Today we’d like to introduce you to Lizzy Montana.
Hi Lizzy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Born in New York, I was raised on musicals and have always been a fan of the arts. As I grew up, I got my hands on a few video cameras and would document summers with friends, creating montages to some of our favorite songs. I went to Texas State University and majored in theatre production and became a teaching assistant for one of the film professors who became a great mentor to me. After graduation, I interned with the Texas Film Commission and became post-production coordinator on one of Terrence Malick’s films. After a few years, I set out on my own, freelancing as an extra’s casting and location manager for various independent films and commercials. I’ve always wanted to run my own business, so during this period I also created Squishy Banana Studios and began teaching kids how to create their own short films. I started after-school programs in Austin and Dripping Springs school districts and hold week-long summer camps.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
A huge struggle has been covid. Just before the shutdowns, I was fortunate enough to be in two school districts at eight different schools with two employees. Once they reopened for regular classes, outside vendors like us were still unable to return to schools for all of the 2020/2021 school year. During this time, we tried holding virtual classes and in-person classes at alternate locations. We had about 80 kids during the school year and went down to 6-8 in-person students during this time. Once summer 2021 came, we were lucky to have mostly sold-out summer camps and this summer we are completely sold out with 120 film campers.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I created a business teaching kids how to make their own short films. We teach everything from how to brainstorm a story idea, location scouting, writing a script, creating characters, storyboarding, camera shots, filming, editing, and everything else in between. We teach in-person and have classes online on-demand.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I truly love what I do. I get to work with kids and create art. I’m glad I continued to hustle during the hard times and not give up. I am able to roll with the punches and adapt to different environments.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.squishybananastudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squishybananastudios/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squishybananastudios
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SquishyBananasStudios/videos
Image Credits
Squishy Banana Studios Kelly Power Photography
