Lisa Caruso Email & Phone Number

Los Angeles, California, US

Brought in by CEO/Founder in a fractional role to expand the company’s reach and competency globally in film/TV for sustainable production, ethical brand integration and impact storytelling.

Founded an independent production company/consulting firm to bring authentic, courageous, and inspiring social impact entertainment (SIE) content to the forefront with the intention to empower diverse storytellers, be a leading voice in media to advance the female perspective, and to impact a global audience with intentional cross-platform, cross-genre.

South Burlington, VT, US

• Established the US Content division for this global entertainment-driven non-profit organization which uses storytelling for social good. Mission: “A sustainable planet with equal rights for all.”
• Hired US Content team and led all creative development and production for US social impact entertainment (SIE) slate to address deeply embedded social issues of women’s empowerment, human rights, and environmental.
• Developed yearly budget and strategic implementation plan (SIP) for over $6million in restricted angel donor funding to maximize opportunities for engagement and return.
• Found and/or initiated over 15 projects (scripted, unscripted and podcast series) across genres, formats and platforms, for US and global audiences, with a double bottom line of revenue and impact. Hired and guided WGA.
• Created and Executive Produced two original non-fiction podcasts, “Crossing the Line” (www.CTLpod.com), an immersive audio docuseries on abortion rights in the US in 2022 as Roe v Wade was overturned and “The State of.
• Oversaw development and execution of social impact campaigns with internal and external teams

• Create and develop original television and digital concepts to sell, as well as working for-hire. Highlights include:
• “StrEats of the World,” Executive Producer - a branded global digital content campaign for Pepsi-Lays potato chips shot in several cities around the world (Citizine Networks)
• “Delta Lambda Phi,” Creator/EP- wrote/directed/shot an original docuseries sizzle/concept optioned by Conrad Riggs Productions (strong interest from HBO, MTV and OWN)
• “Lakeside Weddings,” Creator/EP- wrote/directed/shot an original docuseries sizzle/concept optioned by Ellman Entertainment
• “The Negotiator,” Creator/EP - wrote/directed/shot an original docuseries sizzle/concept on former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss and his Black Swan company (discovered before he went on to become an international.
• “Mr. Impossible” - Director/Producer - hired (Storyhouse Prods) to create a 20-min pilot presentation for the Syfy network.

Co-founded a production company for long and short form content with partner. Produced/directed sizzles and developed pitches for TV.

Los Angeles, CA, US

• Oversaw creative content production and helped to coordinate digital strategy efforts for the union to communicate messaging to 160,000+ performer and media professional members, the industry and globally as part of a.
• Campaigns included: The 2015 SAG Awards, Best in the Biz (Commercials Organizing & Recapture Initiative), President’s Task Force, The White House’ A Call to Arts, Fair Play/Fair Pay and the SAG-AFTRA 2015 National.
• Hired and managed staff and crew, and creatively led teams in the development and production of online content in conjunction with social media outreach efforts.
• Scripted/directed campaign spots with SAG-AFTRA talent and conducted multiple A-list celebrity interviews including on-the-fly red carpets. Created legacy content.(Performed duties full-time concurrent with obtaining.

Created, co-wrote, directed and produced comedy short TKO - a bout about love. Premiered at Dances with Films. Winner of the Audience Award for Best Comedy at the 2012 Broad Humor Comedy Film Festival (out of all films, features and shorts).

• Hired from freelance director to full-time staff to create and deliver original, online digital content that helps companies leverage storytelling and social media to connect with consumers in new ways.
• Brands include: Intel (youtube.com/ideajam series), Yahoo (PiNT), Levi’s (CurveIDJeans)*, The Cosmopolitan Hotel of Las Vegas, Downy, and more.
• Conceptualized, produced and directed projects in conjunction with social media campaigns that reached millions for this groundbreaking content studio co-founded by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg (named as one of.

Received a grant from The Cultural Development Corp of DC (CuDC) for an “artistic blind date” as a director, and was paired with a playwright and choreographer to create an original live stage production in four months. We uncovered and explored the local urban legend of the Bunnyman to interpret as our piece.

New York, US

• Selected by network GM to join the 5-person production/development leadership team to develop original programming for a groundbreaking eco-lifestyle TV network reaching 50 million homes, that successfully launched in.
• As Executive Producer, spearheaded creative development, production, budget and network compliance on several series, including: "Emeril Green," "Battleground Earth: Ludacris vs. Tommy Lee," "Total Wrecklamation,".
• Served as significant contributor to the vision and direction of the network by working in conjunction with adsales, marketing, communications, online and digital media teams, and internal research divisions to develop.
• Led development of creative concepts, formats and show ideas for lifestyle and docu-series programming from concept through delivery. Developed new series and specials ideas and solicited materials from outside.
• Served as a representative on the cross-network Discovery S&P editorial advisory board.

