Spotlighting Women Making History

FOR WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

LISA Lovaglio: HAPPENSTANCE & MOXIE

STANDING IN LINE ISN'T STANDING IN PLACE

Standing in line to enter the premiere of Till, two women struck up a conversation. That is when Ivory Freeman, Bessie Morris Foundation's founder, met Lisa Lovaglio in early October 2022. They felt an instant rapport and have stayed in touch since.

CHOOSING ACCEPTANCE

Lisa grew up in the New York suburb of Long Island. She was always intrigued by NYC and wanted to go there: All types of people live there. It is diverse and eclectic. You can do what you want there, be yourself.

Growing up in a more insular suburb in the late 90's and early 2000's may have pushed Lisa to want to go to NYC. Being a gay individual, Lisa sometimes felt challenged by what she felt internally versus what was she was shown externally by society. She was afraid of not being accepted in the suburb. She felt deep inside that she'd be accepted in the communities in Manhattan, but it was a big step to move.

“Looking back, perhaps the likelihood of being accepted is also why I was also drawn to the entertainment business versus a more conservative industry,” said Lisa.

Lisa moved to NYC to attend PACE University to study Film. She began her career by interning for a documentarian. She then worked in the reality TV world on programs including Amazing Race, Project Runway, and Celebrity Apprentice. She first worked in the location department and worked her way up to Location Manager.

PERSONAL CHALLENGE

After being part of the reality TV world for six or seven years, Lisa realized that this was not the path she wanted to be on any longer. She really wanted to work in narrative content. More specifically, she wanted to produce feature films. She felt she had reached a peak in New York and wanted to grow her career.

But she struggled with the decision. She had invested so much in her current line of work. This was a personal challenge for Lisa. “I got down on myself for having spent so long in the ‘wrong' world of entertainment that didn't really translate into the world I wanted to be in. Am I too old to battle this or do I revamp and shift directions in my career? Do I want to move to a new city where I don't know anyone?”

Lisa made her decision. She went into battle. With most of the industry in Los Angeles, Lisa moved and bravely pursued her dream. She leased an apartment in LA in September 2019.

EXTERNAL CHALLENGES

Then came March 2020. COVID. Everything shut down. Lisa packed her bags, and with her dog, she boarded one of the last flights still running to New York for what she thought would be a couple of months. She left her belongings in storage here and thought, “I'm not done with LA.”

A couple months turned into one-and one-half years. But Lisa did not lay down her sword. She continued to build her network across the country. And while in New York, she landed her first position as an associate producer of an independent feature film.

Filming began September 2020 and the crew abided by the strict COVID laws. They stayed in their Kingston NY hotel bubble. They tested twice a day, 7 days a week. The shoot was completed in 24 days, and no one tested positive. The result was a great film that was accepted by the South by Southwest, Tribeca, and many other film festivals.

LA TAKE TWO

In January 2022, Lisa moved to LA for the second time. “This time it felt different. I got a second chance. I wasn't nervous as much as I was excited and hopeful.” She networked liked crazy. She attended events through the Producers Guild. “I put myself out there tenfold.”

Then came the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild strikes that lasted much of 2023.

KEEPING HERSELF OPEN TO WHAT COMES HER WAY

Lisa needed to work, and she found small jobs here and there, but she needed consistency. During a shoot for Angel City Football Club, Lisa met a guy from Fox Sports. He told her about a company working on sports live broadcasts in the immersive reality space. Lisa was hired as the full-time Production Manager in the fall of 2023. She pivoted again, but thus far, she is happy with the decision she made. She is staying open and trusting that this opportunity came her way for a reason.

STILL 80/20 ON THE SET

Everyone has their challenges. Being a woman in the TV/Film industry can be difficult in the male-dominated field. This was especially true when she started in the Production Office. “No one has ever said or done anything inappropriate to me, but every time on set, there's 80% men and only 20% women.

“I work hard and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Be patient. Speak up for yourself if something needs to be said. It's slowly changing; it is starting to diversify.”

LEARNING MOXIE FROM HER PARENTS

Moxie sums up what Lisa has learned from her parents: courageous spirit and determination; and perseverance. Without a doubt, Lisa most looks up to her parents and tries to mirror them. Through their example, she learned perseverance and dedication to your goals.

She is grateful to have had such a great childhood with both of her parents there to support her and provide the foundation. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom and her father, rising before the sun every day, worked hard in the construction business he started at a very young age. Neither of her parents attended college, but they sacrificed to allow Lisa and her siblings to do so. “When you're young, you don't realize all that they sacrificed for you,” shared Lisa.

STAYING ACTIVE & GIVING BACK

Lisa likes to stay active and centered. She discovered yoga about ten years ago and it has become her meditation practice. Last year, she took up boxing — it helps her work out frustrations and keeps her grounded. In 2019 and 2022, she rode in the AIDS/LifeCycle 7-day, 545-mile charity bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise funds for HIV and AIDS-related services. This is one of the ways she likes to donate her time and efforts to help others.

PULLING THE ARROW BACK

From my experience, “it is not a linear path to where you want to go. Every step you take, whether you think it is a step forward or backward, is a step in the direction for you personally.”

Lisa shared her arrow tattoo on her forearm and said it reminds her of her tenet: “You have to pull the arrow back for it to be catapulted forward.”

"Just keep going forward.”

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View Lisa Lovaglio's IMDb Bio

Producer | Location Management | Production Management

Since 2019, Lisa has worked as a Production Manager on three films. “Each were amazing, fantastic, and yet one of the hardest experiences of my career. There are a lot of challenges when producing a film on a low budget; you need to be creative and scrappy. But it can be really rewarding.

With over 50 industry credits to her name, Lisa Lovaglio's moxie is paying off!

March 2024