys.
01:11Thank you so much for being here.
01:14My name is Sidra Smith, and I'm the head of Essence Studios.
01:17And this is probably one of my favorite events, because I get to hang out with other fellow creatives like yourselves.
01:27For anyone who is joining us for the first time, Essence Hollywood House is a safe space for you guys to just be honest, vulnerable, and creative.
01:39We've got workshops, we've got panels, we've got a networking hour, we've got an amazing new series that you all are going to see, and you guys could be anywhere, and you're here with us, and we really appreciate it.
01:55So, no matter where you are in your journey as an actor, a director, a writer, a cinematographer, a casting director, we appreciate you.
02:08And we want to nurture you, and we want to support you.
02:11So, I just want to thank you guys so much for being here.
02:14And another thing I want you all to know, and I don't know if you're aware, but Essence has a film festival.
02:19It's called Essence Film Festival.
02:21It launched, yes, it launched last year at Essence Fest, and we'll have our second annual Essence Film Festival this year at Essence Fest.
02:31So, if any of you have any shorts or features or anything like that you'd like to submit, please do, because we are closing soon.
02:41So, you guys get your submission in before the end of March.
02:45So, I have another amazing woman that I'd like to bring up here, one of my favorite people in the world, and a part of my team at Essence is the VP of Video and Branded Content of Essence, Stephanie Donovan.
03:00And she's going to share a few words with you guys, and thank you all for being here.
03:05Hey, Stad, look at her, just black girl magic, period.
03:10Thank you, guys.
03:24Hello.
03:26We're live right now, but welcome, everybody.
03:29My name is Stephanie Noni Donovan, as Citrus said, Vice President of Branded Content and in charge of all Essence Video.
03:38This, as a black creative, is my favorite event of all, all the things that we do.
03:44This space we have created for you.
03:49I want you guys to really take in, wherever you are in your career, whatever your journey is, you being in this room, you are going to leave today, set off on a path to definitely, definitely see your dreams come true.
04:06And when I say that, that is going to depend on what you do today, right?
04:10So if we're calling for, does anybody in the audience have a question?
04:14If you've got a burning question inside, but you're too shy to walk up to that microphone, fight that urge and do it scared, okay?
04:21If you see somebody and you're like, wow, that person, what they said really inspired me, go up to them and tell them that.
04:29We love hearing stuff like that, do we not?
04:32Definitely do.
04:33Last year, I gave out my number to almost two dozen people, right?
04:39Guess how many people have been following up with me and checking in on what they're doing?
04:42One.
04:44His name is Jeffrey.
04:46And today, last year, he came and he was just here with his camera taking beautiful pictures.
04:52If you follow me on Instagram, Noni Donovan on Instagram.
04:55If you follow me on Instagram, my profile picture is a picture that he took that he sent to me on Instagram.
05:01And now he is back this year as an official Hollywood House photographer.
05:07One person, though.
05:09One person.
05:10One person, so absolutely, even if you go up and you get someone's number, you get their email, follow up.
05:16There's a clip of me on Essence's Instagram right now talking about that, okay?
05:20Because we were all there.
05:21So take advantage of this day.
05:23I want to thank our sponsors, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Prime Culture Rated, Queen Charlotte, A Bridgerton Story on Netflix, and Smart Water for financing this incredible, incredible thing today that we have brought to you.
05:37So, you guys, make sure that you're minding the cameras, right?
05:41Especially if you are back there and you're standing up.
05:44Hello to everyone at home.
05:46What I said goes for you guys at home, right?
05:48If you're seeing Instagrams up here, make sure you're DMing the people that are talking on stage.
05:54Say that you were inspired by something they said.
05:57People love hearing that.
05:59So take advantage and definitely enjoy.
06:01We have some amazing activations if you're here in person that are going on in the other room.
06:06Definitely take advantage.
06:08And as well, the context doesn't go just with the people on this stage.
06:12There is enough in this room, enough talent in this room to give us our next blockbuster film.
06:18Am I right or am I wrong?
06:19Talk to each other.
06:22See who is good at finance.
06:24See who is good at wardrobe.
06:25See who is good at makeup.
06:27See who is good at directing.
06:28See who has an amazing script and works together and create something amazing and keep me posted on it.
06:34All right?
06:35Enjoy your day.
06:39All right, all right, all right, all right.
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