“What surprised me was actually how profound, how deep I managed to have this relationship with carbon. Like, because in the end, I found, through the writing and embodying carbon for so long, I found the connections, the entanglement of carbon across so many aspects of all our lives so illuminating, so surprising. Sometimes I just felt so moved by the wonder of it all, and I still do. Just thinking about it now makes me think, God, it’s so wondrous.” Daniella Ortega on Electric Ladies Podcast
If you were making a film about carbon, what would it be like? On Electric Ladies Podcast today you’ll hear from a woman who actually did that. She’s science filmmaker Daniella Ortega, who is co-director of a new, extraordinary documentary called “Carbon: An Unauthorized Biography.” They use a number of super-creative theatrical devices to tell the story, including personifying carbon and using 3D animation.
Listen to Daniella Ortega explain on Electric Ladies Podcast in this inspiring conversation with host Joan Michelson, how she came up with the idea and how she and her production team chose how to tell the story of the one element in the universe that is in everything, including us – yet that we are also trying to reduce.
You’ll hear:
- Why they made carbon and woman and how they secured one of the top actresses of the moment to voice “her.”
- How Daniella came up with the idea and how that was filtered throughout the film.
- How to communicate climate messages in stories without being preachy or awkward.
- How she developed an emotional connection to carbon in the process of learning more about it making the film
- Plus, insightful career advice ….
“What I’ve come to learn about what it is to be a creative person with ambition and wanting to make an impact … I think finding the gaps of where you sit. You have some skills, that’s great, but where are the gaps? What do you feel can empower you or make you feel or give you those skills that you need to fill those gaps? And then look to other people or ways in which ways to fill them… (Also) don’t be isolated. Connect, connect, connect with those around you, and…don’t give your power away, keep your power and try to build on it.” Daniella Ortega on Electric Ladies podcast
Read my articles in Forbes about how we talk about the weather, and about developing a new narrative for the climate effort.
You’ll also want to listen to (some may have been recorded under our previous name, Green Connections Radio):
- Jill Tidman, Executive Director, The Redford Center, founded by actor, filmmaker, producer, Robert Reford and his late son James, which produces and underwrites documentaries about the planet.
- Sandra Bargman & Chantal Bilodeau, “The Climate Cabaret” – using music and storytelling to talk about the climate crisis.
- Deborah Rutter, President, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – on managing creative people.
- Ann Friedman, Creator and CEO, Planet Word Museum – on her new museum about the magic of language.
- Tracy Edwards, Executive Producer of the documentary “Maiden” about her experience developing and Captaining the first all-female crew to run the Whitbread Round the World Yachting Race.
- Dayna Reggero, Executive Producer of The Climate Listening Project, short films about community climate activists around the U.S.
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Joan Michelson, MBA is a highly accomplished business leader and award-winning strategic social impact and ESG – environment, social, governance – leader, who drove breakthrough results at Chrysler (in EVs), American Express and Deloitte, small businesses, and government agencies. She is an instructor on ESG issues to professionals, leaders and board members across industries. Her specialties include leveraging ESG solutions and partnerships strategically for maximum benefit, helping organizations recruit innovative, diverse women, and helping these women thrive in their careers. She is based in the Washington D.C. area.
Joan is also an accomplished journalist who has worked with top media organizations and hosts and produces the acclaimed Electric Ladies podcast (formerly known as Green Connections Radio), about innovation and leadership in energy-, climate- and sustainability-related issues across industries, featuring women experts.
She writes regularly for Forbes on these issues and has also been in the Harvard Business Review, HuffPost, TheAtlantic.com, Greenbiz, The New Economy magazine (distributed at the World Economic Forum), New Thinking magazine, regional business journals; and various other media. She coproduced segments with CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” ABC News, and “The Crusaders,” and television specials on NBC.
Joan has spent her career working in energy-sustainability-climate-ESG issues and in marketing communications, including as head of communications and co-leader of the sales and marketing team of Chrysler’s Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), driving “best year ever” growth and significantly accelerated the adoption of electric vehicles. Prior to GEM, she led marketing communications efforts to high-net-worth and high-visibility clients in management consulting-financial services companies Deloitte and American Express. She's a native of NYC and has a BA from UCLA, an MBA from Baruch College at City University of NY, and post-graduate studies at Harvard Business School, The New School and The Aspen Institute, among others. She has a Sustainability and ESG certification from Competent Boards.
