By 
Isabella Mastrodicasa is a talent manager and producer at Heroes and Villains Entertainment where she spearheads the digital department on the representation side while focusing on International IPs on the producing side.
She worked on the production of the award-winning documentary Finding Oscar which was executive produced by Steven Spielberg and she is also an affirmed judge for world-renewed film organizations such as the Austin Film Festival. Isabella actively produces for both film and TV and focuses on female and international voices.
Can you tell us about yourself and what you do?
I am a dreamer at heart and a storytelling enthusiast. This always puts me in front of different opportunities and leads me to work with diverse creatives and multiple platforms.
The beauty of being a manager and a producer is that there are no restraints on the spectrum of your work, and I love to put my expertise and time at the service of those whose opinions I respect the most, and whose message I value the most. This naturally leads me to work with other women who I empathize with and admire.
I have mostly worked with writers and directors in the past, but during the pandemic, I experimented with new digital platforms and ultimately started working with creators that make content for TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter.
My goal is to make sure that the talent I work with feels supported and appreciated in any step of their work because this allows them to be fully free to create and empower their audiences.
As a producer, my work centers on finding the most undeniable stories and International formats & IPs that can be adapted into TV series or films, as well as discovering global writers and directors with the most unique voices.
Tell us about your background and how you got here.
I come from a very small town near Rome, and I left when I was 18 to pursue a career in criminal law. After I graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s degree (making my parents proud), I gathered all the courage I had and I left in 2014 to chase my long-time dream of making movies in Hollywood.
My journey in this industry started when I enrolled in a post-graduate program at UCLA and found my first internship at a top talent agency. It was all but easy and it taught me how to patiently put in the work every single day, but it also gave me the “thick skin” that this business requires as well as the skills and resources that brought me here.
Tell us about your work. What are your days like? What motivates you?
Certain aspects of my days are pretty standard and sometimes even routine, though other aspects change all the time. For example, depending on what happens in the world socially, culturally, and politically, there will be different needs in terms of what voices need to be represented and amplified on screen or on social media.
Some unpredicted challenges can change the dynamic of my work, but what always stays consistent is my hunger for new fresh voices and my care and passion for the clients and projects that I curate. I get motivated when I see something special coming to life and inspiring others, or when my clients feel happy and rewarded for their work and I know that I contributed to that.
What is one thing that you love about your industry, and one thing that you would change?
What I love the most about my industry is the power of the art that Hollywood produces and that the world consumes. I also love the dynamic pace and broad spectrum of voices and inclusivity that digital platforms and new media like TikTok have.
The stories we see on screen and on social media in different forms really have the power to educate, move, inspire, and enlighten generations of people across the world. In turn, this can lead to radical changes.
It is thrilling and exciting to see how these mediums are used to give space and voice to those people who have felt marginalized in our society for a long time. Those are the stories that need to be amplified and nurtured right now. At the same time, I think that there is a lot of work that we as individuals, but also collectively, should do in order to make sure that those changes are concrete.
Tell us about your goals and vision for the future.
My biggest ambition is to continue to work with talented storytellers across the world, and to create something powerful and meaningful with them over the decades. I hope to keep on growing as a woman and as a professional. I want to empower and support other women in achieving anything they set their minds to.
Highlight something that may be useful to the readers.
I think it’s important to always remember to trust your gut when you embrace a new journey or when you feel a little lost. My best advice is to always keep your eyes on your goals, to work hard and have an open mind throughout the process, and to always keep moving forward.