• Created and developed original non-fiction/reality series for pitching to multiple networks
• Produced (directed and shot) casting tapes for two Bravo docuseries pilots, including "The Real Housewives of New Jersey."

• HGTV original, hybrid docusoap/process series centering around a family-run demolition company based in Central Florida
• Chosen after a cross-country search for network-approved show runner; temporarily relocated to Washington, D.C. for 6-month period
• Network liaison. Directed in field and creatively oversaw entire series from devising pre-production strategies for both story and production, through to delivery; including hiring, budget, writing and all creative.

New York, NY, US

• Feature-length documentary on the life of a former Bloods gang-banger in search of the truth of his heritage
• Initiated documentary project by soliciting resources and financial backing over a 5+ year period
• Coordinated and managed logistics for location shoots, provided notes on edits, assembled trailer for potential investors, and sought additional financing resources
• Film screened at Tribeca Film Festival and was purchased by HBO and premiered in February 2007
• Nominated for a 2008 NAACP Image Award
• Honored in retrospective at Hammer Museum/LA in 2023 and The American Cinematheque in 2024

London, GB

• Travel Channel adventure-series where kids are allowed to run the family vacation
• Director for 1-hour episode; 3-camera, hosted shoot done on location in Colorado

• First original reality series created exclusively for mobile phone broadcast (on Sprint TV)
• Conceptualized 30-episode makeover reality series hosted by top model Vida Guerra
• Directed multi-cam shoots, all voiceover and greenscreen sessions
• Wrote all host copy, scripted episodes, and oversaw edits through delivery of series
• Oversaw staff hires and production team

Auckland, NZ

• Competition Reality series shot by Touchdown Productions for air on New Zealand TV
• Oversaw Mind/Body/Spirit bootcamp retreat in the remote jungles of Costa Rica featuring four self-help gurus, two New Zealand celebrities and 25 other participants, all going through personal introspection, physical.
• Handled all retreat production logistics and served as liaison between U.S. talent and New Zealand crew

New York, NY, US

• MTV reality-competition series featuring 17 contestants vying for prizes and the cover of Seventeen magazine
• Brought in during pre-production to work closely with Executive Producer and in-house MTV development staff to create episode elements and challenges
• Multi-cam Director, Control Room setup (including operating hidden cams), and on location in New York
• Responsible for half of all primary sit-down cast interviews, and tracking daily character story development

US

• E! Entertainment Television reality-sitcom docuseries featuring a rich Manahattan mother-daughter duo, their loves and escapades
• Developed first season's series’ story elements and produced all story in field, while singularly directing ’A’ camera and talent for the entire season
• Shot half the series, self-operating an HDV ’B’ camera
• Managed location shoots in New York City, Aspen, Miami and the Bahamas, and cast day-player talent
• Set up post-production systems and provided notes throughout edits

New York, NY, US

• MTV reality-competition series featuring Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne where heavy-metal bands vie for recognition
• Directed camera and talent while traveling throughout the continental U.S. on Ozzfest 2004 tour
• Responsible for tracking daily character story development

• Helped to create/develop first season of groundbreaking, hit Bravo docu-reality series on celebrity hairstylist Jonathan Antin, his new salon in Beverly Hills, and quirky staff
• Conceived and developed episodes, act breakdowns and makeover segments
• Multi-cam Director, Control Room setup, as well as in field; also operated hidden, DV and Beta Cameras
• Booked day-player talent; oversaw support team; tracked daily story development

US

• VH1 reality-competition series where Ted Nugent challenges 11 contestants to survive under his rules at his ranch
• Responsible for directing all contestant departure segments, overnight shoots and OTFs
• Provided daily story report for Executive Producers and network executives

US

• E! Entertainment Television top-rated one-hour biography of Today Show Host Katie Couric, featuring interviews with Larry King, Sam Donaldson and Geraldo Rivera
• Responsible for managing budget and support staff and overseeing all creative elements
• Developed, researched and wrote treatment and multiple script drafts, incorporating network’s notes
• Supervised Segment and Associate Producers, and research department
• Organized, produced and directed location shoots and interviews with minimal prep time
• Oversaw selection and clearance of archival clips, photos, media and music

