Arestia Rosenberg, Director + Executive Producer + Writer
Arestia Rosenberg, Director, Executive Producer, and Writer
In this episode Katherine talks to Arestia about her career in the TV and Film industry. Arestia talks about being enchanted with stories as a kid - she knew that she wanted to go into film after seeing Phantom of the Opera when she was only 8 years old. In high school, Arestia directed a one-act play and fell in love with directing.
Arestia’s passion for storytelling has landed her a number of jobs in the film industry- she has worked on everything from Animal Planet shows to Paul Blart: Mall Cop. She is currently working on a documentary about a hip hop school in Cambodia. Arestia recommends finding opportunities through connections - she suggests being vocal about what you want, and getting to know the people that you work with.
Arestia Rosenberg
Arestia Rosenberg has been a filmmaker and writer with 10+ years experience applying her unique background in production — both within the worlds of major motion pictures/television and advertising — and creative direction in media. She has one simple mission: to create passionate storytelling that makes a difference. Her video production and brand strategy work has received film-festival acclaim and media awards alike.
With a love for travel and a borderline obsessive tendency to connect people, Arestia constantly demonstrates her T-shaped prowess outside of work as well, having co-founded Boston Content, a community of content creatives, marketers and enthusiasts, finished traveling the world as a digital nomad with Remote Year, and is now making a short documentary about a hip-hop school in Cambodia for impoverished youth.
Show Notes
Education
Boston University, 2006
Bachelor’s in Film and Television
Career
Assistant to DeVon Franklin, Columbia Pictures (2007)
Assistant to Heather Parry, Happy Madison Productions (2007)
Assistant to Todd Garner & Barry Bernardi, Happy Madison Productions/ Frameworks LA (2008)
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Field Producer, Sox Appeal on NESN (2008)
Associate Producer, Powderhouse Productions (2008)
SUPER FETCH on Animal Planet
Associate Producer, Happy Madison Productions (2009-2010)
DVD/Behind-the-Scenes & EPK content for “Grown Ups” and “The Zoo Keeper”
Associate Producer, Powerderhouse Productions (2010-2011)
Development Department; DOGS 101/CATS 101, Animal Planet
Producer, Happy Madison Productions (2011)
DVD/EPK content for “Here Comes The Boom” and “That’s My Boy”
Senior Content Producer, Hill Holliday (2011-2015)
Creative Director of Brand Strategy, The Daily Beast (2015-2016)
Traveled with Remote Year’s third group, Cousteau (2016-2017)
Independent Filmmaker + Creative Director (2016-present)
Tiny Toones Documentary
Saw a hip hop dance performance while in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and learned that Tiny Toones was a school for impoverished youth
Went to the school to take a dance class, but the power was out so got a chance to learn more of the story from Shhort, the head of the school
KK was the founder, born in a Thai refugee camp during the Khmer Rouge (Cambodian Genocide), immigrated to LA, grew up in the projects, went to jail, was deported back to Cambodia (a country he’d never been to), and then a bunch of kids learned he was a break dancer & kept asking him to teach them how to dance - and he saw an opportunity to help them not end up like him
School exists solely on donations & not only teaches dance but also English and Khmer (local Cambodian language)
Story really inspired & resonated with her, over the months that followed, she decided to make a documentary to help them reach a broader audience & get more donations
Filming in Cambodia in January 2018 and then will submit to film festivals once it’s finished
Fundraising for the documentary on IndieGoGo: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tiny-toones-documentary
Currently: $7,706 USD raised by 100 backers
Goal: $15,000
Closes December 23
See a video about the kids on the campaign page
Documentary team
Arestia Rosenberg, Director + Executive Producer
Daniel Junge, Executive Producer
Jay Heyman, Producer
Todd Brown, Producer
Chenda Yen, Local Fixer
Dos Piseth, Director of Photography
Eric Gulliver, Editor
Alex Formosa, Post Sound + Music
In Arestia’s words:
While I was traveling and during my time in Cambodia, I was introduced to Tiny Toones, a hip-hop and break dancing school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for at-risk and impoverished youth. I fell in love with these kids and what the school was doing, and the founder and head of school's stories really resonated with me. These two guys, KK and Short, were born in Thai refugee camps during the Khmer Rouge, emigrated legally to the US, got involved in gang violence and went to jail. When they got out, they were deported back to Cambodia, a country they had never been to and no longer knew anyone. To make a long story short, they ended up starting this school to help guide kids that were just like them, but give them a better ending. Now, 100 kids go to school there every day, with former students dancing internationally and coming back as teachers.
This story felt so powerful to me, that I couldn't not tell it. Plus, they could really use the help and awareness. The school exists solely on donations and money is running out. For the last few months, I have been chipping away, figuring out if its something I could physically pull off and put an amazing team together who have all jumped in enthusiastically to help. My background is in producing, and I have been doing that for many years while field producing (a kind of directing) and directing pro bono videos, but this is the first time I am putting it all on the line to make my own film...which is where you come in.
I launched an IndieGoGo campaign to raise money. Donations are really the most important so we can make this happen, but I appreciate social media support to help get the word out. Maybe the Tiny Toones story resonates with you, or you're a proponent of making sure everyone gets an education. Whatever your reason, I hope that you will please share this campaign with your network to help me fund this project, and if you're really inspired, please donate.
Thank you all immensely!
The Modern Work podcast is produced by Conaway Creative. The team behind this episode:
Hosted & directed by Katherine Conaway
Social media by Kelly Becker
You can support Modern Work financially via Patreon, by spreading the word on social, and by writing a review on your favorite podcasting platform. We appreciate it all — thank you!
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