Get to know Michele a bit better with our quick Q&A interview.
Introduce yourself! What’s your role?
Hi, I’m Michele Dennis and I am so happy to be Slow Clap’s ‘Senior Producer’, meaning I have been a producer longer than most! I’m a native Californian with a love for this earth and all its people and creatures.
What I love about the work I do as a producer with Slow Clap is the goal and mission to find the heart and the truth of our subjects within the context of their story and to utilize the amazing talents of our team to do it. We work together as a finely tuned machine to make this happen. We all love what we do.
As the ‘senior’ in the group, I often have opportunities to be a mentor and to introduce new ideas that are outside the original scope of the project, finding magical locations, using thoughtful casting, guiding the art team, planning the shoots for the best light and circumstances to give us the very best ingredients for delivering a show that surpasses any expectation on budget. I love the pre-planning stage, learning new technologies and the puzzle of procuring all of the pieces for great success.
What made you gravitate towards this craft?
As a kid growing up in LA, I was always writing humorous little scripts that my friends & I would rehearse and then perform for the parents and whoever else would watch. I always had a high awareness of commercials and the little story they told successfully in such a short time frame, so often these scripts and performances were marketing household products and foods like sunflower seeds and Ajax cleanser.
Later, when I saw “Born Free” a docu-drama about a couple in Africa who raises a lion cub, to later be released, it changed my outlook. I wanted the world as my office, and to make movies that told genuine stories.
What’s your prior experience?
From my first job in this biz in my early 20’s as a scheduler and manager for a small production studio video editing and duplication business to my work in creative boutiques as a producer and later as a freelance producer, I have produced everything from multiple day large-scale union shoots with actors, animals, and big crews to small intimate docu-style testimonials, documentaries, feature and short narrative films, and dazzling marketing pieces for dozens of major players including Google, Apple, Cisco, and Salesforce.
What made you interested in joining Slow Clap?
This mighty little company can do anything. This team can do anything. Working with teams who think outside the box, using imagination and experience to stretch budgets and abilities to get amazing results beyond anyone’s initial expectations, is my joy. That’s who Slow Clap is.
Favorite Film? What am I watching?
Too many films to name, but they are all films that affect me emotionally. Recently the 2022 Foreign Films nominee “EO” stole my heart, but I do tend to gravitate towards dark humor and indy films. Always love the Cohen Brothers and anything about carnivals! Guilty pleasure watch: Yellow Jackets.
Any Hobbies?
I’m always up for a hike in nature, desert, sea, mountains… I joined a community garden this past year and have loved it!
Lastly, favorite project you’ve worked on?
I am such a fan of history and chronicling the human story. One of my first Slow Clap productions was the new California Jury video for the Judicial Council of California (JCC), which tied into this passion. Everything I have done with Slow Clap has been a great and fun challenge.
2023 – Justice for All: Orientation to Jury Service
Meet the rest of the Slow Clap team, if you haven’t already!
Dan Lichtenberg, Founder & Creative Director
Beijo Lee Wang, Associate Producer
Jake Richard, Post-Production and Camera Manager
Alexander Flores, Junior Editor
Darissa Hicks, Production Coordinator