Los Angeles, California, US

• Fox TV reality-relationship strip series based on Classmates.com that reunites student loves, friends and enemies
• Traveled nationwide to produce and direct field shoots with local crews under extremely tight schedules
• Self-operated 2nd DV camera for additional coverage
• Reviewed footage and transcripts to write segment papercuts; provided notes throughout edits

• Lifetime TV one-hour biography of film and television actress Dana Delany, featuring interviews with Garry Shandling and Garry Marshall
• Brought in during post-production phase to deliver project
• Re-wrote script, conducted additional interviews; oversaw support staff and supervised edit and delivery of all elements to network

Los Angeles, CA, US

• Fox TV reality-relationship series which illustrates lengths to which people will go to test mates or prove their love
• Directed multi-cam on location for several episodes, including directing host talent within segment
• Scripted segments and talent V.O.; posted and delivered segments for Endemol executives’ review

• Lifetime TV one-hour biography of environmental activist and film subject, Erin Brockovich, featuring interviews with Julia Roberts, Steven Soderbergh and Dick Clark
• Responsible for managing budget and support staff and overseeing all creative elements
• Developed, researched and wrote treatment and scripts, incorporating network’s notes
• Organized, produced and directed location shoots and interviews
• Oversaw selection and clearance of archival clips, photos, media and music
• Supervised edit, VO narration, sound mix and delivery of all elements to network

• Hired to develop story and characters and pen original feature-length screenplay based on a producer’s concept

• Partner in boutique production company specializing in electronic-press-kits and publicity materials for independent and studio feature films (while attending AFI full-time for MFA in Directing)

Universal City, CA, US

• Co-led Special Projects division of entertainment production company
• Conceived and pitched TV Special/EPKconcepts, and bid proposed budgets, to studios to win contracts
• Concurrently oversaw behind-the-scenes projects for multiple major motion pictures for studios including: Universal, Walt Disney, Sony and MGM
• Liaison to studio publicity departments and feature filmmakers
• Hired and managed freelance producers, editors, ENG crews and support staff
• Conceptualized, wrote, directed and produced over 50 behind-the-scenes projects including overseeing edits, scoring, narration VO and sound mixes

Universal City, CA, US

• Partnered with feature film Director Rob Weiss (later EP, Entourage, Ballers) and established production company on Universal Studios lot for his first-look feature/exclusive TV deal
• Worked with producers and studio executives to develop feature film and television projects (including American Psycho, a Steven Soderbergh scripted project, a James Gray scripted project and more)
• Tracked writers and analyzed screenplays for potential development
• Developed a dramatic television series which received a script commitment from Fox TV
• Hired, trained and oversaw office support staff

• First assistant on desk to producer Rosalie Swedlin for her first-look film deal at Universal Studios (Rosalie was a former CAA agent and one of the first women to break through Hollywood’s glass ceiling with a studio.
• Handled all day-to-day scheduling, rolling calls, greeting for meetings and note-taking, and being gate keeper
• Read scripts and did coverage, attended all development meetings and listened in on calls
• Contact with Universal Studios executives and top brass as well as outside producers, agents and top writers
• Managed home office logistics while Rosalie was on location on two film sets in production, including one in Africa.
• Obtained interview for highly-coveted position after self-introduction at WIF event

Los Angeles, California, US

• First full-time role, found through cold-calling. Promoted within one year from receptionist to assistant to publicist and given accounts to handle at this top entertainment PR firm with offices in NY and LA, with a.
• Clients/campaigns included: “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous” (Robin Leach), “Geraldo” (I wrote the punched-in-the-nose press release), “Wings”/ Tim Daly, Hanna Barbera, New Kids on the Block, Disney’s “Duck-tales” and.
• Wrote press kits and press releases, set and/or handled press requests and accompanied talent on press rounds
• Dressed up as a Hanna Barbera character, danced in Grand Central Station for Toy Fair and made the evening news
• Resigned to attend NYU summer film program upon acceptance (and move to Los Angeles after film PA work, assisting Liza Minnelli and other short-term roles)

Worked as an unpaid writing intern while in college at this recently launched, nationally distributed, college-age magazine (newsstands and campuses) founded by now Washington Commanders football team owner Dan Snyder.Was given assignments to interview and write articles on top musicians and celebrities. Was offered a full-time role by editor upon college.

Global Masters Of Business Administration (Gmba), International Business

Master Of Fine Arts (Mfa), Directing

Certificate In Digital Marketing & Communications:, Marketing Research & Strategy, Product Mgmt, Integrated Comms, And Digital Mktg Tactics & Trends

Certificate, Screenwriting

Certificate In Filmmaking

Education record

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, International Relations And Affairs

Diploma, Top 3% Of Class