Prompt Cast
How Issa Rae Built Her Career from YouTube to Hollywood
TLDR Issa Rae started by creating her own content on YouTube, leading to the successful TV show "Insecure" and the establishment of a Hollywood production company. Despite facing challenges and rejections, she persevered, turning her feelings of awkwardness and insecurity into a powerful form of self-expression and connection with others.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Issa Rae built her career by refusing to wait for permission, creating her own content on YouTube, and eventually turning it into successful TV shows and a Hollywood production company.
06:44
Issa Rae created a web series called "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl" that led to her successful TV show "Insecure" and the establishment of a Hollywood production company.
13:08
Issa Rae started writing teleplays in middle school and was inspired by attending a live taping of the show "Moisha" in LA, which led her to start writing her own sitcoms.
19:11
Issa Rae initially felt isolated at Stanford due to the lack of diversity, but found her community through a theater company that sparked her interest in performing and producing.
25:28
Issa Rae found validation and a sense of audience connection through creating and sharing her own content, which motivated her to continue pursuing writing and getting her work seen.
31:53
Issa Rae embraced her introverted identity and turned her feelings of awkwardness and insecurity into a powerful form of self-expression and connection with others.
38:41
Issa Rae worked hard to create the web show "The F Word" with her brother and his friends, which eventually led her to start her own series "Awkward Black Girl" after feeling inspired by a call for more diverse characters.
44:32
Issa Rae faced challenges in casting for her web series "Awkward Black Girl," ultimately deciding to cast herself as the lead character to overcome fears and get the idea out there, leading to the show's success and audience support.
50:30
Issa Rae's web series "Awkward Black Girl" gained popularity through word of mouth, leading to unexpected success and attention from celebrities like Pharrell Williams, who eventually funded the show's second season.
56:58
Issa Rae pitched a show idea called "I Hate LA Dudes" to powerful people in Hollywood, including Shonda Rhimes, but despite positive feedback, the project was ultimately passed on by the network.
01:03:21
Issa Rae felt devastated when her show idea was not picked up by the network, leading her to doubt her future in the industry.
01:09:39
Issa Rae funded pilot programs for writers with her own money after a network deal fell through, leading her to put everything on the line for her show "Insecure."
01:15:41
Issa Rae's company, Hooray Media, aims to be a major entertainment media company with a focus on creating diverse content across various platforms.
01:22:15
Issa Rae reflects on her journey, balancing the feeling of just getting started with the pressure of time constraints in her career and personal life.
Categories:
Business
