Comedian/Filmmaker/Caregiver HEATHER FINK came to filmmaking from comedy. She has been making funny videos since she was a kid growing up in small town New Jersey. After earning a Philosophy degree from The George Washington University, she began NYU's Grad Film program as Writer/Director. Heather has gone on to direct over 35 comedy short and has been featured on MTV, Dr. Phil, TV Guide Magazine and The Washington Post, to name a few. Most currently, she was featured in the LA Times with, as she said in her post on X, her “my most depressing interview and pull quotes ever!” talking about the residual affect ion her career following the SAG-AFTRA and WGAstrikes in 2023. She currently pays the bills as a Sound Person for film and tv, including Marvel’s “Daredevil” and Hulu’s “The Dropout.”
Heather came to caregiving after her beloved father had a paralyzing stroke. Now, she is taking her life-altering story to the stage with her one-woman show, Quicksand, that chronicles how she navigated her role as a young Caregiver after her dad’s stroke and the challenges she faced trying to keep herself from sinking. As Heather says, “From caregiving to death and the Midlife crisis, QUICKSAND is a storytelling and clown exploration of the realest sh*t we face.”
We chatted with Heather about the importance of creating a supportive community and shared our personal experiences with Grief and loss, and the challenges of balancing personal storytelling with the need to connect with a wider audience in documentary filmmaking.
Don and I had a truly fantastic, funny, and heartfelt exchange with this incredible lady and are sure you are going to enjoy our conversation with the one and only Heather Fink.
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Susie Singer Carter is a multi-award-winning writer, director, producer, actor, podcast producer, and host. A versatile filmmaker, Susie is best known for writing, directing, and producing the 2018 Oscar Qualified short film, MY MOM AND THE GIRL starring Valerie, writing and producing BRATZ THE MOVIE for Lionsgate, and co-producing SOUL SURFER for Sony. During a 3-script blind deal at Fox TV, Susie wrote, produced, and directed SURVIVING HAWKING, an adult animated pilot starring Brian Cranston and Adam Brody.
In the spring of 2024, Susie will direct the screenplay, RUN, a dramedy that she adapted from the book PLAIN JANE. Ms. Singer Carter also produces and hosts the podcast LOVE CONQUERS ALZ (BEST PODCAST 2020 New Media Film Festival/#4 on Feedspots’ 2023 25 Best Alzheimer’s Podcasts). Susie is also the co-creator, co-writer, and director of the horror/comedy narrative podcast I LOVE LUCIFER nominated for Best Audio Fiction 2023 Indie Series Awards.
Currently, Susie is producing the docu-series, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE, critically needed documentary inspired award-winning filmmaker, Susie Singer Carter's (Oscar Qualified “My Mom and The Girl” starring Valerie Harper, Soul Surfer) experience tackling the front lines of our broken Long Term Care/Nursing Home System while caring for her beloved mother who, despite best efforts, died July 17, 2022 from what was inarguably egregious nursing home neglect and abuse.
Susie really understands the power of storytelling. This film promises to pack a much-needed gut punch that will force the public to look at our health-care system that is literally collapsing around us. Susie has partnered with former US Prosecutor and Attorney General, Rick Mountcastle (portrayed in the Hulu miniseries, “DOPESICK”), who spent years investigating and prosecuting nursing homes chains for fraud. She has attracted an impressive list of the most respected and staunch advocates to contribute to the film. She and her partners are currently raising the remainder of the budget to finish the project. They are fiscally sponsored by The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long Term Care which provides them a 501(c)(3) status. Tax-deductible donations can be made here: http://act.theconsumervoice.org/documentary
Susie is a sought-after speaker and has appeared in many Alzheimer’s awareness campaigns for Alzheimer’s Los Angeles. She proudly emceed the 2022 San Fernando Valley Alzheimer's Walk and hosts the WGA’s 3rd & Fairfax Podcast.
